US07676514B2
A primary processor manages metadata of a production dataset and a snapshot copy, while a secondary processor provides concurrent read-write access to the primary dataset. The secondary processor determines when a first write is being made to a data block of the production dataset, and in this case sends a metadata change request to the primary data processor. The primary data processor commits the metadata change to the production dataset and maintains the snapshot copy while the secondary data processor continues to service other read-write requests. The secondary processor logs metadata changes so that the secondary processor may return a “write completed” message before the primary processor commits the metadata change. The primary data processor pre-allocates data storage blocks in such a way that the “write anywhere” method does not result in a gradual degradation in I/O performance.
US07676511B2
In some circumstances a generational garbage collector may be made more efficient by “pre-tenuring” objects or directly allocating new objects in an old generation instead of allocating them in the normal fashion in a young generation. A pre-tenuring decision is made by a two step process. In the first step, during a young-generation collection, an execution frequency is determined for each allocation site and sites with the highest execution frequency are selected as candidate sites. In the second step, during a subsequent young-generation collection, the survival rates are determined for the candidate sites. After this, objects allocated from sites with sufficiently high survival rates are allocated directly in the old generation.
US07676507B2
A method manages information resources in a computer system. The method includes receiving user information from an input device. The user information is representative of a declaration that a second resource accessible by the system should be associated with a first resource. The method further includes storing in association with the second resource an identifier of the first resource. The method identifies other resources that are relevant with respect to the second resource using a relevance scoring process. The method further determines whether the second resource with respect to other relevant resources has a first identifier associated herewith when one of the other resources is to be accessed by the system for display, and if it does, displays signaling information distinct from the display of the other resource itself signaling of the existence of the first resource.
US07676500B2
A method of transforming and canonicalizing semantically structured data includes obtaining data from a network of computers, applying text patterns to the obtained data and placing the data in a first data file, providing a second data file containing the obtained data in a uniform format, and generating interface specific sentences from the data in the second data file.
US07676499B2
Systems, methods, and apparatus, including computer program apparatus, are described for implementing techniques for processing data from a combinatorial experiment. The techniques include receiving data from a chemical experiment on a library of materials having a plurality of members and generating a representation of the chemical experiment. The representation includes data defining an experiment object having a plurality of properties derived from the chemical experiment. The experiment object is associated with the library of materials. The representation also includes data defining one or more element objects. Each element object is associated with one or more members of the library of materials. A data model and corresponding data structures for describing such experiments are also disclosed.
US07676496B2
The invention provides a user with a key or a visual clue to a desired content. There is provided a random search mode searching the content randomly when a user has no object for searching the content, and a specific search mode with object or search condition specified. The search condition is randomly generated or the content is extracted regardless of the search condition under the random search mode while the content is extracted based on the search condition such as a media type of the content input by the user or other content attributes.
US07676489B2
Providing a natural-language interface to a repository includes retrieving information from at least one repository, and generating a computer-readable ontology using the information. The computer-readable ontology is configured for use in interpreting user-entered natural-language statements regarding the at least one repository. A computer system including at least one repository has an ontology-generating module generating a computer-readable ontology using information retrieved from the at least one repository. The ontology may be created in any or all of several forms, such as a separate entity, a pointer structure or an index.
US07676485B2
A method and computer program product for producing a concept semantic network (CSN) from an ontology. Each class, subclass, object, restriction, and property of the ontology is converted into a concept of the CSN. Each hierarchy in the ontology is converted to a concept hierarchy of the CSN.
US07676478B2
Data warehousing systems and methods are described herein. In one example methodology, a plurality of transformation templates are stored in a transformation library, each transformation template including software objects that describe how to transform extracted data prior to loading the data into the data warehouse. A unique identifier may be associated with each of the plurality of transformation templates. Using this unique identifier, an instance of at least one of the plurality of transformation templates may be instantiated into a data transformation process by mapping the software objects of the transformation template into the instance of the transform using code segments. The code segments of the data transformation process are then executed to transform and load the extracted data into the data warehouse.
US07676473B2
In one embodiment, a method of providing propagation of user preferences to multiple end devices can comprise receiving a request for user preference information, the request originating from a requesting end device. One or more sewers storing preference information for a user associated with the requesting end device can be identified. The preference information for the user associated with the requesting end device can be read from the one or more servers and a response message can be generated. The response message can include the preference information for the user associated with the requesting end device from the one or more servers. The response message can be sent to one or more recipient end devices.
US07676470B2
A system and method for providing security to a data warehousing application. A system is described having: a dimension analysis system that identifies dimensions defined for viewing data in a data warehouse; a security table generation system for automatically generating security tables for identified dimensions; a security tables scanning system for analyzing inputs within the security tables; and an end-user view definitions update system for updating the data warehouse based on inputs in the security tables.
US07676467B1
A facility for identifying users that have an interest in a selected subject is described. For each of a number of actual users, the facility establishes a user behavior record describing the behavior of the actual user. The facility also establishes a user behavior record describing behavior of a virtual user. The behavior described by the user behavior record for the virtual user is made up of actions each tending to indicate an interest in the selected subject. The facility identifies a proper subset of the actual users whose user behavior records are most similar to the user behavior record of the virtual user as interested in the selected subject.
US07676462B2
A search engine is provided that includes a refinement mechanism. The search engine receives and parses a search expression and delimits the expression into individual terms or words. The refinement mechanism includes a directory of related terms and a directory of compound terms. The refinement mechanism also includes a hierarchical data structure of refinement terms. The mechanism then identifies related terms for the individual terms in the search expression, compound terms that may be formed from individual terms in the expression, and terms in the expression that have sub structures or “sub trees” in the hierarchical data structure. An interface is generated in a graphical tree structure to present identified related terms, compound terms, and refinement terms. Based upon user interaction with the interfaces, the mechanism forms an enhanced search expression.
US07676457B2
A method and apparatus for automatic index query optimization for a Lightweight directory Access Protocol (LDAP) system. Embodiments include a method for receiving a query for an LDAP repository. The method may further include reorganizing search terms in the query based on a uniqueness value of corresponding LDAP indexes to generate a modified query, and executing the modified query.
US07676454B2
A database has a plurality of entries and a plurality of attributes common to each entry, where each entry corresponds to an individual. A query is received from a querying entity query and is passed to the database, and an answer is received in response. An amount of noise is generated and added to the answer to result in an obscured answer, and the obscured answer is returned to the querying entity. The noise is normally distributed around zero with a particular variance. The variance R may be determined in accordance with R>8 T log2(T/δ)/ε2, where T is the permitted number of queries T, δ is the utter failure probability, and ε is the largest admissible increase in confidence. Thus, a level of protection of privacy is provided to each individual represented within the database. Example noise generation techniques, systems, and methods may be used for privacy preservation in such areas as k means, principal component analysis, statistical query learning models, and perceptron algorithms.
US07676451B2
The subject mater herein relates to database management and, more particularly, to selective database statistics recollection. Various embodiments provide one or more of system, methods, and software that identify database column and index states when statistics become stale to a point where query execution plans against respective columns and indexes fail to be efficient. These and other embodiments provide a way to update column and index statistics only when the statistics are determined to be stale. As a result, adverse database performance as a result of needless updating of database statistics is mitigated.
US07676449B2
Techniques for accessing an events information repository are provided. An events repository contains event records defining real world events. A programmatic interface is exposed to third-party applications for accessing the event records within the repository. Specifically, the programmatic interface provides a set of routines that perform operations on the repository. Using the programmatic interface, third-party applications may call the set of routines to cause operations to be executed on the repository. Further, techniques are provided for creating and viewing private events within an events repository and also for associating user-defined tags with events using the events repository.
US07676443B2
A system for processing rules on data elements is described. The system includes a memory queue configured to receive and store a listing of data elements and a rule processing engine configured to apply one or more processing rules to one or more data elements. The rules processing engine further includes a rule condition processing engine configured to apply a condition to a data element and store the data element in the memory queue if the condition is satisfied and a rule action processing engine configured to iteratively perform an action on the elements stored in the memory queue.
US07676435B1
A method and system for prompting a repeat user of a payment card at an interface terminal with additional security-related questions when the user selects responses that deviate from his or her typical selections. The payment card is read at the terminal, its line of credit is authorized, and a profile of the user's purchasing habits is retrieved. The user then enters his or her current selection of options. A determination is then made as to whether the user's current selections match his or her user profile. If the user's current selections match the user profile, the process allows the user to obtain the services or facilities. If the user's current selections do not match the user profile, the process queries the user with additional security questions to ascertain whether the current user is an authorized user. If the user is unable to answer the security questions correctly, the process prevents the user from accessing the services or facilities. If the user is able to answer the security questions correctly, the process allows the current user to begin fueling his or her vehicle.
US07676429B2
An apparatus and methods for a card that allows a cardholder to set up auto-charge payment of dues and fees to a series of clubs, merchants or service providers. The card also may be used for other transactions that accept credit cards. The apparatus includes a database containing information of the associated clubs, merchants and service providers, so that applicants and cardholders can easily configure auto-charging for multiple business concerns in one sitting. The apparatus may process auto-charge transactions in an automated fashion without requiring a cardholder to submit payment authorization or the business concern to submit a charge for each payment. Inconvenience and administrative costs to the cardholder and the business concern are reduced. The system and method provide a competitive advantage to the associated business concerns to secure the initial account and then to maintain it. The system and method encourages card loyalty of both the card members and the business concerns to the card provider.
US07676427B1
A computer system for conducting continuous assurance of financial documents is disclosed. The computer system comprises a processor, a bus coupled to the processor, a memory coupled to the bus, a mass storage system coupled to the bus, a communication device coupled to the bus, and continuous assurance software resident in the memory. The continuous assurance software, when executed, performing the steps of accessing client database at a predetermined interval, downloading total population from client database, performing analysis, evaluating analysis results, comparing total population to financial statements, determining a risk rating for each predetermined group, determining a materiality of anomalies, and displaying results.
US07676422B2
This invention relates to hedge fund indexing in general and methods and systems for constructing and maintaining investable hedge fund indices in particular.
US07676417B2
A method and system for collectively displaying in real-time on the Internet the status of personal assets and transactions. The system comprises a plurality of asset databases corresponding to a plurality of financial institutions; storing portfolio information related to total assets in the above-mentioned plurality of financial institutions; a unified asset management server for receiving asset information from the above-mentioned plurality of financial institutions and storing same respectively in the above-mentioned plurality of asset databases, and preparing the above-mentioned portfolio based on the above-mentioned plurality of asset databases and storing the same; an asset management database for managing a user's assets; and a financial institution server connected to the above-mentioned authentication database, the above-mentioned asset management database, and the above-mentioned transaction management database. The unified asset management server prepares a portfolio of all assets.
US07676414B1
An annuity provides a guaranteed rate of return for a guarantee period while at the same time providing upward adjustments to the interest rate if there is a corresponding increase in a specified referenced rate. The guaranteed base interest rate is set at the beginning of the guarantee period, and the annuity account is credited with the base interest rate for an initial pre-defined period. Periodically, the then-current referenced rate is compared to a base referenced rate defined at the establishment of the guarantee period. If the referenced rate has increased, the interest rate that will be credited to the annuity account value will increase by an amount that is based on the amount of increase in the referenced rate. If the referenced rate has not changed or has decreased, the interest rate that will be credited to the annuity account value will be the guaranteed base interest rate.
US07676387B2
Methods, systems and carrier media for viewing business rules are disclosed. Components of the business rules may be stored as entries in one or more database tables. A rule editor may access business rule components and assemble the components to form a graphical display of a business rule. In various embodiments, the graphical display may allow the user to view, edit and/or create business rules.
US07676385B2
One embodiment of the disclosures made herein is a method adapted for verifying presence of a medical implant within a patient. Such an embodiment includes performing an operation for authenticating a medical implant patient, whereby the patient includes an authenticated-patient. In response to successfully authenticating the medical implant patient, an operation is performed for creating an authenticated-patient medical implant verification account (MIVA) for the medical implant patient. An operation is performed for issuing an authenticated-patient medical implant verification card (MIVC) to the medical implant patient in response to creating the authenticated-patient MIVA for the medical implant patient. After creating the authenticate-patient MIVA and issuing the MIVC, an operation is performed for facilitating patient-authorized access to the MIVA.
US07676384B2
A system and method are provided for extracting a set of data from a system user descriptive of the complete health snapshot of the user's to interact with a database of numerous other users so as to generate a cluster of similar user's exhibiting a similar (within some system defined distance metric) health snapshot. The system guides the user to present his or her data via a complex questionnaire based upon a novel descriptive taxonomy, based upon the principles of “cyberhealth” as opposed to the standard medical “disease oriented” singular cause and effect model. The system generates the cluster of similar users, analyzes the cluster to obtain a ranked list of possible remedies or therapies to assist the user in dealing with health problems. The system further creates a computer networked virtual community of users with common health problems/interests, facilitates online chat, discussion groups, and the trading of health information. Additionally, the system provides listings of and links to health care providers and medical testing laboratories who are able to assist users of the system.
US07676382B2
A method of dispensing a pharmaceutical product, the pharmaceutical product being associated with packaging having disposed thereon or therein coded data, at least some of the coded data being indicative of at least an identity of the pharmaceutical product. The method uses a computer system which receives indicating data from a sensing device, in responsive to sensing of the coded data. The computer system uses the indicating data and a dispensing database to determine at least one criterion for dispensing the pharmaceutical product. The computer system causes the pharmaceutical product to be dispensed if the at least one criterion is satisfied.
US07676381B2
The present invention provides a medical support system capable of properly supporting entry of medical information by a medical professional. A medical support system stores, as medical data, first medical information entered by a medical professional as an operator, and second medical information entered without direct intervention of the medical professional. Further, the medical support system generates and outputs support information for supporting entry of the first medical information by the medical professional. In the medical support system, the support information is generated on the basis of the first medical information and second medical information being entered. Therefore, in the medical support system, when the first medical information and second medical information being entered changes, the support information to be generated also changes.
US07676375B1
A computer system implementing a macro economic model based upon macroeconomic data and relative value characteristics data of patents that determines nominal values for (1) goods and services and (2) profits generated by sales that are covered by the rights of a patent, implements an income value theory to value the patent based upon the predicted values of profits or goods and services covered by the patent, determines patent terms from patent filing, publication, and issue dates, determines patent assignees from patent data, and uses the value of a company's patents, the patent issuance data and term date data, to determine trends versus time in: the number of a company's enforceable patents; the number of a company's patents obtained; the nominal value of net earnings and of goods and services sold that are covered by the company's patents; the nominal value of the sum of the company's patents, and provides comparisons of those trends between companies, regions, and economic sectors, providing the results of the analysis to users of the computer system. The computer system employs a user database enabling a novel electronic accounting model enabling payment by affiliates, programmed securities trading, and accrediting of investors.
US07676367B2
A method of constructing a list of alternate transcripts from a recognized transcript includes generating a list of close call records, matching partial sub-histories from the recognized transcript with one of the history pairs stored in each of the records, and substituting the other of the history pairs for the partial sub-history of the recognized transcript. A close call record is generated each time a pair of partial hypotheses attempt to seed a common word. Each close call record includes history information and scoring information associated with a particular pair of partial hypotheses seeding a common word. Alternate transcripts are constructed by substituting close call histories for partial histories of the recognized transcripts, and also by substituting close call histories for partial histories of other alternate transcript.
US07676365B2
A method and computer-readable medium use syllable-like units (SLUs) to decode a pronunciation into a phonetic description. The syllable-like units are generally larger than a single phoneme but smaller than a word. The present invention provides a means for defining these syllable-like units and for generating a language model based on these syllable-like units that can be used in the decoding process. As SLUs are longer than phonemes, they contain more acoustic contextual clues and better lexical constraints for speech recognition. Thus, the phoneme accuracy produced from SLU recognition is much better than all-phone sequence recognition.
US07676361B2
A voice signal interpolation apparatus is provided which can restore original human voices from human voices in a compressed state while maintaining a high sound quality. When a voice signal representative of a voice to be interpolated is acquired by a voice data input unit 1, a pitch deriving unit 2 filters this voice signal to identify a pitch length from the filtering result. A pitch length fixing unit 3 makes the voice signal have a constant time length of a section corresponding to a unit pitch, and generates pitch waveform data. A sub-band dividing unit 4 converts the pitch waveform data into sub-band data representative of a spectrum. A plurality of sub-band data pieces are averaged by an averaging unit 5 and thereafter a sub-band synthesizing unit 6 converts the sub-band data pieces into a signal representative of a waveform of the voice by a sub-band synthesizing unit 6. The time length of this signal in each section is restored by a pitch restoring unit 7 and a sound output unit 8 reproduces the sound represented by the signal.
US07676353B2
A method of predicting wellbore stability is provided and includes: creating a parameterized model of a wellbore in laminated formation, the parameterized model including a plurality of laminated formation and wellbore related parameters; considering measurement data to determine the laminated formation and wellbore related parameters; updating the parameterized model by adopting the determined laminated formation and wellbore related parameters; and applying the updated parameterized model to derive a solution of wellbore stability.
US07676342B2
An sensor assembly according to one embodiment includes a sensor, an analog-to-digital converter configured to digitize a data signal received from the sensor, and an array of logic elements configured to receive a first data transmission over a serial bus and to transmit a second data transmission including information in the digitized signal over the serial bus. The array of logic elements is configured to transmit the second data transmission according to information received in the first data transmission.
US07676338B2
The invention enables an abnormality of a temperature sensor to be simply detected. In S1, a temperature measurement is performed with each temperature sensor, and measured signals are digitalized to obtain a temperature value. Then, in S2, a detection temperature Tb′ equivalent to a detected temperature of a corresponding temperature sensor is calculated with use of an arithmetic expression and a characterization factor stored in a parameter storage device, and in S3, an absolute value ΔT of a temperature difference between Ta and Tb′ is obtained. Subsequently, in S4, the calculated absolute value ΔT is compared with a limit value γ, and when ΔT is larger than the limit value γ, Ta or Tb is determined to be abnormal and an alert is issued with an alarm or the like in S5, followed by issuance of a command to a correcting device in S6 not to change a correction amount set before the abnormality occurs.
US07676336B2
According to an inventive scheme for introducing a watermark into an information signal, the information signal is at first transferred from a time representation to a spectral/modulation spectral representation). The information signal is then manipulated in the spectral/modulation spectral representation in dependence on the watermark to be introduced to obtain a modified spectral/modulation spectral representation, and subsequently an information signal provided with a watermark is formed based on the modified spectral/modulation spectral representation. An advantage is that, due to the fact that the watermark is embedded and/or derived in the spectral/modulation spectral representation or range, traditional correlation attacks as are used in watermark methods based on a spread-band modulation cannot succeed easily.
US07676334B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a battery condition monitor that is capable of reducing labor and equipment costs for parameter setting for evaluation of the battery's condition and capable of readily responding to variations due to individual differences among the same model of vehicles. The battery condition monitor according to the present invention measures a lower limit voltage value for the time when a load during engine startup is substantially connected to a brand-new battery, as an initial reference lower limit voltage value VLIF; and derives a reference discharge characteristic of the brand-new battery with respect to the vehicle-unique load during engine startup, using the initial reference lower limit voltage value VLIF, an initial reference no-load voltage value VOIF which is a no-load voltage of that battery, and information about the rate of change in the internal resistance with respect to change in the no-load voltage of the battery, the information being previously stored in a storage unit, thereby to evaluate the condition of the battery based on the reference discharge characteristic.
US07676332B2
According to one embodiment, a method is provided for calculating, by an activity monitor comprising one accelerometer, a raw activity energy expenditure data based on movement by a user. The method includes determining if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with a high intensity physical activity, wherein the high intensity physical activity causes the raw activity energy expenditure data to differ from an expected activity energy expenditure data. The method includes calculating a corrected activity energy expenditure data, if the raw activity energy expenditure data is associated with the high intensity physical activity, based on the raw activity energy expenditure data, wherein the corrected activity energy expenditure data is substantially identical to the expected activity energy expenditure data.
US07676329B2
The invention provides a method for grouping measurement data obtained by effecting two or more techniques to provide characterization data characterizing at least one sample with respect to characterizing substances. According to one aspect of the invention, the grouping is effected on the basis of at least one statistical distribution of deviations (Δm/zi) of a respective characterizing measurement value. According to another aspect of the invention, the grouping is effected on the basis of at least one collective characteristic of a plurality of respective quantitative measurement values (Ii).
US07676326B2
A method and system of detecting and mapping a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir includes determining ratio data for a plurality of orthogonal spectral components of naturally occurring low frequency background seismic data. The ratio data may be compared, plotted, contoured and displayed as a subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir map or a hydrocarbon potential map. The ratio data may represent a vertical spectral component of the seismic data over a horizontal spectral component of the seismic data. The subsurface hydrocarbon reservoir map may include contouring the ratio data over a geographical area associated with the seismic data.
US07676321B2
A hybrid propulsion system for a vehicle and method of operation are provided. As one example, the system comprises an engine including at least one combustion chamber, a motor configured to selectively propel the vehicle via the drive wheel, a fuel system configured to deliver a first substance and a second substance to the combustion chamber in varying relative amounts, wherein the first substance includes a fuel and the second substance includes a greater concentration of a knock suppressing substance than the first substance; and a control system configured to operate the fuel system to vary the relative amounts of the first substance and the second substance delivered to the combustion chamber in response to an operating condition while operating the motor to propel the vehicle.
US07676318B2
A real-time, on board, diesel engine emissions estimation with an empirical, table-based approach that accounts for up to eight (8) input parameters, for optimum emissions estimation under steady state or transient engine operation. The method considers a steady state NOx model, steady state Particulate Matter model, transient NOx model and transient Particulate Matter models to populate a table in memory. The switch between steady state and transient models, real time emissions estimations is based on the rate of change of engine speed (RPM). If the rate of change of RPM exceeds a predetermined threshold, transient models for NOx and Particulate Matter are used to operate the engine and reduce emissions of NOx and Particulate Matter.
US07676313B2
A method for controlling a power-off shift from a current gear to a target gear in a hybrid electric powertrain including an engine, electric motor and automatic transmission includes the steps of determining an initial target speed for the current gear, operating the motor at the initial target speed, repetitively determining a current gear ratio, a output shaft speed during the gear ratio change, a time rate of change of output shaft speed, using the current gear ratio, the current speed of the output shaft and the time rate of change of output shaft speed repetitively to determine a current target speed, and operating the motor at the current target speed until a gear change to the next gear is completed.
US07676308B2
A method for operating a steering system of a motor vehicle, with a steering handling device for specifying a steering wheel angle (δS) as a measure of a desired steering angle (δFm) for at least one steerable wheel of the motor vehicle, a steering gear with a pinion, which converts a pinion angle (δG), which depends on the steering wheel angle (δS), into the steering angle (δFm) of the at least one steerable wheel of the motor vehicle, a superimposing arrangement for generating an additional angle (δM) by means of a control drive, especially an electric motor and for producing the pinion angle (δG) by superimposing the additional angle (δM) on the steering wheel angle (δS) by a superimposing gear mechanism and a control device for carrying out the method for operating the steering system and for triggering the control drive and being carried out by a control device of the steering system. At least one function, on the basis of a model, monitors the dynamics of the control drive.
US07676302B2
A computer program product stored in a computing device has a processor and a communication interface to determine cooling specifications of a remote housing. The computer program product includes a machine-readable storage medium and machine-readable program code, stored on the machine-readable storage medium. The machine readable program code includes instructions, which when executed, to cause the processor, via the communication interface set a speed of a fan within the remote housing, set an alarm condition for the fan within the remote housing, set a temperature threshold for the fan within the remote housing, capture the cooling specifications of the fan for the remote housing, the cooling specification including a measured temperature; and increase the speed of the fan if the temperature threshold is exceeded.
US07676296B2
Disclosed is a method of verifying a recipe execution program. When a computer executes a recipe execution program, the computer sends instructions, which are issued based on a process recipe data defining specific operations to be performed by a substrate processing apparatus, to the substrate processing apparatus. When a computer executes a log output program, the computer outputs a log data indicating the instructions sent to the substrate processing apparatus. When a computer executes a comparing and checking program, the computer compares the log data which the process recipe data corresponding to the log data.
US07676289B2
This disclosure relates to a process control unit for controlling a process wherein the controller utilizes hardware and modular software to accomplish the control. The modular software for interfacing the process with the user allows the user to utilize predefined software interfaces with a human machine interface. A user need only define the text and parameters to be displayed and then map them to a specific element of the human machine interface therein expediting process parameter modification at a later time.
US07676285B2
A method and system for operating a facility having a plurality of equipment combinations wherein each equipment combination is operating interactively with at least one of another of the plurality of equipment combination is provided. The method includes receiving, in real-time, for each of the plurality of equipment combinations, a plurality of measured process parameters, determining at least one derived quantity from the plurality of measured process parameters, and recommending a change to an equipment operation based on the measured process parameters and the derived quantities.
US07676280B1
A system is described herein for providing environmental management of a physical location using a sensor network having a plurality of environmental sensors and at least one primary actuator configured to provide an environmental change to the physical location. The system includes a communications module that operates to access the plurality of environmental sensors of the sensor network, and an application module that operates to: a) commission the plurality of environmental sensors of the sensor network; control an operation of the at least one primary actuator to provide environmental management of the physical location based on the commission of the plurality of environmental sensors of the sensor network; and c) provide a graphical layout of an environmental condition of the physical location based on both the commission of the plurality of environmental sensors and the control of the at least one primary actuator.
US07676279B2
A message component for an industrial automation system is provided. This includes a service component that is employed to locate functionality of applications associated with a control system message bus. An operations component exchanges messages with the message bus, where the service component and the operations component form an external view to facilitate communications between the applications.
US07676272B2
An implantable device system comprising an implantable medical device, an external transceiver device and a service center. The implantable medical device comprises a battery and an electronic module including a stimulation pulse generator, a sensing stage, a control unit adapted to collect data representing values of operational parameters (e.g. peak or average current consumption, high/low/average voltage level) of the battery and the electronics. The external transceiver device comprises an external transceiver unit and a data communication interface and the service center comprises another data communication interface adapted to allow data communication with the external transceiver device. Service center includes a central database adapted to store data received from the external transceiver per implantable medical device over time, a data evaluation module adapted to evaluate including trending of data stored in the database and a user interface adapted to display trended data and to receive user inputs.
US07676270B2
A fixation device for holding stimulating electrodes in electrical contact with the wall of a portion of the gastrointestinal tract is provided. The fixation device includes an expandable member that fixes the electrodes in electrical contact with the gastrointestinal tract wall.
US07676268B2
Medical systems and methods incorporate monitoring of at least two implanted markers, each of which is adapted to wirelessly transmit a signal in response to a wirelessly transmitted excitation signal; the response signals are converted into positional information for the two markers. The systems and methods further incorporate both, or one of, an implanted sensing member and/or an implanted therapy delivery device. Signals received from the sensing member may be collated with the positional information. A therapy delivered from the therapy delivery device may be adjusted according to the positional information.
US07676260B1
An implantable cardiac stimulation device monitors the progression and/or regression of heart disease. The device comprises a sensing circuit that senses activity of a heart and provides an electrogram for each one of a plurality of cardiac cycles, an averaging circuit that averages a number of the plurality of electrograms at spaced apart intervals to provide averaged trend electrograms, and a data generator that provides a metric reflective of progression or regression of heart failure responsive to a difference between a current averaged trend electrogram and a previous averaged trend electrogram.
US07676253B2
A medical sensor may be adapted to account for factors that cause irregularities in pulse oximetry measurements or other spectrophotemetric measurements. Sensors are provided with surface features that reduce the amount of outside light or shunted light that impinge the detecting elements of the sensor. The sensor is adapted to reduce the effect of outside light or shunted light on pulse oximetry measurements.
US07676250B2
A method (200) for controlling audio signals to an FM transmitter and a loudspeaker of a hands-free adapter first sends a first audio signal to the loudspeaker (242) and measures and records a loudspeaker audible artifact such as echo return loss (244) and/or echo tail length (246). Next, the hands-free adapter sends a second audio signal to the FM transmitter and the loudspeaker (252) and measures and records an FM transmitter and loudspeaker audible artifact such as echo return loss (254) and/or echo tail length (256). If the FM transmitter and loudspeaker audible artifact minus the loudspeaker audible artifact is greater than a threshold (263, 266), the hands-free adapter sends a third audio signal to the FM transmitter only (270), and if the FM transmitter and loudspeaker audible artifact minus the loudspeaker audible artifact is not greater than the threshold, the hands-free adapter sends the third audio signal to both the FM transmitter and the loudspeaker (280).
US07676246B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing audio-visual communication between registered users. Similar to the traditional walkie-talkie, a user depresses a button to transmit audio information, such as voice, and releases the same button to receive audio information from a transmitting device. Additionally, when communicating to another unit, the transmitting unit can also simultaneously send streaming video or still pictures in conjunction with audio communication. Both the audio and streaming video are transmitted and received in real-time. Still pictures may be stored or transmitted at any time. Each unit comprises a transmitter, antenna, camera, speaker, display screen and battery that are compact enough to be taken anywhere and allow for mobility. To enable security of the device, users must register with each other while within range before any communication can begin. This invention will allow users to communicate with each other for both business and recreational purposes.
US07676240B2
The present invention provides a method for power control based on estimates of cumulative received energy. The method includes accessing a plurality of slot detection metrics associated with a plurality of slots, combining the plurality of slot detection metrics, and determining a power control instruction based upon the combined slot detection metrics.
US07676233B1
Server access is provided to a wireless apparatus via a wireless network. A message is received containing a service request. The service and sever capable of servicing the service request is determined. The service is requested from the server and a reply is received. The reply is formatted for communication over the wireless network and sent. Location dependent information may also be requested with a wireless apparatus including a global positioning device and a two-way wireless communication device. Such an apparatus can “know” its global location and therefore can request information dependent on that location. The apparatus receives signals from a global positioning system and calculates a location. The calculated location is included in the service request sent over the wireless network.
US07676232B2
In the present invention, data of a digital altitude map of a cell in a cellular communication system is compressed in a first node by defining a polygon essentially representing the boundary of the cell. Each polygon corner is defined by a point having two lateral coordinates and an associated altitude parameter. In this manner a set of at least three points is defined. This set of points constitutes a relatively limited amount of data, which easily can be transferred over an interface to a second node. In the second node, the set of points is used as parameters for creating an altitude model. By using a pair of lateral coordinates as input arguments of the model, an estimation of an associated altitude can be derived.
US07676231B2
Embodiments of methods and apparatus for selecting communication channels based on channel load information are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
US07676229B2
Various embodiments of systems, methods, devices, and computer software for establishing a cellular-to-VoIP call are provided. One embodiment is a method for establishing a VoIP media session between an originating cellular telephone and a VoIP destination device. One such method comprises: receiving a first data message from an originating cellular telephone, the first data message comprising an identifier associated with a VoIP destination device; sending a second data message to the originating cellular telephone, the second data message comprising information identifying a temporary directory number (TDN) associated with the VoIP destination device; detecting an incoming voice call to the TDN from the originating cellular telephone; sending an invite message to the identifier associated with the VoIP destination device; sending a ringing indication to the originating cellular telephone; receiving an accept reply from the VoIP destination device; and answering the incoming voice call from the cellular telephone and establishing a VoIP media session between the originating cellular telephone and the VoIP destination device.
US07676217B2
A technique for recognizing malicious traffic in IP networks coupled with an identification and notification of a mobile subscriber generating or receiving malicious traffic is provided. An embodiment of the present invention may include intrusively or non-intrusively monitoring in real-time the mobile subscriber's data traffic for malicious traffic as well as mobile security intrusion attempts. Another embodiment of the present invention may report the identification of those mobile subscribers generating or receive malicious traffic to an operator. By knowing the identity of the mobile subscriber, an embodiment of the present invention may block the mobile subscriber's subscription or alert the mobile subscriber in question about the malicious traffic. One embodiment of the present invention may be applied to mobile networks where the mobile subscriber's identity is known by an unique identifier (e.g., an IMSI or a phone number) and where a notification system may be implemented using a messaging service e.g., SMS, MMS, IM, email, or voice.
US07676209B2
A method of channel allocation in a cellular communication network wherein a radio channel is to be selected for establishment of a connection in an environment with potentially interfering signals, the method comprising: establishing a radio channel candidate; processing the radio channel candidate with potentially interfering signals and calculating a carrier to interference ratio (CIR) for the selected carrier frequency of the radio channel candidate and the potentially interfering signals; calculating a dominant interference ratio (DIR) being the ratio of the strongest potentially interfering signal with respect to the other potentially interfering signals; and using criteria based on at least one of the dominant interference ratio and the carrier to interference ratio in a selection process for selecting a channel for the connection to be established.
US07676201B2
The sideband used by a low-intermediate-frequency transmitter for transmitting signals on a channel is selectable. In some embodiments of the invention, the sideband used for transmitting signals is selected based on the location of the channel within a band of channels. In such embodiments, the lower sideband may be selected for transmitting signals if the channel is the lowest-frequency channel in the band, and the upper sideband may be selected for transmitting signals if the channel is the highest-frequency channel in the band. Such sideband selection results in image power falling within the band, which can be helpful in complying with out-of-band power limitations.
US07676200B2
Power detector integrally formed within a printed transmission line to capacitively couple a portion of signal power propagating on the printed transmission line and a power detector circuit that receives coupled power output from the power detector to detect a power level of the signal power. The power detector is designed such that capacitance of the coupling capacitor is absorbed into a distributed capacitance of the transmission line to maintain continuity of a characteristic impedance of the transmission line.
US07676194B2
An ultrawideband radio transceiver/repeater provides a low cost infrastructure solution that merges wireless and wired network devices while providing connection to the plant, flexible repeater capabilities, network security, traffic monitoring and provisioning, and traffic flow control for wired and wireless connectivity of devices or networks. The ultrawideband radio transceiver/repeater can be implemented in discrete, integrated, distributed or embedded forms.
US07676188B2
A developer conveying member includes: a conveying member body; an end-portion supporting member; and a supported member including: a first radiation direction extending portion; and a second radiation direction extending portion, the end-portion supporting member including: a cylindrical portion, and the supporting portion defining: a through hole; and a groove.
US07676181B2
The present invention discloses a developing unit that can block unnecessary supply of liquid developer to an image support member and can prevent waste of liquid developer, and an image forming device comprising the same. The developing unit includes a developing member that is in contact with an image support member and supplies the image support member with liquid developer, a developer supply member that supplies the developing member with liquid developer, and an unattached region forming member that forms at least an unattached region that is free of liquid developer on the developing member, the unattached region extending from the contact point between the developing member and the image support member and the contact point between the developing member and the developer supply member.
US07676180B2
An objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid development apparatus that can form a uniformly thin layer of high-density liquid developer on the development roller, thereby forming images free of uneven density or toner fog, and another objective is to provide an inexpensive and compact liquid development apparatus which increases the flexibility in the arrangement. A liquid development apparatus in which a liquid developer supply head having a liquid developer discharge outlet for applying a liquid developer on the surface of the development roller is equipped with a section for reducing the viscosity of the liquid developer.
US07676176B2
An image forming apparatus includes a cover and a supporting unit. The supporting unit includes a holding member, a supporting member, a first biasing unit, and a positioning unit. The holding member holds the transferring member. The supporting member movably supports the holding member, so that the transferring member can move toward or away from a specific member arranged in the main body. The first biasing unit biases the transferring member toward the specific member. When the cover is in a closed state, the transferring member is pressed against the specific member. The positioning unit performs positioning of the supporting member with respect to the main body.
US07676175B2
A photosensitive drum for a printer cartridge, which can be easily mounted on a printer cartridge of which the positions of drum connectors are fixed, is disclosed. The photosensitive drum for a printer cartridge comprises a cylindrical drum having a photosensitive layer on a cylindrical surface thereof; and a pair of rotation shafts which is respectively mounted on the sides of the cylindrical drum for rotating and supporting the cylindrical drum, wherein at least one of the rotation shafts is insert-fitted to the side of the cylindrical drum.
US07676173B2
A cutting device for use in detaching a drum from a printer cartridge, the drum defining a hollow interior, the hollow interior being surrounded by an interior wall of the drum, the cutting device including a shaft and a pointed edge protruding from the shaft, the pointed edge being configured to rotate with the shaft when the drum is being detached from the printer cartridge.
US07676166B2
An image forming apparatus that can provide a quality image in a stable manner without lowering the productivity. A reference image forming unit forms reference images on a transfer member. A plurality of sensing units detect densities of the formed reference images. A control unit adjusts respective output values from the plurality of sensing units according to a difference between the output values from the plurality of sensing units. The control unit performs error processing according to the difference between the output values from the plurality of sensing units when the control unit adjusts the output values from the plurality of sensing units.
US07676164B2
In an image forming system, a lifetime management device calculates remaining lifetime of process units, a transfer unit, a secondary transfer unit, a belt cleaning unit and a fixing unit mounted on an image forming apparatus based on an operation amount thereof and a predetermined lifetime index. Based on the remaining lifetime and a predetermined replacement index, the lifetime management device determines whether any unit needs to be replaced, and, if any, transmits a replacement request signal to an external information processor together with a signal indicating remaining lifetime of other units via a communication line.
US07676160B2
The present invention aims at providing a technique capable of supervising and controlling optical repeaters, without affecting transmission characteristics and wavelength bands of signal lights, by utilizing the Raman effect. To this end, the present invention provides a supervisory controlling system of an optical repeater, in an optical amplifying-and-repeating transmission system for amplifying and repeatingly transmitting signal light propagated through an optical transmission path by the optical repeater, wherein the supervisory control signal light is amplified due to the Raman effect by the signal light acting as excitation light in an optical transmission path (Raman amplifying medium), to thereby supervise and control the optical repeater in accordance with the thus Raman amplified supervisory control signal light.
US07676148B2
A camera includes: a photometric unit that acquires two dimensional photometric information of an image of a photographic subject; a separation unit that separates the image of the photographic subject into two groups, based upon photometric information acquired by the photometric unit during non-emission of light by a flash light emission device; and a calculation unit that multiplies the photometric information acquired by the photometric unit during a first light emission by the flash light emission device before photography, by different coefficients for the two groups, and calculates an amount of light required for photography that is to be emitted during a second light emission by the flash light emission device, based upon the photographic information after multiplication by the coefficients.
US07676131B2
Optical transmission structures include a waveguide and an optical lens wherein the optical lens has a sufficiently large thickness to allow the formation of a curved front lens surface that collimates transmitted light rays so that they travel within a plane that is coplanar to a working surface. The present invention also relates to a technique for manufacturing the optical transmission structure, which involves the use of a photopolymer material. The optical transmission structure can be implemented in various systems such as a system for optical data input.
US07676126B2
The invention relates to multiport routing devices for routing optical signals which also provide beam attenuation by imparting a controllable offset between an optical beam and a selected optical port. A multiport optical routing device of the present invention has a plurality of non-equally spaced optical ports disposed in a row to enable beam offset for attenuation without substantially increasing optical crosstalk between adjacent ports in a compact port arrangement.
US07676123B2
An optical and electrical circuit board includes a patterned electrical wiring and a micro convex lens. The micro convex lens is provided in at least one hole formed in the optical and electrical circuit board.
US07676121B2
Various embodiments provide an apparatus and a method for operating the apparatus. The apparatus, in one embodiment, may include an optical waveguide located over a substrate, the optical waveguide having a first segment and a second segment. The apparatus may further include a single heating element configured to heat both the first segment and the second segment, wherein a light propagation direction at a point in the second segment differs by at least 90 degrees with respect to a light propagation direction at the point in the first segment.
US07676118B2
A system, media, and method for transforming a main image of a digital image in accordance with a parameter are provided. The main image that is transformed based on the parameter may be one stored in the Exchangeable Image File (“EXIF”) format. In turn, the metadata, including the thumbnail image, is updated to correspond to the transformed main image. The transformed main image and updated metadata are stored together in a file using the EXIF format. Thus, the transformed main image may be viewed using a digital camera or viewer software compatible with a properly formatted EXIF file.
US07676114B2
A system for three-dimensional reconstruction of a surface profile of a surface of an object is provided that utilizes a binary pattern projected onto the surface of the object. A binary string consisting of a series of “1”s and “0”s is first created, and a binary pattern of light that is constructed in accordance with the binary string such that bright and dark bands of light of equal widths correspond to “1”s and “0”s from the binary string respectively is projected onto the surface. The binary pattern is shifted with respect to the surface multiple times, during which an image of the binary pattern illuminating the surface is obtained at each position of the binary pattern. Thereafter, a height of each predetermined point on the surface is calculated relative to a reference plane based upon the images cumulatively obtained at said predetermined point.
US07676112B2
An optical adapter for an imaging system correcting images of spherical or near spherical bodies such as the earth during satellite image collection. An imaging system includes an image collector that collects a two-dimensional image of the body from a distance above the body such as from a satellite in geostationary orbit. The collected image is disk shaped and includes distortion due to earth curvature, primarily in the form of a loss of resolution due to the foreshortening of earth features in a radial direction extending outward from the center of the image disk. The optical adapter receives the collected image, transforms the collected image to correct the distortion, and outputs a corrected image with essentially uniform spatial resolution across the areas for which the correction is applied. An image sensor such as charge-coupled device array senses the corrected image and creates a digital representation of the corrected image.
US07676103B2
An apparatus, system, method, and article for enhancing video sharpness are described. The apparatus may include a media processing node to enhance sharpness of an input image. The media processing node may include a wavelet decomposition module to perform wavelet decomposition of the input image to detect and modify edge information. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07676094B2
A road surface reflection detecting apparatus includes a road recognition unit for recognizing a road in a picture taken by a camera of a road existing in front of a vehicle. A road surface reflection detection unit extracts a picture from the road recognized by the road recognition unit and determines the degree of reflection of light from the surface of the road based on the picture extracted from the road. The picture includes the reflection of light beam radiated from vehicle headlights. If the reflection is determined to be high, the direction or intensity of the light beam from the vehicle headlights is regulated.
US07676088B2
An imprinting method is disclosed that, in embodiment, includes contacting first and second spaced target regions of an imprintable medium on a substrate with first and second templates respectively to form respective first and second imprints in the medium and separating the first and second templates from the imprinted medium.
US07676080B2
There is provided a method of creating a color chart for color evaluation used in color evaluation, including: an obtaining step of obtaining standard color chart data corresponding to a standard color chart including a plurality of patches; a display step of displaying an evaluation target image on a display screen; a setting step of setting an area in the evaluation target image, which is used to create a color chart for color evaluation; a computing step of computing color element data which represent color features of an image within the set area based on image data of the set area; and a creating step of creating the color chart for color evaluation by extracting patch data corresponding to the computed color element data from the standard color chart data.
US07676078B2
An inspection method for an illumination optical system of an exposure tool includes coating a surface of an exposure target substrate with a resist film; placing a plurality of imaging components deviating from an optical conjugate plane of a surface of the resist film; generating a plurality of inspection patterns of the resist film having a plurality of openings, by projecting exposure beams output from a plurality of effective light sources onto the resist film via the imaging components; measuring one of the inspection patterns as a reference image, and processing the reference image so as to provide reference image data; and determining an abnormal inspection image by measuring inspection images of the inspection patterns and comparing a plurality of inspection image data provided by processing the inspection images with the reference image data.
US07676076B2
Image processing method for a digital medical examination image, the pixels of which are assigned a gray-scale value in each instance, with a minimum and a maximum gray-scale value being defined as limit values for the purpose of displaying the examination image, with the pixels being subjected to an evaluation by means of a neural network, in order to determine such pixels and to disregard them when defining the gray-scale values which are located in a direct radiation region or in a projected collimator region.
US07676073B2
A method of reducing ring artifacts in tomographic images including providing an original digitized projection measurement comprising a plurality of intensities corresponding to a domain of points on an 2-dimensional grid, operating on said original projection measurement with a filter wherein features of high radial frequency and low angular frequency are attenuated, forming a weighted mixture of said filtered projection measurement and said original projection measurement wherein ring artifacts in said original tomographic image are substantially reduced, and reconstructing the projection measurement to form a tomographic image. Alternatively, a first tomographic image is reconstructed from said original projection measurement, a second tomographic image is reconstructed from said filtered projection measurement, and a weighted mixture is formed from said first tomographic image and said second tomographic image.
US07676066B2
A system and related techniques generate and encode identification or transactional media such as passports, driver's licenses or others with a symbol set defined in a color space such as 8-bit color or grayscale, 24, 32, 48 or other bit depths or resolutions. Because blocks, lines or other symbol shapes may each take on more than a black or white color value, information density for the resulting bar code, biometric scan or other symbol set may be increased, and likewise take advantage of the resolution of close-contact scanners and other input devices. In embodiments, the symbols may be encoded using a selected subset of the overall color space, for instance by selecting an evenly spaced subset consisting of 4, 8 or 16 color values evenly divided within a 256 tone grayscale space, or using other values or subsets. In other embodiments the selected subset may be selected according to intervals or functions which are not evenly divided, for instance to approximate the gamma curve of a detection device, or according to other functions. The information density of the resulting IDs, credit cards, checks or other objects or media may therefore be increased, while still retaining a high degree of accuracy.
US07676058B2
A method is disclosed for detection of miniature security mark configurations within documents and images, wherein the miniature security marks may include data marks or a combination of data marks and anchor marks. The method includes sub-sampling a received image, which is a digital representation possible recipient(s) of the miniature security marks, to generate a reduced-resolution image of the received image. Maximum/minimum points detection is performed and the maximum/minimum points are grouped into one or more clusters according to location distances between the maximum/minimum points. Group configuration is checked to match the clusters with a pre-defined template configuration. Shape verification is then performed to verify mark location and configuration between the reduced-resolution image and the received image.
US07676056B2
An embedding-availability determining unit determines an availability of embedding data into an image based on an input/output characteristic of a predetermined feature amount related to a combination of an output device that outputs an image in which the data is embedded to a medium and an input device that inputs the image that is output to the medium. A result output unit outputs a result of determination by the embedding-availability determining unit.
US07676055B2
An information-detecting apparatus (1) including a receiving unit (3) operable to receive digital data (2) that includes several pieces of element data, in which a change amount is imparted to a value of each of first and second element data among the several pieces of element data, a first selecting unit (4) operable to select, as target data (6), a data set that includes the first and second element data, a second selecting unit (5) operable to select, as neighboring data (7), element data in proximity to each of the first and second element data, a calculating unit (8) operable to calculate, based on both of the target data (6) and the neighboring data (7), the change amount imparted to each of the first and second element data, and a detecting unit (10) operable to detect the additional information in accordance with the change amount.
US07676053B2
An electrodynamic loudspeaker 1 includes a magnetic circuit 10 and a vibrator 20. The magnetic circuit 10 includes a magnet 11 and poles 12 and 13 adhering to the magnet 11. The vibrator 20 includes a coil bobbin 21 and voice coils 22 and 23 wound around and fixed to a portion of the coil bobbin 21 facing the poles 12 and 13. A magnetic member 30 is fixed to the coil bobbin 21 of the vibrator 20 at a position spaced apart from the voice coils 22 and 23. The magnetic member 30 is fixed at a position on the coil bobbin 21 so as to extend over an area facing the magnet 11 of the magnetic circuit 10.
US07676046B1
A method of removing noise and interference from a signal by receiving the signal, calculating a joint time-frequency domain of the signal, estimating instantaneous frequencies of the joint time-frequency domain, modifying each estimated instantaneous frequency, if necessary, to correspond to a frequency of the joint time-frequency domain to which it most closely compares, redistributing the elements within the joint time-frequency domain according to the estimated instantaneous frequencies as modified, computing a magnitude for each element in the joint time-frequency domain as redistributed, plotting the results as the time-frequency representation of the signal, identifying in the plot any noise and interference components in the received signal, eliminating from the redistributed joint time-frequency domain elements that correspond to noise and interference, and recovering a signal devoid of noise and interference from the modified redistributed joint time-frequency domain.
US07676045B2
Embodiments of a speaker assembly and cooperating suspension ring designed to allow installation of the assembly in a horizontal ceiling tile from below are disclosed. The speaker assembly includes a body or housing with a flange at one end. The body has a diameter that allows it to fit through a hole the ceiling tile and the suspension ring. The assembly is further provided with clamps attached to the flange next to the body. In order to bring the flange into contact with the ceiling tile, the assembly must be aligned so that the clamps penetrate cooperating voids in the suspension ring. The assembly is then rotated in a direction depending on the tile thickness and lowered into a position where the clamps engage with projections on the suspension ring so that the suspension ring supports the weight of the assembly.
US07676042B2
To reduce a frequency of recording communication management information for communication disconnection countermeasure. A digital content distribution system includes a license server (101) that issues a license, and a user terminal (103) that controls use of content based on the issued license. The license server (101) judges, according to the license to be issued, whether or not the communication management information for the communication disconnection countermeasure needs to be recorded, and notifies the user terminal of a result of the judgment. This enables the user terminal (103) to reduce the frequency of recording the communication management information.
US07676038B2
A method for authenticating a target item with a security code is provided. The method includes the steps of determining a first content of security information to be coded, determining a second content of security information to be coded, printing a plurality of color tiles on a target item where the plurality of color tiles define the first content of security information, and printing one or more micro-markings on one or more of the color tiles located on the target item. The one or more micro-markings define the second content of security information.
US07676036B2
An input device provided for an apparatus (1) which is held with a hand of a person. The input device includes a plurality of input keys (5) which are operated with a finger holding the apparatus (1), wherein in a case where the apparatus (1) having the input device is held with the hand, each input key (5) situated apart from a base of the finger has a finger contact area smaller than that of each input key (5) situated close to the base of the finger.
US07676033B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for automatically establishing a conference call having a plurality of different subscriber participation classes includes maintaining at least one per conference call subscriber participation class list. The per conference call subscriber participation class list indicates contact information for a plurality of different subscribers and corresponding subscriber participation classes for the conference call. When a conference call is initiated, the call is automatically established using the contact information and the subscriber participation classes stored in the per conference call subscriber participation class list.
US07676027B2
Systems and methods provide for embedding white noise signals representing DTMF digits into a voice data stream.
US07676022B2
An extra-oral digital panoramic dental x-ray imaging system is disclosed for multi-layer panoramic and transverse X-ray imaging. The system includes an X-ray source and a digital imaging device capable of “real time” frame mode output. The source and imaging device are mounted in a mechanical manipulator defining the trajectory of a predetermined image layer. The imaging device communicates with a processor that generates a frames memory from which an image reconstruction mechanism composes the final images. For “real time” imaging, the frames memory is a fast data storage system such as RAM. The processing unit executes the reconstruction algorithms, allowing the system to selectively generate dental panoramic X-ray images, dental transverse x-ray images and dental tomosynthetic 3D images.
US07676018B2
The increasing cone angle of current high-end and future CT systems leads to a decrease in image quality if approximate cone-beam reconstruction methods are used. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an iterative four-dimensional cardiac CT reconstruction is provided, in which phase volumes are selected from the four-dimensional data set, each having the same spatial volume at different phase points. Corresponding voxels inside these phase volumes are then forward projected onto the same projection. After calculation of a different projection, these voxels are updated. This may provide for an efficient implementation of an iterative four-dimensional cardiac cone-beam CT reconstruction.
US07676014B2
A digital lock detector for a phase-locked loop. The PLL generates a feedback clock according to a reference clock. The digital lock detector includes a match detector and an arbiter. When a first clock transitions, the match detector checks that whether a second clock transitions in a predetermined time window or not. The match detector generates a match signal if the second clock transitions in the predetermined time window. The arbiter counts a number of the successive match signals and generates a lock signal to indicate a lock state when the number exceeds a first predetermined number.
US07676010B2
Disclosed is a synchronization signal detecting apparatus that includes a window generating circuit for generating a synchronization detecting window, a re-synchronization window generating circuit for generating a re-synchronization window, and a synchronization detecting circuit for generating a re-synchronization detecting window of a time interval that excludes a re-synchronization window mask from the re-synchronization window, detecting a synchronization signal from an input bit stream and detecting the synchronization signal in the re-synchronization detecting window. If the synchronization signal is detected in the re-synchronization detecting window without being detected in the synchronization detecting window a prescribed number of times in succession, the time interval of the re-synchronization window is updated. If the synchronization signal is detected in the re-synchronization window a prescribed number of times in succession, a re-synchronization counter outputs a re-synchronization establishment signal, the window generating circuit resets the position of the synchronization detecting window and generates the synchronization detecting window at a predetermined synchronization period, and the re-synchronization window generating circuit resets the re-synchronization window.
US07676007B1
Transmit beamforming with receive combining uses the significant diversity provided by multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and the use of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) enables low complexity implementation of this scheme over frequency selective MIMO channels. Optimal beamforming uses channel state information in the form of the beamforming vectors corresponding to all the OFDM subcarriers. In non-reciprocal channels, this information should be conveyed back to the transmitter. To reduce the amount of feedback information, transmit beamforming combines limited feedback and beamformer interpolation. In this architecture, the receiver sends back a fraction of information about the beamforming vectors to the transmitter, and the transmitter computes the beamforming vectors for all subcarriers through interpolation of the conveyed beamforming vectors. Since a beamforming vector is phase invariant and has unit norm, a linear spherical interpolator uses additional parameters for phase rotation. These parameters are determined at the receiver in the sense of maximizing the minimum channel gain or capacity. The interpolator maybe combined with beamformer quantization.
US07676005B2
In a wireless communication apparatus adopting a time division duplex system for executing transmission and reception using a plurality of antennas, deviation of amplitude and phase occurring between transmission and reception circuits is detected and corrected using a communication signal. Channel estimation means 105 detects channel information based on reception output of reception circuits 104-1 to 104-N provided in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of antennas 101-1 to 101-N. Correction value detection means 110 finds a correction value for correcting deviation occurring between each of transmission circuits 103-1 to 103-N and each of the reception circuits 104-1 to 104-N based on the channel information. A wireless communication apparatus 100 transmits an already known signal (training signal) to a base station with which the wireless communication apparatus conducts communications. The base station executes channel estimation based on the already known signal and generates and transmits a correction signal (probe signal). The correction value detection means 110 of the wireless communication apparatus 100 detects the correction value using the correction signal (probe signal).
US07676004B2
The invention presents a combinational fuzzy-decision Viterbi decoder, which combines the modified Π and S-membership functions, to further improve the performance of the dedicated short-range communications (DSRC) system operated in the time-varying fading channel. The combinational fuzzy-decision Viterbi decoder includes parallel-to-serial converter, fuzzy-decision constellation decoder and analog Viterbi decoder. The coding gain of the DSRC system using the proposed combinational fuzzy-decision Viterbi decoder is compared with both the hard-decision and soft-decision Viterbi decoder for the BPSK, QPSK, 16-QAM and 64-QAM OFDM DSRC systems. The improvement in performance of the DSRC system achieved by replacing the hard decision and soft decision Viterbi decoder with the proposed combinational fuzzy-decision Viterbi decoder will be validated with simulations.
US07676003B2
A method for processing a signal envelope generated by demodulating a received signal that includes a train of pulses that is transmitted at a carrier frequency and is modulated at a given baud rate with data symbols in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol, which defines features of the modulated signal. The method includes measuring a duration of a selected feature in the signal envelope as defined by the communication protocol. The baud rate of the signal is estimated based on the measured duration without counting the pulses in the received signal. The data symbols are decoded by processing the signal envelope responsively to the estimated baud rate.
US07675993B2
This invention, generally speaking, modifies pulse amplitude modulated signals to reduce the ratio of average power to minimum power. The signal is modified in such a manner that the signal quality remains acceptable. The signal quality is described in terms of the Power Spectral Density (PSD) and the Error Vector Magnitude (EVM).
US07675992B2
Method of dynamically assigning spreading sequences to users of a multi carrier transmission network
A method of dynamically assigning spreading sequences of a group of spreading sequences to users of a Multi-Carrier transmission network and/or to at least a common signal for a plurality of users of the Multi-Carrier transmission network. The spreading sequences are put in a natural order and are dynamically assigned according to their order to users of the Multi-Carrier transmission network and/or to at least a common signal to a plurality of users of the Multi-Carrier transmission network.
US07675990B2
General algebraic space-time code constructions are presented for Gray-mapped 2K-PSK, 2K-PAM, and 4K-QAM constellations. The space-time codes achieve the rate-diversity tradeoff—i.e., they allow the transmission of information at the maximum rate possible for the given signaling constellation and the achieved transmit diversity level. New codes created by applying a nonsingular linear or affine transformation to the constellation labels retain the optimality of the original codes with respect to the rate-diversity tradeoff. Extensions to pK-PSK, pK-PAM, p2K-QAM, and related constellations, for p prime, are also given.
US07675986B1
The present invention provides a technique to reduce peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) of multi-carrier transmission systems. A non-empty subset of the subcarriers includes “PAR subcarriers.” The PAR subcarriers have constellations obtained by reducing a constellation that is higher than binary and invariant under multiplication by −1, so that an element is in the reduced constellation if and only if its negative is not. In this way, only one bit per PAR subcarrier is used for PAR reduction. The technique addressed in this invention multiplies a subset of the PAR subcarriers by −1 to reduce PAR at each multi-carrier symbol transmission. A method or apparatus is operated to select the subset of PAR subcarriers to be rotated. The receiver identifies the PAR subcarriers and estimates the subcarriers multiplied by −1 according to the reduced constellations and the received samples.
US07675982B2
The invention provides a system and method for effectively reducing peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) in an OFDM signal. The method includes the steps of oversampling a signal in the time domain, gradually clipping an amplitude of the signal to a predefined level using a formula involving a hyperbolic tangent, bandpass filtering out-of-band spectral components of the signal due to non-linear clipping to be within a predetermined mask, and transmitting the signal.
US07675978B2
A data coupler includes a transformer having primary and secondary windings, a data transmitter coupled to the primary winding of the transformer, and a data receiver coupled to the secondary winding. The data transmitter includes a first driver and a second driver having outputs coupled to respective ends of the primary winding. The first driver is responsive to a data signal and the second driver is responsive to a delayed version of the data signal, such that the primary winding is supplied with pulses representing a difference between the data signal and the delayed version of the data signal. The data coupler also includes an ac (alternating current) path to ground from the secondary winding for conducting to ground common mode signals coupled to the secondary winding via an inter-winding capacitance of the transformer.
US07675975B2
A video encoding method comprises selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations each including a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture, generating a prediction picture signal in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination, generating a predictive error signal representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal, and encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination.
US07675972B1
A system and a method for transcoding multiple media channels is disclosed herein. The system includes a first processor to parse a media data stream having one or more media data channels and a vector processor to decompress, scale, and then compress the parsed media channel. A parsed media data channel, in one embodiment, is accessed using a bit manipulator and packetized into decoder instruction packets and transmitted to the vector processor using a sequencer. The vector processor decompresses the decoder instruction packets, scales a macroblock generated from the packets, and then compresses the scaled macroblock. As a result, the scaled and compressed output has less data associated with the media channel, allowing for faster and/or more efficient storage or transmission. A reduced sized scale buffer is associated with another disclosed embodiment.
US07675965B2
A single subscriber line multi-point communication system is disclosed. In general, the multi-point communication system can include a first transceiver coupled to a subscriber line capable of transmitting and receiving at least two modulation methods, either of said modulation methods being operable to transmit a test signal, and a second transceiver coupled to said subscriber line capable of transmitting and receiving said at least two modulation methods, the second transceiver being operable to receive the test signal and determine at least one channel parameter from the test signal. A master transceiver that can be used in various embodiments of a single subscriber line multi-point communication system, and a tributary transceiver are further disclosed.
US07675940B2
A method for providing cross-layer quality-of-service (QoS) functionality in a wireless network is provided. The method includes obtaining QoS data from each layer of an application stack for a particular application. A QoS matrix is generated based on the obtained QoS data. Packet distribution for the particular application may then be prioritized based on the QoS matrix.
US07675936B2
A PON system capable of utilizing the bandwidth of an optical transmission channel in the PON section. In a PON system including an OLT and a plurality of ONUs, the OLT has: a downstream frame processing unit that removes at least part of the header information in a layer 2 header from a downstream frame received from a wide area network, and converts the remaining frame portion into a frame having a header specific to the PON section; and a downstream frame processing unit that extracts a downstream frame portion to be transferred to a user terminal, from a received frame from a PON, and adds the layer 2 header information deleted in the OLT.
US07675930B2
A system for switching data packets through a multiple (m) input, multiple (n) output switching device providing switching having a fast one-cycle throughput. A respective switching device behaves like an output queued switch from a set of distributed output queues reading the incoming input control information from the plurality of input ports (IP) and compresses the information in a form which allows an easy association with a respective output port (OP) to which an individual input port is temporarily mapped.
US07675927B2
A trace information queueing system receives a plurality of trace information signals and transmits them through a common connector. The multiple trace information signals may be multiplexed. Each edge of a clock signal may be used to enable transmission of different trace information signals. Alternatively, separate clocks signals may be provided for each trace information signal. A programmable logic device may be used to both multiplex the trace information signals and produce the clock signals necessary to enable their transmission.
US07675919B2
A method for scheduling one or more data packet transfers over a computer-based distributed network is disclosed. The method involves constructing a cyclic schedule from a plurality of data packets, wherein the cyclic schedule is constructed to ensure that each data packet transfer is substantially free of jitter. The method further involves synchronizing the cyclic schedule with at least one periodic processing schedule and transmitting the synchronized data packets as arranged by the cyclic schedule.
US07675917B2
Discloses is a method for providing a packet data service in a wireless communication system. A packet data service node (PDSN) or a home agent (HA) allocates an IP (Internet Protocol) address to a mobile station and then registers the allocated IP address information in a DNS (Domain Naming System) server along with a domain name of the mobile station. Alternatively, upon receiving an accounting request message from the packet data service node, an AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) server registers the IP address information of the mobile station in the DNS server in association with the domain name of the mobile station. Thus, a correspondent node (CN), though it does not recognize the IP address of the mobile station, can access the mobile station using the domain name.
US07675916B2
A method for dynamically adjusting QoS parameters associated with a virtual circuit is disclosed. The virtual circuit includes a first end connected to a first router and a second end connected to a second router. The method includes receiving an offer message at the second router, and sending a request message to the first router. The offer message includes a first set of QoS parameters and the request message includes a second set of QoS parameters. The method further includes receiving a request confirmation message at the second router, receiving a new offer message at the second router, and sending information compliant with the second set of QoS parameters to the first router. The new offer message includes the second set of QoS parameters.
US07675910B2
A packet switching device is disclosed. The packet switching device includes at least one line card with a port control for storage and arrangement of packets in output queues and for generating status information of the output queue, and at least one switch card consisting of a crosspoint matrix and an arbiter to control the crosspoint matrix. The port control distributes the status information over several arbiters. Each responding arbiter is provided to cyclically receive a respective part of the status information from the port control.
US07675906B2
Disclosed is a media communication system in which communication of media such as sound, image and the like is performed between first and second terminals, each of which is constructed so as to be capable of IP communication, via an IP network. The system includes an IP packetizing unit for IP-packetizing and sending, to the IP network, a media signal sent from the first terminal, and for converting an IP packet received from the IP network to a media signal and sending the media signal to the first terminal, and a media signal transmitting unit for connecting a media/signal converter, which is provided within the first terminal, to the IP packetizing unit to transmit a media signal.
US07675904B2
A VoIP terminal, which supports to make a phone call through both PSTN and Internet is disclosed. A local subscriber may choose to have a conversation through PSTN or Internet on his own. Besides, by reference to a switch such as a relay, the VoIP terminal is able to establish a PSTN connection under some special cases, such as the terminal power off or Internet shutdown.
US07675898B2
A session identification unit (11) determines a session to which an incoming packet belongs, while a session relay unit (12-1-12-N) relays between a session with a transmission terminal and a session with a reception terminal. A packet scheduler (13) instructs and controls the delivery of packets from each session relay unit (12-1-12-N), and a delivery control unit (14) delivers packets from each session relay unit (12-1-12-N) based on the instruction. In the session relay unit (12-1), a transmission session processing unit (121-1) processes a session for transmitting data to the reception terminal, and a transmission buffer (122-1) stores received data until the end of a transmission. A reception session processing unit (123-1) processes a session for receiving data from the transmission terminal.
US07675897B2
A power line communications system that facilitates the provision of differentiated data services is provided. One embodiment of the present invention may include tagging downstream data at an ingress point, such as a point of presence or aggregation point. The tagging of data packets may allow the power line communication network elements such as backhaul points, bypass devices, and repeaters to determine the data type and class of service of each data packet and may allow the network elements to prioritize, queue and transmit the data packets accordingly. Such queuing may employ the use of multiple queues with some queues having different sizes and different weight factors from other queues.
US07675895B2
The present invention provides a method of wireless telecommunication is provided. The method includes accessing a plurality of first data packets having a first size, accessing at least one second data packet having a second size, the second size being larger than the first size, forming a plurality of third data packets comprising portions of the at least one second data packet based upon the first and second sizes, and selecting at least one of the plurality of first data packets based upon the plurality of third data packets.
US07675889B2
In a communications network where first and second communication terminals are interconnected via a common communication medium such as a local area network, the terminals jointly establish an infrared light private communication link if they are brought close to each other. The first and second terminals communicate their network addresses to each other either via the local area network or via the private communication link, and establish a session between the communicated network addresses via the local area network if the strength of the infrared-light private communication link at the receiving end is higher than a decision threshold.
US07675888B2
A method for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Access (OFDMA) ranging is provided. The method includes receiving a signal having OFDMA symbols. An FFT is performed on this signal. Matching ranging codes are found. The power for a given hypothesized ranging code is determined and compared to a power threshold to determine if the code was transmitted. The timing offset and power are reported as the result of ranging.
US07675886B2
A rate adaptive transmission scheme for MIMO systems, which can transmit a variable number of data symbol streams, provide transmit diversity for each data symbol stream, and fully utilize the total transmit power of the system and the full power of each antenna. In one method, at least one data symbol stream is received for transmission from a plurality of antennas. Each data symbol stream is scaled with a respective weight corresponding to the amount of transmit power allocated to that stream. The scaled data symbol stream(s) are multiplied with a transmit basis matrix to provide a plurality of transmit symbol streams for the plurality of antennas. The transmit basis matrix (e.g., a Walsh-Hadamard matrix or a DFT matrix) is defined such that each data symbol stream is transmitted from all antennas and each transmit symbol stream is transmitted at (or near) the full power for the associated antenna.
US07675882B2
A wireless mesh network is configured as a multiple-level hierarchical network, with each level of the hierarchy having a plurality of nodes. Several clusters of nodes each acting as access points may be organized in numerous first-level meshes (102, 106, 110, 112), with each of the first-level meshes being coupled to a second-level mesh having several nodes that act as gateways (G1-G5) to the first-level meshes. The number of nodes in each of the first-level and second-level meshes may be limited to a predetermined number of nodes throughout the full topology of the mesh network in order to improve performance of the mesh network.
US07675879B1
A communication method for a communication network includes transmitting first control information for a first frame from a hub to a plurality of user nodes, and transmitting a first data burst in the first frame from a first user node and a second data burst in the first frame from a second user node to the hub according to the first control information. A start of the first frame from the first and second user nodes occurs simultaneously at the hub. The method also includes transmitting second control information for a second frame from the hub after transmitting the first control information, transmitting a third data burst in the second frame to the hub according to the second control information, and receiving the second frame at the hub following the first frame.
US07675867B1
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a one-way data transfer system with built-in data verification mechanism, comprising three nodes (Send Node, Receive Node, and Feedback Node) wherein (1) the three nodes are interconnected with each other by a one-way data link, and (2) the Feedback Node is designed solely for processing and relaying data verification information from the Receive Node to the Send Node. In these embodiments, the Send Node is capable of verifying the status of data it transferred to the Receive Node over a one-way data link without sacrificing the unidirectionality of data flow in the system and thereby compromising the level of security provided by use of one-way data links.
US07675865B2
A computer Input/Output system having a fabric, a control unit (CU) and a host computer including a channel, the channel having a channel port connected by a first link to a channel neighbor port of the fabric, and the control unit having a CU port connected by a second link to a CU neighbor port on the fabric. Then an error is detected in the link or protocol between the channel and the control unit, error data are reported to the channel by the channel, the channel port, the channel neighbor port, the control unit, the CU port and the CU neighbor port and sent to the channel. The error data are provided to the host computer for analysis.
US07675862B2
In one embodiment, a networking hardware element (1100, 3100) capable of coupling computer network elements (1010) comprises a network diagnostic mechanism (2140) that is capable of mapping the computer network elements and that is also capable of determining a connection status for the computer network elements. The networking hardware element also comprises a display (2110, 3110, 5110) that is capable of communicating with the network diagnostic mechanism and that is also capable of displaying a network layout map (2111, 5111) of representations of the computer network elements and the connection status of the computer network elements.
US07675856B2
Measurement systems according to embodiments of the invention allow accurate bandwidth estimation even in non-FIFO scheduling and frame-level contention environments. In an embodiment of the invention, the approximate fraction of time that a link is idle is found by probing for idle periods (“gaps”). The fraction of idle time is then multiplied by the capacity to obtain an estimate of the available bandwidth. Gap time is estimated in an embodiment of the invention fraction by gathering samples of one-way delay (OWD) over the link in question. After the OWD is normalized and plotted, the knee in the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of OWD samples is used to identify the fraction of time that the channel is idle.
US07675854B2
Provided is a method and system for TCP SYN cookie validation. The method includes receiving a session SYN packet by a TCP session setup module of a host server, generating a transition cookie including a time value representing the actual time, sending a session SYN/ACK packet, including the transition cookie, in response to the received session SYN packet, receiving a session ACK packet, and determining whether a candidate transition cookie in the received session ACK packet comprises a time value representing a time within a predetermined time interval from the time the session ACK packet is received.
US07675848B2
A technique treats a protected forwarding adjacency (FA) as a dynamic entity in that it allows a backup tunnel associated with the FA to carry traffic for the FA, when it's primary tunnel has failed, up to a predetermined amount of time. If after the predetermined amount of time has elapsed and the FA has not recovered (e.g., the primary tunnel has not been reestablished), a network topology change is automatically triggered causing the network to converge on a new network topology. By triggering the network topology change, a path that is more optimal than the path associated with the backup tunnel may be subsequently determined to carry the traffic.
US07675840B1
A radar, or other repetitive interference, detection and data flow control system and method for RF data transmissions uses an RF detector and an omni directional antenna to detect radar or similar signals. The information from the RF detector is communicated to a hub data transmission unit which processes the data about the signal provided by the detector. This information is used by the hub to schedule communications between the hub and subscriber units so that none of the communications between the hub and subscriber fall within the time period of the interfering pulses. Although there are no communications during the time periods of the pulses, the efficiency of communications is improved because collisions and retransmission of data are avoided.
US07675836B2
For providing a recording/reproducing apparatus, for recording/reproducing information through conduction of electricity upon contact of a probe, having large recording density and a large transfer speed, but less in deterioration of a probe chips thereof, and being long in the lifetime thereof, within the recording/reproducing apparatus, a multi-chip is formed, disposing probe chips in large numbers thereof at a tip of a cantilever, while the cantilever is of a double-sided beam type, and the multi-chip is disposed at a center of the beam, wherein recording/reproducing portions of the multi-chip are disposed to correspond to recording dots one by one, and the multi-chip forming surface is moved up and down in parallel with the surface of a recording medium, due to suction force, so as to bring it to be in contact with the recording dots, and electricity is conducted after the contact thereof, thereby conducting the recording, in the structure; wherein, since a large amount of data can be read/written at one time, therefore it is possible to improve data transfer speed. Also, with conducting the R/W by means of the multi-chip, comparing to the single chip, it is possible to reduce the traveling distance of the multi-chip, thereby to reduce the abrasion. Also, since the tip portion of the said chip has the curvature radius, being large, such as, equal to 50 nm or greater than that, and since it moves in parallel with the surface of the recording medium, it can be in contact with the surface under the condition of, not the point contact, but near to the plane contact, therefore, the abrasion can be further reduced, effectively.
US07675832B2
An optical element feeding device driving method and an optical disk apparatus capable of detecting biting in a stepping motor and conducting restoration. The optical disk apparatus includes an optical element feeding device including a movable frame for supporting a spherical aberration correcting lens to move the lens in optical axis direction, a spring for applying force to the frame in the direction, a sensor for detecting a lens reference position, a stepping motor, and a lead screw and a nut for converting motor rotation into the direction, a motor driving circuit, a decision circuit for judging abnormality when an output of the sensor does not change even if the driving circuit outputs a driving signal to the motor after reference position detection, and a changeover circuit for lowering a driving frequency than in ordinary operation, based on an abnormality signal.
US07675820B2
A vehicle crash event is detected and characterized based on the transmission of acoustical shear waves through the vehicle frame. At least three, and preferably four or more, acoustical emission sensors longitudinally and laterally distributed on the vehicle frame produce acoustical signals that are processed to extract the shear wave energy due to impacts. Since shear waves are non-dispersive and travel through the vehicle frame at a known velocity, they can be detected in any part of the frame. The extracted shear wave signals are used not only to judge the severity of the impact, but also to characterize the type of crash and determine the direction of the impact based on when the shear wave is detected by each of the acoustical emission sensors.
US07675819B2
A sonar system for detecting underwater acoustic signals includes a plurality of hydrophone units capable of converting acoustic impulses to electrical signals, the hydrophone units being substantially vertically oriented when deployed in a body of water, and the hydrophone units occupying at least some of the positions of an M×N horizontal array. Two-dimensional Chebyshev mathematical weighting is applied to the electrical signals from the individual hydrophone units such that each individual signal from each hydrophone unit is assigned a respective weighting number and a numerical value is assigned to each individual signal corresponding to the strength of the electrical signal as adjusted by the respective weighting number.
US07675816B2
A method and system for acquiring seismic data while conducting drill string operations in a wellbore. The seismic receiver combination set comprises a combination of orthogonal geophones and accelerometers, and an array of hydrophones.
US07675802B2
A voltage regulation circuit in a nonvolatile memory card accepts an input voltage from a host at two or more different voltage levels and provides an output voltage at a single level to components including a memory die. The voltage regulation circuit can provide an output voltage that is higher or lower than the input voltage.
US07675794B2
A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium to improve performance of an SRAM cell or an SRAM array comprising a plurality of SRAM cells is described. The design structure includes a write circuit for an SRAM cell or an SRAM array. The write circuit includes a gate to switch the write circuit on and off. The cell is supplied by a first, higher voltage. The cell is accessible for read and write operations via at least one bit line connected to a write circuit. The cell is further addressable by at least one word line in order to access it by the bit line. To access the cell for read or write operations, the word line is supplied by the first, higher voltage and the bit line is supplied by a second, lower voltage. During write operations, the write circuit is driven by the first, higher voltage while the bit lines are still at the lower voltage.
US07675783B2
Provided are a nonvolatile memory device and a driving method thereof. In the method of driving a nonvolatile memory device, a structural shape and position of a memory cell to be driven is determined, and then the memory cell is driven with an optimized operating condition according to a distribution of the memory cell using a determination result.
US07675781B2
A memory device, including a non-volatile memory device, a method for operating a memory device, and an apparatus for use with a memory device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the memory device includes at least one evaluation circuit for amplifying a signal resulting from the reading of a memory cell, and a device for precharging an output of the evaluation circuit to a predetermined voltage level.
US07675777B2
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device, including a memory array having a plurality of first bit line groups and a plurality of second bit line groups that are alternately arranged to be adjacent each other, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of first page buffers, a plurality of second page buffers, and a plurality of switches. Each of the first page buffers is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the first bit line groups and arranged on a first side of the memory array. The first page buffers transmit data to the data lines. Each of the second page buffers is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the second bit line groups and arranged on a second side of the memory array. Each of the switches enables data transmission between a corresponding one of the first page buffers and a corresponding one of the second page buffers.
US07675775B2
A memory circuit includes volatile memory cells coupled to bit lines, and nonvolatile memory cells coupled to the volatile memory cells via the bit lines but not via complement bit lines.
US07675761B2
A flyback power supply method and apparatus is disclosed. An apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes an energy transfer element having a primary winding and first and second output windings. The first and second output windings are coupled to produce first and second output values, respectively. A primary switch is coupled to the primary winding. A control circuit is coupled to the primary switch to regulate a sum of the first and second output values. A steering circuit having first and second output switches is also included. The first and second output switches are coupled to the first and second output windings, respectively, to regulate a ratio of the first output value to the second output value. The first output switch is coupled to block current through the first output winding and the second output switch is coupled to block current through second output winding. At least one of the first and second output switches is coupled to be closed when the primary switch is opened.
US07675757B2
Disclosed is a DC-DC converter including: a first switching element ON/OFF controlling a current fed from a primary side to a secondary side; a second switching element provided in parallel to the first switching element, controlled at a substantially same timing as an ON/OFF timing of the first switching element and being lower in current rating than the first switching element; and a resistance inserted and connected between a node of a primary side of the second switching element and the primary side of the first switching element.
US07675754B2
A modular electronic system including a mechanism for releasably securing a modular device within a chassis, and for facilitating insertion and removal of the modular device. One embodiment provides a modular device that includes a handle secured to opposing pivotable lever arms. A follower pin secured to one end of the lever arms rides in a slot defined by the chassis. The slot is arranged so that pulling upward on the handle moves the follower pin in one direction along the slot to urge the modular device in a direction further into the device bay, and pushing downward on the handle urges the modular device in a direction out of the device bay, thereby providing a mechanical advantage to the user. When the modular device is fully inserted, retractable locking members provided on the modular device move into windows provided on the chassis, to releasably lock the modular device in the device bay. A module release mechanism includes a release plate that moves into engagement with a sloped or ramped surface of the locking members in response to squeezing the handle. Engagement of the release plate with the ramped surface moves the locking members inward and out of the windows on the chassis, to unlock the modular device from the device bay.
US07675746B2
A docking system is disclosed. The docking system includes a single docking station and a plurality of inserts that are placed in the docking station so that the docking station can accommodate hand held devices with differing sizes and shapes. The docking system is configured with a docking station and insert that matingly engage with one another via a rotating action. The docking system is also configured with a latching retention mechanism that secures the insert to the docking station when the insert is rotated into engagement with the docking station.
US07675742B2
A rack-mounted KVM module is configured for a server rack. An L-shaped supporting frame, which has a vertical plane and a horizontal plane, is coupled to the sever rack. A flat panel display is coupled to the vertical sliding rail to move along the L-shaped supporting frame horizontally. A keyboard module is coupled to the horizontal sliding rail to move along the L-shaped supporting frame horizontally. A positioning mechanism is disposed in the horizontal sliding rail. The positioning mechanism consists mainly of an outer rail, an inner rail, a link bracket, a latch and a positioning switch. The latch is swiveled to engage a notch of the latch in a block portion of the outer rail or to remove the notch thereof from the block portion to respectively lock or unlock a fixed position when the link bracket is slid along the inner rail by moving the positioning switch.
US07675732B2
A multilayer capacitor array includes a capacitor body having rectangular first and second main faces opposing each other. In the capacitor body having a dielectric characteristic, first inner electrodes are arranged in a first region, second inner electrodes are arranged in a second region, and third and fourth inner electrodes are arranged so as to extend over the first and second regions. Each of the third inner electrodes opposes at least one of the first inner electrodes and at least one of the second inner electrodes. Each of the fourth inner electrodes opposes at least one of the first inner electrodes and at least one of the second inner electrodes. The third inner electrodes are adjacent to the fourth inner electrodes, respectively.
US07675726B2
A device for protecting electronic modules in a multivoltage on-board electrical wiring system comprising a first accumulator of a low on-board electrical wiring system voltage, against short circuits after a high on-board electrical wiring system voltage, consisting of a transistor whose drain-source path is inserted between the control device connection and the electronic module connection. The source connection of the transistor is linked to the electronic module connection. A gate resistor and a diode guiding the current in the direction of the plus pole of the first accumulator are parallel-mounted between the gate connection of the transistor and the plus pole of the accumulator. A Zener diode is arranged between the gate connection and source connection of the transistor.
US07675720B1
An accurate slip calculation for providing monitoring and protection to an electric motor. The slip calculation is made using a minimum value of stator resistance as the initial stator resistance, where the minimum value of stator resistance is the minimum value of stator resistance calculated during an initiation period of the motor. The initiation period may be a predetermined time period or a predetermined number of cycles during the motor startup. The initiation period may start after a predetermined settling time or after a predetermined condition is met.
US07675718B2
The problem of increased edge sensitivity associated with the reduction of the spacing between bias magnets in a CPP head has been solved by limiting the width of the bias cancellation layer and by adding an extra layer of insulation to ensure that current through the device flows only through its central area, thereby minimizing its edge reading sensitivity.
US07675717B2
A magnetic head of either CIP or CPP configuration is disclosed, having a read sensor with a strongly pinned ferromagnetic layer due to increased electronic exchange with the AFM layer. The read sensor includes a lower seed layer whose material is chosen from a group consisting of Ta, NiFeCr, NiFeCoCr, NiFe, Cu, Ta/NiFeCr, Ta/NiFeCr/NiFe, Ta/Ru and Ta/NiFeCoCr, and an upper seed layer where the upper seed layer material is chosen from a group consisting of Ru, Cu, NiFe, Cu(x)Au(1−x)(x=0.22-0.5) alloys, Ru(x)Cr(1−x)(x=0.1-0.5) alloys, NiFeCr and NiFeCoCr. An AFM layer is formed on the upper seed layer and a ferromagnetic pinned layer is formed on the AFM layer. The exchange coupling energy Jk between the AFM layer and pinned layers exceeds 1.3 erg/cm2. Also disclosed is a method of fabrication of a magnetic head including a read head sensor with a strongly pinned ferromagnetic layer due to increased electronic exchange.
US07675716B2
A composite thin-film magnetic head includes a substrate, an under layer formed on the substrate, an MR read head element formed on the under layer and provided with a lower shield layer, an upper shield layer and an MR layer in which a sense current flows in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the MR layer through the upper shield layer and the lower shield layer, an inter-shield insulation layer laminated on the MR read head element, an inductive write head element formed on the inter-shield insulation layer and provided with a first magnetic pole layer, a nonmagnetic layer, a second magnetic pole layer whose end portion is opposed to an end portion of the first magnetic pole layer through the nonmagnetic layer, and a write coil, and an additional shield layer formed between the upper shield layer and the first magnetic pole layer.
US07675698B2
Fibrous micro-composite materials are formed from micro fibers. The fibrous micro-composite materials are utilized as the basis for a new class of MEMS. In addition to simple fiber composites and microlaminates, fibrous hollow and/or solid braids, can be used in structures where motion and restoring forces result from deflections involving torsion, plate bending and tensioned string or membrane motion. In one embodiment, fibrous elements are formed using high strength, micron and smaller scale fibers, such as carbon/graphite fibers, carbon nanotubes, fibrous single or multi-ply graphene sheets, or other materials having similar structural configurations. Cantilever beams and torsional elements are formed from the micro-composite materials in some embodiments.
US07675696B2
A lens barrel includes a first lens set configured to move manually along an optical axis, a second lens set configured to move electrically along the optical axis, a first holding member configured to hold the first lens set, a second holding member configured to hold the second lens set, a driving member configured to move the second holding member along the optical axis, a transmitting member configured to transmit a driving force of the driving member to the second holding member, and an urging member configured to relatively urge the transmitting member and the second holding member along the optical axis. The first lens set is movable within a range of motion of the second lens set. The urging member is displaced when the second holding member interferes with the first holding member.
US07675695B2
A holding apparatus configured to hold an optical element includes a supporting member configured to support the optical element, a cylindrical member configured to support the supporting member, a plurality of sensors configured to detect a position of the optical element and the supporting member, and a drive unit configured to drive the supporting member based on outputs from the plurality of sensors. The supporting member includes a plurality of projection portions that contact the optical element. A direction of each vertex of a polygon formed by connecting the plurality of projection portions with a straight line substantially coincides with a direction of each vertex of a polygon formed by connecting the plurality of sensors with a straight line.
US07675693B2
An optical accessory having a high optical performance arranged to change an optical characteristic of a shooting lens and to be attached on the object side of a shooting lens is provided. The optical accessory FE is to be detachably attached to the object side of a master lens M and has at least one lens FE having a negative refractive power. The image-side surface r2 of the lens FE is designed to have an aspherical shape having a negative refractive power that decreases toward its periphery.
US07675683B2
A system for displaying data includes a display unit and a transmitting unit. A display unit has a housing that defines an ambient light window and a viewing window. A data display is positioned inside the housing, and optics are included for guiding light from the ambient light window through the display and out the viewing window.
US07675674B2
The high-power-optical-amplifier of the present invention uses a number of spaced, thin slabs (e.g., disc-shaped doped-slabs that are stacked, with a space between discs), aligned to give an amplifier both with a high active cross-section and a very high surface area to volume ratio. More specifically, the present invention provides several methods that include the steps of aligning at least two or four slabs having a thickness dimension of less than one centimeter, substantially parallel to, and spaced from adjacent slabs, wherein the slab surfaces are rendered essentially non-reflective, optically pumping the slabs and passing an input beam through the surfaces wherein the beam is optically amplified in the slabs, and wherein the input beam is of an eye-safe wavelength.
US07675673B2
An output beam from a laser is directed into an acousto-optic cell. The laser beam includes repeated sequences of two or more pulses. The acousto-optic cell is sequentially driven by RF voltages at two or more frequencies. A portion of the laser output beam is diffracted by the acousto-optic cell at two or more different angles to the laser output beam. This provides two or more secondary beams. One of the secondary beams includes only the first pulses of the sequences; the other includes only the second pulses of the sequences. The duration of the pulses in the laser beam is controlled to control time-averaged power in the secondary beams.
US07675671B2
An aspect of the embodiment, a MEMS device includes a rotating unit, a first hinge, a first frame and an actuator. The actuator has a plurality of electrodes for rotating the rotating unit. The first frame has one of the electrodes. A portion of silicon layer by the electrode of the frame is chamfered.
US07675665B2
This invention relates to display apparatuses having an array of light modulators and a plurality of apertures formed in a layer of material. Each light modulator corresponds to one or more apertures and has a portion which may overlap a corresponding aperture, where the size of the overlap is proportional to a distance between the array and the layer of material.
US07675664B2
A recording medium records therein image data for distributing contents as element holograms with interference fringes generated by interference between an object beam representing the image data and a reference beam. The image data to be distributed which are recorded as the element holograms in the recording medium are reproduced by applying reference beams to the recording medium.
US07675655B2
Apparatus for scanning a moving object includes a visible waveband sensor 12 oriented to collect a series of images of the object as it passes through a field of view 16. An image processor 14 uses the series of images to form a composite image. The image processor 14 stores image pixel data for a current image and a predecessor image in the series. It uses information in the current image and its predecessor to analyse images and derive likelihood measures indicating probabilities that current image pixels correspond to parts of the object. The image processor 14 estimates motion between the current image and its predecessor from likelihood weighted pixels. It generates the composite image from frames positioned according to respective estimates of object image motion. Image motion may alternatively be detected by a speed sensor such as a Doppler radar 200 sensing object motion directly and providing image timing signals.
US07675651B2
Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus for moiré-free color halftone printing with up to four color image separations. The method and apparatus utilize a plurality of non-orthogonal halftone screens to produce outputs that are moiré free and form uniform periodic rosettes. The method and apparatus provide for defining a first and a second color halftone screen fundamental frequency vector for each of three halftone screens such that the halftone screen set output forms uniform hexagonal rosettes; then defining a fourth color halftone screen where a first fundamental vector of the fourth screen shares a fundamental frequency vector with one of said three halftone screens and a second fundamental frequency vector of the fourth screen shares a fundamental frequency vector with a different one of said three color halftone screens.
US07675642B2
A print apparatus and print method are provided in which the efficiency of a raster operation is improved according to destination images. The print method includes the steps of extracting a source image, a halftone image and a destination image from an image to be printed, determining an attribute of the destination image and converting raster operations (ROPs) of the source image, the halftone image and the destination image in accordance with the determination result, and performing the converted ROPs. If the attribute of the destination image is a written state, the conversion of the ROPs may be omitted, and if the attribute of the destination image is an initial state, the ROPs may be converted to more simplified operations using an initial state value of the destination image. Accordingly, by determining an attribute of the destination image D in advance, before the ROPs are performed, and converting the ROPs to simplified ROPs, the time required for rendering a result can be reduced and an entire printing time can be reduced.
US07675641B2
Methods and devices for converting printed media into audio data. In one embodiment, a device includes a scanning platform for supporting the document to be scanned, a scanning mechanism for converting images on the document into image data, and a processor configured to convert the scanned image data into audio data. The device may further include printer components configured to create a hardcopy of the image data, an audio device such as a speaker, and an interface for outputting the image data or audio data.
US07675636B2
A document processing apparatus reads document data and carries out a preflight check. In the preflight check, the content of the document is interpreted page by page to determine resources that are needed for output. Then, it is determined for each page whether the resources needed for output are available in a printing system. If a resource that is not available is needed, a warning is issued for the page. If the resources are available, intermediate data for a printed output is generated for the page. Then, a result of the preflight check is output.
US07675628B2
An optical device for characterizing a test surface combines a Fizeau interferometer with a polarization frequency-shifting element. Two substantially collinear, orthogonally polarized beams having respective frequencies differing by a predetermined frequency shift are generated by the polarization frequency-shifting element and projected into the Fizeau optical cavity to produce a pair of test beams and a pair of reference beams, wherein the beams in each pair have orthogonal polarization states and have frequencies differing by the predetermined frequency shift. A second, substantially equal frequency shift is introduced in the Fizeau cavity on either one of the pairs of test and reference beams, thereby generating a four-beam collinear output that produces an interferogram without tilt or short-coherence light. The invention may also be implemented by reversing the order of the Fizeau cavity and the polarization frequency-shifting element in the optical train.
US07675616B1
An absorption spectroscopy gauge to measure chemical concentrations in a post-detonation combustion cloud of energetic materials. A broadband light source coupled to an optical fiber guides light into a gauge via a first leg where a plano-convex lens collimates the light source internally. The light reflects off a mirror and passes through an absorption region before entering a second leg of the gauge where it is refocused into a different fiber and sent to a time-resolved spectroscopy system for analysis. The time-resolved spectroscopy system can include a spectrometer and a steak camera. The two legs of the gauge are arranged as separate halves connected by a plurality of rods that can be adjusted to change the length of the absorption region. The gauge is arranged to include stainless steel cone shaped tips to minimize added turbulence brought upon by its use.
US07675602B2
A pillar-shaped spacer is disposed at the position between the boundary line of adjacent liquid crystal cells and an OLB terminal so as to face the end portion of the OLB terminal and so as to be interposed between a first large-size substrate and a second large-size substrate. Even when the respective liquid crystal cells are separated from one another along the boundary lines of the adjacent liquid crystal cells, exfoliation of the OLB terminals is prevented by the pillar-shaped spacers, so that extra cutting margins between the adjacent liquid crystal cells can be reduced and the manufacturing performance and the built-in number of the liquid crystal cells can be enhanced.
US07675600B2
Disclosed are a liquid crystal display panel and apparatus, which can prevent electrolytic corrosion or other corrosion of on-off pads in a test pad part. The liquid crystal display panel comprises: a pixel part having a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix at intersections of a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines; a gate pad part having a plurality of gate pads, each of the gate pads connected with the corresponding gate lines to deliver a gate signal; a data pad part having a plurality of data pads, each of the data pads connected with the corresponding data lines to deliver a data signal; a test pad part having at least one or more on-off pads delivering a test signal to the gate lines or the data lines; and a switching device for cutting off the gate signal and/or the data signal so as not to be provided to the on-off pads upon driving the liquid crystal display panel.
US07675593B2
Provided are a display pixel using an electroactive polymer and a display apparatus employing the display pixel. The display pixel includes: an electroactive polymer layer, of which shape and/or size is displaced when a voltage is applied thereto; a diffraction grating, of which a pitch and a diffraction angle change according to a displacement of the electroactive polymer layer; and a liquid crystal layer disposed on the diffraction grating and controlling gradation according to a voltage applied thereto.
US07675592B2
The manufacturing yield of transflective liquid crystal display devices is to be enhanced. In a transflective liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal display panel having a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer held between the pair of substrates, the liquid crystal display panel has a plurality of subpixels each having a transmissive part and a reflective part, wherein one of the pair of substrates has: an active element; a first insulating film disposed in a higher layer than the electrode of the active element and having a first contact hole; a counter electrode disposed in a higher layer than the first insulating film; a reflective electrode disposed in the reflective part in a higher layer than the counter electrode; a second insulating film disposed in a higher layer than the counter electrode and the reflective electrode and having a second contact hole; a pixel electrode disposed in a higher layer than the second insulating film; and an electroconductor formed in the first contact hole and electrically connected to the electrode of the active element, and the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the electroconductor via the second contact hole.
US07675591B2
A transflective display panel and a display apparatus using the same are provided. The display panel includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix. Each of the pixels includes a plurality of subpixels, and each subpixel within a pixel outputs a different color of light. In addition, each of the subpixels includes a transflective mode region which has a reflection mode region with a diffraction grating and a transmission mode region; a liquid crystal layer which adjusts a transmittance of incident light through electric control; and a sub color filter which transmits light within a wavelength band of the incident light. Because the display panel includes the reflection mode region where the diffraction grating is formed, it can display a high-quality image with good white balance, even while outdoors or under bright illumination.
US07675590B2
An array substrate including a plurality of pixel regions transmitting light includes a switching element disposed in each of the pixel regions defined by gate and source lines, wherein the switching element is electrically connected to the gate and source lines, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the switching element, a first insulating layer disposed on the switching element, and a second insulating layer disposed under the first insulating layer, wherein a thickness of the second insulating layer is dependent on a peak wavelength of red light.
US07675585B2
A liquid crystal display and fabricating method thereof are disclosed, by which a backlight having a simple configuration, a reduced thickness and a low cost can be provided. The present invention includes a liquid crystal display panel having an upper substrate, a lower substrate and liquid crystals between the upper and lower substrates, an organic EL device provided under the lower substrate of the liquid crystal display panel to provide light to the liquid crystal display panel, and a cap boned to at least one of the lower substrate of the liquid crystal display panel and a substrate of the organic EL device to protect the organic EL device.
US07675583B2
There is disclosed an active matrix reflective liquid crystal display panel on which an active matrix circuit is integrated with peripheral driver circuits. Metal lines in the peripheral driver circuits are formed simultaneously with pixel electrodes. Thus, neither the process sequence nor the structure is complicated.
US07675581B2
A thin film transistor array comprising a substrate, a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines, a plurality of thin film transistors, a plurality of common lines, a plurality of top electrodes, a plurality of connection lines and a plurality of pixel electrodes is provided. Wherein, each thin film transistor is disposed in one of the pixel areas and driven through the corresponding scan line and data line. Each thin film transistor includes a gate, a source and a drain. The drain of the thin film transistor is electrically connected to the corresponding top electrode by the corresponding connection line. Besides, the drain of the thin film transistor is electrically connected to the pixel electrode, and a portion of the connection line is not covered by the pixel electrode.
US07675580B2
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel with a built-in touch screen capable of maintaining touch sensitivity at a certain level regardless of touch circumstances, and an LCD having the LCD panel with a built-in touch screen. According to the present invention, there are provided an LCD panel with a built-in touch screen, comprising a first substrate; a second substrate positioned opposite to first substrate; a liquid crystal layer injected between first and second substrates; a sensing unit including a conductive column spacer and a conductive pad spaced apart from conductive column spacer by a predetermined interval to sense a touch point; and a plurality of pressure particles with certain hardness positioned on an outer surface of first substrate. Further, there is provided an LCD having the LCD panel with a built-in touch screen.
US07675579B2
A liquid crystal display device of a multiple-domain in-plane switching mode applies to mutually engaged comb-shaped electrodes for each pixel region. The comb-shaped electrode has bent portions each in a double V shape which is formed as a comb-tooth pattern by causing a bent tip being bent into a V shape to protrude further outward. This structure stabilizes turning directions of liquid crystal molecules in the vicinity of a boundary between each two neighboring regions of multiple domains and suppresses display coloring attributable to a change in a view angle.
US07675577B2
A device and method for automatically changing a broadcast channel of a vehicle television with a diversity antenna is provided. The device includes an antenna switching unit connected with the diversity antennas and switching one of the diversity antennas; an image signal level detector for detecting an image signal level; an audio signal level detector for detecting an audio signal level; a storage unit for storing regional broadcast channel information, a channel change history, a value of number of switching times; and a controller for controlling the antenna switching unit, counting and storing the number of switching times, checking a quality of the broadcast signal, deciding a desired broadcast channel, and controlling the tuner to change into the decided broadcast channel.
US07675575B2
A display device includes a detachable housing, a main body, and an interface unit. The interface unit electrically connects the detachable housing with the main body. The detachable housing includes an OSD unit for storing a plurality of OSD data; a command input unit for generating and sending signals in response to operations of a user; a processing unit for identifying operations of the user, and, if required by the operations, performing predetermined function to obtain OSD data, generating a corresponding control signal, and transmitting the OSD data and the control signal to the main body through the interface unit. The main body displays an OSD menu corresponding to the OSD data and adjusts the parameters of the display device, corresponding to the control signals.
US07675573B2
Global-adaptive deinterlacing systems and methods for reducing scintillation and feathering artifacts. Motion adaptive deinterlacing (MADI) local motion quantization thresholds are adaptively adjusted according to the amount of global motion present in the video sequence, thereby minimizing scintillation and feathering artifacts when deinterlacing the fields. A set of global motion scenarios are defined for the purpose of classifying fields, and a number of global motion indicators are used to detect on a field-by-field basis different global motion scenarios.
US07675571B2
A cradle for connecting to a portable electronic apparatus is described. The cradle includes an AC adapter connector, a USB connector, a mini USB plug, and a USB signal detecting circuit. The USB connector is used to connect to a USB interface of a computer. The mini USB plug is used to connect to the portable electronic apparatus. The USB signal detecting circuit detects the USB_D+ and the USB_D− of the USB connector. When the computer is suspended from an operating state, the portable electronic apparatus is charged by the AC adapter through the mini USB plug. When the computer resumes normal operation, the USB connection between the portable electronic apparatus and the computer is automatically reestablished.
US07675569B2
An imaging apparatus includes an image sensor configured to image an object to generate image data, a flash control unit configured to control a main flash, to be performed by a flash unit configured to emit flash to an object, according to preliminary image data generated by the image sensor in association with a pre-flash performed by the flash unit, a first drive unit configured to adjust starting timings of exposures performed at a plurality of lines of the image sensor to a same timing when the pre-flash is performed, and a second drive unit configured to shield the image sensor from light before the preliminary image data is read from the image sensor.
US07675567B2
A camera is provided which includes an image capturing element; a memory for recording images obtained from the image capturing element; and a controller for changing the number of recorded pixels of the images stored in the memory based on information about a lens apparatus that can be operatively connected to the camera.
US07675556B2
A camera has a body and an electronic capture unit mounted in the body. The electronic capture unit selectively captures and stores a scene image as a representational electronic image having a first array of pixels. A control system is mounted in the body. The control system provides a remapped electronic image having a second array of pixels. A memory unit is disposed in the body. The memory unit stores a data-set defining an non-uniform mapping between a plurality of primary input coordinates mappable on said first array of pixels and plurality of primary output coordinates mappable on said second array of pixels. The control system uses the data-set to remap the pixels of the input electronic image to provide the remapped electronic image.
US07675542B2
A camera controller establishes a desired shooting range as the direction of a camera is changed. Coordinate data on a pseudo subject-plane representing a subject-plane virtually covering a plurality of subjects to be shot by the camera are stored. The direction of the camera is indicated by a cursor or the like on the image displayed on a display unit. Coordinates of an intersection point of a straight line extending from the camera in the instructed direction with the pseudo subject-plane stored in the memory are determined, and the distance between the camera and the intersection point is calculated.
US07675541B2
A main unit (television receiver) displays a television broadcasting program and also detects its feature. In addition, the main unit detects a scene change from the feature of the television broadcasting program, and controls a subsidiary unit (television receiver) so as to display the image data of the frame immediately after the scene change. The subsidiary unit displays the frame immediately after the scene change. Then, when another scene change occurs in image data displayed on the main unit, the image data of the frame immediately after the scene change is displayed on the subsidiary unit, instead of the image data which has been displayed so far.
US07675534B2
A receiver medium transport system for a thermal printer, a method for operating a receiver medium transport system and a thermal printer are provided that enable the recording of at least a portion of a second superimposed image on a second receiver medium during the recording of a first superimposed image on a first receiver medium.
US07675526B2
A method and system for performing multi-sample, antialiased rendering of images by performing multi-sample antialiasing at the primitive level. Geometric primitives used to represent a graphics environment are set-up, and then shifted by a sub-pixel offset and rendered to generate values for pixels of an intermediate image. The shifting and rendering is repeated for the geometric primitive, each time generating values for pixels of another intermediate image. The values for the pixels of the intermediate images are combined to produce values for the respective pixels of the resulting image.
US07675516B2
Provided are an apparatus and method for triangulating a three-dimensional (3D) image, and a computer-readable recording medium storing a computer program for controlling the apparatus. The apparatus includes: a surface expression unit expressing the surface of the 3D image as triangles without holes; and an information output unit outputting a result obtained by the surface expression unit. The apparatus quickly and easily finds surface points and expresses the surface of the 3D image as a combination of triangles reliably, generally, and efficiently, more accurately obtains the 4-sided polygons, reduces the number of holes to be formed, is edited by personally recognizing modification of the surface of the 3D image, and can be used as a tool for expressing intuitive data to edit a dynamic object.
US07675510B2
A method of displaying an image with a display device including a plurality of display pixels includes receiving image data for the image, the image data including individual pixels of the image; buffering the image data and creating a frame of the image, the frame of the image including a plurality of columns and a plurality of rows of the pixels of the image; defining a first sub-frame and at least a second sub-frame for the frame of the image, image data of the second sub-frame being offset from image data of the first sub-frame by an offset distance of at least one pixel; and displaying the first sub-frame with a first plurality of the display pixels and displaying the second sub-frame with a second plurality of the display pixels offset from the first plurality of the display pixels by the offset distance.
US07675509B2
Methods and apparatus for optical wireless communication. In one embodiment, a wireless optical video system in which video content (e.g., DVI or HDMI) is transmitted wirelessly between a digital video source and a display device. This wireless optical communication is accomplished using a laser, encoded with the digital video data, directed from an optical transmitter to an optical receiver. In another embodiment, the data to be communicated includes high-definition video content.
US07675502B2
Set forth is an electrophoretic display device including a display region between substrates, at least one of which is transparent, the display region including a multiplicity of pixels, wherein one or more of the pixels have three or more subpixels, the three or more subpixels being made up of individual reservoirs that each contain a display medium of one or more set of colored particles in a dielectric fluid. The display mediums include two different colors therein so that the subpixel is capable of exhibiting each of the two different colors, and each of the three or more subpixels include a display medium having a combination of two colors that is different from the combinations of two colors of the display mediums of the other of the three or more subpixels. A method of displaying a full color image with the display device is also provided.
US07675500B2
A display is backlit by a source having spatially modulated luminance to attenuate illumination of dark areas of images and increase the dynamic range of the display.
US07675498B2
Display devices with low power consumption. In the display device, and first and second data lines, first and second gate lines, first and second supplemental lines, first and second pixels are provided. In the first pixel, a first transistor comprises a first terminal coupled to the first data line and a control terminal coupled to the first gate line, and a first storage capacitor comprises a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the first transistor and a second terminal coupled to the first supplemental line. In the second pixel, a second transistor comprises a first terminal coupled to the second data line, and a control terminal coupled to the second gate line, and a second storage capacitor comprises a first terminal coupled to the second terminal of the second transistor and a second terminal coupled to the second supplemental line.
US07675494B2
An organic light-emitting device including: a light emitting diode that emits light by a signal current; a driving thin film transistor connected between a source voltage and a light emitting diode and connected at its drain to the light emitting diode and a current source, and that supplies the signal current to the light emitting diode depending on display data; a storage capacitor connected between the source voltage and a gate of the driving thin film transistor, and that stores the display data depending on a display data signal; a first switching unit connected between the drain of the driving thin film transistor and a data driver and connected at its gate with a first scan line, wherein the first switching unit and selects the data signal; a second switching unit connected between the gate and the drain of the driving thin film transistor and connected at its gate with a second scan line wherein, the second switching unit drives the driving thin film transistor; and a third switching unit connected between the drain of the driving thin film transistor and the light emitting diode and connected at its gate with a third scan line, wherein the third switch unit selects the signal current applied to the light emitting diode.
US07675490B2
A method of compensating the uniformity of an OLED device that includes measuring the performance of light-emitting elements at three or more different input intensity values. Calculation of parameters a and b, for each light-emitting element, is performed to minimize the sum, for each of the three or more input intensity values i, of a minimization function: ƒ(yi,i,(yi−g(yi,i,a,b))2) where yi is the performance value of the light-emitting element or groups of elements in response to an input intensity value i, and g is a function that is a simplified representation of the performance of the one or more light-emitting elements or groups of elements. A linear transformation function is formed as: ƒ(i)=mi+k, where m and k depend upon the function g, and the parameters a and b.
US07675486B2
This invention provides a drive system of a display device preventing an uneven display caused by output current values of current conversion circuits. A drive system of a display device of the invention has a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix of m rows and n columns and having current drive elements, n pieces of current conversion circuits converting digital display signals inputted from outside into analog signals corresponding to the digital display signals, a first selector circuit selectively supplying the digital display signals to the n pieces of the current conversion circuits, and a second selector circuit selectively supplying current outputs of n pieces of the current conversion circuits to pixel groups divided in columns.
US07675484B2
A method for driving an AC type surface-discharge display device which has cells arranged in a matrix. Each of the cells has at least three electrodes including a pair of main electrodes on every line of the matrix and an address electrode on every column of the matrix. The method includes providing an address preparation period applying a charge producing pulse and applying a charge adjusting pulse. The charge adjusting pulse has a waveform monotonously falling from a reference potential and a negative polarity and is applied to the second main electrode used as a scan electrode and generates feeble electric discharges between the first and second main electrodes. The feeble electric discharges are accompanied by a decrease of the wall voltage formed by the charge producing pulse.
US07675483B2
A dynamic false contour reducing circuit which comprises a false contour detector, an error diffusion processing part, and a display controller. The false contour detector receives an input signal for displaying an image at a pixel of interest to detect a false contour magnitude at the pixel of interest when an image is displayed at the pixel of interest based on the input signal. The error diffusion processing part performs error diffusion processing for the input signal in a manner depending on the level of the false contour magnitude detected by the false contour detector. The display controller controls a display part such that an image is displayed based on the input signal which has undergone the error diffusion processing by the error diffusion processing part.
US07675470B2
A multi-band monopole antenna for a mobile communications device includes a common conductor coupled to both a first radiating arm and a second radiating arm. The common conductor includes a feeding port for coupling the antenna to communications circuitry in a mobile communications device. In one embodiment, the first radiating arm includes a space-filling curve. In another embodiment, the first radiating arm includes a meandering section extending from the common conductor in a first direction and a contiguous extended section extending from the meandering section in a second direction.
US07675463B2
The invention is related to a monopole antenna provided for short-range applications, having a conductive pattern arranged on a dielectric substrate. The conductive pattern has a first straight radiating element connected to an antenna feeding point, a second straight radiating element arranged essentially parallel to the first radiating element and interconnected to it, and further a third straight radiating element arranged between the first and second radiating elements and essentially parallel to both of the first and second radiating elements and interconnected to the second radiating element. The electric and magnetic fields of the first and the third radiating elements are thereby interacting constructively. The invention is also related to an integrated circuit having such monopole antenna, and a method for manufacturing such monopole antenna.
US07675459B2
A dither clock generating section 1 generates a dither clock. A transmission pulse generating section 2a generates a transmission pulse emitted to the outside from a transmitting antenna 2c on the basis of the dither clock. A sample hold section 6 samples a reception pulse, received by a receiving antenna 3a, on the basis of a sample pulse obtained by time sweeping of the changing timing of the dither clock, so as to produce a long-period reception pulse that is obtained by expanding the reception pulse on a time axis.
US07675454B2
A system for analyzing and displaying radar information comprises: a transmit and receive unit operable to transmit radar signals to a survey volume and to receive radar returned radar signals, a processing unit operable to: receive radar data from the returned radar signals, reduce the data into depth bins, each with a score based on received signal strength, create connections among depth bins based on respective scores, and to eliminate ones of the depth bins that do not meet a threshold number of connections, the system further comprising a display unit operable to create a display of at least a subset of the depth bins that are not eliminated by the processing unit.
US07675453B2
A power saving apparatus that uses a plurality of switches, including a switch provided in a remote controller receptacle mounted on a device, to turn on or off power to a device according to whether a remote controller is received in the remote controller receptacle, thereby saving standby power of the device. The power saving apparatus includes first, second, and third switches, and a controller. The first switch is used to power on/off the device. The second switch is provided in the remote controller receptacle to turn on/off power to the device according to whether or not a remote controller is received in the remote controller receptacle. The controller outputs a control signal to turn on/off power to the device when power is supplied through the first or second switch. The third switch turns on or off the power to the device according to the control signal output from the controller.
US07675452B2
An SAR ADC provides increased immunity to noise introduced by time varying noise components provided on reference potentials (VREF). Reference voltage noise contributions are canceled by introducing a reference voltage component to a pair of binary weighted capacitor arrays (NDAC and PDAC) during bit trials, which are presented to a differential comparator as a common mode signal and rejected. During sampling, select elements in either the PDAC or the NDAC also obtain a reference voltage contribution. Although the sampled VREF signal may have a noise contribution, the noise is fixed at the time of bit trials, which can improve performance. Generally, the scheme provides a 50% reduction in noise errors over the prior art for the same VREF noise. Additional embodiments described herein can reduce noise errors to 25% or even 12.5% over prior art systems.
US07675448B1
In a continuous-time sigma-delta modulator, by using dynamic element matching (DEM) with respect to comparators of a quantizer, or by generating a plurality of candidate DEM results in advance for selecting an approximate DEM result, a time slot for DEM operations in each cycle of a sampling signal is significantly increased without being rushed.
US07675424B2
An electronic assembly may be contained in a label that performs time-temperature integration (TTI) and indicates that time and/or temperature levels have been reached that may compromise the quality, shelf life, or safety of the item to which the label is affixed. The label may be used on a wide variety of objects that require careful handling in terms of temperature and/or time elapsed before use. The labeling system includes circuitry that measures and calculates, and indictor(s) that signal that the time has come for discounted sale, and, later, that the time has come for disposal rather than sale. Optionally, the circuitry may act as an “over-temperature alarm” system, to measure, calculate, and indicate when a one-time temperature violation has occurred that is of such a magnitude that the item is immediately considered compromised, or spoiled.
US07675420B2
An RF tag system includes a first reader/writer unit and a second reader/writer unit. A first reader/writer control unit is configured to control the first reader/writer unit to read a first data from a first RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the first reader/writer unit. A second reader/writer control unit is configured to control the second reader/writer unit to read a second data from a second RF tag, and to detect a trouble state of the second reader/writer unit. A monitoring section is configured to issue a selection instruction and to monitor the first reader/writer unit through the first reader/writer control unit, and the second reader/writer unit through the second reader/writer control unit. A switching section is configured to select one of the first reader/writer control unit and the second reader/writer control unit in response to the selection instruction from the monitoring section.
US07675417B2
A fence alarm for detecting and identifying a location in a fence which is broken. The fence alarm comprises a power source for providing power to the alarm components, the components including a plurality of detectors, each detector providing termination of a segment of the fence, each detector having a unique identifier, whereby the detector outputs its unique identifier when the segment is broken. The alarm includes a transmitter for transmitting the unique identifier, by means of an integrated antenna, which is received by a receiver. The fence alarm may also have computing or logic elements to provide additional storage or processing of signals, or data associated with the fence or the alarm.
US07675413B2
An intrusion sensing device includes an intrusion detection sensor enclosed within a housing and operable to detect an intrusion into a container. A mounting detection mechanism contacts the surface of the container when the housing is mounted thereto and is operable to detect when the housing is not in contact with the surface of the container. An access detection mechanism is operably connected to an access panel of the housing and operable to detect removal of the access panel from the housing. A control module is operable in a setup mode and an active mode. The control module is adapted to receive an alarm message from the intrusion detection sensor and operable to initiate an alarm event during the setup mode which varies from an alarm event initiated during the active mode. A wireless transmitter is operable to transmit an alarm indication signal to a remote monitoring system.
US07675412B2
A method is provided for dynamically tracking a plurality of entities progressing through an operation each having an electronic tagging device associated therewith. The method includes sensing signals emitted by each of the plurality of tagging devices, at predetermined instances or when triggered by external events, by a plurality of sensors located at predetermined sites with respect to the operation, each signal including information uniquely identifying the corresponding tagging device, communicating the sensed signals and corresponding energy levels at which they were sensed by each of the plurality of sensors to a data processor, processing the unique identification information provided by the signals and their energy levels to determine a location of each tagging device relatively to the predetermined sites of the sensors, and dynamically updating a path of each tagging device and the associated entity based on the determined location with respect to at least a portion of a displayed map of the operation.
US07675399B2
Disclosed is a device for the remote operation of the variable audio controls of floor-mounted audio effects devices, such devices typical of those used by performing artists on stage. The vast majority of devices of this type are operated by a foot pedal-controlled on/off switch and rotary operated potentiometer switch(es) to vary the audio output. The present inventive concept uses a variety of mechanical connectors, which couple the rotary switches of the floor device to a hand-operated controller mounted on a microphone or accessory stand. In this manner a performer is able to operate the effects device, with his/her hand, from a more natural standing position during a musical performance, rather than having to crouch down during said performance.
US07675394B2
An object of the present invention is to readily initiate an operation of a capsule medical apparatus which is inserted into a subject and executes a predetermined function. In a capsule endoscope 3 according to the present invention, a reed switch 14 connected to a power supply unit and a function executing unit is arranged parallel to a direction of a longitudinal axis t of a capsule-like casing 16 in the substantially cylindrical capsule-like casing 16 of the capsule endoscope 3. A pair of movable electrodes of the reed switch 14 operates according to magnetic induction of a magnetic field of a magnet 6 applied substantially parallel to the direction t of the longitudinal axis of the capsule-like casing 16, and come into contact with each other. As a result, power supply from the power supply unit to the function executing unit is allowed.
US07675385B1
The present disclosure is directed to a method, apparatus, and system for dividing power. An N-way power divider comprises a power input, a switched transformer, a switched power divider, and plurality of power outputs. The switched power divider is configurable to take input power and provide the power to any of the power outputs (matching the impedance utilizing the switched transformer). An antenna system comprises an input, a reconfigurable switched network operably coupled to the input, and a plurality of antenna elements. The reconfigurable switched network is configurable to provide power from input to any of the plurality of antenna elements. Each element can be provided power, or not provided power with the reconfigurable switch. The reconfigurable switched network is configurable to take in power and transform the impedance of the power to match the impedance of the active antenna elements.
US07675366B2
An integrated amplifier circuit includes an input, an output, a transistor with a transistor-input terminal, the transistor-input terminal being coupled to the input, and a transistor-output terminal. The transistor-output terminal is coupled to the output by means of a DC-path. The DC-path includes a first inductive element and a parallel resonant circuit including a second inductive element and a first capacitive element. The first inductive element and the parallel resonant circuit are connected in series between the transistor-output terminal and the output.
US07675351B2
Unwanted electromagnetic waves are eliminated in a frequency output circuit comprising an open-collector output terminal whereby radio noise can be reduced. A frequency output circuit 10 comprises an open-collector transistor Q4 with an open-collector output terminal connected to a pull-up resistor Rf connected to an external power supply Vex. A current limiting circuit 16 limits a current through the output terminal such that a high potential and a low potential of the output waveform of a frequency signal outputted by an output circuit 12 are smoothly switched. The current limiting circuit 16 is formed by a differential pair circuit of transistors Q1 and Q2 each with a resistor provided in the emitter thereof, and a current mirror circuit comprising an open-collector transistor, for example.
US07675335B1
A phase detecting module includes a phase detecting unit, a comparator and a counter. The phase detecting unit is arranged to compare a first input signal and a second input signal to generate a phase detecting result. The comparator is arranged to compare the phase detecting result and a predetermined voltage to generate a comparing result. The counter is arranged to count one of the first input signal and the second input signal to generate a counting value. The phase detecting result and the counting value are reset if the counting value reaches a predetermined value, and the comparing result is outputted to a target device from the comparator if the counting value reaches a predetermined value.
US07675334B2
A technology capable of avoiding malfunction of a delay locked loop without generating a constant phase error in a delay locked loop circuit is provided. In a delay locked loop circuit, a control circuit is disposed in the outside of a delay locked loop, and in phase comparison of the delay locked loop, the control circuit outputs a control signal to the delay locked loop so that the relation in the phase comparison between a reference signal and an output signal is shifted by a set cycle.
US07675332B1
Phase detection circuitry in a delay-locked loop compares a periodic input signal to a feedback signal. The phase detection circuitry generates a delay signal that controls delays of the delay circuits. Two or more output signals of the delay circuits are transmitted to an input of the phase detection circuitry. The delay-locked loop can be configured so that the period of the periodic input signal divided by a delay of one of the delay circuits equals a non-integer rational number when the phase and frequency of the periodic input signal are constant. A frequency multiplier can be coupled to the delay circuits to generate a periodic output signal. The periodic output signal has an average frequency that is a product of the frequency of the periodic input signal multiplied by a fractional non-integer number when the phase and frequency of the periodic input signal are constant.
US07675329B2
A transmitter of the invention, according to a first aspect, has first and second driving circuits with reverse-current prevention elements connected between output terminals and power supply terminals, and a control circuit which controls the outputs of the first and second driving circuits, the control circuit controlling the first and second driving circuits, during a transition from a first state in which the first and second driving circuits output a first or a second logic level to a second state in which the first and second driving circuits output an intermediate level between the first and second logic levels, to induce a third state in which a through current flows in the first and second driving circuits via the reverse-current prevention elements.
US07675319B2
A CLB-based PLD with logic cells having improved logic, register, arithmetic, logic packing and timing functions and capabilities is disclosed. The CLBs of the PLD are arranged in rows and columns of an array and are interconnect by a plurality of interconnect lines. Each of the plurality of CLBs has a first slice of logic cells and a second slice of logic cells arranged in a first column and a second column. First and second carry chains are provided between each of the logic cells of each column. At least one of the logic cells includes one or more Look Up Tables for implanting logic functions on a set of inputs provided to the one logic cell and an arithmetic logic circuit configured to receive a carry-in signal and to generate a carry-out signal forming part of the first carry chain. In one embodiment, the logic cell further includes a first output register and a second output register and the set of outputs generated by the logic cell are partitioned among the first output register and the second output register. In another embodiment, an output of one of the registers is provided as an input to one of the Look Up Tables of the cell through a register feedback connection. In yet another embodiment, the set of inputs provided to a first and a second of the Look Up Tables are different, enabling a higher degree of logic efficiency or “packing” by enabling each cell to perform logic functions on two different sets of inputs as opposed to only the same set of inputs. Finally, in another embodiment, the arithmetic logic circuit is capable of generating two SUM output signals.
US07675313B1
Systems and methods are disclosed herein to provide improved security key techniques for programmable logic devices. For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of providing data security for a programmable logic device (PLD) includes programming a plurality of programmable fuses that stores a security key comprising a plurality of data bit values, wherein each data bit value is associated with a respective subset of at least three of the fuses. The security key is retrieved from the fuses using the data bit values stored by each subset of the fuses. An encrypted configuration data bitstream is decrypted using the retrieved security key to obtain an original configuration data bitstream to configure the PLD.
US07675308B1
For on-chip testing an on-chip power switch coupled to a core logic and to a decoupling capacitance, after the power switch enters a test mode, the decoupling capacitance is pre-charged or discharged; the power switch is turned ON or OFF according to test patterns; and a voltage level at the decoupling capacitance is analyzed or a leakage current flowing the power switch is measured. So that, whether the power switch is passed or failed is identified.
US07675305B2
A vertical-type electric contactor connected to a bump of an electric contactor is provided. The vertical-type electric contactor includes a support beam, vertically bonded with the bump, in which at least two elastic parts are spaced apart from each other; a fixed part disposed at the bottom end of the support beam for fixing the support beam; and a tip part disposed at the bottom end of the fixed part, the tip part and the fixed part being a single body. According to the vertical-type electric contactor, a reaction force generated at a tip part is effectively distributed to test electric devices without damage of the vertical-type electric contactor.
US07675296B2
Driver distraction in a motor vehicle is assessed by capacitively detecting the driver's head pose relative to the forward direction of vehicle motion. A symmetrical array of sensor electrodes is disposed in the cockpit ceiling above the driver's head, and pairs of electrodes disposed along varying axes of rotation with respect to the forward direction are successively activated for capacitance measurement. The capacitance measurements are combined to form a signal whose strength depends on the degree of alignment between the driver's head (i.e., the head pose) and the respective axes of rotation, and the driver's head pose is calculated to assess driver distraction.
US07675291B2
A battery characteristic detecting method according to the invention includes a first step in which constant current discharge from a battery is performed at a predetermined current value, and a voltage during constant current discharge is measured; a second step in which overpotential for mass transfer control in the battery or resistance for the mass transfer control in the battery is calculated based on the voltage measured in the first step; and a third step in which a determination that a characteristic change has occurred in the battery is made, when the overpotential for the mass transfer control in the battery or the resistance for the mass transfer control in the battery calculated in the second step is larger than a predetermined threshold value.
US07675290B2
A method of electromagnetic surveying of an area of seafloor that is thought or known to contain a subterranean hydrocarbon reservoir is described. The method includes broadcasting an EM signal from a horizontal electric dipole (HED) transmitter and obtaining vertical electric dipole (VED) response data at a remote receiver in response thereto. Survey data are analyzed by comparing the VED response data with background data which are not sensitive to the postulated hydrocarbon reservoir. Accordingly, differences between the VED response data and the background data allow for the identification of buried hydrocarbon reservoirs. The background data may be provided by magneto-telluric surveying, controlled source electromagnetic surveying or from direct geophysical measurement. By employing VED response data in this way, surveys may be performed in shallower water than has previously been possible since the VED detector is not sensitive to air-wave components of the EM field induced by the HED transmitter at the VED detector.
US07675288B2
Provided is a tunable magnetic field amplifying device capable of easily adjusting resonance frequencies and tuning usable bands by using discrete elements to vary electric properties of elements that are used for amplifying a magnetic field of a specific microwave band. The tunable magnetic field amplifying device includes a Swiss roll formed by winding a metal sheet coated with a dielectric in a spiral cylinder shape once or several times; and a tunable capacitor connected between an inner sheet of and an outer sheet of the metal sheet for tuning a resonance frequency.
US07675280B2
The invention relates to a power factor controller for use in a power factor correction circuit. The power factor controller comprises a first input (VinSense) for receiving an input voltage (Vin) of the power factor correction circuit, a second input (VoSense) for receiving an output voltage (Vout) of the power factor correction circuit, and a controllable current source (VCCI) having a control input coupled to the first input, and a current supply output coupled to the second input, wherein said controllable current source (VCCI) sources a current to the second input (VoSense) that is inversely proportional to the input voltage.
US07675275B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a DC-DC converter including a high-side transistor, a low-side transistor, a first current detector, a second current detector and a driver. The first current detector monitors a first current flowing through the high-side transistor and outputs a first control signal when the first current becomes smaller than a first reference value. The second current detector monitors a second current flowing through the low-side transistor and outputs a second control signal when the second current becomes smaller than a second reference value. The driver turns on the low-side transistor based on the first control signal and turns on the high-side transistor based on the second control signal.
US07675273B2
A method and apparatus for regulating a supply voltage to an integrated circuit is disclosed. The method and apparatus provides good power supply noise rejection characteristics over a wide bandwidth as well as low dropout voltage. In the disclosed methods and apparatus, native NMOS source followers may be stacked and coupled to a supply rail to supply a regulated voltage to a load. The gates of the native NMOS source followers may be coupled to the outputs of internal regulators. The internal regulators may also contain stacked NMOS source followers. In an embodiment, the internal regulators may be supplied by a high voltage source, while native NMOS source followers may be supplied by a low voltage source. In another embodiment, lo-pass filters may filter the signal from the internal regulators to the NMOS source followers. In yet another embodiment, the gates of the source followers may be coupled to the sources of the transistors with the internal regulators.
US07675272B2
In a method and system for regulating an output voltage, a linear voltage regulator (LVR) includes an adjustable shunt regulator (ASR) having a limited gain, a feedback circuit (FC), and a compensation resistor (CR). The limited gain causes the output voltage of the ASR to change in response to a change in an input current of the ASR. The FC generates a feedback voltage reference in proportion to the output voltage, the feedback voltage reference being provided to the ASR to control the output voltage. The CR is coupled to the ASR and the FC. The input current flows through the CR to provide a compensating voltage across the CR. The compensating voltage is provided to the feedback circuit to compensate the limited gain, thereby providing the output voltage that is substantially independent of the input current.
US07675266B2
A battery pack is disclosed. The battery pack includes a battery; a current detecting unit which detects charging and discharging currents of the battery and outputs an analog signal corresponding to the charging and discharging currents; a modulating unit which modulates the analog signal to be a PDM (pulse density modulation) signal by applying a PDM modulation to the analog signal; a memory in which a conversion program for converting the PDM signal into PCM (pulse code modulation) data and a remaining battery charge calculating program for calculating a remaining battery charge by accumulating the PCM data are stored; and a CPU, which converts the PDM signal into the PCM data which are digital data by being supplied the PDM signal from the modulating unit while executing the conversion program stored in the memory, and calculates the remaining battery charge by accumulating the PCM data while executing the remaining battery charge calculating program stored in the memory.
US07675265B2
Battery pack may include rechargeable battery cells Battery charger may include power source circuit. Power source circuit may be connected with an external power source and battery cells. The external power source may supply power to the power source circuit and then, the power source circuit may supply charging current to battery cells. Battery charger may also include voltage detector for detecting the voltage input from the external power source to power source circuit. Battery charger may further include processor for controlling power source circuit. Processor may determine the amount of charging current supplied to battery cells based upon the external power source voltage detected by the voltage detector.
US07675260B2
In a motor driving apparatus, a control unit detects a rotation frequency of a motor to be driven and generates a control voltage Vcnt in a manner such that the rotation frequency thereof is brought close to a desired rotation frequency. A clamping circuit sets an upper limit Vcu and a lower limit Vcl of the control voltage Vcnt. A drive unit drives the motor based on the control voltage Vcnt generated by the control unit. A start circuit fixes the control voltage Vcnt to a predetermined initial voltage Vinit at the start of driving the motor.
US07675258B2
A machine includes an operator seat and an armrest adjacent the operator seat. The machine may also include a control system, which may include a control handle extending at least partially upward from the armrest. The control system may also include a force feedback device drivingly connected to the control handle and operable to supply feedback force to the control handle. The force-feedback device may include at least one of an actuator or a brake. Additionally, the control system may automatically adjust the magnitude of the feedback force supplied to the control handle by the force feedback device in at least some circumstances.
US07675253B2
A linear actuator includes a substantially cylindrical magnetostrictive element disposed in a housing. A retainer is cooperatively engaged with the housing and an exterior of the magnetostrictive element such that relaxed portions of the magnetostrictive element are frictionally retained in the retainer. An actuator rod is functionally coupled to one longitudinal end of the magnetostrictive element. A biasing device is disposed between the housing and the retainer to maintain the retainer in lateral compression. The actuator includes magnets arranged to induce peristaltic motion in the magnetostrictive element.
US07675251B2
A method, apparatus, and system for compensating for lamp lumen depreciation. The method includes operating the lamp under rated wattage for a period towards the first part of operating life of the lamp. Operating wattage is increased at one or more later times. Energy savings are realized. The increases also restore at least some light lost by lamp lumen depreciation. The apparatus uses a timer to track operating time of the lamp. A few wattage changes made at spaced apart times can be made in a number of ways, including changing capacitance to the lamp, or using different taps on the lamp ballast.
US07675249B2
The present invention is directed to a drive apparatus for a backlight unit (20) in which plural LED (Light Emitting Diode) elements are cascade-connected every three primary colors, which comprises a signal generating unit (44) for generating a signal having an arbitrary amplitude, an adjustment unit (50) for adjusting light emission quantities of groups of LED elements (30) on the basis of the signal which has been generated by the signal generating unit (44), a voltage applying unit (41) for applying a predetermined voltage every the groups of LED elements (30), light emission quantity detecting units (33) for detecting quantities of rays of light which have been emitted from the groups of LED elements (30), calorific value detecting units (32) for detecting calorific values emitted from the groups of LED elements in accordance with the voltage which has been applied to the voltage applying unit (41), and a control unit (50) for controlling the signal generating unit (44) on the basis of light emission quantities which have been detected by the light emission quantity detecting units (33) and calorific values which have been detected by the calorific value detecting units (32).
US07675247B2
A remote control transmitter is capable of controlling a plurality of light fittings without the need for a slidable switch. The remote control transmitter includes a memory for storing data representing a plurality of control signals for respective channels corresponding respectively to the light fittings, a measurer for calculating a period of time during which the operation button is pressed based on a detected event starting when the operation button is pressed and ending when the operation button is released, and outputting a signal representing the calculated period of time, a transmitter for outputting a control signal based on the data stored in the memory, and a controller for setting one of the channels based on the signal output from the measurer, and controlling the transmitter to output a control signal based on the data stored in the memory in association with the set channel.
US07675244B2
A power supply and method for operating a power supply for a short arc lamp are provided herein. The power supply and method can operate to provide to a number of advantageous operations. One aspect herein provides a power supply which utilizes a constant power mode type of operation. However, the constant power mode is modified to allow for some variation in power in order to provide for a more constant light output by the lamp. A second aspect herein provides for controlling the operation of a boost voltage applied to the lamp at start up. This control allows for adjusting the applied boost voltage to accommodate the changing characteristics of the lamp itself, and these adjustments can allow for extended life of the lamp.
US07675242B2
An electronic ballast for the operation of a lamp arrangement includes at least one lamp, in particular, a low-pressure discharge lamp and at least one transformer for balancing the lamp currents, whereby the transformer has two windings, provided for one or more lamps of the lamp arrangement. The transformer is embodied as a saturation balancing choke.
US07675239B2
A device and method for supplying a display, such as a liquid crystal display, for example a bistable ChLCD, with drive voltages for extremely low power operation. The method and the device implementing the method provides an energy storage device and a voltage converter being utilized to store energy in the storage device, such that a display can be driven during an inactive, powered-down phase of the converter by using the stored energy to drive the display.
US07675233B2
An OLED display device and a method of fabricating the same. The OLED display device has at least one of a common power bus line or a cathode bus line formed at a peripheral portion of the OLED display device. By forming a lower line when a gate electrode of a thin film transistor is formed, and forming an upper line connected to the lower line through a contact hole when source and drain electrodes of the thin film transistor are formed, a dual structure of lower and upper lines is formed. As such, the OLED display device can reduce the width of interconnections without a high voltage drop to thereby increase an emission area of a light emitting portion of the OLED display device.
US07675228B2
The present invention is directed to electroluminescent complexes of iridium(III) with silylated, germanylated and stannylated ligands. The invention is further directed to electronic devices in which the active layer includes an electroluminescent Ir(III) complex with silylated, germanylated and stannylated ligands.
US07675225B2
An energy saving lamp, containing an isolated bulb set and assembling base, wherein the bulb set is comprised of a main body, a bulb and a lid, and the assembling base is comprised of a main seat, a circular wall, a ballast and a bottom lid. A conductive and assembling structure are provided between said bulb set and the assembling base such that the bulb set and the assembling base can be disassembled and re-assembled freely, thus making it feasible to replace the malfunctioned parts of the lamp, achieving in the purpose of lower cost and reparability.
US07675223B2
A clip for securing a sleeve to the body of a piezoelectric actuator in an actuator assembly. The clip takes the form of a band and has at least a first and a second stable state. The minimum separation of the walls of the band when the clip is in one of the stable states is less than the minimum separation of the walls of the band when the clip is in an unstable state. The clip is forced into an unstable state in order to be fitted over the sleeve of the actuator assembly. The force is then removed to allow the clip to revert towards a stable state. The dimensions of the clip are such that the clip is unable to fully revert to a stable state when fitted to the actuator assembly thereby maintaining sufficient additional strain energy to maintain a sufficient clamping force between the sleeve and the body of the actuator.
US07675220B2
The driving method includes a first drive step of applying a specified drive voltage to a piezoelectric film to drive a piezoelectric device during a first drive period, a standby step of suspending a drive of the piezoelectric device to keep the piezoelectric device on standby during a drive standby period and a second drive step of applying the specified drive voltage to the piezoelectric film to drive the piezoelectric device during a second drive period that follows the first drive period. During the drive standby period between the first drive period and the second drive period, a reverse electric field with respect to a drive electric field formed in the piezoelectric film by the specified drive voltage routinely applied during a drive of the piezoelectric device is applied to the piezoelectric film for a specified period of time.
US07675215B2
The present invention relates to an electrical drive unit with an electric motor and a transmission, wherein the motor has a rotor shaft (6), to which a rotor (10) and a commutator (11) are fitted in a manner fixed against rotation, wherein a commutator sliding contact (23) is provided in order to make contact with the commutator (11), and wherein an electrical connection is provided between an electrical terminal (18) and the commutator sliding contact (23). According to the invention, one cable and one special step in the manufacturing process are dispensed with by virtue of the fact that the electrical connection runs via the rotor shaft (6).
US07675210B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a hydrodynamic bearing, a method for manufacturing the same, and a spindle motor, with which the gap in the axial direction required for the smooth operation of a bearing can be sufficiently ensured. A method for manufacturing a hydrodynamic bearing comprising a shaft, a sleeve attached so as to be capable of relative rotation with respect to the shaft, a first flange unit 6 fixed to or integrated with the shaft, and a second flange unit fixed to the shaft, the method comprising at least inserting the shaft into the sleeve, and inserting the shaft into the second flange unit, pressing the top face of the second flange unit in the axial direction, and fixing the second flange unit to the shaft by welding the shaft and the second flange unit while maintaining the pressing state.
US07675206B2
A rotating electric machine which includes: a stator having a stator core fixed inside a bottomed frame and a stator winding wound around the stator core; a bracket fixed to an opening side of the frame; a rotor having a shaft penetrating the bracket and rotatably supported by a bracket side bearing and by a frame side bearing, the rotor being arranged inside the stator core interposing a gap therebetween; a respective phase lead wire electrically connected to the stator winding and led out from the bracket; a rotation sensor that detects a rotational position of the rotor; and a sensor signal wire connected to the rotation sensor and led out from the bracket. A front end portion of the respective phase lead wire is introduced to inside the bracket from outside an opening portion provided at the bracket, thereby electrically connecting to the stator winding.
US07675199B2
In a disconnection detecting mode, first and second MOSFETs are turned off, a transistor is turned on, and charges of a capacitor are initialized. After that, third and fourth MOSFETs are alternately turned on/off by drive signals and having a complementary relation. When an antenna is connected normally, a pulse AC signal is transmitted to an output terminal via the antenna, and current flows from the output terminal into the capacitor via a resistor, a diode, and a resistor. When a voltage across terminals becomes equal to or higher than a determination reference voltage, a disconnection detection signal is changed to the H level (a connection state).
US07675197B2
Apparatus is disclosed for allowing an inductive power distribution system pick-up to be located at an extended distance from the system primary conductive path. The apparatus has an elongate housing (40) which has a first coil (14) at one end to receive energy from a magnetic field associated with the primary conductive path. A second coil (16) is provided at the other end of the housing and is electrically connected to the first coil to produce a magnetic field for the supply of electrical energy to the pick-up. The circuit formed by the two coils is tuned to have a desired resonant frequency.
US07675189B2
An electric power-generating system configured to convert a source of energy to electricity by turning a rotor shaft with the source of energy includes a mounting plate coupled to the rotor shaft, a drive gear coupled to the rotor shaft and configured to move when the rotor shaft moves, and a plurality of motor/generator devices mounted to the mounting plate. Each motor/generator device includes an output shaft configured to rotatably couple with the drive gear. Each motor/generator device couples independently to the drive gear to provide a plurality of redundant power generating motor/generator devices.
US07675185B2
An epoxy resin molding material for sealing which comprises an epoxy resin, an epoxy resin curing agent, and a pitch, as well as an electronic component comprising an element that is sealed with the molding material. This molding material exhibits favorable coloring properties, and even when used in packages with narrow distances between pads or wires, shorting defects caused by conductive materials can be prevented, as the molding material contains no conductive carbon black.
US07675180B1
A film-on-wire spacer covers an entire upper surface of a lower electronic component. Accordingly, an upper electronic component is supported above bond pads and lower bond wires of the lower electronic component. This decreases the stress on the upper electronic component, e.g., during wirebonding, and thus decreases the chance of cracking the upper electronic component. Further, the lower bond wires are enclosed in and protected by the film-on-wire spacer. Further, the film-on-wire spacer is thin resulting in a minimum height of the stacked electronic component package.
US07675179B2
The present invention provides an interconnect that can be employed in an integrated circuit. The interconnect includes a metal line located over a substrate, a dielectric layer located over the metal line, and an interconnect located in the dielectric layer, including a landed portion located over the metal line and an unlanded portion located along at least a portion of a lateral edge of the metal line. The unlanded portion is at least partially filled with a polymer, and the landed portion is substantially filled with a conductive material. A method for manufacturing the interconnect is also provided.
US07675177B1
A copper interconnect with a Sn coating is formed in a damascene structure by forming a trench in a dielectric layer. The trench is formed by electroplating copper simultaneously with a metal dopant to form a doped copper layer. The top level of the doped copper layer is reduced to form a planarized surface level with the surface of the first dielectric layer. The doped copper is annealed to drive the metal dopants to form a metal dopant capping coating at the planarized top surface of the doped copper layer.
US07675163B2
A system for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The system includes a lid encasing the semiconductor device, a first plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed within the lid, and a fluid system configured to pass a fluid through the lid. Furthermore, a second system for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The second system includes a lid, a first plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed within the lid, and a fluid system configured to pass a fluid through the lid. The lid is configured to be mounted over and encase the semiconductor device. Additionally, a method for cooling a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes disposing a first plurality of carbon nanotubes within a lid, mounting the lid over the semiconductor device, and passing a fluid through the lid.
US07675161B2
A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of first wirings provided in a predetermined layer on a substrate with being lined up, and formed to extend longer or contract shorter from one side toward the other side along a direction in which the first wirings are lined up, adjacent one-end portions of the first wirings being arranged in positions displaced from one another in a direction crossing at right angles the direction in which the first wirings are lined up.
US07675153B2
Chips are stacked and mounted on a circuit board having external connection electrodes and mounted thereon by wire bonding. At least one of the chips stacked on the chip includes overhung portions each of which has a start point inside bonding pads, is made thinner in a direction towards the outer periphery to an end point reaching the side wall and forms a space used to accommodate ball bonding portions between the overhung portion and the main surface of the chip arranged in the lower stage on a backside corresponding in position to the bonding pads, and insulating members formed to cover the overhung portions and prevent bonding wires of the chip arranged in the lower stage from being brought into contact with the upper-stage chip.
US07675148B2
Provided are a power module having a stacked flip-chip and a method of fabricating the power module. The power module includes a lead frame; a control device part including a control device chip; a power device part including a power device chip and being electrically connected to the lead frame; and an interconnecting substrate of which the control and power device parts are respectively disposed at upper and lower portions, and each of the control and power device chips may be attached to one of the lead frame and the interconnecting substrate using a flip-chip bonding method. The method includes forming bumps on power and control device chips on a wafer level; separately sawing the power and control device chips into individual chips; adhering the power device chip onto a thermal substrate and the control device chip onto an interconnecting substrate; combining a lead frame, the thermal substrate, and the interconnecting substrate with one another in a multi-jig; and sealing the power and control device chips, and the control and power device chips may be attached to one of the lead frame and the interconnecting substrate using a flip-chip bonding method.
US07675147B1
An area array device has a grid array of primary electrical contacts coupled to a coupling surface of the device and configured to carry data signals between the area array package and a circuit board. The area array device also has an additional series of secondary electrical contacts coupled to the coupling surface of the device and configured to carry power signals between the area array package and the circuit board. The additional series of secondary electrical contacts provides a relatively large amount of power to the area array package while allowing a manufacturer to maintain the number of primary electrical contacts of the grid array configured to carrying data signals and therefore maintain the overall performance of the area array package.
US07675142B2
Electromechanical non-volatile memory devices are provided including a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface including insulation characteristics. A first electrode pattern is provided on the semiconductor substrate. The first electrode pattern exposes portions of a surface of the semiconductor substrate therethrough. A conformal bit line is provided on the first electrode pattern and the exposed surface of semiconductor substrate. The bit line is spaced apart from a sidewall of the first electrode pattern and includes a conductive material having an elasticity generated by a voltage difference. An insulating layer pattern is provided on an upper surface of the bit line located on the semiconductor substrate. A second electrode pattern is spaced apart from the bit line and provided on the insulating layer pattern. The second electrode pattern faces the first electrode pattern.
US07675141B2
In a semiconductor device of the present invention, an N type epitaxial layer is divided into a plurality of element formation regions by an isolation region. In one of the element formation regions, an NPN transistor is formed. Around the NPN transistor, a protection element having a PN junction region is formed. The PN junction region has a junction breakdown voltage lower than that of a PN junction region of the NPN transistor. By use of this structure, when negative ESD surge is applied to a pad for a base electrode, the PN junction region of the protection element breaks down. Accordingly, the NPN transistor can be protected.
US07675140B2
An N-type diffusion layer fixed at a potential equal to or above 0V is provided in a segregating region between terminals, and a P-type diffusion layer having a potential equal to that of the N-type diffusion layer on an N-type well constitute a drain of a transistor.
US07675134B2
A temperature compensated voltage reference is created from an operational amplifier circuit having two substantially identical P-channel metal oxide semiconductor (P-MOS) transistors with each one having a different gate dopant. The different gate dopants result in different threshold voltages for each of the two otherwise substantially identical P-MOS transistors. The difference between these two threshold voltages is then used to create the voltage reference equal to the difference. The two P-MOS transistors are configured as a differential pair in the operational amplifier circuit and the output of the operational amplifier is used as the voltage reference. The transistor widths of two P-MOS transistors are adjusted to minimize voltage variation over a temperature range.
US07675129B2
A spin injection device capable of spin injection magnetization reversal at low current density, a magnetic apparatus using the same, and magnetic thin film using the same, whereby the spin injection device (14) including a spin injection part (1) comprising a spin polarization part (9) including a ferromagnetic fixed layer (26) and an injection junction part (7) of nonmagnetic layer, and a ferromagnetic free layer (27) provided in contact with the spin injection part (1) is such that in which the nonmagnetic layer (7) is made of either an insulator (12) or a conductor (25), a nonmagnetic layer (28) is provided on the surface of the ferromagnetic free layer (27), electric current is flown in the direction perpendicular to the film surface of the spin injection device (14), and the magnetization of the ferromagnetic free layer (27) is reversed. This is applicable to such various magnetic apparatuses and magnetic memory devices as super gigabit large capacity, high speed, non-volatile MRAM and the like.
US07675126B2
There are provided a MOSFET and a method for fabricating the same. The MOSFET includes a semiconductor substrate, a first epitaxial layer in a predetermined location of the semiconductor substrate, a second epitaxial layer doped with high concentration impurity ions on the first epitaxial layer, a gate structure on the second epitaxial layer, and source/drain regions with lightly doped drain (LDD) regions. The first epitaxial layer supplies carriers to the second epitaxial layer so that short channel effects are reduced.
US07675118B2
Semiconductor structure with enhanced performance using a simplified dual stress liner configuration
A semiconductor structure including an nFET having a fully silicided gate electrode wherein a new dual stress liner configuration is used to enhance the stress in the channel region that lies beneath the gate electrode is provided. The new dual stress liner configuration includes a first stress liner that has an upper surface that is substantially planar with an upper surface of a fully silicided gate electrode of the nFET. In accordance with the present invention, the first stress liner is not present atop the nFET including the fully silicided gate electrode. Instead, the first stress liner of the present invention partially wraps around, i.e., surrounds the sides of, the nFET with the fully silicided gate electrode. A second stress liner having an opposite polarity as that of the first stress liner (i.e., of an opposite stress type) is located on the upper surface of the first stress liner as well as atop the nFET that contains the fully silicided FET. In accordance with the present invention, the first stress liner is a tensile stress liner and the second stress liner is a compressive stress liner.
US07675117B2
A planar, double-gate transistor structure comprising upper and lower gate stacks that each comprises a single-phase high-K dielectric gate dielectric is disclosed. The transistor structure is particularly suitable for fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator electronics having gate-lengths less than 65 nm.
US07675116B2
A semiconductor device with an ESD protection function has an SOI substrate, first to fourth diffusion layers, and a gate. The SOI substrate has a semiconductor layer on an insulation layer. The first diffusion layer is of a first conductivity type and is formed on the semiconductor layer. The second diffusion layer is of the first conductivity type and is formed on the semiconductor layer. The third diffusion layer is of a second conductivity type and is formed on the semiconductor layer so as to be adjacent to the first and second diffusion layers. The fourth diffusion layer is of the second conductivity type and is formed on the semiconductor layer so as to be adjacent to the first diffusion layer and electrically connected to the second diffusion layer. The gate is formed over the third diffusion layer.
US07675113B2
A charge storage layer of first conductive type is formed on the first principal surface of a semiconductor substrate. A base layer of second conductive type is formed on the charge storage layer. Each trench formed through the base layer and the charge storage layer is lined with an insulating film and filled with a trench gate electrode. Dummy trenches are formed on both sides of each trench. Source layers of first conductive type are selectively formed in the surface of the base layer and in contact with the sidewalls of the trenches. The source layers are spaced apart from each other and arranged in the longitudinal direction of the trenches. A contact layer of second conductive type is formed in the surface of the base layer and between each two adjacent source layers arranged in the longitudinal direction of the trenches. A collector layer of second conductive type is formed on the second principal surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US07675100B2
CMOS image sensor and method for fabricating the same, the CMOS image sensor including a second conductive type semiconductor substrate having an active region and a device isolation region defined therein, wherein the active region has a photodiode region and a transistor region defined therein, a device isolating film in the semiconductor substrate of the device isolation region, a first conductive type impurity region in the semiconductor substrate of the photodiode region, the first conductive type impurity region being spaced a distance from the device isolation film, and a second conductive type first impurity region in the semiconductor substrate between the first conductive type impurity region and the device isolation film, thereby reducing generation of a darkcurrent at an interface between the photodiode region and a field region.
US07675094B2
An active pixel using a transfer gate that has a polysilicon gate doped with P+ is disclosed. The pixel includes a photosensitive element formed in a semiconductor substrate and an n-type floating node formed in the semiconductor substrate. An n-channel transfer transistor having a transfer gate is formed between the floating node and the photosensitive element. The transfer gate is doped with a p-type dopant.
US07675092B2
A CCD structure (20) tolerant to the adverse formation of traps resulting from exposure to irradiation by particles such as protons and neutrons is described. The CCD comprises an image plane (22) having a number of parallel transfer channels. Path defining structures (24), such as barrier implants, define a principal electron flow path through the channel, and define a number of secondary paths which converge on the principal path. The paths ensure that signal charge generated across the entire width of the channel is collected together into regions of smaller area so that the likelihood of interaction with traps is reduced, and charge containment is maintained near the optimum for all signal levels up to the full well.
US07675080B2
A method and apparatus for improving the planarity of a recessed color filter array when the recessed region or trench depth exceeds the thickness of the color filter film. The method includes the steps of coating the entire wafer with an additional coating material after applying the CFA, then planarizing that resist layer using CMP and then using a dry etch to transfer that planar surface down as far as required to achieve a planar color filter with a uniform thickness.
US07675078B2
A pixel structure including a control unit, an organic electro-luminescent (OEL) unit, and a filter structure is provided. The control unit is disposed on a substrate and is driven by a scan line and a data line. The OEL unit is disposed on the substrate, and includes a transparent electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a metal electrode. The transparent electrode is electrically connected with the control unit, and the light-emitting layer and the metal electrode are sequentially placed on the transparent electrode. The filter structure is sandwiched between the substrate and the OEL unit, and the filter structure includes a plurality of the first and second dielectric layers. The first and second dielectric layers are alternately stacked, and the refractive index of the first dielectric layers is different from that of the second dielectric layers.
US07675075B2
An LED array chip (2), which is one type of a semiconductor light emitting device, includes an array of LEDs (6), a base substrate (4) supporting the array of the LEDs (6), and a phosphor film (48). The array of LEDs (6) is formed by dividing a multilayer epitaxial structure including a light emitting layer into a plurality of portions. The phosphor film (48) covers an upper surface of the array of the LEDs (6) and a part of every side surface of the array of LEDs (6). Here, the part extends from the upper surface to the light emitting layer.
US07675073B2
An integrated circuit package includes an angled one-piece substrate having a light source fixed to one area and a sensor die fixed to a second area, such that the light source is directed to illuminate the field of view of the sensor die when a surface of interest is imaged. The integrated circuit package is well suited for generating navigation information regarding movement relative to a surface. In one method of forming the integrated circuit package, the single-piece substrate is originally a generally flat lead frame to which the sensor die and light source are attached. After the components have been connected, the lead frame is bent to provide the desired light source-to-sensor angle. In an alternative method, the lead frame is pre-bent. For either method, optics may be connected to the integrated circuit package, thereby providing a module that includes the optics, the light source, the sensor and the packaging body.
US07675061B2
A display device includes a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel and the second pixel are defined by a first gate bus line, a second gate bus line, a first power supply line and a second power supply line. A data bus line between the first supply line and the second supply line divides the first pixel from the second pixel line. Accordingly, the pixel shares a data bus line or a power supply line with adjacent pixel. Advantageously, thereby, more space between lines prevents defects caused during fabricating the display device and improve a reliability of the display device.
US07675060B2
Disclosed is a technique of improving the heat resistance of the aluminum gate electrode in bottom-gate-type TFT of which the active layer is made of a crystalline silicon film. A pattern of a laminate of a titanium film 102 and an aluminum film 103 is formed on a glass substrate 101. The pattern is to give a gate electrode 100. Then, the titanium film 102 is side-etched. Next, the layered substrate is heated to thereby intentionally form hillocks and whiskers on the surface of the aluminum pattern 103. Next, the aluminum pattern 103 acting as an anode is subjected to anodic oxidation to form an oxide film 105 thereon. The anodic oxidation extends to the lower edge of the aluminum pattern 103, at which the titanium layer was side-etched. Next, a gate-insulating film 106 and an amorphous silicon film are formed. A mask is formed over the pattern, which is to give the gate electrode, and then a nickel acetate solution is applied to the layered structure. Thus, nickel is kept in contact with the surface of the structure. Next, this is heated to induce crystal growth in the silicon film from the region contacted with nickel to the masked region. In the bottom-gate-type TFT thus produced, the active layer is made of a crystalline silicon film. In this process, since the anodic oxide film is formed as in FIG. 1(C), aluminum does neither melt to flow away nor diffuse away. Thus, the heat resistance of the aluminum electrode formed is improved.
US07675057B2
The invention relates to a photoactive component, especially a solar cell, comprising organic layers and formed by at least one stacked pi, ni, and/or pin diode. The diodes are characterized in that they comprise at least one p-doped or n-doped transport layer having a larger optical band gap than that of the photoactive layer. The individual diodes are characterized by a high internal quantum yield, but can be optically thin (peak absorption <80%). A high external quantum yield is obtained by either enlarging the optical path of the incident light in the diodes using light traps, or by stacking a plurality of the diodes. The transition between two diodes being facilitated by transition layers for the purposes of improved recombination and generation. Both forms of embodiment have a number of specific advantages using the doped transport layers with a large band gap.
US07675053B2
A memory element in which data recording and data readout can be performed stably without difficulties and which can be manufactured with a comparatively simplified method is provided.The memory element 10 includes a memory layer 4 and an ion source layer 3 positioned between the first electrode 2 and the second electrode 6, in which the ion source layer 3 contains any of elements selected from Cu, Ag, Zn and any of elements selected from Te, S, Se, and the ion source layer further contains boron (or rare-earth elements and silicon).
US07675050B2
An ion implantation apparatus with multiple operating modes is disclosed. The ion implantation apparatus has an ion source and an ion extraction means for extracting a ribbon-shaped ion beam therefrom. The ion implantation apparatus includes a magnetic analyzer for selecting ions with specific mass-to-charge ratio to pass through a mass slit to project onto a substrate. Multipole lenses are provided to control beam uniformity and collimation. A two-path beamline in which a second path incorporates a deceleration or acceleration system incorporating energy filtering is disclosed. Finally, methods of ion implantation are disclosed in which the mode of implantation may be switched from one-dimensional scanning of the target to two-dimensional scanning.
US07675049B2
A coating is applied to a work piece in a charged particle beam system without directing the beam to work piece. The coating is applied by sputtering, either within the charged particle beam vacuum chamber or outside the charged particle beam vacuum chamber. In one embodiment, the sputtering is performed by directing the charged particle beam to a sputter material source, such as a needle from a gas injection system. Material is sputtered from the sputter material source onto the work piece to form, for example, a protective or conductive coating, without requiring the beam to be directed to the work piece, thereby reducing or eliminating damage to the work piece.
US07675046B2
An apparatus includes a conductive structure and an insulated conductor disposed proximate an exterior portion of the conductive structure to modify an electric field about the conductive structure. The insulated conductor has an insulator with a dielectric strength greater than 75 kilovolts (kV)/inch disposed about a conductor. An ion implanter is also provided. The ion implanter includes an ion source configured to provide an ion beam, a terminal structure defining a cavity, the ion source at least partially disposed within the cavity, and an insulated conductor. The insulated conductor is disposed proximate an exterior portion of the terminal structure to modify an electric field about the terminal structure. The insulated conductor has an insulator with a dielectric strength greater than 75 kV/inch disposed about a conductor.
US07675043B2
Left and right sides of the mesh sandwiching the placing region therebetween are set as left and right to-be-fixed portions to be fixed to sample holder separation portions respectively to be moved in a stretch direction. A slit for dividing use is formed from a portion of the periphery of the mesh disposed between the left and right to-be-fixed portions thereof toward the rubber slice-placing position of the mesh in a direction orthogonal to the stretch direction of the rubber slice or a direction inclined thereto. When the to-be-fixed portions are moved in a separation direction by moving the sample holder separation portions, the mesh is divided into left and right parts by the slit for dividing use so that the rubber slice fixed to the left and right sides of the mesh is stretched.
US07675041B2
A high sensitivity, three-dimensional gamma ray detection and imaging system is provided. The system uses the Compton double scatter technique with recoil electron tracking. The system preferably includes two detector subassemblies a silicon microstrip hodoscope and a calorimeter. In this system the incoming photon Compton scatters in the hodoscope. The scattered gamma ray could be absorbed by the calorimeter, or the calorimeter could act as a second scatter layer. The recoil electron in the hodoscope is tracked through several detector planes until it stops. The x and y position signals from the first two planes of the electron track could be used to determine the direction of the recoil electron while the energy loss from all planes could be used to determine the energy of the recoil electron.
US07675039B2
A phosphor sheet 8 for a radiation detector used by being attached to a photoelectric conversion film 20 of a radiation detector 4 includes a sheet-shaped support 11, and a phosphor layer 12 provided thereon. The phosphor layer 12 contains a europium-activated rare earth oxysulfide phosphor having a europium concentration in a range of 0.01 to 3.5 mol %. The radiation detector 4 includes the phosphor sheet 8 being irradiated with radiation rays transmitted through a specimen and converting the radiation rays into light, a photoelectric conversion film 20 for converting the light from the phosphor sheet 8 into electric charges, and a charge information reading section 30 for reading out the charges generated on the photoelectric conversion film 20 for each of a plurality of pixels 31.
US07675032B2
Particles and monoliths are used for providing an ionized analyte for mass analysis by photon desorption having a size in the range of 0.5-100 μm, wherein the particles or monoliths are modified with a chemical compound capable of absorbing photons having a wave-length of at least 300 nm. The particles and monoliths allow the use of MALDI-MS for the high throughput screening of molecules having a molecular weight lower than 700 μ without interfering signals or with only a limited number of background signals.
US07675012B1
The invention described herein provides an apparatus and a method to cooperatively track and intercept a plurality of highly maneuvering asymmetric threats using networks of small, low-cost, lightweight, airborne vehicles that dynamically self-organize into an ad hoc network topology. This is accomplished using distributed information sharing to maintain cohesion and avoid vehicle collisions, while cooperatively pursuing multiple targets. An oracle vehicle relays network information to a control base.
US07675008B2
Connector bushings are crimped to the terminal ends of tubular electrical heating elements for heating equipment, particularly equipment intended for use in hazardous environments, e.g. where there is a risk of explosion.
US07674997B2
A spinner for fiberizing glass has fiberizing holes formed in the spinner sidewall by a process utilizing an electron beam perforating process. A backing material used in the process is deposited on the walls of the fiberizing holes for increasing the corrosion resistance of the fiberizing holes. With regard to the formation of each fiberizing hole, an interaction of the backing material with an electron beam during the electron beam perforating process creates a gaseous backing material that expands through a hole created by the electron beam in the spinner sidewall to eject molten alloy material of the spinner sidewall made molten by the electron beam from the hole and deposit a thin substantially uniform coating layer of the backing material on the wall of the hole to increase the corrosion resistance of the fiberizing hole thus formed.
US07674991B2
Pedal assemblies and methods provide for signal control, such as for controlling audio and/or effects path signals used in generating audio from a musical instrument. The pedal assemblies may provide for simultaneous audio and effects control via electrical pathways dedicated to each. Rotation of the pedal about one or more axes of rotation results in modifying an electrical characteristic of devices of the pedal that control the audio and effects path signals. A particular axis of rotation that modifies the electrical characteristic of a device may be configured to produce a particular audio or effects path control based on which of the jacks are in use such that by changing the jacks that are in use, the function of a particular axis of rotation may change. Furthermore, a pedal assembly may provide for two axes of rotation where the centers of rotation of the two axes are non-coincident. The two axes of rotation may be better isolated as a result.
US07674988B2
A shielded circuit board includes a first metal layer with a first surface area, and first and second portions. A second metal layer includes first and second surface areas. At least one signal transmission line is arranged in a first dielectric material, the first dielectric material separating the first portion of the first metal layer and a first portion of the second metal layer. The first surface area of the first metal layer is arranged on the first portion facing the first surface area of the second metal layer and is arranged on the second portion facing the second surface area of the second metal layer. A method relates to shielding a circuit board.
US07674987B2
The multilayer printed circuit board according to the present invention is a multilayer printed circuit board, in which conductor circuits and insulating layers are formed and layered, an optical path for transmitting an optical signal comprising a resin composite is formed, and conductor circuits are formed on an outermost insulating layer. Herein, an end portion of the above described optical path for transmitting an optical signal protrudes from the surface of the outermost insulating layer.
US07674986B2
A circuit board structure having a capacitor array and an embedded electronic component and a method for fabricating the same are proposed. Two carrier boards and a high dielectric constant material layer are provided, wherein the carrier boards have electronic components embedded therein and one surface of each carrier board has a plurality of electrode plates. The two carrier boards are laminated with the dielectric constant material layer interposed between them. The electrode plates on the surfaces of the carrier boards are opposite to each other across the high dielectric constant material layer to constitute a capacitor array. Therefore, the capacitor assembly for design of electronic devices is provided.
US07674984B2
In order to prevent stress caused by bending a flexible wiring board from being applied to the connection section between the flexible wiring board and a driving IC, solder is deposited as a reinforcement member, on both sides of the driving IC connected onto the flexible wiring board.
US07674975B2
Safety guard apparatus for an electrical outlet having one or more electrical receptacles for restricting access to the receptacles by a young child. The apparatus includes a base plate having one or more openings for registry with the electrical receptacles. The base plate is mounted to the electrical outlet in a similar fashion to a conventional wall plate. One or more cover plates are slidably engaged to the base plate along a path that is generally perpendicular to the base plate into and out of the wall to which the electrical outlet is mounted. In a fully extended position, the one or more cover plates are pivotal to cover the one or more openings to restrict access to the electrical receptacles. A lock system prevents the one or more cover plates from being opened by young child.
US07674969B2
The present invention relates to a finger musical instrument, including a first glove and a second glove, some performance keys distributed on a fingertip of each of the gloves, and a sound box positioned at each of the gloves. The finger musical instrument further includes a combination key positioned at palm heel of each of the gloves. Each of the sound boxes is connected with a controller. The performance key and the combination key on the same glove are all connected with the corresponding controller. Therein the performance key and the combination of the performance key and the combination key of one glove gives out one octave sound, while the performance key and the combination of the performance key and the combination key of the other glove gives out another octave sound. Each of the controllers is provided with a range regulation switch used for making a sound higher or lower by an octave on each of the gloves. With regulation of the range regulation switch, the finger musical instrument is able to give out a range of two octaves through the sound box. The finger musical instrument of the present invention covers a range of three octaves and can exhibit a vivider music, and the controller can switch between a performance mode and a teaching mode, thus enhancing interaction between the finger musical instrument and a performer.
US07674968B2
An automatic player musical instrument is a combination of an acoustic piano and an electric system, which serves as an automatic playing system and an electronic proof system, and a controller of the electric system has an information processing capability; when a user instructs the electric system to check performance on the keyboard, a subroutine program for electronic proof starts to run; while the user is fingering a music tune, the controller monitors the keys with key sensors to see whether or not the user correctly plays the music tune; when the user mistakenly depresses a key instead of another key, the controller gives rise to vibrations of the mistakenly de-pressed key so as to give a notice of incorrect fingering to the user.
US07674967B2
A body movement detecting apparatus includes a measuring section which outputs, as at least one time-series signal, at least one result of measurement obtained by measuring body movement, a detecting section in which, after slicing off a part of the time-series signal output from the measuring section to generate a reference signal having a predetermined interval length from a predetermined position in the time-series signal, the detecting section detects the intensity of correlation between the reference signal and each different part of the time-series signal in the vicinity of the reference signal, the different part having the predetermined interval length, and a determining section which, on the basis of the detected intensity of correlation detected by the detecting section, performs one or both of determining whether or not the body movement is periodic, and determining the period of the body movement.
US07674957B2
The disclosure relates to transgenic plants over-expressing a unique light-regulated transcription factor, Z-box binding factor involving in plant growth and development, found in plant. Overexpression of the Z-box binding factor in plant results in early flowering, lateral root development and increased tolerance to environmental and abiotic stresses compared to wild type and mutant plants. The disclosure further provides identification and functional characterization of Z-box binding factor. The disclosure also provides a method for modifying a plant's traits, such as enhanced productivity and increased tolerance to environmental and abiotic stresses.
US07674956B2
The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding endogenous cotton chitinases and corresponding promoters, which are preferentially expressed in secondary walled cells during secondary wall deposition. The polypeptide encoded by the nucleic acid molecule, a DNA construct linking the isolated nucleic acid molecule with a promoter, the DNA construct incorporated in an expression system, a host cell, a plant, or a plant seed are also disclosed. The present invention also relates to a DNA construct linking the isolated promoters with a second DNA as well as expression systems, host cells, plants, or plant seeds containing the DNA construct. Methods of imparting resistance to insects and fungi, regulating the fiber cellulose content, and methods of expressing a gene preferentially in secondary walled cells during secondary wall deposition are also disclosed.
US07674949B2
absorbent article comprising a liquid transfer layer (5) positioned between a liquid pervious bodyside liner (6) and an absorbent core (2). The liner (6) comprises a plurality of perforations (7). The liner and the transfer layer are bonded together in a plurality of bonding sites (11) covering an area of between 0.5% and 11% of the area of the liner (6) that is circumscribed by the bonding sites and wherein each bonding site has an area of no more than 13 mm2. The combined perforated liner (6) and transfer layer (5) provides a quick inlet of liquid and a low rewet against the wearer. The liner (6) has a three-dimensional structure of alternating raised and depressed regions and the perforations (7) are present in the bottoms of the depressions (8) of said liner as seen from the body facing side of the liner.
US07674946B2
Method of remediating a soil contaminated by polyhalogenated hydrocarbons, in particular PCBs, PCDDs and PCDFs, comprising the steps of removing and sieving the soil to free it of stones and gravel; possibly regulating the moisture content of the sieved soil to a value of 10-30%; subjecting the sieved soil to thermal treatment while it flows in the form of a thin, turbulent, dynamic layer in contact with a wall heated to at least 250° C.; separating the thermally treated soil from the steam generated following such treatment, the soil being substantially free of the aforementioned polyhalogenated hydrocarbons.
US07674941B2
A process for converting gaseous alkanes to olefins, higher molecular weight hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof wherein a gaseous feed containing alkanes is reacted with a dry bromine vapor to form alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid vapor. The mixture of alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid is then reacted over a suitable catalyst at a temperature sufficient to form olefins, higher molecular weight hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof and hydrobromic acid vapor. Various methods are disclosed to remove the hydrobromic acid vapor from the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, to generate bromine from the hydrobromic acid for use in the process, and to selectively form monobrominated alkanes in the bromination step.
US07674935B2
Methods for preparing crystalline forms of O-desmethylvenlafaxine are described.
US07674929B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing β-aminopropionic acid derivatives by reacting a primary or secondary amine with an acrylic acid derivative, wherein comprises (i) a first primary or secondary amine is provided as an amine of value and reacted with the acrylic acid derivative, to obtain a reaction mixture comprising a first β-aminopropionic acid derivative as a product of value and additionally unconverted acrylic acid derivative, (ii) the unconverted acrylic acid derivative present in the reaction mixture is reacted with a second secondary amine as a scavenger amine virtually fully to give a second β-aminopropionic acid derivative to obtain a reaction mixture comprising the first β-aminopropionic acid derivative as a product of value, the second β-aminopropionic acid derivative and unconverted secondary amine.
US07674928B2
A composition comprising one or more compounds of formula (I) or (II): wherein: Rf is a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, optionally interrupted by one to three oxygen atoms, r and q are each independently an integer of 1 to 3, j is 0 or 1, or a mixture thereof, x is from about 1 to about 2, Z is —O—, —S—, or —NR—, R is hydrogen or an alkyl group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms X is hydrogen or M, and M is an ammonium ion, an alkali metal ion, or an alkanolammonium ion, and its use in providing surface properties to substrates is disclosed.
US07674919B2
A process for the preparation of an alkylene carbonate, said process comprising contacting the corresponding alkylene oxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of water and in the presence of a catalytic composition comprising an organic base neutralized with a hydrogen halide, wherein the organic base comprises a carbon-based compound comprising one or more nitrogen atoms with at least one free electron pair and/or one or more phosphorous atoms with at least one free electron pair and wherein the organic base has a pKa greater than 8.
US07674915B2
Glutamic acid derivatives, in particular monatin, may be conveniently prepared by alkylating a 4-protected hydroxyl pyroglutamic acid derivative with an alkylating agent to prepare a 4-protected hydroxyl-4-alkylglutamic acid derivative, followed by the steps of hydrolysis and deprotection. The 4-protected hydroxyl pyroglutamic acid derivative is easy to produce from hydroxyproline. The 4-protected hydroxyl pyroglutamic acid derivative is particularly suitable for use in the efficient manufacture of monatin of high optical purity, since it can be alkylated selectively at the 4-position and stereoselectively and after its alkylation, it can easily be converted to a glutamic acid derivative.
US07674914B2
A novel anthracene derivative represented by General Formula (1) is provided, which enables the production of a light-emitting element with high luminous efficiency and a long lifetime. A high-performance light-emitting device and electronic device in which the anthracene derivative is employed are also disclosed. The anthracene derivative of the present invention is represented by General Formula (1), in which the unit A represents any one of substituents represented by General Formulae (1-1) to (1-3). The variables shown in Formulae (1) and (1-1) to (1-3) are defined in the specification.
US07674908B2
The invention provides novel indazole-carboxamide 5-HT4 receptor agonist compounds. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, methods of using such compounds to treat diseases associated with 5-HT4 receptor activity, and processes and intermediates useful for preparing such compounds.
US07674907B2
The present invention relates to furanopyridine compounds having the general Formula I: and stereoisomers, tautomers, solvates, pharmaceutically acceptable salts and derivatives, and prodrugs thereof. The invention also includes pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of Formula I, methods of modulating Lck and ACK-1 enzymes and of treating various related diseases and conditions, including inflammation, inhibition of T cell activation, proliferation, arthritis, organ transplant, ischemic or reperfusion injury, myocardial infarction, stroke, multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, lupus, hypersensitivity, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, dermatitis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Sjogren's syndrome, autoimmune hyperthyroidism, Addison's disease, autoimmune diseases, glomerulonephritis, allergic diseases, asthma, hayfever, eczema, cancer, colon carcinoma, thymoma, just to name a few, in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal a therapeutically effective amount a compound of Formula I, as described above, and methods of manufacturing medicaments comprising the compound of Formula I.
US07674902B2
Some embodiments of the present invention may be said to be directed to metal complexes of Formula I, wherein at least one of X1, X2, X3, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 is what may be characterized as an antenna capable of providing (e.g., absorbing and/or emitting) an appropriate electromagnetic signal. Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to ligands corresponding to metal complexes of Formula I. Some embodiments of the invention are directed to methods of determining renal function using at least one metal complex of Formula I.
US07674894B2
The present invention provides polynucleotide molecules isolated from Oryza sativa and Zea mays and useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides expression constructs containing the polynucleotide molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The present invention also provides transgenic plants and seeds containing the polynucleotide molecules useful for expressing transgenes in plants.
US07674889B2
The present invention provides novel human genes, for example a novel human gene comprising a nucleotide sequence coding for the amino acid sequence shown under SEQ ID NO:1. The use of the genes makes it possible to detect the expression of the same in various tissues, analyze their structures and functions, and produce the human proteins encoded by the genes by the technology of genetic engineering. Through these, it becomes possible to analyze the corresponding expression products, elucidate the pathology of diseases associated with the genes, for example hereditary diseases and cancer, and diagnose and treat such diseases.
US07674888B2
The invention provides viral material and nucleotide fragments associated with multiple sclerosis and/or rheumatoid arthritis for use in method of diagnosis, prophylaxis, and therapy.
US07674883B2
Described herein are methods and compositions that can be used for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
US07674876B2
Novel hybrid monomers containing both the aryltrifluorovyinyloxyether-group (TFVE-group) and the cyanato-group, their synthesis, and the synthesis of polymers made from these new hybrid monomers are disclosed.
US07674871B2
The present invention concerns α-silyl terminated polydiorganosiloxanes, a method of making the α-silyl terminated polydiorganosiloxanes, and sealant compositions containing said compounds and a method of using such sealant compositions.
US07674870B2
An organopolysiloxane having triazinethiol and alkenyl radicals in a molecule and a primer composition comprising the same are provided. The primer composition assists in establishing a high bond strength between metal and silicone rubber by the mechanism that the triazinethiol moieties form strong chemical bonds with a difficult-to-bond metal such as gold, silver or copper, and the alkenyl moieties are involved in silicone rubber vulcanization.
US07674866B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a polymer wherein radical-polymerizable monomers can be polymerized in a quantitative manner in a relatively short time, and a polymer or a block copolymer having at its termini a functional group that can be chemically converted while the polymer or the block copolymer has a high molecular weight can be produced. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a polymer wherein the polymer is re-precipitated in a general solvent by an easy method, and the used iron complexes are recovered in the solvent, thereby recycling the iron complexes.
US07674865B2
An epoxy resin composition for photosemiconductor element encapsulation, which is excellent in both light transmissibility and low stress property, as well as light resistance against short wavelength light (for example, 350 to 500 nm), is provided. The epoxy resin composition for photosemiconductor element encapsulation, which comprises the following components (A) to (C): (A) an epoxy resin, (B) an acid anhydride curing agent, and (C) a specific silicone resin.
US07674862B2
Brominated butadiene polymers are recovered from a bromination reaction solution by partially stripping the solvent to form a concentrated solution or slurry, and then recovering the brominated butadiene polymer from the concentrated solution or slurry. The process allows for a simplified, effective an economical recovery of the brominated butadiene polymer. Brominated butadiene polymers recovered in this manner are often very thermally stable.
US07674858B2
The present invention provides a graft or a block polymer in which a fluorine rubber and a silicone rubber are chemically bonded. The present invention is a graft or a block polymer comprising at least one kind of a silicone rubber segment and at least one kind of a fluorine elastomer segment. Furthermore, it is preferable that a fluorine containing elastomer segment is an elastomer segment comprising vinylidene fluoride or an elastomer segment comprising tetrafluoroethylene and that a silicone rubber segment has a unit of dimethylsiloxane and/or methyl-3,3,3-trifluoropropylsiloxane.
US07674857B2
The present invention provides for a room temperature cured silicone thermoplastic resin sealant composition with reduced gas permeability useful in the manufacture of glazing such as windows and doors.
US07674852B2
The invention relates to polyvinlyl alcohol gels which are suitable for use in the organism and which are formed at the site of application (in situ) from a viscous liquid by partial crystallization and network formation.
US07674847B2
A method of polymerizing poly(cyclic)olefin monomers encompassing (a) combining a monomer composition containing the poly(cyclic)olefin monomers, a non-olefinic chain transfer agent and an activator compound to form a mixture; (b) heating the mixture; and (c) adding a polymerization catalyst containing Ni and/or Pd. The non-olefinic chain transfer agent includes one or more compounds selected from H2, alkylsilanes, alkylalkoxysilanes, alkylgermanes, alkylalkoxygermanes, alkylstannanes, and alkylalkoxystannanes. The activator is characterized as having an active hydrogen with a pKa of at least 5. The resulting poly(cyclic)olefin polymers can be used in photoresist compositions.
US07674841B2
An additive for a printing ink comprising a wax of either an ethylene homopolymer or ethylene.C3-20 α-olefin copolymer each has an intrinsic viscosity, weight-average molecular weight/number-average molecular weight ratio, z-average molecular weight/weight-average molecular weight ratio, density, penetration hardness, and acid value in specific ranges; a solvent dispersion obtained by dispersing the wax; and a printing ink containing the wax.
US07674835B2
Methods of making macroporous anion exchange resins are described. The macroporous anion exchange resins are in the form of particles such as beads that contain a hydrophilic, crosslinked, (meth)acrylic-type polymeric material. Additionally, methods of purifying a negatively charged material using the macroporous anion exchange resins, methods of making chromatographic columns that contain the macroporous anion exchange resins, methods of making filter elements that contain the macroporous anion exchange resins, and methods of making porous composite materials that contain the macroporous anion exchange resins are described.
US07674833B2
The present invention relates to a method of preparing a composition comprising mixing a silica sol having an S-value from about 5 to about 50% and a mineral acid. The invention also relates to a composition obtainable by the method and a composition comprising a network of silica particles and mineral acid, wherein the silica particles have a particle size of from about 2 to about 7 nm. The invention also relates to the use of the composition as a gelled electrolyte.
US07674824B2
A storage stable pharmaceutical composition comprising a solution of Oxaliplatin in water and a catalytic amount of a carbohydrate. A process for forming such pharmaceutical composition comprising dissolving a known amount of Oxaliplatin in water; adding an amount of carbohydrate in the range of 0.0010% to 0.05% w/v with respect to such solution; agitating the mixture to get clear solution; filtering it through a filter membrane under aseptic conditions; and filling the solution resulting into glass vials sealed with elastomeric stoppers and aluminium flip-off seals.
US07674819B2
The present invention is directed to a new class of benzonitriles and to their use as androgen receptor modulators. Other aspects of the invention are directed to the use of these compounds to decrease excess sebum secretions and to stimulate hair growth.
US07674798B2
In certain embodiments the invention is directed to a process for preparing an oxycodone hydrochloride composition having less than 25 ppm of 14-hydroxycodeinone.
US07674795B2
This invention relates to derivatives of 4-(benzimidazol-2-yl)fluorene and 4-(azabenzimidazol-2-yl)fluorene, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such derivatives, and to methods of treatment of disorders related to Hsp90 protein activity, comprising administering such derivatives.
US07674780B2
A process is provided for preparing an iron sucrose complex, substantially free of excipients, for providing an iron sucrose complex co-precipitated with sucrose, and for providing iron sucrose complexes in aqueous solution.
US07674774B2
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.
US07674769B2
Methods for prophylactically or therapeutically treating severe pneumonia involve administration of tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) or a TFPI analog to patients suffering from or at risk of developing this condition. The methods involve the use of continuous intravenous infusion of TFPI or a TFPI analog, preferably at low doses to avoid adverse side effects.
US07674756B2
Compositions and methods based on the use of fluoroalkene containing from 3 to 4 carbon atoms and at least one carbon-carbon double bond, such as HFO-1214, HFO-HFO-1233, or HFO-1354, having properties highly beneficial in solvent cleaning applications.
US07674752B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing a protein array starting from DNA (or mRNA) in which a number of native, functional proteins, domains or peptides are produced in parallel by in in vitro synthesis using a cell free system for transcription and translation. The products are immobilised in a gridded format on a surface, using an isolation sequence tag incorporated into the proteins.
US07674749B2
A donor substrate for use in an organic light emitting display comprises a base substrate and a transfer layer disposed on the base substrate. A selective heat generation structure is interposed between the base substrate and the transfer layer. The selective heat generation structure has a heat generation region from which heat is generated by light-to-heat conversion and a heat non-generation region contacting the heat generation region. By employing the donor substrate, it is possible to form minute transfer layer patterns with high accuracy without the need to accurately control the width of a laser beam. A fabrication method of an organic light emitting display comprises disposing the donor substrate on an acceptor substrate, irradiating a laser beam onto the donor substrate, and forming a transfer layer pattern on a pixel electrode of the acceptor substrate.
US07674738B2
A translucent ceramic contains a main component composed of a tungsten-bronze-type compound represented by a general formula {(Sr, Ba)NbvOw} (wherein v satisfies the relationship 1.8≦v≦2.2 and w represents a positive number for maintaining electrical neutrality), wherein some Nb atoms are replaced with atoms of at least one of Zn and Mg, and the replacement ratio is 0.004 or more in terms of the molar ratio. It is preferable that at least one of Sn and Bi is added in an amount of 0.15 parts by weight or more in terms of SnO2 and Bi2O3, respectively, to 100 parts by weight of the main component, and that the molar ratio of Ba in the (Sr, Ba) site is in the range of 0.25 to 0.50. It is also preferable that the translucent ceramic contains Na in an amount of less than 25 parts by mole relative to 100 parts by mole of the sum of Sr and Ba, or La in an amount of less than 11 moles relative to 100 parts by mole of the sum of Sr and Ba. Accordingly, a translucent ceramic which is inexpensive and which is useful as an electro-optical material and an electro-optical component, such as an optical switch or an optical shutter, including the translucent ceramic can be realized.
US07674706B2
A charge transfer mechanism is used to locally deposit or remove material for a small structure. A local electrochemical cell is created without having to immerse the entire work piece in a bath. The charge transfer mechanism can be used together with a charged particle beam or laser system to modify small structures, such as integrated circuits or micro-electromechanical system. The charge transfer process can be performed in air or, in some embodiments, in a vacuum chamber.
US07674704B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device capable of suppressing an increase in electrical resistance of a narrow interconnect, while keeping reliability of a wide interconnect from being degraded. A semiconductor device comprises a plurality of interconnect layers, and an interconnect in at least one interconnect layer among the plurality of interconnect layers contains an impurity, and the wider the interconnect in the at least one interconnect layer is, the higher concentration of the impurity the interconnect contains.
US07674700B2
Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The apparatus comprises a transfer chamber for transferring a substrate, a first process chamber connected to the transfer chamber configured to form a TiSiN layer on the substrate, a second process chamber connected to the transfer chamber configured to form a tantalum layer on the TiSiN layer, and a third process chamber connected to the transfer chamber configured to form a copper seed layer on the tantalum layer. After forming the TiSiN layer, a portion of the TiSiN layer in contact with the lower metal interconnection is etched, the tantalum layer is formed on the TiSiN layer in contact with the exposed lower metal interconnection, the copper seed layer is formed on the tantalum layer, and then the copper interconnection is formed on the copper seed layer. In this way, the copper interconnection can be efficiently formed.
US07674698B2
One aspect of this disclosure relates to a method for forming an integrated circuit. According to various embodiments of the method, a plurality of transistors is formed. For each transistor, a gate dielectric is formed on a substrate, a substitutable structure is formed on the gate dielectric, and source/drain regions for the transistor are formed. At least two substitution processes are performed. Each substitution process includes substituting a desired gate material for the substitutable structure. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US07674689B2
A method of making an integrated circuit includes providing a semiconductor wafer having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, at least one of the first surface and the second surface including a metallization layer deposited onto the surface. The method additionally includes forming a first trench in the semiconductor wafer extending from one of the first surface and the second surface toward an other of the first surface and the second surface. The method further includes sawing a second trench in the other surface until the second trench communicates with the first trench, thus singulating the integrated circuit from the semiconductor wafer.
US07674686B2
A method of forming a magnetic memory device (and a resulting structure) on a low-temperature substrate, includes forming the memory device on a transparent substrate coated with a decomposable material layer subject to rapid heating resulting in a predetermined high pressure, and transferring the memory device to the low-temperature substrate.
US07674683B2
A technique for making a bulk isolated PN diode is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method may include providing a substrate having a doped region and disposing a dielectric material over the doped region. The method may also include forming first and second holes in the dielectric material exposing the doped region, and forming respective first and second polysilicon plugs within the first and second holes over the doped region. In one embodiment, the first and second polysilicon plugs are doped opposite one another such that a PN junction is formed between the first or second polysilicon plug and the doped region of the substrate, and has a cross-sectional area generally defined by the first or second hole adjacent the PN junction. Various devices, systems, and other methods are also disclosed.
US07674679B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device disclosed herein, comprises: forming a first member to be patterned on a semiconductor substrate; patterning the first member to form a plurality of parallel linear patterns and a connecting portion which connects the linear patterns on at least one end side of the linear patterns; and removing the connecting portion.
US07674673B2
A semiconductor device includes a silicon substrate having an active region, a memory transistor having a pair of source/drain regions and a gate electrode layer, a hard mask layer on the gate electrode layer having a plane pattern shape identical with that of the gate electrode layer, and plug conductive layers each electrically connected to each of the pair of source/drain regions. An extending direction of the active region is not perpendicular to that of the gate electrode layer, but is oblique. Upper surfaces of the hard mask layer and each of the plug conductive layers form substantially an identical plane. This can attain a semiconductor device allowing significant enlargement of a margin in a photolithographic process, suppression of an “aperture defect” as well as ensuring of a process tolerance of a “short” by decreasing a microloading effect, and decrease in a contact resistance, and a manufacturing method thereof.
US07674672B2
A fabricating process for a substrate with an embedded passive component is provided. The fabricating process includes the following steps. First, a substrate including a top conductive layer, a bottom conductive layer, and at least a dielectric layer is provided. The top conductive layer and the bottom conductive layer are separately disposed on a top surface and a bottom surface of the dielectric layer. Next, a plurality of plating through holes is formed in the substrate. Then, the top and the bottom conductive layers are patterned to form a patterned top conductive layer and a patterned bottom conductive layer separately, and the dielectric layer is exposed in part. The patterned top conductive layer and the patterned bottom conductive layer have many traces and many trenches formed by the traces. Thereafter, the trenches are filled with a material, wherein the traces and the material are adapted for forming the passive component.
US07674666B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device with a composite contact is provided. The fabrication includes forming the composite contact to a semiconductor layer in a semiconductor structure. The composite contact is formed by forming a DC conducting electrode attached to a semiconductor layer in a semiconductor structure and forming a capacitive electrode that is partially over the DC conducting electrode and extends beyond the DC conducting electrode. The composite contact provides a combined resistive-capacitive coupling to the semiconductor layer. As a result, a contact impedance is reduced when the corresponding semiconductor device is operated at high frequencies.
US07674654B2
Thin integrated semiconductor devices are produced by being embedded in a molding compound matrix in such a way that a composite is formed. The semiconductor devices are first embedded in the matrix and then thinned after being embedded. The thin integrated semiconductor devices are singulated by forming separating cuts into the molding compound matrix between adjacent devices.
US07674653B2
A semiconductor die is provided on a spacer, the die having first and second opposite edges which extend beyond respective first and second opposite edges of the spacer, the first edge of the die extending beyond the first edge of the spacer to a lesser extent than the second edge of the die extends beyond the second edge of the spacer. Furthermore, a first semiconductor die has a plurality of bond pads thereon, a second semiconductor die has a plurality of bond pads thereon, and a substrate has a plurality of bond pads thereon. Each of a first plurality of wires connects a bond pad on the first semiconductor die with a bond pad on the second semiconductor die, and each of a second plurality of wires connects a bond pad on the second semiconductor die with a bond pad on the substrate.
US07674649B2
A method of constructing an RFID unit can include using a protective layer to hold an integrated circuit chip module to a substrate layer with an antenna unit while a conductive adhesive has not yet fully set.
US07674645B2
An improved diode energy converter for chemical kinetic electron energy transfer is formed using nanostructures and includes identifiable regions associated with chemical reactions isolated chemically from other regions in the converter, a region associated with an area that forms energy barriers of the desired height, a region associated with tailoring the boundary between semiconductor material and metal materials so that the junction does not tear apart, and a region associated with removing heat from the semiconductor.
US07674629B2
The present invention is directed to compositions and methods for improving a chemiluminescent signal. In particular, a reaction buffer with an alkaline pH range of about 9 to 10 provides a maximal chemiluminescent intensity and longevity of luminol that is catalyzed by superoxide anions. The addition of carbonate to the reaction buffer provides an optimal signal to background ratio and stability of a chemiluminescent signal from luminol catalyzed by superoxide anions. The method includes preparing a buffer with an alkaline pH, combining the buffer with a working reagent to produce and detect a chemiluminescent signal. The working reagent includes luminol, a coumaric acid and a peroxide. The composition includes a buffer having a pH from about 9 to about 10, a stock reagent comprising luminol, a coumaric acid, a peroxide, and a second buffer having a pH of about 8.5.
US07674617B2
The present invention relates to novel miRNA molecules, more particularly to novel miRNA molecules isolated from human embryonic stem cells. The miRNA molecules provided by the present invention can be usefully used as a molecular marker for early developmental stages of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells. Also, the miRNA molecules of the present invention may play an important role in the regulation of mammalian embryonic stem cells. Therefore, the miRNA molecules can be usefully used for analyzing regulatory networks of human embryonic stem cells.
US07674613B2
Disclosed is a live bacterium preparation or food containing a lactic acid bacterium comprising a lactic acid bacterium, Lactobacillus salivarius, as an active ingredient. There is provided a live bacterium preparation and food containing a lactic acid bacterium that can prevent onset, recurrence and exacerbation of periodontal disease and/or dental caries caused by periodontopathic bacteria and cariogenic bacteria and can prevent generation of halitosis and maintain pH of saliva at a physiologically normal level by normalizing intraoral microflora.
US07674603B2
The invention relates to devices and methods for detecting and identifying microorganisms comprising a porous body having regions of differing pore size, said regions being associated with different chromogens specific to enzymes produced by microorganisms. Devices and methods according to the present invention may be useful in the detection and identification of food and water borne microorganisms as well as in the detection of bacteria that may be associated with infection, such as urinary tract infection.
US07674602B2
This invention is directed to a method and kit for detecting microorganisms on a surface. The invention involves contacting a household surface with a cleaning composition comprising hydrogen peroxide and then placing an acoustic device in close proximity to the household surface to determine if the microorganisms are still present.
US07674592B2
This invention relates to Huntington's disease and more specifically to methods for testing and inhibiting the development of Huntington's disease.
US07674590B2
The present invention discloses a method of diagnosis of immunological recurrent spontaneous abortion. The level of antinuclear antibody in a body fluid of a patient is determined and determined level is compared to the level of corresponding antinuclear antibody of a control. Particularly, isolated chromosome No. 2 or fragment thereof including fibronectin encoding gene derived from male(s) is used as antigen in the method of the present invention for determining the level of corresponding antinuclear antibody in a body fluid sample of the patient. The present invention also discloses a diagnostic kit for immunological recurrent spontaneous abortion, and method and kits for monitoring the therapeutic effect for immunological recurrent spontaneous abortion.
US07674587B2
The present invention generally provides a rapid efficient method for analyzing polymorphic or biallelic markers, and arrays for carrying out these analyses. In general, the methods of the present invention employ arrays of oligonucleotide probes that are complementary to target nucleic acids which correspond to the marker sequences of an individual. The probes are typically arranged in detection blocks, each block being capable of discriminating the three genotypes for a given marker, i.e., the heterozygote or either of the two homozygotes. The method allows for rapid, automatable analysis of genetic linkage to even complex polygenic traits.
US07674580B2
Compositions, methods and kits for diagnosing and treating cancer and muscular disorders are provided. Therapeutic compositions may comprise agents that modulate sphingolipid metabolism and/or signaling pathways. Such compositions may be administered to a mammal afflicted with cancer. Diagnostic methods and kits may employ an agent suitable for detecting alterations in endogenous genes involved in sphingolipid metabolism. Such methods and kits may be used to detect the presence of a cancer or to evaluate the prognosis of a known disease. SPL polypeptides, polynucleotides and antibodies are also provided.
US07674572B2
An exposure method for an LCD is provided. In the method, a sub-pixel region of an array substrate is divided into a first exposure region and a second exposure region, and the first exposure region and the second exposure region are sequentially exposed.
US07674571B2
High speed violet or ultraviolet laser sensitive lithographic printing plate comprising on a substrate a specific photosensitive composition is described. The photosensitive layer comprises a multifunctional (meth)acrylate monomer, a hexaarylbiimidazole compound, and a sensitizing dye. Combination of both multifunctional urethane (meth)acrylate monomer and multifunctional non-urethane (meth)acrylate monomer can be advantageously used. The plate is imagewise exposed with a violet or ultraviolet laser at a dosage of less than 1000 μJ/cm2, and then developed either off press or on press.
US07674570B2
A mask pattern inspection method includes: transferring a mask pattern onto a conductor substrate or a semiconductor substrate; preparing a sample including a substrate surface pattern in an electrically conductive state to the substrate, the substrate surface pattern being constituted of a convex pattern or a concave pattern each having a shape in accordance with the transferred mask pattern, or a surface layer obtained by filling the concave pattern with a material; irradiating the sample with an electron beam to detect at least one of a secondary electron, a reflected electron and a backscattered electron generated from the surface of the sample, thereby acquiring an image of the sample surface; and inspecting the mask pattern on the basis of the image.
US07674568B2
The present invention relates to a new solvent composition useful in the process of manufacturing an optical recording medium. The invention provides a new liquid composition comprising from 0.1 to 20% by weight of a dye having a solid state absorption band maximum in the spectral region from 300 to 800 nm, from 0.5 to 99.9% by weight of a compound of formula (I), wherein R1 to R8 are H, CH3 or C2H5, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms in R1 to R8 is 0, 1 or 2, and optionally from 0 to 99.4% by weight of one or more further components, all based on the weight of the solution. The instant solvent composition enables to manufacture an optical recording medium of a single recording layer type capable of recording and playing a large volume of information using commercially available compact disc recorders and players and of superior performance in an amazing wide range of drive speeds. A further subject-matter is an optical recording disk with improved groove filling and preferably particular groove geometry.
US07674566B2
The present invention provides a positive photosensitive resin composition, characterized by comprising 1 to 50 parts by mass of a photo-acid generator and 0.01 to 70 parts by mass of a terpene compound in combination with 100 parts by mass of a hydroxypolyamide having repeating units. A terpene compound can be combined with a hydroxypolyamide having a particular structure to provide a positive photosensitive resin composition excellent in positive lithography performance such as sensitivity and resolution.
US07674554B2
An anode active material including a titanium-based (Ti-based) oxide core and a coating of a titanium oxynitride formed on the Ti-based oxide core, and an anode and lithium battery including the anode active material.
US07674552B2
A battery capable of improving battery characteristics such as cycle characteristics is provided. A coating containing lithium fluoride and lithium hydroxide is provided on the surface of an anode active material layer. The ratio between lithium fluoride and lithium hydroxide is in the range, in which the Li2F+/Li2OH+ peak intensity ratio obtained in positive ion analysis by a Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry is 1 or more. The anode active material layer contains a substance containing Si or Sn as an element as an anode active material. By the coating, oxidation of the anode active material layer is inhibited, and decomposition reaction of the electrolytic solution is inhibited.
US07674544B2
A fullerene-based proton conductor including a proton conductive functional group connected to the fullerene by an at least partially fluorinated spacer molecule. Also, a polymer including at least two of the proton conductors that are connected by a linking molecule. Further, an electrochemical device employing the polymer as a proton exchange membrane, whereby the device is able to achieve a self-humidifying characteristic.
US07674539B2
A process and system for providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream to a fuel cell anode that includes providing a hydrogen-containing gas stream that includes carbon monoxide, introducing the hydrogen-containing gas stream into a pressure swing adsorption module that includes at least one carbon monoxide-selective adsorbent to produce a purified hydrogen-containing gas stream, and introducing the purified hydrogen-containing gas stream to the fuel cell anode. The pressure swing adsorption module can also include a second adsorbent and/or catalyst. Also disclosed is a fuel cell system coupled to an internal combustion engine and a fuel cell system that utilizes fuel cell waste heat for vaporizing a hydrocarbon/water mixture.
US07674537B2
Elution of a fuel electrode material into a fuel in a direct methanol fuel cell is monitored. The elution arises resulting from elution of a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer in the fuel electrode into the fuel in a high-concentration fuel equal to or more than 2 M or at an operating temperature equal to or more than 80° C. The electrode catalyst elutes into the fuel and the characteristic degrades. Operating conditions of the fuel cell, i.e., the fuel concentration and the operating temperature are limited to be less than 2 M and 80° C. or less, respectively. In addition, the elution characteristic is evaluated at the time of manufacture of the fuel cell and quality control is conducted. Further, existence of the elution is detected by a color of the fuel etc., and when the elution is detected, the upper limits of the operating temperature and the fuel concentration are decreased, so that further elution is prevented.
US07674531B2
The present invention relates to an organic light emitting device structure having an organic light emitting device (OLED) over a substrate, where the OLED has, for example, an anode, a hole transporting layer (HTL), a first electron transporting layer (ETL) that is doped with a phosphorescent material, a second electron transporting layer (ETL), and a cathode. The OLEDs of the present invention are directed, in particular, to devices that include an emissive layer comprised of an electron transporting host material having a triplet excited state energy level that is higher than the emissive triplet excited state energy level of the phosphorescent dopant material.
US07674528B1
A paint and method are divulged for protecting the silver film of mirrors. The paint in its preferred embodiment includes a metal carboxylate which will contribute metal ions, namely stannous octoate for the contribution of stannous(II) ions in an amount of 0.5% or greater by weight. Alternate methods of the invention utilize an additional coating over the paint, such as an acrylic, epoxy or blend thereof which is UV curable. In another form of the paint, copper octoate is utilized in a minimum amount of 0.5% by weight for contribution of copper(II) ions.
US07674523B2
Zirconia particles, methods of making zirconia particles, composite materials that contain the zirconia particles, methods of making the composite materials, and zirconia sols that contain the zirconia particles are described. The zirconia particles are substantially non-associated and have an average size no greater than 50 nanometers and may contain yttrium. The zirconia particles are prepared by a method that includes two separate hydrothermal treatments.
US07674517B2
The invention provides composite porous materials in which a second material is fused to and/or is in the pores and/or is fused directly to some of the pore walls of a porous first material. The invention also provides methods of filtering a fluid using these composite porous materials and methods of manufacturing the composite porous materials.
US07674516B2
A multiphase polymeric material comprises a first rigid continuous phase and a second elastic phase dispersed in the first phase. The multiphase polymeric material may be formed into polymeric strips and used to make a cellular confinement system which is suitable for use in cold areas.
US07674513B2
A ceramic honeycomb structure includes a honeycomb body having an array of interconnecting webs bounded by a skin. The interconnecting webs define an array of longitudinal cells having diagonal corners. Fillets are formed only in diagonally opposed corners traversed by lines perpendicular and/or substantially perpendicular to the skin.
US07674510B2
A fiber fabric includes a first fiber layer formed of a plurality of first fiber bundles, a second fiber layer formed of a plurality of second fiber bundles, a retaining thread group formed of a plurality of retaining threads, and a constraint thread group formed of a plurality of constraint threads. The first fiber layer is laminated in adjacent to the second fiber layer. The first fiber bundles diagonally intersect the second fiber bundles at an angle of 45 degrees. Accordingly, it is possible to improve a production efficiency of an overlapped sheet which gives excellent moldability and a strength, and has an increased thickness by overlapping the fiber fabrics.
US07674505B2
The invention relates to a composite or a composite membrane consisting of an ionomer and of an inorganic optionally functionalized phyllosilicate. The isomer can be: (a) a cation exchange polymer; (b) an anion exchange polymer; (c) a polymer containing both anion exchanger groupings as well as cation exchanger groupings on the polymer chain; or (d) a blend consisting of (a) and (b), whereby the mixture ratio can range from 100% (a) to 100% (b). The blend can be ionically and even covalently cross-linked. The inorganic constituents can be selected from the group consisting of phyllosilicates or tectosilicates.
US07674504B2
A method for preparing one or more lubricated surfaces of an article to reduce the break-out force and sliding frictional force. A lubricant is applied to one or more surfaces, and the lubricant-coated surface is treated by exposing the surface to an energy source, wherein the energy source is an ionizing gas plasma at about atmospheric pressure, gamma radiation, or electron beam radiation. One or more of the surfaces may be exposed to the ionizing gas plasma at about atmospheric pressure prior to application of the lubricant. Another aspect of the invention is articles produced using one or more methods of the invention.
US07674499B2
A coating composition comprising a binder of a. polyisocyanate crosslinking agent; b. an isocyanate-reactive component having at least one compound having the following formula: wherein X, R1, R2, p, m and n are described in the specification, or isomer or mixture of isomers thereof, two component compositions, articles coated with the novel composition and novel hydroxy amines are also part of the invention.
US07674494B2
A first pressure generating chamber, which is sealed by a first elastic plate mounted with a first piezoelectric element at one surface, and a second pressure generating chamber, which is sealed by a second elastic plate mounted with a second piezoelectric element at one surface are formed in a casing. The second pressure generating chamber is formed with an opening which is a discharge port. A mixture is discharged from the discharge port. A nozzle formed with an opening jets gas toward a substrate surface, and is provided in the vicinity of the discharge port of the ink head.
US07674493B2
A stent of variable surface area as determined by stent struts. The stent can have a variable surface area per unit length which accommodates a therapeutic agent. A patterned distribution of therapeutic agent can be provided throughout the stent. The stent can have an increased level of therapeutic agent near an end of the stent. A decreased level of therapeutic agent can be provided near an end of one embodiment of a stent. Indentations can be provided at the surface of the stent with therapeutic agent disposed therein. The stent can be cut with struts of variable thickness to provide the variable stent surface area.
US07674491B2
A method of manufacture comprising the following steps: (a) making a vent hole in a package; (b) loading product into a receptacle of the package via an opening; (c) closing the opening; (d) placing an air-permeable layer of material over the vent hole; (e) squeezing the receptacle after steps (a) through (d) have been performed to force air out the vent hole; and (f) after step (e) has been performed, sealing the package so that air cannot enter the receptacle via the vent hole. In accordance with some embodiments, the vent hole is formed in the receptacle and sealed by means of an air-impermeable patch or by joining two walls of the receptacle together. In accordance with other embodiments, the vent hole is formed in a zipper tape attached to the receptacle and various means can be used to seal the vent hole after air removal.
US07674489B2
The invention provides for the manufacture of cheese products enhanced with a natural, biogenerated flavoring system. The natural flavoring system described herein may be used with various types of cheese and dairy products. In one embodiment, the system may be used in the production of flavor enhanced fresh cheese or cream cheese. In another embodiment, the system may be used in the production of low-fat cheese products, such as low-fat cream cheese.
US07674487B2
A method of treating CD33+ acute and chronic myeloid leukemia in animals including humans, using fraction nos. 1 and 9 obtained from water:methanol fraction by column chromatography, with ratio of water and methanol ranging between 1:5 to 5:1, wherein said water:methanol fraction is obtained from the polar extract of Piper betel by HPLC, with retention time of 3.6 and 24.0 minutes respectively, with said fractions used both individually, and in combination.
US07674485B2
A composition for the treatment of diabetes in a subject in need thereof, said composition—comprising Trigonelline of concentration ranging between 20 to 30%, amino acids of concentration ranging between 20 to 60%, and soluble fiber of concentration ranging between 10 to 60%, optionally along with pharmaceutically acceptable additives, a process thereof and also, a method of treating diabetes.
US07674479B2
Sustained-release bupropion hydrochloride pharmaceutical tablets and combination sustained-release bupropion hydrochloride/mecamylamine hydrochloride pharmaceutical tablets are obtained by granulating the bupropion hydrochloride with a hydroxyalkylcelluose, and blending the resulting granules within an extragranular phase composed of a particulate material that provides a sustained-release matrix, and compressing the blend into a tablet form, which then is coated, with a means to provide delayed release, such as with an enteric coating composition. The mecamylamine hydrochloride can be contained in a second granule comprising a hydroxyalkylcellulose.
US07674477B1
The present invention provides a bone in-growth surface for implants which has a structure for delivering therapeutic agents to surrounding bone and tissue. The bone in-growth surface may comprise scaffolding and a controlled-permeability layer which contains the therapeutic agents in a variety of reservoirs. The porosity of the scaffolding may be controllable from zero porosity to essentially a fully porous material.
US07674474B2
Pesticidal Compounds The invention relates to 1-aryl-5-disubstituted-aminopyrrole 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).
US07674464B2
Matrix metalloproteinases are major mediators of tissue destruction in various chronic inflammatory disorders. The present invention demonstrates that over-expression of intracellular isoform of IL-1 receptor antagonist confers to recipient cells resistance to signaling pathways of proinflammatory cytokines (such as tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-1 beta) that induce matrix metalloproteinase and subsequent tissue degradation. Hence, over-expression of intracellular IL-1 receptor antagonist may inhibit tissue destruction in various inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, other arthritides, degenerative intervertebral disc disease and chronic skin ulcers that occurs in diabetes mellitus and bed-ridden patients.
US07674456B2
The invention provides, in part, novel SV-BR cancer cell lines. The invention provides a novel cell line SV-BR-1 deposited under ATCC PTA-1712 and SV-BR-1-GM cells deposited under ATCC PTA-1713. The invention further relates to therapeutic and non-therapeutic uses of the novel cell lines. Therapeutic uses include the use of SV-BR cell lines as cancer vaccines, and in particular, or the treatment of cancer.
US07674454B2
The invention relates to the use of gene therapy in the treatment of aseptic loosening of orthopaedic prostheses and discloses methods of refixing such prostheses without open revision surgery. In particular, it provides adenoviral vectors and prodrugs for simultaneous, separate or sequential use in the destruction of interface tissue allowing subsequent recementing of loose prostheses in a minimally invasive manner.
US07674453B2
The invention relates to the use of an agent having, stimulating or maintaining tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity, together with an interferon (IFN) for treating and/or preventing demyelinating diseases, in particular multiple sclerosis (MS). The use of a combination of a TNF or a tumor necrosis factor binding protein in combination with an interferon for treating and/or preventing demyelinating diseases is preferred.
US07674448B2
A method for manufacturing isotope-doped carbon nanotubes (10) includes the steps of: (a) providing a carbon rod (209), the carbon rod including at least two kinds of carbon isotope segments (202, 203) arranged therealong according to need; (b) providing a laser beam source positioned opposite to the carbon rod; and (c) irradiating the carbon rod with a laser beam (214), wherein the carbon isotope segments of the carbon rod are consumed sequentially to form the isotope-doped carbon nanotubes. Growth mechanisms of the isotope-doped carbon nanotubes manufactured by this method can be readily studied.
US07674446B2
A hafnium silicide target is provided. The target is used for forming a gate oxide film composed of HfSi1.02-2.00. The target material is superior in workability and embrittlement resistance and is suitable for forming a HfSiO film and HfSiON film that may be used as a high dielectric gate insulation film in substitute for a SiO2 film. A method of manufacturing the above referenced hafnium silicide target is also provided.
US07674433B2
A tube for storing micro-liter volumes is provided. The tube is open at one end and comprises a body portion of substantially square cross section; a shoulder portion at one end of the body portion and providing the open end of the tube, the cross section of the shoulder portion being greater than that of the body portion; and a formation providing a snap fit connector portion at the other end.
US07674432B2
Pipetting device with an upper part of the casing, a driving element, arranged in the upper part of the casing, with a movable drive element, a spigot receiver, arranged in the upper part of the casing, at least one claw receiver inside the spigot receiver, a lower part of the casing, at least one displacement equipment, arranged in the lower part of the casing, with a displacement chamber, at least one seat for detachably holding a pipette point, arranged on the lower part of the casing and being connected with the displacement chamber via a channel, a spigot, arranged on the lower part of the casing, to be inserted into the spigot receiver, at least one snap hook, arranged on the spigot, with a claw for engaging into the claw receiver when the spigot is inserted into the spigot receiver, and a springy shaft, which is deflectable transversely to the axis of the spigot in order to lift off the claw out of the claw receiver, a lock release ring, movable on the spigot, a wedge gear on the shaft and the lock release ring, effecting deflection of the snap hook towards the axis upon displacement of the lock release ring in a certain direction, and away from the axis upon displacement of the lock release ring in the direction opposite thereto, and a coupling equipment for coupling the drive element and the displacement equipment when the spigot is inserted into the spigot receiver.
US07674431B2
A system and method for reducing the number of input/output connections required to connect a microfluidic substrate to an external controller for controlling the substrate. In one example, a microfluidic processing device is fabricated on a substrate having a plurality of N independently controllable components, (e.g., a resistive heating elements) each having at least two terminals. The substrate includes a plurality of input/output contacts for connecting the substrate to an external controller, and a plurality of leads for connecting the contacts to the terminals of the components. The leads are arranged to allow the external controller to supply control signals to the terminals of the components via the contacts using substantially fewer contacts than the total number of component terminals. For example, in one embodiment, each lead connects a corresponding contact to a plurality of terminals to allow the controller to supply to signals to the terminals without requiring a separate contact for each terminal. However, to assure that the components can each be controlled independently of the others, the leads are also arranged so that each component's terminals are connected to a unique combination of contacts. Thus, the external controller can activate a selected component by supplying control signals to the combination of contacts uniquely associated with that component.
US07674430B2
The performance of an analyzer is checked on by use of a performance check cartridge which has the same external shape as a reagent cartridge for analyzing samples has; the performance check cartridge holds reagents for checking on the performance of the analyzer, and concurrently holds process conditions and determination conditions for checking on the performance of the analyzer in the form of two-dimensional dot codes; in accordance with the process conditions recorded in the performance check cartridge, the automated analyzer determines the absorbance by use of the reagents filled in the performance check cartridge, and compares a result of the determination with the determination conditions recorded in the performance check cartridge, thereby checking on the performance of the analyzer.
US07674428B2
Compositions are disclosed comprising mercury, titanium, copper and one or more of tin, chromium and silicon, useful for the release of mercury in applications requiring the same, in particular in fluorescent lamps. A process for the preparation of these compositions is also disclosed.
US07674426B2
A porous metal article having a predetermined pore structure. The porosity is provided by the use of an extractable particulate in a powder forming route to create a desired porosity. Extraction of the pore forming particulate prior to sintering of the powder minimizes contamination of the sintered article and allows for the processing of material sensitive to contamination such as titanium. Added functionality can be gained by co-forming the porous material with non-porous material to create an article with layers of differing characteristics. The article is suitable for use as an implant body is porous enough to facilitate tissue in-growth and bony fusion.
US07674418B2
A method for forming a hollow FRP article by internal pressure molding includes positioning a FRP prepreg on a periphery of an airtight internal-pressure holding tube, inserting a composite body including the internal-pressure holding tube and the prepreg into a vacuum chamber containing a forming die, evacuating the vacuum chamber in an isolation state where the composite body and the forming die do not contact each other, and clamping the forming die to bring the forming die and the composite body into contact with each other and heating the forming die with an application of pressure to an inside of the internal-pressure holding tube after completion of the evacuating step.
US07674414B2
A method of manufacturing decorative plastic composites having a decorative layer, a backing layer and a clear outer layer which provides exceptional “depth of image” is disclosed. Decorative or protective appliqués' having a wide range of decorative patterns may be formed by injection molding a backing layer behind and a clear outer layer on the top surface of a thin foil, film, fabric or veneer.
US07674408B2
The present invention provides a biomedical, biocompatible, polymeric foam scaffold suitable for use in the repair and regeneration of tissue and which contains located therein a network of, branched channels that are effective to encourage and facilitate vascularization and tissue growth within the scaffold and to methods for making such biomedical scaffolds.
US07674406B2
Described herein are chemiluminescent compositions that can be applied to a variety of substrates that are generally sensitive to existing chemiluminescent compositions. Methods for producing the chemiluminescent compositions are also provided.
US07674402B2
An electroconductive resin composition, comprising at least: a multi-component polymer-type resin binder (A) comprising a dispersed phase and a continuous phase, and having a number-average particle size of dispersed phase of 0.001-2 μm, and an electroconductive material (B) in the form of powder and/or fiber. The electroconductive resin composition may preferably be used for a fuel cell separator.
US07674401B2
The present invention relates to a metal oxide dispersion, which can form a metal thin film onto a substrate by heat treatment at a low temperature, wherein a metal oxide having a particle diameter of less than 200 nm is dispersed in the dispersion medium. By heat treating the dispersion after applying it onto a substrate, a metal thin film is formed.
US07674396B2
The invention comprises a gastric device having an outer region and a gas producing material. The gastric device hydrates within a patient's stomach and the gas producing material expands the device to a greater volume. Accordingly, the volume of the hydrated, expanded gastric devices occupy space in the stomach cavity and reduce the amount of food the patient will ingest before reaching the feeling of fullness. Preferably, the gastric device is made from food grade materials. The gastric device is configured to expand to a desired volume and then degrade after a residence time, allowing the device to be passed by the patient's normal digestive process.
US07674391B2
It is an objective to control the occurrence of the disorder of a far-field pattern and of an optical axial shift. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor laser device has the step for preparing a semiconductor substrate which has growth of a multi-layer including an active layer, the step for forming a mask over the growth of a multi-layer, and a step for forming a stripe-shaped ridge by dry etching and wet etching. A structure stacking a p-type AlGaInP layer, an etch-stop layer, a p-type Alx=0.7GaInP layer, a p-type Alx=0.6GaInP layer, a p-type GaAs layer, in order, over the active layer is taken in order to make the tailing part created in the dry etching process smaller by wet etching. The tailing part is composed of a p-type Alx=0.7GaInP layer including a high mixed crystal ratio of aluminum. Therefore, the p-type Alx=0.7GaInP layer is etched faster than the p-type Alx=0.6GaInP layer during wet etching, so that the tailing part becomes smaller, the far-field pattern of the semiconductor laser device is not disordered, and the optical axis shift does not occur.
US07674388B2
Contemplated whole blood separators tubes include a curable composition with a density intermediate to the density of serum and the cell-containing fraction. After centrifugation, the curable composition is located between the serum and the cell-containing fraction and preferably irradiated with UV light to initiate a curing reaction in which the curable composition solidifies to a barrier that is immobilized and resistant to breakdown at freezing temperatures and extended storage.
US07674381B2
Method for preparing highly pure L-iditol, consisting in subjecting a mixture of L-iditol and of L-sorbose to a chromatographic treatment, in such a way as to obtain at least two fractions, one of which is highly enriched in L-iditol and the other of which is highly enriched in L-sorbose.
US07674373B2
Systems, methods and apparatus are provided for utilizing a substantially condensed phase cryogenic fluid for the purpose of remediation and retrieval of, e.g., spilled crude oil and other “oil spill”-related products from marine/aquatic and terrestrial environments. In some implementations, systems and apparatus are provided for applying a substantially condensed phase cryogenic fluid to a volume of spilled oil, and further having structure for collecting the spilled oil. Some implementations are environmentally-neutral. Substances other than oil may be remediated as well.
US07674371B2
In waste water installations, the amount of falling rainwater which increases as a result of heavy precipitations is diverted into lakes and waterways in order to relieve the sewage treatment plant. In order to remove the impurities carried along with the rainwater, the water is purified using a purification device. A retaining element is disposed behind the purification device in the direction of flow. This element is at least partially detachable connected to a base surface and can be used to release the through-flow in the region of the base surface of the purification device in an intermittent manner. The retaining element is pivotable around an axis.
US07674368B2
Contact of a crude feed with one or more catalysts produces a total product that includes a crude product. The crude product is a liquid mixture at 25° C. and 0.101 MPa. Contacting conditions are controlled such that the crude feed, during contact, uptakes hydrogen at a selected rate to inhibit phase separation of the crude feed during contact. One or more properties of the crude product may be changed by at least 10% relative to the respective properties of the crude feed.
US07674366B2
A method is disclosed for treating the effluent from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis unit without employing a primary fractionator. The method comprises cooling the gaseous effluent, e.g., by direct quench and/or at least one primary heat exchanger, thereby generating high pressure steam, and then cooling the gaseous effluent to a temperature at which tar, formed by reactions among constituents of the effluent, condenses. The resulting mixed gaseous and liquid effluent is passed through a quench oil knock-out drum, to separate quench oil from the gaseous effluent which is then cooled to condense a liquid effluent comprising pyrolysis gasoline and water condensed from steam, which fractions are separated in a distillate drum. The cooled gaseous effluent is directed to a recovery train, to recover light olefins. The pyrolysis gasoline-containing fraction passes to a tailing tower which provides an overhead stream rich in pyrolysis gasoline and a bottoms stream rich in gas oil.
US07674355B2
A method of measuring macro and micro stickies in a recycled sample containing pulp fibers is disclosed. The method includes forming a slurry of the recycled macro stickies and a liquid and using a first separation device to separate out the macro stickies and the pulp fiber while collecting the screenate. The macro stickies and the pulp fibers are then washed with additional liquid to further separate out any macro stickies while again collecting the screenate. The macro stickies are then removed from the first separation device and are measured. The method also includes agglomerating the micro stickies in the screenate to form agglomerated micro stickies. The screenate is routed through a second separation device to separate out the agglomerated micro stickies. The agglomerated micro stickies are then removed from the separation device and are measured.
US07674353B2
The embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a plasma reactor. In one embodiment, a plasma reactor includes a substrate support is disposed in a vacuum chamber body and coupled to bias power generator. An RF electrode is disposed above the substrate support and coupled to a very high frequency power generator. A conductive annular ring is disposed on the substrate support and has a lower outer wall, an upper outer wall and an inner wall. A step is extends upward and outward from a lower outer wall and inward and downward from the upper outer wall. The inner wall disposed opposite the upper and lower outer wall. In other embodiments, the annular ring may be fabricated from a conductive material, such as silicon carbide and aluminum.
US07674350B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed including determining a dimension or other physical characteristic of a pattern in a layer of material that is disposed on a workpiece, and etching the layer of material using information that is related to the dimension. A system is also disclosed for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a first etch system configured to etch a layer to define a pattern in the layer, and a second etch system configured to measure a physical characteristic of the pattern, determine an etch control parameter based on the physical characteristic, and etch the layer in accordance with the etch control parameter.
US07674347B2
The present invention relates to a method for the production of a combined piezo/luminescent film for use as actuating element, especially in vehicles, comprising the steps: provision of a film-type base material (1); application of a piezoelectric varnish (2) onto the base material at least in a first partial area (A1, A2) so as to form a piezoelectric switch surface in the first partial area; application of a luminescent varnish (3) onto the base material in at least a second partial area (B1, B2) so as to be able to illuminate the switch surface in the second partial area; covering at least of the first and second partial area with a top layer (4) that is bonded to the base material. In addition, the present invention describes an actuating element with a combined piezo/luminescent film produced in such a manner.
US07674344B2
The present invention relates to a pneumatic tire with a built-in sealant layer comprised of a depolymerized butyl rubber based sealant precursor. The butyl rubber of the built-in sealant precursor composition is depolymerized in situ within the tire with an activated free radical generating organoperoxide. The organoperoxide is activated with a 2,2,6,6-tetra alkyl piperidine hindered amine. Representative of such hindered amines are, for example, a poly[[6-[1,1,3,3,-tetramethylbutyl)amino]-s-triazine-2,4-diyl][2,2,6,6,-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]hexamethylene[(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl)imino]] compound. The sealant layer, if desired, may be of a color which contrasts with black. For such purpose the sealant layer may contain a colorant of a non-black color to a substantial exclusion of carbon black. The butyl rubber-based sealant precursor is built into the tire as a layer to form a tire assembly wherein the butyl rubber-based composite portion of the sealant precursor layer is at least partially depolymerized by a said activated organoperoxide during a subsequent curing of the tire at an elevated temperature in a suitable mold to form the tire having the resultant built-in sealant layer. The sealant composition may additionally contain conventional clay, exfoliated intercalated clay platelets and/or calcium carbonate.
US07674342B2
A method of producing a soft magnetic material includes the steps of preparing soft magnetic powder containing a plurality of soft magnetic particles etching the soft magnetic powder to remove surfaces of the soft magnetic particles and, after the etching step, heat-treating the soft magnetic powder in a finely divided state at a temperature of not less than 400° C. and not more than 900° C. By this method configured as above, desired magnetic characteristics can be obtained.
US07674336B2
A thermal processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a processing container having an opening part at a lower end thereof. The processing container can contain an object to be processed therein. The opening part can be opened and closed by a lid. A flange is provided at a periphery of the opening part. A gas-introducing part for introducing a gas into the processing container is provided in the flange. The object to be processed contained in the processing container is heated by a heating mechanism.
US07674333B2
A sealant having a specific gravity in the range of from about 0.7 to about 1.6 for heavy oil and/or coal bed methane fields is disclosed. The sealant has a binder including an oxide or hydroxide of Al or of Fe and a phosphoric acid solution. The binder may have MgO or an oxide of Fe and/or an acid phosphate. The binder is present from about 20 to about 50% by weight of the sealant with a lightweight additive present in the range of from about 1 to about 10% by weight of said sealant, a filler, and water sufficient to provide chemically bound water present in the range of from about 9 to about 36% by weight of the sealant when set. A porous ceramic is also disclosed.
US07674301B2
Yarns and fabrics formed from such yarns incorporating an arrangement of discrete zones of variable heat treat history thereby imparting differential dye affinity and structural character at discrete zones along the yarn length are described. The differential dye affinity permits variable shading along the yarn length when the yarn is subjected to a dye bath. Processes and equipment for manufacturing such yarns are also provided.
US07674298B1
Methods and apparatus for providing security to Bluetooth-enabled handheld or portable devices are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a handheld security system includes a control unit and a device. The control unit is Bluetooth-enabled, and has an associated communications range. The device, which is also Bluetooth-enabled, is registered with the control unit such that the device cooperates with the control unit using Bluetooth communications to determine when the device is within the range of communications of the control unit. When it is determined that the device is within the range of communications of the control unit, the device is allowed to remain functional. Alternatively, when it is determined that the device is not within the range of communications of the control unit, the device is rendered to be substantially non-functional.
US07674291B2
The present invention relates generally to compositions for wound closure. More specifically, the present invention provides human skin equivalents engineered to express exogenous polypeptides (e.g., antimicrobial polypeptides and keratinocyte growth factor 2) and compositions and methods for making human skin equivalents engineered to express exogenous polypeptides. In addition, the present invention provides methods for treatment of wounds with human skin equivalents engineered to express exogenous polypeptides.
US07674286B2
An annular prosthesis for a mitral valve that may include a posterior half-ring and an anterior half-ring coupled to each other on a first transverse plane which defines a maximum width section of the prosthesis. The ratio between the distance between the anterior half-ring and the posterior half-ring, as measured along a second plane, perpendicular to the first plane and equidistant to the couplings, and the maximum width of the prosthesis is lower than 3/4.
US07674283B2
An expandable, elongate flexible conduit is provided for placement in a tubular body structure. An exemplary conduit includes a plurality of flexible longitudinal members defining in an unexpanded state a lumen, the members being radially expandable at preselected intervals to define a longitudinally oriented array of open-sided cages separated by less-expanded tubular segments, at least one of the open-sided cages having a diameter varying along its length and each of the open-sided cages having a maximum diameter larger than a diameter of the less-expanded tubular segments.
US07674282B2
The invention is directed a delivery system for implantation a self-expanding medical device in a body which includes a control handle and a catheter portion. The catheter portion includes an outer restraining member which covers the collapsed, medical device, an inner catheter member having a distal end including a region upon which the medical device is mounted, and an outer sheath which is removably attached to the control handle. The outer sheath creates a conduit for the catheter portion to prevent the inner catheter member from moving axially when the outer restraining member is retracted. The control handle has a rotatable thumbwheel to actuate a retraction mechanism attached to the proximal end of the outer restraining member which moves the restraining member in a proximal direction to deploy the medical device.
US07674280B2
In order to provide an implant for fixing adjacent bone plates, in particular cranial bone plates, which has an inner abutment element by means of which a separation gap between the bone plates can be overlapped at a bone plate inner side and has an outer abutment element for overlapping the separation gap at a bone plate outer side lying opposite the bone plate inner side and which is easy for a surgeon to use and by means of which the bone plates may be securely fixed, it is proposed that at least one tension band is guided displaceably through the outer abutment element, by means of which, when a tensile stress is exerted, the inner abutment element and the outer abutment element are mutually braceable, and that the at least one tension band is fixable on the outer abutment element.
US07674275B2
A suture anchor comprises an elongate body having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second ends. The first end may have a flared geometry. A lateral suture relief is in the elongate body extending from the first end to an longitudinal position intermediate the first and second ends. A hollow tubular portion in the elongate body is longitudinally spaced from the lateral suture relief. A suture is positioned in the hollow tubular portion. The suture has a delivery position parallel the longitudinal axis and a deployed position transverse to the longitudinal axis.
US07674269B2
Bone anchor implantation devices and methods for their use are disclosed. The bone anchor implantation devices have an ergonometric and/or rotatable handle. The bone anchor implantation devices and methods find particular application for implanting a bone anchor for maintaining or improving urinary continence by suspending or stabilizing the bladder neck.
US07674268B2
A guide for cutting a bone comprising an anterior portion and a distal portion orientated at about a right angle to the anterior portion. The distal portion includes a guiding side, a distal surface at the guiding side, a box-cut shaped opening defined by the guiding side, a plurality of first cutting surfaces disposed at the guiding side at an acute angle relative to the distal surface of the guiding side operable to guide a cutting device to the bone to form chamfer cuts in the bone, and a second cutting surface disposed at the guiding side at at least about a right angle to the distal surface operable to guide a cutting device to the bone to form a posterior cut in the bone.
US07674266B2
An apparatus (10) for cutting bone includes a shaft member (12) having a central axis (14) and extending between a proximal end portion (16) and a distal end portion (18). The proximal end portion (16) has a first surface (32) adapted to receive repetitive impacts. The distal end portion (18) includes a cutting blade (40) extending in a first plane between a shield section (46) and a guide portion (60). The shield section (46) and the guide section (60) project axially beyond the cutting blade (40) to recess the cutting blade (40) in the distal end portion (18). The shield section (46) includes an inwardly facing shield surface (48) which extends in a second plane that is transverse to the first plane of the cutting blade (40). The apparatus (10) is a form of an osteotome that is particularly useful for certain spine-related surgical procedures.
US07674264B2
A surgical appliance for assisting in the repair of a fractured bone, such as a scaphoid bone, is disclosed. The device includes first and second adjustably interconnected and spaced apart limb clamping jaws that are transparent to x-ray radiation and are relatively movable toward and away from one another and a rotatable disk carried by the first jaw, said disk having a plurality of bores angularly disposed in the disk for selectively aligning a guide wire to be drilled percutaneously into the fractured bone. Each of the bores are in communication with the space between the first and second jaws and the longitudinal axes of said bores are directed to a common point intermediate the first and second jaws.
US07674248B2
A drainage device and a method for draining a liner-type suction canister. The drainage device includes a swingarm, a drainhead, and a suction source. The drainhead is positioned to be in fluid communication with the liner-type suction canister. The swingarm rotates to activate the suction source and invert the liner-type suction canister. The contents of the liner-type suction canister drain to a sewer system. The method includes the acts of placing the liner-type suction canister on the swingarm, coupling the drainhead to the liner-type suction canister, rotating the swingarm, and activating the suction source.
US07674247B2
An apparatus that includes two syringes, or a “double barrel syringe,” includes one syringe that injects or infuses while the other syringe aspirates. The double barrel syringe is a hand-held, hand-operated device with which injection and aspiration may be effected by a single action. The double barrel syringe may include a handle with two member. A first member includes one arm that pivotally couples to a plunger of a first syringe and another arm that pivotally couples to a barrel of a second syringe. A second member of the handle includes one arm that pivotally couples to a barrel of the first syringe and another arm that pivotally couples to a plunger of the second syringe. Methods for injecting or infusing simultaneously with aspirating are also disclosed.
US07674242B2
An intradermal needle comprising a needle cannula assembly having a limiter portion, a hub portion and a needle cannula, a protective cap having a forward and rearward cap to protect and shield a needle cannula prior to and after use, and means for engaging the needle cannula assembly and the rearward cap after use. The mated forward and rearward cap provide a sterile enclosure for the needle cannula assembly prior to use. Removing the rearward cap permits the needle cannula assembly to be coupled to a drug delivery device, while the forward cap removably shields the needle cannula. Removing the forward cap then exposes the needle cannula for use. After use, the distal end of the needle cannula assembly is placed into the rearward cap and lockingly engaged therewith.
US07674238B2
Improved methods and apparatus for capturing emboli and subsequently removing or immobilizing the captured emboli are described. Emboli can be captured within a blood vessel and can be withdrawn to a position exterior to the blood vessel. Some filters can remain within a blood vessel yet direct emboli to a position exterior to the blood vessel.
US07674226B2
A method for enhanced exercise training or performance utilizing intentional controlled tachypnea and somatic sensory alkalosis biofeedback training to maintain an essentially non-acidic state during exercise. A trainee is instructed to decrease measured transcutaneous CO2 levels by increased ventilation and to correlate measured transcutaneous CO2 levels with subjective somatic symptoms. Studies under exercise conditions measure the intensity of exercise correlating to an onset in blood acid accumulation in the trainee and such level of intensity is in turn correlated with a predetermined heart rate. The trainee is then instructed to use heart rate and somatic sensory changes as a guide to the need for increased ventilation to lower blood CO2. In another embodiment, the method of the instant invention utilizes intentional controlled tachypnea to increase maximum breath holding time.
US07674225B2
An anatomical device comprising an unclosed curvilinear frame with distal ends, forming an aperture for receiving a penis. The unclosed curvilinear frame is made of a material with shape memory effect, thus forming a compressing element set to memorize the shape of the curvilinear figure repeating the external contour of a penis base in erected state. The area of the setting shape is by 30-50% less than that of the cross-section of penis base at maximum erection. An anatomical device built as a closed curvilinear frame, containing an unclosed curvilinear frame with connected distal ends, forming an aperture for receiving a penis. The unclosed curvilinear frame is made of a material with shape memory effect, thus forming a compressing element that is set to memorize the shape of the curvilinear figure repeating the external contour of a penis base in erected state. The area of the setting shape is by 30-50% less than that of the cross-section of penis base at maximum erection. In active working state, the closed curvilinear frame forms a loop behind the distal ends, for releasing a urethra.
US07674210B2
An exercise device, in particular an exercise device that can be attached to a conventional walker so that the user can operate it while supporting himself with the walker. The device features a base bar that can be attached to at least two legs of a walker and also attached to a second cross bar fit with support rollers, such as pulleys. A cable extends substantially the length of the cross bar, hangs down near the ends of the cross bar, and is disposed on the rollers. On one hanging end of the cable is attached a weight or similar resistance mechanism and on the other end is attached a stirrup or the like suitable for insertion of the user's limb. The height of the stirrup can be adjusted for various exercises and the user can exercise by moving his inserted limb against the resistance.
US07674202B2
An eight speed automatic transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include three clutches and three brakes.
US07674193B2
The golf ball of the present invention comprises a cover wherein the cover is made from a cover material including a cured product of the thermosetting resin composition; and the stiffness modulus and shore D hardness of the cover material satisfy a following equation. 2.0≦A/B≦5.0, 40≦B≦60 A: Stiffness modulus (MPa) B: Shore D hardness.
US07674188B2
A golf club head of this invention includes a face, a plurality of score line grooves formed on the face, and traces formed in the face by milling. Edges of the score line grooves are rounded with a radius of not more than 0.2 mm. A width W (mm) of the score line groove measured with the rounded edge being included, a width Ws (mm) between the score line grooves adjacent to one another, a width Wr (mm) of the score line groove measured based on the 30 degrees measurement rule and a cross section area S (mm2) of the score line grooves satisfy the flowing expressions; W/Ws×100≧35(%) and S/(Wr×0.5)×100≧70(%). The face in which the traces are formed has the arithmetic mean deviation of the profile (Ra) of not less than 4.00 μm.
US07674187B2
A golf club (40) has a golf club head with a large mass, relatively short club length and a moment of inertia about the Izz axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 5000 grams-centimeters squared. The golf club head (42) preferably has a volume ranging from 400 cubic centimeters to 470 cubic centimeters. The golf club head (42) preferably has a moment of inertia about the Ixx axis through the center of gravity of the golf club head greater than 3000 grams-centimeters squared. The golf club (40) preferably has an inertia ratio greater than 0.0019.
US07674183B2
The invention relates to a drive joint for permitting a rotationally and axially fixed connection between a first and second shaft sub-section, the connection allowing a limited angular displacement.
US07674182B2
A progressive jackpot system for a gaming network is described wherein the accumulation of the jackpot is based upon any of a number of factors, and the winning of the jackpot is based on any of a number of factors. In one embodiment, the winning of the jackpot may be by any player using a player ID card or a cash-less card to play a gaming machine. The determination of a winner of the jackpot may be based on a random selection of a player's ID code (or cash-less card code) by a network computer.
US07674167B2
A traveling time calculation program causes a computer to function as the following: position determination programmed logic circuitry which determines a position of a movable object using a velocity vector with every update of a game screen, virtual position setting programmed logic circuitry which sets a virtual position between positions immediately before and after the movable object passes through a second position, and shifts the virtual position using an infinitesimal unit vector obtained by dividing a velocity vector at the position immediately before the movable object passes through the second position into predetermined numbers, and traveling time calculation programmed logic circuitry which calculates a traveling time from the first position to a position immediately before or after the virtual position crosses the second position.
US07674165B2
An electronic device. The electronic device comprises a heat source, a housing having an inlet and an outlet, a fan disposed in the housing and selectively rotating at a first speed and a second speed higher than the first speed to generate air flow in the housing to cool the heat source, and a plurality of louvers disposed on the housing, having adjustable angles and selectively positioned at a first angle and a second angle. When the louvers are positioned at the first angle, the fan rotates at the first speed, and when the louvers are at the second angle, the fan rotates at the second speed.
US07674149B2
Methods are provided for fabricating field emitters by using laser-induced re-crystallization. A substrate is first provided on which a silicon-containing layer is formed. A plurality of extrusive tips are thereafter formed to be extruded from the surface of the silicon-containing layer by using laser-induced re-crystallization. The methods of the laser-induced re-crystallization include a step of subjecting the overall or partial silicon-containing layer to an energy source, either unpatterned or patterned.
US07674148B2
A method for tensioning a shadow mask includes positioning a first side of a shadow mask into contact with the lower half of a tensioning frame, positioning an upper half of the tensioning frame into contact with a second side of the shadow mask, and clamping the upper half of the tensioning frame to the lower half of the tensioning frame to form a tensioning frame, and rigidly clamping the shadow mask between the two tensioning frame halves. The method also includes elevating the temperature of the tensioning frame to tension the shadow mask.
US07674144B2
A watercraft has a hull, a deck, an engine, a steering assembly, a jet pump, a venturi, a steering nozzle, and a reverse gate pivotable between a fully stowed position and a fully lowered position. The reverse gate includes a reverse gate body having inner and outer arcuate surfaces, and reverse gate upper and lower edges. First and second side walls are connected to the sides of the reverse gate body. At least one deflector is connected to at least one of the outer arcuate surface, the first side wall, and the second side wall. The at least one deflector is spaced from the outer arcuate surface. A deflector trailing edge is disposed upwardly and rearwardly from a deflector leading edge at least when the reverse gate is in the fully lowered position. Water deflecting surfaces and turning deflectors connected to a reverse gate are also disclosed.
US07674143B2
The present invention provides a sensor and a method of producing the same, which makes an electrical connection condition between an electrode terminal section of a detection element and a metallic terminal member good. The sensor includes a lead frame (metallic terminal member) that changes a support condition of supporting an element abutment section for contact with a detection element on a frame main body section, into a one-point support or a two-point support. At a first-half stage of a work for assembly of the lead frame and the detection element, the element abutment section is put in a one-point support condition relative to the frame main body section and the lead frame produces a relatively smaller resilient force, such that it becomes possible to prevent an excessively large pressure from being applied to the detection element. After the assembly work is completed, the element abutment section is put in a two-point support condition relative to the frame main body section and the lead frame produces a larger resilient force as compared with that in the one-point support condition, such that the electrical connection condition between the lead frame and the detection element can be good.
US07674139B2
An electrical connector (100) for electrically connecting with a chip module and a printed circuit board comprises a plurality of insulative housings (1), a plurality of contacts received in the insulative housing, and a frame (2) defining an accommodating space (26) to accommodate the insulative housings. The frame defines continuous lateral walls (23) and a plurality of enhancing ribs (24) extending from the lateral walls into the accommodating space. A plurality of first rivet sections (231) are disposed on at least one of the lateral walls of the frame and the insulative housings and a plurality of first mounting holes (16) are defined in at least one of the insulative housings and the lateral walls of the frame to receive the first rivet sections. A plurality of second rivet sections (243) are disposed on at least one of the enhancing ribs of the frame and the insulative housings and a plurality of second mounting holes (17) are defined in at least one of the insulative housings and the enhancing ribs to receive the rivet sections.
US07674133B2
A connector assembly includes a housing and a contact module assembly including first and second contact modules loaded into the housing. The first contact module has a plurality of ground leads extending between mating contacts and mounting contacts. The ground leads extend along separate paths within a first plane. The second contact module has a plurality of signal leads extending between mating contacts and mounting contacts. The signal leads extend along separate paths within a second plane. The ground leads are aligned with the signal leads in a direction transverse to the first plane, and the ground leads have a width and a thickness defining a cross-sectional area that is larger than a cross sectional area of the signal leads.
US07674132B1
An electric connector ensuring effective grounding contact includes coaxially arranged inner sleeve and outer sleeve and a conductive grounding element. The inner sleeve is adapted to receive a central conductor and an insulating spacer of a cable therein, and can be axially rearward moved from a first position to a second position, and the outer sleeve is adapted to receive a braided conductive grounding sheath and an insulating sheath of the cable therein. The conductive grounding element is externally immovably fitted around the inner sleeve. When a stripped free end of the cable is inserted into the connector and the cable is rearward pulled, the inner sleeve is simultaneously rearward moved from the first position to the second position, forcing the inner sleeve, the conductive grounding element, and a connecting ring coaxially mounted around the inner sleeve to electrically contact with one another.
US07674127B2
An electrical contact-making element for electrical carrier components in an electronic housing is particularly suited for automotive applications. The electrical contact-making element is in the form of a U-shaped plug pin having a base limb and two side limbs. There is provided a robust, reliable electrical contact connection between a plurality of electrical carrier components, such as printed circuit boards, for example, which ensures secure contact is made even in the case of external influences such as vibrations, for example, and can be fitted, by way of a simple press-in mechanism, at the end of the fitting process.
US07674123B1
Method and apparatus for securely positioning a cable connector plug for blind docking an electronic device or module with an electrical connector, for example within a rack for a computer system. A bracket includes a chip that is selectively securable to open and close the bracket. A cable connector plug collar is laterally receivable in the bracket when the bracket is open. The bracket retains the collar in a circumferential tongue and groove relationship when the bracket is closed. When the bracket is properly positioned and secured within a rack bay, the bracket positions the connector plug for blind docking without restricting operative access to the connector plug. A preferred bracket is sufficiently flexible to allow lateral movement of the connector plug when the bracket is closed about the collar.
US07674119B1
A receptacle for coupling electrical equipment and communications equipment to electrical and communications transmission lines is retractably mounted in an opening in a furniture unit, and in particular, the top surface of an office conference table. The receptacle is vertically displaceable so that it is elevated above the top surface of the furniture unit in which it is mounted to provide access for coupling electrical equipment such as lap top computers, or communications equipment such as telephones and fax machines, which are supported on the top surface of the furniture unit. When the equipment is coupled to the elevated receptacle unit, the unit is then displaced downwardly into the furniture such that the top surface of the receptacle unit is planar with the top surface of the furniture unit in its fully retracted position. A gap defined between the outer surface of the top surface of the receptacle unit and the inner surface of the opening in the furniture unit permits wires and cables to extend through the gap and remain connected to the receptacle unit when the receptacle unit is in its fully retracted position in the furniture unit. The receptacle unit may be displaced into its elevated position to disconnect lines coupled to it or to connect additional lines. In this manner, portable electrical and communications equipment can be supported or stored on furniture units, such as conference tables, and actuated when needed by coupling the equipment to the receptacle in the furniture unit.
US07674109B2
A pusher plate for use in a pusher furnace includes a shaped guidance groove in its lower surface which preferably has a bow-tie shape with a narrower central section and wider ends proximate the leading and trailing faces of the plate. The groove receives therein a guide rail which is disposed intermediate a pair of slide rails upon which the plate slides. The shape of the groove allows the plate a small amount of lateral rotation to minimize jamming during travel. Adjacent plates pivot upon contact with each other to automatically adjust their orientation during travel through the furnace. The leading and trailing faces of the plates thus contact one another over a larger surface area to reduce damage to the plates by reducing the pressure therebetween.
US07674099B2
An oil lubricated compressor which includes a bypass oil line connecting respective oil paths upstream and downstream of the motor. The bypass oil path permits oil to be detoured around the motor in a tube that is external to the compressor shell and flows back into the shell near the scroll inlet. The oil bypass line returns “excess” oil directly to sump 28, rather than having it flow from sump 27 to sump 28 through an air-gap, thereby reducing both the drag on the motor and the input power.
US07674098B2
A scroll compressor is provided with a passage for providing both an unloader function and an economizer injection function. This common passage communicates with separate ports. The ports that are exclusively used for by-pass unloading operation are open only during by-pass unloading operation, but blocked off by a check valve during vapor injection operation. The other, normally smaller vapor injection ports are open for both vapor injection and by-pass unloading operation. By utilizing these two sets of ports, a smaller total port area is provided for vapor injection operation and a much larger total open port area for by-pass operation. The different open port areas for by-pass unloading operation and vapor injection operation allows optimization of compressor operation at both of those regimes of operation.
US07674097B2
Two rotary mechanism parts (70, 80) are provided in a rotary expander (60). The first rotary mechanism part (70) is smaller in displacement volume than the second rotary mechanism part (80). A first low-pressure chamber (74) of the first rotary mechanism part (70) and a second high-pressure chamber (83) of the second rotary mechanism part (80) are fluidly connected together by a communicating passageway (64), thereby forming a single expansion chamber (66). High-pressure refrigerant introduced into the first rotary mechanism part (70) expands in the expansion chamber (66). An injection passageway (37) is fluidly connected to the communicating passageway (64). When an motor-operated valve (90) is placed in the open state, high-pressure refrigerant is introduced into the expansion chamber (66) also from the injection passageway (37). This makes it possible to inhibit the drop in power recovery efficiency, even in the condition that causes the actual expansion ratio to fall below the design expansion ratio.
US07674090B2
A steam turbine rotor has at least a first stage and a last stage. The rotor is optimised for operation in a wet steam environment at steam temperatures of less than 300° C. by being made more resistant to stress corrosion cracking (SCC). The yield strength of the rotor varies along its axial length such that the yield strength of the rotor in the region of the last turbine stage is more than the yield strength of the rotor in the region of at least one earlier turbine stage.
US07674082B2
Provided is a wall mountable printer with a glue applicator assembly operatively applying adhesive to a vertical edge of a sheet of printed paper. The printer has a binder assembly including an enclosure chassis, and a powered spike wheel assembly configured to receive the sheet of paper from a print engine of the printer. Also included is an angled platen within the chassis on which the sheet is received from the spike wheel assembly, and a binding platen operatively actuated to bind the sheet onto a preceding sheet positioned on the angled platen. The binder assembly includes a paper sensor to sense a position of bound sheets on the angled platen to facilitate accurate binding of successive sheets.
US07674081B2
A tee-nut fastener which includes a nylon locking ring located distally from the entrance to a passageway ensures proper fastening upon coupling with a threaded stud. The tee-nut is used use in combination with a track for efficient delivery. The track comprises an upper guide spaced apart relatively farther than a lower guide. The process for making the tee nut uses a cold heading process. The tee-nut includes a flange having an upper portion and a lower portion. A shank extends perpendicularly from the upper portion and a head extends oppositely from the shank and perpendicularly from the lower portion. The flange includes at least two teeth extending in the direction of the shank and a passageway through the shank, flange and head. The passageway includes a bore countersunk at both ends thereof, a cavity, and threads therein. A locking ring resides in the cavity and is relatively thin compared to the length of the teeth to ensure that the tee-nut is not extricated from a substrate in which the prongs or teeth are embedded upon coupling with a threaded stud.
US07674070B2
The present invention is directed to a control system for sensing the vibration amplitude on a vibration compacting machine. In addition, the control system modifies the rotational speed of the eccentric assembly based on the vibration amplitude of the eccentric assembly. In one embodiment, the control system modifies the rotational speed of the eccentric assembly to match the optimum speed for the adjusted vibration amplitude when the eccentric assembly is adjusted to increase or decrease the vibration amplitude. Reducing the rotational speed of the eccentric assembly at high vibration amplitudes minimizes wear to each of the load bearing components in the vibration compacting machine resulting in an extended service life for the vibration compacting machine. Similarly, increasing the rotational speed of the eccentric assembly at low vibration amplitudes increases the effectiveness of the vibration compacting machine.
US07674069B2
A concrete finishing trowel comprising at least one rotor which is mounted on a frame and is provided with a rotatably driven shaft and several blades that are mounted on the driven shaft. A blade deflection mechanism moves the blades on a path that deviates from a circular path relative to the drive shaft.
US07674064B2
The coupling apparatus for structural members includes a paired couplers for coupling structural members with each other, and each coupler includes a cylindrical main body, engaging projections spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in a circumferential direction at an end of the body and projecting along the center line of the body, and engaging hooks projecting in one circumferential direction at the projecting end portions of the projections. At least one coupler further includes a coupling direction changing mechanism which couples the at least one coupler with a predetermined position of a structural member corresponding thereto so that the center line of the body of the at least one coupler can be orientated in a desired direction.
US07674061B2
In cosmetic dispensers for fluids, such as for example deodorants or antiperspirants comprising a bottle, a flow regulator in a housing mounted on the bottle and a cap rotatably mounted on the bottle or particularly onto the flow regulator housing, there is a risk that the housing can part from the bottle or be moved out of alignment by fitting or removal of the cap. This problem can be ameliorated or eliminated by employing a plurality of sets of anti-rotation elements at or adjacent to the mouth of the bottle around its periphery, each set comprising a peg and a socket. Preferably, the housing is bifurcated inward of the flow regulator, one wall extending within the bottle and the other wall extending out side the wall, and desirably the bottle wall is of reduced wall thickness in the overlap so that the exterior of the bottle surface and housing surface can be flush at their line of contact.
US07674049B2
An optical module includes a fiber array, a laser diode array and a photodiode array. The fiber array has optical fibers which are divided to a transmitter group and a receiver group. The laser diode array has laser diodes which are grouped in a transmitter group. The photodiode array has photodiodes which are divided to a monitor group and a receiver group. The laser diode array is provided between the fiber array and the photodiode array. Each optical fiber of the transmitter group, each laser diode of the transmitter group and each photodiode of the monitor group are optically aligned, respectively. Each optical fiber of the receiver group is optically aligned with each photodiode of the receiver group, respectively.
