US07720334B1
An optical apparatus comprises a first and second cladding layers and first and second core layers between the cladding layers. The second core has a set of diffractive elements. The first core and the claddings are arranged to form a slab waveguide supporting slab waveguide modes and confining in one transverse dimension optical signals propagating in two dimensions in the slab waveguide modes. The second core and the claddings are arranged to from a channel waveguide supporting one or more channel waveguide optical modes and confining in two transverse dimensions optical signals propagating in one dimension in the channel waveguide modes. The diffractive elements are arranged to couple at least one slab waveguide mode and at least one channel waveguide mode to enable transfer of an optical signal between the slab and channel waveguide optical modes thus coupled.
US07720331B2
An apparatus for performing mode scrambling in a multimode optical fibre 1 comprises an electromechanical transducer 3 and a signal generator 9. A portion of the fibre 1, which is in the form of a loop 5, is arranged with its ends 6 fixed to the transducer 3, but with the remainder of the portion being left free to vibrate. The signal generator 9 drives the transducer 3 so as to form a succession of bends of differing bend radii in the portion of the fibre as a beam of electromagnetic radiation travels through the fibre, thereby “scrambling” the beam as it travels through the fibre.
US07720322B2
A shape sensing system to determine the position and orientation of one link with respect to another link in a kinematic chain. An optical fiber is coupled to two or more links in a kinematic chain. A shape sensing segment is defined to start at a proximal link and to end at a distal link, crossing one or more joints. A reference frame is defined at the start of the shape sensing segment. As the joints move, an interrogator senses strain in the shape sensing segment. The sensed strain is used to output a Cartesian position and orientation of the end of the shape sensing segment with respect to the reference frame defined at the start of the shape sensing segment. The pose of the kinematic chain is determined from the Cartesian positions and orientations of one or more shape sensing segments defined for the kinematic chain and from an a priori model and constraints of the kinematic chain.
US07720320B2
An electro-optical modulator includes a structural substrate, having an insulating layer on top. A waveguide layer, disposed on the insulating layer. A curving resonant MOS device, disposed on the insulating layer and having an optical coupling region with the waveguide layer.
US07720315B2
This invention provides a system and method for employing GUI-based non-numeric slide buttons and bar meters to setup and monitor operating parameters of a vision system (the term “vision system” as used herein including the above-described vision detector). Such parameters can include, but are not limited to the threshold at which a feature is activated in viewing an image. Operating parameters also include the under-lying range of contrast values and levels of brightness intensities (or by input inversion, the level of darkness) recognized and acted upon by the vision system. Graphical representations of operating parameters are displayed in a parameter box on the GUI with moving bars that are shaded, patterned or colored so as to provide a relative level between two extremes on a scale of the given operating parameter. The endpoints of the scale can be established by analyzing the relevant extremes on a subject image view. The current level of the given parameter is displayed as a bar that extends a distance along the scale that is proportional to the current level of the parameter along the scale. Input of operating parameter settings with respect to the scale is made by moving a setting slider along the scale between the extremes. The position of the slider establishes the user-input setting relative to the scale. In an illustrative embodiment, scales, level bars and setting sliders can also be displayed on the image view itself, adjacent to a given image view feature, which is the subject of the scale.
US07720311B1
A new technique for image sample-rate conversion can be efficiently implemented with respect to memory, bandwidth and computational requirements. According to one aspect, the technique takes advantage of certain inherent similarities and symmetries within the image data to limit switching of filters during processing and to otherwise process the data in an efficient order. According to another aspect, the technique can be implemented within a decoding pipeline such as a JPEG/MPEG decoding pipeline in such a way that multiple transfers of image data in and out of the external memory can be avoided. According to a still further aspect, where poly-phase filters are used, computationally-efficient filters are chosen for use with the image conversion process. The technique is amenable to both hardware and software based implementations.
US07720299B2
A system provides lossless split and merge processes of integer discrete cosine transform (DCT) transformed data such that the discrete cosine transform of one data block may be split into two half length DCT odd and even blocks for merging, with split and merge processes being lossless and are generated in the discrete cosine transformed domain. After splitting, the redundancy existing between the two integer discrete cosine transformed half data blocks allows one to approximately reconstruct the original data block in case one of the discrete cosine transformed half data block is lost during transmission. The system may be used with existing JPEG and MPEG compressors and decompressors because both use the discrete cosine transform for image and video compression and decompression, may be used as a resolution conversion device for transcribing from digital high-definition TV to analog low-definition TV, and may be used for lossless splitting and merging type-IV discrete cosine transformed data for audio compression and decompression in the international standard MPEG-4 Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), such as AC-3 or MP3.
US07720294B2
Presented herein is a unified decoder architecture. A system comprises a video decoder, instruction memory, and a host processor. The video decoder decodes the video data encoded with the particular standard. The instruction memory stores a first set of instructions and a second set of instructions. The first set of instructions are for decoding encoded video data according to a first encoding standard. The second set of instruction are for decoding encoded video data according to a second encoding standard. The host processor provides an indication to the video decoder indicating the particular encoding standard. The video decoder executes the first set of instructions if the indication indicates that the particular encoding standard is the first encoding standard and executes the second set of instructions if the indication indicates that the particular encoding standard is the second encoding standard.
US07720292B2
Concepts are extracted from content of documents. Clusters each include one or more of the concepts. A theme is identified in each of the clusters and includes at least one such concept within the cluster. Spines of the clusters that share at least one theme in common are formed. The spines having a theme unique from any other spine already placed into a visual display space are placed. Anchor clusters are identified on the placed spines. Spine groups are generated. A similarity of at least one of the spines not placed and each placed spine is evaluated. The unplaced spine is placed at the anchor cluster in the placed spine with the closest similarity. A similarity of at least one of the clusters not selected and each anchor cluster is evaluated. The non-selected cluster is placed proximate to the anchor cluster with the closest similarity. The spine groups are displayed.
US07720276B1
A system and methods for accessing 2D digital images and 3D geometric models over a network (preferably the Internet) and transforming and composing that media along with 2D digital image and 3D geometric model media, acquired by other means, into enhanced 2D image and 3D model representations for virtual reality visualization and simulation is disclosed. Digital images and models from a network and other sources are incorporated and manipulated through an interactive graphical user interface. A photogrammetric media processing engine automatically extracts virtual sensor (camera) and geometric models from imagery. Extracted information is used by a reconstruction processor to automatically and realistically compose images and models. A rendering system provides real-time visualization and simulation of the constructed media. A client-server processing model for deployment of the media processing engine system over a network is disclosed.
US07720272B2
A system for automatically identifying sperm cells in a smear on a microscope slide, including capturing a first digital color image within an area of interest on the microscope slide. The first digital color image is split into a plurality of component color space images and stored into a plurality of memory spaces. The component color space images are manipulated by mathematical functions, logical functions or a combination of mathematical and logical functions to produce a result image. Thresholding the result image creates a binary result image which is processed with particle (blob) analysis. A set of blob factors is applied to identify probable sperm cells; and a list of universal coordinate system positions of the probable sperm cells is created.
US07720267B2
Disclosed is a technique for classifying tissue based on image data. A plurality of tissue parameters are extracted from image data (e.g., magnetic resonance image data) to be classified. The parameters are preprocessed, and the tissue is classified using a classification algorithm and the preprocessed parameters. In one embodiment, the parameters are preprocessed by discretization of the parameters. The classification algorithm may use a decision model for the classification of the tissue, and the decision model may be generated by performing a machine learning algorithm using preprocessed tissue parameters in a training set of data. In one embodiment, the machine learning algorithm generates a Bayesian network. The image data used may be magnetic resonance image data that was obtained before and after the intravenous administration of lymphotropic superparamagnetic nanoparticles.
US07720258B1
Associating subimages is disclosed. A first set of one or more subimages associated with a first image and a second set of one or more subimages associated with a second image are received. It is determined that a first subimage of the first set corresponds to a second subimage of the second set based at least in part on spatial information associated with the first subimage. The first subimage and the second subimage are associated.
US07720255B2
The presently claimed invention relates generally to digital watermarking, and processing video or audio media files. One claim recites a method including: analyzing a plurality of video or audio media files; determining whether there are duplicate media files in the plurality video or audio media files; and avoiding duplicate video or audio media files when searching the plurality of video or audio media files for digital watermarking. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided as well.
US07720250B2
A watermarking system embeds a watermark into data values that may be streamed. A data hash is calculated using data values and a hash key. The data values are grouped. The groups include a first group and a second group. A first group hash is calculated using data values in the first group and a first group hash key. A second group hash is calculated using data values in the second group and a second group hash key. A watermark is constructed based on the first group hash and the second group hash. The value of at least one of the data values in the first group is modified using the watermark.
US07720248B2
A frame for a speaker device includes a magnetic circuit housing unit which houses a magnetic circuit, an annular outer peripheral portion which is arranged on an outer side of the magnetic circuit housing unit, and plural arm portions which connect the magnetic circuit housing unit and the outer peripheral portion. The plural arm portions form such plural bridges that a pair of the arm portions are linearly positioned to connect two parts of the outer peripheral portion, and each of the bridges does not pass through a center of the outer peripheral portion.
US07720246B2
A headphone device includes a sound amplifying member, a connecting member and a fixing member. The sound amplifying member includes a first speaker and a second speaker for outputting a sound. The connecting member is interconnected between the first speaker and the second speaker and made of first flexible material. The connecting member is flexibly wound around the first speaker and the second speaker. The fixing member is coupled to the sound amplifying member for securing the connecting member thereon after the connecting member is wound around the first speaker and the second speaker.
US07720244B2
An earpiece (2) for a hearing aid (12) comprises a plug (20) for contacting the meatus of the users ear canal, a contact element (13) for resting against an inside of the users tragus and or the ear canal, and a fixture for holding the plug and the contact element together, the fixture having means for adjusting the spacing between the plug and the contact element. The invention further provides a hearing aid.
US07720240B2
Systems and methods of processing audio signals are described. The audio signals comprise information about spatial position of a sound source relative to a listener. At least one audio filter generates two filtered signals for each of audio signal. The two filtered signals are mixed with other filtered signals from other audio signals to create a right output audio channel and a left audio output channel, such that the spatial position of the sound source is perceptible from the right and left audio output channels.
US07720236B2
A system such as a speakerphone may include a processor, memory, a speaker and a microphone. The processor may be configured (via program instructions stored in the memory) to calibrate the speaker by: outputting a stimulus signal; receiving an input signal corresponding to the stimulus signal; computing a midrange sensitivity and a lowpass sensitivity for a transfer function derived from a spectrum of the input signal and a spectrum of the output signal; subtracting the midrange sensitivity from the lowpass sensitivity to obtain a speaker-related sensitivity; performing an iterative search for current parameters of a speaker model using the input signal spectrum, the stimulus signal spectrum and the speaker-related sensitivity; and updating averages of the speaker model parameters using the current parameter values. The stimulus signal may be transmitted during periods of silence in the external environment. The parameter averages may be used to perform echo cancellation.
US07720227B2
It takes time for an encryption data communication system to transfer encrypted data, because negotiations of security parameters are necessary prior to communications in order to protect security and integrity of a SIP message or public key cryptography is required to be used for an encryption process, a decryption process., an digital signature process and an digital digital signature verification process each time a SIP message is transmitted/received. When a SIP message is transferred between two entities, the message is encrypted by shared information if the information is being shared between the entities, or the message is encrypted by the public key of the transmission destination entity if the shared information is not being shared. The encrypted message contains shared information to be used for the transmission destination entity of the encrypted data to encrypt or decrypt the message, during communications after the encrypted data is generated.
US07720226B2
A method and apparatus for secure transmission of an information-containing optical signal. An optical signal is divided into a first plurality of sub-bands. Each of the sub-bands is modified to encrypt the information contained in the optical signal. The modified sub-bands are combined into a combined optical signal. The combined optical signal is divided into a second plurality of sub-bands. Each of the second plurality of sub-bands is modified to decrypt the previously encrypted information contained in the optical signal.
US07720224B2
A method for processing an analog video signal that represents a work for which rights information is asserted. The signal includes a rights assertion mark (RAM) in the video portion of the signal within the visible picture such that capture of the picture will include the mark. The signal also includes copy control information (CCI) bits in the vertical blanking interval of the signal for representing copying and redistribution rules. If the RAM is present and the CCI bits are present, then the copying and redistribution rules represented by the CCI bits are applied. If the RAM is present but the CCI bits are not, then the most restrictive copying and redistribution rules that can be represented by the CCI bits are applied.
US07720219B1
An apparatus and method for implementing a hash algorithm word buffer. In one embodiment, a cryptographic unit may include hash logic configured to compute a hash value of a data block according to a hash algorithm, where the hash algorithm includes a plurality of iterations, and where the data block includes a plurality of data words. The cryptographic unit may further include a word buffer comprising a plurality of data word positions and configured to store the data block during computing by the hash logic, where subsequent to the hash logic computing one of the iterations of the hash algorithm, the word buffer is further configured to linearly shift the data block by one or more data word positions according to the hash algorithm. The hash algorithm may be dynamically selectable from a plurality of hash algorithms.
US07720214B2
Studies of call center activities are performed by using a tool having timer buttons for timing call activities during a live or recorded call. Code values are assigned to specific activities and activity subtypes. The calls are assigned to a plurality of reviewers who gather data using the tool. Reviewer data is consolidated into a master database. The data is normalized with agent performance ratings. The normalized data is analyzed statistically to determine leverage points for improvement.
US07720212B1
An audio conferencing system includes sending a signal of a sound at a sound location to a listening location. The system further includes establishing a relationship between a virtual listening location and a virtual sound location. The system processes the signal to provide a sound at the listening location seeming to have an analogous relationship between the listening location and the sound location as the relationship between the virtual listening location and the virtual sound location.
US07720206B2
A system, method and computer program product for extracting information from a telecommunications invoice is provided. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method may include: receiving a telecommunications invoice data stream in a first data format; analyzing the telecommunications invoice data stream to determine the first data format; modeling the telecommunications invoice data stream; and mapping the modeled telecommunications invoice data stream to a normalized data format. According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the method may include: where the modeling of the telecommunications invoice data stream may further include any of: creating a model for the first data format; modeling the telecommunications invoice data stream according to the model; and/or modeling the telecommunications invoice data stream with an intelligent adapter.
US07720203B2
Systems and methods for processing speech are provided. A system may include an acoustic model to transform speech input into one or more word strings. The system may also include a semantic model to convert each of the one or more word strings into a detected object and a detected action. The system may also include a synonym table to determine a preferred object based on the detected object and to determine a preferred action based on the detected action.
US07720202B1
A method and apparatus for testing telephone sets to determine their sound quality comprising a system for repeatedly applying a sequence of pulse tones to a test telephone where the respective tone frequencies are different and within the normal human voice range.
US07720192B2
An X-ray fluorescence (XRF) apparatus uses both an analyzer crystal (6) and a silicon drift detector (34). By using this combination problems of background and overlapping peaks can be mitigated.
US07720191B2
This invention relates to a computer tomography apparatus, especially to a computer tomography apparatus intended for use in connection with odontological diagnostics. In the computer tomography apparatus according to the invention, it is essential that one has arranged thereto, in addition to a computer tomography imaging station, a second imaging station comprising second patient support means 16′ at a distance from said computer tomography imaging station. The invention enables more versatile odontological imaging than prior art apparatuses, whereby one does not have to acquire to the clinic, in addition to the computer tomography apparatus, e.g. a separate skull-imaging device.
US07720187B2
Methods and apparatus for reducing discrete power spectral density (PSD) components of wideband signals transmitting blocks of data are disclosed. Discrete components are reduced by acquiring N symbols of pseudo-random data, each symbol having K bits; selecting one bit from each of the acquired symbols to generate N selected bits; selectively inverting a respective element in one of the data blocks responsive to the selected bits; acquiring one or more bits of pseudo-random data to replace a corresponding one or more respective bits of the acquired N symbols of pseudo-random data; and repeating for successive blocks of data.
US07720183B2
A method for ICI self-cancellation and ICI reconstruction and cancellation is introduced. The method includes receiving input signals; receiving boundary information regarding a length q of an ISI-free region of the received signals; selecting a plurality of ISI-free signals from the received signals; combining the plurality of ISI-free signals to provide combined signals z(n); performing FFT operations on the combined signals to provide output signals Z(k); reconstructing ICI based on the output signals Z(k) and the length q of the ISI-free region of the input signals r(n) in order to provide an estimated ICI; subtracting the estimated ICI from the output signals Z(k) to provide a cancelled signal W(k); performing a channel estimation for the cancelled signal W(k); equalizing the cancelled signal W(k) to provide an equalized signal; and de-mapping the equalized signal to provide a de-mapped signal d(k).
US07720182B2
An apparatus and method for correcting a frequency offset in a satellite digital video broadcasting system includes a frequency response transformer for receiving a satellite digital video broadcasting signal and acquiring frequency responses divided into positive and negative frequency parts; a rotation/difference value calculation unit for selecting a frequency response inputted from the frequency response transformer and calculating a first value indicating a difference in area without rotation for the selected frequency response, and calculating a second value indicating a difference in area with rotation for the remaining frequency responses; a zero intersection point calculator for dividing an average slope of a straight line formed by the first and second values by the first value, and calculating a zero intersection point of an area difference value on the straight line; and a frequency offset estimator for correcting the zero intersection point to thereby estimate the frequency offset.
US07720177B2
A known sequence of symbols is located within a transmitted sequence of symbols by estimating the phase differences between offset symbols within a portion or more of the transmitted sequence, estimating the phase differences between offset symbols in the known sequence, and determining that the symbols within the portion or more of the transmitted sequence are the known sequence if the phase difference estimates determined from the symbols within the portion or more of the transmitted sequence are substantially equal to the phase difference estimates determined from the known sequence.
US07720176B2
In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having multiple transmission paths, including a first transmission path configured to receive and process baseband data in a first mode of operation to generate a radio frequency (RF) signal for output via a common output path, and a second transmission path configured to receive and process the baseband data in a second mode of operation to generate the RF signal for output via the common output path.
US07720175B2
A Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) reduction apparatus and method in an OFDM communication system are provided. In the PAPR reduction method, magnitude and phase components are extracted from transmission sample data. Peaks having magnitude components exceeding a threshold are detected by comparing the extracted magnitude components with the threshold. The highest of the peaks is detected and compared with the threshold. If the highest peak is greater than the threshold, the highest peak is updated.
US07720173B2
An apparatus and method for transmitting/receiving data in a multi-user multi-antenna communication system is provided. A data transmitting apparatus and method computes a TX filter of a transmitter in an improved scheme and transmits the computed TX filter to a receiver in a one-way channel sounding scheme. A data receiving apparatus and method receives the TX filter over a channel and uses the product of the received TX filter and a channel matrix as an RX filter.
US07720166B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, apparatus and system of decoding spatially multiplexed signals. In some demonstrative embodiments the method may include, for example, determining one or more hypothetical values of a transmitted signal of a set of transmitted signals based on one or more respective sets of hypothetical values assigned to a subset of the set of transmitted signals. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07720162B2
Techniques for efficiently performing partial FFT for subcarriers of interest are described. The N total subcarriers may be arranged into M sets. Each set may contain K subcarriers uniformly distributed across the N total subcarriers, where M·K=N. For the partial FFT, pre-processing is initially performed on time-domain samples to obtain intermediate samples. The pre-processing may include performing M-point FFTs on the time-domain samples and multiplying the FFT outputs with unit complex values. For each set of subcarriers of interest, a K-point FFT is performed on a set of intermediate samples to obtain a set of frequency-domain symbols for that set of subcarriers. Since K is typically much smaller than N, substantial savings in computation and power may be realized when only one or few sets of subcarriers are of interest.
US07720151B2
This invention is a method for speeding up block matching based motion estimation for video encoder. The invention 1) calculates statistics for a candidate motion vector for a predetermined fraction of the pixels of a macroblock, 2) makes an early decision based on this preliminary cost function, and 3) terminates the block matching process without calculating the cost function for other pixels if the preliminary cost function is not less than a predetermined threshold. This early decision for goodness estimation provides an economy of processing load when a large portion of data is left untouched (i.e. unprocessed). The present invention employs feedback control to reduce the predetermined threshold for quick convergence upon each detection of a better match.
US07720142B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for decision-feedback equalization with global minimum convergence. A threshold position of one or more DFE latches employed by a decision-feedback equalizer is determined by obtaining a plurality of samples of a single-sided data eye using at least one decision latch and at least one roaming latch; comparing the samples obtained by the at least one decision latch and at least one roaming latch to identify an upper and lower voltage boundary of the single-sided data eye; and determining a threshold position of the one or more DFE latches based on the upper and lower voltage boundaries. The comparison can optionally comprise obtaining an exclusive or (XOR) of the samples obtained by the at least one decision latch and at least one roaming latch. The XOR comparison positions an opening for the single-sided data eye at a zero hit count.
US07720136B2
A method for communication over a communication link, which includes a transmitter and a receiver, includes transmitting and receiving data, which is encoded using a specified forward error correction (FEC) code, modulated using a specified modulation scheme and transmitted at a given power level.One or more parameters of the communication link are monitored. A condition, which is based on values of one or more of the parameters monitored at a plurality of historical time instants, is evaluated. At least one feature of the transmitted data, selected from a group of features consisting of the FEC code, the modulation scheme and the power level, is modified based on the condition.
US07720135B2
Disclosed are a system, method and device for negotiating a data transmission mode over an attachment unit interface (DDI). A data transceiver circuit may be coupled to one or more data lanes of the DDI. A negotiation section may receive a link pulse signal on at least one data lane in the DDI during a negotiation period and selectively configure the data transceiver to transmit and receive data on one or more data lanes according to a data transmission mode based upon the received link pulse signal.
US07720134B2
A wireless CDMA communication system receiver receives a stream of chips generated by spreading data symbols formed by grouping bits of information at a wireless CDMA communication transmitter which are broadcast at a certain chip-rate. The received chips are de-spread and symbols pertaining to respective users are reconstructed. The stream of chips are formatted into blocks of chips, and an iterative block decision feedback equalization is performed in a frequency domain at the chip-rate of the broadcast stream of chips to remove inter-symbol interference by defining a transfer function. The chips generated are interleaved by spreading each data symbol being transmitted before broadcasting the stream of interleaved chips in distinct blocks of chips.
US07720129B2
The present invention discloses a frequency-hopping carrier generator, which comprises a current source, a ramp generator and a switch power amplifier. The current source generates a first current; the first current is output to the ramp generator. The output of the ramp generator is coupled to a capacitor to generate a ramp voltage. The ramp voltage is connected to a voltage detection/direction control device and a PWM module. The PWM module receives an audio input signal and generates a PWM signal. When receiving a ramp voltage, the voltage detection/direction control device outputs a control signal to the ramp generator and a counter. The counter is coupled to a digital-control current source. According to the value of the counter, the digital-control current source outputs a second current to the ramp generator. The second current is merged with the first current. The merged current is used to charge/discharge the capacitor. The input end of the switch power amplifier receives a signal from the PWM module and modulates the audio input signal to output a class-D signal.
US07720124B2
A semiconductor device includes a first nitride semiconductor layer formed on a substrate and a second nitride semiconductor layer formed on the first nitride semiconductor layer so as to be in contact with the first nitride semiconductor layer. The first nitride semiconductor layer contains a p-type impurity. The second nitride semiconductor layer contains an n-type impurity and a p-type impurity. In the second nitride semiconductor layer, the concentration of the n-type impurity is higher than the concentration of the p-type impurity.
US07720120B2
A laser control system contains an oscillator gas chamber and an amplifier gas chamber. A first voltage input is operatively connected to deliver electrical pulses to a first pair of electrodes within the oscillator gas chamber and a second pair of electrodes within the amplifier gas chamber. An output of the gas chambers is an energy dose calculated by a trapezoidal window. A control circuit connects to the first voltage input for modifying the first voltage input. A feedback control loop communicates an output of the gas chambers to the control circuit for modifying the first voltage input.
US07720111B2
The present invention provides for a method and apparatus for carrying out connection and related input/output processing functions in a Sinchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH/SONET) transport node (network), in which the payload switching matrices (e.g. MSPC and HPC matrices for an High Order VC system) collapse into one single functional block (MTRX), while the Virtual Container (VCs) monitoring functions (HVC_RX, HVC_TX) are shifted to the Input/Output position of the matrices.
US07720110B2
A method to perform a cycle synchronization between interconnected sub-networks, in which a reference node connected to one of the sub-networks transmits a respective cycle time information to cycle masters of all other sub-networks at recurring time instants, and the cycle masters of all other sub-networks adjust their cycle time accordingly. An adjustment of the cycle time within a cycle master is performed by determining a first time interval (t1, t1′) in-between two receptions of cycle time information from the reference node with an own clock, determining a second time interval (t2, t2′) in-between two corresponding transmissions of cycle time information from the reference node on basis of the received cycle time information, comparing the first time interval (t1, t1′) and the second time interval (t2, t2′), and adjusting the own cycle length according to the comparison result.
US07720105B2
For switching or transmitting data packets, one can provide communication systems which consist of several modules —operating in parallel on segments of a packet —to increase speed and handling capacity. One module acts as master, others are slave modules controlled by control signals derived by the master module. It is important to correctly synchronize in each module the data segment and the respective control signal of each packet, because in large systems the data paths carrying packet segments and the control signal paths may have substantially different delays. The invention provides for measurement of the propagation delay differences and for introducing a controlled delay in each slave module, so that data segments and control signals can be correctly correlated by delaying either the one or the other. Synchronization packets are transmitted besides normal data packets, for obtaining time stamps which are used to determine the delay difference.
US07720097B2
A communication apparatus that is connected to an information processing apparatus is provided. The communication apparatus includes: an information processing apparatus discovery unit configured to discover the information processing apparatus; a secure communication packet conversion unit configured to convert a non-secure communication packet transmitted by the discovered information processing apparatus into a secure communication packet; and a non-secure communication packet conversion unit configured to convert the secure communication packet destined for the information processing apparatus into the non-secure communication packet.
US07720086B2
Systems and methods for distributed overlay multi-channel MAC for wireless ad hoc networks are described. In one aspect, the systems and methods divide channel frequencies defined by a wireless network protocol into a single home channel and multiple guest channels that are orthogonal to the home channel. Each of the network nodes in the ad hoc network operates on the home channel for respective variable and overlapping amounts of time to maintain network connectivity with other respective network nodes. Additionally, each of the network nodes determines whether and when to switch from the home channel to a particular guest channel of the guest channels for a variable amount of time to increase data throughput over one or more corresponding communication links in the ad hoc network with other network node(s).
US07720065B2
A method and apparatus for biasing of network node packet prioritization based on packet content. The method may include marking a packet of data from a data stream of packets. The packet can be marked with a packet type such that subsequent nodes determine the relative priority of the packet with respect to other packets from the same data stream based on the packet type marking. The marked packet can then be transmitted. According to a related corresponding embodiment, a method can include receiving a packet at a node in a network, the node including a plurality of packet queues including a higher priority queue and a lower priority queue. The relative priority of the packet can be determined relative to other packets from the same packet source and intended for the same destination, where the relative priority can be based on the contents of the packet. The relative priority may also be based on a marking of the packet. The packet can be assigned to a higher priority queue based on a higher relative priority of the packet. The assigned packet can then be transmitted.
US07720063B2
A TCP acceleration apparatus includes input queues each having a service level and storing at least one session packet list having packets from a same TCP session. The apparatus also includes a distributor connected to the input queues and to the client and configured to retrieve a session packet from a session packet list at a top of an input queue for transmission to the client. The input queue at the service level selected by the distributor moves the session packet list at a top of the input queue to a bottom of the input queue after the session packet is retrieved by the distributor. Acceleration apparatuses including other features, as well as a method, computer program product and system for TCP acceleration are also discussed.
US07720061B1
Techniques are described for configuration of a multi-chassis router for managing periodic communications between the multi-chassis router and other network devices. The multi-chassis router selectively processes data received from a network by determine whether the data: (1) indicates an operational state of a network device in association with a routing protocol, or (2) conveys routing information for the routing protocol. Data conveying routing information are processed by a master routing component of the multi-chassis router, while data indicating an operational state of a network device are processed by one or more slave routing components of the multi-chassis router. The techniques also allow the multi-chassis router to allocate responsibility for managing periodic communications for the set of routing protocols among a plurality of hierarchically arranged cooperative routing components within the multi-chassis router, such as switch card chassis, line card chassis, or interface cards within each line card chassis.
US07720060B2
An information dissemination system has at least one node acting as a data source, at least one node acting as a data recipient, and an information layer residing on all of the nodes in a system. The information layer receives a generic utility function from an application on the node acting as a data source wanting to propagate information, uses the generic utility function at the node acting as data source to produce a microutility and uses the microutility on non-data source nodes of the system to propagate the information through the system to any recipients based upon the microutility.
US07720048B2
This invention relates to the allocation of communication channels. The idea of the invention is to form different channel groups with a group specific identifier in the IP network side of a network element between a PSTN and IP network. Each group represents a certain type of channel, for example, alarm calls, area codes, companies, etc. The PSTN network side of the net-work element forms a single group due to the need of a unique SPC. A channel is associated with the right group according to the information of the calling or called party in the call signaling, such as an E.164 number or a signaling IP address. The information is linked to the group identifier.
US07720040B2
Seamless wireless mobility is described. In one embodiment, a mobility manager can query a subscriber catalog for a current registration status of handset. The mobility manager can then use the registration status to send a first signal to the handset over either a wireless network or an Internet protocol-based network.
US07720032B2
A method for management of real-time system algorithms to achieve optimal efficiency which provides for dynamically managing priorities in a complex real-time system, considering the dynamic requirements of the system. A preferred embodiment describes the management of a plurality of RRM algorithms, including algorithms for SCC escape, LM escape, SCC rate control, and F-DCA background. More specifically, one exemplary embodiment assists in deciding: when to increase algorithm priorities, how to increase/decrease algorithm priorities, how to assign priority parameters, and how to dynamically manage priorities in the system, to result in optimal system efficiency.
US07720014B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for managing an SCH in an MS in a mobile communication system are provided. The MS receives an SCH assignment message notifying assignment of the SCH from a BS. If the duration of the SCH expires, the MS receives at least one more frame on the SCH and performs an error check on the at least one frame. If the at least one frame turns out to not be erroneous in the error check, the MS extends the duration of the SCH.
US07720012B1
A system, method, and apparatus for identifying a speaker of an utterance, particularly when the utterance has portions of it missing due to packet losses. Different packet loss models are applied to each speaker's training data in order to improve accuracy, especially for small packet sizes.
US07720009B2
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to the identification of virtual private network (VPN) topologies. In an example embodiment, a plurality of edge routers associated with a network may be discovered, each edge router including one or more virtual routing and forwarding entities (VRFs). One or more route targets (RTs) associated with each of the VRFs may be determined, wherein corresponding RTs between two or more VRFs are associated with connectivity between the two or more VRFs via the network. The VRFs may be sorted into one or more groups based upon the corresponding RTs of the VRFs. A representative VRF (rVRF) may be identified for each of the one or more groups of VRFs. The rVRFs may be sorted into one or more VPNs and a topology for each VPN may be determined.
US07720005B2
A method for estimating the network-layer topology of a telecommunications network is described. In particular, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention estimates the existence and connectivity of nodes in the topology based on the detection of network-wide end-to-end path intersections. This is based on the assumption that pairs of streams of packets that share a common node will interfere and that the interference can be detected in the received streams. In general, this interference is manifested as jitter. By transmitting streams on each pair of end-to-end paths in the network, and detecting interference (or a lack of interference) a matrix of path intersections for the network can be created. Using logic and supposition, the topology of the network can be estimated using the matrix of path intersections. Once the estimate of the topology is complete, the maintenance and operation of the network can proceed based on the topology.
US07720004B2
A method for estimating the network-layer topology of a telecommunications network is described. In particular, the illustrative embodiment of the present invention estimates the existence and connectivity of nodes in the topology based on the detection of network-wide end-to-end path intersections. This is based on the assumption that pairs of streams of packets that share a common node will interfere and that the interference can be detected in the received streams. In general, this interference is manifested as jitter. By transmitting streams on each pair of end-to-end paths in the network, and detecting interference (or a lack of interference) a matrix of path intersections for the network can be created. Using logic and supposition, the topology of the network can be estimated using the matrix of path intersections. Once the estimate of the topology is complete, the maintenance and operation of the network can proceed based on the topology.
US07720002B1
A system includes a first device and a second device. The first device is configured to transmit a discover message on a first upstream channel, where the discover message includes information representing capabilities of the first device. The second device is configured to receive the discover message from the first device and determine whether to switch the first device to a second upstream channel based on the capabilities information in the discover message. The second device makes the determination before a registration of the first device. The second device transmits a message to the first device instructing the first device to switch to the second upstream channel based on a result of the determination.
US07719994B2
A method of determining distances between communication nodes. The method includes transmitting an initial communication frame from a first node to at least one second node. The initial communication frame includes a frame preamble, first data and a first switch point. The method further includes synchronizing a local clock of the at least one second node based on the frame preamble. Switching the at least one second node to a transmitting node based on the received switch point. Transmitting a subsequent communication frame from the at least one second node to the first node. The subsequent communication frame includes a ranging preamble, second data and a second switch point. The method continues by synchronizing a local clock in the first node based on the ranging preamble from the at least one second node and determining the range between the first node and the second node based on the ranging preamble.
US07719989B2
A routing method for an ad hoc network is disclosed, the network comprising two or more nodes (A, B, C, D, E, F), and the method comprising: sending a message from a start node (A) to a finish node (F) via one or more intermediate nodes (B, C, D, E); each of the start node (A) and intermediate nodes (B, C, D, E) receiving an acknowledgement signal (AckB, AckC, AckD, AckE, AckF) from a one-hop neighboring node when the one-hop neighboring node receives the message from the start node (A;F) or intermediate nodes (B, C, D, E) and, in the case of the one-hop neighboring node not being the finish node (F), the start node and intermediate nodes receiving an acknowledgement signal (AckC, AckD, AckE, AckF) from a two-hop neighboring node when the two-hop neighboring node receives the message from the one-hop neighboring node.
US07719978B2
The invention is concerned with the transmission of streaming scalable data, particularly video data, through lossy communication channels, for applications in which limited retransmission is possible, and the associated reception and decoding of transmitted data. The PET (Priority Encoding Transmission) framework is used and the invention exploits both unequal error protection and limited retransmission. Each element in the scalable representation of each frame can be transmitted in one or both of two transmission slots, depending on the availability of the data received from the first of the two transmission slots. An optimization algorithm determines the level of protection which should be assigned to each element in each slot, subject to transmission bandwidth constraints. To balance the protection assigned to elements which are being transmitted for the first time with those which are being retransmitted, the proposed algorithm in preferred embodiments formulates a collection of hypotheses concerning its own behavior in future transmission slots.
US07719973B2
Packet scheduling apparatus schedules packets of data for transmission from a transmitter such as a Note B to a plurality of receivers such as a plurality of UEs via at least one channel, for example in a high-speed downlink packet access system (HSDPA). A first measures producing unit produces first measures of scheduling performance in at least two different aspects. A decision unit employs a weighted combination of the first measures to decide the receiver(s) to which packets are to be transmitted. The weighted combination is produced by combining the first measures according to respective corresponding weights. A second measures producing unit produces at least one second measure of scheduling performance. A classifying unit classifies the weights for the or each second measure into at least two different classes of weights according to a probable influence the weight is expected to have on the second measure concerned. A weight adapting unit employs the or each second measure, together with the classification of the weights for the or each second measure, to adapt the weights.
US07719970B1
Integrated circuits compliant with a serial communications protocol with optional features are provided. The optional features include control plane features such as flow control, retry-on-error, clock tolerance compensation, and idle codes and include data path features such as streaming and packetized data modes, configurable data ports and user-defined data channel multiplexing. An integrated circuit compliant with the protocol can transmit streaming data with or without clock tolerance compensation codes. A priority data port can be used to implement retry-on-error functions while user-defined data channels carry user data. The data ports can be individually configured to perform different levels of cyclic redundancy checking. Logic design tools are used to create compliant circuits and systems.
US07719957B2
A system for providing resilient multimedia broadcasting services over a VPLS network is described. A Network Management System (NMS) calculates disjoint minimum cost trees using the Steiner algorithm, executed with extra steps to result in disjoint trees. Destination PE routers in the VPLS network are connected to the disjoint trees so that they can be serviced by either tree in case of a fault. Each of the disjoint trees is provisioned with enough bandwidth to carry all of the services provided by the VPLS network. Under normal operation, however, the services are distributed evenly over the trees. In the event of a fault, the services on a faulty tree are switched to another tree using split horizon bridging. Each Steiner tree can also be realized using point-to-multipoint LSPs which is fully protected by a precomputed point-to-multipoint LSP.
US07719953B2
A substrate in which a minute ruggedness structure including columnar projections is formed in a track shape is prepared. The pitch of the columnar projections of the ruggedness structure is set such that a plurality of the columnar projections is within a beam spot. A flat portion is disposed between adjacent tracks. A reflecting layer is formed on the substrate. The flat portion becomes a mirror surface because of the formation of the reflecting layer. The reflectance of the ruggedness structure becomes significantly lower than the reflectance of the flat portion. When the ruggedness structure is irradiated with high-power laser light, a portion of the ruggedness structure is raised to a reflecting layer side and flattened. At this time, reflectance of the raised portion becomes higher than reflectance of a non-raised portion. When a track including the ruggedness structure is irradiated with high-power pulse laser light, signal recording based on a change in reflectance is possible.
US07719951B2
The data recording device comprises a network of carbon nanotubes formed on a flat substrate and constituting microtips operating in conjunction with a substantially flat storage medium. The carbon nanotubes are initially inclined by a predetermined angle comprised between 5° and 40° with respect to the plane of the substrate. The nanotubes flex when they come into contact with the storage medium, parallel to the substrate. The substrate preferably comprises a raised structure designed to act as support for the free ends of the nanotubes to bear on.
US07719949B2
An optical head includes a blue color laser beam sources, a red color laser beam sources, a dichroic prism, a collimator lens, a beam splitter, an objective lens, a photo detector element, a detection lens, and a hologram element having a first hologram and a second hologram and the first hologram changes a phase of a +1st order diffraction light of a blue color laser beam so that its condensing point falls on a second photo detecting portion and the second hologram changes a phase of a −1st order diffraction light of a red color laser beam so that its condensing point falls on a third photo detecting portion.
US07719946B2
A method and device for recording multiple information volumes on a record carrier, usually called multi-session recording, has a mapping unit (31) for opening a session by recording intro data including a first buffer zone at the beginning of the start zone of the volume, and a session control block (SDCB) in a remaining blank area of the start zone after the buffer zone. The session control block includes volume data indicative of the status and the contents of the session. The session is closed by recording session control data indicating that the information volume is closed in the remaining blank area, and closure data after the last user information recorded in the data zone for constituting the end zone of the volume. Further, the device has a detecting unit (32) for retrieving the session control block from said start zone.
US07719929B2
When the user designates the reproduction of searching audio data, the designated searching audio data and audio volume data are read from a searching data recording portion. The searching audio data is reproduced corresponding to the audio volume data. When the user designates the reproduction of main audio data, the selected audio data is read from a disc and reproduced. In addition, number-of-reproduction-times data, audio volume data, audio quality data, and time period data for the designated main audio data that are updated in the searching data storing portion. The searching audio data corresponding to the designated main audio data is read from the disc corresponding to the audio quality data and the time period data and recorded to the searching data storing portion.
US07719927B1
A medicine bottle for reminding a patient to take a dosage of medicine at a prescribed time includes a disposable bottle and a corresponding disposable cap. The system further includes a mechanism for recording and playing back instructions to take the medicine dosage at the prescribed time and an amplifier electrically coupled directly to the audio recording and playback device, and a transducer electrically coupled to the amplifier. A mechanism is further included for selectively unlocking the lock actuator from a locked position when a present time is within a predetermined number of hours of the prescribed time.
US07719926B2
A slotted cylinder acoustic transducer has a crescent-shaped insert disposed between a ceramic stack assembly and s cylindrical housing shell. In some embodiments, all of the ceramic elements in the ceramic stack assembly can have the same shape.
US07719924B2
This invention refers to a sonic and/or ultrasonic generator for emission in air with a power capacity and certain radiation characteristics which permit the necessary acoustic levels (>170 dB ref. 2.10−4 μbar) to be obtained in a way that is safe and controlled for the mechanical breakage of high consistency bubbles constituting industrial foams.
US07719923B2
Implementations of various techniques for a seismic inversion method. In one implementation, the method may include estimating a wavelet of a recorded seismic trace at a well location, transforming the recorded seismic trace to a relative seismic impedance trace, estimating a low frequency model trace using the relative seismic impedance trace and adding the low frequency model trace to the relative seismic impedance trace to generate an absolute trace.
US07719907B2
A semiconductor memory device is capable of performing a normal operation, while detecting an internal voltage without a special bonding method during a test mode. The semiconductor memory device comprises a switching unit and an internal reference voltage generating unit. The switching unit transfers one of an internal and an external reference voltages according to whether a test mode is being performed, wherein the external reference voltage is input from outside of the semiconductor memory device. The internal reference voltage generating unit generates the internal reference voltage having the same level of the external reference voltage to thereby supply the internal reference inside the semiconductor memory device during the test mode.
US07719905B2
A semiconductor memory device has a memory cell having a hierarchical bit line structure for large capacity even in a small cell size. The semiconductor memory device comprises a unit cell configured to read/write data, a cell data sensing unit configured to adjust a current amount of a main bit line depending on a sensing voltage of a sub bit line when data are sensed, and a write control unit configured to store data in the corresponding unit cell depending on a current level applied from the main bit line to the sub bit line.
US07719899B2
An integrated circuit bit line driver system includes a plurality of bit line drivers coupled to respective bit lines of an array of non-volatile memory cells. Each of the bit line drivers includes a bias transistor through which an input signal is coupled to the respective bit line. The bit line driver system includes a bias voltage circuit that generates a bias voltage that is coupled to the respective gates of the bias transistors. The bias voltage circuit initially accelerates the charging of the transistor gates, and subsequently completes charging the gates at a slower rate. The bias voltage is generated using a diode-coupled transistor having electrical characteristics the match those of the bias transistors so that the bias voltage varies with process or temperature variations of the integrated circuit in the same manner as the threshold voltage of the bias transistors vary with process or temperature variations.
US07719894B2
The capacitive coupling between two adjacent bitlines of a NAND memory device may be exploited for boosting the voltage of bitlines that are not to be programmed in order to inhibit program operations on them. The even (odd) bitlines that include cells not to be programmed are biased with a first voltage for inhibiting them from being programmed while the even (odd) bitlines that include cells to be programmed are grounded. The adjacent odd (even) bitlines are biased at the supply voltage or at an auxiliary voltage for boosting the bias voltage of the even (odd) bitlines above the supply voltage. The bias voltage of the even (odd) bitlines that include cells not to be programmed is boosted because of the relevant parasitic coupling capacitances between adjacent bitlines.
US07719893B2
Provided are a nonvolatile memory and an apparatus and method for deciding data validity for the same, in which validity of data stored in the nonvolatile memory can be decided. The nonvolatile memory includes a memory cell storing data bits in a plurality of pages included in a predetermined block through a plurality of states realized by at least two bits. The block includes a first page in which data bits for determining validity of data bits written by a user are stored, and a second page in which the data bits written by the user are stored.
US07719887B2
A radiation tolerant circuit, structure of the circuit and method of autonomic radiation event device protection. The circuit includes a charge storage node connected to a resistor, the resistor comprising a material having an amorphous state and a crystalline state, the amorphous state having a higher resistance than the crystalline state, the material reversibly convertible between the amorphous state and the crystalline state by application of heat; an optional resistive heating element proximate to the resistor; and means for writing data to the charge storage node and means for reading data from the charge storage node.
US07719884B2
According to one embodiment of the present invention, and integrated circuit having a cell arrangement is provided. The cell arrangement includes: at least one reference memory cell set to a reference memory cell state; and a bias supplier to supply a bias condition to the reference memory cell when accessing the memory cell, such that the bias condition increases the stability of the set reference memory cell state.
US07719883B2
A magnetoresistive element, in particular a memory element or a logic element and a method for writing information to such an element are disclosed. The element comprises a first contact of ferromagnetic material and a corresponding layer of magnetoelectric or ferromagnetic material, whereby the first contact is magnetically polarized, depending on an antiferromagnetic boundary surface polarization of the first layer. Said magnetic polarization forms binary information.
US07719882B2
Disclosed herein is a technique for created an advanced MRAM array for constructing a memory integrated circuit chip. More specifically, the disclosed principles provide for an integrated circuit memory chip comprised of a combination of at least one of an array of high-speed magnetic memory cells, and at least one of an array of high-density magnetic memory cells. Accordingly, a memory chip constructed as disclosed herein provides the benefit of both high-speed and high-density memory cells on the same memory chip. As a result, applications benefiting from the use of (or perhaps even needing) high-speed memory cells are provided by the memory cells in the high-speed memory cell array.
US07719874B2
A passive element memory device is provided that includes memory cells comprised of a state change element in series with a steering element. Controlled pulse operations are used to perform resistance changes associated with set and reset operations in an array of memory cells. Selected memory cells in an array are switched to a target resistance state in one embodiment by applying a positive voltage pulse to selected first array lines while applying a negative voltage pulse to selected second array lines. An amplitude of voltage pulses can be increased while being applied to efficiently and safely switch the resistance of cells having different operating characteristics. The cells are subjected to reverse biases in embodiments to lower leakage currents and increase bandwidth. The amplitude and duration of voltage pulses are controlled, along with the current applied to selected memory cells in some embodiments. These controlled pulse-based operations can be used to set memory cells to a lower resistance state or reset memory cells to a higher resistance state in various embodiments.
US07719870B2
The object of the invention is to avoid an unselected data line being driven in a memory array composed of memory cells each of which uses a storage element depending upon variable resistance and a selection transistor when the selection transistors in all memory cells on a selected wordline conduct. To achieve the object, a source line parallel to a data line is provided, a precharge circuit for equipotentially driving both and a circuit for selectively driving the source line are arranged. Owing to this configuration, a current path is created in only a cell selected by a row decoder and a column decoder and a read-out signal can be generated. Therefore, a lower-power, lower-noise and more highly integrated nonvolatile memory such as a phase change memory can be realized, compared with a conventional type.
US07719867B2
A voltage transformer with a sequentially switchable voltage selection circuit is provided for converting input electrical energy through the sequentially switchable voltage selection circuit, which is arranged within the transformer body with its two ends electrically connected to an input port and an output port respectively, into one of a plurality of output voltage values and outputting the electrical energy. When it is desired to regulate an output voltage, a connection device must be plugged in a socket portion on the transformer body to initialize a micro control unit through feedback to change a voltage value sent to a voltage transformation unit, and in turn change the voltage of output electrical energy until a display device displays an ideal output voltage value. Then, the user removes the connection device, and the voltage value of the input electrical energy is converted into corresponding to the selected predetermined voltage value to output the electrical energy.
US07719863B2
An active start judgment circuit is electrically connected to an AC/DC transforming power supply which has at least one standby power unit to transform AC to DC in regular conditions and a main power unit to transform the AC to the DC in an ON condition for operation of an electronic equipment. The start judgment circuit bridges the standby power unit and the main power unit, and generates a reference potential based on a voltage output from the standby power unit, and gets a power signal from the standby power unit to be compared with the reference potential to output a start signal to the main power unit to transform the AC to the DC. Thus the standby power unit can actively drive the main power unit to supply DC power to activate the electronic equipment.
US07719862B2
A power factor correction circuit (42/44) responsive to an input power supply signal at an input supply voltage (VAC) that varies largely sinusoidally with time at a fundamental supply frequency contains regulator/control circuitry (60, 62, and 64) for measuring and removing overtones (ILDm or IFWRm) in the input supply current (ILD) or in a rectified form (IFWR) of the input supply current. Each overtone is expressible as the product of an amplitude component (Im) and a sinusoidal function (Im sin [(m+1)ωACt]) that varies with time at an integer multiple of the fundamental supply frequency. The regulator/control circuitry measures an overtone by determining the overtone's amplitude component. After generating an adjustment factor (SADJ) largely as the product of that overtone's amplitude component and an associated sinusoidal function, the regulator/control circuitry adjusts the input supply current or its rectified form by an amount corresponding to the adjustment factor for each measured overtone.
US07719861B2
A circuit for transmitting signals includes a transformer having an input side and an output side, the input side having a first end and a second end. A first transistor is coupled to the first end of the transformer, the first transistor being configured to provide a first signal to the first end in response to an input signal transitioning to a first state. A second transistor is coupled to the second end of the transformer; the second transistor being configured to provide a second signal to the second end in response to the input signal transitioning to a second state. The output side is configured to output differential signals according to the first and second signals applied to the transformer.
US07719853B2
An electrically connecting terminal structure of a circuit board and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The method includes: providing a circuit board defined with first and second predetermined areas; forming the first electrically connecting pad in the first predetermined area and the second electrically connecting pad in a portion of the second predetermined area; forming an insulated protecting layer on the circuit board, forming openings on the insulated protecting layer for exposing the first and second electrically connecting pads and a pad-uncovered portion of the second predetermined area; forming a conductive layer on the insulated protecting layer and forming openings of the insulated protecting layer; forming a resist on the conductive layer, forming openings on the resist above the openings of the insulated protecting layer; and forming first and second metals in the openings above the first and second electrically connecting pads and the pad-uncovered portion of the second predetermined area.
US07719846B2
A plated module is for an IC card and includes a printed circuit having a plurality of conductive areas, delimited by a network of insulating channels, for covering an integrated circuit chip intended to be hosted in a recess of a plastic support of the IC card. At least some of the conductive areas are connected to a corresponding contact points of the integrated circuit chip. At least some of the conductive areas are linked to corresponding extended areas by one or more bridges. The conductive areas are separated from the extended areas by an insulating channel crossed by the bridges. The insulating channels surround the conductive areas as a protection frame for the contact points. At least a major side of at least one of the conductive areas may be curved. Several of the advanced extended areas form a rounded border of the plated module.
US07719841B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor element, a single-layer wiring board on which the semiconductor element is mounted, a connector section located at an end of the single-layer wiring board, a thermally and electrically conductive radiator plate, a relay electrode section formed on the single-layer wiring board, and a connecting member that electrically connects the radiator plate and the relay electrode section together. The single-layer wiring board is structured so that a power supply potential and/or a ground potential received by the connector section is transmitted through a path comprising the radiator plate, the relay electrode section, and the connecting member to the semiconductor element.
US07719839B2
In an embodiment, a heat conduction apparatus includes a heat sink. A coupling member is located on the heat sink. The coupling member is operable to releaseably and interchangeably couple one of a selected blank member and a cold plate to the heat sink in response to a cooling requirement of the heat sink. In an embodiment, a method of cooling an information handling system includes providing cooling by coupling a heat sink to a heat generating component. The method further provides selectably coupling a blank member to the heat sink providing cooling by a first fluid coolant. The method further provides selectably coupling a cold plate to the heat sink providing cooling by a first fluid coolant and a second fluid coolant.
US07719832B2
A computing device mounting system is described comprising a housing defining a volume and at least one throughhole extending through the housing from a first side of the housing to a second side of the housing; and at least one fastener comprising a first connection mechanism at a first end and a second connection mechanism at a second end, wherein the first connection mechanism of the at least one fastener is arranged to protrude through the at least one throughhole and interfit with a third connection mechanism of a display and wherein the second connection mechanism of the at least one fastener is arranged to interfit with a fourth connection mechanism of a mount.
US07719829B2
An anti-vibration cage (10) for data storage device, includes at least a first securing piece (161) with a first pivot hole (1611) defined therein; at least a second securing piece (163) with a second pivot hole (1631) defined therein, and at least a rotatable damping member (20). A gap (1633) is formed in the second securing piece and communicated with the second pivot hole. The damping member includes a damping portion (25) configured to dampen vibration for the data storage device and a shaft (22) inserted through the damping portion. The shaft has a first end (21) and a second end (23) protruding out from the damping portion respectively. The first end of the shaft is rotatably engaged in the first pivot hole. The second end of the shaft is rotatably engaged in the second pivot hole and releasable from the gap.
US07719824B2
An electronic apparatus includes a housing having a hole, an electronic component disposed adjacent to the hole, and a support fitting that supports the electronic component. The support member has a partition that supports the electronic component and defines a space around the hole in cooperation with an inner wall of the housing.
US07719822B2
An electrolytic capacitor includes an anode lead, a cathode lead and a seat plate. The seat plate has two grooves. The anode lead is bent along one of the grooves in the seat plate to be placed in the groove. The cathode lead is bent along the other groove in the seat plate to be placed in the groove. Accordingly, a space will be formed between the anode lead and the edges of one of the grooves in the seat plate, and likewise, between the cathode lead and the edges of the other groove in the seat plate. The anode lead and the cathode lead are mounted to a substrate with solders, and the electrolytic capacitor is mounted to the substrate. Accordingly, enhanced adhesion of the electrolytic capacitor to substrates is achieved.
US07719787B2
An anti-notch filter in a servo control loop is phase locked to a nonrepeatable runout component of a servo control loop signal. The phase locked anti-notch filter may thereby more effectively track time varying characteristics of the nonrepeatable runout component so that they can be at least partially reduced in the servo control loop signal.
US07719775B2
A lens barrel includes a first tube and second tube, the first tube movable relative to the second tube by rotation of the second tube, an engaging unit disposed on the second tube, and a barrier driving unit disposed on an object side of the first tube that opens and close a barrier. The first tube is relatively moved in an optical axis direction by engaging with the engaging unit. The barrier is opened and closed when a first interlocking unit which is arranged on the barrier driving unit and a second interlocking unit which is arranged on the cam tube are shifted from a non-interlocking state to an interlocking state. When the first interlocking unit and second interlocking unit are in the interlocking state, at least a portion of the first interlocking unit and the engaging unit overlap with each other in a radial direction of the second tube.
US07719772B2
In general, in a first aspect, the invention features a system that includes a microlithography projection optical system. The microlithography projection optical system includes a plurality of elements arranged so that during operation the plurality of elements image radiation at a wavelength λ from an object plane to an image plane. At least one of the elements is a reflective element that has a rotationally-asymmetric surface positioned in a path of the radiation. The rotationally-asymmetric surface deviates from a rotationally-symmetric reference surface by a distance of about λ or more at one or more locations of the rotationally-asymmetric surface.
US07719771B2
A deformable optical element includes an elastically deformable lens. Electrical contacts are directly attached to the elastically deformable lens and configured to receive an applied voltage. The electrical contacts have opposing surfaces configured to develop electrostatic forces in response to the applied voltage. The electrostatic forces deform the elastically deformable lens to create a predetermined optical effect.
US07719768B2
An optical beam splitter arrangement comprising two beam splitter mounts one of which is turnable relative to the other by flexing a deformable connection. By controlling the turn angle of rotation it is possible to use the light reflected by one of the beam splitters to monitor the output power of a laser and to use the light reflected by the other beam splitter to monitor the wavelength transmitted by the laser.
US07719766B2
An illumination source and a method therefor. A light source includes a light circuit configured to process light and direct light, and a lighting element optically coupled to the light circuit to provide multiple colors of light. The light circuit propagates light using light guides. The use of light guides eliminates the use of free space optical elements, enabling the creation of more compact light sources. Furthermore, the use of light guides may enable the creation of light sources with fewer mechanical restrictions, thereby making the light sources potentially more reliable and less expensive.
US07719758B2
In an optical transmission system according to one aspect of the present invention, for transmitting a WDM light from a transmission station to a reception station, utilizing a Raman amplifier, the Raman amplifier comprises: an optical amplification medium; a pumping light source generating a plurality of pumping lights having wavelengths different from each other; an optical device introducing the plurality of pumping lights to the optical amplification medium; and control means for controlling the pumping light source, the transmission station sends out a plurality of reference lights having wavelengths at which respective Raman gain obtained by the plurality of pumping lights reach peaks or wavelengths close to the above wavelengths, and the control means controls the plurality of pumping lights based on the optical powers of the plurality of reference lights. Thus, it becomes possible to accurately manage the optical power balance of the WDM light and the optical power of the entire WDM light.
US07719757B2
A microcapsule includes an electrophoretic dispersion liquid including at least one kind of electrophoretic particle having a polarity, and a capsule body encapsulating the electrophoretic dispersion liquid and made of a polymeric material including one of a nonpolar resin without having a polarity and a resin material having a nonpolar group without having a polarity as a side chain.
US07719752B2
Methods of fabricating a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device with reduced masking and MEMS devices formed by the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a MEMS device is fabricated by laminating a front substrate and a carrier, each of which has components preformed thereon. The front substrate is provided with stationary electrodes formed thereover. A carrier including movable electrodes formed thereover is attached to the front substrate. The carrier of some embodiments is released after transferring the movable electrodes to the front substrate. In other embodiments, the carrier stays over the front substrate, and serves as a backplate for the MEMS device. Features are formed by deposition and patterning, by embossing, or by patterning and etching. In some embodiments in which the MEMS device serves as an interferometric modulator, the front substrate is also provided with black masks to prevent or mitigate bright areas in the actuated state of the MEMS device. Static interferometric modulators can also be formed by shaping or preformation and lamination. The methods not only reduce the manufacturing costs, but also provide a higher yield. The resulting MEMS devices can trap smaller volumes between laminated substrates and are less susceptible to pressure variations and moisture leakage.
US07719749B1
A periscope that is switchable between the normal optical view of the outside, a display view, and an overlay view in which the outside view and display view are combined. The switching element is an electronically switchable mirror with primarily reflective, primarily transparent, and intermediate states, depending on the application of electrical potentials.
US07719748B2
The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for providing switching optical filter. The switching optical filter provides several functionalities at the same time. For example, the filter can be used to remove photons of undesirable wavelength, such as ultraviolet or infrared, while simultaneously switching from and between one mode to another in order to accommodate changing ambient light conditions. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for forming an optical filter, the method comprising: forming a first electrode layer on a substrate; forming an ion conductor layer to at least partially cover the first electrode layer; forming an optically transparent layer over the ion conductor layer, the optically transparent layer preventing transmission of photons having a first wavelength while transmitting photons of a second wavelength; and forming a second electrode layer to at least partially cover the optically transparent layer.
US07719736B2
In the field of optical quantum information processing, manipulation of single photon qubits in frequency modes employs a frequency beamsplitter employs an asymmetric two-path interferometer, reversible down to the quantum limit. A first partially transmitting mirror splits photons into first and second paths. A time delay element introduces a differential time delay into the second path. And a second partially transmitting mirror mixes the two paths again to form two outputs. A half-wave plate utilizes two of the beam splitters.
US07719732B2
A light sensing element having two functions is provided for a high-speed image scanning system to scan a document, including a set of matrix light-sensing cells for detecting a scanning location for the scanned document, thereby feeding the sensed signals to control the scanning location and scanning speed, and at least one set of trilinear light-sensing cells for sensing an document, thereby acquiring image signals.
US07719730B2
An image reading apparatus for use in an image forming apparatus includes a document glass installed on an upper side of the image reading body on which a document is placed; an image reading sensor installed under the document glass for stopping after being transferred to a predetermined position or for reciprocating in a straight direction parallel to the document glass; a cover for opening and closing the upper surface of the document glass; an automatic document feeder (ADF) for feeding the document to the position to which the image reading sensor is fixed; a document discharging plate for discharging the document fed through the automatic document feeding unit; first and second guide members for guiding to allow the document fed through the automatic document feeding unit to be discharged to the document discharging plate, the first and second guide members being installed at a predetermined interval to expose the document toward the image reading sensor; and a guide film installed to cover the interval between the first and second guide members for guiding to allow the document to be discharged to the document discharging plate. By this structure, a size of the image forming apparatus can be reduced.
US07719728B2
The present invention provides an image reading device, an image printing system and image forming device in which variation in light intensity caused by the continuous lighting time of an exposure lamp serving as a light source for reading an original is prevented, a read image is prevented from deteriorating and wasteful power consumption is prevented. The exposure lamp is turned off after a predetermined time has passed from a time when the original finishes passing through a reading position or the original is conveyed to a standby position. Alternatively, the exposure lamp is turned off without setting the predetermined time in a group-copy mode.
US07719727B2
A digital camera supplies raw pixel data in a raw data mode to a digital processor. In the digital processor, a white balance decision circuit determines a white balance gain as color temperature information. The digital processor outputs the image data and the white balance gain thus determined over data bus to an interface unit. The linear matrix coefficients, supplied from a system controller, are sent over the data bus to the interface unit, which interfaces the data in accordance with a recording format, according to which the three sorts of data are recorded in a storage unit responsive to a control signal.
US07719723B2
To print on the front side, image data saved in an image memory is read pixel by pixel along a main scanning direction x. Correction data for each block of pixels then is referred to, and the image data is read while being shifted in a sub-scanning direction y by a value of the correction data and is inputted to an exposing device. To print on the rear side, upon reading image data along the main scanning direction x, the image data in the image memory is read along the main scanning direction from a side opposite the one read at the time of printing on the front side. Positive and negative signs of deviation amounts specified by the correction data are reversed and the positions of the pixels to be read are shifted successively in a sub-scanning direction opposite to the one used while printing on the front side.
US07719720B2
Selecting a corresponding procedure of dithering according to a general pattern of gray levels of sub-pixels of each color of an input image. This will enable the input image to be displayed on a display with a lower bit depth.
US07719718B2
A device and method is provided for breaking up undesirable patterns in vector error diffusion when the sum of inputs is near fraction values of the total input range. In the method, the value of the sum is calculated modulo the maximum input value. The mod value tendency to produce limit cycles is then determined for multiple planes in a manner similar to that for an individual plane. The threshold process for the vector calculation can then be modified to break up the cycles that occur in the combinations of the multiple colors. Typically, the largest of the individual plane modifications and the vector sum mod value is used for threshold modification. At least two different types of threshold modifications are possible: (1) random or psuedo-random noise address to the threshold; and (2) non-contiguous regions of threshold.
US07719717B2
The present invention is intended to record image data having a wide dynamic range is a file together with image data having a narrow dynamic range. First, an image recording apparatus separately gradation-converts image data to be recorded into primary data having a narrow dynamic range and secondary data having a wide dynamic range. Then, the image recording apparatus calculates data that determines correlation between the primary data and secondary data and employs the calculated data as tertiary data. The image recording apparatus records the primary data and the tertiary data in a file. On the other hand, an image reproducing apparatus reads out primary data and tertiary data that were recorded in the above manner and reproduces secondary data having a wide dynamic range based on the primary data and the tertiary data.
US07719703B2
A print control program executed by an information processing apparatus, which spools print data created and spooled via a print data creation module such as a printer driver again and concurrently performs the re-spooling and output of the print data to a resending destination or an alternate device. It is thereby possible to speed up a throughput of the output on alternation of printing or resending.
US07719698B2
Such a displaying device that can be easily operated by aged persons and handicapped persons, and an image forming apparatus using the same will be provided. Upon continuously operating an upper button for the predetermined period of time, a set value of a magnification is changed at intervals of numeric change that are different from each other between a voice guide mode activated by a voice guide button and a normal mode. At this time, it is configured in such a manner that the interval of numeric change for the normal mode is smaller than the interval of numeric change for the voice guide mode, i.e., the changing rate of the set value of the magnification for the normal mode is larger than that for the voice guide mode.
US07719697B2
A probe for measuring the thickness of frost accretion on a surface includes a plurality of measuring stages that are stacked substantially orthogonally to the base of the probe. Each measuring stage has an emitter that emits a light beam that is substantially parallel to the base and a receiver that receives the light beam after reflection on the frost.
US07719682B2
Methods, systems and computer readable media for computing small particle size distributions of particles in a process stream comprising a sample dilute colloid. A reference matrix of pre-computed reference vectors is provided. Each reference vector represents a discrete particle size or particle size range of a particle size distribution of particles contained in a dilute colloid. Each reference vector represents a reference extinction spectrum over a predetermined wavelength range. A measurement vector representing a measured extinction spectrum of the sample particles in the sample colloid is provided, wherein the measured extinction spectrum has been spectrophotometrically measured over the wavelength range. The particle size distribution and particle concentrations of the particles in the sample colloid are determined using the reference matrix, the measurement vector and linear equations.
US07719676B2
A downhole laser measurement system useful for evaluating the chemical or elemental composition of geologic formations or formation fluids or interrogating a fiber optic sensor includes a pressure housing, wherein the pressure housing further includes a laser disposed in communication with a laser temperature control chamber; a laser light feedthrough; and an optical sensor array. An associated method of using a laser measurement system in a downhole well bore includes disposing a laser measurement system downhole in a well bore; using the laser to create a laser light, and then outputting the light to an optical sensor array.
US07719671B2
In a foreign matter inspection apparatus comprising: irradiating unit for irradiating inspection light to an inspection area of an article to be inspected; intensity detecting unit for detecting intensity of either reflected light or scattered light, which is generated from the inspection area by irradiating thereto the inspection light; position detecting unit for detecting a position of either the reflected light or the scattered light within the inspection area; and deciding unit for deciding whether or not a foreign matter is present within the inspection area; the foreign matter inspection apparatus is comprised of: display unit capable of displaying thereon both a threshold image in which the threshold value is indicated over an entire area of the inspection area, and a detection sensitivity image indicated by being converted from the threshold image.
US07719670B2
Improved method and apparatus for machine vision. One embodiment provides automated imaging and analysis, optionally including Scheimpflug's condition on the pattern projector, telecentric imaging and projecting, an IR filter, a mask to constrain observed illumination, and/or a sine-wave projection pattern for more accurate results. Another embodiment provides circuitry for a machine-vision system. Another embodiment provides a machine-vision system, optionally including accommodation of random orientation of parts in trays, irregular location of features being inspected, crossed pattern projectors and detectors for shadow reduction, detection of substrate warpage as well as ball-top coplanarity, two discrete shutters (or flash brightnesses) interleaved (long shutter for dark features, short shutter for bright features). Another embodiment provides parts inspection, optionally including a tray elevator that lifts trays to an inspection surface, moves trays in short tray dimension, provides first tray inspection at a major surface of the elevator, and/or provides a tray flipper.
US07719669B2
Light from a light source becomes two illumination beams by a beam splitter. The beams are irradiated onto a semiconductor wafer from two mutually substantially orthogonal azimuthal angles having substantially equal elevation angles to form illumination spots. When the sum of scattered, diffracted, and reflected lights due to the illumination beams is detected, influence of the anisotropy which a contaminant particle and a defect existing in the wafer itself or thereon have with respect to an illumination direction, can be eliminated.
US07719668B2
A lens power measuring system has a light source and a fiber-optic light delivery system optically coupled to the light source to receive illumination light from the light source. The fiber-optic light delivery system has a transmit/receive end. The lens power measurement system also has a microscope objective optically coupled to the fiber-optic light delivery system through the transmit/receive end of the fiber-optic light delivery system, a movable mirror arranged to intercept at least a portion of light after having passed through the microscope objective, and an optical detection system optically coupled to the fiber-optic light delivery system to receive light after having been reflected from said movable mirror. The optical detection system is constructed to be able to determine a substantially maximum signal of light reflected from the movable mirror in correspondence with a relative position of the movable mirror to a lens to be measured. Methods of measurement include methods using such a lens system.
US07719663B2
A heterodyne laser having a first optical path for guiding excitation light and a second optical path for guiding measurement light. The heterodyne laser includes an optical probe body for optically coupling and structurally combining the first optical path and the second optical path, and includes a reflection mirror, a beam splitter, a focal lens and a ¼ wavelength plate. The excitation light from the first optical path is introduced through the reflection mirror, the beam splitter and the focal lens into a measurement object.
US07719662B2
Rapid calibration of a TOF system uses a stationary target object and electrically introduces phase shift into the TOF system to emulate target object relocation. Relatively few parameters suffice to model a parameterized mathematical representation of the transfer function between measured phase and Z distance. The phase-vs-distance model is directly evaluated during actual run-time operation of the TOF system. Preferably modeling includes two components: electrical modeling of phase-vs-distance characteristics that depend upon electrical rather than geometric characteristics of the sensing system, and elliptical modeling that phase-vs-distance characteristics that depending upon geometric rather than electrical characteristics of the sensing system.
US07719658B2
Imaging system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, with a projection objective (200, 300, 500, 600) that serves to project an image of a mask which can be set into position in an object plane onto a light-sensitive coating layer which can be set into position in an image plane, and with a liquid-delivery device (205) serving to fill immersion liquid (202, 310, 507) into an interstitial space between the image plane and a last optical element (201, 309, 506) on the image-plane side of the projection objective; wherein the last optical element on the image-plane side of the projection objective is arranged so that, seen in the direction of gravity, it follows the image plane; and wherein the projection objective is configured in such a way that when the system is operating with immersion, the immersion liquid has at least in some areas a convex-curved surface facing in the direction away from the image plane. It is also proposed for the last optical element (201, 309, 506) on the image-plane side of the projection objective to be arranged below the image plane in such a way that the immersion liquid (202, 310, 507, 601) is held at least in part in a substantially tub-shaped area on the last optical element on the image-plane side. Also, a rotator can be provided which serves to rotate a substrate carrying the light-sensitive coating (401) between a transport orientation in which the light-sensitive coating lies on a substrate surface that faces against the direction of gravity and an exposure orientation in which the light-sensitive coating (401) lies on a substrate surface that faces in the direction of gravity.
US07719655B2
The invention includes a liquid crystal display panel including spacers and a method of making this panel. The spacers, which are positioned in the liquid crystal-filled gap between a first substrate and a second substrate, provide support to the substrates and prevent the substrate from bending when the device is used as a touch screen panel. By preventing the bending of the device, the spacers help prevent the undesirable ripple effect suffered by liquid crystal devices. In order to minimize the amount of light blocked by the spacers, the spacers are formed in a region where light is substantially intercepted anyway, such as in a contact hole. A black matrix layer is formed on the spacers. The spacers may be distributed unevenly between the substrates, depending on how much force each of the spacers will have to absorb in each area of the panel.
US07719646B2
A liquid crystal display device of the present invention is composed of a λ/4 plate 1, a λ/2 plate 2, and a polarizing plate 3 which are provided in this order from the side of a liquid crystal layer 10. Here, an angle formed between an absorption axis of the polarizing plate 3 and an absorption axis of the λ/2 plate 2 is about 45°, an in-plane retardation of the λ/2 plate 2 is set to a value obtained by adding λ/4 to an in-plane retardation of a retardation plate 1, desirably, the λ/4 plate 1, and an optical axis of the λ/4 plate 1 and an optical axis of the λ/2 plate 2 are orthogonal to each other. In this configuration, the optical axis of the λ/4 plate 1 is placed at 150°, the optical axis of the λ/2 plate 2 is placed at 60°, and the absorption axis of the polarizing plate 3 is placed at 15°. This configuration improves display characteristics, that is, performs bright display at a higher contrast ratio and in a wider viewing angle with less dependence on visual field, thereby realizing an excellent reflection-type liquid crystal display device that is very easy to view even in a relatively dim place such as an indoor environment.
US07719644B2
An optical compensation sheet is provided and has a stretched polymer film or stretched cellulose acylate film and at least one optical anisotropic layer containing a liquid crystal compound, and has retardations satisfying the specific relationships defined in the specification.
US07719641B2
An array substrate includes a plate, a switching element, an insulating layer and a pixel electrode. The plate includes a pixel region, and the switching element is disposed on the plate. The insulating layer is disposed on the plate to include an opening for a multi-domain disposed in the pixel region and a contact hole. An electrode of the switching element is partially exposed through the contact hole. The pixel electrode is disposed on the insulating layer corresponding to the pixel region, an inner surface of the opening for the multi-domain and an inner surface of the contact hole so that the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the electrode of the switching element. Therefore, the viewing angle and the image display quality of the LCD apparatus are improved, and a manufacturing process is simplified.
US07719640B2
In a multi-gap semi-transmissive liquid crystal display device, the width of a black matrix (6) is made larger above the region between adjacent ITO transparent electrodes (3) and is made smaller above the region between adjacent Al reflective electrodes (4). This enables a transmissive portion to offer a display with high contrast that does not suffer from afterimage or the like by shielding light from the domain lying between the adjacent pixels, and the reflective portion to offer a brighter display by increasing the aperture ratio thereof by making the black matrix width as small as possible or forming no black matrix.
US07719637B2
An LCD (liquid crystal display device) and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The LCD includes a top substrate, a bottom substrate, and an alignment mark for aligning a polarizing plate on the top substrate or the bottom substrate. Also, the method includes: forming a metal layer on a substrate and forming a gate electrode, a gate line, and an alignment mark; forming a thin film transistor and a data line on the substrate with the gate electrode, the gate line, and the alignment mark; and forming a passivation layer and a pixel electrode on the substrate with a source/drain electrode.
US07719629B2
A liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The liquid crystal display device may include a cabinet having a front panel facing the front and in which an opening is formed; a liquid crystal panel having a display surface; and a chassis configured to clamp the outer region of the liquid crystal panel from the front side and the back side, to face the display surface to the opening, and to arrange the liquid crystal panel inside the cabinet. A hook may be provided that is projected rearward from a position close to the opening on the back surface of the front panel and engaged with the chassis that clamps the outer region of the liquid crystal panel, and prevents a displacement of the chassis toward the rear side.
US07719626B2
Disclosed is a liquid crystal display device having a signal line of low electrical resistivity and high adhesion with an underlayer, wherein a copper alloy film is formed on an underlayer, and an oxide film, silicide film or nitride film, which are additive metal elements of the copper alloy, is formed at the boundary between the underlayer and the copper alloy film whereby the signal line is formed with a multi-layer film of the copper alloy film and the oxide film, the silicide film, or the nitride film.
US07719620B2
A heat curing device includes supports positioned in a chamber to support a substrate, the supports having sections, and protrusion structures formed on the sections of the supports to contact a dummy area of the substrate, wherein the supports may be rotated with respect to a horizontal axis. The sections of the supports may have a polygonal structure with the protrusion structures are formed on the polygonal sections of the supports, so that a plurality of protrusion structure patterns can be formed on one support. Since the supports are rotatable, the protrusion structure patterns supporting a substrate may be readily changed.
US07719618B2
A video decoder comprising a first comfort noise addition block and a second comfort noise addition block. The first comfort noise addition block may be configured to (i) add comfort noise to luminance data and (ii) adjust a distribution of the comfort noise added to the luminance data. The second comfort noise addition block may be configured to (i) add comfort noise to chrominance data and (ii) adjust a distribution of the comfort noise added to the chrominance data. The first and the second comfort noise addition blocks may be integrated into a video output path of the video decoder. The distribution of the comfort noise added to the luminance data and the distribution of the comfort noise added to the chrominance data may be adjusted independently.
US07719615B2
A digital cable broadcast receiver and a method for automatically processing caption data of various standards and types, is disclosed. The digital broadcast receiver includes: a demultiplexer for dividing a received broadcast stream into video data, audio data, supplementary information; a controller for determining whether caption data included in the video data is digital caption data or analog caption data on the basis of caption information included in the supplementary information, and outputting a control signal according to a result of the determining; a digital caption decoder for extracting and decoding digital caption data from the video data according to the control signal; and an analog caption decoder for extracting and decoding analog caption data from the video data according to the control signal.
US07719611B2
A handheld electronic device mainly includes a first casing, a second casing and an image-capturing apparatus. The first casing has a first surface and a second surface. The first casing has a display screen on the first surface and a window extending through the first surface and the second surface. The second casing is pivoted to the first casing. The second casing is permitted to move over the second surface of the first casing. The image-capturing apparatus is set up on the second casing for capturing images. When the second casing is located on the second surface of the first casing, the image-capturing apparatus and the display screen both faces the same direction so that the image-capturing apparatus can capture images of a user of the handheld electronic device facing the display screen. At this position, the image-capturing apparatus is exposed to the user through the window.
US07719610B2
A rotatable camera has a motor, a lens unit comprising a photographing head and a driving rod coupled to the photographing head, a spherical bearing support for pivotally mounting the photographing head, and a rotatable disc driven in rotation motion by the motor to drive the driving rod of the lens unit move along a spiral shaped locus, and, when the motor is driven, the photographing head is at the same time driven by the driving rod to rotate and change its angular position, so that the rotatable camera employs only a single motor to drive the photographing head of the lens unit to rapidly move to the direction to be monitored, particularly, due to no time delay any corners shall be monitored by the rotatable camera.
US07719603B2
An automatic focusing method for a camera, including scanning in a macro mode, scanning in a normal mode, and additional scanning. In the scanning in the macro mode, a region within a first distance is scanned if the macro mode is set by a user. In the scanning in the normal mode, a region beyond the first distance is scanned if the normal mode is set by the user. In the additional scanning, the scanning in the normal mode is performed additionally if it is determined that the position of the focus lens found in the scanning in the macro mode does not have the largest focus value, and the scanning in the macro mode is performed additionally if it is determined that the position of the focus lens found in the scanning in the normal mode does not have the largest focus value.
US07719599B2
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for capturing a low depth of focus image with a video camera (10) by forming a first image of a scene, with a first image format size, onto a projection area (16), housed inside an adaptor, and forming another image of the scene, with a second smaller image format size onto a semiconductor sensor field (28), housed inside the video camera (10). The invention further relates to configuring the projection area (16) to prevent non-image characteristics of the projection area from being imaged in a disturbing manner onto the semiconductor sensor field (28). The projection area is either movable with respect to the first image or encapsulated by clear filter glass, or both to prevent the non-image characteristics from being imaged in a disturbing manner. The adaptor includes an adaptor housing (30′) for attaching to the video camera (10) and the adaptor housing houses the projection area (16) and a first objective lens (12).
US07719586B2
From a pixel array where imaging pixels are arranged, pixel signals of respective columns on a selected row are read in parallel in a horizontal blanking period of a horizontal period. The pixel signals of the respective columns are output to horizontal signal lines in an effective period of the horizontal period via charge integrating amps provided respectively for the columns, i.e., provided respectively for vertical signal lines, and are thereby transferred horizontally. In the charge integrating amps, it is possible to enter a standby state while holding the pixel signals by a holding voltage. Furthermore, in the charge integrating amps, a reference potential for precharging feedback capacitors for amps at the time of a reading operation is automatically controlled based on a black level. Furthermore, pixel signals from the respective charge integrating amps are horizontally transferred in parallel using a plurality of horizontal signal lines.
US07719584B2
An image sensor has a plurality of pixels arrayed to form a plurality of columns. The sensor includes a plurality of readout circuits which generate pixel signals based on signals supplied from the pixels of respective columns, a plurality of output channels, a plurality of column selecting switches, and a control circuit which controls the plurality of column selecting switches. The control circuit controls the plurality of column selecting switches so as to output the pixel signals of target readout pixels to output channels selected based on a selection rule in the spatial order of the pixels in the full pixel readout mode. The control circuit controls the plurality of column selecting switches so as to output the thinned-out pixel signals of target readout areas to output channels selected based on the same rule as the selection rule in the spatial order of the areas in the thinning readout mode.
US07719583B1
A method and apparatus to selectably operate a pixel circuit within an active pixel image sensor in a source follower mode or a common source amplifier mode.
US07719579B2
A digital camera acquires a first image in a sequence of images by loading it into a unified memory space of the digital camera in a first order and processing it in a second order. Before the first image is completely processed, the digital camera starts acquiring a second image and overwriting at least a processed portion of the first image in the unified memory space with image data of the second image.
US07719573B2
Disclosed herein is a photographing device that includes a number of light-receiving elements, a number of vertical transfer registers, a first drive-voltage applying electrode, and a second drive-voltage applying electrode. The light-receiving elements are arranged in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction. The vertical transfer registers transfers the electric charges accumulated in the light-receiving elements in the vertical direction. The first drive-voltage applying electrode is arranged parallel to the vertical transfer registers, for applying a drive voltage to a specific one of the vertical transfer registers. The second drive-voltage applying electrode is arranged perpendicular to the vertical transfer registers, for applying a second drive voltage to the vertical transfer registers at the same time. The electric charges accumulated in the light-receiving elements are transferred to the vertical transfer registers, due to the voltage output from the first drive-voltage applying electrode or the second drive-voltage applying electrode, or the voltages output from both electrodes. Therefore, the light-receiving elements can have different sensitivities, and the photographing device can photograph dynamic scenes in a broad dynamic range.
US07719572B2
An image pickup apparatus having an image capturing unit capturing an image, a first recording unit temporarily recording an original image signal output from the image capturing unit, a processing unit performing predetermined signal processing upon the original image signal output from the image capturing unit, and an instructing unit instructing the processing unit to capture a still image. When the processing unit is instructed to capture a still image by the instructing unit while performing moving image signal processing upon the original image signal output from the image capturing unit, the processing unit may cause the first recording unit to record the original image signal output from the image capturing unit. In addition, the processing unit may read out the recorded original image signal from the first recording unit and perform still image signal processing upon the read out original image signal while suspending the moving image signal processing.
US07719568B2
The image processing system for integrating multi-resolution images mainly applies several different multi-resolution image capture devices to extract the images from the observed scene and using the multi-resolution imaging devices to present the scene images relative to the observed scenes, respectively. In order to present a seamless image according to two different-resolution image sources, the coordinate conversions among the image capture devices, and among the imaging devices are mainly applied to extract and present the entire image to be able to resemble having a single image capturing source and a single imaging source.
US07719560B2
An optical write line head includes multiple rows of light emitter devices lined up corresponding to respective positive lenses located in array form, wherein even with a fluctuation of its write plane in an optical axis direction, there is none of variations resulting from displacements of light emitting dots. A plurality of light emitter blocks, each including at least one row of light emitter devices lined up in a main scan direction, are located at a spacing in the main scan direction to define a light emitter array. On the exit side of the light emitter array, a lens array including one positive lens system in alignment with each light emitter block is located parallel with the light emitter array, and a write plane is located parallel on the imaging side of the lens array. A stop plate forming an aperture stop is located near a light-gathering position at which parallel light incident from the write plane side on each positive lens system comes together.
US07719554B2
In a line head, a plurality of element arrays arranged in a first direction. Each array includes a plurality of light emission elements arrayed in a second direction which is perpendicularly to the first direction. The light emission elements emit light for forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive surface of an image carrier. A switcher activates the light emission elements in at least one of the element arrays while deactivating the others. A developer develops the latent image as a visible image with toner.
US07719551B2
A system provides an image displaying technique that provides stable high contrast even in an area having high brightness. Based on information about an average brightness level of a digital luminance signal, black-correction processing which decreases a brightness level by offsetting the brightness level to the minus side, and increase processing which increases a contrast gain within a dynamic range, are performed for an analog luminance signal or a digital luminance signal, enabling improvement in contrast even where brightness is intense.
US07719550B2
A method for deciding the maximum luminosity of a monitor is provided. The monitor is used for displaying a target image including a plurality of target pixels. Each of the target pixels has a target gray level. The target image and each adjacent image respectively has a maximum gray level. The monitor is capable of displaying M default gray levels. The method first generates a reference gray level (R) for the target image selectively based on the maximum gray levels. Then, a target control voltage corresponding to R is selected from a look-up table. A gain is generated based on R and M. Respectively multiplying each of the target gray levels by the gain can generate a plurality of new gray levels. At last, the method sets the target control voltage as the control voltage of the monitor and displays the target image with the new gray levels.
US07719548B2
A method and apparatus for viewing one or more images using a floating controller is provided. A collection of digital images may be managed using a digital image system that displays images using a floating controller. While a pointer is over the floating controller, the floating controller is continuously displayed, but when the pointer is moved off the floating controller, a period of time during which no user input of any type is tracked. If, while the pointer is off the toolbar, an idle period exceeds a predetermined threshold duration, then the floating controller is hidden. A set of images of a bounded sequence of images may be displayed on the floating controller. A visual indication that indicates whether a particular image in the set of images is either the first or last image in the bounded sequence may be displayed on each image of the set of images.
US07719536B2
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, that implement a method for glyph adjustment in high resolution raster while rendering. In one aspect, a method includes the actions of receiving a glyph for display at a size on a raster output device; receiving a grid ratio specifying an integer number of fine pixels of a high resolution grid that correspond to a device pixel of the output device; rendering the glyph at the size on the high resolution grid; determining for each line of pixels of the high resolution grid, a line-specific, per-transition adjustment number; and in each line of pixels, marking or erasing the line-specific, per-transition adjustment number of fine pixels in the high resolution grid at each transition from a marked fine pixel to an unmarked fine pixel in a particular direction of the line of pixels.
US07719533B2
A technique is provided for modeling a network relationship via providing a graphical representation of the network relationship and labeling the graphical representation based on a symbol sequence. Further, one or more tools is provided by the present technique for interactively visualizing and/or analyzing the graphical representation of the network relationship based on the symbol sequence.
US07719529B2
Methods for recovering high-resolution images from an analog video interface by autonomously correcting for phase errors between a synchronized clock signal to a sampling analog-to-digital converter and the input video signal. A global phase adjustment first detects video transitions in the sampled video data stream in order to determine and then select the optimum clock phase over entire video frames for rendering the pixels of the video input. This corrects for long-term phase errors, such as those from timing tolerances in circuit components and timing tolerances in the video input. A local phase adjustment selects the samples used for rendering individual pixels according to an algorithm that avoids the selection of samples that may be located within video transition regions. This corrects for short-term phase errors, such as those from jitter and phase drift on the sample clock.
US07719528B2
A portable computer having a main body and a display panel hingedly attached to the main body, including an open/closed sensor to output open and closed detection signals in response to the display panel being open and closed, respectively; a power supply to supply a driving power to the display panel; and a controller to identify a predetermined power state in response to receiving the closed detection signal from the open/closed sensor, and to control the driving power to the display panel to be interrupted in response to the power state not being set to a low-power state.
US07719527B2
A control circuit for controlling an LED device according to an input data signal and a clock signal is disclosed. The control circuit includes at least one first control module. The first control module includes a shift register unit, a latch register unit, an LED driving circuit, and a latch signal generator. The shift register unit includes at least one shift register and is triggered by the clock signal for buffering data transmitted in the input data signal. The latch register unit includes at least one latch register and is triggered by a latch signal for latching data buffered by the shift register. The LED driving circuit is utilized for driving the LED device according to data latched by the latch register. The latch signal generator is used to generate the latch signal according to the input data signal and the clock signal.
US07719516B2
An actuator includes: a magnetic field generator that has different magnetic poles alternately arranged in a plane, with a predetermined position being the center of the magnetic poles; a coil holder that holds a plurality of coils that are radially arranged and face the magnetic field generator, relative motion being caused between the magnetic field generator and the coil holder; and an electromagnetic conversion unit that detects the relative motion and is mounted on either the magnetic field generator or the coil holder.
US07719514B2
The present invention is directed to a drive apparatus adapted for driving display panel of the active matrix type, which comprises first signal processing means (3), (5), (7) for converting a digital video signal of m (m is natural number) bits which has been converted into data arrangement in conformity with the display format by data arrangement converting means (2) into parallel analog video signals of p (p is natural number)-phase, second signal processing means (4), (6), (8) for developing the analog video signals of p-phase into analog video signals of x/k (k is natural number)-phase to deliver the analog video signals thus developed to the video signal supply lines, and signal line selecting means (14) for sequentially selecting, one by one, at the same timing, desired signal lines from respective groups of the x/k number of signal lines obtained by dividing x number of signal lines to perform sampling of analog video signals delivered via the x/k number of video signal supply lines with respect to the selected signal lines.
US07719510B2
A flat panel display, a display driving apparatus thereof and a shift register thereof are disclosed. The shift register is adapted for driving a flat panel display. The shift register receives an input signal and a clock signal. The shift register includes a delay unit and a buffer unit. The delay unit is used to delay the input signal for a half period of the clock signal and then output the delayed input signal. The buffer unit receives the delayed input signal, and provides an extra driving power accordingly. The buffer unit is operated by a fixed first voltage and a fixed second voltage.
US07719502B2
An MVA liquid crystal display device for displaying motion pictures includes a polymer layer formed on a surface of a vertical alignment film so as to tilt liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer slightly from a direction perpendicular to the plane of the liquid crystal layer. Further, the MVA liquid crystal display device of such a construction is subjected to overdriving.
US07719501B2
A distinct color LCD apparatus including at least two layers of respectively disparate encapsulated liquid crystal materials; Structural means for maintaining said layers proximate to each other and in a substantially parallel orientation; Electrically conductive means for addressing at least one substantially parallel address across the encapsulated liquid crystal material in each of the respective layers; and Coordinated with said means for addressing, an electrical pulse driving means (I) wherein a state is selected from the list Homeouopre and planar and (U) whereby said state is communicated to a predetermined address between one of said parallel layers.
US07719500B2
A display is formed with a plurality of reflective display pixels arranged in a curvilinear configuration, and a plurality of electrodes, where each electrode is electrically coupled to two or more reflective display pixels. In some embodiments, the array is at least partially curvilinear. The reflective display pixels include interferometric modulators.
US07719491B2
A driving circuit of a plasma display panel (PDP) and a reset circuit thereof are disclosed. The above-mentioned driving circuit includes a reset circuit and a sustaining circuit. The reset circuit is connected to a display cell of the PDP and generates a reset signal for the above-mentioned display cell by means of an LC resonance. The sustaining circuit provides a sustaining voltage to the above-described display cell during the sustaining period of the display cell.
US07719480B2
A display of an embodiment of the invention includes a number of display modules that are interlockable to form the display. Each display module includes at least one user-viewable display element, at least one connector, and at least one receptor, which are disposed in the display module. Each of a number of pixels of the display corresponds to at least one of the display elements of each display module. The connectors of each display module at least receive power from and/or provide power to adjacent display modules. The receptors of each display module are receptive to connectors of other adjacent display modules.
US07719479B2
An antenna array includes five grounding plates, a signal transmission part, two radiation conductors, and a signal feed cable. The first and fifth grounding plates located at the same plane are substantially perpendicular with the second and fourth grounding plates respectively. The second and fourth grounding plates respectively connected to the first and fifth grounding plates extend with the same direction and have two holes or grooves. The third grounding plate connected between the second and fourth grounding plates is substantially perpendicular with the second and fourth grounding plates. The signal transmission part passing through the two holes or grooves is substantially perpendicular with the second and fourth grounding plates. The signal transmission part is connected between the two radiation conductors. The signal feed cable includes a central conductor connected to the signal transmission part and an outer conductor connected to the third grounding plate.
US07719472B2
There is provided an antenna unit including a non-conductive base film, an endless conductive flat plate member attached onto one surface of the base film and having an opening in a center thereof, and an antenna attached to the one surface of the base film so as to be positioned in the opening of the conductive flat plate member with a gap formed between the antenna and an inner circumferential edge of the conductive flat plate member.
US07719467B2
A digital camera for providing a short burst of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signal samples in a picture data file with an approximate time for reading by a computer apparatus some time later for determining the geographical location and an accurate time of the picture.
US07719464B2
A system and method for providing aiding information to a satellite positioning system (“SPS”) receiver. A digital satellite radio system satellite receives aiding information communicated from a positioning system. The digital satellite radio system broadcasts the aiding information in the data signals it broadcasts to its subscribers. The subscribers receive the aiding information at satellite radio receivers and communicate the aiding information to the SPS receiver. The data signals may also be communicated to terrestrial repeaters for re-broadcast at a higher power. The terrestrial repeaters may input a transmitter identifier to permit the satellite radio receiver to determine a geographical location of the terrestrial repeater as its own.
US07719462B2
A time-of-flight calibration system for a radar-based measurement device is provided. The time-of-flight calibration system includes a target antenna and a waveguide, e.g. a coaxial cable. The waveguide is coupled at one end to the target antenna and terminated at its other end by a wave-reflecting impedance.
US07719450B2
A device for parallel-serial conversion of several evaluation parameters determined respectively by a detector from detected signal values. The device includes a primary buffer memory for the synchronized buffering of each determined evaluation parameter, a synchronization unit for the generation of a synchronization signal for the synchronized buffering and a unit for the serial readout of the evaluation parameters stored in a synchronized manner in the primary buffer memory. A synchronization signal generated by the synchronization unit is derived from a release signal which provides the highest data rate of all the release signals associated respectively with the determined evaluation parameters.
US07719443B1
In one aspect, a method to compress data includes compressing data using a first algorithm to form compressed data, determining a compression ratio of the data with respect to the compressed data, determining if the compression ratio is greater than a compression threshold and compressing the compressed data using a second algorithm if the compression ratio is greater than the compression threshold. The second algorithm takes longer to compress data than the first algorithm.
US07719442B2
A multi-mode multi-parallelism data exchange method and the device thereof are proposed to apply to a check node operator or a bit node operator. The proposed method comprises the steps of: duplicating part or all of an original shift data as a duplicated shift data; combining the original shift data and the duplicated shift data to form a data block; and using a data block as the unit to shift this data block so as to conveniently retrieve shift data from the shifted data block. With a maximum z factor circuit and duplication of part of data, specifications of different shift sizes can be supported. The functions of shifters of several sizes can therefore be accomplished with the minimum complexity.
US07719440B2
This invention relates to an integrated building control and information system with wireless networking, including the controlling and/or monitoring of various building devices or appliances such as air conditioning, lighting, temperature, humidity, etc., including practically any environmental condition-or-mechanical operation. Also, the invention relates to a system which includes a vendor tracking system comprising an industrial operator interface, with communication, local data processing, and data storage capabilities, which provide an efficient information resource for service and product control. Additionally, the invention relates to a system including a utility monitoring and/or control system to monitor and/or control the facilities utilities such as electricity, gas, water, steam, etc., through revenue and non-revenue rated metering devices, allowing real-time demand side utility management through the controlled equipment. Additionally, this invention incorporates a wireless interface, of any combination of sub-systems, to increase the coverage area to include remote locations, within a radius up to 10 miles, and/or large facilities which exceed the limitation of hard wired components, resulting in cost reductions for installation and maintenance. In facilities such as shopping malls, office buildings, commercial and industrial complexes, the consolidated central management of energy consumption, building equipment, lighting, environmental control, and vendor services provides a substantial savings and effective use of limited natural resources.
US07719438B2
Control information is exchanged between a component and a remote control device or a server using RFID or using network discovery procedures. The control information if gathered by the server is provided to the remote. In this way, the need to manually program the remote with component code information is eliminated.
US07719437B2
A multi-component attachment system, including a first clamp that attaches to a bed-rail, and a second component which connects to a lighting system or other accessory, allows a sterile drape to go over the bed-rail attachment, while allowing a lamp or other accessory to magnetically attach through the drape, thereby preventing interruption of the sterile field.
US07719431B2
Systems and methods and computer products for drowsy driver detection and response. Exemplary embodiments include systems and methods and computer products for determining that a vehicle has engaged in a lane violation, determining a severity of the lane violation, determining a drowsy driver condition of the vehicle and responding to the drowsy driver condition via onboard warning, corrective actuation, or remote human interventions.
US07719430B2
Virtual fencing of an animal includes a microprocessor for continuously determining the position of an animal relative to a target and whether the animal is moving relative to the target. A stimulus unit applies a sensory stimulus to the animal in response to signals received from the microprocessor. The microprocessor is programmable such that if the distance between the animal and the target is less than a predetermined distance and if the animal is moving in a direction towards the target a stimulus is applied to the animal and the stimulus is withdrawn when the animal either stops, retreats from the target, or accelerates while the distance between the animal and the target is less than the predetermined distance.
US07719428B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for data processing associated with acoustic events such as weapon fire. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method of processing communications associated with identifying or locating a weapon fire event. Moreover, the method may include processing communications from a plurality of sensors deployed across an area to be monitored, wherein the sensors are interconnected via a wireless network, processing signals communicated over the network from each sensor that detects the acoustic event, and determining a location of a source of the acoustic event as a function of time of arrival information and sensor location information. Other exemplary implementations may include using time of arrival data that is synchronous/universal among the sensors.
US07719425B2
Shielding is associated with RFID tags to achieve new systems and methods having various advantages. These systems include containers configured to store RFID enabled identity documents, the use of RFID tags to monitor the state of a container, and the inclusion of shielding in identity devices. Disclosed are shielded passports, driver's licenses, and the like. Some embodiments further including reading systems for reading identity devices comprising shielding and RFID tags.
US07719419B2
In one embodiment, a system comprises an enclosure, at least one item enclosed within the enclosure, and at least one optical medium disposed between the enclosure and the at least one item. The at least one optical medium is arranged in a pattern such that the at least one optical medium substantially encloses the at least one item. The system further comprises a generator communicatively coupled to a first portion of the optical medium. The generator generates a pseudo-random sequence of bits. The pseudo-random sequence of bits is optically transmitted over the optical medium. The system further comprises a detector communicatively coupled to a second portion of the optical medium. The detector detects any portion of the pseudo-random sequence of bits received at the second portion of the optical medium.
US07719411B2
A system of transmitting a plurality of movement parameters of a vehicle. The system includes a supply terminal, a plurality of sensing elements, a modulation circuit, and a return terminal. The supply terminal is coupled to a power source to receive power. The sensing elements receive power from the supply terminal. Each of the sensing elements senses a movement characteristic of the vehicle, and generates movement signals indicative of the sensed movement characteristic. The modulation circuit is coupled to the sensing elements to modulate the movement signals based on the plurality of sensing elements. The return terminal is coupled to the modulation circuit to output the modulated movement signals.
US07719405B2
A method of operating a circuit for processing a digital signal is disclosed. The circuit includes various circuit stages having respective enabled states. A present signal path is established which includes circuit stages in their respective enabled states. Power is disabled to selected circuit stages not used in the present signal path so as to minimize power consumption in the disabled circuit stages. A data signal is then processed through the circuit stages in the present signal path. Before a next signal path is needed, power is re-enabled to selected disabled circuit stages in the next signal path to allow the enabled circuit stages to approach their respective enabled states. Then the next signal path can be established including the enabled circuit stages in their respective enabled states. The data signal can then be processed through the circuit stages in the next signal path.
US07719398B2
A laminated coil includes a laminated body having magnetic body sections that are provided on both main surfaces of a non-magnetic body section and include a plurality of stacked magnetic layers, the non-magnetic body section including at least one non-magnetic layer, and a coil including helically connected coil conductors provided in the laminated body. The conductor width of at least one of the coil conductors provided inside the non-magnetic body sections and the coil conductors provided on both main surfaces of the non-magnetic body sections is greater than the conductor width of the other coil conductors in the laminated body.
US07719392B2
A ferroelectric varactor suitable for capacitive shunt switching is disclosed. High resistivity silicon with a SiO2 layer and a patterned metallic layer deposited on top is used as the substrate. A ferroelectric thin-film layer deposited on the substrate is used for the implementation of the varactor. A top metal electrode is deposited on the ferroelectric thin-film layer forming a CPW transmission line. By using the capacitance formed by the large area ground conductors in the top metal electrode and bottom metallic layer, a series connection of the ferroelectric varactor with the large capacitor defined by the ground conductors is created. The large capacitor acts as a short to ground, eliminating the need for vias. The varactor shunt switches can be used to create a bandpass filter and a tunable notch filter. The bandpass filter is implemented by cascading the switches, and the bandpass filter implemented through the use of a resonance circuit.
US07719391B2
The invention is a dielectric resonator circuit comprising a housing; first, second, and third resonators positioned substantially in a row within the housing with said second resonator positioned between the first and third resonators, wherein the resonators are positioned relative to each other such that a field generated in each resonator couples to an adjacent resonator; wherein the housing encloses the resonators and has a separating wall positioned between the first and third resonators in order to control electromagnetic coupling between the first and third resonators; and wherein said first separating wall comprises a first end and a second end along a length thereof and wherein the separating wall defines an iris at the first end, the wall comprising a main wall portion positioned substantially between the first and third resonators and an extension wall portion at the first end that extends at an angle from the main wall portion of said wall.
US07719389B2
Disclosed is a system and method for controlling a resonance frequency of a Film Bulk Acoustic Resonator (FBAR) device. The system includes at least one switching capacitor coupled to the FBAR device and a modulator. The at least one switching capacitor includes at least one capacitor and a switch configuration disposed in series with the FBAR device and the at least one capacitor, which is switch configuration capable of opening and closing connection of the at least one capacitor with the FBAR device. The modulator is coupled to the switch configuration, which generates a switching condition signal based on the manufacturing variation in the FBAR device and the environmental effects on the FBAR device. The switch configuration performs opening and closing of the connection of the at least one capacitor and the FBAR device based on the switching condition signal.
US07719385B2
Disclosed herein are a method and divider for dividing power between and supplying the parts of the power to respective radiation elements of an array antenna, and an antenna device using the divider. The division method includes the steps of dividing power, applied to a feeding unit, into two parts at a first stage of division, and supplying a first of the two parts to at least one central radiation element, and dividing a second of the two parts and supplying sub-parts of the second part to respective peripheral radiation elements, thereby supplying relatively high power to the central radiation element and relatively low power to the peripheral radiation elements.
US07719384B1
A system includes more than one subsystem, each subsystem operating within a different subsystem frequency range, the subsystems comprising a circulator having three or more circulator ports and a direction of circulation, the circulator operating within a specific frequency range of the subsystem frequency range, and a filter, such as a bandpass filter, connected to at least one of the circulator ports. The filters each define a subsystem port and operate within the specific frequency range. Each subsystem port has a port index determined by the direction of circulation of the circulator within the subsystem. Each subsystem port has a specific port index that is connected to a common port having the specific port index. At least one of the circulator ports may be terminated to a matched load. Each subsystem circulator may comprise at least three circulator ports, with a filter connected to each of the circulator ports.
US07719380B2
An AC coupling circuit is disclosed herein. An embodiment of the circuit comprises a first differential input and a second differential input. A first resistor is connected between the first differential input and the second differential input. A first capacitor is connected between the first differential input and a first differential output. A second capacitor is connected between the second differential input and a second differential output. A second resistor is connected between the first differential output and a node. A third resistor is connected between the second differential output and the node. A first potential is applied to the node.
US07719378B2
A high speed flexible interconnect cable for an electronic assembly includes a number of conductive layers and a number of dielectric layers. Conductive signal traces, located on the conductive layers, combine with the dielectric layers to form one or more high speed electrical transmission line structures. The cable can be coupled to electronic components using a variety of connection techniques. The cable can also be terminated with any number of known or standardized connector packages.
US07719364B2
A high frequency power amplifier includes an amplifying device for amplifying an input high frequency signal, a harmonic reflection circuit for reflecting a harmonic outputted from the amplifying device, and a harmonic generating circuit provided at an input terminal of the amplifying device, the harmonic generating circuit including a divider for dividing an input signal of a fundamental wave into two parts, a harmonic generator for generating a second harmonic from one part of the fundamental wave signal, and a combiner for combining the second harmonic generated from the harmonic generator with the other part of the fundamental wave signal to offer a combined signal to the amplifying device, wherein the harmonic reflection circuit reflects the second harmonic.
US07719363B2
An amplifier circuit includes a first circuit and a second circuit connected in series. The first circuit has a first terminal coupled to a first power supply terminal, a second terminal coupled to an output node, and a control terminal for receiving a first signal for controlling a current flow. The second circuit has a first terminal coupled to the output node, a second terminal couple to a second power supply terminal, and a control terminal for receiving a second signal controlling a current flow in the first circuit. A bias circuit is coupled to the third terminal of the first circuit and is configured to limit a current flow in the first circuit when a voltage at the output node is outside a predetermined voltage range. In an embodiment, the bias circuit includes a plurality of diode devices connected in series and a switch device coupled to the diode devices.
US07719360B2
Disclosed is a variable gain circuit, which operates in a region where the gain varies substantially exponentially with respect to a control voltage, having an operation region in which the gain varies substantially with an exponential function {(√{square root over (1−x)}−√{square root over (2)})2+K}/{(√{square root over (1+x)}−√{square root over (2)})2+K} where 0≦K≦1 and x is a variable corresponding to the control voltage. The denominator and the numerator of the above function are given by a first sum current and a second sum current, respectively. The first sum current is a sum of the drain current of a first transistor and a constant current, and the second sum current is a sum of the drain current of a second transistor and the constant current. The first and second transistors have sources grounded, having gates connected common and supplied with a bias voltage, and having back-gates supplied with control voltages differentially.
US07719354B2
A dynamic biasing system (“DBS”) for dynamically biasing an amplifier with an adjusted bias signal is shown. The DBS may include a first biasing circuit that produces a bias signal and a second biasing circuit in signal communication with both the first biasing circuit and the amplifier, wherein the second biasing circuit compares the bias signal to a predetermined threshold and in response produces the adjusted bias signal.
US07719348B2
A filter device is disclosed that includes a switched capacitor circuit.
US07719341B2
A circuit arrangement (e.g., an integrated circuit) generates a second or higher order compensation voltage to compensate for variations in operation parameters (e.g., temperature and process variations). In one aspect, the compensation voltage is applied to a MOS resistor to compensate for mobility variations of the MOS resistor by maintaining a stable equivalent resistance. The compensated MOS resistor can provide a relatively stable resistance for a variety of analog circuit applications, such as a current reference.
US07719340B2
An internal power voltage trimming circuit and its method individually or simultaneously perform level trimming for a plurality of power voltages in a semiconductor memory device. The internal power voltage trimming circuit includes a trimming control signal generator for generating a trimming selection signal and a trimming enable signal by using an inputted address signal, and an internal power voltage level controller for controlling the levels of the internal power voltages by using the trimming selection signal that is outputted under control of the trimming enable signal.
US07719339B2
The invention relates to the field of signal processing. It is an object of the invention to provide for limitation of a signal voltage to a predetermined maximum voltage (Vmax). To this end, an input signal (Vin) is applied to a voltage divider which includes a variable-resistance component (T1) whose resistance is controlled by a control signal. An output signal (Vin′) is picked-up at the variable-resistance component (T1). The control signal is generated as an amplified difference between the output signal (Vin′) and a fixed reference voltage (Vmax/2), so that for an “overvoltage case” in which the value of the input signal (Vin) exceeds that of a predetermined maximum voltage (Vmax) the output signal (Vin′) is kept substantially constant.
US07719336B2
A digital circuit implementing pulse width modulation controls power delivered in what one can model as a second order or higher order system. An exemplary control plant could embody a step-down switch mode power supply providing a precise sequence of voltages or currents to any of a variety of loads such as the core voltage of a semiconductor unique compared to its input/output ring voltage. One of several algorithms produce a specific predetermined sequence of pulses of varying width such that the voltage maintains maximally flat characteristics while the current delivered to the load from the system plant varies within a range bounded only by inductive element continuous conduction at the low power extreme and non-saturation of the inductor core at the high power extreme. The specific pulse width modulation sequence controls a plant such that the voltage maintains maximally flat characteristics in one embodiment without a feed-forward or feedback loop physically embodied in the control system thereby reducing the parts cost or control semiconductor production yield cost while enhancing noise immunity and long term reliability of the control system. Several specific algorithms maintain maximally flat voltage despite extreme load variations therewith control plant element parameters otherwise exacerbating excessive voltage fluctuation during the given current transients.
US07719335B2
The present invention discloses a self-bias phase locked loop including a phase frequency detector, a charge pump, a loop filter, a voltage control oscillator, a divider and a bias current converter. A charging or discharging current output from the charge pump equals to a first control current. A resistor of the loop filter is controlled by a first control voltage a second control voltage which is adjusted according to the first control voltage and a second control current. The loop filter boosts or lowers the first control voltage according to the charging or discharging current output from the charge pump. The voltage control oscillator generates a bias current according to the first control voltage and increases or decreases an oscillation frequency according to the boosted or lowered first control voltage, and symmetric loads of the voltage control oscillator are controlled by the first control voltage. The first control current output from the bias current converter equals to the ratio of the bias current to a constant, and the second control current output from the bias current converter equals to the ratio of the bias current to a frequency division factor. The circuit of the self-bias phase locked loop is simple and a low jitter.
US07719324B1
A low voltage differential signal (LVDS) transmitter with output power control. Internal sensing circuitry monitors output current flow through the termination impedance. When a proper termination impedance is not connected to the output, the resulting improper output current flow (e.g., zero output current when no termination impedance is connected) is detected by the sensing circuitry, which causes the supply current to the output driver circuitry to be reduced. Additionally, further in response to such detection of improper output current flow, the sensing circuitry can cause the output voltage to be limited, e.g., clamped, at a predetermined maximum magnitude.
US07719322B2
A semiconductor device includes a differential circuit for receiving a differential signal at an input terminal and a detection circuit for outputting a detection signal when a predetermined signal is inputted to the input terminal. The detection circuit detects whether the differential signal becomes outside an electric input standard and outputs the detection signal.
US07719321B2
A short pulse rejection circuit may include an edge detector, a filter circuit, a comparison circuit, and a gating circuit. The edge detector may delay an input signal to generate a delayed input signal, and detect an edge of the input signal to generate an edge detection signal. The filter circuit may perform a low pass filtering on the edge detection signal to generate a first signal. The comparison circuit may compare the first signal with a reference voltage. The gating circuit may gate the delayed input signal based on an output signal of the comparison circuit. Therefore, the short pulse rejection circuit may have a sufficient setup/hold time margin of a flip-flop, and may sample an input signal even when a state of the input signal does not change during an initial operation.
US07719317B2
Disclosed herein is a digital system that includes a distribution network to carry a reference clock, and a circuit domain coupled to the distribution network to receive the reference clock for synchronous operation in accordance with the reference clock. The circuit domain includes a clock generator driven by the reference clock to generate a resonant clock signal, an input port to receive a control signal, and a gate coupled to the input port to discontinue application of the resonant clock signal within the circuit domain based on the control signal.
US07719312B2
Apparatus for configuring input/output signal levels of interfacing logic circuits operating at different voltage levels comprises: a logic circuit for operating at a first voltage level; a bank of input/output gates coupled to the logic circuit for interfacing input/output signals at a second voltage level, different from the first voltage level, to the logic circuit, the bank of gates including a port for setting the operational voltage level thereof; and a control circuit coupled to the port and governed by a control signal to configure the operational voltage level of the bank of gates to render the logic circuit and the interfacing input/output signals voltage level compatible.
US07719309B2
Techniques are provided for calibrating on-chip termination impedances on integrated circuits. An on-chip termination (OCT) calibration circuit generates calibration codes that selectively control the conductive states of a set of transistors coupled in parallel. The OCT calibration circuit selects a calibration code that causes the impedance of the transistors to be near a matching impedance. The selected calibration code controls an on-chip termination impedance at a pin. According to some embodiments, the OCT calibration circuit compares a signal from the transistors to two or more reference signals to improve the tolerance range of the calibrated on-chip termination impedance. According to other embodiments, the OCT calibration circuit selects a calibration code based on a signal from the transistors after an extra transistor is turned on by a control signal. The control signal is not used to control the on-chip termination impedance.
US07719306B2
In order to reduce production cost, an output buffer for an electronic device includes a first logic unit, a second logic unit, a first transistor, a second transistor and a control unit. The first logic unit and the second unit are both coupled to an input terminal and conductions of the first logic unit and the second unit are controlled by an input signal from the input terminal. The control unit is coupled to the first logic unit, the second logic unit, the first transistor and the second transistor, for controlling the first transistor and the second transistor to conduct at different times for implementing the non-overlapping function.
US07719304B1
The present invention provides a radiation hardened flip-flop formed from a modified temporal latch and a modified dual interlocked storage cell (DICE) latch. The temporal latch is configured as the master latch and provides four output storage nodes, which represent outputs of the temporal latch. The DICE latch is configured as the slave latch and is made of two cross-coupled inverter latches, which together provide four DICE storage nodes. The four outputs of the temporal latch are used to write the four DICE storage nodes of the DICE latch. The temporal latch includes at least one feedback path that includes a delay element, which provides a delay.
US07719303B2
In order to provide a liquid crystal display device which can detect a defective indication due to short circuit which occurs between a common electrode and a counter electrode by a conductive impurity enters into a liquid crystal display panel, and an analysis device including the same, a blood glucose meter includes a display section and a microcomputer. For performing an inspection for a defective indication on a liquid crystal display panel of the display section, the microcomputer uses ports as input/output ports for a defective indication inspection. The microcomputer detects whether an inspection signal sent from the port can be received at the other port or not to perform the inspection for a defective indication.
US07719301B2
A testing method of semiconductor integrated circuit wherein the quality of diffusion for semiconductor chips can be tested before the semiconductor chips become packaged semiconductor integrated circuits is provided. Input data is set, and circuit current values I(L) and I(H) obtained for each of a plurality of circuit areas are compared with first test pass ranges I1(L) and I1(H) to extract articles within the first test pass (S2), and the current values of the circuit areas determined to be articles within the first test pass and second test pass ranges I2(L), and I2(H) determined based on these current values are compared, thereby conducting a retest to extract circuit areas within the second test pass. The current values may be replaced by the voltage values.
US07719295B2
A method for testing an integrated circuit device includes subjecting the integrated circuit device to an applied magnetic field during the application of one or more test signals, the applied magnetic field inducing magnetostriction effects in one or more materials comprising the integrated circuit device; and determining the existence of any defects within the integrated circuit device attributable to the applied magnetic field.
US07719282B2
An improved induction tool for evaluating formation resistivity. The tool provides electromagnetic transmitters and sensors suitable for transmitting and receiving magnetic fields in radial directions that are orthogonal to the tool's longitudinal axis with minimal susceptibility to errors associated with parasitic eddy currents induced in the metal components surrounding the transmitter and receiver coils. A magnetic lens is provided to select sensitivity to a desired reservoir formation property.
US07719279B2
The present invention discloses a self-fastening cage of a magnetic resonance device (MRD) for providing a homogeneous, stable and uniform magnetic field therein, characterized by an outside shell comprising at least three flexi-jointed superimposed walls. The multi-streamed MRD comprising a cage including a closed magnetic circuit constructed from strong permanent magnets; and optionally a shimming mechanism selected from an array of active shim coils, passive shimming elements; a contained cavity within which the magnetic field strength is approximately uniform; and a plurality of conveyor belts, pipes or any transportation means by which a plurality of samples are introduced into the region of uniform magnetic field; such that magnetic resonance measurements are made on a plurality of samples within the region of uniform magnetic field. The invention depicts a cost effective method for obtaining a self-fastening cage.
US07719271B2
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a gantry having an imaging space therein, a receiving circuit that receives a magnetic resonance signal emitted from a subject arranged in the imaging space, and a bed device on which the subjected is mounted, wherein the bed device includes a top panel on which the subject is mounted, a bed support section which supports the top panel to enable moving the top panel in such a manner that the subject mounted on the top panel is positioned in the imaging space, connection ports provided on the top panel to connect signal transmission cables of RF coils which convert the magnetic resonance signal into an electric signal, and connecting unit which electrically connects the signal transmission cables with the receiving circuit through the inside of the bed support section.
US07719269B2
A system and method are provided for imaging multiple substances, such as contrast agents and metabolites in vivo, with selective excitation frequencies. A first substance is excited with a frequency selective pulse, then a second substance is excited with another frequency selective pulse. The signals resulting from these pulses are acquired in an order reversed from the order in which the pulses were applied. In some embodiments, more than two substances may be imaged. The system and method thus provide for quick and efficient utilization of the magnetization of multiple substances for spectral-spatial imaging.
US07719266B1
A sensor measures the interaction of an applied magnetic field to a sample surface that includes magnetic materials to determine whether the samples surface has been corroded. The sensor measures the magnetic force resulting from the interaction or the magnetic flux density to determine the content of magnetic material in localized regions of the sample surface. The sensor includes a cantilever beam with a strain gauge for measuring magnetic force. Alternatively, the sensor includes a magnetic flux density sensor to measure magnetic flux density.
US07719265B2
Methods and processes for determining the particle size distribution of metal catalysts are provides. Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometer is used to evaluate the magnetic catalyst particle sizes dispersed in the support material. Dependence on variation of the metal/support material ratio, which defines the metal particle sizes, the catalyst can show paramagnetic, superparamagnetic, and ferromagnetic behaviors.
US07719264B2
A rotary transducer includes a shaft, and a carrier body, on which an excitation winding and a detector system are arranged. To generate an electromagnetic field, it is possible to conduct an excitation current through the excitation winding, and the detector system is suitable for scanning the electromagnetic field influenced by a code carrier. The rotary transducer additionally includes an excitation control device and an evaluation device. The code carrier is secured in a rotatably fixed manner on the shaft for detecting the angular position of the shaft. The excitation control device is arranged such that it can be used to operate the excitation winding selectively in two different operating modes, in a manner such that, in the first operating mode, a first excitation current, and in the second operating mode, a second excitation current may be generated, the second excitation current being provided such that the electrical power consumption of the rotary transducer is lower in the second operating mode than in the first operating mode. The respective excitation current induces voltages in the detector system, which the evaluation device is able to process electronically to generate angular position information.
US07719260B2
An apparatus for evaluating an epitaxial layer, including pre-treating the epitaxial layer before evaluation of the epitaxial layer by making the epitaxial layer contact with a metal electrode by a capacitance-voltage measurement, the method comprising; applying carbon-bearing compound to a surface of the epitaxial layer; subsequently irradiating ultraviolet light to the surface of the epitaxial layer; and thereby forming an oxide film on the surface of the epitaxial layer.An apparatus for evaluating an epitaxial layer of an epitaxial wafer, the apparatus including a pretreatment unit for pre-treating an epitaxial wafer having a semiconductor wafer and an epitaxial layer formed on the semiconductor wafer, a metal-electrode which can be made contact with or vapor-deposited on the surface of the epitaxial layer of the epitaxial wafer which has been pre-treated in the pretreatment unit, a measuring electrode which can be made contact with or vapor-deposited on the semiconductor wafer, and a measuring unit which is connected to each of the electrodes and is used to measure physical properties of the epitaxial layer. The pretreatment unit includes an applying device for applying a carbon-bearing compound to a surface of the epitaxial layer, and an irradiation device for irradiating ultraviolet light to the surface of the epitaxial layer in an oxygen-bearing atmosphere.
US07719256B1
A method for determining a time interval between leading edges of two adjacent cyclic input pulses of a series of cyclic input pulses. A sample of the cyclic input pulses is taken at each of a series of sampling times to produce sampling hits, each sampling hit being an indication of a presence of a cyclic input pulse, recording a count number at each of the sampling hits, determining initial sampling hits from the detected sampling hits, determining a minimum sampling interval between initial sampling hits, and determining a count number located at a back end of the minimum sampling interval, count numbers of the minimum sampling interval being used to determine a time interval between lead edges of two adjacent cyclic input pulses.
US07719250B2
A half bridge step-up switching regulator is configured including an output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 for adjusting an output voltage; a synchronous switch element Q2, connected in series with the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1, that is complementary ON operated when the output voltage adjusting switch element Q1 is turned OFF; a voltage detecting section 10 for detecting the voltage at a connecting node of the switch elements in time of turn-OFF of the synchronous switch element; and a soft switch control section 20 for adjusting the timing of turn-OFF of the synchronous switch element Q2 based on the voltage fluctuation detected by the voltage detecting section 10 to perform zero current switching control.
US07719246B2
A power control system includes a switching power converter and a power factor correction (PFC) and output voltage controller. The switching power converter utilizes a nonlinear energy transfer process to provide power to a load. The PFC and output voltage controller generates a control signal to control power factor correction and voltage regulation of the switching power converter. The PFC and output voltage controller includes a nonlinear delta-sigma modulator that models the nonlinear energy transfer process of the switching power converter. The nonlinear delta-sigma modulator generates an output signal used to determine the control signal. By using the nonlinear delta-sigma modulator in a control signal generation process, the PFC and output voltage controller generates a spectrally noise shaped control signal. In at least one embodiment, noise shaping of the control signal improves power factor correction and output voltage regulation relative to conventional systems.
US07719243B1
In one embodiment, a method for soft-start in a power converter includes the following: providing a feedback signal indicative of the output voltage of the power system at a first input terminal of an error amplifier in a negative feedback loop of the power converter; providing a reference voltage at a second input terminal of the error amplifier; comparing the feedback signal against the reference voltage to generate a control signal for regulating an output voltage of the power converter; charging a soft-start capacitor coupled to the second input terminal of the error amplifier with a current for establishing the reference voltage; and adjusting the current in response to the control signal so that the error amplifier is prevented from saturation.
US07719241B2
AC-coupled equivalent series resistance (ESR) is introduced into a control circuit to provide additional stability in the feedback control loop. A sub-circuit emulates the effect of a higher value ESR in the output capacitor. The additional ESR in the feedback control loop inserts a zero into the transfer function that describes the circuit response at a desired frequency. The added zero compensates for the effects of unwanted or unavoidable poles in the transfer function, allowing for a greater range of input signal frequencies.
US07719240B2
An AC-DC converter includes a rectifier DB for rectifying an alternating current supplied from an alternating power source AC, a power factor controller 11 connected to an output side of the rectifier DB to improve a power factor, a DC-DC converter 12 that converts a voltage outputted from the power factor controller 11 to another voltage and also outputs either a power or a current limited to a predetermined value, a capacitor for storing an energy and a two-way converter 13 having one input/output terminals connected to output terminals of the DC-DC converter 12 and the other input/output terminals connected to the capacitor to carry out a two-way power conversion.
US07719225B2
An optical image stabilizer includes an optical system including at least one image shake counteracting optical element movable in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis; at least one stepping motor for moving the image shake counteracting optical element in the plane; at least one shake velocity sensor which senses the speed of shake applied to the optical system; and a controller which calculates the number of driving pulses for the stepping motor based on shake speed information output from the shake velocity sensor, and drives the stepping motor so that the image shake counteracting optical element moves in the plane to counteract image shake on an imaging surface of the optical system. The controller changes power supplied to the stepping motor in accordance with the shake speed information when driving the stepping motor.
US07719219B2
An electronic line shaft comprising a motor drive comprising a velocity noise filter coupled to receive a feedback position signal and operable to filter the feedback position signal to generate a feedback velocity signal where the noise filter has at least one controllable filter parameter that affects filter operating characteristics and a processing unit operable to execute a wizard for configuring the motor drive, the wizard being operable to receive mechanical characteristic data associated with the motor drive that is provided as input by a wizard user via a user interface and to determine a noise parameter based on the mechanical characteristic data, wherein the at least one controllable filter parameter is adjusted as a function of the noise parameter.
US07719210B2
A ballast (11) includes a variable output DC converter source (12) and an inverter circuit (14) arranged to provide AC output voltage to an electro-luminescent (EL) lamp (16). A Q factor of EL lamp can characterize the age of the EL lamp. A series resonance-parallel loaded circuit and two voltage detector (18, 20) are constructed to measure the Q factor. A processor (17) controls the output of DC voltage source in accordance with a look-up table containing constant brightness algorithm based on the derived voltage and Q relationship.
US07719206B2
A detector circuit monitors the phase relationship between the lamp voltage and the excitation voltage, and if one or more conditions are met, triggers the open lamp protection process in a discharge lamp system. The detection circuit can be incorporated into a lamp voltage feedback circuit and implemented on the integrated circuit level with less cost and circuit complexity.
US07719203B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel and a backlight assembly including a lamp and an inverter. The inverter includes a main transformer, a main driver and a voltage controller. The main transformer applies a driving alternating current (AC) voltage to the lamp. The main driver generates an output signal controlling the main transformer based on a feedback signal from the main transformer. The voltage controller is electrically connected to a feedback terminal of the main driver to control a maximum level of a voltage applied to the feedback terminal.
US07719197B2
A headlight control system provides a several automated operational features. A problem with such systems in the past is the possibility of inadvertent operation of the vehicle without headlights under low light or other adverse conditions. Automated control is achieved through use of a finite state machine which defaults from a plurality of transient conditions to a running state which provides operational outputs to the low beam bulbs of the headlights.
US07719192B2
The invention relates to a metal halide lamp comprising a ceramic discharge vessel (21), characterized in that a molybdenum leadthrough (11) is connected to a cermet stopper (15) via an intermetal interface gradient (20).
US07719186B2
A light-emitting ceramic based panel, hereafter termed “electroceramescent” panel, is herein claimed. The electroceramescent panel is formed on a substrate providing mechanical support as well as serving as the base electrode for the device. One or more semiconductive ceramic layers directly overlay the substrate, and electrical conductivity and ionic diffusion are controlled. Light emitting regions overlay the semiconductive ceramic layers, and said regions consist sequentially of a layer of a ceramic insulation layer and an electroluminescent layer, comprised of doped phosphors or the equivalent. One or more conductive top electrode layers having optically transmissive areas overlay the light emitting regions, and a multi-layered top barrier cover comprising one or more optically transmissive non-combustible insulation layers overlay said top electrode regions.
US07719184B2
Provided is an organic EL element including: a first electrode 13; a protection layer 15 that is formed on the first electrode 13 and has an opening portion through which the first electrode 13 is exposed; an insulation layer 17 that is formed on the protection layer 15; an organic layer 19 that is formed over the insulation layer 17 and the first electrode 13 exposed through the opening portion, and includes an emission layer; and a second electrode 21 formed on the organic layer 19, wherein a film thickness of the protection layer 15 is less than that of the organic layer 19.
US07719172B2
A spark plug comprising: an insulator shell; a center electrode inside the insulator shell such that one end of the center electrode protrudes from the insulator shell; a metal shell exterior to the insulator shell; a side ground electrode having one end coupled to the metal shell and the other end facing the protruding end of the center electrode to form a spark discharge gap between the center electrode and the side ground electrode; and a metal tip on at least one of the side ground electrode or the center electrode, located at the spark discharge gap, that is a platinum-based alloy including 23-35 weight percent palladium, greater than 0 to 10 weight percent iridium and the balance being platinum.
US07719166B2
A single chip transducer apparatus that includes on-chip electronic circuitry which, when connected properly to a two-dimensional matrix of ultrasonic transducer elements, provides enough information to an external imaging system to form three-dimensional images of the subject of interest. In a preferred embodiment, the circuitry provides an amplifier for each transducer element, and then conditions the output of the amplifier in several ways. In one embodiment of the invention, the elements' analog voltages are stored in a sample and hold circuit, and time multiplexed into a high speed line driver that sends many elements data down the interconnect to the system's high speed Analog to Digital converters. In another embodiment, the gain of the amplifiers can be controlled in time to provide aperture translation and time based expansion for translating and focusing image slices in the elevation direction.
US07719159B2
A method, apparatus and system producing for electrodynamic machinery are disclosed. In one embodiment, an integrated stator-housing structure for constructing electrodynamic machines includes one or more field pole members. Each field pole member can have a first pole face and a second pole face. Also, the members each can have a field pole core being configured to produce a flux path in a direction from the first pole face to the second pole face. In one embodiment, the integrated stator-housing structure can also include a housing structure configured to support the one or more field pole members. The housing structure is configured to mate with one or more other housing structures to form an enclosure of an electrodynamic machine. In another embodiment, the housing structure is composed of potting compound formed with the one or more field pole members in, for example, a mold. In this case, the integrated stator-housing structure includes the potting compound and the field pole members. In a specific embodiment, the flux path is straight from the first pole face to the second pole face.
US07719149B2
A stepping motor includes a housing a supporting shaft a rotor, and a stator. The housing includes a first wall and a second wall facing each other. The supporting shaft is inserted into a through hole of the rotor and is held by the first wall and the second wall. The rotor has a first end face and a second end face in an axial direction of the rotor. The first end face and the second end face are separated from the first wall and the second wall, respectively. A lubricant fills between the through hole and the supporting shaft, and an oil repellent agent is applied at a predetermined first area of the first wall around the supporting shaft and a predetermined second area of the second wall around the supporting shaft.
US07719140B2
A high efficiency photovoltaic DC-DC converter achieves solar power conversion from high voltage, highly varying photovoltaic power sources to harvest maximum power from a solar source or strings of panels for DC or AC use, perhaps for transfer to a power grid at high power levels with coordinated control possible for various elements. Photovoltaic DC-DC converters can achieve efficiencies in conversion that are extraordinarily high compared to traditional through substantially power isomorphic photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion capability that can achieve 97%, 98%, 99.2% efficiency, or even only wire transmission losses. Switchmode impedance or voltage conversion circuit embodiments may have pairs of photovoltaic power interrupt switch elements and pairs of photovoltaic power shunt switch elements to first increase voltage and then decrease voltage as part of the desired photovoltaic DC-DC power conversion.
US07719139B2
A power supply unit includes a main power-supply circuit and a secondary power-supply circuit which are connected to an alternating current power supply AC. The main power-supply circuit includes a full-wave rectifier and an input current control circuit corresponding to a harmonic current suppression circuit. The input current control circuit includes a resistor as circuit current detection element and a control circuit for controlling a switch element by detecting a current flowing in the resistor. A connection is provided such that a current flowing in a diode as a second rectifying circuit of the secondary power-supply circuit may return to the alternating current power supply through the resistor.
US07719137B2
A DC-DC switching converter device (101), in particular a quarter-brick or eighth-brick device having an industry standard pin out, comprises a pulse-width modulation circuit (132) for driving a power converting switch, a trim connector (109) for adjusting an output voltage of the device, where the device (101) is designed such that the pulse-width modulation circuit (132) is synchronizable to an external oscillator by an external synchronization signal applied to the trim connector. A DC-DC converting circuit comprises a plurality of DC-DC switching converters (101) featuring trim connectors (109) for adjusting output voltages of the converters (101), whereby the converters (101) are connected such that they share a common input bus. It further features a system EMI (electromagnetic interference) filter common to all the DC-DC switching converters (101) and an external oscillator delivering an external synchronization signal to the plurality of DC-DC switching converters (101). The external oscillator is designed such that a frequency of the external synchronization signal is higher than a free running frequency of each of the plurality of DC-DC switching converters (101). The external oscillator is connected to the trim connectors (109) of the DC-DC switching converters (101).
US07719126B2
A system and method for providing continuous AC/DC current for powering the appliances used by a truck driver in the cabin of transportation trucks in an economic and environment-friendly manner especially in countries that enforce non-idling laws on heavy trucks. The power generated in accordance with the presence invention relies only on the combustion engine of the reefer, independently of the main engine system of the truck. DC current is generated by an alternator, or a plurality thereof if needed, and then inverted into AC using an inverter. It is also possible to power the main engine and charge the batteries of the truck through the system when the truck is running using a switch that interrupts the main alternator of the main engine system of the truck reducing friction and power losses, which allows for more fuel savings and reduction in polluting gases emitted in the atmosphere.
US07719124B2
A printed wiring board is disclosed. The printed wiring board includes a board recognition mark formed of a conductive foil, a first component land covered with resist, and a second component land not covered with the resist. The board recognition mark is defined by an area of the conductive foil exposed from a resist opening having the same shape and size as the conductive foil.
US07719123B2
There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method includes the successive steps of: (a) providing a semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a plurality of semiconductor chips having electrode pads on the semiconductor substrate; (c) forming internal connection terminals on the electrode pads; (d) forming an insulating layer on the plurality of semiconductor chips to cover the internal connection terminals; (e) forming a metal layer on the insulating layer; (f) pushing a whole area of the metal layer to bring the metal layer into contact with upper end portions of the internal connection terminals; (g) pushing portions of the metal layer which contact the upper end portions of the internal connection terminals, thereby forming first recesses in the internal connection terminals, and thereby forming second recesses in the metal layer; and (h) forming wiring patterns by etching the metal layer.
US07719118B2
A semiconductor chip scale package formed with through-vias, which can be either isolated or electrically connected to a substrate, and a method of producing the semiconductor chip scale package with through-vias, which can be isolated or electrically connected to the substrate.
US07719113B2
A semiconductor device in which surge breakdown of interlayer-insulating film does not occur even when effectively suppressing variations in etching and proximity effects. The semiconductor comprises dummy patterns 7b that are made from a gate layer and shaped to be disposed within the surface shape of the insulating material of element-isolation areas 3a and are located on the insulating material of the element-isolation areas 3a; wherein dummy patterns 7b are located on an underlayer that includes area directly under wiring layers 10a that are located on layers above the gate layer.
US07719106B2
A semiconductor device comprises a substrate, an external terminal provided on the substrate, an internal wiring pattern electrically connected to the external terminal, a semiconductor chip mounted on the substrate and electrically connected to the internal wiring pattern, and an antenna pattern. The antenna pattern provided at each of adjacent two corner portions of the substrate and is grounded.
US07719101B2
A semiconductor device includes surface-mountable external contacts on an underside of the semiconductor device, wherein the external contacts are arranged on external contact pads and surrounded by a solder-resist layer. The external contacts of the outer edge regions include external contact pads that merge into inspection tags, wherein the inspection tags can be wetted by solder and are not covered by the solder-resist layer.
US07719099B2
Silicon substrates are applied to the package structure of solid-state lighting devices. Wet etching is performed to both top and bottom surfaces of the silicon substrate to form reflecting cavity and electrode access holes. Materials of the reflecting layer and electrode can be different from each other whose preferred materials can be chosen in accordance with a correspondent function. Formation of the electrode can be patterned by an etching method or a lift-off method.
US07719080B2
A semiconductor device includes a drift layer of a first conductivity type having a doping concentration and a conduction layer also of the first conductivity type on the drift layer that has a doping concentration greater than the doping concentration of the drift layer. The device also includes a pair of trench structures, each including a trench contact at one end and a region of a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type, at another end. Each trench structure extends into and terminates within the conduction layer such that the second-conductivity-type region is within the conduction layer. A first contact structure is on the drift layer opposite the conduction layer while a second contact structure is on the conduction layer.
US07719073B2
A multilayer device includes an electronic device layer, a first electrode associated with the electronic device layer, an optical layer, a second electrode associated with the optical layer, and an insulator layer provided between the first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes are capacitively coupled to each other to facilitate electrical communication between the electronic device layer and the optical layer through transmission of an electrical signal between the first and second electrodes. The electrical signal may be transmitted through the insulator layer. In addition, the electronic device layer and the optical layer may be in electrical communication with each other through capacitive coupling of the first electrode and the second electrode.
US07719072B2
The image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, a first color filter pattern formed over the substrate, the first color filter pattern having an edge portion with a first slope, and a second color filter pattern formed next to the first color filter pattern, the second color filter pattern having an edge portion with a second slope.
US07719070B2
A nonmagnetic semiconductor device which may be utilized as a spin resonant tunnel diode (spin RTD) and spin transistor, in which low applied voltages and/or magnetic fields are used to control the characteristics of spin-polarized current flow. The nonmagnetic semiconductor device exploits the properties of bulk inversion asymmetry (BIA) in (110)-oriented quantum wells.The nonmagnetic semiconductor device may also be used as a nonmagnetic semiconductor spin valve and a magnetic field sensor. The spin transistor and spin valve may be applied to low-power and/or high-density and/or high-speed logic technologies. The magnetic field sensor may be applied to high-speed hard disk read heads.The spin RTD of the present invention would be useful for a plurality of semiconductor spintronic devices for spin injection and/or spin detection.
US07719068B2
There are provided a multi-bit electro-mechanical memory device capable of enhancing or maximizing a degree of integration of the memory device and a method of manufacturing the multi-bit electro-mechanical memory device which includes a substrate, a bit line on the substrate, and extending in a first direction; a word line on the bit line, insulated from the bit line, and extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and a cantilever electrode including a shape memory alloy. The cantilever electrode has a first portion electrically connected to the bit line and a second portion extending in the first direction, and spaced apart from the word line by an air gap, wherein the cantilever electrode, in a first state, is in electrical contact with the word line, and, in a second state, is spaced apart from the word line.
US07719063B2
A layout for placing a circuit having a plurality of transistors in a small-width region. A search section inputs data on a circuit and searches for a set of routes formed so that passage through a transistor occurs only one time and so that the combination of routes covers the entire circuit network. An extraction section extracts a set of routes having the smallest number of routes. A width determination section determines the layout width from source and drain electrodes, the region between the source and drain electrodes, the region between adjacent pairs of the transistors not combined into a common electrode, the number of transistors, and the smallest number of routes. A layout determination section forms a layout in which the source, drain and gate electrodes of the transistor included in the circuit are placed in a small-width region.
US07719041B2
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for fabricating a MIM capacitor in a semiconductor die includes a step of depositing a first interconnect metal layer. The method further includes depositing a high-k dielectric layer comprising AlNX (aluminum nitride) on the first interconnect layer. The method further includes depositing a layer of MIM capacitor metal on the high-k dielectric layer. The method further includes etching the layer of MIM capacitor metal to form an upper electrode of the MIM capacitor. According to this exemplary embodiment, the first interconnect metal layer, the high-k dielectric layer, and the layer of MIM capacitor metal can be deposited in a PVD process chamber. The method further includes etching the high-k dielectric layer to form a MIM capacitor dielectric segment and etching the first interconnect metal layer to form a lower electrode of the MIM capacitor.
US07719039B2
A phase change memory cell has a first electrode, a heater, a phase change material, and a second electrode. The heater is over the first electrode, and the heater includes a pillar. The phase change material is around the heater. The second electrode is electrically coupled to the phase change material. In some embodiments, a method includes forming a electrode layer over a substrate, depositing a first layer, providing nanoclusters over the first layer, and etching the first layer. The first layer comprises one of a group consisting of a heater material and a phase change material. The first layer may be etched using the nanocluster defined pattern to form pillars from the first layer.
US07719038B2
An embodiment of the present invention relates to a semiconductor device having a multi-channel and a method of fabricating the same. In an aspect, the semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate in which isolation layers are formed, a plurality of trenches formed within an active region of the semiconductor substrate, and a channel active region configured to connect opposite sidewalls within each trench region and having a surface used as a channel region.
US07719037B2
An image sensor includes a reset transistor, reset gate electrodes and a potential shift circuit. The reset transistor includes a reset gate and a reset drain, and resets charges detected by a charge detection device. The reset gate electrodes control a potential of the reset gate. The potential shift circuit initializes output signals in response to a shift pulse, and outputs the output signals to the reset gate electrodes in response to a reset pulse.
US07719031B2
A bipolar transistor 120 comprises a substrate 1, a intrinsic base region 11 and an extrinsic base region 12. The intrinsic base region 11 comprises a silicon buffer layer 109 comprised of silicon which is formed on the substrate 1, and a composition-ratio graded base layer 111 which is formed on the silicon buffer layer and comprises silicon and at least germanium and where a composition ratio of the germanium to the silicon varies in a thickness direction of the composition-ratio graded base layer 111. The extrinsic base region 12 comprises an extrinsic base formation layer 113 comprised of silicon which is formed on the substrate and adjacent to the silicon buffer layer. And the thickness of the extrinsic base formation layer 113 is not less than 40 nm.
US07719027B2
The present invention provides an integrated circuit and the method of implementing the same. The integrated circuit includes a die, a base, a covering material and a plurality of pins. The die has at least a first function and a second function and includes a plurality of signal pads and at least a switching pad. The die receives and outputs signals through the signal pads, and the switching pad is utilized to switch the functions of the die. The base is utilized to support the die, and the covering material is utilized to cover the die and the base. One terminal of each pin is inside the covering material and coupled to the corresponding signal pad, and the other terminal of each pin is outside the covering material. The signal pads are connected to the circuits outside the integrate circuit through the pins.
US07719026B2
A protective SCR integrated circuit device is disclosed built on adjacent N and P wells and defining an anode and a cathode. In addition to the anode and cathode contact structures, the device has an n-type stack (N+/ESD) structure bridging the N-Well and the P-Well, and a p-type stack (P+/PLDD) structure in the P-Well. The separation of the n-type stack structure and the p-type stack structure provides a low triggering voltage without involving any external circuitry or terminal, that together with other physical dimensions and processing parameters also provide a relatively high holding voltage without sacrificing the ESD protection robustness. In an embodiment, the triggering voltage may be about 8V while exhibiting a holding voltage, that may be controlled by the lateral dimension of the n-type stack of about 5-7 V.
US07719023B2
A light emitting device includes a plurality of chips efficiently disposed in a limited space of an opening that has an approximately elliptical or elongate-circular opening shape. The device includes a lead having a slit formed between a portion for bonding a wire to and a portion for mounting chips on, thereby to prevent extrusion of an adhesive and eliminate defective bonding.
US07719021B2
A method for making an efficient light emitting diode (LED) assembly by providing a thermally conductive base having a surface cavity, disposing a reflective paste in the surface cavity, and shaping the reflective paste to form a reflective cavity. The reflective cavity is shaped such that there is a mounting region and at least one reflective side wall at least partially surrounding the mounting region. Once shaped, the reflective paste is fired to set the reflective cavity in its shaped form. Next, one or more LED die may be mounted on the mounting region of the reflective cavity such that the emitted light is reflected by the side walls, thus increasing the light output of the LED assembly.
US07719018B2
A light emitting device includes a region of first conductivity type, a region of second conductivity type, an active region, and an electrode. The active region is disposed between the region of first conductivity type and the region of second conductivity type and the region of second conductivity type is disposed between the active region and the electrode. The active region has a total thickness less than or equal to about 0.25λn and has a portion located between about 0.6λn and 0.75λn from the electrode, where λn is the wavelength of light emitted by the active region in the region of second conductivity type. In some embodiments, the active region includes a plurality of clusters, with a portion of a first cluster located between about 0.6λn and 0.75λn from the electrode and a portion of a second cluster located between about 1.2λn and 1.35λn from the electrode.
US07719017B2
A semiconductor light-emitting device comprises a multilayer structure and a glass substrate. The multilayer structure includes a plurality of laminated compound semiconductor layers and generates light. The multilayer structure has a light exit face for emitting the generated light, whereas the glass substrate optically transparent to the light is bonded to the light exit face by a film made of silicon oxide.
US07719014B2
A light emitting device having high definition, a high aperture ratio, and high reliability is provided. The present invention achieves high definition and a high aperture ratio with a full color flat panel display using red, green, and blue color emission light by intentionally forming laminate portions, wherein portions of different organic compound layers of adjacent light emitting elements overlap with each other, without depending upon the method of forming the organic compound layers or the film formation precision.
US07719013B2
A semiconductor light emitting device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor light emitting device are provided. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a substrate, at least two light emitting cells located on the substrate and formed by stacking semiconductor material layers, a reflection layer and a transparent insulating layer sequentially stacked between the light emitting cells, and a transparent electrode covering the upper surface of the light emitting cells.
US07719012B2
A light-emitting device includes a light-emitting element and a light-guiding member for causing light from the light-emitting element entering into it through one surface thereof. The light-emitting element includes a lead member with a light-emitting element chip mounted thereon and a molded member to which the lead member is secured. The lead member has a metallic part extending from the molded member, and the metallic part is bent. The thus arranged light-emitting device has an excellent heat release capability. An image reading apparatus using the light-emitting device is also provided.
US07719003B2
Techniques for disposing an organic semiconductor film on a receiver substrate, comprising the steps of: depositing an organic semiconductor film onto a donor substrate, the semiconductor film having a first surface facing the donor substrate and having an exposed second surface; bringing the exposed second surface adjacent a receiver substrate such that the semiconductor film is in contact with both substrates; and then, moving the donor and receiver substrates apart; and wherein a surface portion of the receiver substrate is maintained above its glass transition during the moving step. Active organic semiconductor devices.
US07719001B2
A semiconductor memory device is disclosed in which a layer containing an organic compound is interposed between a pair of electrodes and, further, a first layer including a first metal oxide and a second layer including a second metal oxide are interposed between the pair of electrodes. One of the two layers including the metal oxide acts as a p-type semiconductor layer and the other acts as an n-type semiconductor layer. The first layer including the first metal oxide and the second layer including the second metal oxide form a p-n junction, which provides rectification characteristic to the semiconductor memory device.
US07718997B2
Tetrasubstituted coronenes are provided. Also provided are electronic devices in which the active layer includes a tetrasubstituted coronene.
US07718992B2
A nitride semiconductor device is provided. In the device, first and second conductivity type nitride layers are formed. An active layer is formed between the first and second conductivity type nitride layers. The active layer includes at least one quantum barrier layer and at least one quantum well layer. Also, a current spreading layer is interposed between the first conductivity type nitride layer and the active layer. The current spreading layer has an In content greater than the quantum well layer of the active layer.
US07718986B2
A radiation image conversion panel containing a substrate having thereon a phosphor layer, wherein the phosphor layer is formed with a vapor deposition method, and an adhesion force of the phosphor layer with the substrate is greater than a breaking strength of the phosphor layer.
US07718983B2
Shielding associated with an ion source, such as an anode layer source, reduces the amount and/or concentration of sputtered contaminants impinging and remaining on the surface of a target substrate. While passing the ion beam through to the target substrate, shielding can reduce the total amount of sputtered contaminants impinging the substrate before, during, and/or after passage of the substrate through the envelope of the etching beam. Particularly, a shield configuration that blocks the contaminants from impinging the substrate after the substrate passes through the etching beam (i.e., outside of the envelope of the etching beam) yields a higher quality substrate with reduced substrate contamination.
US07718979B2
A particle-optical apparatus, such as an ESEM®, for simultaneous observing a sample with particles and photons. A pressure limiting aperture (PLA) is placed in a diaphragm between the objective lens of the ESEM® and the sample position. The distance between the sample position and the aperture is sufficiently small to allow a large collection angle of the photons through this aperture. A mirror is placed between the diaphragm and the objective lens. Due to the large collection angle for photons a large NA is achieved. The small distance between sample position and aperture also result in less scattering of electrons than occurs in ESEM's where a mirror is placed between aperture and sample position, as the electrons have to travel through only a limited length in a high pressure area. Embodiments describe combinations where e.g. an immersion lens is used.
US07718969B2
A method for generating amplified terahertz radiation includes inducing a first volume of a gas to produce a seed plasma and emit pulsed seed terahertz radiation by focusing an optical seed beam in the first volume. The seed terahertz radiation is then amplified by focusing an optical gain beam to produce a gain plasma in a second volume overlapping with the pulsed seed terahertz radiation remote from the seed plasma. The method may be implemented in a system for detecting and analyzing a remotely-located object such as an explosive material, a biological agent, and a chemical agent.
US07718962B2
The present invention is directed to a defect imaging device that has an energy beam that is directed at a device under test. The energy beam creates positrons deep within the material of the device under test. When the positrons combine with electrons in the material they produce a pair of annihilation photons. The annihilation photons are detected. The Doppler broadening of the annihilation photons is used to determine if a defect is present in the material. Three dimensional images of the device under test are created by directing the energy beam at different portions of the device under test.
US07718957B2
A method for multiplexed analysis using ion mobility spectrometer in which the effectiveness and efficiency of the multiplexed method is optimized by automatically adjusting rates of passage of analyte materials through an IMS drift tube during operation of the system. This automatic adjustment is performed by the IMS instrument itself after determining the appropriate levels of adjustment according to the method of the present invention. In one example, the adjustment of the rates of passage for these materials is determined by quantifying the total number of analyte molecules delivered to the ion trap in a preselected period of time, comparing this number to the charge capacity of the ion trap, selecting a gate opening sequence; and implementing the selected gate opening sequence to obtain a preselected rate of analytes within said IMS drift tube.
US07718951B2
An encoder arrangement of a direct current motor, having an encoder housing, an encoder disk, a circuit board arranged perpendicular in reference to an motor shaft with an optic sensor encompassing the encoder disk in a U-shaped manner, and a connection plug aligned parallel to the motor shaft. The encoder arrangement allows a simple, economical, reliable, and precise assembly, requiring little construction space, and protecting the encoder arrangement from contaminations. The circuit board is provided with accepting slots for connectors, with contact surfaces of the circuit board being arranged partially around the accepting slots and an electric contact is made between the connectors and the contract surfaces. The encoder housing comprises an encoder housing ring and an encoder housing lid. The encoder housing ring is provided with a radial recess, which is arranged in the area of the connector plug. The optical sensor is arranged on the circuit board at the side of the connector plug, and is provided with an accepting slot for the encoder disk, which accepting slot being open towards the motor shaft on which the encoder disk is mounted. The accepting slots are open on the side of the direct current motor opposite the connection plug and towards the edge of the circuit board.
US07718950B2
A sensor to detect and map various mechanical stimuli spatially distributed over the area of contact with the surface of the sensor. The sensor is a thin film including a stack of alternating layers of nanoparticles and dielectric materials sandwiched between electrodes. By applying a bias between the electrodes, the applied stimuli to the sensor is converted to light and/or device-current through the stack. The optical signal may be directly focused on a photo detector, such as a digital camera, to image the distribution of the stimuli. The electronic signal in the form of spatial distribution of device-current over the area of contact may be obtained by patterning top and bottom electrodes and analyzed using standard electronics. The sensor has applications in many fields, including medicine, forensics, basic and applied research, and robotics.
US07718949B2
A solid-state imaging element or the like capable of limiting an abrupt refractive index distribution and collecting incident light at high efficiency is provided. The solid-state imaging element (size: 5.6 μm square) has a distributed index lens, a G color filter, Al wiring, a signal transmitting unit, a planarizing layer, a light receiving element (Si photodiode) and a Si substrate. A concentric structure of the distributed index lens is formed of SiO2 (n=1.43). This structure is a two-stage structure having film thicknesses of 1.2 and 0.8 μm. The distributed index lens is constructed by cutting concentric circular recesses into SiO2 and has a planar region about the center. A medium surrounding the lens is air (n=1).
US07718947B2
An imaging apparatus which can be reduced in size and secure a sufficient tilt angle. In the imaging apparatus, light is incident along a first optical axis on a first prism that is rotated by a tilting mechanism about a second optical axis, and is bent by the first prism in a direction of the second optical axis. Then, the light is incident along the second optical axis on a second prism disposed coaxially with the second optical axis, is bent by the second prism in a direction of a third optical axis, and passes through a photographic lens system disposed coaxially with the third optical axis. The light is received by an image pickup element from which an image signal is output.
US07718945B2
A solid-state imaging device 1 is provided with (1) a photodetecting section 11 in which M×N of pixels are two-dimensionally arranged in M rows and N columns, and a pixel Pm,n at the m-th row and the n-th column includes a photodiode PD1m,n, (2) a row selecting section 20 that selects one or more rows, out of M rows of the photodetecting section 11, instructs each pixel in the selected rows to accumulate an electric charge generated in the photodiode PD1m,n in response to the incidence of light, and instructs to output data corresponding to the amount of accumulated electric charge of each pixel by each row of the photodetecting section 11, and (3) a first signal processing section 30 that inputs data of each pixel, outputted by each row of the photodetecting section 11 by an instruction from the row selecting section 20, and outputs the data by each pixel.
US07718936B2
A distributed aperture sensor system and sensing method comprising a plurality of sensors each having an aperture and window that provides electromagnetic interference shielding by a material with a bulk resistivity of less than or approximately equal to 10 ohm-cm that is substantially uniform throughout the window.
US07718935B2
Apparatus and method for inductive heating of a material located in a channel. In one embodiment, the heating assembly comprises an interior coil, an exterior sheath inductively coupled to the coil, a dielectric material disposed between the coil and sheath, and a conductor for supplying a signal to the coil to generate the magnetic flux for inductive heating of the sheath. The heating assembly is disposed in the material in the channel, and the magnetic flux generated by the coil may also inductively couple to the material in the channel. The material may be heated from a nonflowable to a flowable state, such as heating a metal or polymer plug formed in a melt channel of a molding apparatus.
US07718933B2
Methods and systems for direct manufacturing are provided. The system includes a part bed, a deck disposed within the part bed, and a heater configured to heat a workpiece area adjacent the deck. The heater includes a plurality of individually movable heating elements wherein the heating elements are movable in a plane parallel with the deck, rotatable about an element mounting point such that an amount of heat directed towards the workpiece area is controllable using the rotation, and the heater is movable in a direction substantially normal to the deck.
US07718925B2
A heat-treating plate has, arranged on the upper surface thereof, support elements for supporting a substrate, and a first sealer for closing lateral areas of a first space formed between the heat-treating plate and the substrate supported. Further, second sealers ring-shaped in plan view are arranged around openings of perforations accommodating transfer pins. The second sealers close lateral areas of second spaces opposed to the perforations. Gastightness of the first space excluding the second spaces is never impaired through the perforations. By exhausting gas from the first space through exhaust bores, the substrate is effectively sucked for heat treatment.
US07718920B2
There is provided a method and a device capable of holding a sheet-like workpiece without wrinkles. The sheet-like workpiece holding method includes mounting the sheet-like workpiece such that almost no tensile force is applied thereon on a machining table, and pressing out wrinkles of the sheet-like workpiece by lowering a pressing member whose surface facing to the workpiece protrudes in the shape of a convex lens toward the workpiece so that the workpiece is pressed against the machining table. The method also includes retaining the sheet-like workpiece on the machining table using suction while continuously pressing the sheet-like workpiece with the pressing member and releasing the pressing force of the pressing member while retaining the sheet-like workpiece.
US07718917B2
An improved fusion welding system having a heating unit and welding device is adapted for increasing the efficiency of welding a plurality of workpieces. The system preferably presents a single-sided process, and includes first and second electrode wheels operable to heat a portion of the workpieces to a minimum temperature, and a translatable laser cooperatively configured to form a continuous weld within the heated portion. The preferred system provides the advantages of laser welding, such as precision, while enabling weld production at lower laser power outputs or faster welding speeds than conventional laser welding systems.
US07718909B2
A contact holding sheet with a light guide without using a holding sheet with protrusions made of resin is provided. The contact holding sheet does not require a protrusion fabrication process, thereby reducing costs, and making the contact holding sheet thin without forming the protrusions on the holding sheet. The contact holding sheet includes a holding sheet opposed to a substrate, fixed contacts provided on the substrate, and dome-shaped movable contacts attached to a pressure sensitive adhesive surface of the holding sheet. The dome-shaped movable contacts face the substrate, and the movable contacts are opposed to the fixed contacts of the substrate. The protrusions are formed at central positions of the movable contacts and positioned inside holes formed in the holding sheet. The holding sheet and a light guide film are integrated with adhesion in a state where the light guide film is laid on upper portions of the protrusions.
US07718908B2
A contact arm assembly and a method for assembling the contact arm assembly are provided. The contact arm assembly includes a first contact arm having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion has a first contact disposed thereon and a first spring holder portion disposed thereon. The second end portion has a first tab member for coupling a first braided strap thereto. The first contact arm has a first pivot aperture extending therethrough. The contact arm assembly further includes first and second side plates. The first side plate is disposed proximate to a first side of the first contact arm and the second side plate is disposed proximate to a second side of the first contact arm.
US07718904B2
A shock load applied to a solder ball may be cushioned by providing a viscoelastic material in association with the solder ball. The viscoelastic material dampens shock loads applied to the solder ball and reduces the rate of failure between the solder ball and the rest of the package.
US07718890B1
A method and apparatus for an electrical box repair cover have been described. The repair cover has two or more attachment points which extend beyond the electrical box which it covers. The repair cover may be secured to the electrical box by various techniques including straps, clamps, etc.
US07718888B2
A solar cell having backside contacts is economically fabricated through use of acceptor and donor polymers which are inkjet printed in interleaved patterns on the back surface as the carrier accepting electrodes of the solar cell. The polymers can be placed on a tunnel oxide on the surface of a semiconductor substrate, or the polymers can be in direct contact with the semiconductor substrate. Electrical patterns interconnecting the acceptor and donor polymer patterns can also be formed by inkjet printing a seed layer and then electroplating the seed layer. Advantageously, high temperature processing is not required in the process as is required in conventional solar cell fabrication using dopant implants into the semiconductor substrate. In alternative embodiments, doped contacts are diffused in the top surface and a polymer contact is formed over the back surface.
US07718883B2
The present invention provides a complete orchestration system to generate melodic lines of any length in real time to provide a new musical accompaniment with no repeated phrases each time a particular style is played, and which can generate accompaniment styles played by groups of any size up to full symphony orchestras. It instructs a computer processing unit to compose and orchestrate a particular style of music by merely describing, to the orchestration system, the attributes of that style. An original musical score can be generated and performed that can be synchronized to the scenes in a video production to provide a complete orchestration video system.
US07718876B1
In a drum shell, the combination comprising the shell having multiple wooden curved plys, each ply having a grain extending in a characteristic direction, the grain direction of at least one ply extending crosswise relation to the grain direction of the next adjacent ply.
US07718875B2
In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a first section including a protrusion-engaging portion and a second section including a first coupling member adapted to mate to a second coupling member attachable to a guitar cord.
US07718871B1
The keys in a reproducing piano are actuated by a plurality of solenoids, one for each key to be played. The solenoids are arranged along the width of the keyboard and deviated from each other in the front-back direction of the keys in a staggered manner. A consequence of this arrangement is that the mechanical lever advantage of some solenoids is greater than the mechanical lever advantage of others, and as a result, some keys are played more loudly than others. In order to correct this problem, the drive applied to a solenoid is adjusted to compensate for the mechanical lever advantage, thereby allowing a performance to be accurately reproduced.
US07718869B1
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH355718. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH355718, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH355718 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH355718.
US07718868B1
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the corn variety designated CV319521. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CV319521, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CV319521 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to corn seeds and plants produced by crossing plants of variety CV319521 with plants of another variety, such as another inbred line. The invention further relates to the inbred and hybrid genetic complements of plants of variety CV319521.
US07718857B1
An inbred maize line, designated HLA22ND, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of inbred maize line HLA22ND, to the plants of inbred maize line HLA22ND and to methods for producing a maize plant, either inbred or hybrid, by crossing the inbred line HLA22ND with itself or another maize line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other inbred maize lines derived from the inbred HLA22ND.
US07718855B1
An inbred corn line, designated SY0705W, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line SY0705W, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line SY0705W with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line SY0705W with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line SY0705W, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line SY0705W and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.
US07718853B1
The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar S07-03JR103829 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar S07-03JR103829 and its progeny, and methods of making S07-03JR103829.
US07718846B2
Provided are animal models of long QT syndrome (LQTS). The animal models are useful, for example, in screening of drugs for adverse effects in subjects with LQTS, in screening candidate therapeutics for the treatment or prevention of LQTS, and in determining gene expression in LQTS.
US07718838B2
A process is provided to stabilize and/or reactivate an olefin production catalyst system which comprises contacting an olefin production catalyst system, either before or after use, with an aromatic compound.
US07718831B2
Method of asymmetrically hydrosilylating substrates using catalysts having a ligand of the compound of the formula (I) wherein R is optionally substituted alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; R′ is hydrogen, optionally substituted lower alkyl; and R″ is hydrogen, halogen, optionally substituted alkyl, hydroxy, amino (e.g., primary, secondary or tertiary), alkenyl; or an enantiomer thereof; or an enantiomeric mixture thereof with a transition metal. Particularly suitable reactions include the asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketones.
US07718827B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing aldehydes or ketones using an alkali metal hypochlorite or an alkaline earth metal hypochlorite in the presence of a ruthenium catalysts.
US07718813B2
A composition suitable is disclosed for topical application for preventing and treating changes associated with skin aging and formation of abnormal skin lesions. The composition is derived by hydrolyzing a source composition in an acidic solution. The source composition can be, e.g., a soy composition and can include one or more isoflavones, phytoestrogens, sitosterols and saponins. After hydrolysis, water is added to the acidic solution to produce a first precipitate, which is then dissolved in an alcohol solution. The alcohol solution is then separated from undissolved portions of the first precipitate, and the alcohol in the separated alcohol solution is eliminated to produce a second precipitate of solids that were dissolved in the alcohol. This second precipitate is then dissolved in an organic solvent to produce a composition suitable for inclusion in a dermatological or cosmetic preparation.
US07718810B2
Universal linkers, their facile processes of manufacture and methods of using the same are provided.
US07718809B2
This invention relates to compounds of the formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein: A, B, X, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6, R7, R8 and R9 are each as described herein or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, and compositions containing such compounds and the use of such compounds in the treatment of a condition mediated by acid pump antagonistic activity such as, but not limited to, as gastrointestinal disease, gastroesophageal disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, NSAID-induced ulcers, gastritis, infection of Helicobacter pylori, dyspepsia, functional dyspepsia, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), visceral pain, heartburn, nausea, esophagitis, dysphagia, hypersalivation, airway disorders or asthma.
US07718807B2
An acid addition salt of 3-(2-cyanophenyl)-5-(2-pyridyl)-1-phenyl-1,2-dihydropyridin-2-one or a hydrate thereof, wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of benzenesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, sulfuric acid, methanesulfonic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid and benzoic acid.
US07718802B2
Melanocortin receptor-specific compounds of the general formulas and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, where J is a substituted or unsubstituted monocyclic or bicyclic ring structure, L is a linker, W is a heteroatom unit with at least one cationic center, hydrogen bond donor or hydrogen bond acceptor, Q includes a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic carbocyclic ring, R6, R7, y and z are as defined in the specification, and the carbon atom marked with an asterisk can have any stereochemical configuration, and optionally with one or two additional ring substituents as defined, which compounds bind to one or more melanocortin receptors and are optionally an agonist, a partial agonist, an antagonist, an inverse agonist or an antagonist of an inverse agonist, and may be employed for treatment of one or more melanocortin receptor-associated conditions or disorders, and methods for the use of the compounds of the invention.
US07718798B2
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a glucokinase activator useful as a pharmaceutical agent such as an agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of diabetes, obesity and the like.The present invention provides a glucokinase activator containing a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom; R2 is a group represented by wherein each symbol is defined in the specification, or a salt thereof or a prodrug thereof.
US07718795B2
This invention relates to novel lactams having the formula (I): to their pharmaceutical compositions and to their methods of use. These novel compounds inhibit the processing of amyloid precursor protein and, more specifically, inhibit the production of Aβ-peptide, thereby acting to prevent the formation of neurological deposits of amyloid protein. More particularly, the present invention relates to the treatment of neurological disorders related to β-amyloid production such as Alzheimer's disease and Down's Syndrome.
US07718794B2
Porphyrin compounds having a surface attachment group coupled thereto at the 5 position are described. The surface attachment group has the formula: wherein R is —CHCH2 or —CCH and Ar is an aromatic group. Methods and intermediates useful for making such compounds are also described.
US07718787B2
The invention relates generally to the changes in gene expression in human tissues from cancer patients. The invention relates specifically to human gene families which are differentially expressed in cancer tissues of breast, colon, esophagus, kidney, liver, lung, lymph node, ovary, pancreas, prostate, rectum, and/or stomach compared to corresponding normal tissues.
US07718779B2
In this application are described monoclonal antibodies which specifically recognize V antigen of Y. pestis and epitopes recognized by these monoclonal antibodies. Also provided are mixtures of antibodies of the present invention, as well as methods of using individual antibodies or mixtures thereof for the detection, prevention, and/or therapeutical treatment of plague infections in vitro and in vivo.
US07718774B2
The invention provides the identification and characterization of disease and cancer-associated antigen, TES7. The invention also provides a family of monoclonal antibodies that bind to antigen TES7, methods of diagnosing and treating various human cancers and diseases that express TES7.
US07718773B2
A protein includes or is formed by: (i) SEQ ID NO: 1; (ii) any sequence that is derived from sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, for example, by the substitution, removal or addition of one or more amino acids, on the condition that the derivative sequence binds to the phosphate; (iii) any sequence that is homologous to sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, preferably having a homology of at least approximately 80% with sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, on the condition that the homologous sequence binds to the phosphate; or (iv) any fragment of one of the aforementioned sequences on the condition that the fragment binds to the phosphate, such as any fragment comprising at least approximately 20 contiguous amino acids in sequence SEQ ID NO: 1.
US07718772B2
The present invention discloses a canine TSLP protein and a nucleic acid that encodes that protein. Peptide fragments of the protein that comprise specific epitopes of the canine TSLP protein are also disclosed. The canine TSLP protein and related peptide fragments may be used as an antigen for immunological assays, as well as for vaccines that induce anti-TSLP antibodies. The present invention further discloses methods of making and using the canine TSLP gene, the canine TSLP protein, and the related peptide fragments.
US07718769B2
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester, or prodrug, thereof: which inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis c virus (HCV) NS3-NS4A protease. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis c virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention.
US07718767B2
This invention relates to cyclosporin derivatives of general formula (I): wherein A, B, R1, R2 and X are as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutical compositions prepared from the same, for use in treatment of hepatitis C virus.
US07718763B2
The present invention relates to specific substrates for a von Willebrand factor cleaving enzyme, ADAMTS-13, as well as to diagnosis of ADAMTS-13 deficient patients, diagnostic compositions, and kits employing the substrates. Particularly preferable substrate polypeptides for ADAMTS-13 are the polypeptide which begins at amino acid 1587 and ends at amino acid 1668 of SEQ ID NO: 1 in the Sequence Listing, and the polypeptide which begins at amino acid 1596 and ends at amino acid 1668 of SEQ ID NO: 1 in the Sequence Listing. These substrate polypeptides for ADAMTS-13 have high substrate specificity and also superior quantitativeness, and a suitable size for production by recombinant methods.
US07718758B2
Poly(1,4-dihydroxy)-phenylenes (polyhydroquinones) having antihypoxic and antioxidative properties and prolonged paramagnetism, and represented by general formula: where n=0-13. The polyhydroquinones possess the possibility to increase significantly the labour-efficiency of an organism. The polyhydroquinones can be produced by hydrolysis of arbutin containing vegetable raw material followed by its polymerization; by polymerization of hydroquinone in the presence of catalyst (and without it); or by reduction of hydroquinone followed by polymerization along with purification.
US07718756B2
A process for preparing a polybromoaryl ether, comprising adding to a solvent for the polybromoaryl ether a mixture of (1) at least one compound of the structure HO—Ar—X1, X2, X3, X4, X5, wherein Ar is an aryl group and X1, X2, X3, X4, and X5 are independently selected from hydrogen and bromine, provided that at least one of X1, X2, X3, X4, and X5 is bromine, (2) at least one alkali or alkaline metal hydroxide, and (3) at least one polymerization initiator, wherein the solvent for the polybromoaryl ether is a non-solvent for alkali metal bromides.
US07718749B2
The invention aims to improve surface tackiness of a curable composition comprising a reactive silicon group-containing polyoxypropylene polymer without decreasing coating workability, strength, adhesion and appearance. As one embodiment of a means for resolution, a curable composition comprising (A) 100 parts by weight of a reactive silicon group-containing polyoxypropylene polymer, (B) from 0.1 to 20 parts by weight of a silane coupling agent, (C) from 0.1 to 80 parts by weight of an epoxy group-containing compound, (D) from 0.1 to 60 parts by weight of a tertiary amine, and (E) from 0.1 to 30 parts by weight of a primary or secondary amine having a melting point of 20° C. or more is mentioned.
US07718744B2
Disclosed is a method for preparing a cycloolefin polymer containing polar functional groups, comprising: preparing a catalyst mixture including i) a precatalyst, containing a Group 10 transition metal having a ligand containing oxygen ions bonded to the metal; ii) a first cocatalyst which is an organic compound containing a Group 15 element; and iii) a second cocatalyst which is capable of providing an anion and weakly coordinating to the metal of the precatalyst; and subjecting a monomer solution comprising a norbornene-based compound containing a polar functional group to an addition polymerization reaction in the presence of an organic solvent and the catalyst mixture, at a temperature of 80-200° C., the total amount of the organic solvent being 50-800% by weight based on the total weight of the monomer contained in the monomer solution, and the product yield of the polymer being 50% by weight or more based on the total weight of the monomer.
US07718738B2
A polymer nano-particle composition is provided, wherein the nano-particle includes a poly(alkenylbenzene) core and a surface layer including poly(conjugated diene). A method for self-assembly of the nano-particles is also provided. The polymer nano-particles are preferably less than about 100 nm in diameter.
US07718737B2
A polymer nanoparticle is provided. The nanoparticle includes an inner layer having alkenylbenzene monomer units. The nanoparticle further includes an outer layer having monomer units selected from conjugated dienes, alkylenes, alkenylbenzenes, and mixtures thereof. The nanoparticle has at least one functional group associated with the outer layer. Applications of use as additives for rubber, including the rubber compositions, are also provided.
US07718736B2
A processable rubber composition contains a double cured fluorocarbon elastomer dispersed in a matrix of a thermoplastic polymeric material. The cured elastomer contains repeating units derived from one or more fluorine-containing monomers, and further contains low levels of a peroxide cure site that contains at least one of a C—Cl bond, a C—Br bond, a C—I bond, and an olefin. In one embodiment the matrix forms a continuous phase and the vulcanized elastomeric material is in the form of particles forming a non-continuous phase. In various embodiments, the processable compositions are thermally processed into molded articles that exhibit a high degree of base resistance, especially a high degree of resistance to degradation of physical properties upon exposure to fluids containing strong nucleophiles such as amines.
US07718725B2
We describe novel compositions and methods for reducing fire and smoke hazards associated with rigid and flexible PVC. Cone calorimetry studies have identified several copper additives that are highly effective as combustion inhibitors for PVC. Mixed-metal oxides of copper(II) are especially attractive in this regard, some of which are strongly synergistic for smoke suppression when they are combined, in particular CuTi3O7 and Cu3(MoO4)2(OH)2. These novel combinations are useful for PVC applications wherein color is not of primary importance.
US07718724B2
The present techniques provide a method for making wear surfaces comprising a thermoplastic matrix blended with ceramic particles. The wear surfaces may optionally contain other materials, such as friction modifying additives. Wear surfaces formed according to these techniques may be used to protect such surfaces as the side rails of conveyor belts, the teeth of buckets used on front end loaders, rock or debris chutes, and self dumping hoppers, among others.
US07718723B2
A curable fluoropolyether rubber composition comprising (A) a straight-chain fluoropolyether compound having at least two alkenyl groups and a perfluoropolyether structure, (B) an organosilicon compound having at least two SiH groups, (C) an organosilicon compound having a silanol group and a melting point of at least 60° C., and (D) a hydrosilylation catalyst has advantages of little viscosity buildup and improved mold release and cures into a product that exhibits heat resistance, chemical resistance, water repellency, and oil repellency.
US07718722B2
A composition comprising alkylthio- or aryl(heteroyl)thio-substituted p-phenylenediamine, its method of preparation, and its use as an antidegradant in natural or synthetic rubber.
US07718721B2
A thermoplastic composition includes the product of melt kneading a composition including a poly(arylene ether), a polyolefin, an acid-functionalized hydrogenated block copolymer of an alkenyl aromatic compound and a conjugated diene, and a polyamine compound. The composition exhibits substantially improved chemical resistance compared to a corresponding composition lacking the polyamine compound. Methods of preparing the composition and articles prepared for the composition are also described. The composition is particularly useful for fabricating halogen-free tubes for sheathing automotive wiring harnesses.
US07718706B2
The present invention relates to novel arylphenyl-substituted cyclic ketoenols of the formula (I) in which X represents halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyloxy, alkylthio, alkylsulphinyl, alkylsulphonyl, halogenoalkyl, halogenoalkoxy, halogenoalkenyloxy, nitro, cyano or in each case optionally substituted phenyl, phenoxy, phenylthio, phenylalkoxy or phenylalkylthio, Y represents in each case optionally substituted cycloalkyl, aryl or hetaryl, Z represents hydrogen, halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, alkenyloxy, halogenoalkyl, halogenoalkoxy, halogenoalkenyloxy, nitro or cyano, CKE represents one of the groups in which A, B, D, G and Q1 to Q6 are each as defined in the description, to a plurality of processes for their preparation and to their use as pesticides and herbicides.
US07718704B2
The invention provides a novel class of cyclic oximes of Formula I: wherein A, X, Y, Z, W, R1, R2, R3 and n are as described in the summary of the invention; useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases or disorders mediated by lymphocyte interactions, particularly diseases associated with EDG receptor mediated signal transduction.
US07718703B2
Norvaline derivative of the formula [I] or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, method for preparing the same, pharmaceutical composition containing the same, and use of the compound for inhibiting transporting activity of glycine transporter type 2 (GlyT2) wherein X is —CH2—, —O—, —S— or single bond; Ar is optionally substituted aryl or lower cycloalkyl; n is 0 to 2; R1 and R2 are (i) each is hydrogen or lower alkyl; (ii) R1 and R2 are combined to form lower alkylene; or (iii) R1 is hydrogen or lower alkyl and R2 is combined with R4 or R6 to form lower alkylene; R3 and R4 are (i) each is hydrogen or lower alkyl; (ii) R3 and R4 are combined to form lower alkylene; or (iii) R3 is hydrogen or lower alkyl and R4 is combined with R2 or R6 to form lower alkylene; R is or —OR7; R5 and R6 are (i) each is optionally substituted lower alkyl, or hydrogen; (ii) R5 and R6 are combined to form aliphatic 5- to 6-membered heterocyclic group; or (iii) R5 is optionally substituted lower alkyl or hydrogen and R6 is combined with R2 or R4 to form lower alkylene; R7 is lower alkyl.
US07718699B1
The present invention relates generally to the fields of molecular biology and pharmacology. More particularly, it concerns the use of abscissic acid to treat various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and neuromuscular diseases.
US07718679B2
The invention is concerned with novel heteroaryl carboxamides of formula (I) wherein A, R1, R2, X, Y, Z and m are as defined in the description and in the claims, as well as physiologically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds inhibit the coagulation factor Xa and can be used for the treatment or prevention of thrombotic disorders.
US07718670B2
New quinuclidine amide derivatives having the chemical structure of general formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof including quaternary salts of formula (II) are disclosed; as well as processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions comprising them and their use in therapy as antagonists of M3 muscarinic receptors.
US07718667B2
The present invention is directed to novel substituted fused aminopiperidines which are inhibitors of the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme (“DPP-IV inhibitors”) and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved, such as diabetes and particularly Type 2 diabetes. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved.
US07718660B2
The invention relates to compounds of the formula I, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof: wherein: Z=O or S; n=1−3; R3═—CO2R8, —C(O)SR8, —C(O)NHR8, —C(S)OR8, —C(S)SR8, —C(S)NHR8, —C(NH)SR8 or —C(NH)NHR8, wherein R8 is —H or alkyl; R4═.H, —CH2R5 or —CH2CH2R5, wherein R5 independently has one of the meanings of R3; B═—NR2—, —CH2NR2—, —CH2CH2NR2, —CH2CHR7— or —CH2O—, wherein R2 is H or a C1-3 alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group, and R7 is H or a C13 alkyl or alkoxy group; A= wherein R1═—NH2 or —OH, and C and D are each, independently, a 5- or 6-membered, substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic or non-aromatic ring which may also contain one or more heteroatoms, and C is connected to group B in any available position.
US07718657B2
Certain substituted urea derivatives selectively modulate the cardiac sarcomere, for example by potentiating cardiac myosin, and are useful in the treatment of systolic heart failure including congestive heart failure.
US07718654B2
The invention relates to new pteridine compounds of formula 1 wherein R1, R2 , R3 and R4 have the meanings given herein, which are useful for the treatment of respiratory or gastrointestinal complaints or diseases, inflammatory diseases of the joints, skin or eyes, diseases of the peripheral or central nervous system, or cancers. The invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions which contain these compounds.
US07718653B2
A compound of formula (I) where one of A1, A2 or A3 is N, and the others are independently selected from CH or N; ring B is a fused 5 or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring which is optionally substituted as defined in the specification, and R1, R2, R3, R4, and n are as defined in the specification. The compounds are inhibitors of EphB4 or EphA2 and therefore may be useful in pharmaceutical compositions for the treatment of conditions such as cancer.
US07718649B1
An amorphous form of imipramine pamoate, morphologically pure forms, and mixtures of amorphous and morphologically pure imipramine pamoate characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, fourier transform infrared, and powder x-ray diffraction, and pharmaceutical compositions formed therefrom.
US07718648B2
This invention relates to compounds and methods for the treatment of cancer. In particular, the invention provides compounds that inhibit Aurora kinase, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and methods of using the compounds for the treatment of cancer.
US07718642B2
A prophylactic lubricant composition for use during sexual relations, includes: a) lubricant effective to reduce friction, thereby reducing the rupture of blood vessels during sexual relations, b) an effective amount of spermicidal antiseptic active against HIV and other viruses, said antiseptic destroying the human immunodeficiency virus and other viruses, said antiseptic immobilizing the sperm and reacting with vaginal mucosa to form a barrier to the penetration of sperm cells into the uterus; and c) an effective amount of a fungicide to prevent the growth of fungi in the vagina which grow in the absence of natural bacterial flora destroyed by the antiseptic; said composition having no substantial detrimental effect.
US07718633B2
A compound of the formula is disclosed as a prodrug of an HIV protease inhibitor. Methods and compositions for inhibiting HIV protease activity and treating HIV infection are also disclosed.
US07718632B2
The invention relates to compositions and methods for modulating the expression of alpha-ENaC, and more particularly to the downregulation of alpha-ENaC expression by chemically modified oligonucleotides.
US07718622B2
The present invention provides compositions comprising conjugate molecules that are structurally stable at a temperature of between about 2 degrees C. and 8 degrees C. In some examples, a conjugate molecule comprises an antigen, such as an allergen. In some examples, a conjugate molecule comprises the Ragweed antigen Amb a 1. The present invention provides methods for making and using such compositions. Provided herein are methods for modulating an immune response in an individual comprising administration of a composition comprising a structurally stable conjugate molecule as described herein.
US07718615B2
Contortrostatin, a homodimeric disintegrin, modulates the adhesion, motility, and invasiveness of integrin expressing tumor cells. When formulated as a pharmaceutically acceptable composition, the proteins can be used to treat patients by inhibiting or disrupting disease processes associated with an integrin binding to an αvβ3 or αvβ5 integrin.
US07718612B2
The present invention relates to compounds of Formula I, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof, which inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-NS4A protease. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of the present invention.
US07718605B2
A compound for delivering a non-cytotoxic therapeutic moiety into nerve cells, the compound having the general formula: B-L-TM where: B is a binding agent capable of selectively binding to a nerve cell surface receptor and mediating absorption of the compound by the nerve cell; TM is a therapeutic moiety which has a non-cytotoxic therapeutic effect when absorbed by a nerve cell; and L is a linker coupling B to TM.
US07718603B1
The present invention provides a composition and related methods for delivering cargo to a mitochondria which includes (a) a membrane active peptidyl fragment having a high affinity with the mitochondria and (b) cargo. The cargo may be selected from a wide variety of desired cargos which are to be delivered to the mitochondria for a specific purpose. Compositions and methods are disclosed for treating an illness that is caused or associated with cellular damage or dysfunction which is caused by excessive mitochondrial production of reaction oxygen species (ROS). Compositions which act as mitochondria-selective targeting agents using the structural signaling of the β-turn recognizable by cells as mitochondria) targeting sequences are discussed. Mitochondria and cell death by way of apoptosis is inhibited as a result of the ROS-scavenging activity, thereby increasing the survival rate of the patient. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions and methods may be administered therapeutically in the field to patients with profound hemorrhagic shock so that survival could be prolonged until it is feasible to obtain surgical control of the bleeding vessels. In further preferred embodiments, the composition for scavenging radicals in a mitochondria membrane includes a radical scavenging agent and a membrane active compound having a high affinity with said mitochondrial membrane and associated methods. In another embodiment, the cargo transported by mitochondrial-selective targeting agents may include an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme activity.
US07718593B2
There is provided an aqueous low-foaming cleaning composition comprising peroxygen compound and a surfactant system, wherein the composition has a MR foam value of about less than 16. The composition is stable and suitable for use in a steam cleaning machine. There is also provided a method for predicting foam generation in steam cleaning compositions comprising the steps of mixing the composition.
US07718579B2
A method for electrochemical removal of acid-labile protecting groups on an electrode microarray using an organic solution is disclosed. The solution comprises a hydrazine derivative and a salt in an organic solvent. The hydrazine derivative has at least one hydrazine group having at least one hydrogen. The hydrazine derivative provides acidic reagent when an electrode is active and isolates the acidic reagent to the area around the active electrode. The salt is an organic salt or ionic liquid having a concentration sufficient to provide electrochemical conductivity under an applied voltage. During the applied voltage, acidic reagent is generated, which removes acid-labile protecting groups thereby allowing continued addition of monomers to build a custom microarray of oligonucleotides, peptides, or other polymers.
US07718571B2
The invention provides a method wherein a treating solution containing a compound (A) of specific structure having a C10 to C22 hydrocarbon group at a concentration of 1 to 1000 ppm is applied at least once in a period of from germination of a fruit vegetable to planting in a field and applied at least once after planting in the field.
US07718569B2
The present invention relates to a) a catalytic composite comprising a support structure and a catalytic species that is deposited on the support structure, b) a process for the selective oligomerization of lower alkenes and mixtures of alkenes, which process comprises contacting the lower alkenes with the catalytic composite in a catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions, and c) a process for producing high octane products, which process comprises hydrogenating one or more catalytic distillation apparatus and under catalytic distillation conditions.
US07718568B2
Hydrothermally synthesized catalysts comprising a mixed metal oxide are utilized to produce unsaturated carboxylic acids by the vapor phase oxidation of an alkane, or a mixture of an alkane and an alkene, in the presence thereof; or to produce unsaturated nitrites by the vapor phase oxidation of an alkane, or a mixture of an alkane and an alkene, and ammonia in the presence thereof.
US07718565B2
The present invention relates to a method for preparing a solid catalyst for ethylene polymerization and/or copolymerization. More specifically, the present invention relates to a solid titanium catalyst supported in a magnesium support which has an extremely high catalytic activity, advantageous catalyst shape and a simple preparation process, capable of producing a polymer with a high bulk density, a narrow and uniform particle size distribution and a broad molecular weight distribution, and a method for preparation of the same. A silicon-containing magnesium compound is prepared by reacting an electron donor such as a silicon compound containing an alkoxy group of Formula 1, a silicon compound containing an alkoxy group of Formula 2, or a mixture thereof in a magnesium compound solution, and reacted with a titanium compound to obtain the solid catalyst of the present invention. Si(R1)(R2)(OR3)2 [Formula 1] wherein R1 is trimethylsilylmethyl or 2-phenylpropyl; R2 is linear, cyclic or branched alkyl of C3-C6 such as 1-hexyl, cyclohexyl, cyclopentyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl or propyl; and R3 is alkyl of C1-C3. R1aR2bSi(OR3)4−(a+b) [Formula 2] wherein R1 and R2 are individually hydrocarbon of C1-C12; R3 is hydrocarbon of C1-C5; and a=0 or 1, b=0 or 1.
US07718564B2
The present invention is related to a hydrocarbon oxidation process. The process comprises bringing one or more hydrocarbons into contact with a source of oxygen in the presence of a radical initiator and a catalyst. The catalyst comprises an organic metal complex located on a catalyst support, and is obtained by partial decomposition of the organic metal complex. For example, the process can be used to produce dimethyl carbonate from dimethoxy methane. The invention is also related to a partially decomposed catalyst that comprises a silica support and an organic metal complex, wherein at least 5% of the organic compound remains in the catalyst. The organic metal complex comprises an organic compound and a metal-based compound wherein the metal is selected from copper, nickel, and combinations thereof. The invention is also related to a process for manufacturing of a catalyst comprising mixing L-arginine, a Cu-based compound, water, and optionally another metal-based compound to form a solution; impregnating the solution onto a silica support to form a catalyst precursor; and partially decomposing the L-arginine to form the catalyst so that at least 5% of L-arginine remains in the catalyst.
US07718563B2
The invention provides a process for producing an olefin polymerization catalyst, comprising an organometallic compound of a transition metal or of an actinide or lanthanide, in the form of solid catalyst particles, comprising forming a liquid/liquid emulsion system which comprises a solution of one or more catalyst components dispersed in a solvent immiscible therewith; and solidifying said dispersed phase to convert said droplets to solid particles comprising the catalyst and optionally recovering said particles.
US07718558B2
A composite fabric for use as a roof lining material made of a multilayer base sheet of a meltblown web of bicomponent fibers sandwiched between two spunbond sheet layers of bicomponent sheath-core fibers and a spunbond top sheet of bicomponent sheath-core fibers wherein the base sheet and top sheet are joined in a manner such that the moisture vapor permeability of the composite fabric is not substantially reduced from the moisture vapor permeability of the base sheet alone.
US07718557B2
Fabric layers and composite articles that incorporate graphite-containing coatings that do not stain are provided. A fabric layer for use as a flame and heat blocking component of an upholstered article includes intumescent graphite particles that are configured to swell and char in the presence of flame so as to form a barrier to flame, hot gases and heat for a predetermined period of time. The graphite particles have a size greater than about 150 microns which prevents the particles from being drawn to a surface of an upholstered article during sewing and quilting operations.
US07718546B2
A method for fabricating a 3-D monolithic memory device. Silicon-oxynitride (SixOyNz) on amorphous carbon is used an effective, easily removable hard mask with high selectivity to silicon, oxide, and tungsten. A silicon-oxynitride layer is etched using a photoresist layer, and the resulting etched SixOyNz layer is used to etch an amorphous carbon layer. Silicon, oxide, and/or tungsten layers are etched using the amorphous carbon layer. In one implementation, conductive rails of the 3-D monolithic memory device are formed by etching an oxide layer such as silicon dioxide (SiO2) using the patterned amorphous carbon layer as a hard mask. Memory cell diodes are formed as pillars in polysilicon between the conductive rails by etching a polysilicon layer using another patterned amorphous carbon layer as a hard mask. Additional levels of conductive rails and memory cell diodes are formed similarly to build the 3-D monolithic memory device.
US07718545B1
A fabrication process, including forming one or more layers on at least a sidewall of a topographical feature of a substantially planar substrate, the sidewall being substantially orthogonal to the substrate; and planarizing respective portions of the one or more layers to form a planar surface substantially parallel to the substrate, wherein the planar surface includes respective co-planar surfaces of the one or more layers, at least one of the surfaces having a dimension determined by a thickness of the corresponding layer.
US07718544B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: forming on a substrate a silicon-containing insulation film having a diffusion coefficient of about 250 μm2/min or less as measured using isopropyl alcohol, by plasma reaction using a reaction gas comprising (i) a source gas comprising a silicon-containing hydrocarbon compound containing plural cross-linkable groups, (ii) a cross-linking gas, (iii) an inert gas, and optionally (iv) an oxygen-supplying gas, wherein a flow rate of the oxygen-supplying gas is no more than 25% of that of the source gas; and subjecting the insulation film to an integration process to fabricate a semiconductor device.
US07718535B2
The exemplary embodiments of the present invention providing new slurry compositions suitable for use in processes involving the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a polysilicon layer. The slurry compositions include one or more non-ionic polymeric surfactants that will selectively form a passivation layer on an exposed polysilicon surface in order to suppress the polysilicon removal rate relative to silicon oxide and silicon nitride and improve the planarity of the polished substrate. Exemplary surfactants include alkyl and aryl alcohols of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) block copolymers and may be present in the slurry compositions in an amount of up to about 5 wt %, although much smaller concentrations may be effective. Other slurry additives may include viscosity modifiers, pH modifiers, dispersion agents, chelating agents, and amine or imine surfactants suitable for modifying the relative removal rates of silicon nitride and silicon oxide.
US07718533B2
An inverted variable resistance memory cell and a method of fabricating the same. The memory cell is fabricated by forming an opening in an insulating layer deposited over a semiconductor substrate, etching the top portion of the opening to have a substantially hemispherical-shape, forming a metal layer in the opening, and overlying a variable resistance material over the metal layer.
US07718523B1
A solder attach film includes a first cover film, a flux layer, a solder layer, and a second cover film, and it can be treated or kept in a roll shape. A solder ball forming method using the solder attach film includes preparing a semiconductor package or a semiconductor die, adhering the solder attach film, gridding, and reflowing. In the solder attach film adhering operation, the first cover film and the second cover film are removed, and the flux layer is adhered to electrically conductive pads of the semiconductor package or the semiconductor die. Subsequently, in the reflowing operation, the flux layer is volatilized and removed, and the solder layer is fused and fixed to the electrically conductive pads, so that solder balls are formed.
US07718520B2
Embodiments of the invention provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device and a method for fabricating the device. In one embodiment, the method comprises forming a plurality of preliminary gate electrode structures in a cell array region and a peripheral circuit region of a semiconductor substrate; forming selective epitaxial films on the semiconductor substrate in the cell array region and the peripheral region; implanting impurities into at least some of the selective epitaxial films to form elevated source/drain regions in the cell array region and the peripheral circuit region; forming a first interlayer insulating film; and patterning the first interlayer insulating film to form a plurality of first openings exposing the elevated source/drain regions. The method further comprises forming a first ohmic film, a first barrier film, and a metal film; and removing portions of each of the metal film, the first barrier film, and the first ohmic film.
US07718515B2
The principal objects of the present invention are to provide structure of a semiconductor device capable of reducing a bowing of a wafer, and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The present invention is applied to a semiconductor device, which is fabricated with a semiconductor substrate having a silicon carbide (SiC) film. The method includes the steps of: forming the SiC film on a semiconductor wafer; discriminating a deformation condition of the semiconductor wafer; and forming grooves in the SiC film, the grooves having a shape determined in accordance with the deformation condition of the semiconductor wafer.
US07718514B2
A method is provided of forming a conductive via in contact with a bulk semiconductor region of a semiconductor-on-insulator (“SOI”) substrate. A first opening is formed in a conformal layer overlying a trench isolation region. The trench isolation region may share an edge with an SOI layer of the substrate. Desirably, a dielectric layer is deposited over a top surface of the conformal layer and the trench isolation region. A second opening can then be formed which extends through the dielectric layer and the first opening in the conformal layer. Desirably, portions of the bulk semiconductor region and the top surface of the conformal layer are exposed within the second opening. The second opening can then be filled with at least one of a metal or a semiconductor to form a conductive element contacting the exposed portions of the bulk semiconductor region and the top surface of the conformal layer.
US07718503B2
A silicon on insulator (SOI) device and methods for fabricating such a device are provided. The device includes an MOS capacitor coupled between voltage busses and formed in a monocrystalline semiconductor layer overlying an insulator layer and a semiconductor substrate. The device includes at least one electrical discharge path for discharging potentially harmful charge build up on the MOS capacitor. The MOS capacitor has a conductive electrode material forming a first plate of the MOS capacitor and an impurity doped region in the monocrystalline silicon layer beneath the conductive electrode material forming a second plate. A first voltage bus is coupled to the first plate of the capacitor and to an electrical discharge path through a diode formed in the semiconductor substrate and a second voltage bus is coupled to the second plate of the capacitor.
US07718500B2
A structure and method for forming raised source/drain structures in a NFET device and embedded SiGe source/drains in a PFET device. We provide a NFET gate structure over a NFET region in a substrate and PFET gate structure over a PFET region. We provide NFET SDE regions adjacent to the NFET gate and provide PFET SDE regions adjacent to the PFET gate. We form recesses in the PFET region in the substrate adjacent to the PFET second spacers. We form a PFET embedded source/drain stressor in the recesses. We form a NFET S/D epitaxial Si layer over the NFET SDE regions and a PFET S/D epitaxial Si layer over PFET embedded source/drain stressor. The epitaxial Si layer over PFET embedded source/drain stressor is consumed in a subsequent salicide step to form a stable and low resistivity silicide over the PFET embedded source/drain stressor. We perform a NFET S/D implant by implanting N-type ions into NFET region adjacent to the NFET gate structure and into the NFET S/D stressor Si layer to form the raised NFET source/drains.
US07718499B2
In a method of fabricating a semiconductor device, an additive gas is mixed with an etching gas to reduce a fluorine ratio of the etching gas. The etching gas having a reduced fluorine rate is utilized in the process for etching a nitride layer formed on an oxide layer to prevent the oxide layer formed below the nitride layer from being etched along with the nitride layer. The method comprises primarily etching an exposed charge storage layer using an etching gas; and secondarily etching the charge storage layer using the etching gas under a condition that a ratio of fluorine contained in the etching gas utilized in the secondary etching step is less than a ratio of fluorine contained in the etching gas utilized in the primary etching step. Thus, the tunnel insulating layer formed below the charge storage layer is not damaged when the charge storage layer is patterned.
US07718493B2
A method for forming a semiconductor device of the present invention solves problems in a process for forming a fin type gate including a recess region, such as, a complicated process, low production margin, and difficulty in forming an accurate fin shape. In a process for forming an isolation dielectric film defining an active region, a nitride film pattern is formed in such a manner that the size of the nitride film is adjusted according to line width of a fin portion in a fin type active region formed in a subsequent process step, and an isolation dielectric film is formed in every region except for the nitride film pattern of a semiconductor substrate. Then, a recess is etched, and the isolation dielectric film is removed from a region where the line width of the nitride film pattern was reduced to a certain degree. Consequently, a process margin for forming a fin type active region is increased, and the shape of a fin shaped portion can be adjusted accurately, which together contribute to improved electrical properties in the semiconductor devices.
US07718484B2
In a film formation method of a semiconductor device including a plurality of silicon-based transistors or capacitors, there exist hydrogen at least in a part of the silicon surface in advance, and the film formation method removes the hydrogen by exposing the silicon surface to a first inert gas plasma. Thereafter a silicon compound layer is formed on the surface of the silicon gas by generating plasma while using a mixed gas of a second inert gas and one or more gaseous molecules, such that there is formed a silicon compound layer containing at least a pat of the elements constituting the gaseous molecules, on the surface of the silicon gas.
US07718470B2
A package substrate and a method for fabricating the same are provided according to the present invention. The package substrate includes: a substrate body with a die attaching side and a ball implanting side lying opposite each other, having a plurality of wire bonding pads and a plurality of solder ball pads respectively, and having a first insulating passivation layer and a second insulating passivation layer respectively, wherein a plurality of first apertures and a plurality of second apertures are formed in the first insulating passivation layer and the second insulation passivation layer respectively to corresponding expose the wire bonding pads and the solder ball pads; a chemical plating metal layer formed on the wire bonding pads and solder ball pads respectively; and a wire bonding metal layer formed on a surface of the chemical plating metal layer of the wire bonding metal layer.
US07718459B2
The exemplary embodiments provide an imager with dual conversion gain charge storage and thus, improved dynamic range. A dual conversion gain element (e.g., Schottky diode) is coupled between a floating diffusion region and a respective capacitor. The dual conversion gain element switches in the capacitance of the capacitor, in response to charge stored at the floating diffusion region, to change the conversion gain of the floating diffusion region from a first conversion gain to a second conversion gain. In an additional aspect, the exemplary embodiments provide an ohmic contact between the gate of a source follower transistor and the floating diffusion region which assists in the readout of the dual conversion gain output signal of a pixel.
US07718454B2
A method of manufacturing semiconductor laser device including a GaN wafer includes forming a semiconductor layer on the GaN wafer and on which ridge portions are formed. Grooves are formed in the semiconductor layer such that each groove is disposed in line with the scribe marks, between each of the ridge portions and an upstream scribe mark. The grooves are curved and convex outwardly towards a downstream side, and each groove has an apex on a cleavage line. The side extending from the apex preferably does not form an angle of 60 degrees with respect to a cleavage direction or the cleavage line.
US07718443B2
Disclosed is an assay device to determine the presence of at least one analyte of interest in a liquid sample, the device comprising means for generating a first signal (the ‘test’ signal) which indicates the presence and/or amount of analyte of interest in the sample; and means for generating a second signal, the generation of which second signal indicates both (a) the test has been successfully conducted, and that (b) sufficient time has elapsed following contact of the assay device with the liquid sample for the test to be read and the first signal to have been properly generated.
US07718442B2
A system and method operative in accordance with the present disclosure facilitate storage and retrieval of individual or discrete samples of biological, non-biological, and chemical material stored on dry media. Sample material may be disposed upon or within a porous or solid (i.e., non-porous) sample storage medium and subsequently archived in, and retrieved from, storage elements such as multi-well plates, for example, using robotic devices or other automated apparatus. The disclosed system and method enable ejection of sample material from a sealed storage element into a specific well of a multi-well daughter plate, or into a specific cuvette, test tube, or similar container. In some embodiments, a sample carrier comprising a storage medium may be punched or ejected through a first seal of the storage element with an apparatus or implement such as a disposable piercing tip, for instance, inserted through a second seal of the storage element.
US07718440B2
Performing high-resolution determination of the relative shift of the spectral properties of a biosensor. The shift in the resonance peak of the biosensor is indicative of the amount of material bound to the surface of the biosensor. A preferred biosensor is a Guided Mode Resonant Filter Biosensor (GMRFB). In one aspect of the invention, curve fitting is used to determine the relative location of the spectrum of the unexposed biosensor with respect to those spectra that are altered (e.g., shifted) by the presence of materials bound to the surface of the biosensor. In an alternative embodiment, the cross correlation function is used to detect spectral peak offsets between a reference spectrum and a spectrum measured from an exposed biosensor. In yet another alternative, maximal likelihood estimation techniques are used to determine the spectral shift or offs.
US07718439B2
The present invention provides a test strip for measuring a concentration of an analyte of interest in a biological fluid, wherein the test strip may be encoded with information that can be read by a test meter into which the test strip is inserted.
US07718431B2
Disclosed are the complete polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) polyketide synthase (PKS) systems from the bacterial microorganisms Shewanella japonica and Shewanella olleyana, and biologically active fragments and homologues thereof. More particularly, this invention relates to nucleic acids encoding such PUFA PKS systems, to proteins and domains thereof that comprise such PUFA PKS systems, to genetically modified organisms (plants and microorganisms) comprising such PUFA PKS systems, and to methods of making and using the PUFA PKS systems disclosed herein. This invention also relates to genetically modified plants and microorganisms and methods to efficiently produce lipids enriched in various polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) as well as other bioactive molecules by manipulation of a PUFA polyketide synthase (PKS) system.
US07718427B2
The present invention relates to Lymantria xylina cell lines established from pupal tissues of L. xylina Swinhoe, including NTU-LY-1, NTU-LY-2, NTU-LY-3, and NTU-LY-4. These four cell lines were confirmed to be newly established cell lines derived from L. xylina by random amplified polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) and isozyme analysis. The genotypes and characteristics of the abovementioned cell lines are totally different from other insect cell lines. In addition, these four L. xylina cell lines are susceptible to insect baculovirus of L. xylina multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (LyxyMNPV), LdMNPV-like virus, PenuMNPV, as well as microsporidia of Nosema sp. (isolated from Eurema blanda) and N. bombycis and the like. Therefore the invention can be applied in multiplication of the abovementioned insect-pathogenic microorganisms to produce biopesticides in pest control. In addition, the cell lines can also be used as hosts for the expression vectors of said baculovirus to produce recombinant proteins.
US07718421B2
A sample processing tubule may include a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment. Each segment may be defined by the tubule, may be fluidly isolated, at least in part by a breakable seal, may be so expandable as to receive a volume of fluid expelled from another segment, and may be so compressible as to contain substantially no fluid when so compressed. Each segment may contain at least one reagent.
US07718416B1
Methods for stimulating in-vitro paecilomyces hepiali or hirsutella sinensis growth, and nutritional supplement formulations containing such fungal strains are disclosed and described. In some embodiments, such a method may include providing a an effective amount of a p. hepiali fungus strain for use as a stimulating agent on a culture medium for which h. sinensis is grown and regulating the temperature to induce and maintain the growth of the h. sinensis fungus. Alternatively, a p. hepiali fungus may be grown in a similar manner using h. sinensis as the stimulating agent. In some aspects, the growth of one fungus may be sequentially switched with the other in order to improve fungi potency.
US07718412B2
The present invention includes sterilized hemostatic compositions that contain a continuous, biocompatible liquid phase having a solid phase of particles of a biocompatible polymer suitable for use in hemostasis and that is substantially insoluble in the liquid phase, and sterile thrombin, each of which is substantially homogenously dispersed throughout the continuous liquid phase, and methods for making such compositions.
US07718404B2
The object of the present invention is to provide an α-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme, process of the same, cyclotetrasaccharide, and saccharide composition comprising the saccharide which are obtainable by using the enzyme; and is solved by establishing an α-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme which forms a saccharide, having a glucose polymerization degree of at least three and having both the α-1,6 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end and the α-1,4 glucosidic linkage other than the linkage at the non-reducing end, by catalyzing the α-glucosyl-transfer from a saccharide having a glucose polymerization degree of at least two and having the α-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end without substantially increasing the reducing power; α-isomaltosyl-transferring method using the enzyme; method for forming α-isomaltosylglucosaccharide; process for producing a cyclotetrasaccharide having the structure of cyclo{66)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(163)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(166)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(163)-α-D-glucopyranosyl-(16} using both the α-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme and the α-isomaltosyl-transferring enzyme; and the uses of the saccharides obtainable therewith.
US07718399B2
A recombinant expression vector capable of expressing and secreting an antibody fragment fused with E. coli thermostable enterotoxin signal sequence derivative or E. coli outer membrane protein A (Omp A) signal sequence in the form of a soluble heterozygote protein is used to mass-produce the antibody fragment by culturing a microorganism transformed with the expression vector in a medium and collecting the antibody fragment secreted from the transformed microorganism into the medium.
US07718398B2
The present invention relates to a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) comprising at least one promoter sequence, which is derived from a wild-type promoter of a methyltrophic yeast, whose transcription efficiency is modulated in comparison to the efficiency of the wild-type promoter by inserting or modifying a DNA binding site. The invention also relates to host cells, expression vectors, kits and methods for producing proteins while using the inventive DNA, as well as to different uses of the same and to a method for producing expression vectors.
US07718397B2
The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides having sequence identity with IL-17, IL-17 receptors and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention. Further provided herein are methods for treating degenerative cartilaginous disorders and other inflammatory diseases.
US07718395B2
A method for monitoring cleaning of a surface includes applying an amount of transparent indicator material to an area of a surface and measuring the amount of transparent indicator material remaining on the surface. The transparent indicator material may be fixed on the surface by drying and, when a fluorescent material, may be measured through exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
US07718392B2
The present invention provides a method of determining the antibiotic susceptibility of a microorganism comprising the following steps. First, a culture of the microorganism whose susceptibility is to be determined is admixed with an antibiotic to which susceptibility is to be assayed, and a permeabilizing agent for the microorganism present in a non-growth-inhibiting microorganism-permeabilizing effective amount to form an assay culture. Next, the assay culture is incubated under appropriate culture conditions and for a time sufficient to determine the susceptibility of the microorganism to the antibiotic. In another aspect, the present invention provides an improved method for antibiotic susceptibility testing of a microorganism in a culture by admixing the culture with an antibiotic to which susceptibility is to be assayed, and incubating the culture for a time sufficient to determine the susceptibility of the microorganism to the antibiotic, the improvement comprising admixing the culture with a permeabilizing agent for the microorganism present in a non-growth inhibiting microorganism-permeabilizing effective amount.
US07718391B2
The present invention relates to proteins of the conserved Rhomboid family, which are involved in various signalling pathways within cells. Rhomboid proteins are found to possess a novel serine protease activity which cleaves within the transmembrane domain of a polypeptide substrate. Methods and uses of this activity are provided.
US07718388B2
The present invention relates to methods for detecting or quantifying an analyte in a test sample including providing at least one test mixture including a test sample, at least one marker complex, wherein each marker complex includes a particle, a marker, and one member of a coupling group, a first binding material selected to bind to a portion of the analyte, a second binding material selected to bind with a portion of the analyte other than the portion of the analyte for which the first binding material is selected, analyte analog, and/or marker conjugate. The at least one test mixture is passed through a membrane. The amount of marker on the membrane is detected and correlated to the presence or amount of analyte in the test sample.
US07718385B2
A rapid screening method for identifying acylfulvenes and acylfulvene analogs with improved chemotherapeutic properties has been developed. The mechanism of toxicity of irofulven, a potentially clinically useful member of the acylfulvene class, has been elucidated and provides guidance for design and testing of a new class of alkylating agents with structures related to irofulven. The role of alkenal/one oxidoreductase (AOR) is shown to be important in cancer cell susceptibility to this class of alkylating agent.
US07718379B2
The present invention relates to a method of identifying a haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) or progeny thereof comprising the steps of: obtaining a cell sample including HSC or progeny thereof; detecting the presence of at least one carbohydrate sequence having a sequence of at least one disaccharide repeat of glucuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine or an equivalent thereof; and identifying a HSC or progeny thereof having the sequence or equivalent thereof. The invention also relates to methods of enriching cell populations for HSC or progeny thereof, for isolating HSC or progeny thereof and cell preparations obtained using the methods of their invention and their uses.
US07718378B2
Disclosed are uses of granulysin in methods of diagnosing or treating autoimmune disorders.
US07718366B2
Methods, compounds, and kits for the diagnosis or screening of osteonecrosis are described, and the development of animal models for COL2A1 function in osteonecrosis is put forth. Novel mutations in the COL2A1 gene are identified that are associated with avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Methods of treatment of osteonecrosis and avascular necrosis of the femoral head, including gene therapy approaches comprising introduction of COL2A1 nucleic acid are contemplated.
US07718358B2
The invention relates to a method for inducing a protection against the 4 dengue serotypes in a patient, comprising (a) a first series of administrations (i) of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a first serotype and of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a second serotype, and (ii) of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a third serotype and of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a fourth serotype, and (b) a second series of administrations of doses (i) and (ii), in which the doses (i) and (ii) are administered simultaneously at separate anatomical sites, and in which the second series (b) is implemented at least 30 days to at most 12 months after the first series (a).
US07718357B2
The invention relates to a method for inducing a homologous protection against the 4 dengue serotypes in a patient, comprising the sequential administration, to said patient, (i) of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a first serotype and of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a second serotype, and (ii) of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a third serotype and of a dose of a vaccinal dengue virus of a fourth serotype, in which the vaccinal dengue viruses (ii) are administered at least 30 days and at most 1 year after administration of the vaccinal viruses (i).
US07718355B2
There is provided a method of detecting a pathogenic microorganism in real-time, using a modified flow-type surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor, comprising the steps of: i) performing, in a batch-type, an immune reaction of a pathogenic microorganism and an antibody thereto; ii) selectively separating the pathogenic microorganism bound with the antibody; and iii) binding the pathogenic microorganism bound with the antibody on a surface of a chip of a flow-type SPR sensor system in real-time.
US07718350B2
The frame plating process of the invention comprises the dry film resist pattern formation step at which a part of the dry film resist is located in such a way as to cap the upper position of the given pattern of opening concavity corresponding to the site needing film thickness precision. It is thus possible to obtain a fairly good film thickness distribution at the specific site needing film thickness precision in a simple manner yet without depending on the film thickness distribution of the plated film based on plating conditions.
US07718342B2
A polymer is provided comprising recurring units having formulas (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), and (6) in amounts of 1-60 mol % (1), 1-60 mol % (2), 1-50 mol % (3), 0-60 mol % (4), 0-30 mol % (5), and 0-30 mol % (6), and having a Mw of 3,000-30,000 and a Mw/Mn of 1.5-2.5. R1, R3, R4, R7, R9, and R11 are H or CH3, Y is methylene or O, R2 is CO2R10 when Y is methylene and R2 is H or CO2R10 when Y is O, R10 is C1-C15 alkyl which may be separated by O, R5 and R6 are H or OH, R8 is a tertiary ester type acid-labile protective group, and R12 is OH-containing fluoroalkyl. A resist composition comprising the polymer has a high resolution and is improved in line edge roughness and I/G bias.
US07718340B2
To provide an image forming apparatus, image forming method and process cartridge, which are excellent in low-temperature fixation properties, storage stability, durability and filming resistance, can reduce generation of odor, and are capable of forming an extremely high quality image. The apparatus includes: a latent electrostatic image bearing member; a charging unit; an exposing unit; a developing unit; a transferring unit; and a fixing unit; wherein the toner comprises a binder resin and coloring agent, and the binder resin comprises a polyester-based resin (A) and polyester-based resin (B) having a melting point at least 10° C. higher than that of the polyester-based resin (A), and at least one of the polyester-based resins (A) and (B) is a resin derived from a (meth)acrylic acid modified rosin and includes a polyester unit obtained by condensation polymerization of an alcohol component and a carboxylic acid component containing a (meth)acrylic acid modified rosin.
US07718338B2
A charge control resin containing a copolymer which has a unit having a sulfonic acid ester group having a specific structure and has the unit in specific proportions. The charge control resin can provide a toner with superior charging performance. Also disclosed is a toner having such a charge control resin.
US07718331B2
An electrophotographic photosensitive member is disclosed which is excellent in cleaning performance, has improved durability, and suppresses image defects in various environments. The electrophotographic photosensitive member has a support and a photosensitive layer provided on the support. Depressed portions independent of one another are formed on the surface of the electrophotographic photosensitive member so that the number of the depressed portions per 100 μm square is 76 or more and 1,000 or less. The openings of the depressed portions have an average major axis diameter of more than 3.0 μm and 14.0 μm or less.
US07718324B2
A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, which comprises a substrate, and a reflective layer to reflect EUV light and an absorber layer to absorb EUV light, formed in this order on the substrate, wherein the absorber layer contains tantalum (Ta) and hafnium (Hf), and in the absorber layer, the content of Hf is from 20 to 60 at. % and the content of Ta is from 40 to 80 at. %, and wherein the absorber layer has a content of N being 0 to at most 35 at. %.
US07718323B2
An optical proximity correction (OPC) mask pattern used in a layout for a photolithography process. An OPC mask pattern may include a first mask pattern for an active region and a second mask pattern for a gate pattern. The second mask pattern may have a plurality of micro patterns stacked at the end, which avoids unintended overlapping of the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern.
US07718304B2
An electrode, a method of producing the same, and a fuel cell including the electrode are disclosed. The electrode includes: a support; and a catalyst layer formed on the support, the catalyst layer includes: a support catalyst; and a proton conductor having an amorphous phase greater than about 60% by weight. The proton conductor includes: at least one material from the group of B2O3, ZrO2, SiO2, WO3, and MoO3; and P2O5, the proton conductor being 0.5-60 parts by weight where the support catalyst is 100 parts by weight. The proton conductor can be synthesized at a low enough temperature so that it can be applied to the support with catalyst particles to form a catalyst layer. The coated proton conductor is in a solid state so the fuel cell is stable over time and it does not obstruct a fuel gas so that the catalyst can be more efficiently used.
US07718303B2
An electrolyte layer (121) and a hydrogen-permeable metal layer (122) are fitted in a fitting portion (131) of a low thermal expansion member (130), and a cathode electrode (110) is provided on the electrolyte layer (121). Gas separators (100, 150) are provided such that a low thermal expansion member (130) is held between the gas separators (100, 150). Since the low thermal expansion member (130) is made of metal which has a thermal expansion coefficient lower than that of the hydrogen-permeable metal layer (122), thermal expansion of the hydrogen-permeable metal layer (122) can be suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce shear stress applied to an interface between the electrolyte layer (121) and the hydrogen-permeable metal layer (122) due to the thermal expansion. It is possible to suppress separation of the electrolyte layer (121) from the hydrogen-permeable metal layer (122) and occurrence of a crack in the electrolyte layer (121).
US07718293B2
The invention deals with an electrochemical system for compressing gases and/or for producing gases by electrolysis, consisting of an electrochemical compressor stack (1) having layering of several electrochemical cells, which are separated from one another in each case by bipolar plates (3; 3′), wherein the bipolar plates have openings for media supply and media discharge (5a, 5b) for the electrochemical cells and the electrochemical cell stack can be placed under mechanical compressive strain in direction (6) of the layering. The bead arrangements (7; 7′) are resilient and are provided at least in some regions to seal the openings (4, 5a, 5b) and/or an electrochemically active region (10) of the electrochemical cells.
US07718292B2
A fuel cell stack constituted by fastening a laminated cell, is disclosed. The electrode of the cell has a catalyst electrode layer and a porous gas diffusion layer and supporting a polymer electrolyte membrane (1) from both sides. A separator (3) of the cell has a gas passage (6, 7) which supplies fuel gas or oxidizer gas to the gas diffusion layer. The gas diffusion layer (2b) is constituted such that when a load is applied and removed in the lamination direction of the cell, an amount of change in a thickness of the gas diffusion layer in a non-loaded state before and after the load is applied falls to or below a predetermined value. The gas diffusion layer (2b) is manufactured by repeating a cycle of applying and removing a load on the gas diffusion layer in the lamination direction of the cell before laminating the cell. The cycle is repeated until an amount of change in a thickness of the gas diffusion layer in a non-loaded state before and after the load is applied falls to or below a predetermined value. The gas diffusion layer (2b) is prevented from swelling into the gas passage.
US07718285B2
A fuel cell battery, comprising a chamber unit (1), an anode entrance (2) connected to the chamber unit (1), an anode exit (3), a cathode entrance (4) and a cathode exit (5). The anode entrance (2) is connected to a hydrogen source (11) and an organic fuel source (12) respectively through a hydrogen duct (9) and an organic fuel duct (10). Duct (9) and duct (10) are respectively installed with a hydrogen valve (13) and an organic fuel valve (14). An exit valve (20) is installed at the anode exit. This fuel cell battery combines the advantages provided by hydrogen fuel and organic fuel. The fuel cell battery can meet the dual requirements of operating on both high and low power. The fuel cell battery's design leads to low manufacturing costs, a simple structure, and easy implementation.
US07718283B2
An alpha voltaic battery includes at least one layer of a semiconductor material comprising at least one p/n junction, at least one absorption and conversion layer on the at least one layer of semiconductor layer, and at least one alpha particle emitter. The absorption and conversion layer prevents at least a portion of alpha particles from the alpha particle emitter from damaging the p/n junction in the layer of semiconductor material. The absorption and conversion layer also converts at least a portion of energy from the alpha particles into electron-hole pairs for collection by the one p/n junction in the layer of semiconductor material.
US07718282B2
A magnetic recording medium with a granular magnetic recording layer excellent in corrosion resistance is provided. In one embodiment, after formation of, on a non-magnetic substrate, an NiTa adhesion layer, a soft magnetic layer, a Ta intermediate layer, an Ru intermediate layer, and a Co alloy granular magnetic recording layer, hydrogen (H2) plasma processing is applied to the surface of the Co alloy granular magnetic recording layer. Then, a DLC protective film layer is formed and a lubricant layer is coated.
US07718274B2
The invention relates to a method for welding two welding parts (1, 3) by means of a fillet weld (11), wherein a first welding part (1), with a bearing surface at least in an edge area of an edge that is to be welded by means of a fillet weld, is brought into contact with a bearing surface of a welding part (3) and the welding energy (5) is supplied in an energy supply area during the welding process, exclusive of a surface (7) of the first welding part facing away from the bearing surface, said energy supply area being located at a predetermined distance from the edge of the first welding part. The welding energy is supplied in a direction, whereby the direction component thereof points perpendicular to the course of the fillet weld that is to be produced in the direction of an inner area of the first welding part, forming a welding angle of less than 90° with the contact plane of the bearing surfaces of the first and second welding parts. The welding energy is supplied until at least the energy supply area of the first welding part and a sufficient area of the second part, which is adjacent to the energy supply area of the first welding part, and also the material supply area located between the energy supply area and the edge of the first welding part are melted and fused together. The invention also relates to a welding part for carrying out said method and to an electric component with a printed conductor, which is welded to a cooling body of at least one power semiconductor element.
US07718267B2
In certain example embodiments, a coated article includes respective layers including diamond-like carbon (DLC) and zirconium nitride before heat treatment (HT). During HT, the hydrogenated DLC acts as a fuel which upon combustion with oxygen produces carbon dioxide and/or water. The high temperature developed during this combustion heats the zirconium nitride to a temperature(s) well above the heat treating temperature, thereby causing the zirconium nitride to be transformed into a new post-HT layer including zirconium oxide that is scratch resistant and durable.
US07718266B2
There is provided a fire-resisting glass including a first laminated glass pane made of two float-glass panes connected via an intermediate organic layer, a second laminated glass pane made of two float-glass panes connected via an intermediate organic layer, an airtight clearance between the two laminated glass panes which is evacuated or filled with a gas, wherein a thermal insulation layer is provided on at least one of the sides of the float-glass panes facing the intermediate organic layer or the clearance. The thermal insulation layer may be provided on the two sides of the laminated glass panes facing the clearance.
US07718257B2
A heat-peelable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet comprises: a base material; and a thermo-expandable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing thermo-expandable microspheres, the thermo-expandable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having a surface to be adhered to an adherend, wherein the surface of the thermo-expandable pressure-sensitive adhesive layer before subjecting to heating has a centerline average roughness of greater than 0.4 μm, and has a convex portion resulting from the thermo-expandable microspheres.
US07718256B1
Thermal interface materials are essential for proper operation of electronic assemblies. They are used between surface mount components and printed wiring boards and between printed wiring boards and metal heat sinks. Their function is to bond the components together and allow good heat transfer between the parts being bonded. The approach disclosed in this invention is a fully-cured, flexible, filled elastomer that is coated on both sides with a partially cured, filled adhesive, which can be conveniently made by a low cost tape casting process. This unique approach offers a combination of good adhesion to both bonding surfaces, good heat transfer, compliance to accommodate mismatched coefficient of thermal expansion, rework capability, control of flow of the adhesive during cure, and easy handling of uncured material.
US07718252B2
The inorganic fiber article according to the present invention is an inorganic fiber article comprising an inorganic coating layer having foams, the inorganic coating layer formed on at least a portion of the surface of an inorganic fiber molded body.
US07718248B2
In a process for molding a plastic component onto a prefabricated plastic part, a first mold plate (1) and a second mold plate (105) are closed, a cavity in which the prefabricated plastic part (101) is located being formed between the closed mold plates (1, 105). One of the mold plates (105) is formed with a depressed zone (108) and a polymer feed (115) opening out into the depressed zone (108) for molding the plastic component onto a region of the prefabricated plastic part (101) that lies opposite the depressed zone (108). Subsequently, polymer melt is injected into the depressed zone (108) and, during the injection of polymer into the depressed zone (108), the mold plates (1, 105) are moved apart.
US07718232B2
A nematic liquid crystal composition having a negative dielectric constant anisotropy, comprising one or more compounds selected from the compounds represented by (IA) and (IB) of 10-70% by mass, one or more compounds selected from the compounds represented by (IIA) to (IID) of 10-70% by mass, the total content of one or more compounds selected from the compounds represented by (IA) to (IID) being 35-80% by mass, and a compound represented by (III) of 20-65% by mass: wherein R1 to R14 each independently represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, etc.; Z1 to Z11 each independently represents a single bond, etc.; Z1 to Z6 and Z9 to Z11 each independently represents —CF2O—, etc.; l and m represent 0 or 1; rings A, B, C and D represent a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group, etc.; and rings B, C and D represent a trans-1,4-cyclohexenylene group.
US07718231B2
A method of fabricating silicon-on-insulators (SOIs) having a thin, but uniform buried oxide region beneath a Si-containing over-layer is provided. The SOI structures are fabricated by first modifying a surface of a Si-containing substrate to contain a large concentration of vacancies or voids. Next, a Si-containing layer is typically, but not always, formed atop the substrate and then oxygen ions are implanted into the structure utilizing a low-oxygen dose. The structure is then annealed to convert the implanted oxygen ions into a thin, but uniform thermal buried oxide region.
US07718222B2
A direct vapor deposition (DVD) apparatus and method is taught, that provides a carrier gas flow entraining vapor atoms for the coating of regions on a substrate that are not in line-of-sight. The degree of non line-of-sight (NLOS) coating, hence thickness uniformity around the substrate is a sensitive function of the flow conditions. For a fixed background pressure in the region of deposition, an increase in the uniformity of the coating thickness is accomplished as the flow velocity is reduced. This improvement in uniformity is a result of an increase in the fraction of vapor atoms which deposit in NLOS positions on the substrate such as backside (21) of fiber (65) as indicated by vapor streamlines (51). Vapor impact width (VIW) is the width of the vapor flux impacting on some area of the fiber. Front side coating (FSC) width is the vapor width of atoms impacting on the substrate frontside (22).
US07718211B2
Shortening systems are prepared which include hydrogenated edible oils that are hydrogenated in a manner to minimize the formation of trans-stereoisomers. A conditioned catalyst is used which disfavors trans-stereoisomer formation without significantly negatively impacting the length of time required to form solids for a useful shortening base stock through hydrogenation. Preferred conditioning agents are organic acid phosphates and phosphoric acid, In a preferred embodiment, a confectionary shortening is provided which incorporates a polyglycerol ester emulsifier.
US07718207B2
A method of preparing smoke-impregnated tubular casings is described. The process comprises: (a) providing a tubular casing having interior and exterior surfaces, the tubular casing being selected from cellulose fiber tubular casings and synthetic tubular casings, and the tubular casing being suitable for encasing food fillings having a form selected from one of liquid and paste; (b) applying to the interior surface of the tubular casing a mixture comprising, (i) liquid smoke, (ii) browning agents, and (iii) optionally water; (c) allowing the mixture to remain in contact with the interior surface of the tubular casing for at least 5 days; and (d) optionally shirring and watering the mixture treated casing. The smoke-impregnated tubular casings prepared in accordance with the method of the present invention are suitable for liquid or paste-like food fillings, such as sausage meat emulsions.
US07718206B2
Described is an infusion bag comprising a layer made of nonwoven fabric composed of bicomponent fibers and/or filaments composed of a high-melting component and a low-melting component, the high-melting component including a polyester. Problems in the fabrication of the nonwoven fabric are avoided by the fact that the low-melting component includes a likewise high-melting polymer having a melting point ≧200° C.
US07718187B2
The present invention includes a method of maintaining rumen health in ruminants. The method includes providing to a ruminant a low-moisture block made of molasses and having a buffer. The low-moisture buffer block is specifically designed such that licking rather than chewing consumes the block. The licking action of the cows increases salivation, which acts as a natural buffer for the maintenance of the overall rumen health.
US07718185B2
Methods and formulations are provided to reduce pigmentation in skin, using an array of compounds selected from benzimidazoles, phenylthioureas, phenyltiols, phenylamines, bi- and multicyclic phenols, thiopheneamines, and benzothiamides. The compounds preferably inhibit pigment synthesis in melanocytes through the tyrosinase pathway. The methods can be used for lightening skin, and for treating uneven skin complexions which result from hyperpigmentation-related medical conditions such as melasma, age spots, freckles, ochronosis, and lentigo. The compounds can be used medically or cosmetically.
US07718182B2
The present invention features polypeptides comprising an amino acid sequence structurally related to SEQ ID NO: 1 or a fragment thereof, S. aureus AhpC-AhpF compositions, and uses of such polypeptides and compositions. SEQ ID NO: 1 has a full length S. aureus AhpC sequence. A derivative of SEQ ID NO: 1 containing an amino His-tag and three additional carboxyl amino acids was found to produce a protective immune response against S. aureus. MGHHHHHHHHHHSSGHIEGRHMSLINKEILPFTAQAFDPKKDQFKEVTQE DLKGSWSVVCFYPADFSFVCPTELEDLQNQYEELQKLGVNVFSVSTDTHF VHKAWHDHSDAISKITYTMIGDPSQTITRNDVLDEATGLAQRGTFIIDPD GVVQASEINADGIGRDASTLAHKIKAAQYVRKNPGEVCPAKWEEGAKTLQ PGLDLVGKIAEQ
US07718178B2
Provided is a pharmaceutical composition comprising tyrosine, an optionally modified allergen, and 3-DMPL, the composition is useful in the prevention and treatment of allergies.
US07718177B2
The present invention is directed to CTGF fragments comprising at least exon 2 or exon 3 of CTGF and having the ability to induce extracellular matrix synthesis, in particular, collagen synthesis and myofibroblast differentiation. The present invention is further directed to methods using said CTGF fragments to identify compositions which modulate the activity of said CTGF fragments and to the compositions so identified. The invention also relates to methods of treating CTGF-associated disorders and diseases associated with the overproduction of the extracellular matrix.
US07718174B2
The inventive anti-HGF/SF humanized antibody prepared by displaying on the surface of a phage an anti-HGF/SF chimeric Fab library comprising a set of human antibody light chain variable region (VL) and human antibody heavy chain variable region (VH) which are grafted with heavy chain complementary determining regions (HCDRs) of an anti-HGF/SF antibody of an animal other than human, has the equal or greater binding affinity than that of the parent anti-HGF/SF antibody, the neutralizing activity inhibiting the binding of HGF/SF to its receptor, cMET while having the reduced immunogenicity in human. Therefore, the inventive anti-HGF/SF humanized antibody can be used for preventing and treating diseases effectively, e.g., cancers, by the action of binding HGF/SF to cMET.
US07718172B2
The present invention relates to blocking the activity of IL-TIF polypeptide molecules. IL-TIF is a cytokine involved in inflammatory processes and human disease. The present invention includes anti-IL-TIF antibodies and binding partners, as well as methods for antagonizing IL-TIF using such antibodies and binding partners in IL-TIF-related human inflammatory diseases, amongst other uses disclosed.
US07718170B2
Compositions of human proteins, methods and regimens for reducing the occurrence and growth of skin cancer, including melanoma, are provided. The methods include steps of administering topically on the skin tumor or a skin cancer-free area of compositions containing therapeutically effective amounts of human alkaline phosphatase, transferrin and α1-antitrypsin. In some embodiments, the composition is topically administered and includes all three proteins. Alkaline phosphatase, alone or in combination with transferrin and α1-antitrypsin can also be administered by injection with or without simultaneous or sequential topical administration. Administration of compositions topically and/or by injection can be part of a more complex cancer therapy including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, and electrochemotherapy.
US07718169B2
The present invention relates to compositions for the treatment of conditions, including pancreatic insufficiency. The compositions of the present invention comprise lipase, protease and amylase in a particular ratio that provides beneficial results in patients, such as those afflicted with pancreatic insufficiency. This invention also relates to methods using such compositions for the treatment of pancreatic insufficiency. The compositions specifically comprise crosslinked Burkholderia cepacia lipase crystals, Aspergillus melleus protease crystals and amorphous Aspergillus oryzae amylase in a ratio of about 1:1:0.15 USP units.
US07718167B2
A method for treating an open wound, such as a surgical wound, may include preparing a first composition including a platelet poor plasma (PPP), and preparing a second composition including a platelet rich plasma (PRP). A layer of the first composition may be applied within the open wound, and a layer of the second composition may be applied within the open wound over the layer of the first composition.
US07718165B2
Method for inoculating a vertebrate host against malaria, by administering to the host a live Plasmodium organism that is genetically engineered to disrupt a liver-stage-specific gene function.
US07718139B2
A process and apparatus for gas phase polymerization of olefins in a fluidized bed reactor are disclosed. The process and apparatus employ a vertically oriented fines ejector in order to reduce fouling and reactor downtime.
US07718132B2
A fragrance product is disclosed including a container containing liquid fragrance and a dispenser assembly for dispensing the liquid fragrance including a transport assembly and a tube connected to the transport assembly and extending into the liquid fragrance. The tube and the liquid fragrance each have a refractive index, and the difference between the refractive index of the tube and the liquid fragrance is not greater than about 0.04.
US07718129B2
A bioassay substrate (1) takes a flat-plate shape in which the principal surface similar to that of optical disc such as CD, etc. is circular. At the center of the substrate (1), there is formed a center hole (2) into which a chucking mechanism for rotation and holding is inserted. The substrate (1) is rotationally driven with the center hole (2) being as center. On the substrate (1), there are formed two regions of a recording region (3) and a reaction region (4) which are formed in concentrical form in a radial direction. The recording region (3) is a region where, similarly to the optical disk information recording medium, laser beams are irradiated so that recording/reproduction of information is optically performed. The reaction region (4) is a region serving as the filed of mutual reaction between probe DNA (nucleotide chain for detection) and sample DNA (marked or labeled nucleotide chain), in concrete terms, the field of hybridization reaction.
US07718128B2
Provided are a kit including a first component that is a compound of formula (1) below bound to a first material and a second component that is a ligand bound to a second material, wherein each of the first and second materials is independently selected from the group consisting of a solid phase, a biomolecule, an antioxidant, a chemical therapeutic agent, an anti-histaminic agent, a cucurbituril dendrimer, a cyclodextrin derivative, a crown ether derivative, a calixarene derivative, a cyclophane derivative, a cyclic peptide derivative, a metallic ion, a chromophore, a fluorescent material, a phosphor, a radioactive material, and a catalyst; and the ligand can non-covalently bind to the compound of formula (1); a method of separating and purifying a material bound to a ligand using the compound of formula (1) bound to a solid phase; a method of separating and purifying the compound of formula (1) or a material bound to the compound using a ligand bound to a solid phase; a sensor chip including a compound of formula (1) bound to a first material and a ligand bound to a second material; and a solid-catalyst complex including the compound of formula (1) bound to a first material and a ligand bound to a second material.
US07718123B2
A mineral acid detection tape includes a cellulose paper substrate saturated with a formula solution and provides an extended life detection tape of at least a three-month period of time when place in service.
US07718121B2
A method and a reaction apparatus which can safely and continuously treat/discharge especially a short object is treated without any direct contact with a gas atmosphere, and which surely/efficiently treats the object with a gas without any uneven treatment. A short object A to be treated is put in a hermetically sealed cylindrical treatment section 1. In the treatment section 1, the object is held in a predetermined position by a first operation piece 11 to be treated with a gas for a predetermined time. Then, the holding by the first operation piece is released to move the object A by a desired distance. Subsequently, the object is held in a predetermined position by a second operation piece 12 to be treated again with the gas for a predetermined time, and then a treated object A1 is discharged. This discharged treated object A1 is conveyed to the outside of the apparatus.
US07718117B2
A method of manufacturing a tungsten sputtering target includes pressing a high purity tungsten powder to form a pressed compact, first sintering the pressed compact at a temperature of 1450-1700° C. for one hour or longer after the pressed compact is heated at a heating-up rate of 2-5° C./min on the way to a maximum sintering temperature, second sintering the pressed compact to form a sintered body at a temperature of 1900° C. or higher for 5 hours or longer, working the sintered body to obtain a shape of a target, subjecting the target to a grinding work of at least one of rotary grinding and polishing, and subjecting the target to a finishing work of at least one of etching and reverse sputtering.
US07718113B2
A gas delivery substrate and method of manufacture is disclosed. A thermoplastic extrusion compound is created comprising a ceramic material and a thermoplastic resin, a green body is formed by thermoplastic extrusion of the compound, and the green body is sintered to form the gas delivery substrate. Such gas delivery substrates may be thin walled, highly porous and have secondary operations such as crimping and machining done prior to sintering.
US07718111B2
A photocurable composition comprising cationically curable compound, an acrylate-containing compound; a hydroxyl-containing compound; a cationic photoinitiator; and a free radical photoinitiator; wherein said composition has less than 0.54 equivalents of cationically curable groups, less than 0.10 equivalents of acrylate groups and less than 0.10 equivalents of hydroxyl 0groups per 100 grams of said composition.
US07718102B2
Foam for making pads and belts with controlled, reproducible microcellular structure and method of making such foam in a fast and efficient manner. Under constant pressure and temperature, a prepolymer is mixed with the nucleation surfactant in a tank in the presence of a frothing agent metered into the tank by way of a dip tube or sparge. The nitrogen gas is sheared into small bubbles and is drawn off from the headspace of the tank creating a continuous flow of nitrogen. The pressure of the tank may vary from any absolute pressure down to near complete vacuum, thereby all but eliminating the pressure requirement. The froth of the present invention has a more consistent cell structure and increased cell count.
US07718097B2
A process for producing a plastic lens comprises, using a mold constituted with a pair of mold members facing each other and a plastic gasket which fixes the mold members to form a cavity and has an inlet for injecting a composition of a material monomer into the cavity, injecting the composition of a material monomer into the cavity through the inlet of the plastic gasket, sealing the inlet of the plastic gasket and, thereafter, conducting polymerization, wherein the inlet of the plastic gasket is sealed by the ultrasonic welding. No striae is formed in the produced lens, and the operations of the production can be performed efficiently at a high speed.
US07718096B2
Disclosed are compositions, which are stabilized against degradation and yellowing during exposure to ultraviolet light by the presence of certain nitroxyl, hydroxyl amine and hydroxyl amine salt additives, a method of stabilizing the compositions by the addition of said additives, to the use of such compositions as media in electroactive devices such as electrochromic and electrophoteric devices, and the electroactive devices comprised of these media.
US07718095B2
A sputtering target is provided that has a relative density of 80% or more and contains a compound having as its principal component zinc oxide satisfying AXBYO(KaX+KbY)/2(ZnO)m, 1
US07718093B2
The electroconductive thick film paste of the present invention is a silver electroconductive paste, which includes silver particles, glass particles, and an organic vehicle, and is used in an electrode for connecting a back face terminal on the silicon substrate of a solar cell, and is characterized by the fact that the average particle diameter of said silver particles is 3.0-15.0 μm. The present invention is further directed to an electrode formed from the composition as detailed above and a solar cell comprising said electrode.
US07718092B2
The present invention is directed to a thick film conductor composition comprised of (a) aluminum-containing powder; (b) amorphous silicon dioxide (c) and one or more optional glass frit compositions; dispersed in (d) organic medium. The amorphous silicon dioxide contributes to significant bow reduction tendency for solar cells thinner than 270 microns and larger than five inches square without significant effect on reducing the electrical performance of the fired solar cell. In addition and as preferred by solar cell manufacturers, the addition of glass frit reduces the dusting tendency of the aluminum thick film composition.
US07718084B2
A method for removing a plurality of dielectric films from a supporting substrate by providing a substrate with a dielectric layer overlying another dielectric layer, contacting the substrate at a first temperature with an acid solution exhibiting a positive etch selectivity at the first temperature, and then contacting the substrate at a second temperature with an acid solution exhibiting a positive etch selectivity at the second temperature. The dielectric layers exhibit different etch rates when etched at the first and second temperatures. The first and second acid solutions may contain phosphoric acid. The first dielectric layer may be silicon nitride and the second dielectric layer may be silicon oxide. Under these conditions, the first temperature may be about 175° C. and the second temperature may be about 155° C.
US07718083B2
The present invention provides a refrigerator oil composition including: a base oil (A) composed of at least one selected from a polyalkylene glycol, a polyol ester, a poly-α-olefin, an alkylbenzene, and an mineral oil; an organic sulfur compound (B) having a sulfur content of 35% by mass or less; and a refrigerant (C) composed of at least one selected from carbon dioxide gas, a hydrocarbon, and ammonia, in which the refrigerator oil composition has a total sulfur content of 0.01 to 0.1% by mass with respect to a total amount of the components (A) and (B). The refrigerator oil composition is novel, and is free from an environmental problem such as the ozone layer destruction or the global warming, can retain its lubrication property for a long period of time, and does not cause the clogging of a capillary in a refrigeration cycle.
US07718075B2
Methods are provided for treating suspensions of particles to improve the drainage rate and/or the solids content of flocs of the particles. The method includes the steps of (i) providing a suspension which comprises particles in a fluid; (ii) adding a cyclodextrin compound to the suspension; and (iii) dewatering the suspension by removing at least a portion of the fluid to form a cake comprising the particles. The cyclodextrin compound desirably is added in an amount effective to increase the dewatering rate of the flocs, to increase the solids content, or both, over that rate, solids content, or both, that would be obtained without the addition of the cyclodextrin compound. The suspension may be, for example, a biological or non-biological sludge, or a suspension of pulp fibers, such as in a pulping or papermaking process.
US07718073B2
A device for treating liquid medium has an ultrasound emitter located relative to a compartment of a container holding a liquid medium and a microbubble emitter located relative to the compartment. The ultrasound emitter emits high-frequency ultrasound between about 200 KHz and 10 MHz. The microbubble emitter emits bubbles with an average diameter of less than 1 mm.
US07718070B2
A process for obtaining one or more than one salt of an organic acid(s), or organic acid(s), from an aqueous sugar stream comprising one or more than one mineral acid and the organic acid(s) is provided. The process comprises introducing the aqueous sugar stream to a separation system comprising one or more beds of anion exchange resin and obtaining a stream therefrom comprising the sugar. The one or more beds of anion exchange resin are then regenerated in one or more stages to produce at least one product stream comprising the organic acid, a salt of the organic acid, or a combination thereof, and a separate outlet stream comprising the mineral acid, a salt of the mineral acid, or a combination thereof. The product stream is then recovered. The separation may be conducted with two separation units, or using a single anion exchange unit.
US07718068B2
Wastewater treatment system and process in which the influent is passed through a mixing chamber and then through a series of filters of progressively smaller size to separate the materials carrying the colonized bacteria from finer solids in the influent and separate the materials according to size. The materials from the filters are progressively reduced to a smaller size, the materials of smaller size are returned to the mixing chamber, and new influent is inoculated with the colonized bacteria carried by the materials returned to the mixing chamber.
US07718067B2
A method and apparatus for remediating a failing wastewater treatment system comprising a positive air, oxygen, ozone, or combination thereof, generating pressure pump (40) directing the air, oxygen, ozone or combination through a tube (50) to an air stone (60) suspended in the effluent. Attached growth bacteria grow on a plurality or random directional brushes (116) in an effluent tank, e.g., septic tank (14).
US07718060B2
Filter device (10) is provided with a head (20), a filter element (40), and a housing (30). The head (20) is provided with an inlet (24) which is attached to a hydraulic circuit (5), and into which flows the operating oil (L1) that is to be filtered. The filter element (40) filters the operating oil (L1) that is to be filtered. The housing (30) has an opening (30b) through which the filter element (40) passes, and which holds the filter element (40) inside it. The filter element (40) is provided with an element main body (48), and an element pressing part (47). The element pressing part (47) is provided to the element main body (48). The element pressing part (47) is provided with a contact part (53) that can be shifted toward or away from the inner surface (30a) of the housing (30). A groove (35) that holds the contact part (53) is provided to the housing (30). The contact part (53) can be shifted until it comes out of the groove (35).
US07718057B2
This invention is directed to a wastewater treatment system having a fluidizable media carrying anoxic bacteria in a first treatment zone and a filter membrane positioned in a second treatment zone. A wastewater is contacted with the fluidizable media and further contacted with air and a filter membrane.
US07718055B2
An automatic cleaning drain structure includes a cover member, a base, a fan blades set and an object expeller set. The fan blades set is installed interior of a holding space of the base A wind power device extends from the object expeller set, and functional connection of the bearing between the fan blades set and the wind power device is used to effect rotation thereof, Accordingly, when a water flow flows past the fan blades set or the wind power device is blown by the force of wind, then a plurality of strip members of the object expeller set and a plurality of strip members of the wind power device rotate around the cover member about the bearing as center, thereby enabling the drain to achieve the objective of clearing away foreign objects to allow unimpeded water flow.
US07718050B2
The invention relates to a process for FCC pretreatment by mild hydrocracking of a hydrocarbon feedstock that comprises a vacuum distillate fraction or a deasphalted oil or else a mixture of these two fractions, said primary feedstock, to produce gas oil and an effluent having an initial boiling point of more than 320° C., said effluent (FCC feedstock) then being subjected to a catalytic cracking, process in which at least 85% by weight of said primary feedstock ends above 375° C. and at least 95% by weight of said primary feedstock ends below 650° C., whereby the mild hydrocracking is performed under an absolute pressure of 2 to 12 MPa and at a temperature of between 300 and 500° C., characterized in that the hydrocarbon feedstock also comprises a lighter hydrocarbon fraction, a so-called secondary feedstock, of which at least 50% by weight ends below 375° C. and at least 80% ends above 200° C.
US07718049B2
A method is disclosed for treating gaseous effluent from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis unit to provide steam cracked tar of reduced asphaltene and toluene insolubles content. The method is suitable for preparing reduced viscosity tar useful as a fuel blending stock, or feedstock for producing carbon black, while reducing or eliminating the need for externally sourced lighter aromatics additives to meet viscosity specifications. The method comprises drawing steam cracked tar from a separation vessel, e.g., a primary fractionator or tar knock-out drum, cooling the tar, and returning it to the separation vessel to effect lower overall tar temperatures within the separation vessel, in order to reduce viscosity increasing condensation reactions. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also provided.
US07718045B2
The invention generally provides a ground shield for use in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber. In one embodiment, a ground shield includes a generally cylindrical body comprising an outer wall, an inner upper wall, an inner lower wall having a diameter less than a diameter of the inner upper wall and a reentrant feature coupling the upper and inner lower walls. The reentrant feature advantageously prevents arching between the shield and target, which promotes greater process uniformity and repeatability along with longer chamber component service life.
US07718040B2
Product propylene oxide in a reaction mixture resulting from the reaction of propylene, oxygen and hydrogen or from the reaction of propylene and hydrogen peroxide is separated from propylene and/or propane by extractive distillation using methanol and/or water extractive distillation solvent.
US07718038B2
A retort heating method for processing a feed material includes a heating chamber bound at least in part by said wall. A plurality of baffles are at least partially disposed with the heating chamber. Each baffle includes an elongated body having a top surface, at least a portion of the top surface being arched. The plurality of baffles are vertically and horizontally spaced apart so that substantially all of the feed material that vertically passes through the heating chamber is horizontally displaced as the feed material passes by the baffles. The method for oil shale processing within the retort chamber includes for heating the feed material within the heating chamber.
US07718037B2
A creping foil having a machine direction, cross machine direction, and Z-direction normal to a plane formed by machine direction and cross machine directions. The creping foil also has a front face, back face, and bottom side. The front face has one or more top conduits with one or more upper pipes integrally mounted therein. The one or more upper pipes are rotatable about an axis in the cross machine direction and have one or more upper diameter holes. The bottom side has one or more bottom conduits with one or more lower pipes integrally mounted therein. The one or more lower pipes are rotatable about an axis in the cross machine direction and have one or more lower diameter holes.
US07718031B2
A mask frame on which a mask, having a pattern area and a mask edge defining the pattern area, is fixed comprises: a through opening corresponding to the pattern area; and a base corresponding to the mask edge. The base is provided with discharging holes formed therein, and a vacuum pump is coupled to the discharging holes so that the mask is fixed to the mask frame without damaging the pattern formed on the pattern area of the mask.
US07718004B2
A gas-introducing system for plasma CVD and cleaning includes: a showerhead including a top plate with a gas inlet port and a shower plate; a rectifying plate installed in the interior space of the showerhead and dividing the interior space into an upper space and a lower space; a structure for inhibiting inactivation of active species of the activated cleaning gas at the rectifying plate; and a piping unit for connecting the gas inlet port of the showerhead to a remote plasma unit and a reaction gas introduction port.
US07718001B2
Disclosed is a method for fabricating a GaN semiconductor epitaxial layer. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a substrate within a reaction furnace; (b) setting a temperature range of the substrate to be 200° C.˜1,300° C.; (C) supplying a Ga metallic source on the substrate; (d) changing the supplied Ga metallic source on the substrate, to Ga metal islands; (e) supplying a nitrogenous source to the Ga metal islands after suspending supply of the Ga metallic source; (f) forming GaN islands by reacting the Ga metal islands with the nitrogenous source; and (g) growing a GaN epitaxial layer by basing the GaN islands as a seed.
US07717999B1
An industrial waste byproduct from a titanium metal or a titanium dioxide production process can be utilized as a partial cement replacement. In some embodiments, the byproduct can comprise a byproduct from the production of titanium dioxide pigment from a sulphate process or from a chloride process. The cement can be used to make concrete and other cementitious material products for structural and non-structural uses, for example, grout, mortar, gunite, stucco, masonry, decorative stonework, bricks, blocks, roof tiles, floor tiles, cobblestones, pavers, combinations thereof, and the like.
US07717995B2
A method for making mixed polymer composite fibers containing cellulose fibers in which cellulose fibers are dispersed in an aqueous solution comprising a carboxyalkyl cellulose and a galactomannan polymer or a glucomannan polymer in water to provide an aqueous fiber dispersion; the aqueous dispersion treated with a first crosslinking agent to provide a gel; the gel mixed with a water-miscible solvent to provide composite fibers; and the composite fibers treated with a second crosslinking agent to provide crosslinked fibers.
US07717989B2
A water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion ink which is suitable for use in inkjet printing and is low in viscosity and superior in storage stability is provided. The ink comprises an oil phase and a water phase emulsified in the oil phase using a nonionic surfactant, in which the water phase contains a salt of at least one metal selected from potassium or calcium. The metal salt is preferably a calcium salt, and particular preferably calcium chloride. The nonionic surfactant is preferably a polyglycerin fatty acid ester, and particularly preferably an esterification product of a polyglycerin and a hydroxy fatty acid. Preferably, the ink comprises 40-99 mass % of the oil phase and 60-1 mass % of the water phase, and contains a polyglycerin fatty acid ester in an amount of 0.5-40 mass % based on the total of the ink.
US07717981B2
PSA process for oxygen production comprising (a) providing an adsorber having a first layer of adsorbent selective for water and a second layer of adsorbent selective for nitrogen, wherein the heat of adsorption of water on the adsorbent in the first layer is ≦about 14 kcal/mole at water loadings ≧about 0.05 to about 3 mmol per gram; (b) passing a feed gas comprising at least oxygen, nitrogen, and water successively through the first and second layers, adsorbing water in the first layer of adsorbent, and adsorbing nitrogen in the second layer of adsorbent, wherein the mass transfer coefficient of water in the first layer is in the range of about 125 to about 400 sec−1 and the superficial contact time of the feed gas in the first layer is between about 0.08 and about 0.50 sec; and (c) withdrawing a product enriched in oxygen from the adsorber.
US07717978B2
At the production of the secondary steel based on scrap, wherein the scrap (10) is fed in a scrap preheater (2) through a charging device (1), is preheated there and, finally, is brought into a smelting unit (3) and is melted there with primary energy only, the process gases (19), which leave the smelting unit (3), are not used any more for directly preheating the scrap (10) but are rather used indirectly by heating a gaseous preheatable medium, e.g., air (18) or inert gas, whereby energetic, fluidic, and spatial decoupling of preheating and melting and of post-combustion and preheating is achieved.
US07717968B2
A method of the present invention is used for the high-rate deposition of materials, such as carbon, silicon, metals, metal oxides, and the like, onto a metal substrate defined by a metal tape. The particles of the material are mixed with fluid and are injected against the metal tape at high pressure and high velocity. The particles of the material form a current collection surface of the metal tape. The metal tape is used as cathode or anode combined with a separator to form a fuel cell of a secondary battery, metal-ceramic membranes, film composite metal-ceramic materials for electronic devices.
US07717966B2
A barrier assembly (58) for sealing an assembly gap (274) between a first assembly (266) and a second assembly (268) includes a first barrier (270) that seals the assembly gap (274) and a second barrier (272) that seals the assembly gap (274). The barriers (270) (272) can be spaced apart. Further, the first barrier(270) provides a flexible pressure barrier that seals the assembly gap (274) and the second barrier (272) provides a flexible barrier that inhibits the first barrier (270) from contaminating a chamber environment within the assemblies (266) (268). Additionally, the barrier assembly (58) includes a barrier source (62) that controls a barrier environment between the barriers (270) (272).
US07717965B2
Dye mixtures that compriseat least one dye of formula together with at least one dye from the group of formulae wherein the radicals have the definitions given in the claims, are suitable, with good build-up behaviour, for dyeing or printing cellulose-containing fibre materials, and yield dyeings having a deep shade and good fastness properties.
