US07738948B2

Waveform analysis is used to identify and distinguish components of a sensed input signal, such as P-wave and Far Field R-wave signal components present in a sensed cardiac signal, even when the components are so closely spaced in time that the overlap to create a distorted input signal. A set of composite waveforms are generated by superimposing waveform templates of the signal components with different time delays or degree of overlap. Form parameters for each composite waveform are derived and mapped in a multidimensional map, from which form parameter boundaries are derived. Waveform data is collected from an input signal during a sensed event time window, and form parameters for the input signal waveform are derived. An output identifying the signal component of interest (e.g., a P-wave) and its location within the sensed event time window is produced based upon the set of form parameters of the input signal waveform and the form parameter boundaries.
US07738944B2

The present invention includes a method and apparatus for high sensitivity whole body scanning using MR imaging. The invention includes acquiring MR data as the patient moves through the iso-center of the magnet while providing interactive control for the operator to change scan parameters and table motion and direction. The technique allows efficient whole body scanning for fast screening of abnormalities while allowing operator control during the screening process to interrupt table motion and redirect the speed and direction of the table while also allowing control over the acquisition plane, number of sections imaged, inter-section spacing, and the scan location.
US07738941B2

An image diagnostic system controls a probe to perform radial scanning within a body cavity, to acquire reflected signals through the probe and to produce data based on the signals. The system includes plural storage units for storing the data in line units, respectively, a writing control unit for controlling writing processing in accordance with a transmission/reception timing of the signals, and a reading control unit for controlling reading processing in accordance with rotation angles of the probe. The writing control unit writes data in the storage unit, other than the storage unit being subjected to reading processing, storing the oldest data. The reading control unit reads the data from the storage unit, other than the storage unit being subjected to writing processing, storing the latest data. The tomographic image is constructed based on the data read by the reading control unit.
US07738936B1

Systems and methods are provided for obtaining measures of blood oxygen saturation using an implantable device implanted within a patient and a non-implanted device external to the patient, while limiting the amount of processing that need be performed by the implantable device. Other embodiments limit the amount of processing that is performed within the implantable device by monitoring changes and blood oxygen saturation without determining actual measures of blood oxygen saturation.
US07738934B2

A measuring apparatus uses a biological component sensor including a plate-shaped sensor chip having a biological component sensing function and a sensor chip holding frame surrounding and holding the sensor chip. The biological component sensor is disposed in a measuring apparatus main body housing. A fixed engaging member and movable engaging member disposed on a sensor chip support table fixed to the measuring apparatus main body housing fix and support the sensor chip holding frame, and the sensor chip can be thus replaced. The biological component sensor contacts a forearm portion of a human body, and a biological component exuded from a contact part of the forearm portion is caused to contact the sensor chip to change a physical or chemical surface property of the sensor chip, thereby measuring the change through an irradiation of an inspection light to calculate concentration of the biological component.
US07738927B2

An in-vehicle hand-free apparatus that is for ensuring hand-free talk by a short-range wireless communication system in compliance with the Bluetooth includes a notification unit which notifies the status of the in-vehicle hand-free apparatus. As the in-vehicle hand-free apparatus notifies the status thereof by the notification unit, the user can easily perceive the status of the in-vehicle hand-free apparatus.
US07738920B1

A method, system, and medium are provided for operating a computing device using an operating system (OS) installed on a mobile device, or operating the computing device using the OS installed on the mobile device and accessing the Internet through the mobile device. An OS is pre-installed on a mobile device. A computing device that is connected to the mobile device may initialize and operate the OS installed on the mobile device. In another embodiment, the computing device may operate the OS and access the Internet through the mobile device.
US07738919B2

A method of linking an object to a print medium, comprising the step of: submitting a request to associate the object with a print media identifier of the print medium, submission of the request facilitating identification of the object and the print media identifier; wherein, the association of the object and the print media identifier is recorded in a database, the object being retrievable from the database using the print media identifier.
US07738914B2

There is provided a method for adapting the configuration of at least one application of a mobile terminal device to an accessible data connection, by the steps of obtaining properties of at least one data connection accessible from said mobile terminal device; and adapting the configuration of said application on said terminal device in accordance with said properties. Further, there is provided a mobile terminal device capable of adapting the configuration of applications to an accessible data connection, comprising data exchanging means, capable of accessing at least one data connection; data processing means, capable of running applications; means for obtaining properties of at least one data connection accessible by said data exchanging means; and means for adapting the configurations of at least one application according to said obtained properties.
US07738901B2

A communication transceiver transmits a power-controlled first signal responsive to received power control commands and transmits one or more additional signals at variable power gains relative to the transmit power of the first signal based on reception quality feedback received for the additional signals. Thus, a mobile station may transmit a traffic channel at a variable power gain relative to its pilot signal power and vary that gain responsive to reception quality feedback received by it for the traffic signal. Of course, the mobile station may float more than one traffic channel using variable gains and may use different variable gains for each one. Further, the mobile station may float one or more non-pilot channels relative to the pilot or relative to another channel, while transmitting one or more fixed gain channels. Similar variable power gain may be employed at network base stations for forward link signals.
US07738896B2

A Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) that stores the logic and data for providing advanced voice services (AVS) including Push-to-Talk (P2T), Push-to-Conference (P2C), Upgrade to Conference (upgrade from P2T to P2C), Push-to-Message (P2M) and group SMS (Short Message Service), on wireless handsets and networks. When inserted into a handset, the AVS functionality is available for use on the handset, wherein the functionality includes menu displays for the handset, as well as user interaction with the menu displays. The SIM also stores logic and data for providing presence and availability functions on the handset. In addition, the SIM stores the logic and data for providing contact and group management on the handset.
US07738894B2

A method is disclosed which sets a PoC Box service and transmits information on a service identifier by using a standard SIP, a SDP, an XCAP, and a PAP, in order to remain compatible with conventional PoC technology when performing call processing of session connection using a PoC Box. Further, the method stores only pre-designated media in a PoC Box according to a type of media transmitted in consideration of features of a PoC multimedia session.
US07738891B2

Systems, apparatuses, computer program products, and methods for dynamically customizing and/or configuring applications on devices. Current access point information associated with the terminal is transmitted from the terminal. In response to providing this current access point information, the terminal receives updated access point information via the network. The terminal is configured to enable data communication by way of an access point identifiable from the updated access point information, rather than from any prior access points.
US07738879B1

A method and system are described for providing a wireless telecommunications service provider with location information of a mobile service subscriber. When a mobile subscriber device acknowledges receipt of a data packet received at the mobile device, or when the mobile device originates a transmission, the cellular telecommunications site, or base station, receiving the acknowledgement or transmission serves as an entry node into the telecommunications system. Resource identification information for the entry node is extracted from billing message traffic logs and is exposed to the service provider. The service provider uses the resource identification information to find the location of the entry node in an entry node information database. Alternatively the location may be provided with the resource identification information. Provision of location information allows the service provider to know that its mobile subscriber is located in the area covered by that particular entry node.
US07738872B1

A method and apparatus for providing telephone call hand offs between a local cordless service and a different wireless cellular service such as a macro-cellular service. The local cordless service may be configured such that a mobile telephone equipped subscriber may place or receive calls for a fixed rate, for example, per month without having to pay radio frequency air time charges any time they are located within their selected subscribed-to zones. If the subscribed-to zones are adjacent to one another and the mobile subscriber roams from one zone to another, the subscriber may continue their free call uninterrupted and without paying air time charges. However, when the subscriber roams outside their subscribed-to zones they may be switched from the present local cordless services to conventional personal communications services and pay air time charges. However for an active call, no air-time charges are incurred as the user transitions between the cellular/DPCS environment and the local cordless service environment. Associated apparatus comprises an IBS for automatically changing radio frequency channels as the subscriber roams within a subscribed-to neighborhood zone, roams to another subscribed-to zone or roams outside a subscribed-to zone. Subscribers may choose to use their mobile identification number, their current directory telephone number for wired public switched telephone service or obtain a new directory number.
US07738854B2

An objective is to prevent an unauthorized application from falsifying and assuming specific information generated for access to an external memory, without permission, and to achieve safer management of access to the external memory. An external memory function module 15 is a function module to control access of applications 101A and 101B downloaded in a cell phone 1, to an external memory 2. This external memory function module 15 has an identifier acquirer 151 for acquiring an identifier from each of the applications 101A and 101B, a generator 153 for generating specific information to specify the application, based on identification information designated by the identifier acquired, a reserving section 154 for reserving a predetermined area of the external memory 2 as a directory for the application, and a writing section 155 for writing the specific information generated, in an attribute file of the external memory 2.
US07738848B2

A wireless transmit/receive unit comprising a radio frequency signal measurement device that is configured to produce a value indicating a radio frequency signal, noise and interference received power at an antenna connector. An average noise plus interference measuring device is configured to produce a value indicating a measured average noise plus interference metric. A received signal to noise indication calculation device is configured to calculate a received signal to noise indicator from the value indicating a radio frequency signal, noise and interference received power at an antenna connector and the value indicates a measured average noise plus interference metric.
US07738847B2

The circuit arrangement comprises a tuner with a control amplifier and a mixer connected downstream, and an automatic gain control. The automatic gain control contains a weighting filter, which is connected to the output of the mixer, upstream of an intermediate frequency filter, and which supplies the control signal for the control amplifier of the tuner via a detector. The weighting filter has, in particular, a passband, which corresponds to the passband of the intermediate frequency filter and at least partly encompasses at least one or two adjacent program channels. As a result of this, the control amplifier is better tuned under difficult reception conditions, since, by means of the weighting filter, adjacent channels, relative to the passband of the intermediate frequency filter, are also concomitantly included in the control signal.
US07738845B2

The present invention provides electronic parts for amplifying high frequency power capable of expanding a dynamic range of an output power detection circuit, obtaining a continuous detection output having no inflexion point from a low region of output power to its high region and thereby improving controllability of the output power. In a wireless communication system which controls output power of a high frequency power amplifier, based on an output power detection signal and a signal indicative of an output level, an output power detection circuit is provided with a multi-stage configured amplifier which amplifies a high frequency signal taken out via a coupler and capacitive elements. Further, a plurality of detection circuits which detect outputs of amplifiers of respective stages, and a detection circuit which detects the high frequency signal without passing through the multi-stage configured amplifier are provided. One obtained by combining the outputs of these detection circuits is inputted to an error amplifier for generating an output power control signal, as the output power detection signal to thereby generate a control signal for the high frequency power amplifier.
US07738840B2

A voice, data and RF integrated circuit (IC) includes an RF transmitter that generates a transmit signal from outbound data. An RF receiver that generates inbound data from a received signal. A processing module generates a control signal to select either a receive mode or a transmit mode for the RF transmitter and the RF receiver, the control signal having a first value when the receive mode is selected and a second value when the transmit mode is selected. A transmit/receive switch couples the transmit signal to an antenna when the control signal has a second value, and produces the received signal based on an inbound RF signal to the antenna when the control signal has a first value, wherein the transmit/receive switch includes an on-chip microelectromechanical switch.
US07738833B2

A telecommunications system that supports the provision of video messaging, yet maintains compatibility and operation with user equipment that is not capable of processing, receiving or rendering video content. Based on the type of user equipment, as well as user selected options, network configurations and status, and class-of-service characteristics, the telecommunications systems can revise the manner in which content is provided to the user equipment. Variations in the content provision include providing synchronized audio and video content, audio content only, video content only, video content with closed-captioning and closed-captioning only.
US07738832B2

A wireless communications network (100) includes various base stations (110) and subscriber-stations (114). The base stations each provide (602) broadcast content services to subscriber-stations over communication channels of one of the following types: 1) shared channels for use by multiple subscriber-stations, 2) individual channels each dedicated for use by an individual subscriber-station. In response to one or more prescribed condition changes (604), there is a switch (606) in the type of communications channel used to provide broadcast content services to one or more given subscriber-stations.
US07738823B2

An image forming apparatus includes a substantially horizontally arranged image bearing member; a developing unit, including a plurality of developing devices and supporting the developing devices rotatably relative to the image bearing member; a movable intermediate transfer belt supported by first and second rotation members and facing the developing unit; a primary transfer member forming, together with the image bearing member, a primary transfer portion located near the first rotation member in a moving direction of the intermediate transfer belt, through the intermediate transfer belt; and a secondary transfer member forming, together with the second rotation member, a secondary transfer portion through the intermediate transfer belt. A toner image formed on the image bearing member by the developing unit is transferred on the intermediate transfer belt at the primary transfer portion, and is transferred on a recording material at the secondary transfer portion.
US07738820B2

A Hybrid Scavengeless Development electrophotographic printing system is provided wherein the electrode wires contain carbon nanotube yarn. The use of carbon nanotube yarn alleviates the problem of fundamental strobing image defects, because the electrodes made from the carbon nanotube yarn can be put at a higher tension to density set point, and thereby achieve fundamental resonance frequencies larger than that obtainable from steel. Additionally the yarn's strength is sufficient to withstand the typical forces it is subjected to in a Hybrid Scavengeless Development environment.
US07738817B2

A developer supply container detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a developer containing portion; a developer discharge opening disposed at the developer containing portion; a container side engaging portion engageable with a main assembly side engaging portion; an operation member; and a transmitting portion in the operation member for transmitting a driving force to a relay portion in the main assembly for opening and closing the developer discharge opening. In a container mounted state, the operation member is capable of opening and closing a main assembly shutter member for opening and closing the developer discharge opening through the relay portion. The container side engaging portion engages with the main assembly side engaging portion when the operation member is moved in a opening direction for opening the main assembly shutter member and releases the engagement when moved in a closing direction for closing the main assembly shutter member.
US07738816B2

An image forming apparatus capable of selecting a toner cartridge from a plurality of toner cartridges containing toner of an identical color preferentially without interrupting an image forming action of the apparatus. When a toner density of the toner in a developer container becomes low, a control section drives a toner supply section in response to information on the remaining amount of the toner contained in the toner cartridges, so that the toner may be supplied from the toner cartridge having the least remaining amount.
US07738813B2

A corona charger includes a case provided in the vicinity of a device to be charged. The case includes an opening facing the device, a discharge electrode, a first charging region, and a second charging region. The discharge electrode provided inside the case and supplied with a voltage so as to generate a corona discharge charges a surface of the device from the opening by supplying the corona discharge to the surface. The first charging region includes no grid electrode at a position upstream of the opening in a surface moving direction of the device. The second charging region includes a grid electrode to which a predetermined voltage is applied at a position downstream of the opening. The voltage applied to the discharge electrode is an alternating current (AC) voltage superimposed on a direct current (DC) voltage.
US07738797B2

An optical module socket includes a base on which an optical module is mounted; descend/ascend means which is ascendably and descendably provided in the base and on which the optical module is mounted; holding means for holding the optical module in a predetermined state; pogopins provided in the base to connect with leads of the optical module; and positioning means of optical transmission means which are provided in the holding means and the descend/ascend means and which position, to the optical module, an optical connector to be connected to the optical module.
US07738785B2

A camera with a first assembly and a second assembly. The second assembly is moveably provided on the first assembly and is movable between a first position at which operation members are covered and a second position at which the operation members are exposed.
US07738784B2

In an image capture device comprising an image capture unit which captures an object and outputs image data, and a shutter button which is half pressable, fully pressable, and pressable at one stroke, a first determining unit determines whether the shutter button is half pressed, and a second determining unit which determines whether the shutter button is pressed at one stroke. When the first determining unit determines that the shutter button is half pressed, a first capture control unit executes a first capture process for recording the image data, and when the second determining unit determines that the shutter button is pressed at one stroke, a stop control unit stops the first capture process, and a second capture control unit executes a second capture process which differs from the first capture process after the first capture process is stopped by the stop control unit.
US07738778B2

A system facilitates and enhances review of one or more multimedia input streams that includes some combination of video, audio and text information, generating a multimedia summary, thereby enabling a user to better browse and/or decide on viewing the multimedia input streams in their entirety. The multimedia summary is constructed automatically, based in part on system specifications, user specifications and network and device constraints. In a particular application of the invention, the input multimedia streams represent news broadcasts (e.g., television news program, video vault footage). In such a particular application, the invention can enable the user to automatically receive a summary of the news stream in accordance with previously provided user preferences and in accordance with prevailing network and user device constraints.
US07738777B2

A DVD-Audio which includes a data zone for storing data to be reproduced and an information zone for storing information on the data to be reproduced. The information zone includes directories of a video title set (VIDEO_TS) and an audio title set (AUDIO_TS). The AUDIO_TS directory includes information on an audio manager (AMG) having information on audio titles. The data zone includes the audio titles each having an audio title set information (ATSI) followed by a plurality of contiguous audio objects (AOBs). The ATSI includes a plurality of audio stream attributes each having an audio coding mode, first to third quantization bit numbers, first to third sampling frequencies and decoding algorithm information relating to the number of audio channels. Each of the AOBs includes a plurality of audio packs recorded with audio data corresponding to the decoding algorithm stored in the audio stream attribute.
US07738772B2

When a pause request occurs, an audio delay time constituted by a delay time of frames of audio data based on the video data frames is found. During the pause, a frame offset time constituted by the offset of the frame start time of the video data and the audio data is monitored. When a pause release request is issued, based on the audio delay time and the frame offset time, the audio correction time to be corrected in the pause request is calculated. Then, when it is judged that the audio data is advanced with respect to the video data based on the audio correction time cumulatively added for each pause request, the video data is delayed by one frame with respect to the audio data, while when it is judged that the audio data is delayed with respect to the video data, the audio data is delayed by one frame with respect to the video data.
US07738765B2

An information recording apparatus is disclosed which comprises: a first recording element for recording input picture information in units of recording into a first area of a recording medium; a representative data generating element for generating representative data representing the picture information recorded in the units of recording; a first memory for recording a plurality of symbolic pictures; a second memory for recording a program for generating link information linking the plurality of symbolic pictures recorded in the first memory with the representative data; a link information generating element for generating the link information using program; a picture generating element which, based on the link information, generates picture information including at least the symbolic pictures and the representative data being linked with one another; and a second recording element for recording the picture information generated by the picture generating element to a second area of the recording medium.
US07738761B2

An enclosure assembly for use with a fiber optic cable, the cable having a lengthwise cable axis and including a plurality of optical fibers and a jacket surrounding the optical fibers includes an enclosure housing and a cable control clip. The enclosure housing defines a chamber to receive the cable. The cable control clip is configured to be inserted through the cable to extend radially between the optical fibers and the jacket to limit contact between the optical fibers and one or more other components of the cable, and to limit displacement of the enclosure housing relative to the cable when the cable control clip is disposed in the chamber.
US07738757B1

A data communications system includes optic adaptors that provide an interface between multiple line card chassis and a fabric card chassis. Optic adaptors can be added to the system to allow the addition of a number of line card chassis, thereby increasing the overall bandwidth of the system. The optic adaptors can also be separated from the fabric card chassis and line card chassis and upgraded to allow an increase in the overall bandwidth of the system. For example, optic adaptors that provide optical connections between a first number of line card chassis and the fabric card chassis can be detached from both the fabric card chassis and the respective line card chassis. Optic adaptors that provide optical connections between the fabric card chassis and a second, increased number of line card chassis are then installed within the fabric card chassis thereby allowing the additional line card chassis to be connected to the fabric card chassis.
US07738755B2

An optical waveguide film and an electrical and optical hybrid circuit film having a high durability for folding while keeping the core size of the optical waveguide at a desired level are provided. The optical waveguide film is flexible, having a core made of a resin that composes an optical waveguide, a clad made of a resin, and a hollow groove extending in the same direction in which the core extends wherein at least at a portion of the optical waveguide film is folded so that the folding axis intersects with the core-extending direction at the portion. The films can contribute to the miniaturization of electronic devices.
US07738754B2

An optical component having an incident surface and a light exiting surface wherein where a collimated light is incident on the incident surface, the light intensity of the outgoing light from the light exiting surface is anisotropic along an azimuth angle of 30° to the normal and a ratio of the maximum intensity value and the minimum intensity value is 1.2 or more and a plurality of irregular lens rows are aligned on one of the incident surface and the light exiting surface to form an angle within a range of −30° to +30° on the incident surface or light exiting surface.
US07738743B2

An image reading system is disclosed that has an image information reading unit for reading optical information on a manuscript, and an image outputting unit for outputting the optical information read by the image information reading unit to a recording medium. The system includes an IC tag information reading unit for reading IC tag information held by an IC tag provided on the manuscript, an IC tag information outputting unit for outputting the IC tag information read by the IC tag information reading unit to the recording medium, a conversion unit for converting the IC tag information into coded image data, and a control unit for controlling outputting of the coded image data.
US07738742B2

An information storage medium including graphic data and presentation information, and an apparatus and method of processing the graphic data are provided. The information storage medium includes the graphic data, page composition information which defines page composition of the graphic data, and the presentation information indicating when graphic screen data, which is composed with reference to the page composition information of the graphic data, is output to a display screen. Therefore, a graphic object is reusable in graphic data processing, and accordingly, a time taken to process the graphic data is reducible and memory area may be saved.
US07738737B2

An image processing apparatus sequentially reduces a document, while changing the reduction factor step-by-step. Next, the image processing apparatus refers to the characters that constitute the document that has been reduced with the respective reduction factors, and specifies a reduction factor at which blank regions surrounded by line portions that express each character do not disappear. When an appropriate reduction factor is specified, the image processing apparatus specifies a resolution of the characters for that reduction factor, and converts the resolution of the document data to that specified resolution. Then, the image processing apparatus performs various processing for the document data whose resolution has been converted. Thus the resolution of document data is converted such that the document is reduced with a reduction factor suitable for computer processing.
US07738733B2

The various embodiments generally describe systems and methods related to 3-dimensional (3-D) imaging. In one exemplary embodiment, an imaging system incorporates a 2-dimensional (2-D) image capture system that generates 2-D digital image information representing an object, a signal transmitter that transmits a ranging signal towards the object, and a signal receiver that receives the ranging signal returned by the object. Also included, is an image processor that computes distance information from the time difference between signal transmission and reception of the ranging signal. The image processor combines the distance information and 2-D digital image information to produce 3-D digital image information representing the object.
US07738714B2

Provided are a method of and apparatus for lossless video encoding and decoding, in which a differential residual block generated by calculating a difference between pixels of a residual block resulting from interprediction is encoded, thereby improving the compression rate. The method of lossless video encoding includes performing interprediction between a reference frame and a current frame in units of a predetermined-size block to generate a predicted block of a current block to be encoded, generating a residual block composed of residual signals corresponding to differences between pixels of the predicted block and the current block, calculating differences between the residual signals of the residual block in a predetermined direction and generating a differential residual block based on the calculated differences, and performing entropy-encoding on the differential residual block.
US07738705B2

A method and a system for pattern recognition utilizes an ensemble of reference patterns to represent the possible instances of the models to be recognized; constructs a hierarchy of estimators to simplify and enhance the recognition of the models of interest; approximates complex reference patterns with linear compositions of simpler patterns; fragments complex patterns into local patterns so that interference between the local patterns is sufficiently small for linearization methods to be applicable; constructs estimators during an offline stage to offload calculations from the online signal processing stage; designs model estimators based on optimization principles to enhance performance and to provide performance metrics for the estimated model instances; generates a hierarchy of reference descriptors during the offline stage, which are used for the design and construction of the model estimators. Specific examples are provided for the recognition of image features such as edges and junctions.
US07738704B2

In general, in one aspect, the disclosure describes a method for detecting a known video entity within a video stream. The method includes receiving a video stream and continually creating statistical parameterized representations for windows of the video stream. The statistical parameterized representation windows are continually compared to windows of a plurality of fingerprints. Each of the plurality of fingerprints includes associated statistical parameterized representations of a known video entity. A known video entity in the video stream is detected when a particular fingerprint of the plurality of fingerprints has at least a threshold level of similarity with the video stream.
US07738703B2

An image processing apparatus includes: a first memory that stores a first document file; a second memory that stores a second document file obtained by revising the first document file; an extraction unit that extracts a revised area of the second document file based on the first document file corresponding to the second document file and the second document file; and an extracted area specifying file generation unit that generates a file specifying the revision area extracted by the extraction unit.
US07738693B2

A wafer viewer system is provided for graphical presentation and analysis of a wafer and a wafer series. More specifically, the wafer viewer system includes a graphical user interface for displaying a wafer, graphically selecting regions of the wafer for analysis, performing analysis on the selected regions of the wafer, and displaying results of the analysis.
US07738691B2

A method of determining structural data of a prototype for a lightweight technical structure by selecting shell architectures of natural bio-mineralized unicellular organisms in accordance with an aspect set very closely adapted to the lightweight structure to be produced and by directly copying and thereafter scaling their structural data to the prototype before optimizing the Prototype by perfect adaptation to the lightweight structure to be produced.
US07738686B2

A method is for generating tomograms of a cyclically and complexly moving examination object using a tomography unit that reconstructs tomograms in at least one slice plane from detector output data. At least two tomograms from different phases of the movement cycle of the examination object are reconstructed in the region of at least one slice plane. The tomograms are subdivided automatically into subregions with good and bad image quality, and at least one complete tomogram is assembled from subregions with relatively good image quality per slice plane.
US07738685B2

There is provided an image processing system, which includes: an image forming unit for forming a number of color flow images based on input image signals; a reference image selecting unit for selecting a reference image for gain control among the color flow images; a gain control value calculating unit for calculating a gain control value based on the reference image; and a gain control unit for controlling gains for the color flow images based on the gain control value.
US07738674B2

A method of retrieving location data using a print medium, comprising the steps of: determining a print media identifier from the print medium using a sensor module of a mobile telecommunications device, the print media identifier having been linked to the location data; and, retrieving, using the mobile telecommunications device and the print media identifier, the location data.
US07738672B2

Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a technique and device are described that may allow a user to determine if the engine in a classic or antique automobile is original. The common characteristics of the factory applied markings of known original engines may be identified. All or a portion of an unknown engine may then be compared to those common characteristics to determine if the unknown engine was likely stamped using the same stamping tool as the known original engines.
US07738654B2

A method and apparatus for isolating transmit and receive signals in a communication system utilizing a common channel for both incoming and outgoing signals. In one embodiment a tuned hybrid or isolation circuit is provided with a high-frequency pre-emphasis response. The tuned hybrid rejects the transmit signal from the receive port and is capable of isolating the low power receive signal. One or more filters within the hybrid provide the desired levels of attenuation and frequency specific processing. Outgoing transmit signals encounter minimal attenuation thereby reducing overall transmit power requirements while receive signals are isolated. The tuned hybrid may be configured with an all-pass network consisting of an attenuator and a delay element. Both of these devices or elements maybe tuned to tailor the frequency response to the channel.
US07738650B2

The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatus for semi-stateless scalable and distributed management of telephone hunt group features in a PBX. In particular, the invention conducts an auction-like phone call handling process in which phone handling decisions are partially delegated from a central resource to the individual client agents. Briefly, phone handling functions offer available call to agents who then decide which available calls to handle. This auction-like process is preferably implemented using broadcast (or multicast) messaging features so that system components do not need to know or access global state information. Messaging is preferably built on a selected instant messaging protocol.
US07738648B1

Methods, systems, and computer program products for rerouting signaling message traffic in response to unavailability of one or more services are disclosed. According to one method, service signaling message traffic is received at a signaling message routing node that provides a plurality of different services. It is determined whether at least one of the services is unavailable. In response to determining that at least one of the services is unavailable, the signaling message traffic for the unavailable service is rerouted to an alternate destination. Signaling message traffic for the remaining services is received and processed.
US07738647B2

An embodiment of a method includes generating one or more route plans, each route plan being associated with a service plan, and provisioning the one or more route plans on a core routing engine accessible by a softswitch for routing calls according to the one or more route plans. The one or more route plans may include an on-net route plan and an off-net route plan. An embodiment of a system includes a local route manager (LRM) configured to generate one or more route plans associated with one or more respective service levels that customers can subscribe to. The system may further include an inventory of trunk groups containing a plurality of trunk group identifiers (IDs), wherein trunk group IDs are marked as either on-net or off-net.
US07738638B1

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for VoIP call recording. A call control network element monitors an existing telephone call for a call recording request from one of the parties. Upon receipt of the request, a determination is made as to whether recording is authorized. This determination may be made, for example, by sending a permission request message to the non-requesting party and waiting for receipt of a permission message from the non-requesting party. Alternatively, the authorization determination may be made by accessing a database storing call recording authorization information whereby subscribers can pre-authorize certain types of recording in order to expedite the authorization determination during an actual call. If authorized, the data packets implementing the voice data stream between the parties are duplicated, and the duplicate data packets are sent to a media server to record the call.
US07738626B2

The invention relates to a method and a system for the simultaneous reconstruction of the three-dimensional vessel geometry and the flow characteristics in a vessel system. According to one realization of the method, vessel segments (41) of a parametric models are fitted to differently oriented X-ray projections (P1, Pk, PN) of the vessel system that are generated during the passage of a bolus of contrast agent, wherein the fitting takes the imaged contrast agent dynamics and physiological a priori knowledge into account. In an alternative embodiment, the vessel geometry is reconstructed progressively along each vessel, wherein a new segment of a vessel is added based on the continuity of the vessel direction, vessel radius and reconstructed contrast agent dynamics.
US07738624B2

An adjustable phantom (36) includes a base (202), an actuator (204) and a phantom (210). The phantom includes first (210a) and second portions (210b), each having a different value of a physical characteristic measured by a scanner (10). The phantom (210) is movable with respect to the base (202). In one embodiment, the phantom is well suited to simulating the arrival of contrast agent in a contrast enhanced imaging examination.
US07738615B2

A sampling frequency conversion apparatus having sampling frequency conversion circuits for a plurality of channels includes a detector detecting phase information of digital signals inputted to the conversion circuit for each channel, and an input section inputting setting information for the conversion circuits for two or more channels to be phase-synchronized. The apparatus further includes a phase information supplier supplying the phase information for the conversion circuit for a specific channel designated by the setting information inputted into the input section to the conversion circuits for the remaining channels of those for two or more channels other than the conversion circuit for the specific channel, and a sampling frequency converter performing sampling frequency conversion on the phase information of the conversion circuits for the remaining channels in synchronization with the phase information for the specific channel supplied from the phase information supplier.
US07738613B1

Systems and methods for converting a data stream from a first sample rate to a second sample rate, where the data is received in bursts. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving bursty audio data on a first input line and receiving synchronization data on a second input line that is separate from the first input line. An input sample rate is then estimated for the received audio data based on the received synchronization data and the audio data is converted to an output sample rate. The input sample rate is determined by counting samples received in a time interval and potentially low-pass filtering the result. The audio data may be in packetized, parallel, or other forms, and the synchronization data may include individual signals, such as pulses or bits received at regular or irregular intervals.
US07738610B2

A method and apparatus are provided for automatic alignment of a notch filter in a receiver. The method comprises the steps of determining a frequency of an interfering signal, monitoring an energy in the interfering signal, tuning the notch filter based on an initial tune value, detecting an energy content in the radio signal after the tuning step, incrementally tuning the notch filter away from the initial tune value while monitoring the energy in the interfering signal, repeating the step of detecting and the step of incrementally tuning until the energy in the interfering signal is minimized, and storing a new tune value as the initial tune value. The notch filter is configured to filter the radio signal. The new tune value indicates a minimized energy in the interfering signal.
US07738602B2

The invention relates to a method for channel estimation. The method comprises digitizing an analog signal representing a sequence of symbols thereby associating one digital word out to the level of said analog signal at each sampling time. The most likely sequence of said symbols is detected. To this end branch metrics are provided. According to one embodiment, a symbol period comprises at least two sampling times. Moreover, the branch metrics are obtained from frequencies of digital words resulting from a digitizing and the symbols of the most likely sequence. According to another embodiment, a symbol period comprises at least one sampling time. Events are counted wherein each event is defined by a channel state and a current digital word. Each channel state is defined by a pattern of symbols relative to a current symbol determined at the time of a current digital word. A model distribution is fitted to event counts and a branch metrics is obtained from the fitted model distribution. Moreover, the invention relates to corresponding symbol detectors for optical receivers.
US07738601B2

A method for coding a packet of information words into frames for transmission, includes receiving blocks of input data, including control words and the packet of information words. When the block consists exclusively of information words, a master transition having a first sense is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames. When the block does not consist exclusively of information words: the block is condensed to accommodate a TYPE word; a TYPE word having a value that indicates a structural property of the block is generated and inserted into the block; and a master transition having a second sense, opposite to the first sense, is scrambled and appended to the block to form one of the frames.
US07738593B2

An arrangement (100) and method for RF filtering in a Node B of a UMTS TDD system by providing: a DAC converter (130) converting digital signals to analog signals; providing a narrow band analogue channel filter (150) filtering the analog signals; and providing a digital pre-equaliser FIR filter (120) coupled before the DAC (120) to filter the digital signals, the digital pre-equaliser filter means substantially correcting for non linear phase response (122) non-ideality and amplitude response non-ideality (124) in the analogue channel filter (150). This provides the following advantage(s): it enables 3GPP Node B co-location specifications to be met while providing both good transmit accuracy and acceptable ISI performance; and it allows filter centre frequency to be field tuned in software, permitting a basic RF single-channel filter to used with its centre frequency being field adjustable to a desired value centred on a UMTS channel.
US07738578B2

To select the frequency (SF) and/or time (ST) spreading parameters for a communication system using a quadrature amplitude modulation and implementing a CDMA technique and an OFDM multiplexing the attenuation coefficients of the propagation channel are estimated For all the F sub-bands of SF subcarriers and the T blocks of ST OFDM symbols, at least one asymptotic signal-to-interference+noise ratio (SINR) is determined, based on the attenuation coefficients of the propagation channel and the type of equalizer used by the receiver. From this, for each coded information block obtained from the modulation, the compressed asymptotic SINR is deduced, expressed by an analytical formula dependent on the frequency (SF) and time (ST) spreading parameters and the frequency (SF) and time (ST) spreading parameters which maximize the value of the compressed asymptotic SINR are selected.
US07738573B2

A crest reduction system and method. The inventive system includes a first circuit for suppressing peak amplitudes of an input signal and providing a peak amplitude suppressed signal in response thereto and a second circuit coupled to the first circuit for rejecting intermodulation distortion in the amplitude suppressed signal. In the illustrative implementation, the first circuit is a peak amplitude suppressor having circuitry for computing an amplitude of the input signal and for computing a gain factor for the input signal in response thereto. In the best mode, the gain factor is obtained from a lookup table. The peak amplitude suppressor further includes a multiplier for applying the gain factor to the input signal. In the illustrative embodiment, the second circuit includes a plurality of bandpass filters and a summer for combining the outputs thereof.
US07738560B2

Techniques to efficiently deliver interactive program guide (IPG) to a number of terminals. Each IPG page can be decomposed into a guide portion that is specific to each IPG page and a background portion that is common for all IPG pages. The background portion can be further decomposed into a time-varying video portion and other static portions. One method includes receiving a viewer selection for imagery, where the imagery includes at least one intracoded slice and at least one predictively coded slice, and each of the intracoded and predictively codes slices are associated with respective bitstreams. Packets from the at least one bitstream corresponding to the at least one intracoded slice of the selected imagery are extracted, and packets from the at least one bitstream corresponding to the at least one predictively coded slice of the selected imagery are also extracted. The payload portions of the extracted packets are then arranged to form the selected imagery.
US07738555B2

A quantizer and dequantizer for use in a video coding system that applies non linear, piece-wise linear scaling functions to video information signals based on a value of a variable quantization parameter. The quantizer and dequantizer apply different non linear, piece-wise linear scaling functions to a DC luminance signal, a DC chrominance signal and an AC chrominance signal. A code for reporting updates of the value of the quantization parameter is interpreted to require larger changes when the quantization parameter initially is large and smaller changes when the quantization parameter initially is small.
US07738549B2

A method for providing a next-cycle input sample from a decision feedback equalizer to a symbol decoder using look-ahead computations such that timing contention between the decision feedback equalizer and the symbol decoder is reduced. During a symbol period, a set of possible values is computed in the decision feedback equalizer and a set of path memory symbols is computed in the symbol decoder, the set of path memory symbols being based on a current input sample. During the same symbol period, one of the possible values is selected as the next-cycle input sample based on at least one of the next-cycle path memory symbols produced from the symbol decoder.
US07738548B2

A system and method for communicating includes a transmitter that transmits a communication signal having a plurality of successive frames, with each frame formed with alternatively arranged N known data symbols and M unknown data symbols such that the N known data symbols as training symbols. The communications signals are received within a receiver. The N known data symbols are synchronized at the receiver by correlating and time averaging the N known data symbols.
US07738546B2

A method and apparatus for a feed forward equalizer for a communication system are described. An equalizer comprising a tapped filter having multiple filter multipliers and a summing element is described. The equalizer further comprises a correlator having multiple correlator multipliers, with each correlator multiplier having a corresponding integrator, a set of shared delay elements to connect to the filter multipliers and the correlator multipliers; and an error signal generator to connect to the correlator.
US07738540B2

A wireless transmission system capable of performing a multi-station simultaneous transmission of data, that is, simultaneously transmitting data by wireless to a plurality of stations. The wireless transmission system includes a plurality of wireless stations for transmitting/receiving data and it constitutes a system for path diversity by use of a wireless station at the transmitting end, a multipath transmission path, and a wireless station at the receiving end. At least one of the plurality of wireless stations decides, in accordance with a response packet responsive to a multi-station simultaneous transmission request packet transmitted by the wireless station or other stations, a plurality of delay amounts relative to a reference timing during the multi-station simultaneous transmission in the wireless transmission system. It is arranged that each difference between the plurality of delay amounts be greater than a predetermined delay resolution and that the difference between the maximum and minimum values in the plurality of delay amounts be smaller than a predetermined maximum delay.
US07738534B2

Multi-transmitter interference caused by one or more interfering own-cell and/or other-cell transmitters is reduced in a RAKE-based receiver. The RAKE-based receiver comprises a plurality of RAKE fingers, a processor and a combiner. The plurality of RAKE fingers are configured to despread received symbols, wherein a delay for a first one of the plurality of RAKE fingers corresponds to a symbol of interest transmitted by a first transmitter and a delay for a second one of the plurality of RAKE fingers corresponds to an interfering symbol transmitted by a second transmitter. The processor is configured to determine a cross-correlation between the symbol of interest and the interfering symbol. The combiner is configured to combine the symbol of interest with the interfering symbol using the cross-correlation to reduce interference attributable to the interfering symbol from the symbol of interest.
US07738529B2

There is provided with there is provided with a wireless communication method using a frequency hopping scheme, which performs wireless communication with a different wireless communication apparatus by using a plurality of frequency bands, including: measuring interference quantities showing strength of interference signals in respective frequency bands; selecting a hopping pattern from a plurality of hopping patterns each having hopping densities set for the respective frequency bands on the basis of the interference quantities in the respective frequency bands, the hopping densities being the number of times that transmission is performed per unit time in the respective frequency bands; notifying the different wireless communication apparatus of the selected hopping pattern; and communicating with the different wireless communication apparatus by using the selected hopping patter.
US07738523B2

An optical semiconductor device includes: a waveguide structure including layers grown over a semiconductor substrate, having a width defined by sidewalls formed by etching the layers, and including a wide, a narrow, and an intermediate width portion, formed along a propagation direction; and a diffraction grating formed on the sidewalls of at least one of the wide and narrow width portions of the waveguide structure, the diffraction grating having vertical grooves periodically disposed along the propagation direction and defining a wavelength of propagation light, wherein the narrow width portion is formed in such a manner that a loss of 50% or more is given to a higher order transverse mode. An optical semiconductor device having a vertical diffraction grating is provided which can suppress generation of a higher order transverse mode and an increase in a device resistance.
US07738521B2

A super-lattice structure is used for a portion of a laser device of a self-aligned structure to lower the resistance of the device by utilizing the extension of electric current in the layer, paying attention to the fact that the lateral conduction of high density doping in the super-lattice structure is effective for decreasing the resistance of the laser, in order to lower the operation voltage and increase the power in nitride type wide gap semiconductor devices in which crystals with high carrier density are difficult to obtain and the device resistance is high.
US07738519B2

A laser driver circuit includes a laser APC circuit receiving a monitor current indicative of the average optical output power of a laser diode and providing a bias adjust signal for adjusting a bias current for the laser diode. The laser APC circuit includes a first non-linear impedance circuit receiving the monitor current and generating a first voltage using a first non-linear current-to-voltage transfer function, a second non-linear impedance circuit receiving a reference current and generating a second voltage and being implemented using the same or a scaled version of the first non-linear current-to-voltage transfer function, and a comparator for comparing the first voltage with the second voltage and providing the bias adjust signal indicative of the difference between the first and second voltages. The first non-linear current-to-voltage transfer function has difference resistance portions for increasing the dynamic range of the current-to-voltage conversion.
US07738518B2

In a semiconductor lasers using quantum well gain medium, a quantum well stack is mounted in an epi-down configuration. The epitaxial side of the device may be directly bonded to an efficient heat transport system so that heat may more easily leave the quantum well stack layers and be disposed at a heatsink. Such a device runs cooler and exhibits reduced loss mechanisms as represented by a laser system loss-line. External cavity systems using this configuration may permit a high degree of tunability, and these systems are particularly improved as the tuning range is extended by lowered cavity losses.
US07738515B2

Laser apparatus is disclosed in which fundamental-wavelength optical pulses delivered from a mode-locked laser resonator at a pulse-repetition frequency (PRF) are converted to harmonic-wavelength pulses in an optical delay loop. One example is disclosed in which the harmonic-wavelength pulses are delivered directly from the delay loop. Another example is disclosed in which the harmonic-wavelength pulses are divided by the delay loop into a number of temporally spaced-apart replicas thereof, and the delay loop delivers bursts of replicas of different one of the harmonic wavelength pulses at a burst-repetition frequency equal to or a multiple of the PRF of the resonator.
US07738511B2

A system and method for transmitting DS3 signals over long distances over a plurality of twisted pair conductors is provided. A DS3 interface is provided. The DS3 signal is inversely multiplexed into a plurality of data streams. Overhead is added to the data streams to generate packets having stream identifiers and packet number identifiers. At the receive end, received packets are synchronized using the stream and packet number identifiers, and multiplexed back into a DS3 signal. Systems according to embodiments of the invention are compatible with existing loopback codes, passing through a first loopback code received, and optionally entering a loopback mode where more than one loopback code is received consecutively without an intervening loop down code being received. The incorporated technology permits very small packaging and thereby permits use in small outdoor enclosures. Connection interfaces adapt automatically to the application and provide further conveniences for use in telephone company outdoor cabinets.
US07738507B2

The network relay device of the invention carries out data transmission to and from an opposite device to relay data in a network. The network relay device includes: multiple ports connecting with corresponding multiple ports of the opposite device via multiple links; and a link aggregation control module that aggregates the multiple links to establish a link aggregation, which is regarded as one logic link, and carries out transmission of a control frame signal including a synchronization bit, as well as data transmission, at each port via the link aggregation. In response to detection of occurrence of a trouble in at least one of the aggregated multiple links, the link aggregation control module causes a port that connects with a normal link without the trouble among the multiple ports to stop the data transmission and send the control frame signal including the synchronization bit set equal to a first value. Here the first value functions to stop the data transmission at a corresponding port of the opposite device connecting with the normal link.
US07738505B2

A method and system for synchronizing transmission/reception timings delayed during transmission/reception of data frames for voice signals in a mobile communication system including a media gateway with a transcoder and a base station controller for exchanging digital voice signals with the media gateway. The media gateway or the base station controller performs synchronization control by detecting synchronization of forward data frames for the voice signals. As the base station controller requests synchronization, the media gateway adjusts transmission timing and acquires synchronization according to the adjusted transmission timing, thereby correctly transmitting/receiving data frames for the voice signals.
US07738503B2

A method of synchronizing data elements between devices can include receiving at a first device, from only one of multiple peer devices with which the first device is configured to synchronize, a request to synchronize data between the first device and the only one peer device; identifying data elements stored in the first device that have changed since a previous synchronization operation between the first device and the only one peer device; and transmitting, directly and solely to the only one peer device, for each of the identified data elements, a local data identifier and a corresponding change to be applied to a data element in the only one peer device that corresponds to the local data identifier. In some implementations, each local data identifier is transmitted in a format in which it is maintained in the first device.
US07738500B1

A host computer running a TCP connection transfers the connection to a TCP offload network interface device (NID) which performs certain network processes, thereby reducing the load on the host CPU. The NID later transfers the connection back to the host. The host and the NID maintain separate timestamp clocks which provide timestamp values for connections using the TCP Timestamp option. Synchronization of the host and NID timestamp clocks can be realized by transfer of a clock value. The NID or host receives the transferred TCP connection and the transferred clock value, and decides whether to update its own clock to equal the transferred clock value, the decision being guided by the requirement to never allow the timestamp clock to run backward. Acceleration of the timestamp clocks is prevented so that RTT measurements are accurate. Synchronization of the host and NID timestamp clocks improves performance and reduces erroneous connection drops.
US07738486B2

A multi-mode SerDes may be implemented in at least two different optoelectronic device architectures. The serializer includes a dual-mode bypass block for allowing data signals to go straight from input nodes to a multiplexing block or for decoding encoded data signals. A final dynamic high speed multiplexer multiplexes two data signals into one serial signal, or allows a single signal to go through. The deserializer includes an input dynamic high speed demultiplexer for demultiplexing one serial signal into two, or for allowing a serial signal through. A dual-mode bypass block is provided to allow data signals to go straight through from a demultiplexing block to output nodes or to encode data signals prior to providing them to the output nodes.
US07738485B1

A method, medium, and wireless system are provided for scheduling access terminals to prevent starvation of other access terminals connected to a communication network. The wireless system includes access terminals and base stations that are configured with a first wireless scheduler and a parallel wireless scheduler that select access terminals to communicate during specified time slots. The access terminals may measure channel conditions associated with communications to the base station and transmit requests that specify a desired communication rate to the base station. The first and parallel wireless schedulers on each base station receive the requests from each access terminal and select an access terminal to communicate during a subsequent time slot that may be based on, for example, the channel conditions and weighted average functions of the communication rates—corresponding to the access terminal—generated by the first and parallel wireless schedulers.
US07738474B2

A method for transferring data includes connecting N ports of a crossbar to N devices, respectively, where N is an integer greater than one. Inbound data is received at one of the N ports from a respective one of the N devices. N−1 output buffers are associated with others of the N ports, respectively. At least one of the N−1 output buffers is selected to output outbound data corresponding to the inbound data. The inbound data from the input buffer of one of the N ports is selectively transferred to at least one of the N−1 output buffers of the others of the N ports.
US07738466B2

A method for retrieving content of a distributed directory of a telecommunication system comprising a plurality of nodes arranged in a directed ring topology, the method comprising the steps of identifying a storage location of said content by means of a distributed hashing function, where the hashing function maps an element onto a node, where the node is responsible carrying elements with a hash value between the node and its successor node. The invention further concerns a corresponding computer software product, telecommunication device, and a telecommunication system.
US07738442B2

Origination and incoming are regulated for each service in user units. An origination filter table stores contract service information indicating whether or not each service can be used and the maximum number of sessions that can be activated by the originator corresponding to each originator identifier (for example, SIP-URI). An incoming filter table stores incoming enable/refusal information and an originator identifier from which incoming is enabled or refused corresponding to each receiver identifier. A communication control section references the contract service information and the maximum number of sessions in the origination filter table based on the originator identifier in the message received from a communication terminal, determines whether or not the service indicated by service type information in the message can be used, and determines whether or not a new session can be established. The communication control section references the incoming enable/refusal information in the incoming filter table based on the receipt party and originator identifiers in the message and determines whether or not incoming is enabled.
US07738434B1

A wireless headset and a system and method for controlling or managing a wireless headset are provided. In one embodiment, a wireless headset includes a World Wide Web (Web) server for providing a Web page to control or manage a headset, and a module operably coupled to the Web server for performing a control function or a management function on the headset. A communication device including a keypad, a display, and a Web browser can then exchange information between the Web page and the Web server to control or manage the wireless headset.
US07738419B2

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for controlling a reverse rate of data transmitted to a BTS (base transceiver station) from MSs (mobile stations), to which an autonomous rate control is granted. The method includes the steps of checking whether a limitation for a reverse autonomous rate of an MS is persistent when it is determined from a reverse load that the limitation for the reverse autonomous rate of the MS is necessary, and transmitting information for limiting the reverse autonomous rate of the MS and information indicating persistence of the limitation for the reverse autonomous rate to the MS when it is necessary to persistently maintain the limitation for the reverse autonomous rate of the MS.
US07738416B2

Data burst communication techniques for mobile communication devices operating in packet data sessions are disclosed. A mobile communication device is adapted to receive and decode packet data of a plurality of packet data bursts of a data block over a packet data channel during a packet data session. The mobile communication device is further adapted to receive and decode broadcast control data of a plurality of broadcast data bursts of the same or adjacent data block over a broadcast control channel contemporaneously with the packet data, where each broadcast data burst is interleaved with packet data bursts of the packet data session. When a time conflict between at least one of the packet data bursts and at least one of the broadcast data bursts exists, the mobile communication device is adapted to prioritize the receiving and decoding of the at least one packet data burst over the at least one broadcast data burst. However, if the at least one broadcast data burst is received from a “high priority” or “imminent” handoff candidate neighbor cell, the mobile communication device is adapted to prioritize the receiving and decoding of the at least one broadcast data burst over the at least one packet data burst without completely suspending packet transfer operations. Advantageously, an efficient and less disruptive communication technique is provided during packet data sessions.
US07738412B2

There is disclosed a technique for estimating a power change, particularly a power increase, in a communication system caused by a change in the load in the system. The technique particularly relates to a mobile communication system.
US07738410B2

According to one embodiment, a server apparatus includes a storage module stores information to execute paging of which the broadcast is not completed yet for paging using the recording module, a determination module determines whether or not to execute paging of information in which a paging request has been already recorded in the recording module, a detector detects a storage information amount of the paging stored in the storage module, and a report module reports the storage information amount detected by the detector to a terminal of a paging request origin.
US07738407B2

A wireless subscriber terminal (ST) for use with IP push-to-talk (IPP2T) service using a wireless local area network (WLAN) operating in a plurality of modes, including a mobile terminal having an ability to communicate over the air to a wireless Access Point (AP), the mobile terminal further programmable to use conventional WLAN protocols, and a method for operating the wireless terminal are described.
US07738395B2

A communication system having a source node, at least one mobile node, and a router that transmits data packets transmitted from the source node to a corresponding one of the at least one mobile node and multiplexes response signals to the data packets received from the corresponding one of the at least one mobile node to transmit the multiplexed response signals to the source node. The communication system includes: a link monitoring unit which calculates a capacity of a wireless link between the router and the corresponding one of the at least one mobile node; and a congestion control and adjustment unit which adjusts window field values in the response signals according to the calculated capacity. The router transmits the response signals, the response signals including the adjusted window field values to the source node, and the source node sequentially transmits the data packets on the basis of the adjusted window field values.
US07738388B2

Provided is an operational status testing apparatus and method for an Ethernet-based APS process. A test command signal which contains a command to perform an operational test for the APS process of a first node and a second test response signal that indicates that the operation of the APS process of a second node is performed normally, from among far end request signals that are received from the second node connected to own first node via an Ethernet network, are filtered. When the far end request signals are test command signals, a first test response signal that indicates that the operation of the APS process of the first node is performed normally is generated, and a top priority local request signal is selected based on priorities of the first test response signal and at least one local request signal that indicates the status of the APS process of the first node, and an output signal to be transmitted to the second node is determined based on priorities of the top priority local request signal and the filtered the far end request signal. The function for testing the operational status for the APS process defined in ITU-T recommendation G.8031 is embodied, and when an operational status test request is received from another node, the APS process can be tested effectively without having to perform a complicated diagnosis operation for the APS process.
US07738386B2

The invention relates generally to a method to ensure that mission-critical data is transported safely and effectively across a wireless LAN, and more particularly, to a method which determines network latency under model network loads and ensures that the RF signal strength requirements are met for all RF coverage areas supported by the wireless network, allowing for data transmission which is effective and complete, with acceptable latency and loss, and no unacceptable corruption of the data.
US07738379B1

The present invention provides a throttling unit for throttling and distributing data transmissions between terminals and servers in a network. The throttling unit determines a current status of the servers in the system, typically by receiving an overload notification from each server. Once the throttling unit has determined the current status of the servers, the throttling unit can adjust transmission rates of terminals to control the amount of the data received by each server based on its corresponding status. The transmission rate can also include a local load coefficient which can be adjusted to either increase or decrease the transmission rate of a terminal to a server depending on the status of the servers. A data transmission can subsequently be sent from a terminal to the servers based on the transmission rate determined for each of the servers.
US07738378B1

A method and a system are disclosed for setting up, modifying and tearing down a side-stream communication session in a basic service set (BSS) in a wireless network so that the communication session has a defined Quality of Service (QoS). Regarding setting up a side-stream communication session, a first Path message and a first Resv message (Path/Resv message) of a RSVP protocol is detected at a designated subnet bandwidth manager (DSBM) in a station having a point coordinator (PC). The first Resv message originates from a RSVP agent of a destination non-PC station in the BSS and requests resource reservation for setting up a side-stream session between a source non-PC station and at least one destination non-PC station in the same BSS. The DSBM extracts a QoS parameter set and a classifier from the first Path/Resv message for the session.
US07738376B2

A flow control method and system including an algorithm for deciding to transmit an arriving packet into a processing queue or to discard it, or, in the case of instructions or packets that must not be discarded, a similar method and system for deciding at a service event to transmit an instruction or packet into a processing queue or to skip the service event. The transmit probability is increased or decreased in consideration of minimum and maximum limits for each flow, aggregate limits for sets of flows, relative priority among flows, queue occupancy, and rate of change of queue occupancy. The effects include protection of flows below their minimum rates, correction of flows above their maximum rates, and, for flows between minimum and maximum rates, reduction of constituent flows of an aggregate that is above its aggregate maximum. Practice of the invention results in low queue occupancy during steady congestion.
US07738368B2

A system for changing the coder-decoder utilized during a voice over Internet protocol telephone call is disclosed. The system includes two local area networks connected to each other via a wide area network. Each local area network includes a router connected to the wide area network, a switch connected to the router and a voice over Internet protocol telephone connected to the switch. The voice over Internet protocol telephones are configured to detect when voice packets are being dropped and utilize a lower bandwidth coder-decoder.
US07738365B2

Backup ports for a first router of the survivable network are determined so that the first router can reach a destination node in the event of a double link failure. A routing path graph having the destination node is accepted. The routing path graph includes one or more links terminated by one or more primary ports of the first router. For each router of at least a part of the routing path graph, assuming that a link terminated by a primary port of the first router is removed, a first part of the routing path graph including the destination node and a second part of the routing path graph (sub-graph) separated from the first part are defined. Two exits for the sub-graph to reach the graph are determined. A primary backup port and a secondary backup port are determined for the first router using the determined two exits.
US07738364B2

The invention comprises a software-based communications architecture and associated software methods for establishing and maintaining a common membership among a cluster of multiple, cooperating computers (called hosts). The invention incorporates the use of nearest neighbor and overlapping heartbeat connections between clustered computers that are logically organized in a linear or multi-dimensional array. This arrangement of heartbeat connections has two principal advantages. First it keeps the cluster membership highly available after host failures because hosts can quickly detect and recover from another host's failure without partitioning the membership. Second, it enables the cluster membership to scale to large numbers (e.g., hundreds) of computers because the computational and message passing overhead per host to maintain the specified heartbeat connections is fixed and the underlying physical network is allowed to scale. This membership architecture is well suited to distributed applications (such as a partitioned database) in which changes to the workload are made and propagated cluster-wide by neighboring hosts for purposes of load-balancing.
US07738360B2

The present invention is directed to a secondary communication server 216 for assuming control of a communication formerly controlled by a primary communication server 212 in the event of a failure, comprising:(a) an input operable to (i) receive, from a first communication node 204a, first communication information, wherein the first communication information is associated with the communication and comprises a first node identifier 236a and/or a communication identifier 240a, the first node identifier 236a is associated with a second communication node 204b, the communication identifier is associated with the communication, and the second communication node 204b comprises second communication information associated with the communication and (ii) thereafter receive, from the second communication node 204b, the second communication information; and(b) a reconstruction agent 228 operable to identify the second communication information based on the first node identifier 236a and/or communication identifier 240a.
US07738352B2

An optically detectable information recording medium is at least comprised of a substrate and a recording layer, wherein a surface of the recording layer opposite to another surface of the recording layer in contact with the substrate has a Root Mean Square roughness Rσ of less than 5 nm, and wherein the recording layer has highly reflective recording material selected from aluminum, silver, silicon, titanium, nickel, tantalum, molybdenium, iron, gold, copper, and their alloys.
US07738350B2

According to embodiments of the present invention, a probe storage medium includes a conductive layer as an electrode and a metal, metalloid, and/or non-metal doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer disposed on the conductive layer. A probe array may be positioned close proximity with the layer of doped DLC. An individual probe in the probe array may have an atomic force microscope tip. The probe storage medium may be written to by applying a current, voltage, and/or power to the tip between a thresholds current, voltage, and/or power value and a limiting current, voltage, and/or power value. The current, voltage, and/or power cause the layer of DLC to change conductance. The probe storage medium may be read by applying a current, voltage, and/or power to the tip below a threshold current, voltage, and/or power value and sensing the conductance.
US07738346B2

A polarizing diffraction element having a wavelength selectivity which functions as a polarizing diffraction element at a wavelength λ1, and which does not function as a diffraction grating not depending on incident polarization state and shows high transmittance at a wavelength λ2, and an optical head device employing the element, are provided.The polarizing diffraction element selectively diffracts or transmits incident light having two different wavelengths each containing a first circularly polarized light and a second circularly polarized light having a rotation opposite from the rotation of the first circularly polarized light, depending on wavelength and polarization state of the incident light. Then, a reflective wavelength region for at least the first circularly incident light, does not contain said two incident wavelengths.
US07738339B2

A data recording device. A random data generator randomly generates substitute data. A recording data generator receives original data and a recording address from a host, receives the substitute data, compares the recording address with a reference address, and outputs the substitute data according to the comparison result. An encoder generates a first data block according to the substitute data. A modulator modulates the first data block. An optical pickup records the modulated first data block on the optical recording medium according to the recording address.
US07738333B2

An optical disk drive of recording a re-writable optical disk and the method thereof. First, an optimum power is determined. A gain of a SBAD (Sub Beam Adder) signal is adjusted for generating an calibrated SBAD signal such that the calibrated SBAD signal maintains at the same level during a write power phase and a read power phase substantially. Then, the re-writable optical disk is recorded by using the optimum power. Next, a defect of the re-writable optical disk is detected according to the calibrated SBAD signal. Then, the optical disk drive will jump over the defect and prevent it from being data-recorded so as to avoid system malfunction.
US07738324B2

A display device and a timepiece calendar device capable of large display of letters and numbers is provided, which can be simplified and reduced in size. The display device comprises a first display wheel having a denotation portion for showing information about a part of a period and a toothed portion including a plurality of teeth to be driven. The device also has a second display wheel having a denotation portion for showing a part of the period other than the part of the period shown by the first display wheel, an opening via which the first display wheel is exposed, and a toothed portion including a plurality of teeth to be driven, and placed overlapping the first display wheel. The device also has a driving finger for driving the first display wheel and the second display wheel to rotate.
US07738316B2

A system is disclosed that provides an improvement in detecting a faulty hydrophone channel in a hydrophone array. The disclosed technique operates on pairs of hydrophones or, to generalize, on groups of two or more hydrophones; this is in contrast with operating on only one hydrophone at a time. As a result, the technique is able to use correlation data from the multiple hydrophones, in order to detect a fault. The technique also operates on received echo signal information that is associated with ongoing SONAR solution processing. The use of the relatively deterministic, echo signal information further enhances the performance. By using correlation products made up of the received echo signal information, the disclosed technique is able to leverage the SONAR solution processing that already relies upon the hydrophone array, such as spatial or temporal correlation SONAR, thereby reducing the additional processing incurred. Once a failed hydrophone channel has been identified, it is then excluded from the ongoing SONAR solution processing.
US07738314B2

In one embodiment, a decoder for decoding an address having a plurality of bits ranging from a first address bit a1 to a last address bit aN, each address bit being either true or false is provided that includes: a pre-charge circuit adapted to pre-charge a dynamic NOR node and a dynamic OR node and then allow the pre-charged dynamic NOR node and pre-charged dynamic OR node to float; a plurality of switches coupled between the dynamic NOR node and ground, each switch corresponding uniquely to the address bits such that the switches range from a first switch corresponding to a1 to an nth switch corresponding to aN, wherein any switch corresponding to a true address bit is configured to turn on only if its corresponding address bit is false, and wherein any switch corresponding to a false address bit is configured to turn on only if its corresponding address bit is true; a (n+1)th switch coupling the dynamic OR node to ground, the (n+1)th switch being controlled such that it turns on if the dynamic OR node is charged, whereby the pre-charged dynamic OR node discharges if the dynamic OR node remains charged; an odd plurality of inverters coupled in series with the dynamic OR node; and a word line driven by the odd plurality of inverters.
US07738313B2

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory comprising: a plurality of memory cell blocks each including a plurality of memory cells serially connected to each other; a word line that is connected to corresponding ones of the plurality of memory cells each included in respective one of the plurality of memory cellblocks; and a pair of drive circuits each configured to apply a voltage to the word line, wherein the corresponding ones of the plurality of memory cells are connected to the word line between the pair of drive circuits.
US07738303B2

The present invention relates to a method of erasing a nonvolatile memory device. According to an aspect of the present invention, an erase operation is performed on a selected memory block. The bit lines of the memory block are precharged, and a change of a voltage level of the bit lines is verified according to an erase state of the memory cells. A data read operation is performed on a first bit line according to a voltage level of the first bit line. A data read operation is performed on a second bit line according to a voltage level of the second bit line. The data read operation is performed on the second bit line after the data read operation is performed on the first bit line. An erase verify result is then determined according to the data read operation result.
US07738300B2

A method of programming a memory cell is described. The memory cell includes a gate with a charge trapping layer isolated from a substrate for storing data with a first region and a second region separated from the first region. The method of programming the memory cell includes applying a first voltage arrangement with a first gate voltage for programming the first region and applying a second voltage arrangement with a second gate voltage for programming the second region. The first gate voltage is greater than the second gate voltage.
US07738294B2

Methods and apparatus, such as those for programming of multilevel cell NAND memory arrays to facilitate a reduction of program disturb, are disclosed. In one such method, memory cells are shifted from a first Vt distribution to a second Vt distribution higher than the first Vt distribution during a first portion of a programming operation if a second or a fourth data state is desired, while memory cells remain in the first Vt distribution if the first or a third data state is desired. During a second portion of the programming operating, if the third data state is desired, those memory cells are shifted from the first Vt distribution to a third Vt distribution higher than the second Vt distribution and, if the fourth data state is desired, those memory cells are shifted from the second Vt distribution to a fourth Vt distribution higher than the third Vt distribution.
US07738293B2

A memory programming apparatuses and/or methods are provided. The memory programming apparatus may include a data storage unit, a first counting unit, an index storage unit and/or a programming unit. The data storage unit may be configured to store a data page. The first counting unit may be configured to generate index information by counting a number of cells included in at least one reference threshold voltage state based on the data page. The index storage unit may be configured to store the generated index information. The programming unit may be configured to store the data page in the data storage unit and store the generated index information in the index storage unit. The first counting unit may send the generated index information to the programming unit. The memory programming apparatus can monitor distribution states of threshold voltages in memory cells.
US07738286B2

A magnetic memory device comprises a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) connecting to a bit line to a sense line through an isolation transistor. The MTJ includes a ferromagnetic layer having a magnetic hard axis. An assist current line overlies the bit line and is insulated from the bit line. The MTJ is switchable between a first, relatively high resistance state and a second, relatively low resistance state. The assist current line applies a magnetic field along the magnetic hard axis in the ferromagnetic layer, independently of current flow through the MTJ for assisting switching of the MTJ between the first and second states.
US07738282B2

An integrated circuit and methods for laying out the integrated circuit are provided. The integrated circuit includes a first and a second transistor. The first transistor includes a first active region comprising a first source and a first drain; and a first gate electrode over the first active region. The second transistor includes a second active region comprising a second source and a second drain; and a second gate electrode over the second active region and connected to the first gate electrode, wherein the first source and the second source are electrically connected, and the first drain and the second drain are electrically connected.
US07738281B2

A semiconductor storage device according to the present invention comprises a plurality of memory cells each provided with an access transistor in which a source is connected to a bit line and a gate is connected to a word line and a capacitor in which a storage electrode is connected to a drain of the access transistor, the plurality of memory cells being placed in a matrix shape in column and row directions, a sense amplifier circuit connected to the source of the access transistor via the bit line, a bit-line precharge voltage generating circuit for generating a bit-line precharge voltage lower than a sense amplifier supply voltage to be supplied to the sense amplifier circuit and supplying the generated bit-line precharge voltage to the bit line, and a cell plate voltage generating circuit for generating a cell plate voltage set to be lower than the bit-line precharge voltage and supplying the generated cell plate voltage to a plate electrode of the capacitor.
US07738280B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a resistive nonvolatile memory element having an electric current path which can be realized by a simple and convenient process, and capable of allowing for micro-fabrication.The resistive nonvolatile memory element of the present invention includes first electrode 203, oxide semiconductor layer 204a which is formed on the first electrode 203 and the resistance of which is altered depending on the applied voltage, metal nanoparticles 204b having a diameter of between 2 nm and 10 nm arranged on the oxide semiconductor layer 204a, tunnel barrier layer 204c formed on the oxide semiconductor layer 204a and on the metal nanoparticles 204b, and second electrode 206 formed on the tunnel barrier layer 204c, in which the metal nanoparticles 204b are in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 204a.
US07738278B2

A magnetic memory device is provided. The magnetic memory device may include a memory track in which a plurality of magnetic domains is formed so that data bits, each of which may be a magnetic domain, are stored in an array. The memory track may be formed of an amorphous soft magnetic material.
US07738275B2

A leakage current cut-off device for a ternary content addressable memory is provided. The storage cell of a ternary content addressable memory may be in the active mode, data-retention mode and cut-off mode. This invention applies a multi-mode data retention power gating device to the storage cell of the ternary content addressable memory to reduce the leakage current through the storage cell in the data-retention mode and the cut-off mode, and support the full speed operation in the active mode.
US07738270B2

A power supply device with power conversion capabilities is disclosed. The power supply device comprises an input module, a power converter, and an output module. The input module is used for receiving an alternating current power. The power converter is coupled to the input module for converting the alternating current power to a direct current power. The output module is coupled to the power converter for outputting the direct current power.
US07738262B2

In order to detachably mount a module to a plug-in unit while reliably realizing electromagnetic shielding of the plug-in unit in a communication apparatus having a sub-rack and the plug-in unit electrically connected to the sub-rack, the present invention provides a second shield cover member covering a portion protruding from a front end surface of a printed board in an interface part and having a first opening to expose a connection with an outside provided at a front end of the interface part to the outside, the first opening being in contact with a circumferential surface of the interface part and a shield mechanism interposed between the second shield cover member and a front cover member to cover a gap between a second opening of the front cover member and an outer circumferential surface of the second shield cover member.
US07738261B2

A functional device fabrication apparatus is provided for forming a wiring pattern or an electronic device on a substrate using paper or paper-based material by depositing solid content of a solution on the substrate. The functional device fabrication apparatus includes a jet head. The jet head jets the solution including electronic function material onto the substrate as dot patterns. The jet head includes a device for dispensing a droplet of the solution from the jet head. A drive signal applied to the device is configured to cause the droplet jetted by the device to have a specific shape before impacting a face of the substrate.
US07738260B2

A grounding connector for an electronic device having a first housing element and a second housing element comprising a ground clip, a cam surface and a follower. The ground clip is electrically coupled to a first housing element, and selectably electrically coupled with the second housing element. A cam surface is positioned on the first housing element and in proximity to the ground clip. The follower is slidably positionable on the second housing element, and has a first end that engages the cam surface and a second end that engages the ground clip. The ground clip is electrically coupled to a second housing element while the electronic device is in each of the collapsed orientation and the articulated orientation. Upon movement between the collapsed orientation and the articulated orientation, the cam surface directs the follower to electrically decouple the ground clip from the second housing element.
US07738252B2

A heat spreader and method for thermal management of a computer memory module by promoting natural convection cooling of the memory module. The heat spreader includes a frame surrounding a planar body adapted to be mounted to a memory module of a computer, and a grid defined in the planar body by a plurality of uniformly distributed perforations. The perforations extend through the planar body to allow natural convention between an interior space beneath the planar body and an exterior space above the planar body.
US07738251B2

A computer system may include a connecting hub having a plurality of docking regions and be configured to provide to each docking region electrical power, a data network interface, a cooling fluid supply and a cooling fluid return; and a plurality of shipping containers that each enclose a modular computing environment that incrementally adds computing power to the system. Each shipping container may include a) a plurality of processing units coupled to the data network interface, each of which include a microprocessor; b) a heat exchanger configured to remove heat generated by the plurality of processing units by circulating cooling fluid from the supply through the heat exchanger and discharging it into the return; and c) docking members configured to releaseably couple to the connecting hub at one of the docking regions to receive electrical power, connect to the data network interface, and receive and discharge cooling fluid.
US07738249B2

An electrical assembly which includes a circuitized substrate including a first plurality of dielectric and electrically conductive circuit layers alternatively oriented in a stacked orientation, a thermal cooling structure bonded to one of the dielectric layers and at least one electrical component mounted on the circuitized substrate. The circuitized substrate includes a plurality of electrically conductive and thermally conductive thru-holes located therein, selected ones of the thermally conductive thru-holes thermally coupled to the electrical component(s) and extending through the first plurality of dielectric and electrically conductive circuit layers and being thermally coupled to the thermal cooling structure, each of these selected ones of thermally conductive thru-holes providing a thermal path from the electrical component to the thermal cooling structure during assembly operation. The thermal cooling structure is adapted for having cooling fluid pass there-through during operation of the assembly. A method of making the substrate is also provided.
US07738248B2

According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a heat generating part housed inside a cabinet and a loop heat pipe housed inside the cabinet, which includes an internal flow path having a loop shape in which a working fluid is sealed. The loop heat pipe further includes a heat receiving unit, a heat radiating unit, a vapor flow path which allows a gasified portion of the working fluid to flow from the heat receiving unit towards the heat radiating unit, a liquid returning flow path which allows a liquefied portion of the working fluid to flow from the heat radiating unit towards the heat receiving unit, and a wick provided at a position adjacent to the vapor flow path inside the liquid returning flow path. The wick also serves as a partition portion which partitions the vapor flow path and the liquid returning flow path from each other.
US07738247B2

A removable/replaceable docking unit includes a cradle, a dock connector extending through an opening in a bottom portion of the cradle, a circuit board to which the dock connector is integrally attached, a wire connector integrally attached to the circuit board at a side thereof opposite the dock connector and the dock connector and the wire connector communicatively coupled via the circuit board and a removable connector provided in the cradle for removably connecting the docking unit to an electronic device.
US07738239B2

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus comprises: a casing comprising a circuit module; a keyboard mounting portion on which a keyboard is detachably mounted, and a cover detachably covering the opening. The key board mounting portion comprises an opening which allows a wiring electrically connecting the keyboard and the circuit module to be passed therethrough. An area of the opening is equal to or less than half of an area of the keyboard mounting portion.
US07738234B2

When a power source voltage is applied to a switch control section, a control signal is supplied from the switch control section to a transistor. The transistor is placed in an ON state during a period of time corresponding to a pulse width of the control signal. The power source voltage is applied as a first voltage to a solenoid coil. On the other hand, when supply of the control signal to the transistor is stopped, the transistor is placed in an OFF state. A voltage-generating section generates a DC voltage, which is lower than the power source voltage. The transistor applies the generated DC voltage as a second voltage to the solenoid coil.
US07738231B2

A device (1) for protecting an electrical installation from overvoltages, having at least one protection component (2) and disconnection means (3) capable of changing from a closed configuration to an open configuration, as well as signaling means (5) capable of indicating the configuration of the disconnection means (3). The disconnection means (3) and the signaling means (5) respectively comprise a mobile disconnection element (4) and a mobile signaling element (12) arranged such that, when going from the closed configuration to the open configuration, the mobile disconnection element (4) moves in a rotational movement according to a first trajectory and cooperates with the mobile signaling element (12) to drive the mobile signaling element in rotation along a second trajectory different from the first trajectory.
US07738219B2

A Lorenz magnetoresistive sensor having a pair of voltage leads and a pair of current leads. The voltage leads are located at either side of one of the current leads and are separated by a distance that is substantially equal to the length of a bit to be measured. The Lorenz magnetoresistive sensor can be, for example an extraordinary magnetoresistive sensor having a quantum well structure such as a two dimensional electron gas and a shunt structure formed on an edge of the quantum well structure opposite the voltage and current leads.
US07738207B2

An assembly and method for recording and/or reading high-density data includes a phase change media, an antenna placed adjacent the phase change media, and a source of electromagnetic radiation.
US07738205B2

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to identifying an address of user data to be registered as a defective user data address in disk defect inspection. In an embodiment of the present invention, in the state where a write element is positioned to a target position to execute data write processing to execute normal data read processing, a write element executes data write processing. If a predefined error occurs during the data write processing, an address of user data for which the normal data write processing is executed is estimated using the error-causing servo data as a target. In addition, an address of the servo data used as the target during the normal data write processing for the estimated address of the user data is identified. If the identified address of the servo data and the address of the error-causing servo data match with each other, the estimated address of the user data is registered as a defective user data address.
US07738201B2

In general, this disclosure describes read recovery techniques for data storage devices that use soft information associated with multiple read operations to detect data. Specifically, the read recovery techniques comprise computing soft information for each bit detected during a first read operation of a data storage medium, computing soft information for each bit detected during a second read operation of the data storage medium and averaging the soft information computed during the first and second read operations to determine the value of each of the bits.
US07738198B2

A controller controls a drive waveform generator to apply a predetermined voltage to a piezoelectric element and deform the piezoelectric element, thereby moving a lens. The controller acquires the position of the lens based on a magnetic field intensity detected by a Hall device. A shock detection circuit measures a voltage generated by deformation of the piezoelectric element caused by an external shock. The controller determines whether or not the voltage measured by the shock detection circuit is larger than a predetermined threshold, and detects positional misalignment of the lens. When detecting the positional misalignment, the controller resets the lens at a position acquired before the shock was applied.
US07738196B2

An optical unit is provided which includes gaps dR1 and dR2 in a radial direction that prevent an optical component from being affected by external stress during thermal expansion is formed between an outer circumferential surface of the optical component and an inner circumferential surface of a holder and gaps d0A1 and d0A2 that prevent the optical component adjacent to a pressing component from being affected by external stress during thermal expansion and are formed between predetermined surfaces on the pressing component and the optical component adjacent to the pressing component opposing each other in an optical axis direction.
US07738189B2

The present invention provides a side emitting lens that may reduce optical loss and improve light emitting ratios, and a backlight unit and liquid crystal display including the side emitting lens. The side emitting lens may have a substantially dome-shaped body. The body includes a base part on which external light is incident, a refracting part to refract incident light and emit the light from side surfaces, and a reflecting part. The reflecting part is in the shape of a conical recess at a central portion of the refracting part to fully reflect the incident light toward one of the refracting part and the base part and the reflecting part comprises two or more reflecting surfaces. Each of the two or more reflecting surfaces is a curved surface.
US07738177B2

A light source for use in a projection system comprises a pair of lamps each effective to produce a substantially collimated beam. Part of the light emitted by each lamp is directed through the light originating part of the same, or another, lamp. A light combiner is arranged within the path of the light beams from each of the two lamps to provide a composite light beam of a cross section less than the sum of the cross section of the beams produced by each of the lamps.
US07738166B2

An optical system adapted to amplify an input signal includes an optical pump supporting the input signal and an optical pump beam. The optical pump includes an input port, a first active medium coupled to the input port, and a pump output coupled to the first active medium. The optical amplifier includes an amplifier input optically coupled to the pump output and adapted to receive the input signal after passing through the optical pump, a second active medium coupled to the amplifier input, and an amplifier output adapted to output the amplified input signal.
US07738155B2

This invention focuses on electrooptic devices and in particular on electrochromic devices with many aspects directed towards automotive EC mirrors. There are several ways to improve these products and their processing using this invention and some of the prominent ones are outlined below. This invention improves on the devices by disclosing new compositions for electrodes and methods of depositing them. It also addresses novel ways to provide busbars to power these devices in order to improve their performance. The device processing attributes and performance are also improved by adhesive compositions and solid electrolytes disclosed herein. In addition sensors are also disclosed which are novel for use in electrochromic mirrors. The invention also discloses how the electrolytes comprising ionic liquids have no adverse effect on attributes of commercial EC mirrors and often result in improved performance and/or feature enhancements.
US07738153B2

The present invention provides a scanner comprising: a base member; a scanning beam reflective member having a first tilt axis and a second tilt axis orthogonal to the first tilt axis; a mounting assembly for mounting the scanning beam reflective member on the base member for tilting of thereof along the first and second tilt axes; an actuator for tilting the scanning beam reflective member along the first and second tilt axes to provide a tilt orientation; a magnet assembly which generates one or more magnetic fields which are responsive and correlated to the tilt orientation; and a magnetic field sensor assembly for sensing the magnetic fields generated by the magnet assembly to thereby indicate the tilt orientation. The mounting assembly may comprise a suspension assembly having a tilt imparting assembly for imparting tilt to the reflective member, and a reflective member holder assembly for holding the reflective member.
US07738151B2

A projection device having a coherent light beam-generator that generates a light beam and a beam expander disposed to receive the light beam and to emit an expanded light beam. The projection device also includes a digital micro-mirror device disposed to receive a holographic transform of an original image and to display the holographic transform for illumination by the expanded light beam into a holographic light beam with a convergent or focusing lens disposed to receive and modulate the holographic light beam and a liquid crystal plate volumetric image reconstructor that receives the focused holographic light beam and emits a 3-dimensional holographic image of the original image.
US07738149B2

The present invention relates to a system and method for electronically communicating, coordinating and disseminating product designs, specifications and production-related data between a plurality of parties. More particularly, the invention relates to the coordination of parties that create color and graphic designs, including manufacturers, designers, suppliers and printers for new or existing color products.
US07738141B2

A printing unit prints an image based on print data. The printing unit has characteristics. An input-color-data storing portion stores input color data indicative of colors of inputted image data. The input color data have color component values of a first color group. A print-data generating portion converts the color component values of the first color group stored in the input-color-data storing portion into color component values of a second color group, thereby generating pre-correction print data having a predetermined bit width. A correcting portion converts the pre-correction print data into post-correction print data that is adapted to the characteristics of the printing unit. The correcting portion includes a bit-width correcting portion that generates the post-correction print data having a bit width greater than the predetermined bit width. The bit-width correcting portion selectively increases the bit width based on predetermined criteria.
US07738138B2

In order to realize quick writing and reading of information required in an editorial process of an image onto and from a disc type storage device, an image processing device of the present invention includes: an input image receiving section for receiving image data having been inputted; a first compression transfer section for transferring the image data received by the input image receiving section directly to an HDD; an area data generation section for generating area data of the image data on the basis of the image data having been received; a second compression transfer section for transferring the area data, having been generated by the area data generation section, to the HDD; and an output image processing section for editing the image data on the basis of the area data stored in the HDD. Thus, it is possible to quickly transfer the image data and the area data to the HDD.
US07738134B2

An image forming apparatus includes a hardware resource used for image forming processing and a program for performing processing concerning image formation, such that a plurality of originals having different types of originals in a mixed manner, are read, and printing paper sheets on which images have been formed based on the plurality of originals, are grouped.
US07738127B2

Techniques for issuing proximity warnings for services are provided. A first location associated with a requestor that makes a request to a remote service is determined. A second location associated with the remote service is resolved. The first and second locations are compared. In response to the compare, a decision is made as to whether a warning message is issued to the requestor or as to whether the request is passed through to the remote service for processing.
US07738118B2

A tape feeder includes a feeding member which feeds a carrier tape having feed holes in its lengthwise direction, and accommodating pockets which are arranged in the lengthwise direction, accommodate respective circuit components and have a predetermined position relative to the holes. The feeding member feeds the tape so that the circuit components are sequentially positioned at a component-supply position. The tape feeder also includes a tape-support surface which supports a surface of the tape and which has, in a path-related portion thereof located along a path of movement of the holes, one or more optical-characteristic giving portions each of which is larger than one of the holes and has a first optical characteristic that is given to the one hole and is recognized differently by an optical recognizing device than a second optical characteristic of another portion of the path-related portion.
US07738117B2

A method of manufacturing an optical element involves an interferometric test of the optical element using an interferometer system of a Fizeau type combined with principles of white-light interferometry. The optical element is disposed in a cavity between a Fizeau surface and a mirror, and an optical path difference between a back surface of the optical element and the mirror is determined for determining parameters of the optical element, such as a thickness thereof. Measuring light from an optical delay apparatus can be supplied to the Fizeau interferometer through an optical fiber.
US07738114B2

An exposure apparatus includes a stage configured to hold an original thereon and to move in a horizontal direction, a first interferometer configured to emit first measurement light used for measuring a position of the stage in a vertical direction thereof, a first mirror provided on a bottom surface of the stage, and a second mirror provided directly below the first mirror. The second mirror is disposed so as to guide the first measurement light emitted from the first interferometer to the first mirror.
US07738108B2

The present invention relates to an interferometer, comprising at least a beamsplitter (10), at least one end reflector (11) for returning beams (S2, S3), and a set of reflectors (14, 15) for reflecting the beams (S2, S3) between the beamsplitter (10) and the end reflector (11) or the end reflectors, at least some of said set of reflectors (14, 15) being adapted to be rotatable around an axis (ω). Said set of reflectors comprises two angle reflectors (14, 15), constituted by plane reflectors, and the said end reflector (11) is or the end reflectors are an angle reflector constituted by plane reflectors (11′, 11″). An angle line of the end reflector (11) is or the angle lines of end reflectors are arranged perpendicular to an angle line of both of the angle reflectors (14, 15).
US07738105B1

Control of the angle-of-incidence of a beam of electromagnetic radiation provided by a horizontally oriented arc-lamp in ellipsometer, polarimeter, spectrophotometer, reflectometer, or the like systems.
US07738101B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for particle monitoring. An exemplary method includes confining a flowable sample which is opaque to at least a first range of wavelengths of light waves; measuring transparency of the flowable sample; compressing the flowable sample in a first direction while confining the sample in a second direction parallel to a flow direction of the flowable sample and orthogonal to the first direction, while elongating the sample in a third direction orthogonal to the first and second directions. When the sample is compressed in the first direction, the sample becomes transparent to at least one of the wavelengths in the first range of wavelengths, and the method can include identifying characteristics of particles contained in the sample which has been compressed.
US07738097B2

A method is provided for biosensing using a photonic crystal fiber having a hollow core. The method includes: designating an analyte of interest; determining a wavelength for an excitation light source which generates a Raman spectrum when incident upon the analyte of interest; selecting a photonic crystal fiber that would guide the light when the fiber is non-selectively filled with a solvent hosting the analyte of interest; non-selectively filling a photonic crystal fiber with the solvent hosting the analyte of interest; interrogating the analyte of interest by coupling light from the light source to the photonic crystal fiber; and analyzing the light output from the photonic crystal fiber for Raman fingerprints.
US07738096B2

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS) systems including nanostructures and capable of detecting analytes, in particular biomolecules, of interest are provided. Methods of making the SERS systems and methods for detection of a biomolecule of interest, such as a virus or other infectious agent are also provided.
US07738094B2

The present invention provides a low cost imaged-based system for detecting, measuring and/or counting labeled features of biological samples, particularly blood specimens. In one aspect, the invention includes a system for imaging multiple features of a specimen that includes one or more light sources capable of successively generating illumination beams each having a distinct wavelength band and a plurality of differentially excitable labels capable of labeling a specimen comprising multiple features, such that each different feature is labeled with a different differentially excitable label. System of the invention may further include a controller operationally associated with the one or more light sources for successively directing illumination beams onto the specimen so that each of the different differentially excitable labels is successively caused to emit an optical signal within the same wavelength band, an optical system capable of collecting such emitted optical signals and forming successive images corresponding to the labeled features of the specimen on a light-responsive surface to form successive sets of image data thereof, and a disposable cuvette for collection and optical analysis of non-red blood cells.
US07738087B1

A measurement system with a minimum of 2 sensors that identifies precise locations of remote objects. The sensors measure the elevation and azimuth angles to the target using the electro-magnetic radiation that is either intentionally or incidentally reflected off of the object. Given the known distance between the sensors, the system are able to calculate the exact X-Y-Z coordinates of the object using a modified type of triangulation. In the case of moving targets, this data is used to determine target origin and destination. In the case of stationary targets, the data is used to determine exact location of target and for navigation to or around the stationary target.
US07738082B1

Measuring the size of a distant object using a gauge sized according to a range to the object is provided. A user may select an initial target scale size and use an aiming mark to align a rangefinder with the object before determining the range. Indicia may be associated with the gauge, both of which could be displayed in a field of view of an optical sighting device, such as a rangefinder, riflescope, or spotting scope. In addition, the gauge or the indicia, or both may be alterable in response to the determined range. While looking through an eyepiece of the optical sighting device, the user may align the gauge with the object and estimate its size by visually comparing the gauge and object with reference to the indicia. The gauge may be geometrically shaped and may contain a series of spaced apart measuring marks having a logarithmic spacing.
US07738081B2

A lithographic apparatus can include an illumination system that conditions a radiation beam, a patterning device that modulates the radiation beam, a substrate table that supports a substrate, and a projection system that projects the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The lithographic apparatus can also include a substrate handler that loads and/or unloads a substrate on/from the substrate table. The substrate handler supports the substrate in a support plane and can include a conveyor device for moving the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the support plane. The conveyor device can include a gripping device configured to push or pull the substrate in the indicated direction and a driving device for driving the gripping device in the indicated direction.
US07738071B2

This invention relates to a method of forming fine pattern that is adaptive for forming a fine pattern without limit of an exposure resolution, a liquid crystal display device and a fabricating method. The method of forming fine pattern comprises forming a photo-resist pattern on a transparent conductive layer. The photo-resist pattern having a minimum line width corresponding to an exposure resolution of an exposure device. The method further comprises over-etching the transparent conductive layer by an etching process using the photo-resist pattern as a mask to form an electrode pattern having a line width narrower than the exposure resolution of the exposure device.
US07738067B2

A liquid crystal display device, a color filter substrate and a protruding structure, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The color filter substrate includes a transparent substrate, a black matrix, a plurality of color filters, a plurality of first protruding structures, and a plurality of second protruding structures. The black matrix is disposed on the transparent substrate and exposes part of the transparent substrate for defining a plurality of first openings, a plurality of second openings, and a plurality of pixel regions, wherein the size of each first opening is different from the size of each second opening. In addition, the color filters are disposed in the pixel regions. The first protruding structures and the second protruding structures are disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the first protruding structures correspond to the first openings respectively and the second protruding structures correspond to the second openings respectively.
US07738063B2

Provided are a vertically aligned liquid crystal display (VA-LCD) with good viewing angle characteristics, which has liquid crystals with negative dielectric anisotropy (Δ∈<0). In the VA-LCD, a polynorbornene based polymer film is used as a protection film and/or as a negative C-plate retardation film for an upper polarization plate and/or a lower polarization plate. Therefore, high contrast characteristics for a front view and an oblique angle view are realized and color change for an oblique angle view can be minimized.
US07738050B2

A method of manufacturing, with high mass productivity, liquid crystal display devices having highly reliable thin film transistors with excellent electric characteristics is provided. In a liquid crystal display device having an inverted staggered thin film transistor, the inverted staggered thin film transistor is formed as follows: a gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; a microcrystalline semiconductor film which functions as a channel formation region is formed over the gate insulating film; a buffer layer is formed over the microcrystalline semiconductor film; a pair of source and drain regions are formed over the buffer layer; and a pair of source and drain electrodes are formed in contact with the source and drain regions so as to expose a part of the source and drain regions.
US07738046B2

Apparatus and methods to receive and display digital television signals are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus to receive digital television signals comprises an antenna assembly coupled to the signal processing circuitry and comprising a first antenna positioned to maximize reception in a first direction and a second antenna positioned to maximize reception in a second direction, different from the first direction, and a processor coupled to the antenna assembly and comprising a selection logic module to select an antenna to receive a digital television signal for a specific channel, and a tuning logic module to configure the antenna assembly to receive a signal via a selected antenna.
US07738042B2

A noise reduction device for generating a delay frame by delaying an input frame in each frame, a first difference value between the delay frame and the input frame, a line delay frame by delaying the input frame in each line, and a second line delay frame by delaying the delay frame in each line. The device generates a second difference value between the input frame and the line delay frame, a third difference value between the delay frame and the second line delay frame, a fourth difference value between the line delay frame and the second line delay frame. The device corrects the input frame by using the first difference value based on a logical sum (or product) of the third difference value and the fourth difference value, and the delay frame based on a logical sum (or product) of the second difference value and the fourth difference value.
US07738040B2

System and methods for processing signals in a television system are disclosed and may include measuring relative power of RF carriers over a full bandwidth of one or more received TV channels. The method may also include determining based on the measured relative power, whether the one or more received TV channels includes a digital component or an analog component without demodulating the received TV channel. It may be determined whether the one or more received TV channels includes a digital component or an analog component without synchronizing and/or decoding the one or more received TV channels. The method may further include tuning to the one or more received TV channels. It may be determined whether an applied power gain for the one or more received TV channels is a maximum power gain.
US07738035B2

A lens barrier module including a substrate in which an opening is defined, sectors opening the opening when picking up an image and closing the opening when not picking up the image, and a motor provided at the substrate and driving the sectors.
US07738032B2

A self-contained, portable apparatus and corresponding method for capturing, displaying and analyzing images of a person includes a housing for containing a digital camera, a light source capable of providing at least two different wavelengths of light, a touch-screen display and a computer for controlling the camera, the light source and the display. The apparatus selectively captures and displays a plurality of digital images using different wavelengths of illuminating light. The light source may include a plurality of flashes and filters, some of which may be adjustable to adjust the angle of incidence of the illuminating light on the subject. Preferably, the apparatus is self-serve, allowing any person to capture, review and analyze the images. To that end, the apparatus may provide a moving image and verbal instructions to a user to aid in positioning themselves relative to the camera. Instruction may further be provided by text or internet connection for using the apparatus and/or interpreting the captured images. An intuitive graphic user interface with thumbnail images is employed. Focus control, zoom and synchronized side-by side comparison of images are available.
US07738030B2

An image processing method of performing various image correction processes to a photographed image and printing the photographed image comprises the steps of: inputting image information to which photographing condition information is added; analyzing the characteristic of the input image information; performing an imago correction process of improving image quality to the photographed image on the basis of the characteristic of the analyzed image information; discriminating the photographing condition information added to the photographed image; and determining an image correction process to be performed in a step of performing the image correction process on the basis of the photographing condition information discriminated in the discriminating step, whereby it becomes possible to provide a high quality print-output result of reflecting the intention of a user at a time of photographing.
US07738007B2

In an optical scanning device, a lateral magnification in a direction corresponding to a sub scanning direction of an optical system is adjusted to be small by a coupling optical system that includes a first lens and a second lens. As a result, scanning by a plurality of light beams can be performed with high precision while avoiding high costs.
US07738004B2

A display apparatus displaying a picture based on an input video signal includes an auto-adjustment button to select an implement of an auto-adjustment function, and a controller to implement a quick auto-adjustment function when the input video signal is determined to be changed in a display mode on the basis of the input video signal, and to implement a detailed auto-adjustment function when the auto-adjustment function is selected by the auto-adjustment button. In the display apparatus and a control method thereof, the auto-adjustment function is differently implemented according to the auto-adjustment mode and the selection of the auto-adjustment button.
US07737998B1

A system, method and computer-readable media are disclosed for generating an image from another image of contiguous polygons and a vector containing values to which areas of corresponding polygons are scaled. The method embodiment relates to generating an image from a plurality of contiguous polygons having vertices. The method comprises calculating a shape value associated with a polygon, calculating an altered shape value associated with an altered polygon, the altered polygon being an altered version of the polygon, calculating a shape distortion by comparing the shape value and the altered shape value and determining whether to accept the altered polygon based on the calculated shape distortion.
US07737985B2

Apparatus are provided including device memory, hardware entities, a sub-image cell value cache, and a cache write operator. At least some of the hardware entities perform actions involving access to and use of the device memory. The hardware entities include 3D graphics circuitry to process, for ready display, 3D images from primitive objects. The cache is separate from the device memory, and is provided to hold data, including buffered sub-image cell values. The cache is connected to the 3D graphics circuitry so that pixel processing portions of the 3D graphics circuitry access the buffered sub-image cell values in the cache, in lieu of the pixel processing portions directly accessing the sub-image cell values in the device memory. The write operator writes the buffered sub-image cell values to the device memory under direction of a priority scheme. The priority scheme preserves in the cache border cell values bordering one or more primitive objects.
US07737981B2

According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes: a plurality of graphics processing units (GPUs) having different characteristics; a memory configured to store information on association between one of the plurality of GPUs and an application program; and a drawing control unit configured to control the GPU associated with the application program to perform drawing processing when the application program is run.
US07737980B2

The present invention provides a method for hierarchically decomposing a visual or audio object within an animation into plurality of objects which can be individually edited to achieve particular animation effects. For example, a graphical object may be decomposed into a plurality of graphical sub-objects, each of which inherits an anchor point from the original object, or is given an original anchor point distinct from the original object. Each sub-object also includes a relative position for the sub-object relative to the anchor point. The path of the anchor point is combined with relative positions of the sub-objects to produce an animation for the object as a whole. This decomposition technique can greatly increase computational efficiency of an animation. It also provides for inheritance of attributes between objects and descendent sub-objects. The objects may support functions, or behaviors, such as morphing or motion blurring. The present invention additionally provides a flexible grouping operation to facilitate modifications to a group of objects. When a first type of modification is made to an attribute of an object in a group, this change is applied to corresponding attributes of other objects in the group. When a second type of modification is made to an attribute of an object in a group, the change only applies to the selected object or objects, and not to other objects in the group. The present invention allows objects to be manipulated on servers which are connected to a display on the internet.
US07737977B2

Techniques for automatically maintaining continuity in animation across discrete animation changes. Smooth animation is achieved without forcing the animator to manually calculate compensation values or introducing extra controls to the models that are animated. Continuity or smoothness of the animation is maintained as varying aspects of the animation change under continued authoring.
US07737974B2

Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus for reallocating workload related to traversal of a ray through a spatial index. In a first operating state a workload manager may be experiencing a first or a normal workload. In the first operating state the workload manager may be responsible for traversing the entire spatial index and a vector throughput engine may be responsible for performing ray-primitive intersection tests. In an increased workload state the workload manager may experience an increased workload. In response to the increased workload the image processing system may partition the spatial index such that the workload manager may be responsible for traversing a first portion of the spatial index and the vector throughput engine may be responsible for traversing a second portion of the spatial index and for performing ray-primitive intersection tests.
US07737972B2

Systems and methods are provided for implementing an analytical approach to digital volumetric laminar tomography. The volumetric data visualizations generally take the form of volumetric images which approximate the spatial distribution of an x-ray attenuation coefficient throughout the region of interest in the object, such as a person, under examination. These visualizations are produced from a set of basic two dimensional data. One numerical technique employed in this regard takes the form of a process of convolution and back projection, where the convolution function is determined through the use of various analytic and empirical techniques.
US07737970B2

An image is generated that includes ray traced pixel data and rasterized pixel data. A synergistic processing unit (SPU) uses a rendering algorithm to generate ray traced data for objects that require high-quality image rendering. The ray traced data is fragmented, whereby each fragment includes a ray traced pixel depth value and a ray traced pixel color value. A rasterizer compares ray traced pixel depth values to corresponding rasterized pixel depth values, and overwrites ray traced pixel data with rasterized pixel data when the corresponding rasterized fragment is “closer” to a viewing point, which results in composite data. A display subsystem uses the resultant composite data to generate an image on a user's display.
US07737968B2

Games are processed in a more realistic and immediate manner during image processing for soccer games and the like. Specifically, the movements of characters more accurately simulate those of actual opponents, resulting in greater game realism.The invention is an image processing device for imaging and displaying the behavior of characters modeled on opponents in virtual three-dimensional space. It is determined (S21 to S24) whether or not there exists a certain situation in which the relation to the game contents (in the centering area, for example) or the positional relation (such as distance) between characters and a target (such as opponent characters or the ball) having a relation through the game to said characters matches certain conditions, and the eyes of the characters are directed to the target (S25, S26, S28, etc.) when it is determined that the certain situation exists. The invention is especially suitable for soccer games.
US07737964B2

An on-screen display system is located externally a KVM switch. The on-screen display system includes a first end, an on-screen display circuit, a switch circuit and a second end. The first end receives a video signal from a computer. The on-screen display circuit generates an on-screen display menu signal. The switch circuit receives the video signal from the computer and the on-screen display menu signal from the on-screen display circuit. The on-screen display system combines the video signal and the on-screen display menu signal, or overlaps the on-screen display menu signal on the video signal to be displayed on the display according to a control signal.
US07737949B2

A control circuit having a drive circuit and a controller adapted for use in optical mice is disclosed. The drive circuit is connected between first and second ports and passes a current between those ports having an amplitude determined by a control signal that is generated by the controller. The first port is connected to an illumination device and the second port is connected to a power rail. The control circuit also includes a potential measuring circuit that generates a signal indicative of a drive circuit potential between the first and second ports. The controller records the drive circuit potential for a predetermined current when the first port is connected to an illumination device. The controller sets the control signal based on the recorded drive circuit potential. The control circuit can record the drive circuit potential when the controller is powered.
US07737945B2

Disclosed is a pointing device for facilitating user interaction with an electronic device. The pointing device includes a magnetic disc, a magnetic field over which the magnetic disc laterally travels in response to force applied by a user, and a plurality of sensors to detect the location of the magnetic disc relative to the magnetic field.
US07737939B2

A display driving integrated circuit (IC) and a display driving method for supporting various driving mode include an input unit, a digital-analog converter and a row data output unit. The row data output unit outputs at least one of the row data to a row line corresponding thereto for each row scan clock pulse. The row data output unit activates output paths for outputting the row data to the row lines in an activation order of a driving mode selected from a plurality of driving modes having different orders of activating the output paths in response to a mode select signal.
US07737907B2

An antenna includes first and second radiating elements. The first radiating element is operable in a first frequency range. The second radiating element cooperates with the first radiating element to define a slot therebetween in such a manner that the second radiating element is coupled electromagnetically to the first radiating element. The construction as such permits operation of the second radiating element in a second frequency range different from the first frequency range, and a third frequency range different from the first and second frequency ranges.
US07737903B1

A stepped reflector for being illuminated by at least one multiple-band feed is provided. The reflector includes a central region and a first annular region with an annular width of w. The first annular region is axially stepped a height h above the central region, where h is approximately equal to m × [ Φ ± ( ϕ ⁡ ( Θ = 0 ) - ϕ ⁡ ( Θ = Θ 0 ) ) ] × π 180 × λ 2 ⁢ π × 1 2 , where m is a positive odd integer, Φ is a desired amount of phase shift of an outer region of a phase front for reflecting off of the reflector, φ is a feed phase contribution for an angle Θ, and Θ0 is an angle formed between an axis of the at least one feed and a line connecting a phase center of the at least one feed and an inner edge of the at least one annular region. The central region and the annular region of the reflector may be parabolically curved or may alternately be shaped. The reflector may be fed by one or more multiple-band horn antennas.
US07737901B2

A multi-band antenna, made by an integral plate and comprises a radiating element, a grounding element, a slit formed as part of the plate, and a feeding line; wherein horizontal conductive portion of said plate are separated from each other with said slit between them and serve as the radiating element and the ground element respectively; the feeding line, comprising an inner conductor connected with the radiating element and an outer conductor connected with the grounding element; wherein said radiating element comprising at least two radiating portions defining at least one radiating arm with gradually increasing width, and at least two radiating portion cooperatively acting to achieve a Ultra Wide Band antenna.
US07737895B2

An apparatus, system, and method are generally related to an antenna device that includes a pass-through interface such as for a USB device. The antenna device is enclosed in a housing. The pass-through interface includes two ports. The housing is coupled to the pass-through interface body such that one of the ports is blocked by a blocking member when the housing is in a first position. The blocking member prevents impact damage to the blocked port, while also preventing dirt and dust from collecting. The blocking member is cleared from the opening of the blocked port when the housing is biased into a second position by inserting a connector. The blocking member automatically returns to the first position when the connector is removed from the port. Antenna performance is improved by automatically aligning the antenna away from the connector, which may otherwise degrade performance.
US07737894B2

A point-to-point radio communications device, with an integrated antenna-IC module, includes highly-directional antenna elements and silicon CMOS-based ICs in plastic packaging material. The high-gain horn-type antenna includes two sections made of molded plastic and covered in a metallic coating. When combined, the two sections form an aperture and an opening on a face. The face of the antenna element can be mounted directly to an integrated circuit with an antenna coupling element, such that the aperture forms a horn-IC module. The module can be completely enclosed in a plastic-packaging environment using low-cost approach. The antenna-IC module can be manufactured as an integral part of a case for a point-to-point wireless electronic device such as a mobile video phone or a set-top box with tens of gigabits of video downloading capability.
US07737892B2

A time delay beamformer comprises input channels, which have associated samplers arranged to sample inputs signal carried upon the input channels. The samplers sample the input channels at a number of points in time to produce a number of sampled signals. An adaptive processor receives each of the input signals and each of the sampled signals, and generates processed signals therefrom. Time delay devices introduce a steering time delay to the processed signals and a summer generates a beamformed output signal the delayed processed signals.
US07737891B2

An array antenna system is provided. The array antenna system includes a plurality of antenna elements which are arranged at intervals in rows and in columns; and a control means which selectively operates at least two antenna elements of the plurality of the antenna elements according to a direction of received radio signals.
US07737887B2

In method of correcting for drift in a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver, a broadcast orbit in use at the GNSS receiver is nudged based on a first message received from a GNSS base station. The nudging creates a first nudged broadcast orbit for a GNSS satellite, the first nudged broadcast orbit being more precise than the broadcast orbit. A second message is received from the GNSS base station. Information included in the second message is employed to determine a drift rate of the first nudged broadcast orbit relative to a more precise orbit in use at the GNSS base station. Based upon the second message, the broadcast orbit is nudged to create a second nudged broadcast orbit for the GNSS satellite. A component of the drift rate is corrected for, relative to the second nudged broadcast orbit.
US07737886B2

A frequency scanning radar system includes a frequency scanning radar controller for use in controlling a frequency generator, the frequency generator being arranged to generate a plurality of sets of signals, each set of signals having a different carrier frequency and comprising a sequence of modulation patterns, transmitted at a selected rate, wherein the radar controller is arranged to select the rate in dependence on the carrier frequency. The system also includes a signal processor arranged to derive tone data from received signals, wherein the signal processor is arranged to process the received signals at a rate dependent on the rate of transmission of the sequence of modulation patterns. Additionally, the system includes an audio system arranged to output audio data derived from signals received by the frequency scanning radar system by playback of the derived tone data at a constant rate.
US07737879B2

A phased array radar system comprising a plurality of radiating elements configured in a common array aperture for detecting and tracking targets; and a transmit and receive arrangement responsive to a first control signal for configuring the plurality of radiating elements to define a plurality of sub-apertures from the common array aperture for detecting and tracking short range targets, wherein the plurality of sub-apertures are independently steerable array apertures and include an amplitude taper applied across each of the plurality of sub-apertures to reduce a peak sidelobe level.
US07737878B2

A collision and conflict avoidance system for autonomous unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) uses accessible on-board sensors to generate an image of the surrounding airspace. The situation thus established is analyzed for imminent conflicts (collisions, TCAS violations, airspace violations), and, if a probable conflict or collision is detected, a search for avoidance options is started, wherein the avoidance routes as far as possible comply with statutory air traffic regulations. By virtue of the on-board algorithm the system functions independently of a data link. By taking into account the TCAS zones, the remaining air traffic is not disturbed unnecessarily. The system makes it possible both to cover aspects critical for safety and to use more highly developed algorithms in order to take complicated boundary conditions into account when determining the avoidance course.
US07737867B2

A system for multi-modal cockpit interface during surface operation of an aircraft comprises a head tracking device, a processing element, and a full-color head worn display. The processing element is configured to receive head position information from the head tracking device, to receive current location information of the aircraft, and to render a virtual airport scene corresponding to the head position information and the current aircraft location. The full-color head worn display is configured to receive the virtual airport scene from the processing element and to display the virtual airport scene. The current location information may be received from one of a global positioning system or an inertial navigation system.
US07737844B2

A programming apparatus for generating and retaining a security disarm code (SDC) for use in a security system for protecting items of merchandise has a housing and a logic control circuit located within the housing. The control circuit includes a controller for generating the SDC, a memory for storing the generated SDC and a wireless communication system for interfacing with a programmable key used for operating a security device attached to an item of merchandise. A visual display includes a plurality of LEDs which indicate the status of the logic control circuit. The SDC is generated initially as a random SDC by the programming apparatus, which SDC is retained in the controller of the apparatus for the life of the programming apparatus.
US07737841B2

A system and method of implementing an alarm hierarchy in a remote tracking device tracked by a monitoring center is described. The remote tracking device is worn by a wearer and includes a location determining mechanism, a wireless communication mechanism and a processor operable to monitor the status of the remote tracking device and to compare the location of the remote tracking device to a set of programmed rules. The system and method include an automated response to an initial indication of an alarm condition invoked by the remote tracking device based on a change to the status of the remote tracking the device or a violation of the programmed rules. The automated response provides an indication of the alarm condition to the wearer. Next, communication can be established with the monitoring center when the alarm condition persists, such that the monitoring center can provide instructions to the wearer based on the alarm condition. If the wearer does not comply with the instructions from the monitoring center, a warning mechanism in the remote tracking device can be activated to warn those in the vicinity of the wearer.
US07737835B2

A tire pressure monitoring system includes a plurality of tire pressure monitoring devices mounted within corresponding tires that transmit information to a handheld receiver that is mounted and supported within a cradle of a vehicle cabin. The handheld device is removable from the cradle to reveal a primary display that communicates specific information regarding the conditions of the system and individual tires. The remote handheld device can also be utilized to prompt a tire pressure monitoring device to display temperature compensated pressure measurements in real time during tire inflation.
US07737831B2

Various embodiments of this invention are directed towards an aftermarket automobile accessory that interfaces with vehicle Electronic Control Units (ECU's) and local networks such as Controller Area Network busses (CAN-busses) in order that a user may add performance, convenience, and safety systems to the vehicle using factory controls and displays. Various embodiments of the invention allow wireless control of cabriolet tops, automatic control of cabriolet tops, and the control of further vehicle systems.
US07737803B2

A sixth coil electrode forming a first coil is electrically connected to a twelfth coil electrode forming a second coil, for example, via a second capacitor electrode in a second capacitor electrode layer. Thus, an induction body has a permeability significantly smaller than the permeability of a magnetic body (for example permeability μ=1). Accordingly, it is possible to minimize the permeability to such a degree that it is possible to ignore the connection between the first coil and the second coil appearing equivalently and to obtain a desired frequency characteristic.
US07737802B2

A passive equalizer with negative impedance to increase a gain includes a first RC loop, a second RC loop, a cascade RL circuit and a cross-coupled inverter unit. Each of the first and the second RC loops includes a first resistor, a second resistor connected in series to the first resistor at a node to thereby form a resistor series, and a capacitor connected in parallel to the resistor series. The cascade RL circuit is connected between the RC loops and includes a fifth resistor, a sixth resistor and an inductor connected between the fifth resistor and the sixth resistor. The cross-coupled inverter unit is connected in parallel to the RL circuit and connected between the RC loops for using the feature of negative impedance to obtain an excellent high-frequency gain.
US07737798B2

Various systems and methods for clock generation are disclosed herein. As just one example, a system for clock generation is disclosed that includes a phase/frequency control circuit that provides a feedback control; a multi-range selector circuit that receives the feedback control; and a controlled oscillator that provides an output with a phase and frequency at least in part governed by the multi-range selector circuit and the feedback control. In various instances of the aforementioned embodiments, the controlled oscillator is a ring oscillator relying on inherent capacitance.
US07737797B2

A controllable oscillating system for generating a differential oscillating signal is disclosed. The controllable oscillating system includes an oscillating circuit and a current adjusting device. The oscillating circuit includes a controllable resonator, a cross-coupling driving device, and a current source. The cross-coupling driving device is coupled to the controllable resonator and utilized for driving the controllable resonator to generate the differential oscillating signal. The current source is coupled to the cross-coupling driving device and utilized for providing a first current. The current adjusting device is coupled to the cross-coupling driving device and utilized for adjusting currents passing through the cross-coupling driving device.
US07737796B2

A lead wire led-out type crystal oscillator of constant temperature type for high stability is disclosed, which includes a heat supply body that supplies heat to a crystal resonator from which a plurality of lead wires are led out, to maintain the temperature constant. The heat supply body includes a heat conducting plate which has through-holes for the lead wires and is mounted on the circuit board, and which faces, and is directly thermally joined to, the crystal resonator and a chip resistor for heating which is mounted on the circuit board adjacent to the heat conducting plate, and is thermally joined to the heat conducting plate.
US07737795B2

A ring oscillator based voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is disclosed. The VCO includes a set of delay cells connected to each other in a ring configuration. Each of the delay cells includes a source-coupled input transistor pair, a current-steering transistor pair and a pair of load resistors. The source-coupled input transistor pair receives a pair of differential voltage inputs. The load resistors, which are connected to the source-coupled input transistor pair, provide a pair of differential voltage outputs. The current-steering transistor pair, which is connected to the source-coupled input transistor pair, receives a pair of differential bias voltage inputs. The output frequency of the VCO is directly proportional to the differential bias voltages at the pair of differential bias voltage inputs.
US07737794B2

Mechanisms are provided for compensating for process and temperature variations in a circuit. The mechanisms may select at least one resistor in a plurality of resistors in the circuit to provide a resistance value for generating a calibration voltage input to the circuit to compensate for variations in process. A reference signal may be compared to a feedback signal generated by the circuit based on the calibration signal. A determination is made as to whether the feedback signal is within a tolerance of the reference signal and, if so, an identifier of the selected at least one resistor is stored in a memory device coupled to the circuit. The circuit may be operated using the selected at least one resistor based on the identifier stored in the memory device. An apparatus and integrated circuit device utilizing these mechanisms are also provided.
US07737787B2

An amplifier circuit has a transistor element that has an input terminal, an output terminal) and a third terminal. An input signal to be amplified is supplied to the input terminal. The amplified input signal is emitted as an output signal at the output terminal. The input terminal is connected with the output terminal via a first reactance. The third terminal is connected via a second reactance with a zero potential. One of the reactances is fashioned as an inductor and the other of the reactances is fashioned as a capacitor. An inductance value of the inductor and a capacitance value of the capacitor are dimensioned such that the quotient of the inductance value of the inductor and the capacitance value of the capacitor is equal to the product of a desired input impedance that is effective at the input terminal and an output impedance associated with the output impedance. Based on this dimensioning, the output impedance associated with the output terminal is mapped to the input terminal at the same level or scaled.
US07737784B2

Self configuring output stages of precision amplifiers that remain linear when operating into a load that may have a ground reference below the amplifier ground reference, that maintain full amplifier gain while approaching zero output, and that can provide a zero output even when operating into a load that may have a ground reference below the amplifier ground reference, that has a self configuring output stage operable with either a mid-rail or ground reference below amplifier ground, and which maintain a high output impedance when not selected even when the output is above the amplifier supply voltage, or when not powered, thereby allowing amplifier outputs from un-powered amplifiers or amplifiers operating at lower supply voltages to be connected in common for multiplexing to a common load.
US07737779B2

An integrated circuit having a circuit for reducing distortion in a power amplifier is disclosed. The integrated circuit comprises a predistortion circuit coupled to receive a signal to be amplified; sample capture buffers coupled to an output of the predistortion circuit and an input/output port of the integrated circuit; and an estimator circuit coupled to the sample capture buffers, wherein the estimator circuit generates parameters for the predistortion circuit based upon the output of the predistortion circuit and an output of the power amplifier received at the input/output port of the integrated circuit. A method of reducing distortion in a power amplifier is also disclosed.
US07737774B2

The invention relates to analog integrated electronic circuits using differential pairs. The proposal is for a method of automatic correction of offset voltage. The inputs (V1, V2) of the differential circuit are short circuited during a calibration phase distinct from the normal usage phase. A capacitor is charged through the difference of the output currents of the branches of the differential pair in this phase. The voltage at the terminals of the capacitor is compared with at least one threshold. During the normal usage phase following the calibration phase, the result of the comparison is kept in memory. In the normal usage phase, a correction is applied depending on the result kept in memory to a current source of a follower stage upstream of the differential pair.
US07737768B2

An internal voltage generator of a semiconductor memory device generates an internal voltage sensitive to a change in a temperature. The internal voltage generator includes a reference voltage generator, an internal voltage detecting unit and an internal voltage pumping unit. The reference voltage generator generates a reference voltage which is inversely proportional to the change in the temperature. The internal voltage detecting unit detects a difference between the reference voltage and the internal voltage to output a pumping control signal according to a detecting result, wherein the pumping control signal has an identical temperature characteristic as the reference voltage. The internal voltage pumping unit generates the internal voltage by a pumping operation in response to the pumping control signal.
US07737759B2

A logarithmic linear variable gain CMOS amplifier includes first and second differential pairs of transistors forming a differential input, with each differential pair of transistors including a common source node. A pair of diode-connected load transistors is connected to the first and second differential pairs of transistors, and a third differential pair of transistors is connected to the pair of diode-connected load transistors. The third differential pair of transistors include respective gates connected together and in parallel to gates of the first and second differential pairs of transistors. First and second current mirrors are respectively connected to the common source nodes of the first and second differential pairs of transistors for programmably injecting respective bias currents thereto, with a sum of the respective bias currents remaining constant.
US07737758B2

An amplifier including the transistors of a first set operates by a power source VCC2, and amplifies the input signal, changing in the voltage range of the power source VCC2, in the voltage range of the power source VCC2. The output of this amplifier operates using a power source VCC1 with a converting portion including the transistors of a second set, and the output of the amplifier is converted into an output within the voltage range of the power source VCC1. The two output amplifiers amplify the output of this converting portion based on a (½) VCC1 reference. The converting portion performs the conversion using a plurality of transistors with the power source VCC2 taken as a power source and a plurality of transistors 7 with the power source VCC1 taken as a power source, as current mirrors.
US07737753B2

Method and device for adjusting or setting an electronic device (1) exhibiting at least one input for an external input signal and at least one output signal output, the value or the state of the output signal being a function of the values or of the state of the input signal. A memory circuit (9) for the value of an adjustment signal is linked to an adjustment input of the electronic device. A circuit (11) increments/decrements said adjustment value stored in said memory circuit. A switching circuit (12) switches said input of the electronic device to a predetermined state and links said output of the electronic device to said memory circuit via said incrementing/decrementing circuit. Said incrementing/decrementing circuit (11) is adapted for adjusting the value of said adjustment signal so that, when said input is switched to said predetermined state, the value or the state of said output signal tend to or attain a predetermined value or a predetermined state.
US07737751B1

A programmable logic device (PLD) includes a signal distribution network, separate from the high-quality, low-skew clock distribution networks of the PLD, for distributing, from peripheral input/output regions of the PLD, clock-type signals. The signal distribution network includes a central periphery clock bus, located near a group of peripheral input/output regions, for conducting clock-type signals from those regions onto a clock spine of the PLD. The clock spine may be dedicated to the signal distribution network, or may be part of a high-quality, low-skew clock distribution network covering all or part of the PLD. The signal distribution network allows greater skew than such high-quality, low-skew clock distribution networks, but nevertheless is of higher quality, and allows less skew, than the general programmable interconnect and routing resources.
US07737750B2

A trimming system for determining a trim solution for a semiconductor device includes an internal value generating circuit for generating an internal value based upon a counter value. The relationship between the internal delay value and an external reference is compared to determine if the counter value is a possible trim solution, while predetermined counter values are excluded as a trim solution.
US07737748B2

A level shifter of a semiconductor device and method of controlling a duty ratio are provided. The level shifter includes first and second PMOS transistors having sources to which a power supply voltage is applied, first and second NMOS transistors having sources to which a ground voltage is applied, third and fourth NMOS transistors having sources connected to drains of the first and second NMOS transistors and gates to which the power supply voltage is applied; and a voltage controlled delay unit for receiving an input signal applied to a gate of the first NMOS transistor, inverting a level of the input signal, determining whether a voltage of an inverted input signal should be charged in response to a voltage control signal, outputting the voltage of the inverted input signal of which delay time is controlled, and applying the inverted input signal to a gate of the second NMOS transistor.
US07737736B2

The problem to be solved by of this claimed application is solved by providing an interface circuit and a signal output adjusting method that are capable of adjusting amplitude of a transmission-side signal by taking attenuation of a transmission path into consideration. In a transmission-side circuit part of an interface circuit 100, a repetitive signal 111 having constant amplitude is sent out to a transmission path 123 through an output buffer circuit 117 that is configured of a CML circuit at the time of testing. In a reception-side circuit part 102, a determining circuit 135 compares the amplitude of the input signal 131 with each of a plurality of reference voltages Vref1 to Vrefn in comparators 1321 to 132n to obtain a comparison result. And, a voltage controlling circuit 119 of a transmission-side circuit part 101 makes the setting of the amplitude by appropriately controlling a constant current value of the CML circuit, thereby enabling the low consumption power to be realized.
US07737732B2

A sample-data analog circuit includes a level-crossing detector. The level-crossing detector controls sampling switches to provide a precise sample of the output voltage when the level-crossing detector senses the predetermined level crossing of the input signal. A multiple segment ramp waveform generator is used in the sample-data analog circuits. The ramp waveform generator includes an amplifier, a variable current source, and a voltage detection circuit coupled to the current source to control the change in the amplitude of the current. The ramp generator produces constant slope within each segment regardless of the load condition. The sample-data analog circuit also utilizes variable bandwidths and thresholds.
US07737728B1

An off-chip driver (OCD) includes: a logic circuit, for providing a logic signal input; a pre-driver stage, coupled to the logic circuit, for providing a ramped up voltage in response to the logic signal input; a final driver stage, coupled to the pre-driver stage, for providing an output voltage in response to the ramped up voltage; and a bias circuit, coupled to the pre-driver stage, for providing a constant bias voltage to the pre-driver stage, wherein the constant bias voltage keeps the pre-driver stage within an operational range to compensate for variations in process, temperature and supply voltage.
US07737720B2

An integrated circuit is provided with logic blocks which draw their power from virtual supply rails. These virtual supply rails are connected by switch blocks to main supply rails. The switch blocks are subject to modulation to maintain the virtual supply rails at an intermediate voltage level such that a reduced voltage difference is applied across the logic block. This intermediate voltage level is used in a state retention mode in which the clock signal clk to the logic block is stopped and state signal values are maintained therein using this reduced virtual power rail derived voltage difference. When it is desired to resume processing then the full virtual rail voltages are restored by rendering the switch blocks fully conductive and then the clock is restarted. The switch blocks which are modulated by controllers which use feedback control based upon the sensed virtual rail voltages (VVdd and Vgnd) while drawing their own power from the normal supply rails (Vdd and gnd).
US07737713B2

An apparatus for hot-probing integrated semiconductor circuits on wafers is disclosed that includes a support device for accommodating the wafer, a measurement card with electronic circuitry for functional verification of the integrated semiconductor circuits on the wafers, and a test head with contact needles which establishes an electrical contact between the measurement card and the integrated semiconductor circuits, wherein a detachable and coolable shield plate is provided between the measurement card and wafer in order to protect the apparatus.
US07737702B2

Wafer level arc detection is provided in a plasma reactor using an RF transient sensor sensing voltage at an electrostatic chucking electrode, the RF sensor being coupled to a threshold comparator, and a system controller responsive to the threshold comparator.
US07737701B2

A method for verifying the integrity of the electrical connection between at least one signal path of a substrate and at least one respective contact of a component mounted on the substrate is disclosed. The method includes generating a step signal on one of the at least one signal path connected to a respective contact, and capturing a capacitively coupled signal due to the step signal at the contact. The method further includes determining the integrity of the electrical connection from a characteristic of the capacitively coupled signal or a response signal obtained from the capacitively coupled signal. A tester in which the method is implemented is also disclosed.
US07737690B2

A system and method are provided for adjusting RF pulses and gradient waveforms to reduce B1 field magnitude in MR imaging sequences. When an RF pulse is presented which has a high amplitude segment that would exceed a maximum B1 magnitude, the system and method provided herein can apply a variable slew rate design technique. A slew rate of at least one gradient waveform can be varied to reduce a B1 field magnitude during transmission of the high amplitude segment of the RF pulse. By controlling the slew rate of gradient waveforms for non-Cartesian k-space trajectories according to a calculated maximum allowable slew rate function, embodiments of the system and method can, in effect, reduce gradient amplitude.
US07737684B2

A magnetostrictive application probe is disclosed wherein the probe includes a preassembled sensor element mounted as an application housing installation as an installable unit. The modular nature allows interchanging with various electronic assemblies, and may be an explosion proof installation.
US07737683B2

A device for detecting parts in a material flow which influence an electromagnetic alternating field comprises an oscillator (1) and at least one transmitting coil (2) for generating an electromagnetic alternating field extending across the width of a conveying distance of the material flow. At least one detector coil (4) comprising two windings (4a, 4b) connected inversely detects the electromagnetic alternating field and generates a detection signal (DS), the phase signal portion (PS′) of which is detected by means (7), from the relative motion between the alternating field and a field-influencing part. The phase signal portion (PS) and the amplitude signal portion (AS) of the detection signal are supplied to means (12) for forming a locus curve from the detection signal, which means form pairs of variates at the respective points of time from the progressions of the phase signal portion and the amplitude signal portion of the detection signal and plot these pairs of variates as a locus curve (15, 20, 30) in a system of coordinates. The locus curve (15, 20, 30) is analyzed by means (14) for evaluating the locus curve with respect to material-specific characteristics and for emitting an identification signal (ES) upon detection of a material-specific characteristic.
US07737682B2

A wheel speed detecting apparatus incorporated with a wheel bearing apparatus. The wheel speed detecting apparatus has an encoder, and an annular sensor holder arranged opposite to the encoder. The sensor holder has an annular fitting member formed from a steel plate. A holding portion is integrally molded with the annular fitting member. A wheel speed sensor is arranged opposite to the encoder. Several substantially circular arc notches are formed on the outer circumference of the holding portion so that portions of the periphery of the annular fitting member are exposed from the holding portion.
US07737681B1

A contactless sheet resistance measurement apparatus and method for measuring the sheet resistance of upper layer of ultra shallow p-n junction is disclosed. The apparatus comprises alternating light source optically coupled with first transparent and conducting electrode brought close to the wafer, the second electrode placed outside of illumination area. Using the measurement of the surface photovoltage signals inside illuminated area and outside this area and its phase shifts, linear SPV model describing its lateral distribution the sheet resistance and p-n junction conductance is determined.
US07737674B2

A voltage regulator. A pass element has a control gate and outputs an output voltage according to an input voltage and a control signal received from the control gate. A feedback circuit generates a feedback signal according to the output voltage. A bandgap circuit generates a reference voltage according to the output voltage. An amplifier generates a first signal according to the feedback signal and the reference voltage. A start-up circuit generates the control signal according to the reference voltage and the first signal.
US07737673B2

A technique includes energizing a storage element of a voltage regulator in response to the detection of an output voltage of the voltage regulator falling below a threshold level. The technique includes halting the energization of the storage element in response to the detection of a current in the storage element reaching a predetermined threshold.
US07737670B2

A power converter (10) includes a controller (12) configured to generate a switching signal. A first section (14) is coupled to the controller (12) and has first and second switches (26,30). The first section (14) is configured such that the first and second switches (26,30) operate in an alternating manner in response to the switching signal. A second section (16) is coupled to the controller (12) and has third and fourth switches (50,54). The second section (16) is configured such that the third and fourth switches (50,54) operate in an alternating manner in response to the switching signal. The first and second sections (14,16) are coupled to a node (88). A detection circuit (18) is coupled to the second section (16). The detection circuit (18) is configured to measure a voltage at the node between the operation of the third and fourth switches (50,54) and deactivate the second section when the voltage is above a predetermined threshold.
US07737665B2

In a preferred embodiment, a battery charging system in the form of an integrated circuit (IC), incorporated in a consumer electronic device, has a charging controller, a charging current generator, a junction temperature sensor, and a device current monitor. The junction temperature sensor provides to the charging controller a measured junction temperature of the IC. The charging current generator utilizes fractional synthesis, which involves regulating the duty cycles of multiple current sources, to achieve increased current resolution. The charging controller regulates the charging current provided by the charging current generator based on the relation of the measured junction temperature to three or more threshold temperatures. The device current monitor provides to the charging controller information about the current utilization of the consumer electronic device, thus allowing the charging controller to determine the device non-charging current and give priority for available current to user applications running on the consumer electronic device.
US07737662B2

A power system for managing charging, discharging and protection of rechargeable batteries is disclosed. The power system mainly includes a power system. The power system includes a switching circuit coupled to the rechargeable batteries to charge and discharge the rechargeable batteries. The power system includes a power management unit to control the switching circuit. The power system includes a temperature sensing circuit to monitor a temperature of the batteries, voltage detectors to monitor voltages of the batteries, and current detectors to monitor a current of the batteries. If an abnormal condition is sensed by the power management unit when the power system is in an operating mode, the power management unit will terminate the operating mode by switching off the switching circuit to protect the batteries and the power system.
US07737658B2

A battery pack having a secondary battery is disclosed. The battery pack comprises at least one voltage converter; and switching means for switching an operation mode of the voltage converter to one of a charging mode and a discharging mode, in the charging mode, a charging voltage being output to the secondary battery, in the discharging mode, a voltage of the secondary battery being converted into a predetermined discharging voltage and the converted voltage being output.
US07737657B2

An adapter for providing a source of power to a mobile device through an industry standard port is provided. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the adapter comprises a plug unit, a power converter, a primary connector, and an identification subsystem. The plug unit is operative to couple the adapter to a power socket and operative to receive energy from the power socket. The power converter is electrically coupled to the plug unit and is operable to regulate the received energy from the power socket and to output a power requirement to the mobile device. The primary connector is electrically coupled to the power converter and is operative to couple to the mobile device and to deliver the outputted power requirement to the mobile device. The identification subsystem is electrically coupled to the primary connector and is operative to provide an identification signal.
US07737656B2

An automatic mouse charging system includes a charger plate and an automatically chargeable mouse. The charger plate includes an audio signal emitter for emitting an audio signal and a charging module for providing electric energy. The automatically chargeable mouse includes a mouse case, an electric energy storage element, multiple audio signal receivers, a driving mechanism, and a control unit. The audio signal receivers are used for receiving the audio signal. The control unit is used for discriminating one of the audio signal receivers that receives the strongest audio signal, thereby outputting a corresponding movement signal to the driving mechanism. The automatically chargeable mouse is moved toward the audio signal receiver that receives the strongest audio signal according to the movement signal.
US07737654B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a control system for a garage door. The control system can include a motor, a pulley, a synchronous drive member, a carriage, and an operator. The pulley can be coupled to and driven by the motor. The synchronous drive member can be coupled to the pulley and driven by the pulley. The carriage can be coupled to the synchronous drive member and to a bottom edge of a garage door. The operator can be coupled to the motor and can control the motor. The operator can be mounted vertically adjacent to the garage door when the garage door is in a closed position.
US07737653B2

A method of controlling a motorized window treatment provides for continued operation of the motorized window treatment during an overload condition, a low-line condition, or an electrostatic discharge (ESD) event. The motorized window treatment is driven by an electronic drive unit having a motor, a motor drive circuit, a rotational position sensor, a controller, and a memory for storing the command. The controller stores the present position of the motorized window treatment in the memory each time the rotational position of the motor changes by a predetermined angle, such that a plurality of positions are stored in the memory. When the controller is reset due to an overload condition or ESD event, the controller recalls the desired position from the memory, determines the present position, and continues to drive the motor drive circuit in response to the command and the present position.
US07737650B2

The invention concerns a method for controlling a switching assembly comprising a plurality of transistors connected in parallel, having a linear operating mode, a closed-switch operating mode and an off operating mode including a first operating phase during which a current flows from a source terminal to a drain terminal and a second operating phase during which no current flows. The method includes the following successive steps; (a) controlling the switching assembly in closed-switch mode during part of the first phase; (b) controlling the switching assembly in linear mode; (c) controlling the assembly in off mode during part of the second phase.
US07737639B2

A fluorescent lamp includes a light-transmissive glass envelope having an inner surface, means for providing an electric discharge to the interior of the glass envelope, a phosphor layer within the interior of the glass envelope and a discharge-sustaining fill gas and a mercury dose sealed inside the light-transmissive glass envelope. The light-transmissive glass envelope can comprise a light-transmissive mixed alkali glass envelope and the phosphor layer can comprise a phosphor layer of approximately three mg/cm2. A barrier layer of approximately 0.3 mg/cm2 or less of alumina can be applied to the inner surface of the light-transmissive glass envelope. The mercury dose can be present in an amount to provide a saturated mercury vapor pressure within the light-transmissive glass envelope throughout substantially the entire life of the lamp. The lamp can have an end-of-life mercury consumption value of approximately 0.63 mg or less, including 0.44 mg or less, and a warm-up value in the range of approximately 40 to 50 seconds or less, including 30 seconds or less.
US07737634B2

A light emitting diode (“LED”) Device with Flexible Containment for Liquid Encapsulant is disclosed. The LED Device with Flexible Containment for Liquid Encapsulant includes an LED in a concave base housing, the LED having a p-doped semiconductor body and an n-doped semiconductor body. The device further includes a liquid containment chamber over the LED, configured to contain liquid encapsulant, and space permitting expansion and contraction of the liquid encapsulant in the chamber.
US07737620B2

A light emission device and a display device having the light emission device are provided. The light emission device includes: a first substrate and a second substrate facing the first substrate; a plurality of first electrodes and a plurality of second electrodes on an inner surface of the first substrate, the first electrodes crossing the second electrodes; a plurality of electron emission regions electrically connected to the first electrodes at crossing regions where the first electrodes cross the second electrode; a light emission unit on an inner surface of the second substrate; and at least one spacer between the first and second substrates, Here, a shortest distance D between the spacer and the electron emission regions satisfies the following condition: 500 μm≦D≦0.2Dh, where, Dh is a diagonal length of at least one of the crossing regions.
US07737618B2

A display apparatus is having a first substrate and a second substrate facing the first substrate. An electrode is located on an inner surface of the first substrate or an inner surface of the second substrate. An electron emitter is located on the electrode. A barrier rib structure is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate to define a sealed inner space therebetween. The barrier rib structure is comprised of a conductive material. A gas is located between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US07737616B2

An electron-emitting device comprises: (A) a first electrode; (B) an electron-emitting film which is provided on the first electrode; and (C) a second electrode which is provided above the electron-emitting film across a distance H from the electron-emitting film, and includes an opening which exposes at least a part of the electron-emitting film, wherein an area of the second electrode is at least four times larger than an area of the opening, and a ratio H/W of the distance H to a width W of the opening is not less than 0.07 but not more than 0.6.
US07737597B2

The invention relates to a module (6) for primary parts (12) of synchronous motors (7, 8, 13) which are excited by permanent magnets, which comprise at least one secondary part (9) which is at least sectionally devoid of permanent magnets. Said secondary part (9) is made of an iron structure comprising teeth (11) which leads to the primary part (12). Said module (6) comprises at least one permanent magnet (1, 14) and at least one iron rod (2) which is arranged on the opposite sides. Recesses (3) are arranged between the iron rod (2) on one side and at least one winding (5) is guided about the iron rod (2). An additional module (6) can be secured at least to one side of the module (6) such that the iron rod (2) engages in the recesses (3) of the adjacent module (6) and the modules (6) can be placed together in relation to various predetermined primary parts (12).
US07737586B2

A rotating electric machine wherein sub slots serving as cooling fluid ducts in the axial direction are provided at the bottoms of the coil slots formed in the rotor, radial cooling fluid ducts are formed through the field coil of the rotor in the radial direction of the rotor and juxtaposed in the axial direction of the rotor, so as to communicate the sub slots with the air gap, and radial cooling fluid ducts are formed through the stator in the radial direction of the stator and juxtaposed in the axial direction of the rotor, corresponding in position to the radial cooling fluid ducts in the rotor, so as to communicate the inner periphery of the stator with the outer periphery of the stator.
US07737574B2

A terminating device enables power line communication to be performed while suppressing degradation of the communication quality without decreasing the communication efficiency. The terminating device includes power supply plugs, a terminating circuit, a changeover switch, and power jack terminals, which are housed in an adapter case. The terminating circuit has an impedance corresponding to the impedance between power lines in the used frequency band of power line communication and is connected or disconnected between the power supply plugs by the changeover switch.
US07737572B2

A system for generating electricity includes a pump operable to convert wave motion from a body of water into mechanical energy. The pump includes an input port through which an operating fluid can enter the pump and an output port through which the operating fluid can exit the pump. A first outlet line and a second outlet line are fluidly coupled to the output port of the pump. A first reservoir is fluidly connected to the first outlet line, and a second reservoir is fluidly connected to the second outlet line, both reservoirs being selectively capable of receiving operating fluid driven through the output port.
US07737568B2

A wave energy device converts the motion of waves on a body of water into a usable form of energy, for example a flow of pressurized water or an electrical current. The device includes a buoyant body for tracking the rise and fall of the waves and a working surface coupled for movement with the buoyant body and which is designed to capture and convert both heave and surge forces of the waves. The invention also involves a rapid deployment and retrieval capability and a capability to rotate to accommodate changes in wave direction. The device is universally attached to the seafloor, which allows the device to safely pitch, yaw and roll with the wave forces from any direction thereby reducing the likelihood of damage due to extreme weather or marine traffic. The universal attachment also allows the device to automatically adjust for varying water elevation due to tides.
US07737567B2

A semiconductor substrate is provided. The substrate includes a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the first surface includes a marking in a centroid region of the first surface. The marking indicates a location of a center point on the first surface of the semiconductor substrate or identification data unique to the substrate. A system, methods of transporting and marking, and a device for reading the substrate markings are also provided.
US07737566B2

Alignment marks for use on substrates. An exemplary implementation provides phase depth control. A grating mark, for example, can be etched on a silicon wafer with sub-wavelength segmentation in the spacing portion of the alignment grating's period. The sub-wavelength segmentation can be applied to the spaces or to the lines, or both, of an alignment grating to control the phase depth of the grating. By applying segmentation with a period smaller than the alignment light wavelength in either the space(s) and/or in the line(s) of the grating, the effective refractive index in that region can be manipulated. This change in the effective index will result in a change in the phase depth (optical path length). By varying the duty cycle of the sub-wavelength segmented region, the effective refractive index can be controlled, thereby providing selective control over the phase depth.
US07737559B2

The invention includes methods of forming layers conformally over undulating surface topographies associated with semiconductor substrates. The undulating surface topographies can first be exposed to one or more of titanium oxide, neodymium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide and vanadium oxide to treat the surfaces, and can be subsequently exposed to a material that forms a layer conformally along the treated surfaces. The material can, for example, comprise an aluminum-containing compound and one or both of silane and silazane. The invention also includes semiconductor constructions having conformal layers formed over liners containing one or more of titanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide and vanadium oxide.
US07737551B2

A semiconductor power module has at least one power semiconductor chip (2) which can be controlled by the field effect and has a plurality of fail-safe, small-area SiC power diodes (D1 to D8). The function of a large-area SiC power diode chip which is susceptible to failure is distributed over these small-area, parallel-connected SiC power diode chips (D1 to D8) in such a way that their total area of active SiC diode areas (F1 to F8) corresponds to an area extent of a large-area non-fail-safe SiC power diode chip.
US07737550B2

An electronic package device is disclosed including a microelectronic package and a heat sink positioned over the microelectronic package. A thermal interface element is positioned between the microelectronic package and the heat sink. The thermal interface element is elongated and has differing thicknesses along its length to enhance the dissipation of heat.
US07737549B2

Flexible circuitry is populated with integrated circuitry (ICs), and contacts are distributed along the flexible circuitry to provide connection to an application environment. The flexible circuitry is disposed about a rigid substrate, placing the ICs on one or both sides of the substrate with one or more layers of integrated circuitry on one or both sides of the substrate. The substrate is preferably devised from thermally-conductive materials and one or more thermal spreaders are in thermal contact with at least some of the ICs. Optionally, as an additional thermal management feature, the module may include a high thermal conductivity thermal sink or area that is disposed proximal to higher thermal energy IC devices. In preferred embodiments, extensions from the substrate body or substrate core encourage reduced thermal variations amongst the ICs of the module while providing an enlarged surface for shedding thermal energy from the module.
US07737539B2

An integrated circuit package system including a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface. Configuring the top surface to include electrical contacts formed between a perimeter of the substrate and a semiconductor die. Aligning over the top surface of the substrate a mold plate with a honeycomb meshwork of posts or a stepped honeycomb meshwork of posts and depositing a material to prevent warpage of the substrate between the top surface of the substrate and the mold plate. Removing the mold plate to reveal discrete hollow conduits formed within the material that align with the electrical contacts.
US07737538B2

A semiconductor package. The semiconductor package of the invention comprises: a substrate comprising at least one exposed area with photosensitive devices; a cover for isolating the exposed area from the external atmosphere, wherein one of either the substrate or the cover is a base, and the other is a top structure; and a dam formed on the base to form a cavity, wherein the top of the dam has a recess, the dam is attached the top structure by an adhesive, and the cavity corresponds to the exposed area.
US07737509B2

In an integrated circuit device, there are various optimum gate lengths, thickness of gate oxide films, and threshold voltages according to the characteristics of circuits. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device in which the circuits are integrated on the same substrate, the manufacturing process is complicated in order to set the circuits to the optimum values. As a result, in association with deterioration in the yield and increase in the number of manufacturing days, the manufacturing cost increases. In order to solve the problems, according to the invention, transistors of high and low thresholds are used in a logic circuit, a memory cell uses a transistor of the same high threshold voltage and a low threshold voltage transistor, and an input/output circuit uses a transistor having the same high threshold voltage and the same concentration in a channel, and a thicker gate oxide film.
US07737499B2

Embodiments relate to a SRAM, in which a well isolation method may be applied so that an N-well and a P-well are separated from each other and that well walls of opposite conductive types are formed on facing sides. Also, the active regions of NMOS and PMOS may be connected to each other and the contacts of a PMOS drain and an NMOS source may be united to one so that the contacts are moved to the active regions of wide parts. A size of the common contact may be one to two times the size of a contact defined by a design rule. The active region may have a round bent part. The common contacts are arranged to be asymmetrical with each other. Therefore, it may be possible to secure the process margins of the active regions and the contacts, to improve a leakage current characteristic, and to improve yield. Also, it may be possible to prevent the dislocation of the active region and to omit a conventional thermal treatment process so that it may be possible to simplify processes and to reduce manufacturing cost.
US07737480B2

A semiconductor memory device includes: a transistor formed in a substrate; a capacitor formed above one of source/drain regions of the transistor; a bit line formed above the substrate and extending in the gate length direction of the transistor; a first conductive plug connecting one of the source/drain regions and the capacitor; a second conductive plug connected to the other source/drain region that is not connected to the first conductive plug; and a third conductive plug formed on the second conductive plug and connected to the bit line. The central axis of the third conductive plug is displaced from the central axis of the second conductive plug in the gate width direction of the transistor.
US07737476B2

Metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETS) are provided. A MESFET is provided having a source region, a drain region and a gate. The gate is between the source region and the drain region. A p-type conductivity layer is provided beneath the source region, the p-type conductivity layer being self-aligned to the gate. Related methods of fabricating MESFETs are also provided herein.
US07737464B2

An organic light emitting apparatus comprising a substrate and a plurality of organic light emitting devices having different emission colors to each other formed on the substrate, each of the plurality of organic light emitting devices including a cathode, an electron injection layer which is in contact with the cathode, organic compound layers including a light emitting layer, and an optically-transparent anode, the electron injection layer including an organic compound and at least one of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal compound, and an alkaline earth metal compound. The electron injection layer has a thickness adjusted for each of the different emission colors so that each of the plurality of organic light emitting devices having the different emission colors enhances light emitted from the light emitting layer.
US07737462B2

A light emitting diode has a base made of heat conductive material, a wire plate made of an insulation material and secured to an upper surface of the base. Conductive patterns are secured to the wire plate, and a light emitting diode element is secured to the base at an exposed mounting area. The light emitting diode element is electrically connected to the conductive patterns.
US07737460B2

A white LED includes an LED chip formed on one main surface of a sapphire substrate, the LED chip being formed in a semiconductor stack structure including a light emitting layer and emitting light of a predetermined wavelength, a light extracting film applied on the other main surface of the substrate, the light extracting film being formed of a material having a refractive index within a range of ±5% of a refractive index of the substrate and a surface of the light extracting film that is located on an opposite side to the substrate being processed into a recess and projection shape, and a phosphor member provided on an opposite side of the substrate with respect to the light extracting film, and generating white light as light is incident thereon.
US07737442B2

A semiconductor device of the present invention has a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, an insulating layer which is formed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and which has a contact hole, and a third conductive layer which is connected to the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and of which at least a part of an end portion is formed inside the contact hole. Near a contact hole where the second conductive layer is connected to the third conductive layer, the third conductive layer does not overlap with the second conductive layer with the first insulating layer interposed therebetween and an end portion of the third conductive layer is not formed over the first insulating layer. This allows suppression of depression and projection of the third conductive layer.
US07737433B2

The electronic properties of molecular junctions of the general type carbon/molecule/TiO2/Au as examples of “molecular heterojunctions” consisting of a molecular monolayer and a semiconducting oxide. Junctions containing fluorene bonded to pyrolyzed photoresist film (PPF) were compared to those containing Al2O3 instead of fluorene, and those with only the TiO2 layer. The responses to voltage sweep and pulse stimulation were strongly dependent on junction composition and temperature. A transient current response lasting a few milliseconds results from injection and trapping of electrons in the TiO2 layer, and occurred in all three junction types studied. Conduction in PPF/TiO2/Au junctions is consistent with space charge limited conduction at low voltage, then a sharp increase in current once the space charge fills all the traps. With fluorene present, there is a slower, persistent change in junction conductance which may be removed by a reverse polarity pulse. This “memory” effect is attributed to a redox process in the TiO2 which generates TiIII and/or TiII, which have much higher conductance than TiO2 due to the presence of conduction band electrons. The redox process amounts to “dynamic doping” of the TiO2 layer by imposed electric field. The memory effect arises from a combination of the properties of the molecular and oxide layers, and is a special property of the molecular heterojunction configuration.
US07737427B2

A signal detector detects signals transmitted from signal generators disposed in a radiation detecting cassette, and a distance calculator calculates the distance between a radiation source and a radiation detector based on the signals detected by the signal detector. A determining unit determines whether the detected distance matches a predetermined distance from the radiation source to the radiation detector when a radiation image is captured. If the detected distance does not match the predetermined distance, the determining unit outputs, to a warning unit, a warning signal indicating that the detected distance does not match the predetermined distance, and also outputs a control signal for equalizing the detected distance with the predetermined distance, to a radiation source movement controller.
US07737421B2

Provided is an electron beam exposure apparatus for forming a desired pattern on a sample mounted on a wafer stage by exposure with an electron beam generated form an electron gun. The electron beam exposure apparatus includes: supplying device of injecting a reducing gas into a column in which the electron gun and the wafer stage are housed; and control unit of performing control so that the injection of the reducing gas into the column is continued for a predetermined period of time. Organic contamination is combined with H generated from the reducing gas by irradiation of an electron beam, and then evaporates. Further included is supplying device of injecting an ozone gas into the column. The control unit may perform control so that the injection of the ozone gas into the column in addition to the injection of the reducing gas is continued for a predetermined period of time.
US07737418B2

A debris mitigation system for trapping debris coming from a tin debris-generating radiation source is provided. The debris mitigating system includes a debris barrier comprising a plurality of foils, and a cleaning system constructed and arranged to clean the foils. The cleaning system includes a supply unit to provide a liquid alloy to the foils to dissolve and flush trapped debris from the foils. The alloy includes gallium, indium, tin, or any combination thereof.
US07737408B2

A scintillation detector according to an embodiment of the invention features a monolithic scintillation crystal and a plurality of optical fibers coupled to the scintillation crystal. The optical fibers are arranged to convey scintillation light to an optical sensor that is located exterior to the scintillation crystal. Because the optical fibers are extremely small in diameter, a multiplicity of them can be coupled to the scintillation crystal to provide the extremely high resolution of a pixelated scintillation crystal while the comparative manufacturing simplicity of a monolithic scintillation crystal is maintained. In preferred embodiments, the optical fibers are further arranged so that depth of interaction information can be obtained.
US07737407B2

A detector is provided for nuclear medicine imaging. Scintillator pixels form an axial array and a transaxial array. A first photosensor is positioned along the axial array; and a second photosensor is positioned along the transaxial array, wherein the first photosensor and the second photosensor provide dual event localization for nuclear medicine imaging.
US07737400B2

A bolometer type uncooled infrared ray sensor includes: an image pickup region having detection pixels arranged in a matrix form on a semiconductor substrate to detect incident infrared rays; a plurality of row selection lines provided in the image pickup region; current sources capable of letting constant currents flow through the respective row selection lines; a plurality of signal lines provided in the image pickup region; voltage readout circuits provided so as to respectively correspond to the signal lines to read out signal voltages generated on the respectively corresponding signal lines; coupling capacitances respectively provided between the respective signal lines and the corresponding voltage readout circuits; and a calculator which calculates a difference between two signal voltages read out by the voltage readout circuits, corresponding to outputs of the same detection pixel for two different current values supplied from the current sources.
US07737395B2

The present invention provides, inter alia, apparatuses and methods for ionizing samples that are in gaseous phase or can be vaporized/sublimated. The samples include samples to be analyzed and mass calibrants that serve as standards. In addition, the present invention also provides calibrant formulations that release mass calibrants in a slow, controlled manner.
US07737391B2

A double-junction complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) filterless color imager cell is provided. The imager cell is fabricated from a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate including a silicon (Si) substrate, a silicon dioxide insulator overlying the substrate, and a Si top layer overlying the insulator. A photodiode set is formed in the SOI substrate, including a first and second photodiode formed as a double-junction structure in the Si substrate. A third photodiode is formed in the Si top layer. A (imager sensing) transistor set is formed in the top Si layer. The transistor set is connected to the photodiode set and detects an independent output signal for each photodiode. The transistor set may be an eight-transistor (8T), a nine-transistor (9T), or an eleven-transistor (11T) cell.
US07737390B2

A large image sensor structure is created by tiling a plurality of image sensor dies, wherein each of the image sensor dies includes a pixel array that extends to three edges of the die, and control circuitry located along a fourth edge of the die. None of the control circuitry required to access the pixel array (e.g., none of the row driver circuitry) is located in the pixel array, thereby enabling consistent spacing of pixels across the pixel array. Because the pixel array of each image sensor die extends to three edges of the die, the pixel array of each image sensor die can abut up to three pixel arrays in other image sensor dies to form a large image sensor structure having 2×N tiled image sensor dies.
US07737388B2

An imaging system includes a pixel that does not require a row select transistor. Instead, an operating voltage is selectively provided to the pixel's readout circuitry, and the readout circuitry provides output signals based on charge or voltage of a storage node. The operating voltage can be selectively provided to each row of a pixel array by a row driver. Each pixel includes a source follower transistor that provides an output signal on a column output line for readout. An anti-blooming transistor may be linked to each pixel's photosensor to provide an overflow path for electrons during charge integration, prior to transfer of charge to the pixel's storage node by a transfer transistor. Electrons not produced by an image are introduced to the photosensor prior to image acquisition, filling traps in the photosensor to reduce image degradation.
US07737385B2

A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.
US07737382B2

A device for processing a wire having an outer surface and moving along a given path in a give direction. The device comprises a conductive contact tube surrounding said path and electrically engageable with the wire as it moves along the path and through the tue and a dielectric sleeve adjacent the contact tube and extending in the given direction from the contact tube and around the path to define an annular gas passage between the dielectric sleeve ad the wire. An inlet for processing gas is adjacent the contact tube in and a conductive electrode sleeve is around the dielectric sleeve so a high frequency, high voltage signal between said electrode sleeve ad the contact tube creates a dielectric barrier discharge plasma of the progressing gas in the annular passage.
US07737378B2

A sorting system for flat mail items includes a process controller and at least three storage modules connected in a parallel arrangement. Each of the at least three storage modules has a storage area and an infeed function to transfer mail items from a mail item stream into the storage area, and an extraction function to extract mail items from the storage area for generating an improved mail item stream. One of the at least three storage modules is operable in the infeed function, another one of the at least three storage modules operable in the extraction function, and at least one further module of the at least three storage modules is operable in a halt status. Address information is added to the mail items by the process controller for the mail items contained in the storage area of the storage module operated in the halt status.
US07737367B2

Holes having the same diameter as via holes are formed in predetermined positions in advance when forming wiring patterns on releasable carriers. The carriers with the wiring patterns are bonded on an insulating material, and a laser beam is irradiated from the side of the carrier using the holes in the wiring pattern as a laser mask to form via holes in the insulating material. The via holes and the holes in the carrier are then filled with a conductive paste. With the holes in the carrier that are matched in position with the via holes, lands in the conductor layers are precisely positioned relative to the via holes. A multilayer circuit board thus produced has lower electrical connection resistance and excellent mountability with improved performances. Also a manufacturing method thereof is achieved.
US07737366B2

A multilayer printed wiring board having a multilayered structure including multiple conductor circuit layers and multiple interlaminar insulative layers, the conductor layers having one or more conductor circuit portions, the interlaminar insulative resin layers including the outermost interlaminar insulative resin layer forming the outermost layer of the multilayered structure, a filled-viahole formed in the outermost interlaminar insulative resin layer and made of one or more metal plating filling and completely closing a hole formed through the outermost interlaminar insulative resin layer, the metal plating of the filled-viahole extending out of the hole and having a substantially flat surface, the filled-viahole electrically connected to the conductor circuit portion in the conductor circuit layers, and a solder bump formed on the substantially flat surface of the filled-viahole.
US07737365B2

A wired circuit board has a metal supporting board, an insulating layer formed on the metal supporting board, a conductive pattern formed on the insulating layer and having a pair of wires arranged in spaced-apart relation, and a semiconductive layer formed on the insulating layer and electrically connected to the metal supporting board and the conductive pattern. The conductive pattern has a first region in which a distance between the pair of wires is small and a second region in which the distance between the pair of wires is larger than that in the first region. The semiconductive layer is provided in the second region.
US07737359B2

An electrical wire includes at least one electrifiable conductor for delivering electrical power, a first insulating layer formed on one side of the electrifiable conductor, a second insulating layer formed on the opposite side of the electrifiable conductors, a first return conductor formed on the first insulating layer opposite the at least one electrifiable conductor, and a second return conductor formed on the second insulating layer opposite the at least one electrifiable conductor. The at least one electrifiable conductor is at least substantially entrapped by the first and second return conductors such that the distance between said at least one electrifiable conductor and each of said first and second return conductors is no greater than approximately 0.030 inches. At least one of the first insulating layer or the second insulating layer comprises a plurality of insulating layers.
US07737353B2

In order to reproduce music suitable for a situation where a user listens to the music while performing repetitive exercise, if a walking tempo value sensed by a walking tempo sensing portion 3 falls outside a certain range defined on the basis of a music tempo value of a music data file currently being reproduced by a music data reproduction portion 6, a music tempo specifying portion 4 specifies a music tempo value agreeing with the walking tempo value. A reproduction control portion 5 selects a music data file having a music tempo value corresponding to the music tempo specified by the music tempo specifying portion 4 from among a plurality of music data files stored along with data on music tempo of the respective music data files in a data storage portion 2, and causes the music data reproduction portion 6 to start the reproduction of the selected music data file.
US07737350B2

A mouthpiece assembly includes a tubular member and a ligature for attaching a reed to the tubular member. The ligature is structured to be infinitely adjustable in size as selected by a musician to fit many different sized woodwind mouthpieces.
US07737345B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH246180. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH246180, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH246180 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 CH246180.
US07737333B2

The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 00H29. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 00H29. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 00H29 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 00H29 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07737318B2

The invention relates to a process for preparing 1-butenic fractions having less than 2000 ppm of isobutene in relation to 1-butene from technical mixtures of C4 hydrocarbons I which contain at least 1-butene and 2000 ppmw to 8% by mass of isobutene based on the 1-butene, with or without n-butane, isobutane and/or 2-butenes.
US07737301B2

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of compounds of formula wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently of the others hydrogen or C1-C4alkyl, by a) reacting compounds of formula (II) wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined for formula (I) and X is bromine or chlorine, with a compound of formula (III) wherein R4 is hydrogen or C1-C4alkyl, in the presence of a base and catalytic amounts of at least one palladium complex compound, to form compounds of formula (IV) wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined for formula (I), and b) converting those compounds, using a reducing agent, into compounds of formula (I).
US07737294B2

The present invention is directed to compositions of specific carboxylic acid, fatty acid or oil derivatives containing nitrile groups and methods of their preparation. The preparation involves a hydrocyanation reaction. A method of hydrgenating the nitrile containing carboxylic acid acids obtained by above hydrocyanation to produce amine containing carbixylic acids is also disclosed in this invention.
US07737292B2

A continuous process for the preparation of organopolysiloxanes involves, in a first step, reacting chlorosilanes with from 0.01 to 0.7 mol of water per mole of hydrolyzable chlorine and with from 0.2 to 1.7 mol of alcohol per mole of hydrolyzable chlorine, the molar ratio of water to alcohol being from 0.005 to 3.5; in a second step, the reaction mixture obtained in the first step is optionally mixed continuously with a water-insoluble organic solvent having a density of less than 0.9 kg/l, and water is metered in continuously in amounts of from 0.2 to 100 mol of water per mole of silicon component; and in a third step, the aqueous alcoholic phase is separated off.
US07737291B2

A composition containing 100 parts by mass of a siloxane compound having —HSiRO— (wherein R is a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms or a phenoxy group) and 0.0001 to 1 part by mass of at least one phenol compound of general formula (1) or (2) as a stabilizer. wherein a and b are each an integer of 0 to 4; m is 0 or 1; p and q are each 1 or 2; R1, R2, R3, and R4 are each an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; X1 and X2 each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a halogen atom; Y is an alkanediyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; and a plurality of R1s, R2s, R3s, R4s, X1s, X2s or Ys, where present per molecule, may be the same or different.
US07737289B2

A process for enriching and separating polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) acyl groups in a fatty acid mixture, which mixture contains other non-PUFA fatty acid acyl groups, is disclosed.
US07737287B2

This invention relates to combinatorial libraries of potentially biologically active mainly monosaccharide compounds and to methods of preparing same. These compounds are variously functionalized, with a view to varying lipid solubility, size, function and other properties, with the particular aim of discovering a drug or drug-like compound, or compounds with useful properties. The invention provides intermediates, processes and synthetic strategies for the solution or solid phase synthesis of monosaccharides, variously functionalized about the sugar ring, including the addition of aromaticity and charge, and the placement of amino acid and peptide side chain units of isosteres thereof.
US07737284B2

This invention relates to a novel process for the synthesis of Temozolomide, an antitumor compound, and analogs, and to intermediates useful in this novel process.
US07737277B2

One embodiment of this invention is bis-cyclometalled electroluminescent complexes of iridium (III) according to Formula I. Another embodiment of this invention is electronic devices in which the active layer includes a bis-cyclometalled electroluminescent Ir(III) complex.
US07737273B2

The present invention provides a novel process for the preparation of acyclic phosphonate nucleotide analogs using novel intermediates. Thus, for example, (R)-9-(2-phosphonomethoxypropyl)adenine is reacted with dimethylformamide dimethylacetal to give N4-dimethylaminomethyledino-9-(2-phosphonomethoxy ethyl) adenine, which is then reacted with chloromethyl-2-propyl carbonate in presence of triethylamine to give (R)-N4-Dimethylaminomethyledino-9-(2-phosphono methoxypropyl) adenine disoproxil, followed by deprotection with acetic acid to get tenofovir disoproxil. Tenofovir disoproxil is then treated with fumaric acid to give tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.
US07737269B2

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a cyclodextrin/alpha-lipoic acid complex, wherein in a first step, an alpha-lipoic acid and a cyclodextrin are dissolved in an aqueous alkaline solution having a pH above pH 7, and in a second step an acid is added to lower the pH of the solution to a pH below pH 7.
US07737266B2

The invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for inhibiting the expression of a SCAP gene (Human SCAP gene), comprising an antisense strand having a nucleotide sequence which is less that 30 nucleotides in length, generally 19-25 nucleotides in length, and which is substantially complementary to at least a part of a SCAP gene. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the dsRNA together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; methods for treating diseases caused by Human SCAP expression and the expression of a SCAP gene using the pharmaceutical composition; and methods for inhibiting the expression of a SCAP gene in a cell.
US07737262B2

Compositions and methods are provided for the induction of a protective immunize response in primates against a lethal challenge of Plasmodium.
US07737261B2

Avermectin B1 and avermectin B1 monosaccharide derivative compounds having an alkoxymethyl substituent in the 4″- or 4′-position; a process for preparing and using these compounds and their tautomers; pesticides whose active compound is selected from these compounds and their tautomers; and a process for preparing these compounds and compositions are provided.
US07737258B2

This invention provides a composition comprising an effective amount of monoclonal antibody 8H9 or a derivative thereof and a suitable carrier. This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising an effective amount of monoclonal antibody 8H9 or a derivative thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. This invention also provides an antibody other than the monoclonal antibody 8H9 comprising the complementary determining regions of monoclonal antibody 8H9 or a derivative thereof, capable of binding to the same antigen as the monoclonal antibody 8H9. This invention provides a substance capable of competitively inhibiting the binding of monoclonal antibody 8H9. This invention also provides an isolated scFv of monoclonal antibody 8H9 or a derivative thereof. This invention also provides the 8H9 antigen. This invention also provides a method of inhibiting the growth of tumor cells comprising contacting said tumor cells with an appropriate amount of monoclonal antibody 8H9 or a derivative thereof.
US07737249B2

The present invention relates to the formation of low volatile anhydride-containing aromatic vinyl polymers by polymerizing the half ester of the anhydride with a vinyl aromatic monomer followed by devolatilizing the half-ester and reforming the anhydride at elevated temperatures and reduced pressures.
US07737243B2

This invention relates to coating compositions and more particularly to highly productive coating compositions that quickly harden for sanding or buffing by incorporating therein a polyisocyanate adduct mixture into the coating composition as the crosslinking material. Such coatings are particularly useful for refinishing automobiles and trucks.
US07737240B2

The present invention relates to a new hydrogel functionalized with a polymerizable moiety, the polymerized hydrogels, films and gels comprising the same and their use for cells, proteins, DNA or other molecules encapsulation, including use as biosensors or bioreactors.
US07737232B2

A method for the production of water-free rare earth metal halogenides by reacting rare earth metal oxides with a halogentation agent.
US07737228B2

A method of using metallized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes as cure promoters and catalysts for polyurethanes.
US07737222B2

A pressureless pipe and polymer composition for making such a pipe as well as the use of the polymer composition for pressureless pipes and supplementary parts, are disclosed. The polymer composition is characterized in that the polymer comprises a multimodal ethylene polymer including a copolymer of ethylene and a C4-C10 &agr; -olefin comonomer; the ethylene polymer has a total density of 953-958 kg/m3 and a MFR5 of 0.2-2.0 g/10 min; the ethylene polymer has a modulus of elasticity, determined according to ISO 178 of 1300-1700 MPa; the ethylene polymer has a resistance to slow crack growth, determined according to ASTM F 1473 of more than 1.5 hrs.
US07737219B2

The present invention relates to an adhesive composition for an electro-magnetic shielding film and an electro-magnetic shielding filter using the same, and more particularly to an adhesive composition for an electromagnetic shielding film comprising: a) an acrylic copolymer of i) (meth)acrylate ester monomers having C1, to C12 alkyl groups and ii) vinylic monomers having hydroxyl groups; and b) a multifunctional isocyanate crosslinking agent. The electro-magnetic shielding filter of the present invention offers good durability because transparentization is performed with an acrylic adhesive composition having no acidic groups, and thus oxidation of copper is prevented.
US07737215B2

This invention relates to polyolefin compositions. In particular, the invention pertains to elastic polymer compositions that can be more easily processed on cast film lines, extrusion lamination or coating lines. The compositions of the present invention preferably comprise an elastomeric polyolefin resin and a high pressure low density type resin.
US07737208B2

An aqueous resin composition obtained by dissolving 100 parts by mass of acid-modified polyolefin and 5 to 60 parts by mass of surfactant in 15 to 1900 parts by mass of polymerizable monomer, adding water in the presence of basic compound to perform phase inversion emulsification, and polymerizing the monomer; an aqueous resin composition obtained by dissolving 100 parts by mass of acid-modified polyolefin and 5 to 60 parts by mass of surfactant in a first polymerizable monomer, adding water in the presence of basic compound to perform phase inversion emulsification, polymerizing the first monomer to form a resin composition, adding and polymerizing a second polymerizable monomer to the resin composition; the monomers being used in a total amount of 15 to 1900 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the acid-modified polyolefin; and paints, inks, adhesives, sealants and primers containing such composition as an active ingredient.
US07737207B2

A resin composition characterized as containing (A) a synthetic resin having a melting temperature of 300° C. or above and (B) a platy inorganic filler incorporated in the resin and having the following properties; pH of aqueous dispersion: 5.5-8.0, amount of extracted alkalis: Na 30 ppm or below and K 40 ppm or below, maximum diameter a: 50 μm or below, thickness b: 1.0 μm or below, and aspect ratio (a/b): 20 or above.
US07737206B2

Disclosed are highly filled thermoplastic olefin compositions and, in particular, thermoplastic olefin compositions that comprise propylene/alpha-olefin copolymers and a high level of organic or inorganic filler. Specifically, the description addresses a filled polymer composition comprising: (a) a first polymer component comprising propylene copolymer having a heat of fusion
US07737181B2

Dermatological disorders having an inflammatory or proliferative component, notably common acne, are treated with topically applicable pharmaceutical compositions containing about 0.3% by weight of 6-[3-(1-adamantyl)-4-methoxyphenyl]-2-naphthanoic acid (adapalene) or salt thereof, formulated into pharmaceutically acceptable media therefor, advantageously formulated into topically applicable gels, preferably aqueous gels, creams, lotions or solutions.
US07737176B2

The invention relates to compounds of the formula I: and to the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, to processes for the preparation of them and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising them, which are useful especially for the treatment and prevention of dyslipidaemia, atherosclerosis and diabetes.
US07737173B2

The invention provides compounds represented by the formula I, each of which compounds may have sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonist and or antagonist biological activity: and wherein the variables Y, R4, n, A, X, Z, R1, o, R3, R2 and p are as defined in the specification. These compounds are useful for treating a disease or condition selected from the group consisting of glaucoma, dry eye, angiogenesis, cardiovascular conditions and diseases, and wound healing.
US07737172B2

Compositions and methods for inhibiting translation using 3-(5-tert-Butyl-2-Hydroxy-phenyl)-3-phenyl-1,3-dihydro-indol-2-one and/or its derivatives are provided. Compositions, methods and kits for treating (1) cellular proliferative disorders, (2) non-proliferative, degenerative disorders, (3) viral infections, and/or (4) disorders associated with viral infections, using 3-(5-tert-butyl-2-hydroxy-phenyl)-3-phenyl-1,3-dihydro-indol-2-one and/or its derivatives are described.
US07737168B2

Methods of using di, tri, and tetracyclic acylhydrazide derivatives and analogs, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing the same, for the treatment or prophylaxis of viral infections and diseases associated therewith, particularly those viral infections and associated diseases cased by the orthopoxvirus.
US07737138B2

This invention pertains generally to the field of chemical synthesis and purification, and more specifically to methods of synthesizing and purifying certain 3,7-diaminophenothiazin-5-ium compounds (referred to herein as “diaminophenothiazinium compounds”) including Methythioninium Chloride (MTC) (also known as Methylene Blue). In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of, in order: nitrosylation (NOS); nitrosyl reduction (NR); thiosulfonic acid formation (TSAF); oxidative coupling (OC); Cr(VI) reduction (CR); isolation and purification of zwitterionic intermediate (IAPOZI); ring closure (RC); chloride salt formation (CSF); one of: sulphide treatment (ST); dimethyldithiocarbamate treatment (DT); carbonate treatment (CT); ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid treatment (EDTAT); organic extraction (OE); and recrystallisation (RX). The present invention also pertains to the resulting (high purity) compounds, compositions comprising them (e.g., tablets, capsules), and their use in methods of inactivating pathogens, and methods of medical treatment and diagnosis, etc., for example, for tauopathies, Alzheimer's disease (AD), skin cancer, melanoma, viral diseases, bacterial diseases, or protozoal diseases.
US07737137B2

Methods for treating a mammal suffering from glucocorticoid-related diseases and conditions, comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a selective inhibitor of 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme activity, wherein the inhibitor is a compound of formula (I): or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug, salt of a prodrug, or a combination thereof. Methods of inhibiting 11-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme. Methods of treating neuronal degeneration, dysfunction, acute psychosis, anxiety, dementia, depression, non-insulin dependent type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, lipid disorders, metabolic syndrome and other diseases and conditions that are mediated by excessive glucocorticoid action.
US07737133B2

Methods and formulations for treating inflammatory bowel disease are disclosed. The methods and formulations include, but are not limited to, methods and formulations for delivering effective concentrations of 4-aminosalicylic acid and/or 5-aminosalicylic acid to affected areas of the intestine. The methods and formulations comprise modified-release elements, providing for drug delivery to the affected or desired area. Diseases and conditions treatable with the present invention include Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
US07737130B2

The present invention describes new pharmaceutical compositions in treatment of skin and/or mucous injuries, new therapeutic use of compounds and use of compositions and compounds in treatment of injuries that involve skin and/or mucous, and/or therapies where regeneration or modelling of tissues growth is necessary. Particularly these pharmaceutical compositions are indicated for treatment of injuries caused by burns.
US07737125B2

The invention relates to oligonucleotide compounds (oligomers), which target androgen receptor mRNA in a cell, leading to reduced expression of the androgen receptor. Reduction of androgen receptor expression is beneficial for the treatment of certain disorders, such as hyperproliferative disorders (e.g., cancer). The invention provides therapeutic compositions comprising oligomers and methods for modulating the expression of androgen receptor using said oligomers, including methods of treatment.
US07737118B2

A method of producing analgesia in a mammal is provided by rotational (alternating) intrathecal administration to the mammal of a pharmaceutically effective dose of at least one opioid receptor agonist, such as a μ-, δ-, or κ-opioid receptor agonist for a first period of time, followed by intrathecal administration to the mammal of a pharmaceutically effective dose of at least one opioid receptor-like receptor 1 (ORL-1) agonist for a second period of time. The intrathecal drug administration of the first and second periods of time may be repeated a plurality of times without attaining tolerance in the mammal to either drug. Implantable apparatus for rotational administration of the active agents is also disclosed.
US07737117B2

The present invention provides insecticidal polypeptides related to Bacillus Cry2 polypeptides. Nucleic acids encoding the polypeptides of the invention are also provided. Methods for using the polypeptides and nucleic acids of the invention to enhance resistance of plants to insect predation are encompassed.
US07737111B2

The present invention concerns therapeutic agents that modulate the activity of TALL-1. In accordance with the present invention, modulators of TALL-1 may comprise an amino acid sequence Dz2Lz4 wherein z2 is an amino acid residue and z4 is threonyl or isoleucyl. Exemplary molecules comprise a sequence of the formulae (SEQ. ID. NO:100) a1a2a3CDa6La8a9a10Ca12a13a14, (SEQ. ID. NO:104) b1b2b3Cb5b6Db8Lb10b11b12b13b14Cb16b17b18 (SEQ. ID. NO:105) c1c2c3Cc5Dc7Lc9c10c11c12c13c14Cc16c17c18 (SEQ. ID. NO:106) d1d2d3Cd5d6d7WDd10Ld13d14d15Cd16d17d18 (SEQ. ID. NO:107) e1e2e3Ce5e6e7De9Le11Ke13Ce15e16e17e18 (SEQ. ID NO:109) f1f2f3Kf5Df7Lf9f10Qf12f13f14 wherein the substituents are as defined in the specification. The invention further comprises compositions of matter of the formula (X1)a—V1—(X2)b wherein V1 is a vehicle that is covalently attached to one or more of the above TALL-1 modulating compositions of matter. The vehicle and the TALL-1 modulating composition of matter may be linked through the N- or C-terminus of the TALL-1 modulating portion. The preferred vehicle is an Fc domain, and the preferred Fc domain is an IgG Fc domain.
US07737106B2

A process for making ionic liquids containing ion actives, which provide fabric treating benefits, surface treating benefits and/or air treating benefits. The ionic liquid is made from an ion active feedstock and an ionic liquid forming counterion feedstock, which preferably comprises another ion active.
US07737104B2

Spherulite-containing compositions are described, including compositions comprising a surfactant component, a salt, and an oil phase, wherein the surfactant component comprises (a) about 6 to about 8.25 weight % sodium trideceth sulfate; (b) about 1.8 to about 3.0 weight % of a structuring agent; (c) about 1.1 to about 3.0 weight % of a foam booster; (d) water; and (e) about 0.3 to about 0.8 weight % of a cationic guar gum.
US07737099B2

Environmentally safe, cost effective, VOC-free compositions and methods for the prevention and treatment of corrosive processes in and on metal such as rust, flash rust and scale in a wide variety of industry sectors is provided. Compositions particularly well suited for preventing and treating flash rust may include an organic acid or salt thereof, a natural gum and/or wax and/or wax extract, and water. Such compositions do not substantially affect the adhesive quality of coatings subsequently applied to the metal surface and provide excellent solvent and spray resistance.
US07737096B2

A mild toilet bar composition contains C8-C18 mono and diacyl isethionates in a specified ratio in a first preferred embodiment of the invention and a specified ratio of calcium and magnesium diacyl isethionates in a second preferred embodiment of the invention. Both toilet bars provide substantial lather, mild cleansing, low mush and wear rate levels during use.
US07737078B2

The formation of H2S in a stoichiometric or reducing atmosphere is restrained without using Ni or Cu as an environmental load substance. An additional oxide composed of an oxide of at least one kind of metal selected from the group consisting of Bi, Sn and Zn was added to a three-way catalyst for purifying an exhaust gas emitted from an internal combustion engine of which the combustion is controlled in near a stoichiometric atmosphere in the amount of from 0.02 mol to 0.2 mol per liter of the catalyst. The additional oxide forms SO3 or SO4 from SO2 in an oxidizing atmosphere, and stores sulfur components as a sulfide in a reducing atmosphere so that emission of H2S can be restrained. And since no environmental load substance is contained, the catalyst can be used safely.
US07737077B2

This is to provide a catalyst for purifying exhaust gases, catalyst which are good in terms of the purifying performance.A catalyst according to the present invention for purifying exhaust gases comprises: a catalytic support substrate (1); a first catalytic layer (2) having a first loading layer formed on an upstream side of the catalytic support substrate (1) and made of a fire-resistant inorganic oxide, and Rh loaded in the first loading layer; a second catalytic layer (3) having a second loading layer formed on a surface of the catalytic support substrate (1) on an downstream side of the first catalytic layer (2) and made of a fire-resistant inorganic oxide, and Pd and/or Pt loaded in the second loading layer; and a third catalytic layer (4) having a third loading layer formed on a surface of the second catalytic layer (3) and made of a fire-resistant inorganic oxide, and Rh loaded in the third loading layer; and is characterized in that: the first catalytic layer (2) is such that, when taking Rh loaded in the first catalytic layer as 100% by weight, Rh is loaded in an amount of 70% by weight or more within such a range that the distance from the surface is 20 μm; and the loading amount of Rh loaded in the first catalytic layer (2) is from 1.5 to 15 times as much as the loading amount of Rh loaded in the third loading layer. Because of the fact that Rh is loaded in a great loading amount in the superficial layer portion on an upstream side of exhaust-gas flow, it turns into a catalyst for purifying exhaust gases, catalyst which is good in terms of the purifying characteristics.
US07737072B2

A hydroprocessing catalyst is provided. The hydroprocessing catalyst has the formula (Mt)a(Xu)b(Sv)d(Cw)e(Hx)f(Oy)g(Nz)h, wherein M is at least one group VIB metal; X is at least one Group VIII non-noble metal; t, u, v, w, x, y, z representing the total charge for each of the components (M, X, S, C, H, O and N, respectively); ta+ub+vd+we+xf+yg+zh=0; and 0=
US07737067B2

A process for regenerating a used ionic liquid catalyst comprising a cationic component and an anionic component, which catalyst has been deactivated by conjunct polymers complexed with the anionic component comprising the steps of adding a reagent which is capable of replacing the complexed conjunct polymer with the cationic component of the catalyst, said reagent being added in an amount sufficient to react with a suitable amount of both free and complexed anionic components in the used catalyst and removing the replaced conjunct polymer to produce a regenerated ionic liquid catalyst is disclosed.
US07737064B2

Optical glass having a refractive index (nd) of 1.75 or greater, and an Abbe number (νd) falling within the range of 15 to 40, which is suitable for molding by precision mold press is provided. The optical glass is characterized by including B2O3+SiO2 in an amount of 10 to 70%, Bi2O3 in an amount of 5% or more and less than 25%, RO+Rn2O in an amount of 5 to 60% (wherein R represents one or more selected from a group consisting of Zn, Ba, Sr, Ca, and Mg; and Rn represents one or more selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, K, and Cs), with each component in the range expressed in oxide-based mole, and is characterized in that transparency in the visible region is high, and that the transition point (Tg) is 520° C. or lower. The optical glass is characterized by having a spectral transmittance of 70% or greater at a wavelength of 550 nm, for a thickness of 10 mm.
US07737057B2

An article including: a porous substrate that includes a fibrous material; and a release coating disposed on the fibrous material of the porous substrate; wherein the release coating includes a thermoplastic silicone-containing polymer. A method of making an article, which method includes: providing a porous backing having a first major surface and a second major surface; applying a pressure sensitive adhesive to the first major surface of the porous backing; and applying an aqueous dispersion including a thermoplastic silicone-containing polymer to the second major surface of the porous backing to form a low adhesion backsize.
US07737055B2

A semiconductor substrate undergoing processing to fabricate integrated circuit devices thereon is spun about a rotational axis while introducing liquid onto a surface of the substrate. An annular-shaped sheet of liquid is formed on the surface, the sheet of liquid having an inner diameter defining a liquid-free void. The size of a diameter of the void is reduced by manipulation of the annular-shaped sheet of liquid. The void may then be enlarged until the surface is substantially dry. The annular-shaped sheet of liquid may be formed and altered by selectively moving a contact area on the surface of the substrate on which the liquid is introduced. Systems for processing a substrate and configured to deposit and manipulate a sheet of liquid thereon are also disclosed.
US07737046B2

The present invention is a method of manufacturing a quantum dot array having a plurality of columnar parts including a quantum dot on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of obliquely vapor-depositing a material constituting a first barrier layer to become an energy barrier against the quantum dot onto a surface of the substrate, so as to form a plurality of first barrier layers; obliquely vapor-depositing a material constituting the quantum dot with respect to the surface of the substrate, so as to form the quantum dots on the first barrier layers; and obliquely vapor-depositing a material constituting a second barrier layer to become an energy barrier against the quantum dot with respect to the surface of the substrate, so as to form the second barrier layers on the quantum dots.
US07737042B2

A pulsed plasma system for etching semiconductor structures is described. In one embodiment, a portion of a sample is removed by applying a pulsed plasma process, wherein the pulsed plasma process comprises a plurality of duty cycles. The ON state of a duty cycle is of a duration sufficiently short to substantially inhibit micro-loading in a reaction region adjacent to the sample, while the OFF state of the duty cycle is of a duration sufficiently long to substantially enable removal of a set of etch by-products from the reaction region. In another embodiment, a first portion of a sample is removed by applying a continuous plasma process. The continuous plasma process is then terminated and a second portion of the sample is removed by applying a pulsed plasma process.
US07737040B2

An anti-reflective hard mask layer left on a radiation-blocking layer during fabrication of a reticle provides functionality when the reticle is used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process.
US07737030B2

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device has forming a first metal wire in a groove formed in an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, forming an interlayer dielectric on the insulating film and the first metal wire, forming a via hole by etching the interlayer dielectric, forming a first barrier metal on sidewalls of the via hole, forming an organic film in the via hole having the first barrier metal formed therein, etching the first barrier metal exposed by performing an etchback on the organic film to a predetermined position, forming a trench integrally with an upper portion of the via hole by etching the interlayer dielectric to a predetermined position, forming a second barrier metal on the first barrier metal and sidewalls of the trench in the via hole, after the organic film remaining in the via hole is removed, and forming a second metal wire in the via hole and the trench having the second barrier metal formed therein.
US07737021B1

The present invention is directed to a method of forming semiconductor devices. In one illustrative embodiment, the method comprises defining a photoresist feature having a first size in a layer of photoresist that is formed above a layer of dielectric material. The method further comprises reducing the first size of the photoresist feature to produce a reduced size photoresist feature, forming an opening in the layer of dielectric material under the reduced size photoresist feature, and forming a conductive material in the opening in the layer of dielectric material.
US07737020B1

Fluid-based dielectric material is used to backfill multiple patterned metal layers of an IC on a wafer. The patterned metal layers are fabricated using conventional CMOS techniques, and are IMD layers in particular embodiments. The dielectric material(s) are etched out of the IC to form a metal network, and fluid dielectric material precursor, such as a polyarylene ether-based resin, is applied to the wafer to backfill the metal network with low-k fluid-based dielectric material.
US07737013B2

A first species and a second species are implanted into a conductor of a substrate, which may be copper. The first species and second species may be implanted sequentially or at least partly simultaneously. Diffusion of the first species within the conductor of the substrate is prevented by the presence of the second species. In one particular example, the first species is silicon and the second species is nitrogen, although other combinations are possible.
US07737012B2

An amorphous layer 101 is formed in a region from a surface of a silicon substrate 100 to a first depth A. At this time, defects 103 are generated near an amorphous-crystal interface 102. By heat treatment, the crystal structure of the amorphous layer 101 is restored in a region from the first depth A to a second depth B that is shallower than the first depth A. The resultant amorphous layer 101 extends from the surface of the silicon substrate 100 to the second depth B. The defects 103 remain at the first depth A. By ion implantation, a pn junction 104 is formed at a third depth C that is shallower than the second depth B.
US07737009B2

A method of forming an isolation trench structure is disclosed, the method includes forming an isolation trench in a semiconductor body associated with an isolation region, and implanting a non-dopant atom into the isolation trench, thereby forming a region to modify the halo profile in the semiconductor body. Subsequently, the isolation trench is filled with a dielectric material.
US07736997B2

A flexible electronic device excellent in heat liberation characteristics and toughness and a production method for actualizing thereof in low cost and with satisfactory reproducibility are provided. A protection film is adhered onto the surface of a substrate on which surface a thin film device is formed. Successively, the substrate is soaked in an etching solution to be etched from the back surface thereof so as for the residual thickness of the substrate to fall within the range larger than 0 μm and not larger than 200 μm. Then, a flexible film is adhered onto the etched surface of the substrate, and thereafter the protection film is peeled to produce a flexible electronic device.
US07736996B2

A method for damage avoidance in transferring a monocrystalline, thin layer from a first substrate onto a second substrate involves epitaxial growth of a sandwich structure with a strained epitaxial layer buried below a monocrystalline thin layer, and lift-off and transfer of the monocrystalline thin layer with the cleaving controlled to happen within the buried strained layer in conjunction with the introduction of hydrogen.
US07736993B2

The invention specifically relates to methods of fabricating a composite substrate by providing a first insulating layer on a support substrate at a thickness of e1 and providing a second insulating layer on a source substrate at a thickness of e2, with each layer having an exposed face for bonding; providing plasma activation energy in an amount sufficient to activate a portion of the thickness of the face of the first insulating layer emp1 and a portion of the thickness of the face of the second insulating layer emp1; providing a final insulating layer by molecular bonding the activated face of the first insulating layer with the activated face of the second insulating layer; and removing a back portion of the source substrate while retaining an active layer comprising a remaining portion of the source substrate bonded to the support substrate with the final insulating layer interposed therein to form the composite substrate. The thicknesses e1, e2 of the first and second insulating layers are sufficient to provide the final insulating layer with a thickness of 50 nanometers or less, and the plasma activation energy and respective thicknesses e1, e2 of the first and second insulating layers are selected such that only respective thicknesses emp1 and emp2 of the faces of the first insulating layer and the second insulating layer are activated.
US07736991B2

A method of forming an isolation layer of a semiconductor device includes forming first trenches in an isolation region of a semiconductor substrate. A spacer is formed on sidewalls of each of the first trenches. Second trenches are formed in the isolation region below the corresponding first trenches. Each second trench is narrower and deeper than the corresponding first trench. A first oxide layer is formed on sidewalls and a bottom surface of each of the second trenches. The first trench is filled with an insulating layer.
US07736989B2

A method of forming a semiconductor device, where the method may include forming a first trench in a semiconductor substrate, forming first device isolation patterns that fill the first trench, forming spacers on sidewalls of the first device isolation patterns, forming a second trench in the semiconductor substrate between first device isolation patterns, and forming second device isolation patterns that fill the second trench. The second trench is formed using an etching process adopting the first device isolation pattern and the spacer as a mask.
US07736988B2

A method for forming a relaxed or pseudo-relaxed useful layer on a substrate is described. The method includes growing a strained semiconductor layer on a donor substrate, bonding a receiver substrate to the strained semiconductor layer by a vitreous layer of a material that becomes viscous above a certain viscosity temperature to form a first structure. The method further includes detaching the donor substrate from the first structure to form a second structure comprising the receiver substrate, the vitreous layer, and the strained layer, and then heat treating the second structure at a temperature and time sufficient to relax strains in the strained semiconductor layer and to form a relaxed or pseudo-relaxed useful layer on the receiver substrate.
US07736981B2

A transistor is provided. The transistor includes a silicon layer including a source region and a drain region. A gate stack is disposed on the silicon layer between the source region and the drain region. The gate stack comprises a first layer of a high dielectric constant material, a second layer comprising a metal or metal alloy, and a third layer comprising silicon or polysilicon. A lateral extent of the second layer of the gate stack is substantially greater than a lateral extent of the third layer of the gate stack. Also provided are methods for fabricating such a transistor.
US07736977B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device capable of radiating electron-beams only to a desired region without forming a layer for restricting the radiating rays. A source electrode 22 made of aluminum prevents the generation of bremsstrahlung even when the electron-beams are radiated to the source electrode in a exposed condition. Also, the source electrode having an opening 25 at above of a crystal defect region 11 is used as a mask when the electron-beams are radiated thereto. That is the source electrode made of aluminum can be used both as a wiring and a mask for the radiating rays.
US07736975B2

A method for manufacturing a non-volatile memory device having a charge trap layer comprises in one embodiment: forming a first dielectric layer over a semiconductor substrate; forming a second dielectric layer having a higher dielectric constant than that of the first dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer; forming a nitride buffer layer for preventing an interfacial reaction over the second dielectric layer; forming a third dielectric layer by supplying a radical oxidation source onto the nitride buffer layer to oxidize the nitride buffer layer, thereby forming a tunneling layer comprising the first, second, and third dielectric layers; and forming a charge trap layer, a shielding layer, and a control gate electrode layer over the tunneling layer.
US07736971B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first interlayer insulating film including a storage node contact plug over a semiconductor substrate. A second interlayer insulating film is formed over the first interlayer insulating film and the storage node contact plug. A mask pattern is formed over the second interlayer insulating film to expose a storage node region. The second interlayer insulating film and the first interlayer insulating film is selectively etched to form a recess exposing a portion of the storage node contact plug. A lower storage node is formed in the recess. The storage node includes a concave structure that surrounds the exposed storage node contact plug. A dip-out process is performed to remove the second interlayer insulating film. A dielectric film is formed over the semiconductor substrate including the lower storage node. A plate electrode is deposited over the dielectric film to form a capacitor.
US07736967B2

A structure and a manufacturing method for an OTP-EPROM in an embedded EEPROM integrated circuit structure. The structure has a substrate that includes a surface region. The structure has a gate dielectric is overlying the surface region. The structure also a first OTP-EPROM gate overlying the gate dielectric layer in a first cell region, and an EEPROM floating gate and a select gate overlying the gate dielectric layer in a second cell region. An insulating layer is overlying the first OTP-EPROM gate, the EEPROM floating gate and the select gate. An OTP-EPROM control gate is overlying the insulating layer and coupled to the first OTP-EPROM gate. An EEPROM control gate is overlying the insulating layer and coupled to the EEPROM floating gate.
US07736964B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of separating a thin film transistor, and circuit or a semiconductor device including the thin film transistor from a substrate by a method different from that disclosed in the patent document 1 and transposing the thin film transistor, and the circuit or the semiconductor device to a substrate having flexibility. According to the present invention, a large opening or a plurality of openings is formed at an insulating film, a conductive film connected to a thin film transistor is formed at the opening, and a peeling layer is removed, then, a layer having the thin film transistor is transposed to a substrate provided with a conductive film or the like. A thin film transistor according to the present invention has a semiconductor film which is crystallized by laser irradiation and prevents a peeling layer from exposing at laser irradiation not to be irradiated with laser light.
US07736956B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a device with a metal gate, a high-k gate dielectric layer, source/drain extensions a distance beneath the metal gate, and lateral undercuts in the sides of the metal gate.
US07736954B2

Methods for fabricating nanoscale features are disclosed. One technique involves depositing onto a substrate, where the first layer may be a silicon layer and may subsequently be etched. A second layer and third layer may be deposited on the etch first layer, followed by the deposition of a silicon cap. The second and third layer may be etched, exposing edges of the second and third layers. The cap and first layer may be removed and either the second or third layer may be etched, creating a nanoscale pattern.
US07736953B2

A semiconductor memory includes first and second source regions that are formed in a semiconductor substrate and run in orthogonal directions. The first and second source regions are diffused regions and are electrically connected to each other at crossing portions thereof. The semiconductor device may further include drain regions formed in the semiconductor substrate, bit lines that run in the direction in which the second source region runs, and a source line formed above the second source region, wherein a contact between the source line and the second source region is aligned with contacts between the bit lines and drain regions formed in the semiconductor substrate.
US07736949B2

A semiconductor package includes an SOI wafer having a first side including an integrated circuit system, and a second side, opposite the first side, forming at least one cavity. At least one chip or component is placed in the cavity. An optical through via is formed through a buried oxide which optically connects the chip(s) to the integrated circuit system.
US07736946B2

A method for assembling a hermetically sealed package to contain a MEMS die and the hermetically sealed package are presented. The method includes selectively applying a glass mixture to a dome. The dome is heated to a first temperature sufficient to flow the glass mixture. The dome is pressed into contact with a carrier containing the MEMS device, the pressing being maintained at a pressure and for a temporal interval sufficient to flow the glass mixture onto the carrier. The dome is cooled while maintaining contact with the carrier, to a second temperature sufficient to allow the glass mixture to harden into a glass frit thereby to seal the carrier to the dome. The glass frit has a seal width.
US07736936B2

To improve the use efficiency of materials and provide a technique of fabricating a display device by a simple process. The method includes the steps of providing a mask on a conductive layer, forming an insulating film over the conductive layer provided with the mask, removing the mask to form an insulating layer having an opening; and forming a conductive film in the opening so as to be in contact with the exposed conductive layer, whereby the conductive layer and the conductive film can be electrically connected through the insulating layer. The shape of the opening reflects the shape of the mask. A mask having a columnar shape (e.g., a prism, a cylinder, or a triangular prism), a needle shape, or the like can be used.
US07736925B2

A method of manufacturing a nitride-based semiconductor laser diode that can minimize optical absorption on a cavity mirror plane and improve the surface roughness of the cavity mirror plane is provided. The method includes the steps of: forming on a (0001) GaN (gallium nitride) substrate having at least two masks spaced apart by a distance equal to a laser cavity length in stripes that extend along the <11-20> direction; growing an n-GaN layer on the GaN substrate between the masks so that two (1-100) edges of the n-GaN layer are thicker than the remaining regions thereof; sequentially stacking an n-clad layer, an active layer, and a p-clad layer on the n-GaN layer to form an edge-emitting laser cavity structure in which laser light generated in the active layer passes through a region of the n-clad layer aligned laterally with the active layer and is output; and etching a (1-100) plane of the laser cavity structure to form a cavity mirror plane.
US07736914B2

Methods for processing a substrate in a processing chamber using dual RF frequencies are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes forming a plasma of a polymer forming chemistry to etch a feature into a substrate disposed on a substrate support in a process chamber while depositing a polymer on at least portions of the feature being etched. A low frequency and a high frequency RF signal are applied to an electrode disposed in the substrate support. The method further includes controlling the level of polymer formation on the substrate, wherein controlling the level of polymer formation comprises adjusting a power ratio of the high frequency to the low frequency RF signal.
US07736911B2

Provided are compounds capable of covalently binding to a protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP). The compounds comprise Formula A: Also provided are compositions comprising one of the above compounds covalently bound to a member of the PTP superfamily, methods of labeling a PTP using the compounds, methods of isolating a PTP from a mixture of proteins using the compounds, methods of evaluating whether a substance is an inhibitor of a PTP using the compounds, methods of evaluating the specificity of an inhibitor of a PTP using the compounds, methods of identifying a PTP involved in a disease in a mammal using the compounds, and methods of diagnosing a disease in a mammal using the compounds.
US07736910B2

The present invention comprises novel “one-step” methods for the production of gold sol and gold sol conjugates. The methods disclosed herein produce gold sol and colloidal gold conjugates with product with yields on the order of about 20 ODs. Since current methods in the art yield conjugates at concentrations on the order of about 2 ODs, the present invention represents an approximately 10-fold increase in production over conventional methods. The novel method provided herein also does not result in the production of undesired aggregate by-products that, in conventional methods, must be removed via centrifugation, filtration or other means. The new method is therefore less labor intensive and requires less time to complete than standard methods in the art for synthesizing pure colloidal gold conjugates.
US07736909B2

The present invention relates to methods and compositions for detecting a substance using mixed or multiple element capture agents (MECA). The affinity of a MECA for a target is produced by the concomitant binding of at least two low to moderate affinity capture agents providing a high affinity interaction with a capture target.
US07736907B2

A device and a method for collecting blood and separating blood plasma as a liquid sample using a channel that absorbs the liquid sample by capillary forces. To obtain a uniform filling of the channel with the liquid sample and an effective separation, deaeration takes place in a transverse direction to the main filling direction or to the longitudinal direction of the channel, immediately downstream of a separation device in an inlet region of the channel.
US07736899B1

The present invention relates to a method for providing bacterial or yeast cells with the capacity to produce a protein, the amino acid sequence of which comprises at least one unconventional amino acid. The method involves (a) introducing at least one missense mutation in a target codon of a gene encoding a protein required for the growth of the bacterial or yeast cells, where the mutated protein synthesized from the mutated gene is not functional in the bacterial or yeast cells. The method also involves (b) selecting the bacterial or yeast cells obtained in (a) in a culture medium which (1) does not contain a nutrient compensating for the loss of functionality of the mutated protein and (2) contains an unconventional amino acid which restores the functionality of the protein required for growth of the bacterial or yeast cells, in which the unconventional amino acid is that encoded by the target codon. The method also involves culturing the bacterial or yeast cells obtained in (b) in a culture medium containing the amino acid encoded by the target codon.
US07736898B1

This disclosure describes methods for preparing and utilizing thiaminase and thiaminase genes to induce apoptosis in a selected group of vertebrate cells in vivo by reducing the level of thiamin in the cells. Emphasis is on methods for inducing apoptosis in cancer cells.
US07736895B2

The invention provides methods for altering the expression profile of a cell to convert the cell from one cell type to a desired cell type. These reprogrammed cells may be used in a variety of medical applications for treating a mammal in need of a particular cell type.
US07736888B2

A biochip, a platform which composes the biochip, and a stage which composes the platform. The biochip is for detecting analytes in a test sample. The platform comprises a stage. The stage of the invention includes a carrier.
US07736886B2

The invention relates to recombination systems and methods for eliminating nucleic acid sequences from the chromosomal DNA of eukaryotic organisms, and to transgenic organisms—preferably plants—which comprise these systems or were generated using these methods.
US07736879B2

The present invention relates to an environment friendly, safe, and efficient four-step method of bio-bleaching Kraft pulp using the following strains of bacteria: (a) Serratia marcescens, MTCC 5094, (b) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5095, (c) Providencia rettgeri, MTCC 5096, (d) Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5098. The present invention also provides a microbial consortium comprising a synergistic mixture of ligninolytic bacterial isolates Serratia marcescens, MTCC 5094, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5095, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5098, or comprising bacterial strains Providencia rettgeri, MTCC 5096, Serratia marcescens, MTCC 5094, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5095, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5098, and a process for preparing an inoculum of the bacterial isolate Providencia rettgeri, MTCC 5096. Also provided is a process for the preparation of a consortium comprising the ligninolytic bacterial isolates Serratia marcescens, MTCC 5094, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5095, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MTCC 5098, as well as a process for the preparation of a pulp suspension for bio-bleaching.
US07736876B2

DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
US07736875B2

The present invention relates to structural studies of dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPPI) proteins, modified dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPPI) proteins and DPPI co-complexes. Included in the present invention is a crystal of a dipeptidyl peptidase I (DPPI) and corresponding structural information obtained by X-ray crystallography from rat and human DPPI. In addition, this invention relates to methods for using structure co-ordinates of DDPI, mutants hereof and co-complexes, to design compounds that bind to the active site or accessory binding sites of DPPI and to design improved inhibitors of DPPI or homologues of the enzyme.
US07736872B2

Compositions and methods of producing components of protein biosynthetic machinery that include orthogonal tRNA's, orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and orthogonal pairs of tRNA's/synthetases are provided. Methods for identifying these orthogonal pairs are also provided along with methods of producing proteins using these orthogonal pairs.
US07736866B2

A time temperature indicator for indicating temperature change over time is provided, comprising an immobilized enzyme and a substrate of the enzyme, wherein the reaction of the substrate catalyzed by the enzyme produces a reaction product in a time and temperature dependent manner and wherein the formation of the reaction product can be detected by monitoring a physical characteristic of the substrate and/or the product which is linked to its concentration. Also provided is a method of time temperature indication comprising the step of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction, a method of printing the enzyme-based time temperature indicator on a packaging material or a label, a printing ink or printing ink concentrate comprising components of the enzyme-based time temperature indicator and a packaging material or a label comprising the enzyme-based time temperature indicator.
US07736840B2

A first circuit element, which is reflective, is formed. A first layer, which is attenuating, is formed. above the first circuit element. A second layer, which is transparent, is formed above the first layer to fill an aperture in the first layer. An overlying lithography resist layer is then exposed to a radiation flux level below a development threshold but high enough that a sum of the radiation flux level and a reflected secondary radiation flux level exceeds the development threshold. The lithography resist layer is developed so as to obtain a mask having an opening through which the first and second layers are removed to form a second aperture which is filled to form a second circuit element.
US07736835B2

The present invention relates to, for example, a fluorine-containing cyclic compound represented by the following general formula (1). In the general formula (1), R1a is a C1-C25 cyclic alkyl group, cyclic alkenyl group or cyclic alkynyl group; each of R2 and R3 is independently a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or a C1-C25 straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl group; and each of R1a, R2 and R3 may contain fluorine atom, oxygen atom, sulfur atom, nitrogen atom or an atomic group containing a carbon-carbon double bond.
US07736829B2

Ink toners, electroink compositions, methods of making ink toners, methods of making electroink compositions, and the like, are described.
US07736826B2

A toner composition including toner particles including at least a binder resin; and a colorant, wherein the toner composition satisfies at least one of the following relationships (1) and (2): B≦14 when 155
US07736820B2

An EUV mask includes, on top of a multi-layer mirror, a spectral purity enhancement layer, for application in an EUV lithographic apparatus. On top of the spectral purity enhancement layer, a patterned absorber layer is provided. The spectral purity enhancement layer includes a first spectral purity enhancement layer, but between the multi-layer mirror and first spectral purity enhancement layer there may be an intermediate layer or a second spectral purity enhancement layer and intermediate layer. The patterned absorber layer may also itself function as an anti-reflection (AR) coating. The AR effect of this absorber layer is a function of the aperture sizes in the pattern. The spectral purity of a mask may be enhanced, such that DUV radiation is diminished relatively stronger than EUV radiation.
US07736819B2

A method for compensating for critical dimension (CD) variations of pattern lines of a wafer, by the correcting the CD of the corresponding photomask. The photomask comprises a transparent substrate having two substantially opposite surfaces, a first back surface and a second front surface on which front surface an absorbing coating is provided, on which the pattern lines were formed by removing the coating at the pattern lines. The method comprises: determining CD variations across regions of a wafer exposure field relating to the photomask; and providing Shading Elements (SE) within the substrate of the photomask in regions which correlates to regions of the wafer exposure field where CD variations greater than a predetermined target value were determined, whereby the shading elements attenuate light passing through the regions, so as to compensate for the CD variations on the wafer and hence provide and improved CD tolerance wafer.
US07736813B2

The invention concerns an electrochromic cell with emission controlled by electrodeposition under the action of a control voltage. The cell comprises the following flexible elements, superimposed and respectively in intimate contact: a first electrode (11) intended to be connected to a first potential of the control voltage, a first porous layer (12), formed of a mixture of PVDF-HFP, PEO and an activated carbon powder, a porous separator (13), formed of a mixture of PVDF-HFP and PEO, a second electrode (14) formed of a grid and connected to a second potential of the control voltage, a second porous layer (15), formed of a mixture of PVDF-HFP, PEO and carbon powder, an aqueous electrolytic solution containing a copper salt being contained in the first flexible layer (12), in the separator (13) and in the second flexible layer (15).
US07736812B2

Disclosed is an electrolyte for a rechargeable lithium battery including an additive for overcharge inhibition comprising a compound represented by formula 1; a lithium salt; and a non-aqueous organic solvent: where R1, R2 and R3 are the same or independently selected from H, CH3, C2H5, CH═CH2, CH═CHCH3, or a functional group with N, P, or S.
US07736796B2

A battery pack is made up of a plurality of flat prismatic batteries arranged face to face, each battery having one electrode terminal protruding from one end face in the height direction of the battery case and this end face or a side face of the battery serving as the other electrode terminal. The connector for electrically connecting adjacent prismatic batteries includes a flat part that is welded to one electrode terminal of one prismatic battery of the adjacent prismatic batteries, and a cylindrical part that is fitted onto and welded to the other electrode terminal of the other prismatic battery. The cylindrical part is formed in an attachment part that extends from the flat part through an upright part in the direction in which the batteries are aligned. The connector enables reliable electrical connection of the prismatic batteries despite possible variation in height of the electrode terminals.
US07736794B2

The invention provides a battery, which can improve battery characteristics such as high temperature storage characteristics. The battery comprises a battery device, wherein a cathode and an anode are wound with a separator in between. The anode contains an anode material capable of inserting and extracting Li as an anode active material. An electrolytic solution is impregnated in the separator. The electrolytic solution contains a solvent, and an electrolyte salt such as Li[B(CF3)4] dissolved in the solvent, which is expressed by a chemical formula of Li[B(RF1)(RF2)(RF3)RF4]. RF1, RF2, RF3, and RF4 represent a perfluoro alkyl group whose number of fluorine or carbon is from 1 to 12, respectively. Consequently, high temperature storage characteristics are improved.
US07736793B2

A secondary battery. An electrode assembly is mounted in a container. The electrode assembly is formed by winding a positive electrode and a negative electrode with respect to a separator interposed between the positive and negative electrodes. A cap assembly is fixed to the container to seal the container assembly to provide a terminal for electrical current. An uncoated region is formed along the edge of the length direction of the positive electrode or the negative electrode. The uncoated region is left uncoated with an active material. A collector plate includes a contact portion of the curved shape to be electrically connected to the uncoated region.
US07736792B2

A cordless power tool has a housing which includes a mechanism to couple with a removable battery pack. The battery pack includes one or more battery cells as well as a vent system in the battery pack housing which enables fluid to move through the housing. A mechanism is associated with the battery pack to dissipate heat from the battery pack.
US07736791B1

The invention describes a current generating cell device, which uses concentration gradients to create the electric flux. The cell is preferably defined by the use of a porous separator or bi-polar membrane to effect ion separation. In addition, an ion-exchange resin or other conductivity enhancement method may be present in one or both compartments to enhance the ion flow characteristics. In addition, the use of the ion-exchange resin or other conductivity enhancement method may also be used in combination with conventional two-membrane systems.
US07736780B2

The present invention provides for a compound having the following structure: Zr(O3PZqYnX)2-m(03PR)m, wherein X=a functional group such as CO2H, PO(OH)2, and SO3H, and SO2NHSO2W, wherein W=aryl of 6 to 10 carbon atoms or Y; Y=perfluoro-linear, branched or cyclic alkylene group, wherein the alkylene is 1-20 carbon atoms, or a fluorinated group containing at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of oxygen, chlorine and bromine; Z=alkylene of 1-12 carbon atoms, aryl of 6-10 carbon atoms, or a heterocyclic aryl group of 3-10 carbons atoms; R=alkyl of 1-12 carbon atoms, aryl of 6-10 carbon atoms, substituted alkyl, or substituted aryl, wherein the substituent is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, perfluoroalkyl, alkyl of 1-12 carbon atoms and aryl of 6-10 carbon atoms; n=0 or 1; q=0 or 1; and m=0 to 1.5; with the proviso that when n=0, and q=1, Z=at least one heterocyclic group having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, 1 to 5 nitrogen atoms and 0 to 4 oxygen atoms. The invention also provides a polymer electrolyte membrane, a catalyst coated membrane and a fuel cell having this compound.
US07736777B2

A fuel cell system and method in which the fuel cell system receives and an input oxidant gas and an input fuel gas, and in which a fuel processing assembly is provided and is adapted to at least humidify the input fuel gas which is to be supplied to the anode of the fuel cell of the system whose cathode receives the oxidant input gas via an anode oxidizing assembly which is adapted to couple the output of the anode of the fuel cell to the inlet of the cathode of the fuel cell during normal operation, shutdown and restart of the fuel cell system, and in which a control assembly is further provided and is adapted to respond to shutdown of the fuel cell system during which input fuel gas and input oxidant gas cease to be received by the fuel cell system, the control assembly being further adapted to, when the fuel cell system is shut down: control the fuel cell system so as to enable a purging gas to be able to flow through the fuel processing assembly to remove humidified fuel gas from the processing assembly and to enable a purging gas to be able to flow through the anode of the fuel cell.
US07736776B1

A method and system are described to treat ammonia-containing wastewater or process waters. Sewage containing human or animal waste and certain process liquids, typically water, contains high levels of nitrogen in the form of ammonia. An electro-chemical method to extract the ammonia from the wastewater is also described. The system described is one implementation of this method. One or more electrolysis cells convert ammonium to ammonia where the generated ammonia gas can readily be extracted for disposal or reuse. Such a system can involve electrolysis cells of numerous types as described herein.
US07736771B2

Multi-directional currents are generated in a medium by cyclically reversing the direction of a conventional current applied to at least one of at least two electrodes so that an electromotive force (EMF) pulse travels from side of the electrode to the other, changing the direction of current in the medium. The multi-directional currents may be used to accelerate electrolytic processes such as generation of hydrogen by water electrolysis, to sterilize water for drinking, to supply charging current to a battery or capacitor, including a capacitive thrust module, in a way that extends the life and/or improves the performance of the battery or capacitor, to increase the range of an electromagnetic projectile launcher, and to increase the light output of a cold cathode light tube, to name just a few of the potential applications for the multi-directional currents.
US07736765B2

A granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprises a non-magnetic substrate and a granular perpendicular magnetic recording layer overlying the substrate, comprising a first granular perpendicular magnetic layer proximal the substrate and having a first saturation magnetization (Ms)1, and a second granular perpendicular magnetic layer distal the substrate and having a second, different saturation magnetization (Ms)2. Also disclosed is a method of fabricating the granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium.
US07736760B2

A ceramic abradable material is provided for use for clearance control between turbine blade tips and the shroud or casing in gas turbine engines for industrial and/or aerospace applications. The ceramic abradable material includes an yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) that is doped in alumina (Al2O3). The ceramic abradable in accordance with the invention is a soft abradable material that provides for increased erosion resistance as well as the ability of the turbine blade tips to cut into the abradable without causing them damage. These properties allow for optimum tolerances within the gas turbine engine which results in superior efficiency and performance.
US07736756B2

An OLED device comprises a cathode, an anode, and has therebetween a light emitting layer comprising a phosphorescent emitter represented by Formula (I): LnM  (I) wherein each L is a cyclometallated ligand with at least one containing a coumarin group, M is Ir or Pt, and n is 3 when M is Ir and 2 when M is Pt. The invention also comprised the compound of formula (I).
US07736749B2

A process for producing a silicone polymer comprising a step of subjecting, to hydrolysis and polycondensation reaction, a silane compound mixture containing 35 to 100% by mol of a silane compound represented by the general formula (I): R′m(H)kSiX4−(m+k)  (I) (wherein X is a hydrolysable and polycondensable group, e.g., a halogen atom (e.g., chlorine or bromine) or —OR; R is an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkyl carbonyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R′ is a non-reactive group, e.g., an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an aryl group (e.g., a phenyl group); “k” is 1 or 2; “m” is 0 or 1; and “m+k” is 1 or 2), and further subjecting the resultant product to hydrosilylation reaction with a hydrosilylation agent.
US07736745B2

A method of protecting a substrate against damage comprising disposing on a substrate one or more coatings, wherein one coating comprises an isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer and a curing agent; wherein the curing agents comprise polyaspartic esters, ketimines, aldimines, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing curing agents; reacting the isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer with a curing agent; wherein the reacting can optionally be carried out in the presence of moisture or heat; and curing the isocyanate-terminated polyurethane prepolymer to form the coating.
US07736739B2

Unique PTFE structures comprising islands of PTFE attached to an underlying expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) structure and to methods of making such structures is disclosed. The ePTFE material may or may not have been exposed to amorphous locking temperatures. These unique structures exhibit islands of PTFE attached to and raised above the expanded PTFE structures.
US07736734B2

The present invention relates to a cutting tool insert for metal machining comprising a substrate with a first coating and an outermost PVD-layer. The insert further comprises clearance faces and rake faces intersecting to form cutting edges having essentially no edge radius. The first coating has been removed so that the outermost PVD-layer is the only layer on the clearance face at least close to the cutting edge. The present invention also relates to a method of making such an insert. The inserts according to the present invention gives an increased tool life.
US07736732B2

A method for producing an erosion-resistant protective coating is disclosed. At least one lacquer material is provided wherein the lacquer material is a phosphate or silicate mixed with particles. Then, at least one layer of the lacquer material or each lacquer material is applied to a component that is to be protected from erosion. Then the applied lacquer layer or each applied lacquer layer is converted to a glass layer.
US07736726B2

A film includes first and second outer layers, a core layer, and first and second substrate layers, each layer including a polymer; at least one of the substrate layers includes an amidic wax, and at least one of the outer layers includes an amidic wax present in an amount of 1% to 50% of the amount of wax in the first and second substrate layers respectively. The wax can be blended with a transition metal salt of stearic acid, or ester of stearic acid. Alternatively, a film includes first and second outer layers, and a substrate layer, each layer including a polymer; at least one of the first outer layer, second outer layer, and substrate layer including a blend of an amidic wax, and a transition metal salt of stearic acid, or ester of stearic acid.
US07736716B2

A textile product with enhanced flame and/or smoke retardant properties and a method of forming the same is disclosed. The textile product is comprised of a textile material having a primary layer or backing with intumescent particles coated, sprayed, sprinkled, or otherwise applied to the upper surface thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the particles may be incorporated into the tufting primary or backing. The intumescent particles may also be complexed with additional agents, such as antimicrobial agents, softening agents, pliability agent, stain resistant agents, waterproofing agents, static resistance agents and combinations thereof.
US07736707B2

The present invention provides a birefringent film that hardly generates cracks even when the film is exposed under a high-temperature and high-humidity environment for a long period of time. The birefringent film of the present invention is a film containing, as a major component, a lyotropic liquid crystalline polycyclic compound containing an acenaphtho[1,2-b]quinoxaline derivative unit in a molecular structure and having a molecular weight of 500 or higher. The birefringent film of the present invention preferably has a refractive index ellipsoid showing a relationship of nx≧nz>ny, and more preferably has an in-plane birefringence of 0.01 or higher at the wavelength of 590 nm.
US07736704B2

To protect a base metal layer (1) against high-temperature corrosion and high-temperature erosion, an adhesive layer (3) based on MCrAlY is applied to the base metal layer (1). The adhesive layer (3) is coated with an Al diffusion layer (4) by alitizing. The diffusion layer (4) is subjected to an abrasive treatment, so that the outer built-up layer (4.2) on the diffusion layer (4) prepared by alitizing is removed by the abrasive treatment. A ceramic heat insulation layer (2) consisting of zirconium oxide, which is partially stabilized by yttrium oxide, is applied to the diffusion layer (4) thus treated.
US07736702B1

Coating compositions, which are used as a monolithic coating layer for airbags. The coating compositions include a combination of urethanes which are blended together. At least one of the urethane components provides gas-retaining properties and the other provides the aging stability. The gas-retaining urethane may be characterized as having high tensile strength at break, high elongation at break, and a 100% modulus less than 1,200 psi. The aging stability urethane has a polycarbonate backbone as result of a manufacturing process in which a polycarbonate diol is reacted with an isocyanate. The resulting coating compositions, when applied as a single layer to an airbag fabric, result in an airbag with good gas retention and aging stability.
US07736696B2

A closed-loop system and process is used for applying fire retardant chemicals to substrates including fibers, yarns, fabrics or mixtures thereof. Substrates are preferably positioned in a vessel such as a dye machine which circulates the fire retardant chemicals. After absorption of the fire retardant composition, non-absorbed fire retardant chemicals are recovered and re-used on subsequent batches of fibers. The re-use of fire retardant chemicals can take place in the same vessel which is used to treat successive batches of substrates. Alternatively, recovery can be achieved by directing the non-absorbed fire retardant composition into a second dye machine containing additional fibers, or by extracting the fire retardant composition by centrifugation or other means, or by a combination of the two processes. The process is environmentally friendly, and allows for higher throughput on impregnating fibers with fire retardant chemicals.
US07736693B2

Nano-powder-based coating and ink compositions, methods for producing and using these compositions, and articles prepared from these compositions are described.
US07736684B2

Fat-containing compositions comprise a fat component having less than 40% by weight of trans fat and a cyclodextrin, wherein at least about 25% of the cyclodextrin in the composition is bound to the fat. The fat compositions as provided herein can be substantially more viscous or harder than a like fat composition that does not contain cyclodextrin that is bound to the fat. Food products and methods of use of food products are described. Methods of making these compositions are also provided.
US07736682B2

There is disclosed a method for making pullman type breads, which comprises incorporating potassium bromate as an aqueous solution in the step of forming a bread dough in combination with ascorbic acid alone, or alternatively, in combination with ferrous sulfate and ascorbic acid, such that the solubility of the incorporated potassium bromate is increased in the bread dough to facilitate chemical decomposition of bromate, wherein the resulting baked breads of the pullman type are free from residual bromate. The pullman type breads thus prepared are advantageous in that potassium bromate, an excellent bread improver, can be used to provide baked breads free from residual bromate without affecting the flavor and taste of the breads.
US07736680B2

The present invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a mutant phytase and the isolated mutant phytase itself. The present invention further relates to methods of using the isolated nucleic acid molecule and the isolated mutant phytase of the present invention.
US07736672B2

A process is described for producing drug-containing multiparticulates with improved stability, characterized by an improvement in one or more of chemical stability, physical stability, or dissolution stability.
US07736662B2

The present invention relates to a natural ethylene oxide-free emulsifier composed of olive oil, the fatty acid of which have been esterified, preferably with sorbitol and/or cetyl stearyl alcohol. The present invention also relates to cosmetics containing, as an emulsifier, an emulsifier as described above, as well as a method for manufacturing such a product for cosmetic use.
US07736653B2

Disclosed is a novel use of an immunoglobulin Fc fragment, and more particularly, a pharmaceutical composition comprising an immunoglobulin Fc fragment as a carrier. The pharmaceutical composition comprising an immunoglobulin Fc fragment as a carrier remarkably extends the serum half-life of a drug while maintaining the in vivo activity of the drug at relatively high levels. Also, when the drug is a polypeptide drug, the pharmaceutical composition has less risk of inducing immune responses compared to a fusion protein of the immunoglobulin Fc fragment and a target protein, and is thus useful for developing long-acting formulations of various polypeptide drugs.
US07736647B2

The present invention provides novel anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies, in particular mouse-human chimeric anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies, advantageously associated to effector cells for triggering ADCC mechanisms. Anti-CD71 antibodies, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are useful for inhibiting proliferation and/or killing malignant tumor cells, especially metastatic cutaneous and uveal melanoma cells.
US07736625B2

Photochemical demethylation reactions in solutions of thiazine dyes, in which the dye molecules act as both sensitizer and substrate, are reduced by quenching triple-state dye molecules, returning them to the unreactive ground state.
US07736623B2

A method is disclosed for providing a correcting factor for the dilution of measurements of at least one biomarker in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The method comprises providing semi-automated measurements of the ventricular system by MRI scans using quantitative anatomical protocols, determining a measurement of biomarker levels in CSF that has been extracted, correcting the measurement of the level of said at least one biomarker according to the ventricular size, and providing a corrected result of the measurement determined in step (b), said corrected result accounting for concentration dilution due to the change in ventricular size. The method is particularly suited for the measurement of all biomarkers found in the CSF, such as those associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease.
US07736621B2

The invention provides a diagnostic composition for detecting an affective disorder comprising an antibody selected from the group consisting of an antibody to a beta-arrestin, an antibody to a G-protein coupled receptor kinase and combinations thereof as the active detecting agent therein.
US07736617B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for recovering iodine, which can be carried out simply and economically without practicing mixing processing operation of iodine-containing material, an alkali metal compound and a solvent in advance before introducing to a combustion furnace. The object of the present invention can be attained by a method for recovering iodine which comprises feeding an iodine-containing solution containing iodine and/or iodine compound, a basic alkali metal compound solution and/or a basic alkaline earth metal compound solution separately to a roasting furnace, oxidatively decomposing a combustible material by heat treatment, and absorbing iodine and/or iodine salt contained in a component at heat treatment exit with water or an aqueous solution.
US07736614B2

A process for removing aluminum and other metal chlorides from liquid chlorosilanes with the steps of: introducing a source of seed into a source of impure liquid chlorosilanes, initiating the crystallization of aluminum and other metal chlorides on the seed from the liquid chlorosilanes in a first agitated vessel, passing the resulting mixture of liquid and solids through a cooler into a second agitated vessel for additional crystallization, transferring the resulting mixture of liquid and solids into a solids removal device, transferring the liquid with reduced solids content to a further process or vessel and transferring the liquid with high solids content into a waste concentration device, passing the resulting liquid with reduced solids content to a further process or vessel and passing the resultant liquid with very high solids content to a waste storage vessel with agitation.
US07736612B2

The subject of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a silica gel supporting a derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound that hardly collects carbonyl compounds during production thereof, and a silica gel supporting a derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound produced by said production method, in order to lower a blank value in measurement of carbonyl compounds. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a silica gel supporting a derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound characterized by bringing an acid-supported silica gel into contact with an organic solvent containing the derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound, a silica gel filler supporting a derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound comprising the silica gel supporting the derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound produced by the above production method, a method for producing a silica gel supporting a derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound characterized by treating in advance a silica gel having a cation-exchange group with the derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound and then bringing it into contact with an organic solvent containing the derivatizing agent for a carbonyl compound, and the like.
US07736606B2

A process for leaching a value metal from a base metal sulfide ore, comprising the step of leaching the ore with a lixiviant comprising a chloride, an oxidant and hydrochloric acid is disclosed. The leaching is controlled, by use of low concentrations of hydrochloric acid and a redox potential, to effect formation of hydrogen sulfide from the base metal sulfide ore. The hydrogen sulfide is stripped from the leach solution, thereby reducing the amount of sulfate generated in the leach to very low levels. The leaching may also be conducted to limit the co-dissolution of platinum group metals and gold with the base value metals. The leach forms a value metal-rich leachate and a solids residue. The solids residue may be subsequently leached to recover the platinum group metals and gold. The value metal-rich leachate can be is oxidized and neutralized to recover the value base metals. In an embodiment, the chloride is magnesium chloride and lixiviant solution is regenerated.
US07736597B2

An olefin polymerization process and apparatus wherein a fluid slurry comprising monomer, diluent and catalyst is circulated in a continuous loop reactor by two or more pumps. The process and apparatus allow operating the reaction at significantly higher solids content in the circulating fluid slurry. In a preferred embodiment, the fluid slurry is circulated by two impellers arranged so that the downstream impeller benefits from the rotational energy imparted by the upstream impeller. An olefin polymerization process operating at higher reactor solids by virtue of more aggressive circulation has improved efficiencies, particularly in larger-volume reactors.
US07736595B2

A dosing control system comprises a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) analysis module and a dosing management module. The SCR analysis module estimates ammonia (NH3) stored by an SCR catalyst, maximum NH3 storage capacity of the SCR catalyst, NH3 slip downstream of the SCR catalyst, NH3 oxidation, and NH3 conversion through reaction with nitrogen oxides (NOx). The NH3 stored is estimated based an amount of dosing agent injected, the NH3 slip, the NH3 oxidation, and the NH3 conversion. The dosing management module controls dosing agent injection into an exhaust system upstream of the SCR catalyst based on the NH3 stored by the SCR catalyst and the maximum NH3 storage capacity.
US07736593B2

A collection device and a method for collecting a biological sample, particularly whole blood, includes a separating member to separate the whole blood into its components, and at least reagent positioned to selectively interact with a component of the separated sample. The reagent is able to selectively interact with the plasma/serum, and is prevented from contacting or interacting with the whole blood.
US07736591B2

The present invention relates to a ceramic tip and a random access print head for the transfer of microfluidic quantities of fluid. The print head can randomly collect and deposit fluid samples to transfer the samples from a source plate to a target. The print head can also be programmed to create a direct map of the fluid samples from the source plate on the target or to create any desired pattern or print on the target. The tip and print head can be used for a wide variety of applications such as DNA microarraying and compound reformatting. In one preferred embodiment, the tip is used as a capillary or “gravity” pin to draw or collect source fluid and “spot” or deposit the fluid onto the target via physical contact (touch-off). In another preferred embodiment, the tip is used in conjunction with an aspirate-dispense system to actively aspirate source fluid and deposit the fluid via a contact or non-contact approach. The tip provides improved, accurate and repeatable microfluidic transfer.
US07736587B2

Methods and devices are provided for controlling a fluid flow over a sensing surface within a flow cell. The methods employ laminar flow techniques to position a fluid flow over one or more discrete sensing areas on the sensing surface of the flow cell. Such methods permit selective sensitization of the discrete sensing areas, and provide selective contact of the discrete sensing areas with a sample fluid flow. Immobilization of a ligand upon the discrete sensing area, followed by selective contact with an analyte contained within the sample fluid flow, allows analysis by a wide variety of techniques. Sensitized sensing surfaces, and sensor devices and systems are also provided.
US07736565B2

The invention provides process for producing a PPE resin composition containing PPE powder using an extruder comprising: a vent pipe; a polyphenylene ether (herein after referred to as “PPE”) powder supplying pipe; an extruder supply hopper having an opening with a wall angle of 60° or more; and an extruder unit, wherein the vent pipe and the PPE powder supplying pipe each have an terminal orifice located in the opening of the extruder supply hopper, and wherein the PPE powder supplying pipe is disposed at a gear box-side portion of the extruder supply hopper, and the vent pipe is disposed at a die-side portion, relative to the PPE powder supplying pipe, of the extruder supply hopper, which process comprises the steps of: supplying the PPE powder to a gear box-side wall of the extruder supply hopper through the PPE powder supplying pipe; removing a gas accompanying the PPE powder in an effective amount through the vent pipe; and melt-kneading a mixture containing the degassed PPE powder with the extruder unit.
US07736563B2

The present invention relates to a full dull polyamide 6 yarn and a process for preparing the same. The yarn of this invention contains 1.5 to 2.5% by weight of titanium dioxide relative to the weight of the yarn, has 35 to 95 titanium dioxide particles having a major axial length of greater than 5 μm being contained in 50 mg of the yarn, and contains 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of phosphate salt (wetting agent) relative to the weight of titanium dioxide. In the process of this invention, 0.1 to 0.5% by weight of phosphate salt relative to the weight of titanium dioxide is added as a wetting agent, carprolactam is applied along with water upon concentration correction, and naphthalene sulfonate based salt is applied along with titanium dioxide slurry during the process of polyamide 6 polymerization. The present invention improves the full dull effect and drape property of the yarn since it contains a great quantity of titanium dioxide having a proper diameter in the yarn without degrading the yarn physical properties and operationability.
US07736560B2

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of making a biopolymeric material comprising contacting a biopolymer and a binder sufficient to form a mixture, heating the mixture and profile extruding the mixture sufficient to create a biopolymeric material. Embodiments also relate to a method of making a biopolymeric material comprising contacting a biopolymer and a reactive composite sufficient to form a mixture, heating the mixture and profile extruding the mixture sufficient to create a biopolymeric material.
US07736550B2

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing an optical device by means of a replication method comprising the steps of: a) filling a gap between a substrate and a mold with a liquid light-transmissive polymeric material, b) curing the polymeric material to obtain a replica layer, c) removing the mold. In order to manufacture optical devices, such as lenses having a larger NA-value, it is proposed according to the present invention that the replication method is repeated at least two times while using the same or different molds, and that the substrate, together with one or more replica layers obtained during one or more previous runs of the replication method, is used as a substrate for the next run of the replication method.
US07736548B2

A non-linear optical device comprising a polymer configured to provide a grating holding ratio of 20% or higher after about four minutes, wherein the polymer comprises a first repeating unit comprising a first moiety having formula (M-1) and a second repeating unit comprising a second moiety having formula (M-2), as defined herein.
US07736544B2

The present invention relates to an electrically conductive composition for filling via-holes formed in an electronic circuit substrate containing an electrically conductive metal and a vehicle, wherein the content of the electrically conductive metal is 57 vol % or more, and the composition is a plastic fluid for which fluidity increases when external pressure is applied to the composition.
US07736540B1

Emulsions comprising an active material, a solvent for dissolving the active material, and a wetting fluid, wherein the active material is sparingly soluble in the wetting fluid, are provided, and methods for making the same.
US07736536B2

Disclosed herein are phosphor compositions comprising a BAM phosphor BaMgAl10O17:Eu2+ and at least one other hexaaluminate that may also be europium activated. The BAM may be mixed with any number of different kinds of heaxaaluminates having a similar crystal structure. The aluminum ratio may also be adjusted to alter the defect structure or to produce a second phase. Addition of another hexaaluminate to BAM enhances emission intensity and resistance to degradation, which is beneficial to applications such as plasma display panels.
US07736534B2

Compositions of a mixture of (A) a polymerizable compound, which undergoes polymerization on exposure to heat or to actinic radiation, having the general formula wherein Q is an organic charge transporting fragment, L is a linker group, X is a group capable of undergoing free radical or anionic polymerization on exposure to heat or actinic radiation, m is 0 or 1, and n is an integer having a value of 2 or more; and (B) a phosphorescent material are described, as is an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) device comprising at least one emissive layer that has been formed by polymerizing such a composition. A method for forming an OLED, including depositing a layer containing the polymerizable composition from solution and exposing the layer to heat or actinic radiation to induce polymerization, is also disclosed.
US07736532B2

Provided is a composition comprising a nonmicellar twisted nematic liquid crystal having cholesteric near infrared-reflecting properties and at least one near infrared absorptive material. This composition reduces the transmission of near infrared radiation. The composition can be used as a layer, optionally in conjunction with polymeric films, polymeric sheets, rigid sheets, and the like, to form multilayer laminates. In some embodiments these multilayer laminates are useful as solar control windows or window films to reduce energy consumption necessary to cool the interior of a structure such as an automobile or building.
US07736514B2

The invention relates to a method for the continuous extraction of lactic acid from an aqueous suspension containing solids. According to said method, the aqueous suspension containing solids is brought into contact, in a counter-current, with an organic solvent that is partially miscible with water, in a column provided with filling agents which have a surface consisting of hydrophobic material, in such a way as to form an aqueous phase and an organic phase, such that the organic phase is guided as a dispersed phase in a section of the column comprising filling agents.
US07736507B2

Zirconium phosphate particles are synthesized by providing a solution of zirconium oxychloride in an aqueous solvent, adding at least one oxygen-containing additive to the solution, the oxygen-containing additive being selected to form a complex with zirconium ions in the solution of zirconium oxychloride and thereby reduce hydration of the zirconium ions, and combining this solution with phosphoric acid or a phosphoric acid salt to obtain zirconium phosphate particles by sol gel precipitation.
US07736506B2

A system and method for uniformly distributing fluids (e.g., washing and in-service) through a filter bed of a filter. The system and method of the present invention can be used with any type of filter that uses media to remove impurities from a fluid. The filter bed can include one or more layers of media. The media can be natural (e.g., sand, gravel, anthracite, etc.) or can be fabricated (e.g., plastic). The filter media can be supported by one or more layers of gravel. Alternatively, the filter media can be supported by a porous plate or other support designed to replace the gravel layers. The present invention includes a system having a distribution member configured to uniformly distribute a fluid through a filter bed of a filter. Preferably, the distribution member can be readily installed by relatively unskilled labor in both existing filters and new filters. The distribution member is preferably configured to occupy only a small percentage of space in a distribution chamber (e.g., a flume). In retrofit applications, the design of the distribution member is such that no significant alteration of the distribution chamber or fluid velocity is necessary. Preferably, the distribution member includes one or more plates extending substantially the length of the distribution chamber. The plate or plates are designed to create a uniform pizeometric head at each lateral extending from the distribution chamber regardless of how far a given lateral is from the fluid inlet in the distribution chamber. In a most preferred embodiment, a single plate is used. The design of the single plate allows it to be mass produced and yet still be used in numerous different environments and flow conditions.
US07736505B2

A fluid pollution prevention system for preventing the discharge of hazardous waste from a bilge of a marine vessel, and removal of the same from the bilge. The system includes an absorber for absorbing hazardous waste from a fluid in the bilge. The system further includes a locator for locating the absorber in a predetermined orientation relative to a bilge pump to prevent the discharge of hazardous waste from the bilge. In one embodiment of the invention, the locator is an upstanding member in relation to the fluid in the bilge and includes at least one locator channel defined along at least a portion of the locator for slidable receipt of the absorber. According to this characterization, the absorber is movable along the locator channel as a function of the bilge fluid level to absorb hazardous waste from the fluid and isolate an inlet of the bilge pump from receipt of the same.
US07736504B2

A crossflow filtration system including at least one quick dry change crossflow filtration cartridge designed to rotatably interface with a manifold assembly. The quick dry change crossflow filtration cartridge can comprise a membrane element, for example an ultrafiltration membrane, microfiltration membrane, nanofiltration membrane or reverse osmosis membrane element enclosed within a housing. The quick dry change cartridge includes an inlet stream, a permeate stream and a concentrate stream. The manifold assembly includes three similar flow paths; an inlet stream, a permeate stream and a concentrate stream. When engaged, the cartridge and manifold assembly define continuous inlet flow paths, permeate flow paths and concentrate flow paths that connect across the interface. Thus, all of the connections to the water filtration system can be made onto the manifold, and the resulting connected system is compact and easy to connect.
US07736502B2

A temperature transfer filter plate assembly for a filter press includes a temperature transfer filter plate in a filter plate assembly having a plate chamber for receiving heating or cooling fluid. A plurality of apertures extend through the filter plate to enable the flow of liquid therethrough. A filter frame includes a web or divider wall that receives temperature transfer filter plates on opposing sides thereof. The apertures of each temperature transfer filter plate open into respective collecting chambers defined by the inner wall of the temperature transfer filter plate and the divider wall. A flow path arrangement allows removal of the liquid from the collecting chambers in the temperature transfer filter plate assembly. The temperature transfer filter plates generally have inner and outer walls with a wavy or undulating configuration to form the plate chamber therebetween.
US07736495B2

Embodiments of the present invention comprise reverse osmosis filters and systems comprising embedded radio frequency identification (RFID) tags for storing and retrieving data. The RFID tags can be preferably embedded under a filtration device's protective outer shell. Information can be easily stored onto and retrieved from the embedded RFID tags. The ability to easily store and retrieve data from the embedded RFID devices facilitates the creation of loading maps, monitoring, addition, and replacement of fluid filtration devices.
US07736487B2

The present invention relates generally to a process for recovering copper and/or other metal values from a metal-bearing ore, concentrate, or other metal-bearing material using pressure leaching and direct electrowinning. More particularly, the present invention relates to a substantially acid-autogenous process for recovering copper from chalcopyrite-containing ore using pressure leaching and direct electrowinning in combination with a leaching, solvent/solution extraction and electrowinning operation. In accordance with one aspect of the process, at least a portion of the residue from the pressure leaching operation is directed to a heap, stockpile or other leaching operation.
US07736471B2

A system for treating a feedstock for the purposes of waste destruction, energy generation, or the production of useful chemicals is disclosed and includes a reactor vessel. A heating lance is configured to outflow the products of a partial oxidation reaction into a reaction chamber in the vessel. The hot reaction products heat and pyrolyze the feedstock in the chamber generating a process effluent which typically includes gases (e.g. syn-gas) and carbon solids. Glasses and metals in the feedstock accumulate in the chamber in a molten state. The molten materials store thermal energy and provide thermal stability to the treatment system. A recycle loop uses carbon solids from the process effluent as an input to the lance for reaction with an oxidant therein.
US07736467B2

A pulp digester includes a vessel having an inlet, an outlet and a wall extending between the inlet and the outlet, the wall of the vessel having a curved interior surface. The digester includes a screen assembly positioned inside the vessel adjacent to the curved interior surface of the wall for removing liquid from pulp material. The screen assembly is movable relative to the curved interior surface of the vessel wall. The digester includes at least one support element permanently attached to the vessel wall for limiting movement of the screen assembly relative to the curved interior surface of the vessel wall. In certain embodiments, the at least one support, such as a ledge permanently attached to the vessel wall, supports a portion of the screen assembly. The screen assembly may have an inner face that is concave in a horizontal direction and convex in a vertical direction.
US07736463B1

A method of manufacturing bleached mechanical and chemithermomechanical pulp is provided, having enhanced bleaching effect, wherein lignocellulose material is passed through at least one preheater or through a chemical treatment system, a steam separator and a refiner where the lignocellulose material is converted into a pulp suspension which, after steam separation, is passed at least to a storage vessel and to a screening department, from which the major part of the pulp suspension is separated as a substantially finished product or is separated and further treated. The reductive bleaching agent is added to the advancing pulp suspension without a bleaching tower. The method is characterized by adding the bleaching agent at a location downstream of the refiner and upstream of the screening department, and by bleaching the pulp under drastic conditions of temperature and minimized oxygen access at the location and immediately downstream of the location.
US07736462B2

The invention relates to an installation, in particular a vacuum processing installation for processing a substrate (130), in particular a semiconductor wafer, comprising a processing station. Said installation comprises a frame (110), to which is clamped a carrier (120), for holding and/or transporting the substrate (130), whereby the latter (130) can be fastened by its entire surface to said carrier (120). The processing station preferably comprises a chuck electrode (140) with a flat outer surface (141) and the carrier (120) can be positioned parallel and adjacent to said outer surface (141) of the chuck electrode (140). The carrier is composed in particular of a non-conductive dielectric material and is provided on one side with a conductive layer (122), in such a way that the chuck electrode (140) and the carrier (120) form an electrostatic chuck.
US07736454B2

Apparatus and a method for pre-cure application of an antenna assembly to a tire comprises the method steps: forming within a rigid core defining an interior surface of the tire a core recess complementarily configured to the antenna assembly; positioning the antenna assembly within the core recess; building an uncured carcass of the tire around the rigid core entrapping the antenna assembly within the core recess; cross-bonding the antenna assembly to the inner surface of the tire during a cure cycle; and removing the cured tire and assembly from the rigid core.
US07736444B1

Grain oriented electrical steel is made in a manner that the grains are selectively grown to obtain a crystal structure known as cube-on-edge and the grains are largely aligned in the rolling direction. Selection of chemistry and process route along with thin slab continuous casting enables the production of Grain oriented electrical steel such that less energy is consumed in the process, certain process steps can be combined, yield is better and the product can be manufactured within a wider process control tolerance.
US07736443B2

In an endoscope washer disinfector, a bath comprises a mounting plane on which an endoscope with a duct is mounted and a wall member. A connector has two ends consisting of one end located to penetrate through the wall member and to be secured watertightly to the wall member. The one end faces an opening of the duct of the endoscope mounted in the bath. The other end is connected to a fluid source storing fluid for washing and disinfecting the endoscope. A nozzle is movable in the connector along an inner passage thereof and moved toward the one end of the connector to protrude from the one end to realize a watertight and detachable connection with the opening of the duct. The fluid is supplied to the duct when the fluid is supplied from the fluid source.
US07736438B2

A system and method for depositing ceramic materials, such as nitrides and oxides, including high temperature superconducting oxides on a tape substrate. The system includes a tape support assembly that comprises a rotatable drum. The rotatable drum supports at least one tape substrate axially disposed on the surface of the drum during the deposition of metals on the tape and subsequent oxidation to form the ceramic materials. The drum is located within a stator having a slot that is axially aligned with the drum. A space exists between the drum and stator. The space is filled with a predetermined partial pressure of a reactive gas. The drum, stator, and space are heated to a predetermined temperature. To form the ceramic material on the tape substrate, the drum is first rotated to align the tape substrate with the slot, and at least one metal is deposited on the substrate. The drum then continues to rotate, bringing the tape substrate into the space, where the metal deposited on the tape substrate reacts with the reactive gas to form the ceramic material. In one embodiment, the tape support system also includes a pay-out/take-up system that co-rotates with the drum and provides a continuous length of tape substrate.
US07736435B2

A method for producing a single crystals by preferential epitaxial growth of {100} face, comprising the steps of (1) growing the crystal on a single crystal {100} substrate; (2) forming on the side of the grown crystal a surface parallel to a {100} face different from the {100}face in the growth direction, and (3) growing the crystal on the formed {100} surface; and the steps (2) and (3) being performed once or more than once. A method for producing a single-crystal diamond using a metallic holder for the single-crystal diamond having a crystal holding portion which is raised above an outer peripheral portion of the holder, is part from the outer peripheral portion of the holder, and has a recessed shape. The methods enable the production of a large single-crystal diamond in a comparatively short time at low cost.
US07736423B2

The present invention relates to an aqueous composition for outdoor, indoor, facade and roof paints having a biocidal action.
US07736422B2

Apparatuses and methods are provided for removing dust particles from air circulating within a mowing machine, such as a lawn mowing machine, including a housing, a handle attached to the housing, a prime mover attached to the housing, and a grassbag employing a cyclonic separator. A grassbag apparatus can be provided that can include a grass clippings chamber for collecting blades of grass that have been cut and a dust collection chamber for removing and collecting dust-filled air from the air circulating within the lawn mowing machine. The dust collection chamber can include a cyclonic separator and a dust collection receptacle, wherein the cyclonic separator can be configured to remove dust particles from air circulating within the grassbag apparatus.
US07736420B2

The invention relates to an improvement in apparatus and process for the formation of a complex of Lewis acidic or Lewis basic gases in a reactive liquid of opposite character and for the breaking (fragmentation) of said complex associated with the recovery of the Lewis gas therefrom. The improvement resides in forming finely divided droplets of reactive liquid and controlling the temperature, pressure and concentration of said Lewis gas of opposite character to provide for (a) the formation of said complex between said gas and reactive liquid or (b) the breaking of said complex and the recovery of the atomized droplets of reactive liquid.
US07736417B2

The invention relates to a method of adjusting a unit that is used to control an installation for the adsorption treatment of a gas, comprising: at least a first member and a second member (2, 5, R0, . . . , R9) which receive a gas; a connection conduit (3, 4, 6, 7) which connects the first and second members to one another; and a valve on the connection conduit, which is closed and opened selectively in accordance with a variable valve-opening parameter. The control unit controls the opening of the valve according to the opening parameter on the basis of: an earlier opening parameter for the valve, a provisional valve opening parameter and at least one correction parameter. The inventive method comprises a step (a) in which the correction parameter is adjusted as a function of the installation and flow parameters.
US07736414B1

Rhenium nanoparticle mixtures and methods for making the same are provided. The rhenium nanoparticle mixture can be painted onto a surface to be coated and dried at low temperatures to form a gas-tight elemental rhenium coating. Moreover, the rhenium nanoparticle mixture can be used to join rhenium components and temperatures far lower than traditional welding techniques would require. The low temperature formation of rhenium coatings allows rhenium coatings to be provided on surfaces that would otherwise be uncoatable, whether because of their inability to withstand high temperatures (e.g., carbon/carbon composites, graphite, etc.), or because the high aspect ratio of the surface would prevent other coating methods from being effective (e.g., the inner surfaces of tubes and nozzles).
US07736413B2

Graphite electrodes for the production of aluminum by carbothermic reduction of alumina are either submerged in the molten bath in the low temperature compartment or they are horizontally arranged in the side walls of the high temperature compartment. The electrodes are manufactured by using a mixture of coke particles covering the complete particle size range between 25 μm to 3 mm and by using an intensive mixer to effectively wet all coke particles with pitch. The electrodes have a flexural strength of at least 20 N/mm2. By using a complete range (continuum) of particle sizes in conjunction with an intensive mixer, the geometric packing of the particles is significantly improved, hence the material density is increased and thus a higher mechanical strength as well as improved electrical conductivity in comparison to conventional graphite electrodes is achieved.
US07736409B2

A cyclone-type processor has a vortex initiator positioned thereabove and an exhaust sleeve extending through the initiator and into the processor. A blower connects to the initiator chamber by a duct having a divider wall that separates the duct into an air-only channel and an entrained material channel. A feed inlet feeds material to be processed into the air flow of the entrained channel. The vortex initiator includes an outer annular chamber and an inner annular chamber open to the cyclone processor and is engaged by the duct to convey air into the outer chamber and air entrained material into the inner chamber. The inner and outer chambers and slots therebetween cooperate to cause the air flow to form a vortex and to urge entrained material away from the inner wall. The system may include additional cyclone stages for further material treatment.
US07736400B2

A method and system for producing product gases in which a carbonaceous material and at least one oxygen carrier are introduced into a non-thermal plasma reactor at a temperature in the range of about 300° C. to about 700° C. and a pressure in a range of about atmospheric to about 70 atmospheres and a non-thermal plasma discharge is generated within the non-thermal plasma reactor. The carbonaceous material and the oxygen carrier are exposed to the non-thermal plasma discharge, resulting in the formation of a product gas in the non-thermal plasma reactor, which product gas comprises substantial amounts of hydrocarbons, such as methane, hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide.
US07736397B2

A method for manufacturing a capacitor embedded in a PCB includes: preparing a copper clad lamination (CCL) substrate having a reinforcement member and copper foils formed on both surfaces of the reinforcement member; planarizing surfaces of the copper foils of the CCL substrate; forming a dielectric layer on the planarized surface of the copper foils; and forming a top electrode on the dielectric layer.
US07736391B2

A prosthesis for implant in a human patient body has an external envelope, at least one implant filling material, and at least one biologically compatible rupture indicator encapsulated in a sustained release delivery vehicle and disposed in a carrier medium, the rupture indicator capable of leaking out of upon rupture of the external envelope and triggering a signal detectable by the patient as it is released from the delivery vehicle, allowing for detection of a rupture or impending rupture by the patient.
US07736382B2

A nerve-stimulation device and method using light to provide a source of precise stimulation on one or more nerve fibers. In some embodiments, this simulation is provided through a device and method wherein a laser- or LED-light-generating source is operatively coupled to an optical fiber, which in turn is coupled to a plug in the end of a holder in a sheath. Light is then passed from the light source through the optical fiber to the holder and out a selected optical tip on the sheath to provide an efficacious amount of light to simulate nerves. In some embodiments, the device is constructed from non-magnetic material such as glass, plastic or ceramics. In some embodiments, the light emanating from the optical tip can be controlled manually or automatically. Some embodiments omit the fiber and use light directly from the laser diode.
US07736376B2

A living-wall fixing tool for use with endoscopes, including first and second fixing members, first and second cord like members, an elastic stopper, and a slackening means. The first fixing member is to be inserted into a second organ through a hole formed through first and second organs. The second fixing member is to be detained in the first organ. The stopper is slidably mounted on the first cord-like member. The slackening means slackens the first cord-like member. When the slackening means is operated, the second cord-like member is pulled, whereby the first fixing member is pulled into the first organ through the hole.
US07736375B2

A device for incising tissue to a pre-selected incision depth within a body conduit of a patient includes an elongated balloon catheter and at least one elongated straight blade that is mounted on the balloon. To control the incision depth, each blade has a blunt section formed with a non-incising surface and a cutting edge positioned distally to the blunt section. A proximal portion of the blade is attached to a proximal balloon section, and in operation, the balloon/blade combination is advanced into the body conduit and positioned distal to the target tissue/stenosis. The balloon is then inflated. With this inflation, the blade is inclined relative to the axis of the catheter with an increasing distance between the blade and the axis in a distal direction. The device is then withdrawn, proximally, to incise the tissue/stenosis.
US07736373B2

Methods and devices are provided for reconfiguring a tissue within a hollow body organ using an entirely endoscopic approach in order to effectively reduce flow of fluid contents into a second hollow body organ in fluid communication with the first.
US07736355B2

An intravascular foreign matter suction assembly is insertable into a blood vessel having a relatively small diameter and exhibits a high suction force. The intravascular foreign matter suction assembly includes a combination of a guiding catheter for being inserted to an ostium of a coronary artery of the aorta and a suction catheter inserted in the lumen of the guiding catheter and extending farther than the distal end of the guiding catheter for removing foreign matter in a blood vessel which exists at a target location in the coronary artery. The suction catheter includes a tubular portion provided on the distal end side and a wire portion provided on the proximal end side of the tubular portion and wherein the wire portion has a distal end embedded in a wall which forms the tubular portion.
US07736354B2

A patient hydration system with a patient urine output measurement device, a hydration fluid administration subsystem, and a controller, responsive to the patient urine output measurement device. The controller is configured to control the hydration fluid administration subsystem to administer hydration fluid to the patient to prevent dehydration of the patient. A hydration sensor is also included to detect at least one patient parameter indicative of the patient's hydration state.
US07736353B2

An assembly for transferring a fluid between a vessel having a body with an open end and a slidable piston positioned within the body and a vial having a penetrable seal. The assembly includes a housing having first and second open ends, and a bore extending between the first and second open ends. The housing is removably connectable to the piston. The assembly also includes a conduit having first and second ends and first and second apertures adjacent to the first and second ends, respectively. The present invention provides for an assembly for transferring a fluid between a vessel having a body with an open end and a slidable piston positioned within the body and a vial having a penetrable seal. The assembly includes a housing having first and second open ends, and a bore extending between the first and second open ends. The housing is removably connectable to the piston. The assembly also includes a conduit having first and second ends and first and second apertures adjacent to the first and second ends, respectively.
US07736352B2

The present invention relates to a closure tape tab for an absorbent article, particularly for a disposable diaper, for fastening the article on the body of a person. The closure tape tab comprises a proximal end portion and a distal end portion being connected by an inner tab portion, wherein the inner tab portion has a first major surface and a second major surface. The proximal and distal end portions are connected to the inner tab portion and the first major surface thereof such that opposing ends of the proximal and distal end portions are spaced apart from each other. The distal end portion is folded over toward the proximal end portion such that at least a part of the first major surface of the inner tab portion in the space is covered. The proximal end portion is preferably not folded. The present invention furthermore relates to a prelaminated closure tape, preferably in a stable roll, from which such closure tape tabs can be cut. The closure tape of the present invention is adapted to be level-wound on a roll so that an increased amount of tape can be stored on the roll.
US07736348B2

A medical irrigation basin and procedural tray assembly includes a basin capable of holding irrigation fluids from irrigating a patient's wound. The basin has a bottom bounded by a perimeter. A wall extends upwards from the perimeter of the bottom and is continuous therewith. A pedestal or pedestal container fittable on the basin can support a body part and may contain useful medical fluids. A pad of absorbent material may be disposed on the bottom of the basin. The pad is adapted to absorb a substantial volume of the irrigation fluids flowing from irrigation of the patient's wound.
US07736343B2

A knob is rotated from its zero position to set a dose. This rotates an indexer, which through its peg turns a ring by pushing on one of the teeth. A position is reached wherein the free end portion of the peg meets a cam surface. On continued rotation of the knob, the peg is forced radially inwards to clear the tooth that it has just been pushing against. The ring, having been shifted through one-seventh of a complete revolution is then left stationary while the knob is turned further to whatever dose is required. When a syringe actuation trigger is pressed, the knob winds back again to its zero position, taking with it the indexer. The peg is still held clear of the ring until it hits the sloping side of the tooth following the one which it had previously pushed.
US07736339B2

The invention relates to a catheter insertion device comprising: an approximately hollow cylindrical catheter sleeve (2), at whose distal end a catheter (4) is attached; a needle sleeve (8) with a hollow needle (9), which is attached thereto and which, when ready for use, extends through the catheter sleeve (2) and the catheter (4), and; a needle protective element (13) that is arranged inside the catheter sleeve (2) while being able to move on the needle (9). Said needle protective element has an engaging section (13c) that engages with an engaging device (9b), which is formed in the vicinity of the needle tip, when the hollow needle is withdrawn from the catheter sleeve (2). A check valve (7, 17) is placed inside the catheter sleeve (2) between the catheter (4) and the needle protective element (13). The hollow needle (9), when ready for use, extends through said check valve, and the check valve automatically closes once the needle is withdrawn.
US07736337B2

A generally rigid molded plastic catheter hub attachment (16, 52, 74) includes one or more co-molded elastomeric gaskets (22, 58).
US07736335B2

A pump for rapidly discharging irrigation fluid to a surgical site. The pump includes a cabinet with an opening. Inside the pump there is a static plate and a dynamic plate that extends towards/retracts from the static plate. The space between the plates is a bag well in which a bag containing irrigation fluid can be inserted/replaced through the cabinet opening. A lid covers the opening. A sensor monitors the open/closed state of the lid. A drive motor actuates the dynamic plate. A control unit regulates the actuation of the motor. Only when the lid sensor determines that the lid is closed does the control unit actuate the motor. The dynamic plate can be placed in various open positions relative to the static plate so bags containing different volumes of fluid can be used with the pump.
US07736329B2

According to one exemplary embodiment, a surgical instrument for insertion in an incision during surgical treatment and removal of tissue includes an inner elongated needle having an ovoid shape and a bore extending therethrough; and a hollow sleeve that surrounds the ovoid shaped needle such that two side regions of the needle contact an inner surface of the sleeve at two locations so as to define a pair of fluid channels that are located between convex outer surfaces of the needle and the inner surface of the sleeve. The shape of the sleeve, when deformed by insertion of the needle, is configured to be received within the incision during the surgical treatment and removal of the tissue so as to plug opposite ends of the incision and provide an at least substantially closed surgical site.
US07736323B2

A guide device for guiding a therapy catheter in a body duct has a flexible sleeve that is dimensioned to be inserted into the body duct. A first elongate body and one or more second elongate bodies are disposed inside the sleeve in side-by-side relation and extend lengthwise along the sleeve. Magnetic attraction and repulsion forces are selectively created between the first body and the one or more second bodies to vary the stiffness of the guide device. In an alternative arrangement, the first elongate body is a stretchable hollow body and plural second elongate bodies are disposed inside the sleeve around the outer circumference of the first body, the first and second bodies being movable relative to one another to impart flexibility to the guide device. The first body is stretched radially outwardly by introducing pressurized fluid inside the first hollow body to radially press the second bodies against the inner wall of the sleeve to impart stiffness to the guide device.
US07736313B2

A method for determining a candidate lesion region within an ultrasound image. The method includes the steps of: accessing a digital ultrasound image of anatomical tissue; segmenting spatially contiguous pixels in the ultrasound image into a plurality of regions in accordance with substantially similar intensity values and spatial smoothness constraints; and selecting, from the plurality of regions, one or more candidate lesion regions having an intensity value lower than a pre-determined intensity value. In one arrangement, the one or more candidate lesion region is classified into at least one of the following classes: benign, malignant, or unknown.
US07736311B2

An automatic skin perfusion measuring system including instrumentation that automatically analyzes perfusion measurements to identify motion artifact and SPP values and a sensor placement device is provided. The instrumentation is configured to ignore motion artifact. Perfusion measurements are designated as SPP values if various criteria are met. SPP value criteria pertain to factors including cuff pressure, perfusion, perfusion change percentages relative to previous and subsequent perfusion measurements, and whether perfusion measurements are increasing or decreasing relative to previous and subsequent perfusion measurements. The sensor placement device assures reliable data is produced when multiple measurements are desired.
US07736305B2

A device for providing access to a surgical location within a patient is provided. The device includes an elongate body and a sleeve. The elongate body has an outer surface, an inner surface, and a distal portion. The inner surface defines a passage that extends through the elongate body along a longitudinal axis through which surgical instruments can be inserted to the surgical location. The distal portion is capable of having an expanded configuration when inserted within the patient. In the expanded configuration, the cross-sectional area of the passage at a first location is greater than the cross-sectional area of the passage at a second location, wherein the first location is distal to the second location. The sleeve is configured to be moved relative to the elongate body along the longitudinal axis to increase or to decrease the length of the passage along the longitudinal axis.
US07736304B2

A metal laryngoscope blade with a resiliently elastically deformable metal blade hook-on fitting for removable double snap engagement into an operative intubation position on a laryngoscope handle with a correspondingly sized handle hook-on fitting.
US07736300B2

A self propelled, endoscopic apparatus formed of a flexible, fluid-filled toroid and a motorized or powerable frame The apparatus may be used to advance a variety of accessory devices into generally tubular spaces and environments for medical and non-medical applications. The apparatus when inserted into a tubular space or environment, such as the colon of a patient undergoing a colonoscopy, is advanced by the motion of the toroid. The toroid's surface circulates around itself in a continuous motion from inside its central cavity along its central axis to the outside where its surface travels in the opposite direction until it again rotates into its central cavity. As the device advances within the varying sizes, shapes and contours of body lumens, the toroid compresses and expands to accommodate and navigate the environment. The motion of the toroid can be powered or unpowered and the direction and speed may be controlled. The apparatus may be used to transport a variety of accessory devices to desired locations within tubular spaces and environments where medical and non-medical procedures may be performed.
US07736296B2

Disclosed is an intracardiac blood pump with a flexible screen between which discharge ports are located. The pump parts are connected to the flexible screen which catches the axially discharged flow and deflects the same in an axial direction. The delivery rate of the pump is increased by preventing impact losses and swirls at the discharge ports.
US07736294B2

A delivery system and method for interstitial radiation therapy comprising a substantially axially stiff and longitudinally flexible elongated strand made of material, which is bio-absorbable in living tissue and a plurality of radioactive seeds dispersed in a predetermined array within the strand. The delivery system and method further customize the strand based on a prescription. The strands can have custom end spacings, which allow the optimal placing of seeds within the treatment tissue by implanting a plurality of strands to the same depth. A plurality of these strands can be implanted at the same time by the use of a guiding device.
US07736291B2

This invention provides a method for stabilization and treatment of heavy metal bearing materials and wastes subject to acid leaching tests or leach conditions and odor limits by addition of acid semi-soluble pulverized or fine particle DiCalcium Phosphate DiHydrate such that the leaching potential is inhibited to desired levels and odors are reduced to desired levels and the material or waste is free flowing, more permeable, less weight and permits immediate handling and disposal or reuse. The resultant material or waste after stabilization is deemed suitable for on-site reuse, off-site reuse or disposal as RCRA non-hazardous waste.
Patent Agency Ranking