US07890764B2
A time stamp obtaining apparatus for maintaining the certificate of the existence of electronic filing document including: a receiving unit 12 receiving hash value of the document data; a transmitting section 15c transmitting the hash value to time stamp providing apparatus 30a; a storing processing section 15d inserting the time stamp encoded with private key in unupdated data 16b concerning time stamp received since point to which private key is updated and storing; an update detecting section 11 detecting the update of private key; a calculation section 13b calculating hash value for all time stamps included in the unupdated data 16b; a transmitting section 13c transmitting the hash value; a storing processing section 13d moving the unupdated data 16b to past data 16c concerning time stamp received before point to which private key is updated last time when time stamp is received, storing it, and storing the time stamp newly received as new unupdated data 16b; is provided.
US07890763B1
Method of identifying invalid digital signatures involving batch verification by receiving digital messages, digital signatures, and signer identifiers, computing Z0 as a function of the received information, and determining if the digital signatures are valid. If so, stopping. If not, assigning a signature identifier to each digital signature, setting w equal to 1, computing Zw as a function of the received information and signature identifiers, and searching for a multiplicative relationship amongst Z0, Z1, . . . , Zw. If one is found then determining the invalid digital signatures from the multiplicative relationship and stopping. Otherwise, incrementing w and returning to the step of computing for additional processing if desired.
US07890760B2
A method for notifying a client device of termination of at least one service provided to the client device by a server system within an enterprise network is disclosed. The method includes the step of establishing authentication data and notification data, where the authentication data is related to the notification data, and sending the authentication data to the client device for storage during a provisioning operation. When the server system identifies a termination of service, it sends the notification data to the client device, which may then authenticate the received notification data using the authentication data.
US07890752B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products for associating an originator of a network packet with the network packet using biometric information are disclosed. According to one method, biometric identification information is identified for a network user. The identified biometric identification information is associated with a header or a trailer of a network packet originated by the network user. The network packet may be sent over a network.
US07890750B2
A system, method, and processor executable instructions are disclosed for offloading encryption and/or decryption processing to a system having a parallel processing structure that may include a graphics processing unit. Lookup tables support executing encryption/decryption transformations solely on the graphics processing unit. In one version, the look-up tables support Rijndael encryption/decryption transformations. Also, a system, method, and processor executable instructions are disclosed for visualizing decrypted ciphertext.
US07890746B2
A method of automatically authenticating clients on a computer system network enables clients on the network to be automatically logged in and added to a backup database and assigned for backup. The method employs a public key/private key encryption system in which clients have a public key and the backup server has a private key. The backup server interrogates new clients to determine client status and whether the client supports the public key/private key certificate. If it does, the backup server uses key values from the client decrypted using its private key to generate encryption keys which are employed in an algorithm for securely communicating with the client to log the client into a backup database. Otherwise, the backup server uses a password entered by a user in the client for generating the encryption keys. Additionally, the method enables backup software and public keys to be automatically push installed on the clients.
US07890743B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for configuring a device based on proximity to another device. A user device is configured by obtaining one or more configuration rules that establish one or more configuration parameters of the user device based on a proximity to one or more additional general purpose devices; determining whether one or more of the configuration rules are satisfied; and configuring the user device based on the satisfied one or more configuration rules. The configuration rules can be configured by an authorized user of the user device. The proximity comprises a predefined physical relationship between devices that is based on distance, such as a radius around a given device, or a physical relationship, such as in the same room or building, or within a communication range of a device.
US07890739B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a system that executes a branch instruction. When executing the branch instruction, the system obtains a stored prediction of a resolution of the branch instruction and fetches subsequent instructions for execution based on the predicted resolution of the branch instruction. If an actual resolution of the branch instruction is different from the predicted resolution (i.e., if the branch is mispredicted), the system updates the stored prediction of the resolution of the branch instruction to the actual resolution of the branch instruction. The system then re-executes the branch instruction. When re-executing the branch instruction, the system obtains the stored prediction of the resolution of the branch instruction and fetches subsequent instructions for execution based on the predicted resolution of the branch instruction.
US07890735B2
A multi-threaded microprocessor (1105) for processing instructions in threads. The microprocessor (1105) includes first and second decode pipelines (1730.0, 1730.1), first and second execute pipelines (1740, 1750), and coupling circuitry (1916) operable in a first mode to couple first and second threads from the first and second decode pipelines (1730.0, 1730.1) to the first and second execute pipelines (1740, 1750) respectively, and the coupling circuitry (1916) operable in a second mode to couple the first thread to both the first and second execute pipelines (1740, 1750). Various processes of manufacture, articles of manufacture, processes and methods of operation, circuits, devices, and systems are disclosed.
US07890729B2
A memory card is attached to a host device, and includes a data control circuit which transfers data with respect to the host device in synchronism with a rise edge and a fall edge of a clock signal.
US07890728B2
A memory interface device has a write detection section that detects the write of a predetermined unit amount of data by a memory write unit into a memory. A signal generation section generates a signal to notify the memory write unit that readout of data from the memory by a memory readout unit has been completed. A data storage amount measurement device measures an amount of data stored in the memory during the memory write procedures. A memory readout control section generates an interrupt signal with respect to the memory readout unit when the stored data amount in the memory reaches a predetermined readout start storage amount. A timer counts a period in which writing of the predetermined unit amount of the data into the memory by the memory write unit is discontinued and outputs a timeout signal to the memory readout control section when a value of the period count reaches a predetermined timer period. The memory readout control section generates the interrupt signal with respect to the memory readout unit even when the memory readout control section receives the timeout signal output from the timer.
US07890724B2
System for executing software application is provided. The system includes a non-volatile memory device that includes a plurality of memory cells, wherein a read only segment of a plurality of memory cells stores: (a) code for a micro-operating system for running a virtual engine; (b) code for the virtual engine that provides a virtual environment, independent of a host operating system; (c) code for a virtual operating system that is executed in the virtual environment; and (d) code for a software application, wherein the code for the software application can be executed in different host system platforms in the virtual environment.
US07890716B2
Provided is a method of managing differential snapshots in a storage system, the storage system having a disk drive and a disk controller, the differential snapshot management method including the steps of: providing a storage area of the disk drive as a plurality of logical volumes including an operational volume and a differential volume; storing a time of update for each block in the operational volume; and judging, upon reception of a request to write in a block included in the operational volume, whether to copy data of the block in which requested data is to be written in accordance with the received write request to the differential volume, based on the time of update of the block in which requested data is to be written and a time of creation of the differential snapshot. Accordingly, it is possible to manage the differential snapshot without using a bitmap.
US07890710B2
A system and method for managing an electronic storage volume is described. The method includes assigning a threshold to a constrained storage space to define a first state in which an amount of data stored in the constrained storage space exceeds the threshold and a second state in which the amount of data stored in the confined storage space does not exceed the threshold. The method also includes comparing the amount of data to be stored in the constrained storage space and the threshold, and performing a predefined action if the comparison indicates that the amount data to be in the confined storage space would cause a transition between the first state and the second state.
US07890703B2
A system, method, and a computer readable for inserting data into a cache memory based on information in a semi-synchronous memory copy instruction are disclosed. The method comprises determining a start of a semi-synchronous memory copy operation. The semi-synchronous memory copy operation is checked for a given value in at least one cache injection bit. In response to the given value in the cache injection bit, a predefined number of lines of destination data is copied into at least one level of cache memory.
US07890698B2
A disk array apparatus improves scalability, performance such as data transfer between different kinds of I/Fs, and maintainability and reliability about boards/PKs configuring the DKC and about a DKC configuration obtained by interconnecting them. The DKC in the disk array apparatus is configured by interconnecting mix PKs each including a base PK and a functional PK which is hierarchically connected to the base PK and on which individually separate functions are mounted. The base PK coexists with and is connectable to a plurality of different I/F-PKs, and includes an intra-package interconnection network for communicating between the functional PKs and with the DKC, and further has a processor interconnection network. The DKC performs a data transfer processing by using the functional PK and the base PK.
US07890691B2
A system allows one or more hybrid hard disks or any other storage devices to share a logical nonvolatile device formed by one or more non-volatile memory devices. The system comprises a control logic to reserve on a hybrid hard disk a space that corresponds to a non-volatile memory device in the hybrid hard disk and to use a space access instruction to access the non-volatile memory device. The control logic accesses the logical non-volatile memory device in an event that a content of a storage device is stored in the logical non-volatile memory device in response to an instruction to access the storage device.
US07890689B2
Various approaches for virtual appliance management are described. In one approach a virtual appliance repository stores one or more virtual appliances and is coupled to the host computer via a network. A storage device stores a transceiver program capable when executed on said host computer of requesting and receiving the virtual appliances, and generating for each received virtual appliance a respective local copy on the host computer of each received virtual appliance. The local copy is private to the host computer. The transceiver program further binds the virtual appliances to the host computer and obtains user data relevant to the virtual appliances. The transceiver program runs each of the virtual appliances from the respective private local copies on the host computer.
US07890684B2
Return path clocking mechanism for a system including a master device connected to a plurality of slave devices via a bus. The master device may first generate a global clock. The master device may transmit data to one or more of the slave devices at a rate of one bit per clock cycle. One or more of the slave devices may transmit data to the master device at a rate of one bit per two consecutive clock cycles. The master device may sample the transmitted data on the second cycle of each two consecutive clock cycle period. Alternatively, the slave devices may transmit data to the master device at a rate of one bit per N consecutive clock cycles, where N≧2, and the master device may sample the transmitted data on the Nth cycle of each N consecutive clock cycle period.
US07890681B2
The present invention related to a mobile device and, more specifically, to a mobile device for communicating with an electronic device and a method for generating an action plan via the mobile device.
US07890678B2
A portable computer including an auxiliary Input/Output (IO) apparatus, a main controller configured to control the portable computer, a peripheral module configured to perform an individual function of the portable computer, an auxiliary Input/Output (IO) apparatus including a control unit configured to selectively control the peripheral module and being driven by its own operating system (OS), and an embedded controller (EC) configured to sense an operation mode of the portable computer from a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) and to determine whether the main controller or the control unit of the auxiliary IO apparatus is to control the peripheral apparatus based on the sensed operation mode the of the portable computer.
US07890673B2
A system and method for addressing memory and transferring data, which in some embodiments include one or more processor translation look-aside buffers (TLBs) and optionally one or more I/O TLBs, and/or a block transfer engine (BTE) that optionally includes a serial cabinet-to-cabinet communications path (MLINK). In some embodiments, the processor TLBs are located within one or more common memory sections, each memory section being connected to a plurality of processors, wherein each processor TLB is associated with one of the processors. The BTE performs efficient memory-to-memory data transfers without further processor intervention. The MLINK extends the BTE functionality beyond a single cabinet.
US07890669B2
Provided is a computer system in which an I/O card is shared among physical servers and logical servers. Servers are set in advance such that one I/O card is used exclusively by one physical or logical server, or shared among a plurality of servers. An I/O hub allocates a virtual MM I/O address unique to each physical or logical server to a physical MM I/O address associated with each I/O card. The I/O hub keeps allocation information indicating the relation between the allocated virtual MM I/O address, the physical MM I/O address, and a server identifier unique to each physical or logical server. When a request to access an I/O card is sent from a physical or logical server, the allocation information is referred to and a server identifier is extracted from the access request. The extracted server identifier is used to identify the physical or logical server that has made the access request.
US07890667B2
An I/O device to be connected to a network, which is configured to input and/or output data, includes a self-address storing system configured to store the I/O device address, a receiving system configured to receive data whose destination is an address stored in the self-address storing system, the data being transmitted through the network, a displaying system configured to display at least one of a character string and a graphic form, and an informing execution system configured to execute an informing operation with changing a display state of the displaying system, in response to the receiving system receiving data for confirming the location of the I/O device.
US07890665B2
A system and method for migrating domains from one physical data processing system to another are provided. With the system and method, domains may be assigned direct access to physical I/O devices but in the case of migration, the I/O devices may be converted to virtual I/O devices without service interruption. At this point, the domain may be migrated without limitation. Upon completion of the migration process, the domain may be converted back to using direct physical access, if available in the new data processing system to which the domain is migrated. Alternatively, the virtualized access to the I/O devices may continue to be used until the domain is migrated back to the original data processing system. Once migration back to the original data processing system is completed, the access may be converted back to direct access with the original physical I/O devices.
US07890662B2
In accordance with one embodiment, a method includes creating a first session object by a first traffic processor of a first network element operating in an active mode, the first session object being associated with a communication session between an end user terminal and an information provider. The method further includes sending a state synchronization message associated with the first session object from the first traffic processor. The state synchronization message includes a transport layer address associated with a second traffic processor of a second network element operating in a standby mode. The state synchronization message is adapted to be received by the second traffic processor and cause the second traffic processor to create a second session object, the second session object tracking the communication session between the end user terminal and the information provider.
US07890657B2
The present invention incorporates an intermediary proxy rules device that has access to information regarding network address and port bindings or network address and port translations. This intermediary function communicates translated address information to other devices on the network, such as the policy and charging rule function and policy and charging enforcement function. The full communication and coordination of this information coordinates correct translation address information and other necessary information to these PCRF and PCEF devices, which eliminates many of the problems associated with the session set-up and maintenance with other networks.
US07890649B2
A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for processing multi-way stream correlations. Stream data are received for correlation. A task is formed for continuously partitioning a multi-way stream correlation workload into smaller workload pieces. Each of the smaller workload pieces may be processed by a single host. The stream data are sent to different hosts for correlation processing.
US07890645B2
If both of LUN security information on storage apparatuses and configuration information on an iSNS server are acquirable, a management server makes reference to configuration situation of the LUN security acquired from a monitoring-target storage apparatus, thereby acquiring iSCSI initiator names which are permitted to access the storage apparatus. Moreover, the management server acquires, from the iSNS server, IP address of an iSCSI initiator name which does not exist on a monitoring-target host out of the iSCSI initiator names, then adding the IP address into monitoring-target nodes. Meanwhile, when an access from the management server to a monitoring-target node becomes impossible for a certain constant time-period due to a reason such that the monitoring-target node has been excluded from the network, the management server is capable of excluding the monitoring-target node from the monitoring targets on a GUI.
US07890643B2
A system for providing a client's credentials to a computer program comprises a database remote from the client and a single signon server module. The single signon server module can receive a request for the client's credentials from the computer program, determine whether the client's credentials are stored in the database, and send the client's credentials from the database to the computer program in response to a determination that the client's credentials are stored in the database. The single signon server module can store the client's credentials in the database in response to a determination that the client's credentials are not stored in the database. The single signon server module can encrypt the client's credentials prior to storing the client's credentials in the database and can decrypt the client's credentials prior to sending the client's credentials to the computer program.
US07890642B2
A remote site filtering and monitoring system and method is described in which the Internet accesses of a remote device are monitored and categorized by a remote server in real-time. The system also provides for offline access logging and subsequent uploading, adjustable filtering sensitivities and particular HTTP port filtering.
US07890640B2
A control system methodology uses object-oriented software to integrate multiple control systems into a common object model. Object-oriented techniques are used to construct distributed Java-based applications in a multi-vendor open system environment for use in controlling and monitoring systems of varying size and configuration. The system provides both a browser client (101) (running on a Java-enabled browser) and a server client (121). The present invention has multiple stations: a Web BAS Server (110), a Network Processor (NP) (111), and a Field Controller (FC) (112). The NP and FC are preferably Java Virtual Machines implemented in a plug-in Java Modular Environment. Information is brought into a common object model and made available throughout the system. A custom programming language based on Java is provided for object creation, with access to objects controlled through a multi-level security protocol. Data flow is governed by a real-time information synchronization manager.
US07890633B2
A method of associating a range of destination IP addresses with a real IP address for use with the Virtual Address Resolution Protocol is disclosed. The destination addresses may be a range of virtual IP addresses in a virtual network or a range of real IP addresses in a physical network. A record of the association of the range of destination addresses with a single real IP address is stored in a Virtual Address Resolution Protocol lookup table which is utilized when sending messages from a virtual IP address. The ability to assign a range of destination addresses to a single real IP address represents an extension of the use of VARP. The association of multiple destination addresses to a single real IP address allows an electronic device to function as a router to a widely distributed real or virtual network. The virtual network of the present invention adds a layer of encryption to the originating virtual network by sending encrypted data packets between the origin and destination addresses.
US07890625B2
The present disclosure generally provides techniques and apparatuses for producing, for an initiating end user, a recommended mode of communication corresponding to a targeted end user in a network environment, based on a plurality of network accessible or determinable inputs. For example, the identity of an initiating end user, the identity of a targeted end user, the current activity of the targeted end user, the communication preferences of the targeted end user, information from available databases, and other available or determinable data may be used by a contact liaison to produce a recommended mode of communication.
US07890619B2
A mail transmitting server includes a notification method table, a data receiver, and a notification method selector. The notification method table stores types of computer viruses and notification methods for the result of detection of computer viruses in association with each other. The data receiver receives data from a cellular phone. The notification method selector selects a method of notifying the cellular phone of the virus detection result, based on a type of a computer virus included in the data received by the data receiver.
US07890603B2
A system, apparatus and method of performing e-mail message searches across multiple mailboxes are provided. The system, apparatus and method perform the e-mail message searches across multiple mailboxes by launching a search feature of a currently accessed mailbox where at least one search term for a search is entered. Then, if multiple mailboxes are to be simultaneously searched, each mailbox is identified. The mailboxes are identified by their address, the username and password that are used to access them. Each mailbox is then accessed using the provided address, username and password. After accessing the mailbox, its search feature is launched and the search criteria passed to each launched search feature in order to perform the search. The mailboxes may be further identified by a particular name.
US07890599B2
A method, apparatus, and system of pause and replay of media content through bookmarks on a server device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a server device includes authenticating a user of a client device, communicating a media content to the client device through a network, processing a pause request of the client device to pause the media content, storing a bookmark location indicating a current playback location of the media content in the client device on the server device, processing a play request of the user to play the media content from the bookmark location (e.g., the play request may be received from a different client device of the user), and communicating the media content from the bookmark location to the user.
US07890594B2
A method and system for testing voice applications, such as VoiceXML applications, is provided. The system provides a run-time simulation environment for voice applications that simulates and automates user interaction. A user simulation script is provided in a customized mark-up language. The voice application is processed to derive a nominal output of the voice application. The user simulation script is processed to generate a simulated output for the voice application corresponding to the nominal output. Conditional logic may be applied to the nominal output to generate a simulated input in response thereto. The user simulation script is specified in a customized mark-up language having a set of one or more conditional tags and an internal variable for the nominal output of the voice application.
US07890591B2
A computer implemented method and computer program product for efficiently managing messages handled by electronic messaging systems. A unique header is associated with a first electronic message and a link is created, which is associated with the unique header. The link is embedded in a second electronic message as part of an electronic message chain originating with the first electronic message. The second electronic message is transmitted with the embedded link to a set of recipients without the first electronic message.
US07890583B2
A method, system, and computer program for dynamically setting up collaborative associations between a group of users, computing resources, and/or communication devices, where the constituents of the collaborative association are chosen based on a variety of contextual criteria. The dynamic collaboration enabler component determines the explicit identities of the parties that should be a part of the collaboration. The group of individual entities involved in the collaboration can change dynamically during the lifetime of the collaboration, based on appropriate changes in the contextual data. Such contextual data refers to both state variables associated with the collaboration software or infrastructure itself, or to the state of entities external to the collaboration. The duration of the collaborative association is specified either explicitly or through a set of context related conditions. The dynamic context enabler can detect when the set of termination conditions is satisfied and then automatically remove the collaborative association.
US07890582B2
Disclosed is a system for providing a moblog-based regional community service through a mobile terminal. The system includes a location-based community server for setting a plurality of main arenas by dividing a geographical area in a regional unit, setting and storing one or more virtual spatial locations, the one or more virtual spatial locations being a projection of real spatial public locations, as spots in one of the main arenas, receiving information on posts registered in spots transmitted through a mobile terminal by providing one or more pieces of information on the spots belonging to the main arena from information on a location of the mobile terminal to the mobile terminal, and storing the received information on posts with a link with the spots.
US07890581B2
A matching network system including communication devices, servers and software which enables the provisioning of services and execution of transactions based on a plurality of private and public personality profiles and behavior models of the users, of the communication devices, of the products/services and of the servers; in combination with the software resident at the communication device level and or the local/network server level. Matching and searching processes based on a plurality of personality profiles wherein the information, communication and transactions are enabled to be matched with the user, the communication device and or the servers. The communication device is a stationary device or a mobile device, such as a portable computing device, wireless telephone, cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, or a multifunction communication, computing and control device.
US07890572B2
A client application program subscribing to a channel of a pub/sub service, receives a message published by the pub/sub service, the received message invoking an associated application program at the client.
US07890570B2
A method for providing, by a remote machine, access to graphical data associated with a resource provided by a local machine includes initializing, by a remote agent on a remote machine, a proxy icon handler. The proxy icon handler receives, from an icon handler on a local machine, data associated with an icon for a resource provided by the local machine. The proxy icon handler modifies a window in a remote desktop environment displaying a plurality of icons including at least one icon associated with a resource provided by the remote machine and the icon associated with the resource provided by the local machine. The remote agent transmits, to the local machine, window attribute data associated with the modified window and graphical data representing the window displaying the plurality of icons. The local agent displays the received graphical data in a window formed according to the received window attribute data.
US07890568B2
Systems and methods allow service-to-device mapping using genetic algorithm logic by which services are mapped onto best-suited smart items selected from a plurality of smart items of a sensor network. As part of the mapping, and/or subsequent thereto, a deployment of the service(s) onto the smart items is initiated. A sorted repair structure indicating an ordering of services in accordance with a hierarchy of atomic services and composite services based on a composition of services for one or more devices of a sensor network is determined. One or more derived generation structures are determined based on genetic algorithm logic that is operable on the sorted repair structure. A service is mapped onto at least one device of the sensor network, based on one of the derived generation structures. As a result, users may achieve a desired result in a fast, convenient, and reliable manner, even when executing the deployment remotely or automatically.
US07890555B2
A method effectively preventing a requesting node from unfencing and mounting a file system subsequent to a failure in a cluster file system having a plurality of active nodes. The method comprising first upgrading one active node in the cluster to function as a cluster manager node. The cluster manager is in communication with all nodes. The cluster manager is assigned manager responsibilities, in part, comprising first receiving an active status request from the node requesting to mount a file system. The cluster manager first queries the quorum nodes to determine whether each node considers the cluster manager to still have cluster management responsibilities for the file system. If a majority of quorum nodes consider the cluster manager to still have cluster management responsibilities for the file system then the cluster manager responds to the requesting node's active status request. Thereafter, the requesting node proceeds with mounting the file system.
US07890545B1
Systems and methods for a reference model for the representation of an arbitrarily complex enterprise architecture are disclosed. These systems and methods provide a reference model composed of component types and relationship types useful in modeling an enterprise architecture. The reference model may be constructed according to a set of domains. A set of component types associated with each of these domains may be defined and relationship types defined for these component types. A data model of a particular enterprise architecture may then be instantiated using this reference model.
US07890543B2
An architecture and methodology for designing, deploying, and managing a distributed application onto a distributed computing system is described.
US07890540B2
Methods and apparatus are provided, including computer program products, for browsing meta data for an enterprise service framework. An agent receives a request to retrieve information about or relating to one or more aspects in a back end system. A portion of meta data is read. The meta data is stored in a repository and represents the back end system. The portion of meta data that is read is based on the request. The agent formats the portion of the meta data to produce a response in a normalized format. The response in the normalized format is transmitted in response to the request.
US07890538B2
A system and associated method for converting and storing data values. Receiving multiple primary keys, each primary key being associated with a unique table in a plurality of tables; multiple foreign keys, each foreign key being associated with at least two tables in the plurality of tables; and multiple datasets; each dataset containing a schema for a single table. Creating a schema control card identifying the primary keys, foreign keys, datasets' location, and identifies a path to traverse the tables. Creating either a storage control to store data values from the plurality of tables to a storage location, or creating a retrieval control card to retrieve a storage value from the storage location and return to the plurality of tables. The tables are traversed via the path and data values are either stored using the storage control card or retrieved using the retrieval control card.
US07890526B1
A method of incrementally refining queries and updating query result lists without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of query submission. In the method, one or more query related character patterns are defined. Entry of query defining characters by a user is monitored to detect entry of a defined query related character pattern. The user is provided with one or more suggested query refinement options and an updated query result list each time a defined query related character pattern is detected. The query related character patterns may be a character pattern that indicates a word has been input by the user.
US07890503B2
A method and system are provided for enhancing an initial set of data values generated by a query of one or more data stores. File parameters and file types are retrieved from the initial query and used to generate a second set of searches, actions, and information related to the initial set of data values. The results from the initial query and the secondary query are displayed on a presentation device.
US07890500B2
Techniques are provided to construct and use user-interest sensitive indicators of search results. A set of documents is determined based on one or more search terms. Passages within each selected document are identified based on the search terms. Condensation transformations applied to the passages to preferentially retain elements of the passage based on the search terms and user interest information. The resultant indicator is provides a user-interest sensitive signal of the meaning of the passage.
US07890498B1
A user interface for a medical informatics system displays medical information including information regarding medical examinations. A patient history timeline and a relevant exams timeline, which include a plurality of elements, are displayed such that an element represents a medical examination. A position of an element on the timeline indicates an acquisition time for a medical examination relative to other medical examinations on the timeline. An element displays information about a corresponding medical examination, including: a date, to indicate acquisition of the medical examination; information to indicate whether images are available for the corresponding medical examination; and information to indicate whether a report is available for the corresponding medical examination. A user may extract additional information about an exam through use, of a cursor control device, including: information to indicate a location of images for a medical examination; general information about the medical examination; and a plurality of menu items to permit a user to select functions for the medical examination.
US07890492B2
The invention may be a method of organizing pointers. The pointers may identify addresses where objects are stored. The pointers may be stored in arrays so that the pointers corresponding to the most recently selected objects are stored nearer to ends of the arrays than are the pointers corresponding to less recently selected objects. The invention may be embodied as a machine designed to carry out the method, or as a memory device that is capable of causing a computer to carry out the method.
US07890489B2
A system, and program product having at least one subscriber subscribing to topics from one or more data sources. The data sources available and the number of subscriptions for each data source are registered in a table in real time. Upon detecting either subscription activity by the subscribers or availability of data on a data source, a matching routine compares the subscriptions registered for the available data source and enables the sending of messages from the available data source to subscriber/s.
US07890485B2
A document processor for use with an indexing application comprising: a content extractor proxy that implements a pre-defined programmatic interface for content extractors; a data store; and an extended document metadata processor; wherein: the content extractor proxy receives a signal from the indexing application identifying a target document; and the document metadata processor creates from the target document extended document metadata for storage in the data store.
US07890457B2
A method and apparatus for capturing database system workload and replaying that workload in a database system is provided. According to one aspect, in order to subject a test database system to the same workload to which the production database system actually would be subjected, a database server in the production system captures and records workload that the database server receives from external entities. This captured workload is processed. Processes external to a database server in the test database system send the processed workload to that database server. As a result, the test database system is subjected to the same workload to which the production database system originally was subjected. The foregoing technique permits a database administrator to determine how the production database system will fare if the difference that is present in the test database system is introduced into the production database system.
US07890449B2
A method for performance bottleneck diagnosis and dependency discovery in distributed systems and computer networks includes receiving a real-valued end-to-end measurement matrix, a number of end-to-end measurements, a number of time points, a number of network components, a loss function, and a plurality of constraints on output matrices. The method further includes learning basic output matrices by best approximation of a transpose of the real-valued end-to-end measurement matrix, selecting a first threshold based on a real-valued mixing-weights matrix and a second threshold based on a real-valued delay matrix, converting the real-valued mixing-weights matrix and the real-valued delay matrix into respective binary matrices using the first threshold and the second threshold, and returning the real-valued mixing-weights matrix, the real-valued delay matrix, and the respective binary matrices to represent bottlenecks dependencies of the distributed system or computer network.
US07890446B2
A software robot apparatus (sobot apparatus) with a genetic code is disclosed. The sobot apparatus includes an application module, an artificial animated object engine, a sobot protocol module, an update agent, an update protocol module, a network interface, a sobot player, a script engine, a player database, a repository interface, a sobot graphic/audio interface, a 3D engine, a system software, a memory device, a display part, and an audio output part.
US07890444B2
The advanced data availability tool uses predictive analysis to fill gaps in a data set and then displays actual data, predicted data, and confidence intervals for the actual data and the predicted data. The advanced data availability tool has a data collection tool, a data table created by the data collection tool, a data table analyzer, a predicted data table, and an enhanced data display.
US07890441B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatuses for classifying electronic documents (e.g., electronic communications) as either spam electronic documents or legitimate electronic documents. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, each of a plurality of electronic communications is reduced to a corresponding multidimensional vector based on a multi-dimensional vector space. The multi-dimensional vectors represent corresponding electronic documents that have been classified as at least one type of electronic documents. Subsequent electronic documents to be classified are reduced to a corresponding multi-dimensional vector inserted into the multi-dimensional vector space. The electronic documents corresponding to an inserted multi-dimensional vector are classified based upon the proximity of the inserted multi-dimensional vector to at least one previously classified multi-dimensional vectors of the multi-dimensional vector space.
US07890435B2
Systems and method to identify and locate probate estates of client debtors. One embodiment includes receiving a client file, wherein the file includes a record of individual client debtors and determining if a date of death is available for each of the individual client debtors. Some such embodiments further include identifying one or more courts in which to search for a probate estate for each of the individual client debtors and searching for a probate estate in each identified court for each respective client debtor. In some embodiments, if a probate estate is not identified for a client debtor, the client debtor is placed in a queue, and the search is performed on a recurring or periodic basis until the probate estate is located or a certain period of time has passed.
US07890426B2
In one embodiment, example software is operable to determine a first hash value for an electronic check image, with the check image operable to generate an image replacement document. The hash value is associated with the electronic check image. The electronic check image and the associated hash value is communicated to a recipient for processing.
US07890409B2
A system and method for providing reallocation and reverse optimization of a financial portfolio using a parametric leptokurtic distribution are provided. A time series including risk factors applicable over at least one time horizon, a portfolio including financial assets, a quantile, and one or more risk adjusted return points for the financial assets is stored. The financial assets are associated with the risk factors. A subordinated parametric distribution model exhibiting leptokurtic behavior is generated. A function of expected tail loss for the quantile based on the subordinated parametric distribution model exhibiting leptokurtic behavior is expressed. A set of portfolio asset weight changes for each of the financial assets is determined based on the expected tail loss at each such time horizon and for each risk adjusted return point. Reallocation of the portfolio is provided based on the portfolio asset weight changes for each risk adjusted return point for the portfolio.
US07890401B2
A method and related system obtains consent from a user for electronic delivery of sensitive information. The user operating a first computer accesses a web page on a server system to input the consent. The web page prompts for the consent from the user. Once the consent is received at the server system, the consent is stored and sensitive information is delivered electronically to an e-mail address specified by the user. Once consent is indicated, it is communicated from the individual's computer to another computer such as a server over, for example, a modem connection. Having secured the individual's consent, the additional sensitive information may be delivered to the individual's computer as, for example, a URL attachment to an email message.
US07890399B2
A method and related system obtains consent from an individual for computer-aided delivery of compliance information. Initially, a computer-readable data storage device is provided to the individual. The device stores the compliance information and computer-executable instructions. By inserting the device into a computer, the instructions are executed and the individual is prompted by the computer to consent to the computer-aided delivery of additional compliance information. Once consent is indicated, it is communicated from the individual's computer to another computer such as a server over, for example, a modem connection. Having secured the individual's consent, the additional compliance information can be delivered to the individual's computer as, for example, a file attachment to an email message.
US07890397B1
A system, method, and computer-readable medium for settling accounts are provided. An aggregate policy document is generated from a plurality of document definitions that each respectively define a policy document. Mechanisms are provided that identify repetitive content that is common to a plurality of the documents definitions. A single instance of the repetitive content is included in the aggregate document. Content of the document definitions may include information sets having content to be reviewed by a beneficiary, and information request sets having content that provides a solicitation of information from the beneficiary. The aggregate document may contain content of a plurality of documents in a manner that allows the beneficiary to efficiently settle a plurality of accounts without the repetitive review of common document content and without the repetitive supply of common information.
US07890393B2
A computer-implemented method and system for completing a transaction between a customer (10) and at least one merchant (20), including the steps of: (a) initiating a transaction by the customer (10) with a merchant (20); (b) communicating an authorization request, including customer data and transaction specific data, by the merchant (20) to a transaction system (26); (c) authenticating the customer (10) by the transaction system (26); (d) authorizing the transaction by the transaction system (26); (e) communicating the authorization response by the transaction system (26) to the merchant (20); and (f) completing the transaction between the merchant (20) and the customer (10). An apparatus for implementing the method is disclosed.
US07890392B1
In one embodiment a method of structuring a credit having a repayment obligation is provided, including: setting an expected maturity date and a final maturity date for the credit; requiring that the repayment obligation be met by the expected maturity date unless at least one predefined event occurs; and requiring that the repayment obligation be met by the final maturity date to the extent that the repayment obligation is not met by the expected maturity date. In another embodiment a method of structuring a bond issued by a bond issuer, wherein the bond has associated therewith a repayment obligation, is provided, including: setting an expected payment date and a legal maturity date for the bond; requiring that the bond issuer establish revenue rates sufficient to pay the repayment obligation by the expected payment date; and deferring the payment of the repayment obligation as late as the legal maturity date to the extent that the repayment obligation is not met by the expected payment date.
US07890386B1
An image of at least one object (14) is captured. An object class selection is received from a menu (70) of a plurality of object classes. At least one task menu specific to the object class selection is provided. A task selection is received from the at least one task menu. A task associated with the at least one object (14) is facilitated based on the image and the task selection.
US07890381B1
A system for managing computer game activities, includes a software module for interfacing to a user and receiving commands from a user; a plurality of games, each game including a wrapper that controls DRM aspects of a user's access to the games; a plurality of skins stored in a local cache on a computer, the skins controlling visual aspects of presentations of the games, each skin being associated with a distributor who provided a particular game to the user. The software module periodically contacts a first server to update skins, games and user settings. The user settings are stored on the first server and permit the user to play the games from another computer. At least one of the games was downloaded from a second server, and the skin corresponding to that game is associated with the second server. The software module provides a mechanism for paying for games. The wrapper restricts the user to playing only a trial version of the game, unless the user pays for the full version of the game. The software module provides a mechanism for adding games that were previously installed to a list of games associated with the software module. The added games are handled the same as games that were downloaded through the software module. The skins include any combination of customizable fonts, colors, logos, text, and window shape. The software module periodically contacts the first server to receive updates and additional features for the games.
US07890378B2
One embodiment of the present invention provides systems and methods, which allow a more efficient shopping experience. A cascading commerce menu provides access to a plurality of product, service, and/or content categories. In one embodiment, the cascading commerce menu is stored on a client computer, thereby providing quick access to the menu.
US07890370B2
A method is provided that uses alerts to bring in-store information that is of interest to the attention of team members working in a retail store. To send an alert to a team member logged in to a device data, data from a source is evaluated against business rules. An event is generated when a piece of data satisfies the business rules. The event indicates that the piece of data is of interest. A task is activated for the event and assigned to the team member acting in a role associated with the source of the event. An alert is sent to the device that the team member is logged in to indicating that the team member has been assigned the task.
US07890359B2
An insurance program that provides improved health care and longevity by emphasizing health improvement and maintenance. After a predetermined waiting period from the time health insurance is purchased, during which the health status of the insured is maintained or improved, the insured may link the health insurance policy with one or more other types of insurance policies, such as; life, disability, nursing home, etc. Throughout the life of the policy, portions of the premiums may be deposited in an escrow account, provided that the health of the insured is maintained or improved, which may be utilized to pay or help pay for the linked insurance and may also be utilized for retirement benefits.
US07890358B2
Accessibility insurance coverage management is provided. An insurance server receives a coverage request from a requester that includes a user identifier corresponding to a user (i.e. policyholder). The insurance server matches the user identifier with a stored policyholder identifier and retrieves accessibility data corresponding to the matched policyholder identifier. If required, the insurance server updates the policyholder's accessibility data by receiving accessibility data from an accessibility database server. The insurance server identifies the policyholder's coverage using the user's accessibility data along with the user's policy information. The insurance server sends a message to the requester which indicates an amount of the particular item corresponding to the coverage request the insurance server covers. The insurance server receives accessibility service bills on a frequent basis, such as monthly. The insurance server verifies the billing information, pays the bill, and updates policyholder claims paid to date information.
US07890352B2
Methods and systems are provided for estimating liability in an accident. In one embodiment, liability estimation in a vehicle accident may be based on a plurality of characteristics that describe the accident. These characteristics may include: the configuration of the roadway, the type of accident, right of way, and impact points of each vehicle. The characteristics from an actual accident may be compared to those in a past or theoretical accident. Liability may be estimated from a preassigned liability associated with a nearest matching past or theoretical accident. The liability estimate may include a base liability and one or more adjustments due to various factors.
US07890348B2
The present technique provides a system and method for dynamic configuration of medical diagnostic systems using distributable multi-component configuration files having extractable component-specific configuration data. The component-specific configuration data is extractable and processable at each component receiving a broadcast of the distributable multi-component configuration file. If a configuration change is desired in the system or in a particular component, then the change is made via the distributable multi-component configuration file. For example, the foregoing distribution and extraction techniques may be performed during operation of the distributed medical diagnostic system in response to a global or application change, such as different medical diagnostic applications. Accordingly, the present technique provides a flexible and architecture-independent mechanism for configuring components of a distributed medical diagnostic system.
US07890347B2
An integrated health care delivery network with enabling software and network technology to maximize bed resources, manage varying census levels, and avoid patient diversions through real-time monitoring, automation and communication, is disclosed. Preferably, the present invention is embodied in a bed management system that interfaces with and complements existing Admission/Discharge/Transfer (ADT) systems. The bed management system is an easy-to-use business intelligence application that is designed to allow administrators, clinicians and managers to easily access, analyze and display real-time patient and bed availability information from ancillary information systems, databases and spreadsheets. It enables users to see trends and relationships in hospital (bed) management data directly from their desktop personal computers.
US07890343B1
Accurate risk management curves are generated for companies that have limited market information available to generate a risk management curve purely from the market information by allowing a pre-existing risk management curve (referred to as a “leader curve”) to be selected as a basis for generating a new risk management curve (referred to as a “target curve”). The leader curve may pertain to a company (referred to as the “leader company”) that has similar characteristics to the company for which the target curve is being generated (referred to as the “target company”). Further, any known differences between the leader company and the target company may be reflected in the target curve by incorporating any number of offsets between the leader curve and the target curve.
US07890341B2
A system and a method for tracking patients having renal disease, particularly Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), are provided. The system and method track patients through a common system with multiple healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses and the like, having access to the system and updating the system based on information regarding the care, treatment, diagnosis, therapy, or the like provided to the patients. The system and method interface with remote machines and supply chains by a modem, via the internet or by wireless devices. The system and method provide a continuum of care for renal patients, i.e., CKD, peritoneal dialysis (PD), home hemodialyis (HHD), in-center hemodialysis and transplant within a single database associated with the system. The system and method track the access information of PD patients and/or HD patients. Specifically, the system and method track access placement, infections, non-infection related problems, medications and hospitalizations. The system and method may track PD and HD information in one comprehensive module.
US07890337B2
A system and method for automatically determining library patrons' interests without having to identify the patron or otherwise invade his/her privacy based on the library patron's current use of library assets. The system and method involve categorizing the library's assets using broad mapping user interest categories, associating a user interest category with a specific library asset that is checked out, reserved or otherwise used by a library patron and providing that patron with a confirmation item containing that user interest category, providing the library patron with feedback about the library assets and the broad mapping user interest categories, allowing library patrons to access and register for a library rewards program using the user interest category number and having advertisers provide relevant information and rewards to library patrons who request such additional information.
US07890330B2
A method records verbal expressions of a person for use in a vehicle navigation system. The vehicle navigation system has a database including a map and text describing street names and points of interest of the map. The method includes the steps of obtaining from the database text of a word having at least one syllable, analyzing the syllable with a greedy algorithm to construct at least one text phrase comprising each syllable, such that the number of phrases is substantially minimized, converting the text phrase to at least one corresponding phonetic symbol phrase, displaying to the person the phonetic symbol phrase, the person verbally expressing each phrase of the phonetic symbol phrase, and recording the verbal expression of each phrase of the phonetic symbol phrase.
US07890328B1
Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar. The database may comprise a directory of names.
US07890327B2
Disclosed is a general framework for extracting semantics from composite media content at various resolutions. Specifically, given a media stream, which may consist of various types of media modalities including audio, visual, text and graphics information, the disclosed framework describes how various types of semantics could be extracted at different levels by exploiting and integrating different media features. The output of this framework is a series of tagged (or annotated) media segments at different scales. Specifically, at the lowest resolution, the media segments are characterized in a more general and broader sense, thus they are identified at a larger scale; while at the highest resolution, the media content is more specifically analyzed, inspected and identified, which thus results in small-scaled media segments.
US07890324B2
A system and method of presenting widgets to a user during a multi-modal interactive dialog between a user and a computer is presented. The system controls the multi-modal dialog; and when user input would help to clarify or speed up the presentation of requested information, the system presents a temporary widget to the user to elicit the user input in this regard. The system presents the widget on a display screen at a position that will not interfere with the dialog. Various types of widgets are available, such as button widgets, sliders and confirmation widgets, depending on the type of information that the system requires.
US07890312B2
A method is provided for predicting the performance of a loudspeaker port and optimizing port design. The method involves defining the geometries of a loudspeaker port, modeling the bi-directional fluid flow in the defined port utilizing a modeling method known as Computation Fluid Dynamics (“CFD”) and analyzing the flow model to determine whether the flow characteristic displayed in the model represent optimum flow characteristics for port performance. To optimize port design, the geometries of the port may be altered and modeled until the flow characteristic represents flow indicative of optimum port performance.
US07890307B2
A method for determining distribution data for a disposal domain parameter to increase assurance in a cuttings injection process, including performing a fracturing simulation using a site specific datum to obtain a fracturing result, determining a probability of creating a new fracture using the fracturing result and a probability model, performing a plurality of fracturing simulations using the probability and a distribution associated with the probability to obtain disposal domain information, and extracting the distribution data for the disposal domain parameter from the disposal domain information.
US07890305B2
A method and article for designing dual-mode adapters in a joint press kit. A plurality of ball joints for use with the adapters are selected. An adapter design is created by defining a first variable representative of a physical characteristic of the adapter design; defining a second variable representing a quantity of ball joints that are not compatible with the adapter design in a second operational mode; generating data sets including the first and second variables; and utilizing the data sets to determine a value for a characteristic of the adapter.
US07890291B2
A method for detecting a substantially invariant rotation axis of a motion of a mobile body equipped with at least one inertial or magnetic sensor with three sensitive axes that includes acquiring physical measurements with respect to the three sensitive axes of the sensor, the physical measurements including at least three samples at different times, estimating a substantially invariant rotation axis in the physical measurements space, and identifying the estimated axis as the substantially invariant rotation axis of the motion. In one aspect, the method is applicable for estimating the motion of a mobile body rotating about a substantially invariant axis.
US07890290B2
According to the invention, a method and system are provided for scanning, and for facilitating scanning of, an intraoral cavity. The target parts of the intraoral cavity that it is desired to have scanned are identified, and the spatial relationships between a scanning device and the target parts of the intraoral cavity suitable for enabling said target parts to be scanned by said scanning device, are also identified or otherwise determined. These relationships are then displayed, and the displayed relationships are used as a guide for scanning the intraoral cavity.
US07890289B2
Portable terminal for measuring reference tilt and method of measuring reference tilt using the same
The present invention discloses a portable terminal that measures a reference tilt and a method of measuring the reference tilt using the same. The portable terminal includes a movement sensor for measuring a tilt of the portable terminal using a gravitational acceleration value, and a controller for dividing a preset time into separate time sections and measuring an acceleration value in each separate time section by using the movement sensor, calculating a standard deviation of the accelerations in each separate time section and determining one time section in which movement is minimal, and calculating a tilt of the portable terminal from an average of the accelerations in the determined one time section or a sum of weight acceleration values therein and setting the calculated tilt as the reference tilt of the portable terminal.
US07890286B2
A test circuit includes a first reset pulse generator configured to generate a first reset pulse when a test mode is performed or when power is up, a test mode maintenance signal generator configured to provide a test mode maintenance signal activated in response to a predetermined consecutive test information data, the activation of the test mode maintenance signal being controlled by the first reset pulse, a second reset pulse generator configured to generate a second reset pulse when the test information data is received as a predetermined test mode reset data or when power is up, and a test mode selection signal generator configured to receive the test information data provided from the test mode maintenance signal generator and the test mode maintenance signal and to generate a specific test mode selection signal, the activation of the specific test mode selection signal being controlled by the second reset pulse.
US07890283B2
The present invention is applicable to various sensor outputs including pulse signals and reduces cost for detecting malfunction. The malfunction detection system detects a malfunction in a sensor, and the malfunction detection system includes a sensor including a first terminal, and which outputs a sensor output current that varies a voltage level of the first terminal, a current output unit which varies the voltage level of the first terminal by outputting a constant current for judging to the sensor via the first terminal, and a judging unit which judges that the sensor is malfunctioning when the current for judging causes the voltage level of the first terminal to be equal to or higher than a threshold in a period different from a first period where the sensor output current causes the voltage level of the first terminal to be equal to or higher than the threshold.
US07890281B2
A controlling method and a device are disclosed to calibrate a pointer assembly of an air-core meter. The pointer assembly of the instrument includes a calibrating magnet, a cosine coil, a sine coil and a pointer. According to the polarity of the return-to-zero magnetic field established by the calibrating magnet, a compensating voltage is imposed on the cosine coil or the sine coil or both under either a voltage driving mode or a current driving mode. The compensating voltage establishes a compensating magnetic field to cancel the return-to-zero magnetic field. Therefore, without modifying the structure of the pointer set, the pointer has good linearity and is not affected by the calibrating magnet.
US07890278B2
Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that characterizes a response of a device in a computer system to vibration over a frequency range. During operation, the device is vibrated at each frequency in a set of frequencies in the frequency range, wherein the device is vibrated at each frequency, one frequency at a time, until a stabilized response of the device is determined. The response of the device to vibration over the frequency range is then characterized based on information related to the stabilized response at each frequency in the set of frequencies.
US07890269B2
There is described a method and device for measurement of the specific density of a gaseous or liquid medium, whereby a pulsed acoustic signal is injected into the measured medium by means of a transmitting transducer, the signal is detected by a receiver transducer, after passing over a measured path, whereupon the acoustic impedance Z is automatically determined in an analytical device by comparison of a curve for the currently measured received signal with reference curves, predetermined for various values of the acoustic impedances stored for each value of the acoustic impedance, whereby the propagation speed c of the acoustic signal in the medium is determined and the density p of the medium is calculated as the quotient from the acoustic impedance Z and the propagation speed c. The method is preferably of application to an ultrasound mass flow measurement device and hence has the advantage that no additional density sensor is required, nevertheless permitting a robust and precise measurement of density.
US07890257B2
A method of displaying information on a display of a handheld electronic device includes steps of determining a target area onscreen to be visually magnified and causing a shape-changing zone of the display to change shape in the target area to visually magnify information displayed in the target area. The array of shape-changing zones on the touch-sensitive display can be independently actuated to form a magnifying lens over any onscreen object of interest. For example, this lens can be used to magnify a selected portion of a map, a portion of text or a specific point of interest. The lens can be used to magnify a route displayed on a map, or simply to zoom in on the current location of the device as displayed onscreen.
US07890248B2
A device, method and computer program product for locating aircraft with respect to airport runways and taxiways, determining if a conflict exists between an aircraft having operating the invention and another aircraft, and generating and annunciating conflict awareness advisories as a function of determining that a conflict exists.
US07890247B2
A system and method for determining a minimum spacing requirement for each of a plurality of aircraft landings, determining an actual spacing for each of the plurality of aircraft landings, calculating an efficiency score based on the actual spacing and the minimum spacing requirements for the plurality of aircraft landings and displaying the efficiency score to a user.
US07890241B2
Various systems and methods are described for operating an engine in a vehicle in response to a driver performance/economy mode. One example method comprises delivering a first fuel to a cylinder of the engine from a first injector, delivering a second, different, fuel to the cylinder of the engine from a second injector, varying a relative amount of said first and second fuel as an operating condition varies; and adjusting delivery of at least said second fuel based on a driver-selected performance mode.
US07890240B2
A brake system fault pedal gain change method and system for brake pedal simulator equipped vehicles such as hybrid electric vehicles is provided. In the event of a brake system booster fault, the method alerts the driver by way of tactile feedback. Additionally, the disclosed method provides a controlled means to gradually increase required brake pedal force during a brake system fault to avoid an abrupt change in brake pedal force when the brake system boost is depleted.
US07890239B2
To suppress an oversteered condition or an understeered condition by letting the movement of the vehicle follow the operational intention of the driver as faithfully as possible by making the best use of the respective characteristics of changes of the driving force distribution between front and rear wheels, modification of the steering angle and selective braking of a selected wheel or wheels under a simple control calculation, a change of the driving force distribution between the front and rear wheels is first executed according to the progress of the oversteered or understeered condition, and when it further progresses, a modification of the steering angle, and further a selected braking of a selected wheel or wheels is further executed.
US07890229B2
A device for waking users of a bus system, wherein a detection means, in particular a counter, is provided, which detects at least one predefined signal feature of the signals transmitted on the bus system and initiates the further wake-up procedure once a predefinable number with respect to the signal feature has been reached.
US07890224B2
A system which operates a digitally controlled model railroad transmitting a first command from a first client program to a resident external controlling interface through a first communications transport. A second command is transmitted from a second client program to the resident external controlling interface through a second communications transport. The first command and the second command are received by the resident external controlling interface which queues the first and second commands. The resident external controlling interface sends third and fourth commands representative of the first and second commands, respectively, to a digital command station for execution on the digitally controlled model railroad.
US07890219B2
A controller controls fan speed as a function of temperature indications. The controller maintains a constant fan speed despite indications of decreasing temperature at least until a preset wait period has expired since the last fan-speed change.
US07890215B2
A cooling system for providing conditioned air to a facility includes a chiller or other cooling subsystem, a cooling tower subsystem and one or more air handling units or process cooling units. The cooling subsystem may advantageously include one or more chillers (e.g., variable speed chillers, constant speed chillers, absorption chillers, etc.) and chilled fluid pumps. The cooling tower subsystem includes one or more cooling tower units and condenser fluid pumps. In some implementations, the air handling unit has a cooling coil and a variable volume fan. In some implementations, direct expansion (DX) cooling systems comprise compressors, evaporators and air-cooled, water-cooled or evaporatively-cooled condensing systems. Such systems can be controlled to reduce energy waste, improve occupant comfort and/or improve the thermal characteristics of the process cooling unit. The cooling system further comprises a control system which is configured to evaluate a cooling load value at the air handling unit and use the cooling load value to calculate at least one operational setpoint. The operational setpoint may advantageously be selected to improve the energy efficiency of the overall cooling system.
US07890206B2
An automated store comprising at least a plurality of shelves, on which objects are able to be disposed, and a transfer device able to move each of said objects towards a specific shelf; the transfer device comprises a supporting base, able to be disposed aligned and co-planar with each of said shelves, on which each object is able to be temporarily disposed; the automated store also comprises translation means able to thrust at least one object at a time from the supporting base to the specific fixed shelf and vice versa, and electronic command and control means, able to define a position of temporary collocation for the objects on the supporting base, according to the destination of the objects on the specific fixed shelf, in order to allow the translation means to thrust the objects into a corresponding storage position on the specific fixed shelf (aligned with said position of temporary collocation.
US07890204B2
To provide a method for determining a mounting condition to be set for at least one apparatus among apparatuses for manufacturing component-mounted boards. The method includes: determining, from among the apparatuses, a specific apparatus which satisfies a predetermined standard in performance associated with a manufacturing operation; obtaining the mounting condition associated with the manufacturing operation from the specific apparatus determined in the determining; and setting the mounting condition obtained in the obtaining for an apparatus other than the specific apparatus.
US07890200B2
A process control system and method for use in controlling operation of a process in response to identification of one or more events, where each event is a condition relating to one or more process variables for the process and has a determined association with one or more other events, the system comprising: an event control module which is operative to log from the process the one or more process variables which are attributed to the one or more events, and provide a control indication in response to each identified event, wherein the control indication identifies the event as one of a cause event or an effect event and the one or more associated other events as effect events for a cause event or cause events for an effect event.
US07890199B2
A sound output control apparatus includes a controller for a user to perform a stroke operation. The controller is provided with an acceleration sensor for detecting accelerations of two axes, for example. The sum of the accelerations is calculated, and the output of a sound is controlled in accordance with a change in the sum of the accelerations. More specifically, when the sum of the accelerations exceeds each of threshold values associated with strings of a string instrument such as a guitar, a sound corresponding to the threshold value is output.
US07890198B1
A method and apparatus create a general framework for representing and manipulating control systems having a plurality of SISO feedback loops or, more generally, SISO “compensators” to be designed or tuned. A graphical user interface (GUI) design tool can include graphical interfaces, such as editors, which users can utilize to modify such variables as gain and other dynamics of each SISO compensator. Changes made to one SISO compensator generate different outputs, which are automatically translated to the other SISO compensators of the DSCS. There is a linking of interfaces and/or editors, such that changes made in one that affect another are automatically displayed accordingly. Such an arrangement provides for performance measuring views that provide real-time visual feedback on the effect of modified parameters on global performance. Different configuration tools can be utilized in conjunction with the present invention to enable a user to experiment with different design scenarios and compare results.
US07890186B2
An anchoring device and a delivery method thereof can effectively provide a means for securing an implant to a wall of an internal organ within a patient in a variety of clinical applications. In one embodiment, an anchoring device used to retain a cardiac pressure measurement device is provided. The device is implanted in the body by deforming it to a small cross section profile, sliding it through a low profile delivery device and ejecting from the delivery device at a targeted site. The anchoring mechanism, when ejected from the delivery device, reverts back to pre-formed configuration and engages opposite sides of an organ wall, thereby anchoring the implant in the organ wall.
US07890166B2
Enhanced therapies for treating pain are described. The therapies include subcutaneous stimulation of tissue in proximity to a source of pain at low frequencies (less than about 20 Hz) and high frequencies (greater than about 50 Hz). The therapies further include administering a pain treating agent at a predetermined time relative to application of the high or low frequency stimulation. Delivery of the pain treating agent via an implantable infusion system is described. Coordination of output of an infusion device and a pulse generator to provide coordinated therapy is also discussed.
US07890163B2
A cardiac rhythm management (CRM) system detects tachyarrhythmia using cardiac local impedance indicative of cardiac local wall motion. A cardiac local impedance signal indicative of an impedance of a cardiac region is sensed by using a pair of bipolar electrodes placed in that cardiac region. Tachyarrhythmia such as VF is detected by analyzing one or more cardiac local impedance signals sensed in one or more cardiac regions.
US07890156B2
A medical image display method of this invention includes an organ display step for displaying an image of a predetermined organ including a desired blood vessel in a medical image on a display unit; a blood vessel selection step for selecting the desired blood vessel from the image of the predetermined organ displayed by the organ display step and designating a specific position of the desired blood vessel; and an image display step for displaying a pseudo image in a pseudo imaging mode as if a contrast, agent were made to flow through the blood vessel selected in the blood vessel selection step. The pseudo image of the flow of the contrast agent in the blood vessel assists doctor in conducting diagnoses and therapies.
US07890155B2
A method for visualizing one or more objects of interest within a volume of imaging data includes the steps of receiving a volume of imaging data and displaying the one or more objects of interest within the volume by adaptively changing the amount of information displayed from the volume based on (1) a viewing direction of the volume, (2) a position of the one or more objects of interest within the volume, and (3) importance values of materials within the volume.
US07890153B2
A pulse oximetry sensor adapted to emit light from an emitter proximate to a patient's tissue and detect a portion of the emitted light on a detector proximate to the tissue. The pulse oximetry system is adapted to acquire position data for the emitter and for the detector with one or more position indicators. The pulse oximetry system is adapted to process the position data to obtain a change in position of the emitter and the detector; and to process pulse oximetry measurements using the change in position to obtain a motion-corrected pulse oximetry data.
US07890147B2
A portable terminal device, which closes AV incoming call notification sound ringing at a headset when incoming call notification sound ringing processing through an AV profile competes with incoming call notification sound processing through a hands-free profile between a cellular phone and a headset, and when an in-band notification mode is set at the cellular phone, connects a sound link to perform communication through the hands-free profile, and starts ringing of an incoming call notification sound through the hands-free profile.
US07890144B2
Techniques are provided to support successive interference cancellation (SIC) receiver processing with selection diversity whereby each of NT transmit antennas may be turned on or off. One symbol stream may be transmitted from each transmit antenna. A SIC receiver recovers the transmitted symbol streams in a specific order. Up to NT! orderings are evaluated. For each ordering, NT post-detection SNRs are obtained for NT transmit antennas and used to determine NT data rates, where the data rate is zero if the post-detection SNR is worse than a minimum required SNR. An overall data rate is computed for each ordering based on the NT data rates. The ordering with the highest overall data rate is selected for use. Up to NT symbol streams are processed at the data rates for the selected ordering and transmitted. The transmitted symbol streams are recovered in accordance with the selected ordering.
US07890141B2
A wireless terminal is disclosed that interfaces a radio on a radio card to a wireless terminal with a single two-lead cable that is capable of carrying both: (1) RF signals from the radio card to an antenna on a wireless terminal, and (2) radio status signaling from the radio card to a display on the wireless terminal. The wireless terminal comprises (1) an antenna, (2) a first visual indicator that indicates to a user of the wireless terminal when a radio is transmitting, and (3) a signal lead for carrying an RF signal from the radio to the antenna and for carrying a first baseband signal from the radio to the first visual indicator.
US07890128B1
Improved approaches for users of electronic devices to communicate with one another are disclosed. The electronic devices have audio and/or textual output capabilities. The improved approaches can enable users to communicate in different ways depending on device configuration, user preferences, prior history, etc. In one embodiment, the communication between users is achieved by short audio or textual messages.
US07890125B2
The present invention is a method and system for pushing data to a mobile station. A message is pushed from the push content server to a Java-enabled mobile terminal. A Java MIDlet on the mobile terminal then intercepts the message and determines the appropriate delivery of the SMS message. The Java MIDlet can determine whether to present the SMS message via normal SMS protocol, present the SMS message to the screen of the mobile device, reject the SMS message, or automatically accept the SMS message. If the message is accepted by the mobile device, the Java MIDlet may initiate GPRS or EDGE interface to request data to the mobile device.
US07890121B2
A first portable terminal receives a GPS signal transmitted from a satellite via radio waves with a signal reception means, and a short distance wireless communication means transfers this received signal to a second portable terminal. Furthermore, upon receipt of this signal transferred from the first portable terminal, the second portable terminal processes the received signal with a position measurement means, and thereby measures the position of the first portable terminal. Since the communication between the first portable terminal and the second portable terminal is by short distance wireless communication, accordingly these two portable terminals are positioned approximately at the same location. And a position measurement result notification means of the second portable terminal notifies its own position, which the position measurement means has acquired, to the first portable terminal.
US07890119B2
A method and system for dynamic selection of user plane or control plane signaling for mobile station location determination. A positioning system receives a request for the location of a mobile station and then makes a determination, based on one or more factors, of whether to employ user plane signaling or control plane signaling to obtain mobile station location data. The factors may include mobile station capability, mobile station call state, mobile station support for user plane signaling, mobile station support for simultaneous voice and data communication, time, precision of requested location, subscriber preference, failure of control plane or user plane signaling, and preference specified by the request, among others. Given the determination, the positioning system then employs the selected signaling mechanism.
US07890118B2
In a position detection system utilizing a WLAN supporting multiple data transfer rates, it is possible to reduce the number of required installed base stations, so system construction costs can be lowered. In a wireless station, a transmitted signal is judged at the time of transmission, and in case it is normal user data, the signal is transmitted by setting optimal transmission parameters for which a high communication throughput with wireless communication is obtained, and in case it is a position detection signal, the aforementioned signal is transmitted by setting transmission parameters for which the service range is increased. As a transmission parameter for which the service range is increased, a low data transfer rate or a long preamble length is used.
US07890105B2
One aspect of the present invention regards a method of coordinating the handoff of a mobile carrier between a first access network and a second access network, the method including handing off from a first access network that the mobile carrier is currently operating within to a second access network and building physical access network topology based on the handing off without input from either the first access network or the second access network.
US07890098B2
A satellite radiotelephone system can include a space-based component and a plurality of ancillary terrestrial components. The space-based component is configured to provide wireless radiotelephone communications over a satellite radiotelephone frequency band. The plurality of ancillary terrestrial components are configured to terrestrially reuse at least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies, at least some of the ancillary terrestrial components terrestrially reusing the at least one of the satellite radiotelephone frequencies in a staggered sectorization. Related methods are also discussed.
US07890093B2
A method for testing SMS connections in mobile communication systems with automatic interchange of one or more SMS messages or SMS dialogs between a test device and at least one remote location and having complete tabular recording of the SMS message contents and protocols emitted from the test device (MO) and arriving at the test device (MT). The message contents of the incoming and outgoing SMS messages are recorded completely in tabular form.
US07890088B2
A mobile wireless communication terminal includes a wireless communication module that is configured to communicate with other communication terminals over a wireless interface, and a controller. The controller is configured to establish a connection with at least one participant wireless communication terminal via the wireless communication module, to receive from the at least one participant wireless communication terminal an identification of a compliant song file stored on the at least one participant wireless communication terminal and having a metadata tag associated therewith indicating that the compliant song file is classified in a prescribed song file category, and to execute playback of the compliant song file.
US07890087B2
In a communications network, a network access point address is determined that is currently associated with at least one of a plurality of subscriber mobile devices associated with a subscription to an information service. Content associated with the information service is formatted to provide subscriber content that is configured to be used by the plurality of subscriber mobile devices, but is configured to prevent at least some use thereof by devices that are not associated with the subscription to the information service. The subscriber content is broadcast from a transmitter at the determined network access point address to the at least one subscriber mobile device over a wireless network.
US07890083B2
A method of tracking a lost mobile electronic device connected to a wireless or wired network is provided. The method includes: storing user identity information included in a user identity card inserted into the mobile device, a warning message, and information regarding a destination of the warning message; and when a new user identity card is inserted into the mobile device, comparing user identity information stored in the new user identity card with the stored user identity information and automatically transmitting the warning message to the destination of the warning message if the user identity information stored in the new user identity card is not identical to the stored user identity information. Accordingly, it is possible to easily track a lost mobile electronic device connected to a wireless or wired network.
US07890078B2
A dual band WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) communications technique is provided where a frequency synthesizer unit generates an LO (Local Oscillator) signal at a frequency between both frequency bands and two downconversion units and/or two upconversion units are provided. One of the units performs conversion between the LO signal and an IF (Intermediate Frequency) signal while the other conversion takes place between the IF signal and a zero-IF or low-IF signal. Signal processing is performed on the zero-IF or low-IF signal.
US07890077B2
A calibration device is coupled to a balanced circuit device including first and second outputs provided with first and second load impedances. The calibration device includes an adjusting circuit to adjust the first and second load impedances into a load imbalance for linearization. A coupling circuit is inserted between the adjusting circuit and the first and second outputs to selectively couple the adjusting circuit to one of the first and second outputs, so that the adjusting circuit is coupled in parallel either to the first load impedance or to the second load impedance.
US07890067B2
A system for power amplification of an RF signal including polar feedback control. The system may include a feedback-controlled modulator configured to modulate an RF signal based on a feedback-corrected control signal. The modulator is further configured to generate a modulated RF signal. The system also may include a phase shifter configured to correct the phase of the modulated RF signal based on a feedback phase control signal. The system further includes a power amplifier in communication with the modulator and/or the phase shifter. The amplifier is configured to amplify the modulated RF signal and to generate an amplified RF output signal. The system also includes a feedback network configured to generate polar feedback signals, including the feedback-corrected control signal and/or the feedback phase control signal.
US07890066B2
The radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) electrostatic discharge (ESD) circuit includes an integrated circuit pad and a radio frequency (RF) ESD circuit. The integrated circuit pad provides coupling to an antenna. The RF ESD circuit is coupled to the integrated circuit pad, wherein the RF ESD circuit provides ESD protection at the integrated circuit pad, provides coupling of inbound RF signals from the antenna to low noise amplifier, and provides coupling of outbound RF signals from a power amplifier to the antenna.
US07890063B2
Embodiments of the invention may provide for a CMOS antenna switch, which may be referred to as a CMOS SP4T switch. The CMOS antenna switch may operate at a plurality of frequencies, perhaps around 900 MHz and 1.9 GHz according to an embodiment of the invention. The CMOS antenna switch may include both a receiver switch and a transmit switch. The receiver switch may utilize a multi-stack transistor with body substrate tuning to block high power signals from the transmit path as well as to maintain low insertion loss at the receiver path. On the other hand, in the transmit switch, a body substrate tuning technique may be applied to maintain high power delivery to the antenna. Example embodiments of the CMOS antenna switch may provide for 31 dBm P 1 dB at both bands (e.g., 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz). In addition, a 0.9 dB and −1.1 dB insertion loss at 900 MHz and 1.9 GHz, respectively, may be obtained according to example embodiments of the invention.
US07890062B2
Power measurements of a signal having a changing frequency are corrected by acquiring samples of the signal, matching the samples of the signal to a sequence of frequencies indexed to correction transforms, and applying the correction transforms to the samples of the signal. Additionally, an apparatus corrects power measurements of a signal having a changing frequency and includes an acquisition block for acquiring samples of the signal, a sequence controller for matching the samples of the signal to a sequence of frequencies indexed to correction transforms and a correction block for applying the correction transforms to the samples of the signal.
US07890054B2
A rectifier circuit includes a bias circuit that outputs a first direct-current voltage and a second direct-current voltage; a first MOS transistor that has a gate and a source; and a second MOS transistor that has a gate, a source, and a drain connected to the source of the first MOS transistor. Only the first direct-current voltage is applied between the gate and the source of the first MOS transistor, and only the second direct-current voltage is applied between the gate and the source of the second MOS transistor. The rectifier circuit also includes a coupling capacitor that has a first end which is connected to the source of the first MOS transistor, and a second end to which an alternating-current signal is input.
US07890051B2
A reach back secure communications terminal includes a modem to satellite interconnect board that captures DTMF tones, demodulates encrypted modem information, and converts both into an ASCII string for presentation to a data port of a satellite phone, allowing out-of-band control of a non-secure satellite system (e.g., AT command control of a data port) by a user on a secure side of an encryption device, by including the ability to interpret control signals and control the satellite system appropriately. A false dial tone is presented to the encryption device, and the data stream coming from the encryption device is monitored for the presence of dual-tone, multi-frequency (DTMF) tones representing control signals, the DTMF tones are converted to ASCII characters, which are in turn received as control signals by the satellite phone, allowing control of the functions of the satellite system directly from the secure side of the encryption device.
US07890049B2
Apparatus and method for performing Automatic Retransmission reQuest (ARQ) in a wireless relay communication system are provided, which include performing ARQ with the base station (BS), transmitting data successfully received from the BS to mobile station (MS), and retransmitting corresponding data to the MS when a retransmission indication message is received from the BS. Since the relay station (RS) relays only the errorless data to the receiver, the reliability of the data received at the receiver can be enhanced. The load on the RS can be reduced because the transmitter controls the ARQ.
US07890042B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a fixing unit. The fixing unit includes a heating member; a coil arranged along an outer surface of the heating member for generating a magnetic field for induction heating the heating member; a core arranged to face the heating member with the coil located therebetween in order to form a magnetic path around the coil and made of a magnetic material; a shielding member arranged near the magnetic path generated by the coil, including a closed frame portion and made of a nonmagnetic metal; and a magnetic shielding portion for displacing the shielding member between a retracted position for permitting a magnetic flux to pass along a frame surface virtually formed inside the closed frame portion and a shielding position for shielding magnetism by the penetration of a magnetic flux inside the frame surface.
US07890035B2
An image forming apparatus and an image transferring method therefor are provided. The apparatus includes a plurality of photosensitive units, an intermediate transfer member, and a sheet-conveying unit. Each of the photosensitive units bears a first toner image. The intermediate transfer member is in contact with the photosensitive units, onto which the first toner images are transferred from the photosensitive units and superimposed to form a second toner image. The intermediate transfer member is rotationally driven at a first speed. The sheet-conveying unit is used for transporting a sheet past the intermediate transfer member at a second speed different from the first speed, so that the second toner image on the intermediate transfer member is transferred onto the sheet.
US07890033B2
A developing device that prevents the formation of agglomerated masses of developing agent in the bottom of the developing agent housing chamber near the developing roller and the supply roller, and that maintains the fluidity of the developing agent in the bottom of the developing agent housing chamber, while minimizing any increase in size of the developing device. The developing device includes an agitator disposed higher than the developing roller, the regulating blade, and the supply roller, and that agitates a non-magnetic one component developing agent within the developing agent housing chamber; and a developing agent ingress prevention member disposed higher than the supply roller, and lower than the agitator, and the side surface or edge portion of the developing agent ingress prevention member near the developing roller is higher than the topmost point of the supply roller, and lower than the lowermost point of the regulating nip formed by the contact of the developing roller and the regulating blade.
US07890029B2
There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of realizing improvement of an image density by improving dot reproducibility and reducing fog at the same time. An alternating voltage is applied to a development sleeve so that a first period during which a first peak-to-peak voltage Vpp(1) is applied and a second period during which a second peak-to-peak voltage Vpp(2) that is lower than the first peak-to-peak voltage is applied are repeated alternately. The alternating voltage to be applied is applied so that a development-side potential to move toner from the development sleeve to a photoreceptor and an opposite development-side potential to move toner from the photoreceptor to the development sleeve alternate with each other. The potential to be finally applied in the first period is preferably the development-side potential.
US07890024B2
The present invention provides an image heating apparatus which can easily attach and detach an external heating unit and easily perform a maintenance operation. The image heating apparatus has a fixing apparatus frame 62 which rotatably supports a fixing roller 40, a unit including a pressure spring 35 which urges an external heating roller 53 toward the fixing roller 40, a pressure guide shaft 37 which holds the pressure spring 35, and a pressure stay 38 which slidably supports the pressure guide shaft 37, a screw 61 which detachably fixes the unit to the fixing apparatus frame 62 via the pressure stay 38, and a pressure releasing arm 39 which releases the force of the pressure spring 35 acting on the screw 61 via the pressure stay 38 by sliding the pressure guide shaft 37 relative to the pressure stay 38.
US07890012B2
A process cartridge is detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus including a movable member movable from an outside of the main assembly of the apparatus to an inside thereof while carrying the process cartridge. The cartridge includes a drum, charging and developing rollers, rotatably connected first and second frames supporting different rollers, drum and developing roller driving force receiving portions, first and second portions-to-be-supported, on one and the other ends of the first frame, first and second portions-to-be-positioned, on one and the other ends of the first frame positioned to first and second main assembly side positioning portions during a lowering movement of the movable member toward a transfer belt, charging and developing bias contacts exposed at the other end, and a portion-to-be-urged, on the first frame upper surface for receiving an elastic force to position the process cartridge relative to the main assembly.
US07890003B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit having an image carrier, a developing agent container for holding a developing agent, and a developing agent supplier for supplying the developing agent from the developing agent container to the image carrier. A controller determines the amount of use of the image forming unit. A shaking mechanism shakes the image forming unit from time to time, at intervals determined by the controller according to the amount of use of the image forming unit. The shaking loosens the developing agent so as to maintain its fluidity, thereby avoiding faint image formation.
US07889993B2
A reflector for use in an optical transceiver module and methods for making and using the reflector are provided. The methods for making the reflector reduce the amount of processing and handling of the wafer that are required, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and increasing yield. The reflector may have a diffraction-inducing structure formed thereon such that light received from the light source is redirected in a plurality of directions, including toward a lens that couples light into an end of a transmit fiber and in at least one other direction for being sensed by a detector that converts the detected light into electrical energy.
US07889990B2
In a GPON system conforming to ITU-T Recommendations G.984.3, an optical line terminal is provided which has an active bandwidth allocation function that preferentially puts small bandwidth signals in a particular segment of a frame, e.g., at a head of the frame, to prevent fragmentations that may occur particularly when allocating small bandwidths of about 100 kbits/s.
US07889988B2
An optical transmission apparatus to which an optical module having optical module information stored therein is attachable, the optical module information being manufacturing information about the optical module, includes a certification rank table configured to a list, with respect to each of a plurality of optical modules, the optical module information regarding an optical module and a rank indicative of a range of guarantee for the corresponding optical module, and a ranking unit configured to refer to the certification rank table by use of the optical module information stored in an optical module attached to the optical transmission apparatus so as to determine the rank indicative of a range of guarantee for the attached optical module, wherein the determined rank is reported to an exterior of the apparatus.
US07889987B2
A portable communication device having a camera functionality including a camera lens and a UV filter element moveable into or out of a position covering the camera lens. The device includes an apparatus for detecting a light feature associated with an ambient light condition. The UV filter is automatically moved into or out of a position overlying the camera lens based upon the data determined from the light feature associated with the ambient light condition.
US07889983B2
When an image is photographed via a plurality of optical members which are disposed along a photographing optical axis, a direction and an amount of shake, which occurs, are detected. An imaging device is moved along a plane perpendicular to the photographing optical axis, on the basis of the detected direction and amount of shake. A position on the photographing optical axis of at least one of the optical members is corrected in accordance with data of the movement.
US07889980B2
An apparatus for generating a visual representation may include an elongated flexible member adapted to be removably inserted into an enclosure; a dispensing mechanism operable to selectively dispense and retract the elongated flexible member; a counter configured to determine an amount of the elongated flexible member dispensed by the dispensing mechanism; a controller configured to receive the amount of the elongated flexible member dispensed from the counter and determine a rate at which the elongated flexible member is dispensed; and a display in data communication with the controller. The controller causes the rate at which the flexible member is dispensed to be displayed in relation to a visual representation of the enclosure on the display.
US07889978B2
An angle computing section determines an angle of a rotor, and an angular velocity computing section determines angular velocity of the rotor. A command current computing section determines, from a steering torque and vehicle velocity, command currents and taken along d-q axes. An open loop control section determines, from command currents and angular velocity, command voltages taken along the d-q axes in accordance with motor circuit equations. A d-q axis/three-phase conversion section converts the command voltages into command voltages of three phases. A φ computing section determines the number of armature winding flux linkages included in a motor circuit equation from a q-axis command voltage, the current value detected by a current sensor, and the angular velocity. Circuit resistance including armature winding resistance R included in the motor circuit equation may also be determined by means of the same configuration.
US07889961B2
Adapter modules, housing assemblies that house the adapter modules, and frame assemblies that contain the housing assemblies are disclosed that are all relatively compact and support a relatively high density of components. The modules, assemblies and frames have configurations that take advantage of bend-insensitive cable fibers and jumper fibers. The adapter module is a cassette-like case that allows for a length of cable fiber to be wound tightly therein in a substantially circular loop configuration when closed. The housing assembly houses a plurality of adapter modules and is configured so that the cable and jumper fibers have relatively tight bends within the housing interior. The frame assembly is configured to support a plurality of stacked housing assemblies and to route the jumper fibers through routing conduits and/or routing troughs so that the jumper fibers are enclosed within the frame assembly rather than dangling outside of the frame. The cable fibers enter the back of the housing assemblies via a fiber optic cable arranged at the back of the frame assembly.
US07889960B2
A single-mode optical fiber includes a central core, an intermediate cladding, a depressed trench, and an external optical cladding. The central core has a radius r1 and a positive refractive index difference Δn1 with the optical cladding. The intermediate cladding has a radius r2 and a refractive index difference Δn2 with the optical cladding, wherein Δn2 is less than the central core's refractive index difference Δn1. The depressed trench has a radius r3 and a negative index difference Δn3 with the optical cladding. The optical fiber has a nominal mode field diameter (MFD) between 8.6 microns and 9.5 microns at a wavelength of 1310 nanometers, and at a wavelength of 1550 nanometers, the optical fiber has bending losses less than 0.15 dB/turn for a radius of curvature of 5 millimeters and cable cut-off wavelengths of less than or equal to 1260 nanometers.
US07889954B2
An embodiment of the invention is a remote sensor that has an optical fiber terminating in a tip. A thin film porous particle having a characteristic optical response that changes in the presence of an analyte is optically coupled and physically attached to the tip of the optical fiber. The optical response of the particle changes in the presence of analyte, and the particle also serves to concentrate analyte. The thin film porous particle can be functionalized toward sensitivity for a predetermined analyte or analytes. A method of remote sensing exposes the remote sensor to an environment to be monitored for analyte. The thin film porous particle is probed with a beam of light. Reflected light is monitored through the optical fiber for a shift in frequency or intensity.
US07889950B2
A method of image processing using kernel regression is provided. An image gradient is estimated from original data that is analyzed for local structures by computing a scaling parameter, a rotation parameter and an elongation parameter using singular value decomposition on local gradients of the estimated gradients locally to provide steering matrices. A steering kernel regression having steering matrices is applied to the original data to provide a reconstructed image and new image gradients. The new gradients are analyzed using singular value decomposition to provide new steering matrices. The steering kernel regression with the new steering matrices is applied to the noisy data to provide a new reconstructed image and further new gradients. The last two steps are repeated up to ten iterations to denoise the original noisy data and improve the local image structure.
US07889947B2
A computer-implemented method and media for completing images are provided. The computer-implemented method receives images having holes, identifies the holes, and searches an image database to locate images that fill the holes. Also, the computer-implemented method generates a multiscale graph of the image to locate images that fill the holes at different resolutions. A guide image may filter the located images that fill the holes at the different resolutions. The images that fill the holes and match the guide are selected to complete the images.
US07889935B2
There are provided a data processing apparatus which makes an I/F for data processing modules (processors) versatile to facilitate addition/modification on a data processing module basis in accordance with processing contents, an image processing apparatus, and a method for the apparatuses. A data processing module (3) includes a read address generator (11), read FIFO (7), write address generator (13), write FIFO (9), and arbiter (10) and is connected to a host arbiter (4) through a 1-channel port. The read address generator (11) and write address generator (13) generate interrupts upon acceptance of final access requests so as to control activation of each data processing module (8-1-8-m) in accordance with the state of each data processing module in interrupt processing. Note that data transfer among the respective data processing modules is performed on a RAM (6).
US07889934B2
An image processing apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus comprises an image input device, an external memory, and an encoder. The image input device captures pictures, and the external memory stores the captured pictures. The encoder further comprises a moving picture compression unit, a still picture compression unit, and a recording unit. The moving picture compression unit and the still picture compression unit share the external memory and work simultaneously when at least one of the captured pictures is to be stored in both video and still image format. The recording unit records the compressed pictures.
US07889931B2
The present invention relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for providing automated vehicle image acquisition, analysis, and reporting. One embodiment of the invention includes a method for providing vehicle damage information to an interested party. The method can include receiving simultaneously captured image data associated with a vehicle. The method can also include comparing at least a portion of the image data with previously stored image data associated with the vehicle. Furthermore, the method can include based at least in part on the comparison of the portion of image data with previously stored image data associated with the vehicle, determining whether damage to the vehicle exists. In addition, the method can include outputting an indicator of whether damage to the vehicle exists.
US07889922B2
A method for histogram calculation using a graphics processing unit (GPU), comprises storing image data in a two-dimensional (2D) texture domain; subdividing the domain into independent regions or tiles; calculating in parallel, in a GPU, a plurality of tile histograms, one for each tile; and summing up in parallel, in the GPU, the tile histograms so as to derive a final image histogram.
US07889921B2
A method for producing a noise-reduced digital color image, includes providing an image having panchromatic pixels and color pixels corresponding to at least two color photoresponses; providing from the image a panchromatic image and at least one color image; and using the panchromatic image and the color image to produce the noise-reduced digital color image by setting a plurality of color characteristics equal to the corresponding panchromatic characteristics at each color pixel location.
US07889913B2
Systems, methods, and computer program products for creating composite images. In one approach, a method for generating an image, comprises the computer implemented steps of: adding a three dimensional (3D) object to a two dimensional (2D) image; rendering a representation of one of the objects in the 2D image viewable through a transparent or semi-transparent portion of the 3D object; and rendering an effect of refraction on one of the objects in the 2D image viewable through the transparent or semi-transparent portion of the 3D object. Additional embodiments are also presented.
US07889906B2
Three camera rigs are connected by wiring to a computer. The computer is also connected to a treatment apparatus. A mechanical couch is provided as part of the treatment apparatus such that under the control of the computer the relative positions of the mechanical couch and the treatment apparatus may be varied. The camera rigs obtain video images of a patient lying on the mechanical couch. The computer processes these images to generate a three-dimensional model of the surface of the patient relative to the treatment apparatus.
US07889902B2
A technique for generating DRR (digitally reconstructed radiography) images includes dividing sample points along a ray trajectory through a 3-dimensional dataset of attenuation values into stages. Each of the stages includes a plurality of the sample points. The attenuation values are summed along the ray trajectory for each of the sample points. Intermediate summation values are computed for each of the stages along the ray trajectory and for each of the stages the attenuation values summed within a given stage are summed with a previous stage intermediate summation value calculated for a stage previous to the given stage to generate a given stage intermediate summation value. A final accumulation value being representative of a total attenuation summed along the ray trajectory is calculated.
US07889899B2
A computer-implemented method for visualization of diffusion tensor images includes providing a diffusion tensor image input and providing a volume of interest within the diffusion tensor image input. The method includes determining a plurality of direction-based classifications of the volume of interest, wherein classes are defined by a set of parameters, An optimal solution is then selected within the classifications by using a criterion defined as a ratio of inertia indicators. To represent the chosen classification, a cone graph is determined for each of the directional classes to be displayed or stored, each cone pair being the geometrical interpretation of the class parameters. The method further includes determining a spherical scatterplot of the volume of interest augmented with a cone graph for visualization of at least one of the directional classes, and displaying and/or storing the scatterplot.
US07889898B2
A method for navigating digital medical images includes providing a digitized patient medical image of a structure of interest in a patient, using a pre-trained classifier to segment the structure of interest from the image, creating links from the structure of interest to a corresponding structure in an anatomical atlas, receiving a query to view the structure of interest, parsing the query to identify one or more keywords from noun phrases in the query, mapping a keyword to a corresponding structure in the anatomical atlas, wherein the anatomical atlas structure is associated with a link to the corresponding structure in the patient image, and following the link to display said patient structure of interest.
US07889892B2
An index representing the probability that a fraction image is a face image including a face in an input image is calculated for each of the positions of the face to be detected on the basis of a feature value. When the sum of the indexes of the fraction images is not smaller than the first threshold value, the image formed by the fraction images is determined to be a face image.
US07889889B2
A method and device for registering a handwritten personal signature and for judging its authenticity by comparison with previously registered measured values and data derived therefrom. Signature data is acquired by registering a signature handwritten on a surface by a three-dimensional inertial sensing system having rate-of-rotation sensors and linear acceleration sensors. The data is subjected to a subsequent procedure of recognition or verification or comparison with other signatures. Hence not only tracking is performed with reference to the tip of a writing implement, but the dynamics of the signature are registered and evaluated by numerical calculation and adopted as the basis for the subsequent comparison, effectively ruling out the possibility of fraudulent duplication or tracing-over of a signature by an unauthorized third party. The dynamics i.e. acceleration and deceleration phenomena and rates of rotation as the signature are executed and effectively registered. From them, supplementary measured variables are calculated and specific characteristics are defined from those variables. Those variables are adopted as the basis for comparison, the degree of accuracy of the verification that the signature is genuine can be substantially increased.
US07889888B2
A method for visualizing data comprises allocating the data to one or more groups. The method further comprises displaying one or more non-overlapping symbols on a map to represent the groups. The method further comprises merging the non-overlapping symbols into a lesser number of non-overlapping symbols when the map is zoomed out. The method also comprises splitting the one or more non-overlapping symbols into a greater number of non-overlapping symbols when the map is zoomed in.
US07889887B2
A lane recognition apparatus that recognizes a lane from an input image sequence captured from a visual sensor mounted on a vehicle at a fixed time interval, includes a time series smoothing part for generating a smoothed feature image based on a feature image extracted from the input image sequence so that a dotted line lane boundary describes a linear locus over time, a gradient image generation part for generating a gradient image by estimating a feature value gradient at each pixel position of the smoothed feature image, and a Hough transform part for performing Hough transform on the gradient image and detecting lines of edges in the smoothed feature image.
US07889873B2
Microphone array for achieving a substantially frequency-independent directivity using a plurality of microphones disposed along a rectilinear array. The rectilinear array is at least as long as the wavelength of the lowest frequency, where a useful directivity is desired. The rectilinear array has a first end and a second end. The microphones close to the first end are intended for the highest frequencies and the microphones close to the second end are intended for the lowest frequencies. The mutual spacing of the microphones is frequency-dependent. The signals from the individual microphones are band-pass filtered, the passbands and cut-off frequencies of the individual band-pass filters being adapted to the frequency band the individual microphones are intended for. The individual band-pass filters are adapted such that the amplitude of the summated signal after band-pass filtering is substantially the same when a sinus-shaped test signal is used, the amplitude of said test signal being constant and the frequency of said test signal varying within the frequency range where the microphone array is to have a substantially frequency-independent directivity.
US07889872B2
A device and a method for integrating 3D sound effect processing and active noise control are proposed. A digital signal processor incorporates an artificial reverberator and a 3D spatial audio processor into an audio module. The audio signal is presented via an earphone. Next, a microphone embedded in the vicinity of the loudspeaker inside the headset is used to sense an external noise while playing, and feed it back to an active noise controller, which generates an anti-noise to eliminate the external noise. Therefore, the signal to noise ratio can be increased and the 3D sound field effect can be significantly enhanced. In addition, a head-related transfer function is more efficiently implemented on the basis of an interaural transfer function in the spatial audio processing to reduce the filter order lower and hence the computation loading.
US07889871B2
The sound reproduction of a multichannel sound reproduction system with a plurality of speakers which is connected to the output of an FM stereo receiver is controlled by a control signal derived from the reception quality. Preferably, the control signal from the FM stereo receiver for controlling the stereo and mono components is also employed to control the multichannel sound reproduction system. For example, stereo, pseudo-stereo or mono reproduction are provided in the multichannel sound reproduction system in response to the stereo component within the output signal.
US07889870B2
A stereo sound generation method and apparatus to generate a stereo sound, by using 2-channel headphones, earphones, or speakers, from a multi-channel sound signal reproduced through a variety of media such as a DVD-video, and a DVD-audio. The stereo sound generation method of generating a 2-channel stereo sound from a 5.1-channel sound signal includes: generating a first channel stereo signal and a second channel stereo signal, by applying the difference between times taken to arrive at two ears of a listener, respectively, and a difference between sound pressures of the two ears that are different or constant in frequency to each of a first channel signal and a second channel signal being input; generating a first channel stereo signal and a second channel stereo signal, by applying the difference between times taken to arrive at the two ears, respectively, and the difference between the sound pressures of the two ears that are different or constant in frequency, to each of a third channel signal and a fourth channel signal being input; generating a first channel signal and a second channel signal from each of a fifth channel signal and a sixth channel signal being input; generating a plurality of reflected sounds, by applying delay values and gain values different from each other to first through fifth channel signals being input, and from the plurality of generated reflected sounds, generating a first channel signal and a second channel signal; and adding the generated first channel signals and adding the generated second channel signals.
US07889861B2
A method for reducing the memory requirements of executing ciphering processes is disclosed which utilizes sequential key extraction and ciphering. By providing a base key for extracting therefrom multiple first sequential security keys; each key is sequentially extracted and employed. During the process overwriting of each sequential security key occurs with the next subsequently extracted sequential security key. In this manner memory requirements are lowered, power consumption reduced which are important in mobile applications.
US07889860B2
A device for stowing and deploying a handheld device such as a telecommunications handset within an aircraft or other vehicle has a housing, a pivoting cradle attached to the inner surface of the housing, means for limiting the range of permitted pivoting motion of the cradle within the housing, optional biasing means such as a coil spring between the housing and the pivoting cradle, and means for mounting the housing to a secure place in the aircraft. The cradle has an elongate base with a handset receiving section, and a pivoting mount affixed or integrally molded on each side of the housing. The symmetrical pivoting mount may be a series of at least two slots arrayed in a radius from the geometric pivot point, i.e., the axis of rotation of the handset cradle. The slots engage a complementary series of pins affixed to the housing and which effectively permit a limited range of pivoting motion sufficient to allow secure stowage of the handset under severe linear inertial forces while also permitting easy storage and retrieval as desired by a user.
US07889857B2
A method and system for providing a customer with a service upon a service request. The method includes retrieving a dataset from a database for identifying a qualified service person using information about the service, the service person and a customer; establishing communication with the customer; and providing the customer with the service. After the service is performed, the retrieved dataset is updated to maintain accurate information stored in the database.
US07889856B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for providing ring back tones in a communication network. At first, a ring back tone device for storing and playing the ring back tone customized by a subscriber is established in the communication network. Whether a subscriber is a ring back tone service register subscriber is judged with a certain triggering mode, such as intelligent network triggering, signaling interception triggering, call forwarding triggering or switching device triggering. If it is judged the subscriber is a ring back tone service registered subscriber, a connection between the originating switching device and the terminating switching device and a connection between a switching device and the ring back tone device are established. When the called terminal is idle, the ring back tone device provides a piece of customized ring back tone to the calling subscriber for replacing traditional ring back tone.
US07889847B2
A method and apparatus for managing institutional telephone activity utilizing a computer-based telephony management unit to connect institutional telephones with outside telephone lines. The unit provides institutional users with fully automated, direct dial and collect calling privileges for local, long distance, and international calls. The unit contains a database for storing the calling privileges and restrictions of institutional users, for recording calling transactions made by the users, and for managing user monetary accounts. The unit can record up to 400 hours of conversation in a digital format. The unit provides various administrative capabilities, including user account management, audit trails, transaction reports, centralized management and report capabilities, and detection of fraudulent calling.
US07889845B2
A method for assembling a secondary collimator including a first face plate having a first surface and an opposing second surface is provided. The method includes positioning a lamella assembly on the first face plate, wherein the lamella assembly includes at least one radiation-absorbing material layer and at least one radiation-transmitting material layer, such that a first surface of the lamella assembly is adjacent the second surface of the first face plate. The method also includes coupling a second face plate to the first face plate and the lamella assembly such that a first surface of the second face plate is adjacent a second surface of the lamella assembly.
US07889837B2
A rotor is rotatably supported in a gantry housing having a substantially sealed structure. An X-ray tube is provided in the rotor. A cooler is provided in the rotor and cools a refrigerant within the X-ray tube. An X-ray detector is provided in the rotor. A reconstruction unit reconstructs an image on the basis of an output of the X-ray detector. A radiator is fixed inside the gantry housing at a position opposite to an exhaust opening of the cooler when the rotor is stationary.
US07889831B2
A column repair circuit uses a system of circuits that automatically stops the shifting of register contents independently of the number of bits to be shifted. The circuit is only dependent on the number of bits in a column address repair block. By adding shift register positions to one end of each shift register chain, a dedicated block of bits is used to detect the end of the shift chain without explicitly knowing the length of the chain. The shift register positions provide a hard-programmed code that can be used to stop the shifting of data automatically. The shift register positions also provide a space for hard-programmed code bits that can be examined to determine when the shift process ends. A shift chain can be controlled with a controller so long as the information is organized into groups of ‘k’ bits. The controller only requires information regarding the value of the number ‘k’ and the pre-programmed stop code in order to control any number of bits in a shift chain.
US07889825B2
Methods for adjusting a sampling clock of a sampling circuit and related apparatuses are disclosed. One proposed method includes: calculating difference between adjacent sampled values, generated from the sampling circuit by sampling an incoming signal based on the sampling clock, to obtain a plurality of differences; performing a predetermined calculation on the differences to generate a calculated value, the differences including a first difference with a first absolute value and a second difference with a second absolute value less than the first absolute value, and the predetermined calculation causing that a ratio of component of the calculated value contributed by the first difference to component of the calculated value contributed by the second difference to be greater than a ratio of the first absolute value to the second absolute value; and adjusting phase of the sampling clock so that the calculated value generated by the predetermined calculation satisfies predetermined conditions.
US07889823B2
A parallel channel timing recovery circuit. The parallel timing recovery circuit comprises multiple prefilters receiving parallel channel outputs and providing prefilter outputs. Multiple sampling filters receive the prefilter outputs and provide multiple discrete time signal samples. A self-timing circuit has multiple inputs receiving the multiple discrete time signal samples. The self-timing circuit provides a sampling control output to the sampling filters. The sampling control output is based on a composite of the multiple discrete time signal samples. Each of the sampling filters generates a discrete time signal sample based on the sampling control output and the prefilter outputs.
US07889822B2
A Radio Frequency (RF) receiver includes a RF front end and a baseband processing module coupled to the RF front end that is operable to receive a time domain signal that includes desired signal and interfering signal time domain training symbols and time domain data symbols. The baseband processing module includes a channel estimator operable to process the desired signal and interfering signal time domain training symbols to produce a respective time domain channel estimates, a Fast Fourier Transformer operable to convert the time domain channel estimates to the frequency domain to produce frequency domain channel estimates, a weight calculator operable to produce frequency domain equalizer coefficients based upon the frequency domain channel estimates, an Inverse Fast Fourier Transformer operable to convert the frequency domain equalizer coefficients to the time domain to produce time domain equalizer coefficients, and an equalizer operable to equalize the time domain data symbols using the time domain equalizer coefficients.
US07889818B2
An estimated current phase error is used to control the oscillation frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator used to control the timing of sampling operations performed by an analog to digital converter (ADC). The current phase error is calculated by a recursive computation using a previous phase error in order to eliminate noise effects from the current phase error.
US07889816B2
A clock and data recovery circuit that includes a unit to output N-phase clocks each of which has a phase shifted from the others by a time T2 obtained by dividing a clock period P1 by N, a unit to obtain sampling data serially transferred every time T2, a unit to convert the sampling data into first N-bit parallel data every period P1, a unit to convert the first N-bit parallel data into second N-bit parallel data indicating a change point in the sampling data, and a unit to use the second N-bit parallel data as input of phase information and output third N-bit parallel data indicating substantially a center position of the change point. N is an integer greater than 2 and data of the first N-bit parallel data at a position equal to the position indicated by the third N-bit parallel data is determined to be recovered data.
US07889813B2
A method for demapping dual carrier modulated COFDM signals comprises normalizing an estimated channel state information signal to obtain a normalized channel state information signal, determining a Y-domain weighting factor from the normalized channel state information signal, determining an X-domain weighting factor from the normalized channel state information signal, performing equalization on a received data OFDM signal to obtain an equalized data signal, weighting an equalized data signal using the Y-domain weighting factor and the X-domain weighting factor to generate a weighted input signal of a demapper and performing linear demapping of the weighted input signal in the demapper. There is also disclosed an apparatus for demapping dual carrier modulated COFDM signals and a receiver comprising such an apparatus.
US07889812B2
A receiver (1000) includes a direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS) (700) and first (1040) and second (1042) mixers. The DDFS (700) has a first output for providing a first local oscillator signal, and a second output for providing a second local oscillator signal offset from a quadrature relationship with the first local oscillator signal by a phase offset. The first mixer (1040) has a first input for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal, a second input for receiving the first local oscillator signal, and an output for providing an in-phase signal at another frequency. The second mixer (1042) has a first input for receiving the RF signal, a second input for receiving the second local oscillator signal, and an output for providing a quadrature signal at the other frequency. The DDFS (700) may be implemented using first (702) and second (704) memories storing portions of a sinusoidal waveform and extra memories (706, 708) supporting the phase offset.
US07889811B2
Embodiments of the invention may provide for a digital LINC (linear amplification with nonlinear components) transmitter. The digital LINC transmitter may include a signal component separator, at least one digital delay modulator, a frequency synthesizer, at least one power amplifier, a power combiner, an antenna, and a mismatch compensator. Additionally, systems and methods may be provided for compensating for phase and amplitude mismatches between two signal paths.
US07889796B2
A video encoding apparatus includes selecting one combination, for each block of an input video signal, from a plurality of combinations. Each combination includes a predictive parameter and at least one reference picture number determined in advance for the reference picture. A prediction picture signal is generated in accordance with the reference picture number and predictive parameter of the selected combination. A predictive error signal is generated representing an error between the input video signal and the prediction picture signal. Encoding the predictive error signal, information of the motion vector, and index information indicating the selected combination is included.
US07889788B2
A stream generation apparatus of the present invention is a stream generation apparatus which generates a stream including coded pictures and a command for managing a buffer which holds a decoded picture, the command being added to one of the coded pictures as a reference picture. It includes a judging unit which judges whether or not the coded picture to which the command is added is skipped at the time of trick-play, an adding unit which adds, in the case where the coded picture is judged to be skipped, repetition information indicating the same contents as the command to another coded picture that follows, in decoding order, the coded picture judged to be skipped and that is not skipped at the time of the trick-play, and a generating unit which generates the stream including the coded pictures, the command and the repetition information.
US07889787B2
The invention provides a novel method of transmit beamforming, which allows compact analog implementation of complex digital algorithms without compromising their features. It is aimed to support envelope shaping, apodization, and phase rotation per channel and per firing. Each of three embodiments represents a complete transmit channel driven by pulse-width modulated (PWM) waveforms stored in a conventional sequence memory. PWM signals controls the transmit pulse envelope (shape) by changing the duty cycle of the carrier. Beamformation data are loaded prior to a firing via serial interface. Under the direction of a controller, the circuitry allows high precision (beyond sampling rate) phase rotation of the carrier. It also provides transmit apodization (aperture weighting), which maintains an optimal trade-off among low sidelobe level and widening of the mainlobe. Implementing such an IC, the manufacturing cost of a high-end ultrasound system can be reduced. Equally, the proposed solution makes the benefits of digital transmit beamformers available to midrange and entry-level machines since it merely requires a modified programming of the sequence memory.
US07889785B2
An apparatus, method and system are provided for quantifying communication channel intersymbol interference jitter effect contribution to timing skew. In general, lossy and lossless characteristics of the communication channel are preferably obtained and an output signal of the communication channel is sampled. From the sampled output signal and the lossy characteristics of the communication channel, an input signal may be derived. Using the lossless characteristics of the communication channel, the derived input signal and the sampled output signal, a value indicating the contribution of intersymbol interference jitter effect on timing skew budget for a selection communication channel may be obtained.
US07889783B2
Seamless wideband support is afforded by utilizing split-band data streams. For wideband signals, the 8 kHz bandwidth is divided into a low band, with approximately 0-4 kHz bandwidth, and a high band, with approximately 4-8 kHz bandwidth. Narrowband functions and services operate on the low band, while wideband functions and services operate on both low and high bands.
US07889780B2
A method for estimating a Doppler spread and a signal-to-noise ratio of a received signal includes: (a) calculating one or more functions of a carrier component of the received signal at a first time point relative to a pilot signal embedded in the received signal; (b) Calculating the one or more functions of the carrier component of the received signal at a second time point relative to the pilot signal; (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) over multiple time periods, each time period being substantially longer than the second time, and accumulating the one or more functions for the first time points and the second time points; and (d) Deriving the Doppler spread and the signal-to-noise ration based on the accumulated one or more functions calculated at the first and second time points. In one embodiment, the first time point is substantially closer to the pilot signal than the second time point. The first time point is one symbol interval from the pilot signal.
US07889768B2
A mode-locked solid-state laser apparatus having a resonator which includes a solid-state laser medium, a saturable absorption mirror, and a negative group dispersion element therein, in which the solid-state laser medium and the saturable absorption mirror are disposed at a distance not greater than twice a Rayleigh length which is determined by the beam radius of oscillation light formed at the saturable absorption mirror. The apparatus further includes a dichroic mirror in the resonator that reflects excitation light inputted from a direction crossing the optical axis of the resonator toward the solid-state laser medium and transmits oscillation light.
US07889766B2
A digital broadcasting system and method of processing data are disclosed. Herein, a method of processing data of a transmitting system includes generating a service informative null packet including service-related information of mobile service data, and multiplexing a plurality of main service data packets, a plurality of mobile service data packets, and a plurality of service informative null packets, and transmitting the multiplexed data packets to at least one transmitter located in a remote site. The digital broadcasting system and method of processing data may enhance receiving performance of a receiving system by performing additional encoding on mobile service data and by transmitting the processed data to the receiving system.
US07889765B2
Apparatus and methods for transparently using otherwise wasted bandwidth associated with variable-rate program streams to deliver additional content. In one embodiment, the network comprises a broadcast switched architecture (BSA), and the program streams are loaded up to a target rate using “null” packets and then delivered over the network infrastructure to a plurality of hub sites. The streams are then unloaded to reproduce the original variable streams, and the bandwidth vacated by removal of the null packets used as the transport mechanism for additional (e.g., non time-sensitive) content to be delivered to the subscribers. The process can also be substantially automated and anticipatory (through, e.g., transmission of null bit insertion data downstream). The invention can also advantageously be implemented with minimal modifications to existing infrastructure, and supports business and operational supervisory processes. Network server, QAM modulator, and CPE apparatus implementing the aforementioned methodologies are also disclosed.
US07889763B2
An input signal INDATA inputted to a sender-side interface portion is encoded by an encoder, and a transmission signal generated by the encoding is transmitted to a receiver-side interface portion through two signal transmission lines. The input signal INDATA is encoded in such a manner that the logic level of the transmission signal transmitted through at least one of the two signal transmission lines is changed in any two consecutive elementary periods. The receiver-side interface portion is provided with a clock receiver, and a clock signal is generated based on the change of the transmission signals supplied from the two signal transmission lines.
US07889759B2
A broadband cable network (“BCN”) for determining a common bit-loading modulation scheme for communicating between a plurality of nodes in the BCN is disclosed. The BCN may include a transmitting node within the plurality of nodes where the transmitting node is capable of sending a probe signal to the plurality of nodes, and at least one receiving node within the plurality of nodes in signal communication with the transmitting node. The at least one receiving node is capable of transmitting a first response signal in response to receiving the probe signal. The first response signal includes a first bit-loading modulation scheme determined by the at least one receiving node. The transmitting node is further capable of determining the common bit-loading modulation scheme from the first response signal.
US07889758B2
A subchannel scheduling method in a multi-user MIMO-OFDM environment modifies proportional fairness scheduling specifications and maximizes a system throughput under conditions that a minimum data transmission rate required by a multimedia user be ensured. In a method for allocating subchannels in a wireless network, plural users are subscribed in the wireless network, a base station has NT transmission antennas, a user i has NR reception antennas, a network capacity determined by the NT transmission antennas and K subcarrier groups is divided into K transmission subchannel groups, and a network bandwidth determined by the NT transmission antennas is divided into the K subchannel groups. The base station sequentially allocates channels to the users on the basis of a proportional value of a data transmission rate supported to each user and an average throughput of each user in a predetermined time and a service quality required by each user.
US07889757B2
Methods and apparatus for preventing unsupported links between a host device and a link partner over a network is disclosed. In one embodiment, a link control signal is employed to release the reset of the candidate PHY, place a candidate PHY of the host device in a boot state, determining whether the candidate PHY is fully functional, and release the candidate PHY to establish link with the link partner over the network.
US07889753B2
A multiple access technique for a wireless communication system establishes separate channels by defining different time intervals for different channels. In a transmitted reference system different delay periods may be defined between transmitted reference pulses and associated data pulses for different channels. In addition, a multiple access technique may employ a common reference pulse for multiple channels in a transmitted reference system. Another multiple access technique assigns different pulse repetition periods to different channels. One or more of these techniques may be employed in an ultra-wide band system.
US07889747B2
A system for integrating a wireless network with wired field devices includes a field unit that communicates with the wired field devices using a first wired field device protocol. A gateway wirelessly communicates with the field unit and communicates over a network using one or more second wired field device protocols. The gateway also converts between the first wired field device protocol and the one or more second wired field device protocols. The gateway could further permit access to the wired field devices by a component of the process control system (such as a process controller, asset management tool, or configuration tool) that does not support the first wired field device protocol. At least one of the field unit and the gateway could appear as a multiplexer or linking device to the component of the process control system, such as a HART multiplexer or a Foundation Fieldbus or Profibus linking device.
US07889746B2
Methods and apparatus are disclosed to self-configure a flexible residential gateway providing access to an external communications network, and providing communications with an in home network. An example flexible residential gateway may include an xDSL (“x” variety of Digital Subscriber Line) processor that processes xDSL signals communicated with the connected external communications network; a Wide area network (WAN) Ethernet transceiver that processes Ethernet signals communicated with the connected external communications network; and a switch controller that is capable of selecting either the xDSL processor or the WAN Ethernet transceiver, and if the xDSL processor is selected whether the xDSL processor is connected to a first telephone line or a coaxial cable.
US07889745B2
Systems, modules, computer-readable mediums and methods for multi-layer interworking are provided. An identified traffic path is selected from one or more traffic paths. The identified traffic path is selected based on information indicative of traffic path parameter information associated with the identified traffic path relative to traffic path parameter information associated with the other traffic paths. A transport trail is identified from one or more transport trails. Whether the identified transport trail from one or more transport trails is suitable for assignment is determined. The determination is made based on information indicative of the transport trail parameter information associated with the identified transport trail relative to transport trail parameter information associated with the other transport trails. The selected identified traffic path is assigned to the identified transport trail if the identified transport trail is determined to be suitable for assignment.
US07889726B2
A communication system including a first and second user equipment in communication over a shared floor and a server means for managing the shared floor. According to the system, the server means is arranged to detect an anonymity request from the first user equipment and, responsive to the anonymity request, to prevent the second user equipment from identifying the first user equipment from user plane messages transmitted from the first user equipment to the second user equipment.
US07889725B2
A computer cluster arranged at a lattice point in a lattice-like interconnection network contains four nodes and an internal communication network. Two nodes can transmit packets to adjacent computer clusters located along the X direction, and the two other nodes can transmit packets to adjacent computer clusters located along the Y direction. Each node directly transmits a packet to an adjacent computer cluster in the direction in which the node can transmit packets, when the destination of the packet is located in the direction. When the destination of a packet to be transmitted from a node is not located in the direction in which the receiving node can transmit packets, the node transfers the packet to one of the other nodes through the internal communication network for transmitting the packet to the destination of the packet through the one of the other nodes.
US07889723B2
A time-shared network comprising edge nodes and optical core nodes may be dynamically divided into several embedded networks, each of which covering selected edge nodes. At least one of the edge nodes may host an embedded-network controller operable to form multiple-source flow-rate allocation requests each of the requests specifying flow-rate allocations to a plurality of paths from several source nodes to several sink nodes. A core node may also host an embedded-network controller or several embedded-network controllers. The time-shared network may use both time-division multiplexing and burst switching.
US07889722B2
System for interconnecting standard telephony communications equipment to internet protocol networks
A system for linking standard telephony communications with internet protocols. Standard telephony equipment, such as a telephone, can communicate using the internet without special adapters or the like. A network of Internet servers may be connected to the Internet and telephony communications system, enabling telephony communications equipment access to the Internet.
US07889720B2
An outlet (70, 75, 76, 78, 79) for a Local Area Network (LAN), containing an integrated adapter (21, 25) that converts digital data to and from analog video signal. Such an outlet allows using analog video units in a digital data network (80), eliminating the need for a digital video units or external adapter. The outlet may include a hub (31, 41) that allows connecting both an analog video signal via an adapter, as well as retaining the data network connection, which may be accessed by a network jack (73). The invention may also be applied to a telephone line-based data networking system. In such an environment, the data networking circuitry as well as the analog video adapters are integrated into a telephone outlet, providing for regular telephone service, analog video connectivity, and data networking as well. In such a configuration, the outlet would have a standard telephone jack (71), an analog video jack (72) and at least one data networking jack (73). Outlets according to the invention can be used to retrofit existing LAN and in-building telephone wiring, as well as original equipment in new installation.
US07889714B2
A test controller for use in a telecommunication system is provided for inexpensively and quickly testing a telecommunication device. The test controller receives a test call from an originating terminal and allocates a voice path within the telecommunication device for the test call to establish a call connection for the test call between the originating terminal and a destination terminal via the allocated voice path and a packet-switched network.
US07889713B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed relating to sending and processing messages in relay networks. In an example embodiment, a first unicast message indicating a plurality of wireless nodes included in a communication path between a base station and a path endpoint node in a wireless network may be received at a first receiving node, wherein the first unicast message may be received from a sending wireless node located neighboring to the first receiving node in the communication path. The first unicast message may be processed at the first receiving node. A second message may be sent based on a success/failure status of the processing from the first receiving node to a second receiving node included in the communication path.
US07889708B2
A method of supporting a hybrid automatic retransmission request (HARQ) in an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access (OFDMA) radio access system is disclosed. Preferably, the method comprises receiving a downlink data frame comprising a data map information element and a data burst comprising a plurality of layers, wherein each layer is encoded with a corresponding channel encoder, and wherein the data map information element is configured to support multiple antennas to achieve space time transmit diversity by providing control information associated with each one of the plurality of layers, wherein the control information comprises allocation of acknowledgement status channels corresponding to the plurality of layers, and transmitting in an uplink data frame a plurality of acknowledgement status, each acknowledgement status being associated with whether a corresponding layer of the plurality of layers is properly decoded.
US07889707B2
A method and system for wireless data communication is provided, which involves constructing a data payload containing data, partitioning the data payload into fragments, performing block code encoding on each fragment, wherein at least one fragment is encoded at a different coding gain than another fragment, and transmitting the data payload including encoded fragments over a wireless channel.
US07889705B2
A mobile terminal and method of notifying an access router of an Internet protocol (IP) address of the mobile terminal in a wireless network are provided where a mobile terminal notifies an access router of an IP address of the mobile terminal, performing duplicate address detection (DAD) with respect to an automatically-configured IP address are performed, and a notification message including the IP address resulting from the performing of the DAD are transmitted to the access router. The access router is notified by using the notification message. The mobile terminal uses the IP address, based on whether there is a response with respect to the notification message transmitted to the access router after the performing of the DAD.
US07889690B2
A method, a wireless communication system, a communication apparatus, and a tangible machine-readable medium for establishing a routing path during a network entry process of an SS based on a multi-hop relay standard are provided. The wireless communication system comprises a BS, an SS, and an RS. The SS transmits an RNG-REQ of the SS by a ranging CID to the BS through the RS. The BS allocates an SS CID and a routing path for the SS, and transmits an RNG-RSP having the SS CID and the routing path by a path CID to the RS. The RS updates the SS CID and the routing path into a routing table of the RS after receiving the RNG-RSP, and transmits the RNG-RSP having the SS CID by the ranging CID to the SS.
US07889686B1
The present invention is a system of reception or transmission of media data, such as for audio or video streams, so that data communications alternate transmission or reception routes between available communications networks, choosing among parallel or single communications paths a most efficient and/or most reliable path for transmission of media packets.
US07889684B2
A method for managing a terminal device includes: setting management commands; sending the management commands to a terminal device; and obtaining executed results of the management commands from the terminal device. Another method for managing a terminal device, comprising: setting management commands; configuring a terminal device with the management commands; and obtaining executed results of the management commands from the terminal device.
US07889671B2
Example methods and apparatus to determine digital subscriber line (DSL) configuration parameters based on current and historical DSL performance characteristics are disclosed. A disclosed method includes obtaining first data representative of a current performance characteristic for a DSL modem, obtaining second data representative of a historical performance characteristic for the DSL modem, computing, at a maintenance server, a configuration parameter using the first and the second data, and reinitializing the DSL modem with the computed DSL configuration parameter when the computed configuration parameter has a value different from a previous value of the configuration parameter, wherein the DSL configuration parameter is computed prior to the reinitializing of the DSL modem.
US07889670B2
Methods, systems, devices, and software are disclosed for providing controlled access to network characteristic data stored at a subscriber premises. In one embodiment, Internet services are provided to a subscriber through a subscriber's modem, connected to the Internet through an access network, and to a number of data terminals on a local network. The modem is adapted to receive and/or generate data from the connected networks and devices for use in generating network characteristic data. This data is stored in an access-controlled data storage module. Content providers may then login to the modem and query network characteristic data. The modem is configured to authenticate the content provider, and, if authorized and available, return the queried data to the content provider. The content provider may then communicate information to the subscriber's data terminal through the modem, according to the network characteristic data returned by the query.
US07889667B2
A method and apparatus is provided for routing error messages in a distributed computer system comprising multiple root nodes, and further comprising one or more PCI switches and one or more I/O adapters, wherein each root node includes one or more system images. In one useful embodiment, a method is provided for routing I/O error messages to root nodes respectively associated with the errors contained in the messages. The method includes detecting occurrence of an error at a specified one of the adapters, wherein the error affects one of the system images, and generating an error message at the specified adapter. The method further comprises routing the error message from the specified adapter to the particular root node that includes the affected system image. The error message is then selectively processed at the particular root node, in order to identify the affected system image. Usefully, the step of routing the error message includes using a bus/device/function number associated with the error, together with a routing table located in one of the PCI switches, to route the error message to the correct root node and system image.
US07889665B2
Various exemplary embodiments are a method and of discovering medium access control (MAC) addresses in a network and a related access node including one or more of the following: receiving, at an access node, a diagnostic message from an operator, the diagnostic message comprising physical port information and indicating that at least a portion of a MAC address of a destination bridge port is unknown to the operator; forwarding the diagnostic message to a respective bridge port of the access node; determining whether the physical port information specified in the diagnostic message corresponds to a physical port of the respective bridge port; and sending a reply message to the operator specifying a MAC address of the respective bridge port.
US07889662B2
A method and a system for collecting session-specific event data in a telecommunications network where sessions are connected through a number of network entities which generate event data and have mutual signaling connections. The objective of the invention is to provide a solution whereby event detail records relating to one session but generated by a number of different network entities are sent in a centralized manner in real-time to a given collecting network entity. Thus, the event data combination is optimized and the unnecessary transmission of event detail records from one collecting network entity to another is avoided.
US07889661B2
Disclosed herein is a constrained multipath routing method. In a Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network, network conditions and traffic engineering requirements assigned to each link are set. The amount of assignments of each traffic requirement assigned to each link and a minimum value of each maximum link utilization α are calculated. A traffic rate (Xijkl) in which the degree of resource utilization is minimized in the minimized maximum link utilization α is calculated using the calculated amount of assignments of each traffic requirement and which is assigned to each link. Multiple paths corresponding to each traffic requirement and traffic division ratios of the multipath are calculated using the calculated traffic rate.
US07889657B2
Signaling completion of a message transfer from an origin node to a target node includes: sending, by an origin DMA engine, an RTS message, the RTS message specifying an application message for transfer to the target node from the origin node; receiving, by the origin DMA engine, a remote get message containing a data descriptor for the message and a completion notification descriptor, the completion notification descriptor specifying a local memory FIFO data transfer operation for transferring data locally on the origin node; inserting, by the origin DMA engine in an injection FIFO buffer, the data descriptor followed by the completion notification descriptor; transferring, by the origin DMA engine to the target node, the message in dependence upon the data descriptor; and notifying, by the origin DMA engine, the application that transfer of the message is complete in dependence upon the completion notification descriptor.
US07889656B2
Binned Duration Flow Tracking (BDFT) method tracks the duration of packet flows in a resource limited environment by storing packets identifying the beginning and the end of a flow in bins, with each bin covering an independent and arbitrary length of time. Bins are “aged” periodically, based on the range of time which the bin covers. A query as to the flow duration returns the bin number which that flow is in; the bin number is then translated into a range of time. Each bin is a counting bloom filter. The size of the bloom filters, range of the count, and number of hashes used are all parameters of the algorithm which affect memory usage, processing required, and accuracy.
US07889647B2
A switching apparatus includes an identification device for identifying received real-time packets; a measurement device for measuring a reception interval of the real-time packets according to the identification identified by the identification device; and an output device for giving priority to the real-time packets over other types of packets and outputting the real-time packet by priority based on the measurement measured by the measurement device.
US07889633B2
A method for uplink transmission in an OFDMA system is provided. The subcarrier transmission method includes arranging 4 pilot REs at different positions of a frequency axis in a basic unit when the basic unit includes 4 subcarriers on the frequency axis and 6 OFDM(A) symbols in a time axis, arranging data REs at remaining positions of the basic unit, and transmitting the basic unit to a receiving end.
US07889624B2
An optical information recording-reproducing apparatus for effecting at least one of recording of information on and reproducing of information from an optical recording medium. A light source emits a light beam. An objective lens and a solid immersion lens receive the light beam from the light source and approach the optical recording medium at a predetermined speed to focus the light beam onto the optical recording medium. An aperture element collects a portion of the light beam that is reflected by the recording medium, in which the portion of the light beam has a diameter that corresponds to an effective aperture number of the objective lens and the solid immersion lens of less than one. A detecting element detects the portion of the light beam collected by the aperture element and produces an output signal. A speed-generating circuit receives the output signal from the detecting element and determines the speed of approach of the solid immersion lens to the recording medium, in accordance with the output signal, and produces an output. A driver circuit drives the objective lens and the solid immersion lens and reduces the speed of approach of the solid immersion lens, in accordance with the output from the speed-generating circuit.
US07889621B2
An objective lens device includes: a first objective lens having a first numerical aperture, which can condense light into a disc-shaped first optical recording medium including a first cover layer of first thickness; a second objective lens having a second numerical aperture which is smaller than the first numerical aperture, which can condense light into a disc-shaped second optical recording medium including a second cover layer of second thickness which is thicker than the first thickness; a third objective lens having a third numerical aperture which is smaller than the second numerical aperture, which can condense light into a disc-shaped third optical recording medium including a third cover layer of third thickness which is thicker than the second thickness; and a lens holder configured to integrally hold the first, second, and third objective lenses.
US07889612B2
An information carrier for holding user information includes access information for accessing the user information, the access information being stored in a pre-determined first region on the information carrier. The information carrier further includes at least one further region different from the first region, the further region comprising dummy information.
US07889610B2
A multi-layered information recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the multi-layered information recording medium comprising: a user data area for recording user data; and a plurality of spare areas including at least one replacement region, wherein when the user data area includes at least one defect region, the at least one replacement region may be used in place of the at least one defect region, wherein a first spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a first user data area of a first recording layer, a second spare area of the plurality of spare areas is positioned so as to be contiguous to a second user data area of a second recording layer, and the first spare area and the second spare area are positioned approximately at the same radial position on the multi-layered information recording medium.
US07889606B2
An optical disc drive and a control method thereof are disclosed to prevent unstable servo-control of a pickup module caused by an abnormal control signal, when recording/reproducing/erasing of information on/from an optical disc in the optical disc drive, and in particularly, possible collision between the pickup module and the optical disc, even when the pickup module very closely approaches the surface of the optical disc during recording/reproducing/erasing of information on/from a high density optical disc. The optical disc drive includes a pickup module having an objective lens focusing a laser on the surface of a recording layer of the optical disc, and a servo-controlling unit performing the focus servo-control of the pickup module using a high frequency broadband control and a low frequency broadband control of a focus error signal where the high frequency broadband control is performed prior to the frequency broadband control.
US07889601B2
An acoustic transducer array and method of baffle construction is presented to provide an improved array for use in underwater installations. The array is presented wherein a significant majority of the acoustic energy receiving surface is formed by lightweight acoustic baffling material while still maintaining a fully functional, fully populated array. The acoustic baffle constructed is incompressible and suitable for deep water operation while demonstrating both improved acoustic performance and positive buoyancy when necessary. In addition, the invention eliminates the non-uniform element to element spacing that occurs between sub-panels in similar arrays.
US07889592B2
Provided are a non-volatile memory device and a method of programming the same. The method includes: performing a program operation; performing a program verify read operation; and performing a pass/fail determine operation simultaneously with one of a verify recovery operation and a bit line setup operation, after the performing of the program verify read operation.
US07889590B2
A non-volatile memory system is formed of floating gate memory cells arranged in blocks as the smallest unit of memory cells that are erasable together. One feature is the storage in separate blocks of the characteristics of a large number of blocks of cells in which user data is stored. According to another feature, multiple sectors of user data are stored at one time by alternately streaming chunks of data from the sectors to multiple memory blocks. Yet another feature, for memory systems having multiple memory integrated circuit chips, provides a single system record that includes the capacity of each of the chips and assigned contiguous logical address ranges of user data blocks within the chips which the memory controller accesses when addressing a block, making it easier to manufacture a memory system with memory chips having different capacities.
US07889586B2
A circuit comprises at least one memory cell adapted to store data in terms of values of an electrical characteristic thereof, which exhibits a variability with temperature according to a first variation law; a voltage generator is provided for generating a voltage to be supplied to the at least one memory cell for retrieving the data stored therein, the voltage generator including first means adapted to cause the generated voltage take a value in a set of target values including at least one target value, corresponding to an operation to be performed on the memory cell. The voltage generator comprises second means for causing the value taken by the generated voltage vary with temperature according to a prescribed second variation law exploiting a compensation circuit element having said electrical characteristic.
US07889585B2
A resistance based memory circuit is disclosed. The circuit includes a first transistor load of a data cell and a bit line adapted to detect a first logic state. The bit line is coupled to the first transistor load and coupled to a data cell having a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure. The bit line is adapted to detect data having a logic one value when the bit line has a first voltage value, and to detect data having a logic zero value when the bit line has a second voltage value. The circuit further includes a second transistor load of a reference cell. The second transistor load is coupled to the first transistor load, and the second transistor load has an associated reference voltage value. A characteristic of the first transistor load, such as transistor width, is adjustable to modify the first voltage value and the second voltage value without substantially changing the reference voltage value.
US07889584B2
A semiconductor memory device of the present invention determines a logic level of a signal based on a predetermined reference voltage. And the memory device has an input terminal to which a reference signal having the reference voltage is input, a low-pass filter connected to the input terminal for passing a component of the reference voltage of the reference signal and eliminating undesired high frequency components, and one or more input first-stage circuits to each of which an output of the low-pass filter and a signal having the logic level to be determined are connected. In the memory device, the low-pass filter has predetermined attenuation at least at a frequency of an operating clock.
US07889578B2
An arrangement of memory devices and a controller is based on an interface with a reduced pin count relative to a known memory device and controller arrangement. Facilitating the reduced pin count interface the reduction of multiple strobe signal to a single strobe signal. In addition, a packet header transmitted on the data bus followed by a payload, includes an encoded indication of the type of the payload. Aspects of the present application relate to providing a traditional memory device with external logic devices, where the logic devices handle the single strobe and the packet header, thereby permitting single strobe operation.
US07889577B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first sector (12) having data that are all to be erased and having flash memory cells; a second sector (14) having data that are all to be retained and having flash memory cells; a sector select circuit (16) selecting a pair of sectors from among sectors during erasing the data in the first sector, said pair of sectors being the first sector and the second sector; and an SRAM array (storage) (30) retaining the data of the second sector. The present invention can provide a semiconductor device in which a reduced number of sector select circuits is used so that the area of memory cell array can be reduced and provide a method of controlling the semiconductor device.
US07889572B2
A memory includes many memory regions each including a target memory cell, a source line, a bit line and a reading control circuit. The source line is coupled to a first terminal of the target memory cell. The bit line is coupled to a second terminal of the target memory cell. The reading control circuit is for selectively applying a working voltage to the source line.
US07889570B2
Provided are an input buffer of a memory device, a memory controller, and a memory system making use thereof. The input buffer of a memory device is enabled or disabled in response to a first signal showing chip selection information and a second signal showing power down information, and the input buffer is enabled only when the second signal shows a non-power down mode and the first signal shows a chip selection state. The input buffer is at least one selected from the group consisting of a row address strobe input buffer, a column address strobe input buffer, and an address input buffer.
US07889566B2
A verify voltage may be changed into a plurality of voltage levels based upon a logic state of each of the memory cells and characteristics or logic states of other memory cells (e.g., adjacent) to each of the memory cells.
US07889557B2
A memory device capable of enlarging an interval between a source selection transistor and a memory cell adjacent to the source selection transistor, enlarging an interval between a drain selection transistor and a memory cell adjacent to the drain selection transistor, or enlarging the intervals between the source selection transistor and the memory cell adjacent to the source selection transistor and between the drain selection transistor and the memory cell adjacent to the drain selection transistor, prevents the memory cell adjacent to the source or drain selection transistor from being degraded in programming speed due to program disturbance.
US07889550B1
A control driver for non-volatile memory includes a driving circuit, a level shift up circuit, and a select circuit. The select circuit receives a plurality of decoding signals, asserts a select signal when all of the decoding signals are asserted, and does not assert the select signal when any of the decoding signals is not asserted. The level shift up circuit receives the select signal, outputs the pull-up signal at a first voltage when the select signal is asserted, and outputs the pull-up signal at a second voltage when the select signal is not asserted. The driving circuit has a pull-up transistor for pulling up a control line signal according to the pull-up signal, and a pull-down transistor for pulling down the control line signal according to the pull-up signal.
US07889544B2
Peripheral devices store data in non-volatile phase-change memory (PCM). PCM cells have alloy resistors with high-resistance amorphous states and low-resistance crystalline states. The peripheral device can be a Multi-Media Card/Secure Digital (MMC/SD) card. A PCM controller accesses PCM memory devices. Various routines that execute on a CPU in the PCM controller are activated in response to commands in the host-bus transactions. The PCM system increases the throughput of one or more phase-change memory devices by performing one or more of a read-ahead memory operation, a write-ahead memory write operation, a larger page memory write operation, a wider data bus memory write operation, a multi-channel concurrent multi-bank interleaving memory read or write operation, a write-cache memory write operation, and any combination thereof.
US07889543B2
A magnetic memory element is provided with first and second ferromagnetic fixed layers, a ferromagnetic memory layer, nonmagnetic first and second intermediate layers. The memory layer is disposed between the first and second fixed layers, and has a variable magnetization direction. In order to cancel asymmetry of a write-in current of the element, the element is provided so that the memory layer receives a larger perpendicular stray field from the first fixed layer than from the second fixed layer, and then a magnetization direction of a portion of the memory layer being nearest to the first intermediate layer and the magnetization direction of the first fixed layer are antiparallel to each other whenever a magnetization direction of a portion of the memory layer being nearest to the second intermediate layer and the magnetization direction of the second fixed layer are parallel to each other, and vice versa.
US07889534B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit for supporting a test mode includes a program region including at least one One Time Programmable Cell Array, and a program region control unit configured to activate the program region in response to an enabled fuse signal of a fuse corresponding to the program region, and to activate the program region in response to a test mode signal of the program region.
US07889533B2
A semiconductor device using a magnetic domain wall movement and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device are provided. The semiconductor device includes a magnetic layer that is formed on a substrate and has a plurality of magnetic domains, and a unit that supplies energy to move a magnetic domain wall in the magnetic layer. The magnetic layer is formed parallel to the substrate, and includes a plurality of prominences and a plurality of depressions alternately formed along a lengthwise direction thereof. The magnetic layer has a stepped form that secures a reliable movement of the magnetic domain wall in units of one bit.
US07889517B2
A power system having a power converter with an adaptive controller. The power system is coupled to a load and includes a power system controller that receives a signal indicating a system operational state of the load and selects a power converter operational state as a function thereof. The power system also includes a power converter with a power switch that conducts for a duty cycle to provide a regulated output characteristic at an output thereof. The power converter also includes a controller that receives a command from the power system controller to enter the power converter operational state and provides a signal to control the duty cycle of the power switch as a function of the output characteristic and in accordance with the command, thereby regulating an internal operating characteristic of the power converter to improve an operating efficiency thereof as a function of the system operational state.
US07889511B2
An electronic carrier board is provided, including a carrier, at least two paired bond pads formed on the carrier, and a protective layer covering the carrier. The protective layer is formed with openings corresponding in position to the two bond pads. The openings are aligned in the same direction and expose at least a first sidewall and a second sidewall of each of the two bond pads. The first sidewall is perpendicular to an alignment direction of the bond pads and the second sidewall is parallel to the alignment direction of the bond pads. A distance between the first sidewall of at least one of the bond pads and a corresponding side of a corresponding one of the openings is at least about 50 μm greater than a distance between the second sidewall of the at least one bond pad and a corresponding side of the corresponding opening.
US07889501B2
A switching power supply includes: a coil; and a pedestal fixed to the coil, the pedestal includes a supporting member configured to support the coil in such a manner as to form a space through which air flows on a surface of the coil attached to the pedestal.
US07889498B2
A case for an electronic device protects and extends the battery life of the electronic device. The case has a lower case portion and an upper case portion, which assemble together to protect the top, side, and bottom edges of the electronic device. The lower case portion includes a battery to extend the battery life of the electronic device.
US07889496B2
Disclosed is an assembly to hold the angular position of a display panel relative to the bag front to which it is pivotally attached. The display panel is attached to the bag so it can pivot flat against the bag front or away from the bag into the line of sight of the computer operator/bag wearer. The display back and bag front have holders meant to match the ends of a prop bar which extends between the two. There are three embodiments; 1) a rigid bar between the two holders, 2) a semi-rigid bar held pivotally with the first holder and the opposite bar end sliding through the second holder with friction to hold the display panel position, 3) a rigid bar held pivotally with a first holder having a hinge with friction to hold the display panel position and the opposite bar end sliding along the second holder.
US07889494B2
A holster provides a carrier for removable storing a portable electronic device, such as a cellular phone, PDA or MP3 player, and a fastener for securing the carrier to the user's clothing or bag. The holster includes a docking station inside the carrier and a pair of guide rails extending from the docking station to guide a device into electrical contact with the docking station. The docking station and rails are preferably pivotally mounted to the carrier to that they can be pivoted for convenient and easy insertion and removal of a device from aligned contact with the docking station. The dock equipped holster can then provide several power supply options for the user, including solar cells along an exterior surface of the carrier, wireless charging tags or pass through power cord ports, as well as data port and audio port pass through.
US07889492B2
A vibration dampening structure for a disk drive includes a bracket for receiving the disk drive and an elastic peg for dampening vibration of the disk drive. The bracket includes a pair of side panels for receiving the disk drive therebetween. An elastic clamp is formed on each side panel. A hole is defined in the clamp. The elastic peg includes a flexible head portion abutting the disk drive, and a handle portion extending into the hole. The head portion is configured for buffering the disk drive in an inner side of the bracket. The handle portion is capable of being pulled to move the head portion and the clamp away from the disk drive for disengaging the elastic peg from the disk drive.
US07889489B2
A protective enclosure for an electronic device that has a protective shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding an electronic device, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant manner. POD units can be releasably connected to the protective enclosure to form an integrated unitary device that is substantially crush-resistant. The POD units can be interchangeable and connect to the protective case using the same format.
US07889486B2
A display device including a rotatable stand and a display module provided on the rotatable stand is provided. The rotatable stand includes a base, a sleeve provided on the base, a composite washer, and a rotatable structure. One end of the sleeve is connected with the base. The composite washer has a flexible material layer and a rigid material layer. Further, the rotatable structure is disposed through the sleeve, the display module is adapted to be fixedly connected with one end of the rotatable structure, and the composite washer is disposed between the display module and the sleeve. The first rigid material layer contacts the display module, and the flexible material layer is disposed between the sleeve and the second rigid material layer.
US07889485B2
A display device module includes a display panel having a first side and a second side, a first receiving container having a first side and a second side, the first side receiving the first side of the display panel, and a grip protrusion formed on the second side of the first receiving container for engaging a jaw of a gripper.
US07889482B2
A display assembly for a refrigerator includes: a display; a frame having a mounting part for mounting the display and provided on an outer wall surface of a refrigerator; and a tilting unit fixed to the display and the mounting part and allowing the display to be tilted. A direction of a screen of a display unit can be controlled, and thus, restrictions of a viewing angle of the display can be overcome.
US07889476B2
An electrical distribution system for selectively connecting an electrical power source to load devices comprises a panelboard having a plurality of load circuit positions. A remote operated relay is mountable in the panelboard in an adjacent pair of the load circuit positions comprising a multipole switching device, and a switch control for controlling the switching device, the switch control comprising a control circuit for operating the switching device responsive to control commands and a communication circuit for receiving control commands. An input/output (I/O) controller is mounted in the panelboard for controlling operation of the remote operated relay, the I/O controller comprising a programmed controller for generating the control commands for commanding operation of the remote operated relay, the control system including a communication circuit for communication with the remote operated relay communication circuit.
US07889474B2
A circuit protection system includes a normal mode and a maintenance mode. A current sensor senses current in the circuit. An enclosure includes an access panel that is movable between a closed position and open position. A circuit breaker is mounted within the enclosure. An electronic trip unit is in communication with the current sensor and controls interruptions of the current by the circuit breaker based on a trip setting. An interface device is accessible when said access panel is closed and allows selections of the normal and maintenance modes. A display, which is in communication with both of the user interface device and the electronic trip unit, monitors the interface device and transmits data to the trip unit that is based on the selected mode. The display receives data from the trip unit and displays information based on the received data. The display is viewable when the access panel is closed. The trip unit changes the trip setting when said maintenance mode is selected to reduce potential arc flash energy.
US07889467B2
Protection circuit, and semiconductor device and light emitting device using such protection circuit
In a protection circuit connected, via lines including an inductance component, to a circuit to be protected, a first transistor is arranged on a path to ground from a connection point of the protection circuit and the line. A second transistor is arranged on a path to ground from a connection point of the circuit to be protected and the line, and extracts, from a connection point, a current corresponding to a current flowing in the first transistor. The first and the second transistors are NPN bipolar transistors having a base and an emitter are commonly connected. A resistor is connected between the base and the emitter of the first transistor, and a diode is connected between the base and a collector.
US07889466B2
A bi-directional fault circuit interrupter system having mis-wiring protection via numerous different poles. There are at least three different transformers wherein at least two of the transformers are differential transformers and at least one transformer is a neutral transformer. There is also at least one actuator which is used to switch the switches back and forth to selectively connect the electrical current to the fault circuit.
US07889461B2
An internal support interface which provides vibration and acoustic isolation. A stationary shaft has a medial portion about which a rotatable member rotates. An end portion of the shaft has an annular base surface surrounding a stub shaft projection. A substantially planar housing member has a support post which extends from an annular interior surface in adjacent, non-contacting proximity to the stub shaft projection to form a gap therebetween. An annular damping member mutually contactingly surrounds the stub shaft projection and the support post while being compressed between the base surface of the shaft and the interior surface of the housing member.
US07889459B2
A head stack assembly (HSA) for a hard disk drive (HDD) comprises a swing arm rotatably coupled to a base member of the HDD, a connection plate coupled to an edge part of the swing arm, a head suspension component attached to the connection plate, and a head slider comprising a magnetic read/write head attached to an edge part of the head suspension component.
US07889456B2
A perpendicular magnetic recording write head having a flux shaping layer located on the write pole which has an end located substantially at the surface of the head carrier that faces the recording medium. The write head includes a main pole, on which the write pole is formed, that has an end recessed from the write pole end, and at least one flux return pole. In one implementation a first flux shaping layer is located between the main pole and the write pole. A second flux shaping layer may be located on the write pole with both shaping layers having an end recessed from the write pole end. The first and second flux shaping layers may also be tapered in the direction of the recording medium and cover the sides of the write pole in the cross-track direction to substantially surrounded the write pole with flux shaping material.
US07889454B2
The invention is directed to a data storage medium that includes a plurality of servo bands distributed across the data storage medium and a plurality of data tracks positioned between each of the plurality of distributed servo bands. The data storage medium comprises a servo band pitch of less than 200 micrometers. The large number of servo bands distributed across the data storage medium with a relatively small servo band pitch reduces the influence of media dimensional instability. In this way, the invention may substantially increase data read head positioning accuracy, especially in the case of narrow track widths. A read head array arranged in a two-dimensional matrix that includes a first servo read head, a second servo read head, and a plurality of data read heads positioned between the first and second servo read heads may be applied to a data storage medium as described herein.
US07889453B2
Various embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to adaptively determining an updated repeated runout (RRO) correction value to correct for RRO error in the placement of a servo seam, by iteratively combining a weighted initially estimated RRO correction value for the seam with a position error signal (PES).
US07889446B2
A read channel includes a variable gain amplifier, a low-pass filter, an AGC, an analog-to-digital converter, a frequency synthesizer, a filter, a soft-output detector, an LDPC decoding unit, a synchronizing signal detector, a run-length limited decoding unit, a descrambler, and a first baseline wander corrector. The first baseline wander corrector corrects a baseline variation by a feedforward control.
US07889445B2
A lens actuation device for an optical system includes a housing, a carrier at least partially installed in the housing, and a plurality of transducers arranged around the carrier in the housing. All the transducers are coupled with the mount, and at least one transducer includes at least one magnet and at least one coil. At least one transducer includes at least one yoke. All the transducers when powered on may generate independent or consistent movement to cause the mount to make linear movement, rotation, or both relative to the housing. An optical system adopting the lens actuation device and a camera using the same are also presented. The device of the present invention uses the transducers to drive the carrier, such that the lens set is driven to make linear movement, rotation, or both, thereby achieving the flexible manipulation of the lens.
US07889442B2
An imaging lens is provided and includes: a stop; and a lens group disposed between the stop and an imaging plane of the imaging lens and having a positive power as a whole. The lens group has an air lens formed by an air gap between lenses adjacent to each other, and the imaging lens satisfies conditional expression (1): −8
US07889438B2
The invention is directed to a large-aperture zoom lens that provides an aperture ratio as small as 2.8 as strongly desired, facilitates implementation with a vibration compensating mechanism, and successfully downsizes in more compact lens. The large-aperture zoom lens has four of groups of lens pieces, that is, the leading or foremost 1st lens group of positive refractivity, the succeeding 2nd lens group of negative refractivity, the 3rd lens group of positive refractivity, and the trailing 4th lens group of positive refractivity, and as the zoom lens varies power from the wide-angle end to the telephoto end, the 1st and 2nd lens groups split farther away from each other, the 2nd and 3rd lens groups come closer to each other, and the 3rd and 4th lens groups come closer to each other. The 3rd lens group includes the leading subset of the lens pieces of positive refractive power located closer to an object and the trailing subset of negative refractive power, and in order to compensate for tremors of user's hand(s) and vibrations of a camera and adjust an image formed, the trailing subset of the 3rd lens group alone are displaced in directions perpendicular to the optical axis. The 4th lens group has its foremost lens piece shaped in concave lens on a surface closer to the object.
US07889413B1
The present invention provides a method for automatically activating an optical light valve. The method includes providing a photorefractive cell having a birefringent medium which is doped with nanoparticles and transmitting light through the photorefractive cell to create an electric field in the photorefractive cell such that the alignment state of the birefringent medium and nanoparticles is changed to thereby reduce the intensity of the light being transmitted therethrough, wherein the intensity of light is reduces without an external power source.
US07889412B2
An electrooptical apparatus includes a display unit that emits display light, a light emission stopping unit that stops emission of the display light in the display unit, a light receiving unit that receives outside light around the display unit while emission of the display light is stopped, an accumulating unit that accumulates the amount of outside light received by the light receiving unit, and a calculating unit that calculates the light intensity of outside light on the basis of the time taken for the accumulated amount of outside light received to exceed a predetermined threshold.
US07889406B2
A method to align the write channel portion of a holographic data storage system. The method establishes a write threshold correlation factor, provides a reference beam, and illuminates a holographic data storage medium encoded with a write reference orientation image with the reference beam to generate a write channel alignment data beam including a projected write reference orientation image. The method projects the write channel alignment data beam onto an optical detector, and calculates a first write correlation factor using the projected write reference orientation image, a stored write reference orientation image, and the tangential matched filter. If the method determines that the first write correlation factor is greater than or equal to the write threshold correlation factor, then the method determines that the spatial write channel is properly aligned.
US07889387B2
A device model object which numerically constructs colorimetric measurements based on access to a spectrally-based device profile. In situations where a color management module issues a request for spectral measurements, then the device model object provides spectral measurements directly from the spectrally-based device profile. However, in situations where the color management module issues a request for colorimetric measurements, then the device model object numerically constructs colorimetric measurements based on numerical integration of spectral measurements from the spectrally-based device profile against a viewing condition white point. The constructed measurements are provided to the color management module and they are also cached for possible future use. In this way, the device model object is able to support requests for both measurement-based device profiles and spectrally-based device profiles.
US07889385B2
In a digital image printing system, an external device capable of storing digital image data, and a printing apparatus capable of printing the digital image data are mutually connectable, and capable of exchanging data. The printing apparatus includes a paper feeding unit having a multi-tray structure. The external device sends parameters, that is, paper size, paper type, page layout of the digital image data, and at least one digital image data to the printing apparatus, and the printing apparatus selects a tray from the paper feeding unit based on the parameters, and an aspect ratio of the digital image data, and prints the digital image data.
US07889384B2
A method for managing complex payload using on a point of sale (POS) printer is described. The complex payload includes a plurality of commands. The method includes organizing at least a portion of the commands into a single entity. The single entity corresponds to more than one command, though need not contain all of the commands. The method also includes providing a payload identifier corresponding to the single entity. The payload identifier indicates a correspondence between the commands for the single entity and the single entity.
US07889362B2
An image forming apparatus prints images on print sheets, and insets tab-index sheets between the printed print sheets. The image forming apparatus includes an orientation detecting unit which detects an orientation of a print sheet being supplied, a rotation-angle selecting unit which selects a rotation angle of an image such that the image is arranged in an orientation matching the detected orientation of the print sheet and in a predetermined positional relationship with a tab of the tab-index sheets, and a printing unit which prints the image being rotated by the selected rotation angle.
US07889360B2
MFP 100 transports the document one sheet at a time by means of ADF 141 to a specified reading position, and judges whether the document is an IC-tagged printed matter by means of IC tag reader 143B. If the document is an IC-tagged printed matter, it prints the image data acquired from the IC tag by IC tag reader 143B by means of printing unit 151. On the other hand, if the document is not an IC-tagged printed matter, it processes it by either one of the methods of optical copying, blank output or no output according to the user's choice. This makes it possible for the device to treat the document with a proper method or the method the user chooses when the document is a mixture of IC-tagged documents and conventional documents.
US07889358B2
Included are an illumination lamp (2) for illuminating a color filter edge (23) at a predetermined angle of incidence, a sensor (3) for taking at least two images by imaging light reflected at a predetermined angle different from the angle of incidence, an image processing section (9) for calculating a difference in luminance within a color filter in accordance with the images thus taken, and a defect determination section (13) for determining the existence of unevenness in the color filter from the difference in luminance. Provided thereby are a color filter inspection method and a color filter inspection apparatus, each for early discovering unevenness through macroscopic observation of the whole color filter by illuminating the color filter edge and by taking reflected light that is not specular reflected light, the unevenness occurring in a drying step, the color filter edge containing a boundary between a pixel and a black matrix. Further provided is a method for manufacturing a color filter with use of the color filter inspection method.
US07889353B2
A method and optical module for measuring relative movement of an input device and object (15) along at least one measuring axis. A laser device (3) having a laser cavity is provided for generating a measuring beam (13) in respect of each measuring axis. The measuring beam (13) is used to illuminate the object (15) and measuring beam radiation reflected from the object (15) and re-entering the laser cavity generates a self-mixing effect in the laser and causes changes in operation of the laser cavity. A detector (4) is used to generate a measurement signal representative of these changes and an electronic processing circuit (18) selects, in dependence on the speed of relative movement, one of at least two parameters of the measurement signal for use in determining the speed and direction of relative movement.
US07889348B2
Exemplary systems and methods for obtaining a photoluminescence radiation from at least one portion of a sample can be provided. For example, using the exemplary embodiment, it is possible to receive a first radiation and disperse the first radiation into at least one second radiation and at least one third radiation. The second and third radiations can be provided to different locations of the portion. In addition, it is possible to receive the photoluminescence radiation from the portion based on the second and third radiations.
US07889347B2
Instruments and methods relating to surface plasmon imaging are described. An instrument comprises a semi-circular rail and a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is attached to a light source mount and a detector mount, and both the light source mount and the detector mount are attached to the semi-circular rail with connectors. Each connector allows the light source mount and detector mount to slide along the rail. The synchronous movement of the light source mount and the detector mount changes the angle of incidence of a light beam from the light source with respect to the plane of the sample surface on the sample stage.
US07889346B2
A gas sensor uses optical interferents in a porous thin film cell to measure the refractive index of the pore medium. As the medium within the pores changes, spectral variations can be detected. For example, as the pores are filled with a solution, the characteristic peaks exhibit a spectral shift in one direction. Conversely, when tiny amounts of gas are produced, the peaks shift in the opposite direction. This can be used to measure gas evolution, humidity and for applications for other interferometric-based sensing devices.
US07889343B2
Method and system for optical detection of nano-objects in a refracting medium. A nano-object (n_oi) and the refractive medium are illuminated (A) with a periodically amplitude modulated coherent electromagnetic heating wave (HB(Ω)), to generate a specified temperature and refractive index profile in the vicinity of the nano-object, and with a coherent electromagnetic probe wave (PB) to generate an emerging probe wave (EPB(Ω)) having at least one intensity component amplitude modulated by a beat at the modulation frequency of the coherent heating wave. The intensity component amplitude modulated by a beat is detected (C) in the emerging wave (EPB(Ω)), to distinguish and represent this nano-object in the refractive medium. The invention is useful in the detection of nano-objects in an industrial, physiological or intracellular medium.
US07889340B1
In embodiments of the present invention a second, different waveplate is introduced into a single rotating compensator normal incidence ellipsometer. The second waveplate provides a quarter wavelength retardation that is different from and complementary to that of the first waveplate in order to increase the spectral range for which useful retardation is available, especially towards the deep UV spectrum. The sensitivity for the system may also be increased in the conventional spectral range, since each of the two waveplates may be optimized for its own, somewhat more narrow spectral range of operation. With the proper choice of two waveplates of different retardation, the useful spectral range may be extended from typically 190-820 nm to 150-1000 nm, and beyond if necessary, while increasing the sensitivity within the conventional wavelength range at the same time.
US07889338B2
A coordinate measuring machine for the structured illumination of substrates is disclosed. The incident light illumination means and/or the transmitted light illumination means have a pupil access via which at least one optical element is positionable in the optical illumination path. The size and/or type and/or the polarization of the pupil illumination may be manipulated such that the structured illumination of the substrate in the coordinate measuring machine corresponds to the structured illumination of this substrate in the exposure process with a stepper.
US07889329B2
A system for determining the concentration of an analyte in a liquid sample comprising a detection unit for detecting light intensities which are radiated from subareas of a detection area of a test element as well as an evaluation unit which determines a frequency distribution for the detected light intensities wherein the frequency distribution has at least one first maximum caused by unwetted subareas or at least one reference area and a second maximum caused by wetted subareas and selects at least one light intensity on the basis of the frequency distribution and determines the concentration of the analyte from the at least one selected light intensity.
US07889325B2
In an object sensing member M1, while electromagnetic waves are transmitted from transmission members 1 and 2 to a predetermined region, based upon a result of receiving electromagnetic waves reflected from an object by reception members 3 and 4, a distance detecting member 5 detects at least a distance of the object. An abnormal condition judging member M2 judges that the object sensing member M1 is under abnormal condition, if a difference between a maximum value of reception levels of the electromagnetic waves received by the reception members 3 and 4, and a minimum value of these reception levels for a predetermined time measured by a time measuring member M3 is smaller than a predetermined threshold value. As a result, the abnormal condition judging member M2 can surely judge the abnormal condition even, if the vehicle is driven on a desert road where objects to be sensed are occasionally present.
US07889321B2
An illumination system includes a housing, and an optical system located within the housing. The optical system includes at least one optical element. The optical system is constructed and arranged to illuminate a patterning device with a radiation beam diverging from an intermediate focus. The intermediate focus is located at a position substantially at the same level or below a bottom portion of the illumination system.
US07889320B2
The present invention provides a variable slit apparatus, which can rapidly change the shape of the slit width of the illumination light while finely controlling the shape of the slit-shaped illumination light, an illumination apparatus that uses such, an exposure apparatus, and the like. The variable slit apparatus for forming a slit-shaped illumination light comprises: a first light-shielding mechanism that comprises a plurality of blades for defining one long side of the illumination light; a second light-mechanism configured to define another long side of the illumination light; and a drive mechanism that changes the width of the illumination light in the latitudinal direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction by driving the first light-shielding mechanism and the second light-shielding mechanism.
US07889300B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device including a liquid crystal layer disposed between a first substrate and a second substrate, a pixel electrode in a reflection region and a transmission region over the first substrate, a film for adjusting a cell gap in the reflection region over the first substrate, and an opposite electrode in the reflection region and the transmission region over the second substrate. The pixel electrode in the reflection region is provided over the film and reflects light. The pixel electrode in the transmission region transmits light. The pixel electrode in the reflection region and the transmission region includes a slit. The slit is overlapped with at least a part of a step portion which is provided by the film between the reflection region and the transmission region.
US07889292B2
A liquid crystal display device comprises a liquid crystal display panel having a first substrate, a second substrate located opposite the first substrate with a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate, and a liquid crystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate, a polarizing plate located opposite the liquid crystal layer, and a polarizing reflection layer positioned opposite the polarizing plate across the liquid crystal layer and located opposite the liquid crystal layer to reflect linearly polarized light polarized in one direction parallel to a plane of the liquid crystal display panel.
US07889284B1
A display screen device may comprise a first substrate including at least a substantially transparent glass having a thickness less than or equal to 1.1 millimeters; an anti-reflective thin film coating; and a second substrate including a touch screen device. Additionally, a method for providing a display screen device is disclosed.
US07889273B2
A method for capturing multiple sets of image data with an electronic camera having a shutter and an electronic shutter for selectively allowing light to reach an image sensor comprises opening the shutter and the electronic shutter, allowing light to reach the image sensor for a first exposure time, closing the electronic shutter, reading out pixel data captured during the first exposure time, allowing light to reach the image sensor for a second exposure time, and, reading out pixel data captured during the second exposure time. The method may be used to obtain multiple differently exposed images of a scene for combination into a high dynamic range image.
US07889272B2
A high frequency component detection circuit detecting a high frequency component included in a video signal is provided. The high frequency component detection circuit includes a filter acquiring a group of a predetermined number of pixels including a focused pixel and pixels surrounding the focused pixel with respect to each of pixels constituting the video signal, rearranging the pixels constituting the group to be arrayed in the order of luminance values, determining the luminance value of the pixel positioned at the center in the rearranged order, and outputting the pixel positioned at the center among the rearranged pixels arrayed in the order of luminance values as the focused pixel. Further, the high frequency component detection circuit includes a detection circuit detecting a high frequency component included in the video signal based on the output from the filter.
US07889269B2
For each image data, face information indicating the number of faces of subjects included in an image is added. Further, the percentage of images in which there exist faces is calculated. When the percentage exceeds a face detecting flag threshold, the face detecting flag is set ON. When the percentage does not exceed the face detecting flag threshold, the face detecting flag is set OFF. The face detecting flag is stored in the flash memory portion of the memory. The face detecting flag is read from the flash memory portion of the memory in the shooting mode at the next time. When the face detecting flag is set ON, an image display device displays instructions on prompting a user to make the face detecting function effective.
US07889266B2
In an AF camera having a two-stage capture button or a three-stage capture button, a timing control module or algorithm is used to control the type of image a user can obtain after the user presses and releases the capture button. The timing control allows the user to capture an image of the scene substantially as presented on the viewfinder when the automatic focusing algorithm carries out its focusing function, or to capture an image of a recomposed scene after the focusing function is completed. If the user releases the capture button before the automatic focusing algorithm finishes its focusing function, the image obtained is the image focused at the hyperfocal distance.
US07889248B2
An imaging apparatus for capturing an image using a solid-state imaging device. The imaging apparatus includes: a noise-elimination processing section capable of performing noise elimination processing on the captured image data by applying an individual noise-elimination intensity for each pixel; an image coding processing section compression coding the image data having been subjected to the noise-elimination processing; an image analyzing section analyzing the image data having been subjected to the noise-elimination processing and generating area specification information identifying a noticed area in the captured image; and a noise-elimination processing control section controlling the noise-elimination processing section so as to make the noise-elimination intensity for the noticed area in the captured image lower than the noise-elimination intensity for the other area on the basis of the area specification information from the image analyzing section.
US07889246B2
A photographing apparatus comprises an operation unit, a controller, and a display unit. The operation unit has a range setting unit that is used for setting an upper limited value of a range of a sensitivity of an imaging sensor and a lower limited value of the range in a first sensitivity setting state where the sensitivity is calculated on the basis of a luminance value obtained in a photometric operation. The controller sets the upper limited value and the lower limited value corresponding to an operation of the range setting unit. The display unit displays an illustration of the upper limited value and the lower limited value that are set by the controller.
US07889236B2
For automatically transmitting an image file, a system transmits the file automatically through specifically specifying information for file transmission such as an address of a destination. The system includes a memory for storing a data file and an automatic transmission control file for briefly describing information of a file name of the file to be transmitted and a destination address, and a communication unit for transmitting the data file according to the automatic transmission control file. Therefore, the system can transmit the data file automatically only by having a memory storing the data file and automatic transmission control file connected to the communication unit.
US07889225B2
A method of videoconferencing includes arranging a portable environment to include a first wall generally parallel to and spaced from a second wall and facing a videocamera on the first wall toward the second wall. An on-camera subject zone is implemented between the first wall and the second wall via: (1) setting a field-of-view of the videocamera to include the second wall while excluding a peripheral edge of the second wall; and (2) positioning a subject station between the first wall and the second wall and setting the on-camera subject zone within a boundary defined by the field-of-view of the videocamera extending from the subject station to the second wall.
US07889203B2
A portable graphics encoder connects with one or more protocol decoder devices based on a particular communication protocol. The portable graphics encoder is not specific to any particular operating system. The portable graphics encoder receives protocol decoder device commands such as input instructions that determine higher-level graphics commands that are sent to the one or more protocol decoder devices. The higher-level graphics commands are extracted from graphics sources such as application programs. The portable graphics encoder encodes the higher-level graphics commands according to a format defined by the communication protocol, and the encoded higher-level graphics commands are sent to the one or more protocol decoder devices.
US07889200B2
A system and method for identifying a plurality of nodes for a circular layout, each of the plurality of nodes to be connected via an edge to at least one other of the plurality of nodes, fixing all of the plurality of nodes on a unit circle, except for one of the nodes, moving the unfixed node to a barycenter of the fixed plurality of nodes, projecting the unfixed node to the unit circle of the circular layout and displaying the circular layout.
US07889195B2
A user of a virtual object or computer model uses a haptic interface device in the real world to manipulate a virtual tool in a virtual environment to interact and modify the virtual object. The user uses the virtual tool in a sculpting mode to modify the shape of the virtual object by adding, removing, or modifying the material of the object. The user feels an interaction force from the virtual tool as it interacts with and modifies the virtual object. The designer can set geometric constraints, such as a constraint point, constraint line, or constraint surface, to limit or guide the movement of the virtual tool.
US07889189B2
An electrooptic device includes: a plurality of parallel signal lines provided in a pixel array region in which a plurality of pixels is arrayed; a driving circuit electrically connected to a first end of each of the signal lines outside the pixel array region; and a protection circuit in which a diode device is electrically connected to a second end of the signal line, the diode device dissipating static electricity from the signal line. The resistance of the portion of the signal line from the center of the length to the driving circuit is higher than that of the portion of the signal line from the center to the diode device.
US07889188B2
This invention relates to a flat panel display device that is adaptive for perfectly compensating a panel defect by performing an electrical compensation on pixels in a panel defect location, and a method of controlling a picture quality thereof. A flat panel display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a display panel which has a non-defect area and a panel defect area; a memory which stores a first compensation, a second compensation data, a third compensation data, a fourth compensation data, and a fifth compensation data; a compensation part; and a driver for driving the display panel in use of the data modulated by the compensation part.
US07889182B2
A beverage dispenser for dispensing beverages includes a touch panel assembly, removable fittings in a carbonator, a carbonator probe, and a carbonator pump assembly removable from a front of the beverage dispenser. The touch panel assembly includes a light source for backlighting a user interface and providing the dispenser with a visual presence. Electrode traces in the touch panel assembly detect interruptions in electrode fields and are accepted as user inputs for dispensing a beverage. A controller conducts the lighting, dispensing, and reconfiguring operations for the flavor selection areas on the user interface. The touch panel assembly further includes provisions for increasing a user interface area to increase visibility of a particular flavor, as well as bonus flavors on a beverage dispenser. The removable fittings each include an orifice for entry of water to be carbonated into the carbonator. The carbonator probe is a single wire probe with timed refill.
US07889172B2
An input device of a mobile communication terminal for successively and rapidly performing functions is disclosed. The input device includes a belt being successively slidable by an external force, a plurality of rollers being rotated by the sliding of the belt, a sensor unit for detecting the rotation of the roller, and a controller for executing at least one function according to an electric signal generated from the sensor unit.
US07889166B2
A liquid crystal display with improved color reproducibility and image quality is presented. The liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel assembly including a plurality of pixels, a signal controller, and a data driver. The signal controller stores a dithering data patterns, selects one of the dithering data patterns based on input image data having a first bit number, and converts the input image data to output image data having a different bit number using the selected dithering data pattern. The data driver applies data voltages to the pixels, the data voltages corresponding to the output image data from the signal controller. Frequency of the input image signal and the output image signal from the signal controller is each about 120 Hz, and the dithering data patterns are repeated every eight frames. The signal controller includes a look-up table that stores the dithering data patterns.
US07889165B2
Flat display apparatus, fabricating method, picture quality controlling method and apparatus thereof
A flat panel display device including a linked pixel formed of a first pixel electrically connected to a pixel adjacent to the first pixel; a memory storing the location of a panel defect area, a panel defect compensation data for compensating for a brightness difference of the panel defect area, location data describing a location of the linked pixel, charge characteristic compensation data for compensating for a charge characteristic of the linked pixel; and a compensation circuit to modulate the data to be displayed at the panel defect area using at least one of a frame rate control method and a dithering method and to modulate a charge characteristic of a digital video data to be displayed at the linked pixel based on the location data and the panel defect and charge compensation data stored in the memory.
US07889154B2
A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a display panel configured to be formed by arranging pixels like a matrix, a light source configured to light the display panel, and a driving control means for controlling the display panel, wherein the pixels are transreflective type liquid crystal pixels having a reflective part and a transmissive part driven independently, and the driving control means is configured to separately control non-image periods of the reflective part and transmissive part.
US07889153B2
A projection surface on which a predetermined projection image is projected is provided; a writing surface on which an image can be drawn directly in a superimposing manner with a projection image displayed on the projection surface is provided; and a photography part photographing an image drawn on the writing surface by means of an image-pickup part comprising two-dimensionally-disposed pixels is provided.
US07889146B2
Recovery of hydrocarbons, such as petroleum products, from a liquid or solid substrate is facilitated by the use of microwave energy to energize and separate molecular bonds between the hydrocarbons and the substrate. A radio frequency (RF) applicator delivers microwave energy to a treatment volume containing an emulsion of a hydrocarbon and a substrate. Delivering the microwave energy to the emulsion facilitates separation of the hydrocarbon and substrate molecules into layers. Hydrocarbons and other products can then be recovered from their respective layers. The treatment volume may be located either above or below ground. The RF applicator may include an antenna body with slots formed substantially parallel to one another in a substantially horizontal orientation. The RF applicator efficiently delivers microwave energy into the treatment volume. Substantially all of the power supplied to the RF applicator is radiated, with very little power reflected internally within the RF applicator.
US07889141B2
A dual function composite system includes a first electronic subsystem, a second electronic subsystem, and a composite member between the first and second electronic subsystems. The composite member includes plies of fabric, and resin impregnating the plies of fabric. At least one ply of the fabric includes signal transmission elements integrated therewith and interconnecting the first electronic subsystem with the second electronic subsystem.
US07889140B2
An ultra-wide band (UWB) antenna and a plug-and-play (PnP) device using the same are provided. A dielectric substrate of the PnP device has a ground plane. The UWB antenna includes a radiating metal plate and a feeding portion. The radiating metal plate is in a non-ground region of the dielectric substrate and has at least a slit cut. An opening of the slit cut is at the edge of the radiating metal plate facing the ground plane. The feeding portion is also at the edge of the radiating metal plate facing the ground plate for feeding a signal to the antenna.
US07889126B2
A tracking method includes enabling a target device to obtain a location information thereof, and enabling the target device to generate a uniform resource locator (URL), which contains the location information obtained thereby and a location of an electronic map-containing webpage of a website. The electronic map-containing webpage contains an electronic map, and an indication of a location of the target device on the electronic map.
US07889123B1
A GPS assembly test system and method for a wireless communications device, such as a mobile telephone, having an integrated GPS receiver. The GPS assembly test can be performed without the requirement of external testing equipment. The GPS assembly test activates the wireless communications device transmitter during testing to increase GPS in-band noise. If the GPS receiver components are installed and operating properly, a change in noise is expected and can be detected. Embodiments include test software to initiate the transmitter during testing. Different methods can be used to detect a change in noise density. For example, an expected automatic reduction in gain control to a low noise amplifier (LNA) can be detected when the transmitter is activated. Another example includes setting LNA gain to a fixed gain and detecting expected changes in data generated an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter in response to the increased noise.
US07889120B2
A through air level measurement instrument for use in minimizing tank rattle comprises a housing and an antenna secured to the housing. A process adaptor is associated with the antenna and the housing for securing the instrument to a closed tank with the antenna directed into an interior of the closed tank. A control in the housing generates and receives a high frequency signal using an electromagnetic radiating element proximate the antenna. The control comprises an equivalent time sampling circuit including a main oscillator driving a timing circuit controlling timing between transmitted and sample pulses. A noise generator is operatively associated with the main oscillator to randomly modulate timing of the main oscillator. The control minimizes inaccuracies caused by tank rattle.
US07889114B2
Systems and methods for reducing radar target processing. The systems include a processor configured to receive a first input from a cooperative surveillance source and a second input from a radar device. The first input includes cooperative target information, the second input includes cooperative and non-cooperative target information, and the processor is configured to process the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input to generate a modified radar output for use by an output device. The methods include receiving a first input including cooperative target information from a cooperative surveillance source, receiving a second input including cooperative and non-cooperative target information from a radar device, processing the first and second inputs to remove cooperative target information from the second input based on the first input, and generating a modified radar output based on the processed first and second inputs.
US07889106B2
A first switched capacitor circuit is connected to the source of one MOS transistor of a current mirror pair configured by a pair of MOS transistors and a second switched capacitor circuit is connected to the source of the other MOS transistor. Each of the first and second switched capacitor circuits includes a capacitor and a switch connected in parallel with the capacitor and the switch is on/off-controlled based on a clock signal of a preset cycle. Each of the first and second switched capacitor circuits equivalently functions as a resistor with large resistance and a variation in the output current of the current mirror circuit based on a variation in the threshold voltages of the pair of MOS transistors can be reduced even if the power source voltage is reduced.
US07889095B1
An online remote control configuration system for efficiently programming a remote control to recognize a plurality of external electronic devices. The online remote control configuration system includes a remote control having a housing, a keypad, and an electronic system for receiving configuration data from a control station via a global computer network (e.g. Internet). The user preferably “samples” one or more signals from a remote control into the electronic system and then uploads the samples to the control station. The control station analyzes the uploaded samples and transmits the appropriate configuration data to properly configure the electronic system. The user may also access a web site of the control station and manually select each of the external electronic devices that the remote control is to operate after which the control station sends the appropriate configuration data to the electronic system.
US07889094B2
A network interface device includes a transceiver capable of connecting a utility meter to a wireless network, and a visual indicator capable of displaying a status of a connection between the utility meter and the wireless network. The visual indicator can be an LED, whose display state indicates the status of network connectivity. Alternatively, the visual indicator can be an integrated digital display of the meter that is typically used to indicate a metering parameter, such as total consumption or rate of consumption.
US07889082B2
An expiration management method and system. The method includes transmitting by an RFID tag reader within an enclosure, a plurality of continuous timing signals. The enclosure comprises a container comprising a product and an RFID tag. The RFID tag comprises data indicating a first state for the RFID tag and a first time period. The RFID tag reader receives the data and generates a first time stamp. The RFID tag reader transmits a first message commanding the RFID tag to enter a second state. The RFID tag reader transmits the first time stamp and generates a second time stamp. The RFID tag reader transmits the second time stamp. The RFID tag reader receives results from a comparing process performed by the RFID tag. The RFID tag reader performs a function indicating the results.
US07889081B2
An improved solution for radio frequency identification (RFID) systems is provided. In an embodiment of the invention, the RFID tag includes: a power source; a data storage repository; a radio frequency (RF) transmitting element configured to transmit data from the data storage repository, and electrically attached to the power source; and a thermal to electrical energy converter electrically attached to the power source.
US07889078B2
There is an increase in the number of autonomous battery driven devices in the world today and also a growing need for rapid information of unwanted incidents. By combining the GMS- and GPS-technology with the invention and any sensor with the ability to generate a voltage due to external influences, one has reached an activation device perfect for alarm devices that can lay dormant for years with no mentionable power consumption until the day a certain incident occurs. This trait can be used in numerous applications where only the sensor type sets the limits. By using a piezoelectric gyroscope as sensor for instance, a potent tracking device is made, where motion generates a voltage, which in turn will activate the entire device that will instantly start tracking the movement of the device and report this to its owner. This device will be of very small dimensions it can be attached to or hidden somewhere on personal belongings of a certain size; bags, suitcases, bicycles, paintings etc.
US07889067B2
The invention provides an alarm information processing device and an alarm information processing method capable of verifying an information processing operation on the basis of alarm data with ease. An information processing means fetches the alarm data of a plant, and executes a predetermined information processing. A storage means stores the alarm data of the plant. A data generation means generates a testing alarm data for testing the operation of the information processing means in accordance with a user's operation. An operation reproduction means executes the same operation as the information processing means on the basis of the testing alarm data generated by the data generation means. An algorithm setting means defines an operation algorithm of the information processing means 51 in accordance with the user's operation.
US07889057B2
Provided are an RFID reader reading data from an RFID tag using a wireless connection over a specified frequency bandwidth, including a transmitting unit synthesizing sequentially and cumulatively frequency control signals generated every clock, mixing the synthesized specific frequency signal and a fixed frequency signal, and as a result outputting an RF signal.
US07889056B2
Embodiments of systems, combinations, devices and methods of enhanced Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) protection are provided. An embodiment of a combination of a separate RFID device and a separate RFID blocking device each adapted to be positioned separately into a container includes a separate RFID device adapted to be positioned in the container a separate RFID blocking device adapted to be positioned adjacent the separate RFID device and in the container so that when an unauthorized RFID interrogation device attempts to read the separate RFID device from within the container the separate RFID blocking device positioned adjacent the separate RFID device blocks the attempted read and so that when an authorized user desires to use the separate RFID device for an authorized read the authorized user selectively removes either the separate RFID device or the separate RFID blocking device and presents the separate RFID device for the authorized read.
US07889055B2
An IC tag according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a storage circuit having a plurality of memory cells; and a memory control circuit receiving commands by use of a radio signal to control the storage circuit based on the commands, the commands including a specific command to collectively control the plurality of memory cells, and the memory control circuit executing control corresponding to the specific command on the storage circuit based on the specific command and first key data received in association with the specific command.
US07889054B2
The disclosed inventions relate to a method and apparatus for creating scramble signals. The disclosed inventions further relate to a method and apparatus for creating scramble signals from data signals. The disclosed inventions also relate to a method and apparatus for creating minimum-energy scramble signals. The disclosed inventions further relate to a method and apparatus for exploiting sleep and wake commands to achieve efficient data and scramble signals.
US07889053B2
A system to remotely identify a person by utilizing a microwave cardiogram, where some embodiments segment a signal representing cardiac beats into segments, extract features from the segments, and perform pattern identification of the segments and features with a pre-existing data set. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US07889048B2
A variable resistor network has a coarse resistance network and a fine resistance network connected in series with the coarse network. The coarse resistance network comprises a chain of series-connected resistors any one or more of which may be switched out of the series by individual parallel-connected relays. The fine network comprises a shunt resistor together with a fixed resistor and a series-connected adjustable resistor together connected in parallel with the shunt resistor. A control circuit is arranged to control the relays for the switching of the resistors of the coarse network and also to control adjustment of the adjustable resistor. A chosen resistance value can be set by appropriate switching of the coarse network and adjustment of the adjustable resistor.
US07889044B2
A multilayer coil component is provided in which solder fusibility and a self-alignment property are prevented from being degraded due to absorption of a flux in a soldering step. The multilayer coil component has no voids present at interfaces between internal conductors 2 and a magnetic ceramic 11 located therearound. A magnetic ceramic forming a central region 7 has a region (side gap portion 8) which extends from a side surface 3a of the magnetic ceramic element to the internal conductors and which has a pore area ratio of 6% to 20%. At least one of a first external layer region 9a, located at an upper side of the central region, and a second external layer region 9b, located at a lower side of the central region (an external layer region at a mounting surface side of a mounting substrate), has a pore area ratio of less than 5%.
US07889032B2
An electromagnetic relay includes a relay coil assembly, an armature, and a contact system. The contact system includes a stationary contact assembly stationary contacts and moveable contact springs adjacent to the stationary contacts. The moveable contact springs have a projecting portion. The armature is pivotably actuated in response to an electromagnetic force generated by the relay coil to move the at least one contact spring linearly between a first position and a second position. The stationary contact assembly includes an overmold portion attached to the at least one stationary contact. The overmold portion includes a dielectric material and is bonded to the at least one stationary contact to maintain a predetermined configuration of the stationary contact relative to the at least one moveable contact spring.
US07889031B2
High-speed interconnect systems for connecting two or more electrical elements for both on-chip and off-chip applications are provided. Interconnect system has the means, which could reduce the microwave loss induced due to the dielectrics. Reducing the effective loss tangent of the dielectrics reduces the microwave loss. With optimize design of the interconnects, the speed of the electrical signal can be made to closer to the speed of the light. The interconnect systems consists of the electrical signal line, inhomogeneous dielectric systems and the ground line, wherein inhomogeneous dielectric system consisting of the opened-trenches into the dielectric substrate or comb-shaped dielectrics to reduce the microwave loss. Alternatively dielectric structure can have the structure based on the fully electronic or electromagnetic crystal or quasi crystal with the line defect. Alternatively, dielectric structure can be made to comb-shaped structure with teethes having thickness and space making the air pocket to reduce the microwave loss. The interconnect system, can be made in rigid or flex board for off-chip interconnects for IC packages, connectors and cables, where conventional manufacturing technology can be used and yet to increase the bandwidth of the interconnects.
US07889030B2
The invention relates to MEMS devices. In one embodiment, a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) device comprises a resonator element comprising a semiconducting material, and at least one trench formed in the resonator element and filled with a material comprising oxide. Further embodiments comprise additional devices, systems and methods.
US07889008B2
A programmable gain MOS amplifier is disclosed. The programmable gain MOS amplifier is capable of increasing its programmable gain linearly in dB unit by increasing its gain level data linearly. The programmable gain MOS amplifier includes a plurality of gain providers for providing predetermined gains respectively, and a plurality of gain tuners. Each of the plurality of the gain tuners is disposed for adjusting the predetermined gain from the corresponding gain provider. Each of the gain tuners includes a gain enabling module and a gain decreasing module. The gain enabling module allows the corresponding predetermined gain to add to the programmable gain of the MOS amplifier. The gain decreasing module declines the corresponding predetermined gain added to the programmable gain of the MOS amplifier.
US07888998B1
An analog error amplifier includes an amplifier circuit and a replica bias circuit that together produce an output signal representing a difference between an input signal and a reference signal. The amplifier circuit produces the output signal in response to the input signal and a bias signal provided by the replica bias circuit. The bias signal may establish a reference threshold of a basic amplifier in the amplifier circuit. The replica bias circuit produces the bias signal in response to the reference signal and drives the bias signal to be equal to the reference signal. The replica bias circuit may include a plurality of amplifier stages. The bias signal produced by a single replica bias circuit may be provided to a plurality of amplifier circuits to provide a plurality of error amplifiers for a single reference signal.
US07888994B2
An electrical circuit for conversion from differential to single-ended includes a differential amplifier stage and first and second buffer circuits. The differential amplifier stage includes a first and a second input; and a first and a different second charging circuit that can be operatively coupled, respectively, with an output of the conversion circuit and with an auxiliary output. Each of the first and second buffer circuits is functionally arranged between one of said outputs and between one of said charging circuits. The buffer circuits being configured so as to substantially equalize relative impedances seen towards said outputs.
US07888991B2
Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having a clock path with a combination of current-mode logic (CML) based and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) components.
US07888985B2
A level shift circuit shifts a first voltage level to a second voltage level that is different from the first voltage level. The level shift circuit includes a set-level circuit 21 configured to detect and transmit a set signal that is used to set a logic voltage state based on the second voltage level, a reset-level circuit 22 configured to detect and transmit a reset signal that is used to reset the logic voltage state based on the second voltage level, and a reference-level circuit C3 configured to provide a reference signal that is used to detect the set signal and reset signal based on the second voltage level. The set-level circuit, reset-level circuit, and reference-level circuit transmit signals from the first voltage level to the second voltage level through capacitors C1, C2, and C3, respectively.
US07888983B2
Techniques for generating a signal having a predetermined duty cycle. In an exemplary embodiment, a first counter is configured to count a first number of cycles of an oscillator signal, and a second counter is configured to count a second number of cycles of the oscillator signal, with the second number being greater than the first number. The output of the second counter is used to reset the first and second counters, while the outputs of the first and second counters further drive a toggle latch for generating the signal having predetermined duty cycle. Further aspects include techniques for accommodating odd and even values for the second number.
US07888973B1
The present disclosure provides for a time to digital converter (TDC). The time to digital converter can include a reference ingress that receives a reference signal and passes the reference signal through multiple delay elements, a clock signal ingress that receives a clock signal and passes the clock signal through another set of delay elements, and multiple comparators, which are fewer in number than the total number of delay elements. The multiple comparators 1) receive the delayed reference and delayed clock signals and 2) output a set of comparison results for comparisons of pairs of delayed references and delayed clock signals.
US07888965B2
An integrated circuit with a configurable portion, such as an input/output port, that can be placed in a default configuration prior to actual configuration of the integrated circuit. An external terminal that serves as an output during normal operation is coupled, after power-on of the integrated circuit, to a comparator that senses the voltage level at that external terminal. If the external terminal is at a particular level, a multiplexer is controlled to ignore the state of the normal configuration memory, and to place the configurable input/output port into a default protocol.
US07888964B2
A device and a method for testing a resistance value of an on-die-termination (ODT) device and a semiconductor device having the same are presented. The device can include a comparator, a storage unit and and an output unit. When in an ODT test operation mode, the comparator compares a reference voltage against an input data input to a pad to determine the resistance value of the ODT device and outputs a determination data on the resistance value of the ODT device corresponding to the determination results. The storage unit stores the output of the comparator in synchronization with a clock signal. When in the ODT test operation mode, the output unit outputs the determination data on the resistance value of the ODT device stored in the storage unit to the pad. Thereby not only is the device configured to determine whether or not a defect of the resistance value of the ODT device exists but the device and the method are able to achieve this task in a substantially shorter testing time period.
US07888961B1
Apparatus and method for electrical detection and localization of shorts in metal interconnect lines
A test structure for localizing shorts in an integrated circuit and method of testing is described. A first comb structure is formed from a first busbar and a first plurality of fingers extending from the first busbar. A second comb structure formed from a second busbar and a second plurality of fingers extending from the second busbar. The second plurality of fingers is interleaved with the first plurality of fingers. A plurality of pass gates is connected between the first plurality of fingers and the first busbar. A pass gate terminal is electrically connected to the gate electrode of each of the plurality of pass gates. When the pass gates are turned OFF thereby disconnecting the first busbar from the first plurality of fingers, voltage contrast imaging can be used to identify which of the first fingers is adjacent the short.
US07888960B2
In one embodiment, a power supply controller is configured to operate in a test mode that facilitates measuring the value of an output signal of an error amplifier of the power supply controller.
US07888959B2
A method of determining one or more transistors within a particular circuit to be respectively replaced with a hardened transistor includes: identifying, as not requiring hardening, one or more transistors; identifying, as candidates for hardening, each transistor in the circuit not previously identified as not requiring hardening; and employing the hardened transistor in place of a transistor identified as a candidate for hardening. The circuit is a latch and the transistor is an SOI CMOS FET. The transistor is also an SOI transistor. The series transistor includes first and second series-connected transistors having a shared source/drain region whereby a drain of the first series-connected transistor is merged with a source of the second series-connected transistor.
US07888952B2
A circuit arrangement is provided for balancing a resistance circuit, which has a field-effect transistor as a controllable resistor and a control circuit, by which the field-effect transistor can be controlled with a gate-source voltage so that there is a resistance between a drain electrode and a source electrode of the field-effect transistor in a predefinable ratio to a reference resistor. In a balancing operation mode, a reference current can be set by the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor and by the reference resistor, which depends on a differential voltage between a voltage drop, caused by the reference current at the reference resistor and a voltage drop, caused by the reference current, at the drain-source path of the field-effect transistor.
US07888945B2
Lower order control devices control plural battery cells configuring plural battery modules. An input terminal of the low order control device in the highest potential, an output terminal of the low order control device in the lowest potential, and a high order control device are connected by isolating units, photocouplers. Diodes which prevent a discharge current of the battery cells in the battery modules are disposed between the output terminal of the low order control device and the battery cells in the battery module on the low potential side. Terminals related to input/output of a signal are electrically connected without isolating among the plural low order control devices.
US07888944B2
According to one exemplary embodiment, a power gauge for accurately measuring current consumed by a load coupled to a power source includes a current sense resistor having a first terminal coupled to the power source and a second terminal coupled to the load. The power gauge further includes a first integrator configured to integrate a voltage at the first terminal of the current sense resistor during a time period and to output a first integrated voltage. The power gauge further includes a second integrator configured to integrate a voltage at the second terminal of the current sense resistor during the time period and to output a second integrated voltage. A difference between the first and second integrated voltages can be used to accurately determine the current consumed by the load during the time period.
US07888938B2
In a gradient coil and a method to manufacture a gradient coil for a magnetic resonance apparatus, the gradient coil has at least one saddle coil, the saddle coil having a spatially shaped, electrically conductive plate with a line-shaped recess penetrating the plate. Conductor structures that create a gradient magnetic field in an examination region when a current signal flows therethrough are formed by the recess and by the shaping of the plate. The recess is filled with an electrically insulating material before implementation of the spatial shaping.
US07888936B2
A method corrects for a phase error in an MR image, in which MR signals of an examination subject are acquired, complex images of the examination subject are generated, phase differences of the phase values for various image points of the complex images are established with an averaged phase value of image points from a first surrounding region of a respective image point, and a phase correction is executed dependent on how well the phase differences correspond to a predetermined phase value, where the order of the image points in which the phase correction is implemented is dependent on how well the phase values in the image points correspond to the predetermined phase value.
US07888935B1
First, benchmark data are collected on two thin slices of an object to get measured k-space trajectories. To find delays on different physical gradients, the root mean square error between estimated and measured k-space trajectories is minimized for different delays. To reduce the error further, an eddy current compensation is introduced along each physical gradient axis. A more accurate estimation of the k-space trajectory can be obtained to image the object.
US07888927B2
The invention provides for a system and method for locating concealed locations such as wiring, plumbing, or void locations with respect to a covering material like a wall. The system comprises a position indicating portion that is concealed on one side of a covering material and a position locating portion positioned on the opposite side and adjacent to the covering material. The position indicating portion is coupled to any structural member using a mounting mechanism, thereby establishing the location of a site by creating a magnetic field extending through said covering material at that location. The position locating portion comprises a position locating magnet while the position indicating portion comprises a position indicating magnet. The position locating magnet cooperates repulsively and attractively through the covering material with a position indicating magnet in order to locate the concealed site by substantially aligning the position indicating portion and the position locating portion.
US07888924B2
A power regulator system is described. The system includes a switching system comprising at least one switch and an inductor, the switching system being configured to provide an output voltage based on a current through the inductor. The system also includes a switch driver configured to provide a switching signal to the switching system to control the operation of the at least one switch to provide the current through the at least one inductor. A mode controller is configured to switch the switch driver between a continuous mode of operation and a discontinuous mode of operation based on both a feedback voltage associated with the output voltage and at least one other predetermined operating condition associated with each of the continuous and discontinuous modes of operation.
US07888922B2
A power control system includes a switching power converter and a power factor correction (PFC) and output voltage controller. The PFC and output voltage controller provides a control signal to a switch to control power factor correction and regulate output voltage of the switching power converter. During a single period of the control signal, the PFC and output voltage controller determines the line input voltage, the output voltage, or both using a single feedback signal received from the switching power converter. The feedback signal is received from a switch node located between an inductor and the switch. The PFC and output voltage controller determines either the line input voltage or the output voltage, whichever was not determined from the feedback signal, using a second feedback signal received from either a PFC stage or a driver stage of the switching power converter.
US07888921B2
A controller for a multi-phase switching power supply shuffles the sequence of the phases in response to a load transient to prevent synchronization of one or more phases with high-frequency load transients. The sequence may be shuffled by varying the frequency and/or sequence of the switching control signals to introduce a random variation in the phases.
US07888909B2
The convenient recharging of a charge storage device is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system comprises a portable device accessory with a charge storage device holding mechanism and a recharging circuit. The system also comprises a portable device with an interface at which the portable device and the portable device accessory are connectable. A charge storage device-switching mechanism is disposed within the portable device accessory or the portable device. The charge storage device-switching mechanism is actuatable to switch a first charge storage device in the portable device with a second charge storage device in the charge storage device holding mechanism of the portable device accessory by mechanically connecting and/or disconnecting the portable device from the portable device accessory.
US07888907B2
A circuit to supply power to a load incorporates a first power source, a second power source that may be detachable, a power converter and at least one capacitor (capacitive element), where the first power source is capable of powering the load when charged, where the second power source is not capable of powering the load, but the second power source is capable of trickle-charging the first power source at a time when the first power source is not powering the load, where the power converter may impose a limit on a flow of current through the power converter, and where the at least one capacitor may cooperate to temporarily support a flow of additional current that circumvents the power converter at a time when the load attempts to draw a relatively greater amount of current.
US07888905B2
Methods and systems for controlling a power inverter in an electric drive system of an automobile are provided. A signal controlling the power inverter is modified utilizing a first voltage distortion compensation method if a modulation index of the signal is less than a first modulation index value. The signal is modified utilizing a second voltage distortion compensation method if the modulation index is at least equal to the first modulation index value.
US07888904B2
An axial flux electric motor comprising a rotor and a first and second stator. The first and second stators have a first and second air gap located between the first and second stators and the rotor, respectively, and the second air gap is greater than the first gap. In one embodiment, the coils of the first stator and the coils of the second stator are in parallel. The motor further comprises switches which alternatingly energize the coils of the first stator and of the second stator based upon required torque and required speed of the motor. In a second embodiment, the coils of the first stator and the coils of the second stator are in series and the motor further comprises switches which selectively bypass the coils of the second stator in order to reduce the back EMF of the motor and increase the maximum speed of the motor at a given input voltage.
US07888899B2
A substrate splitting apparatus and a method for splitting a substrate using the substrate splitting apparatus are provided. The substrate splitting apparatus includes a servo motor, a transmission device, a substrate breaking bar, and a stage. One end of the transmission is directly or indirectly coupled to the servo motor while the other end is coupled with the breaking bar. The stage has a load-lock surface and the load-lock surface faces the breaking bar. The servo motor drives the transmission device to move the breaking bar toward the load-lock surface. A substrate with a pre-crack on the bottom is disposed on the load-lock surface. The servo motor drives the substrate breaking bar to move towards or away from the pre-crack. The method of splitting includes the following steps: forming a pre-crack on the substrate; controlling the servo motor to drive the breaking bar to move towards the substrate; and controlling the breaking bar to press the substrate at the pre-crack.
US07888898B2
Embodiment of the invention relate to a container. In one respect, embodiments of the invention provide a container that is useful in advertising because of its distinctive shape and faux pull ring, and/or because it is configured to output a jingle or other stored audio. Moreover, in embodiments of the invention, the container is configured as a cooler with a thermal insulator. Such a cooler may also include an automatic lid mechanism that allows for hands-free operation by users that seek to retrieve, for instance, a cold beverage from the cooler.
US07888896B2
A drive system has a number of electrical machines. One machine operates as a generator supplying an output to a DC link, which in turn supplies one or more machines operating as motors to drive loads. The motors are supplied through power converters. The total capacitance of the DC link is minimized and the link kept in a stable condition by preventing it falling to a hazardous level. One embodiment prevents the phase currents adding in such a manner as to reduce the DC link voltage. Another embodiment employs freewheeling in the phase currents to prevent the DC link voltage falling below a predetermined threshold.
US07888895B2
An electric power supply system for driving an electric rotating machine has a generator supplied with driving power from an engine to generate alternating-current electric power and a matrix converter as an alternating-current to alternating-current direct converter supplied with the alternating-current electric power to output arbitrary alternating-current electric power. By driving a motor with the alternating-current electric power supplied from the matrix converter, only one time electric power conversion is carried out to provide high efficiency in the whole system. In addition, electric power loss can be reduced so as to enhance a motor output when the system is applied to a vehicle power supply system.
US07888891B2
A particle beam generator has a vacuum chamber, a magnet which generates a constant magnetic field in the vacuum chamber, acceleration electrodes which generates a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnet in the vacuum chamber, a take-out electrode which takes out charged particles accelerated in the vacuum chamber; and a target cell provided at a position at which the charged particles taken out by the taken-out electrode strikes. At least a part of surfaces exposed to the charged particles of the vacuum chamber, the acceleration electrodes, the take-out electrode and/or the target cell is made of a material including an element having atomic number larger than copper.
US07888890B2
A method for controlling electrical light sources, in particular, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) by pulse width modulation of a supply voltage is disclosed, whereby the supply voltage or a parameter dependent thereon, for example the current or the electrical power, is measured and the pulse width is controlled as a function thereof. According to the invention, for the light source a characteristic curve for the brightness is generated as a function of the supply voltage or the parameter dependent thereon and, from the measured supply voltage or the parameter dependent thereon, an actual brightness value is determined with the characteristic curve and is compared with a given brightness value and the pulse width controlled as a function thereof.
US07888888B2
A light source driving apparatus to drive at least one light source module includes a switch unit for coupling in series with an AC power source and the light source module; a clock synchronization unit for coupling to the AC power source and to provide a clock synchronization signal in accordance with an AC voltage of the AC power source; a control unit coupled to receive the clock synchronization signal and to provide to the switch unit an adjusting signal according to a timing of the clock synchronization signal; and a feedback unit coupled to the control unit and to detect a load state of the light source module, the feedback unit configured to provide to the control unit a feedback signal having a value representative of the detected load state of the light source module. The control unit is configured to modulate a pulse width of the adjusting signal according to the feedback signal and a preset brightness value of the light source module, the switch unit responsive to the adjusting signal to open and close to apply the AC voltage to the light source module in accordance with the modulated pulse width.
US07888886B2
A universal line voltage dimming method and system, with a control circuit for an electronic ballast including an on-time converter (50) generating an on-time signal (54) in response to a sensed phase-controlled power signal (52), and a micro-processor (56) responsive to the on-time signal (54) and generating a dimming control signal (58). A lamp control method for an electronic ballast includes sensing phase-controlled power, determining on-time for the sensed phase-controlled power, and controlling lamp dimming in response to the on-time.
US07888876B2
A lighting control device for a vehicle lighting device is arranged so that loads applied to switching regulators are about equal when driving multiple semiconductor light sources (e.g., LEDs) as multifunctional lamps through the switching regulators. The LEDs are divided into two groups. The LEDs belonging to the first group are driven to be turned ON through a first switching regulator and the LEDs belonging to the second group are driven to be turned ON through a second switching regulator. Maximum values of power to be supplied to the LEDs are set to be about equal to each other, and loads to be applied to the switching regulators are about equal to each other.
US07888871B2
Compact fluorescent lamp having a known base (1), a central hollow column (2), attached to the base (1), and the outer surface of which has a heat- and light-reflecting coating; a cap (3) closing the hollow column (2); and one or more light-radiating members (4) secured to the cap (3) and/or to the hollow column (2). The light-radiating members (4) start from the hollow column (2) and connect to electronic and electric elements and pass through the holes (3b) of the hollow column and/or the cap (3). The lamp further comprises a guide-ring (11) to support the light-radiating members (4) extending until or beyond the meeting boundary edge of the base (1) and the hollow column (2). The hollow column (2), the base (1), the cap (3) and the guide ring (11) are encompassed with the light-radiating members (4) extending in at least a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the lamp towards the base (1) and back and the light-radiating members (4) have curved sections (4a). The lamp is retrofit with conventional bulb sockets.
US07888865B2
An organic electroluminescent device including at least an anode, a first emitting layer, a hole barrier layer, a second emitting layer and a cathode in this order. The first emitting layer and the second emitting layer both include a hole transporting material. The organic EL device is small in chromaticity change and has high efficiency.
US07888858B2
An light-emitting diode device, including a substrate; and a reflective electrode and a semi-transparent electrode formed over the substrate and an unpatterned white light-emitting layer formed between the reflective electrode and the semi-transparent electrode, the reflective electrode, semi-transparent electrode, and unpatterned white-light-emitting layer forming an optical microcavity, and wherein either the reflective or semi-transparent electrodes is patterned to form a plurality of independently controllable light-emitting elements with at least one light-emitting element having no color filter. Color filters are formed over a side of the semi-transparent electrodes opposite the unpatterned white light-emitting layer in correspondence with the light-emitting elements, the color filters having at least two different colors.
US07888856B2
An organic electroluminescence device includes a light reflection film 12 which is formed on an insulating substrate 10; an anode electrode 16 which has a transparent conductive film 14 which is formed on the light reflection film 12 so as to cover the light reflection film 12; an organic electroluminescence layer 18 which is formed on the anode electrode 16; and a cathode electrode 20 which is formed on the organic electroluminescence layer 18 and has light transmittance. Thereby, a high luminous efficiency can be realized without involving degradation of the device characteristics.
US07888854B2
A bonding method using a bonding agent is provided, which has the steps of forming an underlayer on a first member, providing a bonding agent on the underlayer, forming a contact member, different from the bonding agent, on a second member, bringing the bonding agent into contact with the contact member so that the first member and the second member are bonded to each other. In the method described above, the wettability of the bonding agent to the underlayer is superior to that of the bonding agent to a surface of the first member before the underlayer is formed thereon, and the bondability of the bonding agent to the contact member is superior to that of the bonding agent to a surface of the second member before the contact member is formed thereon.
US07888853B2
A light-emitting device is provided, which includes a first substrate, a first pair of electrodes formed above the first substrate, a second substrate disposed apart from the first substrate, a second pair of electrodes formed above the second substrate, a selective permeable layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate, a first light-emitting layer disposed between the first substrate and the selective permeable layer, a second light-emitting layer disposed between the second substrate and selective permeable layer. The first light-emitting layer contains a first light-emitting material which emits light through an electrochemical oxidation or reduction thereof and a supporting salt. The second light-emitting layer contains a second light-emitting material which emits light through an electrochemical oxidation or reduction thereof and a supporting salt. The selective permeable layer is non-permeable or hardly permeable to the first and second light-emitting materials but permeable to the supporting salt.
US07888850B2
An object is to provide a tuning-fork type piezoelectric unit in which as well as maintaining the vibration characteristics in the stationary condition when miniaturized, the bond strength is maintained, and also the frequency change for before and after a drop impact test is suppressed. The construction is such that in a tuning-fork type piezoelectric unit comprising; a container main body having a concave cross-section; an electrode pad which is provided inside a concavity of the container main body; a metal bump which is formed on the electrode pad; a tuning-fork type piezoelectric piece in which one principal plane of a tuning-fork base with a pair of tuning-fork arms extended therefrom is bonded to the metal pad by means of a conductive adhesive; and a cover which is joined to an opening end face of the container main body to hermetically seal the tuning-fork type piezoelectric piece, a surface area of an upper surface flat part of the metal bump is made smaller than a bottom surface area of the metal bump.
US07888841B2
A boundary acoustic wave device includes a LiNbO3 substrate having a plurality of grooves provided in the upper surface thereof, electrode layers which are defined by a metal material filled in the grooves and which include IDT electrodes, and a dielectric layer, such as a SiO2 layer, provided over the upper surface of the piezoelectric substrate and the electrodes. The upper surface of the dielectric layer is flat or substantially flat. The thickness of the electrodes, θ of the Euler angles (0°, θ, −45° to +45°) of the LiNbO3 substrate, and the thickness of the dielectric layer are within any of the ranges shown in Table 1.
US07888839B2
A motor-generator includes a rotor that rotates about an axis of rotation, and a stator that is stationary and magnetically interacts with the rotor. The rotor is constructed of two spaced apart rotor portions having magnetic poles that drive magnetic flux across an armature airgap formed therebetween. An armature, located in the armature airgap, has a substantially nonmagnetic and low electrical conductivity form onto which wire windings are wound. The form has a free end that extends inside the rotor, and a support end that attaches to the stationary portion of the motor-generator. The form is constructed with a thin backing portion and thicker raised portions extending from the backing portion in the direction of the magnetic flux. The wire windings have multiple individually insulated conductor wire. The conductors of a single wire are electrically connected together in parallel and electrically insulated between each other along their length inside the armature airgap. The wire windings are wound on to the form by inserting the wire to lie between the raised portions; the form provides position location and support for the wire windings during the winding process, and subsequently reacts the electromagnetically induced torque on the windings to the stationary portion of the motor-generator through the support end of the form and prevents the windings from contacting the rotor portions during rotation of the rotor.
US07888835B2
A rotating shaft disclosed by the present invention includes a plurality of bumps spacedly formed along an outer circumferential surface thereof. The bumps are each formed with two engagement portions extending outwardly and bilaterally and a deformation space therebetween. The engagement portions undergo resilient deformation toward the deformation space when subjected to a force, thus providing stable engagement with a magnetic body, protecting the magnetic body from cracks and damages during assembling, and enhancing yield. The present invention further discloses a motor rotor having the above-described rotating shaft.
US07888833B2
An inner rotor type molded motor controlled by pulse width modulation using an inverter circuit includes a pair of electrically conductive brackets attached to a load-side portion and an anti-load-side portion of a motor frame. An electrically conductive tape is attached on the outside of the motor frame to extend between the brackets, thereby short-circuiting the brackets to each other. In this manner, electrical erosion in the molded motor can be prevented.
US07888828B2
A starter generator which includes a rotor having a cuplike-shaped rotor yoke and magnets attached to an inner periphery of the rotor yoke, a stator mounted on a stator bracket and a protecting cover covering said rotor and stator, in which a hermetically sealed casing is constituted by said protecting cover and stator bracket, wherein a plurality of fans are provided on an outer surface of a bottom wall portion of said rotor yoke, a plurality of vent holes are provided through said bottom wall portion, said plurality of fans constitute a centrifugal fan which draws out air inside the rotor yoke through said vent holes and sends the air to an outer periphery of the rotor yoke, and a guide surface which guides the air sent to the outer periphery of the rotor yoke to a space inside the rotor yoke is provided on the stator bracket.
US07888827B2
Provided is a linear synchronous motor in which, when a three-phase alternating current passes through a coil of a mover, thrust forces generated by the alternating currents of each phase are equalized, thereby making it possible to minimize variation in thrust force, the linear synchronous motor including: a stator magnet (4) in which N poles and S poles are alternately arranged linearly; and a mover (5) which is opposed to the stator magnet (4) at an interval therefrom, and which generates a shifting magnetic field along with passage of a three-phase alternating current, for applying a thrust force to the stator magnet (4), in which: the mover (5) includes a core member (50) in which teeth (52), the number of which is a whole-number multiple of a number of phases of the alternating currents, are arranged, and a coil (51) which is wound around the teeth (52) and through which the alternating current of any one of the phases passes; and of the plurality of teeth (52) provided to the core member (50), the teeth (52) corresponding to a u phase and a w phase of the alternating currents passing through the coil (51) wound around the teeth (52) at both ends of the core member (50) have distal ends protruding toward the stator magnet (4) further than distal ends of the residual teeth (52).
US07888821B2
An electrical distribution system is designed to automatically connect a dedicated group of circuits, which are normally powered by a primary power source, to an auxiliary power source upon detection that there has been a disruption or failure in the primary power source. The system includes a switching arrangement that allows an operator to manually connect the auxiliary power source with other circuits that are not generally powered during disruption of the primary power source. The switching arrangement includes an interlinked switch or breaker arrangement that prevents any of the other circuits that are normally powered by the primary source from being automatically connected to the primary power source when primary power source is restored if those other circuits are connected to the auxiliary power source when the primary power source is restored.
US07888809B2
A semiconductor device including a substrate, a semiconductor chip mounted on the substrate, and an encapsulation resin encapsulating the semiconductor chip, wherein the encapsulation resin contains a first resin region composed of a first resin composition, a second resin region composed of a second resin composition, and a mixed layer formed between the first resin region and the second resin region so as to have the first resin composition and the second resin composition mixed therein is provided.
US07888805B2
A semiconductor device package includes a plurality of stacked semiconductor chips and a spacer interposed therebetween. The spacer includes a first spacer and a second spacer stacked on one another. The first and the second spacers have different principal surfaces. If the second spacer has a larger principal surface than the first spacer, flexure of the upper semiconductor chip can be avoided.
US07888802B2
A bonding pad structure of a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same reduce the likelihood of peel-off defects from occurring. The bonding pad structure includes a substrate, an interlayer insulation layer on the substrate, an upper wiring layer on the interlayer insulation layer, and a plurality of lower wiring layers disposed in the interlayer insulation layer between the upper wiring layer and the substrate and configured to prevent the interlayer insulation layer from cracking especially during a wire bonding process in which a wire is bonded to the upper wiring layer. For example, the respective areas occupied by the lower wiring layers sequentially increase in the interlayer insulation layer in a downward direction from the upper wiring layer towards the substrate. Also, each of the lower wiring layers may project further inwardly toward a central part of the bonding pad than the lower layer of wiring disposed above it in the interlayer insulation layer.
US07888800B2
A semiconductor structure including a first rigid dielectric layer and a second rigid dielectric layer. A first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer is formed between the first and second rigid dielectric layer. A plurality of dummy fill shapes is formed in the first non-rigid layer which replace portions of the first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer with lower coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) metal such that an overall CTE of the first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer and the plurality of dummy fill shapes matches a CTE of the first and second rigid dielectric layers more closely than that of the first non-rigid low-k dielectric layer alone.
US07888795B2
There is provided a semiconductor device which makes equalization of wirings between address system chips easy and reduce the influence of crosstalk noise and capacitive coupling noise among data system wirings for connecting the chips. There are mounted, on a module board, a plurality of stacked memory chips which a data processor chip simultaneously accesses. Address system bonding pads to which a plurality of memory chips correspond are commonly coupled by a wire to a bonding lead at one end of the module board wiring whose other end is coupled by a wire to an address system bonding pads of the data processor. Data system bonding pads of the data processor chip are individually coupled to data system bonding pads of the memory chip. With respect to an arrangement of the plurality of data system bonding pads of the data processor chip, an arrangement of the data system bonding pads to which the memory chip, coupled by the data system wiring, corresponds is made such that memory chips are disposed in an alternating sequence.
US07888794B2
A semiconductor device and method is disclosed. One embodiment provides an active region in a semiconductor substrate, including a first terminal region and a second terminal region. wherein the active region is interrupted by an inactive region, wherein an electrical power dissipation in the inactive region is zero or smaller than an electrical power dissipation in the active region; and a metallization layer arranged with respect to the active region on a surface of the semiconductor device and at least partly overlapping the active area, wherein the metallization layer is divided into a first part, in electrical contact to the first terminal region, and a second part, in electrical contact to the second terminal region, wherein the first and the second part are separated by a gap; and wherein the gap and the inactive region are mutually arranged so that an electrical power dissipation below the gap is reduced compared to an electrical power dissipation below the first part and the second part of the metallization layer.
US07888786B2
Apparatus and methods are provided for integrating microchannel cooling modules within high-density electronic modules (e.g., chip packages, system-on-a-package modules, etc.,) comprising multiple high-performance IC chips. Electronic modules are designed such that high-performance (high power) IC chips are disposed in close proximity to the integrated cooling module (or cooling plate) for effective heat extraction. Moreover, electronic modules which comprise large surface area silicon carriers with multiple chips face mounted thereon are designed such that integrated silicon cooling modules are rigidly bonded to the back surfaces of such chips to increase the structural integrity of the silicon carriers.
US07888780B2
A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor mesa located upon an isolating substrate. The semiconductor mesa includes a first end that includes a first doped region separated from a second end that includes a second doped region by an isolating region interposed therebetween. The first doped region and the second doped region are of different polarity. The semiconductor structure also includes a channel stop dielectric layer located upon a horizontal surface of the semiconductor mesa over the second doped region. The semiconductor structure also includes a first device located using a sidewall and a top surface of the first end as a channel region, and a second device located using the sidewall and not the top surface of the second end as a channel. A related method derives from the foregoing semiconductor structure. Also included is a semiconductor circuit that includes the semiconductor structure.
US07888776B2
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a scribe seal integrity detector. In this embodiment a scribe seal integrity detector is formed in an integrated circuit chip die. The scribe seal integrity comprises a scribe seal structure that extends along at least a portion of the periphery of the integrated chip die and a detector test structure. The detector test structure and the scribe seal form an electrical system configured to be accessed for a monitoring of one or more electrical parameters to determine and characterize scribe seal integrity of the integrated circuit chip die. The results of the electric measurements are analyzed for statistically relevant reliability characterization. Other methods and circuits are also disclosed.
US07888775B2
Some embodiments relate to an apparatus that exhibits vertical diode activity to occur between a semiconductive body and an epitaxial film that is disposed over a doping region of the semiconductive body. Some embodiments include an apparatus that causes both vertical and lateral diode activity. Some embodiments include a gated vertical diode for a finned semiconductor apparatus. Process embodiments include the formation of vertical-diode apparatus.
US07888774B2
A means for selectively electrically connecting an electrical interconnect line, such as a bit line of a memory cell, with an associated contact stud and electrically isolating the interconnect line from other partially underlying contact studs for other electrical features, such as capacitor bottom electrodes. The interconnect line can be formed partially-connected to all contact studs, thereby allowing the electrical features to be formed in closer proximity to one another for higher levels of integration, and in subsequent steps of fabrication, the contact studs associated with memory cell features other than the interconnect line can be isolated from the interconnect line by the removal of a silicide cap, or the selective etching of a portion of these contact studs, and the formation of an insulating sidewall between the non-selected contact stud and the interconnect line.
US07888762B2
There is provided an infrared detector including: a silicon substrate provided with a concave portion; an infrared receiver having a polysilicon layer; and a beam that supports the infrared receiver above the concave portion, and extends along a side of the infrared receiver from the infrared receiver to connect with the silicon substrate, the beam having at least two bent portions, wherein at least one of the bent portions of the beam is disposed at a position on a side opposite to the concave portion with the polysilicon layer as a reference point.
US07888753B2
Techniques for ultra-sensitive detection are provided. In one aspect, a detection device is provided. The detection device comprises a source; a drain; a nanowire comprising a semiconductor material having a first end clamped to the source and a second end clamped to the drain and suspended freely therebetween; and a gate in close proximity to the nanowire.
US07888751B2
A semiconductor device includes a fin field effect transistor configured to include at least a first fin and a second fin. Threshold voltage of the first fin and threshold voltage of the second fin are different from each other in the fin field effect transistor.
US07888750B2
Disclosed are embodiments of an improved multi-gated field effect transistor (MUGFET) structure and method of forming the MUGFET structure so that it exhibits a more tailored drive current. Specifically, the MUGFET incorporates multiple semiconductor fins in order to increase effective channel width of the device and, thereby, to increase the drive current of the device. Additionally, the MUGFET incorporates a gate structure having different sections with different physical dimensions relative to the semiconductor fins in order to more finely tune device drive current (i.e., to achieve a specific drive current). Optionally, the MUGFET also incorporates semiconductor fins with differing widths in order to minimize leakage current caused by increases in drive current.
US07888745B2
An improved bipolar transistor with dual shallow trench isolation for reducing the parasitic component of the base to collector capacitance Ccb and base resistance Rb is provided. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate having at least a pair of neighboring first shallow trench isolation (STI) regions disposed therein. The pair of neighboring first STI regions defines an active area in the substrate. The structure also includes a collector disposed in the in the active area of the semiconductor substrate, a base layer disposed atop a surface of the semiconductor substrate in the active area, and a raised extrinsic base disposed on the base layer. In accordance with the present, the raised extrinsic base has an opening to a portion of the base layer. An emitter is located in the opening and extending on a portion of the patterned raised extrinsic base; the emitter is spaced apart and isolated from the raised extrinsic base. Moreover, and in addition to the first STI region, a second shallow trench isolation (STI) region is present in the semiconductor substrate which extends inward from each pair of said first shallow trench isolation regions towards said collector. The second STI region has an inner sidewall surface that is sloped. In some embodiments, the base is completely monocrystalline.
US07888743B2
Disclosed is a tri-gate field effect transistor with a back gate and the associated methods of forming the transistor. Specifically, a back gate is incorporated into a lower portion of a fin. A tri-gate structure is formed on the fin and is electrically isolated from the back gate. The back gate can be used to control the threshold voltage of the FET. In one embodiment the back gate extends to an n-well in a p-type silicon substrate. A contact to the n-well allows electrical voltage to be applied to the back gate. A diode created between the n-well and p-substrate isolates the current flowing through the n-well from other devices on the substrate so that the back gate can be independently biased. In another embodiment the back gate extends to n-type polysilicon layer on an insulator layer on a p-type silicon substrate. A contact to the n-type polysilicon layer allows electrical voltage to be applied to the back gate. A trench isolation structure extending through the polysilicon layer to the insulator layer isolates current flowing through the polysilicon layer from other devices on the silicon substrate.
US07888736B2
A semiconductor structure includes active multi-gate fin-type field effect transistor (MUGFET) structures and inactive MUGFET fill structures between the active MUGFET structures. The active MUGFET structures comprise transistors that change conductivity depending upon voltages within gates of the active MUGFET structures. Conversely, the inactive MUGFET fill structures comprise passive devices that do not change conductivity irrespective of voltages within gates of the inactive MUGFET fill structures. The gates of the active MUGFET structures are parallel to the gates of the inactive MUGFET fill structures, and the fins of the active MUGFET structures are the same size as the fins of the inactive MUGFET fill structures. The active MUGFET structures have the same pitch as the gates of the inactive MUGFET fill structures. The gates of the active MUGFET structures comprise active doping agents, but the inactive MUGFET fill structures do not contain the active doping agents.
US07888735B2
Complementary RF LDMOS transistors have gate electrodes over split gate oxides. A source spacer of a second conductivity type extends laterally from the source tap of a first conductivity type to approximately the edge of the gate electrode above the thinnest gate oxide. A body of a first conductivity type extends from approximately the bottom center of the source tap to the substrate surface and lies under most of the thin section of the split gate oxide. The source spacer is approximately the length of the gate sidewall oxide and is self aligned with gate electrode. The body is also self aligned with gate electrode. The drain is surrounded by at least one buffer region which is self aligned to the other edge of the gate electrode above the thickest gate oxide and extends to the below the drain and extends laterally under the thickest gate oxide. Both the source tap and drain are self aligned with the gate side wall oxides and are thereby spaced apart laterally from the gate electrode.
US07888726B2
A capacitor for a semiconductor device having a dielectric film between an upper electrode and a lower electrode is featured in that the dielectric film includes an alternately laminated film of hafnium oxide and titanium oxide at an atomic layer level.
US07888724B2
A capacitor of a semiconductor memory device, and methods of forming the same, are disclosed. A pad interlayer insulating layer is disposed on a semiconductor substrate of an active region. Landing pads and a central landing pad are disposed in peripheral portions and a central portion of the active region, respectively, to penetrate the pad interlayer insulating layer. The upper surface of the central landing pad has a different area from the upper surfaces of the landing pads. A buried interlayer insulating layer is formed on the pad interlayer insulating layer to cover the landing pads and the central landing pad. Buried plugs are formed on the respective landing pads to penetrate the buried interlayer insulating layer. Lower electrodes are formed on the buried plugs.
US07888721B2
A vertical transistor having an annular transistor body surrounding a vertical pillar, which can be made from oxide. The transistor body can be grown by a solid phase epitaxial growth process to avoid difficulties with forming sub-lithographic structures via etching processes. The body has ultra-thin dimensions and provides controlled short channel effects with reduced need for high doping levels. Buried data/bit lines are formed in an upper surface of a substrate from which the transistors extend. The transistor can be formed asymmetrically or offset with respect to the data/bit lines. The offset provides laterally asymmetric source regions of the transistors. Continuous conductive paths are provided in the data/bit lines which extend adjacent the source regions to provide better conductive characteristics of the data/bit lines, particularly for aggressively scaled processes.
US07888720B2
A semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor substrate including a first core region and a second core region between which a cell array region is interposed, a first conductive line and a second conductive line extending to the first core region across the cell array region, and a third conductive line and a fourth conductive line extending to the second core region across the cell array region, wherein a line width of the first through fourth conductive lines is smaller than a resolution limit in a lithography process.
US07888719B2
A semiconductor structure includes a first conductive layer coupled to a transistor. A first dielectric layer is over the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is within the first dielectric layer, contacting a portion of a top surface of the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer includes a cap portion extending above a top surface of the first dielectric layer. A first dielectric spacer is between the first dielectric layer and the second conductive layer. A phase change material layer is above a top surface of the second conductive layer. A third conductive layer is over the phase change material layer. A second dielectric layer is over the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric spacer is on a sidewall of the cap portion, wherein a thermal conductivity of the second dielectric spacer is less than that of the first dielectric layer or that of the second dielectric layer.
US07888712B2
A semiconductor device includes a first conductive type SiC semiconductor substrate; a second conductive type well formed on the SiC semiconductor substrate; a first impurity diffusion layer formed by introducing a first conductive type impurity so as to be partly overlapped with the well in a region surrounding the well; a second impurity diffusion layer formed by introducing the first conductive type impurity in a region spaced apart for a predetermined distance from the impurity diffusion layer in the well; and a gate electrode opposed to a channel region between the first and the second impurity diffusion layers with gate insulating film sandwiched therebetween.
US07888706B2
A cell based integrated circuit chip includes a top voltage supply rail and a bottom voltage supply rail and a plurality of metal layers defining at least one filler cell. The filler cell is formed by a first field effect transistor of a first type conductivity, typically an n-channel MOSFET. The source or drain electrodes of the n-channel MOSFET are arranged to as act as a capacitor with respect to the bottom voltage supply rail and to which at least one of the source and drain electrodes is connected. A second field effect transistor of an opposite-type conductivity to the first field effect transistor, typically a p-channel MOSFET, is also provided. The source or drain electrodes of the p-channel MOSFET are connected in series between the top voltage supply rail and a gate electrode of the n-channel MOSFET. The gate electrode of the p-channel MOSFET is connected to a source of ground potential via a resistor.
US07888704B2
A semiconductor device for electrostatic discharge protection is disclosed, and at least comprises a high-voltage parasite silicon controlled rectifier (HVSCR) and a diode. The HVSCR has an anode and a cathode, and the cathode of HVSCR is coupled to a ground. The diode, coupled to the HVSCR in series, also has an anode and a cathode. The anode of the diode is coupled to the anode of the HVSCR, and the cathode of the diode is coupled to a terminal applied with a positive voltage. The diode has a second conductivity type zone that could be constructed to form several strips or small blocks spaced apart from each other. Those small blocks could be any shapes and arranged regularly or randomly.
US07888696B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor light emitting device comprising a reflective structure layer comprising a dopant layer and a roughness layer, a first conductive semiconductor layer on the reflective structure layer, an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer.
US07888693B2
Provided is a semiconductor light emitting device and a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor light emitting device comprises: a first conductive type semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first conductive type semiconductor layer; an undoped semiconductor layer on the active layer; a first delta-doped layer on the undoped semiconductor layer; and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the first delta-doped layer.
US07888683B2
An organic light emitting display and a method for making the same includes protection circuitry to avoid damage from static electricity. The display and method allow performing a lighting test during display manufacturing. The organic light emitting display includes a substrate, a display region on the transparent substrate with a matrix of pixels, and a signal transfer unit on the transparent substrate for transferring lighting test signals to the pixels. The signal transfer unit includes transistors for transferring the lighting test signals and a resistor coupled to drains and gates of the transistors for protecting the transistors against damage from static electricity.
US07888682B2
A thin film transistor comprises a substrate; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region between the source region and the drain region; a gate insulating layer disposed on the semiconductor layer and on the substrate; a gate electrode disposed on the insulating layer over the channel region; an passivation layer disposed on the gate electrode and the gate insulating layer; a source electrode disposed in contact with upper, lower and side surfaces of the source region via a first contact hole through passivation layer, the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer; and a drain electrode disposed in contact with upper, lower and side surfaces of the drain region via a second contact hole through the passivation layer, the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer.
US07888680B2
In a semiconductor device having a plurality of thin film transistors and matrix wiring lines formed on a substrate, the matrix wiring lines are electrically connected via resistors in order to prevent electrostatic destructions during a panel manufacture process and improve a manufacture yield.
US07888660B2
A method and apparatus satisfying growing demands for improving the precision of angle of incidence of implanting ions that impact a semiconductor wafer and the precision of ribbon ion beams for uniform doping of wafers as they pass under an ion beam. The method and apparatus are directed to the design and combination together of novel magnetic ion-optical transport elements for implantation purposes. The design of the optical elements makes possible: (1) Broad-range adjustment of the width of a ribbon beam at the work piece; (2) Correction of inaccuracies in the intensity distribution across the width of a ribbon beam; (3) Independent steering about both X and Y axes; (4) Angle of incidence correction at the work piece; and (5) Approximate compensation for the beam expansion effects arising from space charge. In a practical situation, combinations of the elements allow ribbon beam expansion between source and work piece to 350 millimeter, with good uniformity and angular accuracy. Also, the method and apparatus may be used for introducing quadrupole fields along a beam line.
US07888658B2
A method of measuring oxygen partial pressure in gases, such as hot engine exhaust gases, uses a calibrated luminescence sensor and comprises the steps of bringing nanocrystalline zirconium dioxide ZrO2 (2) in said sensor into contact with a gas to be measured, illuminating the zirconium dioxide with a UV-VIS light pulse emitted from a light source (3) and adapted to induce luminescence of the zirconium dioxide, registering the time dependence of the luminescence intensity of the ZrO2 using a photodetector (4) and a recorder (5), determining a particular intensity, e.g., the maximum intensity of the registered luminescence pulse, and comparing said determined intensity with calibration data of the luminescence intensity as a function of oxygen partial pressure for the sensor temperature at the time of the measurement.
US07888657B1
An apparatus for alternatively disinfecting an object surface and a liquid comprising a hollow handle base graspable in a human hand, an electrical power source contained within a hollow interior space of the handle base housing for supplying electrical power to an ultraviolet lamp, a lid including a lamp support bulkhead, and an ultraviolet lamp mounted to the lamp support bulkhead. A tubular cover shell is releasably attachable to the lamp support bulkhead. The cover shell has an upper wall which is opaque to ultraviolet radiation and a lower wall which has therein an aperture which is transmissive to ultraviolet radiation. A hinge joint pivotably joins the lamp support bulkhead of the lid to the handle base housing, the hinge joint enabling the lid to be pivoted from a first, compact storage and transport orientation in which the lower wall of the lid cover shell overlies the handle base housing, and the upper wall of the lid cover shell overlies the ultraviolet lamp to a second, use orientation in which the lid is positionable above an object surface to thereby locate the aperture adjacent to the object surface. The cover is alternatively releasably removable to expose the ultraviolet lamp and enable it to be immersed in a liquid to disinfect the liquid. Sensor probes protrude from the bulkhead near the ultraviolet lamp prevent operation of the lamp unless the probes are in contact with a liquid.
US07888650B2
It is made possible to provide a light-emitting material having a short decay time of 10 μs or less and an emission wavelength of 650 nm or longer. A light-emitting material includes a material having a composition represented by ARS2:Eu, wherein A represents at least one element selected from Na, K, Rb, and Cs, and R represents at least one element selected from Y, La, Gd, and Lu.
US07888648B2
A radiological measurement system protecting an amplifier from damage caused by a surge current, ensuring temporal continuity of measurement with a minimum dead time, and including a high voltage DC supply for applying a bias voltage to a radiation detector formed of semiconductor crystal, a controller for exercising on-off control on the bias voltage supplied from the high voltage DC supply, an amplifier, a protection circuit for protecting the amplifier from a surge current generated when the bias voltage is subjected to the on-off control, a control unit for preventing the surge current from flowing to the amplifier, and a switch provided in parallel with the protection circuit and controlled in operation state by the control unit, wherein the control unit controls the operation state of the switch in synchronism with the on-off control exercised by the control unit to prevent the surge current from flowing to the amplifier.
US07888647B2
X-ray detector assemblies and related computed tomography systems are provided. In this regard, a representative X-ray detector assembly includes: a scintillator assembly having a scintillation component and an optical fiber; the scintillation component being operative to emit light responsive to X-rays being incident thereon; the optical fiber being positioned to receive light emitted from the scintillation component.
US07888644B2
An imaging system (30, 30′) and corresponding method has a two-dimensional imaging sensor array (32) and an associated optical system. The optical system includes at least one optical arrangement (34, 36a, 36b) defining a field of view (38a, 38b) of given angular dimensions and an optical switching mechanism (40) for alternately switching an optical axis of the imaging system between two directions (42a, 42b). The optical switching mechanism and the optical arrangement(s) are deployed such that the imaging sensor array generates images of at least two generally non-overlapping fields of view of equal angular dimensions and with diverging optical axes in fixed spatial relation. Rapid switching between the fields of view allows quasi-continuous monitoring of a larger field of view than would otherwise be possible while maintaining sensitivity to transient events. Also disclosed is an infrared search and tracking system based on such imaging systems.
US07888643B2
The invention relates to a focusing and positioning ancillary device for a particle-optical scanning microscope, a particle-optical scanning microscope including a corresponding positioning aid, and a method for focusing and positioning an object in a particle-optical scanning microscope. The focusing and positioning ancillary device includes an illuminating device, a camera, a display and a control unit. The illuminating device produces a collimated or focused light beam at an angle to the particle-optical beam axis which intersects the particle-optical beam axis at a predetermined position. The camera is sensitive to the wavelength of the light beam and records an image of the object, which is positioned on the object table, at a second angle to the particle-optical beam axis. The control unit produces an image captured by the camera on the display together with a marking which indicates the position of the particle-optical beam axis in the image.
US07888638B2
In the dimension measurement of a circuit pattern using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), in order to make it possible to automatically image desired evaluation points (EPs) on a sample, and automatically measure the circuit pattern formed at the evaluation points, according to the present invention, in the dimension measurement of a circuit pattern using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), it is arranged that coordinate data of the EP and design data of the circuit pattern including the EP are used as an input, creation of a dimension measurement cursor for measuring the pattern existing in the EP and selection or setting of the dimension measurement method are automatically performed based on the EP coordinate data and the design data to automatically create a recipe, and automatic imaging/measurement is performed using the recipe.
US07888637B2
Disclosed herein is a sample preparation plate used to prepare a sample for mass spectrometry. In particular, a sample plate used to concentrate a sample as well as remove contaminants from the sample while providing easy manipulation of small liquid droplets on a surface with minimal sample loss.
US07888636B2
Techniques for measuring energy contamination using time-of-flight (TOF) sensor are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for detecting energy contamination in an ion beam using time-of-flight comprising directing an ion beam towards an entrance of a sensor, wherein the ion beam may include charged particles and neutral particles, blocking the ion beam periodically from entering the sensor and allowing a pulse of the ion beam to enter the sensor periodically using a gate mechanism, separating the charged particles and the neutral particles of the ion beam pulse based at least in part upon different transit times over a distance caused by variations in at least one of mass and energy associated with the charged particles and the neutral particles, and detecting at least one of the charged particles and the neutral particles separately at a detector based at least in part upon the different transit times.
US07888632B2
A method for co-registering attenuation data of MR coils in a MR/PET imaging system with PET emission data includes computing a likelihood of PET emission data on a grid in a parameter space based on an algorithm, wherein the algorithm defines L(λ, μbody, μcoils{p}) as a log-likelihood of measured PET data, where λ is an emitter distribution (image), μbody is a known linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) distribution of the body from MRI, μcoils is a linear attenuation coefficient map of MRI coils, and {p} is a set of parameters governing the position of each coil, wherein if μcoils is assumed, then λ can be reconstructed and forward projected and L can be computed. The method includes adjusting the estimated position of the MR coils to maximize the likelihood of emission data based on the computed L.
US07888631B2
The method of analyzing the measured radiation spectra to estimate the identified nuclide activities using a designated efficiency calibration based on average expected geometry and using spectral characteristics to flag significant shielding that would otherwise skew said nuclide activities (FIG. 5). And providing an estimation of activity correction factor or attenuation factor for each affected nuclide (200).
US07888626B2
This invention relates to coded aperture imaging apparatus and methods. In one aspect a coded aperture imager has at least one detector array and a reconfigurable coded aperture mask means. A reconfigurable coded aperture mask means can display various coded aperture masks to provide imaging across different fields of view and/or with different resolution without requiring any moving parts or bulky optical components. More than one detector array can be used to provide large area imaging without requiring seamless tiling and this represents another aspect of the invention. The present invention also relates to the use of coded aperture imaging in the visible, ultraviolet or infrared wavebands. The use of coded aperture imaging for imaging through a curved optical element is taught as the image decoding can automatically remove any aberrations introduced by the curved element.
US07888625B2
A method for producing an optical output in substantially linear relationship with an electrical AC signal, includes the following steps: providing a light-emitting transistor having emitter, base, and collector regions, and associated respective emitter, base, and collector terminals, the transistor having a light-emitting output port; applying the AC signal to a first input port defined across a given one of the terminals and a common one of the terminals; applying an amplified version of the AC signal to a second input port defined across a further one of the terminals and the common one of the input terminals; and selecting an amplification of the amplified version of the AC signal to substantially cancel a nonlinearity characteristic of the light emitting transistor.
US07888622B2
A heat-processing furnace comprises: a processing vessel for housing an object to be processed to thermally heat the object to be processed; a cylindrical heat insulating member surrounding the processing vessel; a helical heating resistor disposed along an inner circumferential surface of the heat insulating member; and support members axially disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the heat insulating member, for supporting the heating resistor at predetermined pitches. A plurality of terminal plates are disposed outside the heating resistor at suitable intervals therebetween and attached to the heating resistor, the terminal plates radially passing through the heat insulating member to be extended outside. A plurality of fixing plates are disposed outside the heating resistor at suitable intervals therebetween and attached to the heating resistor, the fixing plates being fixed in the heat insulating member. The fixing plates are attached to the heating resistor by the same attachment structure as the attachment structure of the terminal plates to the heating resistor.
US07888615B2
A flat detector includes a first flat member and a second flat member both made of a nonmagnetic nonmetal, a first conductive wiring that generates an alternating magnetic field, the first conductive wiring being disposed on a surface of the first flat member facing toward the second flat member, a first layer made of a nonmagnetic metal and disposed at least on a surface of the first flat member, a second conductive wiring that detects a signal generated by magnetization reversal of a magnetic material, the magnetization reversal being caused by the alternating magnetic field generated by the first conductive wiring, the second conductive wiring being disposed on a surface of the second flat member facing toward the first flat member, and a second layer made of a nonmagnetic metal and disposed at least on a surface of the second flat member.
US07888606B2
A multilayer printed circuit board has an IC chip included in a core substrate in advance and a mediate layer provided on a pad of the IC chip. Due to this, it is possible to electronically connect the IC chip to the multilayer printed circuit board without using lead members and a sealing resin. Also, by providing the mediate layer made of copper on the die pad, it is possible to prevent resin residues on the pad and to improve connection characteristics between the pad and a via hole and reliability.
US07888599B2
Disclosed is a PCB including an embedded capacitor and a method of fabricating the same. The long embedded capacitor is formed through an insulating layer, making a high capacitance and various capacitance designs possible.
US07888596B2
In an upper surface of a bottom wall of a box body having a part accommodation room formed inside, a recess is provided. In the bottom of the recess, a bolt hole to fix an electrical junction box to a vehicle body is penetrated. In the upper surface of the bottom wall of the body hole, a flat sealing surface is formed to surround an opening of the recess. When an electronic unit is accommodated in the part accommodation room, the bottom surface of the electronic unit is brought into close contact with the sealing surface to close the recess, thus providing a seal between the part accommodation room and recess.
US07888593B2
The present invention, in one aspect, relates to a solar cell. In one embodiment, the solar cell includes an anode; an active organic layer comprising an electron-donating organic material and an electron-accepting organic material; and an interfacial layer formed between the anode and active organic layer, where the interfacial layer comprises a hole-transporting polymer characterized with a hole-mobility higher than that of the electron-donating organic material in the active organic layer, and a small molecule that has a high hole-mobility and is capable of crosslinking on contact with air.
US07888591B2
A silicon-based photovoltaic cell is disclosed having a red light conversion layer that absorbs ultraviolet rays, blue-purple or yellow-green light of the Sun's solar radiation and converts the absorption into a red, dark red and near infrared subband radiation. The maximum value of the solar radiation absorbed by the red light conversion layer is λ=470˜490 nm, and the maximum value of the photoluminescent spectrum of the red light conversion layer is within the photosensitive spectral zone of said single-crystal silicon substrate λ=700˜900 nm, i.e., in conformity with the optimal sensitivity area of silicon-based solar cells. The red light conversion layer has filled therein an ethyl acetoacetate or polycarbonate-based light-transmissive polymer that has evenly distributed therein a phosphor composed of α-Al2O3—Ti2O3, having a quantum efficiency of 90%.
US07888587B2
A modular shade system with solar tracking panels includes a series of generally North-South oriented, spaced apart torque tubes, each torque tube having an axis, a series of panels mounted to at least some of the torque tubes to create spaced-apart rows of panels along the torque tubes, at least some of the panels being solar collector panels. The system also includes a shade structure, positioned at a selected location between selected ones of the torque tubes and above the support surface so to provide an enhanced shaded region thereunder, and a support structure. The support structure includes a first mounting assembly mounting each torque tube above the support surface for rotation about the axis of each torque tube and a second mounting assembly supporting the shade structure at the selected location. The system further comprises a tilting assembly selectively rotating each torque tube about its axis.
US07888583B2
The present invention provides nanowires and nanoribbons that are well suited for use in thermoelectric applications. The nanowires and nanoribbons are characterized by a periodic longitudinal modulation, which may be a compositional modulation or a strain-induced modulation. The nanowires are constructed using lithographic techniques from thin semiconductor membranes, or “nanomembranes.”
US07888579B2
An electronic musical instrument that includes an input means for inputting first performance data from a first performer side and a second performance data from a second performer side, wherein the input includes at least pitch information, query performance data and response performance data. A mode switch is for switching between a first mode and a second mode. The first mode uses the first performance data as the query performance data, and the second performance data as the response performance data. The second mode uses the second performance data as the query performance data, and the first performance data as the response performance data. A condition determination at least determines whether the response performance data matches the query performance data. A controller automatically operates the mode switch based on the condition determination. The musical instrument enhances learning musical tone discrimination via a game like interaction.
US07888576B2
An ensemble system enabling even performer unskilled in playing a musical instrument to easily grasp the difference in tempo from the performance of the facilitator. The circle corresponding to the performance terminal “Facilitator” is indicated fixedly on the center line of the vertical lines. The circle corresponding to the performance terminal (for example, piano (1)) of each user moves horizontally correspondingly to the difference from the performance terminal “Facilitator”. If the press of a key of performance terminal lags behind that of the performance terminal “Facilitator” by one bar, the circle moves left onto the vertical line next to the vertical center line. If the press of a key of the performance terminal lags behind that of the performance terminal “Facilitator” by half the bar (two beats), the circle moves left by half the interval between the vertical lines from the vertical center line. If the press of a key of the performance terminal leads that of the performance terminal “Facilitator”, the circle moves right (FIG. 7).
US07888574B1
Improvements in a drum is disclosed. The improvements include the ability for a single drum center hoop to accommodate different end hoops to replicate the acoustical properties of the 39 snare drums that are commonly used. The drum hoops are each constructed with a key that allows mating pieces to connect in only one specific location or orientation. The keying ensures that the snare bed is properly oriented for optimal tone and function of the drum snare. Each side is individually changeable, nestable and stackable to make larger drums or drums with different cosmetic features. The materials and material thicknesses are also alterable to change the resulting tonal characteristics of the drum. The membrane edge support is alterable of changeable without requiring the entire drum to be replaced.
US07888572B2
This invention is a guitar strap lock apparatus for connection to a guitar strap button on a guitar. The apparatus has a lock body defining a cavity with a resilient retainer latch attached to the lock body. The resilient retainer latch partially protrudes over a side opening in the lock body so that a securing portion of the button is secured within the latch when the button is received in the cavity.
US07888570B2
A stringed musical instrument employs springs to apply tension to corresponding musical strings. Each spring is chosen and configured for its ability to impart a string tension generally matched to the appropriate tension of the string at perfect tune. Preferably, the spring is selected and arranged so that the tension in the string maintains at or near perfect tune even as the string elongates or contracts over time. In one embodiment, once a string is placed in appropriate tune, a mechanical visual indicator is set. As such, if tune of the string changes due to string elongation or contraction, the change is reflected by misalignment of the mechanical visual indicator even if the change cannot be aurally detected. Perfect tune can be reestablished by realigning the indicator. In another embodiment, a force modulating member is interposed between a spring and its corresponding musical string. The force modulating member is adapted so that the tension actually applied to the string by the spring is not linearly related to the force exerted by the spring as the spring changes in length.
US07888556B2
The invention provides an AtCel5 promoter isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana that is expressed exclusively in root cap cells of both primary and secondary roots. AtCel5 is believed to be a soluble and secreted protein that plays a role in the sloughing of root cap cells from the root tip. The sloughing of root cap cells from the root tip is important because it assists the growing root in penetrating the soil. The AtCel5 gene promoter provides a new molecular marker to further analyze the process of root cap cell separation and also provides a root cap specific promoter for targeting to the environment genes with beneficial properties for plant growth.
US07888554B2
The invention provides a method for producing a transgenic plant, as well as the plant produced from the method and the progeny of the plant. The method comprises transforming a cell of a plant with an exogenous spermidine synthase coding sequence, expressing the exogenous spermidine synthase coding sequence in the transformed cell, and generating a plant from the transformed cell. The transgenic plant has improved environmental stress tolerance against at least two environmental stresses selected from drought stress, herbicidal stress, oxidation stress, cold stress, osmotic stress, and salt stress as compared to a plant of the same species lacking the exogenous spermidine synthase coding sequence.
US07888547B2
A hospital type of bandage integrates an absorbent pad and non-stick layer with a fluid-impermeable outer layer and an adhesive in a single composite structure. In a preferred embodiment the invention further includes means which may be used to turn the bandage inside out upon removal, so that surfaces once contacting a patient are no longer externally exposed. A bandage according to the invertible embodiment preferably includes a pocket formed on the side of the bandage facing away from the patient after application, this pocket being large enough to accommodate at least a portion of a human hand, and inside this pocket and located opposite the entrance is a means for grasping which may be pulled outwardly through pocket opening, thereby inverting the entire structure. Various forms of devices for grasping are possible as alternatives, including a string, a tab and a tab with one or more finger-receiving holes. Means are further included for sealing the inverted structure, preferably in the form of a flap and associated adhesive.
US07888542B2
The invention relates to a process for producing high-quality saturated base oil or a base oil component based on hydrocarbons. The process of the invention comprises two main steps, the oligomerization and deoxygenation. A biological starting material containing unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or esters of carboxylic acids is preferably used as the feedstock.
US07888539B2
The present disclosure related to azeotrope and near-azeotrope compositions comprising PFC-C318 and HFC-236cb. The present disclosure further relates to processes for removing PFC-C318 from HFC-236cb. And the present disclosure further relates to azeotrope and near azeotrope compositions comprising hydrogen fluoride and PFC-C318.
US07888532B2
A two-photon probe for real-time monitoring of intracellular magnesium ions is provided. Specifically, the two-photon probe is represented by Formula 1: wherein R is H or CH2OCOCH3. The two-photon probe is very suitable for real-time imaging of intracellular magnesium ions. The two-photon probe shows 17-fold two-photon excited fluorescence enhancement in response to Mg2+, which is 7-fold stronger than commercial probes, thus enabling staining of cells in a greatly reduced amount. In addition, the two-photon probe has a sufficiently low molecular weight to stain cells and is very suitable for monitoring Mg2+ ions present in the deep tissue. Furthermore, the two-photon probe can be effectively used for the quantitative as well as qualitative detection of intracellular magnesium ions. Further provided are a method for preparing the two-photon probe and a method for real-time monitoring of intracellular magnesium ions using the two-photon probe.
US07888530B2
Disclosed is an optimized process and apparatus for more efficiently producing aromatic dicarboxylic acids (e.g., terephthalic acid). In one embodiment the process/apparatus reduces costs by recovering and purifying residual terephthalic acid present in the liquid phase of an initial oxidation slurry. In another embodiment the process apparatus reduces costs associated with hydrogenation by forming a final composite product containing unhydrogenated acid particles.
US07888519B2
The invention relates to pyran derivatives of the formula I and to a process and intermediates for their preparation and derivatisation, and to the use thereof in liquid-crystalline media.
US07888517B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing glycidol from glycerol carbonate as a raw material with a high yield. The process for producing glycidol according to the present invention includes the steps of (1) reducing a content of a salt having a weak acidity in glycerol carbonate to 1500 ppm by mass or less; and (2) obtaining the glycidol from the glycerol carbonate.
US07888512B2
Methods of synthesizing nicotine analogs and derivatives are described. In some embodiments the methods utilize an alkyl or aryl silyl-substituted nicotine analog intermediate. Intermediates useful for the synthesis of nicotine and nicotine analogs are also described.
US07888492B2
The present invention relates to new proteins of Leishmania major and to therapeutical and diagnostic applications thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to excreted/secreted polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding same, compositions comprising the same, and methods of diagnosis, vaccination and treatment of Leishmaniasis.
US07888487B2
Pyrazole derivatives represented by the general formula: wherein R1 represents H, an optionally substituted C1-6 alkyl group etc.; one of Q and T represents a group selected from the following groups: and the other represents —(CH2)n—Ar wherein Ar represents a substituted C6-10 aryl group, etc., and n represents 0 to 2, R represents an optionally substituted C3-8 cycloalkyl group, etc., pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof or prodrugs thereof, which exhibit an excellent inhibitory activity in human 1,5-anhydroglucitol/fructose/mannose transporter and are useful as agents for the prevention, inhibition of progression or treatment of a disease associated with the excess uptake of at least a kind of carbohydrates from glucose, fructose and mannose or a disease associated with hyperglycemia and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, pharmaceutical uses thereof, and intermediates for production thereof.
US07888475B2
Herein is described a system to combat poxvirus infection wherein antagonists are developed that bind the soluble cytokine receptor but have no significant biological activity in the host, effectively blocking the virus-mediated suppressor of interferon function, thereby permitting the host's own cytokines to stimulate an antiviral response. Alternatively, interferon molecules can be developed that retain biological activity on their native receptors but fail to bind the viral cytokine binding protein, thereby circumventing this virus immune modulation mechanism.
US07888472B2
The invention relates to the field of biology. In particular, it relates to multi-epitope nucleic acid and peptide vaccines and methods of designing such vaccines to provide increased immunogenicity.
US07888470B2
The invention relates to compounds that specifically bind a T1R1/T1R3 or T1R2/T1R3 receptor or fragments or sub-units thereof. The present invention also relates to the use of hetero-oligomeric and chimeric taste receptors comprising T1R1/T1R3 and T1R2/T1R3 in assays to identify compounds that respectively respond to umami taste stimuli and sweet taste stimuli. Further, the invention relates to constitutive cell lines that stably or transiently co-express a combination of T1R1 and T1R3; or T1R2 and T1R3 subunit polypeptides; wherein the T1R1, T1R2 or T1R3 subunit polypeptides are chimeric polypeptides and/or comprise T1R subunits of different species and are expressed in these cell lines under constitutive or inducible conditions. The use of these cells lines in cell-based assays to identify umami and sweet taste modulatory compounds is also provided, particularly high throughput screening assays that detect receptor activity by use of fluorometric imaging.
US07888469B2
The present invention discloses modified neurotoxins with altered biological persistence. In one embodiment, the modified neurotoxins are derived from Clostridial botulinum toxins. Such modified neurotoxins may be employed in treating various conditions, including but not limited to muscular disorders, hyperhidrosis, and pain.
US07888467B2
The present invention relates to a bacterial effector protein which inhibits programmed cell death in eukaryotes and a nucleic acid molecule encoding such a protein. The present invention also relates to methods of suppressing programmed cell death in eukaryotes, delaying senescence in plants, and increasing protein expression in plants. The present invention further relates to a nucleic acid construct having a nucleic acid molecule encoding a first protein, which suppresses immunity by inhibition of programmed cell death in eukaryotes, coupled to a nucleic acid molecule encoding a second protein which is toxic when expressed in eukaryotes. Additionally, the present invention provides a method of stabilizing a transgenic plant transformed with such a nucleic acid construct. Finally, the present invention provides a method of treating subjects for a condition mediated by programmed cell death involving administering to the subject a bacterial effector protein which inhibits programmed cell death.
US07888465B2
Methods, apparatus, systems, computer programs and computing devices related to biologically assembling and/or synthesizing peptides and/or proteins are disclosed.
US07888464B2
Hepatitis C virus inhibitors having the general formula are disclosed. Compositions comprising the compounds and methods for using the compounds to inhibit HCV are also disclosed.
US07888459B2
It has been discovered that facile glycation of proteins can be achieved by colyophilization of a protein with a reducing sugar, subjecting the lyophilized mixture to a vacuum (10 to 50 millitor) and incubating at an elevated temperature (50 to 100° C.) for 1 to 24 h. A stable ketoamine derivative is formed with amino groups in the protein and no advanced glycation end products (browning reaction) are observed, as is the case with aqueous glycation procedures. Another novel feature is that the in vacuo glycation reaction takes place with the protonated amine and not the deprotonated amine as is believed to be the case for aqueous glycation reactions. Advantage can be taken of the in vacuo glycation reaction to achieve facile covalent cross-linking of proteins by lyophilizing protein or proteins with compounds containing two or more reducing sugars separated by a linker.
US07888458B1
Data consistent with autoimmune disease being caused by Epstein-Barr virus are shown. Based on this evidence, an effective vaccine would prevent the autoimmune disease in those vaccinated, modified or administered so that the vaccine is not itself capable of inducing autoimmune disease. In the case of anti-Sm, structures to be avoided in an Epstein-Barr virus-derived vaccine have been identified. Differences have been identified in the immune responses to Epstein-Barr infection between individuals who develop a specific autoimmune disease and those who do not. These differences are used to distinguish those who are at greater risk for developing specific autoimmune diseases from those who are a lesser risk. Assuming Epstein-Barr virus causes autoimmune disease and that Epstein-Barr virus remains latent in the patient for life, reactivation of the virus from the latent state is important in generating or maintaining the autoimmune response that culminates in autoimmune disease. Cells infected with latent virus may also encourage autoimmunity. Based on the understanding that reactivation or latency are important to produce or sustain autoimmunity, then therapies directed against Epstein-Barr virus will also be effective therapies for the autoimmune manifestations of disease for which Epstein-Barr virus is responsible.
US07888454B2
Substituted alditol or carbohydrate compounds having a specified general formula are provided. A method for synthesizing such substituted alditol or carbohydrate compounds is also provided.
US07888453B2
Disclosed herein are ferrocene-containing polymers in which ferrocene is conjugated to the backbone of conductive conjugated polymers. Further disclosed are organic memory devices comprising the ferrocene-containing polymers. Because the organic memory devices possess the advantages of decreased switching time, decreased operating voltage, decreased fabrication costs and increased reliability, they may be used as highly integrated large-capacity memory devices.
US07888451B2
In one embodiment, a method for preparing a selectively releasable adhesive includes condensing a multifunctional alcohol and a multifunctional carboxylic acid to form a prepolymer and curing the prepolymer at an elevated temperature and a vacuum to produce a cured polymer.
US07888449B2
A method of forming golf balls with at least a portion formed from polyurethane and polyurea compositions employing a curative blend that includes a pigment, a curing agent, and a compatible freezing point depressing agent so that the curative blend has a lower freezing point than the curing agent by itself and the blend does not lose pigment dispersion upon solidification and subsequent thawing.
US07888447B2
A polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer comprising structural units of the formula: wherein each R1, R2, and R3 is independently the same or different monovalent C1-12 should this be C1-C13 like in the document? hydrocarbon group, G comprises a monovalent C6-1000 poly(oxyalkyl) group, each R4 and R5 taken together is independently the same or different divalent C3-30 hydrocarbon linking group wherein R4 is a C1-28 hydrocarbon and R5 is a C2-29 aliphatic group, a is 0 or greater, and b is one or greater; and structural units of the formula: wherein each R is independently the same or different C6-60 divalent hydrocarbon group, and at least 60% of the R groups comprise aromatic moieties.
US07888446B2
An organopolysiloxane compound containing per molecule at least one structural unit of the general formula O3-a/2RaSi—Y(SiRaO3-a/2)b (I) where R can be identical or different and denotes a monovalent SiC-bonded organic radical which has 1 to 30 C atoms and may contain one or more N and/or O atoms, Y is a divalent to dodecavalent organic radical which has 1 to 30 C atoms and may contain one or more O atoms, a is 0 or 1, and b is an integer from 1 to 11.
US07888444B2
One step ortho-alkylation of anilines with styrenes to give chiral anilines is obtained using a strong acid catalyst, e.g. CF3SO3H. Condensation of the product to give ligand and metallation gives complex which catalyzes polymerization of propylene to give isotactic propylene or regiorandom propylene of low PDI or blocks thereof, depending on polymerization temperature.
US07888440B2
The present process is directed to preparation of addition polymers in diluents that are subsequently reactive in coatings during cure, instead of in traditional hydrocarbon solvents. The polymers so prepared can be used as the main film-forming polymer in high solids coating compositions, especially those useful for finishing automobiles and truck exteriors.
US07888431B2
A fast hardening clear coating composition for repairing a clear coat/color coat finish or a pigmented mono-coat of a vehicle comprising a film forming binder and an organic liquid carrier, where the binder contains a hydroxyl polymer component comprising (A) hydroxyl-containing acrylic polymer, (B) at least one hydroxyl-terminated component selected from the group consisting of (1) an organic diol having the formula where R1 and R2 are individually selected from the group of hydrogen and an alkyl group having 1, 3-5 carbon atoms and (2) a hydroxyl terminated reaction product of trimethylol propane and a lactone; (C) an organic polyisocyanate crosslinking component, at least portion of which comprises a trimer of isophorone diisocyanate or hexamethylene diisocyanate and the composition further contains, a curing catalyst, of a dialkyl tin aliphatic carboxylate, a tertiary aliphatic mono or diamine, an aliphatic carboxylic acid, and optionally, a zinc or calcium organic acid salt in an effective amount such that the coating composition on curing at ambient temperatures is in a water spot free and sufficiently hard state for sanding or buffing within about 2 hours after application or on cool down when baked under normal conditions.
US07888417B2
A golf ball comprising a core, an outer cover layer, and, optionally, an intermediate layer disposed between the core and the outer cover layer is provided. The core, intermediate layer, or cover layer includes a composition formed from a base polymer blend, a crosslink initiator, and at least one additive. The outer cover layer may comprise a polyurethane or polyurea composition. The base polymer blend preferably includes two or more rubber materials. The additive has at least one C—O—B linkage, the carbon in the linkage being a secondary or tertiary carbon and is selected from the group consisting of boranes, borates, boronates, borinates, heterocylic compounds having at least one boron atom as a ring member, boron-containing organosulfides, salts of such additives, and metal salts, organometallic salts, and non-metal salts of boron complexes.
US07888412B2
The present invention relates to processes utilizing ionic liquids for the dissolution of various polymers and/or copolymers, the formation of resins and blends, and the reconstitution of polymer and/or copolymer solutions, and the dissolution and blending of “functional additives” and/or various polymers and/or copolymers to form advanced composite materials.
US07888409B2
Provided is a polycarbonate resin composition which is excellent in flame retardancy and heat resistance, while being improved in fluidity and reduced in molding shrinkage rate. Specifically, provided is an aromatic polycarbonate resin composition containing 100 parts by mass of an aromatic polycarbonate resin (A) and 0.1 to 50 parts by mass of a cenosphere (B).
US07888407B2
A drag reducing composition comprising at least one non-polyalphaolefin polymer having an average particle size in the range of from about 5 to about 800 micrometers. The non-polyalphaolefin polymer can initially be formed via emulsion polymerization. The initial polymer particles can then be at least partially consolidated and then reduced in size and suspended in a carrier fluid. The resulting drag reducing composition can be added to a hydrocarbon-containing fluid to decrease the pressure drop associated with the turbulent flow of the hydrocarbon-containing fluid through a conduit.
US07888404B2
Methods and compositions effective for at least a week for prevention of microbial colony growth on a surface, for example an inanimate surface, where the surface is covered with a dry or substantially dry film formed from a composition comprising a polyvinyl alcohol and a quaternary ammonium compound. The film may be formed in situ by coating the surface with a solution or emulsion comprising a polyvinyl alcohol and a quaternary ammonium compound and then causing or allowing it to dry or substantially dry.
US07888401B2
An active energy ray-curable ink composition, which contains a compound having, in its molecule, an oxetane ring and at least one selected from a dioxolane ring, a dioxane ring, and a dioxepane ring; an ink composition, which contains a cationically-polymerizable compound having, in its molecule, both an oxetane ring and a bicycloorthoester ring; an inkjet ink, which contains the active energy ray-curable ink composition or the ink composition; and an image-forming method and a recorded material, using the inkjet ink; an oxetane compound of a specific structure.
US07888399B2
The present invention relates to a curable composition having high adhesiveness and transparency, comprising a thiol compound containing two or more groups represented by formula (1): wherein the symbols in the formula have the meanings as described in the specification; and an urethane compound containing an ethylenically unsaturated double bond represented by formula (2): wherein the symbols in the formula have the meanings as described in the specification.
US07888397B1
A poly(phenylene) compound of copolymers that can be prepared with either random or multiblock structures where a first polymer has a repeat unit with a structure of four sequentially connected phenyl rings with a total of 2 pendant phenyl groups and 4 pendant tolyl groups and the second polymer has a repeat unit with a structure of four sequentially connected phenyl rings with a total of 6 pendant phenyl groups. The second polymer has chemical groups attached to some of the pendant phenyl groups selected from CH3, CH2Br, and CH2N(CH3)3Br groups. When at least one group is CH2N(CH3)3Br, the material functions as an anion exchange membrane.
US07888394B2
Pharmacological inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity leads to increased levels of fatty acid amides. The alkylcarbamic acid aryl ester of Formula (I), KDS-4103, is a FAAH inhibitor. Described herein is a process for the preparation of the compound of Formula (I), characterization of polymorphs of the FAAH inhibitor, and their uses therof.
US07888391B2
The present invention relates to the use of polyunsaturated fatty acids and one or more components which have a beneficial effect on total methionine metabolism selected from the group consisting of vitamin B12 and precursors thereof, vitamin B6 and derivatives thereof, folic acid, zinc and magnesium, in the manufacture of a preparation for improving the action of receptors. This preparation is advantageously applied in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, epilepsy, schizophrenia, paranoia, depression, sleep disorders, impaired memory function, psychoses, dementia and ADHD.
US07888387B2
In various embodiments, chromophores are described that include novel election acceptors, novel electron donors, and/or novel conjugated bridges that are useful in nonlinear optical applications. In some embodiments, the present invention provides chromophore architectures wherein a chromophore contains more than one electron acceptor in electronic communication with a single election donor, and/or more than one electron donor in electronic communication with a single electron acceptor. Also described is processes for providing materials comprising the novel chromophores and polymer matrices containing the novel chromophores. Electro-optic devices described herein contain one or more of the described electron acceptors, electron donors, conjugated bridges, or chromophores.
US07888384B2
Heterocyclic derivatives act as Ca channel antagonists. The compositions are useful for treating or relieving Ca channel mediated conditions.
US07888373B2
Certain substituted sulfonamide derivatives of Formula (I) selectively modulate the cardiac sarcomere, for example by potentiating cardiac myosin, and are useful in the treatment of systolic heart failure including congestive heart failure.
US07888365B2
Cannabinoid derivatives according to formula (I) are disclosed wherein, X, Y, R1, R2, and W can have the definitions provided herein. Without limitation, use of such compounds, their salts or pro-drug, or compositions containing the compounds, salts, or pro-drug, to modify the activity of CB1 and CB2 receptors and treat conditions mediated by these receptors.
