US07957526B2
A security information implementation system includes a storage section 120a for storing first encrypted security information EDK (MK) provided by encrypting final security information DK according to internal security information MK and second encrypted security information EMK (CK) provided by encrypting the internal security information MK according to conversion security information CK and an LSI 120b including a seed generation section 131 for storing a first constant value containing address information on which a conversion seed is generated based and a second constant value and a third constant value on which a test conversion seed is generated based and outputting the first constant value and the second constant value or the third constant value as the conversion seed or the test conversion seed in response to a test signal and a mode setup value; a one-way function circuit 32 for converting the conversion seed or the test conversion seed output from the seed generation section 131 according to the first encrypted security information EDK (MK) input from the storage section 120a to generate the conversion security information CK or test conversion security information; a decryption circuit 33 for decrypting the second encrypted security information EMK (CK) input from the storage section 120a using the output of the one-way function circuit 32 as a key; and a decryption circuit 34 for decrypting the first encrypted security information EDK (MK) input from the storage section 120a using the output of the decryption circuit 33 as a key.
US07957524B2
A protective cover for electronic devices. A device is examined and a film is prepared. The film may include multiple pieces and may have cutouts for discontinuities in the surfaces of the device or to accommodate a user interface. The corners or other portions of the films are then cut such that the films substantially cover the surface of the device without bunching or creating air pockets.
US07957523B2
This invention discloses a method and system of implementing a ring back tone based on a group mobile switchboard service. The method includes: a home service control point of the group mobile switchboard obtaining an identification of an extension subscriber which a calling party calls, and sending routing information of a ring back tone intelligent peripheral and the identification of the called extension subscriber to a gateway mobile switching center/mobile switching center which triggers the intelligent service; the gateway mobile switching center/mobile switching center routing the identification of the called extension subscriber to the ring back tone intelligent peripheral according to the received routing information of the ring back tone intelligent peripheral; the ring back tone intelligent peripheral connecting the call to a visited mobile switching center of the called extension subscriber, and playing a group ring back tone subscribed to by the group customer for the calling party.
US07957522B2
Programmable plain old telephone line impedance matching circuits that provide an accurate, integrated programmable termination and source impedance for a telephone line interface circuit (SLIC). The accurate matching of this programmable termination and source impedance with the termination impedance of the 2 Wire connection eliminates signal reflections on this connection and therefore removes the echo, which echo can lead to reduced signal quality in packetized VOIP systems. The programmable integrated impedance matching circuits of this invention use a programmable time continuous amplifier preferably in combination with a double sampling programmable switched capacitor feedback stage (sampling twice per clock cycle by sampling on the positive and negative phases of a non-overlapping clock cycle). Use of a switched capacitor circuit to synthesize a resistance allows the realization of the relatively long time constants needed, generally, thereby allowing the realization of the present invention programmable impedance matching circuit as an integrated circuit without external discrete resistors or capacitors.
US07957520B2
A system and method for servicing a caller at a contact center includes a plurality of call centers, each including an automatic call distributor (ACD), and an emergency response system that issues an emergency notification signal to the ACD of a call center in response to an emergency condition affecting the call center. In response, the ACD of the call center informs callers of the emergency condition, and then performs a bulk transfer of each of the active calls from the call center to one or more other call centers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
US07957519B2
It is one objective of the present invention to provide a private branch exchange that can identify calls to be routed to an extension phone group.A private branch exchange according to this invention comprises: a caller information detector for, when a call is received, obtaining caller information; a group incoming call table in which two or more extension numbers are correlated with an extension incoming call group number; and an incoming call group controller for, when a call received through the telephone line is for an extension incoming call group number, extracting from the group incoming call table extension numbers that are correlated with the extension incoming call group number and transmitting an incoming call signal to extension phones corresponding to the extension numbers, and also for storing, in a group incoming call log table, a caller number that is obtained by the caller information detector.
US07957503B2
A medical breast-image capturing apparatus includes an aperture member for exposing a breast of a test subject. To perform adequate breast cancer screening, the aperture member has a noncircular shape, is arranged to be replaceable with another aperture member, or has a variable opening. Another medical breast-image capturing apparatus includes a pressure-reducing device for reducing a pressure in a hollow section in which a breast is exposed.
US07957499B2
Provided is an apparatus and method for compensating a timing offset in a broadband wireless communication system. A receiving apparatus for the timing offset compensation includes a selector, a first calculator, and a second calculator. The selector groups two or more adjacent tiles into one or more tile groups and selects one or more pilot pairs, each including adjacent pilot signals, from each tile group. The first calculator calculates an average phase difference between the pilot pairs. The second calculator calculates a timing offset using the average phase difference.
US07957492B2
Wireless communication systems according to 3rd Generation standards allow for large flexibility in payload transmission. To signal the specific combination of transport block sizes multiplexed into one composite transport channel, a transport format combination indicator is transmitted in addition to the encoded payload data. The correct decoding of this transport format combination indicator codeword information is crucial to retrieve the correct number and size of transport blocks from the incoming data stream in the receiver, which can be both, the user equipment or the base station. The decoding apparatus (1) of the invention allows an in-time processing of the incoming data, while the decoding performance for the next codeword information is increased. Therefore, a codeword decision unit (15) determines a first codeword decision on the basis of a first codeword information received. This first codeword decision is usable for the processing of the first payload data. Then, the codeword decision unit (15) decides and outputs a second codeword decision on the basis of the first codeword information and the second codeword information. This second codeword decision has an improved reliability.
US07957488B2
A wireless communication apparatus includes a DC/DC converter that is operated based on a second clock signal generated by an oscillator with high accuracy when receiving the annunciation signal. Therefore, it is possible to reduce negative influences on other electrical apparatuses due to the conduction noise. The DC/DC converter is operated based on first clock signal generated by an oscillator with low accuracy while in a non-receiving time of the annunciation signal. Therefore, it is possible to reduce negative influence on other electrical apparatuses and to reduce the consumption of electrical power.
US07957486B2
According to an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus are described for transmission link adaptation. In one embodiment of the invention, data is obtained regarding a quality of a transmitted signal. Data is obtained regarding available power for transmission. A transmission mode is selected based at least in part on the quality of the transmitted signal and on the available power for transmission.
US07957483B2
An apparatus and method for allocating dedicated pilots for supporting MIMO and setting MIMO-only interlace slots in a CDMA 2000 Nx-EV-DO compatible system. The method includes determining whether a current interlace is a particular interlace in which a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) signal for channel estimation in a receiver is inserted; and inserting the MIMO signal into the particular interlace when the current interlace is the particular interlace and then transmitting the MIMO signal according to a predetermined transmission scheme. By the apparatus and method, it is possible to effectively use the MIMO in a system in which EV-DO users, MIMO EV-DO users, OFDM users, MIMO-OFDM users co-exist.
US07957478B2
A signal generator includes a memory for storing content information in the form of vectors including in-phase and quadrature elements of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing waveform, a processor for converting the vectors to a radio frequency signal, and a logic device for controlling the operation of the memory and the processor. The in-phase and quadrature elements represent baseband content of the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing waveform.
US07957477B2
Systems and methods for off-diagonal MIMO precoders are described. At least one embodiment includes a method for precoding data for transmission in a discrete multi-tone (DMT) xDSL system to cancel self-induced far end crosstalk (self-FEXT) comprising: learning characteristics associated with a plurality of N users within the xDSL system to determine an initial off-diagonal multiple input multiple output (MIMO) precoder (ODMP) for a given tone frequency; and converging towards an optimum ODMP from the initial ODMP in order to cancel downstream self-FEXT for the plurality of N users, wherein the ODMP is represented as a zero diagonal matrix with only off-diagonal terms, and wherein the converging towards the optimum ODMP comprises: maximizing the channel capacity for the plurality of N users for the given tone frequency; and minimizing an increase in transmit power of the xDSL system relative to an original transmit power where a precoder is not active.
US07957476B2
A wireless communication apparatus for receiving a packet formed of a signal modulated by OFDM includes the following elements. A band-pass filter extracts an OFDM signal of a desired band. A low-noise amplifier having a gain controlled according to a received-signal intensity amplifies the desired OFDM signal. A frequency converter down-converts the amplified OFDM signal into a baseband signal. An analog-digital converter converts the baseband signal into a digital signal. A first high-pass filter removes a DC offset from the baseband signal corresponding to a predetermined preamble portion of the packet. A frequency-offset estimator estimates a frequency offset from the sample signals constituting the baseband signal from which the DC offset has been removed by the first high-pass filter. A frequency-offset corrector removes the estimated frequency offset from the baseband signal. A demodulator demodulates subcarrier signals arranged in a frequency domain from the baseband signal compensated for the frequency offset.
US07957453B2
A rake receiver and method for operating a rake receiver is provided including receiving a signal in a rake receiver having at least one finger, each of the at least one finger characterized by a channel phase and a channel frequency, removing a phase and a portion of the frequency component of the signal in a first block of the at least one finger, and removing a remaining frequency component of the signal in a second block of the at least one finger.
US07957446B2
A semiconductor laser includes a first optical confinement layer, a plurality of first quantum wires and buried semiconductor regions disposed on a first area, a plurality of second quantum wires and buried semiconductor regions disposed on a second area, an active layer disposed on a third area, and a second optical confinement layer. The plurality of first quantum wires and the buried semiconductor regions constitute a first distributed Bragg reflector, and the plurality of second quantum wires and the buried semiconductor regions constitute a second distributed Bragg reflector. The third area is disposed between the first area and the second area. The buried semiconductor regions have a refractive index different from the average refractive index of the first quantum wires and the average refractive index of the second quantum wires. These distributed Bragg reflectors form a DBR laser having a cavity length defined by the length of the active layer.
US07957445B2
An etched-facet single lateral mode semiconductor photonic device is fabricated by depositing an anti reflective coating on the etched facet, and depositing a reflectivity modifying coating in a spatially controlled manner to modify the spatial performance of the emitted beam.
US07957439B2
A laser diode package includes a laser diode, a cooler, and a metallization layer. The laser diode is used for converting electrical energy to optical energy. The cooler receives and routes a coolant from a cooling source via internal channels. The cooler includes a plurality of ceramic sheets and a highly thermally-conductive sheet. The ceramic sheets are fused together and the thermally-conductive sheet is attached to a top ceramic sheet of the plurality of ceramic sheets. The metallization layer has at least a portion on the thermally-conductive sheet. The portion is electrically coupled to the laser diode for conducting the electrical energy to the laser diode.
US07957437B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor laser in which the substrate comprises at least three independent functional sections in the direction of light wave propagation, said functional sections serving different functions and being individually triggered by means of electrodes via electrode leads. An intensification zone, a grid zone, and a phase adjustment zone are provided as functional sections. The light wave is optically intensified in the intensification zone while the phase of the advancing and returning wave is adjusted in the phase adjustment zone. The grid zone is used for selecting the wavelength and adjusting the intensity of coupling between the intensification zone and the phase adjustment zone.
US07957435B2
A device for generating light pulses that are separated in terms of time has a light source that emits a sequence of light pulses. A regulation signal is formed within a regulation circuit from a cycle signal and the light pulse sequence of the light sources via a phase detector. The regulation circuit includes a regulator that generates a setting signal that influences the repeat frequency of the light pulse sequence of the light source.
US07957434B2
Disclosed herein is a light emitting device with improved life characteristics. The light emitting device comprises a circuit board having a recess, a reflection plane and an excitation source disposed in the recess, an overmolding overlying the reflection plane and the excitation source, a surface-inducing film formed on the overmolding, and a light conversion layer overlying the surface-inducing film. Also disclosed herein is a method for fabricating the light emitting device.
US07957430B2
Methods, computer program products, electronic devices and information blocks are provided that improve both efficiency of transmission and efficiency of segmentation by enabling an intelligent transport block size determination and a flexible segmentation scheme suitable for utilization with retransmission. One exemplary method involves steps of: determining a size of a transport block based on criteria including a size of at least one data block to be transmitted, wherein the transport block size is determined such that the transport block will include at least one segment of a data block of the at least one data block; segmenting the data block of the at least one data block into a plurality of segments including the at least one segment; and populating the transport block with at least the at least one segment.
US07957425B2
A method and system is provided for communicating distinct data over a single frequency using multiple polarized data signals. Data signals of the single frequency conveying first data, second data, and third data are polarized in a first polarization scheme and a second polarization scheme. The data signals comprise a first data signal, a second data signal, a third data signal, and inverse of the third data signal in a first configuration or a second configuration. The polarized data signals are transmitted from transmitting stations to one or more receiving stations. The first data, second data, and third data are obtained from the data signals received at the receiving stations using an antenna of a first polarity and an antenna of a second polarity. The amount of distinct data transmitted over the single frequency is increased by, for example, about 50% without causing interference between the data signals.
US07957415B2
A system for reducing the cost of network management by using a proxy agent and subchannel communications so fewer SNMP licenses and fewer protocol stacks are needed. Subchannel communication is achieved in a plurality of different embodiments. Embodiments having single subchannel transceivers, multiple transceivers, single multiplexer and multiple multiplexers are disclosed. An NMS process using routing table CRC to automatically detect when the NMS topology information is incorrect and automated topology discovery is disclosed. A process for automated discovery of redundant cables during automated topology discovery is disclosed.
US07957411B2
A method for collision avoidance in multiple protocol networks using a shared communication medium begins by determining a first protocol probable active time period. The method continues by determining a first protocol probable inactive time period. The method continues by generating a transmit blocking indication based on the first protocol probable active time period and the first protocol probable inactive time period.
US07957399B2
A method of load balancing data packets at an array is disclosed. The method includes receiving a data packet encoded in a first format at an input of the array. The received data packet is assigned to an assigned element of the array, and the data packet is routed to a device. A message encoded in a second format is received from the device at the array. Information is extracted from a payload portion of the message, and the message is assigned to the assigned element of the array based on the information extracted from the payload portion of the message.
US07957397B2
A method and apparatus is provided for determining bandwidth allocation that includes initiating a transmission of a plurality of at least portions of content from a root node of a tree topology network along a path having a plurality of links connecting nodes to at least one destination node, allocating bandwidth for the plurality of at least portions of content carried on a respective link with an available bandwidth capacity such that a sum of the allocated bandwidths of all of the plurality of at least portions of content carried on the respective link does not exceed the available bandwidth capacity, and using a Lexicographic Minimax Algorithm for a Flexible or Constrained Bandwidth Allocation Model to provide bandwidth allocations to the plurality of at least portions of content and to determine an ordered list from the plurality of links from a most critical link to a least critical link.
US07957392B2
A method, system, and computer program product for receiving and resequencing a plurality of data segments received on a plurality of channels of a bonding channel set, comprising deter mining if a sequence number of a received segment matches an expected sequence number. If so, the process includes forwarding the segment for further processing, incrementing the expected sequence number; and forwarding any queued packets corresponding to the expected sequence number and immediately succeeding sequence numbers less than a sequence number of annexed missing segment. If the sequence number of the received segment does not match the expected sequence number, the received segment is queued at a memory location. The address of this location is converted to a segment index. The segment index is stored in a sparse array.
US07957380B2
The present invention supports the operation of IS-IS over UDLs without the need for encapsulation of IS-IS PDUs in IP and without the need for a large-scale upgrade of the protocol in the network. The present invention also supports adjacency establishment when the return path from a router at the receive end of a to the router at the transmit end of the unidirectional link is via another unidirectional link.
US07957375B2
An apparatus and method for policy routing is provided. The method includes: A. configuring a policy routing to a label switching path and obtaining and saving forwarding information; and B. performing packet forwarding based on the forwarding information. The apparatus includes: a label switching path managing unit, for saving first forwarding information of the label switching path; a route managing unit, for saving second forwarding information of the label switching path; a configuring unit, for transmitting configuration parameters to the label switching path managing unit, and obtaining the first and/or second forwarding information of the label switching path from the label switching path managing unit and/or route managing unit; a forwarding information maintenance unit, for maintaining the first and second forwarding information of the label switching path saved in a node of policy; and a packet forwarding unit, together with the forwarding information maintenance unit, for forwarding the packet, which solves the problem that the prior art couldn't well support strategic route for a MPLS packet.
US07957374B2
A mechanism is disclosed that enables layer two host addresses (e.g. a MAC addresses) to be shielded from a network. In one implementation, the mechanism updates each packet sent by the hosts into the network to indicate that the source layer two (L2) address for that packet is a shared L2 address instead of the actual L2 address of the sending host. By doing so, the mechanism exposes only the shared L2 address to the network, and shields the actual L2 addresses of the hosts from the network. The effect of this is that the switches in the network will need to store only the shared L2 address in their forwarding tables, not the actual L2 addresses of the hosts. By reducing the number of L2 addresses that need to be stored in the forwarding tables of the switches, the mechanism improves the scalability of the network.
US07957372B2
A detection and response system including a set of algorithms for detecting within a stream of normal computer traffic a subset of (should focus on network traffic eliciting a response) TCP or UDP packets with one IP Source Address (SA) value, one or a few Destination Address (DA) values, and a number exceeding a threshold of distinct Destination Port (DP) values. A lookup mechanism such as a Direct Table and Patricia search tree record and trace sets of packets with one SA and one DA as well as the set of DP values observed for the given SA, DA combination. The detection and response system reports the existence of such a subset and the header values including SA, DA, and multiple DPs of the subset. The detection and response system also includes various administrative responses to reports.
US07957363B2
A message pathway selection system dynamically selects an optimum message pathway for transmitting messages. The system dynamically optimizes a message pathway according to various criteria such as, for example, efficiency, economy, data requirements, auditing requirements, security, data size, etc. The system can direct a message to bypass an infrastructure messaging server, using a direct message pathway. The system can also switch from an infrastructure messaging server to a direct method. The system can also utilize an infrastructure messaging pathway either as an alternative or in parallel with the direct message pathway. The system allows an application to use a single communication system for both a direct mode and an infrastructure mode of data transfer. The present system can bypass the infrastructure message pathway, thus reducing message latency, number of messages sent, and improving overall bandwidth.
US07957359B1
A scheme is provided for allocating spectral resource made up of a plurality of resource units in a multiple access wireless link linking a partition of a base station and at least one child user equipment of the partition in a wireless communications network. According to the scheme the same fixed allocation of resource units is made to each user equipment of the network. According to one embodiment a measure of a maximum likely number of child user equipments per partition of the network is determined. Then a fixed allocation of resource units based on the ratio of the number of resource units per unit time to the measure is calculated. Then the same fixed allocation of resource units is allocated to each child user equipment across the network. In one embodiment resource units which are not allocated in the fixed allocation remain unallocated to user equipments. In another embodiment the remaining resource units are allocated among the child user equipments by prioritizing user equipments having a high gain link. Also provided is a communications network and a resource allocation controller for a communications network which use the above scheme.
US07957351B2
A method and apparatus manages resources in a wireless communication system by transmitting a multi-carrier switch command message to an access terminal instructing the access terminal to switch between a diversity mode where each antenna module of a plurality antenna modules receives a single carrier signal transmitted at a single carrier frequency and a multi-carrier mode where a first antenna module of the plurality antenna modules receives a first multi-carrier signal transmitted at a first carrier frequency and a second antenna module receives a second multi-carrier signals transmitted at a second carrier frequency.
US07957339B2
Wireless local area network (WLAN) management. A novel approach is provided to associate various wireless stations (STAs) to the WLAN via appropriately selected Access Point (APs). In one implementation, a first AP services only those STAs that have functionality of a first user class (e.g., 802.11b functionality in one instance). In addition, a second AP services only those STAs that have functionality of a second user class (e.g., 802.11g functionality). The WLAN management ensures that STAs having similar characteristics (or similar functionality) are grouped together and associated with an AP that corresponds to those characteristics. For example, 802.11b STAs associate with the WLAN via an 802.11b AP. Analogously, 802.11g STAs associate with the WLAN via an 802.11g AP. When an 802.11g STA is unable to associate with the WLAN via an 802.11g AP, the STA may shift down its functionality set to 802.11b to successfully associate with the WLAN.
US07957337B2
A method and apparatus for controlling transmission air-time available to a wireless node within a wireless network is disclosed. The method includes occupied by transmission packets. The method includes the wireless node monitoring air-time available to the wireless node for wireless transmission. The wireless node controls wireless transmission of neighboring wireless devices if the air-time available is detected to be lower than a threshold.
US07957336B2
A system for locating a client in a wireless network. The system includes at least three access points. Each access point is adapted to wirelessly communicate with a client having a location using packeted data, be placed in wired data communication within a selected data network; and to share a common precise time reference using the selected data network. The system further includes a switch adapted to translate the relative position of the access points based on a shared common precise time reference and to calculate the location of the client based on a transmission from the client.
US07957329B2
A method of performing hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system is provided. The method includes receiving downlink assignments in a first subframe, a downlink assignment being transmitted based on a control channel element (CCE), the CCE being a logically indexed resource unit, receiving downlink data on a downlink shared channel in the first subframe, the downlink shared channel being assigned according to the downlink assignments, generating ACK/NACK signals which indicate successful or unsuccessful reception of the downlink data, and transmitting in a second subframe, the ACK/NACK signals by using uplink resources of a subset, the subset being mapped to the first subframe, at least one of the uplink resources being mapped to a plurality of CCEs in the first subframe. Limited resources for uplink feedback are effectively used to support HARQ operation.
US07957326B1
The present invention provides a centralized home controller that is used to coordinate a plurality of associated packet communication clients. The home controller provides a centralized and unified control and messaging system for the various packet communication clients. The home controller also allows the packet communication clients to establish and control packet sessions among the associated packet communication clients, as well as between any one of the packet communication clients and remote clients. The packet communication clients are provided in consumer electronics devices, and the associated packet sessions support data, voice, audio, or video content. In one embodiment, the home controller acts as a proxy for the various communications between the packet communication clients.
US07957324B2
The disclosed network includes two rings, wherein a first ring transmits data in a clockwise direction, and the other ring transmits data in a counterclockwise direction. The traffic is removed from the ring by the destination node. During normal operations (i.e., all spans operational), data between nodes can flow on either ring. Thus, both rings are fully utilized during normal operations. The nodes periodically test the bit error rate of the links (or the error rate is constantly calculated) to detect a fault in one of the links. The detection of such a fault sends a broadcast signal to all nodes to reconfigure a routing table within the node so as to identify the optimum routing of source traffic to the destination node after the fault.
US07957321B2
In a device control system that provides a means for controlling a variety of device types via a unified interface, such as via a handheld controller, a synchronization protocol ensures synchronization between a plurality of such controllers in a peer-to-peer network environment, provides a means for transferring custom configurations between such controllers, and provides a means for migrating such a controller from a peer-to-peer network environment to a server-based network environment and vice-versa.
US07957314B2
A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes requesting real-time transfer protocol (RTP) quality metrics to be generated by a network for a specific flow in the network. The method also includes recording the RTP quality metrics and reporting the metrics as accounting data associated with the flow. In more specific embodiments, the accounting data includes a correlator with application level accounting and the accounting data is used for quality monitoring and troubleshooting on a per-subscriber basis, on a per-flow basis, or on a per-call basis. An application function can request RTP quality monitoring with a trigger that identifies if a quality parameter reaches a certain threshold.
US07957304B2
A system for and method of actively running performance tests is presented. The system and method allow a device connected, via a VPN or IPSec tunnel, to a VoIP or other service provider network, to run network performance tests using the IP address assigned by a VPN concentrator. The device utilizes the IP address assigned by the VPN concentrator as a means for performing loopback testing. These performance tests characterize the connectivity of the network. Systems and methods then use this characterization to do call admission control, traffic shaping or prioritization.
US07957294B2
A packet detecting device used in a receiver employing PCI Express protocol is disclosed. The packet detecting device includes: a physical layer packet detecting unit for detecting a physical layer packet from a PCI express packet received and parallelized to 16 bit data through a physical deserializer; a descrambling unit for descrambling a physical layer packet from a PCI express packet received and parallelized to 16 bit data through a physical deserializer; a data link layer packet detecting unit for detecting a data link layer packet from a descrambled packet outputted from the descrambling unit; and a transaction layer packet detecting unit for detecting a transaction layer packet from a descrambled packet outputted from the descrambling unit.
US07957289B2
A system and method for routing traffic from an ingress provider edge router to an egress provider edge router that eliminates the need to share state information between the ingress provider edge router and a plurality of core routers in a core network. The ingress provider edge router and egress provider edge router are each coupled to at least two core routers among the plurality of core routers in the core network, the ingress provider edge router learning routes with a next hop equal to an IP address of the egress provider edge router through an internal border gateway protocol (iBGP). The ingress provider edge router balances traffic flows on uplinks between the ingress provider edge router and the at least two core routers coupled to the ingress provider edge router without knowledge of network topology in the core network.
US07957286B2
The present invention relates to a method for estimating an optimized transmission bit rate in a wireless local area network (LAN) system, which is to provide an accurate data transmission bit rate according to channel status when block data are transmitted in the wireless LAN system. According to the present invention, there is provided a method for estimating an optimized transmission bit rate according to the status of a data transmission bit rate in a wireless LAN system, comprising the steps of determining whether to change a current data transmission bit rate in a wireless LAN network; and estimating an optimized transmission bit rate on the basis of results of the determination in the determining step, and reflecting the estimated transmission bit rate upon transmission of data. The method is effective in that when data blocks are transmitted in the wireless LAN system, the performance degradation of data transmission invited due to an inappropriate selection of a transmission bit rate can be reduced.
US07957281B2
Disclosed is a method for interworking between an ACR and a PDE in a position recognition system based on a portable Internet and a system therefor. A scheme for TCP/IP-based socket connection between the PDE and the ACR is defined. A data packet transmitted and received between the PDE and the ACR is also defined so that the PDE can receive a necessary measurement value from the ACR during position determination. The definition of the interworking between the ACR and the PDE serves as a basis for accommodating various services.
US07957280B2
Classification and verification of static file transfer protocols is provided. A network node sitting in the path of packets classifies traffic according to its content, and then statistically verifies that the content actually matches the initial classification. Classification and verification are standard building blocks in networks systems that provide quality-of-service. However, unlike traditional quality-of-service building blocks, a system of the present invention takes a trust-but-verify approach, and thus can rely on longer-timescale statistical online or offline verification to reduce computational requirements. This improves scalability and reduces the cost and complexity that in part has prevented prior service differentiation systems from succeeding in the Internet. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can combine the classification and verification building blocks with a networked directory service to allow further classification as to whether particular content is for pay.
US07957268B2
A system and method for performing stateful switchover with reduced data, such as only metadata about a TCP window state. The metadata comprises a size of TCP packets used to send BGP messages, and which of those have been acknowledged by a neighbor networking device. The networking device comprises a BGP module to establish a BGP session between the networking device and a neighbor networking device. An active transport module within the networking device synchronizes with a standby transport module within the networking device by sending the metadata. A fault detector within the networking device initiates a stateful switchover from the active transport module to the standby transport module responsive to detecting a failure of a process and/or processor. The standby transport module uses the metadata to determine stateful metadata for preserving current BGP and TCP sessions of the networking device.
US07957264B2
A method and a device for allocating a radio configuration (RC) type are disclosed in the present invention. The method includes: predefining a first threshold value and a second threshold value; when a user initiate a call, calculating current utilization rate of power resource of a cell and comparing the current utilization rate of power resource with the first threshold value, and calculating current utilization rate of Walsh resource of the cell and comparing the current utilization rate of Walsh resource with the second threshold value; allocating an RC type to TCH (Traffic Channel) and SCH (Supplemental Channel) of forward channels of the call based on above comparison results. In the present invention, an RC type can be dynamically allocated based on the current resource limits of the system, thus improving the capacity of the system.
US07957259B1
Systems, apparatus and methods are provided for detecting the mode of a received OFDM signal. A received signal may be correlated with one or more time-delayed version of itself resulting in a set of correlation signals. Each correlation signal may be analyzed for one or more characteristics that can be used to determine the symbol length of the received signal. In order to minimize the number of correlations performed, one or more correlations can be used with varying symbol lengths and a fixed guard interval length. The correlation signals can be processed by filters, and the characteristics of the filtered correlation signals can be analyzed to determine the guard interval length of the received signal. In addition to detecting symbol length, the present invention can be used to detect receiver impairment and perform any appropriate compensations.
US07957256B2
A digital modulation system provides enhanced multipath performance by using modified orthogonal codes with reduced autocorrelation sidelobes while maintaining the cross-correlation properties of the modified codes. For example, the modified orthogonal codes can reduce the autocorrelation level so as not to exceed one-half the length of the modified orthogonal code. In certain embodiments, an M-ary orthogonal keying (MOK) system is used which modifies orthogonal Walsh codes using a complementary code to improve the auto-correlation properties of the Walsh codes, thereby enhancing the multipath performance of the MOK system while maintaining the orthogonality and low cross-correlation characteristics of the Walsh codes.
US07957253B2
An optical disc (101) to and from which information can be reproduced and recorded by laser irradiation is provided with a first recording layer (102) and a second recording layer (104). The first recording layer (102) has a first recording mark (103) that is formed in a spiral track. The second recording layer (104) is behind or in front of the read-side surface of the first recording layer (102), and neither a wobble track nor a track for reproducing or recording information by laser irradiation is formed on the second recording layer (104). On the second recording layer (104) are formed, by laser irradiation, a second recording mark (105) that is positioned in the radial direction of the optical disc according to a predetermined position on the spiral track of the first recording layer. The optical disc (101) ensures the secrecy of the copyright protected information that is recorded thereto and the copyright protection function of the optical disc (101), and is resistant against illegal copying.
US07957245B2
A recording medium (100) is provided with: a first recording layer (L0) and a second recording layer (L1) to record therein record information, and a control area (102, 118) in said recording layer and a control area in said second recording layer to record therein control information for controlling at least one of recording and reproduction of the record information, wherein a distance between an inner radius of the control area in the first recording layer and an outer radius of the control area in the second recording layer is larger than or equal to a first predetermined value.
US07957239B2
In an optical disk drive, running OPC (ROPC) is performed without fail, to thus enhance recording quality. ROPC is performed by use of a remaining portion of an area for APC operation within an APC area of a recording unit (RUB) in a next-generation optical disk such as a blu-ray disk. ROPC is performed by means of tentatively writing test data having a length of 50 T longer than a specified length of data to be recorded; and detecting level B of the amount of light reflected at that time. The APC area is formed from five wobble periods. APC is performed in periods of first two wobbles, and ROPC is performed in remaining three wobble periods.
US07957218B2
A dual data rate (DDR) memory controller and method are provided. The method includes: receiving a first data strobe at a first terminal from a first memory having a first rank; receiving a first data signal at a second terminal from the first memory having the first rank; calibrating the first data signal with the first data strobe to produce a first calibration value; receiving a second data strobe at the first terminal from a second memory having a second rank; receiving a second data signal at the second terminal from the second memory having the second rank; calibrating the second data signal with the second data strobe to produce a second calibration value; determining a final calibration value using the first and second calibration values; and using the final calibration value to time the first data signal and the second data signal during a read operation of the memories.
US07957213B2
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes: a compensation voltage input node; a core voltage generator configured to generate a core voltage using an external power source voltage and supply the core voltage to the compensation voltage input node; a compensation controlling unit configured to generate a compensation control signal to determine power compensation, in response to a refresh signal; a power compensating unit configured to selectively supply the external power source voltage to the compensation voltage input node in response to the compensation control signal; and a power supply unit configured to supply a voltage at the compensation voltage input node or the external power source voltage to a sense-amp driver in response to a first power control signal or a second power control signal.
US07957205B2
The present invention is a semiconductor device including: a resistor R11 (first resistor part) and an FET 15 (second resistor part) connected in series between a power supply Vcc (first power supply) and ground (second power supply); an output node N11 provided between the resistor R11 and FET 15 and used for outputting a reference voltage; a feedback node N12 provided between the power supply Vcc and the ground; and a voltage control circuit (19) that maintains a voltage of the feedback node N12 at a constant level by using the reference voltage of the output node N11 and the voltage of the feedback node N12. The present invention can provide a semiconductor device having a reference voltage generating circuit capable of generating the reference voltage that does not greatly depend on a power supply voltage and its control method.
US07957196B2
Method of programming memory cells of series strings of memory cells include programming a target memory cell of a series string of memory cells after programming each memory cell of the string located between the target memory cell and a first end of the string, and verifying the programming of the target memory cell by applying a bias at a second end of the string opposite the first end and sensing a voltage developed at the first end in response to the bias.
US07957195B2
The semiconductor device includes a nonvolatile memory, having a memory array containing 1-bit twin cells, each composed of electrically rewritable first and second storage devices, the first and second storage devices holding binary data according to difference of their threshold voltages, and having different retention characteristics depending on difference of the binary data thereof; a read circuit for differentially amplifying complementary data output from the first and second storage devices of the twin cell selected for read, and judging information stored in the twin cell; and a control circuit. Two memory cells constituting a twin cell are arranged to hold different data. Therefore, even when the retention performance of one memory cell deteriorates, the difference between data held by the two memory cells can be maintained. Hence, differential amplification of such difference enables acquisition of proper stored information. Thus, retention performance of an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory cell is improved.
US07957191B2
A method of programming a non-volatile memory device includes applying a power supply voltage to a drain select line, applying a high level voltage to a drain-side pass word line or a source-side pass word line, and applying a pass voltage to unselected word lines and a program voltage to a selected word line. The high level voltage is applied to the drain-side pass word line or the source-side pass word line before applying the pass voltage to the unselected word lines and the program voltage to the selected word line.
US07957190B2
A memory comprising a plurality of P-channel split-gate memory cells are organized in rows and columns. Each of the plurality of P-channel split-gate memory cells comprises a select gate, a control gate, a source region, a drain region, a channel region, and a charge storage layer comprising nanocrystals. Programming a memory cell of the plurality of P-channel split-gate memory cells comprises injecting electrons from a channel region of the memory cell to the charge storage layer. Erasing the memory cell comprises injecting holes from the channel region to the charge storage region.
US07957184B2
The present invention provides a low-resistance magnetoresistive element of a spin-injection write type. A crystallization promoting layer that promotes crystallization is formed in contact with an interfacial magnetic layer having an amorphous structure, so that crystallization is promoted from the side of a tunnel barrier layer, and the interface between the tunnel barrier layer and the interfacial magnetic layer is adjusted. With this arrangement, it is possible to form a magnetoresistive element that has a low resistance so as to obtain a desired current value, and has a high TMR ratio.
US07957176B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a first inverter ad a second inverter, a first power supply control circuit, and a second power supply control circuit. The first and second inverters constitute a memory cell and each have an input terminal and an output terminal connected crosswise to an output terminal and an input terminal, respectively, of the other. The first power supply control circuit supplies a first voltage to the first inverter. The second power supply control circuit supplies a second voltage to the second inverter. The first and second power supply control circuits control the first and second voltages, respectively, supplied to the first and second inverters in a selected memory cell for a writing operation in accordance with write data.
US07957161B2
A power converter capable of improving converter's efficiency and achieving zero-voltage-switching is provided, in which a first series circuit is connected in parallel with a direct current (DC) power supply and has a first inductor, a first primary winding, first and second switching elements connected in series. A second series circuit is connected in parallel with the DC power supply and has third and fourth switching elements, a first capacitor, a second primary winding and a second inductor connected in series. A second capacitor is connected between a first node between the first primary winding and the first switching element in the first series circuit and a second node between the fourth switching element and the second primary winding in the second series circuit. A third node between the first and second switching elements is connected to a fourth node within the second series circuit.
US07957156B2
An electrical connection assembly includes a substrate having first and second sides and a substrate aperture formed therein. The substrate is made of an electrically non-conductive material. A busbar is attached to the first side of the substrate. The busbar has a busbar aperture formed therein. A trace is formed on the second surface of the substrate. The busbar and trace are formed of an electrically conductive material. A pin is disposed in both the substrate aperture and the busbar aperture, wherein the pin is in electrical communication with the busbar and the trace.
US07957154B2
A multilayer printed circuit board, wherein, on a resin-insulating layer that houses a semiconductor element, another resin-insulating layer and a conductor circuit are formed with conductor circuits electrically connected through a via hole, wherein a electromagnetic shielding layer is formed on a resin-insulating layer surrounding a concave portion for housing a semiconductor element or on the inner wall surface of the concave portion, and the semiconductor element is embedded in the concave portion.
US07957153B2
Electrical components, such as packaged integrated circuit devices that are mountable on a substrate surface, are provided with at least one exposed electrical contact on a side surface of the component that will be substantially perpendicular to the substrate surface when the component is mounted. Two such components can be mounted side-by-side on the substrate surface with the above-mentioned contacts close to one another between the above-mentioned side surfaces. An electrical connection between the contacts can be made (or perfected) by depositing an electrically conductive connector material in contact with both of the contacts between the above-mentioned side surfaces.
US07957150B2
An orthogonal array is formed by performing electromagnetic field analysis only once and determining a range by using the mount position and type of a capacitor and the number of capacitors as parameters to perform circuit analysis a small number of times. An estimation equation is formed by using as an index a result of the absolute value of the calculated power source impedance, and a capacitor is disposed to reduce noises by using the estimation equation.
US07957146B2
The invention relates to an illumination device (1) comprising at least one preferably ceramic substrate plate (2), at least one luminous element (3) arranged on a front side (A) of the substrate plate (2) in particular at least one light emitting diode (LED) (3), and at least one preferably metallic heat sink (4) connected, in particular adhesively bonded and/or soldered, to a rear side (B) of the substrate plate (2) over a large area, wherein the coefficients of thermal expansion of substrate plate (2) and heat sink (4) differ at least by the factor 1.5, in particular by a factor greater than 2. The heat sink (4) has at least one preferably linear recess (6) on its side facing the rear side (B) of the substrate plate (2).
US07957145B2
An electric power converter for a vehicle, including a semiconductor element from which a motor drive current is output, a drive circuit that drives the semiconductor element, a control circuit that controls the drive circuit, a capacitor that smooths a DC current to be input to the semiconductor element, a container housing the semiconductor element, the drive circuit, the control circuit and the capacitor, a refrigerant retained in a state of vapor-liquid two-phase equilibrium within the container, and a heat exchanger unit that condenses the refrigerant in a vapor phase to be a liquid phase and exchanges heat with outside, wherein the semiconductor element, the drive circuit, the control circuit and the capacitor are disposed in a positional arrangement that will leave the semiconductor element, the drive circuit, the control circuit and the capacitor immersed in the refrigerant as the electric power converter is installed in the vehicle, and the heat exchanger unit is disposed at a side of a wall of the container forming a vapor-phase space.
US07957135B2
A semiconductor module has switching semiconductor elements connected in parallel to each other and at least a free wheeling semiconductor element reversely connected in parallel to the switching semiconductor elements. The free wheeling semiconductor element is placed between the switching semiconductor elements. At both end parts of the semiconductor elements, each of the switching semiconductor elements is placed. A longitudinal side of each of the switching semiconductor elements and the free wheeling semiconductor element is placed in parallel to a short side of the semiconductor module. An electric-power conversion device has a plurality of arms. Each arm is composed of the semiconductor elements.
US07957133B2
An electronic system includes a chassis, an air flow distribution assembly having a first set of baffles disposed within an intake volume of the chassis and a second set of baffles disposed in proximity to an air outlet of the chassis. The first set of baffles is configured to turn the flow of an air stream approximately 90 degrees, relative to an inlet flow direction of the air stream, toward circuit boards disposed within the chassis. The second set of baffles is configured as a flow splitter that receives the air stream from the circuit boards and partitions the air stream into separate portions prior to the air stream exiting via the air outlet. The use of both the first and second set of baffles redirects and distributes the air stream, flowing into the air inlet, in a substantially even manner across the circuit board component mounting surfaces of the circuit boards disposed within the system.
US07957131B1
An electronic device comprises a housing, at least one heat generating component in the housing, and at least one thermal management device in thermal communication with the at least one heat generating component, wherein the at least one thermal management device selectively allocates heat flow to one or more portions of the housing. Other embodiments may be described.
US07957124B1
According to one embodiment, a note PC has a disk drive connected to a system board via a connector. A power receive coil is attached to the disk drive. Power produced by the power receive coil as a result of excitation of a power feed coil is fed to a power supply control circuit via an unused pin of the connector.
US07957116B2
Devices, such as mobile devices, may be exposed to short circuit and output overload events. To protect against such events, mobile devices typically include current limit circuits. Some current limit circuits may involve user programmable function. User programmable function may need accurate current limit detectors. Various embodiments of the present invention include devices and methods for detecting one or more programmed current limits. Some embodiments allow for a user application to select among parallel or serial configurations of current detection circuitry. Each such configuration may include multiple resistive devices of different resistive values.
US07957110B2
A display apparatus current discharging method, includes steps of: providing a potential difference between a first line and a second line; switching on a first switching element; generating a voltage drop of a resistance element having a first end and a second end; switching on a second switching element; providing a first discharging path through the first line, the first switching element, the resistance element, the second switching element, and the second line; and discharging a first current via the first discharging path. A display apparatus current leakage reducing method is also disclosed.
US07957109B2
A tunnel magnetoresistance effect magnetic head having between magnetic shield layers, an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer which has the direction of magnetization pinned by exchange coupling with the antiferromagnetic layer, an insulating layer, and a free layer whose direction of magnetization rotates relatively to external magnetic fields, wherein the antiferromagnetic layer is of an antiferromagnetic substance composed mainly of IrMn, the pinned layer is made up of a first pinned layer of CoFe alloy in contact with the antiferromagnetic layer and a second pinned layer of CoFeB alloy which is antiferromagnetically coupled with the first pinned layer, and the first and second pinned layers have the amount of magnetization such that the difference M1−M2 is in the range of 0
US07957087B2
A servo write method for a hard-disk drive. The method includes generating, with an input of characteristics of a magnetic-recording head and a magnetic-recording disk which are incorporated into the hard-disk drive, a yield prediction model from a correlation between yields of the hard-disk drive, and characteristics of the magnetic-recording head and the magnetic-recording disk of the hard-disk drive in a process. The method also includes predicting a yield which is obtained when each magnetic-recording head is used as a position control head, selecting as the position control head a magnetic-recording head that has a highest predicted yield, and writing a servo signal.
US07957085B2
A thermally assisted magnetic head has a slider substrate having a first surface located on the opposite side to a medium-facing surface, and side surfaces located between the medium-facing surface and the first surface; a magnetic head portion having a waveguide having a light exit face on the medium-facing surface side, and a magnetic recording element disposed in proximity to the light exit face, the magnetic head portion being fixed to one of the side surfaces of the slider substrate; a light source support substrate having a second surface facing the first surface; a light emitting element facing a light entrance face of the waveguide and fixed to the light source support substrate; and an adhesive interposed between the first surface and the second surface; at least one of the first surface and the second surface has a recess and the adhesive is disposed in the recess.
US07957081B2
An optical glass lens set and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. An optical glass lens is used as an insert that is set into a cavity of a mold. By injection molding of the molded insert or press molding, an optical glass lens set with a lens holder is formed. The optical glass lens set includes at least one optical glass lens and a lens holder for fixing the optical glass lens. The manufacturing method simplifies processes and improves the yield rate. Moreover, the produced optical glass lens set is easily packaged into a camera lens, especially suitable for mini-cameras and camera phones.
US07957079B2
An optical lens system for taking image comprises: in order from the object side to the image side: an aperture stop; a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens element with negative refractive power; a third lens element with positive refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a plastic fourth lens element with negative refractive power having a concave image-side surface, the object-side and the image-side surfaces of the fourth lens element being aspheric. A focal length of the optical lens system for taking image is f, a focal length of the first lens element and the second lens element combined is f12, and they satisfy the relation: 0.98
US07957072B2
A method and apparatus relate to an optical sight having a first section, and having a second section that is movable relative to the first section, and that has optics thereon. One aspect involves: preventing movement of the second section away from a first position past a second position; responding to movement of a member relative to the first section from a third position to a fourth position by moving the second section from the first position to the second position; resiliently urging the second section away from the first position and past the second position when the member is on a side of the fourth position remote from the third position; and releasably retaining the member in a position on a side of the fourth position remote from the third position.
US07957069B2
A projection optical system comprises a plurality of lenses disposed along an optical axis of the projection optical system; wherein the plurality of lenses is dividable into four non-overlapping groups of lenses, such that a total refractive power of each group of lenses is one of a negative refractive power and a positive refractive power; and wherein a refractive power of each lens of the fourth group of lenses is equal to or greater than 0. A lens of the third group of lenses which is disposed directly adjacent to a lens of the fourth group of lenses may have a concave surface facing towards the second object.
US07957064B2
A diffusing plate is formed so as to have a surface having a larger surface roughness than a predetermined wavelength and having an aperiodic roughness shape. A plurality of fine concave/convex portions are formed on the surface so as to be regularly arranged within a cycle equal to and smaller than a predetermined wavelength.
US07957061B1
This invention is a device for displaying three-dimensional images using an array of tilting microcolumns. It can create high-resolution, large-scale, moving, three-dimensional images that can be viewed by people in different locations, with full parallax, without special eyewear. Unlike currently available methods, this invention: does not require special eyewear, works for multiple viewers, provides parallax in all directions, does not have a very restrictive viewing zone, does not produce only transparent images, does not require coherent light, is scalable to large displays, does not require liquid movement to adjust lens shape, and does not require complex systems to individually control large numbers of lenses.
US07957055B2
The present invention relates to an apparatus for creating a pattern on a workpiece sensitive to radiation, such as a photomask a display panel or a microoptical device. The apparatus may include a source for emitting light flashes, a spatial modulator having modulating elements (pixels), adapted to being illuminated by the radiation, and a projection system creating an image of the modulator on the workpiece. It may further include an electronic data processing and delivery system receiving a digital description of the pattern to be written, converting the pattern to modulator signals, and feeding the signals to the modulator. An electronic control system may be provided to control a trigger signal to compensate for flash-to-flash time jitter in the light source.
US07957053B2
An electro-optic display comprises first and second substrates and a lamination adhesive layer and a layer of an electro-optic material disposed between the first and second substrates, the lamination adhesive layer having a thickness of from about 14 to about 25 μm.
US07957052B2
A display device comprises a microcapsule-containing layer including a plurality of microcapsules. A variation of the outer diameters of the microcapsules can be defined by an average value and a CV value. Each of the microcapsules is comprised of: a shell having an inner surface; contact particles electrically charged and provided within the shell in an contact state that the contact particles are in contact with the inner surface of the shell; and a scattering body for scattering light; or a colored particles having a different hue from the hue of the contact particles. The display device further comprises a pair of electrodes that when an electrical voltage is applied to between the pair of electrodes, electrical fields to act on the contact particles are generated. The average value of the outer diameters of the microcapsules is in the range of 20 to 60 μm, and the CV value of the outer diameters of the microcapsules is 20% or less. In a case where the electrical voltage is applied to between the pair of electrodes, the contact particles are moved along the inner surface of the shell while maintaining the contact state with the inner surface of the shell.
US07957050B2
The present invention provides an image display system implemented with a mirror device comprises a plurality of pixel elements formed on a substrate: wherein: each of said pixel elements comprises a micromirror disposed above and supported on a hinge extended from said substrate; and; a drive electrode disposed on the substrate for receiving signals to control and drive the mirror, wherein the drive electrode comprises an insulation layer, and a first electrode connected to a memory and a second electrode connected to a plate line with the insulation layer disposed between and insulating the first and the second electrode.
US07957044B2
An object of an input print job is discriminated, and color conversion processing is applied to the object of the print job based on the discrimination result and information which is set in correspondence with the print job and is used to designate color conversion processing. When the object is a transparent object, the color conversion processing is executed on a rendering color space, and when the object is a gradation object, the color conversion processing is executed on a device color space.
US07957039B2
An original-document illumination apparatus includes an illuminated face on which an original-document is placed. The original-document illumination apparatus also includes a light-source unit having a plurality of light-emitting elements which are arranged along the main-scanning direction of the original-document and which illuminate the original-document. The light source unit is movable in a sub-scanning direction that is orthogonal to the main-scanning direction. In addition, the original-document illumination apparatus includes a lens array disposed between the illuminated face and the light-source unit, and having a plurality of convergent lenses. A luminous flux from each of the light-emitting elements of the light-source unit is radiated onto the illuminated face through each of the lenses of the lens array.
US07957034B2
The present invention provides an image processing apparatus capable of preventing a specific image from being added without imposing a burden on the user, at the time of printing image data to which the specific image need not be added. The image processing apparatus includes a processing section configured to process the image data according to processing information, a specific image adding section 63 configured to add the specific image to the image data, and an addition determination section 65 configured to determine whether or not the specific image needs to be added, on the basis of the processing information. When the processing information includes unique information for preventing the image data from being kept confidential, the addition determination section 65 determines that the specific image need not be added. Even when it is set that the specific image is added at the time of processing the image data, the operation of the specific image adding section 63 is restricted so that the specific image is not added.
US07957031B2
An image processing method involves processing image data indicative of an image represented with a prescribed number of input tones by each of pixel groups composed of a plurality of print pixels, and generating dot data representing a status of dot formation on each of the print pixels to be formed on a print medium. The method includes preparing a first conversion table and a second conversion table, determining the pixel group tone value in response to the input tone value corresponding to the pixel group, converting the determined pixel group tone value into the code values for each of the pixel groups, by referring to the first conversion table, decoding the acquired code value into the output dot arrangement for each of the pixel groups, by referring to the second conversion table, and outputting the dot data in response to the output dot arrangement.
US07957024B2
A bookbinding system sets one of a right-opening bookbinding mode for feeding a cover sheet on which a cover is laid out at the left of a spine portion thereof to generate a right-opening book, and a left-opening bookbinding mode for feeding a cover sheet on which a cover is laid out at the right of the spine portion to generate a left-opening book. Also, the bookbinding system executes rotating processing for changing the top-and-bottom directions of image data depending on whether the right-opening bookbinding mode or the left-opening bookbinding mode is set so as to print image data that should be the top page, of image data of multiple pages, on a sheet serving as the top page of body, thereby appropriately generating a right-opening book and a left-opening book.
US07957023B2
A document data producing part produces document data in which first meta data is embedded based on a document template and a data source; a printing part prints the document data in a paper document; a scanning part obtains a scanned image from scanning the paper document after predetermined processing is carried out thereon after the printing, and obtains various sorts of information provided at the time of the scanning as second meta data; and a processing part carries out predetermined processing according to the paper document with reference to the document template, based on the first meta data obtained decoded from the scanned image and the second meta data obtained at the time of scanning.
US07957022B2
An information processing apparatus capable of displaying a predetermined object, such as a file, is configured to allow a plurality of users to access the object. First, a plurality of users are set to a logged-in status. While the plurality of users are set to the logged-in status, one user in the logged-in status and having no access right to an object is permitted to operate the object using an access right of another user in the logged-in status.
US07957017B2
A document managing apparatus includes a determining unit which determines whether a document print image can be generated or not when the document is entered in file managing information in which a data file is entered, the data file constituting the document which is a managing target, a print image generating unit which generates the document print image when the determining unit determines that the document print image can be generated, the document print image being entered as the file in the file managing information, an application start-up unit which starts up an application program according to the document when the determining unit determines that the document print image cannot be generated, and a screen dump generating unit which generates a screen dump of the document entered as the file in the information based on the document displayed on a display unit by the application program started.
US07957014B2
In one embodiment, a system comprises a printer configured to provide one or more print services, one or more processors associated with the printer, and a cellular interface associated with the printer and through which one or more print services can be accessed by a cellular phone. One or more computer-readable media are associated with the printer, and computer-readable instructions on the computer-readable media are executable by the processor(s) to cause the processor(s) to enable the printer to be accessed by a cellular phone and provide one or more print services for a user of the cellular phone.
US07957007B2
A projector that illuminates a scene with multiplexed light patterns includes a passive physical mask, and a set of spatially dispersed optical emitters arranged behind the physical mask. The optical emitters are modulated to project a set of unique optical light patterns.
US07957003B2
The present invention provides a nitrogen analyzing apparatus comprising: a nitrogen concentration measuring device configured to measure the concentration of an nitrogen impurities in a mixed gas including argon and oxygen as main components on the basis of emission intensity of a light emitted from the nitrogen impurities by an electric discharge in a discharge tube and an oxygen concentration of a sample gas introduced into the discharge tube, and a diluting oxygen-introducing device configured to add a diluting oxygen in the sample gas sampled from the mixed gas according to the oxygen concentration of the mixed gas.
US07957002B2
An optical measurement apparatus can be provided, in which the sample is optically measured without loss of the illuminating light with high sensitivity. A glass plate as the transparent member 50 is placed in the interface between the end face 43 of the optical waveguide 40 guiding the illuminating light L generated by the laser light source 20 and the wall face of the capillary 30. According to the above feature, the air layer is prevented from existing in the interface between the end face 43 of the optical fiber 40 and the wall face of the capillary 30, thus the sample S can be optically measured with high sensitivity and few variability without causing the loss of the illuminating light L.
US07957001B2
In one embodiment of the spectroscopy method, the method comprises the steps of modulating the wavelength of a monochromatic radiation at a modulation amplitude and a modulation frequency; determining a first variable representative of an absorbance of an analyte in a sample; and demodulating by phase-sensitive detection the first variable at a harmonic of the modulation frequency to produce a harmonic spectrum of the analyte. In one embodiment of the spectroscopy apparatus, the apparatus comprises a laser diode integrated with a first photodetector configured to detect an intensity of a backward emission from the laser diode and act as a reference detector; a second photodetector configured to detect an intensity of laser radiation exiting a sample; and electronic circuitry coupled to the laser diode and the photodetectors, configured to acquire and process spectra of the sample. In another embodiment, the spectroscopy apparatus comprises a beam splitter configured to split the laser radiation into a first radiation portion and a second radiation portion and a first photodetector configured to detect the intensity of the first radiation portion.
US07956998B2
A method for polarmetric analysis of scattering media. A first step involves directing stimulus from a linearly polarized stimulus source at a sample. A second step involves directing the stimulus coming from the sample through a collimating system into a polarization segregation unit which causes the stimulus to be segregated into a linearly polarized unscattered component and a depolarized scattered component. A third step involves quantification of scattering processes through computationally comparing the unscattered component and the scattered component.
US07956993B2
A method of determining a mean square differential group delay associated with a length of optical fiber. The method including measuring a polarization mode dispersion vector as a function of frequency, using a frequency-domain polarization mode dispersion measurement apparatus. The method also including calculating a second-order polarization mode dispersion vector as a function of frequency by calculating a derivative of the polarization mode dispersion vector with respect to frequency. Also, calculating the mean of the magnitude of the second-order polarization mode dispersion vector to obtain a first result. Further, multiplying a proportionality coefficient by the first result to calculate the mean square differential group delay.
US07956992B2
A method is disclosed for testing optical fiber connection quality of an optical drop fiber between a telecommunications system and a subscriber connection box in a multi-dwelling unit or other subscriber premises before connection to other subscriber equipment. An end of the optical fiber to be tested is placed in a fiber-holding device, which holds the fiber end in alignment with a suitable reflective body. An optical signal is provided from the system direction which is reflected by the reflective body back towards the system. The reflected signal is detected by a suitable instrument, preferably an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR), to confirm acceptable signaling quality of the optical path between the system and the fiber end.
US07956990B2
A biochip for implementing analysis on the basis of the distribution of a quantity of light of fluorescent light generated at sites disposed thereon, the biochip having, markers formed thereon and defined previously in a positional relationship relative to the sites; and a processor for recognizing positions of the sites on the biochip on the basis of the positions of the markers, wherein the markers are formed of at least one of dyes, pigment, metal colloid bonded to biopolymer, dyes bonded to biopolymer, and pigment bonded to biopolymer.
US07956987B2
A measurement apparatus includes a polarization controller which controls polarization of light, a wavefront dividing unit which divides a wavefront of the light, a polarizing unit which polarizes the light, a detector which detects the light, a first driving unit which moves the wavefront dividing unit with respect to the detector, a second driving unit which moves the polarizing unit with respect to the detector, and a processor which calculates the optical characteristics of the detection target using a detection results obtained when the wavefront dividing unit is positioned in the optical path and a detection result obtained when the wavefront dividing unit is positioned outside the optical path.
US07956983B2
Example embodiments of the present invention may provide exposure equipment having an auxiliary photo mask. The exposure equipment may include a light source and a first photo mask spaced apart from the light source by a desired distance. A second photo mask may include a third region and a fourth region. An exposure method using the exposure equipment also may be provided.
US07956963B2
A pixel structure for a transflective LCD having a transparent region and a reflective region is provided. The pixel structure includes a transparent substrate, a TFT, at least one reflective structure, a passivation layer, a pixel electrode and a reflective layer. The TFT is disposed in a reflective region of the transparent substrate. The reflective structure is configured at one side of the TFT, and located in the reflective region of the transparent substrate. The passivation layer is disposed over the transparent substrate and covers the TFT and the reflective structure. The pixel electrode is disposed above the TFT and the reflective structure, and is at least located in a transparent region. The pixel electrode is electrically connected to the TFT. The reflective layer is disposed above the TFT and the reflective structure, and is located in the reflective region.
US07956957B2
An object is to provide a display device with high contrast ratio. Another object is to manufacture such a high-performance display device at low cost. In a display device having a display element interposed between a pair of light-transmitting substrates, a stack of polarizer-including layers in a parallel nicol state is provided outside each of the light-transmitting substrates. Here, transmission axes of polarizers that are stacked in the stack on one side of the display element and transmission axes of polarizers that are stacked in the stack on another side of the display element are arranged to be displaced from a cross nicol state. Also, a retardation film may be provided between the polarizers that are stacked and the substrate.
US07956956B2
An ECB-mode liquid crystal display device having a pair of substrates 9 and 12, a liquid crystal layer 11, a pair of polarizing plates (1,3,5) (16,18,20) and at least one optically anisotropic layer 7 and/or 14, wherein they are disposed such that the absorption axes 4 and 19 of the polarizing films 3 and 18 in the polarizing plates are parallel or vertical to the left-rightward direction of the screen of the display device. The orientation axes 10 and 13 of the substrates 9 and 12 and the orientation axes 8 and 15 of the optically anisotropic layers 7 and 14 preferably cross the absorption axes 4 and 19 of the polarizing films 3 and 18 of the adjacent polarizing plates at an angle of 45°.
US07956950B2
In a liquid crystal display, an adhesion layer is provided between an insulating substrate and a wiring feature having very low resistance (e.g. a copper gate line). The adhesion layer may have a thickness of 190 to 210 nm. Good adhesion and high light transmittance can be obtained.
US07956949B2
An array substrate in a liquid crystal display device includes a gate electrode, a gate line and a gate pad on a substrate, wherein the gate electrode, the gate line and the gate pad have a double-layered structure consisting of a first metal layer and a first barrier metal layer in series from the substrate, and wherein the first metal is one of aluminum and aluminum alloy; a gate insulation laver; an active layer and an ohmic contact layer; a data line, source and drain electrodes, and a data pad each having a double-layered structure consisting of a second barrier metal layer and a second metal layer of copper; a passivation layer; and a pixel electrode, a gate pad terminal and a data pad terminal on the passivation layer formed of a transparent conductive material.
US07956945B2
An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate having a display region and a non-display region at a periphery of the display region; a gate line, a data line, a thin film transistor and a pixel electrode on the substrate and in the display region; a drive integrated circuit on the substrate and in the non-display region; first and second test pads at both sides of the drive integrated circuit, respectively; a common voltage line on the substrate and along edges of the non-display region; and first and second static electricity protecting units on the substrate and in the display region, the first static electricity protecting unit connecting the first test pad with the common voltage line, and the second static electricity protecting unit connecting the second test pad with the common voltage line.
US07956922B2
A viewfinder includes a main body detachably attached to a camera body, a display unit on which an image captured at the camera body is displayed, and an eyepiece unit detachably attached to the display unit. The eyepiece unit magnifies the image. The display unit includes a support connected to the main body in a rotatable manner, a display panel having a display surface on which the image is displayed, and a connecting mechanism that connects the display panel to the support in a rotatable manner. The support and the display panel can be set to a first folded state in which a rear surface of the display panel that is opposite to the display surface is placed on the support, a second folded state in which the display surface is placed on the support, and an unfolded state in which the display panel is raised from the support.
US07956920B2
A transfer pulse generator circuit for outputting a vertical register transfer pulse includes transfer pulse control circuit for controlling to set rise and fall timings of the vertical register transfer pulse to desired timings in a predetermined period.
US07956919B2
When a signal is read from a CCD solid-state image pickup element, the CCD solid-state image pickup element is driven with at least two driving voltages so that high-speed reading is performed with generation of noise due to interference between the driving voltages reduced. The CCD solid-state image includes a charge storage section between a vertical transfer register and a horizontal transfer register. By performing the transfer of charge in the direction of columns during an effective transfer period of the transfer in the direction of rows, signal charge of one row generated by a light receiving sensor is transferred to the charge storage section, and by performing the transfer outside the effective transfer period in the transfer in the direction of the row, the signal charge of one row transferred to the charge storage section is transferred to the horizontal transfer register.
US07956910B2
An apparatus and method for correcting an edge are provided. The apparatus includes a luminance corrector obtaining a corrected luminance value of a center pixel in a first window of a predetermined size, the first window located at the edge of the input image, by using weights assigned according to a luminance difference between the center pixel and each of a plurality of adjacent pixels in the first window or a predetermined difference of variance (DoV) value representing the degree of uniformity in the luminance between the center pixel and each of the plurality of adjacent pixels; and a chrominance corrector correcting a chrominance value of the edge using weights assigned according to a luminance difference between a center pixel and a plurality of adjacent pixels to the center pixel in a second window of a predetermined size based on the corrected luminance value.
US07956906B2
An image correction apparatus comprises a sample image memory configured to store sample images corresponding to types of objects, a display unit configured to display the sample images stored in the sample image memory unit to make a user select one of the sample images, and a corrector configured to correct an image read from a storage based on a type of a sample image selected by the user.
US07956904B2
A method of reproducing an image file from a recording medium that stores an image file of a first type and/or an image file of a second type includes reproducing the first type of image file or second type of image file, detecting whether each of a predetermined number of image files stored on the recording medium is the first type of image file or the second type of image file during the reproduction of an image file, and converting the second type of image file to the first type of image file by reading the main image data from the second type of image file, generating display-image data (image data for display use) based on the read main image data, and storing the generated display-image data in the original image file if the image file is determined to be the second type of image file based on the detection result. The first type of image file is an image file containing a header, main image data, and display-image data, and storing the display-image data in an area other than an area storing the header. The second type of image file is an image file containing a header and main image data, and storing no display-image data in an area other than an area storing the header. The image files of predetermined number being image files that can be reproduced when reproduction is done in the forward and/or reverse direction from the image file being reproduced.
US07956898B2
A digital image stabilization method that integrates a digital stabilization device and a digital video encoder is disclosed. The digital stabilization device comprises a determining module for determining background regions, a comparison module for calculating motion vectors, and an adjustment module for adjusting jerky image motion in frames. When there are frame jiggles, the motion vector between an I frame and a P frame is used for motion estimation to get a first motion vector and also define a background region of the P frame. Next, a second motion vector of a B frame is calculated according to the background region to adjust jerky motion of the P frame and the B frame for stabilization. The next P frame then uses the background region of the preceding P frame as its background region.
US07956893B2
A method of indexing final pitching shots for each batter in a video recording of a baseball game is disclosed. The method includes locating pitching video frames in the video, identifying individual pitching shots contained in the video, determining which of the pitching shots is a final pitching shot for each batter in the baseball game, and creating an index of the final pitching shots.
US07956889B2
Viewing a three dimensional area from numerous camera angles at different exposures using intensity and chromaticity data at the different exposures to create a pixel model for each pixel. A current image is compared with the background model to find pixels that have changed from their pixel model. These novel pixels are processed using contiguous region detection and grouped into foreground figures. For each camera, software extracts features from each foreground figure. A central processor maintains an object model for each foreground figure. A graphical user interface displays the relative locations of foreground figures in a world model. The location and identification of the foreground figures is checked against a table of permissions so as to selectively generate an alert. If a figure leaves or is about to leave a cell, the invention accounts for its approximate position and notifies adjacent cells of the expected arrival of the foreground figure.
US07956886B2
A stereoscopic camera includes a master camera for photoelectric conversion of object light to generate a first image signal with three color components G, R and B. A slave camera generates a second image signal. In an adjusting method, a first gain Dmr, Dmg and Dmb of the color components is determined according to the first image signal to correct a brightness level and white balance of the master camera, to adjust the first image signal by use thereof. A second gain Dsr, Dsg and Dsb of the color components is determined according to the first gain and color calibration information predetermined according to color sensitivity of the master and slave cameras in relation to the color components. The second image signal is adjusted by use thereof, for color matching between the first and second image signals to set equal the brightness level and the white balance.
US07956884B2
In an optical scanning device employing a multi-beam scanning method, a surface emitting laser light source includes laser emission sources; a parallel-plate-like quarter wavelength plate is arranged between the surface emitting laser light source and a first optical system; a light-intensity detecting unit separates light intensity of the laser beams of which form is converted by the first optical system and detects separated laser beams; and a light-intensity adjusting unit adjusts emission intensity of the laser emission sources individually based on a detection result by the light-intensity detecting unit. The quarter wavelength plate is arranged so that an optical axis thereof is tilted ±45 degrees with respect to the main-scanning direction around an optical axis of the first optical system.
US07956881B2
A printing apparatus includes a takeup reel driving motor which, after printing, takes up an ink ribbon to eliminate a slack in the ink ribbon. The printing apparatus includes a control device for comparing a distance (a) over which the ink ribbon R is taken up to eliminate the slack in the ink ribbon R with a distance (b) from a print end position to a print start position for a next color.
US07956879B2
An image forming apparatus includes a main body frame; an image formation section contained in the main body frame that forms an image on a recording medium; an ejection mechanism contained in the main body frame that ejects the recording medium on which an image has been formed to an ejection section on the upper surface of the main body frame; an image scanning device mounted on the ejection section that scans the image of a document; and an operation section provided on the upstream side in the ejection direction of the recording medium in the ejection section that operates the image scanning device; wherein sides and the backside of the ejection section being opened viewed from the operation section side.
US07956878B2
In display systems employing spatial light modulators, the OFF-state light from OFF-state pixels of the spatial light modulator can be captured and directed back to the pixels of the spatial light modulator so as to recycle the OFF-state light in the display system. Bitplanes derived from the desired image to be produced are calibrated to include the recycled off-state light to properly produce the desired image using the display system.
US07956862B2
Camera motion is determined in a three-dimensional image capture system using a combination of two-dimensional image data and three-dimensional point cloud data available from a stereoscopic, multi-aperture, or similar camera system. More specifically, a rigid transformation of point cloud data between two three-dimensional point clouds may be more efficiently parameterized using point correspondence established between two-dimensional pixels in source images for the three-dimensional point clouds.
US07956857B2
A light modulator such as an SLM, in which the pixel data array is decoupled from the pixel display array. The pixel data array can be located externally, permitting significant reduction in the circuitry present under each pixel of the display, in turn permitting significant reduction in display pixel size and independent scaling of memory cell size and display cell size.
US07956854B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel containing data lines; a driving circuit configured to generate a data signal in response to a first pixel data of k (k is an natural number) bits and to supply the data signal to one of the data lines; and a capacitor. A switch circuit connects or disconnects the data line to or from the capacitor in response to upper m bits (m is a natural number smaller than k) of the first pixel data.
US07956852B2
An information display system includes a position indicating apparatus that indicates a position and an information display apparatus that displays information and is connected to the position indicating apparatus so as to communicate with the position indicating apparatus. The position indicating apparatus includes: a detecting unit that detects an indicated position; a first storage unit that stores the detected position; and a transmitting unit that transmits positional information indicating the stored position. The information display apparatus includes: a display unit that displays content; a receiving unit that receives the transmitted positional information; an associating unit that associates the positional information with the content; and a second storage unit that stores the positional information and the content associated with each other.
US07956851B2
An untethered device is configured to inductively couple to a source device. The source device includes a driver circuit configured to generate a varying magnetic field and comprising a drive coil circuit. A phase detector is coupled to the driver circuit and configured to detect a phase of an input impedance of the driver circuit in response to the source device inductively coupling with the resonant circuit of the untethered device. A controller is coupled to the phase detector and the driver circuit, and is configured to adjust a frequency of a source voltage applied to the driver circuit in response to an output signal of the phase detector. The controller adjusts the source voltage frequency so that the phase of the input impedance as indicated by the output signal of the phase detector is substantially zero.
US07956845B2
An apparatus and method for providing a virtual graffiti function and a recording medium for the same. The apparatus for providing a virtual graffiti function includes: a touch-screen display for displaying information on its screen, and at the same time receiving user-entry data created by a user touching the screen; and a controller connected to the touch-screen display, which overlaps a graffiti screen image with a main screen image in a virtual graffiti area for providing a portion of the screen with virtual graffiti, classifies the user-entry data created by the user touching the screen into application execution entry data and graffiti entry data according to the touched position and/or method, and processes the classified user-entry data differently from each other. Therefore, the apparatus can effectively implement a graffiti function in a hand-held device limited in size, and can also provide an effective recording medium.
US07956837B2
A method for eliminating shadow around a support pin of an LED backlight is provided. The method includes determining a luminance value for the plurality of LEDs according to a gray level distribution of pixels around the support pin, and setting the plurality of LEDs to the luminance value. The method may also include adjusting gray levels of related pixels according to the luminance profile of pixels around the support pin.
US07956836B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which can effectively reduce electromagnetic radiation caused by clock signals or data signals. In a liquid crystal display device, a timing controller outputs a clock signal and a reverse clock signal. The clock signal and the reverse clock signal are transmitted to a clock signal line and a reverse clock signal line arranged in parallel to each other. The clock signal line is connected to normal terminals of data driver ICs, and the reverse clock signal line is connected to dummy terminals of the data driver ICs.
US07956832B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel DP in which liquid crystal pixels PX are connected to a source line X via pixel switching elements, and a display control circuit CNT which performs non-video signal writing for driving the source line X according to a non-video signal and applying the potential of the source line X to one of the liquid crystal pixels PX via a selected one of the pixel switching elements T and performs video signal writing for driving the source line X according to a video signal and applying the potential of the source line X to one of the liquid crystal pixels PX via a selected one of the pixel switching elements T. The display control circuit CNT is configured to provide a precharge period between a non-video signal writing period in which the non-video signal writing is performed and a video signal writing period in which video signal writing is initially performed after the non-video signal writing and transition the potential of the source line X to a level which is close to an intermediate gradation display level corresponding to a video signal in the precharge period.
US07956822B2
This specification discloses a mounting mechanism for a display portion onto the head in which the movement range of a wearer is not restricted and it becomes possible to make the display portion follow the head. This mounting mechanism has a head mounting portion for mounting the display portion on the head, a weight supporting portion mounted on any other body portion than the head for supporting part of the weight of the head mounting portion, and a connecting member for connecting the head mounting portion and the weight supporting portion together so that the head mounting portion may be movable following the movement of the head.
US07956818B1
An leaky coaxial cable antenna with high radiation efficiency and low insertion loss is described. The outer shield of the coaxial cable is constructed to facilitate energy transfer between the bifilar mode and the monofilar mode by constructing the outer conductor of a first conductive strip wrapped in a spiral about the dielectric and a plurality of second conductive strips wrapped in a counter spiral about the first but spaced serially along the length of the coaxial cable such that portions of the cable are wrapped by a single spiral and the other portions are wrapped by two spirals.
US07956815B2
A low-profile antenna structure can control its directivity with great flexibility. Excited elements 11 and 12 are symmetrically arranged on a y-axis, whereas parasitic elements 13 and 14 are symmetrically arranged on an x-axis, with respect to an origin. The excited elements, as well as the parasitic elements, each have an inverted-F antenna structure and are a distance of λ/4 apart from each other. Feed circuits 21 and 22 are respectively connected to and feed signals to the excited elements 11 and 12, such that phases of the signals to be fed are different from each other by a desired degree. Variable reactors 23 and 24 (i) are respectively connected to the parasitic elements 13 and 14, and (ii) in accordance with reactance values thereof, can each change an electrical length of the corresponding one of the parasitic elements.
US07956806B2
Systems and methods are provided for orienting an antenna in a communications system on a mobile platform to orient a peak of the antenna pattern in a direction associated with a signal source. A signal from a signal source is received at the antenna. A signal strength is measured from the received signal. A signal strength and a misalignment of the antenna along at least one axis are predicted according to a previous estimate of the signal strength, a previous estimate of the misalignment of the antenna, an estimated change in the signal strength, and a known change in the antenna orientation. The predicted signal strength and misalignment of the antenna are updated according to the measured signal strength to provide an estimate of a current misalignment of the antenna. The orientation of the peak of the antenna pattern is adjusted according to the estimated current misalignment of the antenna.
US07956800B2
A mobile communication terminal 10A, in a process of acquiring assistance information in advance for using for a GPS position measuring at step S10, makes a judgment of whether or not the assistance information is to be acquired, prior to the GPS position measuring command by a user. When a result of this judgment is affirmative, the terminal 10A transmits an assistance information request to a position measuring assistance server 50. When the assistance information is returned from the position measuring assistance server 50 in response to this the assistance information request, in the cellular phone 10A, the assistance information is received and stored, and then prepared for a command for position measuring by the user, for which possibility of being made is higher in a short period. As a result, it is possible to perform quickly the position measuring of a current location of the mobile communication terminal.
US07956796B2
A system according to the invention detects location information of a vehicle by using a reflection strength change of an electromagnetic wave. The system incorporates a radiowave transmitter which emits a first radiowave, positional markers which generate unique reflection strengths and patterns of temporal changes in the reflection strength from the emitted first radiowave at respective absolute positions, a radiowave receiver which receives a second radiowave reflected by the positional marker and converts the second radiowave into a signal format for extracting location information to output the same, and a marker recognition device which obtains a location of the vehicle from the output of the radiowave receiver. Accordingly, a highly-precise location specification with a resolution smaller than or equal to 1 cm and a highly-reliable location specification which is not affected by slip and slide of the vehicle's wheels can be realized.
US07956785B2
The present invention relates to a digital to analog converter, to a return-to-zero digital to analog converter with improved wideband characteristics by enabling a return-to-zero output without separate clock and controller, and a converting method thereof. Since the return-to-zero digital to analog converter and the converting method thereof are capable of outputting an RZ output without directly providing a clock signal to an analog circuit by configuring a switch for generating a zero point signal and a differential pipeline for providing a differential signal to control the switch according to input digital data using a differential structure, the converter can provide wideband characteristics and high dynamic performance.
US07956775B2
A backward compression system and a backward compression method are provided. By using the system and the method, under limited memory space, a relationship between input data and previous data is identified in real time, the input data or previous data is encoded according to the relationship, and the order of data output is such that the encoded data is output first and the complete data is output second. When the output data is stored in circular memory and the memory gets full, the oldest encoded data is overwritten first, and the complete data is not overwritten until all the related encoded data is overwritten. Therefore, more original data can be preserved after decompression. Thus, system signals can be compressed and utilization of limited memory space can be improved.
US07956765B2
There is provided a message image display device enabling a user to grasp a content of each massage image when a plurality of message images are displayed. A display control unit (76) causes a display unit (82) to display a screen containing a plurality of message images. A judging unit (78) judges whether display of at least a part of a message image is limited by one or more other message images. A display-time determining unit (84) determines a display time of each of message images according to the judgment result of the judging unit (78). The display control unit (76) displays each of the message images over the display time of the message image determined by the display-time determining unit (84).
US07956763B2
A faulted circuit indicator device for mounting on an overhead conductor cable for electrical power distribution systems to detect an abnormally high electric current therein includes a housing having an enclosure formed therein and current sensing circuitry for detecting the presence of the abnormally high electric current in the cable. An indication unit is responsive to the current sensing circuitry to produce a visual indication in the presence of the abnormally high electrical current. A clamping mechanism formed of a yoke and a pair of opposed pressure plates is disposed above the housing for securely mounting the cable therein to detect the abnormally high electric current. Compression springs are provided for resiliently urging the pair of opposed pressure plates upwardly for automatically trapping the cable in a fixed central position between the yoke and the pair of opposed pressure plates.
US07956760B2
A water leakage monitoring and response system for residential and commercial use. A flexible, elongated moisture sensor strip for placement on a floor or adjacent a baseboard or plumbing fixture comprises flexible upper and lower wires separated by a water permeable, nonconductive layer, and nonconductive upper and lower layers that extend away from the wires to form margins for attaching the strip to a surface and for wicking moisture toward the wires. Alternatively, the wires are laterally spaced-apart within the strip and/or the strip assumes the form of a pad to cover a surface area. In use, a plurality of strips/pads are wired to input jacks of a battery-powered electronic interface unit that provides audible and visual signals when moisture shorts the wires in the strips/pads. The unit also provides audible warning of low-battery power and can signal a home security system when a leak is detected.
US07956756B2
The present apparatus and method for using the same detects Rapid Eye Movement (REM) in a sleeping mammal and awakens the mammal after the cessation of a specific episode of REM. The system comprises an alarm setting unit for setting a predetermined wakeup time, a data collection unit for collecting physiological data from the mammal over time, a processing unit for determining the occurrence and cessation of REM and for providing a stimulation signal for awakening the mammal within a prescribed window of time before the predetermined wakeup time and after the cessation of REM and after the mammal's nadir in body temperature with respect to time.
US07956755B2
Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus to induce sound sleep and waking, selecting a protocol to control a sound sleep and waking environment depending on a sleep type selected by a user; adjusting the sleep environment of the user according to the selected protocol; determining a sleep state of the user by measuring physiological signals of the user during sleep in the sleep environment using a sensor which does not contact a body of the user; detecting variation in the physiological signals of the user; and re-adjusting the sleep environment by changing parameters of the protocol depending on the detected variation in the physiological signals. As a result, there is an advantage in that it is possible to naturally induce sound sleep and waking.
US07956752B2
An electronic seal (100), housing (1) for a transponder (200), which may form part of an electronic seal (100) and a transponder device is provided. The electronic seal (100) has a sealing mechanism (5). A transponder receptacle (50), and an actuator (4) are provided by or with the housing (1). The actuator (4) is actuated upon engagement of the sealing mechanism (5) to render the transponder (200) operable. The transponder receptacle (50) may hold the transponder (200) so as to extend into three planes.
US07956740B2
An alarm system validates values of configuration variables, such as a programmed account code. If the variable(s) is/are not programmed upon exiting system programming, an audible and/or visual indication of such is provided. This may result in a decrease of the number of events signaled to a central station by alarm systems that are not programmed with the correct account code.
US07956727B2
A method of monitoring a patient's compliance with a medication regimen may include identifying a patient, identifying a medication prescribed to the patient and determining one or more intake times associated with the medication. For each intake time, an alert reminding the patient to take the medication may be generated, and the alert may be transmitted to a mobile device associated with the patient. Receipt of the alert by the mobile device may trigger one or more of an audible alarm, a visual alarm and a tactile alarm on the mobile device. If an indication of compliance is not received from the mobile device within a predefined period of time, a caregiver associated with the patient may be notified.
US07956723B2
A digital communication system is disclosed, that allows a display of override content to interrupt a display of ongoing content on one or more display units. Ongoing content, such as advertisements, news, entertainment, or other relevant information, is provided on the display units until an urgent or security-related alert is required, and display of override content becomes necessary. Override content can include information relevant to the security of a passenger or passer-by viewing the display. Override content can relate to security threats such as accidents, major delays, fire, missing children, terrorist activity, or other content deemed adequately pertinent to warrant interrupting the display of ongoing content.
US07956720B2
A remote control system for a vehicle is disclosed. The system comprises a mobile device that transmits a signal ordering the vehicle to perform an opening operation, and an in-vehicle electronic device that performs the opening operation in response to the signal. In the system, the in-vehicle electronic device includes a determination part that determines whether a manipulation mode of the mobile device should be set; and a setting part that sets the manipulation mode of the mobile device in accordance with the determination result.
US07956719B2
An arrangement for handling communication messages in a building control system includes a communication circuit and a control device. The communication circuit is operable to provide a first message on a communication network to a remote building control system device and to receive a responsive message generated by a remote building control system device responsive to the first message. The communication circuit is further operable to perform a first operation if the responsive message is received within a first time-out period and to perform a second operation if the responsive message is received after a first time-out period has expired. The control device is operable to generate a plurality of different time-out period values corresponding to a plurality of building control system devices and to provide information identifying the plurality of different time-out period values and their corresponding building control system devices to the communication circuit.
US07956717B2
A circuit for trimming a thermally-trimmable resistor, measuring a temperature coefficient of resistance of the thermally-trimmable resistor, and annealing a thermally-trimmable resistor post-trimming, the circuit comprising: a thermally-isolated area on a substrate housing the thermally-trimmable resistor; heating circuitry for applying a signal to a heating resistor; and a constant-power module adapted to maintain power dissipated in the heating resistor substantially constant over a duration of the signal by varying at least one parameter of the signal as a result of a change in resistance of the heating resistor during the signal.
US07956710B2
An electromagnetic relay is structured such that a base includes a movable contact piece and a fixed contact piece. A movable contact point included in the movable contact piece is connected to and disconnected from a fixed contact point included in the fixed contact piece by operating the movable contact piece via a card. At least any one of the base and the card includes a guide portion for guiding the card in a freely reciprocating manner with respect to the base. The card includes a guide protruding portion and a pressing portion for pressing the movable contact piece to elastically deform the movable contact piece. The movable contact piece includes a guide portion in a side portion of the movable contact point. The guide portion includes a guide hole into which the guide protruding portion is inserted, a pressure receiving portion positioned at an opposite side to the movable contact point with respect to the guide hole and pressed by the pressing portion, and a reinforcing portion for preventing plastic deformation at a time of being pressed by the pressing portion. The guide hole maintains a non-contact state of the card during the reciprocating motion.
US07956706B2
A multiband filtering apparatus (40) for use in a communications system, said apparatus including a housing (21); a plurality of cavities (22.1, 22.2) disposed within said housing wherein each cavity includes a resonant structure, the resonant structure having at least one ceramic element (23.1, 23.2); at least one input port (27) coupled to a first resonator of said plurality of resonators; at least one output port (28) coupled to a second resonator of said plurality of resonators; and a closure member (25) adapted to engage said housing (21) and cap said cavities.
US07956698B2
A high-frequency voltage-Controlled oscillation circuit which does not oscillate abnormally, is improved in phase noise, and has a small circuit scale. A phase shift circuit composed of third or more order odd π low-Pass filter and capacitive variable-reactance elements (D1, D2) connected to the input and output of the low-pass filter in series respectively is inserted in a feedback loop of a transistor of an oscillation amplifier circuit. The low-pass filter is composed of an inductive reactance element (L3) connected to the feedback loop in series and capacitive variable-reactance elements (D4, D5) parallel connected to the input and Output of the inductive reactance element (L3). The inductive reactance element (L3) is a C-Shaped, a donut-Shaped, or a U-Shaped microstrip line. Thus, a high-frequency voltage-Controlled oscillation circuit is realized.
US07956692B2
There is provided a wide-band amplifier circuit with improved gain flatness. The wide-band amplifier circuit includes a first resonant load unit connected to an operating power terminal, providing a preset first load, and forming a preset first resonant point, a second resonant load unit connected to the operating power terminal, providing a preset second load, and forming a second resonant point set to a frequency different from the first resonant point; a first amplification unit receiving operating power via the first load of the first resonant load unit, having an amplification band characteristic determined according to the first resonant point of the first resonant load unit, and amplifying an input signal; and a second amplification unit receiving operating power via the second load, having an amplification band characteristic determined according to the second resonant point, and amplifying an input signal from the first amplification unit.
US07956688B2
Embodiments of the invention include a common mode cancellation circuit and method for correcting signal skew in a differential circuit. According to one embodiment, an op amp circuit is used to correct the mismatch between transmission line lengths in the differential circuit. The CMCC can be embodied as an ASIC and added on to an existing differential signaling systems to correct and compensate for board wiring skew or other causes of phase misalignment. The result is restoration of the cross-over intersection of the plus and minus signals of the differential pair closer to the common voltage level point, as if the signals had been in phase.
US07956682B2
An amplifier including a first transistor including a gate coupled to an input terminal and a grounded source; a load resistor provided between a drain of the first transistor and a power supply; an output terminal coupled to a node between the drain of the first transistor and the load resistor; a feedback path coupled to the input terminal and the output terminal and including a resistor and a capacitor; a bias voltage generator applying a gate bias voltage to the gate of the first transistor in response to an enable signal; a supply resistor provided between an output node for the gate bias voltage of the bias voltage generator and the gate of the first transistor; and an enable switch lowering a resistance value between the output node for the gate bias voltage and a node in the feedback path.
US07956681B2
A class D amplifier includes a noise-shaping modulator, a pulse width modulator, and a pulse amplifier. The noise-shaping modulator receive a pulse code modulated (PCM) signal and produces an oversampled PCM signal. The pulse width modulator produce a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal from the oversampled PCM signal. The pulse amplifier amplifies the PWM signal to produce an amplified PWM signal. The PWM uses a lookup table to convert from PCM to PWM. A compensation circuit optimizes amplifier performance. An optional demodulator filter converts the amplified PWM signal to an analog signal. The amplifier is ideal for integrated audio applications.
US07956678B2
A power-off controlling circuit and a power-off controlling method that control power-off of an integrated circuit based on the size of leakage currents. The power-off controlling circuit includes a model circuit section that includes a model circuit made by modeling a basic circuit of an integrated circuit, a voltage comparing circuit section that compares an output voltage charged by a leakage current occurred at the model circuit and a preset reference voltage, a decision circuit section that measures an arrival time until the output voltage reaches the reference voltage from the compared result and decides a size of the leakage current from the measured result, and a power-off controlling circuit section that controls power-off of the integrated circuit on the basis of the decided size of the leakage current.
US07956673B2
An embodiment of a variable stage charge pump includes a plurality of pump stages. Each stage is configured to generate an intermediate boosted output voltage. A pump stage selector selects the number of charge pump stages to be coupled between an input and output terminal of the variable stage charge pump. The pump stage selector may control a plurality of switches to select the number of stages. For example, two stages may be coupled in parallel and the parallel combination coupled in series to a third stage, resulting in a two stage charge pump. For a three stage charge pump, all three stages are coupled in series.
US07956672B2
A reference voltage generating circuit includes a resistance dividing circuit formed with resistors connected in series. This circuit includes: a first power supply circuit that is formed with field effect transistors, and outputs voltage having a negative temperature coefficient with respect to a change in environmental temperature; a source follower circuit that includes a first field effect transistor connected to the gate of the first power supply circuit, and the resistance dividing circuit formed with the resistors that are connected in series between the drain and ground of the first field effect transistor and between the source of the first field effect transistor and power supply voltage, and adjusts the deviation in the negative temperature coefficient of the voltage that is output from the first power supply circuit; and a second power supply circuit that is connected to the source follower circuit, is formed with field effect transistors, generates voltage having a positive temperature coefficient with respect to a change in environmental temperature, and outputs voltage having the deviation in temperature coefficient compensated for.
US07956669B2
A new power gating structure with robust data retention capability using only one single double-gate device to provide both power gating switch and virtual supply/ground diode clamp functions. The scheme reduces the transistor count, area, and capacitance of the power gating structure, thus improving circuit performance, power, and leakage. The scheme is compared with the conventional power gating structure via mixed-mode physics-based two-dimensional numerical simulations. Analysis of virtual supply/ground bounce for the proposed scheme is also presented.
US07956667B2
Provided is a power voltage forming device which can correct an offset voltage of a high-frequency power amplifier without degrading distortion characteristic of a high-frequency power amplifier. The power voltage forming device (100) includes: a level adjusting unit (103) which adjusts the level of input data subjected to analog conversion, according to an output level control value for controlling the output level of the high-frequency power amplifier (200); an analog adder (104) which performs analog addition of the offset data subjected to the analog conversion, to the signal after the level adjustment; a digital adder (101) which performs digital addition of the offset data to the input data before the analog conversion; and a selection unit (106) which selects whether to perform addition by the analog adder (104) or addition by the digital adder (101) according to the output level control value.
US07956659B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a first clock buffer for outputting a first internal clock signal in response to an inverted signal of the system clock signal and for correcting a duty cycle ratio of the first internal clock signal in response to a control signal; a second clock buffer for outputting a second internal clock signal in response to the system clock signal and for correcting a duty cycle ratio of the second internal clock signal in response to the control signal; an analog duty cycle correction circuit for outputting the control signal corresponding to the duty cycle ratio of the first and second internal clock signals; a mixing circuit for mixing the first and second internal clock signals and for outputting a third internal clock signal whose duty cycle is corrected; and a DLL circuit for outputting a delay-locked clock signal by using the third internal clock signal.
US07956657B2
A time delay apparatus for generating a plurality of phase shifted signals is described comprising a phase tuner generating a phase control signal and a phase interpolator receiving at least one digital signal and generating the plurality of phase shifted signals by phase shifting the digital signal according to the phase control signal.
US07956652B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit has a sampling circuit which samples a potential of an input terminal, a dynamic comparator having a standby and a comparison mode which compares the potential of the input terminal and a reference potential, a switch for input signals connected between the input terminal and the dynamic comparator, a capacitor for comparator having one end connected between the switch for input signals and the dynamic comparator and another end connected to a fixed potential, and a timing control circuit which controls a timing to sample by sampling circuit, a timing to switch modes of dynamic comparator, and a timing to make switch for input signals conducting or blocking state. The timing control circuit makes the switch for input signals blocking state from conducting state before the dynamic comparator switches from standby mode to comparison mode, and terminates sampling by sampling circuit after switching modes.
US07956651B2
A method and circuit for detecting a current and compensating for an offset voltage. The circuit includes two comparators where one of the comparators has two input terminals and the other comparator has three input terminals. An input terminal of each of the two comparators are commonly connected together, the other input terminal of the two-input comparator is coupled for receiving a first reference voltage, and a second input terminal of the three-input comparator is coupled for receiving a second reference voltage. During a first portion of the period of a sense signal the two comparators operate in a sensing mode and during a second portion of the period of the sense signal the comparator having the three input terminals operate in a current nullification mode or an offset voltage compensation mode. An offset compensation signal is generated during the second portion of the sense signal.
US07956645B2
Low power high-speed output driver. An array of switches (some of which are inverting switches whose connectivity is governed oppositely as the control signal provided to it) is implemented such that an input signal governs the connectivity of those switches. A resistor is coupled between the nodes interposed between the switches of the array, and an output signal is taken from the nodes at ends of the resistor. The high voltage level of such an output driver is truly the level of the power supply energizing the circuit (e.g., VDD) while still consuming relatively low power.
US07956640B2
A digital radio frequency switch system and method, adapted to receive a plurality of inputs, generate a plurality of outputs, and simultaneously route a plurality of inputs to any of a plurality of outputs, comprising an array comprising a plurality of inputs, having a plurality of associated clocks; a digital control input adapted to receive a signal indicative of a mapping between at least one of said inputs and at least one respective output; a digital logic array, responsive to said digital control input for simultaneously communicating a plurality of signals each corresponding to one of the plurality of inputs and a respective associated clock to at least one of said outputs indicated by the digital control input; and an array of the outputs, each adapted to present a regenerated signal corresponding to one of the plurality of inputs and a respective associated synchronized regenerated clock maintaining accurate relative timing therebetween.
US07956635B2
A stiffener assembly for use with testing devices is provided herein. In some embodiments, a stiffener for use with testing devices includes an inner member; an outer member disposed in a predominantly spaced apart relation to the inner member; and a plurality of alignment mechanisms for orienting the inner and outer members with respect to each other, wherein the alignment mechanisms transfer forces applied to a lower surface of the inner member to the outer member and provide the predominant conductive heat transfer passageway between the inner and outer members.
US07956633B2
Systems and methods for providing a stack with a guard plane embedded in the stack are disclosed. An electrical apparatus can be made by forming a stack comprising an electrically conductive signal structure, an electrical guard structure, and an electrically insulating structure disposed between the signal structure and the guard structure. The signal structure, insulating structure, and guard structure can be aligned one with another in the stack.
US07956628B2
A chip-based prober for measuring a device-under-test is provided. The prober includes a probe tip, a voltage and control connector, a chip carrier, and a programmable termination chip. The probe tip is configured to contact the device-under-test. The voltage and control connector is in electrical communication with the probe tip. The programmable termination chip has a plurality of terminations interconnected with the voltage and control connector and the chip carrier through controlled collapsed chip connections.
US07956619B2
A device has built-in inductive load testing capabilities. The device includes a device housing, an inductive load disposed within the device housing; and test circuitry disposed within the device housing. The test circuitry is constructed and arranged to effectuate application of a modulated test signal to the inductive load, and obtain a result signal in response to the application of the modulated test signal to the inductive load. The test circuitry is further constructed and arranged to generate an output signal indicating that the inductive load is in one of (i) a shorted inductive load state, (ii) a normal inductive load state, and (iii) an abnormally high inductive load state, based on the result signal. Such test circuitry is well-suited for testing a variety of devices having inductors/coils which are susceptible to defects (e.g., a solenoid, a motor winding, various actuator components, etc.).
US07956616B2
A system and method for measuring a cable resistance in a power over Ethernet (PoE) application. A short circuit module in a powered device is designed to produce a short circuit effect upon receipt of a cable resistance detection voltage. The cable resistance detection voltage can be designed to be greater than a voltage for detection or classification and less than a voltage for powering of the powered device. The measurement of the current at a time when a short circuit effect is produced at the powered device enables a calculation of the actual resistance of the cable on a given PoE port.
US07956615B1
An over-voltage detection and correction system for a transmitter of a mobile terminal that accounts for battery droop during a transmit burst is provided. In general, prior to ramp-up for a first transmit burst, a voltage of the battery of the mobile terminal at a no-load condition is measured. After ramp-up for the transmit burst, the voltage of the battery is measured at full-load, and a current provided to a power amplifier of the transmitter at full-load is detected. Based on the measured voltage of the battery at no-load, the measured voltage of the battery at full-load, and the detected current provided to the power amplifier at full-load, a resistance of the battery is determined. The battery resistance is thereafter updated as desired and used as an indicator of remaining battery-life or power of the battery of the mobile terminal.
US07956606B2
A position sensing assembly includes a bearing element and a helically shaped rotational member used to drive a portion of a sensor assembly, such as a Digital Rotary Magnetic Encoder. Interaction between the bearing element and a helically shaped rotational member minimizes the presence of backlash in the position sensing assembly. Accordingly, as an actuator assembly drives both a control element, such as a flight control surface, and the position sensing assembly, the sensor assembly generates an output signal that accurately reflects the position of the control element.
US07956603B2
A generally planar shaped inductor is disclosed that is particularly adaptable for use in motion or position sensors. One inductor can function as a signal input unit and another as a pick up unit in an arrangement wherein both inductors are placed in a generally parallel juxtaposition for flux flow there between. A movable armature is located between the inductors to control the amount of flux transmission between inductors. The position of the armature relative to the inductors controls the output signal generated by the pickup inductor that are adapted to be converted into indications of displacements.
US07956596B2
A limitation of the interaction between cascaded tap changers and/or between a tap changer and a shunt compensator independently of any real-time communication between the respective controllers is disclosed. Coordinated voltage control in distribution networks can be achieved by an adaptive updating or tuning of control parameters DB4, TD4 of a voltage control unit controlling a second voltage control device, depending on instantaneous or actual operating conditions evaluated by the voltage control unit itself. Instead of using constant control parameters initially set by a commissioning engineer, the parameters are updated based on a voltage level UP4, which in turn is responsive to or affected by any control action performed by a first voltage control device neighboring the second voltage control device. The voltage control unit calculates a deviation of an instantaneous value of the voltage level from a reference value, and translates or maps this deviation to an update of its dead bands and/or time delay characteristics. Hence, the voltage control unit can anticipate, or determine a likelihood of, a control action of the first voltage control device, without the need for a real-time transmission of this information to the voltage control unit.
US07956580B2
A cell control unit (20) individually controls cell capacities (SOC) of a first subset (Cf) of a set of cells (Cj) in a heat dissipating manner by using discharge resistors (Rj), a set of estimation elements (21, 31-33, S1-S6, S11-S16, S18-S19) estimates a degree of heat dissipation of the set of cells (Cj) in terms of a temperature rise (To(n)-To(0)) of a substrate (25) of the cell control unit (20), and a set of interruption elements (SWj, S17) interrupts controlling cell capacities (SOC) of a second subset (Cs) of the first subset of cells (Cf) determined in dependence on the estimated temperature rise (To(n)-To(0)).
US07956577B2
A holding base for removably holding a mobile phone has a first holding position in which the mobile phone is held under own weight, a second holding position in which the mobile phone is held by engaging a portion of the holding base, power supply terminals that are connected to the mobile phone in the first holding position and the second holding position, and signal terminals that are connected to the mobile phone in the second holding position, and at least one of which is separated from the mobile phone in the first holding position.
US07956561B2
A rotor position detecting circuit includes a first position detecting circuit having a low-pass filter that shapes up phase voltage induced in a phase coil and a first comparator that compares the output voltage of the low-pass filter with a threshold level to form a first rotor position signal, and a second position detecting circuit having a second comparator that compares the phase voltage with a threshold voltage and a control unit that digitally processes the output voltage of the second comparator to form a second rotor position signal. The control unit corrects the first rotor position signal by the second rotor position signal to provide a final rotor position signal when the rotation speed of the brushless DC motor is in a measurable range.
US07956560B2
A control apparatus for controlling a rotational electric machine and a driving apparatus for a vehicle that includes an AC motor that rotates wheels and is driven by a power supplied from a battery, an instant variation detecting unit provided in a motor controller that detects a instantaneous variation of a current or voltage of the battery, and a current command operating unit that changes a current command signal for current to be sent to the AC motor, such that an internal loss of the AC motor is increased, by using an internal-loss-increase-use Id·Iq table.
US07956559B2
The invention discloses a motor driving device for generating at least one driving signal according to a clock signal corresponding to the output signal of a hall sensor. The motor driving device also controls rotation of a motor via at least one driving signal, wherein the at least one driving signal includes a first driving signal and a second driving signal and the motor driving device controls the rotation of the motor according to the first driving signal and the second driving signal.
US07956556B1
A method, apparatus, and system for compensating for lamp lumen depreciation. The method includes operating the lamp under rated wattage for a period towards the first part of operating life of the lamp. Operating wattage is increased at one or more later times. Energy savings are realized. The increases also restore at least some light lost by lamp lumen depreciation. The apparatus uses a timer to track operating time of the lamp. A few wattage changes made at spaced apart times can be made in a number of ways, including changing capacitance to the lamp, or using different taps on the lamp ballast. In one aspect the invention pertains to solid state sources. The invention can pertain to a variety of applications including wide area lighting, indoor lighting, pathway lighting, parking lot lighting, street lighting, under-counter or -cabinet lighting, and others.
US07956554B2
Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide a system, apparatus, and method of controlling an intensity and spectrum of light emitted from a solid state lighting system. The solid state lighting has a first emitted spectrum at full intensity and at a selected temperature, with a first electrical biasing for the solid state lighting producing a first wavelength shift, and a second electrical biasing for the solid state lighting producing a second, opposing wavelength shift. Exemplary embodiments provide for receiving information designating a selected intensity level or a selected temperature; and providing a combined first electrical biasing and second electrical biasing to the solid state lighting to generate emitted light having the selected intensity level and having a second emitted spectrum within a predetermined variance of the first emitted spectrum over a predetermined range of temperatures.
US07956551B1
A method, apparatus, and system for compensating for lamp lumen depreciation and providing selective discretionary lamp power adjustment, e.g., for lamp dimming. The method includes operating the lamp under rated wattage for a period towards the first part of operating life of the lamp. Operating wattage is increased at one or more later times. Energy savings are realized. The increases also restore at least some light lost by lamp lumen depreciation. The apparatus uses a timer to track operating time of the lamp. A few wattage changes made at spaced apart times can be made in a number of ways, including changing capacitance to the lamp, or using different taps on the lamp ballast. A component allows selective discretionary adjustment of electrical power or some other controlling factor to adjust light output (e.g. dim) the lamp.
US07956546B2
An LED-based lighting device and method for making the same are disclosed. The lighting device includes an LED light source mounted on a heat sink, a power adaptor, and a controller. The power adaptor is configured to be interchangeable with a conventional incandescent bulb power adapter. The controller provides an average current to the LED light source when power is coupled to the device via the power adaptor. The average current causes the LED light source to generate light of a predetermined standard intensity that is substantially independent of variations in the LED light source from device to device. In one aspect of the invention, the LED light source includes a plurality of LEDs connected in series, the LEDs are bonded to the heat sink and connected to one another in series by wire bonds and to conducting traces on the heat sink.
US07956537B2
A display device includes: a support substrate including a display region where a plurality of display elements are arranged and a peripheral region where a drive circuit for each display element is provided in the periphery of the display region; a seal resin layer formed in at least the peripheral region; an opposed substrate bonded through the seal resin layer to the support substrate, sealing the display elements; an organic insulating film formed on the support substrate so as to insulate the drive circuit; a separation groove formed through the thickness of the organic insulating film so as to surround the display region and separate the organic insulating film into an inner portion and an outer portion; and a framelike projection formed on the opposed substrate so as to be opposed to the separation groove.
US07956532B2
A display panel has a display area with a matrix of individual display pixels. The display panel also includes an electrode that is arranged to cover at least substantially the entirety of the display area. A common electrode is generally frame-shaped and is arranged exclusively around the perimeter of the display area. The common electrode has a notched portion that is located at a power supply lead pattern having a potential that is different from the potential that is applied to the common electrode. The notched portion advantageously substantially reduces the surface area of the common electrode overlapping the power supply lead.
US07956530B2
An organic electroluminescent display device comprises a substrate, including a pixel region and a non-pixel region at a boundary of the pixel region; a first electrode on the substrate in the pixel region; a separator over the first electrode, the separator located in the non-pixel region, the separator including a first portion having a first width and a second portion having a second width smaller than the first width, the first portion overlapping edges of the first electrode, and the second portion within the non-pixel region; an organic electroluminescent layer over the separator in the pixel region surrounded by the separator; and a second electrode on an entire surface of the organic electroluminescent layer and the separator.
US07956520B2
An actuator element formed from an actuator composition is described, along with transducers including the same. The composition comprises: (i) a thermoplastic elastomer copolymer, the copolymer comprising at least one flexible midblock, and at least two glassy or semicrystalline endblocks; and (ii) a liquid modifier that selectively solvates the at least one flexible midblock.
US07956513B2
A driving device includes an electro-mechanical transducer having first and second end portions opposite to each other in an expansion/contraction direction, a stationary member coupled to the first end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, a vibration friction portion mounted to the second end portion of the electro-mechanical transducer, and a moving portion frictionally coupled to the vibration friction portion, whereby moving the moving portion in the expansion/contraction direction of the electro-mechanical transducer. The moving portion is driven by equalizing a constant expanding speed of the electro-mechanical transducer with a constant contracting speed of the electro-mechanical transducer and by setting a constant rest time interval after one of contraction of the electro-mechanical transducer and expansion of the electro-mechanical transducer.
US07956511B2
A surface acoustic wave device includes a LiNbO3 substrate and is constructed such that a reflection coefficient of an IDT is not only high but the electromechanical coupling coefficient K2 is also high, and the range of Euler angles of the LiNbO3 substrate which obtains a wide range of the electromechanical coupling coefficient K2 is increased. A plurality of grooves are provided in the upper surface of the LiNbO3 substrate, and an IDT including a plurality of electrode fingers is provided and defined by a metal material filled in the plurality of grooves, and the metal material is made of Ag, Ni, or Cr or an alloy primarily including at least one Ag, Ni, or Cr.
US07956503B2
The present invention relates to cylindrical rotating electric machines which comprise armature and field coils, with either the field coil or the dual armature being the rotating component. The dual armature is composed of two concentric cylindrical sets of coils with the field coil situated in the gap between the inner and outer armature sections. Relative rotational motion between the field and armature coils can be achieved by having either one be the rotor. By using two armature coil sections, one inside the field coil aperture and the other external to the field coil, the flux linkage between the armature and superconducting field coil can be approximately doubled. This is a more efficient use of the superconductor. The increased flux linkage in the invented technology produces a substantially higher power density than can be obtained with current conventional superconducting machine technology.
US07956499B2
Motors having a magnetic force attenuator are described. In some embodiments, the motors comprise a stationary member having a base and a stator, a rotating assembly having a magnet and a magnetic force attenuator to attenuate the magnetic attraction force between the magnet and the base; and a fluid bearing to support rotation of the rotating assembly relative to the stationary member. The magnetic force attenuator typically comprises a material of high magnetic permeability, and modulates the magnetic attraction force between the magnet and the base of the motor.
US07956498B2
An acceleration generator 20 includes: a moving member (21, 25) that performs a periodic translational motion along a particular straight line; a first operating part (24) that applies a first force that varies in magnitude depending on the relative position thereof with respect to the moving member to the moving member in a direction parallel to the particular straight line; and a second operating part (27) that applies a second force that varies in magnitude depending on the relative position thereof with respect to the moving member to the moving member in a direction parallel to the particular straight line. The moving member performs a translational motion in which the acceleration thereof in the positive direction and the acceleration thereof in the negative direction are asymmetric in one period.
US07956495B2
A structure compliant with non-contact power transmission includes a placement member that includes a placement side, an electronic instrument including a non-contact power transmission power receiving device being placed on the placement side, a non-contact power transmission power transmitting device, and a position detection circuit that detects the positional relationship between a primary coil and a secondary coil. The power transmitting device detects the relative positional relationship between the primary coil and the secondary coil using a harmonic detection circuit, and drives an XY stage using an actuator to automatically position the primary coil with respect to the secondary coil, for example.
US07956490B2
The battery backup for vehicle emergency communicator includes mechanisms for applying backup battery power to an emergency communicator. Electrically operated relays may be employed to switch the backup battery in order to power the emergency communicator of a telematics device. When relays are used in the system, failure of the car battery causes normally open relay contacts to close, applying backup battery power to the emergency communications device. Normally closed relay contacts open to remove connection of the failed battery to the emergency communications device. Additional features of the battery backup for vehicle emergency communicator may include a battery charger, an uninterruptible power system (UPS), transistor switches, an emergency contact dialer, and a timer that limits application time of the backup battery.
US07956486B2
A windmill electric generator includes a support base, an inline generator assembly, a large generator, a variable blade pitch housing and a plurality of blades. The support base includes a pedestal support and a rotating support. The inline generator assembly includes a generator support structure, a plurality of inline generators and a drive shaft. The generator support structure is attached to a top of the rotating support. Large generator support members are attached to the generator support structure. The variable blade pitch housing is attached to one end of the drive shaft. The plurality of blades are pivotally retained on the variable blade pitch housing. The large generator includes a rotor and a stator assembly. The rotor is retained on the other end of the drive shaft. The stator assembly is attached to an end of the plurality of large generator support members.
US07956478B2
A wave power apparatus at least a part of which is permanently fixed to the sea floor or to ground, i.e. such as to a breakwater, a mole, a pier, a jetty, a cliff or an oil rig. The wave power apparatus (302) includes a plurality of rotationally supported arms (322), each of which carries a float (324) at its free end, so that a translational movement of the float caused by a wave results in rotation of the arm. The apparatus comprises power conversion means for converting power transmitted from the wave to the arms into electric power, e.g. a hydraulic system, in which a hydraulic fluid is displaced by the movement of the arms (322) to drive one or more hydraulic motors. The plurality of apparatus is arranged in a row such that a wave passing the row of arms causes the arms to successively pivot with a mutual phase shift. Thereby, an even power output may be achieved, and the need for frequency converters may be reduced or eliminated. Preferably, each arm is connected to a hydraulic cylinder (328) of the hydraulic system, whereby a plurality of arms feed hydraulic medium into the hydraulic motor or motors through common hydraulic conduits.
US07956475B2
A ball grid array (BGA) package includes a substrate layer having first and second sides. A semiconductor chip is attached to the first side of the substrate layer by a dielectric adhesive layer. A plurality of solder balls are attached to the second side of the substrate layer. The solder balls may be set out by rows and columns. A plurality of wires electrically connect the semiconductor chip to the solder balls. A layer of encapsulating compound is deposited over the semiconductor chip. A step cavity of a selected depth and shape is formed in the layer of encapsulating compound at or near the edge or periphery of the layer of encapsulating compound. The step cavity is separated from the solder balls by the substrate layer but spans over a plurality of selected solder balls.
US07956472B2
A packaging substrate having an electrical connection structure and a method for fabricating the same are provided. The packaging substrate have a substrate body with a plurality of conductive pads on a surface thereof; a solder mask layer disposed on the substrate body with a plurality of openings corresponding to the conductive pads, the size of each of the openings being larger than each of the conductive pads; and electroplated solder bumps for covering the conductive pads to provide better bond strength and reliability.
US07956466B2
A design structure is provided for interconnect structures containing various capping materials for electrical fuses and other related applications. The structure includes a first interconnect structure having a first interfacial structure and a second interconnect structure adjacent to the first structure. The second interconnect structure has second interfacial structure different from the first interfacial structure.
US07956463B2
An interconnect structure having reduced electrical resistance and a method of forming such an interconnect structure are provided. The interconnect structure includes a dielectric material including at least one opening therein. The at least one opening is filled with an optional barrier diffusion layer, a grain growth promotion layer, an agglomerated plating seed layer, an optional second plating seed layer a conductive structure. The conductive structure which includes a metal-containing conductive material, typically Cu, has a bamboo microstructure and an average grain size of larger than 0.05 microns. In some embodiments, the conductive structure includes conductive grains that have a (111) crystal orientation.
US07956454B2
A wiring board includes a substrate core and a ceramic chip to be embedded therein. The substrate core has a housing opening portion opening at a core main surface. The ceramic chip is accommodated in the housing opening portion so that the core main surface and a chip first main surface face the same way. The ceramic chip includes a plurality of second terminal electrodes comprised of a metallized layer and formed on the chip second main surface so as to protrude therefrom. A projecting portion, disposed on the second main surface side so as to surround a plurality of the second terminal electrodes, is formed on the chip second main surface so as to protrude therefrom.
US07956453B1
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided multiple embodiments of a semiconductor package including one or more semiconductor dies which are electrically connected to an underlying substrate through the use of a conductive pattern which is at least partially embedded in a patterning layer of the package. In a basic embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor package comprises a substrate having a conductive pattern disposed thereon. Electrically connected to the conductive pattern of the substrate is at least one semiconductor die. The semiconductor die and the substrate are at least partially encapsulated by a patterning layer. Embedded in the patterning layer is a wiring pattern which electrically connects the semiconductor die to the conductive pattern. A portion of the wiring pattern is exposed in the patterning layer.
US07956446B2
A chip carrier includes first, second and third layers with the second layer situated between the first and third layers. The first and third layers are formed of a first material and the second layer is formed of a second material. The second layer has a plurality of holes extending therethrough and the first material fills the holes.
US07956444B2
A semiconductor device includes a layered region (104) formed in a semiconductor substrate (101) of a first conductivity type, and an electrode pad (106) formed on the semiconductor substrate with an interlayer insulating film (105) interposed therebetween and placed above the layered region. The layered region includes a first impurity diffusion region (102), a second impurity diffusion region (103) formed on the first impurity diffusion region, and a third impurity diffusion region (102x) formed on the first impurity diffusion region and surrounding a periphery of the second impurity diffusion region. a conductivity type of the first impurity diffusion region and a conductivity type of the third impurity diffusion region are a second conductivity type, and a conductivity type of the second impurity diffusion region is the first conductivity type. An impurity concentration of the third impurity diffusion region is higher than an impurity concentration of the first impurity diffusion region, and the third impurity diffusion region is electrically connected to a terminal fixed to a constant potential.
US07956441B2
A composite structure that includes front faces of the first and second substrates that are molecularly bonded to each other. The dimensions of the second substrate outline are larger than the first substrate outline, and a peripheral side of the second substrate substantially borders the second front face and is oriented generally perpendicularly with respect thereto. The front faces are molecularly bonded such that the outline of the first front face is disposed at least partially within the outline of the second front face. A peripheral ring extending around the first front face and facing the first substrate, in which bonding between the front faces is weak or absent, has a maximum width of less than about 0.5 mm.
US07956437B2
A variety of isolation structures for semiconductor substrates include a trench formed in the substrate that is filled with a dielectric material or filled with a conductive material and lined with a dielectric layer along the walls of the trench. The trench may be used in combination with doped sidewall isolation regions. Both the trench and the sidewall isolation regions may be annular and enclose an isolated pocket of the substrate. The isolation structures are formed by modular implant and etch processes that do not include significant thermal processing or diffusion of dopants so that the resulting structures are compact and may be tightly packed in the surface of the substrate.
US07956436B2
A method for forming a device wafer with a recyclable support by providing a wafer having first and second surfaces, with at least the first surface of the wafer comprising a semiconductor material that is suitable for receiving or forming electronic devices thereon, providing a supporting substrate having upper and lower surfaces, and providing the second surface of the wafer or the upper surface of the supporting substrate with void features in an amount sufficient to enable a connecting bond therebetween to form a construct wherein the bond is formed at an interface between the wafer and the substrate and is suitable to maintain the wafer and supporting substrate in association while forming or applying electronic devices to the first surface of the wafer, but which connecting bond is severable at the interface due to the void features to separate the substrate from the wafer so that the substrate can be reused.
US07956435B2
In recent years, as electronic equipment becomes thinner, an area for mounting a semiconductor device used in the electronic equipment is required to be smaller, and a thickness of an encapsulating resin for encapsulating a semiconductor substrate having a circuit formed thereon and the like also becomes smaller. The encapsulating resin is marked with a product number, a manufacturer name, or the like. There arises a problem in that, in the marking, an infrared laser beam applied to the encapsulating resin passes through the encapsulating resin, generates heat in the semiconductor substrate, and destructs the formed circuit. By providing a thin film for refracting the infrared laser beam on a rear surface of the semiconductor substrate, the optical path of the infrared laser beam is made longer to reduce heat generated in the semiconductor substrate.
US07956432B2
A photodiode includes a substrate having a first semiconductor type surface region on at least a portion thereof, and a second semiconductor type surface layer formed in a portion of the surface region. A multi-layer anti-reflective coating (ARC) is on the second semiconductor type surface layer, wherein the multi-layer ARC comprises at least two different dielectric layers. A layer resistant to oxide etch is above a peripheral portion the multi-layer ARC. Further layers are above the layer resistant to oxide etch, and thereby above the peripheral portion the multi-layer ARC. A window extends down to the multi-layer ARC. A photodiode region is formed by a pn-junction of the first semiconductor type surface region and the second semiconductor type surface layer.
US07956426B2
Methods and devices for a dielectric are provided. One method embodiment includes forming a passivation layer on a substrate, wherein the passivation layer contains a composition of silicon, oxygen, and nitrogen. The method also includes forming a lanthanide dielectric film on the passivation layer, and forming an encapsulation layer on the lanthanide dielectric film.
US07956416B2
Some embodiments include formation of at least one cavity in a first semiconductor material, followed by epitaxially growing a second semiconductor material over the first semiconductor material and bridging across the at least one cavity. The cavity may be left open, or material may be provided within the cavity. The material provided within the cavity may be suitable for forming, for example, one or more of electromagnetic radiation interaction components, transistor gates, insulative structures, and coolant structures. Some embodiments include one or more of transistor devices, electromagnetic radiation interaction components, transistor devices, coolant structures, insulative structures and gas reservoirs.
US07956412B2
A dielectric material layer is formed on a bottom surface and sidewalls of a trench in a semiconductor substrate. The silicon oxide layer forms a drift region dielectric on which a field plate is formed. Shallow trench isolation may be formed prior to formation of the drift region dielectric, or may be formed utilizing the same processing steps as the formation of the drift region dielectric. A gate dielectric layer is formed on exposed semiconductor surfaces and a gate conductor layer is formed on the gate dielectric layer and the drift region dielectric. The field plate may be electrically tied to the gate electrode, may be an independent electrode having an external bias, or may be a floating electrode. The field plate biases the drift region to enhance performance and extend allowable operating voltage of a lateral diffusion field effect transistor during operation.
US07956411B2
A field effect transistor (FET) includes a trench extending into a semiconductor region. A conductive electrode is disposed in the trench, and the conductive electrode is insulated from the semiconductor region by a dielectric layer. The conductive electrode includes a conductive liner lining the dielectric layer along opposite sidewalls of the trench. The conductive liner has tapered edges such that a thickness of the conductive liner gradually increases from a top surface of the conductive electrode to a point in lower half of the conductive electrode. The conductive electrode further includes a conductive fill material sandwiched by the conductive liner. The FET further includes a drift region of a first conductivity type in the semiconductor region, and a body region of a second conductivity type extending over the drift region. Source regions of the first conductivity type extend in the body region adjacent the trench.
US07956409B2
The present invention provides a vertical MOSFET which has striped trench gate structure which can secure avalanche resistance without increasing Ron. A vertical MOSFET 100 comprises a plurality of gate trenches 7 which is arranged in stripes, an array which is sandwiched with the plurality of gate trenches 7 and includes N+ source regions 4N+ and P+ base contact regions 5P+, and a diode region (anode region 6P+) which is formed so as to contact with two gate trenches 7. The N+ source regions 4N+ and the base contact regions 5P+ are alternately arranged along a longitudinal direction of the gate trench 7. Size of the diode region (anode region 6P+) corresponds to at least one of the N+ source regions 4N+ and two of the P+ base contact regions 5P+.
US07956401B2
The present invention is directed to methods of fabricating a high-K dielectric films having a high degree of crystallographic alignment at grain boundaries of the film. A disclosed method involves providing a substrate and then depositing a high-K dielectric material assisted with an ion beam to enable the preferential formation of crystal lattices having a selected crystallographic orientation. The resultant dielectric films have a high degree of crystallographic alignment at grain boundaries. Another disclosed method involves providing a substrate and then angularly depositing a material onto the substrate in order to assist in the preferential formation of crystal lattices having a selected crystallographic orientation. The result is a dielectric film having a high degree of crystallographic alignment at grain boundaries of the film.
US07956394B2
A separation type unit pixel having a 3D structure for an image sensor, composed of a plurality of transistors, includes: a first wafer which includes a photodiode, a transfer transistor, a node of a floating diffusion area functioning as static electricity for converting electric charge into a voltage, and a pad connecting the floating diffusion area and the transfer transistor to an external circuit, respectively; a second wafer which includes the rest of the circuit elements constituting a pixel (i.e., a reset transistor, a source-follower transistor, and a blocking switch transistor), a read-out circuit, a vertical/horizontal decoder, a correlated double sampling (CDS) circuit which involves in a sensor operation and an image quality, an analog circuit, an analog-digital converter (ADC), a digital circuit, and a pad connecting each pixel; and a connecting means which connects the pad of the first wafer and the pad of the second wafer.
US07956391B2
Various integrated circuit devices, in particular a junction field-effect transistor (JFET), are formed inside an isolation structure which includes a floor isolation region and a trench extending from the surface of the substrate to the floor isolation region. The trench may be filled with a dielectric material or may have a conductive material in a central portion with a dielectric layer lining the walls of the trench. Various techniques for terminating the isolation structure by extending the floor isolation region beyond the trench, using a guard ring, and a forming a drift region are described.
US07956386B2
A wiring structure in a semiconductor device may include a first insulation layer formed on a substrate, a first contact plug, a capping layer pattern, a second insulation layer and a second contact plug. The first insulation layer has a first opening that exposes a contact region of the substrate. The first contact plug is formed on the contact region to partially fill up the first opening. The capping layer pattern is formed on the first contact plug to fill up the first opening. The second insulation layer is formed on the capping layer pattern and the first insulation layer. The second insulation layer has a second opening passing through the capping layer pattern to expose the first contact plug. The second contact plug is formed on the first contact plug in the second opening. Since the wiring structure includes the capping layer pattern, the wiring structure may prevent a contact failure by preventing chemicals from permeating into the first contact plug.
US07956376B2
A light emitting device according to the embodiment includes a reflecting layer; an adhesion layer including an oxide-based material on the reflecting layer; an ohmic contact layer on the adhesion layer; and a light emitting structure layer on the ohmic contact layer.
US07956375B2
A light emitting diode structure and a light emitting diode structure forming method are provided. The light emitting diode structure includes a base, a diode chip, and a package lens. The diode chip is mounted on the base. The package lens covers the diode chip. The surface of the package lens includes a plurality of dot structures. The steps of the method include mounting a light-emitting diode chip on a base, assembling a package lens to cover the light emitting diodes chip, and forming a plurality of dot structures on the surface of the package lens.
US07956372B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting diode chip, a heat conductive plate mounting thereon the light emitting diode chip, a sub-mount member disposed between said light emitting diode chip and said heat conductive plate, a dielectric substrate stacked on the heat conductive plate and being formed with a through-hole through which the sub-mount member is exposed, an encapsulation member for encapsulation of said light emitting diode chip, and a lens superimposed on the encapsulation member. The sub-mount member is formed around a coupling portion of the light emitting diode chip with a reflective film which reflects a light emitted from a side face of the light emitting diode chip. The sub-mount member is selected to have a thickness such that the reflecting film has its surface spaced away from said heat conductive plate by a greater distance than said dielectric substrate.
US07956371B2
An (Al, Ga, In)N light emitting diode (LED), wherein light extraction from chip and/or phosphor conversion layer is optimized. By novel shaping of LED and package optics, a high efficiency light emitting diode is achieved.
US07956365B2
An alternating current (AC) light emitting device is revealed. The AC light emitting device includes a substrate and a plurality of light emitting units arranged on the substrate. The light emitting unit consists of a first semiconductor layer, a light emitting layer, a second semiconductor layer, at least one electrode and at least one second electrode respectively arranged on the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer from bottom to top. The plurality of light emitting units is coupled to at least one adjacent light emitting unit by a plurality of conductors. By the plurality of conductors that connect light emitting units with at least one adjacent light emitting unit, an open circuit will not occur in the AC light emitting device once one of the conductors is broken.
US07956363B2
The present invention relates to a substrate for a liquid crystal display device and a liquid crystal display device having the substrate, an object of the invention is to provide such a substrate for a display device that can be obtained by a simple production method with high reliability, and a liquid crystal display device having the same. A substrate for a display device contains: an accumulated electrode having an accumulated structure containing a lower layer formed on a substrate, and a upper layer containing ZnO and formed on the lower layer; an insulating film covering the accumulated electrode; a contact hole opening in the insulating film on the accumulated electrode; and a pixel electrode formed on the insulating film and being connected directly to the upper layer of the accumulated electrode through the contact hole.
US07956349B2
By introducing new concepts into a structure of a conventional organic semiconductor element and without using a conventional ultra thin film, an organic semiconductor element is provided which is more reliable and has higher yield. Further, efficiency is improved particularly in a photoelectronic device using an organic semiconductor. Between an anode and a cathode, there is provided an organic structure including alternately laminated organic thin film layer (functional organic thin film layer) realizing various functions by making an SCLC flow, and a conductive thin film layer (ohmic conductive thin film layer) imbued with a dark conductivity by doping it with an acceptor and a donor, or by the like method.
US07956346B2
A light emitting device includes a substrate, a first electrode layer, a light emitting layer, a structure layer and a second electrode layer. The structure layer has first domains composed of a first material having a columnar shape and second domains composed of a second material, and on the substrate the structure layer and the light emitting layer are laminated between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.
US07956345B2
A method is provided for growth of carbon nanotube (CNT) synthesis at a low temperature. The method includes preparing a catalyst by placing the catalyst between two metal layers of high chemical potential on a substrate, depositing such placed catalyst on a surface of a wafer, and reactivating the catalyst in a high vacuum at a room temperature in a catalyst preparation chamber to prevent a deactivation of the catalyst. The method also includes growing carbon nanotubes on the substrate in the high vacuum in a CNT growth chamber after preparing the catalyst.
US07956343B2
Example embodiments provide a nonvolatile memory device using resistive elements. The nonvolatile memory device may include a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of variable resistance patterns on the semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of heat sink patterns that are level with the variable resistance patterns and coupled to a ground voltage.
US07956338B2
The apparatus includes: At least one light-emitting, optoelectronic, functional element, which, during operation, activated by an electrical signal, emits light, at least at times; at least one light-sensitive, optoelectronic, functional element, which, during operation, activated by light falling thereon, delivers, at least at times, an electrical signal; and at least a third, light-conducting, functional element composed at least partially of transmissive material, especially translucent plastic or glass. The third functional element conveys, during operation, light coupled thereinto, and has at least one essentially planar boundary surface, which deflects light conveyed in the apparatus. The at least one, essentially planar, light-deflecting, boundary surface has a surface normal, which is inclined at least with respect to the principal ray axis at least of one of the two optoelectronic, functional elements, with an imaginary principal ray axis of the functional element representing a direction of maximum intensity of the light emitted therefrom during operation and an imaginary principal ray axis of the second functional element representing a direction of its maximum sensitivity to light incoming during operation. The apparatus of the invention is distinguished by a very simple construction, with a relatively high light coupling factor, and is especially suited for use as an optocoupler for field devices of industrial measurements and automation technology.
US07956332B2
A technique is provided for forming a multi-layer radiation detector. The technique includes a charge-integrating photodetector layer provided in conjunction with a photon-counting photodetector layer. In one embodiment, a plurality of photon-counting photosensor elements are disposed adjacent to a plurality of charge-integrating photosensor elements of the respective layers. Both sets of elements are connected to readout circuitry and a data acquisition system. The detector arrangement may be used for energy discriminating computed tomography imaging and similar computed tomography systems.
US07956328B2
An ATR-FTIR device and system are described that defect live-cell responses to stimuli and perturbations in real-time. The system and device can monitor perturbations resulting from exposures to various physical, chemical, and biological materials in real-time, as well as those sustained over a long period of time, including those associated with stimuli having unknown modes-of-action (e.g. nanoparticles). The device and system can also be used to identify specific chemical species or substances that profile cellular responses to these perturbations.
US07956322B2
An MS/MS spectrometric analysis method obtains throughput and mass resolving power of precursor ions. In a mass spectrometer, ions, which are introduced and accumulated in an ion trap unit, are resonance-extracted mass-selectively. A profile of precursor ions at the m/z axis of the ion trap and a profile at the mass analyzer portion, which performs mass analysis of the ions extracted from a collision induced dissociation portion, is obtained by performing a measurement when the injection energy to the collision induced dissociation portion is low, and when the injection energy to the collision induced dissociation portion is high. The profile at the m/z axis of the ion trap of the obtained two-dimensional spectrum is substituted with the profile at the m/z axis of the mass analyzer portion. In this way, the m/z of both the precursor ions and the fragment ions can be determined with high mass resolving power.
US07956319B2
A mirror device including: a mirror arranged on a substrate, supported by a hinge, and arranged substantially parallel to the substrate; a plurality of address electrodes for deflecting the mirror to an ON state, an OFF state, or an oscillating state; and a drive circuit for applying a voltage to the plurality of address electrodes. The mirror device is controlled such that a voltage can be applied to a corresponding address electrode to deflect the mirror, and oscillation in the oscillating state can be started from a state of the deflected mirror.
US07956309B2
A burner for a glass top stove includes a heating element, and a reflector. The reflector is shaped to reflect heat and light emitted down and to the sides of the heater back up to the glass top of the burner. The reflector is shaped to form multiple images of the heater on the glass plate. This ensures uniform heating of the glass plate. It also causes a user to believe that there are more heaters than are actually mounted on the burner.
US07956307B2
Disclosed is a circuit breaker having an automatic release linkage capable of preventing damage and deformation of elements by automatic linkage release before electro-impulsive force generated from within the circuit breaker by a large short-circuit current causes the damage and deformation of open/close linkage.
US07956295B2
An electrical outlet box installation in which there is no exposed cover plate, only the operative portion of the electrical component is visible at the wall surface. The operative portion of the component may be an electrical outlet, jack, switch, knob, or light, for example. The body of the electrical component is housed within the outlet box, also referred to as a junction box, with the open side of the outlet box being covered by a plate assembly having an opening that closely surrounds the operative portion of the component. The surface of the plate assembly is covered with wallboard mud, or other wall finishing material, which is blended into the surrounding surface of the wall so that only the operative portion of the component is exposed. The plate assembly includes a projecting wall or lip around the opening, up to which the mud or other fill material is applied. The wall covering may also be panelling, stone, tile or similar materials, in which instances the operative portion of the component may protrude somewhat from the plate assembly so as to be positioned at the surface of the overlay material. Configurations are provided for use with conventionally shaped outlet boxes and components, and additional configurations are provided which employ specially shaped components which are removably installed in cooperating receptacles formed in the plate assemblies.
US07956294B2
Contactless payment cards with on-card microchips are transported in mailers with RF shielding. The RF shielding is designed to prevent communication with and skimming of information from the contactless cards enclosed in the mailers while in transit.
US07956276B2
A method of distributing mashup data for mashing up at least a first content and a second content. The method includes the step of distributing to a user, through a network, a data file having first data for dividing the first content and the second content into a plurality of blocks in accordance with individual contents, respectively, and second data indicating a disposition sequence for disposing the plurality of blocks in a predetermined sequence to create a new content.
US07956272B2
Improved approaches for assisting a user interacting with a portable wireless communication device are disclosed. The improved approaches can provide a user interface for the portable wireless communication device that includes including a plurality of linked display screens and a plurality of physical keys.
US07956260B2
A new and distinct Guzmania hybrid named ‘MISTY’ characterized by solid growth habit; funnel-form rosette plant, measuring about 42 cm to 46 cm in height (above the pot when flowering); numerous, relatively narrow (measuring about 28 cm to 32 cm in length and about 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm in width color foliage, green in color foliage; superior floral bract production; bracts are greyed-purple in color (closest to RHS 187C); spike inflorescence, measuring about 16 cm in height and about 8 cm to 10 cm in diameter; and long-lasting habit.
US07956255B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH210161. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH210161, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH210161 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH210161.
US07956251B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH347605. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH347605, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH347605 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH347605.
US07956250B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH038350. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH038350, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH038350 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH038350.
US07956249B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH147656. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH147656, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH147656 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH147656.
US07956241B2
An object of the present invention is mainly to provide, using a genetically engineering technique, a plant with enhanced root elongation; a plant immune to suppression in root elongation ability even under hyperosmotic stress; and a method for enhancing plant root elongation. The subject invention produces a transgenic plant in which a Ran protein derived from a wild watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is expressed, using a genetically engineering technique.
US07956235B2
In some forms of the invention, an absorbent article (e.g., training pants) includes an impermeable cover, an absorbent body and a temperature change member disposed with the absorbent body. The absorbent article further includes a liquid retarding member that is disposed with the temperature change member to temporarily maintain liquid in the temperature change member. The liquid retarding member is formed of a liquid dispersible material such that the liquid retarding member eventually dissolves in the liquid and flows into the absorbent body. In other forms, the absorbent article includes a liquid retarding member that is adjacent to a temperature change member which is formed of a matrix of fibers. The liquid retarding member has a hydrohead that is less than about 0.13 pounds per inch squared such that the liquid retarding member temporarily maintains at least some of the liquid in proximity to the temperature change member.
US07956234B2
A disposable garment having a multicolored scene graphic is disclosed. In particular embodiments, the multicolored scene graphic includes a focal graphic and a background graphic, wherein the background graphic appears blurry relative to the focal graphic to enhance the conspicuousness of the focal graphic. Methods for making such articles are also disclosed.
US07956221B2
The present invention relates to a process for decomposing cyclohexylhydroperoxide into cyclohexanone, said process comprising mixing an organic feed solution comprising cyclohexylhydroperoxide with an aqueous base solution in the absence of a transition metal catalyst resulting in a mixture comprising (i) an aqueous phase and (ii) an organic phase comprising cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol.
US07956220B2
The invention provides novel compounds of formulae I and II: that are monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors, which can be useful in treating obesity, diabetes, and/or cardiometabolic disorders (e.g., hypertension, dyslipidemias, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance).
US07956207B2
This invention relates to organometallic compounds represented by the formula (L1)xM(L2)y wherein M is a metal or metalloid, L1 and L2 are different and are each a hydrocarbon group or a heteroatom-containing group; x is a value of at least 1; y is a value of at least 1; x+y is equal to the oxidation state of M; and wherein (i) L1 has a steric bulk sufficiently large such that, due to steric hinderance, x cannot be a value equal to the oxidation state of M, (ii) L2 has a steric bulk sufficiently small such that, due to lack of steric hinderance, y can be a value equal to the oxidation state of M only in the event that x is not a value of at least 1, and (iii) L1 and L2 have a steric bulk sufficient to maintain a heteroleptic structure in which x+y is equal to the oxidation state of M; a process for producing the organometallic compounds, and a method for producing a film or coating from organometallic precursor compounds.
US07956203B2
Alcohols are catalytically oxidized to aldehydes, in particular to benzaldehyde and diformylfuran, which are useful as intermediates for a multiplicity of purposes. The invention also relates to the polymerization of the dialdehyde and to the decarbonylation of the dialdehyde to furan.
US07956200B2
A multimetal oxide of the formula I Aga-bMbV2Ox*cH2O, I where M is a metal selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Tl, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Cr, Au, Al, Fe, Co, Ni and/or Mo, a is from 0.3 to 1.9 and b is from 0 to 0.5, with the proviso that the difference (a−b)≧0.1 and c is from 0 to 20 and x is a number determined by the valence and amount of elements different from oxygen in the formula I, which has a crystal structure giving an X-ray powder diffraction pattern which displays reflections at the lattice spacings d of 15.23±0.6, 12.16±0.4, 10.68±0.3, 3.41±0.04, 3.09±0.04, 3.02±0.04, 2.36±0.04 and 1.80±0.04 Å. Precatalysts and catalysts produced therefrom for the partial oxidation of aromatic hydrocarbons are also provided.
US07956194B2
A compound of formula (I): where A is an ortho-substituted ring selected from a number of specified rings; R1 is halogen, cyano, nitro, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxy or C1-4 haloalkoxy or optionally substituted C2-4 alkenyl, optionally substituted C2-4 alkynyl or optionally substituted SO2(C1-4)alkyl (where the optionally substituted moieties may each have up to 3 substituents, each independently selected from halogen and C1-4 alkoxy); R2 is C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxy(C1-4)alkyl or C1-4 alkylthio(C1-4)alkyl or [optionally substituted aryl](C1-4)alkyl- or [optionally substituted aryl]oxy(C1-4)alkyl-(where the optionally substituted aryl moieties may each have up to 3 substituents, each independently selected from halogen and C1-4 alkoxy); R3 is hydrogen, CH2C≡CR4, CH2CR4═C(H)R4, CH═C═CH2 or COR5 or optionally substituted C1-4 alkyl, optionally substituted C1-4 alkoxy or optionally substituted (C1-4) alkylC(═O)O (where the optionally substituted moieties may each have up to 3 substituents, each independently selected from halogen and C1-4 alkoxy, C1-4 alkyl, C1-2 haloalkoxy, hydroxy, cyano, carboxyl, methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, methylsulfonyl and ethylsulfonyl); each R4 is, independently, hydrogen, halogen, C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 haloalkyl, C1-4 alkoxy or C1-4 alkoxy(C1-4)alkyl; and R5 is hydrogen or optionally substituted C1-6 alkyl, optionally substituted C1-4 alkoxy, optionally substituted C1-4 alkoxy(C1-4)alkyl, optionally substituted C1-4 alkylthio(C1-4)alkyl or optionally substituted aryl (where the optionally substituted moieties may each have up to 3 substituents, each independently selected from halogen, C1-6 alkoxy, C1-6 haloalkoxy, cyano, hydroxy, methoxycarbonyl and ethoxycarbonyl).
US07956180B2
The present invention relates to products comprising hyaluronic acid or a salt thereof, which product is dried and agglomerated as defined herein, various compositions and articles comprising the product or compositions of the invention, methods of producing the product of the invention, and uses thereof.
US07956177B2
The invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for treating human papilloma virus (HPV) infection. The dsRNA comprises an antisense strand having a nucleotide sequence which is less that 30 nucleotides in length, generally 19-25 nucleotides in length, and which is substantially complementary to at least a part of an HPV Target gene selected from among HPV E1, HPV E6 and the human E6AP gene. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the dsRNA together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; methods for treating diseases caused by HPV infection and the expression of the E6AP gene using the pharmaceutical composition; and methods for inhibiting the expression of the HPV Target genes in a cell.
US07956176B2
The present invention concerns methods and reagents useful in modulating gene expression in a variety of applications, including use in therapeutic, diagnostic, target validation, and genomic discovery applications. Specifically, the invention relates to synthetic chemically modified small nucleic acid molecules, such as short interfering nucleic acid (siNA), short interfering RNA (siRNA), double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), micro-RNA (miRNA), and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) molecules capable of mediating RNA interference (RNAi) against target nucleic acid sequences. The small nucleic acid molecules are useful in the treatment of any disease or condition that responds to modulation of gene expression or activity in a cell, tissue, or organism.
US07956173B2
The present invention relates to anti-S1P agents, particularly humanized monoclonal antibodies (and antigen binding fragments thereof) specifically reactive with S1P, compositions containing such antibodies (or fragments), and the use of such antibodies (or fragments), for example, to treat diseases and conditions associated with aberrant levels of S1P.
US07956172B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fluorescent protein and a novel chromoprotein. The present invention provides a novel fluorescent protein derived from Montipora sp., Acropora sp. and Lobophytum crassum, and a novel chromoprotein derived from Actinia equine.
US07956170B2
Products having the general formula A, particularly useful as non-coloring markers in a process for tagging mineral oils, petroleum derivatives in general and solvents. A method is also described for synthesizing the products by resorting to a classical diazocoupling reaction between a derivative of an aromatic amine and a coupling agent, preferably a functionalized ester. The invention also relates to the use of these tagging and dyeing molecules and mixtures which comprise them. In particular, the mixtures comprise the markers according to the invention and the markers and/or dyes classically used in the petroleum sector.
US07956167B2
The present invention provides a method for purifying Clostridium histolyticum collagenase type I and type II proteins from a complex mixture by subsequently performing a precipitation with ammonium sulfate, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, cation exchange chromatography, and anion chromatography. Conditions are provided which lead to a stabilized, partially purified preparation even after the precipitation step. The method of the invention leads to a quick and efficient removal of other proteolytic activities. The preparations according to the invention provide exceptionally pure and intact collagenase type I and type II proteins which are enzymatically active. The invention also provides blends of the two isolated proteins. The invention further provides the use of the purified collagenase proteins or blends thereof for treating a tissue sample in vitro.
US07956165B2
A composition-of-matter is provided. The composition comprising at least one antibody binding moiety capable of binding an antibody-labeled target molecule, cell or virus of interest, said at least one antibody binding moiety being attached to at least one coordinating moiety selected capable of directing the composition-of-matter to form a non-covalent complex when co-incubated with a coordinator ion or molecule.
US07956163B2
Isolated receptors, DNAs encoding such receptors, and pharmaceutical compositions made therefrom, are disclosed. The isolated receptors can be used to regulate an immune response. The receptors are also useful in screening for inhibitors or agonists thereof.
US07956158B2
A polypeptide comprising a first protein domain, a second protein domain, and a dithiocyclopeptide spacer containing at least one protease cleavage site, wherein the dithiocyclopeptide is exogenous relative to the first or second protein domain, and wherein the first and second protein domains are operably linked by the dithiocyclopeptide. Also disclosed are methods of producing the polypeptide and delivering the protein domains into a cell.
US07956146B2
Pneumatic rubber tire with an outer, circumferential tread comprised of specialized cis 1,4-polybutadiene rubber based silica/carbon black reinforced rubber composition.
US07956142B2
A resin that includes a repeating unit shown by the following formula (10) has an excellent performance as a radiation sensitive acid generator, and exhibits only a small adverse effect on the environment and a human body. wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, M+ represents a specific cation, and n is an integer from 1 to 5.
US07956136B2
The object of the invention is to provide a resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation realizing excellent soldering resistance and flame resistance and having excellent flowability and curing properties, and a semiconductor device. The invention has solved the object by a resin composition for semiconductor encapsulation comprising (A) an epoxy resin containing (a) an epoxy resin represented by formula (1), (B) a compound having two or more phenolic hydroxyl groups in its molecule, (C) an inorganic filler, and (D) a curing accelerator: wherein each of R1 and R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group with 4 or less carbon atoms and may be the same or different; and ‘n’ represents a mean value that is a positive number of from 0 to 5; in the formula (1).
US07956133B2
A gas-barrier material in which carboxyl groups are ionically crosslinked in an amount corresponding to an acid value of at least 330 mgKOH/g of a resin that has the carboxyl groups in an amount corresponding to an acid value of not smaller than 580 mgKOH/g. The gas-barrier material exhibits excellent gas-barrier property, retort resistance and flexibility under highly humid conditions, enables the film to be cured at a low temperature in a short period of time, and can be favorably produced.
US07956120B2
An aqueous fluoropolymer dispersion comprising an aqueous medium, fluoropolymer particles, and an amine oxide surfactant. Coagulated fluoropolymer resin is produced from the dispersion by adding an acidic reagent in sufficient amount to cause coagulation and separation of the coagulated fluoropolymer resin from the aqueous medium. Another particulate component such as particular polymer, filler, pigment, solid lubricant, etc., may be added to the dispersion and co-coagulated to form a mixture of coagulated fluoropolymer resin and particulate component.
US07956118B2
A method of making polymeric particles having a controlled size and size distribution, and in particular a method for the preparation of chemically prepared toners, via evaporative limited coalescence process, wherein basic silicate salts are employed to remove particulate stabilizer from precipitated polymer particles. The process includes the steps of dispersing polymeric binder materials and optional additives in an organic solvent to form an organic phase. The organic phase is dispersed by high shear agitation in an aqueous phase containing a particulate stabilizer, e.g. colloidal silica, to form a dispersion of small droplets of the organic phase in the aqueous phase. The dispersion is homogenized and the organic solvent is removed from the dispersed particles in the dispersion by evaporation, and polymeric particles are precipitated with particulate stabilizer on the surface thereof, which are then recovered, treated with a basic silicate salt to remove particulate stabilizer, and washed and dried.
US07956117B2
The present invention relates to a polypropylene-based composite composition which is directly paintable without treatment of a primer comprised of chlorinated polyolefins. According to the present invention, the polypropylene-based composite composition comprises 30 to 70 weight percent, based on total weight of said polypropylene-based composite composition, of a polypropylene-based resin; 10 to 20 weight percent, based on total weight of said polypropylene-based composite composition, of a polyolefin based thermoplastic elastomer; 10 to 30 weight percent, based on total weight of said polypropylene-based composite composition, of a mineral filler; and 10 to 20 weight percent, based on total weight of said polypropylene-based composite composition, of an acrylate functional polymer additive.The composition does not need treatment of primer upon painting and thus has advantageous in terms of improvement of productivity resulting from reduction in production cost and production time and environment protection resulting from elimination of use of a primer comprised of chlorinated polyolefins.
US07956113B2
Hydrophobicizing additives are water-redispersible powders or aqueous dispersions containing: a) water-insoluble, film-forming base polymer(s) based on homopolymers or copolymers of one or more vinyl esters of optionally branched C1-15 alkylcarboxylic, (meth)acrylic esters of C1-15 alcohols, vinylaromatics, olefins, dienes and vinyl halides, b) one or more hydrophobic organosilicon compounds, fatty acids, or derivatives thereof, or hydrocarbon waxes, and c) one or more protective colloids, wherein the proportion of the component b) based on the total weight of the component a) is more than 30% by weight.
US07956111B2
A non-halogen flameproof polycarbonate resin composition of the present invention comprises about 100 parts by weight of a polycarbonate resin; and about 0.5 to about 10 parts by weight a phosphorus compound represented by the following Chemical Formula (1) or a combination thereof. The present invention can provide an environmentally friendly polycarbonate resin composition which can have excellent retardancy without releasing hydrogen halide gases during preparation or combustion. wherein R1 and R2 are each independently C1 to C6 alkyl and n is 1 or 2.
US07956108B2
Composite materials comprise nanotubes and a polymer. The nanotubes and polymer interact in an ordered fashion at an interfacial region. The interface is crystalline or semi crystalline.
US07956107B2
The present invention provides polymeric compositions containing thermoplastic starch and a thermoplastic polymer incompatible with starch, in which the starch constitutes the dispersed phase and the thermoplastic polymer constitutes the continuous phase, selected: A) from compositions comprising an agent with an interfacial effect selected from esters of polyols with mono- or polycarboxylic acids with dissociation constants within certain limits, the esters having specific values of the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance index HLB or being amongst the non-ionic surfactants which are soluble in water but cannot significantly be extracted by water from the compositions which contain them; B) from compositions wherein the thermoplastic polymer is an aliphatic or aliphatic-aromatic copolyester wherein the ratio (R) between the average viscometric molecular weight and the melt index is greater than 25,000 and C) from compositions wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, polyester-amides, polyester-esters, polyester-ether-amides, polyester-urethanes and polyester-ureas and wherein the compositions are obtained by extrusion of the component maintaining a water content during the mixing stage from 1 to 5% by weight.
US07956106B2
An organic siloxane composite material containing polyaniline/carbon black and a preparation method thereof are disclosed. The organic siloxane composite material containing polyaniline/carbon black consists of a plurality of polyaniline/carbon black composites distributed in organic siloxane precursor while the organic siloxane composite material containing polyaniline/carbon black includes from 10 to 30 weight percent of polyaniline/carbon black composites. The preparation method of organic siloxane composite material containing polyaniline/carbon black includes the steps of: distributing a plurality of polyaniline/carbon black composites in organic siloxane precursor to produce a first solution; and adding a cross-linking agent into the first solution, after reaction with each other, an organic siloxane composite material containing polyaniline/carbon black is produced.
US07956098B2
The present invention relates to a binder-containing coating composition, which may be cured by free radical polymerization, wherein the binder resins containA) the reaction product of i) one or more polyisocyanates with ii) a hydroxyl component containing ii-a) one or more hydroxyl compounds containing two ethylenically unsaturated groups,B) the reaction product of i) one or more polyisocyanates with ii) a hydroxyl component containing ii-a) one or more hydroxy functional lactone ester (meth)acrylates having a number average molecular weight of about 200 to 2,000, andC) the reaction product of i) one or more polyisocyanates with ii) a hydroxyl component containing ii-a) one or more hydroxy functional (meth)acrylates.
US07956087B2
The present invention is to provide skin cosmetics and anti-wrinkle agents which are excellent in reducing effect on wrinkle caused by photoaging.Skin cosmetics and anti-wrinkle agents which comprise a sugar alcohol derivative represented by the following formula (1): (wherein n is 1 to 5, preferably n=2.).
US07956086B2
A method for the manufacture of a sterile intravenous or intramuscular formulation of artesunic acid and the formulation are the subject of this invention. First the artesunic acid powder is sterilized with ethylene oxide and placed into a sterile container. The contained sterilized powder is then dissolved in sterile sodium phosphate buffered solution to produce an injectable intravenous or intramuscular formulation. The sodium phosphate dissolves and dilutes the artesunic acid powder without caking or frothing resulting in an improved drug product. The invention also relates to the formulation and a method of treating a patient with either uncomplicated or severe and complicated malaria.
US07956074B2
The present invention is concerned with isoxazol-4-yl-oxadiazole derivatives of formula wherein R1, R2, and R3, are as defined in the specification and pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof. This class of compounds has high affinity and selectivity for GABA A α5 receptor binding sites and might be useful as cognitive enhancer or for the treatment of cognitive disorders like Alzheimer's disease.
US07956066B2
Imidazole compounds, compositions, and methods of using them in leukocyte recruitment inhibition, in modulating H4 receptor expression, and in treating conditions such as inflammation, H4 receptor-mediated conditions, and related conditions.
US07956057B2
Imidazole compounds, compositions, and methods of using them in leukocyte recruitment inhibition, in modulating H4 receptor expression, and in treating conditions such as inflammation, H4 receptor-mediated conditions, and related conditions.
US07956054B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: wherein: Ar, Z, R3, R4 and R5 are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have AT1 receptor antagonist activity and neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and process and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US07956046B2
Oligosaccharide mixtures comprising anti-Xa activities of from 190 IU/mg to 450 IU/mg and anti-IIa activities of less than 0.2 IU/mg; and having constituent oligosaccharides with an average molecular weight of from 1800 to 2400 Daltons, constituent oligosaccharides comprise from 2 to 16 saccharide units, a 4,5-unsaturated uronic acid 2-O-sulfate unit at one end, and comprising at least one ΔIIa-IIs-Is hexasaccharide sequence are described. Processes for preparing the oligosaccharide mixtures, pharmaceutical compositions and articles of manufacture comprising the oligosaccharide mixtures are described. Methods of treatment and prevention comprising administering the oligosaccharide mixtures are described.
US07956045B2
A method of improving the health and production of ruminant animals, the method including the step of orally administering to the animal an effective amount of an indigestible oligosaccharide selected from the group of gluco-oligosaccharides and isomalto-oligosaccharides.
US07956026B2
The present invention herein provide a cleaning agent which comprises (A) an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion containing a linear poly(meth)acrylamide having an average molecular weight of not less than 5×106 as determined according to the intrinsic viscosity-determining technique in a concentration ranging from 0.0001 to 0.01% by mass; (B) a poly(hexamethylene-biguanide) hydrochloride represented by the following general formula (1); and (C) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tripropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and ethers of ethylene glycol and propylene glycol with alcohols each having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and esters thereof with fatty acids each having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, glycine and taurine: [—(CH2)m—NH—C(NH)—NH—C(NH)—NH—(CH2)n—]p.HCl General Formula (1) wherein m and n each represent an integer ranging from 2 to 5 and p is an integer ranging from 5 to 16.
US07956020B2
A lubricant composition comprising following ingredients (a) and (b) is disclosed. (a) at least one compound represented by formula (1) (b) at least one compound represented by formula (2) (R—X—)m-D (1) (b) at least one compound represented by formula (2)
US07956005B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust gas-purifying catalyst containing a composite oxide catalyst and a refractory support and being less prone to cause a decrease in its activity even when used at high temperatures in an atmosphere with high oxygen concentration. An exhaust gas-purifying catalyst includes a composite oxide catalyst containing rare-earth element, alkaline-earth element and precious metal, a part of the rare-earth element and a part of the alkaline-earth element forming composite oxide, and the composite oxide and a part of the precious metal forming solid solution, and a refractory support supporting the composite oxide catalyst and including at least one of a first composite oxide represented by a general formula AB2O4, a second composite oxide having perovskite structure represented by a general formula LMO3, and a third composite oxide having pyrochlore structure represented by a general formula X2Y2O7.
US07956000B2
The invention pertains to a process for activating an hydrotreating catalyst comprising a Group VIB metal oxide and a Group VIII metal oxide which process comprises contacting the catalyst with an acid and an organic additive which has a boiling point in the range of 80-500° C. and a solubility in water of at least 5 grams per liter (20° C., atmospheric pressure), optionally followed by drying under such conditions that at least 50% of the additive is maintained in the catalyst. The hydrotreating catalyst may be a fresh hydrotreating catalyst or a used hydrotreating catalyst which has been regenerated.
US07955997B2
There is provided a protective media and a method of manufacturing the same. In one aspect, the protective media includes a porous dielectric carrier, an active agent incorporated in the porous dielectric carrier, and an electrostatic charge across at least a portion of the porous dielectric carrier. This innovative media is capable of eradicating microorganisms and/or toxins more efficiently than prior art solutions and can also self sterilize.
US07955993B2
A method including providing a semiconductor substrate in a reaction chamber; flowing a first reactant including silicon and oxygen, a boron dopant and a phosphorus dopant into the reaction chamber so that a layer of BPTEOS is deposited on the semiconductor substrate; stopping the flow of the first reactant, boron dopant and phosphorus dopant into the reaction chamber and so that a phosphorus dopant and boron dopant rich film is deposited over the layer of BPTEOS; and reducing the film comprising exposing the film to an O2 plasma.
US07955985B2
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a target etch layer over a substrate, a first auxiliary layer over the target etch layer, an isolation layer over the first auxiliary layer, and a second auxiliary layer over the isolation layer. A first exposure process is performed, where the first auxiliary layer is in focus and the second auxiliary layer is out of focus. A second exposure process is performed, where the second auxiliary layer in focus and the first auxiliary layer is out of focus. The second auxiliary layer is developed to form first mask patterns. The isolation layer and the first auxiliary layer are etched by using the first mask patterns to form second mask patterns. The second mask patterns are developed to form third mask patterns that are used to facilitate subsequent etching of the target etch layer.
US07955981B2
A non-volatile memory device includes a plurality of pillars, where each of the plurality of pillars contains a non-volatile memory cell containing a steering element and a storage element and at least one of a top corner or a bottom corner of each of the plurality of pillars is rounded. A method of making non-volatile memory device includes forming a stack of device layers, and patterning the stack to form a plurality of pillars, where each of the plurality of pillars contains a non-volatile memory cell that contains a steering element and a storage element, and where at least one of top corner or bottom corner of each of the plurality of pillars is rounded.
US07955980B2
A post-CMP cleaning process of a copper layer is to be performed as follows. An alkaline aqueous solution, a polycarboxylic acid, BTA, and an alkaline aqueous solution are sequentially brought into contact with a primary surface of a silicon substrate over which the copper layer is provided.
US07955979B2
A method for forming a conductive thin film includes depositing a metal oxide thin film on a substrate by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The method further includes at least partially reducing the metal oxide thin film by exposing the metal oxide thin film to a reducing agent, thereby forming a seed layer. In one arrangement, the reducing agent comprises one or more organic compounds that contain at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of —OH, —CHO, and —COOH. In another arrangement, the reducing agent comprises an electric current.
US07955977B2
Methods of light induced plating of nickel onto semiconductors are disclosed. The methods involve applying light at an initial intensity for a limited amount of time followed by reducing the intensity of the light for the remainder of the plating period to deposit nickel on a semiconductor.
US07955958B2
The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of producing a PN junction the method including at least the steps of providing a Si-containing substrate; forming an insulating layer on the Si-containing substrate; forming a via through the insulating layer to expose at least a portion of the Si-containing substrate; forming a seed layer of the exposed portion of the Si containing substrate; forming amorphous Si on at least the seed layer; converting at least a portion of the amorphous Si to provide crystalline Si; and forming a first dopant region abutting a second dopant region in the crystalline Si.
US07955952B2
An integrated circuit chip and a method of fabricating an integrated circuit chip. The integrated circuit chip includes: a continuous first stress ring proximate to a perimeter of the integrated circuit chip, respective edges of the first stress ring parallel to respective edges of the integrated circuit chip; a continuous second stress ring between the first stress ring and the perimeter of the integrated circuit chip, respective edges the second stress ring parallel to respective edges of the integrated circuit chip, the first and second stress rings having opposite internal stresses; a continuous gap between the first stress ring and the second stress ring; and a set of wiring levels from a first wiring level to a last wiring level on the substrate.
US07955951B2
The present invention discloses an LED-laser lift-off method, which applies to lift off a transient substrate from an epitaxial layer grown on the transient substrate after a support substrate having an adhesion metal layer is bonded to the epitaxial layer. Firstly, the epitaxial layer is etched to define separation channels around each chip section, and the epitaxial layer between two separation channels is not etched but preserved to form a separation zone. Each laser illumination area only covers one illuminated chip section, the separation channels surrounding the illuminated chip section, and the separation zones surrounding the illuminated chip section. Thus, the adhesion metal layer on the separation channels is only heated once. Further, the outward stress generated by the illuminated chip section is counterbalanced by the outward stress generated by the illuminated separation zones, and the stress-induced structural damage on the chip section is reduced.
US07955947B2
Isolation regions for semiconductor substrates include dielectric-filled trenches and field oxide regions. Protective caps of dielectric materials dissimilar from the dielectric materials in the main portions of the trenches and field oxide regions may be used to protect the structures from erosion during later process steps. The top surfaces of the isolation structures are coplanar with the surface of the substrate. Field doping regions may be formed beneath the field oxide regions. To meet the demands of different devices, the isolation structures may have varying widths and depths.
US07955941B2
In one embodiment, a plurality of ESD devices are used to form an integrated semiconductor filter circuit. Additional diodes are formed in parallel with the ESD structures in order to increase the input capacitance.
US07955940B2
A method of forming a SOI substrate, diodes in the SOI substrate and electronic devices in the SOI substrate and an electronic device formed using the SOI substrate. The method of forming the SOI substrate includes forming an oxide layer on a silicon first substrate; ion-implanting hydrogen through the oxide layer into the first substrate, to form a fracture zone in the substrate; forming a doped dielectric bonding layer on a silicon second substrate; bonding a top surface of the bonding layer to a top surface of the oxide layer; thinning the first substrate by thermal cleaving of the first substrate along the fracture zone to form a silicon layer on the oxide layer to formed a bonded substrate; and heating the bonded substrate to drive dopant from the bonding layer into the second substrate to form a doped layer in the second substrate adjacent to the bonding layer.
US07955925B2
After gate insulating films, gate electrodes, and n+ type semiconductor regions and p+ type semiconductor regions for source/drain are formed, a metal film and a barrier film are formed on a semiconductor substrate. And a first heat treatment is performed so as to make the metal film react with the gate electrodes, the n+ type semiconductor region, and the p+ type semiconductor region, thereby forming a metal silicide layer formed of a monosilicide of a metal element forming the metal film. After that, the barrier film and the unreacted metal film are removed, and then a second heat treatment is performed to stabilize the metal silicide layer. The heat treatment temperature is made lower than a temperature at which a lattice size of a disilicide of the metal element and that of the semiconductor substrate become same.
US07955918B2
A semiconductor device, and particularly a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT), having a plurality of epitaxial layers and experiencing an operating (E) field. A negative ion region in the epitaxial layers to counter the operating (E) field. One method for fabricating a semiconductor device comprises providing a substrate and growing epitaxial layers on the substrate. Negative ions are introduced into the epitaxial layers to form a negative ion region to counter operating electric (E) fields in the semiconductor device. Contacts can be deposited on the epitaxial layers, either before or after formation of the negative ion region.
US07955917B2
A method for fabricating a gallium arsenide MOSFET device is presented. A dummy gate is formed over a gallium arsenide substrate. Source-drain extensions are implanted into the substrate adjacent the dummy gate. Dummy spacers are formed along dummy gate sidewalls and over a portion of the source-drain extensions. Source-drain regions are implanted. Insulating spacers are formed on dummy oxide spacer sidewalls. A conductive layer is formed over the source-drain regions. The conductive layer is annealed to form contacts to the source-drain regions. The dummy gate and the dummy oxide spacers are removed to form a gate opening. A passivation layer is in-situ deposited in the gate opening. The surface of the passivation layer is oxidized to create an oxide layer. A dielectric layer is ex-situ deposited over the oxide layer. A gate metal is deposited over the dielectric layer to form a gate stack in the gate opening.
US07955913B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes determining an active region in a semiconductor substrate, forming a recess in a gate region crossing over the active region, annealing an oxide layer formed in the recess to oxidize the active region in the gate region, and etching the active region by using the oxidized active region as an etch mask.
US07955906B2
A method and system for locally processing a predetermined microstructure formed on a substrate without causing undesirable changes in electrical or physical characteristics of the substrate or other structures formed on the substrate are provided. The method includes providing information based on a model of laser pulse interactions with the predetermined microstructure, the substrate and the other structures. At least one characteristic of at least one pulse is determined based on the information. A pulsed laser beam is generated including the at least one pulse. The method further includes irradiating the at least one pulse having the at least one determined characteristic into a spot on the predetermined microstructure. The at least one determined characteristic and other characteristics of the at least one pulse are sufficient to locally process the predetermined microstructure without causing the undesirable changes.
US07955898B2
Packaged microelectronic devices and methods for manufacturing packaged microelectronic devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for forming a microelectronic device includes attaching a microelectronic die to a support member by forming an attachment feature on at least one of a back side of the microelectronic die and the support member. The attachment feature includes a volume of solder material. The method also includes contacting the attachment feature with the other of the microelectronic die and the support member, and reflowing the solder material to join the back side of the die and the support member via the attachment feature. In several embodiments, the attachment feature is not electrically connected to internal active structures of the die.
US07955889B1
An optoelectronic device and a method for fabricating the optoelectronic device includes a first electrode disposed on a substrate, an exposed surface of the first electrode having a root mean square roughness of at least 30 nm and a height variation of at least 200 nm, the first electrode being transparent. A conformal layer of a first organic semiconductor material is deposited onto the first electrode by organic vapor phase deposition, the first organic semiconductor material being a small molecule material. A layer of a second organic semiconductor material is deposited over the conformal layer. At least some of the layer of the second organic semiconductor material directly contacts the conformal layer. A second electrode is deposited over the layer of the second organic semiconductor material. The first organic semiconductor material is of a donor-type or an acceptor-type relative to the second organic semiconductor material, which is of the other material type.
US07955879B2
In a method of forming an LED semiconductor device, and in an LED semiconductor device, an LED is provided on a substrate. A first encapsulant material layer is provided on the LED, and the first encapsulant material layer is firstly annealed. A luminescence conversion material layer is provided on the firstly annealed first encapsulant material layer, and the first encapsulant material layer and the luminescence conversion material layer and secondly annealed.
US07955878B2
A semiconductor light emitting device can include a casing having a concave-shaped cavity with an opening, a semiconductor light emitting element installed in a bottom portion of the cavity, and a resin layer for filling an interior of the cavity. The resin layer can include a wavelength conversion material, and can be formed in a convex shape in a light radiation direction of the light emitting element. In the resin layer a layer with a high density of the wavelength conversion material can be formed near a surface of the convex shape.
US07955874B2
A bonded silicon wafer is produced by a method comprising a step of implanting oxygen ions from one surface of a silicon wafer for active layer to form an oxygen ion implanted layer, a step of bonding the one surface of the silicon wafer for active layer to one surface of a silicon wafer for support layer and then conducting a heat treatment for strengthening the bonding to form a silicon wafer composite, a step of polishing a silicon portion at a side of the silicon wafer for active layer in the silicon wafer composite on a rotating platen having a polishing means and stopping the polishing at a time of detecting change of physical properties on the rotating platen resulting from the exposure of at least a part of the oxygen ion implanted layer and a step of removing the oxygen ion implanted layer.
US07955871B2
A switchable resistive device has a multi-layer thin film structure interposed between an upper conductive electrode and a lower conductive electrode. The multi-layer thin film structure comprises a perovskite layer with one buffer layer on one side of the perovskite layer, or a perovskite layer with buffer layers on both sides of the perovskite layer. Reversible resistance changes are induced in the device under applied electrical pulses. The resistance changes of the device are retained after applied electric pulses. The functions of the buffer layer(s) added to the device include magnification of the resistance switching region, reduction of the pulse voltage needed to switch the device, protection of the device from being damaged by a large pulse shock, improvement of the temperature and radiation properties, and increased stability of the device allowing for multivalued memory applications.
US07955866B2
Labelled silica nanoparticles for immunochromatographic reagent, comprising silica nanoparticles containing a labelled substance.
US07955861B2
The present invention provides in one aspect polymeric luminescent dye compounds having fluorescent properties, phosphorescent properties, or both fluorescent and phosphorescent properties.
US07955859B2
A rare-earth fluorescent complex which forms a fluorescent complex with two or more rare-earth metals such as europium and terbium and can effectively be excited at a wavelength of 340 nm or longer; a fluorescent labeling agent comprising the rare-earth fluorescent complex; a method of fluorescent labeling in which the rare-earth fluorescent complex is used as a labeling agent; and a method of fluorometric analysis in which the fluorescent labeling agent is used. The rare-earth fluorescent complex is characterized by having a cyclic ligand comprising a 4-biphenyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine skeleton and a 2,6-bis(3′-aminomethyl-1′-pyrazolyl)pyrazine skeleton bonded thereto.
US07955850B2
In this invention is described a method that foresees the isolation of a new subpopulation of stem cells derived form dental pulp, whose differentiation is osteoblasts lead to the subsequent production and employment of a bone tissue, called LAB (Living Autologous Bone). Specifically, the invention describes: 1) the isolation of stem cells from the pulp of deciduous and permanent teeth and of dental germs, obtained from human subjects; 2) the growth of these cells in vitro, under specific conditions that allow the isolation of a cellular sub-population, which, after differentiation in osteoblasts, is able to produce in vitro an extracellular matrix, identical to that detectable in bone tissue; 3) the use of this selected and differentiated cell population in order to produce autologous bone tissue in vitro, containing vital osteoblasts; 4) the preservation of the LAB under conditions which guarantee cellular vitality; 5) the use of the LAB in donor patients to reconstruct bone tissue, as required in the daily practice in dentistry, maxillo-facial surgery and orthopedics.
US07955848B2
The present invention relates to novel molecular markers for diagnosis and classification of human breast cancer and lung cancer.
US07955840B2
Methods and devices for performing chemical reactions under controlled temperatures are described. In one embodiment, the devices provided by the invention comprise a housing dimensioned to hold a reaction chamber disposed within an interior volume of the housing. The reaction chamber has thermally conductive interior and exterior surfaces defining an internal volume therein at a first temperature. The device also includes at least one thermally conductive temperature-control bladder disposed therein, which bladder is configured to receive a temperature-control substance at a second temperature into said bladder and expel said temperature-control substance from said bladder. The bladder is further configured such that upon receiving the temperature-control substance, the bladder expands to abut substantially at least a portion of said exterior surfaces of said reaction chamber to enable thermal exchange between said temperature-control substance the said internal volume of reaction chamber.
US07955838B2
The present invention relates to methods and devices for adhering cells in a specific and predetermined position with an adhesive control of internal cell organization, methods for preparing such devices, methods for studying modifications of cell shape and global internal cell organization such as the distribution of cellular compartments, centrosome centering, spindle orientation, internal compartmentalization and internal transports, methods for screening compounds of interest which enhance or inhibit specific cell functions.
US07955835B2
The present invention relates to a process for producing compounds of formula (I) and (VII); said process comprising the steps of: a) subjecting a compound of formula (II) to an enzymatic diastereomeric resolution in the presence of a suitable amount of enzyme chosen from Pig Liver Esterase or Porcine Pancreatic Lipase b) recovering said compounds of formula (I) and (VII). The invention also provides a process for producing compounds of formula (III) and (X); said process comprising the steps of: a) subjecting a compound of formula (IV) to an enzymatic diastereomeric resolution in the presence of a suitable amount of enzyme chosen from Candida Antarctica “A” lipase, Candida Antarctica “B” lipase, Candida Lypolitica Lipase or Rhizomucor Miehei Lipase b) recovering said compound of formula (III) and (X).
US07955827B2
Electroporation is performed in a controlled manner in either individual or multiple biological cells or biological tissue by monitoring the electrical impedance, defined herein as the ratio of current to voltage in the electroporation cell. The impedance detects the onset of electroporation in the biological cell(s), and this information is used to control the intensity and duration of the voltage to assure that electroporation has occurred without destroying the cell(s). This is applicable to electroporation in general. In addition, a particular method and apparatus are disclosed in which electroporation and/or mass transfer across a cell membrane are accomplished by securing a cell across an opening in a barrier between two chambers such that the cell closes the opening. The barrier is either electrically insulating, impermeable to the solute, or both, depending on whether pore formation, diffusive transport of the solute across the membrane, or both are sought. Electroporation is achieved by applying a voltage between the two chambers, and diffusive transport is achieved either by a difference in solute concentration between the liquids surrounding the cell and the cell interior or by a differential in concentration between the two chambers themselves. Electric current and diffusive transport are restricted to a flow path that passes through the opening.
US07955826B2
Methods and compositions for improving the production of ethanol by a Saccharomyces spp. yeast in a fermentation medium are provided, where the method comprises adding to the fermentation medium an emulsion comprising a monoterpene and a surfactant in an amount sufficient to improve the production of ethanol.
US07955821B2
The invention provides a protein labeling and detection system based on self-complementing fragments of fluorescent and chromophoric proteins. The system of the invention is exemplified with various combinations of self-complementing fragments derived from Aequorea victoria Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), which are used to detect and quantify protein solubility in multiple assay formats, both in vitro and in vivo.
US07955812B2
The invention relates to antibodies that bind cross-linked amyloid β oligomers, and methods for using such antibodies for diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
US07955810B2
This invention relates to methods and kits for positive selection of species of interest based on peptide/protein sequence from a biological sample. The species of interest may be proteins and/or peptides of interest which may be placed through a mass spectrometer to obtain a blood peptide/protein signature. The blood peptide/protein signature may be used in proteomic analysis. The techniques include but are not limited to the use of collectors comprising nucleic acid molecules to extract a composition that has a lower concentration of a high abundance species of interest from a sample. This limits the level of influence that any collectors species may have on the results of a mass spectra.
US07955804B2
A brain damage-related disorder is diagnosed in a subject by detecting at least one polypeptide, or a variant or mutant thereof, selected from A-FABP, E-FABP, PGP 9.5, GFAP, Prostaglandin D synthase, Neuromodulin, Neurofilament L, Calcyphosine, RNA binding regulatory subunit, Ubiquitin fusion degradation protein 1 homolog, Nucleoside diphosphate kinase A, Glutathione S tranferase P, Cathepsin D, DJ-1 protein, Peroxiredoxin 5 and Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase A (Cyclophilin A) in a sample of body fluid taken from the subject.
US07955800B2
Methods for determining a tumor in a human is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for identifying adenocarcinoma, and methods for identifying squamous cell carcinoma in a human tumor sample. In addition, methods for predicting prognosis of metastasis and survival in a human having a tumor is disclosed.
US07955796B2
Described is a method for the detection and quantification of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from a specimen comprising a) contacting the specimen with Anti-Protein A antibodies so as to adsorb methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus and/or methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, b) separating said antibodies to which methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and/or methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus have been adsorbed from the specimen, c) lysing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and/or methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus adsorbed to said antibodies so as to release their DNA, d) combining the released DNA with (i) probes and/or primers which are specific for a target DNA sequence of the mecA gene of methicillin -resistant Staphylococcus aureus and/or of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermis, (ii) probes and/or primers which are specific for a target DNA sequence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus other than a target DNA sequence of the mecA gene and (iii) probes and/or primers which are specific for a target DNA sequence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermis other than a target DNA sequence of the mecA gene, whereby the target DNA sequences of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermis are not homologous, e) subjecting the combined released DNA and the specific probes and/or primers to conditions which permit amplification of said target DNA sequences, f) detecting the presence and amount of the amplified target DNA sequences as an indication of the presence and amount of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, new primers and probes and diagnostic kits for the detection and quantification of MRSA.
US07955774B2
An electrostatic image developing toner comprising a non-crystalline polyester resin, wherein the non-crystalline polyester resin is obtained by copolymerizing monomers in the presence of a titanium catalyst; the monomers comprise a polyhydric alcohol component and a monomer containing a sulfonic acid group, the polyhydric alcohol component comprises a propylene oxide adduct of bisphenol A, a ratio of an amount of the monomer containing a sulfonic acid group to the total amount of the non-crystalline polyester resin is 0.1 mol % to 20 mol %, and a content of titanium is 1 ppm to 1000 ppm by weight based on the amount of the resin. The invention also provides a method for producing the same, an electrostatic image developer and image forming method using the toner.
US07955761B2
An exposure mask has a rectangular pattern, an auxiliary pattern, a translucent region, and a shielding region. The rectangular pattern includes a transparent region having a dimension equal to or greater than a critical resolution of exposure light. The auxiliary pattern is arranged around the rectangular pattern and includes a transparent region having a dimension smaller than the critical resolution. The translucent region is arranged between the rectangular pattern and the auxiliary pattern for shifting a phase of light transmitted through the rectangular pattern and the auxiliary pattern to an opposite phase. The shielding region is arranged around the auxiliary pattern.
US07955757B2
A membrane-electrode assembly comprising a cathode catalyst layer for reducing an oxidant gas, a polymer electrolyte membrane and an anode catalyst layer, the polymer electrolyte membrane being sandwiched between the catalyst layers, wherein the cathode catalyst layer exhibits super-water-repellency. The disclosure is also concerned with a method of manufacturing the membrane-electrode assembly and a fuel cell using the membrane-electrode assembly.
US07955748B2
The present invention provides a cell or stack for evaluating the performance of a fuel cell and a method of evaluating the performance of the fuel cell using the cell or stack, in which a semiconductor thermoelectric device, attached to the side surface of the unit cell or stack of the fuel cell, is provided maintain the cell or stack at a uniform temperature. The temperatures of an anode and a cathode of the fuel cell can be precisely changed or maintained such that the performance of the fuel cell can also be measured in sub-zero temperature conditions without requiring a separate environmental chamber. A rate of temperature decrease, at which the temperature decreases to a certain sub-zero temperature, or a rate of temperature increase can be precisely controlled.
US07955739B2
Improved water distribution can be obtained within the cells of a fuel cell series stack by maintaining a suitable temperature difference between the cathode and anode sides of each cell in the stack during shutdown. This can be accomplished by thermally insulating the “hot” end and sides of the stack and by providing a thermal mass adjacent to the “hot” end.
US07955737B2
A battery grid includes a frame that includes a top element, a bottom element, a first side element, and a second side element. The battery grid also includes a plurality of wires provided within the frame and defining a plurality of open areas and a current collection lug extending from the top element in a first direction. The battery grid further includes at least one feature provided in the battery grid that is configured to reduce the amount of growth of the battery grid in the first direction due to corrosion of the battery grid during the life of the battery grid.
US07955724B2
Disclosed herein is a secondary battery which comprises a film (“safety film”) including expansible graphite that generates inflammable gas at a high temperature and polyurethane that causes an endothermic reaction and generates char at a high temperature. The safety film is a thin member, and therefore, the secondary battery according to the present invention has effects in that the safety film can be easily attached to a region of the secondary battery where the operating components of the secondary battery are not affected. In addition, the graphite component and the polyurethane component included in the safety film provide effective and perfect inflammability by virtue of the inflammable gas and char generated from the graphite component and the polyurethane component, respectively.
US07955723B2
A perpendicular magnetic recording medium comprising a pair of soft magnetic layers that are laminated via a non-magnetic layer and antiparallel-coupled to each other and that are provided between a non-magnetic substrate and a magnetic recording layer, wherein spike noise and medium noise can be positively suppressed when information recording and reproduction are carried out at high recording surface density. At least one pair of soft magnetic layers are laid and formed via a non-magnetic layer on a substrate of a non-magnetic material so that magnetic characteristics obtained by integrating the pair of soft magnetic layers have a magnetic hysteresis to thereby prevent the formation of a magnetic domain wall.
US07955722B2
Provided is a protective alumina film mainly containing alumina in the α-crystal structure and fine crystal grains in which one or more regions containing additionally an element other than aluminum formed along the planes in the direction almost perpendicular to the thickness direction of the protective film are present intermittently in the thickness direction inside the protective film.
US07955710B2
Ultrasonically bonded laminated absorbent products comprising a first substrate, a second substrate, and an adhesive composition are disclosed. The first and second substrates are dissimilar or non-bondable materials. The adhesive composition comprises a mixture of atactic and isotactic polymers such that it has melt and flow characteristics similar to those of the materials.
US07955704B2
An intraocular lens with a hydrophilic polymer coating composition and method of preparing same are provided. Specifically, a composition suitable for reducing tackiness in intraocular lenses is provided wherein an acrylic intraocular lens is treated by vapor deposition with an alkoxy silyl terminated polyethylene glycol polymer composition.
US07955703B2
There are disclosed a silicone rubber based pressure sensitive adhesive sheet comprising a transparent substrate film and a silicone rubber layer which is formed by coating the surface of the transparent substrate film with silicone rubber in an amount of 5 to 100 g/m2 (after drying) containing addition type organopolysiloxane composed of organopolysiloxane having a siloxane bond as a principal skeleton and bearing an alkenyl group and of organohydrogenpolysiloxane, the silicone rubber further containing 0.01 to 3.0 parts by mass of a platinum catalyst based on 100 parts by mass of the addition type organopolysiloxane, and then by curing the resultant coating, and which has adhesion for float glass in accordance with JIS Z 0237 being in the range of 10 to 1000 mN/25 mm, holding power (load of one kg) of at least 24 hours and a 100% modulus in the range of 0.3 to 1.5 MPa. The resultant silicone rubber based pressure sensitive adhesive sheet is imparted with strong holding power, sufficient adhesiveness to the substrate film and sufficient removability from an adherend enabling repeated sticking even if an additive such as an adhesion improving agent is not blended, and at the same time which makes it possible to use as a releasing film, an inexpensive film not subjected to a releasing treatment.
US07955702B2
Improved long open time one component primer compositions for bonding substrates, methods and the articles made therefrom. The primer compositions include an ingredient including an oxazolidine ring or derivative or analog thereof.
US07955701B2
A composition for preparing a resin is provided. The composition includes a brominated epoxy resin, a urethane-modified copolyester, a curing agent and a solvent. A prepreg is also provided. The prepreg includes a glass fabric and a resin layer on the glass fabric. The resin layer is made from the foregoing resin.
US07955691B2
An amorphous hard carbon film comprising a first amorphous carbon layer substantially consists only of carbon formed on a substrate surface and a second amorphous carbon layer substantially consists only of carbon formed on the surface of the first amorphous carbon layer, wherein the transmission electron microscope image of the first amorphous carbon layer is brighter than that of the second amorphous carbon layer when the cross section is observed.
US07955687B2
The subject of the invention is the use of a material composed of a substrate equipped with a coating based on titanium oxide surmounted by a thin hydrophilic layer forming at least one part of the outer surface of said material and that is not composed of titanium oxide, as a material that prevents the deposition of mineral soiling on said outer surface in the absence of water runoff.
US07955682B2
A system for recording and/or transmitting optical data or visual images includes an optical data or visual image recording medium and a light and/or heat source. The medium includes a markable coating established on a substrate. The markable coating includes a leuco dye and a developer precursor including a compound that undergoes rearrangement in response to a stimulus, thereby forming a developer that reacts with the leuco dye. The light/heat source is positioned so as to illuminate and/or heat the medium in a predetermined manner to i) cause photochemical and/or photothermal rearrangement of the developer precursor to form the developer which reacts with the leuco dye to form an optically detectable mark, or ii) cause at least one optically detectable mark previously formed on the markable coating to produce at least one readable pattern.
US07955677B2
Assemblies for the adhesive attachment to the skin or mucosa of a host are disclosed. The assembly or transdermal patch includes an outer backing layer, a first layer of adhesive on the inner surface of the outer backing layer, an inner backing layer, and an intermediate release liner between the first layer of adhesive and the inner backing layer. The intermediate release liner includes a releasable surface on both its inner and outer surfaces.
US07955673B2
The present invention provides a PVD cylindrical target comprising an evaporation material covering the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical substrate, the PVD cylindrical target includes a meshing part having at least either of a protruding shape and a recessed shape formed with rounded angular parts at the interface between the substrate and the evaporation material. According to such a structure, peeling or cracking of the evaporation material by a residual stress caused at the interface between the substrate and the evaporation material by a thermal expansion difference between the both can be suppressed, and sufficient adhesiveness between the both can also be ensured.
US07955670B2
A method of making a texture-coated and/or insulation coated container from a flat paperboard blank in which a heat-hardenable liquid polymeric binder texturizing and/or insulating agent coating mixture is applied to one surface of the blank in a pattern of covered and open areas. This coating mixture is subjected to heat to cure the polymeric binder and expand the texturizing and/or insulating agent, optionally treated with moisture, and optionally heated to form the blank into the shape of a container, and the container produced by this method. The containers such as cups, plates, etc., are useful in food service. These containers have a coefficient of static friction which is about 0.2 to 2.0 and over and a kinetic coefficient of friction which is about 0.22 to 1.5.
US07955668B2
An embodiment of a media sheet has a barrier layer formed on a first surface of a substrate. An image-receiving layer is formed on the barrier layer. A porous pigment layer is formed on a second surface of the substrate.
US07955667B2
An inkjet recording medium includes a substrate, a base layer, and a porous ink receiving layer. The base layer is established on at least one surface of the substrate, and the porous ink receiving layer is established on the base layer. The base layer includes calcined clay present in an amount ranging from about 25% to about 75% by dry weight.
US07955665B2
The present invention provides a photoalignment film composition containing a compound represented by general formula (1) and a compound having a hydrophilic group and a (meth)acryloyloxy group, an optically anisotropic medium using a photoalignment film comprised of the photoalignment film composition, and a method for preparing thereof: (wherein, R1 and R2 respectively and independently represent a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, carboxyl group or alkali metal salt thereof, halogenated methyl group, halogenated methoxy group, cyano group, nitro group, —OR5, hydroxylalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, —CONR6R7 or methoxycarbonyl group, and R3 and R4 respectively and independently represent a carboxyl group or alkali metal salt thereof, sulfo group or alkali metal salt thereof, nitro group, amino group, carbamoyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, sulfamoyl group or hydroxyl group).
US07955659B2
A method includes admixing a plurality of fluoropolymer chains, a plurality of basic metal oxide polymers, and a plurality of organic grafts. Each of the plurality of organic grafts includes a phenol end group, a linking group, and at least one silane end group. The phenol end groups of the organic grafts are reacted with the plurality of fluoropolymer chains to form a silane functionalized fluoropolymer.
US07955637B2
An electrosurgical device including a reinforcing underlayment having a non-stick, anti-microbial coating. In one embodiment, the coating includes a non-stick material having anti-microbial particles interspersed in the non-stick material. This coating is applied to the surfaces of the electrode to minimize the build-up of charred tissue on the surfaces of the electrode. Also, the coating tends to kill harmful organisms residing on the surfaces of the electrode. In another embodiment, a primer coating is initially applied to the surfaces of the electrode. A plurality of anti-microbial particles are then applied to the primer coating layer and engage and are embedded in the primer coating layer. A top coat including a non-stick material is applied to the anti-microbial particle layer. In either embodiment, the coating layers applied to the surfaces of the electrode are cured to harden and adhere the layers to the electrode.
US07955633B2
There is disclosed an edible oil composition, particularly for use in frying and cooking foods, which has a high stability under thermal stress, with less development of degradation products during frying and cooking and less absorption of these degradation products on the surface of the food. The composition consists of a mixture of vegetable oils characterized by a ratio by weight (R) of monounsaturated fatty acids to polyunsaturated fatty acids in the range from 5 to 8, a percentage by weight of saturated fatty acids (S) in the range from 18 to 22%, and a content of antioxidants in the range from 50 to 500 ppm. Advantageously, these antioxidants are produced by molecular distillation from natural lipid starting materials.
US07955623B2
The present invention refers to a pharmaceutical preparation for treating inflammatory diseases and microbial infections comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of ozone and at least one monomeric amino acid having an oxidation-sensitive side chain, or at least one ozonized monomeric amino acid having an oxidation-sensitive side chain.Also described is the use of a preparation as described before for providing a medicament for treating inflammatory diseases, microbial infections and for immune modulation. The pharmaceutical preparation according to the invention is particularly useful in the treatment of oral inflammations.
US07955622B2
Controlled-release galantamine formulations, including controlled-release particles, pellets, granules, and spheres are described. Controlled-release particles, pellets, granules, and spheres with immediate release top-coat are also described. Method of preparing such formulations and method of treating a variety of disorders are also disclosed.
US07955620B2
The present invention provides a stable oral composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of desloratadine and a stabilizer selected from the group comprising an antioxidant, a pharmaceutically acceptable organic compound that provides an alkaline pH, an alkali metal salt, or mixtures thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.
US07955616B2
The present application is directed to compositions and methods for mechanically controlling the bleeding of bone. The compositions comprise in intimate admixture the following Components 1, 2 and 3: (1) a finely powdered, carboxylic acid salt comprising a carboxylate anion and a metallic cation, (2) a composition comprising pyrrolidone or an N-alkyl pyrrolidone wherein alkyl is a C1-C12 alkyl radical and an optional, biocompatible liquefying agent if the composition is in solid form at room temperature, and (3) an optional analgesic, wherein the analgesic is present in a free base and salt form.
US07955615B2
Coatings for medical devices which include polycationic peptides such as L-arginine and methods for fabricating the coatings are disclosed.
US07955609B2
The invention relates to novel active compound combinations of extracts from seeds of the neem tree and the active compounds of groups (B) to (F) listed in the disclosure that have very good insecticidal and acaricidal properties.
US07955608B2
An aqueous composition used for cosmetics, characterized in that the composition comprises 0.5 to 50 wt %, based on weight of the composition, of a copolymer having main chains comprising the repeating units represented by the following formula (1), the repeating units represented by the following formula (2), and the repeating units represented by the following formula (3), said main chains being crosslinked by a compound or oligomer having 2 to 6 (meth)acryl groups wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, R2 is a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms, R3 is a divalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, R4 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a phenyl group, X is a hydrogen atom, an alkaline metal ion, ammonium ion, or an organic ammonium ion, m is an integer of from 0 to 500 on average, and n is an integer of from 1 to 3.
US07955597B2
The present invention relates to at least one novel chimeric, humanized or CDR-grafted anti-IL-6 antibodies derived from the murine CLB-8 antibody, including isolated nucleic acids that encode at least one such anti-IL-6 antibody, vectors, host cells, transgenic animals or plants, and methods of making and using thereof, including therapeutic compositions, methods and devices.
US07955596B2
The present invention pertains to the discovery that B. anthracis possesses a luxS gene that encodes a functional LuxS polypeptide, and that B. anthracis synthesizes a functional AI-2 quorum-sensing molecule. The invention provides mutant B. anthracis bacteria lacking the function of the luxS gene, which do not produce a functional AI-2 molecule and have growth defects compared to wild-type B. anthracis. The invention also concerns methods for inhibiting the growth of B. anthracis, or for preventing or treating B. anthracis infection, by inhibiting the activity of the B. anthracis LuxS polypeptide, or by exposure of the B. anthracis to furanone. In particular, the invention concerns the use of furanone, a compound that inhibits AI-2-mediated quorum-sensing, to inhibit the growth of B. anthracis, to inhibit B. anthracis toxin production, particularly that of protective antigen, and to prevent or treat B. anthracis infection. The invention also provides methods to prevent B. anthracis infection, or enhance an immune response to B. anthracis infection, by administering a vaccine comprising a B. anthracis cell in which the luxS gene is mutated.
US07955591B1
Disclosed is a method of promoting oral hygiene and teeth re-calcification involving increasing crevicular fluid flow in a subject in the presence of hydroxide containing material such that OH− ions are formed and caused to contact the teeth. The method further involves causing calcium Ca++ ion containing material to simultaneously, or subsequently, contact the teeth.
US07955589B2
An improved method and composition for producing aluminum hydroxide crystals in a Bayer process pregnant liquor, involve the addition of a crystallization modifier comprising a C8-C10 fatty acid, precursors, salts or blends thereof. The alkyl chain of the fatty acid crystallization modifier is free of functional groups. The modifier yields a commercially in the presence and absence of an hydrocarbon oil which dissolves the fatty acid.
US07955578B2
To provide a method and apparatus for treating a waste gas containing fluorine-containing compounds, according to which PFCs can be decomposed efficiently even at low temperature, and moreover fluorine from the product of the decomposition can be recovered for reuse efficiently. An embodiment of the present invention relates to a method of treating a gas containing a fluorine-containing compound, comprising contacting the gas with a treatment agent comprising a mixture of aluminum hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. Moreover, another embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus for treating a gas containing a fluorine-containing compound, comprising a treatment column comprising a hollow interior that is packed with a treatment agent comprising a mixture of aluminum hydroxide and calcium hydroxide and through which the gas can pass, heating means capable of heating the hollow interior to a prescribed temperature, a gas introduction port for introducing the gas to be treated into the hollow interior, and an exhaust pipe for discharging gas produced from the hollow interior.
US07955564B2
The present invention discloses the substrate and the micro reactor for mixing two kinds of fluids. The micro reactor of the present invention comprises a housing having first and second inlet ports and an outlet port formed thereon; and a plurality of substrates stacked in the housing, wherein the substrate has a space formed at a central portion thereof in one direction; a plurality of first channels extended from one side thereof to the space and corresponding to the first inlet port; and a plurality of second channels extended from the other side thereof to the space and corresponding to the second inlet port; wherein a portion between two neighboring first channels corresponds to the second channel and a portion between two neighboring second channels corresponds to the first channel to form sequentially reaction interfaces of the first and second fluids in the space.
US07955563B2
A method for applying reactive films containing solids to microporous membranes is provided wherein the membrane is firstly moistened and the reactive film containing solids is applied to the membrane while it is still moist. Membranes produced in this manner can contain reactive films having a high proportion of film openers and can be used advantageously in diagnostic elements for detecting constituents and, in particular, large hydrophobic analytes in body fluid.
US07955552B1
A car freshener system includes a portable reservoir seated within the vehicle, a predetermined volume of a liquid air freshening compound housed within the reservoir, and a portable discharge casing disposed within the vehicle with a rotary discharging mechanism housed therein. The discharge casing includes an input port and an output port in fluid communication with the reservoir in such a manner that the liquid air freshening compound is caused to enter through the input port and travels along a unidirectional arcuate path defined along a major interior circumference of the discharge casing prior to exiting through the output port.
US07955551B2
The present invention provides an improved alkali metal dispenser which is pure and free of contaminant gases, and provides for controlled releasing, delivery and recycling of the alkali metal in multiple stages in a controlled manner. The present invention also provides an alkali metal pump or getter.
US07955549B2
A method of manufacturing a multilayer nonwoven fabric includes a supporting step of arranging on a predetermined surface of a permeable supporting member a multilayer fiber aggregate, a moving step of moving the multilayer fiber aggregate supported on the permeable supporting member in a prescribed direction by a predetermined moving device, and a spraying step of spraying a fluid onto the multilayer fiber aggregate moved in the prescribed direction in the moving step from the second surface by a predetermined spraying device.
US07955548B2
The present invention relates to methods of making preforms, fiber-reinforced molded articles and fiber mats, wherein the methods use electroluminescent devices such as LED's and/or quantum dots.
US07955541B2
A decorative surface covering includes a fabric; and a layer of molded resin disposed on said fabric, where the resin is molded into decorative features of the covering. A method of forming a decorative surface covering includes molding resin disposed on a fabric to produce decorative features, the resin adhering to the fabric.
US07955539B2
A reversible, heat-set covered fiber is described, the covered fiber comprising: A. A core comprising an elastic fiber comprising a substantially crosslinked, temperature-stable, olefin polymer, and B. A cover comprising an inelastic fiber. The fiber is heat-set by a method comprising: (a) Stretching the covered fiber by applying a stretching force to the covered fiber; (b) Heating the stretched covered fiber of (a) to a temperature in excess of the crystalline melting point of the olefin polymer for a period of time sufficient to at least partially melt the olefin polymer; (c) Cooling the stretched and heated covered fiber of (b) to a temperature below the crystalline melting point of the olefin polymer for a period of time sufficient to solidify the polymer; and (d) Removing the stretching force from the covered fiber.
US07955534B1
A monolithic substrate of materials containing within it multiple opened channels of one dimensional macropore have a mesoporous inner surface and a method for making the same, wherein each of the opened channels is isolated from each other. The isolated channels of the one dimensional pore are aligned with and continuously extend through the entire substrate which contains various mesopores in three dimensions. The macropore has preferred pore sizes ranging from about 0.1 micrometers to about 20 micrometers, and the mesopore has a preferred pore size which is less than 500 angstrom.
US07955530B2
Disclosed is an ionic conductor comprising a metal composite oxide characterized by comprising oxygen defects and metal defects in a cryolite lattice. An electrochemical device comprising the ionic conductor is also disclosed. The metal composite oxide has an improved ion conductivity, because formation of an open space within a lattice is ensured by the defects of metal ion sites in the lattice. Therefore, the metal composite oxide is useful for an ionic conductor or an electrochemical device requiring ionic conductivity.
US07955527B2
The invention provides a conductivity control agent comprised of a polymeric material containing diphosphonium bis(sulfoarylcarbonyloxy) glycol salts as conductivity control agent. The conductivity control agents can be used with semi-conductive rolls, belts and other biasable members. The inclusion of the conductivity control agent in the polymeric or polyurethane elastomers extends the electrical life of the polymeric biasable member in low humidity environments. Additionally, the resistivity of the elastomeric polymer on the biasable member is controlled to a desirable value by adjusting the conductivity control agent level in the elastomers.
US07955526B2
A composite material (M) comprising: at least 75% by volume of a mixed electronic conductor compound oxygen anions O<2->(C1) selected from doped ceramic compounds which, at the temperature of use, are present in the form of a crystalline network having ion oxide lattice vacancies and, more particularly, in the form of a cubic phase, a fluorite phase, a perovskite phase, of the aurivillius variety, a Brown-Millerite phase or a pyrochlore phase; and 0.01%-25% by volume of a compound (C2) which is different from compound (C1), selected from oxide-type ceramic materials, non-oxide type ceramic materials, metals, metal alloys or mixtures of said different types of material; and 0%-2.5% by volume of a compound (C3) produced from at least one chemical reaction represented by the equation: xFC1+yFC2 - - - >zFC3, wherein FC1, FC2 and FC3 represent the raw formulae of compounds (C1), (C2) and (C3) and x, y and z represent rational numbers above or equal to 0. The invention also relates to a method for the preparation and use thereof as mixed conductor material for a membrane catalytic reactor used to synthesize synthetic gas by catalytic oxidation of methane or natural gas and/or as mixed conductor material for a ceramic membrane.
US07955525B2
Disclosed is an oil composition wherein the oil contains measurable amounts of peroxide resulting from peroxidation, and also includes an effective amount of a peroxide-reducing phosphorous compound, preferably an alkyl/aryl substituted phosphite compound or phosphinic acid (H3PO2) and its derivatives.
US07955522B2
An extraction aid has been found which provides for enhanced contaminate removal, such as metals and amines, from crude oils that uses components that are desirable in desalting processes as the components are water soluble, have low toxicity, are highly biodegradeable and exhibit high thermal stability. According to one embodiment of the invention, an extraction aid that provides enhanced extraction properties is comprised of a blend of acids, particularly water soluble acids. More specifically, a combination of two acids chosen from the group consisting of acetic acid, sulfuric acid, glycolic acid, citric acid and methanesulfonic acid.
US07955507B2
Methods, systems and compositions for a green sorption media for bioretention soil amendments in drainfields for on-site waste water systems filled with the green sorption media to foster an anaerobic or anoxic environment saturated. The green sorption media includes one or more recycled materials, including tire crumb, sawdust, orange peel, coconut husks, leaf compost, oyster shell, soy bean hulls and one or more naturally occurring materials including peat, sands, zeolites, and clay. The wastewater filtration system for a passive drainfield includes the green sorption material mixture, a cell including baffled compartments and a riser, the cell filled with green sorption material mixture to provide an alternating cycle of aerobic and anoxic environments, an influent distribution system to distribute the influent over the cell, and a piping system arranged for dosing the cell to sustain the functionality of the green sorption material mixture to remove nutrient content in wastewater.
US07955505B2
A method which improves the quality of effluent from the process of the industrial production of petroleum, usually referred to as produced water. This method makes it possible to reduce the concentration of pollutants in produced water requiring treatment by removing these pollutants through the use of cultures of microalgae that have passed through a process of natural selection and are naturally adapted to the hostile environment offered by produced water.
US07955503B2
A pure water producing apparatus prevents fluctuations in the amount of produced pure water without requiring a heat exchanger. Raw water is filtered with an activated carbon filtration device, sent through a water supply pump to the reverse osmosis device, and demineralized. Demineralized water output from the reverse osmosis device contacts a water quality sensor including a water temperature sensor, is sent to an electrodeionization device, and subjected to electrodeionization. Water subjected to electrodeionization contacts a water quality sensor having a water temperature sensor, and is taken out as treated water. A sensing signal output from the water temperature sensor is input to a pump control circuit to control an amount of the water supplied from the pump so that an amount of water passing through the reverse osmosis device is maintained constant.
US07955495B2
A middle distillate, comprising hydrocarbons having a boiling range between 150° C. and 350° C., a NMR branching index greater than 60, and a CH3/CH2 hydrogen ratio greater than 2.6. Also, there is provided the middle distillate made by a process compressing alkylating an isoparaffin with an olefin under alkylation conditions over an unsupported ionic liquid catalyst, and providing an amount of halide containing additive to the alkylating step to achieve the NMR branching index and the CH3/CH2 hydrogen ratio.
US07955487B2
The invention relates to a device and method for electrolytically treating flat work pieces (1), more especially for electrolytically treating electrically conductive structures S that are electrically insulated against each other on the surfaces of the work pieces. The method comprises conveying and processing the work pieces (1) on the conveying paths T′, T″ in the device, said device comprising at least one assembly A located between tow conveying paths, said assembly including a first and a second rotatable contacting electrode (2, 8) with the contacting electrodes being associated each with one of the conveying paths, and first contacting electrodes (2) abutting against the work pieces being conveyed in a first conveying path T′, and being spaced from the second conveying path T″ and second contacting electrodes (8) abutting against the work pieces being conveyed in the second conveying path T″ and being spaced to the first conveying path T′. The assembly and the work pieces are brought into contact with the treatment liquid. The contacting electrodes comprise first and second segments (9, 10) each that are insulated against each other and that are contacted to a current source (5) in such a manner that electrolysis areas E are formed between the work piece (1) being conveyed on the first and second conveying paths T′, T″, respectively, and second segments (9) that are turned towards the first and second conveying paths T′, T″ respectively and are not contacting the work pieces (1).
US07955485B2
The present invention is a method of manufacturing miniaturized organic laminate substrate PCB, semiconductors, semiconductor wafers and semiconductor devices that have a 50% reduction in physical dimensions with respect to prior art existing organic laminate substrate PCB, semiconductors, semiconductor wafers and semiconductor devices. The base planar substrate has a vapor deposited 0.02 mil thick copper cladding thereon its first planar surface that has been affixed atop a hydrophillic layer, and an adhesive layer on its second planar surface. The copper cladding has sufficient peel strength and a low enough etch factor so as to allow 10 micron (or smaller) electrical trace pathways to be formed thereon when the steps of a specifically designed manufacturing methodology are followed.
US07955483B2
The present invention provides a sensor, such as a biosensor, comprising at least one self-assembled monolayer (SAM) comprising analyte-sensitive groups, such as glucose-sensitive groups, attached to the surface of the outer wall of a carbon nanotube (CNT), such as a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT), by terminal groups, which bind to a thin layer of a metal or metal oxide, which has been deposited on the surface of the outer wall of the nanotube.
US07955482B2
A water-proof electrochemical sensor for in situ analysis and real-time monitoring of chemical and biological compounds in a liquid analyte, such as a water column, or a water column/sediment interface, or sediment. The water-proof electrochemical sensor assembly comprises an electrode body that is resistant to high temperatures and pressure and includes a semi-hard o-ring or collar. A resilient elastomeric boot, that has an internal groove which is adapted to form a tight pressure-fit with the collar is installable on the electrode body. One end of the boot has an opening adapted to form an interference fit with a pin contact for electrical connections with external equipment and the other end of the boot has an opening adapted to form an interference fit with the electrode body whereby a water-proof seal is formed.
US07955480B2
The present invention provides a sputtering apparatus and a film deposition method capable of forming a magnetic film with reduced variations in the direction of magnetic anisotropy. The sputtering apparatus of the present invention is provided with a rotatable cathode (802), a rotatable stage (801) and a rotatable shielding plate (805). The sputtering apparatus controls the rotation of at least one of the cathode (802), stage (801) and shielding plate (805) so that sputtered particles impinging at an angle formed with respect to a normal line of the substrate (804) of 0° or more and 50° or less out of sputtered particles generated from the target (803a) during sputtering are made to impinge on the substrate (804).
US07955471B2
A moisture-reactive hot-melt adhesive composition, useful as an adhesive, is provided. The composition is particularly useful as an adhesive for bonding profile-wrap articles. Also provided are a method for making profile-wrap articles using the composition and the profile-wrap articles so made.
US07955469B2
The use of a heat idler moveable along a path provides speed and flexibility in the heat labeling of containers.
US07955463B2
A method for connecting shell parts (01, 02), which have been formed from sheet metal, for example by deep drawing. The shell parts (01, 02) may be any desired workpieces of a chassis part in the form of semifinished items or other components that are suitable for a folded seam connection. For this, the shell parts must have edges which are arranged lying one against the other in the connecting position. The method according includes first arranging the shell parts (1, 2) that are to be connected in a position envisaged for the shell parts (01, 02) in the connected state. Subsequently, the edge (03) of the first shell part (01) is folded around the edge (04) of the second shell part (02), so that a folded seam (06) is formed. After the folding operation, according to the invention the folded seam (06) is heated and subsequently once again pressed together. As a result, a positive and gap-free folded seam connection is achieved, with which the shell parts (01, 02) are permanently firmly connected.
US07955461B2
A mold having concave portions in a predetermined 3-D shape is prepared. A slurry is filled into the concave portions and the mold storing the slurry is then placed on an upper surface of a ceramic green sheet. A pressure inside the sheet is lowered through a pipe and a sintered porous metal support with the green sheet being heated by a hot plate. Accordingly, a solvent in the slurry is permeated into the fine pores of the green sheet and evaporated, thereby drying the 3-D forming portion without deformation.
US07955454B2
The method for forming wiring includes: laminating a thermosetting resin film and a metallic foil on an insulating substrate where base-layer wiring is formed, a mat surface of the metallic foil facing the resin film, pressing the film and the foil with application of heat; forming an opening in the metallic foil to expose a part of the insulating resin layer in which a via hole is to be formed; forming the via hole in the insulating resin layer by using as a mask the metallic foil; performing a desmear process of the via hole via the opening of the metallic foil; removing the metallic foil; forming an electroless-plated layer that covers the top surface of the insulating resin layer, a side surface of the via hole and a top surface of the base-layer wiring; and forming wiring including an electroplated layer on the electroless-plated layer.
US07955450B2
The invention relates to a method for the heat treatment of workpieces in a heat treatment furnace, wherein the treatment atmosphere in the heat treatment furnace is circulated. According to the invention, a propellant is injected into the heat treatment furnace in such a manner that the treatment atmosphere is essentially circulated by the injected propellant.
US07955447B2
A glassy metal composite material includes: a Mg-based amorphous metal matrix; and a plurality of porous metal particles dispersed in the Mg-based amorphous metal matrix. The Mg-based amorphous metal matrix penetrates into pores in the porous metal particles. The porous metal particles have a hardness less than that of the Mg-based amorphous metal matrix.
US07955441B2
A device is disclosed for cleaning dental trays at least partly filled with a molding material. The device has a container, a pump for placing a cleaning liquid under pressure, and a spray nozzle for spraying the pressurized cleaning liquid into the container. A method is also disclosed for cleaning dental trays at least partly filled with a molding material.
US07955439B2
A process for producing an enzyme-resistant starch uses an aqueous feed composition that comprises (i) starch that contains at least about 50% by weight amylose, (ii) water, and (iii) alcohol. The concentration of starch in the feed composition is between about 5% and about 50% by weight, and the pH of the feed composition is between about 3.5 and about 6.5. In a first heating step, the feed composition is heated to a temperature between about 130-170° C. for about 0.1-3.0 hours. The feed composition is cooled to a temperature between about 4-70° C. for about 0.1-6.0 hours. In a second heating step, the feed composition is heated to a temperature between about 110-150° C. for about 0.1-10.0 hours. The starch is separated from the majority of the water and alcohol and is dried.
US07955438B2
The current invention relates to a continuous process for preparing heat an alkali stable polyol composition. Alkali is added to the feed of the anion exchange resin and is allowing running the resin battery in full service mode.
US07955431B2
The invention relates to the use of an organic cerium sol in paints, in particular finishes or varnishes, to improve durability. More particularly, the sol used can be a sol comprising an amphiphilic acid system, an organic phase and particles in the form of agglomerates of crystallites with a d80, advantageously d90, of at most 5 nanometers, 90% (by weight) of agglomerates comprising 1 to 5, preferably 1 to 3 crystallites. The paints incorporating a cerium sol have improved water resistance properties and mechanical properties.
US07955426B2
The present invention provides an ink set comprising at least two or more pigment inks different in color, wherein differences in average particle size between the inks different in color are 30 nm or less, the inks each have a sedimentation rate, as indicated by equation (I), of 15% or less, and differences in the sedimentation rate between the inks different in color are 4% or less: Sedimentation rate (%)=(S0−S1)/S0×100 (I) wherein S0 represents an “initial ink concentration”, which is an absorbance at a wavelength of λmax (or at 500 nm when λmax is not detected) at the time when UV spectral characteristics are measured for a 1000-fold diluted solution of the ink; and S1 represents an “ink concentration after sedimentation”, which is an absorbance at a wavelength of λmax (or at 500 nm when λmax is not detected) at the time when UV spectral characteristics are measured for a 1000-fold diluted solution of a supernatant obtained by centrifuging the ink at 16500 G at 1.60×107 g·sec.
US07955423B2
Solid-state membrane modules comprising at least one membrane unit, where the membrane unit has a dense mixed conducting oxide layer, and at least one conduit or manifold wherein the conduit or manifold comprises a dense layer and at least one of a porous layer and a slotted layer contiguous with the dense layer. The solid-state membrane modules may be used to carry out a variety of processes including the separating of any ionizable component from a feedstream wherein such ionizable component is capable of being transported through a dense mixed conducting oxide layer of the membrane units making up the membrane modules. For ease of construction, the membrane units may be planar.
US07955421B2
A degasser having a flapper opening including a hinge. The hinge may permit purging of any liquids and solids without regular human intervention. There may be a fixed opening at the base of the degasser, such that there is a constant emptying from the bottom of the tank. The separation of gas from liquid may be involved in applications pertaining to pulping and oxygen delignification.
US07955415B2
There is described a storage system and associated methods having increased storage capacity for natural gas or methane. The systems and methods store a larger quantity of natural gas at similar pressures and volumes to conventional storage systems. The systems utilize readily available carbons treated to increase the amount of natural gas adsorbed to the carbon to store a high level of natural gas.
US07955414B2
A method and device for the purification and separation of purified metal from a metal mother liquid having a specific density and comprising one or more foreign element(s). The method includes: providing in a column device a starting material including metal crystals and a metal mother liquid including at least one foreign element; applying a temperature difference between a relatively hot zone at the upper end of the column and a relatively cool zone at the lower end of the column; a separation step wherein at least a part of the metal crystals is separated from the metal mother liquid by rising of the metal crystals to the upper surface of the metal mother liquid; and a further separation step wherein purified metal floating on the upper surface of the metal mother liquid is discharged from the column device.
US07955412B2
A method is provided for producing an agglomerated material that is used for producing metallic iron by heat reduction in a moving hearth-type reducing furnace, wherein the agglomerated material can have a high mechanical strength without increases in the binder content and the moisture content of the material mixture. The method for producing an agglomerated material used for producing metallic iron, wherein the agglomerated material is produced by agglomerating a material mixture containing an iron-oxide-containing material, a carbonaceous reducing agent, a binder, and moisture; drying the material mixture; and charging and heating the material mixture in a moving hearth-type reducing furnace to reduce the iron oxide contained in the material mixture with the carbonaceous reducing agent, wherein a carbohydrate is used as the binder and the material mixture is left to stand prior to the agglomeration.
US07955402B2
A method to exploit the glycerin obtained as a by-product of the industrial process to produce biodiesel inside or out of the industrial production unit, providing a reduction in the environmental liability that may be caused by an excess in the production of glycerin that cannot be exploited for industrial use. The referenced method uses recycling of the glycerin obtained through industrial process to produce biodiesel, using a process basically consisting of four stages: a) extracting glycerin produced as a by-product of the industrial process for producing biodiesel; b) hydrogenation of said n-propanol glycerin, c) recycling of the n-propanol thus obtained to be added to a mixture of alcohols; and d) transesterfication of the n-propanol mixture added to the alcohol mixture, together with raw material triglycerides from renewable sources in order to obtain biodiesel. The referenced recycling of the n-propanol stream provides a reduction in the amount of the alcohol mixture necessary for the industrial process to produce biodiesel, consequently reducing operational costs.
US07955399B2
A prosthetic foot (100) incorporates a foot keel (101) and a resilient calf shank (105) with its lower end connection to the foot keel to form an ankle joint of the prosthetic foot. The foot keel has forefoot and hindfoot portions and a midfoot portion extending between the forefoot and hindfoot portions. The calf shank extends upward from the foot keel by way of an anterior facing convexly curved portion (106) of the shank, and is secured to the foot keel by way of a coupling element (107) which is monolithically formed with the forefoot portion of the foot. The lower end of the shank is reversely curved (110) and housed by a reversely curved portion (112) of the coupling element.
US07955393B2
In one aspect of the invention, an implant includes first and second components to replace a portion of each of a pair of opposed articulating bone ends. The second component has means for low friction articulation with the first component and means for engaging the first component to constrain the motion between the components. The means for low friction articulation includes a first material exhibiting low wear and having a predetermined toughness value. The means for engaging includes a second material having a predetermined toughness value higher than the means for low friction articulation.
US07955381B1
Polymer-bioceramic composite implantable medical device with different types of bioceramic particles
Implantable medical devices fabricated from polymer/bioceramic composites with different types of bioceramic particles are disclosed. The plurality of bioceramic particles can include acidic particles and basic particles, the acidic particles and basic particles having different particle size distributions. The degradation of a selected type of particle can be reduced or prevented during a selected time frame by encapsulating some or all of the selected type of particles with a bioabsorbable polymer.
US07955380B2
A method of securing a prosthesis placed at a desired site in a passageway of a human body comprises delivering a fastener having a proximal piercing end portion and a distal piercing end portion to a site where a prosthesis having a tubular wall has been placed in the passageway, which has a wall, advancing the proximal piercing end portion beyond the prosthesis, penetrating the proximal piercing end portion into the wall of the passageway without passing the proximal piercing end portion through the tubular wall of the prosthesis, and passing the distal piercing end portion through the tubular wall of the prosthesis and into the wall of the passageway. One surgical fastener delivery apparatus for delivering a surgical fastener to a target site comprises a support having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis and being adapted for placement in a passageway in a human body. A surgical fastener having a first piercing end portion, a second piercing end portion and a central portion extending therebetween and having a longitudinal axis is releasably mounted to the support with the central portion longitudinal axis generally parallel to the support longitudinal axis.
US07955378B2
An endoluminal device for deployment in a body lumen includes a radially expandable stent, a graft attached to the stent, and a plurality of indicator members affixed to the graft and adapted to form a normal pattern in response to a normal pressure differential and an abnormal pattern in response to an abnormal pressure differential across the graft. By forming different patterns at different pressure differentials, the indicator members enable the detection of a change in pressure which could be evidence of a leak. A system for detecting a change in pressure differential includes the endoluminal device and an imaging system for displaying the indicator members. A method for detecting a change in pressure includes the steps of identifying the normal pattern, implanting the device, imaging the indicator members, and comparing the imaged pattern with the normal pattern to determine whether the normal pressure or an abnormal pressure differential exists.
US07955376B2
A medical device comprises a support structure and one or more graft members comprising a valve portion and a constraining portion. The support structure has a first, unexpanded configuration and a second, expanded configuration. The constraining portion is adapted to substantially prevent the support structure from achieving the second, expanded configuration. The valve portion is adapted to permit fluid flow through a body vessel in a first direction and substantially prevent fluid flow through the vessel in a second, opposite direction.
US07955374B2
Modular branch vessel stent-graft assemblies for the treatment arterial or vascular disease at the branch of two or more arteries or blood flow passageways, including, for example, abdominal aortic aneurysms are assembled in a patient's trunk/parent artery, from at least two components; a first component and a second component. The first and second components each include a first and second window, or fenestration. The second component couples with the first component by fitting at least partially in the first component to form the modular branch vessel stent-graft assembly with two selectively locatable branch openings. As the first and second components are deployed, the second component is selectively position able relative to first component so that the first and second component first and second windows overlap to form two branch openings whose longitudinal and angular positions are selectable within a range.
US07955366B2
A biostimulative illumination apparatus for treating patient tissues includes at least one light emitting diode which can generate at least one narrow-pulse focused wave band suitable to be used as low-power and non-parallel focused light beams for biostimulative illumination. The wave length of the focused light beam is from 600 nm to 850 nm, the energy density of the focused light beams is from 2 Joule/cm2 to 16 Joule/cm2 and the divergence angle of the light beams is lower than 16°. In addition, the invention also provides a biostimulative illumination treatment method.
US07955361B2
A method of percutaneously implanting a first component and a second component of an orthopaedic assembly into a body of a patient includes the steps of securing a first instrument to the first component, and advancing the first component into the body of the patient. The first instrument is advanced into the body of the patient such that a portion of the first instrument extends out of the body. A second instrument is secured to the second component, and the second component is advanced into the body of the patient. The second instrument is advanced into the body of the patient such that a portion of the second instrument extends out of the body. A third instrument is advanced into contact with both the first instrument and the second instrument so as to position the first component and the second component in a predetermined position relative to one another. An instrument assembly for percutaneously implanting an orthopaedic assembly is also disclosed.
US07955355B2
A device for use as a portal in percutaneous minimally invasive surgery performed within a patient's body cavity includes a first elongated hollow tube having a length adjusted with a self-contained mechanism. The first elongated tube includes an inner hollow tube and an outer hollow tube and the inner tube is adapted to slide within the outer tube thereby providing the self-contained length adjusting mechanism. This length-adjustment feature is advantageous for percutaneous access surgery in any body cavity. Two or more elongated tubes with adjustable lengths can be placed into two or more adjacent body cavities, respectively. Paths are opened within the tissue areas between the two or more body cavities, and are used to transfer devices and tools between the adjacent body cavities. This system of two or more elongated tubes with adjustable lengths is particularly advantageous in percutaneous minimally invasive spinal surgeries, and provides the benefits of minimizing long incisions, recovery time and post-operative complications.
US07955353B1
The present invention provides for a method and apparatus to provide hemostasis at a puncture site having a communication tube with a lumen, a top and a bottom; a hemostatic material positioned around the communication tube bottom, the hemostatic material having a first end and a second end; and a hemostatic material cover positioned around the hemostatic material and the communication tube bottom, wherein the hemostatic material cover forms a hollow distal tip cavity at the hemostatic material first end.
US07955345B2
A device capable of capturing and facilitating the removal of a thrombus in blood vessels (or stones in biliary or urinary ducts, or foreign bodies) uses a soft coil mesh with the aid of a pull wire or string to engage the surface of a thrombus, and remove the captured thrombus. The soft coil mesh is formed by an elongated microcoil element that forms the helical elements of a macrocoil element. The microcoil element provides a relatively elastic effect to the helical elements forming the macrocoil and allows for control of gripping forces on the thrombus while reducing non-rigid contact of the device with arterial walls. The use of multiple coil mesh elements, delivered through a single lumen or multiple lumens, preferably with separate control of at least one end of each coil, provides a firm grasp on a distal side of a thrombus, assisting in non-disruptive or minimally disrupted removal of the thrombus upon withdrawal of the device.
US07955343B2
Methods and apparatus for occluding blood flow within a blood vessel. In a first series of embodiments, the present invention comprises a plurality of embolic devices deployable through the lumen of a conventional catheter such that when deployed, said embolic devices remain resident and occlude blood flow at a specific site within the lumen of the blood vessel. Such embolic devices comprise either mechanical embolic devices that become embedded within or compress against the lumen of the vessel or chemical vaso-occlusive agents that seal off blood flow at a given site. A second embodiment of the present invention comprises utilization of a vacuum/cauterizing device capable of sucking in the lumen of the vessel about the device to maintain the vessel in a closed condition where there is then applied a sufficient amount of energy to cause the tissue collapsed about the device to denature into a closure. In a third series of embodiments, the present invention comprises the combination of an embolization facilitator coupled with the application of an energy force to form an intraluminal closure at a specified site within a vessel.
US07955342B2
The invention elates to a device (20) for connecting hollow organs (24, 25), which device comprises various elements that are held by holding devices. Said holding devices can be laterally displaced on a slide rail (21), rotated or detached and put on and their position can be secured if required. The traverse (31) is used as a stop for the axial alignment of the holding devices. The two holding devices (22, 23) carry clamping devices for retaining and, if required, clamping off the hollow organ ends (24, 25). The holding devices (26, 27) carry fittings (10, 11). The two hollow organ ends (24, 25) to be connected are pushed through the fittings to such an extent as to project over the fitting ends by a defined extent. The ends of the hollow organs are then turned up by the ends of the fittings using two turn-up devices (28, 29). The holding device (30) in the center holds an additional fitting (14) into which the two fittings (10, 11) are inserted with the turned-up hollow organ ends and secured.
US07955339B2
An apparatus includes an elongate body and an expandable member coupled to the elongate body. In one embodiment, the expandable member has a collapsed configuration, an unfolded configuration and an expanded configuration. The expandable member is configured to be percutaneously inserted into an interior portion of a bone structure when the expandable member is in the collapsed configuration. The expandable member is configured to exert a pressure in a vertical direction on a first portion of the bone structure in contact with the expandable member greater than a pressure exerted in a lateral direction on a second portion of the bone structure in contact with the expandable member when the expandable member transitions from the unfolded configuration to the expanded configuration.
US07955332B2
Open electrosurgical forceps for sealing tissue are provided which include first and second shaft portions pivotably associated with one another. Each shaft portion has a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. Each of the jaw members includes an electrically conductive sealing surface adapted to communicate electrosurgical energy through tissue held therebetween and a slot formed through the sealing surface thereof. The forceps includes a cutting mechanism operatively associated with the first and second jaw members. The cutting mechanism includes a cutting element disposed within the slot of the at least one jaw member, the cutting element being movable from a first position wherein the cutting element is retracted within the at least one jaw member and a second position in which the cutting element at least partially projects from a sealing surface of the at least one jaw member.
US07955326B2
The present invention is directed to ablation devices and methods utilizing pressure sensitive conductive composites, such as quantum tunneling composites, or other contact-sensitive, conductive polymers. The materials provide for electrodes and methods capable of differentiating between a soft and a hard push. The present invention thus provides an electrode for delivering selective electrical energy for ablation that may be varied based upon the pressure exerted on the surface area of the targeted tissue.
US07955323B2
A surgical instrument holder has a head assembly and a drive spindle assembly. The head has a second coupling end with a coupling device and interface for receiving and holding a surgical instrument. The instrument is held by a releasable locking mechanism having a ring slideably biased against the coupling device by a spring, and a connection device retaining the spring in a fixed position during use. The spindle assembly has a drive spindle rotatably housed in a cylindrical tube. The connection device provides a quick-release connection between the head and drive spindle assemblies, such that unlocking the connection device enables quick disassembly of the connection for cleaning and component sterilization. A method of use of the instrument holder allows the surgical instrument to be installed through an incision in a least invasive orientation separate from the holder.
US07955322B2
In one embodiment, an insertion axis of a robotic manipulator is provided, the insertion axis including a base link operably coupled to a distal end of a manipulator arm, and a carriage link movably coupled to the base link along a lengthwise axis, the carriage link including a remote printed circuit assembly and transceiver for wirelessly communicating with a main printed circuit assembly external to the insertion axis. A robotic surgical system including such an insertion axis and a method for wireless communication in the system are also provided.
US07955321B2
A top end portion of a medical manipulator has a surgical device accessible to a diseased area of a patient. In the manipulator, a pair of rolling members opposing to each other is provided. One of the pair of the rolling members is rolled by a flexible wire relative to the other rolling members. A plate maintains a distance between rotation centers of the pair of the rolling members constant. A pair of gears are held coaxially with the pair of the rolling members respectively, and engaged with each other. A link rotates the gear on an opposite side to a surgical device.
US07955319B2
An implantable medical device for delivering a therapeutic substance to a delivery site in a patient. A reservoir holds a supply of the fluid therapeutic substance. A catheter has a proximal end, a delivery region and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the delivery region. The proximal end of the catheter is operatively coupled to the reservoir. The delivery region of the catheter is adapted to be placed proximate the delivery site in the patient. The therapeutic substance is adapted to be delivered through the lumen to the patient. A sensing device is operatively coupled with the lumen of the catheter being capable of detecting a pressure of the therapeutic substance in the lumen. A controller is operatively coupled to the sensing device, the controller being capable of taking an action in response to the pressure in the lumen.
US07955316B2
A robotic medical system for use with an intravascular catheter that delivers fluid within an anatomical vessel is provided. The robotic medical system comprises a user interface configured for receiving at least one command, an electromechanical driver configured for being coupled to the catheter, a fluid delivery controller coupled to the catheter, and an electric controller configured for directing the electromechanical driver to mechanically move the catheter within at least one degree-of-freedom and for directing the fluid delivery controller to deliver fluid to the catheter in response to the at least one command. The robotic medical system may further comprise a source of fluid and a fluid line configured for coupling the source of fluid to the catheter, and a manifold configured for fluidly interfacing with the catheter, in which case, the manifold has a fluid inlet port coupled to the fluid line.
US07955315B2
A laparoscopic medical fluid delivery device includes a catheter having an articulating tip formed with shape memory properties and thus having a pre-shaped curvature. A tubular member is reciprocatingly slidable axially on the catheter to selectively cover and uncover portions of the articulating tip to thereby selectively vary the degree of curvature of the articulating tip. An actuator operatively linked to the tubular member selectively moves the tubular member reciprocatingly on the catheter. The pre-shaped articulating tip of the catheter is constrained by the tubular member from articulating to the pre-shaped curvature when the tubular member covers the articulating tip, and bends to a selected degree of curvature when the articulating tip is at least partially uncovered by the tubular member.
US07955308B2
A needle guard for a syringe including tabs and preferably springboards disposed on the needle guard configured to engage a luer lock to prevent rotation of the luer lock during needle exchange. The body of the needle guard preferably includes springboards which are in communication with tabs disposed on the shield when the shield is in a first, retracted position. Inward or radial depression of the tabs forces the springboards to contact the luer lock and prevent rotation of the luer lock. The needle guard further comprises a slot disposed near the proximal end of the shield which is configured to engage an end tab disposed near the distal end of the body. When the needle guard is activated, the shield slides to a second, extended position and the end tab enters into the slot to lock the shield in the extended position.
US07955281B2
This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system has independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.
US07955278B1
Methods for assessing viscoelastic properties of soft tissues are based on detecting an inflection point on a pressure-time plot when air is aspirated from a cavity placed over the tissue sample. A small diameter tube through which air aspiration is conducted is ultimately closed off by tissue being drawn into the cavity causing an abrupt change in pressure slope. First or second derivatives of the pressure-time plot can be used to detect the inflection point. Repeating the test with a different aspiration rates or after a predetermined relaxation time allows determining tissue viscosity and tissue creep in addition to tissue elasticity expressed as Young's modulus.
US07955277B2
A device and method to test the level of physical effort of an individual is disclosed. The device has a moveable member which may be a shaft, a sensor for measuring force applied to the shaft; and a resistance means to vary the resistance to movement of the moveable member such as an electric brake. The relationship between the varied resistive force applied to the moveable member and the measured force may be determined to establish the level of effort of the user. Typically the resistance will be rapidly varied at a rate of five to ten times per second which is too quick for a person being tested and providing a sub-maximal effort, to sense a change in resistance and compensate for that change.
US07955270B2
An improved method and apparatus for respiratory audio-visual biofeedback are disclosed. A guide patterned after a breathing cycle comfortable to the patient serves as a target. The target is displayed as a bar moving vertically upward during inhale and vertically downward during exhale, between fixed end ex-hale and end in-hale limits. The patient's current respiratory position is also displayed as a bar, oriented parallel to the target bar so that the difference between the current position and the target position is easy for the patient to see.
US07955269B2
An implantable system senses a pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) signal using an implantable sensor placed in the pulmonary artery and isolates a plurality of signals from the PAP signal for diagnostic and/or therapeutic use. Each signal is extracted from the PAP signal using its known frequency characteristics and/or timing relationship with one or more detectable events.
US07955258B2
An external data processing device to interface with an ambulatory repeater and method thereof is presented. An external data processing device is interfaced in far field telemetric communication with an ambulatory repeater. The external data processing device receives sensitive information preencrypted prior to implant under a cryptographic key uniquely assigned to an implantable medical device over a secure connection from the ambulatory repeater. Physiological measures retrieved from the implantable medical device by the ambulatory repeater are received by the external data processing device over a non-secure connection.
US07955251B2
The invention refers to a therapeutic device used on or in interaction with a penile organ of a human, and more particularly to a C-shaped male genital device made of durable resilient material, easy to attach and clean, which promotes an increase in the penis size when erected, enhancing the user's sexual experience and providing a therapeutic magnetic field.
US07955246B2
Devices and methods are provided for temporarily maintaining access to a body cavity in a targeted tissue region within a patient's body. One embodiment of the catheter device includes an elongated shaft having a proximal shaft section which is flexible enough to be folded or coiled into a configuration for deployment within the patient. An alternate embodiment includes a catheter device having one or more detachable proximal shaft sections and having at least one one-way valve to restrict fluid flow of inflation fluid to flow to the balloon. After deployment of the catheter device completely within the patient, the opening through which the catheter device is deployed is closed, e.g. by sutures, adhesives and the like to minimize infection at the site. Within a few days or weeks after the tissue has been evaluated for cancer, the temporary catheter device may be removed from the patient. If cancer or pre-cancer cells are found in the specimen removed from the cavity, then a radiation balloon catheter or other irradiation device can be inserted into the patient to irradiate tissue surrounding the biopsy cavity to ensure that cancer cells within the tissue surrounding the cavity are killed.
US07955242B2
A folding unit for producing sealed packages of pourable food products from respective packs, each having a main portion folded into a desired shape, and opposite end portions to be folded to form respective folded ends of a relative finished package. The unit has a first folding station, in turn having a first retaining mechanism for securing each pack by a relative first end portion, and a first folding mechanism for folding a relative second end portion of the pack. The unit also has a second folding station located downstream from the first folding station in the traveling direction of the packs, a second retaining mechanism for securing each pack by the relative folded second end portion, and a second folding mechanism for folding the relative first end portion.
US07955238B2
Wheelchair-accessible fitness systems are described to provide total body strength, range of motion, and cardiovascular training to users in retirement and rehabilitation settings. Resistance is provided through a collection of resistance bands that are designed for low-stress and high-efficacy use. Additional system functionality can be incorporated to provide physical-therapist options for controlled rehabilitation exercises. Sensors can be connected to the resistance bands to provide important user-generated data, which can be collected and managed. The systems can accommodate any type of chair, rehabilitation ball, or wheelchair assembly. The systems are optionally collapsible and portable.
US07955234B1
A new and useful exercise device and method are provided, designed to provide a user with an exercise workout with significant core exercise benefits, from a single exercise device. The device and method of the present invention enable a user to perform at least 8 exercise movements, with variable resistance applied to each exercise movement. The 8 exercise movements are (a) bench press and row, (b) military press and lat pull down, (c) crunch and dead lift, and (d) step and leg raise.
US07955226B2
An aquatic exercise device designed to elevate the head out of the water while keeping the lumbar spine slightly flexed and allowing vigorous kicking of the legs for weight loss and low impact aerobic conditioning. A swimmer swims on his back and holds onto handles, which keep the device stable and provide a secure frame while in the water. The preferred embodiment is formed from PVC pipe and polyethylene foam. The pipe components are glued together using standard PVC glue.
US07955222B1
A jump training apparatus including a sleeve, a pipe, and an arm. Floor standing embodiments may also include a base that may be operably connected to a weight holder. Wall mounted embodiments may include a mounting bracket, mounting plate, or mounting clamps, for example. At least a portion of the pipe may be slideably inserted into the sleeve. The pipe may be operably connected to the arm. The vertical height of the arm may be adjusted through the movement of the pipe relative to the sleeve. According to certain embodiments, when the arm is positioned at the desired vertical height, the position of the pipe may be secured by operably engaging a fastening element. At least a portion of the arm may be covered by a cushion.
US07955219B2
An exercise system provides incentives for individuals by providing either a collective exercise goal or a sponsored exercise reward.
US07955218B2
An anticollision decelerating and emergency brake apparatus of automobile is disclosed. The objects of the invention is realized by the following: an anticollision decelerating and an emergency brake apparatus of automobile constituted by clutch (1), a energy-storage assembly (2), a brake force transmission assembly (3), a combined solenoid valve assembly (4), a housing (5), a variable diameter assembly (6), a reset mechanism (7), and so on. The apparatus of the invention will auto brake to effective prevent and avoid traffic accident, and the damage degree can be minimized.
US07955217B2
A power train is provided having a power source operably coupled to a transmission to transmit a power output to at least one traction device. The power train also has a controller configured to regulate the power output so that the power output generated when the at least one traction device is moving at a maximum speed is the maximum power output that the power source and the transmission are capable of producing.
US07955211B2
A drive axle assembly has at least one axle arm portion extending from a differential housing to a shoulder structure that is unitary with the outboard end of the axle arm portion. The shoulder structure houses a first bevel bear and a second bevel gear. Openings adjacent the bevel gears are selectively closed with covers.
US07955210B2
A variator transmission comprises an input shaft (18), an input disc (10) mounted on the input shaft for rotation therewith and an output disc (12) facing the input disc and arranged to rotate coaxially therewith, the input and output discs defining between them a toroidal cavity. Two rollers (14, 16) are located in the toroidal cavity and first and second roller carriage means are provided upon which the first and second rollers respectively are rotatably mounted and end load means (34, 36) urge the rollers into contact with the input and output discs to transmit drive. The two roller carriage means are mounted on opposite sides of the pivotal axis of a lever (50) and the pivotal axis of the lever (50) is movable in the radial direction with respect to the rotational axis of the input and output discs.
US07955206B2
A tensioner that includes a blade shoe (106), at least one blade spring (112), a ramp 122), and a brake (132). The blade shoe has a curved chain sliding face, an underside, opposite the chain sliding face, a proximal end pivotally attached to ground and a distal end. The ramp is fixed to ground and has a ramp surface (122a) for contacting the chain sliding face or the underside of the blade shoe. The brake is self-energizing, pivotally fixed to ground and has a friction contact surface (132a) for contacting the distal end portion (106c) of the chain sliding face, the blade spring, or the underside of the blade shoe for restricting movement of the distal end of the blade shoe in one direction and allowing movement in the opposite direction.
US07955205B2
There is provided a chain tension applying device for a bicycle that can accommodate a change in an axial distance between a frame and a sprocket. A chain tensioner 40 is a device for applying tension to a chain 26, including: a bracket 56; a tension member 58; a securing position adjustment mechanism 60; and an urging member 62. The bracket is mountable to a frame (a mounting lug 24b) of the bicycle. The tension member is secured to the bracket immovably in a first direction and movably in a second direction different from the first direction, and can apply tension to the chain. The securing position adjustment mechanism can adjust a securing position of the tension member to the bracket in the first direction by sliding. The urging member urges the tension member in the second direction.
US07955200B1
A bat having a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The area(s) adjacent to the central portion of the barrel have an increased performance with respect to the central portion of the barrel to effectively enlarge the sweet spot, or preferred hitting area. At least one tubular member of the barrel is circumferential aligned and axially spaced from another tubular member.
US07955197B2
A training device provides interactive feedback to encourage proper snapping action in an arcing motion for sports training. The feedback can include an audible response that is variable, corresponding to pressure or force applied to the training device due to centripetal acceleration. The training can be overhand throwing or underhand pitching, or other swinging sports motions. The size and weight of the training device, as well as the audio feedback, can reinforce proper form and build muscle memory for correct movements.
US07955195B2
A croquet modifying game includes at least one indicator such as a playing card. The playing card includes player instructions, wherein the player instructions modify standard play of a game of croquet. A corresponding method of playing croquet is provided.
US07955191B2
Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises a thermoset rubber inner core, a thermoset rubber first intermediate core layer, a thermoplastic second intermediate core layer, and a thermoset rubber outer core layer. The inner core is preferably formed from a softer rubber than the first intermediate core layer.
US07955184B2
Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a shaft engaging member including a rotation-inhibiting structure; (b) a club head engaging member including a shaft-receiving chamber and a retaining structure for engaging the rotation-inhibiting structure; and (c) a securing system for releasably securing the shaft engaging member with respect to the club head engaging member. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft engaging member so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.
US07955182B2
Golf club heads are releasably engaged with shafts so that the club heads and shafts can be readily interchanged and/or so that the shaft position with respect to the club head can be readily changed. Assemblies for connecting the club head and shaft may include: (a) a shaft engaging member including a rotation-inhibiting structure; (b) a club head engaging member including a shaft-receiving chamber and a retaining structure for engaging the rotation-inhibiting structure; and (c) a securing system for releasably securing the shaft engaging member with respect to the club head engaging member. The club head and shaft may be changed by releasing the securing system and exchanging the original parts with different parts. Furthermore, the shaft may be bent or otherwise extend at an angle from the shaft engaging member so as to allow adjustment of the shaft position with respect to the club head.
US07955179B2
To make a bellows section of a boot to be flexibly and repeatedly deformable without deterioration in durability, to thereby reduce rotational resistance when a joint angle is large, the boot has the bellows portion where three or more circumferentially extending crest portions and root portions therebetween are alternately formed. A large-diameter attaching portion is formed at one end of the bellows portion. A small-diameter attaching portion is formed at the other end. A rising wall closest to the large-diameter attaching portion and a rising wall closest to the small-diameter attaching portion have smaller wall thickness than other portions of the bellows section. A ratio (t1/t2) of the thickness (t1) of the rising walls to the thickness (t2) of the other portions of the bellows portion is set to 0.6≦t1/t2<1.0.
US07955178B2
A damper assembly has a torque input member configured to be connected to engine crankshaft through a torque limit clutch. An output member has a hub configured to be mounted to a transmission input shaft. Damping springs operatively interconnects the input member and output member, enabling the input member and output member to rotate relative to each other at some angular displacements before the input torque from engine crankshaft is completely transmitted to transmission input shaft. The damping springs includes a series of long springs and a series of relatively short spring. The long springs compress before the short compress as the input member rotates relative to the output member.
US07955175B1
The present invention is a method of providing role based game play on a social computer network. User inputs are received via a computer network from user computers. These inputs are stored in a memory, and at least a portion of the memory is located away from the user computers. A group of two or more characters for a single user are created based on inputs from a user. One or more of these characters is associated with a friend user on the social computer network. At least a portion of information related to an outcome from the game is displayed on a device of the single user. Finally, the single user controls all the inputs for the actions of their characters during the game.
US07955174B2
A CPU core of a game machine displays a game image on an LCD, executes a game process, and performs an updating process on the game image. Also, it is determined whether or not a result of the game process satisfies a predetermined condition, and if the result of the determination is affirmative, a touch coordinate is detected via a touch panel, and the result of the detection is transmitted to an opponent's game machine through a wireless communication portion. A touch coordinate from the opponent's game machine is received by the wireless communication portion at an arbitrary timing. Thus, when the opponent's touch coordinate is received, the CPU core displays an obstacle at the touch coordinate position within the LCD.
US07955170B2
The present invention provides methods and devices for providing a first wagering game (such as a bingo game) that presents a changing pool of displayed game outcomes for a second wagering game (such as a Class III game), preferably on a network of gaming machines. Some implementations of the invention provide a bingo game that presents a changing pool of displayed game outcomes for a slot game or a poker game. In some preferred implementations, game outcomes are generated, e.g., by individual gaming machines, on an ongoing basis and stored in memory. Each of the game outcomes corresponds with a bingo outcome. Preferably, the game outcomes are sorted and stored according to payout amounts for various bingo outcomes. In some implementations, the game outcomes are stored in the form of random number generating (“RNG”) seeds, but in other implementations the game outcomes are stored in a variety of other forms.
US07955164B2
Apparatus for engaging a filler/product pump that include: (a) a horn having a length, an outer surface and an internal product channel extending therethrough; (b) a forming collar in communication with the horn, wherein, in operation, the forming collar is configured to cooperate with the horn to direct planar casing material to take on a generally tubular shape over an outer surface of the horn while product travels through the internal channel; (c) a netting chute sized and configured to receive a portion of the horn therein, the netting chute configured to hold a sleeve of elastic netting material thereon; and (d) an automated derucker operatively associated with the netting chute whereby the derucker is configured to automatically travel through a derucker stroke cycle comprising upstream and downstream locations to pull segments of netting material toward a downstream end portion of the netting chute while product is pumped out of the horn.
US07955158B2
A booster for accelerating toy vehicles. The booster includes a rotation source and first and second wheels operatively coupled to the rotation source. Each wheel includes a thin-walled member configured to engage toy vehicles passing between the wheels as the rotation source rotates the wheels in opposite directions. The thin walled member is characterized by an S-shape that allows the relative distance between the wheels to change, thereby accommodating differently sized vehicles.
US07955149B2
The invention relates to fuel system for gas driven piston engine in a marine vessel, which gas is stored in at least one fuel storage tank in the vessel as liquefied gas. The fuel feeding system comprises a separate fuel feed tank in which the gas is in liquid phase and at elevated pressure. The gas is also in liquid phase in the fuel storage tank, in which, however, prevails only the hydrostatic pressure caused by the liquid gas.
US07955148B2
Power-generating system based on successive hydroelectric turbines (∫1N) located parallel to the submerged section of the hull of vessels and/or submarines (generating line ∫1N), at the point or points of greatest channeling of the water flow produced naturally during navigation. Each turbine is preceded by a propeller (∫1N), whose function is to increase the speed of the water flow powering the turbine when the vessel and/or submarine is in motion, and to generate the power flow when the vessel and/or submarine is stationary (anchored or moored).
US07955143B2
Disclosed herein is an electric contactor including, a guide pin, and a contact, wherein the guide pin is made of a conductive material and has a head portion and a shaft portion connected to the head portion, a tip of the shaft portion connected to the head portion being smaller in diameter than the head portion, the contact is made of a conductive and elastic thin plate spring material and has first and second tubular pieces and a plurality of contact pieces, the first tubular piece being wound around the tip of the shaft portion, the second tubular piece being wound around a base end of the shaft portion located on the opposite side of the head portion, and the plurality of contact pieces configured to connect the first and second tubular pieces together.
US07955127B2
A connector which can be made small is provided. The connector 1 includes: a connector housing 2 receiving terminal fittings 13 arranged in rows, the terminal fitting 13 attaching an electric wire 17 thereto; and a holding part 3 including a plurality of molded members 20 molded integrally with an outer periphery of the electric wires 17; and a packing 4 attached to an outer periphery of the holding part 3 and sealing up a space between the holding part 3 and the connector housing 2.
US07955123B2
A cell connector (CC) for electrical contacting of planar current sources, the cell connector being able to be contacted electrically with the current source merely in regions. The cell connector thereby includes at least one electrically conductive layer which is configured as a transit region and via contact regions which constitute merely a fraction with respect to the total surface area of the transit region is contacted with the current source.
US07955115B2
A connector containing member on an electrical junction box is provided on an inner surface with a connector latching projection. A flexible piece being latched protrudes from a housing outer surface of a connector fitted in the connector containing member. A projection being latched that is provided on the piece being latched is locked on the connector latching projection. A cover attaching portion protrudes from a peripheral edge along one side of the connector containing member at the projecting side of the connector latching projection. A cover is secured to a cover attaching portion by screws after the connector is fitted in the connector containing member. The cover includes an interfering rib that protrudes outward from a connector receiving port, and a latching holder that is bent from a distal end of the interfering rib and is inserted into a clearance between the housing outer surface of the connector and the piece being latched.
US07955112B2
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing and at least one terminal, the insulative housing having a front face, at least one cavity and at least one receiving slot formed in the front face for receiving a printed circuit board and communicating with the cavity. The terminal retained in the respective cavity has a base portion, a contact portion extending into the receiving slot for resiliently abutting against the printed circuit board and a tail portion extending rearward from the base portion. The insulative housing has at least one lock arm formed integral therewith to fasten the printed circuit board.
US07955107B1
A connector structure, accommodating a flat cable via a front end thereof is disclosed. The flat cable defines a recess at each lateral side thereof; and the connector structure includes a connection base, a lid member, a plurality of terminals, and a pair of latch members being made of metallic materials. The connection base has a base portion, a pair of sidewalls extending backwards from two lateral sides of the base portion respectively. The lid member includes a pair of pivotal shafts pivoted respectively to the sidewalls of the connection base, and a pair of brake shafts each being adjacent to an inner side of each pivotal shaft. Each of the latch members is secured to each sidewall of the connection base, and has a latch arm. After the lid member covers over, the brake shafts actuate the latch arms in order to engage the recesses of the flat cable.
US07955087B2
A midplane of a communication device, includes the first connectors and the second connectors which connect with each other via high-speed traces, the first connectors arrange in parallel at one side of the midplane, the second connectors arrange in parallel at the other side of the midplane and in parallel with the first connectors. The wiring of high-speed traces between the first connectors and the second connectors can be disposed on the whole midplane, so that it avoids the high density of wiring in part of midplane, reduces the number of layers of the midplane and the complexity of design, and reduces the crosstalk in signals. And the cooling of the whole communication device can be accomplished by only one heat dissipation system, it reduces the complexity of design of the communication device. The area between each frames of the midplane is provided to allocate electrical power in the communication device with two or multiple frames, it reduces the costs of the communication device.
US07955078B2
Methods and apparatus providing a critical set of endodontic instruments. The set includes a first endodontic instrument, a second endodontic instrument, and a third endodontic instrument. Each endodontic instrument includes a working portion that has a cone-like shape. Each working portion having an effective contact area defined by the exposed surface area of the working portion's respective cone-like shape. The difference between the effective contact areas of the first endodontic instrument and second endodontic instrument being substantially the same as the difference between the effective contact areas of the second endodontic instrument and third endodontic instrument.
US07955077B2
An occlusion correction improvement instrument includes an upper mold-mounting member provided with a plate-shaped member that is parallel to a Camper's plane of an upper model having a tooth model-shaped surface of a maxillary tooth row and with a plane parallel to the Camper's plane when the upper mold-mounting member has been mounted on the upper model; and a lower mold-mounting member mountable on a lower model having a tooth model-shaped surface of a mandible tooth row and provided with a pin-shaped projection portion that can be fixed, with a position thereof adjusted from side to side and up and down, and with an adjustment member that can adjust a position of the lower mold-mounting member relative to the upper mold-mounting member on the plane parallel to the Camper's plane, with the projection portion abut on the plate-shaped member of the upper mold-mounting member.
US07955076B2
A dental caries detecting system 1 according to the invention includes an ultraviolet irradiation device 2, a fluorescence receiving device 3 that receives fluorescence from a tooth based on ultraviolet irradiation from the ultraviolet irradiation device 2, a fluorescence data analysis portion 4 that analyzes fluorescence data transmitted from the fluorescence receiving device 3, and a display 5 that displays analysis data analyzed by the fluorescence data analysis portion 4. The fluorescence data analysis portion 4 is adapted to analyze said fluorescence data based on the fluorescence intensities in at least two wavelength bands in a visible light range.
US07955075B2
A device has a metal wireframe with two lateral fastening elements which are connected through metal lingual and vestibular springs to a frontal fastening element and executed in the form of metal wireframes clasping teeth of dentition's lateral segments and performed of lingual and vestibular details located at necks of teeth from the one side and dispersedly mounted along the height of teeth from the other side and connected by crosspieces.
US07955067B2
The present invention is to provide a transfer apparatus and a molded article production apparatus having the transfer apparatus. These apparatus can improve the working efficiency and control cost and space for arranging. A molded article production apparatus has a transfer apparatus and an injection molding apparatus. The transfer apparatus has an attaching part mounting a jig which a bus bar and a terminal are mounted on, and a molded box body. The attaching part has a main body, a component attaching part and a molded article attaching part. The component attaching part is arranged on one surface side of the main body, and mounts the jig which the bus bar and the terminal are mounted on. The molded article attaching part is arranged on another surface side of the main body, and mounts the box body formed by the injection molding apparatus.
US07955066B2
An ice-candy forming container is provided which produces ice-candies having a complicated shape copying the face of a cartoon character or the like with higher quality and without a loss in shape. A forming container includes a first mold having a pattern portion formed in one face thereof, and a second mold configured to slide over and along the one face of the first mold, in a close contact relation, in directions designated by arrows A1-A2, so as to contain the first mold therein. In such a containing position, the second mold contacts externally and closely substantially an entire surface of the outer periphery of the pattern portion.
US07955064B2
A device for creating a three-dimensional molded part (30) made from fiber material using of a multiple-part mold (1, 2) whose inside (1a, 2a) determines, at least partially, the contours of the molded part. The fibers are blown into the mold by an air flow using a plurality of nozzles (4) and the air flow then escapes through openings of the mold, so that the fibers accumulate on the inside of the mold, whereupon the fibers are optionally compressed locally before they are bonded with each other through the supply of heat and are finally taken from the mold (1, 2) as a molded part (30). The blowing direction of the nozzles (4, 24, 34) can be pivoted and the pivot axes extend close to the outside of the molded part and the fibers are blown in by the nozzles (4, 24, 34) that are activated at different times.
US07955053B1
A turbine blade, especially a turbine blade for the first or second stage of an industrial gas turbine engine, the turbine blade having an aft flowing triple pass serpentine cooling circuit with all convection cooled blade. The three passes or legs of the serpentine flow circuit are formed by a leading edge rib and a trailing edge rib that are both slanted in order to provide decreasing flow cross sectional areas in the three passes of legs. A mini serpentine flow circuit is formed on the blade tip and the beginning of the second leg of the circuit to prevent flow separation of the cooling air at the blade tip. The third leg of the circuit includes pin fins to promote heat transfer. A row of exit cooling slots are located along the trailing edge of the blade and are connected to the third leg to discharge cooling air out from the trailing edge region. Trip strips are located on the walls of the first and second legs to also promote heat transfer within these passages.
US07955050B1
An apparatus and method for a turbine wheel assembly for a pneumatic rotary vibrator that provides a selectable force output while being removably retained on a vibrator shaft member. The turbine wheel assembly is mounted inside of a generally circular interior chamber of a pneumatic vibrator housing. The turbine wheel assembly includes: (1) a turbine ring that has an outside diameter, an inside diameter and a face width, (2) a sleeve member that is round and tubular, (3) an intermediate weight ring assembly that has an outer circumference, an inner circumference, and a predetermined face width, The weight ring assembly is formed by a plurality of wedge shaped segments. The plurality of wedge shaped segments include a predetermined quantity of heavy material segments and light material segments and by controlling the proportion of the total mass of the heavy material segments with respect to the total mass of the light weight material segments in the weight ring assembly will control the output force of a single model of the pneumatic vibrator.
US07955049B2
A seal (48) between first and second relatively rotatable members (26,28). The seal comprises an abradable material on at least one of the relatively rotatable members (26,28). The abradable material comprises an open cell metallic foam (60) and polymeric films (64) closing the cells (62) of the metallic foam (60). The seal (48) is used between compressor rotor blades (26) and a stator casing (28) of a gas turbine engine (10). The seal (48) combines the sealing properties of a closed cell metallic foam with the abradability and manufacturing control of open cell metallic foam.
US07955048B2
A steam turbine is provided that is configured for post-modification for operation in a carbon capture mode. The turbine includes a turbine rotor, a turbine casing and a plurality of turbine stages. In an initial configuration of the turbine, the turbine rotor and turbine casing are each longer, by respective lengths, than is necessary to accommodate the plurality of turbine stages. The lengths are sufficient to accommodate at least one further turbine stage at an exit of the turbine during the post-modification, such that after modification, the turbine operates with an increased expansion ratio and an increased volumetric flow rate at the exit.
US07955045B2
The invention relates to a method for prolonging and controlling the life of components associated with a wind turbine, by controlling the cooling down procedure of the components. Gradually lowering the temperature of the components reduces the number of temperature fluctuations of the component, thus extending the life of the components.
US07955041B2
Quick changeover apparatus for wafer handlers capable of handling at least two sizes of wafer frames and methods of using such apparatus are disclosed.
US07955037B2
A fastener assembly includes a threaded bolt and a locking nut assembly. The threaded bolt includes at least one longitudinal groove. The locking nut assembly includes a nut adapted to threadingly engage the bolt, a locking ring adapted to engage the bolt and the nut, and a biasing member adapted to bias the locking ring. The nut includes a threaded bore dimensioned to receive the bolt and can include a plurality of teeth formed on a face of the nut. Alternatively, an insert ring can be received by the nut and the insert ring can include teeth. The locking ring includes at least one inwardly protruding tab dimensioned to be received by the at least one longitudinal groove of the threaded bolt and a plurality of teeth formed on a face of the ring. The teeth on the face of the locking ring cooperate with the teeth on the face of the nut, or insert ring, to inhibit removal of the nut from the bolt after the nut has been tightened.
