US08009860B2
Image processing apparatus, method, program and recording medium for extracting embedded information
An image processing apparatus for extracting embedded information that is embedded in an image is provided. The image processing apparatus includes: an information extraction unit configured to extract the embedded information from the image; an executable function determination unit configured to determine one or more executable functions according to the embedded information that is extracted; a display unit configured to display a list of the one or more executable functions determined by the executable function determination unit.
US08009859B2
Provided is a method of selecting test stimuli for use in evaluating performance of a video watermarking algorithm, including the steps of: calculating an image complexity rate (ICR) for each of a plurality of test stimulus candidates and classifying them into L (where L is an integer more than or equal to 2) levels based on the calculated ICR values; calculating an energy distribution rate (EDR) for each of the plurality of test stimulus candidates, and classifying them into M (where M is an integer more than or equal to 2) levels based on the calculated EDR values; calculating a motion rate (MR) for each of the plurality of test stimulus candidates and classifying them into N (where N is an integer more than or equal to 2) levels of the calculated MR values; and selecting at least one test stimulus from each of the L levels, M levels, the N levels of the test stimuli, respectively.
US08009845B2
A microphone unit (1) has a first vibration plate. A support member (6) supports the microphone unit (1). A second vibration plate (5) is fixed to the support member (6) at a predetermined distance from the first vibration plate. An armoring body (2) covers the microphone unit (1), the support member (6) and the second vibration plate (5). A space surrounded by the support member (6), the first vibration plate and the second vibration plate (5) is a closed space (S1) with air kept therein.
US08009834B2
A sound reproduction apparatus and method enhances a low frequency component in a reproduced sound signal using a reflective sound. The sound reproduction apparatus delays and controls gains of input signals, generates a predetermined number of reflective sound signals to enhance a low frequency component, and outputs a sum of reflective sound signals with the enhanced low frequency component.
US08009833B2
A data communication apparatus which is capable of easily selecting a desired encryption scheme that is appropriate to the size of data that is to be transmitted. A key to be used for encryption is acquired. An encryption means corresponding to the acquired key is searched. The period of time required for encryption of data to be transmitted by the searched out encryption scheme is calculated. Encryption means candidates for encrypting data to be transmitted are determined based on the calculated period of time required for encryption. A user is notified of the determined encryption means candidates in a selectable manner together with the period of time required for encryption.
US08009823B2
A method to design low complexity and low power echo and NEXT cancellers based on wordlength reduction technique is presented. A circuit architecture to implement echo and cancellers is also presented. The low complexity and low power design relies on the fact that a TH precoder can be viewed as an IIR filter with an input equal to the sum of the original input to the TH precoder and a compensation signal. The proposed design also relies on the fact that sum of the original input to the TH precoder and the compensation signal has finite levels, which can be represented in less bits than the original input of the echo and NEXT cancellers. An improved design by exploiting the statistics of the compensation signal is also proposed to further bring down the complexity and power consumption of these cancellers.
US08009819B2
A method of semi-supervised synonym inference for a call handling application, such as automated directory assistance or call routing, is described. In one embodiment the method comprises examining a database of caller interaction results from a directory assistance system that includes an automated directory assistance engine, detecting a specified characteristic in the caller interaction results, and using the detected characteristic to automatically train a destination map, where the destination map is for use by the automated directory assistance engine in automatically mapping human speech to a destination. The detecting of the specified characteristic in the caller interaction results may include a statistical analysis of the caller interaction results for each of one or more speech recognition strings.
US08009818B2
A method for processing an incoming call using a communication device includes following steps. A phone number of the incoming call is detected. The phone number of the incoming call is logged. A ring duration of the incoming call is computed. The ring duration of the incoming call is compared with a predetermined time interval. If the ring duration of the incoming call is shorter than the predetermined time interval, related features are invoked thereby the incoming call is not returned.
US08009817B2
A method and system for tracking telephone usage and notifying a user of his telephone usage includes a software program for tracking telephone usage based on the time and day that a phone call is made. The software program designates a timer for tracking phone usage. The timer has a time block and a time usage variable associated therewith. When a call is made, the time used by the call is recorded to the time usage variable if the call was made within the time block. The user may then be notified of how much time has been used. The software may be implemented in a number of environments, including a computer system accessible remotely or a processor located on the user's telephone.
US08009812B2
A method and system is disclosed that includes receiving an incoming call including caller identification information at an input responsive to a network. An audio alert and display information associated with the incoming call are sent to a multimedia device.
US08009810B2
An emergency responder reply system (ERRS) and method are disclosed that minimize, and in many instances eliminate, the delays frequently associated with responding to emergency and other events requiring response services. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a telephonic response from a responder to a dispatch for services; obtaining information about the responder from which a telephonic response has been received; and providing the information via an Internet-based web portal.
US08009801B2
The invention relates to a packaging for a detonation cord (1) that is used especially for igniting shaped charge perforators in perforation guns utilized in the oil and natural gas industry. According to the invention, the detonation cord (1) is wound on one plane as a flat coil. Also disclosed is a method for examining whether a detonation cord (1) has faulty points. Said method is characterized in that the detonation cord (1) is subjected to an x-ray examination in the packaging before being delivered.
US08009800B2
A method for performing security screening of a liquid product at a security checkpoint is provided. The liquid product is placed in a tray having at least two reference areas manifesting respective X-ray signatures when exposed to X-rays, the X-ray signatures being distinguishable from one another. An X-ray inspection of the tray is performed while the tray holds the liquid product, the X-ray inspection including deriving the X-ray signatures. A determination is made as to whether the liquid product is a security threat at least in part based on the X-ray signatures. A tray having at least two reference areas manifesting respective X-ray signatures when exposed to X-rays is also provided.
US08009798B2
In a method and an apparatus for medical imaging, the radiation source is aligned relative to a detector plate, and the alignment is controlled so that the high-energy being emitted the radiation source always strikes the detector plate with a symmetrical distribution relative to a central ray of the radiation source.
US08009793B2
Two x-ray CT images are acquired of arterial plaque using x-rays at two different energy levels. The reconstructed images are normalized by adjusting pixel brightness until pixels depicting a region containing calcium have substantially the same brightness. The normalized images are subtracted to produce an image that depicts iron in the arterial plaque.
US08009792B2
The invention relates to nuclear engineering and can be used for fuel clusters of nuclear reactors, for distancing and fixing fuel elements, in particular in the fuel clusters of PWR and BWR reactors. The inventive distance lattice comprises cells which are used for mounting the fuel elements or guide channels and are formed by perpendicular crossing plates. Bent blades for mixing a coolant are embodied on the plate edges at the output of said coolant. Each cell is provided with an insertable distancing element for fixing the fuel element. Said invention makes it possible to increase the turning rigidity of the cells and the stability thereof, to simultaneously reduce the size of the fixation of the fuel elements or the guiding channels in the cells and to decrease the hydraulic resistance of the lattice.
US08009782B2
A larger second bandwidth is fitted to a first transmission bandwidth by blanking PRBs at one or both edges of the larger second bandwidth. A first set of control channels is mapped to unblanked PRBs of the second bandwidth using a restricted set of physical cell identities that map only to the unblanked PRBs. A second control channel is punctured so that after it is interleaved and cyclically shifted the punctured CCEs fall on the blanked PRBs, and this second control channel is power compensated for the punctured CCEs. The first set and the second control channels are assigned in view of the puncturing and blanked PRBs, an IFFT for the larger second bandwidth is performed on a signal using zeros at the blanked PRBs, the signal is filtered to the first bandwidth and transmitted over a bandwidth not to exceed the first bandwidth.
US08009781B2
A DTV receiver includes a tuner, a demodulator, a channel equalizer, a sequence detector, and a burst controller. The tuner receives a DTV signal having main data and at least one burst of enhanced data. The demodulator demodulates the DTV signal by performing carrier and time recovery and the channel equalizer equalizes the demodulated signal. The sequence detector detects one or more known data sequences from any one of the received signal and the demodulated signal. The demodulator and the channel equalizer use the detected known data sequences when performing the carrier and timing recover and the channel-equalization, respectively. Lastly, the burst controller supplies power to the tuner, the demodulator, the channel equalizer, and the data detector only during a burst time for each burst of enhanced data for efficient power consumption.
US08009770B2
A 4QAM-NR decoder and decoding method are disclosed. The 4QAM-NR decoder, obtains original data corresponding to receiving data received by a receiving terminal. The 4QAM-NR decoder comprises a determining device, an improving device and a corresponding device. The determining device provides a determining method to determine whether the receiving data is improved or not. The improving device improves the receiving data. The corresponding device obtains the approximate original data corresponding to the receiving data.
US08009764B2
A method and apparatus for diminishing a peak power to average power ratio (PAPR) in an OFDM/OFDMA communication system are disclosed, by which complexity in an OFDM/OFDMA communication system can be reduced. In an OFDM or OFDMA communication system, the present invention includes a circular shift module circularly shifting to output at least one or more data sequences according to circular shift information to be applied to each of the at least one or more data sequences converted to a time domain from a frequency domain, a combining module combining the at least one or more data sequences outputted from the circular shift module, and a PAPR calculating module calculating the PAPR of an entire data sequence combined by the combining module.
US08009763B2
A method and apparatus for equalizing a reflection in a reflective high speed serial link. The method involves obtaining an amplitude and delay time of a compensating pulse that is transmitted in response to a pulse transmitted on the serial link. The apparatus comprises a programmable delay element and a driver stage configured to transmit a delayed and amplitude adjusted version of a pulse transmitted on the serial link. A method for equalizing a plurality of reflections in a reflective high speed serial link. The method involves obtaining an amplitude and delay time of a first compensating pulse and an amplitude and delay time of a second compensating pulse. The method further involves transmitting the first compensating and second compensating pulses in response to a pulse transmitted on the serial link.
US08009757B2
Disclosed is a method and apparatus for encoding a modulated signal in a communication system. The method comprises generating an initial constellation, applying a vertical axis symmetry to the initial constellation to generate a first resulting constellation, translating the first resulting constellation to a left direction of the initial constellation to produce a left flipped constellation, applying a horizontal axis symmetry to the initial constellation to generate a second resulting constellation, translating the second resulting constellation to an up direction of the initial constellation to produce an up flipped constellation, applying a central axis symmetry to the initial constellation to generate a third resulting constellation; and translating the third resulting constellation to a left-up direction of the initial constellation to produce a left-up flipped constellation.
US08009742B2
A system and method for retransmitting an Internet protocol packet for terrestrial digital multimedia broadcasting (DMB) service are provided, in which a PES packetizer and an MPEG-2 TS multiplexer are removed; video, audio, and data signals are individually carried by RTP packets; and a receiver extracts object clock reference (OCR) included in a MPEG-4 SL, and synchronizes a system clock and controls buffers by means of the OCR.
US08009739B2
Techniques and tools for intensity compensation for interlaced forward-predicted fields are described. For example, a video decoder receives and decodes a variable length code that indicates which of two reference fields for an interlaced forward-predicted field use intensity compensation (e.g., both, only the first, or only the second). The decoder performs intensity compensation on each of the two reference fields that uses intensity compensation. A video encoder performs corresponding intensity estimation/compensation and signaling.
US08009734B2
A method for implementing B-frame prediction in video compression comprising the steps of (A) setting a prediction flag (i) “off” if B-frames are used for block prediction and (ii) “on” if B-frames are not used for block prediction, (B) if the prediction flag is off, generating an output video signal in response to an input video signal by performing an inverse quantization step and an inverse transform step in accordance with a predefined coding specification and (C) if the prediction flag is on, bypassing the inverse quantization step and the inverse transform step.
US08009731B2
A picture coding apparatus (300) includes a motion vector estimation unit (302) and a motion compensation unit (303). The motion vector estimation unit (302) selects one method for deriving a motion vector of a block to be motion-compensated, depending on a motion vector of a block located in a corner of a decoded macroblock from among a group of blocks that compose the decoded macroblock corresponding to the current macroblock to be coded and determines the motion vector derived by the selected method for derivation to be a candidate of the motion vector of the current macroblock to be coded. The motion compensation unit (303) generates a predictive image of the block to be motion-compensated based on the estimated motion vector.
US08009725B2
A translational switch system includes first and second translational switches, and a signal bus coupled therebetween. The first translational switch includes one or more inputs configured to receive a respective one or more first input signals, a first plurality of outputs, and a second plurality of outputs. The second translational switch includes one or more inputs configured to receive a respective one or more second input signals, a first output, and a second output. The signal bus, coupled between the first and second translational switches, includes (i) a first bus line coupled to a first one of the first plurality of outputs of the first translational switch, and to the first output of the second translational switch, and (ii) a second bus line coupled to a first one of the second plurality of outputs of the first translational switch, and to the second output of the second translational switch.
US08009723B2
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing timing estimates of received signals are disclosed. In one embodiment, sub-chip timing in spread spectrum signals can be achieved without requiring oversampling in the receiver. A transmitter can adjust the timing of certain transmitted symbols by a fraction of a chip time from an expected time, and send the mistimed symbols to a receiver. The output of the receiver's de-spreading correlator can show different magnitudes for wedge symbols with different timing errors. By setting some symbols early and some late, and by taking the difference between their magnitudes, a transfer function between the result and a timing error can be determined.
US08009712B2
A semiconductor ring laser (SRL) section is monolithically integrated with a DFB or DBR master laser section on a semiconductor substrate of a light-emitting device to provide an injection locking mode of operation that can result in low-cost ultrafast (over 100 GHz) functional chip that will be easy to use in practice.
US08009711B2
A photonic device incorporates an epitaxial structure having an active region, and which includes a wet etch stop layer above, but close to, the active region. An etched-facet ridge laser is fabricated on the epitaxial structure by dry etching followed by wet etching. The dry etch is designed to stop before reading the depth needed to form the ridge. The wet etch completes the formation of the ridge and stops at the wet etch stop layer.
US08009704B2
A digital broadcasting transmitter, a turbo stream processing method thereof, and a digital broadcasting system having the same. The digital broadcasting transmitter includes a first compressor, forming a normal stream by compressing audio and video signals in a first compression format, a second compressor, forming a turbo stream by compressing the audio and video signals in a second compression format, a transport stream (TS) constructor, compressing the turbo stream in an H.264 format and forming the dual transfer stream by multiplexing the normal stream and the turbo stream, and a TS processor, robustly processing the dual transfer stream transmitted from the TS constructor, thus enhancing the transmission efficiency.
US08009697B2
Method for transmitting messages in a communications system, wherein the message is segmented into a plurality of message segments, the message segments being of variable length, the plurality of message segments comprising at least one leading message segment and a trailing message segment, and a message segment indication is applied to the at least one leading message segment.
US08009686B2
Methods of establishing multimedia telecommunication (a multimedia “call”) between equipment (“terminals”). More particularly, the invention provides methods for reducing the time required to establish calls between terminals implementing ITU-T Recommendation H.324 and derived or related standards or recommendations such as 3G-324M. More specifically, it relates to methods and apparatuses for (i) concatenating H.245 messages to pass between the terminals at the start of the call to establish the capabilities of both terminals and agree on the type and format of media and data to be exchanged (ii) using non-standard H.245 messages or standard H.245 messages with non-standard fields to accelerate establishment and (iii) informing each terminal of the capabilities of the other and proposing the type and format of media and data to be exchanged by means of fields inserted in the call signaling protocol used for bearer establishment prior to the H.324 stage of the call.
US08009681B2
The present invention provides improved methods and systems for interworking Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP)-based external control plane protocols with internal control plane protocols, such as Optical Signaling and Routing Protocol (OSRP). The present invention utilizes only a high-level mapping in which a trigger is created in the internal control plane protocol to initiate the desired internal control plane action or vice versa. The external control plane protocol messages and fields are encapsulated as data in the internal control plane messages and fields and are processed only at the remote end of the internal domain. By encapsulating the entirety or parts of the external control plane protocol messages and fields ensures that necessary information is carried from an ingress border node to an egress border node. At the egress border node, the encapsulated external control plane protocol messages and fields are mapped back to the external control plane protocol, without having to make changes to the internal control plane protocol or perform processing at intermediate nodes.
US08009670B2
A first information processing equipment transmits, to a mediating server, the first transmission information which is the information containing the relay server identification information for identifying the relay server employed in the data relay between information processing equipments, and executes the data relay with the second information processing equipment through the relay server identified by the relay server identification information. The mediating server receives the first transmission information and transmits, to a second information processing equipment, the second transmission information which is the information containing the relay server identification information contained in the first transmission information. The second information processing equipment receives the second transmission information and executes the data relay with the first information processing equipment through the relay server identified by the relay server identification information contained in the second transmission information.
US08009668B2
One embodiment disclosed relates to a method of routing a packet by way of a router aggregation. A packet is received from outside the aggregation by an initially receiving router/switch unit. Router functions are performed by the initially receiving router unit, including modification of the packet. The packet is then sent to a layer 2 network of the aggregation, wherein switching functions are performed on the packet. Another embodiment disclosed relates to a cooperative aggregation of router/switch units. The aggregation includes a plurality of the router/switch units, and a switching network interconnecting the units. The cooperative aggregation functions as a single router from a perspective of an external network device coupled to the system.
US08009666B2
A system and method for processing a plurality of requests for multi-media services received at a call control element (CCE) defined on the system from a calling communication device. The system includes a Network Routing Element, a Service Broker (SB), at least a primary media severs (MS) and at least a secondary MS, a plurality of application servers (ASs) and a plurality of border elements, all of which are coupled to the CCE. The SB is adapted to receive a plurality of requests including parameters for requesting multi-media services, via the CCE, and to selectively redirect the requests to one or more ASs for providing feature processing for the requests. The ASs can instruct either the primary MS or secondary MS, via the CCE, to form a preliminary interactive communication path with the calling communication device for collecting caller-entered data, which can be validated prior to providing the feature processing.
US08009660B2
A multi-carrier cellular wireless network (400) employs base stations (404) that transmit two different groups of pilot subcarriers: (1) cell-specific pilot subcarriers, which are used by a receiver to extract information unique to each individual cell (402), and (2) common pilots subcarriers, which are designed to possess a set of characteristics common to all the base stations (404) of the system. The design criteria and transmission formats of the cell-specific and common pilot subcarriers are specified to enable a receiver to perform different system functions. The methods and processes can be extended to other systems, such as those with multiple antennas in an individual sector and those where some subcarriers bear common network/system information.
US08009652B2
A method for transmitting information between a control network element and a transceiver network element in a communications system is discussed. A first connection and a second connection connecting the control network element and the transceiver network element are provided. The first connection has a higher guaranteed quality of service than the second connection. A piece of information is transmitted using the first connection or the second connection using a predetermined criterion.
US08009649B1
A method and a system for a quality of service (QoS) point coordinator (PC) for a basic service set (BSS) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) is disclosed. The PC includes a QoS management entity (QME) and an admission control entity (ACE). The QME receives at least one reservation request message that characterizes one of a QoS session and a QoS application (session/application) that can be of a continuous/periodic flow type that is time sensitive, or can be of a discontinuous/bursty flow type that is time tolerant. The reservation request message contains at least one QoS parameter set and requests a resource of a communication channel in the BSS for the QoS session/application. The communication channel is organized into superframes, such that each superframe includes a contention-free period (CFP) and a contention-period (CP). The reservation request message requests a predetermined bandwidth of each CFP of the communication channel in the BSS. The ACE performs macro bandwidth management for QoS traffic transport of the session/application over a medium access control (MAC) sublayer for the communication channel by determining whether to grant the reservation request based on at least one QoS parameter set associated with the session/application.
US08009647B2
In order to simplify the operation during a call, a communication terminal includes: a radio circuit and a wireless LAN circuit; a flash ROM storing user identification information for identifying a target to communicate and telephone book data in which the user identification information and multiple pieces of access information respectively corresponding to the radio circuit and the wireless LAN circuit are associated with each other; and a control portion to search the telephone book data, if the wireless LAN circuit becomes incommunicable with the other party's mobile phone during communication, to extract a mobile phone number which is related with the user identification information of the user of the other party's mobile phone and corresponds to the radio circuit, and to originate a call to the other party's mobile phone by the radio circuit using the extracted mobile phone number.
US08009637B2
Various embodiments are described which may serve to improve spreading channel code selection in wireless technologies that employ two-stage ranging. For example, some of the embodiments enable a number of spreading codes to be reused at each network node (111, 112), potentially increasing the number of codes available to each remote unit and thereby reducing the collision rate. Rather than simply selecting a spreading channel code randomly, remote units (101-103), in some embodiments, select a spreading channel code based on one or more considerations such as pilot signal strength, remote unit location, a remote unit mobility level, and a priority class associated with the remote unit. Depending on the embodiment, network nodes can partition the spreading codes into groups and then assign link bandwidth to remote units based on the group associated with the code selected by that remote unit.
US08009636B2
A base station for controlling transmission power during the establishment of a communication channel utilizes the reception of a short code during initial power ramp-up. The short code is a sequence for detection by the base station which has a much shorter period than a conventional access code. The ramp-up starts from a power level that is lower than the required power level for detection by the base station. The power of the short code is quickly increased until the signal is detected by the base station. Once the base station detects the short code, it transmits an indication that the short code has been detected.
US08009631B2
A method of forwarding IP packets, sent to an old care-of-address of a mobile node, to the mobile node following a handover of the mobile node from a first old access router to a second new access router. The method comprises, prior to completion of said handover, providing said first router or another proxy node with information necessary to determine the new IP care-of address to be used by the mobile node when the mobile node is transferred to the second access router. At said first router or said proxy node, the new care-of-address for the mobile node is determined using said information and ownership of the new care-of-address by the mobile node confirmed, and subsequently packets received at said first access network and destined for said old care-of-address are forwarded to the predicted care-of-address address.
US08009627B2
Disclosed is a method for acquiring an Access Network Identification (ANID) of a currently connected portable Internet network when a mobile communication terminal connects to the portable Internet network. The method includes the steps of (a) receiving an MAC management message from a base station when the mobile communication terminal connects to the portable Internet network, (b) extracting a base station identification from the MAC management message, and (c) acquiring the ANID for identifying the network to which the mobile communication terminal has connected from the base station identification. According to the method, access network information of a portable Internet network is transferred to a different type of network when the portable Internet network inter-works with said different type of network, so that network information of a portable Internet system can be acquired.
US08009620B2
Various example embodiments are disclosed herein. According to an example embodiment, an apparatus may include a wireless receiver configured to receive a persistent resource allocation, the persistent resource allocation providing a periodically recurring resource, and a wireless transmitter configured to transmit a persistent data burst in a first frame via the persistent resource allocation, the persistent data burst including a compressed MAC (media access control) header that excludes (or omits) a connection identifier (CID) field, wherein the compressed MAC header of the persistent data burst includes a field that indicates that the MAC header of the persistent data burst is compressed.
US08009614B2
A home agent used in a mobile communications system conforming to Mobile IP is disclosed. A mobile node belongs to the home agent, and the home agent has a global IP address that is a home address common to a plurality of mobile nodes. The home agent includes: an interface unit configured to route a received packet according to a transfer table that includes a correspondence among a home address of the mobile node, a care of address of the mobile node, and a communication session identification number for identifying a communication session opened by an application of the mobile node, wherein a transfer destination of the received packet is identified by a combination of the care of address and the communication session identification number; and a location information management unit configured to manage the transfer table.
US08009611B2
A radio apparatus communicates with a plurality of terminal apparatuses by using a packet signal composed of at least one stream. A control unit divides a certain period into a plurality of partial periods and assigns respectively the plurality of partial periods to the plurality of terminal apparatuses by associating the periods with the terminal apparatuses. The control unit also generates a packet signal for use in control and packet signals for use in inquiry. In so doing, the control unit generates the inquiry packet signals for the plurality of respective terminal apparatuses, as a single packet signal. A baseband processing unit and other units transmit the control packet signal and then transmit the inquiry packet signals, and receive packet signals, containing inquiry results, from the plurality of respective terminal apparatuses.
US08009597B2
Using a single logical base transceiver to serve multiple physical locations is disclosed. A call traffic associated with a call associated at a mobile network with an assigned timeslot of a logical base transceiver is received. A timeslot with which the call traffic is associated is remapped from the assigned timeslot to a serving timeslot being used at a serving physical base transceiver to facilitate the call, in the event the call traffic comprises inbound call traffic being sent into the mobile network from the serving physical base transceiver, or from the serving timeslot to the assigned timeslot in the event the call traffic comprises outbound call traffic being sent from the mobile network to the serving physical base transceiver.
US08009589B2
A computer program product for subnet management in virtual host channel adapter topologies includes a tangible storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method. The method includes receiving a request to add a new logical host channel adapter (HCA) to the subnet, updating a logical switch port topology control block to reflect a pointer to the new logical HCA, and updating a port topology control block of the logical HCA to reflect a pointer to the logical switch port.
US08009585B2
A method for discovering topology in an SIP network is disclosed. According to the method, the SIP network is divided into domains governed by corresponding SIP proxies. A management system creates a topology agent for each SIP-domain and registers it with the governor proxy of each SIP-domain. Each topology agent generates topology-exploring messages to other agent and accumulates topology-exploring messages from other agents, gather routing information of the SIP network based on the collected topology-exploring messages to deduce topology of the SIP network.
US08009583B2
An anticipative recursively-adjusting co-allocation mechanism (ARAM) includes the steps of: measuring a transmission bandwidth of a candidate server by a bandwidth measurement module; referring to the transmission bandwidth to calculate a recursive parameter value, and calculating a desired allocating file size of present round according to the recursive parameter value and an unassigned file size; allocating the desired allocating file size to the candidate server according to the transmission bandwidth and a transmission completion percentage of the candidate server at a previous round; performing the transmission and calculating the transmission completion percentage of each candidate server; examining the transmission completion percentage of the candidate sever; and examining whether or not an allocation of files is completed if any candidate server has completed a transmission, and looping to the next round if the file allocation has not been completed so as to enhance the data transmission performance effectively.
US08009577B2
An Internet Protocol (IP) telephone operates a communications uplink to a switch based on activity on a separate communications downlink (such as to a personal computer) to conserve power when possible. The IP telephone monitors the communications activity of a link partner on the communications downlink, and when the link partner is present and operating at a relatively high data rate, the IP telephone operates the communications uplink at a correspondingly high data rate to support the communications needs of the IP telephone and the link partner. If the monitoring indicates that the link partner has reduced communications activity (which may include becoming entirely disconnected from the communications downlink), the IP telephone transitions to a second operating condition to operate the communications uplink at a relatively low data rate, with a corresponding decrease in the power required for operation of the communications uplink interface circuitry. By this mechanism, the power required to operate the IP telephony system can be reduced to realize costs savings etc.
US08009573B2
A method for controlling the charging of packet data service includes: monitoring a number of event triggers; and when one of the event triggers is met, a Traffic Plane Function (TPF) requesting charging rules from a Charging Rule Function (CRF). In the preferred embodiments, the event triggers, which the TPF is required for request charging rules from the CRF according to are set by the CRF and then are provided to the TPF. Charging-relevant input information is provided in the request, based on which the CRF determines proper charging rules and sends the determined charging rules to the TPF. In this way, the timing that the TPF requests charging rules from the CRF becomes controllable, and redundant information caused by the unnecessary charging rule from the TPF becomes avoidable, which enables effective interaction between the TPF and the CRF and reasonable charging control of packet data service.
US08009562B2
Networks, devices and methods related to wireless networking. A wireless network using nodes that perform both distribution and backhaul functions is provided. These nodes constitute the key elements of a wireless network that would be deployed and controlled by a wireless network operator. Each node contains a distribution wireless module which is wirelessly coupled to the wireless end user device using a point to multipoint scheme. Also integrated into each node is at least one backhaul wireless module with a directional wireless antenna. Each backhaul wireless module communicates by way of a point to point wireless link with the backhaul module of one other node. The nodes in the wireless network are interconnected to form a mesh backhaul network. Because of the nature of a mesh network, data traffic can be routed around obstacles that may prevent line of site links. Furthermore, the mesh network allows dynamic routing of data traffic to avoid congestion points or downed links in the network.
US08009561B1
A system permits queues to use more than an allocated amount of bandwidth. The system allocates an amount of bandwidth to each of the queues and determines whether any of the queues is using less than the allocated amount of bandwidth. If so, the system reallocates the allocated bandwidth from one of the queues to at least one other one of the queues based on the amount of bandwidth used by each of the queues.
US08009556B2
A routing device that provides redundancy for a node is envisioned. The routing device has a dynamic routing module operable to start functioning at a particular time. A configuration manager is provided. The configuration manager is coupled to a second routing device and stores configuration information associated with operational characteristics of a dynamic routing module associated with the second routing device. A network information module stores routing information from the second routing device. The dynamic routing module is executed upon an indication that the second dynamic routing device is no longer operating, and the configuration device configures the dynamic routing module according to the stored configuration information.
US08009554B2
A method for achieving multiple link quality of service for video and voice calls over Internet links, or over IP links running in private networks, is described. This method applies to both the non-mobile domain (alternate paths exist in one place at the same time) as well as the mobile domain (one path is used at any one place at a given time, but the user device roams from place to place). This method can be implemented as either computer software or other digital logic (ASIC or FPGA). Using this invention, voice and video calls can be moved at will from one path to another, as many times as required during a single conversation, without breaking the RTP voice or video payload stream. The benefit is that embodiments of this invention have a significantly higher probability that a call never breaks under various conditions of quality degrade. This includes the case of link and router failures, which are treated as a special case of quality degrade in the context of voice and video.
US08009549B2
Provided is a carrier allocation method in a multi cell OFDMA system capable of improving the system capacity and the bit error rate performance. In the method, a user terminal U which has received broadcast information (S101) uses an empty carrier to transmit a known symbol to a base station device (S103). The base station device estimates an average channel gain of an empty carrier block by using the received known symbol (S104), compares the channel gain sizes of the respective carrier blocks according to the estimated average channel gain and allocates a carrier block having a large channel gain to the user terminal (S105), and compares channel gains of the respective carriers in the carrier block allocated to the user terminal and selects a carrier having a channel gain lower than a predetermined threshold value (S106).
US08009547B2
An optical disk includes a first area on which user information is recorded, and a second area in which a plurality of marks radially extending are arranged in a track direction in the optical disk. Information about the reflectance of the optical disk is recorded in the second area. It is intended to optimize the amplification factor of the reproduced signal on the basis of the information about the reflectance of the optical disk in the second area. Control data and user data can be reproduced quickly and highly reliably without depending on the relationship between the reflectances of a recording area and a non-recorded area of the optical disk.
US08009545B2
An apparatus includes a component having a first surface, a first waveguide for directing electromagnetic radiation to a focal point adjacent to the first surface, a storage medium positioned adjacent to the first surface, a detector for detecting electromagnetic radiation reflected from the storage medium, and a structure positioned adjacent to the focal point for collecting the reflected electromagnetic radiation and for transmitting the reflected electromagnetic radiation toward the detector, wherein the structure comprises a second waveguide including a first cladding layer positioned adjacent to a first side of the first waveguide and having a first end positioned adjacent to the first surface and a second cladding layer positioned adjacent to a second side of the first waveguide and having a first end positioned adjacent to the air bearing surface.
US08009541B2
A device, method, and computer program product are provided for migrating pieces of data from a first recording location to a second recording location based on access frequency. The device comprises an obtaining unit for obtaining, for each of the pieces of data, first information indicating the number of times any data has been read from the first recording location after the piece of data is written to the first recording location and second information indicating the number of times the piece of data has been read from the first recording location. Moreover, the device comprises a tracking unit for tracking access frequency with respect to each of the pieces of data using the first information and the second information. Furthermore, the device comprises a determining unit for determining recording positions of each of the pieces of data in the second recording location based on the tracked access frequency.
US08009540B2
A write control method which varies a write power in response to a recording speed, a recording density, and a type of recording medium, and an optical disc recording apparatus suitable for the write control method. The write control method includes preparing a plurality of standard power values corresponding to recording speeds or recording densities for a plurality of record marks, selecting one of the plurality of standard power values with respect to a record mark to be recorded according to a recording speed or a recording density, and controlling write power of a laser beam according to the selected standard power value. The write control method and apparatus improve recording performance of an optical disc recording apparatus by differently setting write power values according to recording speeds, recording densities, and types of recording media.
US08009539B2
A method and infrastructure are provided for monitoring and analyzing the storage media quality and the drive hardware performance of a media library. The media library comprises a plurality of removable storage media, a plurality of drive units for said storage media and means for moving said storage media to and from appropriate drive units. The media library is managed by a management system being connected to said media library. At least one reference medium of a known and proven quality to compare the performance of at least one of said storage media in a given drive unit with the performance of said reference medium in said given drive unit and/or to test the performance of at least one given drive unit of said media library when acting on said reference medium.
US08009538B2
An information recording apparatus and method can prevent an information recording medium having a plurality of recording layers from being incompatible with a reproduction-only information recording medium due to an unrecorded area, which is produced by completion of recording in a middle of a data area of the recording layer. The recording layers include at least a first recording layer and a second recording layer, the first recording layer providing a reference with respect to a position of said data area in each of the recording layers. The user data is recorded in response to a recording request. After recording the user data, predetermined data is recorded in a predetermined unrecorded area in the second recording layer.
US08009533B2
An optical disc apparatus and a method of performing an optical power study and detecting writing power in the optical disc apparatus. An optical pickup includes a light source to emit a laser beam according to an input optical power signal, an optical power detector to detect optical power of the laser beam using part of the laser beam, and an actuator to drive a lens to form a beam spot. To reduce the time required for the power study, a controller positions the optical pickup in a specific area of a disc and applies a predetermined range of optical power signals to the light source to perform the power study to determine its optical power characteristics using the optical power signal and the detected optical power while maintaining the actuator in a driving state in which writing and reading is possible.
US08009526B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical pickup device being capable of correcting coma aberration induced in a light-condensing optical system including an objective lens for an optical disc and having a reduced size and a reduced thickness in comparison with the conventional art. The present invention includes a first coma-aberration correction actuator (6) including a first tilt drive portion for inclining an objective lens in a first tilt direction, and a second coma-aberration correction actuator (7) including a second tilt drive portion for inclining, in a second tilt direction, a coma-aberration correction lens placed between a light source and a raising mirror for reflecting emitted light toward the objective lens.
US08009524B2
An optical pickup unit, an apparatus for recording/reproducing data, a control method, and a recording medium are disclosed. Each of the optical pickup unit and the recording/reproducing apparatus includes a near-field lens, and uses a high-refraction lens, conically shaped, to effectively use the near-field. Two lens units are required to be compatible with a conventional recording medium. The lens unit is designed in consideration of a distance between the recording medium and the lens, and the tilt or vibration of the lens units is controlled.
US08009523B2
To increase the speed of operations and improve vibration properties by rotating holders to wind coils in objective lens driving means of an optical pickup. In an optical pickup wherein a tracking coil and two focusing coils are wound on the same surface of a coil holder, the coil holder includes a tracking coil holder and two focusing coil holders, and each of the tracking coil holder and two focusing coil holders has a hole passing through the center of each coil.
US08009521B2
A wristwatch that includes a concave lens and concave dial contained within a bezel and housing. The concave shape of the lens causes the upper most surface of the wristwatch to be the bezel, so the upper surface of the lens cannot be scratch if the user places the watch face down on a surface. The concave shape of the dial causes an increase in surface area for time marking indicia on the dial face. This effect combines with the concave angle of the lens to increase the appearance of the indicia and reduce glare.
US08009519B2
Various embodiments for maintaining a reliable time clock on a mobile computing device are described. In one embodiment, a mobile computing device may optionally enable and disable acquisition of time data from multiple sources including a mobile network and a global positioning system (GPS) satellite. The mobile computing device may comprise a time clock to display local time information derived from stored time data and may prioritize the multiple sources for writing and overwriting the stored time data to converge to the most reliable time data available. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08009513B2
An array of transducers for a sodar system, and the operation of the array in a monostatic sodar system. The array is made up of a number of individual sound transducers. Each transducer emits sound into the atmosphere and senses emitted sound that has been reflected by the atmosphere. The transducers have a generally circular cross-sectional shape. The transducers are arranged in a generally planar, generally hexagonal grid packing arrangement.
US08009509B2
An integrated framework is described for automating some or all of mud slowness estimation for both fast and slow formations. An estimation of fluid slowness based on monopole radial profiling is calculated if conditions permit. Alternatively, an estimation of fluid slowness based on Scholte wave slowness is estimated if conditions do not permit calculation based on monopole radial profiling. Tool standoff may also be estimated based on monopole radial profiling.
US08009507B2
A system for an adaptable aperture planar array for maintaining source resolution is provided. The system includes a first nested array defining a first aperture responsive to a first range of frequencies. The first aperture is sized based on an angle between the array and the source, and includes a first subset of sensor elements. The system includes a second nested array defining a second aperture responsive to a second range of frequencies that is less than the first range of frequencies. The second aperture is sized based on the angle between the array and the source, and includes a second subset of sensor elements. The first aperture and second aperture change in size as the angle changes, which results in a change in the sensor elements within the first subset and the second subset to maintain the source resolution for the array.
US08009506B2
Memory architecture having multiple partial wordline drivers and contacted and feed-through bitlines
Various embodiments are disclosed relating to a memory circuit architecture. In an example embodiment, which may accommodate a change to a new memory size or cell aspect ratio, while migrating between different process nodes or the same process generation, while retaining at least a portion of the periphery circuitry, a memory circuit architecture may be employed in which the memory array is divided into an upper half and a lower half, thereby splitting the cache Ways among the two halves. The wordline may be split among the two array halves, with each half driven by a half wordline driver. Also, in another embodiment, two sets of bitlines may be provided for each column, including a contacted set of bitlines and a feed-through set of bitlines.
US08009505B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a row control circuit block and a column control circuit block each performing an access control over a memory cell array, a data I/O circuit block transmitting and receiving data to and from the memory cell array, and a control circuit changing at least a part of the row control circuit block, the column control circuit block, and the data I/O circuit block from a standby state into an active state in response to a setting of a predetermined mode signal to a mode register. According to the present invention, even if it is necessary to turn predetermined circuit blocks into the active state by an operation other than a read or write operation, there is no need to always set these circuit blocks into the active state.
US08009500B2
Cell power supply lines are arranged for memory cell columns, and adjust impedances or voltage levels of the cell power supply lines according to the voltage levels of bit lines in the corresponding columns, respectively. In the data write operation, the cell power supply line is forced into a floating state according to the bit line potential on a selected column and has the voltage level changed, and a latching capability of a selected memory cell is reduced to write data fast. Even with a low power supply voltage, a static semiconductor memory device that can stably perform write and read of data is implemented.
US08009499B2
A system includes a volatile storage, a persistent storage, a capacitor-based power supply, and a controller coupled to the capacitor-based power supply. The controller detects interruption of main power, and in response to detecting the interruption of main power, begins backup copying of data from the volatile storage to the persistent storage. After beginning the backup copying of data, the controller checks whether the main power has resumed prior to depletion of the capacitor-based power supply. In response to detecting that main power has resumed prior to depletion of the capacitor-based power supply, the controller resumes operation using content of the volatile storage without restoring data from the persistent storage.
US08009498B2
A memory refresh system includes a comparative detection circuit, a logic circuit, and a timing circuit. The comparative detection circuit detects a voltage of the storage capacitor of a memory cell of the memory and generates a corresponding digital code by comparing the voltage with a reference voltage. Each memory cell has a corresponding digital code. The combination of the digital codes of the memory cells forms a first state. After a specific period of time, the voltages of the storage capacitors of the memory cells are once detected by the comparative detection circuit, and corresponding digital codes are generated and combined to form a second state. The logic circuit compares the first state and the second state to determining whether or not to change the refresh period of a refresh period detecting process. The timing circuit changes the refresh period according to the determination result of the logic circuit.
US08009495B2
Methods, apparatuses and systems of operating digital memory where the digital memory device including a plurality of memory cells receives a command to perform an operation on a set of memory cells, where the set of memory cells contains fewer memory cells than the device as a whole and where the device performs the operation including selectively precharging on the front end of the operation, in response to the received command, only a set of bit lines associated with the set of memory cells.
US08009494B2
A semiconductor memory device using a full-VDD bit line precharge scheme by using a bit line sense amplifier includes a precharge unit precharging a bit line and a complementary bit line from a power voltage to a voltage that is less than the power voltage by a predetermined voltage, and the bit line sense amplifier including first and second transistors serially connected between the bit line and the complementary bit line to be cross-coupled to each other, wherein a gate of the first transistor is connected to the complementary bit line and a gate of the second transistor is connected to the bit line. The precharge unit precharges, in response to a first precharge signal, the bit line and the complementary bit line to a voltage that is less than the power voltage by a threshold voltage of the first or second transistor, and precharges, in response to a second precharge signal, the bit line and the complementary bit line from the power voltage to a voltage that is less than the power voltage by half of a threshold voltage of the first or second transistor.
US08009492B2
A circuit for generating a data strobe signal includes: a control signal generation unit configured to generate a strobe control signal defining an activation time period where a first data strobe signal and a second data strobe signal, which is an inverted signal of the first data strobe signal, are toggled; and a strobe signal output unit configured to output the first and second data strobe signals as a final strobe signal in the activation time period where the strobe control signal is activated.
US08009490B2
The memory interface circuit may include a master delay unit and a slave delay unit. The master delay unit generates a control signal for controlling a delay time based on a clock signal. The slave delay unit selects one signal of an inversion signal of the clock signal and a data strobe signal in response to a mode signal and delays the selected signal in response to the control signal. The slave delay unit selectively outputs a delayed clock signal that may be delayed by a first phase with respect to the clock signal or a delayed data strobe signal that may be delayed by a second phase with respect to the data strobe signal.
US08009481B2
In one embodiment, a bit-line driver has a first driver having a source terminal coupled to a high-voltage supply bus and a drain terminal coupled to the bit-line, and a second driver having a source terminal coupled to a high-voltage return bus and a drain terminal coupled to the bit line. The bit-line driver also has a first pre-driver coupled to a gate terminal of the first driver and a second pre-driver coupled to a gate terminal of the second driver. The first and second drivers use a first type of transistor, and the first and second pre-drivers use a second type of transistor. The first type of transistor is rated at a higher voltage than the second type of transistor.
US08009477B2
An integrated circuit and a method of forming an integrated circuit. One embodiment includes a conductive line formed above a surface of a carrier. A slope of the sidewalls of the conductive line in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the carrier reveals a discontinuity and a width of the conductive line in an upper portion thereof is larger than the corresponding width in the lower portion.
US08009472B2
A method in which non-volatile memory device is accessed using voltages which are customized to the device, and/or to portions of the device, such as blocks or word lines of non-volatile storage elements. The accessing can include programming, verifying or reading. By customizing the voltages, performance can be optimized, including addressing changes in threshold voltage which are caused by program disturb. In one approach, different sets of storage elements in a memory device are programmed with random test data. A threshold voltage distribution is determined for the different sets of storage elements. A set of voltages is determined based on the threshold voltage distribution, and stored in a non-volatile storage location for subsequent use in accessing the different sets of storage elements. The set of voltages may be determined at the time of manufacture for subsequent use in accessing data by the end user.
US08009463B2
A multi-port SRAM cell includes cross-coupled inverters each including a pull-up transistor and at least a pair of pull down transistors. The SRAM cell includes first and second access ports coupled to first and second word line conductors, each access port including a first pass gate transistor coupled to the data storage node and a second pass gate transistor coupled to the data bar storage node, each pass gate transistor being coupled to a respective bit line conductor, wherein the pull down transistors of the first inverter are formed in a first active region, the pull down transistors of the second inverter are formed in a second active region, the pass gate transistors coupled to the data storage node are formed in a third active region and the pass gate transistors coupled to the data bar storage node are formed in a fourth active region.
US08009433B2
A radio control device used to control a motor for driving a mobile screen which includes a printed circuit to control the motor, power supply conductors for the motor and printed circuit, and an aerial which is connected to the printed circuit and coupled electromagnetically, with galvanic insulation, to at least one of the conductors. The device also includes a box in which the printed circuit, aerial and conductors are housed.
US08009429B1
Thermal management features are described for use with electrical components. In some examples, an assembly includes a printed board that includes a thermally conductive thermal attach pad thermally connected to a heat sink, an electrically conductive attach pad that is separate from the thermally conductive attach pad, and an electrically conductive trace electrically connected to the electrically conductive attach pad. An electrical component can be electrically connected to the electrically conductive attach pad and the electrically conductive trace of the printed board. A thermal interface material is disposed adjacent at least a portion of a side surface of the electrical component and in contact with the thermally conductive attach pad. In this manner, the assembly may provide a thermally conductive pathway from an electrical component to the heat sink.
US08009428B1
A guiding apparatus for guiding a heat sink easily to be attached to a circuit board to cool an electronic element mounted on the circuit board and includes a seat, and a pair of guiding members. The heat sink includes a pair of fasteners movably attached thereto. A number of flexible barbs are formed at an end of each fastener. The seat is elongated and includes a sliding groove defined therein along a length thereof. Each guiding member includes a post, a first block, a second block, and a resilient member. The first and second blocks surround the post. The first block is received in the sliding groove. The resilient member slidably surrounds the post and sandwiched between the second block and the seat. A locating hole is defined in the post adjacent to the second block to receive the barbs of the fastener.
US08009427B2
An image display apparatus of the present invention includes: a display device for displaying an image; a heat-receiving tube that is disposed so as to be in thermal communication with the display device and is filled with a cooling liquid; a heat-radiating tube that is provided to be continuous with the heat-receiving tube and is filled with the cooling liquid; and a transporting pump allowing the cooling liquid to circulate through the heat-receiving tube and the heat-radiating tube. When viewed from a display surface side of the display device, at least a part of the heat-radiating tube is located outside a peripheral edge of the display device and is disposed along the peripheral edge.
US08009425B2
A retaining apparatus for at least one data storage device includes a tray and a retaining device. The tray is used for receiving the at least one data storage device, and the retaining device is attached to the tray. The retaining device includes an elongated base member, an elongated arm member and a blocking member. The base member is attached to the front side of the tray. The arm member is pivotably attached to the base member about a pivot axis. The arm member has a retaining portion at the first distal end for retaining the retaining device at a retaining position. The blocking member is attached to the base member and slidable along a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis. The blocking member is capable of securing the arm member at a second distal end of the arm member opposite to the first distal end.
US08009422B2
A portable equipment includes a flexible display element capable of being rolled up and unfurled, the display element including a back plate on a back side of the display element, which comes into contact with the display element when the display element is rolled up, and is bent such that at least a central portion of the back plate is separated from the display element due to a bend when the display element is unfurled, flatness of the display element being kept by a structure made up of the display element and the back plate when the display element is unfurled, and a pull-out slot for the display element on a main body of the portable equipment. The pull-out slot is flattened by a predetermined amount from a cross-sectional shape of the unrolled back plate, and has a clearance formed on a portion facing a surface of the display element.
US08009421B2
A flexible display element capable of being rolled up and unfurled, comprises a back plate covering a back side of the display element, wherein the back plate comes into contact with the back side of the display element when the display element is rolled up, and at least a central portion of the back plate is separated from the display element to support the display element in a flat shape when the display element is unfurled. Thus, the display element and the back plate can be rolled up and carried with a simple configuration of the display element and the back plate, and the display element can be supported in a flat shape when unfurled. Therefore, it is possible to provide a flexible display element having high portability, ease of rolling, and retention of flatness during periods of use.
US08009407B2
A capacitor includes a multi layer structure on a ceramic or crystalline substrate. The multilayer structure includes a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a dielectric that is tunable by a voltage applied to the electrodes. The multilayer structure is configured such that resonant oscillation modes of bulk acoustic waves can be propagated in the multilayer structure and such that the resonant frequencies of the oscillation modes are outside a first band range of between 810 and 1000 MHz, second band range of between 1700 and 2205 MHz and third band range of between 2400 and 2483.5 MHz.
US08009401B2
A voltage surge protection device comprising a disconnection device with electric contacts said disconnection device comprising a first connecting electrode electrically connected with a first connecting strip, a second connecting electrode electrically connected with a second connecting strip, and a third switching electrode electrically connected to the second connecting strip. The protection device comprises a surge arrestor connected in series with a thermal disconnector between the third movable arc switching electrode and the second connecting strip. Said thermal disconnector comprises at least one fuse element extending between a first and second conducting radial wall of an arc extinguishing chamber, said arc extinguishing chamber comprising at least one conducting separator.
US08009399B2
In some embodiments, an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit includes a substrate resistance control circuit coupled to a body of a first NMOS transistor. The substrate resistance control circuit increases a resistance of the body of the first NMOS transistor during an ESD event. The first NMOS transistor has a drain coupled to an input/output (I/O) pad and a gate coupled to a first voltage source. The first voltage source is set at ground potential.
US08009398B2
The present invention generally provides a decoupling capacitor circuit that is configured to determine whether a decoupling capacitor is defective. Upon determining that the decoupling capacitor is defective, the decoupling capacitor circuit may disconnect the decoupling capacitor from both, a positive segment and a negative segment of a power grid. In some embodiments, the decoupling capacitor circuit may be configured to reconnect the decoupling capacitor to the power grid upon receiving a reset signal.
US08009397B2
An eFuse (electronic fuse) circuit has a first detector for determining whether an ESD (electrostatic discharge) event occurs at a circuit pad of an integrated circuit and provides an ESD trigger signal in response thereto. A second detector detects a presence of a first power supply voltage and provides a power on signal indicating the presence of the first power supply voltage. A fuse is permitted to be programmable when no detection of the ESD event occurs and at the same time a presence of the power on signal is detected. The fuse is not permitted to be programmed when an ESD event is detected or when there is an absence of the power on signal. An array of fuses is thereby protected from inadvertent programming from an ESD event or powering up an integrated circuit.
US08009395B2
Methods and apparatus for over-voltage protection of device inputs are disclosed. An example apparatus to protect a device from an over-voltage condition disclosed herein comprises a switch coupled between a device input and at least one component of the device, and a voltage compensator to pull a control input of the switch to a voltage associated with the device input to open the switch to protect the device component from the over-voltage condition.
US08009394B2
A leak current breaker is provided which includes a detector (10) to detect a leakage current from electric lines, a first removing unit (12) to convert the detected leakage current into a voltage and a voltage detector (14) to detect a voltage developed in electric lines A under testing, a second removing unit (16) to remove a harmonic component included in the voltage, a phase contrast detector (20) to detect a phase contrast from a signal waveform having the harmonic component removed, a frequency calculator (21) to calculate a frequency occurring on electric lines A on the basis of the signal waveform of the voltage having the harmonic component removed by the second removing unit (16), a phase angle calculator (22) to calculate a phase angle of the leakage current flowing through the electric lines A on the basis of the phase contrast and frequency, a root-mean-square value calculator (24) to calculate a root-mean-square value of the voltage having the harmonic component removed by the first removing unit (12), a calculator (27) to calculate a leakage current component Igr arising from an earth insulation resistance included in the leakage current flowing through the electric lines A on the basis of the root-mean-square value and phase angle of the leakage current, a judging unit (29) to judge whether the leakage current component Igr calculated by the calculator (27) has exceeded an arbitrary value, and a circuit breaker (30) to break the electric lines A on the basis of the judgment made by the judging unit (29).
US08009392B2
Foundation layers of a thin film magnetic head are disposed between insulating layers and bias magnetic field application layers, and are configured of Cr or Cr alloy. The insulating layers are configured of a Si oxide such that the Si content of the Si oxide is in the range of 30˜56 at % (atom %) and that the atom ratio of oxygen to Si (O/Si) is in the range of 0.8˜1.3. With the configuration, the occurrence rate of noise is reduced.
US08009389B2
An air bearing surface of a slider, which achieves low crown sensitivity is described. In one embodiment, the air bearing surface comprises a center channel and a plurality of side channels, wherein at least one side channel of the plurality of side channels is open to the center channel. The center channel and the plurality of side channels are configured to allow air to flow along the center channel toward the trailing edge of the ABS, such that there is low crown sensitivity.
US08009388B2
The present invention provides a method for increasing storage capacity of a disc drive by physically skewing a transducer in relation to a slider supporting the transducer. The physical skew angle of the transducer is configured to provide a predetermined zero skew position on the medium, which is capable of providing an increased storage capacity to the medium. To ascertain this zero skew position, a storage density or storage capacity of the medium may be ascertained for each of various zero skew positions on the medium. A desired storage density or capacity level is selected according to storage capacity requirements and the corresponding zero skew position is ascertained. The corresponding zero skew position may be implemented by physically skewing a transducer relative to a slider.
US08009369B2
An apochromatic lens with an aperture and exclusively refractive optical elements, comprising a plurality of lenses arranged in lens groups along an optical axis, wherein lenses of different materials are provided and wherein the lenses respectively comprise one of the following listed materials: calcium fluoride (CaF2), synthetic quartz (SiO2) or another radiation-resistant optical material.
US08009364B2
The present invention relates to a lens for use with a lamp having at least one LED light source. The lens preferably includes a plurality of projections each having a substantially flat top surface and a plurality of sloping side surfaces, preferably suitable for dispersing the emitted light. Such a variance in light emission may enhance the light being viewed from different angles and positions therefrom.
US08009360B2
A film material utilizing a regular two-dimensional array of non-cylindrical lenses to enlarge micro-images, called icons, to form a synthetically magnified image through the united performance of a multiplicity of individual lens/icon image systems. The synthetic magnification micro-optic system includes one or more optical spacers (5), a micro-image formed of a periodic planar array of a plurality of image icons (4) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes and positioned on or next to the optical spacer (5), and a periodic planar array of image icon focusing elements (1) having an axis of symmetry about at least one of its planar axes, the axis of symmetry being the same planar axis as that of the micro-image planar array (4). A number of distinctive visual effects, such as three-dimensional and motion effects, can be provided by the present system.
US08009353B2
A comparison optical system (1) comprising several image-acquiring optical subsystems is disclosed. A bridge (3) mechanically and optically connects the optical subsystems to one another. Each of the image-acquiring optical subsystems possesses an XYZ stage (8a, 8b), movable in motorized fashion, on which a sample to be examined is placed. Also provided is a control unit which moves the XYZ stages (8a, 8b), movable in motorized fashion, synchronously in all three spatial directions. The synchronous motion of the XYZ stages (8a, 8b) can be switched on and off by the user.
US08009351B2
The infrared reflective device includes infrared reflective members which reflect infrared rays. The infrared reflective members include colloidal particles arranged at regular spacing, and a filler material intervening in the spaces between the colloidal particles. The difference between the refractive index of the colloidal particles and the refractive index of the filler material is set so as to be 0.05 or less in the visible light region and 0.1 or above in the infrared region, whereby visible light is transmitted while infrared rays are reflected.
US08009349B2
The effective focal length of an optical system can be electronically controlled using switchable wave plates in conjunction with polarized light.
US08009345B2
A crystallization apparatus includes a light modulation element, and an image forming optical system that forms a light intensity distribution set based on light transmitted through the light modulation element on an irradiation surface. The crystallization apparatus irradiates a non-single crystal semiconductor film with light having the light intensity distribution to generate a crystallized semiconductor film. A curvature radius of at least one isointensity line of a light intensity substantially varies along the isointensity line in the light intensity distribution on the irradiation surface, and a curvature radius of at least a part of the isointensity line has a minimum value of 0.3 μm or below.
US08009333B2
Provided is a print controller for a mobile telephone handset. The controller includes a printer central processor configured to control operation of an integral printing assembly of the handset. An image sensor is arranged in signal communication with the central processor and is configured for capturing images. The controller also includes a print media feed apparatus configured to feed print media through the printing assembly.
US08009316B2
Methods and apparatus for using meta-data structures to represent portions of a bitmap memory when generating the sheetside image and when generating a compressed representation of the sheetside image. A table of meta-data structures is maintained with each structure corresponding to a portion of the bitmap memory. Data objects representing a sheetside image are processed by determining which portions the data object would affect, by updating the meta-data structures corresponding to affected portions to indicate whether the affect generates a “compact” type of data or a “non-compact” type of data, and for the “non-compact” types of data writing data to the bitmap memory. For portions having “compact” type of data, the corresponding meta-data structures alone describes the bitmap portion of data. A compressed-bitmap generator then uses the meta-data structures and the portions of the bitmap memory containing “non-compact” data to generate a compressed representation of the sheetside image.
US08009308B2
A system and method is provided for ganging print orders to be printed on a press based on a set of print attributes, wherein associated digital files of the print orders are ganged together in one file location to generate a gang ticket in a database for the ganged print order, and displaying the gang ticket.
US08009303B2
Defect-free printing is achieved by previewing on a display prior to printing, device functions and print specifications. Preview of double-sided faces is concurrently provided when double-sided printing is specified. A preview image is displayed indicating a first printing face on which a plurality of pages have been placed based on a layout attribute, a double-sided printing attribute and document data. The preview image is further modified based on whether or not specified pages of the document data have or have not been deleted.
US08009301B2
An information processing apparatus, comprising: an output unit for outputting output information to a user; a receiving unit for receiving function-restricting information showing whether a printer is in a function-restricted status, from the printer in which utilization of a predetermined function is restricted where it is set that utilization of the predetermined function is restricted in the second print setting existing in the printer side even where it is set that the predetermined function equipped by the printer is utilized in the first print setting existing in the information processing apparatus side; and a controller for controlling so as to always output via the output unit the output information showing whether the printer is in the function-restricted status, based on the function restricting information received by the receiving unit.
US08009297B2
Provided is an optical image measuring apparatus capable of obtaining a high-accuracy image without being influenced by a movement of an object to be measured. Flash light is emitted from a xenon lamp (2) and converted into broad band light by an optical filter (2A). A polarization characteristic of the flash light is converted into linear polarization by a polarizing plate (3). Then, the flash light is divided into signal light (S) and reference light (R) by a half mirror (6). A polarization characteristic of the reference light (R) is converted into circular polarization by a wavelength plate (7). The signal light (S) and the reference light (R) are superimposed on each other by the half mirror (6) to produce interference light (L). A CCD (23) detects interference light having the same characteristic as that of the produced interference light (L). The produced interference light (L) is divided into an S-polarized light component (L1) and a P-polarized light component (L2) by a polarization beam splitter (11). The polarized light components are detected by CCDs (21 and 22). A signal processing section (20) of a computer (30) forms an image of the object to be measured (O) based on detection signals from the CCDs (21, 22, and 23).
US08009295B2
This invention relates generally to the systems and methods for chemicals detection such as explosives and others, and more particularly to optical devices and the methods of their use based on sensing of gases and residue materials. This sensing includes detection of optical spectrum and relative concentration of the chemical followed by the chemical identification based on these data. The sensing is based on photothermal interferometry method modified by implementation of coherent optical detection using a balanced receiver, where the incoming optical signal is mixed with a local oscillator beam. An additional phase shift is embedded in the local oscillator beam for adaptively negating the background noise in the incoming optical signal thus improving the system performance.
US08009293B2
Novel methods and laser spectroscopic systems for accurately measuring the concentration of compounds are disclosed herein. The disclosed methods utilize a modulation cancellation technique resulting in a significantly increase in the sensitivity and accuracy of laser spectroscopic measurements. In general, the methods and systems utilize modulation phase-shifting and amplitude attenuation to cancel the signals detected from at least two modulated light beams. Thus, any signal detected will be directly proportional to the concentration measurement.
US08009292B2
The present invention relates to a single-polarizer focused-beam ellipsometer. An ellipsometer according to the present invention includes a light source (210); a beam splitting part (220) for splitting a light generated in the light source (210) into a polarized light; an objective lens (230) for concentrately irradiating some of light split by the beam splitting part (220) onto a specimen (240); a photodetector (250) for detecting the light passed through the objective lens 230 and the beam splitting part (220) after reflected from the specimen (240) with unit cells; and a central processing unit (260) for correcting the intensity of the light detected by the photodetector (250) into a value corresponding to the unit cell of the photodetector (250) along multiple incidence plane passage of 360° with respect to respective incidence angles and processing the corrected value.
US08009291B2
A sensor for measuring living body information and a keypad assembly including the sensor includes a light guide panel for guiding a first light. A light extracting pattern is provided on the light guide panel for outputting the first light guided by the light guide panel to an exterior of the light guide panel. A light coupling pattern is provided on the light guide panel for changing a proceeding direction of a second light incident from the exterior of the light guide panel, so that the second light is guided by the light guide panel.
US08009289B2
A spectroscopic analysis method in which spectral data of mixtures obtained from a plurality of points on a sample surface are resolved into component spectra and concentrations. A new alternating least squares multivariate curve resolution technique is presented which iteratively resolves the components. The technique starts from an initial estimate that the spectral values of a first component of the sample are all equal (an ‘empty model’), and resolves that component. Then successive further components are iteratively resolved, from initial ‘empty model’ estimates of those components and from previously resolved spectra. In the common case where the main component is present in nearly pure form in the data set, this empty modelling technique results in more accurate resolution of the components. This is due to the ability of the technique to resolve the pure spectra of minor components without modelling concentrations of the main component into them.
US08009286B2
A light source section outputs optical flux having two types of wavelength, which are a short wavelength and a long wavelength, while the intensity is made variable. The output from the first light intensity detecting section in irradiating the optical flux having a short wavelength is compared with the output from the first light intensity detecting section in irradiating the optical flux having a long wavelength. A disappearance level near a point where the detected signal from the internal subject disappears is calculated. The first intensity of optical flux having a long wavelength is set to level higher than the disappearance level. Based on the output from the first light intensity detecting section obtained by the optical flux having a long wavelength of the first intensity, a subject inside the body to be detected is measured.
US08009276B1
A system and a method for detecting surface pressure on a surface is provided. A plurality of transponders are located on the surface for transmitting electromagnetic surface waves and for receiving the electromagnetic surface waves upon being reflected, diffracted, refracted, scattered, or otherwise altered by pressure variations on the surface. A controller is coupled to the plurality of transponders. The controller is adapted to coordinate the plurality of transponders for imaging the pressure variations on the surface. The surface includes a surface-wave medium and the surface-wave medium is pressure-sensitive.
US08009275B2
An exposure apparatus that includes a movable stage apparatus. The movable stage apparatus includes a master stage on which a reflecting master is to be mounted, in which, when a space is divided by a plane including a reflection surface of the master, a guide surface to guide movement of the master stage is arranged in a space opposite to a space where an exposure light beam to be reflected by the master passes.
US08009272B2
An image measurement method is provided for measuring an image of a pattern of a mask projected with a projection optical system. The method includes the steps of detecting light transmitted through an aperture while a substrate is arranged at an image plane of the projection optical system, the substrate having a slit and the aperture having a width larger than a width of the slit; adjusting an alignment angle of the slit on the basis of a signal related to the light detected in the detecting; and measuring the image by detecting light transmitted through the slit while moving the slit, the alignment angle of which has been adjusted in the adjusting, in the image plane of the projection optical system.
US08009269B2
A lithographic system is provided in which an extent of overlap between pattern sections is adjusted in order to match a size of a pattern section to a size of a repeating portion of the pattern to be formed.
US08009268B2
An immersion lithography system is provided which includes an optical source operable to produce light having a nominal wavelength and an optical imaging system. The optical imaging system has an optical element in an optical path from the optical source to an article to be patterned thereby. The optical element has a face which is adapted to contact a liquid occupying a space between the face and the article. The optical element includes a material which is degradable by the liquid and a protective coating which covers the degradable material at the face for protecting the face from the liquid, the protective coating being transparent to the light, stable when exposed to the light and stable when exposed to the liquid.
US08009263B2
A bistable display having one or more permanent hideable mark, and a method of forming the permanent hideable mark, are described. The permanent hideable mark can be hidden and revealed numerous times without loss of information.
US08009259B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel and a semiconductor integrated circuit for driving and controlling the liquid crystal display panel. The number of input/output wires connected to I/O terminals (bonding pads) of the semiconductor integrated circuit is reduced so as to simplify wiring patterns of the I/O wires, whereby degrees of freedom in arranging the I/O wiring patterns are enhanced. The panel has a pair of insulating substrate, and the semiconductor integrated circuit is mounted on one of the paired substrates. The semiconductor integrated circuit has a mode terminal which is fixed to a power supply potential or to a reference potential during operation of the integrated circuit, and power supply dummy terminals connected to the power supply potential or reference potential inside the semiconductor integrated circuit. The wiring patterns formed on the paired insulating substrates connect the mode terminal to the power supply dummy terminals.
US08009252B2
A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a liquid crystal layer that is held between first and second substrates; an upper polarization plate that is disposed on an outer side of the first substrate; and a protection plate that is fixed to and disposed on an outer side of the upper polarization plate, wherein the upper polarization plate has a structure where an outer peripheral portion of the upper polarization plate is not fixed to the protection plate.
US08009250B2
A four color liquid crystal display (LCD) including red, green, blue, and white sub-pixels are provided. The LCD also includes a plurality of gate lines for transmitting gate signals to the sub-pixels and a plurality of data lines for transmitting data signals to the sub-pixels. The white sub-pixel is smaller than the other sub-pixels, and each of the data lines passes between adjacent two sub-pixels and includes at least one curved portion. Furthermore, the lengths of the data lines are substantially uniform.
US08009248B2
A liquid crystal display of the present invention contains a first panel and a second panel being stacked. Adjacent pairs of polarizers (A to C) disposed on the panels form crossed Nicols. When the first panel produces a display according to a first display signal, the second panel produces a display according to a second display signal obtained from the first display signal. Each of the two joined panels is provided with a light diffusion layer having a light diffusing property. The provision of the light diffusion layers enables reducing moire pattern occurrences which would otherwise markedly increase when two liquid crystal panels are stacked. As a result, the liquid crystal display has high display quality.
US08009243B2
A light diffusion device including a light incident surface and a light exit surface is provided. The light exit surface has at least one light scattering pattern. A trajectory of the light scattering pattern is a continuous curve. The continuous curve is winded to form a plurality of closed patterns in sequence on the light exit surface, and two adjacent closed patterns at least overlap partly.
US08009237B2
A gate line and a data line are formed on a base substrate. A first sensor line is parallel with the gate line. A sensor gate electrode is extended from the first sensor line. A sensor active pattern having a plurality of island-type sub-active members is formed on the first sensor gate electrode. A second sensor line is parallel with the data line. A first sensor drain electrode is extended from the second sensor line at the sensor active pattern. A second sensor drain electrode corresponding to the first sensor gate electrode is formed on the sensor active pattern. A pixel electrode is electrically connected to the gate line and the data line. A sensor electrode part electrically connects the first and second sensor drain electrodes spaced apart from the pixel electrode. Light is reflected by the first and second sensor drain electrodes, which have an embossed shape.
US08009234B2
An audio/video (A/V) device and a method of controlling the operation thereof, which visualize operation states in or among A/V devices into a flow of content. The A/V device includes an on screen display (OSD) processing unit to OSD process information, and a control unit to control the OSD processing unit so that the OSD processing unit OSD processes a plurality of modules constituting the A/V device and functions thereof. Accordingly, it is possible for a user to easily recognize operations in and among the A/V devices, which provides convenient operation to the user.
US08009233B2
A digital receiver to effect display of at least one of video or a plurality of background information blocks each indicative of a program time period, including: a display change controller provided in the digital receiver, which changes a displayed shape of a particular background information block indicative of a program time period in the grid when the program time period indicated by the particular background information block exceeds a program time period which is displayed in a first prescribed zone; a full display controller controlling display of the program start time and program end time to occur concurrently together with the selected background information block on a same display whenever the selected background information block is selected.
US08009229B1
The present invention discloses a helmet with a plurality of electronic safety devices. The safety devices of the present invention include an audio and video communication system. The video communication system features include a video camera system that can transmit images to a central location, and a display system that can display images transmitted via satellite on a unique heads up display located within the helmet's pivotal safety glasses. The helmet's pivotal safety glasses have a specially designed display that allows users to view images broadcasted to them without having the bulky designs and limited sight problems associated with the traditional display apparatuses of the prior art.
US08009221B2
A color image sensor has imaging elements each structured to form, at an image plane, an image of a subject having a respective magnification. Ones of the imaging elements forming respective ones of the images with the same magnification in light of mutually different colors constitute a set characterized by the magnification of the images. The sets having mutually-different magnifications. The color image sensor additionally has a light sensor located in the image plane and comprising a region of sensor elements disposed opposite each of the imaging elements. The regions of sensor elements opposite each of the sets of imaging elements are operable to generate, in response to light incident thereon, a respective color image signal representing the image of the subject at the respective magnification.
US08009218B2
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.
US08009204B2
An image capturing apparatus for recording information on a main subject, including: an image capturing section; a pre-image acquiring section for acquiring a pre-image when a focal point provided at a predetermined position within an image capturing region of the image capturing section is superimposed on the main subject; a focal distance adjusting section for adjusting a focal distance of the image capturing section to a main subject based on an analysis result of the pre-image acquired by the pre-image acquiring section; a captured image acquiring section for acquiring the captured image when the image capturing section focuses on the main subject; a focal position storage section for storing the focal position on an image capturing range of the image capturing section; and an image storage section for storing the region image including the focal position in a nonvolatile memory in association with the captured image acquired.
US08009198B2
A system for acquiring and transmitting, in real time, data representing the position in space, in terms of spatial coordinates and inclination with respect to a reference point, of a video camera, while the camera moves along a trajectory. The acquired data thus acquired, once processed, permit determination of the position and inclination of the images obtained. The system consists of two principal subsystems: a module containing an inertial sensing unit to be attached to the camera and a module for data processing using stored software programs communicating with the inertial sensing unit via a connection either wired or wireless. It has applications in the integration of images captured by the camera with images from other sources and in navigation within a virtual universe.
US08009197B2
Systems and methods for providing a substantially de-blurred image of a scene from a motion blurred image of the scene are disclosed. An exemplary system includes a primary detector for sensing the motion blurred image and generating primary image information representing the blurred image, a secondary detector for sensing two or more secondary images of the scene and for generating secondary image information representing the two or more secondary images, and a processor for determining motion information from the secondary image information, estimating a point spread function for the motion blurred image from the motion information, and applying the estimated point spread function to the primary image information to generate information representing the substantially de-blurred image.
US08009196B2
A camera is provided having a camera module, a network interface module and printing module. The camera module receives user input and captures the image with an image sensor in response to the user input. The interface module transfers the captured image to a computer system. The printing module prints an interface onto a surface including the image and coded data at least partially indicative of an identity of the image. This allows the identity of the image to be obtained from the interface. The interface module receives the image from the computer system and the printing module receives the image from the network interface module and print the image on a second surface.
US08009195B2
An information processing apparatus includes, an input device that inputs image data output from an electronic camera, a storage device that stores the input image data; and a control device. The image-processing device is capable of modifying the contents of a look-up table in the electronic camera by using a plurality of control points. The information processing apparatus is capable of exchanging the control points and the contents of the look-up table with the electronic camera and the camera is able to store the control points.
US08009189B2
A high speed, high-resolution flow imaging system is modified to achieve extended depth of field imaging. An optical distortion element is introduced into the flow imaging system. Light from an object, such as a cell, is distorted by the distortion element, such that a point spread function (PSF) of the imaging system is invariant across an extended depth of field. The distorted light is spectrally dispersed, and the dispersed light is used to simultaneously generate a plurality of images. The images are detected, and image processing is used to enhance the detected images by compensating for the distortion, to achieve extended depth of field images of the object. The post image processing preferably involves de-convolution, and requires knowledge of the PSF of the imaging system, as modified by the optical distortion element.
US08009187B2
A lens sheet has an external shape of a rectangle or a square defined by four sheet ends in a vertical direction thereto. The lens sheet includes: a first surface, on which a plurality of lenses extending in a direction inclined to one of the sheet ends are arranged in parallel with each other; and a second surface opposite to the first surface, on which a printing is to be performed or to which a printed medium is to be stuck.
US08009186B2
An image forming apparatus includes photosensitive drums including one for black, light source devices, a rotary polygonal mirror having deflecting surfaces with chamfers, input optical systems, imaging optical systems and a synchronism detecting system for detecting a synchronizing light beam for determining the timing for scanning each of the photosensitive drums in a main scan direction, wherein the synchronism detecting system detects a light beam for forming an image of a color different from the black, and wherein the timing as the synchronism detecting device obtains a synchronizing signal and the timing as a light beam from the input optical system, which is at the side where the synchronism detecting device is provided, is incident on the chamfer of the deflecting surface of the rotary polygonal mirror, are at least partly overlapping.
US08009182B2
There is provided a display device that enables to present an image on its screen at a desired resolution, in response to an operation by a user and on the basis of an image signal, even when the image signal is obtained from image data from which a resolution is not directly determinable. When image data from which the resolution is undeterminable is inputted, the display device presents thereon data input window that prompts the user to input desired values of the resolution and pixel clock at which the image is to be presented. The user then inputs his/her desired values of the resolution and pixel clock through the image-data input screen. Using the inputted values of the resolution and pixel clock, the display device presents the image on its screen based on the image data that is not normally supported by the display device.
US08009180B2
A display apparatus includes a display panel; a correcting circuit configured to carry out gamma correction on input gradation data in response to correction data which specifies a shape of a gamma curve to generate output gradation data; and a driving circuit configured to drive the display panel in response to the output gradation data from the correcting circuit. The correcting circuit carries out approximation calculation for the gamma correction based on the input gradation data by using a correction calculation equation whose coefficients are determined based on the correction data, and the correction calculation equation is switched based on a value of the input gradation data and a value of the correction data.
US08009179B2
A content browsing system changes a display state of a content that includes an object or the object according to zoom operation of a user, and includes an evaluation information storage unit and a display controlling unit. The evaluation information storage unit stores therein evaluation information related to the content or the object. The display controlling unit controls the display state of the content or the object selected as a zoom target based on the evaluation information.
US08009171B2
An image processing apparatus includes the following elements. An area designating unit designates an area to be processed from an input image. A delay amount setting unit sets an amount of delay in the area to be processed according to a distance from a reference position in the image. An angular velocity calculating unit calculates angular velocities at a predetermined position in images. An angular velocity storage unit stores records of the angular velocities calculated by the angular velocity calculating unit. A reading unit reads an angular velocity calculated at a time that is prior to a current time by the amount of delay set by the delay amount setting unit from the angular velocity storage unit when the image is changed within the area to be processed. A changing unit changes the image within the area to be processed using the angular velocity read by the reading unit.
US08009168B2
A real-time algorithm for rendering of an inhomogeneous scattering media such as smoke under dynamic low-frequency environment lighting is described. An input media animation is represented as a sequence of density fields, each of which is decompressed into a weighted sum of a set of radial basis functions (RBFs) and an optional residual field. Source radiances from single and optionally multiple scattering are directly computed at only the RBF centers and then approximated at other points in the volume using an RBF-based interpolation. Using the computed source radiances, a ray marching technique using slice-based integration of radiance along each viewing ray is performed to render the final image. During the ray marching process, the residual field may be compensated back into the radiance integral to generate images of higher detail.
US08009167B2
In a virtual endoscopy method, an unfolding axis substantially along an elongated lumen is divided into axis segments. Ray casting directions are selected extending generally radially from the axis segments. At least some of the ray casting directions are tilted away from a camera position. Ray casting is performed along the tilted ray casting directions to define pixel values that are arranged into an unfolded view. The ray casting employs at least one of (i) volume rendering and (ii) computing a statistical characteristic of voxels over a preselected distance (dinterval) along the ray casting direction into the lumen-defining structure.
US08009161B2
The present invention provides a differential signal interfacing device, including a reduced swing differential signaling (RSDS) transmitter and a plurality of RSDS receivers, in order to improve RSDS signal capacity. The RSDS transmitter is coupled to the plurality of RSDS receivers via a bus and transmits a RSDS signal in a discontinuous manner. The plurality of RSDS receivers receives the RSDS signal for signals of different types.
US08009157B2
A drive circuit for a light emitting display apparatus including a pixel circuit having a light emitting device for emitting a light having brightness determined based on supplied current and a drive transistor for supplying the current to the light emitting device, comprises a threshold value correction circuit converting a second signal including a threshold voltage of the drive transistor and a data voltage, the second signal being output from the drive transistor when a first signal including the data voltage is input into the control electrode of the drive transistor, into a third signal including the threshold voltage of an inverted polarity and the data voltage or a voltage corresponding to the data voltage, to output the converted third signal to the pixel circuit. The pixel circuit includes a switch for supplying the third signal to the control electrode of the drive transistor.
US08009153B2
A system for enabling user interaction with computer software. The includes a computer system for determining information related to an interactive element, determining an identity indicative of the interactive element, determining a layout defining an arrangement for at least one of coded data indicative of the identity and the information, generating print data indicative of the identity, layout and information, transferring the print data to a printer which prints a form in response thereto by printing the information coincident with the coded data, receiving indicating data indicative of the interactive element from a sensing device which senses the coincident coded data to generate the indicating data, identifying, using the indicating data, the interactive element, and performing an action associated with the interactive element.
US08009147B2
Multi-touch interfaces allow user interaction with multiple points of contact to control external devices such as game consoles, authenticate users, partition the interface for multiple users, and so forth. The multi-touch interface may provide graphical representations that are manipulated by users through multiple points of contact to participate in games running on an external game console. Additionally, user authentication may occur through multiple points of contact with the multi-touch interface where each user has a unique contact pattern that includes points of contact, location of points of contact, rhythm of points of contact, and so forth. The graphical representations may be customized based on the authentication of a user, and the multi-touch surface may be partitioned based on the number of users present.
US08009146B2
A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for facilitating data entry into an electronic device via a touchscreen. As a user places his or her finger on the touchscreen, a cursor may be displayed at a location relative to other items displayed on the touchscreen that is proximate the physical location where the user touched the touchscreen. Because the cursor is likely now obscured by the user's finger, the items displayed on the touchscreen, including the cursor, may then be shifted or scrolled so that the cursor is offset from the physical location where the user touched the touchscreen. At the same time, the items displayed on the touchscreen may be magnified in order to further facilitate data entry. At this point, the user may shift or tilt his or her finger in order to achieve the desired cursor placement.
US08009144B2
The opening and closing state detecting section to detect an opening and closing state of the first and the second housing is provided. In the case where an opening motion is conducted after a specific item is selected from the selecting screen, which is displayed on the display section, by the operation of the auxiliary operation section in the closed state of the first and the second housing, the control section controls so that a display screen image corresponding to the specific item can be displayed on the display section.
US08009139B2
A laboratory apparatus having at least one control device (4) comprising an electric printed-circuit board (15) of the control device (4) that is disposed on an instrument body (2) of the laboratory apparatus (1) and has at least one electric control element (16, 18), at least one operator interface (6) of the control device (4) including at least one operator control (11, 33); a retaining device (29, 30) for detachably holding the operator interface (6) on the instrument body (2) with the operator control (11, 33) oriented to the control element (16, 18), and a mechanical and/or magnetic connection for detachably joining the control element (16, 18) mechanically and/or magnetically to the operator control (11, 33).
US08009136B2
A liquid crystal display panel includes n-number of gate lines, (m+1)-number of data lines and (m×n)-number of pixels, wherein the ‘n’ and ‘m’ are natural numbers. The gate lines are extended in a first direction. The data lines are extended in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The first and last data lines are electrically connected to each other. The pixels are arranged in a matrix shape. M-number of the pixels is arranged along the first direction, and n-number of the pixels is arranged along the second direction. A pixel electrode of the pixels arranged in the second direction are electrically connected to left and right data lines alternately to enhance a display quality and reduce power consumption.
US08009133B2
A display panel includes a first switching element, a liquid crystal capacitor and a second switching element. The first switching element receives a gate signal and a data signal. The liquid crystal capacitor is connected to the first switching element, and charged with an initial pixel voltage corresponding to the data signal. The second switching element operates in response to a compensation gate signal applied from a compensation gate line. The compensation capacitor is connected to the second switching element to reduce the liquid crystal capacitor's voltage to a value below the initial pixel voltage when the second switching element is turned on. Accordingly, motion blur can be reduced or eliminated.
US08009131B2
A testing system of a liquid crystal display panel including a substrate, a driving circuit, a first testing pad, and a second testing pad is provided. The substrate includes a pixel array whose one side has a pixel testing area. The driving circuit is formed on the substrate and connected to the other side of the pixel testing area for providing a signal to the pixel array. The first testing pad is connected to the driving circuit. The second testing pad is connected to the pixel testing area. The testing method of the liquid crystal display panel includes: respectively testing whether the liquid crystal display panel and the pixel testing area have a defect and accordingly generating a first testing pattern and a second testing pattern; combining the first testing pattern and the second testing pattern to determine whether the defect occurs at the driving circuit or the pixel array.
US08009117B2
Dual reflector offset mechanical pointing low profile telecommunication antenna, to be used above all on vehicles, even high-speed ones. Its reduced physical dimensions facilitate its use, with respect to the known solutions, as it allows its connecting to the receiving system, such as a satellite, though installed on a train or on an aircraft. The invention lies within the technical field of telecommunications and the applicative field of stationary, movable antennas of reduced dimensions, and accordingly within that of telecommunications in general. The original dual reflector antenna is obtained from a second-order polynomial that configurates it in the Cartesian space XYZ.
US08009116B2
For two-dimensional imaging of scenes through continuous passive or active microwave scanning, use is made of a fully mechanized directional antenna array comprising a main reflector (1), a primary radiator array (3) and a subreflector (2) having a small size in comparison to the main reflector and being tilted relative to the optical axis (7) of the directional antenna array. First drive means (8) are operative to rotate the subreflector (2) about the optical axis (7), and second drive means (17,18) are operative to move the total directional antenna array in a direction approximately vertical to the optical axis (7). The moving speed of the subreflector (2) is very high in comparison to that of the total directional antenna array. The shape of the main reflector (1), the shape of the subreflector (2), the primary radiator (3), the distance between primary radiator and subreflector and the distance between subreflector and main reflector as focusing parameters are attuned to each other in such a manner that, for a given scene distance, an optimum focusing and an optimum size of the field of view are achieved. The focusing parameters and the moving speeds of the two drive means are set in a manner allowing for a gapless, continuous scanning of the scene with the aid of the focusing spot (12) moving at the scene distance. Applicability in remote investigation, particularly in earth observation and in safety technology.
US08009112B2
A Ka/Ku-band transmitter-receiver comprises a tri-band feed of a Ka-band transceiver, in conjunction with an array of phase combined patch receiving, antennas that operate at the Ku-band frequencies.
US08009111B2
An apparatus including a wireless communications device has an internal antenna system located within the wireless communications device. The internal antenna system includes a passive antenna set comprising at least one antenna element having at least one multilevel structure, a feeding point to the at least one antenna element and a ground plane. The feeding point and a point on the ground plane define an input/output port for said passive antenna set. The passive antenna set provides a similar impedance level and radiation pattern at two or more frequency bands such that the passive antenna set is capable of both transmitting and receiving wireless signals on selected channels. The selected channels are selectable from a plurality of channels throughout an entire frequency range within each of said two or more frequency bands.
US08009109B2
Disclosed herein is an internal antenna having a surface-mounted receptacle. The internal antenna includes a printed circuit board, a radiator, and a frame. The printed circuit board is configured such that a receptacle is surface-mounted thereon. The radiator is connected to the printed circuit board. The frame is configured such that the printed circuit board and the radiator are mounted thereto.
US08009102B2
A Multi-Band antenna system includes an antenna which resonates in a plurality of frequency bands and a controller which drives the antenna. The antenna includes a ground plate and a plurality of radiators which are formed on both sides of the ground plate in directions perpendicular to a surface of the ground plate in a space at an edge of the ground plate, wherein each radiator is connected to the edge of the ground plate.
US08009086B2
A system and process for the geo-location of an asset given no a priori knowledge regarding time and location of the asset with minimized power consumption is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, the system is accurate to about 30 meters CEP (50% circular error probable) using just a short segment, e.g., 100-200 ms, of digitized GPS L1 signal data.
US08009077B1
A delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit improves performance by reducing the amount of noise and other error sampled by the reference switching circuit. The reference is operated such that one or more reference capacitors remain coupled to an input summing node of the ADC input integrator when an input value to a feedback digital-to-analog converter (DAC) indicates that their contribution is not required to apply a reference in the next quantization period. The reference switching network can select from two or more of the following reference options: 1) switch the reference capacitor to apply a charge quanta as per an ordinary switched-capacitor cycle, 2) switch the reference voltage on a second terminal of the reference capacitor to apply an opposite polarity charge quanta, or 3) leave the first terminal of the reference capacitor coupled to the integrator without changing the voltage at the second terminal of the reference capacitor.
US08009074B2
A digital-to-analog converter includes an operational amplifying circuit, a switched capacitor circuit, an R-string sub-circuit, and a direct-charge transfer circuit. The operational amplifying circuit has a pair of differential input ends and a pair of differential output ends. The switched capacitor circuit is coupled to the pair of differential input ends of the operational amplifying circuit. The R-string sub-circuit is coupled to the switched capacitor circuit and the pair of differential input ends of the operational amplifying circuit. The direct-charge transfer circuit is coupled to the pair of differential input ends and the pair of differential output ends of the operational amplifying circuit.
US08009073B2
A circuit configured to generate an analog signal having a pre-determined pattern. The circuit includes a plurality of digital-to-analog converters. Each of the plurality of digital-to-analog converters includes a plurality of current sources configured to generate a plurality of square waveforms and a summer configured to sum the plurality of square waveforms to generate the analog signal having the pre-determined pattern. Each square waveform is delayed by a pre-determined amount delay relative to another square waveform of the plurality of square waveforms. The pre-determined amount of delay between each square waveform of the plurality of waveforms is adjustable to adjust the pre-determined pattern of the analog signal. The pre-determined amount of delay is non-uniform throughout the circuit.
US08009070B2
A method for the compensation of frequency-response mismatch errors in M-channel time-interleaved ADCs. The compensation is done through an M-periodic time-varying filter hn(k)=hn mod M(k) (2), or, equivalently, a set of M time-invariant filters hn(k), n=0, 1, . . . , M−1. The overall compensation system is constructed by determining the M filter impulse responses hn(k) through M separate matrix inversions, where the size of the matrices equals the filter impulse response length. Also, a compensated M-channel time-interleaved ADC based on and performing the method.
US08009066B2
Discussed are a method and an apparatus of encoding/decoding by using a bit precision. In accordance to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to encoding and decoding an image or a video by using a bit precision. Accordingly, compression efficiency can be improved and the decoding complexity can be reduced by encoding/decoding video data by use of the bit precision.
US08009061B2
Disclosed is a feature for a vehicle that enables taking precautionary actions in response to conditions on the road network around or ahead of the vehicle, in particular, a traffic light or stop sign located along a curved section of road. A database that represents the road network is used to determine locations where a traffic light or stop sign is located along a curved section of road. Then, precautionary action data is added to the database to indicate a location at which a precautionary action is to be taken about the stop sign or traffic light located along the curved section of road. A precautionary action system installed in a vehicle uses this database, or a database derived therefrom, in combination with a positioning system to determine when the vehicle is at a location that corresponds to the location of a precautionary action. When the vehicle is at such a location, a precautionary action is taken by a vehicle system as the vehicle is approaching a stop sign or traffic light located along the curved section of road.
US08009048B2
A system for tracking plants includes electronic tags configured to conditionally respond to interrogation, the condition response corresponding to data stored in the tag and/or one or more environmental parameters corresponding to one or more plants.
US08009046B2
The golf club reminder system for a golf bag utilizes electric, magnetic, or optical detectors to monitor golf clubs in the golf bag. A control unit is provided for determining the presence or absence of a complete set of golf clubs in the golf bag based upon golf club detection signals. A display is connected to the control unit for displaying an indication of the presence or absence of the complete set of golf clubs in the golf bag, and a user interface is connected to the control unit for setting the control unit for determining the presence or absence of the complete set of golf clubs in the golf bag.
US08009039B2
A system and method for managing the power consumption of power-consuming devices. A remote device manager transmits power save schedules to a local device manager over a communication network such as the internet. The local device manager transmits power save commands to one or more devices in a location such as a store, over a dedicated local communication network. The commands instruct one or more devices to activate or de-activate its power save mode according to the power save schedules. The commands could be dependent upon one or more trigger events.
US08009037B2
A method to wirelessly control an entity having an attached transponder is disclosed. A geographical zone is defined. The geographical zone can be defined by allowing a user to define and load to a transponder a plurality of waypoints, each waypoint defined by a geographical coordinate and a radius originating from the geographical coordinate. The geographical zone can also be defined by selecting a plurality of coordinates that are loaded to a transponder and mapped on a pixilated image. The microprocessor in the transponder is programmed to determine the occurrence of an event associated with the status of the entity in relation to the geographical zone. Finally, the microprocessor is configured to execute a configurable operation if the event occurs.
US08009032B2
Methods and systems for detecting tampering of a remote display. According to one method, a first data integrity result is generated by performing a first data integrity operation on display data to be displayed on the remote display at a secure module. The display data is transmitted from the secure module to the remote display security module. The remote display security module receives the display data. A second data integrity result is generated by performing the first data integrity operation on the display data received at the remote display security module. A determination is made as to whether the remote display has been tampered with at the secure module if the first data integrity result does not match the second data integrity result.
US08009031B2
A traffic signaling device system for motorcyclists comprising a safety brake and running light assembly (34) mounted to a motorcycle jacket (88). The safety brake light has an L.E.D. housing (22) supported by an outboard support member (20) and a leather piece (18). A plurality of snap buttons (16) can be used to secure safety brake light to jacket. The safety brake light has a six-conductor coil cable assembly (12) extending outside of jacket in front thereof is connected to a control box panel (44) so that the rider can view the operation of control box panel in a convenient seated position. At one end of control box is a six-conductor cable (50) which is electrically connected thereof to the existing wiring for a tail and brake light (78), a left turn signal light (80), and a right turn signal light (81) in such vehicles. Other embodiments are described and shown.
US08009029B2
The present invention provides a movable display device which has a high awareness of a display content while a sight line moving angle between a sight line connecting a driver's eye to display means and a sight line connecting the driver's eye to a target is small, thereby alleviating the driver's fatigue.
US08009018B2
The present invention discloses a radio frequency (RF) reader grid and method for facilitating transactions. The RF reader grid includes a transponder, a RFID reader, and a host RFID reader in communication with a merchant system. The secondary and host RFID readers communicate with one another via wireless, RF frequencies. The present invention also discloses a wireless grid that comprises non-radio frequency readers, such as magnetic stripe readers. In addition, a method for using a secondary RFID reader to perform a transaction is disclosed. The method includes the steps of initializing the secondary RFID reader, communication transaction information using the secondary RFID reader and processing the transaction information using a host RFID reader.
US08009013B1
A method of controlling access to a restricted area including receiving location information from at least one supplemental tracking source which tracks location of an authorized user, and controlling access by the authorized user to a restricted area based on the location information. The method may further include maintaining a muster based on the location information. A physical access control system for controlling access to a restricted area including a user location information system and an access system which controls access based on the location information. The user location information system may further maintain a muster based on the location information. The user location information system receives location information indicating location of an authorized user from at least one supplemental tracking source.
US08009012B2
Provided are a stacked electronic part that can sufficiently suppress plating deposition on the surface of a porous green body when a terminal electrode is formed on an external electrode, thereby enabling a decrease in the reliability of products to be prevented, and a method of manufacturing the stacked electronic part. The stacked electronic part 1 is a PTC thermistor having a stacked body 4 containing a porous green body 2 made of ceramics and having a plurality of vacancies and a plurality of internal electrodes 3 formed within the porous green body 2, and is provided with at least one unit structure 10 in which the porous green body 2 and the internal electrode 3 are stacked. External electrodes 5, 5 are connected to the internal electrode 2, and upon the external electrodes 5, 5 are formed terminal electrodes 7, 7 by plating. Resin is filled in the plurality of vacancies of the porous green body 2 at a filling ratio of not less than 60%.
US08009000B2
Disclosed is an apparatus for application of a magnetic field to a sample, in particular an elongated sample. At least in places, the apparatus has magnetic bodies which are arranged such that they can rotate with respect to one another and have, and leave open, a common access opening for the sample. In particular, this allows the apparatus to be applied to an elongated sample whose ends are not accessible. As a result of the bodies being arranged such that they can rotate with respect to one another, the magnetic fields of the bodies can be adjusted with respect to one another before the apparatus is opened and closed, so as to minimize the magnetic field in the common access opening. In consequence, only small magnetic interaction forces need be overcome during opening and closing.
US08008999B2
An electromagnetic relay including an electromagnet, an armature driven by the electromagnet, a movable spring member carrying a movable contact, a fixed member carrying a fixed contact, an actuator arranged between the armature and the movable spring member. The actuator pivots about a pivot axis by an operation of the electromagnet to make the movable contact brought into contact with or separated from the fixed contact. The actuator includes a generally L-shaped body, the pivot axis being defined at a first end of a first arm of the L-shaped body. The armature is attached to the actuator at a second end of a second arm of the L-shaped body opposite to the first end. The movable spring member is engaged with the actuator at a point defined in the second arm of the L-shaped body.
US08008998B2
A waveguide includes a first waveguide member and a second waveguide member. The second waveguide member is combined with the first waveguide member to form a through hole. The first waveguide member includes a first shell and two first wing portions connected to the first shell, and the two first wing portions form a first plane. The second waveguide member includes a second shell and two second wing portions connected to the second shell, and the two second wing portions form a second plane. Bulged strips are formed at the inner rims of the second plane neighboring the through hole and extend along a longitudinal direction of the through hole, and the bulged strips protrude the second plane.
US08008997B2
A low frequency reject filter element is formed on a printed circuit board that utilizes the fact that power transmission in a waveguide is cut-off below a certain frequency. A quasi waveguide cavity is formed in printed circuit board using the top and bottom ground plane of the stripline circuit and using conductive via holes to form the side walls of the cavity. Waveguide cavity mode is launched from the input and output striplines by shorting them to ground. Transformers and matching via hole elements may be used to improve matching. The resulting filter is compact and is highly effective in suppressing low frequency transmissions.
US08008996B2
A low-pass filter (10) includes an input portion (100) inputting an electromagnetic signal, an output portion (120) outputting the electromagnetic signal, a high impedance transmission portion (140) electrically connected to the input portion and the output portion to transmit the electromagnetic signal therebetween, a first low impedance transmission portion (160) electrically connected to the input portion and an end of the high impedance transmission portion, and a second low impedance transmission portion (180) electrically connected to the output portion and another end of the high impedance transmission portion. The two low impedance transmission portions are arranged beside the high impedance transmission portion, and each of the low impedance transmission portions is triangular.
US08008989B2
In power line communications using carrier waves of high frequencies in the MHz range such as 2 to 30 MHz, when a coaxial cable for performing transmission of signals and a power line are signal-coupled using a capacitive signal coupling unit, even if an impedance matching circuit is installed in the capacitive signal coupling unit, we have found that leakage current of levels that cannot be neglected from leakage noise considerations flows through the outer sheath of the coaxial cable that transmits the signals, and, accordingly, leaking electromagnetic waves induced by the leakage current flowing through the coaxial cable due to impedance mismatch between the power line and the capacitive signal coupling unit are reduced by an impedance member showing high impedances at high frequencies in the MHz range.
US08008985B2
A high-frequency electric field coupler is provided for use in a contactless communication system propagating high frequency signals in a wide band utilizing electric field coupling. The coupler includes a coupling electrode and a resonance unit operating to increase the amplitude of an electrical charge accumulated at the coupling electrode at a predetermined resonance frequency. The coupling electrode is a linear conductor in the form of a coil.
US08008978B2
An oscillator circuit generates a constant delay time by use of a current source and a load element to determine a frequency of a clock. The oscillator circuit includes an integrator which integrates the clock, a first comparator which compares an output voltage of the integrator with a reference voltage, and a variable current source which changes a current in accordance with the comparison result of the first comparator. The frequency is corrected in accordance with the current of the variable current source.
US08008974B2
A power amplifier system with power control function provides accurate and efficient power control by controlling a bias voltage and a bias current of the power amplifier at the same time. A power amplifier system with power control function according to an aspect of the invention may include: a power amplifier receiving a bias voltage and a bias current from a power voltage source and having a gain controlled according to the magnitude of the bias voltage and the bias current; a voltage detection controller detecting the magnitude of the bias voltage being supplied to the power amplifier and comparing the magnitude of the bias voltage with a predetermined reference voltage to control the magnitude of the bias voltage; and a current detection controller detecting voltage having a magnitude equivalent to the magnitude of the bias current being supplied to the power amplifier and comparing the magnitude of the voltage equivalent to the magnitude of the bias current with the reference voltage to control the magnitude of the bias current.
US08008972B2
A differential signal generator circuit includes: a first amplifier for comparing an input signal with a threshold voltage and outputting differential signals; and a second amplifier for adjusting the threshold voltage in response to the differential signals. The second amplifier includes: a first transistor and a second transistor forming a differential pair, the gate of each transistor receiving a respective one of the differential signals; a third transistor and a fourth transistor forming a current mirror, the third transistor being connected between the drain of the first transistor and a reference potential point, the fourth transistor being connected between the drain of the second transistor and the reference potential point; a current source connected to the sources of the first and second transistors; and an adjusting section for adjusting drain current of the first transistor in response to an externally applied current or voltage. The threshold voltage is adjusted in response to drain voltage of the second transistor.
US08008969B1
Traditionally, switching amplifiers (i.e., class-D and class-G) with negative supply rails had issues with direct current (DC) power loss, included large external capacitors, had a comparative reduction in efficiency, and oftentimes included separate power management circuits. Here, a class-D amplifier is provided with an output stage that provides negative supply voltages, positive supply voltages, and ground. Essentially, this amplifier provides some of the benefits of the conventional amplifiers without the drawbacks.
US08008966B2
Disclosed is a start-up circuit that can stably and rapidly start up a bandgap reference voltage generating circuit when the bandgap reference voltage generating circuit is switched from a sleep mode to an operation mode, even if a difference in electrical characteristic, such as DC offset or the like, occurs due to, e.g, a physical difference between input transistors of an operational amplifier.
US08008965B2
The device (12) is used for supplying power to a rapid clocking and/or a rapidly clocked integrated circuit (13), which has a circuit load (17) to be supplied with power and an internal capacity (15) connected parallel to the circuit load (17). The integrated circuit (13) has a high clocking frequency (f1) which is in particular at least in the MHz range. A supply unit (14) which is in particular designed as a current source is directly connected to the internal capacity (15). The supply unit (14) has an internal resistance, the impedance value of which is so high at the clocking frequency (f1) that a current (ID2) which supplies the circuit load (17) originates to a greater degree from the internal capacity (15) than from the supply unit (14).
US08008962B2
The invention is directed to an interface circuit for bridging voltage domains. The interface circuit receives an input signal, having a larger voltage domain, and safely provides the signal to an electronic device which has a smaller voltage domain. The interface circuit may include a transistor configured as a source follow so that an output of the transistor follows the input of the transistor. A blocking voltage may be provided at the input of the transistor to provide a voltage bias, blocking a range of input voltages to the transistor. The transistor may also have a blocking voltage at a drain terminal of the transistor, to block any output voltage above the blocking voltage.
US08008959B2
A flip-flop circuit operates by a first clock signal whose amplitude is smaller than that of input data D. A pair of transistors receive the input data D and the reversed input data *D, respectively, to latch the input data D. An activation circuit activates the pair of transistors in a conduction state. A control circuit receives the first clock signal and sets the activation circuit to a conduction state for a predetermined time period starting from an edge timing of the received first clock signal. The control circuit increases the amplitude of the first clock signal and sets the activation circuit in a conduction state by using a second clock signal which is the first clock signal with the increased amplitude.
US08008941B2
A polishing head is tested in a test station having a pedestal for supporting a test wafer and a controllable pedestal actuator to move a pedestal central wafer support surface and a test wafer toward the polishing head. In another aspect of the present description, the test wafer may be positioned using a positioner having a first plurality of test wafer engagement members positioned around the pedestal central wafer support surface. In another aspect, the wafer position may have a second plurality of test wafer engagement members positioned around an outer wafer support surface disposed around the pedestal central wafer support surface and adapted to support a test wafer. The second plurality of test wafer engagement members may be distributed about a second circumference of the ring member, the second circumference having a wider diameter than the first circumference. Additional embodiments and aspects are described and claimed.
US08008935B1
A method for testing an integrated circuit, that includes: (a) providing a first signal to a first path that starts within the integrated circuit and ends at a first memory element that is followed by a first IO pad, and providing a second signal to a second path that starts within the integrated circuit and ends at a second memory element that is followed by a second IO pad; (b) comparing between a first test result and a second test result, wherein the first test result represents a state of the first memory element sampled a predefined period after a provision of the first signal and the second test result represents a state of the second memory element sampled a predefined period after a provision of the second signal; (c) altering the predefined period; and (d) repeating the stages of providing, comparing and altering until detecting a time difference between a first path propagation period and a second path propagation period.
US08008923B2
A method. The method includes determining that a failure has occurred in a power cell of a multi-cell power supply. The method also includes moving a part of a first contact which is connected to first and second output terminals of the power cell from a first position to a second position, moving a part of a second contact which is connected to a first input terminal of the power cell from a third position to a fourth position, and moving a part of a third contact which is connected to a second input terminal of the power cell from a fifth position to a sixth position.
US08008921B2
A system to perform a marine subterranean survey includes at least one vertical electromagnetic (EM) source and at least one EM receiver to measure a response of a subterranean structure that is responsive to EM signals produced by the vertical EM source. At least one tow cable is used to tow the EM source and EM receiver through a body of water.
US08008914B2
Low field SQUID MRI devices, components and methods are disclosed. They include a portable low field (SQUID)-based MRI instrument and a portable low field SQUID-based MRI system to be operated under a bed where a subject is adapted to be located. Also disclosed is a method of distributing wires on an image encoding coil system adapted to be used with an NMR or MRI device for analyzing a sample or subject and a second order superconducting gradiometer adapted to be used with a low field SQUID-based MRI device as a sensing component for an MRI signal related to a subject or sample.
US08008912B1
A method of testing P2 stiffness of a magnetoresistance (MR) sensor stack including a P2 pinned layer is provided. The method comprises the step of applying an external magnetic field to the MR sensor stack. The external magnetic field is oriented substantially perpendicular to a magnetic field of the P2 pinned layer. The method further comprises varying an amplitude of the external magnetic field, measuring a change in a resistance of the MR sensor stack in response to the varying amplitude of the external magnetic field, and calculating the P2 stiffness based on the measured change in resistance.
US08008911B2
In a method for determining road clearance of a vehicle, the vehicle is moved relative to a measurement configuration with a reference surface. One or more magnets, which are disposed on the vehicle and assigned preferably each to a defined measurement point on the vehicle, is detected by at least one device for magnetic field measurement. With the help of at least one device for separation measurement, the separation between the measurement configuration and the bottom side of the vehicle is determined. In this way, a rapid, reliable, repeatable and flexibly usable method for the determination of the road clearance of a vehicle is provided. A corresponding device is provided for implementing the method.
US08008904B1
A current supply circuit provides current that is substantially invariant with voltage supply and temperature changes. The current supply circuit has an input node connectable to a voltage supply and an output node operable to provide an output current. The current supply circuit includes a current source circuit coupled to a reference voltage node and configured to provide the output current at the output node, wherein a voltage at the reference voltage node controls current output of the current source circuit. The current supply circuit also includes a reference-setting circuit coupled to the reference voltage node and operable to establish a reference current level of the current source circuit, a common-emitter circuit coupled to the input node, and an emitter-follower circuit coupled to the input node, the emitter-follower circuit having an input coupled to an output of the common-emitter circuit and an output coupled to the reference voltage node.
US08008896B2
Output waveform of the generator is improved through stabilization of field current by removing flywheel diode used to be required for automatic voltage regulator. Output electric current of excitation winding 3 is rectified by rectifier 8 and is supplied to field winding 5 of rotor 4. Impedance adjustment circuit 12 is provided to circuit where field current flows. Target electric current determination unit 10 determines target electric current (target field current) used to control output voltage of power generation winding 2 to the reference voltage. Impedance adjustment circuit 12 increases or decreases the impedance of field current circuit so that the field current detected by electric current detector 11 converges with target electric current.
US08008892B2
A step-down circuit lowers a voltage outputted from a commercial power supply. A step-down-output control and charge control circuit controls a step-down voltage and charges a capacitor bank based on a step-down voltage outputted. A constant-voltage generating circuit generates a constant voltage based on an output of the capacitor bank or an output of the step-down circuit. An image-forming-apparatus control circuit supplies the constant voltage to a load that performs an image forming operation.
US08008887B2
A portable solar cell charger and methods of charging electronic devices using the same are disclosed. A portable solar cell charger comprises at least one solar cell plate holding a plurality of solar cells; a film with reformed surface formed on the solar cell plate; a power control part supplying a load side with power after perceiving a voltage required from the load side; and a case holding the solar cell plate and the power control part. A method of charging an electronic device using a solar cell charger comprises perceiving a voltage required from a load side using a microprocessor; converting the perceived voltage using D/A converter; comparing the converted voltage with a voltage from a solar cell plate; integrating signals from a comparator and a pulse generator; adjusting the voltage from the solar cell plate; and supplying the voltage from the solar cell plate into the load side.
US08008885B2
A power converter interfaces a variable voltage and variable frequency motor to a fixed voltage and fixed frequency network. A first inverter is connected to the motor stator. A dc link is connected between the first inverter and a second inverter. Each inverter includes switches. A filter is connected between the second inverter and the network. A first controller for the first inverter uses a dc link voltage demand signal indicative of a desired dc link voltage to control the first inverter switches to achieve a desired dc link voltage level. A second controller for the second inverter uses a power demand signal indicative of a power to be transferred to the dc link from the network through the second inverter, and a voltage demand signal indicative of a voltage to be achieved at the filter to control the second inverter switches to achieve desired power and voltage levels.
US08008884B2
A substrate transport apparatus including a peripheral wall having an inner surface that defines a substrate transport chamber capable of holding an isolated atmosphere, at least one substantially ring shaped motor having at least one stator module located within the peripheral wall, between the inner surface and an adjacent outer surface of the peripheral wall and at least one rotor suspended substantially without contact within the transport chamber such that a surface of the peripheral wall encompassed by the ring shaped motor is configured for attachment thereto of a predetermined device and at least one substrate transport arm connected to the at least one rotor and having at least one end effector configured to hold at least one substrate.
US08008878B2
Procedure for determining the electrical drive speed (ωef) and/or position (φe) in a permanent magnet rotor of a brushless electrical linear or rotary motor from a measurement of a multi-phase stator current (i1,i2). Speed is determined using a mathematical motor model (9). From the influence of a rotor reverse EMK that affects the stator current (i1,i2) conclusions are made about the rotor speed (ωef) and/or position (φe) and an appropriate model speed value (13,19,23) is generated.
US08008868B2
In at least one embodiment of the disclosure a discharge lamp lighting apparatus includes a controller configured to control an AC conversion circuit to perform AC conversion control for controlling the timings at which a polarity of the discharge lamp driving AC current is reversed. The controller is configured to control the power control circuit to perform current control for controlling a magnitude of the DC current. The controller changes the accumulated energy supplied to each electrode of a discharge lamp in one cycle of the discharge lamp driving AC current in accordance with a periodic pattern. The periodic pattern includes a plurality of segmented periods during each of which the accumulated energy is maintained at a same level for a plurality of cycles of the discharge lamp driving AC current, and a level of the accumulated energy in at least two of the segmented periods differ from each other.
US08008867B2
A backlighting arrangement constituted of: a means for receiving an alternating current comprising a first lead and a second lead; at least one luminaire; and at least one first balancing transformer pair each associated with a particular one of the at least one luminaire, the primary of a first balancing transformer of the first balancing transformer pair serially coupled between the first lead of the means for receiving an alternating current and a first end of each of the at least one luminaire, and the primary of a second balancing transformer of the first balancing transformer pair serially coupled between the second lead of the means for receiving an alternating current and a second end of each of the at least one luminaire. The secondaries of all of the at least one first balancing transformer pair are serially connected in a closed in-phase loop.
US08008866B2
A hybrid light source comprises a high-efficiency lamp, for example, a fluorescent lamp, and a low-efficiency lamp, for example, a halogen lamp. A control circuit individually controls the amount of power delivered to each of the high-efficiency lamp and the low-efficiency lamp, such that a total light output of the hybrid light source ranges throughout a dimming range from a minimum total intensity to a maximum total intensity. The high-efficiency lamp is turned off and the low-efficiency lamp produces all of the total light intensity of the hybrid light source when the total light intensity is below a transition intensity. The low-efficiency lamp is controlled such that the correlated color temperature of the hybrid light source decreases as the total light intensity is decreased below the transition intensity. The hybrid light source is characterized by a low impedance throughout the dimming range.
US08008859B2
An organic light emitting display for minimizing light from entering the pixels is provided. The organic light emitting display includes a substrate including a pixel region and a pixel-separating region between pixel regions; a first insulating layer on the substrate; a first electrode in a pixel region and on the first insulating layer; a pixel definition layer overlapping an edge region of the first electrode and in a region between the pixel region and the pixel-separating region; an organic light emitting layer on the first electrode and the pixel definition layer; a second electrode on the organic light emitting layer; and a black matrix between the first insulating layer and the pixel definition layer and extending outwardly past an edge region of the pixel definition layer into the pixel-separating region, such that the pixel definition layer is separated from the first insulating layer.
US08008850B2
A color temperature tunable white light emitting device is provided, including a substrate with an ultraviolet light emitting diode, a purple light emitting diode, and a blue light emitting diode provided over the substrate. The UV LED, the purple LED and the blue LED are coated with a phosphor layer. An omnidirectional reflector is disposed over the phosphor layer. A medium layer is disposed between the omni-directional reflector and the phosphor layer. A transparent substrate is disposed over the omnidirectional reflector and an optical diffuser is disposed over the transparent substrate.
US08008849B1
A flat panel display including: a plurality of electrically addressable pixels; a plurality of thin-film transistor driver circuits each being electrically coupled to an associated at least one of the pixels, respectively; a passivating layer on the thin-film transistor driver circuits and at least partially around the pixels; a conductive frame on the passivating layer; and, a plurality of nanostructures on the conductive frame; wherein, exciting the conductive frame and addressing one of the pixels using the associated driver circuit causes the nanostructures to emit electrons that induce the one of the pixels to emit light.
US08008847B2
A gas discharge tube is manufactured by closing an opening of a glass tube by forming a glass layer with outer peripheral shape identical to the outer peripheral shape of the glass tube on an end face of the glass tube. An open end face (opening) of the glass tube is pressure-welded to a dry film containing a low melting point glass powder and a binder resin, and then the glass tube is lifted up to transfer the dry film for closing the opening to the end face of the glass tube. A phosphor support member is inserted into the glass tube from a side opposite to the end face and then an end of the phosphor support member is caused to adhere to the dry film. The binder resin is burnt off, and the dry film is vitrified to produce a low melting point glass layer.
US08008843B2
A first energy generating system comprises a ferromagnetic generator coupled to a voltage controlled switch. The ferromagnetic generator includes a ferromagnetic element generating a magnetic field and positioned within a pulse generating coil and near an explosive charge. Detonation of the explosive charge decreases the magnetic field and induces a pulse of electric energy in the pulse generating coil. When the magnitude of the electric energy reaches a certain level, the voltage controlled switch closes. A second energy generating system comprises a flux compression generator coupled to a voltage controlled switch. The flux compression generator includes a inductance coil generating a magnetic field within a metallic armature that includes an explosive charge. Detonation of the explosive charge changes the magnetic field and induces a pulse of electric energy in the inductance coil. When the magnitude of the electric energy reaches a certain level, the voltage controlled switch closes.
US08008830B2
The wire 30 forming the stator winding 20 includes the in-slot portions 40 to be disposed in the slots 14 and 15 of the stator core 12 and the turned portions 42 connecting the in-slot portions 40 disposed in the circumferentially different slots 14 and 15. The turned portions 42 formed on axial opposite end sides of the stator core 12. The crank portion 44 which does not twist is formed at substantially the center of the turned portion 42. Steps are formed at sections of the turned portion 42 which protrude outside the stator core 12 from the slots 14 and 15. Further, the turned portion 42 of the wire 30 also has two steps 48 formed between the substantially central crank portion 44 and each of the steps 46 formed at the protruding sections of the turned portion 42.
US08008829B2
In an armature, the upper and lower coil pieces in one half of the parallel circuits are located at the 1st, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, 12th and 14th positions, and the upper and lower coil pieces in remaining half of the parallel circuits are located at the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 11th and 13th positions, when relative positions of the upper and lower coil pieces in each phase belt are indicated by positions counted in a direction separating away from a pole center.
US08008827B1
A triple-winding layer arrangement for a three-phase, four pole motor is provided as well as a method of manufacturing the same.
US08008824B2
An electric motor (1) has a stator (3), a rotor (2) and a number of permanent magnets (6). The use of permanent magnets (6) having a cuboidal shape, without impairing performance. The stator (3) has a number of permanent magnets (6) having a cuboidal shape, which are embedded in recesses (7) and whose axial length (8) is greater than the axial length (4) of the stator (3).
US08008818B2
A flat vibration motor able to be mounted to a device side board by just reflow processing and able to reduce the occupied area, that is, a flat vibration motor provided with a stator plate having a through hole into which one end of a shaft is fit, the stator plate having a magnetic metal core plate having detent torque generating holes 10a to 10c, interconnect patterns arranged on a first electrical insulating film formed on this front surface, and electrode patterns arranged on a second electrical insulating film formed on a back surface of the magnetic metal core plate and connected with the interconnect patterns through the through holes h1 to h3, the insides of the detent torque generating holes 10a to 10c being covered by front-to-back superposed films formed by extensions of the first electrical insulating film and second electrical insulating film.
US08008809B2
A 3-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) including first, second, and third AC/DC converters, a DC/DC converter, and at least one DC/AC converter coupled to multiple electrical buses. The first, second, and third AC/DC converters each being configured to receive AC power and to provide multiple DC signals to the multiple electrical buses. The DC/DC converter being configured to convert DC voltages present on the multiple electrical buses to a DC voltage that can be used to charge a battery. The DC/AC converter being configured to receive DC power from the multiple electrical buses and to provide an AC output. The 3-phase UPS being configured such that when suitable AC power is provided to the AC/DC converters, the DC/DC converter is configured to charge a battery, and when suitable AC power is not provided to the AC/DC converters, the DC/DC converter is configured to provide DC power to the multiple electrical buses using power provided by the battery.
US08008806B2
A power supply system includes an energy generator and an energy storage system, each electrically connected to a power bus. The power bus provides electrical power to a load. The energy generator includes a wind turbine and a solar panel. The energy storage system includes a storage device and a regulator. The regulator is configured to transfer energy from the power bus to the storage device when the power bus exceeds a maximum voltage and to transfer energy from the storage device to the power bus when the power bus drops below a minimum voltage.
US08008787B2
An integrated circuit package system includes: mounting an integrated circuit die over a carrier; attaching a delamination prevention structure over the integrated circuit die; and encapsulating the delamination prevention structure and the integrated circuit die.
US08008782B2
A semiconductor device including a first wire made of a material mainly composed of Cu, two second wires made of a material mainly composed of Cu, an interlayer dielectric film formed between the first wire and the two second wires, two vias made of a material mainly composed of Cu and each penetrating through the interlayer dielectric film and connecting the first wire and a respective one of the two second wires, and a dummy via formed between the two second wires. The dummy via is made of a material mainly composed of Cu, has a diameter smaller than a diameter of each of the two vias, and is connected to the first wire while not contributing to electrical connection between the first wire and the two second wires.
US08008778B2
A semiconductor device includes a first metal layer provided above a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulating film provided above the first metal layer, a second metal layer that is provided in an opening formed in the interlayer insulating film and is in contact with an underlying layer, the second metal layer being connected to the first metal layer, and a first barrier layer that is provided between the second metal layer and the interlayer insulating film and has a different main composition from that of the underlying layer.
US08008776B2
A chip structure comprises a substrate, a first built-up layer, a passivation layer and a second built-up layer. The substrate includes many electric devices placed on a surface of the substrate. The first built-up layer is located on the substrate. The first built-up layer is provided with a first dielectric body and a first interconnection scheme, wherein the first interconnection scheme interlaces inside the first dielectric body and is electrically connected to the electric devices. The first interconnection scheme is constructed from first metal layers and plugs, wherein the neighboring first metal layers are electrically connected through the plugs. The passivation layer is disposed on the first built-up layer and is provided with openings exposing the first interconnection scheme. The second built-up layer is formed on the passivation layer. The second built-up layer is provided with a second dielectric body and a second interconnection scheme, wherein the second interconnection scheme interlaces inside the second dielectric body and is electrically connected to the first interconnection scheme. The second interconnection scheme is constructed from at least one second metal layer and at least one via metal filler, wherein the second metal layer is electrically connected to the via metal filler. The thickness, width, and cross-sectional area of the traces of the second metal layer are respectively larger than those of the first metal layers.
US08008763B2
A stacked electronic component comprises a first electronic component adhered on a substrate via a first adhesive layer, and a second electronic component adhered by using a second adhesive layer thereon. The second adhesive layer has a two-layer structure formed by a same material and having different modulus of elasticity. The second adhesive layer of the two-layer structure has a first layer disposed at the first electronic component side and a second layer disposed at the second electronic component side. The first layer softens or melts at an adhesive temperature. The second layer maintains a layered shape at the adhesive temperature. According to the stacked electronic component, occurrences of an insulation failure and a short circuiting are prevented, and in addition, a peeling failure between the electronic components, an increase of a manufacturing cost, and so on, can be suppressed.
US08008761B2
An optical semiconductor apparatus composed of a cap and a base, includes: a metal package including a plurality of openings penetrating through the base from outside to inside, a lead with its end portion protruding to the inside of the base and an insulator covering a side surface of the lead being inserted into each of the openings, and the lead being insulated from the base; an insulating film with its backside bonded to the inside of the base; and a semiconductor component placed on the base or on the insulating film. The insulating film covers the opening up to the vicinity of the side surface of the lead.
US08008753B1
An integrated circuit module has a substrate having a plurality of metal traces. At least one semiconductor package is electrically coupled to at least one metal trace on a first surface of the substrate. At least one electronic component is electrically coupled to at least one metal trace on the first surface of the substrate. A non-conductive coating covers exposed active surfaces on the first surface of the substrate. A conductive coating is applied to the non-conductive coating, and electrically contacting ground pads exposed on the substrate.
US08008751B2
A semiconductor device includes an insulator layer, and an n-channel MIS transistor having an n channel and a pMIS transistor having a p channel which are formed on the insulator layer, wherein the n channel of the n-channel MIS transistor is formed of an Si layer having a uniaxial tensile strain in a channel length direction, the p channel of the p-channel MIS transistor is formed of an SiGe or Ge layer having a uniaxial compressive strain in the channel length direction, and the channel length direction of each of the n-channel MIS transistor and the p-channel MIS transistor is a <110> direction.
US08008743B2
This invention relates to materials and processes for thin film deposition on solid substrates. Silica/alumina nanolaminates were deposited on heated substrates by the reaction of an aluminum-containing compound with a silanol. The nanolaminates have very uniform thickness and excellent step coverage in holes with aspect ratios over 40:1. The films are transparent and good electrical insulators. This invention also relates to materials and processes for producing improved porous dielectric materials used in the insulation of electrical conductors in microelectronic devices, particularly through materials and processes for producing semi-porous dielectric materials wherein surface porosity is significantly reduced or removed while internal porosity is preserved to maintain a desired low-k value for the overall dielectric material. The invention can also be used to selectively fill narrow trenches with low-k dielectric material while at the same time avoiding deposition of any dielectric on the surface area outside of the trenches.
US08008741B2
A photodiode array 1 has a plurality of photodetector channels 10 which are formed on an n-type substrate 2 having an n-type semiconductor layer 12, with a light to be detected being incident to the plurality of photodetector channels 10. The photodiode array 1 comprises: a p−-type semiconductor layer 13 formed on the n-type semiconductor layer 12 of the substrate 2; resistors 4 each of which is provided to each of the photodetector channels 10 and is connected to a signal conductor 3 at one end thereof; and an n-type separating part 20 formed between the plurality of photodetector channels 10. The p−-type semiconductor layer 13 forms a pn junction at the interface between the substrate 2, and comprises a plurality of multiplication regions AM for avalanche multiplication of carriers produced by the incidence of the light to be detected so that each of the multiplication regions corresponds to each of the photodetector channels. The separating part 20 is formed so that each of the multiplication regions AM of the p−-type semiconductor layer 13 corresponds to each of the photodetector channels 10.
US08008739B2
A microelectromechanical apparatus (X) includes a microelectromechanical component (10), an insulating substrate (21), a through via (22c) disposed in the insulating substrate (21), a sealing member (30) and a conductive connecting member (40). The microelectromechanical device (10) has a semiconductor substrate (11), a microelectromechanical system (12) and an electrode (13) electrically connected to the microelectromechanical system (12). The sealing member (30) is made of glass, is disposed so as to enclose the microelectromechanical system (12) between the semiconductor substrate (11) and the insulating substrate (21), and hermetically seals the microelectromechanical system (12). The conductive connecting member (40) electrically connects the electrode (13) and an end of the through via (22c), at a position spaced away from the sealing member (30).
US08008738B2
An integrated differential pressure sensor includes, in a monolithic body of semiconductor material, a first face and a second face, a cavity extending at a distance from the first face and delimited therewith by a flexible membrane formed in part by epitaxial material from the monolithic body and in part by annealed epitaxial material from the monolithic body, an access passage in fluid communication with the cavity, and in the flexible membrane at least one transduction element configured so as to convert a deformation of the flexible membrane into electrical signals. The cavity is formed in a position set at a distance from the second face and is delimited at the second face with a portion of the monolithic body.
US08008733B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device having a power cutoff transistor including a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; and first and second wells of the first conductivity type formed to be spaced from each other in the semiconductor substrate.
US08008731B2
An IGFET device includes: —a semiconductor body (2) having a major surface, —a source region (3) of first conductivity type abutting the surface, —a drain region (6,7) of the first conductivity-type abutting the surface and spaced from the source region with a channel (5) therefrom, —an active gate (8) overlying the channel and insulated from the channel by a first dielectric material (9) forming the gate oxide of the IGFET device, —a dummy gate (10) positioned between the active gate and the drain and insulated from the active gate by a second dielectric material so that a capacitance is formed between the active gate and the dummy gate, and insulated from the drain region by the gate oxide, wherein the active gate and the dummy gate are forming the electrodes of the capacitance substantially perpendicular to the surface.
US08008730B2
To provide a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device which can improve the reliability of the semiconductor device. A first insulating film for covering a semiconductor element formed in a semiconductor substrate is formed by a thermal CVD method or the like which has a good embedding property. A second insulating film is formed to cover the first insulating film by a plasma CVD method which has excellent humidity resistance. A plug is formed to penetrate the first insulating film and the second insulating film. A third insulating film comprised of a low-k film having a relatively low dielectric constant is formed over the second insulating film. A wiring is formed in the third insulating film by a damascene technique to be electrically coupled to the plug.
US08008728B2
In one aspect of the present invention, a semiconductor device may include a semiconductor substrate; an element isolation region provided in the semiconductor substrate and having an oxide layer and an oxidant-diffusion prevention layer provided on the oxide layer; a gate dielectric film provided on the semiconductor substrate and the oxidant-diffusion prevention layer; and a gate electrode provided on the gate dielectric film.
US08008720B2
A semiconductor device is formed having a pedestal. The pedestal includes at least two dielectric layers. The pedestal has a sidewall and a major surface. A conductive layer is formed overlying the pedestal. A vertical portion of the conductive layer adjacent to the sidewall of the pedestal is a gate of the transistor. The portion of the conductive layer overlying the major surface can be used as interconnect. The gate and gate interconnect are contiguous and formed in a single process. A conductive shield layer may be integrated into the pedestal. The conductive shield layer functions as a faraday shield that reduces gate to drain capacitance of the device.
US08008715B2
There is provided a semiconductor device comprising: a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type; a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type provided on the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type; a semiconductor region of the first conductivity type selectively provided on a front surface portion of the second semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type; a first main electrode provided in contact with a surface of the semiconductor region; a second main electrode provided on a side of the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, the side being opposite to the surface on which the second semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type is provided; a gate wiring provided on the second semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type around an element region in which the semiconductor region is provided; a trench penetrating the second semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type to reach the first semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type, and also extending under the element region and the gate wiring; a gate electrode provided inside the trench in the element region with a gate insulating film interposed in between; and a gate electrode lead portion provided inside the trench under the gate wiring with the gate insulating film interposed in between, and contacting the gate wiring and the gate electrode.
US08008713B2
A semiconductor memory device in which a vertical trench semiconductor-oxide-nitride-oxide-semiconductor (SONOS) memory cell is created in a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate is provided that allows for the integration of dense non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) cells in SOI-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The trench is processed using conventional trench processing and it is processed near the beginning of the inventive method that allows for the fabrication of the memory cell to be fully separated from SOI logic processing.
US08008712B2
The invention relates to a metallization for an IGBT or a diode. In the case of this metallization, a copper layer (10, 12) having a layer thickness of approximately 50 μm is applied to the front side and/or rear side of a semiconductor body (1) directly or if need be via a diffusion barrier layer (13, 14). The layer (8, 12) has a specific heat capacity that is at least a factor of 2 higher than the specific heat capacity of the semiconductor body (1). It simultaneously serves for producing a field stop layer (5) by proton implantation through the layer (12) from the rear side and for masking a proton or helium implantation for the purpose of charge carrier lifetime reduction from the front side of the chip (1).
US08008711B2
A p-type base layer shaped like a well is formed for each of IGBT cells, and a p+-type collector layer and an n+-type cathode layer are formed on a surface opposite to a surface on which the p-type base layer is formed so as to be situated just below the p-type base layer. The p-type base layer of each of the IGBT cells includes a flat region including an emitter region and a bottom surface penetrated by a main trench, and first and second side diffusion regions between which the flat region is interposed. The first side diffusion region is situated just above the n+-type cathode layer and each of the bottom surfaces of the side diffusion regions forms a parabola-shaped smooth curve in longitudinal section. By replacing the p+-type collector layer with the n+-type cathode layer, it is possible to apply features of the above structure to a power MOSFET.
US08008709B2
A method of fabricating an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer in a memory cell to retain charge well in the nitride layer includes the steps of forming a bottom oxide layer on a substrate, depositing a nitride layer and oxidizing a top oxide layer, thereby causing oxygen to be introduced into the nitride layer. Another method includes the steps of forming a bottom oxide layer on a substrate, depositing a nitride layer and oxidizing a portion of a top oxide layer, thereby causing oxygen to be introduced into the nitride layer and depositing a remaining portion of the top oxide layer, thereby assisting in controlling the amount of oxygen introduced into the nitride layer. A further method includes the steps of forming a bottom oxide layer on a substrate, depositing a nitride layer, depositing a portion of a top oxide layer and oxidizing a remaining portion of the top oxide layer, thereby causing oxygen to be introduced into the nitride layer.
US08008703B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a first well of a first conductivity type, which is formed in a semiconductor substrate of the first conductivity type, a plurality of memory cell transistors that are formed in the first well, a second well of a second conductivity type, which includes a first part that surrounds a side region of the first well and a second part that surrounds a lower region of the first well, and electrically isolates the first well from the semiconductor substrate, and a third well of the second conductivity type, which is formed in the semiconductor substrate. The third well has a less depth than the second part of the second well.
US08008697B2
A solid-state imaging device in which the potential of a signal line, which is obtained before a pixel has an operating period, is fixed to an intermediate potential between a first power-supply potential and a second power-supply potential.
US08008684B2
A light emitting device according to an embodiment is provided. The light emitting device comprises a second electrode layer, a third conductive semiconductor layer comprising a schottky contact region and an ohmic contact region on the second electrode layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer on the third conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer on the second conductive semiconductor layer, a first conductive semiconductor layer on the active layer, and a first electrode layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer.
US08008682B2
An alumina substrate and method of making an alumina substrate using oxidation is provided. Generally, photoresist masks are used to protect selected areas of an aluminum layer. The unprotected or exposed areas of the aluminum layer are then oxidized during a photolithography process. The protected, unexposed areas of the aluminum layer retain their conductive properties while the oxidized areas are converted to alumina, or aluminum oxide, which is non-conductive. Accordingly, an alumina substrate having conductive areas of aluminum is formed. In one embodiment, the alumina substrate includes an alumina layer, one or more aluminum vias formed within the alumina layer, each of the one or more aluminum vias extending between the bottom of the alumina layer and the top of the alumina layer, wherein the one or more aluminum vias are integrally formed within the alumina layer.
US08008667B2
A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer and a first semiconductor element located in the first semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device also includes a second semiconductor layer of a transparent semiconductor material. The second semiconductor layer is disposed on the first semiconductor layer covering the first semiconductor element. The semiconductor device also includes a second semiconductor element located in the second semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device also includes a wire extending within the second semiconductor layer and electrically connecting the first and second semiconductor elements.
US08008666B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor display device having an interlayer insulating film which can obtain planarity of a surface while controlling film formation time, can control treatment time of heating treatment with an object of removing moisture, and can prevent moisture in the interlayer insulating film from being discharged to a film or an electrode adjacent to the interlayer insulating film. An inorganic insulating film containing nitrogen, which is less likely to transmit moisture compared with an organic resin, is formed so as to cover a TFT. Next, an organic resin film containing photosensitive acrylic resin is applied to the organic insulting film, and the organic resin film is partially exposed to light to be opened. Thereafter, an inorganic insulting film containing nitrogen, which is less likely to transmit moisture compared with an organic resin, is formed so as to cover the opened organic resin film. Then, in the opening part of the organic resin film, a gate insulating film and the two layer inorganic insulating film containing nitrogen are opened partially by etching to expose an active layer of the TFT.
US08008665B2
A display substrate having a fan-out and a method for manufacturing the display substrate are disclosed. The fan-out includes an insulating substrate, a first line, a second line, a resistance control pattern, and first and second detour pattern. The first line is disposed on the insulating substrate and is connected to a pad. The second line is formed from the same layer as the first line and is connected to a thin-film transistor (TFT). The resistance control pattern is formed from a different layer than the first and second lines. The first and second detour patterns are formed from a different layer than the first and second lines and the resistance control pattern, and connect the first and second lines with the resistance control pattern, respectively.
US08008655B2
A nitride compound semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer including a group III nitride compound semiconductor, source and drain electrodes provided on the semiconductor layer, an insulating film provided on the semiconductor layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode, an organic semiconductor layer in contact with the semiconductor layer at an opening provided for the insulating film, and a gate electrode provided on the organic conductive layer at the opening.
US08008651B2
It is an object of the present invention to provide a light-emitting element having, between a pair of electrodes, a layer containing a light-emitting material and a transparent conductive film, wherein the electric erosion of the transparent conductive film and reflective metal can be prevented and to provide a light-emitting device using the light-emitting element. According to the present invention, a first layer 102 containing a light-emitting material, a second layer 103 containing an N-type semiconductor, a third layer 104 including a transparent conductive film, and a fourth layer 105 containing a hole-transporting medium are provided between an anode 101 and a cathode 106, wherein the first layer 102, the second layer 103, the third layer 104, the fourth layer 105, and the cathode 106 are provided in order, and wherein the cathode has a layer containing reflective metal.
US08008635B2
Method and system for preparing samples for use in electron microscopy. The method and system use a focused ion beam (FIB) instrument and a scanning electron microscope to improve the time efficiency of the FIB instrument. The FIB instrument incorporates machining means for preparing thin-film samples by ion beam irradiation. The scanning electron microscope incorporates a gas supply means and a manipulator equipped with a probe. The gas supply means ejects gas at the sample after it has been shifted from the FIB instrument together with a sample holder. The sample is irradiated with an electron beam while the gas is injected at the sample from the gas supply means under the condition where the probe is contacted with the sample. Thus, the sample is bonded to the probe.
US08008628B2
A dental radiology apparatus having: an intraoral sensor comprising a detector that includes an active pixel array produced using biCMOS technology and converting a received x-ray into at least one analog electrical output signal; an electronic module encapsulated in a case and which has at least one detector activation device, the module being linked to the sensor by a wire link for the transmission to said sensor of a detector activation signal generated in the module and for the transmission to the module of said at least one analog electrical output signal, the module having analog-digital means for converting said at least one analog electrical output signal into at least one digital output signal; and a remote processing and display unit of said at least one digital output signal which is linked to the electronic module by a wire link intended to ensure the transmission to the unit of said at least one digital output signal.
US08008625B2
A method and apparatus are disclosed for high-sensitivity Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). The apparatus includes a two-dimensional (2D) gamma detector array that moves to different positions in a three-dimensional (3D) volume space near an emission source and records a data vector g. In particular, the 3D volume space in which emission data g is measured extends substantially along a radial direction r pointing away from the emission source and each photon detector element in the 2D gamma detector array is provided with a very large collimator aperture. Data g is related to the 3D spatial density distribution f of the emission source, noise vector n, and a system matrix H of the SPECT/PET apparatus through the linear system of equations g=Hf+n. This equation is solved for f by a method that reduces the effect of noise.
US08008623B2
A method for linearizing a radiation detector is provided, the method including measuring a pulse height spectrum of a predetermined radiation source, identifying at least one spectrum template for the predetermined radiation source, and determining a linearization function by comparing the measured pulse height spectrum with the at least one identified spectrum template. The at least one spectrum template is a predefined synthesized energy spectrum for the predetermined radiation source and for the corresponding radiation detector. Further, a detector for measuring one or more types of radiation is provided, the detector being adapted for transforming the measured pulse height spectrum in an energy-calibrated spectrum, the transformation including a linearization step, where a linearization function used with the linearization step is determined according to the inventive method.
US08008621B2
An apparatus and method for measuring the crystallographic orientation relationship of neighboring grains and the characteristics of grain boundaries using a goniometer of a transmission electron microscope are disclosed to check the orientation relationship between two crystals and the characteristics of grain boundaries with a small error in real time. An apparatus for measuring the orientation relationship between neighboring grains and the characteristics of grain boundaries by using a goniometer of a transmission electron stereoscope, the apparatus comprising a goniometer mounted at a transmission electron microscope and a measurement unit for revealing the characteristics of grain boundaries of a specimen by linear-algebraically interpreting the relationship between crystal axes and tilt axes of the specimen using the goniometer.
US08008620B2
A substrate for mass spectrometry includes a first reflective member that is semi-transmissive/semi-reflective, a transparent member, and a second reflective member that is reflective, sequentially provided to form an optical resonator. The optical resonator includes, on a surface of the first reflective member, a sample separation portion at which surface interaction occurs with a plurality of analytes contained in a sample liquid. The analytes are separated on the sample separation portion to perform mass spectrometry on each of the analytes. A sample in contact with the surface of the first reflective member is irradiated with laser beam L to generate resonance in the optical resonator, and an electric field on the surface of the first reflective member is enhanced by the resonance. The enhanced electric field is utilized to ionize analytes S in the sample and to desorb the analytes S from the surface.
US08008619B2
An interface for mass spectrometers. The interface uses non coaxial sampling pathways of the analyte ion beam prior to entering the entrance of a mass spectrometer for decreasing chemical background, and can be done in such a way as to permit multiple sprayers, increasing sample throughput and sensitivity for LC/MS (liquid chromatography/MS). The interface includes an ion source having an exit from which a beam of analyte ions are emitted, a curtain plate and an aperture in the curtain plate member, an orifice plate having an orifice therein. The orifice plate is being spaced from the curtain plate member defining a flow passageway therebetween, and the aperture in the orifice plate is aligned with a sample entrance to a first vacuum stage of a mass spectrometer maintained substantially lower than atmospheric pressure. The aperture in the curtain plate member is non coaxially aligned with the orifice in the orifice plate and the interface includes a gas flow mechanism for directing a counter flow gas into the flow passageway.
US08008616B2
An interrupter includes: a light emitting device; a light receiving device placed at a position on which light emitted from the light emitting device can be incident; and a mold member made of a material that transmits part of the light and absorbs the rest, including a section enclosing the light emitting device and a section enclosing the light receiving device, and having a gap between the light emitting device and the light receiving device. At least one of the thickness of the section of the mold member enclosing the light emitting device and the thickness of the section of the mold member enclosing the light receiving device is relatively thin in a region intervening in a linear light path from the light emitting device to the light receiving device, and is relatively thick in a surrounding region around said region.
US08008611B2
A photo sensor capable of improved output used in a flat panel display (FPD). The photo sensor includes a first transistor coupled to a first power source, a first node, and a second node. A photo diode is also provided, as well as a second transistor, a third transistor, a fourth transistor, a fifth transistor, and a first capacitor.
US08008610B2
An image measuring instrument includes a camera that images a plurality of measured points based on a preset measuring procedure, and an illumination unit that irradiates the measured points. The image measuring instrument measures a dimension and a shape of a to-be-measured object while the illumination unit irradiates light having illumination light quantity corresponding to an illumination preset value with reference to the illumination preset value that is preliminarily set for every measured point. An illumination light quantity setting method includes a command signal output step that outputs a command signal for irradiating light having the illumination light quantity corresponding to the illumination preset value for every measured point, an offset value assigning step that assigns an offset value to the command signal to be sent to the illumination unit, and a setting step that sets the offset value to be variable.
US08008605B2
An electronic cook top control system has a cooktop including a heating element. An electronic controller is operatively connected to the cooktop. A rotary position input is operatively connected to the electronic controller. The electronic controller controls a heating level of the cooktop in a first manner in response to rotation of the rotary position input in a first direction. The electronic controller controls the heating level of the cooktop in a second manner in response to rotation of the rotary position input in a second direction.
US08008601B2
A laser processing method includes the steps of: preparing a long metal object to be irradiated; and irradiating the object with a laser beam at a certain portion in a longitudinal direction of the object. The irradiation is performed along a width direction of the object for both a first half path from one end to the other end of the object in the width direction and a return path from the other end to the one end so that the object can be bent.
US08008596B2
A plasma processing apparatus performs a specific plasma processing on a target substrate by disposing a first and a second electrode to face each other in a processing chamber, and supplying high-frequency electric power to at least one of the first and the second electrodes to thereby generate a plasma while introducing a processing gas onto the target substrate supported by the second electrode. The electrode for use as the first electrode includes: an electrode plate facing the second electrode; a support for supporting the electrode plate, wherein the support is in contact with a surface of the electrode plate and the surface is opposite to the second electrode; and a dielectric portion, provided on a contact surface of the support with the electrode plate, and having a shape in which a center portion thereof has a height different from that of an edge portion thereof.
US08008551B2
The invention provides seed and plants of the bean line designated 08550815. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of bean line 08550815, and to methods for producing a bean plant produced by crossing a plant of bean line 08550815 with itself or with another bean plant, such as a plant of another line. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of bean line 08550815, including the pods and gametes of such plants.
US08008550B2
A soybean cultivar designated S070147 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S070147, to the plants of soybean S070147, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S070147, and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S070147 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars, or breeding cultivars, and plant parts derived from soybean variety S070147, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S070147, and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S070147 with another soybean cultivar.
US08008547B2
Proteins are provided herein, including proteins capable of catalyzing the acetylation of glyphosate and other structurally related proteins. Also provided are polynucleotides capable of encoding these proteins, compositions that include one or more of these proteins and/or polynucleotides, recombinant cells and transgenic plants comprising these compounds, diversification methods involving the compounds, and methods of using the compounds. Some of the methods and compounds provided herein can be used to render an organism, such as a plant, resistant to glyphosate.
US08008546B2
The present inventions provide transgenic aloe plants and recombinant constructs for transforming aloe plants, aspects of which, may be applied to other monocots. The recombinant constructs may include one or more DNA sequences encoding mammalian proteins and at least one promoter capable of directing the expression of recombinant proteins in an aloe plant. The present inventions also provide methods for constructing and reproducing a transgenic aloe plant. The present inventions include methods for transfection of an aloe plant with several genes of interest simultaneously. The aloe plant production methods of the inventions may provide the potential to inexpensively and more safely mass-produce some biologically active compounds including biopharmaceuticals for disease therapy, diagnosis and prevention, and is more accessible to the less affluent countries. The aloe plant production methods may also produce proteins for cosmetics.
US08008542B2
This invention provides recombinant cells and transgenic plants that display selectively increased or decreased response to brassinosteroids, resulting in increased yield. Methods of modulating brassinosteroid responses, and of modulating plant phenotypes, are provided.
US08008538B2
The present invention relates to an implantable, disposable barrier disc to be used in negative pressure treatment of wounds, in particular sternotomy wounds, wherein the barrier disc consists of a rigid material withstanding a negative pressure of at least −50 mmHg without causing deformation to the barrier disc, and that the barrier disc is perforated to allow drainage of wound fluid through said barrier disc.
US08008526B2
To improve a catalytic activity of a composite oxide, to carry out a reaction in a high yield, and to provide a synthesis reaction catalyst having excellent handling properties and a method of a synthesizing a compound using the same, a synthesis reaction catalyst containing a palladium-containing perovskite-type composite oxide having a specific surface area of 0.5 to 9.5 m2/g is used in Suzuki Cross-Couplings given by the following general scheme (14).
US08008522B2
Reagents are provided for the introduction of phosphonate groups into fluorescent dyes. Methods are also provided for preparing dye conjugates.
US08008521B2
A silane containing a bulky hydrocarbon group or groups R therein and having the formula (III) R3−(x+y)(R1)x(R2)ySi(OR3) can be produced by reacting a silane of the formula (I) (R1)x(R2)ySiCl3−(x+y)(OR3) with a Grignard reagent of the formula (II) RMgX Further, a tri-organo-chlorosilane of the formula (XIIa) (R1)(R2)(R3)SiCl can be produced by reacting a tri-organo-silane of the formula (XIa) (R1)(R2)(R3)SiZ1 with hydrochloric acid. Furthermore, a tri-organo-monoalkoxysilane of the formula (XXIII) R3−(x+y)(R1)x(R2)ySi(OR3) can be produced when a silane of the formula (XXI) (R1)x(R2)ySiCl4−(x+y) is reacted with a Grignard reagent of the formula (XXII) RMgX with addition of and reaction with an alcohol or an epoxy compound during the reaction.
US08008520B2
An aqueous process is described in which thiocarboxylate silane is produced from haloalkyl silane by reaction of the haloalkyl silane with an aqueous solution of thiocarboxylate salt. Also described is a process for the preparation of aqueous thiocarboxylate salt from a sulfide and/or hydrosulfide and an acid chloride and/or acid anhydride.
US08008504B2
The present invention provides an efficient, safe and cost effective way to prepare 5-(4-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-3-(trifluoromethyl)-benzenamine which is a key intermediate for the preparation of substituted pyrimidinylaminobenzamides of formula (II):
US08008495B2
The invention relates to a new process for preparing tiotropium salts of general formula 1 wherein X− may have the meanings given in the claims and in the specification.
US08008487B2
The present invention provides compounds of formula (I), thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidines, having fungicidal activity.
US08008480B2
A process for purifying meloxicam form I from a crude meloxicam, which comprises: i. contacting the crude meloxicam with an amine in a non-aqueous solvent to form a meloxicam salt; ii. isolating the meloxicam salt; iii. dissolving the meloxicam salt in an aqueous solvent to form a salt solution; and iv. adding an acid to the salt solution to precipitate free meloxicam.
US08008479B2
A process for preparing compounds of formula (I) or a solvate or hydrate thereof, where R, R1, R2, R3 and R5 have the meanings as indicated in the specification. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of a number of conditions associated with substance P and neurokinin.
US08008476B2
The present invention provides methods for making porous crosslinked polysaccharide hydrogel coated structures. The methods include impregnating a porous substrate with a room temperature stable aqueous polysaccharide solution containing, water, a polysaccharide having a concentration in the aqueous solution from about 0.1% to about 20%, a gel-inhibiting agent having a concentration in the aqueous solution from about 18 to about 54%, and an anionic fluorosurfactant having a concentration in the aqueous solution from about 0.001% to about 10% by total weight of the aqueous solution. Followed by evaporating the water from the polysaccharide coating; and exposing the dehydrated polysaccharide coating to a gelling agent form a porous polysaccharide hydrogel coated substrate. The hydrogel coated substrate is exposed to a crosslinking agent to form a porous crosslinked polysaccharide hydrogel coated substrate.
US08008470B2
The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules which include a region specifically interacting with the nucleic acid encoding the LEDGF/P75 protein or the nucleic acid encoding a fragment of a LEDGF/P75 protein and methods and uses of such nucleic acid molecules.
US08008465B2
The present invention relates to a toxin comprising a modified light chain of a botulinum toxin type E, wherein the modified light chain comprises amino acid sequence PFVNKQFN (SEQ ID NO: 120) at the N-terminus, and amino acid sequence xExxxLL (SEQ ID NO: 112) at the C-terminus, wherein x is any amino acid.
US08008452B2
The present invention relates to the phosphorylated form of nuclear serine/threonine protein kinase, designated nuclear, Dbf2-related kinase (Ndr), and provides assays and materials for identifying modulators thereof. The invention relates to the fields of molecular biology, chemistry, pharmacology, and screening technology.
US08008450B2
The present invention is directed to antagonists of CS1 that bind to and neutralize at least one biological activity of CS1. The invention also includes a pharmaceutical composition comprising such antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof. The present invention also provides for a method of preventing or treating disease states, including autoimmune disorders and cancer, in a subject in need thereof, comprising administering into said subject an effective amount of such antagonists.
US08008446B2
Disclosed are biological markers for obesity and methods for diagnosing and treating obesity and related conditions by detecting and modulating the activity of auto-antibodies against the melanocortin-4 receptor or a portion of the melanocortin-4 receptor. Also disclosed are methods for discovering new therapeutics which modulate the activity of auto-antibodies against the melanocortin-4 receptor or a portion of the melanocortin-4 receptor, in particular which prevent the binding of auto-antibodies against the melanocortin-4 receptor or a portion of the melanocortin-4 receptor.
US08008439B2
A biodegradable biopolymer material consists of silk fibroin from domesticated silkworm; silk fibroin from wild silkworm; a composite material comprising silk fibroin from domesticated silkworm and silk fibroin from wild silkworm; or a composite material comprising either silk fibroin from domesticated silkworm or silk fibroin from wild silkworm and at least one secondary substance selected from the group consisting of cellulose, chitin, chitosan, chitosan derivatives, keratin from wool and polyvinyl alcohol. The material may be prepared by, for instance, casting an aqueous solution of domesticated silkworm silk fibroin on the surface of a substrate and then cast drying the applied solution. The biodegradable biopolymer material is effectively used as, for instance, a metal ion-adsorbing material, a sustained release substrate for a useful substance such as a medicine, a biological cell-growth substrate and a biodegradable water-absorbing material.
US08008426B2
Example embodiments relate to an organic semiconductor polymer, in which fused thiophenes having liquid crystal properties and aromatic compounds having N-type semiconductor properties are alternately included in the main chain of the polymer, an organic active layer, an organic thin film transistor (OTFT), and an electronic device including the same, and methods of preparing the organic semiconductor polymer, and fabricating the organic active layer, the OTFT and the electronic device using the same. This organic semiconductor polymer has improved organic solvent solubility, processability, and thin film properties, and may impart increased charge mobility and decreased off-state leakage current when applied to the channel layer of the organic thin film transistor.
US08008423B2
Disclosed are compositions comprising antioxidants and stabilizers, such as, acid scavengers or organic phosphorus stabilizers, and optionally further comprising co-stabilizers. The disclosed compositions are useful as stabilizers for polyolefins and other polymeric materials. The disclosed compositions and methods generally provide longer shelf lifes and better oxidative resistance to materials than currently available antioxidants.
US08008422B2
In general, the invention provides curable resin compositions that may be used to rebuild insulation and/or to provide environmental protection for cable splices, potted articles, and the like. The curable resin compositions can be curable at room temperature. The components used to form and cure the resin compositions may be provided in two or more parts. In specific embodiments, the invention provides curable resin compositions having anhydride, polyol, epoxy, and urethane components.
US08008406B2
A fuel cell membrane is described comprising at least one sulfonated aromatic polyether copolymer comprising a poly-arylen-ether-ketone (PEK) moiety or sulfonated derivatives thereof, deriving from spiro-bis-indane or 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol (BPAF), and an arylene-sulfone, or an arylene-ketone or sulfonated derivative thereof; said copolymer having the following formula (1): wherein Ar1 has formula, wherein X is spiro-bis-indanile (SBI) (b) or BPAF (c) having formulas: and wherein Y is H or SO3H, and Ar2 has formula wherein W is CO or SO2, and Y is H or SO3H, wherein Z is OH or Cl; and wherein at least one between Ar1 or Ar2 comprise at least one sulfonic group; and wherein n is an integer comprised between 2 and 50. A method for the production of such membrane is also described.
US08008396B2
There is provided a process of emulsion polymerization comprising (a) adding a reactive mixture to a reaction vessel, said reactive mixture comprising water, one or more emulsifier, one or more monomer, and one or more initiator, (b) providing conditions in which said reactive mixture undergoes emulsion polymerization, and (c) passing some of the contents of said reaction vessel through a recirculating loop comprising a low-shear pump and a plate and frame heat exchanger having gap width of 6 to 18 mm, wherein more than 50% of the heat produced by said emulsion polymerization is removed from the contents of said reaction vessel by said plate and frame heat exchanger.
US08008392B1
The invention provides a golf ball material which is a resin mixture composed of (a) a nonionic olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer and/or olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of from 40,000 to 200,000, a weight-average molecular weight (Mw)/number-average molecular weight (Mn) ratio of from 2.5 to 10.0 and an unsaturated carboxylic acid content of at least 16 wt %, (b) a nonionic olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer and/or olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of from 40,000 to 200,000, a weight-average molecular weight (Mw)/number-average molecular weight (Mn) ratio of from 4.0 to 10.0 and an unsaturated carboxylic acid content of not more than 15 wt %, (c) an organic acid or a metal salt thereof, and (d) a basic inorganic metal compound for neutralizing at least 70 mol % of acid groups in components (a) to (c), which resin mixture has a Shore D hardness of from 40 to 60. The golf ball material of the invention provides an excellent rebound resilience and durability while maintaining the flow properties essential for injection molding.
US08008391B2
An aqueous pigment dispersion capable of easily preparing an aqueous pigment ink for inkjet recording, from which is obtained a colored image which is excellent in scratch fastness and excellent in properties on any recording media such as color development on plain papers and gloss on dedicated papers, is provided. An aqueous pigment dispersion containing carbon black or an organic pigment (P), a (meth)acrylic copolymer (A), a polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene block copolymer (B) represented by the following general formula (1), a polyether based polyurethane (C), a basic material and water, wherein a mass ratio of the total of nonvolatile contents of (A), (B) and (C) to (P), (A+B+C)/P, is from 0.3 to 1.6; and a mass ratio of A/(A+B+C) is from 0.05 to 0.45, is provided. HO—(C2H4O)a—(C3H6O)b—(C2H4O)c—H (General Formula 1)
US08008383B2
A phosphite composition comprising at least two of a tris(diamylaryl) phosphite, a tris(monoamylaryl) phosphite, a bis(diamylaryl)monoamylaryl phosphite, and a bis(monoamylaryl)diamylaryl phosphite. The inventive phosphite composition is a liquid at ambient conditions.
US08008382B2
The thermoplastic resin composition of the present invention comprises: about 100 parts by weight of a base resin comprising (A) about 5 to about 40% by weight of a rubber modified aromatic vinyl based copolymer resin, (B) about 30 to about 90% by weight of a polycarbonate resin, and (C) about 1 to about 50% by weight of a noncrystalline polyester resin; and (D) about 5 to about 30 parts by weight of an aromatic phosphate ester based compound.
US08008380B2
The invention relates to an accelerator solution comprising a complexing agent selected from the group consisting of complexing agents having a nitrogen atom and a hydroxyl group and bipyridine, a salt of a metal selected from the group consisting of transition metal, magnesium, and lithium, and optionally a solvent, wherein when the complexing agent has a nitrogen atom and a hydroxyl group, the amount of complexing agent in the accelerator solution is at least 5 wt %, based on the total weight of the accelerator solution, the amount of solvent is less than 50 wt %, and the amount of diethylene glycol as solvent is less than 25 wt %, based on the total weight of the accelerator solution.
US08008372B2
In a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a polymer composition comprising (i) one or more multistage polymer comprising (a) a first stage polymer having Tg of 0° C. or lower, (b) a subsequent stage polymer having Tg of 20° C. or higher, (ii) one or more phosphate salt of a multivalent cation, and (iii) one or more alkaline phosphate, in the amount of 100 ppm or more, measured as the weight of phosphorous, based on the dry weight of said multistage polymer. In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mixture comprising the polymer composition of the first aspect described above and one or more matrix resin.In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for making a polymer composition comprising the steps of providing a multistage polymer latex, coagulating said multistage polymer latex, mixing said multistage polymer with an aqueous solution of an alkaline phosphate, and drying said multistage polymer to a water content of less than 1% by weight of water based on the dry weight of said multistage polymer, wherein said dried multistage polymer comprises 100 ppm or more, based on the dry weight of said multistage polymer, of phosphorous that is in the form of an alkaline phosphate.
US08008371B2
A resin composition which provides a molded article capable of effectively blocking off heat rays from sunlight and having excellent transparency, color and moist heat resistance and a molded article thereof. The resin composition comprises (A) 100 parts by weight of a polycarbonate resin (component A), (B) 0.0001 to 0.05 part by weight of coated hexaboride particles, each composed of a hexaboride particle of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Sr and Ca and a coating layer (component B), and (C) 0.0001 to 0.05 part by weight of nitride particles (component C).
US08008360B2
A proton exchange membrane and method for formation the same is disclosed. When forming the proton exchange membrane, first, a bismaleimide and barbituric acid are copolymerized to form a hyper-branched polymer. Next, the solvent of the sulfonated tetrafluorethylene copolymer (Nafion) aqueous solution is replaced with dimethyl acetamide (DMAc). 10 to 15 parts by weight of the hyper-branched polymer is added to 90 to 85 parts by weight of the Nafion in the DMAc solution, stood and heated to 50° C. for inter-penetration of the hyper-branched polymer and the Nafion. The heated solution is coated on a substrate, baked, and pre-treated to remove residue solvent to complete formation of the proton exchange membrane.
US08008354B2
Methods of identifying death receptor sensitizing compounds and methods of using death receptor sensitizing compounds are provided.
US08008353B2
Methods for modulating macrophage proliferation in an individual afflicted with or at risk for a macrophage-associated disease are provided. The methods employ a polyamine analog, or salt or protected derivative thereof. Macrophage proliferation has been implicated in a number of serious disorders, including AIDS (HIV)-associated dementia, AIDS-associated non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Alzheimer's disease. The invention also provides methods for aiding diagnosis and monitoring therapy of a macrophage-associated non-HIV associated dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. The invention also provides methods of delaying development of macrophage-associated non-HIV associated dementias, including Alzheimer's disease, which entail administration of an agent which modulates macrophage proliferation.
US08008350B2
The invention relates to substituted phenoxyacetic acids as useful pharmaceutical compounds for treating respiratory disorders, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and processes for their preparation.
US08008348B2
This invention provides: 1) a method of treating a subject suffering from a muscle wasting disorder; 2) a method of preventing a muscle wasting disorder in a subject; 3) a method of treating, preventing, suppressing, inhibiting or reducing muscle loss in a subject suffering from a muscle wasting disorder; 4) a method of treating, preventing, inhibiting, reducing or suppressing muscle wasting in a subject suffering from a muscle wasting disorder; and/or 5) a method of treating, preventing, inhibiting, reducing or suppressing muscle protein catabolism in a subject suffering from a muscle wasting disorder, by administering to the subject a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) and/or an analog, derivative, isomer, metabolite, pharmaceutically acceptable salt, pharmaceutical product, hydrate, N-oxide, prodrug, polymorph, impurity or crystal of said SARM compound, or any combination thereof.
US08008340B2
A method for inhibiting casein kinase Iε activity, comprising administering to said patient a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of formula I. its stereoisomer, enantiomer, racemate, tautomer or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08008337B2
Compounds of formula (I): wherein: ALK represents an alkylene chain, W represents a group wherein R and R′ are as defined in the description. Medicinal products containing the same which are useful in the treatment of conditions associated with central histaminergic systems.
US08008333B2
The use of an aromatase inhibitor (AI) in the preparation of a medicament for use in inducing ovulation in a female suffering from anovulatory infertility which comprises administering to said female a single dose of the at least one aromatase inhibitor. The use of an aromatase inhibitor (AI) for the preparation of a medicament comprising a single dose of at least one aromatase inhibitor (AI) for administration to an ovulating female suffering from unexplained infertility or other types of ovulatory infertility early in one or more menstrual cycles. Such a medicament may also be administered to an anovulatory female in combination with a plurality of daily doses of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) whereby the dosage levels of FSH may be reduced. The use of AI in the preparation of a medicament for administration to a female who is a poor responder to FSH, which comprises a combination of a single dose of AI with a plurality of daily doses of FSH is also disclosed. The related pharmaceutical preparations and packages are also described.
US08008330B2
The invention relates to a combination which comprises (a) a bisphosphonate, a platinum compound or a vasculostatic compound and (b) an epothilone derivative of formula I wherein A represents O or NRN, wherein RN is hydrogen or lower alkyl, R is hydrogen or lower alkyl, and Z is O or a bond, in which the active ingredients (a) and (b) are present in each case in free form or in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt and optionally at least one pharmaceutically acceptable carrier for simultaneous, separate or sequential use, in particular for the delay of progression or treatment of a proliferative disease, especially a solid tumor disease; a pharmaceutical composition, a commercial package or product comprising such a combination; the use of such a combination for the preparation of a medicament for the delay of progression or treatment of a proliferative disease and to a method of treatment of a warm-blooded animal.
US08008305B2
The invention relates to a compound of formula wherein R1, R2, X, L, W, n, and o are defined herein and to pharmaceutically suitable acid addition salts thereof, with the exception of the following compounds 6-(4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-N-phenethyl-nicotinamide (CAS 199478-31-4), N-(3,4-dichloro-benzyl)-3-fluoro-benzamide (CAS 424815-98-5), N-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-fluoro-benzamide (CAS 544661-83-8), N-(3-chloro-benzyl)-3-fluoro-benzamide (CAS 796051-07-5), and N-phenethyl-6-phenylamino-nicotinamide (CAS 571913-74-1). The compounds of formula I have a good affinity to the trace amine associated receptors (TAARs), especially for TAAR1 and are useful for the treatment of CNS disorders.
US08008303B2
Use of a compound which is a biphenyl derivative of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for the treatment of Hepatitis C wherein the variables are described herein.
US08008300B2
A compound of formula: wherein Ar1, A, R3, x, and m are as disclosed herein and Ar2 is a benzothiazolyl, benzooxazolyl, or benzoimidazolyl group or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof (a “Benzoazolylpiperazine Compound”), compositions comprising a Benzoazolylpiperazine Compound, and methods for treating or preventing pain, UI, an ulcer, IBD, IBS, an addictive disorder, Parkinson's disease, parkinsonism, anxiety, epilepsy, stroke, a seizure, a pruritic condition, psychosis, a cognitive disorder, a memory deficit, restricted brain function, Huntington's chorea, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, dementia, retinopathy, a muscle spasm, a migraine, vomiting, dyskinesia, or depression in an animal comprising administering to an animal in need thereof an effective amount of a Benzoazolylpiperazine Compound are disclosed.
US08008294B2
The salt, the 2-hydroxy-3-[5-(morpholin-4-ylmethyl)pyridin-2-yl]1H-indole-5-carbonitrile citrate, a process for its preparation, pharmaceutical formulations containing it and the use of it in therapy, and particularly in the therapy of GSK3 related conditions and disorders.
US08008288B2
The invention provides compounds, compositions, and uses of compounds of general formula (I) or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for the preparation of a medicament intended to treat an inflammatory disorder wherein y is any integer from 1 to 8; z is any integer from 1 to 8; with the proviso that y and z cannot both equal 1; X is —C —(Y)k—(R1)n or SO2—(Y)k—(R1)n; k is 0 or 1; Y is a cycloalkyl or polycyloalkyl group (such as an adamantyl, adamantanemethyl, bicyclooctyl, cyclohexyl, cyclopropyl group); or Y is a cycloalkenyl or polycycloalkenyl group.
US08008286B2
Compounds and methods useful for preventing and treating pain, e.g., neuropathic pain, in a subject in need thereof are provided. The compounds can be “S1P modulating” agents that are capable of inducing a detectable change in S1P receptor activity.
US08008284B2
Propargylamine, propargylamine derivatives including N-propargyl-1-aminoindan, enantiomers and analogs thereof, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are useful for prevention or treatment of cardiovascular disorders, diseases and conditions.
US08008281B2
Compositions and methods for the treatment of malignancy and chronic viral infection are disclosed.
US08008266B2
Nucleic acid sequences containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides that modulate an immune response including stimulating a Th1 pattern of immune activation, cytokine production, NK lytic activity, and B cell proliferation are disclosed. The sequences are also useful as a synthetic adjuvant.
US08008261B2
This document provides to methods and materials related to apoptosis. For example, methods and materials for modulating apoptosis are provided. In addition, methods and materials for treating a mammal having an apoptosis-associated condition are provided.
US08008258B2
The present invention relates to the use of Copolymer 1 (glatiramer acetate), a Copolymer 1-related polypeptide, or a Copolymer 1-related peptide, for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
US08008251B2
Inhibitors of HCV of formula (I). and the N-oxides, salts, and stereoisomers thereof, wherein the dashed line represents an optional double bond between atoms C7 and C8; R1 is hydrogen or C1-6alkyl; R2 is hydrogen or C1-6alkyl; and n is 3, 4, 5, or 6; pharmaceutical compositions containing compounds (I) and processes for preparing compounds (I) are provided. Bioavailable combinations of the inhibitors of HCV of formula (I) with ritonavir are also provided.
US08008248B2
Methods for making a modified Cry3A toxin are disclosed. Such methods include the insertion of a protease recognition site that is recognized by a gut protease of a target insect, such as corn rootworm, into at least one position of a Cry3A toxin so that a modified Cry3A toxin is thus designed. The coding sequence of the modified Cry3A toxin may be transformed into a host cell and the host cell grown under conditions that allow the host cell to produce the modified Cry3A toxin. The host cell may be a plant cell and the plant may be comprised in a transgenic plant. Thus, the transgenic plant may be used to produce the modified Cry3A toxin.
US08008246B2
The application pertains to the use of isosorbide ethers according to general formula (I) wherein R′ and R″ independently from each other represent a hydrogen atom or a alkyl- or unsaturated alkenyl moiety for the preparation of detergents and cleaners. Preferably R′ and/or R″ are linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl or alkenyl moiety containing 1 to 33 C-Atoms. A second, independent embodiment pertains to the use of these compounds as thickener for aqueous/surfactant compositions.
US08008243B2
An azeotrope-like composition consisting essentially of 1,1,2,3-tetrachloropropene and hydrogen fluoride is provided, as well as methods that involve such an azeotrope-like composition.
US08008235B2
The present invention provides drilling fluids that comprise a base fluid and a water-soluble relative permeability modifier. In addition, the present invention provides methods of reducing the permeability of a subterranean formation to aqueous-based fluids during the drilling phase that comprises providing a water-soluble relative permeability modifier; and placing the water-soluble relative permeability modifier into the subterranean formation during the drilling phase. The present invention provides methods of drilling a well bore in a subterranean formation comprising providing a drilling fluid that comprises a base fluid and a water-soluble relative permeability modifier, and placing the drilling fluid in the subterranean formation. The water-soluble relative permeability modifiers of the present invention generally may comprise hydrophilically modified polymers, hydrophobically modified polymers, or water-soluble polymers without hydrophobic or hydrophilic modification.
US08008229B2
To provide a thermosensitive recording material, which contains: a base; a thermosensitive coloring layer containing a leuco dye and a color developer; at least one protective layer containing a resin, a crosslinking agent, and wax, wherein the thermosensitive coloring layer is disposed on the base, and the protective layer is disposed on the thermosensitive coloring layer, and wherein the resin is reactive carbonyl group-containing polyvinyl alcohol, the crosslinking agent is a hydrazide compound, and the wax is oxidized polyethylene wax.
US08008228B2
The invention concerns a carbonaceous sorbent in powder or grain form for the dry cleaning of waste gases from thermal processes. The sorbent includes carbon adsorbents from the group of activated carbon and/or brown coal cokes which are modified with sulfur and/or sulfur compounds. The sorbent is distinguished in that the specific surface area of the carbon adsorbents in m2/g in relation to the pore volume of the micropores in cm3/g is between 2400 and 2700.
US08008212B2
Fabrication methods for integrating CMOS and BJT devices are presented. A semiconductor substrate having a first region and a second region are provided, wherein the first region includes a CMOS device, and the second region includes a BJT device. A dielectric layer is conformably deposited on the semiconductor substrate. Part of the dielectric layer is removed, thereby forming sidewall spacers on a gate structure of the CMOS device and remaining a thin dielectric layer on the BJT device. The remaining thin dielectric layer is completely removed, completing integration of the CMOS device and the BJT device.
US08008210B2
An exposure mask for forming a G-type active region with a double patterning technology includes a bar shaped first light-blocking pattern to define an I-type active region, and an island shaped second light-blocking pattern to define a bit line contact region. The first light-blocking pattern and the second light-blocking pattern are arranged alternately.
US08008208B2
The present invention generally provides a method of forming a high efficiency solar cell device by preparing a surface and/or forming at least a part of a high quality passivation layer on a silicon containing substrate. Embodiments of the present invention may be especially useful for preparing a surface of a p-type doped region formed on a silicon substrate so that a high quality passivation layer can be formed thereon. In one embodiment, the methods include exposing a surface of the solar cell substrate to a plasma to clean and modify the physical, chemical and/or electrical characteristics of the surface.
US08008207B2
A method for controlling chemical dry etching to improve smoothness of an etched surface is disclosed. Ions are implanted into a surface to form a volatilizable compound at a temperature low enough to avoid, reduce, or eliminate formation of three-dimensional structures of the volatilizable compound that might create the roughness at an etched surface of the volatilizable compound. The ions are applied in a sufficient energy to penetrate to a predetermined depth of material that is to be removed from the surface in an etching cycle, and in a sufficient dosage to achieve full formation of the volatilizable compound. The surface of the volatilizable compound is exposed to a gas composition for a time duration sufficient to completely etch the volatilizable compound.
US08008206B2
A method of lithography patterning includes forming a hard mask layer on a material layer and forming a capping layer on the hard mask layer. The capping layer does not react with oxygen gas during a photoresist ashing process. The capping layer is patterned by using a first resist pattern and a second resist pattern as etch masks. After the capping layer is patterned, the hard mask layer is patterned by using the patterned capping layer as an etch mask.
US08008205B2
A method of the present invention includes a first planarization film formation step of forming, in at least part of a flat portion of the second regions, a first planarization film so as to have a uniform thickness; a second planarization film formation step of forming a second planarization film between the first planarization films to be coplanar with a surface of the first planarization film; a peeling layer formation step of forming a peeling layer by ion implantation of a peeling material into the base layer via the first planarization film or the second planarization film; and a separation step of separating part of the base layer along the peeling layer.
US08008203B2
A polishing method and a polishing apparatus capable of polishing a surface of a substrate made of SiC or diamond extremely smoothly and efficiently without causing subsurface damage are provided. A polishing platen 1 can rotate around a rotating shaft 4, and is made of quartz having high transparency to ultraviolet radiation. A large number of grooves 11 are arranged on a front surface of the polishing platen 1 in a lattice form, and each of the grooves 11 is filled with solid photocatalytic particles 20 (CeO2). The polishing platen 1 is relatively rubbed against a to-be-polished surface 30A of a substrate 30 made of silicon carbide (SiC) or diamond (C) while pressing the polishing platen 1 to the to-be-polished surface 30A of the substrate 30 with a very high pressure, thereby the to-be-polished surface 30A is oxidized by the solid photocatalytic particles 20 to perform chemical polishing. The oxidation of the to-be-polished surface 30A is promoted by applying ultraviolet radiation from an ultraviolet source lamp 2, and polishing is promoted by heating by an infrared source lamp 3.
US08008200B2
A method of forming a dual damascene structure is disclosed. A lower dielectric hardmask layer and an upper dielectric hardmask layer are deposited on an ultra low-k film. A first via is formed in the upper hardmask layer. Next, a first trench is formed using a tri-layer resist scheme. Finally, a full via and a full trench are formed simultaneously. An optional etch-stop layer can be used in the ultra low-k layer to control trench depth.
US08008198B1
A method for fabricating a copper indium diselenide semiconductor film is provided using substrates having a copper and indium composite structure. The substrates are placed vertically in a furnace and a gas including a selenide species and a carrier gas are introduced. The temperature is increased from about 350° C. to about 450° C. to initiate formation of a copper indium diselenide film from the copper and indium composite on the substrates.
US08008190B2
Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes: providing an insulating film formed above a semiconductor substrate with a processed portion; supplying a surface of the processed portion of the insulating film with a primary reactant from a reaction of a raw material including at least a Si-containing compound; and subjecting the primary reactant to dehydration condensation to form a silicon oxide film on the surface of the processed portion.
US08008187B2
A substantially planar surface coexposes conductive or semiconductor features and a dielectric etch stop material. A second dielectric material, different from the dielectric etch stop material, is deposited on the substantially planar surface. A selective etch etches a hole or trench in the second dielectric material, so that the etch stops on the conductive or semiconductor feature and the dielectric etch stop material. In a preferred embodiment the substantially planar surface is formed by filling gaps between the conductive or semiconductor features with a first dielectric such as oxide, recessing the oxide, filling with a second dielectric such as nitride, then planarizing to coexpose the nitride and the conductive or semiconductor features.
US08008183B2
The invention discloses apparatus and methods for the formation of bond wires in integrated circuit assemblies by attaching two separate wires using a dual capillary bond head. The separate wires are preferably non-identical, for example, being of different gauges and/or material composition. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, dual capillary bond head apparatus includes a rotatable ultrasonic horn with a pair of capillaries for selectably dispensing separate strands of bond wire and for forming bonds on bond targets. According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for dual capillary IC wirebonding including steps for using two dual capillary bond heads for contemporaneously attaching non-identical bond wires to selected bond targets on one or more IC package assemblies.
US08008180B2
A method of forming an Ohmic contact on a P-type 4H—SiC and an Ohmic contact formed by the same are provided. A method of forming an Ohmic contact on a P-type 4H—SiC substrate including a deposition step of successively depositing a 1 to 60 nm thick first Al layer, Ti layer, and second Al layer on a P-type 4H—SiC substrate and an alloying step of forming an alloy layer between the SiC substrate and the Ti layer through the first Al layer by heat treatment in a nonoxidizing atmosphere. An Ohmic contact on a P-type 4H—SiC substrate formed by this method is also provided.
US08008176B2
An improved method of producing solar cells utilizes a mask which is fixed relative to an ion beam in an ion implanter. The ion beam is directed through a plurality of apertures in the mask toward a substrate. The substrate is moved at different speeds such that the substrate is exposed to an ion dose rate when the substrate is moved at a first scan rate and to a second ion dose rate when the substrate is moved at a second scan rate. By modifying the scan rate, various dose rates may be implanted on the substrate at corresponding substrate locations. This allows ion implantation to be used to provide precise doping profiles advantageous for manufacturing solar cells.
US08008173B2
A III nitride single-crystal manufacturing method in which a liquid layer (3) of 200 μm or less thickness is formed in between a substrate (1) and a III nitride source-material baseplate (2), and III nitride single crystal (4) is grown onto the face (1s) on the liquid-layer side of the substrate (1). Herein, the substrate (1) in at least a superficial layer (1a) on the liquid-layer side may be formed of a III nitride single crystal, while the III nitride source-material baseplate (2) can be formed of a III nitride polycrystal. Further, the substrate (1) in at least a superficial layer (1a) on the liquid-layer side, and the III nitride source-material baseplate (2) can be formed of a III nitride single crystal, while the face (1s) on the liquid-layer side of the substrate (1) can be made a III-atom surface, and the face (2s) on the liquid-layer side of the III nitride source-material baseplate (2) can be made a nitrogen-atom surface.
US08008172B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device includes: forming a pattern having trenches on a semiconductor substrate; forming a semiconductor layer on the semiconductor device that fills the trenches; planarizing the semiconductor layer using a first planarization process without exposing the pattern; performing an epitaxy growth process on the first planarized semiconductor layer to form a crystalline semiconductor layer; and planarizing the crystalline semiconductor layer until the pattern is exposed to form a crystalline semiconductor pattern.
US08008158B2
A method of forming a dopant implant region in a MOS transistor device having a dopant profile having a target dopant concentration includes implanting a first concentration of dopants into a region of a substrate, where the first concentration of dopants is less than the target dopant concentration, and without annealing the substrate after the implanting step, performing at least one second implanting step to implant at least one second concentration of dopants into the region of the substrate to bring the dopant concentration in the region to the target dopant concentration.
US08008157B2
A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a PMOS device and an NMOS device. The step of forming the PMOS device includes forming a first gate stack on a semiconductor substrate; forming a first offset spacer on a sidewall of the first gate stack; forming a stressor in the semiconductor substrate using the first offset spacer as a mask; and epitaxially growing a first raised source/drain extension (LDD) region on the stressor. The step of forming the NMOS device includes forming a second gate stack on the semiconductor substrate; forming a second offset spacer on a sidewall of the second gate stack; epitaxially growing a second raised LDD region on the semiconductor substrate using the second offset spacer as a mask; and forming a deep source/drain region adjoining the second raised LDD region.
US08008156B2
A method for making a nitride read only memory device with buried diffusion spacers is disclosed. An oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) layer is formed on top of a silicon substrate, and a polysilicon gate is formed over the ONO layer. The polysilicon gate is formed less than a length of the ONO layer. Two buried diffusion spacers are formed beside two sidewalls of the polysilicon gate and over the ONO layer. Two buried diffusion regions are implanted on the silicon substrate next to the two buried diffusion spacers. The two buried diffusion regions are then annealed such that the approximate interfaces of the buried diffusion regions are under the sidewalls of the polysilicon gate. The structure of a nitride read only memory device with buried diffusion spacers is also described.
US08008149B2
A non-volatile semiconductor memory device comprises a plurality of memory cells, each including a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate formed on the semiconductor substrate with the inclusion of the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the floating gate, and a control gate formed on the floating gate with the inclusion of the second insulating film; an element isolation insulating film formed in the semiconductor substrate and extending in a gate-length direction to isolate between memory cells adjoining in a gate-width direction; and an air gap formed on the element isolation insulating film and between floating gates adjoining in the gate-width direction.
US08008147B2
It is possible to prevent the deterioration of device characteristic as much as possible. A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a gate insulating film provided above the semiconductor substrate and containing a metal, oxygen and an additive element; a gate electrode provided above the gate insulating film; and source/drain regions provided in the semiconductor substrate on both sides of the gate electrode. The additive element is at least one element selected from elements of Group 5, 6, 15, and 16 at a concentration of 0.003 atomic % or more but 3 atomic % or less.
US08008146B2
A method (that produces a structure) patterns at least two wires of semiconductor material such that a first wire of the wires has a larger perimeter than a second wire of the wires. The method performs an oxidation process simultaneously on the wires to form a first gate oxide on the first wire and a second gate oxide on the second wire. The first gate oxide is thicker than the second gate oxide. The method also forms gate conductors over the first gate oxide and the second gate oxide, forms sidewall spacers on the gate conductors, and dopes portions of the first wire and the second wire not covered by the sidewall spacers and the gate conductors to form source and drain regions within the first wire and the second wire.
US08008145B2
Provided is a method of fabricating a semiconductor device including a high-k metal gate structure. A substrate is provided including a dummy gate structure (e.g., a sacrificial polysilicon gate), a first and second hard mask layer overlie the dummy gate structure. In one embodiment, a strained region is formed on the substrate. After forming the strained region, the second hard mask layer may be removed. A source/drain region may be formed. An ILD layer is then formed on the substrate. A CMP process may planarize the ILD layer using the first hard mask layer as a stop layer. The CMP process may be continued to remove the first hard mask layer. The dummy gate structure is then removed and a metal gate provided.
US08008140B2
It is an object of the present invention to manufacture a TFT having a small-sized LDD region in a process with a few processing step and to manufacture TFTs each having a structure depending on each circuit separately. According to the present invention, a gate electrode is a multilayer, and a hat-shaped gate electrode is formed by having the longer gate length of a lower-layer gate electrode than that of an upper-layer gate electrode. At this time, only the upper-layer gate electrode is etched by using a resist recess width to form the hat-shaped gate electrode. Accordingly, an LDD region can be formed also in a fine TFT; thus, TFTs having a structure depending on each circuit can be manufactured separately.
US08008139B2
A simplified method of manufacturing a thin film transistor array substrate is disclosed. The method includes: forming gate electrodes, gate lines and gate pads on a substrate with the use of a first mask; forming a gate insulation film, a semiconductor layer, and a metal layer on the substrate; forming a first photoresist pattern on the metal layer with the use of a second mask; forming first contact holes for the gate pads with the use of the first photoresist pattern; forming a second photoresist pattern, and providing patterns for data pads, data lines, and thin film transistors with the use of the second photoresist pattern; providing a third photoresist pattern, and forming contact holes for source/drain electrodes and second contact holes the gate pads with the use of the third photoresist pattern; forming a protective film on the substrate and providing a fourth photoresist pattern on the protective film with the use of a third mask; forming third contact holes for the gate pads, contact holes for the data pads, gate lines, and drain electrodes, and contact holes for pixel electrodes, with the use of the fourth photoresist pattern; and forming a transparent conduction film on the fourth photoresist pattern having the contact holes.
US08008138B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device is provided in which the channel of the device is present in an extremely thin semiconductor-on-insulator (ETSOI) layer, i.e., a semiconductor layer having a thickness of less than 20 nm. In one embodiment, the method begins with forming a first semiconductor layer and epitaxially growing a second semiconductor layer on a handling substrate. A first gate structure is formed on a first surface of the second semiconductor layer and source regions and drain regions are formed adjacent to the gate structure. The handling substrate and the first semiconductor layer are removed to expose a second surface of the second semiconductor layer that is opposite the first surface of the semiconductor layer. A second gate structure or a dielectric region is formed in contact with the second surface of the second semiconductor layer.
US08008137B2
An integrated circuit includes a bulk technology integrated circuit (bulk IC) including a bulk silicon layer and complementary MOSFET (CMOS) transistors fabricated thereon. The integrated circuit also includes a single transistor dynamic random access memory (1T DRAM) cell arranged adjacent to and integrated with the bulk IC.
US08008134B2
An electronic package and methods by which the package reduces thermal fatigue failure of conductors in the electronic package. The electronic package includes a carrier substrate having first and second surfaces and a plurality of anchor vias having a via material extending from the first surface toward the second surface. The electronic package includes a first conducting layer having a length and a width extending laterally in two dimensions across a major part of the first surface of the carrier substrate. The anchor vias have plural attachments along the length and the width of the first conducting layer to secure the first conducting layer to the carrier substrate.
US08008122B1
To prevent formation of entrapped underfill material between solder balls and bonding bumps, fast temperature ramping is employed during a chi assembly after application of an underfill material prior to bonding. Voids formed within the underfill material are subsequently removed by curing the underfill material in a pressurized environment. Temperature cycling on the underfill material is limited during the bonding process in order to maintain viscosity of the underfill material prior to the cure process in the pressurized environment. Further, the underfill material is subjected to the pressurized environment until the cure process is complete to prevent re-formation of voids. The cure process can be a constant temperature or a multi-temperature process including temperature ramping. Further, the cure process can be a constant pressure process or a pressure cycling process that accelerates removal of the voids.
US08008119B2
The invention relates to a surface mount optoelectronic component with a lens attachment, the method for precising the lens position and the method to manufacture the whole component.
US08008113B2
The present invention advantageously provides for, in different embodiments, low-cost deposition techniques to form high-quality, dense, well-adhering Group IBIIIAVIA compound thin films with macro-scale as well as micro-scale compositional uniformities. It also provides methods to monolithically integrate solar cells made on such compound thin films to form modules. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of growing a Group IBIIIAVIA semiconductor layer on a base, and includes the steps of depositing on the base a nucleation and/or a seed layer and electroplating over the nucleation and/or the seed layer a precursor film comprising a Group IB material and at least one Group IIIA material, and reacting the electroplated precursor film with a Group VIA material. Other embodiments are also described.
US08008110B1
A method for forming a thin film photovoltaic device is provided. The method includes providing a transparent substrate comprising a surface region. A first electrode layer is formed overlying the surface region. A chalcopyrite material is formed overlying the first electrode layer. In a specific embodiment, the chalcopyrite material comprises a copper poor copper indium disulfide region. The copper poor copper indium disulfide region having an atomic ratio of Cu:In of about 0.95 and less. The method includes compensating the copper poor copper indium disulfide region using a sodium species to cause the chalcopyrite material to change from an n-type characteristic to a p-type characteristic. The method includes forming a window layer overlying the chalcopyrite material and forming a second electrode layer overlying the window layer.
US08008103B2
A nitride-based light emitting device capable of achieving an enhancement in emission efficiency and an enhancement in reliability is disclosed. The light emitting device includes a semiconductor layer, and a light extracting layer arranged on the semiconductor layer and made of a material having a refractive index equal to or higher than a reflective index of the semiconductor layer.
US08008096B2
ALD processing techniques for forming non-volatile resistive-switching memories are described. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a first electrode on a substrate, maintaining a pedestal temperature for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process of less than 100° Celsius, forming at least one metal oxide layer over the first electrode, wherein the forming the at least one metal oxide layer is performed using the ALD process using a purge duration of less than 20 seconds, and forming a second electrode over the at least one metal oxide layer.
US08008092B2
Provided are methods and compositions for the treatment or prevention of ocular angiogenesis and neovascularization. Administration of inhibitors of the CCR3 receptor or its ligands eotaxin (CCL11), eotaxin-2 (CCL24) or eotaxin-3 (CCL26) inhibits ocular angiogenesis.
US08008089B2
A system for checking measurement results is provided with a urine qualitative analyzer for measuring the specific gravity of a urine, urinary particle analyzer for measuring urine conductivity, and a computer. The urine specific gravity measured by the urine qualitative analyzer, and the urine conductivity measured by the urinary particle analyzer are respectively transmitted to the computer. The correlative relationship between urine specific gravity and urine conductivity is stored in the memory of the computer, and the computer determines whether or not the received urine specific gravity and conductivity match the correlative relationship, and this determination result is output.
US08008086B2
A hemostasis analyzer, such as the Thrombelastograph® (TEG®) hemostasis analyzer is utilized to measure continuously in real time, the hemostasis process from the initial fibrin formation, through platelet-fibrin interaction and lysis to generate blood hemostasis parameters. The measured blood hemostasis parameters permit evaluation of hemostasis therapies including anticoagulation therapies such as direct thrombin inhibition therapies.
US08008084B1
The present invention relates to a method for determining whether or not a mammal is affected with a lung cancer. The method for determining whether or not a mammal is affected with a lung cancer of the present invention includes the steps of: (a) measuring a concentration of 2-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid contained in the urine excreted from the mammal; and (b) determining that the mammal is affected with a lung cancer if the concentration measured in the step (a) is 13.2 μM or more.
US08008081B1
A data processing system that facilitates the buying and selling of specialty chemicals. A uniform standard and specification is established for each specialty chemical that is being offered for sale via the system. The uniform standard and specification is advantageously supplier independent so that a prospective purchaser can directly compare offerings from different suppliers. A prospective purchaser defines a requirement for a specialty chemical that it wishes to purchase. The requirement, which defines acceptable ranges for the characteristics that make up the standard, is input into the data processing system. The requirement is compared, in the data processing system, with analyses of batches of the specialty chemical that are available for purchase through the data processing system in an attempt to find a batch that satisfies the requirement. An indicium of a batch satisfying the requirement is output, from the data processing system, to the prospective purchaser.
US08008070B2
A LoC (Lab on a Chip) is described to analyze surface properties of fluid drops. Substrates with cavities near the edge are filled with fluids that have a contact angle greater than 90°. The surfaces of two different drops can be brought in contact with one another by using Coulomb forces. Several experiments can be carried out while the drops are in contact: the concentration of the fluid in each drop can be altered, tangential and normal forces can be applied to the contact surface, voltage differences across and current flow through the contact surface can be monitored. MEMS pumps can be used to mix reagents or buffers with the fluid to determine the protein concentration or to extract DNA from whole cells, respectively. Substrates holding optical components can be used to align fibers with either lasers or receivers. The alignment is automatic and controlled by a control unit.
US08008068B2
A nonhemolytic sensor for determination of analytes in erythrocyte-containing biological fluids is disclosed that comprises an optical material having a deposit on a surface thereof, where this deposit includes an analyte-reactive reagent and a particulate means for suppressing hemolysis of erythrocytes in an erythrocyte-containing biological fluid, such as whole blood. Thus, a porous array of negatively charged particles, e.g., polymeric beads having a plurality of carboxylate surface groups, are disposed on a sampling surface of an optical sensor, and suppress hemolysis of erythrocytes coming into contact with the sampling surface. In the case of an optical sensor, such particles can simultaneously enhance reflectance of a light beam transmitted through the optical material to the sampling surface site.
US08008059B1
A method of detection of cells, microorganisms, or molecules by the use of various combinations of fluorogens and a chromogens which yield fluorophores and chromophores when cleaved by specific enzymes and which can be viewed by UV and visible light. Included is the method of application of a family of compounds producing both insoluble fluorophores and chromophores identified as dual enzyme substrates.
US08008056B2
Described herein are variants of H. jecorina CBH2, a Cel6A enzyme. The present invention provides novel cellobiohydrolases that have altered thermostability.
US08008054B2
A purified thermostable enzyme is derived form the thermophilic archaebacterium Thermococcus gorgonarius. The enzyme can be native or recombinant, retains approximately 90% of its activity after incubation for two hours at 95° C. in the presence of stabilizing agents and possesses 3′-5′ proofreading exonuclease activity. Thermostable DNA polymerases are useful in many recombinant DNA techniques, especially nucleic acid amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
US08008052B2
A process is provided for producing glycolic acid from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide. More specifically, heat-treated formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide are reacted to produce glycolonitrile having low concentrations of impurities. The glycolonitrile is subsequently converted to an aqueous solution of ammonium glycolate using an enzyme catalyst having nitrilase activity derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 57746). Glycolic acid is recovered in the form of the acid or salt from the aqueous ammonium glycolate solution using a variety of methods described herein.
US08008043B2
Provided are processes for culturing cells derived from embryonic retinoblast cells immortalized by adenovirus E1 sequences, such as PER.C6® cells, to improve product yields from such cells. Feed strategies for such cells and cultures with very high cell densities are provided, resulting in high yields of products, such as recombinant antibodies.
US08008041B2
Compositions and methods of producing components of protein biosynthetic machinery that include orthogonal tRNAs, orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, and orthogonal pairs of tRNAs/synthetases, which incorporate redox active amino acids into proteins are provided. Methods for identifying these orthogonal pairs are also provided along with methods of producing proteins with redox active amino acids using these orthogonal pairs.
US08008035B2
The present invention is directed to a composition comprising a vanadium-containing phosphatase inhibitor and a polyol. In the presence of the polyol the effect of the inhibitor is enhanced, even in the presence of chelating agents or reducing agents. The invention also concerns the use of the inventive composition for inhibiting a phosphatase, as well as kits comprising the composition.
US08008033B2
The invention is a herd management schema based upon the inventor's analysis of the natural history of bovine infection due to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map) and related genomic variants and upon the ability of two distinct Map ELISA tests to sequentially or in parallel determine prior and current Map infection and evidence of active mycobacterium replication. Interpretation of the test results are integrated into sequential directives designed to enhance productive retention of infected animals as well as identify animal not previously infected. The sequential utilization of the data guidelines is developed to minimize the adverse economic impact.
US08008029B2
The invention concerns a method for differentiating and counting cellular components present in a biological fluid sample comprising a primary cytological analysis step typically implemented by a flow cytometry equipment (1) to obtain a set of primary results enabling the set of cellular components of the sample to be differentiated and counted in different populations; and a complementary step of cytological analysis of a particular type of cellular components, based on an identified cellular peculiarity, to obtain complementary results enabling at least one cell population or subpopulation of the sample to be differentiated and counted for identification of said cellular peculiarity. The invention is applicable in particular to hematological analyses.
US08008027B2
The present invention provides nucleotide and amino acid sequences that identify and encode a novel expressed chemokine (ADEC) from inflamed adenoid tissue. The present invention also provides for antisense molecules to the nucleotide sequences which encode ADEC, expression vectors for the production of purified ADEC, antibodies capable of binding specifically to ADEC, hybridization probes or oligonucleotides for the detection of ADEC-encoding nucleotide sequences, genetically engineered host cells for the expression of ADEC, diagnostic tests for inflammation or disease based on ADEC-encoding nucleic acid molecules or antibodies capable of binding specifically to ADEC.
US08008026B2
The present invention relates to a method for differentially detecting a multimeric form from a monomeric form of a multimer-forming polypeptide in a biosample, which comprises the steps of: (a) preparing a carrier-capturing antibody conjugate by binding a capturing antibody to the surface of a solid phase carrier in a three dimensional manner, wherein the capturing antibody is capable of recognizing an epitope on the multimer-forming polypeptide; (b) preparing a detection antibody, wherein an epitope recognized by the detection antibody is present at a position in the multimer-forming polypeptide to cause a steric hindrance by the capturing antibody bound to its epitope to prevent the binding of the detection antibody to the multimer-forming polypeptide; (c) contacting simultaneously the carrier-capturing antibody conjugate and the detection antibody to the biosample; and (d) detecting the formation of a carrier-capturing antibody-multimeric form-detection antibody complex.
US08008022B2
The present inventions relates to kits and methods for diagnosing and monitoring breast cancer. An increase in the level or activity of proteins of the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway, and ancillary proteins thereof, as compared to normal control or benign tissue is indicative of breast cancer.
US08008020B2
This invention provides biomarkers whose concentrations in blood plasma are associated with the presence or absence of PAD in the patient from whom the plasma sample is taken. The invention also provides biomarkers for distinguishing between PAD patients who are long claudicators and PAD patients who are not. In addition, the invention provides methods for identifying additional biomarkers, methods for detecting the biomarkers in patients, and methods for identifying agents, including pharmaceutical agents, which interact with the biomarkers and are useful for preventing or treating PAD in patients.
US08008019B2
The methods and compositions of the present invention allow for the evaluation of a nucleotide expansion, contraction or deletion. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for detecting a nucleotide expansion, contraction or deletion comprising amplifying a target nucleic acid sequence with a primer pair, each primer comprising a target specific sequence and a differentiating tag sequence, labeling the target nucleic acid sequence to produce a dual-tagged amplification product; digesting the dual-tagged amplification product to produce an expansion region fragment and an internal control fragment; hybridizing the fragments to separate capture complexes; detecting the signals produced by the labels on the immobilized fragments and comparing the intensity of the signals to detect the nucleotide expansion, contraction or deletion region.
US08008016B2
The present invention includes vectors and methods for high throughput co-expression.
US08008013B2
The present invention provides methods for the prediction and diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, including Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, using single nucleotide polymorphism in TNFAIP3 (A20).
US08008006B2
A method to prepare synthetic nucleic acid molecules having reduced inappropriate or unintended transcriptional characteristics when expressed in a particular host cell.
US08007986B2
Suitable additives that may be added into immersion fluids, immersion fluids comprising at least one carrier medium selected from an aqueous fluid, a non-aqueous fluid, and mixtures thereof, and immersions fluids comprising at least one carrier medium and at least one additive useful for performing immersion lithography at an operating wavelength ranging from 140 nm to 365 nm are disclosed herein.
US08007980B2
A resist for printing that is coated on a printing roll and is then sequentially transcribed on a printing plate and a substrate including: a material wherein a cohesive energy between the resist and the printing plate is larger than a cohesive energy between the resist and a blanket formed on the surface of printing roll, and wherein a cohesive energy between the resist and the substrate is larger than the cohesive energy between the resist and the blanket formed on the surface of printing roll.
US08007977B2
A toner satisfying at least one of the following relationships: 10° C.<(T1−T2)<60° C. and 0
US08007970B2
Present embodiments pertain to an improved electrostatographic imaging member having low contact friction surfaces to ease sliding mechanical interaction and suppressing abrasion/wear failure and methods of preparing thereof. The improved imaging member has layers comprising one or two low surface energy polymeric materials that enhance the physical and mechanical functions and reduce the layers surface contact friction of the imaging member to extend service life.
US08007967B2
Disclosed is a shadow mask having a fine slit that can improve precision and resolution of a pattern by reducing side etching during an etching process of a mask substrate, and a manufacturing method thereof. The shadow mask includes a mask substrate, a slit region formed by penetrating through the mask substrate, the slit region having a plurality of undercut portions at respective sides thereof, each undercut portion having a unit thickness, and a shadow region provided in the mask substrate, the shadow region corresponding to a region other than the slit region.
US08007966B2
A method of fabricating a mask set is provided. The method includes providing mask data associated with a plurality of mask layers. The mask data includes a first pattern associated with a first technology node and a second pattern associated with a second technology node. The method continues with determining to form a multi-technology node mask (MTM) for a first mask layer of the plurality of mask layers. The MTM for the first mask layer is formed, which includes features associated with the first pattern and features associated with the second pattern.
US08007963B2
A photomask or equivalent optical component includes a scattering element in the medium of a substrate, which actively modifies (adjusts/filters the intensity, shape, and/or components of) light that propagates through the substrate. The substrate has a front surface and a back surface and is transparent to exposure light of a photolithography process, i.e., light of given wavelength, at least one mask pattern at the front surface of the substrate and the image of which is to be transferred to an electronic device substrate in a photolithographic process using the photomask, a blind pattern at the front surface of the substrate and opaque to the exposure light, and the scattering element. The scattering element, in addition to being formed in the medium of the substrate, is situated below the blind pattern as juxtaposed with the blind pattern in the direction of the thickness of the substrate. Also, a section of the photomask substrate is irradiated with energy which does not melt and/or vaporize the medium of the photomask substrate to form the scattering element. To this end, a femtosecond laser may be used.
US08007959B2
A photomask includes a transparent substrate having a transparent property against exposing light and a halftone portion formed on the transparent substrate. In the halftone portion, a first opening having a first dimension and a second opening having a second dimension larger than the first dimension are formed. A light-shielding portion is formed on the transparent substrate to be disposed around the second opening.
US08007951B2
A fuel cell system is provided including a fuel cell stack having a first end and second end. The fuel cell stack includes at least one fuel cell having a membrane-electrode assembly disposed between adjacent gas diffusion layers. The fuel cell system further includes a compression retention system having a plurality of compliant straps adapted to apply a compressive force to the fuel cell stack. The plurality of compliant straps are further adapted to accommodate an expansion of the fuel cell stack during an operation thereof and maintain the compressive force within a desired range.
US08007950B2
Each of the fuel cell units making up a fuel cell stack includes a first separator, a second separator, and a third separator. A predetermined number of load receivers are provided integrally on outer ends of the first separator, the second separator, and the third separator. The load receivers of the second separator protrude toward the casing beyond the other load receivers. Resin clips are inserted into the load receivers, such that the first separator, the second separator, and the third separator are fixed together by the resin clips.
US08007949B2
A fuel cell including an anode-side catalyst coated diffusion medium and a cathode-side catalyst coated diffusion medium that sandwich an ionically conductive membrane. A sealing material is disposed between the ionically conductive membrane and the anode-side and cathode-side catalyst coated diffusion medium, wherein the sealing material is formed of a material that has a permeability that is less than a permeability of the ionically conductive member. The sealing material may also be formed of a material that is softer than the ionically conductive membrane such that the sealing material may deform and enable an membrane electrode assembly of the fuel cell to be subjected to uniform pressures throughout the assembly.
US08007948B2
An ion exchange cartridge for a coolant system of a fuel cell stack is provided. The ion exchange cartridge includes a housing with an ion exchange resin disposed therein. The housing includes an inlet and at least one fluid-permeable outlet window configured for coolant to flow therethrough. The ion exchange cartridge is adapted to be removably disposed in the coolant system. An ion exchange cartridge assembly and a coolant tank assembly having the ion exchange cartridge are also provided.
US08007944B2
An active test fuel cell characterizes and qualifies cell-internal components to establish technical data on the cell-internal components to be tested at low assembly costs, at a low error rate and with a high degree of reproducibility of the measuring results. The test fuel cell includes two housing plates. One of the housing plates is coupled to a piston/cylinder unit whose piston acts on a pressure element which in turn applies a load to the cell-internal components being tested.
US08007941B2
A positive active material for a rechargeable lithium battery. The positive active material includes a core and a surface-treatment layer on the core. The core includes at least one lithiated compound and the surface-treatment layer includes at least one coating material selected from the group consisting of coating element included-hydroxides, oxyhydroxides, oxycarbonates, hydroxycarbonates and any mixture thereof.
US08007937B2
A battery pack is provided. The battery pack includes: a generator device having a battery element disposed on a flexible covering material folded to cover the battery element, wherein three sides of the flexible covering material around the battery element are sealed; a rigid covering material for covering the generator device, having an opening and being bonded to the flexible covering material of the generator device; and a cover fitted into the opening of the rigid covering material, wherein the rigid covering material has a three-layer structure having an outer packaging layer, a metal layer, and a heat-bonding layer which are stacked on one another, and the heat-bonding layer is one selected from an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, an ethyl acrylate copolymer, a methyl acrylate copolymer, a methacrylic acid copolymer, a methyl methacrylate copolymer, polyacrylonitrile, an ethylene vinyl alcohol resin, a polyamide resin, a polyester resin, acid-modified polypropylene, or an ionomer.
US08007934B2
An activatable battery for an electronic artillery fuse and mortar fuse includes an ampoule filled with an electrolyte, and an activation device for rupturing the ampoule. In order to evaluate the duration of a mechanical impulse acting on the battery, the activation device can be freed by a timing member having an inertia body which is axially and rotatably displaceable and against which a compression spring is operative. A compact structure and reliable installation of the ampoule in the battery is achieved in that the battery has an upper battery portion and a lower battery portion, the activation device is provided in the upper battery portion and the ampoule is disposed immovably in the lower battery portion.
US08007932B2
Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic disk having a lubricating layer formed on the surface thereof, which meets all the requirements for adhesiveness, adequate flowability, and strong binding power. In a particular embodiment, a magnetic disk has a magnetic layer, a protective layer, and a lubricating layer which are formed on a non-magnetic substrate, which is characterized in that said lubricating layer is comprised of a lubricant containing a first ingredient and a second ingredient, said first ingredient as the main constituent being a first perfluoropolyether compound represented by the formula (1) below, which has a weight-average molecular weight of 500 to 6000 and a dispersity smaller than 1.3, and said second ingredient being a second perfluoropolyether compound which has a weight-average molecular weight of 500 to 6000 and has 6 to 10 hydroxyl groups (on average) in one molecule, Rt-Rf1-Rt (1) where, Rf1 denotes a perfluoropolyether chain represented by the formula (2) and Rt denotes a terminal group represented by the formula (3), —CF2O—[(CF2CF2O)m—(CF2O)n]—CF2— (2) where, m and n each denote a natural number,
US08007927B2
A new class of dibenzothiophene and/or dibenzofuran-containing compounds are provided. The new compounds may be useful in organic light emitting devices, particularly as the host of an emissive layer having a host and an emissive dopant, or as a material in an enhancement layer.
US08007923B2
A metallic member, which is subjected to rust-preventive treatment, includes a metallic substrate, a zinc composite coating film, and a coating layer. The metallic substrate is formed as a predetermined configuration. The zinc composite coating film is disposed on the metallic substrate. The coating layer is made by coating and drying a coating composition on the zinc composite coating film. The coating composition includes a coating vehicle, a body pigment, and a rust-preventive pigment. The coating vehicle includes an organic solvent, and a resinous material being dissolved in the organic solvent. The body pigment is dispersed in the coating vehicle. The rust-preventive pigment is dispersed in the coating vehicle.
US08007920B2
The invention provides a coating composition that provides high brightness, high gloss and superior print quality. The coated product comprises a substrate coated on at least one side with a coating composition comprising a pigment component and a binder component that is made of mixture of two binder resins. Both binder resins are capable of film forming. The first binder resin provides coating gloss and adhesion properties and the second binder resin enhances coating porosity, adhesion, and anti-static properties. The first binder resin that is used at 60-95% by weight of the total binder resin blend is selected from the group consisting of vinyl acetate acrylate, styrene acrylate and styrene butadiene acrylic copolymers. The second binder resin that is used at 5-40% by weight of the total binder resin blend is selected from the group consisting of anion type polystyrene derivatives, polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol.
US08007916B2
A composite part is produced by a process in which at least one of components a) and b) of said composite part is treated with an Openair plasma on a contact surface between said components a) and b) prior to production of the composite part, followed by molding-on of the other component; wherein said components are as follows: a) a part which entirely or to some extent comprises a molding composition comprising at least 40% by weight of a polyamide whose monomer units contain an average of at least 8 carbon atoms, and b) a part comprising another molding composition.
US08007905B2
The present invention relates to culturing cells utilizing a matrix of microfibrillated thermoplastic polymeric materials. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of culturing cells. In addition, the invention relates to a microfibrillated article for culturing cells dispersed in a cell culture medium. The matrix of thermoplastic polymeric materials for culturing cells of this invention finds use in tissue engineering and wound healing applications.
US08007899B2
A segmented abradable ceramic coating comprises a bond coat layer, at least one segmented 7 weight percent yttria-stabilized zirconia layer disposed upon said bond coat layer, and at least one 12 weight percent yttria-stabilized zirconia layer disposed upon said at least one segmented 7 weight percent yttria-stabilized zirconia layer.
US08007898B2
Roofing material with an irregular surface and tailored radiation properties and tailored aesthetic properties in separate directions, simultaneously. This provides enhanced thermal performance in the sun direction and aesthetically pleasing visual appearance from viewing directions.
US08007896B2
A textured window film has a prismatic effect that allows a substantial amount of incoming light to pass through a window while refracting the light at random or semi-random angles in a manner that distorts viewed images. The result is a window film that is brighter and more vibrant while also providing visual privacy. The textured window film can therefore better simulate real textured and colored glass.
US08007891B2
A fixing device secures components, such as fan devices, heating devices and other air-conditioning devices, to padding foams of vehicle seats. A method produces the fixing device. The component has at least one adhesive fastening part (22) which, together with at least one corresponding adhesive fastening part (24) connected to the padding foam (12), forms a releasable adhesive fastening with which the component is held in a fixed manner in contact with the padding foam (12). The adhesive fastening formed then provides a releasable connection between the component and the foam.
US08007883B2
The invention relates to a container (1) comprising a transparent cylindrical container wall (2) and an envelope (8) covering the entire container wall. Such containers are used in the form of a vial, an ampulla or a syringe, for example, in clinical tests of medicaments or remedies. According to the invention, the envelope is embodied in an opaque manner such that it can be determined whether undissolved particles are still present in the liquid, but the actual color of the content cannot be determined.
US08007876B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) and a fabrication method thereof are provided. The LCD includes a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to the first substrate. At least two layers of cholesteric liquid crystal layers are disposed between the first and the second substrates, wherein chiral dopants with different optical activities are respectively added in the cholesteric liquid crystal layers, and the chiral dopants have the same chemical structure. The fabrication method includes providing a first substrate and a second substrate opposite to the first substrate. A plurality of chiral dopants with different optical activities and having the same chemical structure are mixed into the same liquid crystal host respectively to form at least two kinds of cholesteric liquid crystal materials. Then, the cholesteric liquid crystal materials are disposed between the first and the second substrates to form at least two layers of cholesteric liquid crystal layers.
US08007874B2
According to the method and the apparatus for curing a coated film of the present invention, since an ionization radiation is applied after the O2 concentration in the near-surface layer within 1 mm above the surface of the coated film is adjusted to 1000 ppm or lower, the coated film can be sufficiently cured by irradiation of the ionization radiation. In other words, according to the method and the apparatus for curing a coated film of the present invention, since the O2 concentration in a thin near-surface layer on the surface of a coated film is decreased, the coated film can be sufficiently cured by irradiation of an ionization radiation. As a result, the amount of inert gas supplied upon irradiation of an ionization radiation can be reduced, and downsizing and cost reduction of equipment can be achieved.
US08007873B2
The present invention discloses a method for producing coated film, comprising the following procedures of: coating water-based macromolecular emulsion on the surface of a film substrate, drying the film substrate coated with emulsion with microwave, and then curing the dried film to make the coating crystallize homogeneously. The coated films produced with that method are tolerant to friction and are featured with strong resistance to scraping, high tensility, high contractility, excellent antistatic property, low surface friction factor, perfect glossiness, high oxygen and water obstruction property, and low production cost, and are especially suitable for producing high-performance thermal contracting coated films. The contracting films produced with the method may be used as esthetic and abrasion-resistant wrapping material and may help to extend quality guarantee period of articles.
US08007868B2
A method of controlling the morphology of silica or silica-like films formed by coating a precursor formulation of hydrolysable silicate oligomer onto a substrate and curing in a vaporous environment that comprises a base, water and a retarder that retards the hydrolysis of the oligomer.
US08007863B2
A multi-layer article including a foodware substrate and a fluoropolymer composition having a copolymer consisting of from 80 to 94% by weight tetrafluoroethylene, from 6 to 20% by weight of one or more perfluorovinyl ethers of the formula CF2═CFO(RafO)n(RbfO)mRcf, where Raf and Rbf are independently selected from linear or branched perfluoroalkylene groups of 1-6 carbon atoms, m and n are each independently 0-10 and Rcf is a perfluoroalkyl group of 1-6 carbon atoms, where when the perfluorovinyl ether content is less than 7% by weight, the fluoropolymer has an MFI of 5 or less; and/or a copolymer comprising from 80-94% by weight tetrafluoroethylene, from 5-20% by weight of a perfluorovinyl ether of the formula CF2═CFO(RafO)n(RbfO)mRcf where Raf, Rbf, m, n and Rcf are the same as defined above, and up to 15% by weight of one or more additional monomers based on the total weight of the fluoropolymer.
US08007857B1
Methods for controlling the release rate and improving the mechanical properties of a stent coating are disclosed.
US08007855B2
A method of coating an implantable medical device is disclosed, the method includes applying a composition onto the device and drying the composition at elevated temperature in an environment having increased relative humidity.
US08007848B2
A pneumatic seasoning system and method utilizing a rotating drum for seasoning, a funnel-fed pneumatic eductor, line splitters, and a plurality of specially-designed swirl-inducing nozzle spools for inducing a broad and even seasoning plume. In a preferred embodiment, a pneumatic seasoning system transports seasoning from a seasoning hopper to food items within a rotating drum using a combination of an eductor and four in-line vacuum generators, which vacuum generators operate on compressed air. Each vacuum generator comprises a distributing nozzle roughly shaped like a collared spool, wherein compressed air is supplied to the annular region defined between the spool and its collar, and said compressed air exits through swirl ports distributed about the circumference of the spool exit. Each swirl port preferably has a pitch angle of 15° and a yaw angle of 15°.
US08007846B2
Mixed amino acid/mineral compounds can include at least two amino acids bound to a central mineral atom. The combination of amino acids can be tailored to provide improved solubility, absorption, and/or bioavailability of the mineral. Optionally, organic acids can be bound to the mineral or combined with the chelate in order to further improve solubility, absorption, and/or bioavailability. Compositions including one or more mixed amino acid/mineral compounds can be included in therapeutic regimens for indications in which the mineral may treat and/or prevent a condition or symptom.
US08007843B2
A method for preparing a dairy product in a production line, includes a step of continuously injecting at least one sterol and/or stanol ester through the production line at a predetermined temperature T1 no lower than the melting point of the ester, and particularly at a temperature of 35-80° C., and into a dairy composition at a predetermined temperature T2 no lower than the temperature T1, which composition consists of an initial emulsifier-free milk-based composition containing milk proteins, to give a mixture, wherein the step of injecting at least one sterol and/or stanol ester is carried out before a step of homogenizing the mixture.
US08007840B2
Described are mixtures of at least four of the alkadienamides defined according to the structure: wherein R represents C1-C2 n-alkyl; R1 is 2-methyl-1-propyl and R2 is hydrogen, or R1 and R2 taken together is a moiety having the formula —(CH2)n—, wherein n is 4 or 5, or compositions containing substantial concentrations of such mixtures, prepared according to novel processes: (a) extraction of a ground substantially dried fruit of one of the Piper species, Piper longum Linn or Piper peepuloides; (b) natural product-forming synthesis; or (c) synthetic product-forming synthesis. Also described are uses of the thus-formed products for augmenting, enhancing or imparting an aroma, taste, chemesthetic effect and/or antibacterial effect in or to a consumable material and/or in the oral cavity and/or on the mammalian epidermis.
US08007839B2
Described are mixtures of at least four of the alkadienamides defined according to the structure: wherein R represents C1-C2 n-alkyl; R1 is 2-methyl-1-propyl and R2 is hydrogen, or R1 and R2 taken together is a moiety having the formula —(CH2)n— wherein n is 4 or 5, or compositions containing substantial concentrations of such mixtures, prepared according to novel processes: (a) extraction of a ground substantially dried fruit of one of the Piper species, Piper longum Linn or Piper peepuloides; (b) natural product-forming synthesis; or (c) synthetic product-forming synthesis. Also described are uses of the thus-formed products for augmenting, enhancing or imparting an aroma, taste, chemesthetic effect and/or antibacterial effect in or to a consumable material and/or in the oral cavity and/or on the mammalian epidermis.
US08007831B2
A process is described for loading hydrophilic polymer particles with a water-insoluble solvent-soluble drug. The particles are preferably embolic agents. The method provides particles having little or no drug at the surface and in a surface layer, whereby the burst effect is minimised. The drug is precipitated in the core of the particle, leading to extended release. The drug is, for instance, paclitaxel, rapamycin, dexamethasone or ibuprofen.
US08007826B2
A pharmaceutical composition which comprises a therapeutically effective amount of a aminopyridine dispersed in a release matrix, including, for example, a composition that can be formulated into a stable, sustained-release oral dosage formulation, such as a tablet which provides, upon administration to a patient, a therapeutically effective plasma level of the aminopyridine for a period of at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours or more and the use of the composition to treat various neurological diseases.
US08007824B2
The present invention relates to a solid oral dosage form comprising a therapeutically effective amount of aliskiren, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and wherein the active ingredient is present in an amount of more than 46% by weight based on the total weight of the oral dosage form.
US08007822B2
Bioabsorbable compositions of A) blends of bioabsorbable homopolymers and/or copolymers containing glycolide and lactide and B) salts of fatty acids and/or fatty acid esters are described. Processes for making the compositions and surgical articles made totally or in part therefrom, including suture coatings, are also described.
US08007811B2
The present invention provides isolated polypeptides isolatable from a Staphylococcus spp. Also provided by the present invention are compositions that include one or more of the polypeptides, and methods for making and methods for using the polypeptides.
US08007776B2
Vaccine composition containing IL-15 for active immunization to treatment diseases related to over-expression of this cytokine. The technical aim pursued in this invention is to inhibit IL-15 activity through development of a therapeutic vaccine which elicits IL-15 neutralizing antibodies in the immunized host.IL-15 can be presented in this vaccine composition either alone or coupled to a carrier such as the P64k protein with a vaccine adjuvant such as Aluminum hydroxide.Besides, this invention is related to the use of this vaccine for treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis and other IL-15 over-expressing related diseases, and leukemia, where this cytokine acts as a growth factor.
US08007775B2
Polymers containing poly(hydroxyalkanoates) and agents for use with medical articles and methods of fabricating the same are disclosed. The medical article generally comprises an implantable substrate having a coating, and the coating contains a poly(hydroxyalkanoate).
US08007773B2
A leave-on hair cosmetic composition, which contains the following components (A) and (B): (A) an organic C2-8 dicarboxylic acid or salt thereof, and (B) at least one or more of an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of aromatic alcohols, N-alkylpyrrolidones, alkylene carbonates, polypropylene glycols, lactones and cyclic ketones, wherein the organic solvent has a ClogP of from −2 to 3; and wherein the cosmetic composition has a pH of from 2 to 5 at 25° C. when diluted to 20 times its weight with water and has a buffering capacity of 0.001 gram equivalent/L or greater but less than 0.2 gram equivalent/L. A hair quality improving method which comprises treating the hair with the hair cosmetic composition. This hair cosmetic composition provides benefits such as enhancement of luster, manageability, pliability and elasticity of dry hair to which it is applied, such as hair dehydrated and damaged by coloring, permanent waving, or repetitive excessive blow drying.
US08007771B2
The present invention relates to oral care compositions comprising stannous ions, a mint-type flavor oil, a protectant component that prevents generation of off odor and off taste in the composition, and orally acceptable carriers. The mint-type oils include peppermint, spearmint and corn mint. Suitable protectant components include copper salts and carbonyl compounds such as ascorbic acid; cis-jasmone; 2,5-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-3(2H)-furanone; 5-ethyl-3-hydroxy-4-methyl-2(5H)-furanone; vanillin; ethyl vanillin; anisaldehyde; 3,4-methylenedioxybenzaldehyde; 3,4-dimethoxybenzaldehyde; 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde; 2-methyoxybenzaldehyde; 4-methoxybenzaldehyde; benzaldehyde; cinnamaldehyde (3-phenyl-2-propenal); hexyl cinnamaldehyde; α-methyl cinnamaldehyde; ortho-methoxy cinnamaldehyde; α-amyl cinnamaldehyde; and combinations thereof. The oral care composition may be a dentifrice.
US08007770B1
A purified Ig-E binding immunogenic polypeptide the amino acid sequence of which consists of SEQ ID NO:1 is disclosed. The purified amino acid sequence is a major allergen of the walnut Juglans regia. Also described are a diagnostic test kit and use of the purified polypeptide in tests for identifying patients having an allergy to walnuts. Mutations of the disclosed polypeptide, as well as nucleic acid sequences encoding therefor are claimed as part of the invention.
US08007761B2
Carbon dioxide emissions within a refinery are reduced by reforming a hydrocarbon containing feed at low pressure to enhance the conversion of methane to hydrogen and carbon monoxide and thereby reduce methane slip. The hydrocarbon containing feed is composed entirely or at least in part of a refinery off gas. The resulting reformed stream is then subjected to water-gas shift conversion to form a shifted stream from which carbon dioxide is separated. As a result of the separation and the low pressure reforming, hydrogen containing fuel gas streams, that are thereby necessary lean in carbon dioxide and methane, are used in firing the steam methane reformer and other fuel uses within the refinery to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon dioxide that is separated can be sequestered or used in other processes such as enhanced oil recovery.
US08007760B2
The present invention provides an essentially dry method for preparation of enhanced alumina powders. The first step involves rapid calcination of an aluminum compound to produce alumina powder. The alumina powder is mixed with solid ammonium carbonate and a small amount of water. This mixture heats itself although some external heat is helpful to produce ammonium aluminum hydroxycarbonate (dawsonite-type) NH4AlCO3(OH)2 upon curing which is then decomposed to produce enhanced alumina having a specific desired morphology and nano-sized dimensions.
US08007757B2
A method of synthesizing nanostructures. In one embodiment, the method includes the step of heating a reaction mixture at an elevated temperature, T, for a period of time effective to allow the growth of desired nanostructures. The reaction mixture contains an amount, P, of a carboxylate salt and an amount, L, of a fatty acid ligand, defining a molar ratio of the fatty acid ligand to the carboxylate salt, α=L/P, and a hydrocarbon solvent. The reaction mixture is characterizable with a critical ligand protection, μ, associating with the chemical structure of the carboxylate salt such that when α<μ, the reaction mixture is in a limited ligand protection (LLP) domain, and when α>μ, the reaction mixture is in a sufficient ligand protection (SLP) domain. The nanostructures are formed in the form of single crystalline and nearly monodisperse nanocrystals, which are in the form of dot-shaped nanocrystals, when the reaction mixture is in the SLP domain, and in the form of nanoflowers, when the reaction mixture is in the LLP domain, respectively.
US08007754B2
The present invention relates to a method for separating diamond from gangue minerals. In particular, this method relates to the addition of a first reagent or reagents which contact the diamond in diamond ore slurry to at least partially remove hydrophilic coatings from the diamond surfaces. A second reagent or reagents may also be added to the slurry so that the reagent may adsorb on the diamond surfaces and thereby enhance the hydrophobicity of diamonds. The increase in hydrophobicity may improve the flotation of diamonds.
US08007744B2
The present invention relates to a sample container for analyses suitable for medical diagnostics comprising a platform plate having at least one reaction chamber. The reaction chamber has a bottom and a sidewall which form a three-dimensional chamber which is open in the upward direction. The ratio of the numerical value of the surface area of the bottom is relatively large relative to the height of the sidewall. The ratio may be greater than or equal to 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, or 90. The reaction chamber further comprises a binding area on an internal surface of the reaction chamber which may be functionalized for binding at least one chemical entity for use in an assay.
US08007737B2
Use of antioxidants to prevent oxidation and reduce drug degradation in drug eluting medical devices
Medical devices, and in particular implantable medical devices, may be coated to minimize or substantially eliminate a biological organism's reaction to the introduction of the medical device to the organism. The medical devices may be coated with any number of biocompatible materials. Therapeutic drugs, agents or compounds may be mixed with the biocompatible materials and affixed to at least a portion of the medical device. In each of these instances, antioxidants are utilized to prolong product integrity.
US08007736B2
A particulate material processing apparatus has a vessel, a processing tank, and a dispersing member. The vessel has a charging port for charging a particulate material into the vessel. The processing tank receives the particulate material charged from the charging port. The processing tank is shaped so as to narrow towards the bottom. At least the lower part of the processing tank is made of a gas-permeable material that allows the process gas for processing the particulate material to pass through. The dispersing member is disposed below the charging port. The dispersing member disperses and flattens the particulate material on the processing tank.
US08007732B2
A mounting mat for an exhaust gas treatment device including inorganic fibers, organic binder, antioxidant, optionally clay and optionally intumescent material. The exhaust gas treatment device includes a housing, a fragile catalyst support structure resiliently mounted within the housing, and the mounting mat disposed in a gap between the housing and the fragile catalyst support structure. Additionally disclosed are methods of making a mounting mat for an exhaust gas treatment device and for making an exhaust gas treatment device incorporating the mounting mat.
US08007728B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a fluid catalytic cracking system. The fluid catalytic cracking system can include a reaction zone including a riser having a top and a bottom adapted to receive spent catalyst at a first elevation and regenerated catalyst at a second elevation. Typically, the first elevation is lower than the second elevation. Additionally, the fluid catalytic cracking system can include a gas distributor contained near the bottom of the riser in communication with a hydrocarbon feed.
US08007725B2
An electrophoresis apparatus is generally disclosed for sequentially analyzing a single sample or multiple samples having one or more analytes in high or low concentrations. The apparatus comprises a relatively large-bore transport capillary which intersects with a plurality of small-bore separation capillaries and includes a valve system. Analyte concentrators, having antibody-specific (or related affinity) chemistries, are stationed at the respective intersections of the transport capillary and separation capillaries to bind one or more analytes of interest. The apparatus allows the performance of two or more dimensions for the optimal separation of analytes. The apparatus may also include a plurality of valves surrounding each of the analyte concentrators to localize each of the concentrators to improve the binding of one or more analytes of interest.
US08007721B2
An automated in situ heat induced antigen recovery and staining method and apparatus for treating a plurality of microscope slides. The process of heat induced antigen recovery and the process of staining the biological sample on the microscope slide are conducted in the same apparatus, wherein the microscope slides do not need to be physically removed from one apparatus to another. The reaction conditions for treating a slide can preferably be controlled independently, including the individualized application of reagents to each slide and the individualized treatment of each slide.
US08007708B2
An automated removal and insertion machine for mold drawers operable with a molding machine is described. The machine includes a frame, a plurality of actuators mounted within the frame, a plurality of encoders, a plurality of electromagnetic effectors, and a controller. The actuators are operable in a substantially horizontal direction for removal and insertion of molds with respect to the molding machine, and movable within the frame in a substantially vertical direction. At least one of the encoders is operably attached to each of the actuators for providing data indicative of a position of the respective said actuators. At least one electromagnetic effector is attached to a terminal end of each of the actuators for engagement with a respective mold. The controller is operable to control movement of the actuators in the substantially horizontal direction and further operable for controlling power applied to the electromagnetic effectors.
US08007701B2
A positionable gas nozzle assembly having a nozzle tube for injecting and directing pressurized air or other inert gas into a pellet slurry so as to increase the velocity of the slurry from a pelletizer to and through a dryer. The variably positionable nozzle tube can be inserted, retracted and/or intermediately positioned either manually or using an automated control system. The automated control system preferably includes a pneumatic cylinder movably engaged with a carriage that is fixedly coupled to the nozzle tube. The pneumatic cylinder contains a piston that is magnetically coupled with the carriage such that movement of the piston in response to the injection of pressurized air into the cylinder also moves the carriage and the nozzle tube to obtain the variable positions.
US08007690B2
A conductive paste mainly composed of a metal powder, a glass frit, and an organic vehicle. The total content amount of the metal powder and glass frit with respect to the entire conductive paste is 85 wt % or more. The viscosity at a rotational speed of 1 rpm measured at 25° C. with an E type rotating viscometer is 100 Pa·s or more and 400 Pa·s or less.
US08007685B2
The present invention relates to a red light phosphor, which is based on sulfide and activating agent containing rare earth strontium or hafnium. It is characterized by that the aforementioned materials are a fluorine-sulfur oxide containing lanthanum-yttrium-zirconium and/or hafnium with its stoichiometric formula as (La1-x-y-zYxAyMez+4O)2S1(F−1)2z, and activating agent based on A=(TR+3=Σ Eu, Sm, Gd, Tb)+(TR+4═Pr+4), in which Me+4=Zr+4 and/or Hf+4. Compared with standard materials, the luminous intensity of the phosphor according to the present invention is increased to 1.6-2.4 times. Further, the red light phosphor according to the present invention has a mean diameter of d50≈0.6 μm. The present invention also discloses a multilayer photo-transforming film, in which the three-layer agro-film is filled with phosphor. The agro-film is based on polythene and its derivatives and added with photostabilizer.
US08007679B2
There is provided an electrolytic solution comprising a chain carbonate (I) represented by the formula (I): wherein Rf1 is a fluorine-containing ether group (Ia) having CF3 at its end; Rf2 is a fluorine-containing ether group or a fluorine-containing alkyl group, and an electrolyte salt (II), and the electrolytic solution is excellent in flame retardance, low temperature characteristics, withstand voltage and compatibility with a hydrocarbon solvent and high in solubility of an electrolyte salt.
US08007677B2
Disclosed herein are azeotrope and near-azeotrope compositions comprising E-1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropene (E-HFC-1225ye) and hydrogen fluoride. The azeotrope and near-azeotrope compositions are useful in processes to produce and in processes to purify E-HFC-1225ye and/or Z-1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropene (Z-HFC-1225ye). Also disclosed are processes for the extractive distillation to separate E-HFC-1225ye from Z-HFC-1225ye.
US08007676B2
A slurry composition includes an acidic aqueous solution and one or both of, an amphoteric surfactant and a glycol compound. Examples of the amphoteric surfactant include a betaine compound and an amino acid compound, and examples of the amino acid compound include lysine, proline and arginine. Examples of the glycol compound include diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol.
US08007666B1
A method and apparatus of sanitizing drinking water to be dispensed from a water dispenser having a reservoir includes the steps of providing the ozone gas generator that generates an ozone gas stream, transmitting the ozone gas stream from the generator to the water dispenser reservoir, mechanically breaking up the ozone gas stream inside the reservoir to produce ozone gas bubbles, and using the ozone gas bubbles to disinfect water in the reservoir. The ozone gas stream can be mechanically broken up using a pump such as, for example, an impeller type pump.
US08007664B2
A floating dispenser is provided for dispensing a solid, dissolvable water treatment chemical into ambient water. The dispenser includes a bucket having top and bottom ends, a top wall covering the top end, an opening for admitting ambient water into the bucket interior, and a floatation ring that keeps only the top end above water such that the interior is water filled when the dispenser floats. A basket is disposed in the interior of the bucket for carrying a solid, dissolvable water treatment chemical, such as calcium hypochlorite. The basket is buoyant and movable vertically toward the top wall of the bucket. The dispenser includes a refill indicator that indicates when most of a full load of said chemical has dissolved. The refill indicator includes a pair of tabs that are connected to the basket and slidably mounted in slots in the top wall. The tabs extend above the top wall when the buoyant basket floats upwardly, providing a visual indication of the need for a refill that can easily be seen from a side angle.
US08007652B2
Proposed is a method for collecting valuable metal from an ITO scrap including the steps of subjecting the ITO scrap to electrolysis and collecting the result as indium-tin alloy. Additionally provided is a method for collecting valuable metal from an ITO scrap including the steps of providing an ITO electrolytic bath and an indium-tin alloy collecting bath, dissolving the ITO in the electrolytic bath, and thereafter collecting indium-tin alloy in the indium-tin alloy collecting bath. These methods enable the efficient collection of indium-tin alloy from an ITO scrap of an indium-tin oxide (ITO) sputtering target or an ITO scrap such as ITO mill ends arisen during the manufacture of such ITO sputtering target.
US08007649B2
A plasma treatment is performed on the surface of one side of a polyimide film made of a resin. When wettability is imparted to the surface of the one side of the polyimide film, the plasma treatment is performed on the surface of the one side of the polyimide film to which sprayed water adhere.
US08007641B2
An arc discharge detection device is used for detecting arc discharges in a plasma process. The arc discharge detection device includes a comparator to which an instantaneous signal and a reference value are supplied. The reference value is formed by a setting means from an extreme value of the signal. The extreme value is determined by an extreme value detection device within a predetermined time period, and the comparator changes the state of an arc discharge detection signal when the comparison between the reference value and an instantaneous value of the signal shows that an arc discharge has occurred.
US08007628B2
A cellular composite structure includes a grid having groups of angularly intersecting ribs. The ribs of each group are oriented substantially in the same direction to each other and angularly oriented from the other rib groups. An additional rib defines a composite structure outer perimeter wall and can be differently angularly oriented from the other ribs. A contiguous rib wall is created by segments of ribs defined by rib intersections. The contiguous rib wall bounds a cavity. A multilayer sheet cap member with extending walls to engage the contiguous rib wall is positioned within the cavity. The engagement walls extend from individual sheet perimeter portions angularly oriented to the sheet. The ribs and cap member have pre-impregnated resin. Heating the cap member and ribs activates the resin and co-cures the composite structure.
US08007626B2
A method of bonding a capillary tube made of a thermally deformable material to a passage in a glass wafer comprising the steps of treating the surface of the capillary tube to render the surface bondable and wettable by a conventional epoxy resin; inserting a support inside the capillary to prevent inward deformation of the capillary during subsequent fabricating steps; inserting the supported capillary inside the port on the wafer; heating an end of the capillary proximate a bottom portion of the port to effect melting of a portion of the heated end of the capillaries; moving the melted end of the capillary into contact with a wall of the port at a desired location for the capillary in the port, thus forming a temporary seal between the capillary and the wall of the port; and introducing an epoxy around the capillary to bind the capillary to the wafer.
US08007624B2
Method of manufacturing wind turbine blades having composite materials is provided that includes selecting an outer mould part, selecting an inner mould part, wherein at least a part of the surface of the inner mould part comprises a compressible layer being covered by an airtight membrane, positioning the composite materials in a mould cavity between the outer mould part and the inner mould part, evacuating the mould cavity, and bonding the composite materials, evacuating the compressible layer before positioning the composite materials.
US08007622B2
Apparatus and methods for manufacturing personal care absorbent articles. Such personal care absorbent article includes a fastening area in the front portion for receiving fastener material thereon. First and second fault lines are formed on opposing sides of the fastening area leaving uncut web portions at the fault lines during selected manufacturing operations, thus to support machine direction stresses on the front portion web, and subsequently trimming away such uncut web portions of the fault lines. Fastener material is applied over the first and second fault lines, thus bridging the fault lines. The fastener material is releasably secured to the fastening area, non-releasably secured to the front portion outwardly of the respective fault lines, and unsecured to the front portion between the fastening area and the fault lines thus to support a re-fastening feature of such personal care absorbent articles.
US08007616B2
Breathable materials comprise a fabric layer and a polymer film layer thereon, the polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler, wherein the breathable material has undergone a physical manipulation to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr, and wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension. Methods of making a breathable material comprise forming a polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler; bonding the polymer film layer to a fabric layer to form a laminate; and applying a physical manipulation to the laminate to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the resulting breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr; wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension.
US08007610B2
Dried fibers which are designated for the production of fiber boards are supplied to a fiber roller (17) from a metering device through a feed chute (10) which is subjected to negative pressure, which fiber roller is provided on its surface with a plurality of pins (18) and rotates in such a manner that the fibers (14) are deflected by the pins (18), are directed along a chute section (22) defined by means of a partial section (20) of the periphery of the fiber roller (17) and an opposite-lying wall (21) and gluing means and said fibers are accelerated to approximately the peripheral speed of the fiber roller (17) by means of the pins (18) and an air flow generated by said pins. The fibers (36) lie against a section of the wall and are glued in the region of or adjacent to one end of the wall section and exit at an outlet orifice (23) of the chute section (22). In the case of an alternative process, after exiting the chute section substantially horizontally the fibers are deflected in an upward or downward direction and are glued in this region by means of at least one spray nozzle.
US08007609B2
A method for forming a structure comprising multiple parallel surfaces having a precise separation is disclosed. Precise separation and parallelism of the surfaces is achieved through the use of an adhesive mixture that comprises a plurality of spacers having a dimension substantially equal to the desired separation.
US08007604B2
A Titanium-Tantalum base shape memory alloy is provided which possesses high machinability and is suitable for repeated high temperature operation. The Titanium-Tantalum base shape memory alloy consists of 15 mol %-40 mol % Tantalum, additive elements, and the balance Titanium and impurities.
US08007602B2
Spring element, in particular spring rail for wipers, in particular of motor vehicles, with a low tendency to vibrate or a high attenuation, made from a ferritic chromium steel comprising 0.03 to 0.12% of carbon, 0.2 to 0.9% of silicon, 0.3 to 1% of manganese, 13 to 20% of chromium, 0.1 to 2.0% of molybdenum, 0.05 to 1.0% of copper, 0.02 to 0.05% of nitrogen, less than 0.01% of titanium, 0.01 to 0.10% of niobium and 0.02 to 0.25% of vanadium, remainder iron.
US08007598B2
A method and apparatus for providing multiple spray zones, including a localized spray zone for an upper rack and a silverware spray zone for a silverware basket, within the wash chamber of a dishwasher.
US08007594B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the step of conducting a cleaning process for a wafer formed with copper wiring lines to remove contaminations produced on a back surface of the wafer. The cleaning process is conducted by injecting onto the back surface of the wafer an etchant for removing contaminations and simultaneously injecting onto a front surface of the wafer a reductant containing hydrogen.
US08007589B2
Apparatus and method for compounding carbon nanotubes are provided to uniformly supply a source gas used to compound carbon nanotubes, efficiently exhaust the source gas, and increase a retrieve rate of the carbon nanotubes. According to the apparatus and method, carbon nanotubes are massively compounded.
US08007580B2
An additive to foundry sand molding and core aggregates is used to produce sand cores and molds comprising kyanite, spodumene, titanium dioxide, ilmenite and black iron oxide. The additive produces a sand-based foundry molding and core aggregate which resists the formation of some of the defects commonly associated with the production of castings produced by silica sand-based molding and core aggregates. In particular, the additive improves the quality of castings poured at temperatures higher than those of the pouring temperatures of molten iron, such as in steel castings, and in iron castings with “hot spots.”
US08007567B2
The present invention is a biogas processing system having a compressor having a biogas input and output, a pump having a water input and output, a scrubber tower having a mixing chamber connected to a biogas input, a water pump input, a water output, and a processed biogas output, and a filtration member connected to the water output to remove contaminants from the water exiting the first scrubber tower. The system also includes devices for heating and cooling the recycled flow of water to enhance the ability of the water to absorb contaminants from the biogas and the ability of a stripper to remove absorbed contaminants from the water in a closed loop water system, and a controller for closely controlling the operating parameters of the system to achieve safe and optimal operation of the system.
US08007545B2
The present invention relates to a deodorant composition including (a) a polyhydroxyamine compound having a specific structure and/or a salt thereof, and (b) a penetrant including at least one substance selected from the group consisting of (b1) a nonionic surfactant having a specific structure, (b2) a surfactant having a residue of a monosaccharide, etc., (b3) a nonionic organic solvent having a log P value of from 0 to 4; and (b4) an amine oxide type or carbobetaine type amphoteric surfactant; as well as a deodorizing method using the deodorant composition. The deodorant composition of the present invention is capable of reducing or eliminating a composite odor derived from sweat smell and aldehydes, readily producing a water-based deodorant, and is safe even upon contacting with a human body.
US08007541B2
The present invention relates to a stent for introduction into a hollow organ, in particular the gastrointestinal tract, of a human or animal patient, which brings about vacuum sealing of leaks, such as anastomosis insufficiencies, in the hollow organ.
US08007535B2
The present invention provides an injectable annular ring useful in treating a deteriorating spinal disc. When used, the annular ring may be collapsed or folded in order for it to be placed through a small opening in a prepared intervertebral space within the annulus using minimally invasive techniques. Deployment or unfolding the ring in the intervertebral space provides an interior cavity bordered by the ring that is in direct contact with the vertebral endplates. When an internal volume of the ring is inject or filled with a load-bearing, hardenable material, the filled ring maintains the intervertebral spacing and prevents the ring from being expelled from the interior cavity through the small annular opening.
US08007529B2
A porous prosthesis for delivering a medication to the site of implantation. The prosthesis, such as a stent, includes a first porous region and a second porous region and is at least partially formed from a molybdenum-rhenium alloy. The porous regions can have different porosity. A stent includes first, second and third porous region, the first porous region being between the second and third porous regions, and a therapeutic agent is disposed in the first porous region. A stent can also include a solid core and inner and outer porous layers surrounding the core.
US08007523B2
A spinal plate system and method for fixation of the human spine is provided. In an embodiment, the system includes a bone plate, a bone screw and a ring. The bone screw preferably connects the bone plate to a bone, and the ring preferably fixes the bone screw into a borehole of the bone plate such that the bone screw extends from the bone plate at a selected angle. The ring is preferably capable of swiveling within the borehole to allow the bone screw to be angulated at a plurality of angles oblique to the plate. The bone screw may have a head having a tapered, threaded surface for engaging the ring. The ring preferably has threading on its inner surface for mating with the threading on the head. The inner surface of the ring may be tapered. Movement of the head through the ring preferably expands the ring against the bone plate to fix the bone screw at a selected angle relative to the bone plate.
US08007514B2
The present invention involves an automatic suture locking device useable with vascular closure device. The suture locking device includes a housing and a locking mechanism. The locking mechanism has locked and unlocked positions. In the locked position, a suture pathway through the mechanism is sufficiently tortuous to prevent free suture movement.
US08007512B2
An apparatus for delivering a clip includes an introducer sheath including an outer surface extending between its proximal and distal ends, and a hub on the proximal end that includes spacer elements spaced away from the outer surface. An annular clip includes a plurality of tines extending from its distal end and its proximal end is held away from the outer surface of the sheath by the spacer elements. A handle assembly is attached to the hub that includes an actuator member slidable between the spacer elements and the outer surface of the sheath. The actuator member includes radial protrusions for coupling with the clip, whereby distal movement of the actuator member advances the clip towards the distal end of the sheath. Optionally, a skin overlies the outer surface of the sheath and the clip that is separable from the outer surface as the clip is advanced.
US08007502B2
A medical device used for retrieving material from within a body includes an engaging assembly in which at least a portion of the engaging assembly is resistant to laser energy-induced damage.
US08007501B2
A curved positioning and insertion instrument for inserting a guide wire into the femur has a curved guide tube with a distal end to be placed on the trochanter and/or the medial muscle and a proximal end for inserting a guide wire. The instrument also has a holding arm that links the guide tube to a handle. A positioning hook fitted with at least one correction bore for receiving the guide wire or another guide wire is arranged at the distal end of the guide tube. This structure makes it possible to easily insert further or additional guide wires relative to a reference guide wire.
US08007500B2
An extractable device is used to insert a medicinal filling into an animal tissue. The device comprises a filling member and a pasty medicine. The filling member is made of a flexible and permeable wall and is provided with a holding portion and an injection port via which the pasty medicine is injected into the holding portion after the filling member is inserted into the animal tissue. The holding portion is provided with an opening which is releasably lashed by one end of one or more threads so as to make the opening leakproof. Upon completion of solidification of the pasty medicine in the holding portion of the filling member, other end of the thread is pulled to unlash the opening of the holding portion, thereby enabling the filling member to be extracted from the animal tissue so as to leave only the medicine in the animal tissue.
US08007498B2
A method and devices for facilitating fixating and joining of bone fractures utilizing expandable devices that are positioned within the bone and across the fracture site. The stress from the expanded may enhance and expedite bone healing.
US08007495B2
A catheter has a three-dimensional, hollow ablation assembly that carries at least one ribbon electrode for circumferential ablation. In one embodiment, the assembly has a free-form framework that is constructed of multiple tensile members or wires that are interwoven such that the length of the framework increases while the circumference of the framework decreases, and vice versa. The assembly can also have a self-expanding stent-type framework which is mounted on the expander. In another alternative embodiment, the framework is a tubular or cylindrical structure whose side wall has longitudinal slots between longitudinal slats for radial expansion to a greater circumference when the length is decreased. The flexible ribbon electrode on the assembly is elastic, or is pleated so that it folds when the framework is collapsed and unfolds when the framework is deployed.
US08007492B2
A cannula (10) for receiving surgical instruments for performing a surgical procedure on a body includes a tubular structure (12) defining a passage (16) through which the surgical instruments are inserted into the body. The tubular structure (12) includes an expandable portion (40) for enabling an increase in the cross-sectional area of the passage (16). The expandable portion (40) of the tubular structure (12) has a slot (100) and a guide member (114) disposed in the slot. The guide member (114) is movable from a first end (102) of the slot (100) toward a second end (104) of the slot to enable the cross-sectional area of the passage (16) to increase. The expandable portion (40) has a stop (106) between the first and second ends (102 and 104) of the slot (100) engageable with the guide member (114) to retain the guide member in a position relative to the slot and resist movement of the guide member from the position relative to the slot.
US08007486B2
A method and a set for transferring fluid between a first container a second container. The first container is connected to an end of a first transfer body, a first sealing member preventing the fluid communication between these two elements. The second container is closed by a second sealing member. The second container is assembled with a fastening member provided at an end of a second transfer body which is in an inactivated position of the transfer set wherein at least a part of this body is partially inserted within the other end of the first transfer body. Each transfer body has one central passage coaxial to accommodate at least one end of a mobile piercing member. The part of the second transfer body moves along an axis from the inactivated position to an activated position of the transfer set wherein the fluid communication between these two containers is established.
US08007485B2
In a mechanical fastening system for an article, a first fastening component of the fastening system is constructed of an oriented nonwoven loop material. The nonwoven loop material is constructed at least part of an nonwoven web of fibers that is extensible from a relaxed configuration to an extended configuration wherein in the extended configuration a greater number of fibers of the nonwoven web are oriented in the direction in which the web is extended than in the relaxed configuration of the web. In one embodiment, the web is in its extended configuration and secured to a substrate A second fastening component of the mechanical fastening system comprises a hook material wherein the oriented nonwoven loop material of the first fastening component is adapted for releasable connection with the hook material of the second fastening component.
US08007473B2
An apparatus for the reception of an instrument inserted through a surgical portal apparatus includes a valve mount, a major opening through the valve mount, a primary valve for selectively sealing the major opening, a minor opening through the primary valve, and a secondary valve for selectively sealing the minor opening. Components of both the major valve and the minor valve may be displaced to permit passage of a broad instrument, while components of only the secondary valve may be displaced to permit passage of a narrow instrument.
US08007471B2
A medical instrument has a cannula, a seal disposed in said cannula, said seal has an opening for guiding a shaft of another instrument through said seal in a sealed manner. An expansion device serves for expanding said opening in said seal. Said expansion device has an expansion cone comprising a plurality of slats mounted pivotably on an annular body at a first end, a second end of said slots opposite to said first end being connected to said seal in an area of said opening. A flexible casing structure is provided accommodating said seal and said expansion device.
US08007462B2
Methods and apparatuses for manipulating an elongated flexible shaft of a catheter provide case and reliability of positioning electrodes against or near tissue. Dual-bend flexible distal tips (30) may be used in combination with flat wires. In some embodiments, flat wires which are free to rotate upon initial bending of shaft segments are employed. In some embodiments, one or more transition segments (48) are used to relocate the satellite lumen-to-main lumen transition of pull wires (42, 40) away from a change in shaft stiffness.
US08007459B2
Devices and methods for treating ocular disorders are disclosed. One ocular implant, has a substantially straight, rigid, elongate body. The body has a self-trephinating distal portion that narrows toward a distal end, and at least one inlet that communicates with at least one inner lumen that communicates with a plurality of outlets. The lumen has a sufficient length to extend from an anterior chamber of an eye to a physiologic outflow pathway. An anchor member extends from the implant.
US08007454B1
An ankle support assembly is formed from a flexible wrap body comprising a foot wrap portion and an ankle wrap portion. The wrap body is formed from an elastic material to provide a degree of compression when wrapped around the wearer's foot, ankle and leg. The outer surface of the wrap body is provided with hook and loop fastener material. A closure assembly secures the flexible wrap body about the wearer's foot, ankle and leg. At least one elongated side stay positions along at least one of the medial and lateral side of the ankle and the lower portion of the leg of the wearer. The exterior of the elongated side stay has hook and loop fastener material thereon for releasable engagement with the hook and loop fastener material of the wrap body. A stabilizing body positions along one of the medial and lateral sides of the ankle. A circumferential wrap assembly can be selectively tightened or loosened around the wearer's ankle and lower leg portion.
