US08019260B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a developer carrying member, contactable to the image bearing member, for carrying a developer to a developing position to develop an electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member with the developer; a supplying member for supplying the developer to the developer carrying member, wherein a peripheral speed of the developer carrying member is not less than 1.05 times and not more than 1.20 times a peripheral speed of the image bearing member, and an arithmetic average roughness Ra is not less than 0.20 times and not more than 0.33 times a volume average particle size of the developer, wherein a potential applied to the supplying member is different from a potential applied to the developer carrying member toward a larger potential of a regular charge polarity of the developer.
US08019259B2
A development device includes a developer carrier, a bearing member, a biasing member, and a guide. The developer carrier supplies a developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier to develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. The bearing member rotatably supports the developer carrier axially. The biasing member is provided on a side of the bearing member opposite the image carrier to apply a force to the bearing member to move the bearing member and the developer carrier toward the image carrier. The guide is disposed about the bearing member to enable the bearing member to move therebetween and guide the bearing member toward the image carrier. The bearing member includes a rotatable part to rotate and slide over the guide while contacting the guide.
US08019252B2
A removable member-holding device is provided and includes: a pull-out member being movably between an accommodating position and a pull-out position; a holding member supported on the pull-out member and having a holding member body, the holding member being extended in a moving direction of the pull-out member and holding a removable member which is removed from the image forming apparatus body, the holding member being movable between an insertion enabling position and a removing position; and a pull-out regulating member provided on a downstream end of the holding member in the pull-out direction and regulating a movement of the removable member to a downstream side in the pull-out direction.
US08019245B2
An image forming device includes an image forming unit forming an image on a sheet with an image forming property, a pattern forming unit forming a pattern on an object, a detection value determining unit determining a first detection value representing the image forming property of the image forming unit through detecting the pattern formed on the object by the pattern forming unit, a storage unit storing thereon the first detection value determined by the detection value determining unit, a correction value determining unit determining a correction value for correcting the image forming property with the first detection value stored on the storage unit and a second detection value that has previously stored on the storage unit, and a control unit controlling the image forming unit to form the image with the image forming property corrected based upon the correction value determined by the correction value determining unit.
US08019244B2
An image forming apparatus includes: an intermediate transfer belt for, by rotation thereof, transferring a toner image on a surface thereof; a cleaner for removing toner particles after the transfer by rotation of a cleaning brush which touches the surface of the intermediate transfer belt and rotates during the transfer; a current supplier for supplying a cleaning current having a predetermined value (I2) to the cleaning brush in accord with the transfer; and a controller for controlling the intermediate transfer belt, cleaner and current supplier. The controller obtains a current time T1 and a previous rotation end time T2 of the cleaning brush, and when a time period during which the cleaning brush has not rotated, which is calculated from the current time T1 and the rotation end time T2, is equal to a predetermined time period or longer, sets the cleaning current to “I1”.
US08019239B2
A device for determining an end of life of an organic photoreceptor includes a potential detecting unit that detects a residual potential of the organic photoreceptor, a temperature detecting unit that detects temperature of the organic photoreceptor in either one of a direct manner and an indirect manner, and a life determining unit that determines the end of life of the organic photoreceptor based on the residual potential detected by the potential detecting unit and the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit.
US08019231B2
In exemplary embodiments, all-optical pattern recognition for an optical input signal is achieved by wavelength-converting the input signal and then passively correlating the wavelength-converted signal based on a specified data pattern. By performing wavelength conversion using a CW laser signal having wavelength stability greater than that of the input signal, errors resulting from wavelength sensitivity of the passive correlator can be reduced. By performing both wavelength conversion and OOK-to-BPSK format conversion prior to the passive correlation, limitations in the number of available OOK patterns can be avoided. By performing the passive correlation in a bi-directional manner, feedback signal can be generated to control the operations of the passive correlator and/or the laser signal source(s).
US08019227B2
A digital camera 800 receives from lighting units 120a-120l lights temporarily changing in luminance and produces a coordinates data list 8031 of the lighting units. Decoding unit 804 reads change in luminance at each luminance-point coordinates of the lighting unit to decode information. It is judged based on the decoded information of a data format 900, whether plural luminance-point coordinates having the same guidance point ID information 902 are found. When the plural luminance-point coordinates having the same guidance point ID information are found, a location of the plural luminance-point coordinates is analyzed to draw and display a circumscribed polygon having its vertices at these coordinates on a through image in an overlapping manner. A hatched area is set inside the circumscribed polygon and the decoded information is displayed within the hatched area.
US08019225B2
An intelligent transmitter module (“ITM”) includes a CDR circuit for equalizing and retiming an electrical data signal, a driver for generating a modulation signal and/or performing waveform shaping of the equalized and retimed signal, and an optical transmitter configured to emit an optical signal representative of the data signal. A linear amplifier may also be included to amplify the modulation signal when the optical transmitter is a laser with managed chirp. Alternately or additionally, a microcontroller with a 14-bit or higher A2D can be included to control and optimize operation of the ITM. In one embodiment, the CDR, driver, linear amplifier, and/or microcontroller are flip chip bonded to a first substrate while the laser with managed chirp is bonded to a second substrate. The first substrate may comprise a multi-layer high frequency laminate.
US08019222B2
Methods and apparatuses are provided for transmitting labels in an optical packet network. Groups of K payload bits are encoded into blocks of N bits by using a code in which each of the groups of K payload bits is represented by a corresponding one of at least two distinct codewords of differing weights to form coded payload packet data, where K and N are integers and K
US08019215B2
An external mask-based radiance camera may be based on an external, non-refractive mask located in front of the main camera lens. The mask modulates, but does not refract, light. The camera multiplexes radiance in the frequency domain by optically mixing different spatial and angular frequency components of light. The mask may, for example, be a mesh of opaque linear elements, which collectively form a grid, an opaque medium with transparent openings, such as circles, or a pinhole mask. Other types of masks may be used. Light may be modulated by the mask and received at the main lens of a camera. The main lens may be focused on a plane between the mask and the main lens. The received light is refracted by the main lens onto a photosensor of the camera. The photosensor may capture the received light to generate a radiance image of the scene.
US08019211B2
A zoom lens system includes a compact focusing lens unit and has a suppressed change in image magnification at the time of movement of the focusing lens unit. The system includes an aperture diaphragm, a first lens unit having negative optical power and being closest to the object side, a third lens unit arranged on the object side relative to the aperture diaphragm and being adjacent to the diaphragm, and a fourth lens unit arranged on the image side relative to the aperture diaphragm and being adjacent to the diaphragm. At the time of zooming, interval between the aperture diaphragm and the third lens unit arranged on the object side relative to the diaphragm and being adjacent to the diaphragm varies, and interval between the aperture diaphragm and the fourth lens unit arranged on the image side relative to the diaphragm and being adjacent to the diaphragm varies.
US08019201B2
A anti-copy programme signal is provided. Copies of the anti-copy video pulses made on a video recorder experience reduced quality and interference in playback making them unpleasant to watch. The uncopied signal can be viewed without any material effect on picture quality. The signal comprises a pulse added to each line of the signal throughout both the visible picture region and throughout the vertical blanking region, as well as a first modulated wave-form added to the vertical synchronization pulses of the signal and a second modulated wave-form added to several lines of the picture signal before the vertical blanking section. The presence of all three of these features together has been found to provide a surprising accumulative effectiveness in causing interference in the reproduction of the modified video signal during playback of the copied video signal, that is greater than the effectiveness provided by the different features taken separately.
US08019196B2
A series of content information; menu information, which is to be displayed with the content information during reproduction of the content information; and play list information for defining reproduction sequence of the content information by a unit of item, which constitutes the content information and which is accessible upon reproducing, are recorded on the information record medium. The play list information includes: item information for specifying each item which constitutes the content information; and slave item information for specifying the menu information corresponding to the each item as a slave item.
US08019195B2
A moving image playback apparatus plays back moving image data, and synchronously displays a thumbnail image sequence obtained from the moving image data. In this state, when a cursor used to designate a thumbnail image falls within a predetermined area including the display area of the thumbnail image, synchronous display of the thumbnail image sequence is interrupted. When a thumbnail image is designated by the cursor, the playback position jumps to a corresponding scene to start playback of the moving image, and synchronous display of the thumbnail image sequence is restarted. When the thumbnail image sequence has been scrolled in the time-axis direction, synchronous display of the thumbnail image sequence is interrupted, and an instruction interface used to instruct restart of synchronous display is provided. When the instruction interface is operated in this state, synchronous display of the thumbnail image sequence is restarted.
US08019190B2
An optical fiber sensing cable is disclosed. The optical fiber sensing cable comprises a fiber with a core having an index of refraction n1, and a circumferential surface of the fiber including a nanoporous cladding having an index of refraction index n2. The methods of preparing the fiber sensor cable, including forming the nanoporous cladding and the sensor systems incorporating the optical fiber sensing cable of this invention are also disclosed.
US08019185B2
This invention provides a versatile unit cell as well as programmable and reconfigurable optical signal processors (such as optical-domain RF filters) that are constructed from arrays of those unit cells interconnected by optical waveguides. Each unit cell comprises an optical microdisk, an optical phase shifter, and at least one input/output optical waveguide, wherein the microdisk and the phase shifter are both optically connected to a common waveguide.
US08019181B2
An image generation apparatus includes an acquisition unit and a generation unit. The acquisition unit acquires information to be embedded in each of a plurality of partitions on a recording medium. The generation unit generates an image in which first pattern images representing the information and a second pattern image controlling acquisition of the information from the first pattern images are placed in each of the plurality of partitions. The first and second pattern images are ones of mCn pattern images which are obtained by placing a unit image in n points selected from among m points where m and n are natural numbers, m≧4, and 2≦n
US08019180B2
A method for constructing arbitrary-plane and multi-arbitrary-plane mosaic composite images from a multi-imager is disclosed. A first homography set is generated for a multi-imager based on a first reference plane. A second homography set is then generated for the multi-imager based on a second reference plane, where the second reference plane is distinct from the first reference plane. The first homography set and the second homography set are then utilized to generate a third homography set for the multi-imager based on an arbitrary plane. In so doing, the arbitrary plane becomes repositionable with respect to a scene that the multi-imager is viewing. Multiple such arbitrary planes may be selected in constructing multi-planar mosaic composite images. Multiple such second reference planes may be presented to provide improved quality derivation of the said third homography set.
US08019168B2
An overall motion detecting device (1) includes a search region variable-shaped motion detector (2) and an overall motion information generator (3). The overall motion information generator (3) controls a surveillance camera (5) which is an external image capturing system and supplies control information of the surveillance camera (5) (such as moving direction, angular speed and focal length) to the search region variable-shaped motion detector (2) as overall motion information (S3). The search region variable-shaped motion detector (2) calculates a motion vector (mv) while renewing, by picture, a search region having a search shape determined by the overall motion information (S3) and a region area suitable for its operational capability.
US08019165B2
An image processing apparatus which compresses an image, the apparatus includes: a storage unit which stores a code book, the code book being prepared by allocating identification codes to code blocks, the code blocks being formed by executing quantization processing regarding a plurality of first image blocks as multidimensional vectors, the plurality of first image blocks being generated by cutting, in preset sizes, first regions out of a code book preparation image containing a first edge, each of the first regions surrounding and including an edge point of the first edge, the first edge being detected from the code book preparation image; an edge detection unit which detects a second edge from a compression target image containing the second edge; an image block generation unit which cuts, in preset sizes, second regions out of the compression target image to generate a plurality of second image blocks, each of the second regions surrounding and including an edge point of the detected second edge; a search unit which searches the code book stored in the storage unit for code blocks similar to the second image blocks; and an output unit which outputs information on the identification codes of the similar code blocks which have been searched for and information on coordinates of the edge points of the second image blocks.
US08019160B2
A method of modifying a classification scheme for classifying hand-written characters. The method includes the steps of: receiving digital ink representing a handwritten character from an optically imaging pen; determining a selection value based on the similarity of the received character and a respective prototype vector of the stored classification scheme; selecting a prototype vector of the stored classification scheme in accordance with the determined selection value; selecting a class of the stored classification scheme in accordance with a selected prototype representing the character; selecting a stored user dependent weighted allograph in accordance with the selected prototype vector representing the character; modifying an allograph in the respective class; and storing a modified classification scheme which includes the modified allograph.
US08019159B2
Disclosed is a method and an apparatus for informing a user of an image recognition error in an imaging system. The method includes detecting environmental factors causing errors of image recognition when image recognition is requested by the user, calculating analysis indices corresponding to the environmental factors, perceiving whether image recognition is suitably performed by checking whether the analysis indices are included in a normal range of predetermined reference values, and informing the user of the suitability or the unsuitability of image recognition.
US08019158B2
A method for altering a recognition error correction data structure, the method includes: altering at least one key out of a set of semantically similar keys in response to text appearance probabilities of keys of the set of semantically similar keys to provide an at least one altered key; and replacing the at least one key by the at least one altered key.
US08019151B2
The invention provides, in some aspects, methods for image compression that utilize the central processing unit (CPU) of a digital data processor and its associated graphics processing unit (GPU), together, in order to compress an image. In related aspects of the invention, the GPU is adapted to render at least a portion of an image to an associated texture buffer (i.e., a texture buffer of the GPU) and to transform the resulting image values in that texture buffer to a frequency-based representation. The GPU can, further, order coefficients comprising that frequency-based representation and transfer at least a portion of those coefficients to the associated CPU. That CPU can, in turn, effect transfer of the downloaded coefficients to another digital data processor (or image processing apparatus). Still other aspects of the invention provide methods of image decompression that utilize the central processing unit (CPU) of a digital data processor and its associated graphics processing unit (GPU), together, in order to decompress an image. These methods parallel the compression methods discussed above, albeit in substantially reversed order. Other aspects of the invention provide digital data processing apparatus for image compression, decompression and/or remote image display operating in accord with the methods described above.
US08019147B2
The present disclosure is directed to a three-dimensional data registration method for vision measurement in flow style based on a double-sided target. An embodiment of the disclosed method that comprises A. Setting up two digital cameras which can observe the entire measured object; B. Calibrating intrinsic parameters and a transformation between the two digital camera coordinate frames; C. A double-sided target being placed near the measured area of the measured object, the two digital cameras and a vision sensor taking images of at least three non-collinear feature points of the double-sided target; D. Removing the target, measuring the measured area by using the vision sensor; E. Respectively computing the three dimensional coordinates of the feature points in the global coordinate frame and in the vision sensor coordinate frame; F. Estimating the transformation from the vision sensor coordinate frame to the global coordinate frame through the three dimensional coordinates of the three or more non-collinear feature points obtained at step E, then transforming the three dimensional data of the measured area to the global coordinate frame; and G. Repeating step C, D, E, F, then completing three dimensional data registration for all measured areas. The present disclosure improves three dimensional data registration precision and efficiency.
US08019144B2
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for correcting an inspection reference pattern image in order to properly inspect a pattern image of a specimen. The pattern image correcting apparatus is characterized by including: a first pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing an assist pattern image and a pattern image to be inspected, thereby generating a pattern image to be inspected with an assist pattern; an assist pattern shift processor; a second pattern synthesizing unit for synthesizing the shifted assist pattern image and the inspection reference pattern image, thereby generating an inspection reference pattern image with an assist pattern; a model generating unit for generating a position shift model by using the pattern image to be inspected with the assist pattern and the inspection reference pattern image with the assist pattern; and a correction pattern image computing unit for correcting the inspection reference pattern image.
US08019139B2
A method and system for detecting a boundary between a first tissue and a second tissue in a two-dimensional image. A cost is assigned to each pixel in a detection region indicative of the likelihood that the pixel is not located on the boundary between the first tissue and the second tissue. The boundary between the first and second tissues or organs is a path of voxels of minimal cost in the detection region from among two or more paths, the cost of a path being obtained in a calculation based upon the costs assigned to the voxels of the path. The method may be used to detect a boundary between a first tissue or organ and a second tissue or organ in a three-dimensional scan by applying the method to each of one or more two-dimensional sections and joining the two dimensional boundaries into a three dimensional boundary in the three dimensional scan. The method may also be used in segmenting a three-dimensional body scan.
US08019127B2
A system and method for determining if a computer user is a human or a computer program. A computer user is presented with a series of images, the series of images including: at least two related images of an object, at least one of the at least two related images independently processed using an image modifying algorithm; and at least one unrelated image. The computer user is then requested to identify the related images from the series of images. These image identifications are received from the computer user. A determination is made that the computer user is: a human if the image identifications only identify the related images from the series of images; and a non-human if the image identifications do not only identify the related images from the series of images.
US08019121B2
A method and system for determining an intensity value of an interaction with a computer program is described. The method and device includes capturing an image of a capture zone, identifying an input object in the image, identifying an initial value of a parameter of the input object, capturing a second image of the capture zone, and identifying a second value of the parameter of the input object. The parameter identifies one or more of a shape, color, or brightness of the input object and is affected by human manipulation of the input object. The extent of change in the parameter is calculated, which is the difference between the second value and the first value. An activity input is provided to the computer program, the activity input including an intensity value representing the extent of change of the parameter. A method for detecting an intensity value from sound generating input objects, and a computer video game are also described.
US08019119B2
A method of and a system for finding similarities between major boundaries of images using a wavelet detector is described herein. Unimportant edges of the image are disregarded by eliminating Gaussian wavelet coefficients and Haar wavelet coefficients of lower significance. Comparison between the images is made on the basis of quantized color, sign and magnitude of the Haar wavelet coefficients. The method performs the comparison between images in two steps. First, the method checks for exact matches between the Haar wavelet coefficients to determine whether the images are very similar. This is followed by binning of the coefficients into nine spatial bins in the image. A representative is assigned to each of the bins in terms of color, orientation and sign. Each bin of one image is compared with all the bins of the other image. Thus, images that are similar but not identical are still detected.
US08019111B2
An improved headphone support assembly comprises a hook-shaped member for positioning over the ear of a user. The assembly comprises a clip or series of clips for releasably retaining a headphone wire, and disposes the wire at one terminal end of the hook-shaped member adjacent the auditory canal of a user. An ‘earbud’ type headphone wire is affixed to the member, with a predetermined amount of slack between the member and the headphone speaker to allow the speaker to move independently of the member. An adjustable arm attached to the lower portion of the hook-shaped member, and connected by a hinge, extends under the ear lobe of a user, and articulates to accommodate a variety of ear sizes.
US08019105B2
A hearing aid includes a microphone for conversion of sound into an input audiosignal, a signal processor for processing the input audiosignal, the signal processor including a compressor, and a receiver for conversion of the processed signal into sound, wherein the compressor is configured to adapt attack and release time constants in response to input signal fluctuations.
US08019104B2
A hearing aid includes an input transducer for transforming an acoustic input signal into an electrical input signal, a processor for generating an electrical output signal by amplifying the electrical input signal with a processor gain, an output transducer for transforming the electrical output signal into an acoustic output signal, an adaptive feedback suppression filter for generating a feedback cancellation signal, and a model gain estimator generating an upper processor gain limit and for providing a control parameter indicating a possible misadjustment of the model.
US08019102B2
The present invention provides an audio control device and an audio control method capable of promptly controlling a desired sound source, by simply selecting the sound where the sound state should be adjusted among multiple sounds, without displaying the sound state of multiple sounds on a display for identifying. An audio control device according to the invention includes a cross-key manipulation detection module 1 that receives various input manipulations; a plurality of generating units 14a to 14e that generate a sound having a different sound source; and CPU 12 that controls the sound state generated by the plurality of generating units 14a to 14e, wherein the cross-key manipulation detection module 1 controls the sound state of the selected first generating unit among the plurality of generating units 14a to 14e, wherein CPU 12 generates a sound having a sound state which is controlled by the input unit in the first generating unit, generates a sound having a sound state which is different from that of the first generating unit in the other generating units.
US08019101B2
The present invention is directed to a condenser microphone with a microphone housing cap with a sound inlet opening, a microphone housing with a cross-sectional opening facing the microphone housing cap, and a diaphragm resting along the cross-sectional opening on the front side of the microphone housing surrounding the cross-sectional opening, and a counter-electrode which faces this diaphragm and which is arranged at a short distance from the diaphragm. The invention is further directed to a corresponding method for producing a condenser microphone of this kind. The invention provides an improved condenser microphone and an improved method for producing such a condenser microphone so that the disadvantages of the prior art are overcome while reducing manufacturing-related resources and, therefore, costs at the same time in that the diaphragm of the condenser microphone is glued to the microphone housing in an angle area between the underside of the diaphragm and the outer side of the microphone housing.
US08019095B2
Scaling, by a desired amount sm, the overall perceived loudness Lm of a multichannel audio signal, wherein perceived loudness is a nonlinear function of signal power P, by scaling the perceived loudness of each individual channel Lc by an amount substantially equal to the desired amount of scaling of the overall perceived loudness of all channels sm, subject to accuracy in calculations and the desired accuracy of the overall perceived loudness scaling sm. The perceived loudness of each individual channel may be scaled by changing the gain of each individual channel, wherein gain is a scaling of a channel's power. Optionally, in addition, the loudness scaling applied to each channel may be modified so as to reduce the difference between the actual overall loudness scaling and the desired amount of overall loudness scaling.
US08019092B2
An aural device to be worn over the ear of a user during sleeping hours which generates white noise.
US08019082B1
Methods and apparatus for the automated configuration of 802.1x clients in wireless computer networks are described. In one embodiment, a wireless network client for a wireless network is configured automatically, by providing (using a software driver installed at either the network client or a remote server) network configuration information to a software client of the wireless network client.
US08019080B2
There is provided a method and apparatus for providing a content service. A method of providing a content service includes generating a plurality of pieces of decryption information according to a continuous period of using a broadcasting service with respect to predetermined contents, encrypting the contents, and decrypting the encrypted contents using the decryption information.
US08019072B2
A method of providing a ringback tone to a calling party. The method includes receiving a call directed to a subscriber from the calling party. At least one of an adaptive ringback tone and an actionable ringback tone is provided to the calling party. The adaptive ringback tone is based on state data.
US08019065B2
Interacting digitally communicating devices cooperate to schedule future meetings include a capability to handle conditional acceptance of meeting requests. For example, a conditional acceptance may be subject to Boolean logic functions of the acceptance status(es) of other meeting invitees (e.g., the condition that another specific one or more invitees also accept the meeting request).
US08019063B2
A system and method for providing a high reliability network. Context servers store information about calls in a telecommunications system. Network control elements can obtain call information from the context servers to help make call control and reporting decisions.
US08019061B2
A communication terminal having one or more one-touch-dial buttons simplifies operations needed for registration of destination data such as phone numbers or mail addresses. A communication terminal (e.g., a cellular phone) having one or more one-touch-dial buttons includes a destination-data registration unit (e.g., a phone-directory database) that allows destination data such as phone numbers or mail addresses to be registered therein, a one-touch-dial registration unit that allows destination data to be registered therein so as to be associated with the one or more one-touch-dial buttons, and a control unit that, in response to an operation of the one or more one-touch-dial buttons, determines whether destination data has been registered in the one-touch-dial registration unit or the destination-data registration unit, and that outputs a result of the determination and a query message regarding registration of the destination data.
US08019060B2
Transaction data is entered by the user in response to prompts in a template. The template and entered data are accumulated into data transactions which are exploded and sent to an external database servers for processing and storage. Each database server may explode the data transaction to produce ancillary records which are then stored, and/or forwards the data transaction or some or all of the ancillary records to other database servers for updating other databases associated with those database servers. The database server(s) may also return data streams for use in completing the fields in the data transaction.
US08019056B2
As apparatus for responding silently to incoming calls in a communication system. Such an apparatus provides the capability to respond to incoming calls in the communication system which could be, for example, a telephone system, for those cases necessitating minimal disruptions such as wherein the telephone user receiving the call is in a meeting or other group situation. With the system disclosed herein, the telephone user can respond to the caller immediately with pre-recorded responses. Special responses can be pre-recorder for special situations or special callers.
US08019055B2
In an instant messaging system, message latency is reduced by initiating traffic channel set-up at a receiving device concurrently while a sending device is generating the instant message. When a user begins generating an instant message, the sending device transmits a service request to a payload and connection server to indicate that an instant message is pending. Upon receipt of the service request, the payload and connection server notifies the receiving device so that the receiving device can initiate traffic channel set-up concurrently while the instant message is being recorded. When the traffic channel is established, the receiving device polls the server. If the instant message is not yet received by the payload and connection server when the polling request is received, the payload and connection server waits a predetermined period of time to receive the pending instant message and forwards the instant message when it is received.
US08019048B2
A window arrangement on a pressure pipe, with a casing in the train or at the end of the pressure pipe, said casing featuring flanges on diametrically opposing sides having radially directed passages, whose axes are standing perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pressure pipe and are located in a measurement plane for an x-ray measurement device, an x-ray source being associated to the one passage on the outer side and a receiver sensitive to X-rays to the other passage, and with window plates that are transmissive for X-rays which are sealingly arranged in the associated passage and are fixed in the passage with the aid of a fastening member and which consist of a material which is resistant against high temperatures and process-due etchings by chemically aggressive substances.
US08019047B2
An apparatus for Flash X-ray irradiation of material includes a Flash X-ray source comprised of an electron gun and an anode. The electron gun comprises a field emission cold cathode having an electron emitting surface, and a grid for controlling electron flow from the cathode to the anode. The anode has an electron-receiving main surface and an X-ray emitting, oppositely facing main surface. The X-ray emitting surface, emits X-radiation into an irradiation volume. The X-ray emitting surface of the anode has orthogonally oriented first and second dimensions of greater than 2 millimeters each. A high voltage pulse power supply powers the Flash X-ray source. The electron gun, anode and high voltage pulse power supply are so constructed as to create sufficient X-radiation in said irradiation volume to achieve a desired level of irradiation of material in said volume.
US08019045B2
An X-ray imaging apparatus includes an imaging unit which is rotatable relative to a platform about a shaft portion perpendicular to an X-ray detecting surface, so as to change the orientation relative to a subject.
US08019044B2
Acquisition techniques for dual energy (DE) chest imaging system. Technique factors include the added x-ray filtration, kVp pair, and the allocation of dose between low- and high-energy projections, with total dose equal to or less than that of a conventional chest radiograph. Factors are described which maximize lung nodule detectability as characterized by the signal difference to noise ratio (SDNR) in DE chest images. kVp pair and dose allocation are described using a chest phantom presenting simulated lung nodules and ribs for thin, average, and thick body habitus. Low- and high-energy techniques ranged from 60-90 kVp and 120-150 kVp, respectively, with peak soft-tissue SDNR achieved at [60/120] kVp for patient thicknesses and levels of imaging dose. A strong dependence on the kVp of the low-energy projection was observed.
US08019039B1
A shift register includes plural shift register stages for providing plural gate signals to plural gate lines. Each shift register stage includes a pull-up unit, an input unit, an energy-store unit, a discharging unit and a pull-down unit. The pull-up unit pulls up a first gate signal according to a driving control voltage and a first clock. The input unit is utilized for inputting a second gate signal generated by a preceding shift register stage to become a driving control voltage which is stored in the energy-store unit. The discharging unit is utilized for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the driving control voltage according to a second clock and a third clock. The pull-down unit is utilized for performing an alternate pull-down operation on the first gate signal according to the second and third clocks.
US08019037B2
A phase difference detection device able to detect a phase with a high precision is provided. A phase difference detection device 4 detecting a phase difference θ between an excitation signal Ss and a second detection signal Sd in accordance with a rotation position θ of a rotary body 101 has a reference counter 13 performing a count in synchronization with a first clock pulse CLK1 and reset when the excitation signal Ss causes zero cross down, a velocity detection unit 19 acquiring information capable of specifying the rotation velocity of the rotary body 101, a pulse conversion unit 21 outputting a second clock pulse CLK2 by using, as a pulse interval Tp, a time specified based on the information acquired by the velocity detection unit 19 and required for the rotation of the rotary body 101 by an angle corresponding to 1 count of the reference counter 13, and a phase counter 23 in which a count value counted by the reference counter 13 is set at an initial value for each fall of a second detection signal Sd, and which performs count in synchronization with the second clock pulse CLK2.
US08019027B2
A digital broadcasting receiver includes: a variable gain amplifier for amplifying an electric wave received through an antenna, a gain of the variable gain amplifier being made variable in accordance with a signal from the outside; a distributor for distributing the signal from the variable gain amplifier into two signals; first and second tuners connected to the distributor for performing selection of broadcastings, and amplification; digital demodulation ICs for demodulating output signals from the first and second tuners, thereby obtaining digital signals, respectively; and a signal processing portion for processing the digital signals from the digital demodulation ICs. The signal processing portion calculates bit error rates of the first and second tuners, and when at least one of the bit error rates is equal to or larger than a threshold, varies the gain of the variable gain amplifier.
US08019025B2
Disclosed is a system and a training sequence setting method for performing frame synchronization in a wireless communication system. A received signal is affected by a frequency offset due to an oscillator mismatch between the transmitter and the receiver, which is one of the main causes of performance degradation of frame synchronization. In a prior Constant Amplitude Zero Auto-Correlation (CAZAC) sequence, the larger the frequency offset becomes, the more conspicuously the performance degradation of the frame synchronization occurs. The proposed training is designed to maintain a prior CAZAC property during a differential detection so as to perform a differential detection-based frame synchronization sequence insensitive to the frequency offset. As a result of performance verification, the proposed training sequence indicates that its performance of the frame synchronization is irrespective of the frequency offset, and has a better performance than the prior CAZAC sequence and random sequence.
US08019022B2
An embodiment of a clock and data recovery circuit comprising a first clock and data recovery circuit with high bandwidth and a second clock and data recovery circuit with low bandwidth is disclosed. The first clock and data recovery circuit with high bandwidth receives a data signal and a reference signal to demux the data signal into a first signal and a second signal, wherein a second data rate X bps of the first signal and the second signal is half of a first data rate of the data signal. The second clock and data recovery circuit with low bandwidth receives and reduces jitter in the first signal and the second signal to output a first recovery signal and a second recovery signal.
US08019016B1
A system and method of beamforming facilitate beam selection without requiring an exhaustive search. In some implementations, a beamforming technique may select candidate vectors to construct a beamforming matrix without having to compute each matrix element.
US08019015B2
Predistorting an input signal prior to amplification in an RF power amplifier (206) includes isolating a plurality sub-band signals, each representing a portion of the input signal s(t). The method includes independently modifying an amplitude and a phase of each of the plurality of sub-band signals. The modification of the amplitude and/or phase is performed using a set of signal weighting parameters (weights) w and W, controlling linear and nonlinear modifications respectively, which are determined in an adaptive process by an adaptive controller (224). After modification, each of the sub-bands are summed together to obtain a predistorted input signal for an RF power amplifier (206).
US08019012B2
A communication controller and a method is provided for synchronizing a wireless communication device and a wireless communication network having two or more transmit antennas, which support transmit diversity. A reference signal is received from the wireless communication network via each one of a pair of the two or more transmit antennas. A preferred phase offset is then determined for the pair of transmit antennas, and then transmitted to the wireless communication network. Further adjustments of the requested phase and amplitude of the communications transmitted using the pair of transmit antennas are suspended, until further transmissions are received from the wireless communication network via the corresponding transmit antennas, which can be decoded in accordance with the preferred phase offset or a timer has elapsed corresponding to the maximum time needed for the wireless communication network to receive the preferred phase offset and synchronize to the same.
US08019004B2
A method and system for converting coded serial video signal into a serial IP video signal, including steps of receiving the coded serial video signal and detecting the serial video timing, converting the serial video signal to a serial sequence of packets each consisting of a converted individual digital video signal, and extracting and decoding the identification code of each individual video signal of the coded serial video signal. The method and system also perform steps of applying a conversion program for assigning IP addresses including at least a source address and a destination address for each decoded identification code, generating IP packets by adding to each of the packets its assigned IP addresses, and feeding the IP packets to a network one after another in the serial sequence.
US08019003B2
A method of capturing a screen includes monitoring screen changes on a first display system and inserting information into a queue, the information including a first type of information and a second type of information, reading the information from the queue and maintaining a dirty region describing areas of the screen which have been changed, wherein areas affected by the first type of information are added to the dirty region and areas affected by the second type of information are subtracted from the dirty region.
US08019000B2
A frame memory holds a reference frame that is to be referenced for motion detection for a target block of a coding target frame in motion images. A motion compensation unit that includes a motion detecting unit and a motion compensated prediction unit. The motion detecting unit detects the motion of said target block by repeated motion estimation with reference to said reference frame stored in said frame memory, and the motion compensated prediction unit performs motion compensation processing for the target block using information on the detected motion. A coding unit that performs coding processing for the subtraction image and the information on the detected motion and thereby creates a coded stream. The motion compensation unit includes a pre-reading memory which stores pixel data beforehand, where said pixel data is part of pixel data in said reference frame, which is to be frequently referenced for motion detection, and which has been transmitted from said frame memory.
US08018995B2
A system for providing trickplay functionality—such as pause, instant replay, rewind, fast forward, etc—for very highly compressed video/audio data stream. Depending on the trickplay functionality, the system configures the duration of playback before a jump, the decoding speed required, the number of pictures to display per second, and the distance between jumps. The system may comprise a decoder, a picture rate controller and a display.
US08018990B2
The present general inventive concept relates to apparatuses and/or methods for measuring an in-phase and quadrature (IQ) imbalance. In one embodiment, a detector can measure an error caused by an IQ imbalance using a first IQ signal including a desired signal and a corresponding image signal by the IQ imbalance. The detector can include a derotator to derotate the first IQ signal by a first angular frequency to obtain a second IQ signal and derotate the first IQ signal by a second angular frequency to obtain a third IQ signal, a DC estimator to obtain a fourth IQ signal corresponding to a DC component of the second IQ signal and a fifth IQ signal corresponding to a DC component of the third IQ signal and a controller can determine a gain error or a phase error from the fourth IQ signal and the fifth IQ signal.
US08018987B2
The present invention provides for spreading a first signal using a plurality of spreading codes, multiplexing the first spread signal by code division multiplexing, transmitting the first multiplexed signal via a plurality of neighboring frequency resources of an OFDM symbol of a first antenna set, spreading a second signal using a plurality of spreading codes, multiplexing the second spread signal by code division multiplexing, transmitting the second multiplexed signal via a plurality of neighboring frequency resources of the OFDM symbol of the first antenna set, transmitting the first multiplexed signal via a plurality of neighboring frequency resources of an OFDM symbol of a second antenna set, and transmitting the second multiplexed signal via a plurality of neighboring frequency resources of the OFDM symbol of the second antenna set, wherein the first multiplexed signal is transmitted on frequency resources that neighbor frequency resources that the second multiplexed signal is transmitted on.
US08018983B2
A sound reproducing device. The sound reproducing device for receiving a frequency-hopping signal having an instantaneous frequency within a hopping bandwidth. The sound reproducing device comprises a first antenna having a bandwidth including the hopping bandwidth for producing a first received signal and a second antenna tunable to frequencies within the hopping bandwidth responsive to an instantaneous hopping frequency. The second antenna produces a second received signal. The device further comprises a module for processing one or both of the first and second received signals to produce a signal for driving the sound reproducing device.
US08018981B2
A multi-pass optical cell with an actuator for actuating a reflective surface is provided. In one preferred embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, and a support structure supporting the first and second reflective surfaces. The support structure positions the first and second reflective surfaces to create an optical cell. The apparatus also comprises a source and a detector, which are positioned such that light emitted from the source is reflected in the optical cell at least one time between the first and second reflective surfaces before reaching the detector. The apparatus further comprises an actuator coupled with and operative to actuate the first reflective surface. In some embodiments, the actuator rotates the first reflective surface. Also, in some embodiments, the multi-pass optical cell is an open path multi-pass optical cell, while, in other embodiments, the multi-pass optical cell is a closed path multi-pass optical cell.
US08018960B2
Communication devices, communication systems, a Bluetooth communication protocol communication device, and communication methods are provided. According to a first aspect, a communication device includes a single buffer configured to store communication data; control circuitry coupled with the buffer and configured to generate a plurality of packets including different amounts of communication data from the buffer; and communication circuitry coupled with the control circuitry and configured to communicate the packets.a.
US08018953B1
An adaptive, deterministic approach for updating network routing information is disclosed. From among a set of routers, each of which is associated with an amount of time relative to a destination, the router that is associated with the lowest amount of time is selected. A “forward ant” data packet, which indicates the destination, is sent to the selected router. A “backward ant” data packet is received. The “backward ant” data packet indicates an amount of time taken for the “forward ant” data packet to travel to the destination. Based on this amount of time, the amount of time that is associated with the selected router is updated. Based on information contained in the “backward ant” data packet, the routing table is updated.
US08018951B2
Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for pacing a data transfer between compute nodes on a parallel computer that include: transferring, by an origin compute node, a chunk of an application message to a target compute node; sending, by the origin compute node, a pacing request to a target direct memory access (‘DMA’) engine on the target compute node using a remote get DMA operation; determining, by the origin compute node, whether a pacing response to the pacing request has been received from the target DMA engine; and transferring, by the origin compute node, a next chunk of the application message if the pacing response to the pacing request has been received from the target DMA engine.
US08018950B2
A method for synchronizing network elements to a global clock derived from the GPS clock acquired by a plurality of base stations. The global clock is distributed to controllers of various networks, and from there to network access devices. The network access devices further distribute the global clock to various wire-line and local wireless networks and from there, to the users served by these networks. The user equipment is enabled with a simple clock discipliner that adjusts the local clock to the global clock, resulting in a reliable synchronization across the converged communication networks.
US08018926B2
In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving a plurality of data frames representing at least one virtually concatenated data stream, storing the plurality of data frames in a memory; and recording, for each of a plurality of data frames, a physical write address that indicates a position in the memory and a virtual write address that includes a multiframe indicator and a byte number indicator.
US08018925B2
Systems and methods are described that provide network traffic engineering that obviate network over-provisioning by providing QoS to each traffic class. Embodiments dimension switching router LTE schedulers to ensure that each traffic class receives an appropriate QoS in terms of delay, jitter, Packet Loss Ratio and throughput. In addition to guaranteeing QoS, embodiments optimize transport cost, optimize switch-router port deployment, and work on top of IETF standards, IEEE standards, and MEF standards.
US08018921B2
A system for providing third-party call control in a telecommunications environment is provided. The system comprises, a call-control mechanism for providing service logic and routing intelligence, a control application for providing service-logic description and command instruction for implementing third-party controlled call connections, a call-switching mechanism for providing an abstract state of switching matrix and for commutation of external and internal call legs and a commutation application for making and breaking call connections according to commands sent from the control application. The call-control mechanism, using the control application, sends primitive text commands to the call-switching mechanism, which utilizing the commutation application, receives, reads and implements the text commands containing all of the service logic and instructions required to successfully construct call connections and wherein the call-switching mechanism by virtue of the commutation application sends notification of success or failure regarding implementation of received commands back to the control application.
US08018919B2
Surveillance of IP telephony may be performed through the use of conventional telephone equipment, according to principles of the invention while preventing giving indication to the monitored phone by alerting the user of the monitoring phone to such surveillance use prior to pick up by an agent for engagement of the monitoring phone in response to the alert. Such alerts may assume many forms such as ringing, visual indicators, data readouts, activating ancillary equipment, various flags, etc. This alert prior to surveillance is distinct from alerts used for normal non-surveillance calls, which the monitoring phone is capable of receiving.
US08018918B2
In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a first internet protocol (IP) packet having information associated with a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal. The information of the first IP packet is configured based on a protocol associated with a first layer of a media over internet protocol (MoIP) network. The first IP packet is associated with a destination endpoint. The method also includes producing a second IP packet having information associated with the DTMF signal. The information of the second IP packet is configured based on a protocol associated with a second layer of the MoIP network and a DTMF conversion policy associated with the destination endpoint. The second layer is different than the first layer.
US08018913B2
A method and system for sharing components in a time division multiplex wireless system is provided. The method may include configuring at least one component of a software programmable radio, such as a PLL, to enable communication of data using, for example, a GSM protocol during a first timeslot in a frame and reconfiguring that component to enable communication of data using a different communication protocol during an unused timeslot in the same frame. Both uplink and downlink channels of the different communication protocol may be communicated during the unused timeslots.
US08018910B2
The embodiments of the present invention relate to a method and a device for transferring radio service data. The method includes: designing a radio service frame timing mechanism and/or a rule of filling IQ data for a plurality of standards; configuring frame timing mechanisms corresponding to various services according to the designed radio service frame timing mechanism and/or the rule of filling IQ data for a plurality of standards; and transmitting multi-standard radio service data according to the configured frame timing information and/or methods of mapping IQ containers. The device includes a determination unit, a configuring unit and a transfer unit. Thus, uniform transmission of radio IQ data and frame synchronization for different standards may be enabled via a common radio interface between a Radio Equipment Controller (REC) and a Radio Equipment (RE).
US08018906B2
A receiver includes a plurality of de-spreading correlators that are programmed to only correlate a specific portion of the full spreading code according to an interleave factor. Each correlator may be associated with a different symbol. The received signal may be received at all correlators and is multiplied by a code generated by a code generator according to the symbol associated with the correlator. While each correlator may be despreading the received signal at all times, an enable signal is used to determine when information for an associated cell should be accumulated for each correlator.
US08018903B2
Closed loop multiple-antenna wireless communications system with antenna weights determined by maximizing a composite channel signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio minimum. Multiplexed symbol streams over subsets of antennas enhance throughput.
US08018899B2
A handoff system and method between different kinds of devices, an SIP server and an application method of the SIP server applied thereto. The handoff system between different kinds of devices includes a plurality of devices; a SIP server which requests a routing path update when a handoff request signal is input from a source device among the plurality devices, and getting a target device to participate in a current session; and a gateway which updates a predetermined routing path when a request signal for the routing path update is input, and transmitting data to the source device and the target device via the updated routing path.
US08018895B2
Mobile station applications (419) may include an SI unit (409) for piggy backing SI onto data stored in data buffer (421) and also for adding an indicator to the SI information. The scheduling information and/or incremental control information (501) is piggy backed onto a data PDU and also has a sequence number (503) and an indicator field (505) which is added by the SI unit, such as SI unit (409), in accordance with the embodiments. The indicator may be a bit map having four bit positions. A bit position having a binary “1” value may be utilized to indicate that a previous SN of SI information remains valid. For example, “0100” of the bit map sequence may indicate that SN #3 is still valid. The base station or controller may then determine whether to implement or discard an SI information having the indicated SN.
US08018894B2
A method and apparatus for implementing a blind seamless channel change (BSCC) when at least one of a plurality of wireless communication devices is jammed on a current communication channel includes the first wireless communication device transmitting a BSCC message on the current communication channel to a second wireless communication device that includes information relating to a communication channel selected from a plurality of available communication channels that the first wireless communication device is switching to next, and a time period when the first wireless communication device will be transmitting on the selected communication channel. The first wireless communication device switches to the selected communication channel. The second wireless communication device receives the BSCC message and switches to the selected communication channel. The first and second wireless communication devices resume normal wireless communication.
US08018871B2
A network management system that is capable of managing each device in an information processing device efficiently even though on a network there are a plurality of the information processing apparatuses which search for devices to manage. A network management system comprises a multi-function printer (MFP) connected to a network, and a network management station that searches and manages the MFP. The MFP comprises a search source information recording unit that records information related to the network management station, which is a transmitter of a search packet, as search source information in response to receipt of the search packet, and a search source information transmitting unit that transmits the search source information to the network management station in response to request from the network management station. The network management station comprises a search source information acquisition requesting unit that requests acquisition of the search source information to the device, and a search source information obtaining unit that obtains the search source information transmitted from the MFP.
US08018870B2
A method and apparatus for configuring an appliance, such as a network node, for performing s service, such as communicating with a network, controlled by a service provider include inserting into an Ethernet port on the appliance an Ethernet couple on a device that is usually small compared to the appliance. The device is configured to send through the Ethernet couple without human intervention an Internet Protocol (IP) data packet that is directed to a logical port of an established standard, such as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) port 80. The IP data packet includes appliance configuration data in a message form for the established standard, such as an HTTP POST. As a result, the appliance is configured automatically for performing the service controlled by the service provider.
US08018864B2
A check-frame receiving unit receives a check frame containing bandwidth data of a bandwidth allocated to a communication between a transmitting side and a receiving side. A bandwidth-data extracting unit extracts bandwidth data in the check frame and outputs a received bandwidth with a MAC address in the check frame. A bandwidth comparing unit reads out preset bandwidth set in association with a destination MAC address from a bandwidth storing unit, and compares the received bandwidth with the preset bandwidth. A response-frame generating unit generates a response frame containing a result obtained by comparing the received bandwidth with the preset bandwidth, the received bandwidth, and the preset bandwidth. A response-frame transmitting unit transmits the response frame generated by the response-frame generating unit.
US08018863B2
A method and apparatus for reducing the number of CC messages transmitted in a provider network. In one embodiment of the invention, a first service provider network element receives CC messages from a first customer network at a first periodicity rate. The first service provider network element stores the received CC messages and reduces the first periodicity rate to create a second periodicity rate that is smaller than the first periodicity rate. The first service provider network element transmits CC messages to a second service provider network element through the provider network at the second periodicity rate. Other methods and apparatus are also described.
US08018862B2
In one embodiment, a technique for detecting the re-marking of a parameter in a network packet is provided. The technique involves sending a request packet that contains a first value of a type of service parameter effecting how the packet is to be handled relative to other packets and receiving a response packet to the request packet, the response packet containing an indication of a second value of the type of service parameter in the request packet as received by a network device that sent the response packet. The first and second values of the type of service parameter are compared. A determination that the request packet was re-marked is made if the first and second values of the type of service parameter do not match.
US08018859B2
A method and apparatus for providing asynchronous alarm correlation in packet networks are disclosed. For example, the method receives a trigger, and performs an asynchronous correlation of at least one root cause alarm with at least one symptom alarm.
US08018847B2
Systems and methods for intercepting and redirecting requests are provided. More particularly, certain information is identified in a packet and the packet is redirected to a specified server. The information that is redirected may be bound for a server in a network that a mobile node is currently visiting, and it is advantageous to fulfill the request in another network instead. The request is redirected to the other network; however, the response to the request may be modified changing the source address and other information so that the response appears to have originated from the server in the visited network to which the mobile node sent the request. Load balancing may also be incorporated when redirecting requests from one or more mobile nodes.
US08018846B2
A transport control method in a transmitter of a wireless communication system, which includes a transport layer having a congestion control function of transmitting data in a segment basis and retransmitting a segment if an RTO timer expires before receipt of an ACK segment is received in response to transmission of the segment and a MAC layer for detecting receipt of an ACK segment through a wireless link and transporting the detected ACK segment to the transport layer, includes temporarily storing received ACK segments in the MAC layer; detecting an average transmission rate of data segments; and transporting the stored ACK segments to the transport layer at the average transmission rate. Accordingly, by controlling an upward transport rate of a received ACK message by referring to an RTO value of a TCP in a MAC layer, unnecessary retransmission can be prevented by a congestion control function.
US08018842B2
Arrangements dealing with multiple link failures occurring in a communication network including a first ring and a second ring connected to the first ring by sharing part of a link in the first ring as a common link. Included is stored link failure information included in the failure detection frame, and where a controller configured to control the communication unit to stop transmission of at least one auxiliary monitor frame in the event of multiple failures including a failure on the common link, but to allow transmission under certain specific circumstances.
US08018841B2
Interworking an Ethernet Ring network with an Ethernet network with traffic engineered trunks (PBT network) enables traffic engineered trunks to be dual homed to the Ethernet ring network to enable for protection switching between active and backup trunk paths in the PBT network. In one embodiment, the active path will terminate at a first bridge node on the Ethernet ring network and the backup path will terminate at a second bridge node on the Ethernet ring network. Trunk state information is exchanged between the bridge nodes to enable the bridge nodes to determine which of the active and backup paths should be used to forward data on the trunk. Upon a change in trunk state, a flush message is transmitted on the Ethernet ring network to enable the nodes on the Ethernet ring network to relearn the path to the new responsible bridge node.
US08018834B2
The invention relates to a method for configuring a wireless interface of a first electronic device, comprising establishing a wired connection with a second electronic device having a wireless interface; negotiating, via said connection, a configuration for said wireless interface with said second electronic device, said configuration enabling a wireless connection between said first and said second electronic device; and configuring said wireless interface of said first electronic device according to said configuration.
US08018829B2
Provided is an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) apparatus using a 3-dimensional (3D) signal constellation. The apparatus performs 2D inverse fast Fourier transform on a set of 3D subchannel signals that is mapped by a signal constellation including signal points distributed on the surface of a 3D sphere.
US08018827B2
A solid immersion lens (SIL) is provided. The SIL includes a spherical part, a cone-shaped part, a tip part, and an edge part between the cone-shaped part and the tip part. The edge part includes a curved surface.
US08018823B2
An information recording medium having a recording track wherein the recording track includes a first recording region R1, a second recording region R2 and a recording region transition section Sx arranged between regions R1 and R2; a track pitch tp1, a groove width w1 and a groove depth d1 in region R1, and a track pitch tp2, a groove width w2and a groove depth d2 in region R2 satisfy formula (1), (2) and/or (3); the recording region transition section Sx includes a track pitch transition section Stp in which the track pitch changes from tp1 to tp2 and a groove shape transition section Sg in which the groove width changes from w1 to w2 and/or the groove depth changes from d1 to d2; and the track pitch transition section Stp and the groove shape transition section Sg at least partially overlap to share a region SL.
US08018817B2
An optical recording medium is provided for allowing data to be recorded on, erased from, and reproduced from, and storing information about power levels of an erase pulse. The recorded erase pattern information may include information about power levels of first and last pulses of an erase pattern for erasing data. The first and last pulses of the erase pattern can be differently set depending on the differing kind of recording layer or layers of a disk or differing kinds of disks and recorded in a reproducible only area or rewritable area of the optical recording medium. Thus, by presetting the appropriate erase power levels, the time required for selecting an optimal erase power for the optical recording medium can be considerably reduced.
US08018814B2
The present invention is to provide an improved aberration correction device formed by inserting an electro-optic panel such as a liquid crystal panel in an image-formation optical system to correct aberrations in the image-formation optical system, characterized in that such a correction device is capable of correcting three or more kinds of aberrations using only one electro-optic panel.Divided areas concerning coma aberration correction and divided areas concerning astigmatism correction are formed in one of the transparent electrodes of the electro-optic panel, while the rest of divided areas concerning coma aberration correction and divided areas concerning spherical aberration correction are formed in the other of the transparent electrodes. In this way, it is possible to form divided areas divided into electrode patterns suitable for correcting various aberrations, simplify as much as possible the electrode structure of the transparent electrodes consisting of the divided areas, thereby simplifying a control of voltages to be applied to the divided areas.
US08018813B2
A holographic information recording and/or reproducing apparatus including: a light source unit emitting reference light and signal light; a first optical path guiding unit guiding the lights to cross; a second optical path guiding unit including a first polarization converter located on an optical path of one of the reference and signal lights, a first polarization beam splitter located at a crossing point of the reference light and the signal light, an optical path converter guiding the reference light and the signal light so that they cross again, a second polarization converter located on an optical path of the signal light before the signal light crosses the reference light, and a second polarization beam splitter uniting the optical paths of the reference light and the signal light; and an objective lens unit illuminating the reference light and the signal light onto one side of a holographic information storage medium.
US08018808B2
A method for inspecting an optical information storage medium includes irradiating the medium with a laser beam and rotating the medium by a constant linear velocity control technique by reference to the radial location at which the laser beam forms a spot on the medium; changing the rotational velocities according to the radial location on the medium between at least two linear velocities; generating a focus error signal and/or a tracking error signal based on the light reflected from the medium; performing a focus control and/or a tracking control on the laser beam based on the focus and/or tracking error signal(s); and passing the branched outputs of control loops for the focus and/or tracking error signal(s) through predetermined types of frequency band-elimination filters to obtain residual errors of the focus and/or tracking error signal(s) and comparing the residual errors to predetermined reference values.
US08018804B2
A method of determining an optimum reproduction condition of a first mark recorded on an optical recording medium that is smaller than a resolution of a pickup to reproduce the first mark. The method includes obtaining an optimum reproduction condition of a second mark having a length which closely approximates the resolution of the pickup, and determining the optimum reproduction condition of the first mark using the obtained optimum reproduction condition of the second mark.
US08018799B2
An optical pickup device is provided. The optical pickup device includes a first, second, and third light emitting portions emitting light beams having first, second, and third wavelengths, respectively; an adjusting element for optical axes enabled to control the optical axis of the return light beam reflected by the optical recording media after output from the light emitting portion, and a single photo detector receiving the return light beams passing through the adjusting element for optical axes. The first light emitting portion and the second light emitting portion are arranged in such a way that the optical axis of the first light beam and the optical axis of the third light beam approximately coincide with each other. The adjusting element for optical axes controls the axis of the return light beam of said second light beam and the single photo detector receives the return light beams of the first light beam, the second light beam and the third light beam.
US08018797B2
The present invention is a device for displaying real time and advertising media to a person. In one embodiment, the device comprises a front cover, a clock engaged with said front cover for displaying real time, and a first sheet having an advertising portion. The first sheet is moveably engaged with the front cover to an open position where the real time and advertising portion are visible to the person. The clock comprises a clock movement mechanism engaged with the front cover, a clock face imprinted on the front cover, and an hour and minute hand engaged with the clock movement mechanism. The device further comprises a mounting fastener engaged with front cover and clock movement mechanism. The mounting fastener is adapted to allow the device to be hung on a wall.
US08018796B2
According to an example embodiment, an electronic bookmark includes a header and an electronic timer disposed within the header of the electronic bookmark. The electronic bookmark further includes a display disposed on a first surface of the header. The display of the electronic bookmark is configured to display an output of the electronic timer. The electronic bookmark further includes a plurality of control buttons disposed on the header, where the control buttons are configured to control the electronic timer. The electronic bookmark further includes a substrate that extends from the header. In the electronic bookmark, a thickness of the substrate is less than a thickness of the header. In the electronic bookmark, a first surface of the substrate is substantially coplanar with a second surface of the header, and the second surface of the header is opposite the first surface of the header.
US08018795B2
A method of controlling reminders for an electronic calendar event record includes: generating a reminder notification at a first electronic device, the reminder notification associated with the calendar event record, providing an option at the first electronic device for taking a first action at the first electronic device and taking a second action at a second electronic device, the first action differing from the second action, generating an update command at the first electronic device for taking the second action at the second electronic device in response to receipt of selection of the option at the first electronic device, and sending the update command from the first electronic device for the second electronic device.
US08018792B2
Disclosed herein is a method of constructing an environmental map using sonar sensors. The method includes the steps of checking whether conflict cells have occurred using input sonar sensor data; if conflict cells have occurred, selecting incorrect data and eliminating the conflict cells using sound pressure comparison until the conflict cells do not occur any longer; and once the elimination has completed, preparing a grid map using a Maximum Approximated Likelihood (MAL) approach. Inconsistency in data occurs when multiple pieces of sensor data overlap each other, the conflict cells are cells that experience inconsistency over an entire arc region, and candidates for the incorrect sonar sensor data are obtained when the conflict cells occur.
US08018789B2
The memory module includes front and back faces. Multiple devices are disposed on each of the faces. A first control line serially connects a first group of devices on both the front and back faces so that the first group of devices commonly contribute multiple bits to a data bus. A second control line serially connects a second group of devices on both the front and back faces so that the second group of devices commonly contribute multiple bits to a data bus.
US08018782B2
In one embodiment, an erase method for a memory including a memory array having at least first and second programmable transistors connected in series, includes restricting flow of electrons from the first programmable transistor into the second programmable transistor during an erase operation.
US08018774B2
A method of operating a nonvolatile memory device includes; performing a verification operation on memory cells while controlling a verification voltage until the memory cells are verification-passed, controlling a level of a bias voltage to be applied to the memory cells according to a level of the verification voltage when the memory cells are verification-passed, and applying the bias voltage to the memory cells.
US08018769B2
In a non-volatile memory, a selected page on a word line is successively programmed by a series of voltage pulses of a staircase waveform with verifications in between the pulses until the page is verified to a designated pattern. The programming voltage at the time the page is programmed verified will be used to estimate the initial value of a starting programming voltage for the page. The estimation is further refined by using the estimate from a first pass in a second pass. Also, when the test is over multiple blocks, sampling of word lines based on similar geometrical locations of the blocks can yield a starting programming voltage optimized for faster programming pages.
US08018768B2
A non-volatile static random access memory (NVSRAM) device includes a volatile circuit and a non-volatile circuit. Under normal operations when an external power is supplied, the volatile circuit can provide fast data access. When the power supply is somehow interrupted, the non-volatile circuit can provide data backup using an inverter circuit and a non-volatile erasable programmable memory (NVEPM) circuit, thereby retaining data previously stored in the volatile circuit.
US08018767B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device that includes: a memory cell array that includes non-volatile memory cells; a first selecting circuit that connects or disconnects a source and a drain of a transistor that forms one of the memory cells, to or from a data line DATAB connected to a first power supply; and a second selecting circuit that connects or disconnects the source and drain to or from a ground line ARVSS connected to a second power supply. In this semiconductor device, the first selecting circuit and the second selecting circuit are arranged on the opposite sides of the memory cell array. The present invention also provides a method of controlling the semiconductor device.
US08018758B2
This invention describes a circuit and method to limit the stress caused by gate voltages required to write a one or zero in magnetic memory elements using the Giant magneto-resistive effect, such as Phase Change RAM and Spin Moment Transfer MRAM, sometimes referred to as Spin Torque Transfer MRAM, which require high programming currents. The circuit and method selects one cell at a time for writing a one or a zero, different voltages to write a one or a zero, and a precharge circuit to limit the stress on non selected cells.
US08018756B2
A semiconductor memory device according to an aspect of the invention includes plural writing word lines; first and second writing bit lines that intersect with the writing word lines; and plural memory cells that are provided at portions in which the plural writing word lines and the first and second writing bit lines intersect with each other. In the semiconductor memory device, the memory cell includes a flip-flop circuit that includes first and second nodes of a complementary pair; a first transfer transistor that is connected between the first writing bit line and the first node, a gate of the first transfer transistor being connected to the writing word line; and a second transfer transistor that is connected between the second writing bit line and the second node, a gate of the second transfer transistor being connected to the writing word line. The first and second writing bit lines are in a floating state whenever data is not written in the memory cell.
US08018755B2
To provide a memory device which can maintain data accurately even when memory characteristics of a memory element deteriorate over time. The memory device includes a memory cell 100, a reading circuit 103, a power supply line 104, a first signal line 105, a second signal line 102, and an output terminal 106. The memory cell 100 includes a memory element 108, the resistance value of which is changed and holds data by utilizing the resistance value of the memory element 108. The reading circuit 103 reads data held in the memory cell 100. The output terminal 106 outputs a potential of the power supply line 104 or a potential corresponding to the data held in the memory cell 100 in accordance with the resistance value of the memory element 108. The reading circuit 103 includes a transistor 109 having first to fourth terminals. The threshold voltage of the transistor 109 is controlled by supplying a potential to a channel region through the fourth terminal.
US08018753B2
Memory devices and systems include a voltage sense line for addressing voltage tolerances across variable loadings. The memory devices and systems comprise a memory module connector with a first plurality of pins coupled to circuitry on a memory module, and a second plurality of pins coupled to power rails on the memory module that enable monitoring of the power rails from external to the memory module.
US08018740B2
An embodiment of the invention provides a method of reducing surge current in an LLC converter. The LLC converter comprises a switching circuit having a first switch and a second switch, a resonant circuit, and a rectification circuit. During start up of the LLC converter, first and second signals having a fixed period and a variable duty cycle are applied to the first and second switches respectively. When a predetermined voltage on a load configured to be coupled to the rectification circuit is reached, the first and second signals are changed to signals having a variable period and a fixed duty cycle.
US08018737B2
The invention provides a connecting structure of a circuit board, a connecting part of the circuit board, and an electronic device capable of alleviating a temperature difference between the connecting parts under hot pressure welding. A connecting structure 10 of a circuit board comprises a first circuit board 11 and a second circuit board 12, with a first connecting part 15 and a second connecting part 16 opposedly disposed via an adhesive 13. The first connecting part 15 and the second connecting part 16 are pinched by a pair of pressurizing jigs 20 and subjected to hot pressure welding so that first circuit patterns 17 and second circuit patterns 18 are in contact with each other. In the connecting structure 10 of the circuit board, the first circuit board 11 is a soft base material 21, and a heat-insulating layer 28, having lower thermal conductivity than the soft base material 21, is provided on only a part 27 of the region corresponding to the first connecting part 15 on the rear surface 21B of the soft base material 21.
US08018735B2
An electronic module. The electronic module includes a bus bar system and a power plug connector connected to the bus bar system. The power plug connector is configured to receive a portion of a system bus.
US08018733B2
A circuit board interconnection system is disclosed according to the embodiments of the present invention. The system includes a first circuit board, a second circuit board, a third circuit board, a first connector and a second connector. The first connector and the second connector are mounted at two sides of the first circuit board respectively so that the second circuit board mounted on the first connector is perpendicular to the third circuit board on the second connector. The first connector and the second connector mounted respectively at two sides of the first circuit board are coupled to each other via an impedance controlled mechanism on the first circuit board. Another circuit board interconnection system, a circuit board, a connector assembly and a method for manufacturing a circuit board are disclosed according to the present invention. The circuit board adopts the impedance controlled mechanism which has a shielding function and an impedance controlled function to replace a via hole on the existing circuit board where the via hole has an uncontrollable resistance.
US08018716B2
A modular system comprises an appliance conducting a useful cycle of operation, a consumer electronic device removably mounted to the appliance and having a user interface for controlling a primary function of the consumer electronic device, and an adapter mounting the consumer electronic device to the appliance for movement between a first orientation, where the user interface is accessible to a user, and a second orientation, where the user interface is inaccessible to the user.
US08018714B2
A portable electronic device and an operation method therefor are provided. The portable electronic device comprises a first body portion, a second body portion, a sliding module and a rotating module. After the second body portion is slid along the surface of the first portion by the sliding module, the rotating module is promptly triggered to automatically rotate the second body portion to a first angle with respect to the first body portion. The second body portion can be further rotated to a second angle when the second body portion bears a thrust force at the first angle. The portable electronic device can operate in corresponding operation modes according to the angles that the second body portion presents with respect to the first body portion.
US08018713B2
Anodized films are formed at both surfaces of an aluminum base and, at the center portion on each side of the aluminum base, a solid electrolyte layer of a conductive polymer, a graphite layer, and a metal layer are stacked in the order, thereby forming a rectangular cathode portion. An insulator layer is formed at the peripheries of four sides of the cathode portion and, further, an anode lead frame is provided at the peripheries of four sides of the upper insulator layer, thereby forming an anode portion. Openings are formed at four corners of the insulator layer or the anode portion, thereby establishing electrical connection between the cathode portions on both sides of the aluminum base. By setting the ratio of a total region, occupied by the openings, of the cathode portion to 25% or less, the ESL of a capacitor can be suppressed low even when the openings are provided.
US08018712B2
A bus-bar for assembling a capacitor device is disclosed, which is capable of improving the environment of a soldering operation for the bus-bar being soldered to a capacitor device, reducing the inferior rate of the capacitor device while improving the quality of the capacitor device, and reducing the weight of the capacitor module, in soldering the bus-bar to capacitor devices. The lead frame attached to polar plates by soldering is formed thinner than the other parts of the bus-bar, and opening parts having an oval or polygonal shape are formed on a surface of the bus-bar so that two adjoining capacitor devices can be exposed. The lead frame is formed in the opening in order for soldering with the polar plates of the capacitor device.
US08018710B2
The ionizer includes a nozzle having a discharge electrode for inducing corona discharge by application of high voltage to eject ions, an emission port for emitting supplied gas together with the ejected ions, and a gas channel for guiding supplied gas to the emission port. Herein, a velocity of flow of the gas immediately after emission from the emission port exceeds a velocity of sound, and a gas pressure at the emission port is not less than an atmospheric pressure. The gas channel has a throat part for narrowing the gas channel such that a channel area gradually decreases, and a ratio of the atmospheric pressure to a gas pressure at a position where the channel area does not vary, the position being located forward of the throat part, is not more than 0.528.
US08018701B2
An exemplary backlight control circuit includes a load (250), an inverter circuit (230), a pulse width modulation integrated circuit (PWM IC) (210), a protecting circuit (270), and a feedback circuit (240). The load (250) includes two backlight lamps (251, 252) with first terminals (241). The PWM IC with a protecting output (215) is connected to the load via the inverter circuit. The protecting circuit has a reference voltage. The first feedback circuit is capable of outputting a voltage to the protecting circuit corresponding to the voltage detected from the first terminals. The protecting circuit is configured to control the PWM IC to stop outputting a backlight adjusting signal to the inverter circuit such that the inverter circuit stops driving the load when the output voltage is higher than the reference voltage of the protecting circuit.
US08018697B2
A switching circuit, e.g. an RCD, comprises a pair of mechanical contacts (M) in an alternating current electricity supply (N, L) and circuit means (SCR) for opening the contacts to cut off the supply in response to a switching signal (S). The switching circuit includes further circuit means (Rs, Cs, D2, D3, Q1, Q2) for defining successive periods of time (“activation windows”) during which the magnitude of the supply voltage is not at a maximum and allowing the contacts to open in response to a switching signal only during such windows.
US08018692B2
A thin film magnetic head has a magneto-resistive (MR) effect element including an MR effect film formed by sequentially layering a magnetic pinned layer, a nonmagnetic layer and a free layer, and a pair of bias magnetic field application layers formed at junction tapered parts formed on both end parts of the magneto-resistive effect film in the width direction via insulating layers. Further, magnetic pinned layer oxidized films whose thickness is Hx (unit: nm) are disposed on end parts of the magnetic pinned layer at the junction tapered parts, free layer oxidized films whose thickness is Hf (unit: nm) are disposed on end parts of the free layer at the junction tapered parts, and the oxidized films are configured such that the thickness ratio (Hx/Hf) is not more than 0.5. With this configuration, the bias magnetic filed application layers effectively apply a vertical bias magnetic filed to the free layer, resulting in that the thin film magnetic head is realized having a large MR ratio, a small deviation σ of MR waveform asymmetry, and excellent reliability.
US08018691B2
A magnetoresistive sensor having a scissor free layer design and no pinned layer. The sensor includes first and second free layers that have magnetizations that are oriented at 90 degrees to one another and has a third magnetic layer with a magnetization that is antiparallel coupled with one of the free layers. The antiparallel coupling of the third magnetic layer with one of the free layers, allows the sensor to be used in a tunnel valve design, having an electrically insulating barrier layer between the free layers. The tunnel valve design reduces spin torque noise in the sensor, and the presence of the third magnetic layer allows the free layers to remain bias at 90 degrees to one another in spite of interfacial coupling through the very thin barrier layer.
US08018685B2
Provided is an HGA with a radiation structure that can effectively get away the heat generated from a light source. The HGA comprises a suspension and a head comprising a slider and a light source unit. The suspension comprises an opening, and the light source unit projects through the opening to the opposite side to the slider in relation to the suspension. Further, the first and second pads are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the suspension, respectively, the end surface opposite to the source-installation surface of the light source is connected to the first pad by the first connection member, and an electrode of the head part is connected to the second pad by the second connection member. Thus, heat flow paths can be provided from the light source to the opposed-to-medium surface to allow effective radiation of the heat generated from the light source.
US08018677B1
A method and system for manufacturing a pole for a magnetic recording head. The method and system include providing an insulator and fabricating at least one hard mask on the insulator. The at least one hard mask has an aperture therein. The method and system also include removing a portion of the insulator to form a trench within the insulator. The trench is formed under the aperture. The method and system further include depositing at least one ferromagnetic material. The pole includes a portion of the ferromagnetic material within the trench.
US08018662B2
An imaging lens includes a first lens L1 having positive curvature radii on both an object side and an image side, a second lens L2 having a concave shape on both sides, and a third lens L3 having positive curvature radii on both the object side and the image side. The first to third lenses L1 to L3 are arranged in this order from the object side toward the image side. When the first lens L1 has a focal length f1 and the second lens L2 has a focal length f2, the imaging lens is configured such that a relationship f1>|f2| is satisfied.
US08018657B2
A lithographic projection apparatus includes an optical element through which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam. A space between the optical element and the substrate is filled with liquid during the exposure. In addition, a gap is formed between a member and a surface, through which the exposure beam does not pass, of the optical element. A suction is provided to the gap.
US08018653B2
A non-specular skylight collimator has at least two axially successive collimator segments from top to bottom, with the segments becoming successively less flared from top to bottom. A skylight diffuser assembly typically covers the open end of the bottom segment.
US08018651B2
A microscope having a night vision apparatus, which apparatus can be impinged upon by beam paths proceeding from a specimen or object to be observed.
US08018650B2
The disclosure generally relates to imaging optical systems that include a plurality of mirrors, which image an object field lying in an object plane in an image field lying in an image plane, where at least one of the mirrors has a through-hole for imaging light to pass through. The disclosure also generally relates to projection exposure installations that include such imaging optical systems, methods of using such projection exposure installations, and components made by such methods.
US08018649B2
An IR camera comprising an optical system further comprises an additional optical element arranged in the form of a disk that is transparent to the infrared radiation in the beam path and at least a first motor arranged to tilt the additional optical element around a first axis substantially perpendicular to the beam path, and a control device for controlling said at least first motor in dependence of a first registered movement of the camera.
US08018640B2
A particle for use in an electrophoretic display comprises a light-scattering inorganic core and a light-transmissive colored shell of an organic pigment. In preferred particles, the core is titania and the shell is formed of particles having an average particle size less than 700 nm. The particles are produced by treating a light-scattering inorganic pigment with a polymer which adsorbs on both the inorganic pigment and an organic pigment; and adding the organic pigment and allowing the organic pigment to mix with the polymer-coated inorganic pigment.
US08018637B2
A second scanning lens has a refracting power in a sub-scanning direction, and an optical element-deforming unit that changes a position of the center of curvature of the second scanning lens in the sub-scanning direction to a direction substantially parallel to the sub-scanning direction. Further, a function Cs(y) of a curvature in the sub-scanning direction of the scanning lens deformed by the optical element-deforming unit in the scanning lens is set to have only one extreme value within a mirror surface region on a first surface of the lens.
US08018635B2
An information recording system includes an image generating unit that generates, from input manuscript data, image data of the manuscript; a characteristic data extracting unit that extracts, from the image data, characteristic data indicating a characteristic of the image data generated by the image generating unit; a characteristic data coding unit that encodes the characteristic data; and an image forming unit that forms the image data on an image recording medium together with the encoded characteristic data.
US08018632B2
An apparatus and method for scanning documents such as ID cards and bank checks that includes hinged cover and base assemblies. The base includes motor driven drive rollers for conveying a document along a paper path defined between the cover and base. The cover includes a plurality of pinch rollers forming part of a floating deck that is carried by cover structure and which is spring biased towards the base assembly. Two side-by-side scanning regions are provided, one of which is configured to scan flexible documents, the other of which is configured to scan rigid media such ID cards. Sensors detect the position of the document. A solenoid driven, replaceable ink stamp imprints a document to indicate that it has been scanned. A weight biased diverter is deflected by rigid documents to enable exit through a slot. An entrance guide includes an offset guide wall to improve feeding.
US08018629B2
An image reading apparatus in which the position of the boundary between an image of an original and a background image, as well as a skew and the size of the image of the original, can be accurately detected even with dust on a line image sensor or on an opposing member opposite to the line image sensor. An image formed on an original is read by a reading unit, and an opposing member is arranged at a position opposite to the reading unit. A plate glass distances the original from the opposing member. Shadow portions of the read image is detected from changes in a sub-scanning direction of pixel data of a read image generated based on output from the reading unit, and boundary coordinate data of the image of the original is obtained.
US08018623B2
A method for multi-level error diffusion halftoning an input digital image to form an output digital image with reduced error diffusion texture contouring artifacts which includes modifying the input pixel values for a fraction of the input pixels using a periodic dither signal, where the fraction is a function of the texture artifact characteristics of the multi-level error diffusion halftoning process.
US08018610B2
Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and devices for interacting with a remote computing device from an imaging device. These aspects may comprise remote computing devices configured to communicate with imaging devices, imaging devices configured to communicate with remote computing devices and systems comprising various combinations of remote computing devices in communication with imaging devices.
US08018599B1
Differences in the interferometric patterns of modulated telecommunication signals and broadband optical noise sources are identified and are exploited in measuring the optical signal-to-noise measurements in reconfigurable photonic networks. A light output power from said interferometer corresponding to a specified delay setting in the interferometer is measured, and a coherent optical signal is distinguished from the incoherent optical noise based on the light output power measurement.
US08018594B2
A lithographic apparatus has a plurality of different alignment arrangements that are used to perform an alignment measurement on the same mark(s) by: detecting a first alignment mark located on an object and producing a first alignment signal by a first detector; detecting the first mark and producing a second alignment signal by a second detector using a different alignment measurement than the first detector; receiving the first alignment signal from the first detector; calculating a first position of the at least first mark based on the first alignment signal; receiving the second alignment signal from the second detector; calculating a further first position of the at least first mark based on the second alignment signal.
US08018593B2
The present disclosure provides fully integrated microfluidic systems to perform nucleic acid analysis. These processes include sample collection, nucleic acid extraction and purification, amplification, sequencing, and separation and detection. The present disclosure also provides optical detection systems and methods for separation and detection of biological molecules. In particular, the various aspects of the invention enable the simultaneous separation and detection of a plurality of biological molecules, typically fluorescent dye-labeled nucleic acids, within one or a plurality of microfluidic chambers or channels. The nucleic acids can be labeled with at least 6 dyes, each having a unique peak emission wavelength. The present systems and methods are particularly useful for DNA fragment sizing applications such as human identification by genetic fingerprinting and DNA sequencing applications such as clinical diagnostics.
US08018591B2
In a spectroscopy module 1, a light passing hole 50 through which a light L1 advancing to a spectroscopic portion 4 passes is formed in a light detecting element 5. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the relative positional relationship between the light passing hole 50 and a light detecting portion 5a of the light detecting element 5 from deviating. Moreover, the light detecting element 5 is bonded to a front plane 2a of a substrate 2 with an optical resin adhesive 63. Thus, it is possible to reduce a stress generated onto the light detecting element 5 due to a thermal expansion difference between the light detecting element 5 and the substrate 2. Additionally, on the light detecting element 5, a first pool portion 101 is formed so as to be located at least between the light detecting portion 5a and the light passing hole 50 when viewed from a direction substantially perpendicular to the front plane 2a. Thus, when the light detecting element 5 is attached to the substrate 2 via the optical resin adhesive 63, the optical resin adhesive 63 is pooled to remain at the first pool portion 101. Thus, the optical resin adhesive 63 is prevented from penetrating into the light passing hole 50.
US08018574B2
A foil trap is located in a path of a radiation beam. The foil trap includes an array of conductive strips. A voltage application circuit is coupled to the strips to apply voltage differences between pairs of adjacent ones of the strips. The voltage application circuit includes a current limiting circuit arranged to limit currents to the strips to values below a threshold value above which self-sustained arc discharge may arise in the foil trap.
US08018570B2
This exposure system projects a pattern image onto a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid to expose the substrate, with a space between the projection optical system and the substrate filled with the liquid. The exposure system is provided with a vaporization preventing unit for preventing the vaporization of the liquid.
US08018568B2
A transparent conductor including a conductive layer coated on a substrate is described. More specifically, the conductive layer comprises a network of nanowires that may be embedded in a matrix. The conductive layer is optically clear, patternable and is suitable as a transparent electrode in visual display devices such as touch screens, liquid crystal displays, plasma display panels and the like.
US08018567B2
A liquid crystal display panel comprises a color filter substrate, a thin film transistor array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer sealed between the two substrates. The color filter substrate has a plurality of first spacers and a plurality of second spacers thereon. The thin film transistor array substrate has a plurality of recesses for containing the second spacers. The ratio of the number of the second spacers to the number of the first spacers is between about 10 and about 90.
US08018564B2
An LCD device includes plurality of gate lines and data lines crossing each other to define pixel regions on a substrate. A thin film transistor (TFT) resides at a crossing portion of the gate lines and the data lines and a pixel electrode is electrically connected with the TFT. The TFT includes a gate electrode, a gate insulation layer on the gate electrode and a semiconductor layer on the gate insulation layer. A portion of the data line and the semiconductor layer form a composite layer between adjacent pixel electrodes in which a line width of data line is the same as a line width of semiconductor layer. A method of fabricating the LCD device includes etching a passivation layer using a mask pattern and etching the semiconductor layer using the mask pattern and a portion of the data line as an etch mask to form the composite layer.
US08018561B2
Electrode slit portions are formed in a pixel electrode in a direction of crossing a slit for dividing a liquid crystal layer into a plurality of domains. A titanium oxide film is formed so as to be exposed to the liquid crystal layer side via the electrode slit portions, the titanium oxide film having a relative dielectric constant higher than that of an organic film formed at positions corresponding to the electrode slit portions. By the titanium oxide film, an electric field of each domain is set, angles between the director in the vicinity of the electrode slit portion and transmission axes of polarizing plates are made to approximately 45°, and a decrease in transmittance caused by the falling direction of the director can be suppressed. The transmittance and contrast ratio are secured, and simultaneously an excellent wide viewing angle range can be obtained.
US08018545B2
A method for fabricating an LCD device including: providing first and second substrates; forming an active area having a source region, a drain region, and a channel region on the first substrate and a storage line having a first region and a second region; forming a first insulation film on the first substrate; forming a gate electrode and a gate line, and forming a pixel electrode overlapping with the first region of the storage line on the first substrate; forming a second insulation film on the first substrate; forming a contact hole exposing a portion of the source and drain regions by removing the first and second insulation films and exposing the pixel electrode by removing the second insulation film on the pixel electrode; and forming a source electrode electrically connected to the source region and a drain electrode electrically connected to the drain region through the contact hole.
US08018543B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel including a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, a sealant and an electrostatic protection structure is provided. The first substrate and the second substrate are disposed in parallel. The sealant is for sealing the liquid crystal layer between the first substrate and the second substrate. The electrostatic protection structure is disposed within a non-display area outside the sealant. The electrostatic protection structure includes a first line disposed on the first substrate and surrounding the edge of the first substrate.
US08018541B2
An array substrate for IPS mode LCD device includes first and second gate lines on a substrate including first and second pixel regions; a first common connection pattern in an upper side of each of the first and second pixel regions; first and second outmost common electrodes extending from the first common connection pattern; first and second data lines crossing the first and second gate lines, the first and second pixel regions adjacent to each other along the first and second data lines; a TFT connected to the first gate line and the first data line pixel electrodes; a pixel connection pattern connected to the drain electrode common electrodes alternately arranged with the pixel electrodes; and a second common connection pattern at a lower side of the pixel regions and connected to the second outmost common electrode.
US08018538B2
To increase the aperture ratio of a transflective liquid crystal display device and suppress a light leakage. Provided is a transflective liquid crystal display device that includes: within a unit pixel, a reflective area including a pixel electrode and a common electrode as a pair and a reflector, and a transmissive area including a pixel electrode and a common electrode as a pair; a liquid crystal layer provided to the reflective area and the transmissive area; storage capacitances for the reflective area and the transmissive area provided in a lower layer of the reflector for changing a potential of the pixel electrode by following a potential of the common electrode; and a suppressing device for suppressing a light leakage in the liquid crystal layer when the pixel electrode is affected by a potential of the reflector due to capacitance coupling generated between the reflector and the pixel electrode.
US08018537B2
Pixels having polarity extension regions for multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal displays
A multi-domain vertical alignment liquid crystal display that does not require physical features on the substrate (such as protrusions and ITO slits) is disclosed. Each pixel of the MVA LCD is subdivided into color components, which are further divided into color dots. The color components include polarized extension regions that extend between color dots of neighboring color components (and neighboring pixels). The voltage polarity of the color dots and polarized extension regions are arranged so that fringe fields in each color dot causes multiple liquid crystal domains in each color dot. Specifically, the color dots and polarity extension regions of the display are arranged so that neighboring polarized elements have opposite polarities.
US08018536B2
A stereo image display, switching between a first display direction and a second display direction, includes a polarized light module for providing a polarized light. A first light grating unit is implemented on the light path of the polarized light. When the first light grating unit is activated, the polarized light is modulated to output light in every two column; and when it is turned off, all the polarized light substantially passes. A second grating unit is implemented on the light path of the polarized light. When the second light grating unit is activated, the polarized light is modulated to output light in every two row; and when it is turned off, all the polarized light substantially passes. By the light passing the light grating units, an image displaying unit displays a first image at odd columns or rows and a second image at even columns or rows.
US08018520B2
An imaging device includes an image obtaining unit configured to capture an image of a subject to obtain video data; an extraction unit configured to extract high-frequency components in at least one of a horizontal direction and a vertical direction of the video data; a calculation unit configured to calculate a parameter based on the high-frequency components in the at least one of the horizontal direction and vertical direction extracted by the extraction unit, the parameter indicating a magnitude of a high-frequency component for every line or every group of lines in the at least one of the horizontal direction and vertical direction; and a combining unit configured to combine an indicator indicating a magnitude of the parameter with the video data at a predetermined position in the at least one of the horizontal direction and vertical direction.
US08018513B2
A piecewise linear processing device applies different amplification rates according to a general environment and a low luminance environment where much noise exists. The piecewise linear processing device includes a knee point storing unit configured to store a user's default setting value and low luminance setting value; a luminance detecting unit configured to detect a noisy environment to output a current luminance information signal and a maximum luminance information signal; an adaptive knee point supply unit configured to receive the default setting value, the low luminance setting value, the current luminance information signal, and the maximum luminance information signal to supply a adjusted adaptive knee point according to a degree of noise; and a piecewise linear processing unit configured to apply a section amplification rate to an input data on the basis of a region corresponding to the adaptive knee point.
US08018512B2
The present invention resides in an image pickup device capable of reducing the deformation of the image of the photographed object. An image pickup element included in the image pickup device has a matrix of pixels, for which the control of the charge storage and the readout of image signal data is performed on a row-by-row or column-by-column basis. The storage controller controls the charge storage operation of the image pickup element. On the other hand, the readout controller controls the readout of the image signal data from the image pickup element, while keeping constant the unit period for the readout of the image signal data from the image pickup element. A synchronization signal generator provides a synchronization signal as a timing reference for the frame-based operation of the image pickup element. The synchronization signal period controller variably controls the repetition period of the synchronization signal, while the photographing is under way.
US08018511B2
According to the present invention, as a structure of a pixel section (10), in each of columns from a first to a m-th column, a plurality of pixel signals outputted from a plurality of pixels arranged in a column direction are transmitted, respectively, to a plurality of output signal lines (15l to 15n) different from each other. Then, a read control and are set control are simultaneously executed on the plurality of pixels.
US08018508B2
The present invention provides an optical device and the like which can collect incident light at a high incident angle than an existing microlens, in order to realize a solid-state imaging apparatus and the like corresponding to an optical system (an optical system with a high incident angle θ) with a short focal length for a thin camera.Each unit pixel (2.8 μm square in size) is made up of a distributed index lens 1, a color filter 2 for green G, Al wirings 3, a signal transmitting unit 4, planarizing films 5, a light-receiving device (Si photodiodes) 6, and a Si substrate 7. The distributed index lens 1 is made of high refractive index materials 33 [TiO2 (n=2.53)] and low refractive index materials 34 [air (n=1.0)] having concentric zones. Further, in a distributed refractive index lens, a width 35 of adjacent divided areas is 200 nm. Also, a film thickness t is 0.5 μm.
US08018505B2
An image-pickup apparatus configured to perform vertical-dark-shading correction with increased precision independently of photographing conditions and/or a photographing environment is provided. The image-pickup apparatus includes an image-pickup element having an effective-pixel part including plural pixel parts which are not shielded from light and a light-shielding-pixel part including plural pixel parts shielded from light, a signal-processing unit configured to set the reference level of output signals transmitted from the effective-pixel part, and a control unit configured to switch between plural areas used to set the reference level, the areas being provided in the light-shielding-pixel part, based on the photographing conditions and/or environmental conditions.
US08018498B2
A digital still camera includes a lens system and an image sensor. The image sensor receives object light through the lens system to output an image signal of an object, wherein exposure control and autofocus control of the lens system are carried out according to the image signal. The image sensor photographs an image of the object after the exposure control and the autofocus control. Auxiliary light is applied to the object with an illumination light source for the autofocus control. A second exposure value is determined by use of a first exposure value determined according to object brightness measured while the illumination light source is inactive. Exposure is carried out to measure object brightness by use of the second exposure value while the auxiliary light is applied, for determining a third exposure value for use in the autofocus control with the auxiliary light.
US08018490B2
A vehicle surrounding image display device according to the present invention combines an image obtained by reducing in size an image taken by a camera provided at the center of the rear side of a vehicle, and images obtained by deforming images taken by cameras provided at the left and right sides of the vehicle such that the outward inclination of the inner side in the vehicle width direction of each of the left and right side images is gradually increased toward the lower end of the inner side. The vehicle surrounding image display device then generates a single image simulating the circumstances behind the user's own vehicle as observed from a single virtual viewpoint in a realistic form, and displays the generated image on a display device.
US08018486B2
The invention relates to a dolly, comprising a running gear and a lighting system, for inspecting pipes. At least two cameras (10, 11) are disposed in a common housing (4) and at least one camera is provided with means for changing the angle of view. The aim of the invention is to provide a dolly which can be used for the most varied applications and a method for inspecting pipe sections using a dolly and/or for representing the result of inspection. For this purpose, the means (7, 9, 2) are configured as a cardanic suspension of the housing (4) having motors for swiveling and/or rotating the housing (4) about at least one axis (5), especially about an axis that is orthogonal in relation to the longitudinal axis (6) of the dolly.
US08018482B2
A three-dimensional display device includes an image display unit and a light control unit facing the image display unit. The light control unit includes first and second substrates facing each other, a 2-viewpoint electrode layer and a multi-viewpoint electrode layer located between the first and second substrates, and a liquid crystal layer located between the first and second substrates.
US08018477B2
A transferred medium is provided. In one exemplary embodiment a transferred medium includes a projection part projected in a transferring direction. The projection part can be integrally formed at a front end of the transferred medium. The transferred medium can have a plate shape that can be nipped between a feed driving roller that is rotationally driven and a feed driven roller that is rotationally driven in contact with the feed driving roller. The transferred medium can also be configured to be transferred in the transferring direction with the rotation of the feed driving roller. Further, the transferred medium can include a plurality of the projection parts at its front end in a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction of the transferred medium with a predetermined pitch. Other embodiments of a transferred medium are also disclosed.
US08018475B2
A driver circuit can include a channel amplifier configured to operate in a first mode to provide a channel amplifier output including a positive offset voltage responsive to a first state of a control signal and configured to operate in a second mode to provide the channel amplifier output including a negative offset voltage responsive to a second state of the control signal. Related displays, apparatus, and methods are disclosed.
US08018473B2
A method for viewing a full image of a server stored original attachment on a portable electronic device including: building a graph structure within the server representing a map of the original image, downloading and displaying a re-sized image from the server to the portable electronic device, the original image exceeding an image size limit of the portable electronic device indicative of screen size of the portable electronic device, dividing the original image into four individual quadrants and calculating width and height parameters of the four individual quadrants, sending a request from the portable electronic device to the server to enlarge the image displayed on the device based on the width and height parameters, the request including the image size limit, retrieving and traversing the graph structure within the server to locate a separate image component constructed for the image size limit, collecting image binary data from the separate image component and modifying the image binary data based on the width and height parameters to create the full image of the original image, downloading each of the four resized quadrants to the attachment viewer and assembling the resized quadrants to display the full image of the original image on the portable electronic device.
US08018469B2
In one embodiment, an image conversion utility is embodied in code that, in response to receiving an image request from a device management tool: 1) retrieve an image from a device that is a target of the image request, the image illustrating at least a portion of the device; 2) convert the image to a format supported by the device management tool; and 3) return the converted image to the device management tool. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08018468B2
Disclosed herein is an image signal processor for carrying out conversion into an xvYCC signal by using a photograph film as a material, the image signal processor including: acquisition means for acquiring print film concentration data based on said photograph film; generation means for generating spectral data on an image on a screen previously presumed based on spectral concentration characteristics of colors of a positive film having an image projected on said screen, a spectral distribution of a projection light source, and the print film concentration data; arithmetical operation means for arithmetically operating an XYZ tri-stimulus value corresponding to the spectral data; and conversion means for converting the XYZ tri-stimulus value into the xvYCC signal.
US08018462B2
Generally speaking, systems, methods and media for providing a pack avatar for sharing inventory in a virtual universe are disclosed. Embodiments of a method may include receiving a request to create a pack avatar carrying one or more shared inventory items in a virtual universe and creating a pack avatar based on the received requests. Embodiments may include rendering the pack avatar in the virtual universe. Embodiments may also include, in response to receiving a request from a virtual universe user to borrow one or more shared inventory items carried by the pack avatar, accessing the one or more requested shared inventory items and rendering the one or more requested shared inventory items in the virtual universe. Further embodiments may include associating the pack avatar with a user and moving the pack avatar within the virtual universe.
US08018458B2
A method, apparatus, system and data structure is disclosed for mapping of spatial data to linear indexing for efficient computational storage, retrieval, integration, transmission, visual display, analysis, fusion, and modeling. These inventions are based on plane space being decomposed into uniform discrete closely packed (hexagonal) cell areas (85). Each resolution of closely packed cells can be further divided into incongruent but denser clusters of closely packed cells. The spatial indexing (86) is applied in such a manner as to build a relationship with the spatially close cells of any resolution.
US08018456B2
A method of determining a distance of a source point to a surface of an object in three-dimensional space, wherein the object is represented by a decision rule and a plurality of volume elements arranged in slices comprising rows and columns, wherein each volume element carries at least one value, and wherein the decision rule determines membership of each volume element to the object in accordance with the at least one value of the volume element, the method comprising: determining a contour of a representation of the object within each slice; locating on the contour of each slice a homing point closest to the source point; fitting a curve to the located homing points; determining a distance from the source point to the fitted curve; and equating the determined distance as the distance of the source point to the surface of the object.
US08018455B2
A multi-user animation process receives input from multiple remote clients to manipulate avatars through a modeled 3-D environment. Each user is represented by an avatar. The 3-D environment and avatar position/location data is provided to client workstations, which display a simulated environment visible to all participants. A text or speech-based bulletin board application is coupled to the animation process. The bulletin board application receives text or speech input from the multiple remote users and publishes the input in a public forum. The bulletin board application maintains multiple forums organized by topic. Access or participation to particular forums is coordinated with the animation process, such that each user may be permitted access to a forum only when the user's avatar is located within a designated room or region of the modeled 3-D environment.
US08018452B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for incrementally updating the rendering of an artwork. In one aspect, a method includes first drawing a first portion of an artwork in a view, accepting input to draw a second portion of the artwork in the view, the second portion including a first region and a second region, stopping the first drawing before completion at a first level of completion, second drawing the second region in the view until progress of the second drawing reaches a second level of completion that is approximately the same as the first level of completion, joining the first region and the second region into a third region, and third drawing the third region in the view where the third drawing resumes drawing of the first and second regions at their respective levels of completion.
US08018451B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) capable of enhancing display quality includes a voltage generation unit, a clock generation unit, a gate driving unit, and a display unit. The voltage generation unit outputs a gate-on voltage and first and second gate-off voltages that are different from each other. The clock generation unit outputs a first clock signal and a second clock signal whose phase is opposite to the phase of the first clock signal. The first clock signal swings between the gate-on voltage and the first gate-off voltage. The gate driving unit is provided with the first clock signal, the second clock signal, and the second gate-off voltage and outputs a gate signal. The display unit includes a plurality of pixels that are turned on or off in response to the gate signal and that display an image.
US08018442B2
Embodiments related to the calibration of an optical touch-sensitive display device are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment comprises a method of calibrating an image sensor, wherein the method comprises placing a photoluminescent panel over the display surface, and illuminating a target location on the display surface with visible light. Infrared light that is emitted by the panel in response to the illumination of the display surface is received via the image sensor. The received light then is used to calibrate the device.
US08018438B2
The present invention provides an information processing apparatus including: a keyboard that has a plurality of operating keys and is foldable via a hinge part, the keyboard being set in a closed state in which the operating keys are closed and in an opened state in which the operating keys are opened; and an apparatus main unit that is connected with the keyboard and performs a process corresponding to an operation of the operating keys on the keyboard. The closed state and the opened state of the keyboard are detected, and operation of one of the apparatus main unit and the keyboard is controlled according to a detection result.
US08018435B2
A handheld computing device is introduced comprising a motion detection sensor(s) and a motion control agent. The motion detection sensor(s) detect motion of the computing device in one or more of six (6) fields of motion and generate an indication of such motion. The motion control agent, responsive to the indications of motion received from the motion sensors, generate control signals to modify one or more of the operating state and/or the displayed content of the computing device based, at least in part, on the received indications.
US08018432B1
Embodiments of the invention relate generally to computing devices and systems, software, computer programs, applications, and user interfaces, and more particularly, to nonlinearly searching content in a manner that, for example, converges on a target unit of content.
US08018425B2
A driving apparatus of a light emitting diode and a liquid crystal display are disclosed. The driving apparatus of a LED includes a plurality of LED groups in which LEDs are connected in series to each other; a plurality of constant voltage supply units that supplies a constant voltage required to drive a constant current to each of the plurality of LED groups and that outputs the constant voltage in which an output voltage is equal to or lower than an input voltage; and a pulse width modulation signal supply unit that supplies a pulse width modulation signal to each of the constant voltage supply units.
US08018422B2
A source driver supplies a grayscale voltage to a liquid crystal capacitor and a storage capacitor provided in parallel with the liquid crystal capacitor, a voltage that changes in synchronization with a polarity inversion timing being applied to one end of the storage capacitor. The source driver includes an offset value calculation section that calculates an offset value based on grayscale data corresponding to respective color components of one pixel, a grayscale data correction section that corrects the grayscale data using the offset value corresponding to the respective color components, and a source line driver section that drives a source line corresponding to the respective color components based on the grayscale data that has been corrected by the grayscale data correction section. The source line driver section drives the source line corresponding to the respective color components based on the grayscale data that has been corrected by the grayscale data correction section, and then drives the source lines corresponding to the respective color components based on the grayscale data before being corrected by the grayscale data correction section.
US08018421B2
A gate driver of a liquid crystal display includes classes of driving circuits coupled to each other for outputting gate pulses. At least one class of driving circuits includes a shift register and a switch. The shift register outputs the gate pulse corresponding to the class of driving circuit according to the gate pulse outputted by a former class of driving circuits. The switch controls the enable of the shift register according to the gate pulse outputted by the former class of driving circuit and the gate pulse outputted by the class of driving circuit.
US08018415B2
A display device includes a display unit in which pixels are arranged in a matrix state and a drive circuit selecting respective pixels in the display unit by each row and giving additional potential to pixel electrodes of the pixels by using coupling, in which the drive circuit has a function of allowing the reverse polarity of potential added to pixel electrodes to be a potential which can add suitable voltage to additional potential lines in a frame before adding the additional potential.
US08018409B2
An apparatus and method is provided for optimizing LED driver efficiency. The present invention offers low cost solutions for powering LEDs while minimizing overall power dissipation in devices powered by a depletable power source. Low system cost is attained using a charge pump to increase LED drive voltage level and implementing combinations of drive techniques to overcome the inefficiency of the charge pump. A switch bypasses the charge pump when depletable power source output voltage is sufficient to directly drive an LED load. At certain output voltage levels, the switch can be opened causing the charge pump to boost drive voltage. The output voltage may also be PWM modulated to drive the LED load and, at some voltages, the depletable power source may drive the LED load directly. Efficiency levels of 90-97% are attainable.
US08018408B2
An OLED display having a plurality of scan lines and a plurality of data lines, an OLED adapted to emit images, a driving switching element adapted to supply the OLED with a driving current, a storage element having a first electrode and a second electrode, a first switching element having a first electrode, a control electrode and a second electrode, a second switching element having a control electrode adapted to be coupled to at least one of the plurality of scan lines and a third switching element having a control electrode adapted to be coupled to a previous scan line. The second switching element may be configured in a diode-like state connecting the driving switching element. The third switching element may be adapted to initialize a voltage stored in the storage element through at least one of the plurality of data lines.
US08018405B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device and a method for driving the OLED display device are provided. A gate drive circuit provides scan signals in sub-frames to scan lines. A data drive circuit provides a data signal to data lines. An emission control signal generation circuit provides first and second emission control signals to control the OLEDs. A display region includes pixels arranged in a matrix and connected to the scan lines, data lines, emission control lines, and power lines. The pixels include a first and a second unit pixel portion. The first unit pixel portion performs a time division control drive by driving a plurality of organic light emitting diodes by one shared pixel circuit. In the second unit portion one organic light emitting diode is driven by an independent pixel circuit.
US08018403B2
A display device with high-definition, in which display unevenness due to a voltage drop in a wiring or display unevenness due to a variation in characteristics of TFTs are suppressed. The display device of the invention comprises a first wiring for transmitting a video signal and a second wiring for supplying a current to a light emitting element. The first wiring and the second wiring extend parallel to each other, and are formed so as to overlap with each other at least partly with an insulating layer interposed therebetween.
US08018377B2
The present invention relates to a method of processing Global Positioning System (GPS) carrier phase and pseudorange information. Dual-frequency carrier phase and pseudorange measurements from GPS receivers are processed by specifying separate oscillator parameters for the carrier phase and pseudorange measurements. Carrier phase estimates of errors of the oscillator are arbitrarily biased with respect to the pseudorange estimates, and ambiguity parameters are constrained to be integer-valued. Isolating the ambiguities as integer valued parameters provides extra information that can be exploited to maximize the use of GPS and other Global Navigation Satellite Systems.
US08018365B1
A continuous-time delta-sigma Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) with a compact structure comprises a loop filter, a summing circuit, a quantizer, and a current Digital to Analog Converter (DAC). The loop filter is utilized for receiving and noise-shaping an analog input signal, and accordingly outputting a positive and a negative loop voltages. The summing circuit comprises a positive and a negative summing resistors. The summing resistors are utilized for transforming a positive and negative feedback currents to be a positive and a negative feedback voltages, and summing the loop voltages and the feedback voltages so as to generate a positive and a negative summing voltages, respectively. The quantizer is utilized for outputting a digital output signal according to a difference between the positive and the negative summing voltages. The current DAC is utilized for generating the positive and the negative feedback currents according to the digital output signal.
US08018360B2
Methods and systems for mitigating latency in a data detector feedback loop are included. For example, a method for reducing latency in an error corrected data retrieval system is included. The method includes performing an analog to digital conversion at a sampling instant to create a digital sample, and performing a data detection on the digital sample to create a detected output. The detected output is compared with the digital sample to determine a phase error. During an interim period, the digital sample is adjusted to reflect the phase error to create an adjusted digital sample. After the interim period, the sampling instant is adjusted to reflect the phase error.
US08018349B1
Power control circuitry (i) applies an inline power signal from a power source to first and second terminals when a control signal delivered to the power control circuitry has an inline-power-ON value and (ii) shuts off the inline power signal from the power source to the first and second terminals when the control signal delivered to the power control circuitry has an inline-power-OFF value. Detection of an inline power shutoff failure includes obtaining a measurement signal from sensing circuitry while the control signal delivered to the power control circuitry has the inline-power-OFF value, and generating a result signal based on the measurement signal. The result signal indicates whether the power control circuitry is applying the inline power signal from the power source to the first and second terminals while the control signal delivered to the power control circuitry has the inline-power-OFF value due to an inline power shutoff failure.
US08018347B2
A device for integrating and indicating a parameter over, comprising: a first electrode (2), a second electrode (3), an electrolyte (5), which is in contact with the first electrode and in consuming contact with a consumption portion (6) of the second electrode, at least two indicators (I1, I2, I3), which are connected to the consumption portion (6) at a respective connecting point (P1, P2, P3). The electrolyte (5) and the consumption portion (6) are selected such that when a voltage is applied over the electrodes (2, 3), the consumption portion (6) is consumed at a predetermined rate, wherein the indicators (I1, I2, I3) are arranged to switch states in response to a consumption frontier (F1, F2) of the consumption portion reaching or passing a connecting point (P1, P2, P3) associated with the respective indicator (I1, I2, I3), wherein at least one of the indicators is a binary (on/off) indicator.
US08018346B2
A trainable back bend monitor system for use by individuals that will monitor and sense bending as it occurs and where a threshold level of bending can be set so that the individual will be warned when that predetermined threshold, unique to that individual, has been reached so that the individual can then be warned or signaled to stop bending thereby avoiding bending conditions that can lead to bodily strain that can cause lower back pain.
US08018336B2
A system for an asset monitor includes a reader, a tag, and a router. The router actively transmits a location identification to the tag in a coverage area by using a radio frequency (RF). The tag is mounted on an article (or a user). The tag directly sends a signal to the reader or indirectly forwards to the reader via the router when the location identification of the tag is different from a current location identification or the location identification is repeatedly received up to a preset value. The sent signal includes a location identification and a current location identification that are received by the reader to determine the location of the article.
US08018324B2
Control systems and methods are disclosed for controlling operation of movable systems in an automated process with a stationary system having a first control system component and at least one movable system having a second control system component, in which optical or other non-contacting signaling between the stationary and movable systems is used to ascertain whether a movable system is proximate the stationary system, and wireless communications is used to transfer control data between the systems while the non-contacting signal link is maintained.
US08018320B2
With a method and a System for tongue based control of computers and/or aids, particularly for severely disabled persons it is the intention to ease the communication capabilities of severely disabled persons and their control of their aids, where the costs of producing the system are low, thereby avoiding the drawbacks of the prior art. This goal is achieved with a method and a system, where the method comprises that the interaction between the arrangement and the tongue is based on induction, whereby the arrangement is equipped with at least one coil being able to interact with at least one piece of a magnetic responsible material fixed to the tongue, and that the signals transmitted to the device further comprise the position of the coil in the arrangement and/or the position of the magnetic responsible material fixed to the tongue, and the system comprises that the arrangement is equipped with at least one coil being able to interact with at least one piece of a magnetic responsible material fixed to the tongue, and that the signals transmitted to the device further comprise the position of the coil in the arrangement and/or the position of the magnetic responsible material fixed to the tongue.
US08018311B2
A microminiature power converter includes a semiconductor substrate on which a semiconductor integrated circuit is formed, and a thin magnetic induction element. The magnetic induction element includes a magnetic insulating substrate having first and second principal planes and a plurality of through-holes. A coil is formed on a central region of the magnetic insulating substrate, and electrodes are formed on the first and second principal planes at peripheral regions of the magnetic insulating substrate, and electrically connected to the magnetic insulating substrate via respective through-holes. Wiring is formed on the first principal plane in the central region of the magnetic insulating substrate and connected to a capacitor. One end of the wiring is connected to one of the electrode electrodes, and an insulator layer is provided between the wiring and the coil.
US08018307B2
The MEMS element of the invention has a first, a second and an intermediate third electrode. It is given an increased dynamic range in that the switchable capacitor constituted by the second and the third electrode is provided in the signal path between input and output, and that the switchable capacitor constituted by the first and third electrode is provided between the signal path and ground. The MEMS element of the invention is very suitable for integration in a network of passive components.
US08018303B2
An apparatus includes a stacked crystal filter and a bulk acoustic wave resonator, which are acoustically coupled.
US08018296B2
A printed circuit board includes a plurality of differential pairs arranged thereon side-by-side. Each differential pair includes two transmission lines. Each transmission line includes a plurality of sections of equal length. Every two adjacent sections in each transmission line meet at an angle, and all angles are equal. The length of each section is determined by dividing the distance between two corresponding angles of the two transmission lines of each differential pair by the cosine of half of the angle.
US08018289B1
A clock circuit includes a phase-lock loop and a holdover circuit. The phase-lock loop generates an output clock signal having a constant frequency based on a loop filter voltage of a loop filter in the phase-lock loop. The holdover circuit generates and stores a digital value indicating the loop filter voltage and generates an analog voltage signal having the loop filter voltage indicated by the digital value. Further, the holdover circuit maintains the output clock signal at the constant frequency during a holdover of the phase-lock loop by regenerating the loop filter voltage based on the analog voltage signal. Because the analog voltage signal is based on the digital value, the voltage of the loop filter does not decay over time during the holdover of the phase-lock loop. As a result, the output clock signal remains at the constant frequency during the holdover of the phase-lock loop.
US08018283B2
Reconfigurable distributed active transformers are provided. The exemplary embodiments provided allow changing of the effective number and configuration of the primary and secondary windings, where the distributed active transformer structures can be reconfigured dynamically to control the output power levels, allow operation at multiple frequency bands, maintain a high performance across multiple channels, and sustain desired characteristics across process, temperature and other environmental variations. Integration of the distributed active transformer power amplifiers and a low noise amplifier on a semiconductor substrate can also be provided.
US08018280B2
A class-D audio amplifier is protected by thermal regulation which decreases the gain of the class-D audio amplifier by asserting an over-temperature signal when the temperature of the class-D audio amplifier is detected to be higher than a threshold. The output of the class-D audio amplifier is therefore reduced by the smaller gain, and the chance for the class-D audio amplifier to stop working due to overheating is greatly reduced.
US08018277B2
A power amplifier controller circuit controls an adjustable impedance matching network at the output of a power amplifier to vary its load line to improve the efficiency of the RF PA. The PA controller circuit comprises an amplitude control loop that determines an amplitude correction signal. The amplitude loop is configured to control or correct for distortion from the adjustable matching network based upon the amplitude correction signal.
US08018274B1
A system comprises a switched capacitor amplifier including an operational amplifier (opamp). A switching circuit comprises a first switch connected across inputs of the opamp. A second switch is connected across outputs of the opamp. An overdrive detect circuit communicates with the first and second switches and selectively shorts the inputs and the outputs of the opamp when the input voltage is greater than a first predetermined overdrive voltage or when the input voltage is less than a second predetermined overdrive voltage.
US08018267B2
Provided is a frequency conversion mixer. The frequency conversion mixer includes a transconductance stage, a switching stage, a load stage, a current bleeding circuit, and a bias stage. The transconductance stage receives an RF signal, and outputs a current corresponding to a voltage of the RF signal. The switching stage switches the current which is outputted from the transconductance stage in response to a local oscillation signal, for frequency conversion the RF signal into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal. The load stage is connected between the switching stage and a supply voltage terminal. The current bleeding circuit is connected parallel with the switching stage, especially, embodying inverter structure with transconductance stage to get not only current bleeding effect but also current reuse effect, and one resonant inductor for reducing noise which is generated in parasitic capacitance at node between transconductance stage and switching stage. The bias stage is connected between the transconductance stage and a ground terminal, and has the switched biasing technique for allowing not only the stable bias current but also lowering the flicker noise.
US08018257B2
A clock divider for a DLL circuit reduces power consumption by reducing the number of times of performing phase comparison in the DLL circuit when a synchronous memory device is in a power-down mode. The clock divider includes M dividers and a power-down controller for receiving an output signal of the (M−1)-th divider and an output signal of the M-th divider and selectively outputting the output signals. Each divider divides the clock signal frequency inputted to the divider by ½. The output signal frequency of the power-down controller is obtained by dividing the frequency of the clock signal inputted to the first divider into ½M or ½(M-1) depending on the logic level of a control signal, which is indicative of the power down mode of the memory device.
US08018256B2
Provided are a method and system for providing a power-on reset pulse. The system includes a level detector configured to receive an input signal and produce, at least indirectly, a reset signal when the input signal reaches a predetermined level. The system also includes a counter having counting characteristics and configured to receive the reset signal and a clock signal. The counter produces a delayed signal in accordance with the counting characteristics, the clock signal, and the received reset signal.
US08018254B2
A system and method are provided to reduce the influence of parasitic capacitance at the drain and source of MOS transistors of a sampling circuit. In one embodiment, the bulk is left floating during a first phase and refreshed during a second phase. During the first phase, the effective parasitic contribution of the drain or source of a MOS transistor is lower due to the series combination of Cj and Cw capacitances. In another embodiment, a large resistance provides a path from a reference voltage to the bulk of a MOS transistor, thereby resulting in an effective parasitic capacitance of the series combination of Cj and Cw. Advantageously, the parasitic capacitance is reduced as well as its non-linear effect, the operating speed is improved, as well as the signal distortion and noise.
US08018253B2
A sense amplifier circuit is provided with a first transistor arrangement comprising a first n-type field effect transistor (NFET) having a respective body node, and a second transistor arrangement comprising a second NFET having a respective body node. The second transistor arrangement is electrically coupled to the first transistor arrangement, and the body node of the first NFET is electrically coupled to the body node of the second NFET. The sense amplifier circuit also includes or cooperates with a voltage condition selector that is electrically coupled to the body node of the first NFET and to the body node of the second NFET. The voltage condition selector is configured to assert one of a plurality of voltage conditions at the body node of the first NFET and at the body node of the second NFET.
US08018246B2
A device includes a first circuit and an adjustment circuit. The adjustment circuit performs an adjustment on impedance of the first circuit. The adjustment circuit discontinues the adjustment on impedance while the first circuit is in an activated state.
US08018239B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring information relating to the impedance characteristics of a powder with high accuracy. To achieve such an object, the method for measuring powder properties according to the present invention includes a step in which the impedance characteristics of a powder are obtained by an alternating current impedance method, using a function setting a pressure applied to the powder or a density of the powder as a variable. From the obtained impedance characteristics, information relating to at least one of the components can be extracted, the components being a first component that is dependent on the variable, and a second component that is not dependent on the variable.
US08018224B2
A rotation detection sensor for detecting both rotational position and direction of a rotating body with a gear includes a magnet, multiple magnetic sensors, a rotational position detection circuit, and a rotational direction detection circuit. The magnet produces a magnetic field directed to a gear tooth of the rotating body. When the rotating body rotates, the magnetic sensors output sensor signals shifted in phase from each other. The rotational position detection circuit performs a differential operation on the sensor signals received from at least two magnetic sensors and outputs a rotational position signal. The rotational direction detection circuit outputs a rotational direction signal based on the position signal and the sensor signal received from at least one of the at least two magnetic sensors.
US08018219B2
A module is provided for identifying outlets on a common power circuit. The module comprises a connector adapted to electrically couple with an outlet, a signal generator electrically connected to the connector and adapted to send a signal through the connector into a power circuit in response to a predetermined discrete event, an indicator; and logic electrically connected to the connector and the indicator and adapted to detect a signal from another apparatus propagated on a common circuit and activate the indicator in response to the signal.
US08018217B2
A ramp generator is provided to provide a multi-slope ramp signal for a PWM power converter. The ramp generator determines the slope turning points for the multi-slope ramp signal according to the error signal of the PWM power converter and thereby improve the transient response of the PWM power converter. Preferably, the slope turning point of the multi-slope ramp signal varies with the average of the error signal and is thus adaptive to the error signal and thereby the load condition.
US08018203B2
A battery model unit includes an electrode reaction model unit based on the Butler_Volmer equation, an electrolyte lithium concentration distribution model unit analyzing a lithium ion concentration distribution in an electrolyte solution by a diffusion equation, an active material lithium concentration distribution model unit analyzing an ion concentration distribution in a solid state of an active material by a diffusion equation, a current/potential distribution model unit for obtaining a potential distribution according to the charge conservation law, a thermal diffusion model unit and a boundary condition setting unit. The boundary condition setting unit (66) sets a boundary condition at an electrode interface such that a reacting weight at the electrode interface is not determined by a difference in material concentration between positions but a deviation from an electrochemically balanced state causes a change with time in lithium concentration at the interface and thus a (time-based) drive power for material transportation. Thereby, an appropriate charge/discharge control can be performed based on the battery model having the appropriately set battery condition.
US08018201B2
The battery charging apparatus is made with small and low-cost components. It includes a first transistor (T1) with a control input through which the charging current flows into a battery (B) and a current source (T3, T4, R1, R2) for a control current flowing to the control input of the first transistor. The current source sets or adjusts the control current so that the first transistor is non-conducting or blocked and the charging current flowing into the battery is shut off when a predetermined maximum charging voltage is reached at the battery.
US08018193B1
An enhanced torque ripple mitigation algorithm for permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs), the algorithm including compensation for sensor delay.
US08018188B2
The invention relates to a method carried out with simple means for determining the position of the rotor in a sensorless and brushless multi-phase electric motor (1) in addition to a device particularly suitable for carrying out said method. According to said method, a phase voltage (Uv) on the clamping side on said motor phase is to be detected after clamping a first motor phase (V) from the reference potentials (UZ,M) of an intermediate circuit (7) during a detection period (TE), via which the detection period (TE) determines a peak value (Uv*) of the detected phase voltage (Uv), the peak values (Uv*) are to be compared to the comparative value (Uc), and a positon signal (SP) is to be produced when the peak value (Uv*) exceeds the comparative value (U0). The comparative value (Uc) is then determined digitally such that it corresponds to the value of the phase voltage (Uv) at a zero crossing of a voltage (UVind) induced in the first motor phase (V) or an increased or lowered value in relation to a predefined correction value (ΔQ).
US08018184B2
The PWM control circuit includes a polarity determination unit, a full wave rectification unit, an adjustment unit that generates an adjusted waveform signal by adjusting waveform of the full wave rectification signal, and a carrier signal generating unit that generates a fixed frequency carrier signal. The PWM control circuit further includes a comparator that generates an original PWM signal by comparing the adjusted waveform signal and the carrier signal, and a PWM waveform shaping unit that generates a first PWM signal for the positive polarity section and a second PWM signal for the negative polarity section, by shaping the original PWM signal according to the polarity signal.
US08018180B2
A backlight module includes a connector capable of performing voltage conversion or a voltage converter capable of transmitting signals. The connector or the voltage converter, disposed between an inverter and a lamp set, receives low-voltage signals generated by the inverter, performs voltage conversion, and outputs high-voltage signals for driving the lamp set.
US08018176B1
A chip-on-glass (COG) display driver comprises a direct current to direct current converter (DC-DC) converter that uses “off-glass” and/or “off-chip” inductive/capacitive (LC) components. The DC-DC converter can be configured to use either an internal or external switch (such as a power FET) in response to a mode signal. Selection of an internal or external mode allows a single converter chip design to be optimized for various applications.
US08018171B1
A system and method modify phase delays of a periodic, phase modulated mains voltage to generate at least two independent items of information during each cycle of the periodic input signal. The independent items of information can be generated by, for example, independently modifying leading edge and trailing edge phase delays of each half cycle phase modulated mains voltage. Modifying phase delays for the leading and trailing edges of each half cycle of the phase modulated mains voltage can generate up to four independent items of data. The items of data can be converted into independent control signals to, for example, control drive currents to respective output devices such as light sources to provide multiple items of information per cycle.
US08018166B2
There is disclosed a sensor which, when integrated into a dimming system, can turn the dimmer on and off, and vice versa. As an example, lights which are connected to the dimmer can be turned on by using the dimmer, the light level can be adjusted to provide a level of illumination desired by an occupant, and the sensor can turn off the lights when the room is vacant. The sensor here disclosed provides sensing functionality to a dimming system, and the sensors can be remotely controlled by other sensors, dimmers and dimmer remotes.
US08018165B2
An end of life (EOL) detection circuit for a gas discharge lamp. The circuit includes a comparator for comparing an input voltage to first and second threshold voltages and providing an EOL signal; a sensing circuit for sensing a DC offset in the lamp-voltage during the EOL of the lamp; and a reference voltage setting circuit responsive to the DC offset including a reference diode for setting an adjustable reference voltage as said input voltage to the comparator.
US08018160B2
A magnetron has a cathode, an anode with vanes, and an insulating surface which faces the cathode and receives material from the cathode due to sputtering at the cathode. A conductor enables the resistance of the film so deposited to be measured, giving an indication of the thickness of the film and the lifetime of the magnetron.
US08018147B2
A double-faced display apparatus includes a first transparent substrate, second transparent substrate, frame adhesive, first OELD, second OELD, first buffer layer, second buffer layer, first absorbent layer and second absorbent layer. The second transparent substrate is disposed in parallel to the first transparent substrate. The frame adhesive is disposed between the first transparent substrate and second transparent substrate for defining a space. The first OELD is disposed in the space and located on the first transparent substrate. The second OELD is disposed in the space and located on the second transparent substrate. The first buffer layer is disposed in the space and covers the first OELD. The second buffer layer is disposed in the space and covering the second OELD. The first absorbent layer is disposed in the space and covers the first buffer layer. The second absorbent layer is disposed in the space and covers the second buffer layer.
US08018145B2
The present invention provides an organic electroluminescence display device including an organic electroluminescence element which includes a transparent electrode, a counter electrode, and an organic compound layer provided between these electrodes, the organic compound layer including a light emitting layer, and a fine particle containing layer positioned in the optical path of light emitted from the light emitting layer, wherein the fine particle containing layer contains an organic resin material, a first fine particle, and a second fine particle having a weight average particle diameter greater than that of the first fine particle, wherein a refractive index n1 of the organic resin material into which the first fine particle is added and an average refractive index n2 of the organic compound layer satisfy a relationship |n1−n2|<0.25, and wherein the refractive index n1 and a refractive index n3 of the second fine particle satisfy a relationship n3−n1>0.2.
US08018143B2
A method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescent display device includes forming a first electrode on a first substrate including a plurality of pixel regions; forming a patterned spacer on the first electrode in the pixel region; forming an organic light emitting layer on the first electrode in the pixel region and on the patterned spacer; forming a second electrode on the organic light emitting layer; forming a calcium oxide layer on the second electrode; forming a moisture-absorbing layer on the calcium oxide layer; forming a driving thin film transistor on a second substrate; and forming a connection electrode connected to the driving thin film transistor, the connection electrode contacting the second electrode on the patterned spacer.
US08018136B2
A mounting assembly for supporting an LED in a lighting fixture. A first substrate containing the LED has contact pads in electrical communication with the LED. A contact carrier has a plurality of contacts that correspond with the contact pads of the first substrate. A second substrate has electronic components to power the LED. A first contact arrangement on the second substrate engages the integral electrical contact portions of the contact carrier, and a second contact arrangement provides external connections to the electronic components. A heat sink portion is engaged in thermal contact with the contact carrier and the first substrate. The heat sink portion includes finned members for dissipation of heat generated by the LED disposed within the heat sink portion. A slot is provided in the heat sink projecting axially of the heat sink portion, for receiving and securing the second substrate.
US08018131B2
A bulb-shaped outer envelope for accommodating at least one lamp including a light-emitting body and a control gear is disclosed. The envelope has a substantially spherical section for receiving the light-emitting body, and an elongated end section for receiving at least a part of the control gear components. The elongated end section is provided with a neck section. A substantially tubular neck-extension portion connects to an inner surface portion of and protruding from the neck section. The neck-extension portion is suitable for accommodating a remaining part of the control gear components. In a method for the manufacture of a glass outer envelope, a flare that is normally used in the manufacture of incandescent lamps is turned around by 180°, put into a skirted bulbous envelope, melted into the envelope while the skirt is detached and the flare is formed into a neck-extension portion. A self-ballasted compact fluorescent lamp with the bulb-shaped outer envelope is also disclosed. A part of the ballast components are disposed in the neck-extension portion of the outer envelope.
US08018128B2
A microchannel structure with a fine flow path through which a fluid flows, includes: a wavy plate member fabricated into a wavy form; an external peripheral wall member that surrounds the wavy plate member; and a spacer that ensures a spacing between opposed portions of the wavy plate member, wherein the fine flow path is defined by the wavy plate member and the external peripheral wall member.
US08018121B1
Provided is a sensor which integrates a pair of substantially unidirectional surface acoustic wave (SAW) interdigital transducers (IDTs) and a thickness shear mode (TSM) electrode. The sensor provides simultaneous sensing and removal of material from the sensor's surface. The sensing aspect is accomplished through the use of the TSM electrode that is designed to operate between 2 and 100 MHz. The removal of material is accomplished using substantially unidirectional IDTs aligned on the substrate to produce acoustic waves, such as Rayleigh waves, across the entire TSM sensor active area. When liquid is added over the acoustic waves, acoustic streaming occurs, which dislodges material from the sensor's surface. The acoustic waves are designed to operate at a significantly different frequency than the sensor to prevent interference between the two.
US08018113B2
A motor winding arrangement that is capable of delivering relatively flat torque over a wide range of speeds, thus achieving increasing power throughout its operating range, is provided. In a multi-phase, e.g., three-phase, motor utilizing the winding arrangement of the invention, each winding layer corresponds to one phase of the motor and occupies every slot of the stator. The poles for each winding layer consist of concentric and non-overlapping coils.
US08018104B2
A small-sized motor for electric power steering, in which coil connection can be easily performed with space saving, and a method for manufacturing the motor. Multi-phase stator coils assembled in a stator coil are connected per phase by connecting rings at coil ends of the stator coils. A bus bar supplied with electric power from the exterior is stacked onto the connecting rings in the axial direction of the motor and is electrically connected to the connecting rings.
US08018098B2
A portable solar power supply system and its applying device are disclosed. The power supply system includes a receiving unit, a control block and a storage unit. After the receiving unit receives a solar power, the control block is used for storing the solar power into the storage unit. If a user wants to use a portable information processing device or other portable products, the portable solar power supply system supplies electric power to the device or product and extends the working time without limitations.
US08018093B2
An electronic circuit power supply device configured to selectively apply at least one first voltage or one second voltage to a power supply terminal of the electronic circuit that includes elements for applying to the power supply terminal a voltage variable from a value equal to the first voltage to a value equal to the second voltage and elements designed for selecting application of the second voltage to the power supply terminal when the variable voltage reaches the second voltage.
US08018091B2
A selectable backup power supply device for providing power to a real time clock (RTC) and a memory unit is disclosed. The device includes a backup battery, a first power outputting unit and a second power outputting unit, wherein the backup battery outputs a backup voltage, the first power outputting unit is connected to the backup battery and the RTC for receiving the backup voltage and outputting a first supply voltage to the RTC, and the second power outputting unit is connected to the backup battery and the memory unit, for receiving the backup voltage and, in accordance with a selection signal, outputting a second supply voltage to the memory unit or stopping the output of the second supply voltage.
US08018090B2
An information processing apparatus selects power having a higher voltage value out of power supplied via a plurality of external apparatuses, or selects power supplied from an external apparatus via a transmission line or power supplied from a power supply, whichever has a higher voltage value, to use the selected power within the information processing apparatus.
US08018074B2
To provide a components joining method and a components joining structure which can realize joining of components while securing conduction at a low electrical resistance with high reliability.In a construction in which by using a solder paste containing solder particles 5 in a thermosetting resin 3a, a rigid substrate 1 and a flexible substrate 7 are bonded by the thermosetting resin 3a, and a first terminal 2 and a second terminal 8 are electrically connected by the solder particles 5, a blending ratio of an activator of the thermosetting resin 3a in the solder paste is properly set and oxide film removed portions 2b, 8b, and 5b are partially formed in oxide films 2a, 8a, and 5a of the first terminal 2, the second terminal 8, and the solder particles 5. Thereby, the first terminal 2 and the second terminal 8 are electrically conducted by solder bonding the solder particles 5 to both the first terminal 2 and the second terminal 8 via the oxide film removed portions 2b and 8b, and while fusion of the solder particles 5 with each other is prevented in the thermosetting resin 3a, connection of components at a low electrical resistance is realized with high reliability.
US08018070B2
Semiconductor device with a first structure comprising a plurality of at least in part parallel linear structures, a second structure comprising a plurality of pad structures, forming at least in part one of the group of linear structure, curved structure, piecewise linear structure and piecewise curved structure which is positioned at an angle to the first structure, and the plurality of pad structures are intersecting at least one of the linear structures in the first structure. An electronic device with at least one semiconductor device, methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device and a mask system are also covered.
US08018069B2
Devices with conductive through-waver vias. In one embodiment, the device is formed by a method comprising providing a layer of semiconducting material, forming a layer of metal on a first side of the layer of semiconducting material, forming an opening in the layer of semiconducting material to thereby expose a portion of the layer of metal, the opening extending from at least a second side of the layer of semiconducting material to the layer of metal, and performing a deposition process to form a conductive contact in the opening using the exposed portion of the metal layer as a seed layer.
US08018063B2
A microelectronic assembly and method for fabricating the same are described. In an example, a microelectronic assembly includes a microelectronic device having a surface with one or more areas to receive one or more solder balls, the one or more areas having a surface finish comprising Ni. A solder material comprising Cu, such as flux or paste, is applied to the Ni surface finish and one or more solder balls are coupled to the microelectronic device by a reflow process that forms a solder joint between the one or more solder balls, the solder material comprising Cu, and the one or more areas having a surface finish comprising Ni.
US08018043B2
A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip having an upper surface, side surfaces connected with the upper surface, and bonding pads formed on the upper surface. A first insulation layer pattern is formed to cover the upper surface and the side surfaces of the semiconductor chip and expose the bonding pads. Re-distribution lines are placed on the first insulation layer pattern and include first re-distribution line parts and second re-distribution line parts. The first re-distribution line parts have an end connected with the bonding pads and correspond to the upper surface of the semiconductor chip and the second re-distribution line parts extend from the first re-distribution line parts beyond the side surfaces of the semiconductor chip. A second insulation layer pattern is formed over the semiconductor chip and exposes portions of the first re-distribution line parts and the second re-distribution line parts.
US08018038B2
An IC card capable of reinforcing the prevention of the electrostatic damage without causing a rise in the cost of a semiconductor integrated circuit chip. The semiconductor integrated circuit chip (2) is mounted on a card substrate (1), and plural connection terminals (3) are exposed. The connection terminals are connected to predetermined external terminals (4) of the semiconductor integrated circuit chip, first overvoltage protection elements (7, 8, 9) connected to the external terminals are integrated in the semiconductor integrated circuit chip, and second overvoltage protection elements such as surface-mount type varistors (11) connected to the connection terminals are mounted on the card substrate. The varistors are variable resistor elements having a current tolerating ability greater than that of the first overvoltage protection elements. The varistors have been selected by taking into consideration a relationship between the characteristics and the ability of the first overvoltage protection elements contained in the semiconductor integrated circuit chip, and exhibit the effect for preventing the electrostatic damage.
US08018033B2
A semiconductor device includes a wiring board, a semiconductor element mounted on the wiring board, a sealing resin configured to cover the semiconductor element, a ground electrode having an end connected to a wiring layer of the wiring board and an exposing part exposed at a surface of the sealing resin, and a shielding member configured to cover the sealing resin and be connected to the ground electrode.
US08018026B2
A semiconductor device, includes: a semiconductor substrate; a multilayered interconnect structure formed on the semiconductor substrate; a terminal for flip-chip packaging arranged on the surface of the multilayered interconnect structure; and a spiral inductor formed to enclose the terminal for flip-chip packaging, in a plan view, which is not electrically connected with the spiral inductor. The spiral inductor may be provided for peaking by which the gain reduction caused in a high frequency is compensated.
US08018024B2
A method is described for forming a nonvolatile one-time-programmable memory cell having reduced programming voltage. A contiguous p-i-n diode is paired with a dielectric rupture antifuse formed of a high-dielectric-constant material, having a dielectric constant greater than about 8. In preferred embodiments, the high-dielectric-constant material is formed by atomic layer deposition. The diode is preferably formed of deposited low-defect semiconductor material, crystallized in contact with a silicide. A monolithic three dimensional memory array of such cells can be formed in stacked memory levels above the wafer substrate.
US08018021B2
A schottky diode may include a schottky junction including a well formed in a semiconductor substrate and a first electrode contacting the first well. The well may have a first conductivity type. A first ohmic junction may include a first junction region formed in the well and a second electrode contacting the first junction region. The first junction region may have a higher concentration of the first conductivity type than the well. A first device isolation region may be formed in the semiconductor substrate separating the schottky junction and the first ohmic junction. A well guard having a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type may be formed in the well. At least a portion of the well guard may be formed under a portion of the schottky junction.
US08018018B2
The present invention relates to an integrated device, comprising a semiconductor device formed on a semiconductor substrate, a temperature sensing element formed within a semi-conductive layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, an electrically insulating layer formed over the semi-conductive layer, a metal layer formed over the insulation layer and forming an electrical contact of the semiconductor device, and a thermal contact extending from the metal layer through the electrically insulating layer to a first region of the semi-conductive layer, wherein the first region of the semi-conductive layer is electrically isolated from the temperature sensing element. The present invention also relates to a method of forming a temperature sensing element for integration with a semiconductor device.
US08018016B2
A back-illuminated image sensor includes a sensor layer of a first conductivity type having a frontside and a backside opposite the frontside. An insulating layer is disposed over the backside. A circuit layer is formed adjacent to the frontside such that the sensor layer is positioned between the circuit layer and the insulating layer. One or more frontside regions of a second conductivity type are formed in at least a portion of the frontside of the sensor layer. A backside region of the second conductivity type is formed in the backside of the sensor layer. A plurality of frontside photodetectors of the first conductivity type is disposed in the sensor layer. A distinct plurality of backside photodetectors of the first conductivity type separate from the plurality of frontside photodetectors is formed in the sensor layer contiguous to portions of the backside region of the second conductivity type.
US08018015B2
A pixel cell having a photo-conversion device at a surface of a substrate and at least one contact area from which charge or a signal is output or received. A first insulating layer is located over the photo-conversion device and the at least one contact area. The pixel cell further includes at least one conductor in contact with the at least one contact area. The conductor includes a polysilicon material extending through the first insulating layer and in contact with the at least one contact area. Further, a conductive material, which includes at least one of a silicide and a refractory metal, can be over and in contact with the polysilicon material.
US08018011B2
A multi-state current-switching magnetic memory element has a magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ), for storing more than one bit of information. The MTJ includes a fixed layer, a barrier layer, and a non-uniform free layer. In one embodiment, having 2 bits per cell, when one of four different levels of current is applied to the memory element, the applied current causes the non-uniform free layer of the MTJ to switch to one of four different magnetic states. The broad switching current distribution of the MTJ is a result of the broad grain size distribution of the non-uniform free layer.
US08018010B2
The design, fabrication, post-processing and characterization of a novel circular design SAW (Surface Acoustic Wave) based bio/chemical sensor in CMOS technology is introduced. The sensors are designed in AMI 1.5 μm 2 metal, 2 poly process. A unique maskless post processing sequence is designed and completed. The three post-processing steps are fully compatible with any CMOS technology. This allows any signal control/processing circuitry to be easily integrated on the same chip. ZnO is used as the piezoelectric material for the SAW generation. A thorough characterization and patterning optimization of the sputtered ZnO was carried out. The major novelties that are introduced in the SAW delay line features are: The embedded heater elements for temperature control, compensation and acoustic absorbers that are designed to eliminate edge reflections and minimize triple transit interference. Both of these attributes are designed by using the CMOS layers without disturbing the SAW performance.
US08018004B2
A semiconductor device comprises a first MIS transistor and a second MIS transistor. The first MIS transistor includes a first gate insulating film formed on a first active region, and a first gate electrode formed on the first gate insulating film. The second MIS transistor includes a second gate insulating film formed on a second active region and made of an insulating material different from that of the first gate insulating film, and a second gate electrode formed on the second gate insulating film. Upper regions of the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode are electrically connected to each other on the isolation region located between the first active region and the second active region, and lower regions thereof are separated from each other with a sidewall insulating film made of the same insulating material as that of the first gate insulating film being interposed therebetween.
US08018001B2
A breakdown voltage of a clamp diode can be reduced while a leakage current is suppressed. A P− type diffusion layer is formed in a surface of an N− type semiconductor layer. An N+ type diffusion layer is formed in a surface of the P− type diffusion layer. A P+ type diffusion layer is formed adjacent the N+ type diffusion layer in the surface of the P− type diffusion layer. An N+ type diffusion layer is formed adjacent the P− type diffusion layer in the surface of the N− type semiconductor layer. There is formed a cathode electrode, which is electrically connected with the N+ type diffusion layer through a contact hole formed in an insulation film on the N+ type diffusion layer. There is formed a wiring (an anode electrode) connecting between the P+ type diffusion layer and the N+ type diffusion layer through a contact hole formed in the insulation film on the P+ type diffusion layer and a contact hole formed in the insulation film on the N+ type diffusion layer.
US08017997B2
A semiconductor structure including a vertical metal-insulator-metal capacitor, and a method for fabricating the semiconductor structure including the vertical metal-insulator-metal capacitor, each use structural components from a dummy metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor located and formed over an isolation region located over a semiconductor substrate. The dummy metal oxide field effect transistor may be formed simultaneously with a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor located over a semiconductor substrate that includes the isolation region. The metal-insulator-metal capacitor uses a gate as a capacitor plate, a uniform thickness gate spacer as a gate dielectric and a contact via as another capacitor plate. The uniform thickness gate spacer may include a conductor layer for enhanced capacitance. A mirrored metal-insulator-metal capacitor structure that uses a single contact via may also be used for enhanced capacitance.
US08017996B2
An energy transmission device includes: a semiconductor device formed on a first semiconductor substrate; a semiconductor integrated circuit including a reverse current preventing diode and a control circuit; a DC voltage source; and a transformer. The reverse current preventing diode includes a reverse current preventing layer of a second conductivity type formed at a surface of a second semiconductor substrate, and a well layer of a first conductivity type formed in the second semiconductor substrate and covering the reverse current preventing layer. The transformer includes a primary winding connected in series with the semiconductor device and the DC voltage source, and a first secondary winding connected to a load. The energy transmission device is configured so that electric power is supplied from the first secondary winding of the transformer to the load. A second drain electrode of the semiconductor device is electrically connected to the reverse current preventing layer.
US08017986B2
A semiconductor device includes a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells (1). Each of the nonvolatile memory cells comprises a MOS type first transistor section (3) used for information storage, and a MOS type second transistor section (4) which selects the first transistor section. The second transistor section has a bit line electrode (16) connected to a bit line, and a control gate electrode (18) connected to a control gate control line. The first transistor section has a source line electrode (10) connected to a source line, a memory gate electrode (14) connected to a memory gate control line, and a charge storage region (11) disposed directly below the memory gate electrode. A gate withstand voltage of the second transistor section is lower than that of the first transistor section. Assuming that the thickness of a gate insulating film of the second transistor section is defined as tc and the thickness of a gate insulating film of the first transistor section is defined as tm, they have a relationship of tc
US08017983B2
In each photosensitive cell, a photodiode 101, a transfer gate 102, a floating diffusion layer section 103, an amplifier transistor 104, and a reset transistor 105 are formed in one active region surrounded by a device isolation region. The floating diffusion layer section 103 included in one photosensitive cell is connected not to the amplifier transistor 104 included in that cell but to the gate of the amplifier transistor 104 included in another photosensitive cell adjacent to the one photosensitive cell in the column direction. A polysilicon wire 111 connects the transfer gates 102 arranged in the same row, and a polysilicon wire 112 connects the reset transistors 105 arranged in the same row. For connection in the row direction, only polysilicon wires are used.
US08017981B2
Wide bandgap semiconductor devices including normally-off VJFET integrated power switches are described. The power switches can be implemented monolithically or hybridly, and may be integrated with a control circuit built in a single- or multi-chip wide bandgap power semiconductor module. The devices can be used in high-power, temperature-tolerant and radiation-resistant electronics components. Methods of making the devices are also described.
US08017978B2
A hybrid device including a silicon based MOSFET operatively connected with a GaN based device.
US08017976B2
A sputtering target, including a sputtering layer and a support structure. The sputtering layer includes an alkali-containing transition metal. The support structure includes a second material that does not negatively impact the performance of a copper indium selenide (CIS) based semiconductor absorber layer of a solar cell. The sputtering layer directly contacts the second material.
US08017967B2
A solid-state device having: a flip-chip mounted solid-state element; a power receiving/feeding portion having a mounting substrate to allow that a mounting surface of the solid-state element forms substantially the same plane as a surface of the mounting substrate; and an inorganic sealing portion made of an inorganic sealing material having a thermal expansion coefficient equal to that of the power receiving/feeding portion for sealing the solid-state element.
US08017965B2
A semiconductor light emitting device is provided. The semiconductor light emitting device includes a first conductive semiconductor layer; an active layer on the first conductive semiconductor layer; a first quantum dot layer on the active layer; and a second conductive semiconductor layer on the first quantum dot layer.
US08017963B2
A light emitting diode is disclosed that includes an active structure, a first ohmic contact on the active structure, and a transparent conductive oxide layer on the active structure opposite the first ohmic contact. The transparent conductive oxide layer has a larger footprint than said active structure. A dielectric mirror is positioned on the transparent conductive oxide layer opposite said active structure and a second contact is positioned on the transparent conductive oxide layer opposite the dielectric mirror and separated from the active structure.
US08017962B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) apparatus includes a thermoconductive substrate, a thermoconductive adhesive layer, an epitaxial layer, a current spreading layer and a micro- or nano-roughing structure. The thermoconductive adhesive layer is disposed on the thermoconductive substrate. The epitaxial layer is disposed opposite to the thermoconductive adhesive layer and has a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer. The current spreading layer is disposed between the second semiconductor layer of the epitaxial layer and the thermoconductive adhesive layer. The micro- or nano-roughing structure is disposed on the first semiconductor layer of the epitaxial layer. In addition, a manufacturing method of the LED apparatus is also disclosed.
US08017960B2
An infrared emitting diode that can be utilized as a high power and rapidly responsive infrared light source for both infrared and remote control communications is disclosed which comprises at least one p-type clad layer containing AlxGa1-xAs of p type where 0.15≦x≦0.45, an active layer containing AlyGa1-yAs of p type where 0≦y≦0.01 and at least one n-type clad layer containing AlzGa1-zAs where 0.15≦z≦0.45 wherein said active layer has a thickness of 2 to 6 μm and which has an emission peak wavelength of 880 to 890 nm at room temperature.
US08017958B2
A device includes a semiconductor structure with at least one III-P light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. The semiconductor structure further includes a GaAsxP1−x p-contact layer, wherein x<0.45. A first metal contact is in direct contact with the GaAsxP1−x p-contact layer. A second metal contact is electrically connected to the n-type region. The first and second metal contacts are formed on a same side of the semiconductor structure.
US08017957B2
A sub-substrate, a blue-violet semiconductor laser device, an insulating layer, and a red semiconductor laser device are stacked in order on a support member through a plurality of fusion layers. The insulating layer is stacked on an n-side pad electrode of the blue-violet semiconductor laser device, and a conductive layer is formed on the insulating layer. The red semiconductor laser device is stacked on the conductive layer through a fusion layer. The conductive layer is electrically connected to a p-side pad electrode of the red semiconductor laser device. The n-side pad electrode of the blue-violet semiconductor laser device and the n-side pad electrode of the red semiconductor laser device are electrically connected to each other.
US08017951B2
TFT structures optimal for driving conditions of a pixel portion and driving circuits are obtained using a small number of photo masks. First through third semiconductor films are formed on a first insulating film. First shape first, second, and third electrodes are formed on the first through third semiconductor films. The first shape first, second, third electrodes are used as masks in first doping treatment to form first concentration impurity regions of one conductivity type in the first through third semiconductor films. Second shape first, second, and third electrodes are formed from the first shape first, second, and third electrodes. A second concentration impurity region of the one conductivity type which overlaps the second shape second electrode is formed in the second semiconductor film in second doping treatment. Also formed in the second doping treatment are third concentration impurity regions of the one conductivity type which are placed in the first and second semiconductor films. Fourth and Fifth concentration impurity regions having the other conductivity type that is opposite to the one conductivity type are formed in the third semiconductor film in third doping treatment.
US08017943B2
A semiconductor device includes a first pad, a second pad and a third pad. The first pad and the third pad are electrically connected to each other. The first pad and the second pad are used for bonding. The second pad and the third pad are used for probing. According to this structure, Small size semiconductor device having high reliability even after a probing test can be provided.
US08017941B2
A method of manufacturing a MESFET using ceramic materials includes providing a substrate; providing a ceramic semiconductor material to apply onto the substrate to form a first ceramic semiconductor layer; providing a ceramic semiconductor material which is blended with ions, wherein the ceramic semiconductor material is applied onto a central part of the first ceramic semiconductor layer to form a second ceramic semiconductor layer with ions; providing another ion-mixed ceramic semiconductor material is provided to apply over both sides of the first ceramic semiconductor layer to form a third ceramic semiconductor layer having ions; and respectively plating the second and third ceramic semiconductor layers with metal layers so that the second ceramic semiconductor layer has a gate electrode and the third ceramic semiconductor layer has a source and a drain. A transistor obtained by this method can be put into broader range of applications compared to III-V group transistor.
US08017929B2
A phase change material layer includes antimony (Sb) and at least one of indium (In) and gallium (Ga). A phase change memory device includes a storage node including a phase change material layer and a switching device connected to the storage node. The phase change material layer includes Sb and at least one of In and Ga.
US08017925B2
A device to polymerize plastics that are to be hardened by means of UV irradiation comprises two different irradiation sources for UV irradiation and IR irradiation, respectively, whose irradiation is projected onto the plastic to be hardened. The irradiation source for the UV irradiation includes a solid-state laser.
US08017924B2
An LPP EUV light source is disclosed having an optic positioned in the plasma chamber for reflecting EUV light generated therein and a laser input window. For this aspect, the EUV light source may be configured to expose the optic to a gaseous etchant pressure for optic cleaning while the window is exposed to a lower gaseous etchant pressure to avoid window coating deterioration. In another aspect, an EUV light source may comprise a target material positionable along a beam path to participate in a first interaction with light on the beam path; an optical amplifier; and at least one optic directing photons scattered from the first interaction into the optical amplifier to produce a laser beam on the beam path for a subsequent interaction with the target material to produce an EUV light emitting plasma.
US08017921B2
An apparatus and method for irradiation of fluid with electromagnetic radiation, and in particular to an apparatus and method for irradiation of blood or other body fluids with ultraviolet radiation is provided. The apparatus (1) comprises a housing (2) having disposed therein at least one mount (6) adapted for receiving an ultraviolet radiation source (7) and at least one holder (8) adapted for receiving a container of the fluid. The housing (2) is adapted for operability between a first position, wherein the container (9) may be placed in the holder (8) and a second position, wherein the housing (2) may form a capsule. The apparatus further comprises a control assembly for powering the ultraviolet radiation source (7). At least a portion of the inner surface of the housing (2) is capable of reflecting the ultraviolet radiation.
US08017920B2
A spin polarized ion beam generation apparatus (30) can efficiently generate a spin polarized ion by using a pumping light generator (33) to an ion in a high frequency discharge tube (15) to irradiate optical pumping (33,34) by circularly polarized light and linearly polarized light orthogonal to each other to a metastable atom. For example, a polarized helium ion beam having a spin polarization rate that exceeds 18% and that is as high as 25% can be generated. The spin polarized ion beam generation apparatus (30) also can be applied to a processing apparatus and an analysis apparatus that can irradiate a polarized ion beam to a specimen. According to the spin polarized ion scattering spectroscopy apparatus, the spin status in a region at a depth of about 2 to 3 atomic layers from the surface of the specimen can be measured while discriminating the elements from the atomic layer with a reduced measurement time and with a high accuracy impossible in the conventional technique.
US08017914B2
A method and apparatus are provided for correcting primary and secondary emission data. The method includes obtaining an emission data set having primary and secondary emission data representative of primary and secondary emission particles emitting from a region of interest and applying a scatter correction model to the emission data set to derive an estimated scatter vector. The method also includes comparing the emission data set to the estimated scatter vector to identify an amount of secondary emission data in the emission data set and correcting the emission data set based on the amount of secondary emission data identified in the comparing operation.
US08017913B2
An infrared motion detector including at least one infra-red radiation sensor, at least one radiation reflecting surface, operative to direct radiation impinging thereon towards the at least one infra-red radiation sensor and at least one coating layer, coating the at least one radiation reflective surface, which is substantially reflective to far infra-red radiation and which strongly absorbs at least one of visible light and near infra-red radiation, wherein the at least one coating layer includes black nickel.
US08017912B1
A method of classifying an electromagnetic-energy emitting source event as one of a first, second, and third class event includes registering an irradiance spectrum from the source event. The intensity of the energy emitted from the source event is measured within each of first, second and third energy sub-ranges and first, second and third relative-energy values are associated with, respectively, the first, second and third energy sub-ranges. A first class-eliminating determination is rendered by comparing to one another a first selected set of two of the relative-energy values, thereby yielding two remaining-candidate event classes. When necessary, a second class-eliminating determination renders the proper classification for the source event by comparing to one another a second selected set of relative-energy values including the relative-energy value not selected for inclusion in the first selected set of two relative-energy values and one of the previously selected relative-energy values. The energy-value comparisons are carried out with reference to modeled source-event irradiance data from which expected ratio behaviors among the selected energy sub-ranges are ascertainable relative particular event types at various ranges and under disparate atmospheric conditions.
US08017910B2
A method of predicting the stability of a hydrocarbon process stream is disclosed and claimed. The method includes obtaining samples from one or more process streams and measuring the actual stability and the near infrared spectral absorbance of those samples. A classification model is initially developed to identify sample subsets and correlation model is created using the stability and absorbance data by inserting that data into a mathematical function. Online or offline measurements are then taken from the hydrocarbon process stream, the classification model is used initially to identify the subset and corresponding correlation model is used to predict the stability of the stream.
US08017903B2
To prevent incidence of strong external light into a photodetector and an imaging device while a lid is opened, so as to thereby perform accurate photodetection and imaging operations without receiving the influence of external light. An observation apparatus comprising: a stage on which a sample serving as an observation target is placed; a detection unit which detects light from the sample; an imaging optical system which projects the light from the sample onto the detection unit; a light shielding member which covers the whole or a part thereof; an opening provided in the light shielding member; a lid which opens/closes the opening; an open/close detection unit which detects the open/close state of the lid; a dimmer which limits light incident into the detection unit; and a controller which operates the dimmer to reduce the amount of the light incident into the detection unit, when the open/close detection unit detects that the lid has been opened.
US08017896B2
The present invention provides a vehicle accessory which reliably blocks the sunlight without any mechanical operation. The vehicle accessory includes: a light controlling sheet which is attached to the windshield of a vehicle, and of which light transmittance changes according to a value of voltage; and a rear view mirror which insures a rear view of the vehicle. The rear view mirror has a front light receiving sensor which measures illumination intensity of the sunlight which enters from the front of the vehicle, a rear light receiving sensor which measures illumination intensity inside the vehicle, and a circuit board which controls voltage to be applied to the light controlling sheet. When a combination of the illumination intensity of the sunlight received by the front light receiving sensor and the illumination intensity inside the vehicle received by the rear light receiving sensor is a combination stored in storage unit in advance, the circuit board applies voltage to the light controlling sheet.
US08017893B2
A purpose of the present invention is to provide an inverter circuit capable of suppressing an overshooting phenomenon of an input current at an instantaneous time when an initiating operation of the inverter circuit is switched to the normal operation thereof, and thus, capable of preventing damages of IGBTs and a magnetron.In a high frequency heating apparatus comprising: a control signal forming circuit for forming a control signal from a difference between an input current of an AC power supply and a reference current; a frequency modulated signal forming circuit for correcting rectified voltage/rectified current which are obtained by rectifying the AC voltage/current of the AC power supply based upon the control signal of the control signal forming circuit; and a dead time forming circuit for receiving the output of the frequency modulated signal forming circuit, a control signal converting circuit having a function capable of further lowering the value of the control signal is provided between the control signal forming circuit and the frequency modulated signal forming circuit.
US08017882B2
A side key assembly includes a base plate, a mounting shaft and two push buttons. The base plate has an opening defined therein and a sidewall formed in the opening. The mounting shaft is rotatably mounted on the base plate and received in the opening of the base plate. The two push buttons is rotatably received in the opening and respectively resisting against two opposite sides of the mounting shaft.
US08017875B2
A printed wiring board includes a wiring substrate, one or more conductor circuits provided on the wiring substrate, a solder resist layer provided on a surface of the wiring substrate and having multiple openings, the openings exposing multiple parts of the conductor circuits forming multiple conductor pads for mounting electronic parts, and multiple solder bumps formed on the conductor pads, respectively. The conductor pads are aligned at a pitch of about 200 μm or less, and a ratio W/D of a diameter W of the solder bumps to an opening diameter D of the openings formed in the solder resist layer is about 1.05 to about 1.7.
US08017872B2
A circuit board may include a pump and a channel. The channel may include a liquid metal and a coating. The liquid metal may be pumped through the channel by the pump and the coating reduces diffusion and chemical reaction between the liquid metal and at least portions of the channel. The liquid metal may carry thermal energy to act as a heat transfer mechanism between two or more locations on the substrate. The substrate may include electrical interconnects to allow electrical components to be populated onto the substrate to form an electronics assembly. The pump may be driven by electric current that is utilized by one or more electronic components on the circuit board.
US08017868B2
A multilayer structure including a transparent conductive thin film and a molybdenum metal thin film wherein difference of internal stress between the transparent conductive thin film and the molybdenum metal thin film is 1600 MPa or less.
US08017865B1
An expandable while-in-use electrical outlet cover assembly comprising a lid operatively coupled to a base, the lid comprising flexible clips each comprising a first end, a mid-position and a second end. The collapsible lid may be held in an expanded position by the first end of the flexible clips and collapsed to a collapsed position by applying force to the lid such that a box-like cap slides with respect to a support ring such that the cap seats at the mid-portion of the flexible clip. Particularly useful for rigid lids, like metal lids, the collapsible cover protects the outlet beneath the cover while an electrical cord is plugged in, but still collapses to a smaller profile.
US08017858B2
An instrument in which an acoustic or otherwise measurable disturbance or change is made in physical matter is disclosed. In one embodiment an oscillatory vortex shedding phenomenon is formed in water, in association with each of a plurality of finger holes. Water flows past a branch point where it can either flow over a labium, edge or the like in a resonant pipe, or out a finger hole, the finger hole being the path of lesser resistance to the water. Obstruction of the finger hole forces the water past an underwater sound production mechanism. Blocking water from coming out of a given hole produces a given note, which, in some embodiments, is electrically amplified by a hydrophone. In one embodiment there is a further processing of each hydrophone signal. Embodiments with various kinds of acoustic or optical pickups are also disclosed.
US08017856B2
FIG. 4A indicates a case where Note 1 only is depressed, and the four parts are assigned to Note 1. FIG. 4B indicates a case where Note 2 with a lower pitch than Note 1 is further depressed, wherein Part 1 and Part 2 are assigned to Note 1, and Part 3 and Part 4 are assigned to Note 2. FIG. 4C indicates a case where Note 3 with a lower pitch than Note 2 is further depressed, wherein Part 1 is assigned to Note 1, Part 2 is assigned to Note 2, and Part 3 and Part 4 are assigned to Note 3. FIG. 4D shows a case where Note 4 with a lower pitch than Note 3 is further depressed, wherein Part 1 is assigned to Note 1, Part 2 is assigned to Note 2, Part 3 is assigned to Note 3, and Part 4 is assigned to Note 4. FIG. 4E shows a case where the number of notes is greater than the number of parts, and where Note 5 with a lower pitch than Note 4 is depressed, wherein Part 1 is assigned to Note 1 and Note 2, Part 2 is assigned to Note 3, Part 3 is assigned to Note 4, and Part 4 is assigned to Note 5. In this manner, parts are generally equally assigned to notes.
US08017851B2
A system and method of capturing an image of an object, where the object is associated with a musical feature, generating the musical feature once the object is detected in the image, detecting a change of a position of an the object in a series of images, and altering the musical feature in response to such change.
US08017847B1
A violin display, installed on a violin, including: a control device, used to output a fingering lines pattern data; and a fingerboard display, installed on the fingerboard of the violin to display an image corresponding to the fingering lines pattern data.
US08017837B2
A method for producing transgenic plants, including treating a target tissue using plasmolyzing media (PM) which contains 4% to 10% of sucrose and 100 μM to 300 μM of Acetosyringone (AS) and gold particles. The target tissue is infected by a bacterial suspension using a suitable strain and a suitable transformation vector. A PM containing 4% to 10% sucrose and 100 μM to 300 μM AS is treated for a period between 1 to 3 days. Cultivation is performed in a cultivation media in a dark condition at a temperature between 25° C. to 30° C. A non-selection media with an antibiotic is introduced. A selection media containing an active ingredient phosphinothricin (PPT) is introduced in a light condition at a temperature of between 25° C. to 30° C. in a sub culture for a period of between 3 weeks to 1 month. The putative transformant is regenerated and the number of copies of the transgenes is analyzed.
US08017836B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions for the production of recombinant plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof in a duckweed expression system. It is the novel finding of the present invention that a duckweed expression system may be used to produce high levels of plasminogen and microplasminogen. The duckweed-produced plasminogen and microplasminogen can be activated to produce a polypeptide having protease activity. Thus, the invention encompasses methods for the expression of plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof in duckweed, duckweed plants that are transformed with expression cassettes for the expression of plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof, and nucleic acids comprising nucleotide sequences encoding plasminogen, microplasminogen, and fragments thereof, where these nucleotide sequences are modified to enhance their expression in duckweed.
US08017829B1
This invention relates to a method of biocatalytically producing compounds that are commercially valuable but are detrimental to the host cells' development. The transgenic plants produced in accordance with the present invention comprise a novel controlled expression system comprising a promoter (2), a blocking sequence (a), and a structural gene (6), wherein the blocking sequence (a) is flanked by a pair of directly repeated site-specific recombination sequences (4). The blocking sequence (a) prevents expression of the structural gene (6) until removal of the blocking sequence (a) by site-specific recombinase activity encoded by a site-specific recombinase gene (12).
US08017827B2
A substantially cellulose free absorbent core comprising absorbent polymer material having a saline flow conductivity greater than about 100×10−7 cm3·sec/g and a centrifuge retention capacity of greater than about 20 g/g. A disposable absorbent article is also disclosed.
US08017826B2
A pad of elastomeric material having a softness of no more than about durometer 30 Shore 00. The pad may carry adhesive for adhering the pad to a surface, either directly or indirectly through an envelope which surrounds the pad and carries the adhesive. Such a pad exhibits hemostatic and leak prevention properties against needle puncture holes in the skin or the wall of a hollow medical device. Particularly, hemostasis may be prevented with low pressure application of the pad to the skin. The pad may be previously applied to the skin of the patient or a wall of a medical device such as tubing or a solution bag, and the needle may then penetrate both the pad and the skin or medical device wall, to make a resealable puncture with leakage reduction and hemostasis when the needle is withdrawn.
US08017821B2
A process for isomerization of tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene using a supported acidic ionic liquid as catalyst is provided. In the presence of the supported acidic ionic liquid, endo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene is isomerized to exo-tetrahydrodicyclo-pentadiene, wherein the supported acidic ionic liquid includes a porous support and an acidic ionic liquid, and the acidic ionic liquid includes an aluminum halide, and a quaternary ammonium halide or a quaternary phosphonium halide. The porous support is impregnated with the acidic ionic liquid. Furthermore, under different reaction conditions, the exo-tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene product can be isomerized to adamantane in the presence of such a supported acidic ionic liquid.
US08017815B2
Process for the preparation of hydroxytyrosol, characterized by reacting 4-chloroacetyl-catechol with a metal formate and formic acid in an aqueous solvent optionally containing a lower alkanol and catalytically hydrogenating the 4-hydroxyacetyl-catechol obtained in the presence of a precious metal, preferably on a carrier.
US08017801B2
The invention relates to a method for producing acyl peroxides. According to the method, an acyl compound is reacted with an organic hydroperoxide and a base, to generate a two-phase mixture. The pH of the two-phase mixture is adjusted to 6 to 13. The obtained organic phase is extracted with an aqueous solution of a base and the aqueous extract is recirculated to the reaction step. The method according to the invention allows the recirculation of unreacted hydroperoxide to the reaction step.
US08017790B2
The present invention relates to a process for preparing a compound II or a composition comprising the compound II to a composition comprising succinimide and to a composition prepared by the process according to the invention.
US08017788B2
N-Substituted heteroaryl (substituted)alkyl sulfoximines are effective at controlling insects.
US08017787B2
Provided are an organometallic complex providing highly efficient phosphorescence and an organic electroluminescence device using the same. The organometallic complex can be used to form an organic layer of the organic electroluminescence device, efficiently emits light of a wavelength corresponding to red light, and has high brightness and low operating voltage.
US08017786B2
The present invention relates to a compound of the formula (I), wherein R1, R2 and R3 are each independently selected from H, OH, F, Cl, Br, methoxy and ethoxy; or alternatively, R1 and R2 together form —OCH2O—, R3 is selected from H, OH, methoxy, ethoxy and halogens; R4 is OH or acyloxy; R5 is cycloalkoxyl, amino and substituted amino, and when R5 is selected from amino, at least one of R1, R2 and R3 is not H. The present invention further relates to a process for synthesizing a compound of the formula (I), and use of the compound of the formula (I) in the manufacture of a medicament for the prevention or treatment of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases.
US08017784B2
Disclosed are an optically pure compound having formula I, its pharmaceutically acceptable salt and its pharmaceutically acceptable solvate, and a use thereof in manufacturing medicaments and pharmaceutical compositions. A process for preparing the compound defined therein is also provided.
US08017781B2
The present invention relates to compounds useful as inhibitors of protein kinase. The invention also provides pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising said compounds and methods of using the compositions in the treatment of various disease, conditions, or disorders. The invention also provides processes for preparing compounds of the inventions.
US08017780B1
The invention provides novel therapeutic compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds, and methods for using these compounds and compositions to treat diseases and disorders such as cancer.
US08017778B2
The present invention is directed to a new 2,9-dichloroquinacridone in platelet form, a process for its preparation and its use for coloring high molecular weight organic material. The 2,9-dichloroquinacridone in platelet form has a length of 1 to 45 μm, a width of 0.1 to 20 μm and an average thickness of 0.01 to 5 μm and is characterized in that the hue-value h in remission is ≦31 and/or the lightness L* in transmission is ≧20 and/or a decreasing b* value and an increasing a* value from an illuminating and viewing angle (aspecular angle) 45°/110° (+25°) to 45°/90° (+45°).
US08017773B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula I wherein R1 to R3 are as defined in the description and claims, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. The compounds are useful for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases which are associated with the modulation of H3 receptors.
US08017771B2
Disclosed are highly convergent processes for preparing compounds of formula (I), which compounds are potent active agents for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection: The disclosed processes use SNAr-type coupling reactions between peptidic compounds having a hydroxyproline moiety of the following formula: and halogenated or sulfonated bromoquinoline compounds.
US08017770B2
A novel compound, tris (5-amino tetrazolo) triazine is used for example, as a gas generating fuel. A method of making the compound is also provided. A gas generating composition, containing the novel compound as a fuel, and an oxidizer is also provided. The novel compound may be contained within a gas generant composition 12, within a gas generator 10. The gas generator 10 may be contained within a gas generating system 200 such as an airbag inflator 10 or seat belt assembly 150, or more broadly within a vehicle occupant protection system 180.
US08017768B1
An improved method of preparing 2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (2,4,6,8,10,12-hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazatetracyclo[5.5.0.05,9.03,11]dodecane) (HNIW) is disclosed. The compound is useful as a high energy, high density explosive or propellant oxidizer.
US08017763B2
This invention relates composition and methods for making and using chemically modified oligonucleotides agents for inhibiting gene expression.
US08017752B1
The present invention relates to the discovery of soluble isoforms of an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor, or sErbB1 variants, the provision of the sequences of nucleic acids encoding these isoforms, purified recombinant proteins, novel antibodies specific for these isoforms, and the use of immunoassay and other protein assay techniques to measure the concentration of these protein isoforms in a patient biological sample in the femtomolar range. The present invention also provides methods for determining the presence of an ovarian carcinoma in the patient by assaying the concentration of soluble ErbB1 variants in a biological sample from a patient.
US08017750B2
The present invention provides a venene haemocoagulase gene and its expression for the functional protein. The haemocoagulase gene of the present invention has a nucleotide sequence shown by the sequence list SEQ ID NO: 1 or the mutated nucleotide sequence formed by replacement, depletion, or addition of one or more nucleotide based on the said nucleotide sequence with an equivalent function. The said haemocoagulase has amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO: 2. Haemocoagulase of the present invention has an obvious hemostatic effect, a broad effective dose range, safe and reliable application, which creates good conditions for the development of genetic engineering products of recombinant haemocoagulase in the future.
US08017748B2
The present invention relates to a human monoclonal antibody or fragment thereof which specifically binds to and neutralizes primate GM-CSF.
US08017742B2
Disclosed is a gene carrier composed of a hydrogen-bonding polymer having a polymer chain with hydrogen-bonding sites formed on the polymer chain, in which the polymer chain has a conformation similar to the conformation of a nucleic acid, and particularly, the polymer chain has helix parameters similar to the helix parameters of a nucleic acid of a helix structure. In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogen-bonding polymer is composed of β-1,3-glucan such as schizophyllan. The carrier can be expected to be applied as a vector and a separator for nucleic acids because it is capable of interacting with a nucleic acid to form a complex with the nucleic acid and thus carrying the nucleic acid.
US08017740B2
This invention relates to the use of mixed mode chromatography for purification of at least one intact non-aggregated antibody from a mixture containing intact non-aggregated antibodies and undesirable materials, including fragmented or aggregated antibodies, host cell proteins, DNA, endotoxin, and/or virus. This invention further relates to the integration of such a method into a multi-step procedure with other fractionation methods for purification of antibodies suitable for in vivo applications.
US08017736B2
The present invention provides humanized, chimeric and human anti-alpha-fetoprotein antibodies, fusion proteins, and fragments thereof. The antibodies, fusion proteins, and fragments thereof, as well as combinations with other suitable antibodies, are useful for the treatment and diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatoblastoma, germ cell tumors carcinoma and other AFP-producing tumors.
US08017729B2
The present invention makes it possible to efficiently recognize carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns or modifiers thereof and to support functional compounds by fusing the ability of ferritin molecules capable of forming nanoparticles of inorganic metal atoms or inorganic metal compounds. In addition, because ferritin molecules are capable of forming two-dimensional crystals at the interface, the present invention makes it possible to align carbon nanotubes, carbon nanohorns with the use of the molecular arrangement ability of ferritin fused with nanographite structure recognition peptides. A nanographite structure/metal nanoparticle composite is constructed, wherein a nanoparticle of an inorganic metal atom or an inorganic metal compound is retained in an interior space of a protein in which a nanographite structure recognition peptide is fused or chemically bound to a surface of a cage protein such as ferritin, and wherein a plurality of nanoparticles of an inorganic metal atom or an inorganic metal compound are supported on a nanographite structure with the use of affinity of the nanographite structure recognition peptide to the nanographite structure.
US08017724B2
The method for producing a sulfonic acid group-containing carbonaceous material of the present invention comprises the step of carbonizing and sulfonating a polymer having a structural unit derived from resorcinol by heating in an inert gas atmosphere to obtain a sulfonic acid group-containing carbonaceous material. A catalyst comprising the resulting sulfonic acid group-containing carbonaceous material is useful for producing a target substance with high efficiency in various reactions in hydrophobic media such as alkylation reaction and polymerization reaction of olefins.
US08017722B2
A process for production of a plant-derived component-containing polycarbonate represented by the following formula (3): (wherein R1-R4 each independently represent a group selected from among hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl, and n is the number of repeating units), by melt polycondensation using as the starting materials a specified diol, having a total content of Na, Fe and Ca of no greater than 2 ppm and a purity analysis value of at least 99.7% by gas chromatography, and a specified carbonic acid diester, having a total content of Na, Fe and Ca of no greater than 2 ppm and a purity analysis value of at least 99.7% by gas chromatography.
US08017697B2
A thermoplastic composition includes a poly(arylene ether) and a poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer. The thermoplastic composition is prepared by a method that includes oxidatively copolymerizing a monohydric phenol and a hydroxyaryl-terminated polysiloxane. The method is simpler than prior methods of preparing poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymers by linking pre-formed poly(arylene ether) and polysiloxane blocks. The method is also produces greater incorporation of polysiloxane into the poly(arylene ether)-polysiloxane block copolymer than prior methods of copolymerizing monohydric phenols and hydroxyaryl-terminated polysiloxane.
US08017694B2
Nonconjugated conductive polymers, which are all polymers that have a ratio of double bonds to total bonds of less than ½ are doped with iodine to produce compositions with unexpected characteristics in this invention. The mechanical and elastomeric properties of a nonconjugated polymer can be enhanced by doping the polymer with an electron acceptor such as iodine, in order to cure the polymer. Among the nonconjugated polymers are the cis-1,4-polyisoprene, cis-1,4 polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene copolymers (SBR), ethylene-propylene-diene monomer and poly (β-pinene). A heated mixture of iodine and sulfur produces a faster rate of vulcanization of rubber than using sulfur alone.
US08017692B2
A resin composition for metal plating provides a molded article exhibiting excellent metal plating adhesion strength and chemical resistance, while having excellent productivity. A metal-plated molded article can also be made from such a resin composition. The resin composition for metal plating includes 50-90% by mass of Component (A) and 10-50% by mass of Component (B), the total of Component (A) and Component (B) being 100% by mass, wherein Component (A) is a polypropylene resin, and Component (B) is a rubber-reinforced vinyl resin obtained by polymerizing a vinyl monomer in the presence of a rubber-like polymer, or a mixture of the rubber-reinforced vinyl resin and a (co)polymer of the vinyl monomer. The composition may further include 0.5-30 parts by mass of a compatibilizer (C) per 100 parts by mass of the total of Component (A) and Component (B). Component (B) is preferably a non-diene rubber-reinforced resin.
US08017690B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball comprising a core consisting of a center and at least one intermediate layer covering the center, and a cover covering the core, wherein the cover is made from a cover composition containing, as a resin component, a thermoplastic polyurethane (A) and a polyisocyanate mixture (B) in which a urethane prepolymer (b-1) having at least two isocyanate groups is dispersed in a thermoplastic resin (b-2) which does not substantially react with an isocyanate group; and wherein the cover composition has a slab hardness of more than 60 and not more than 75 in Shore D hardness, and at least one piece or one layer of the intermediate layer is formed from a low hardness intermediate layer composition which has a slab hardness of 40 or less in Shore D hardness.
US08017688B2
A compound or material having safety, namely, biocompatibility that exhibits such a nongel-gel transition that the state of being nongel is presented on the side of low temperature while the state of being crosslinked, for example, gel is presented on the side of high temperature. There is provided a crosslinked polyrotaxane at least two molecules of polyrotaxane consisting of cyclodextrin molecules having a linear molecule included in a skewed manner in cavities thereof and having capping groups at each end of the linear molecule so as to prevent detachment of the cyclodextrin molecules, the above at least two molecules of polyrotaxane crosslinked with each other via physical bonds, characterized in that the hydroxyls (—OH) of the cyclodextrin molecules are partially or wholly substituted with non-ionic groups.
US08017686B2
The invention relates to a polyurethane dispersant resin having a polyurethane backbone having pendant hydrophilic polyalkylene oxide based side groups, the pendant side groups being linked to the polyurethane backbone via covalent bonds, and wherein the content of polyalkylene oxide in the polyurethane dispersant resin is at least 45% by weight, characterized in that the polyurethane additionally has pendant hydrophobic side groups which are linked to the polyurethane backbone via covalent bonds.
US08017684B2
Provided is a heat conductive silicone grease composition, including: (A) 100 parts by volume of an organopolysiloxane with a specific structure and with a kinematic viscosity at 25° C. of 10 to 10,000 mm2/s, (B) 0.1 to 50 parts by volume of an alkoxysilane with a specific structure, and (C) 100 to 2,500 parts by volume of a heat conductive filler. The composition exhibits high thermal conductivity, retains excellent fluidity meaning the composition exhibits favorable workability, and is capable of filling fine indentations, thereby reducing contact resistance and providing excellent heat radiation performance. Also, the durability, under conditions of high temperature and high humidity, of the composition is improved, thereby improving the reliability of the composition during actual use. Heat generated by a heat-generating body can be dissipated into a heat-radiating body by sandwiching the composition between the heat-generating body and the heat-radiating body.
US08017675B2
An asphalt enhancing additive, an asphalt cement and an asphalt mixture containing the additive, wherein the additive causes the mixture to be more easily workable so that the asphalt mixture can be manufactured at a temperature lower than the conventional ones, wherein the additive comprises the mixture of an aminic compound, a lubricant and a flux.
US08017674B2
The invention provides a heat-conductive adhesive with high heat spread properties and excellent handleability. A pitch-based carbon fiber filler with high thermal conductivity and a smooth surface is combined with an adhesive resin to produce a heat-conductive adhesive with controlled viscosity and excellent handleability.
US08017664B2
The invention relates to a process for the batch or semi-batch preparation of a polymer polyol, which process involves (1) preparing a seed by polymerizing in a base polyol at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer in the presence of a polymerization initiator and macromer, and in the presence of from 0.5 to 50% wt of polymer polyol heel, based on amount of polymer present in the heel compared with total amount of polymer formed, (2) adding additional ethylenically unsaturated monomer to the seed obtained in step (1) and optionally additional polyol, and (3) polymerizing the mixture obtained in step (2).
US08017662B2
A process for producing a synthetic fiber composition with reclaimed post consumer carpet yarn, wherein face yarn is shaved from post consumer carpet using a shaving device to provide shaved face yarn, the shaved face yarn is reduced in size, contaminants are removed using mechanical screeners, the shave face yarn is melt filtered, and then fiber spun.
US08017653B2
The invention relates to trans carotenoid salt compounds, methods for making them, methods for solubilizing them and uses thereof. These compounds are useful in improving diffusivity of oxygen between red blood cells and body tissues in mammals including humans.
US08017651B2
Compositions for treating or preventing fat maldistribution or hyperlipidemia resulting from anti-retroviral treatment of HIV-1 infection are disclosed. The compositions contain a conjugated fatty acid or alcohol and at least one member selected from the group consisting of a thiol-containing compound and a bioavailable form of trivalent chromium. Methods of treating a subject suffering from HIV-associated fat maldistribution or hyperlipidemia by administering a composition that includes a conjugated fatty acid or conjugated fatty alcohol and at least one member selected from the group consisting of a thiol-containing compound and a bioavailable form of trivalent chromium are similarly provided.
US08017649B2
Novel flavonoid compounds having anti-oxidant activity are described. The compounds and compositions have been shown to exhibit anti-oxidant properties and are particularly useful in the treatment of ischemia and reperfusion injuries. The invention also describes a method to chemically synthesize such flavonoid compounds and test their efficacy. Such compounds and corresponding pharmaceutically acceptable derivatives and/or salts have uses in the areas of pharmaceuticals, nutraceutical, and veterinary applications.
US08017647B2
Crystalline sodium atorvastatin, compositions containing the same and methods for the production thereof.
US08017640B2
Compounds of the general formula (I) or (IA) in which X is H, Y is a leaving group, R1 preferably being an aromatic DNA binding subunit are prodrug analogues of duocarmycin. The compounds are expected to be hydroxylated at the carbon atom to which C is joined, by cytochrome P450, in particular by CYP1B1, expressed at high levels in tumors. The prodrug is expected to be activated preferentially in tumor cells, which it will act as a DNA alkylating agent preventing cell division.
US08017639B2
Imidazole compounds, compositions, and methods of using them in leukocyte recruitment inhibition, in modulating H4 receptor expression, and in treating conditions such as inflammation, H4 receptor-mediated conditions, and related conditions.
US08017637B2
A subject of the present invention is novel compounds comprising 2 or 3 benzothiazole-4,7-dione- or benzooxazole-4,7-dione-type units, which inhibit the cdc25 phosphatases, in particular cdc25-C phosphatase. These compounds can in particular be used in the treatment of cancer.
US08017630B2
Novel cyclohexylacetic acid compounds corresponding to formula I: processes for the production thereof, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, methods of producing pharmaceutical compositions including these compounds and related methods of treating or inhibiting certain diseases or conditions.
US08017627B2
The treatment of acute pain with a sufficient dosage by intranasal administration of fentanyl results in a time to onset of action comparable to intravenous administration and a significantly faster onset of action than nasal titration of fentanyl. The nasal administration of a sufficient amount of fentanyl to obtain pain relief has lower maximum plasma concentrations comparable to intravenous administration and results in lower rates of adverse events like respiratory depression, nausea and vomiting. Compositions for use in the method are also disclosed.
US08017625B2
The present invention relates to compounds suitable for use in mediating hypoxia inducible factor and for treating erythropoietin-associated conditions by increasing endogenous erythropoietin in vitro and in vivo.
US08017618B2
Compositions and methods useful in the treatment of certain cancers. The methods include administering, to a patient receiving an antifolate anticancer agent, methoxyamine administered in an amount sufficient to enhance or increase the effect of the antifolate anticancer agent. In part, this application is based on the recognition that certain molecules that target abasic lesions or AP sites in DNA improve, augment, or potentiate the chemotherapeutic efficacy of certain anticancer agents.
US08017615B2
The present invention provides low hygroscopic forms of aripiprazole and processes for the preparation thereof which will not convert to a hydrate or lose their original solubility even when a medicinal preparation containing the anhydrous aripiprazole crystals is stored for an extended period.
US08017606B2
Use of a compound for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a bacterial infection provided that the bacterial infection is other than a Mycobacterial infection, said compound being a compound of Formula (Ia) or (Ib) a pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salt thereof, a quaternary amine thereof, a stereochemically isomeric form thereof, a tautomeric form thereof or a N-oxide form thereof, wherein R1 is hydrogen, halo, haloalkyl, cyano, hydroxy, Ar, Het, alkyl, alkyloxy, alkylthio, alkyloxyalkyl, alkylthioalkyl, Ar-alkyl or di(Ar)alkyl; p is 1, 2 or 3; R2 is hydrogen; alkyl; hydroxy; mercapto; optionally substituted alkyloxy; alkyloxyalkyloxy; alkylthio; mono or di(alkyl)amino wherein alkyl may optionally be substituted; Ar; Het or a radical of formula R3 is alkyl, Ar, Ar-alkyl, Het or Het-alkyl; q is zero, 1, 2, 3 or 4; X is a direct bond or CH2; R4 and R5 each independently are hydrogen, alkyl or benzyl; or R4 and R5 may be taken together including the N to which they are attached; R6 is hydrogen or a radical of formula R7 is hydrogen, alkyl, Ar or Het; R8 is hydrogen or alkyl; R9 is oxo; or R8 and R9 together form the radical —CH═CH—N═; and R11 is as defined in the claims.
US08017599B2
The present invention relates to sequence selective compounds for targeting therapeutic or diagnostic groups to polynucleotides. More particularly, the present invention relates to sequence selective targeting of metallocomplexes, such as metallodrugs and metallodiagnostics, to polynucleotides.
US08017593B2
The invention provides a method for inhibiting ocular neovascularization in a patient. The method comprises administering to a patient an ocular neovascularization inhibiting amount of a water-soluble polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 12, SEQ ID NO: 7, and an ocular neovascularization inhibiting fragment thereof, which includes at least one of amino acid residue signature sequences HVGH (SEQ ID NO:10) and KMSAS (SEQ ID NO:11). A method for assaying the angiogenesis inhibiting activity of a composition is also provided.
US08017590B1
An improved method of inducing and/or enhancing an immune response to a tumor antigen is disclosed. The method involves administering the tumor antigen, nucleic acid coding therefor, vectors and/or cells comprising said nucleic acid, or vaccines comprising the aforementioned to a lymphatic site.
US08017588B2
For the purpose of treatment and/or prevention of pulmonary disorders caused by the destruction of pulmonary alveoli resulting from smoking, air pollution, noxious gas, etc., there are provided, among others, a method of administering clarithromycin or a salt thereof to a mammal and a pharmaceutical composition comprising clarithromycin or a salt thereof.
US08017586B2
A composition comprising a material at least partially enclosed by a tubular, spherical or planar nanostructure composed of a plurality of peptides, wherein each of the plurality of peptides includes no more than 4 amino acids and whereas at least one of the 4 amino acids is an aromatic amino acid.
US08017581B1
The invention relates to a tripeptide conjugate having general formula I, A-AA1-AA2-AA3-NH2, wherein A represents the radical corresponding to a monocarboxylic acid with general formula II, HOOC—R, in which: R represents a linear or branched aliphatic radical at C1-C24, which is optionally substituted by a hydroxyl group and which can comprise one or more unsaturations, preferably between 1 and 6 unsaturations, lipoic acid or the reduced form thereof, dihydrolipoic acid, N-lipoyllysine, or phenylbutyric acid; and AA1, AA2 and AA3, which may be identical or different, represent independently of each other an amino acid selected from His, Phe, Ala, Arg, Lys, Orn, Trp, Nap, Tpi and Tic, on the condition that at least one of AA1, AA2 or AA3 represent Phe, preferably Dphe in the form of enantiomers or diastereoisomers and mixtures thereof, including racemic mixtures.
US08017574B2
The present invention relates to methods of using GPR119 receptor to identify compounds useful for increasing bone mass in an individual. Agonists of GPR119 receptor are useful as therapeutic agents for treating or preventing a condition characterized by low bone mass, such as osteoporosis, and for increasing bone mass in an individual. Agonists of GPR119 receptor promote bone formation in an individual.
US08017571B2
The invention relates to a peptide that is a maturation product of the Basic Prolin-rich Lacrinal Protein (BPLP) or a peptide derivative of said maturation product, wherein the peptide or peptide derivative exhibits an inhibitory property against a metallo-ectopeptidase, especially NEP and/or APN.The present invention also relates to polynucleotides coding for said peptides and to antibodies directed against said peptides. Furthermore, the present invention relates to diagnostic and therapeutic uses of human BPLP protein and inhibitory peptides derived therefrom, polypeptides coding for human BPLP protein or peptides derived therefrom as well as antibodies directed against BPLP protein or peptides derived therefrom.
US08017570B2
Compositions containing a α-sulfofatty acid ester and a hydrotrope. The α-sulfofatty acid ester and the hydrotrope reduce the pH drift in the composition and solubilize the α-sulfofatty acid ester in solution. Methods are also disclosed for making such compositions.
US08017567B2
A personal care cleansing composition having enhanced perceptible skin benefits, for example, by selecting certain ratios of quaternary ammonium compounds and free fatty acids. Additionally, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention, the present inventors have discovered that the addition of talc in varying percentages increases qualities to the user such as freshness, smoothness, lather and creaminess. Additionally, aspects relating to fragrance retention, deposition and the amounts perceived are improved.
US08017560B2
The present invention relates to hydrophobically modified hydroxyalkyl guar derivatives which dissolve rapidly in water, having a hydroxyalkyl molar substitution between 0.2 and 2.5 and containing hydrophobic groups comprising C10-C32 alkyl chains, to the procedure for their preparation and to their use in the formulation of well fluids.
US08017550B2
The present invention provides catalytic adsorbents formed from doping activated carbon with a dispersed halide salt. The catalytic adsorbents provided herein are stable and harmless at room temperature, yet allow for chemical adsorption at elevated temperatures typical of those for flue gas streams. The present invention also provides methods of manufacturing the doped activated carbon adsorbents.
US08017546B2
A catalyst for producing alkylene oxide including fine metal silver particles dispersed and supported on a carrier, wherein not less than 90% of the fine metal silver particles have silver particle diameters of 2 to 100 nm, is disclosed. The catalyst can be produced by impregnating a carrier with a liquid containing a silver compound or a silver ion; drying the carrier; and then irradiating the carrier with microwave to form fine metal silver particles in dispersed state on the carrier. This catalyst is used for producing olefin oxide by contact gas-phase oxidation of olefin by a molecular-oxygen-containing gas.
US08017540B2
A method of preparing a crystalline molecular sieve is provided, which method comprises (a) providing a reaction mixture comprising at least one source of ions of tetravalent element Y, at least one source of alkali metal hydroxide, water, optionally at least one seed crystal, and optionally at least one source of ions of trivalent element X, said reaction mixture having the following mole composition: Y:X2=10 to infinity OH−:Y=0.001 to 2 M+:Y=0.001 to 2 wherein M is an alkali metal and the amount of water is at least sufficient to permit extrusion of said reaction mixture; (b) extruding said reaction mixture to form a pre-formed extrudate; and (c) crystallizing said pre-formed extrudate under vapor phase conditions in a reactor to form said crystalline molecular sieve whereby excess alkali metal hydroxide is removed from the pre-formed extrudate during crystallization. The crystalline molecular sieve product is useful as catalyst in hydrocarbon conversion processes.
US08017521B2
A method of forming through-hole vias in a semiconductor wafer involves forming a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of die. A trench is formed between the semiconductor die. The trench extending partially through the semiconductor wafer. The portion of the semiconductor wafer below the trench along a backside of the wafer maintaining structural support for the wafer during the processing steps of forming a plurality of conductive vias between the die, and forming traces to electrically connect the conductive vias to contact pads on the die. The portion of the semiconductor wafer below the trench along the backside of the wafer is removed. The semiconductor wafer is singulated to separate the die. The singulation can be performed through the conductive vias to make half conductive vias or between the conductive vias to make full conductive vias. The die can be stacked and electrically connected through the conductive vias.
US08017515B2
A semiconductor device has a first conductive layer formed over a top surface of a substrate. A first insulating layer is formed over the substrate. A first dielectric layer is formed over the first insulating layer. A second conductive layer is formed over the first conductive layer and first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed over the second conductive layer. A polymer material is deposited over the second dielectric layer and second conductive layer. A third conductive layer is formed over the polymer material and second conductive layer. The third conductive layer is electrically connected to the second conductive layer. A first solder bump is formed over the third conductive layer. A conductive via is formed through a back surface of the substrate. The conductive via is electrically connected to the first conductive layer. The polymer material has a low coefficient of thermal expansion.
US08017511B2
Etching is performed on an insulating layer 23 and a conductive layer 32 with a photoresist 41 as the mask, to form an opening 51 in the conductive layer 32. After removing the photoresist 41, another insulating layer 24 is formed all over, which is etched back so as to expose a surface of a conductive layer 31, to thereby cover the inner wall of the opening 51. Then etching is performed on the conductive layer 31 with the latter insulating layer 24 as the mask, so as to form another opening 52 in the conductive layer 31. Then still another insulating layer 25 is formed all over, which is then etched back so as to expose a surface of the conductive layer 32, to thereby fill the opening 52 with the last formed insulating layer 25.
US08017508B2
A layer including a semiconductor film is formed over a glass substrate and is heated. A thermal expansion coefficient of the glass substrate is greater than 6×10−7/° C. and less than or equal to 38×10−7/° C. The heated layer including the semiconductor film is irradiated with a pulsed ultraviolet laser beam having a width of less than or equal to 100 μm, a ratio of width to length of 1:500 or more, and a full width at half maximum of the laser beam profile of less than or equal to 50 μm, so that a crystalline semiconductor film is formed. As the layer including the semiconductor film formed over the glass substrate, a layer whose total stress after heating is −500 N/m to +50 N/m, inclusive is formed.
US08017505B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprises; a) forming a SiGe layer on a substrate; b) forming a Si layer on the SiGe layer; c) forming a groove that exposes the side surface of the SiGe layer by partly etching the Si layer and the SiGe layer; and d) forming a hollow portion between the substrate and, the Si layer by etching the SiGe layer via the groove. Step d) further comprises: forming a part of the hollow portion by supplying a new liquid including a fluorinated nitric acid solution to the substrate and etching the SiGe layer, removing the fluorinated nitric acid solution once from the hollow portion that is under formation; and etching the SiGe layer by refilling a new liquid including a fluorinated nitric acid solution to the hollow portion.
US08017501B2
A method of forming through-hole vias in a semiconductor wafer involves forming a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of die with contact pads disposed on a surface of each die. The semiconductor wafer has a saw street between each die. A trench is cut in the saw street without using support material to support the wafer. The trench extends only partially through the wafer. The uncut portion of the saw street below the trench along a backside of the wafer providing structural support for the wafer without support material during formation a plurality of conductive vias in the saw streets adjacent to the contact pads, and electrical connection of the conductive vias to the contact pads. The uncut portion of the saw street below the trench along the backside of the wafer portion is removed. The semiconductor wafer is singulated along the saw street to separate the die.
US08017497B2
A method for manufacturing a high quality semiconductor device having a through via structure. A substrate is manufactured with an oxide layer including a window region in a region in which a through via is formed. The substrate is bonded with another substrate to form an SOI substrate. The SOI substrate is ground to reduce its thickness. An island region is formed in a region at which a TSV (Through Silicon Via) structure is formed. A device and a TSV are coupled by a wire. The silicon substrate at a bottom side of the SOI substrate is removed to expose the island region from the bottom. A back contact for the TSV is formed in the window region, which is formed in a buried oxide layer.
US08017489B2
A semiconductor structure and a method for fabricating the semiconductor structure provide a field effect device structure. The field effect device structure includes a gate electrode located over a channel region within a semiconductor substrate that separates a plurality of source and drain regions within the semiconductor substrate. The channel region includes a surface layer that comprises a carbon doped semiconductor material. The source and drain regions include a surface layer that comprises a semiconductor material that is not carbon doped. The particular selection of material for the channel region and source and drain regions provide for inhibited dopant diffusion and enhanced mechanical stress within the channel region, and thus enhanced performance of the field effect device.
US08017478B2
A semiconductor device includes a memory cell gate structure having a first gate insulating film, a first gate electrode, a second gate insulating film, and a second gate electrode, a select gate structure having a third gate insulating film and a third gate electrode including a first electrode portion, a second electrode portion, and a third electrode portion between the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion, a first impurity diffusion layer formed in a surface area of the semiconductor substrate and located at a portion which corresponds to an area between the memory cell gate structure and the first electrode portion, and a second impurity diffusion layer formed in a surface area of the semiconductor substrate and located at a portion which corresponds to an area between the first electrode portion and second electrode portion.
US08017472B2
Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacturing thereof are disclosed. Isolation regions are formed that include a stress-altering material at least partially lining a trench formed within a workpiece. The isolation regions include an insulating material disposed over the stress-altering material.
US08017466B2
In a semiconductor substrate on which are formed an N-type MOS transistor and a P-type MOS transistor, the gate electrode of the N-type MOS transistor comprises a tungsten film, which makes contact with a gate insulation film, and the gate electrode of the P-type MOS transistor comprises a tungsten film, which makes contact with a gate insulation film, and the concentration of carbon contained in the former tungsten film is less than the concentration of carbon contained in the latter tungsten film.
US08017464B2
As a method for constituting a pre-metal interlayer insulating film, such method is considered as forming a CVD silicon oxide-based insulating film having good filling properties of a silicon oxide film by ozone TEOS, reflowing the film at high temperatures to planarize it, then stacking a silicon oxide film having good CMP scratch resistance by plasma TEOS, and, further, planarizing it by CMP. However, it was made clear that, in a process for forming a contact hole, crack in the pre-metal interlayer insulating film is exposed in the contact hole, into which barrier metal intrudes to cause short-circuit defects.In the present invention, in the pre-metal process, after forming the ozone TEOS film over an etch stop film, the ozone TEOS film is once etched back so as to expose the etch stop film over a gate structure, and, after that, a plasma TEOS film is formed over the remaining ozone TEOS film, and then the plasma TEOS film is planarized by CMP.
US08017458B2
Fluid media comprising inorganic semiconductor components for fabrication of thin film transistor devices.
US08017452B2
A circuit element is disposed on an organic substrate and is connected to a wiring pattern provided on the organic substrate. Internal connection electrodes are formed on a support of a conductive material through electroforming such that the internal connection electrodes are integrally connected to the support. First ends of the internal connection electrodes integrally connected by the support are connected to the wiring pattern. After the circuit element is resin-sealed, the support is removed so as to separate the internal connection electrodes from one another. Second ends of the internal connection electrodes are used as external connection electrodes on the front face, and external connection electrodes on the back face are connected to the wiring pattern.
US08017450B2
A method of forming an asymmetrical encapsulant bead on a series of wire bonds electrically connecting a micro-electronic device to a series of conductors, the micro-electronic device having a planar active surface. The method has the steps of positioning the die and the wire bonds beneath an encapsulant jetter that jets drops of encapsulant on to the wire bonds, the drops of encapsulant following a vertical trajectory, tilting the die such that the active surface is inclined to the horizontal and, jetting the drops of encapsulant to form a bead of encapsulant material covering the series of wire bonds, the bead having a cross sectional profile that is asymmetrical about an axis parallel to a normal to the active surface.
US08017439B2
A method of forming stacked electronic articles using a through substrate via (TSV) wafer includes mounting a first carrier wafer to a top side of the TSV wafer using a first adhesive material that has a first debonding temperature. The TSV wafer is thinned from a bottom side of the TSV wafer to form a thinned TSV wafer. A second carrier wafer is mounted to the bottom side of the TSV wafer using a second adhesive material that has a second debonding temperature that is higher as compared to the first debonding temperature. The thinned TSV wafer is heated to a temperature above the first debonding temperature to remove the first carrier wafer from the thinned TSV wafer. At least one singulated IC die is bonded to TSV die formed on the top surface of the thinned TSV wafer to form the stacked electronic article.
US08017436B1
A method of forming a package includes forming a circuit pattern on a first carrier and embedding the circuit pattern in a dielectric material on a second carrier. The first carrier is removed and a buildup dielectric material is mounted to the dielectric material and the circuit pattern. Laser-ablated artifacts are formed in the buildup dielectric material and filled with an electrically conductive material to form a buildup circuit pattern. The second carrier is patterned into a stiffener, which provides rigidity to the thin package.
US08017423B2
The present invention discloses a method for manufacturing thin film structure, which comprises the following steps: providing a substrate having a first recess and a second recess formed therein with the first recess being deeper than the second recess; depositing a first material layer and a second material layer of different thicknesses successively on the substrate; and grinding the substrate so that a flat upper surface is formed and the first material layer and the second material layer are remained in the first recess while only the first material layer is remained in the second recess. The present invention also discloses a method for manufacturing fringe field switching type liquid crystal display array substrate. With the present invention, it is possible to make the upper surface flat while forming patterns on two layers of thin films respectively by using a single mask.
US08017422B2
Oxidation treatment is performed to the surface of a substrate provided with a photocatalytic conductive film and an insulating film; treatment with a silane coupling agent is performed, so that a silane coupling agent film is formed and the surface of the substrate is modified to be liquid-repellent; and the surface of the substrate is irradiated with light of a wavelength (less than to equal to 390 nm) which has energy of greater than or equal to a band gap of a material for forming the photocatalytic conductive film, so that only the silane coupling agent film over the surface of the photocatalytic conductive film is decomposed and the surface of the photocatalytic conductive film can be modified to be lyophilic.
US08017421B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing semiconductor light emitting devices including: forming light emitting structures by sequentially depositing a first material layer, an active layer and a second material layer; forming the roughness pattern on a region of the bottom of a substrate except at least a cleaving region for forming cleaving planes; and forming n-electrodes.
US08017419B2
Methods of manufacturing a lasing device are provided by some embodiments, the methods including: creating a silicon micro ring with a predetermined radius and a predetermined first cross-sectional dimension; creating a silicon waveguide with a predetermined second cross-sectional dimension, the silicon waveguide spaced from the silicon micro ring by a predetermined distance; and wherein the predetermined distance, the predetermined radius, the predetermined first cross-sectional dimension, and the predetermined second cross-sectional dimension are determined so that at least one first whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring and at least one second whispering gallery mode resonant frequency of the silicon micro ring are separated by an optical phonon frequency of silicon.
US08017418B2
A semiconductor image sensor includes: a semiconductor imaging element including an imaging area, a peripheral circuit area, and an electrode area; cylindrical electrodes provided on electrode terminals so as to be electrically connected with an external device; and a transparent resin layer provided on the upper surface of the semiconductor imaging element. The upper surface of each cylindrical electrode and the upper surface of the transparent resin layer are substantially of the same height.
US08017412B2
This is a novel SiC betavoltaic device (as an example) which comprises one or more “ultra shallow” P+N− SiC junctions and a pillared or planar device surface (as an example). Junctions are deemed “ultra shallow”, since the thin junction layer (which is proximal to the device's radioactive source) is only 300 nm to 5 nm thick (as an example). In one example, tritium is used as a fuel source. In other embodiments, radioisotopes (such as Nickel-63, promethium or phosphorus-33) may be used. Low energy beta sources, such as tritium, emit low energy beta-electrons that penetrate very shallow distances (as shallow as 5 nm) in semiconductors, including SiC, and can result in electron-hole pair creation near the surface of a semiconductor device rather than pair creation in a device's depletion region. By contrast, as a high energy electron penetrates a semiconductor device surface, such as a diode surface, it produces electron hole-pairs that can be collected at (by drift) and near (by diffusion) the depletion region of the device. This is a betavoltaic device, made of ultra-shallow junctions, which allows such penetration of emitted lower energy electrons, thus, reducing or eliminating losses through electron-hole pair recombination at the surface.
US08017409B2
A microflow analytical system includes a laminate pump assembly connectable with one or more sources of fluid, one or more pneumatic control pumps, a mixer, and a sensor. The laminate pump assembly is adapted to deliver predetermined volumes of the fluid(s) through a plurality of flow paths which are formed within layers of the assembly. Each flow path can include an inlet valve, a pump valve, and an outlet valve each of which are controllable by the pneumatic control pumps. A series of manifolds can be formed within the layers of the pump assembly to provide for simultaneous activation of selected flow paths. Delivered fluid volumes can be mixed in the mixer which, in some embodiments, may be integral with the laminate pump assembly. The sensor can measure one or more characteristics of the mixed fluids to determine one or more properties of the fluids.
US08017408B2
Provided are methods, devices and systems that utilize free-surface fluidics and SERS for analyte detection with high sensitivity and specificity. The molecules can be airborne agents, including but not limited to explosives, narcotics, hazardous chemicals, or other chemical species. The free-surface fluidic architecture is created using an open microchannel, and exhibits a large surface to volume ratio. The free-surface fluidic interface can filter interferent molecules, while concentrating airborne analyte molecules. The microchannel flow enables controlled aggregation of SERS-active probe particles in the flow, thereby enhancing the detector's sensitivity.
US08017403B2
Provided are methods of detecting the presence or amount of the active form of vitamin B6, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, in a body fluid sample using tandem mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography.
US08017396B2
Disclosed are cellulose-based pliable, porous and non-porous prosthesis structures that can be formed to various geometries such as thin films, membranes, hollow tubes, heart valves, including an aortic heart valve. Also disclosed are methods for preparing a cellulose-based porous prosthesis structure.
US08017394B2
The present invention provides a method for expanding a population of chondrocytes that maintains chondrocyte phenotype during the expansion by culturing the population in a defined serum-free expansion medium containing one or more cytokines and under low attachment conditions. The method further solves diffusion problems during the subsequent stage of extracellular matrix production by use of a perforated polycarbonate substrate that results in a randomly organized cultured neocartilage tissue. Chondrocytes expanded and cultured in this manner can be used in various medical applications to repair cartilaginous tissues that have been injured by trauma or disease.
US08017391B2
The present invention relates to a human hepatoma-derived cell line, LH86, liver cell cultures, non-human animal models, artificial livers, liver assist devices, screening assays, and other applications of the cell line as an investigational tool.
US08017383B2
A solution temperature control device in a biological cell observing chamber (30) used for the detection of chemotaxis and chemotactic cell separator, comprising a first temperature controller (62) and a second temperature controller (63). The first temperature controller (62) measures the temperature of a solution filled in a pair of wells and a flow passage in the chamber and controls the temperature to a specified temperature, and the second temperature controller (63) measures the temperature of a heating part (64) which heats the chamber (30) from the outside to indirectly heat the solution filled in the pair of wells and the flow passage and controls the temperature to a specified preheat temperature. Since the state and quantity of cells moving from one well to the other through the flow passage while holding the temperature of the solution at a specified temperature can be accurately observed and measured, accuracy for controlling the temperature of the solution can be remarkably increased.
US08017376B2
The present invention is directed to recombinant microorganisms comprising one or more dihydroxyacid dehydratase (DHAD)-requiring biosynthetic pathways and methods of using said recombinant microorganisms to produce beneficial metabolites derived from said DHAD-requiring biosynthetic pathways. In various aspects of the invention, the recombinant microorganisms may be engineered to overexpress one or more polynucleotides encoding one or more Aft proteins or homologs thereof. In some embodiments, the recombinant microorganisms may comprise a cytosolically localized DHAD enzyme. In additional embodiments, the recombinant microorganisms may comprise a mitochondrially localized DHAD enzyme. In various embodiments described herein, the recombinant microorganisms may be microorganisms of the Saccharomyces clade, Crabtree-negative yeast microorganisms, Crabtree-positive yeast microorganisms, post-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, pre-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, and non-fermenting yeast microorganisms.
US08017373B2
An enzyme mixture for the enzymatic hydrolysis of a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to soluble sugars is provided. Also provided is a process for hydrolyzing a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock with an enzyme mixture. The enzymatic hydrolysis comprises adding a cellulase enzyme mixture to a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock. The cellulase enzyme mixture comprises a primary cellulase mixture of CBH1 and CBH2, and EG1 and EG2. The CBH1 and CBH2 being present at greater than or equal to 55% and less than 85% of the primary cellulase mixture. Furthermore, CBH2 is present at a fraction relative to CBH1 and CBH2, and EG2 is present at a fraction relative to the EG1 and EG2.
US08017361B2
Provided is an enzyme mixture for hydrolyzing a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to soluble sugars. The enzyme mixture comprises EG4 at a fractional concentration (fEG4) of about 0.25 to about 0.83 (w/w), Swollenin at a fractional concentration (fSwo1) of about 0 to about 0.66 (w/w), and Cip1 at a fractional concentration (fCip1) of 0 to about 0.33 measured relative to all accessory enzymes present in the enzyme mixture. Also provided are processes for converting a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock to soluble sugars using the enzyme mixtures, and methods of using and producing such enzyme mixtures.
US08017356B2
A polypeptide having a endoribonuclease activity; a nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide; recombinant DNA having the nucleic acid therein; a transformant transformed with the recombinant DNA; a process for producing the polypeptide comprising the steps of cultivating the transformant and collecting the polypeptide from the culture; a process for producing a digest of single-stranded RNA comprising the step of reacting the polypeptide with the single-stranded RNA; and a method for the digestion of single-stranded RNA.
US08017350B2
The present invention relates to a method for identification of a chemical compound which modulates the activity of mammalian GPI-PLC whereina] a mammalian cell is incubated with glimepiride;b] hcDIGs of the cells of a] are prepared;c] the hcDIGs from b] are incubated with a chemical compound;d] the activity of the GPI-PLC from the hcDIGs of c] is determined.
US08017346B2
The invention relates to a method for quantifying G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-G protein binding by means of using a cell membrane array, which comprises (i) putting an unlabeled candidate compound in contact with a cell membrane array in the presence of labeled GTP or of a labeled, non-hydrolyzable analog thereof, in conditions allowing the interaction between said compound and said GPCR present in said cell membranes, and between said labeled GTP or analog thereof and said G protein present in said membranes; (ii) washing; and (iii) quantifying the signal obtained due to the binding of the labeled GTP (or analog) to said G protein. It is applicable in the analysis of the interaction between compounds and cell membrane receptor proteins and of the intracellular signaling mechanisms triggering this interaction mechanism mediated by said compounds.
US08017342B2
The present invention provides methods and reagents for detecting anti-phospholipid-cofactor protein-antibodies.
US08017341B2
The present invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence coding for a PntR transcription factor comprising a nucleotide sequence that is the same as, or is complementary to, or contains any suitable codon substitutions for any of those of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 3 or 5 or comprises a sequence which has at least 60% sequence homology with any of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 3 or 5, as well as corresponding polypeptides, vector systems and host cells comprising the same. In particular, the invention relates to sequences which are obtained from an Aspergillus, Trichoderma or Penicillium cell. The invention further relates to methods for disrupting PntR expression in a cell as well as methods for expression or production of a POI in a host cell in which PntR expression has been disrupted.
US08017338B2
The present teachings provide methods, compositions, and kits for synthesizing and sequencing nucleic acids. In some embodiments, reversible di-nucleotide compounds are employed along with cleaving reactions that remove a label and a blocking moiety. Improved sequencing efficiency is achieved by the rapid polymerase-mediated incorporation of reversible di-nucleotide compounds. In some embodiments, the di-nucleotides do not contain conventional nucleotide triphosphates, but rather employ amino acid phosphoramidate nucleotides (AAPNs).
US08017330B1
This invention provides safe, non-infectious chimeras that include the nucleic acid signature of most bacterial and viral biological threat agents. These chimeras mimic properties of threat agents and are useful as simulants to develop, evaluate, test, and train on nucleic acid-based biodetectors and diagnostic products of interest in biodefense, without the need for accessing or producing virulent agents.
US08017328B2
A method for partitioning a genome is provided. In certain embodiments, the method comprises: a) nicking a region of the genome using a sequence-specific nicking endonuclease to produce a nicked double-stranded genomic region; b) hybridizing the nicked double-stranded genomic region with an oligonucleotide comprising: i. an affinity tag; and ii. a nucleotide sequence that is complementary to the nucleotide sequence that is immediately adjacent to the nick site, to produce a duplex in which a terminal nucleotide of the oligonucleotide lies immediately adjacent to said a nucleotide of the nick site; c) ligating the terminal nucleotide of the oligonucleotide to the nucleotide of the nick site to produce a ligation product; and d) separating the ligation product from unligated products using the affinity tag. Compositions and kits for practicing the method are provided.
US08017319B2
The invention relates to a method and a device for evanescence-based multiplex sequencing of nucleic acid molecules immobilized on a support.
US08017318B1
The invention concerns a method for detecting a known function, from nucleic acids present in a sample, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: (a) preparing, from the nucleic acids of the sample, nucleic acid molecules comprising the gene(s) coding for the protein(s) corresponding to said function, and the control elements required for the transcription and the translation of said gene(s); (b) in vitro transcription and translation of the nucleic acid molecule prepared in step (a); (c) detecting and/or measuring the function corresponding to the protein(s) produced in step (b).
US08017311B2
Living cellular material may be preserved by incubating the cellular material in a culture medium containing at least one sugar, particularly for at least three hours, and then subjecting the cellular material to a preservation protocol, such as freezing, vitrification, freeze-drying and desiccation.
US08017302B2
A positive resist composition comprises (A) a resin component which becomes soluble in an alkaline developer under the action of an acid and (B) an acid generator. The resin (A) is a polymer comprising specific recurring units, represented by formula (1). The acid generator (B) is a specific sulfonium salt compound. When processed by lithography, the composition is improved in resolution and forms a pattern with a minimal LER. Herein R1 is H or methyl, R2 is an acid labile group, R3 is CO2R4 when X is CH2, R3 is H or CO2R4 when X is O, R4 is a monovalent C1-C20 hydrocarbon group, and m is 1 or 2.
US08017294B2
The presently disclosed embodiments are directed to an improved overcoat for an imaging member having a substrate, a charge transport layer, and an overcoat positioned on the charge transport layer, and a process for making the same including combining a resin having a reactive group selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, carboxylic acid and amide groups, a melamine formaldehyde crosslinking agent, a crosslinkable fluoro additive, an acid catalyst, and a crosslinkable, alcohol-soluble charge transport molecule to form an overcoat solution, and subsequently providing the overcoat solution onto the charge transport layer to form an overcoat layer.
US08017292B2
To provide a toner produced by emulsifying or dispersing in an aqueous medium particles containing at least polyester resin particles and by aggregating the polyester resin particles, wherein the polyester resin particles contain a polyester resin, the polyester resin is produced by condensation polymerization of an alcohol component containing 65 mol % or more 1,2-propanediol in a dihydroxy alcohol component and a carboxylic acid component containing purified rosin, and the softening point of the polyester resin is 80° C. or more and less than 120° C., and wherein the toner comprises a colorant and a releasing agent.
US08017289B2
A method is disclosed in which a plurality of variable shaped beam (VSB) shots is used to form a desired pattern on a surface. In this method some shots within the plurality of shots overlap each other. Additionally, the union of any subset of the plurality of shots differ from the desired pattern. In some embodiments, dosages of the shots vary with respect to each other. In other embodiments, an optimization technique may be used to minimize shot count. In yet other embodiments, the plurality of shots may be optionally selected from one or more pre-computed VSB shots or groups of VSB shots. The method of the present disclosure may be used, for example, in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit by optical lithography using a reticle, or in the process of manufacturing an integrated circuit using direct write.
US08017281B2
The membrane-electrode assembly for a fuel cell includes a polymer electrolyte membrane, and an anode and a cathode disposed on each side of the polymer electrolyte membrane and including a catalyst layer. The catalyst layer has a first catalyst layer that has a porosity of less than or equal to about 40% and is disposed to contact the polymer electrolyte membrane, and a second catalyst layer that has a porosity of more than or equal to about 50% and is disposed on the first catalyst layer.
US08017266B2
A highly reliable cylindrical primary battery is provided where the surface temperature of a body portion of which at the time of a short circuit is controlled to be low. The heat conductivity λ (W/m·K) of a resin sealing body of a sealing assembly having a PTC element and the amount of heat generation Q (W) in the PTC element at the time of tripping are set so that the relational expressions of: 0.12≦λ≦0.27; (1) 1.0≦Q≦1.5; and (2) Q≦−3.33λ+1.9 are met. (3)
US08017265B2
A can and a lithium secondary battery using the same. Electrolyte slots having predetermined shapes are formed at inner surfaces of short-sidewalls and a bottom wall of the can, and serve as an electrolyte path or an electrolyte receiving space, thereby allowing the electrolyte to be easily introduced into the can even if a jellyroll-type electrode assembly has been accommodated in the can, and increasing an amount of the electrolyte contained in the can.
US08017261B2
Electrochemical cells (10), such as fuel cells (12) and fuel reformers (14), with rotating elements or electrodes (34, 24) that generate Taylor Vortex Flows (28, 50) and Circular Couette Flows (58) in fluids such as electrolytes and fuels are disclosed.
US08017253B2
A main object of the present invention is to provide an organic EL element having members such as an organic EL layer formed highly precisely in a pattern with preferable light emission characteristic of the organic EL layer, and a photocatalyst containing coating solution to be used for the production thereof. To achieve the object, the present invention provides an organic electroluminescent element comprising: a substrate; a first electrode layer formed on the substrate; an organic electroluminescent layer formed on the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer formed on the organic electroluminescent layer, wherein a photocatalyst containing layer containing a photocatalyst, a characteristic providing agent, and a light emission characteristic improving material having the function of improving the activation of the photocatalyst and the light emission characteristic of the organic electroluminescent layer so as to have the characteristic of the characteristic providing agent changed by the action of the photocatalyst accompanied by the energy irradiation is formed at any position between the substrate and the second electrode layer; and the light emission characteristic improving material is a silver salt of a fluorine or an acid selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, sulfonic acids, sulfinic acids, phenols, enols, thiophenols, imides, oximes, primary or secondary nitro compounds, clathrate compounds, a chloric acid and a perchloric acid.
US08017247B2
Self-cleaning aluminum alloy substrates and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a substrate is provided, the substrate including an aluminum alloy body, an anodic oxide zone having micropores within a surface of the aluminum alloy body, the anodic oxide zone being substantially impermeable to contaminants, and a photocatalytic film located on at least a portion of the anodic oxide zone, wherein the photocatalytic film comprises photocatalytically active semiconductor. In one embodiment, a method is provided, the method including the steps of forming an anodic oxide zone in at least a portion of an aluminum alloy base, forming a photocatalytic film, the photocatalytic film being located on the anodic oxide zone, and sealing the anodic oxide zone with a sealant, wherein, as sealed, the anodic oxide zone is substantially impermeable to contaminants.
US08017243B2
An absorbing layer of a low-E coating is designed to cause the coating to have a more neutral and/or green color at normal and/or certain off-axis viewing angles. In certain example embodiments, the metallic or substantially metallic absorbing layer (e.g., NiCr) is from about 20-30 angstroms (Å) thick; this thickness has been found to unexpectedly provide less red and more neutral coloration for the coated article at certain off-axis viewing angles (e.g., at a 45 degree off-axis viewing angle). In certain example embodiments, the absorbing layer is provided between first and second nitride layers in order to reduce or prevent oxidation thereof during heat treatment thereby permitting predictable coloration to be achieved following the heat treatment. Coated articles according to certain example embodiments of this invention may be used in the context of insulating glass (IG) window units, vehicle windows, other types of windows, or in any other suitable application.
US08017240B2
An abradable seal positioned proximate a rotating element includes a substrate having a surface facing the rotating element and a coating positioned on the surface of the substrate. The coating has a matrix material and a filler material. The matrix material constitutes between about 30 % and about 80 % of the coating by volume.
US08017238B2
To provide a tungsten oxide photocatalyst which shows a high photocatalytic activity by irradiating with visible light even under the environment where ultraviolet light is not irradiated, the tungsten oxide photocatalyst has tungsten oxide particles and Pt particles having a primary particle size of 3 to 20 nm supported on the surface of the tungsten oxide particles in an amount of 0.03 to 5 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the tungsten oxide particles.
US08017231B1
The present invention is directed to a heat-shrinkable, thermoplastic film or bag which contains at least one homogeneous ethylene alpha-olefin copolymer with at least some limited long chain branching. Oriented films made in accordance with the present invention exhibit improved processability as well as improved physical properties such as excellent optics and impact resistance. A homogeneous ethylene alpha-olefin with long chain branching may be present in a monolayer film either alone or in a blend or may be included in one or more layers of a multilayer film in accordance with the present invention.
US08017225B2
A cutting tool made of surface-coated cubic boron nitride-based ultrahigh pressure sintered material, comprising a cutting insert main body formed by ultrahigh pressure sintering of compact composed of titanium nitride, aluminum and/or aluminum oxide, and boron nitride, and a hard coating layer vapor deposited on the main body. The main body has a texture containing cubic boron nitride, titanium nitride and reaction product. The hard coating layer has a lower layer of composite nitride having a composition of [Ti1-XAlX]N, where X is in a range from 0.40 to 0.60 in an atomic ratio, and the upper layer comprises a thin layer A having the composition of [Ti1-XAlX]N, where X is in a range from 0.40 to 0.60 in an atomic ratio, and a thin layer B consisting of a Ti nitride (TiN). The upper layer has a consisting of the thin layer A and a thin layer B layered alternately.
US08017224B2
An exterior surface covering has a colored outer layer that transmits infrared radiation and an inner layer with a thermochromic pigment that absorbs heat at low temperature and reflects at high temperatures. The outer layer conceals the color change of the thermochromic pigment.
US08017223B2
Containment structures for an organic composition, comprising a first zone having a first surface energy, and a second zone having a second surface energy different than the first surface energy, and methods for making the same.
US08017216B2
A member for a push button switch that has a small thickness, high durability, and excellent click feeling and can be manufactured at low cost. The member for the push button switch includes one or more key tops, a metal sheet including at least holes that correspond to positions of the key tops, and an elastic sheet that is provided on the metal sheet so as to be positioned on the same side as or opposite side to the key tops. The elastic sheet is fitted into the holes and comes in contact with the key tops at positions of the holes. The elastic sheet includes a urethane film or polycarbonate, and a silicone rubber, which are laminated in a thickness direction of the metal sheet.
US08017204B2
Compositions suitable for manufacturing injection molded articles having a minimum wall thickness of from 500 μm to 2.0 mm comprise from: (A) 2 to 15% by weight of a propylene-ethylene copolymer having substantially isotactic propylene sequences; (B) 85 to 98% by weight of a random polypropylene copolymer having from 2.5 to 5.0% by weight units derived from ethylene and a melt flow rate of from 25 to 130 grams/10 minutes (g/10 min); and (C) 500 to 2500 ppm by weight of a nucleator/clarifier additive (based on the weight of the random polypropylene copolymer). Typically, the melt flow rate of the compositions is from 20 to 125 g/10 min, and the propylene-ethylene copolymer comprises at least 75% by weight propylene and has a melt flow rate from 4 to 30 g/10 min.
US08017201B2
The present invention provides compositions derived from a polycarboxylic acid, a polyhydroxy compound, a dye and a basic crosslinking agent. The compositions can be used to prepare cross-linked films that exhibit low solvent-swell characteristics. The cross-linked films can be used to prepare color filter elements via thermal transfer processes.
US08017200B2
Disclosed are a liquid-crystalline medium, which contains a compound of formula I and the use thereof for electro-optical purposes, in particular for TN, TFT, IPS or OCB displays.
US08017199B2
A cellulose acylate film comprising at least one retardation raising agent having specific rod-like polarizability anisotropy or specific plane polarizability anisotropy, and specific distance between terminals of a molecule in a specific amount; a process for producing the same; and a polarizing plate and liquid crystal display using the same.
US08017195B2
A coating system and coating method for damping vibration in an airfoil of a rotating component of a turbomachine. The coating system includes a metallic coating on a surface of the airfoil, and a ceramic coating overlying the metallic coating. The metallic coating contains metallic particles dispersed in a matrix having a metallic and/or intermetallic composition. The metallic particles are more ductile than the matrix, and have a composition containing silver and optionally tin. The method involves ion plasma cleaning the surface of the airfoil before depositing the metallic coating and then the ceramic coating.
US08017194B2
A structure that comprises a substrate; a cross-linked random free radical copolymer on the substrate; and a self-assembled patterned diblock copolymer film on the random copolymer; wherein the random copolymer is energy neutral with respect to each block of the diblock copolymer film. A method of making the structure is provided.
US08017191B2
A method of dipping a nanoscopic probe comprising dipping a nanoscopic tip at a dipping rate into an inkwell comprising ink, wherein the dipping rate is configured to be sufficiently faster than a rate of wicking. A nanoscopic probe comprising a nanoscopic tip and an inkwell configured to contain ink, wherein the nanoscopic probe is configured to dip into and retract from the ink at a rate that is sufficiently faster than wicking. Wicking can cause excessive amounts of ink to be deposited on nanoscopic tips, which can lead to contamination of inkwells and other nanoscopic tips.
US08017190B2
A metal/fiber laminate has a plurality of adjacent layers. Each layer is porous and includes an arrangement of fibers. At least one of the layers has its fibers coated with a metal. A polymer matrix permeates each such arrangement.
US08017187B2
A flake mixture for spraying onto a surface to be coated, the flake mixture comprising a volatile liquid medium and a flake pigment dispersed within said liquid medium, the weight percentage of flake being between 0.002% and 0.15%. A method is also provided the method comprising the steps of: providing an object having a surface to be coated; preparing the surface to be coated by applying a gloss basecoat layer; curing said basecoat layer; providing a flake mixture, flake mixture comprising a volatile liquid medium and a flake pigment dispersed within said liquid medium, the weight percentage of flake being between 0.0002% and 0.15% spraying onto said surface the flake mixture; curing the flake mixture; applying over said flake layer a lacquer layer; and curing said lacquer layer.
US08017186B2
The present invention provides film forming method and a droplet discharge method for removing bubbles in a pressurizing chamber to prevent defective discharge without disposing a large amount of materials in a droplet discharging device. Before a material is discharged in the droplet discharging device, a step is provided in which reduced pressure is kept in a pressurizing chamber and a material supply portion, which are connected, to remove bubbles that exist in the pressurizing chamber. A flow path connected to the outside such as an opening of a nozzle surface of the pressurizing chamber or a material supply port of the material supply portion is sealed, and pressure in the pressurizing chamber and the material supply portion is reduced from an inlet and outlet connected to the material supply portion with the use of a reduced pressure means such as a pump.
US08017183B2
An atomic-layer-deposition process for forming a patterned thin film comprising providing a substrate, applying a deposition inhibitor material to the substrate, wherein the deposition inhibitor material is an organosiloxane compound; and patterning the deposition inhibitor material either after or simultaneously with or introducing applying the deposition inhibitor material to provide selected areas of the substrate effectively not having the deposition inhibitor material. The thin film is substantially deposited only in the selected areas of the substrate not having the deposition inhibitor material.
US08017172B2
The present invention is a grain product. The grain product includes a first fraction including bran. The first fraction is milled to a first particle size of less than 500 micrometers. The grain product also includes a second fraction including germ. The second fraction is milled to a second particle size of less than 500 micrometers. The grain product is at least one of: a food product, a nutritional supplement, a dietary supplement, a fiber supplement, a digestive supplement, a functional food, and a medical food.
US08017168B2
The present invention relates generally to functional sweetener compositions comprising non-caloric or low-caloric natural and/or synthetic high-potency sweeteners and methods for making and using them. In particular, the present invention relates to different functional sweetener compositions comprising at least one non-caloric or low-caloric natural and/or synthetic high potency sweetener, at least one sweet taste improving composition, and at least one functional ingredient, such as rubisco protein, rubiscolin, rubiscolin derivatives, ACE inhibitory peptide, and combinations thereof. The present invention also relates to functional sweetener compositions and methods that can improve the tastes of non-caloric or low-caloric high-potency sweeteners by imparting a more sugar-like taste or characteristic. In particular, the functional sweetener compositions and methods provide a more sugar-like temporal profile, including sweetness onset and sweetness linger, and/or a more sugar-like flavor profile.
US08017167B2
Enclosed rotisserie with added convenience, including a countertop resting box-like enclosure housing a safety rear mounted heating element and a power rotated dual rod spit assembly. The gear driven spit assembly may be easily inserted and removed straight into and out of the enclosure without need for angling or coupling the assembly to a power drive socket. The spit assembly may also be mounted at various distances from the heating element to decrease cooking times. The open front of the enclosure is from time to time covered by an inclined glass panel door which may be opened in various ways to facilitate food insertion into and removal from the enclosure, and which may be easily removed for cleaning or other purposes.
US08017164B1
A method for peeling fruits and vegetables, particularly those having thin skins, such as tomatoes includes immersing the fruit or vegetable in a boiling solution comprising carbamide and one of carborane and hydrogen chloride to loosen a peel thereof. In a particular embodiment, the carborane comprises trifluoromethanesulfonic acid. The fruit or vegetable is removed from the solution after a predetermined time period. The fruit or vegetable is cooled, and the loosened peel is removed from the fruit or vegetable.
US08017155B2
A method for encapsulating a biomacromolecule in a pore-containing polymer comprising the steps of providing an encapsulating solution containing the biomacromolecule and the pore-containing polymer; contacting the biomacromolecule with the pore-containing polymer for a time sufficient for the biomacromolecule to enter the pores of the pore-containing polymer; and rearranging the polymer such that the surface pores of the polymer are closed thus encapsulating the biomacromolecule in the pore-containing polymer.
US08017151B2
Compositions and methods for transporting biologically active proteins and polypeptides, particularly across the blood-brain barrier, are provided.
US08017150B2
The invention relates to the film products and methods of their preparation that demonstrate a non-self-aggregating uniform heterogeneity. Desirably, the films disintegrate in water and may be formed by a controlled drying process, or other process that maintains the required uniformity of the film. The films contain a polymer component, which includes polyethylene oxide optionally blended with hydrophilic cellulosic polymers. Desirably, the films also contain a pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic active agent with no more than a 10% variance of the active agent pharmaceutical and/or cosmetic active agent per unit area of the film.
US08017136B2
A cosmetic composition is provided comprising: a) a cross-linked organopolysiloxane elastomer; b) a shine agent having the formula R—X—R′ wherein R and R′ are C6-C10 alkyl groups and X is an oxygen atom or a carbonate group.
US08017133B2
Multicomponent vaccines are provided which aid in the prevention and treatment of staphylococcal infections and which include certain selected combinations of bacterial binding proteins or fragments thereof, or antibodies to those proteins or fragments. By careful selection of the proteins, fragments, or antibodies, a vaccine is provided that imparts protection against a broad spectrum of Staphylococcus and other bacterial strains and against proteins that are expressed at different stages of the logarithmic growth curve. In one embodiment of the invention, a composition is provided that includes a fibrinogen binding domain of a fibrinogen binding protein and a bacterial component such as a capsular polysaccharide, and both active and passive vaccines based on these components are also provided, along with methods of treating infection using these compositions and vaccines.
US08017128B2
The invention relates to a novel cosmetic active ingredient composed of a microalgae extract and arginine ferulate, its uses for activating proteasome and the production of thioredoxin, a cosmetic composition containing it and the use of such a cosmetic composition for combating skin ageing.
US08017127B2
A chimeric, carboxy-terminal truncated hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid (HBc) protein is disclosed that contains an immunogen for inducing the production of antibodies to the influenza M2 protein. An immunogenic influenza sequence in two to four copies is preferably expressed at or near the N-terminus or in the HBc immunogenic loop sequence. The HBc chimer preferably contains an influenza-specific T cell epitope and is preferably engineered for both enhanced stability of self-assembled particles and enhanced yield of those chimeric particles. Methods of making and using the chimers are also disclosed.
US08017126B2
The present invention relates to modified HIV-1 envelope proteins which express epitopes that produce a broadly cross reactive neutralizing response, their methods of use and antibodies which bind to these epitopes.
US08017125B2
Random three- and four-amino acid copolymers having lengths of 14-, 35- and 50-amino acid residues are provided. Fifty-mers of FEAK were effective inhibitors of MBP 85-99- or proteolipid protein (PLP) 40-60-specific HLA-DR-2-restricted T cell clones. These copolymers efficiently suppressed the mouse disease EAE, which was induced in a susceptible SJL/J (H-2s) strain of mice with either whole spinal cord homogenate (WSCH) or with the encephalitogenic epitope PLP 139-151 (SEQ ID NO:4). YFAK 50-mer having a molar ratio of about Y 0.8:F 0.2 inhibited binding of biotinylated MBP 85-99 epitope to HLA-DR-2 molecules more efficiently than either unlabeled MBP 85-99 or Copaxone®. YFAK and FAK copolymers efficiently suppressed EAE induced in SJL/J (H-2S) mice with the encephalitogenic epitope PLP 139-151. Copolymers YFAK, VYAK and tryptophan-containing VWAK were efficacious in alleviating severity and duration of symptoms of EAE induced by MBP 85-99 (SEQ ID NO:2), in a humanized mouse model expressing genes for both an HLA-DR-2 linked to multiple sclerosis (MS) in humans and for a T cell receptor from an MS patient.
US08017122B2
The present invention relates to methods of treating pruritic diseases, including but not limited to Contact dermatitis, Atopic Dermatitis, Drug induced delayed type cutaneous allergic reactions, Toxic epidermal necrolysis, Cutaneous T cell Lymphoma, Bullous pemphigoid, Alopecia wereata, Vitiligo, Acne Rosacea, Prurigo nodularis, Scleroderma, Herpes simplex virus, or combination thereof by administering IL-31 monoclonal antibodies. The invention further provides the hybridomas that generate the monoclonal antibodies.
US08017118B2
The present invention provides antibodies specifically against hDlk-1 and having anti-tumor activity in vivo (anti-hDlk-1 antibodies), a fragments of the antibodies, hybridomas that produce the antibodies, a complex of the antibody or antibody fragment and an agent, a pharmaceutical composition comprising the antibody and the like, a tumor therapeutic agent, a tumor angiogenesis inhibitor, a tumor diagnostic agent, a method for detecting tumor, a kit for detecting and/or diagnosing tumor, etc.
US08017113B2
A method of reducing an inflammatory response in a subject is provided. The method comprising providing to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an agent capable of reducing activity and/or expression of a scavenger receptor or of an effector thereof, thereby reducing the inflammatory response in the subject.
US08017112B2
The present invention relates to a treatment of an autoimmune demyelinating disease/disorder. Also included in the present invention is the use of bone marrow stromal cells for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).
US08017109B2
The present invention is directed to membrane active polymers useful for cellular delivery of compounds. Described are polyconjugates systems that incorporate targeting, anti-opsonization, anti-aggregation, and transfection activities into small biocompatible in vivo delivery conjugates. The use of reversible modification provides for physiologically responsive activity modulation.
US08017106B2
The present invention provides stable aerosol cream mousse composition, preferably hair care composition, that can provide enhanced touch, combability, alignment and volume reduction to the hair, with low or reduced greasy, oily hair feel, while being formulated having a thick, rich, creamy, mousse-type rheology with excellent spreading, perception of spreading, and feel. The aerosol composition is based on the combination of component (A) a cationic surfactant, which is generally a quaternary ammonium compound such as e.g., ditallow dimethyl ammonium chloride; (B) a fatty alcohol, such as cetyl and stearyl alcohol; and (C) carbon dioxide.
US08017094B2
A rack for holding containers containing liquids used in clinical chemistry analyzers. The rack comprises (a) a frame having two or more sections, each section being adapted for receiving a liquid containing component, at least one of the sections of the frame being adapted for receiving a first liquid containing component which is adapted for being removably but tightly mechanically connected to said frame, (b) at least one movable part adapted to be removably coupled to a shaker device, the movable part being adapted for receiving and holding a second liquid containing component, at least one of the sections of the frame being adapted for receiving the movable part and allowing motion of the movable part within predetermined limits.
US08017087B1
An oxygenation device consists of a first vertically oriented tube having electrically conductive plates for forming oxygen by electrolysis. Above the plates is a pump formed by a second length of tube fitted within the first tube with a spacing between the walls of the first and second lengths of tubing thereby forming a cavity. Compressed air is admitted into the cavity. The second length of tubing has an open lower end for receiving air from the cavity. Air enters the second tube in belches that form large bubbles.
US08017081B2
A system and method of measuring the effective temperature inside a sealed container having a headspace is provided. A liquid solvent is added to the container, and a solid compound is added to the liquid solvent to create a saturated solution. Vapor of the saturated solution is allowed to equilibrate in the headspace of the sealed container, and a volume thereof is transferred to a chromatographic column, where chromatographic readings of the equilibrated vapor are taken. A temperature within the sealed container is then calculated based upon the chromatographic readings of the equilibrated vapor, wherein the temperature calculation is based upon the concentrations of the liquid solvent and the solid compound in the equilibrated vapor.
US08017079B2
Apparatus for and method of measuring bio-chips using uniform total internal reflection illumination
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for and method of measuring bio-chips, which can implement an illumination method of a novel type that illuminates a bio sample (which may be also referred to as a “bio specimen”) through a side face of a substrate using a diffusion plate to form an evanescent field by the illumination light over the entire surface of a substrate so as to uniformly secure brightness of the illuminated light over a wide area of a substrate, thereby more efficiently measuring fluorescence information of a bio-chip over a wide field of view.
US08017073B2
This document describes a high intensity air purifier (HAIP), a super oxidation purifier, and a controller for controlling operation of any of various purification systems. In some implementations, a HAIP includes an air purifier system coupled within a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet. The air purifier system includes a pre-filter coupled to the air inlet, an axial fan for receiving and forwarding air from the air inlet. The air purifier system further includes a UV reaction chamber having a UV-light source for providing UV light to the forwarded air from the air inlet and a reflective lining to reflect the provided UV light, to provide UV purified air from the UV reaction chamber. The air purifier system further includes a chemical catalyst cartridge for receiving the UV purified air from the UV reaction chamber, for further purifying the UV purified air, and a post filter coupled to the air outlet.
US08017067B2
A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure comprises providing an aqueous ceramic solution, providing a batch cross-link agent, mixing the agent with the solution, extruding the aqueous ceramic solution containing the cross-link agent into a honeycomb structure, and drying the honeycomb structure via a single drying step thereby forming a hardened, substantially water resistant, honeycomb structure. The method may further comprise addition of a ceramic surfactant to the aqueous ceramic solution, as well as plugging channels within the honeycomb structure with a plugging material comprising an aqueous ceramic solution that includes batch cross-link agents and ceramic surfactants therein. Also disclosed is a green body honeycomb article having a green honeycomb matrix containing a first ceramic batch compound of inorganic constituents, a first batch cross-link agent, and an aqueous vehicle wherein the matrix includes interconnected walls forming open-ended channels and a plugging material located in at least one of the open-ended channels.
US08017065B2
A container forming assembly and method includes receiving a parison within a cavity of a mold, enclosing the parison within the mold having a wall with a recess, inflating the parison in the mold to form a blow molded container where the blow molded container has a sidewall, a movable region formed at the recess, and a hinge circumscribing an interface between the sidewall and the movable region, and moving the movable region toward an interior of the blow molded container about the hinge before filling.
US08017064B2
An apparatus and method for simultaneously forming and filling a plastic container is provided. A mold cavity defines an internal surface and is adapted to accept a preform. A pressure source includes an inlet and a piston-like device. The piston-like device is moveable in a first direction wherein liquid is drawn into the pressure source through the inlet and in a second direction wherein the liquid is urged toward the preform. A blow nozzle may be adapted to receive the liquid from the pressure source and transfer the liquid at high pressure into the preform thereby urging the preform to expand toward the internal surface of the mold cavity and creating a resultant container. The liquid remains within the container as an end product.
US08017059B2
A composite fabrication apparatus which may include a first tooling die and a second tooling die movable with respect to each other; a thermal control system having induction coils disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die; a first die susceptor provided on the first tooling die and a second die susceptor provided on the second tooling die and connected to the induction coils; and a cooling system disposed in thermal contact with the first tooling die and the second tooling die. A composite fabrication method is also disclosed.
US08017051B2
The artificial marble with good natural pattern and color in accordance with the present invention is prepared mixing ununiformly at least two liquid resins through a line mixer 1, feeding the ununiformly mixed resin on a moving steel belt 4 at a constant speed through a flexible hose 2 and an exit nozzle 3, and reciprocating the exit nozzle perpendicularly to the steel belt by a predetermined program for the exit nozzle to stop at different positions for different durations. The line mixer used in this invention is a Kenics type and has inner elements of eight or less than eight. A line mixer with four to eight elements can be more preferably used.
US08017040B2
Methods and apparatus may permit the generation of consistent output synthesis gas from highly variable input feedstock solids carbonaceous materials. A stoichiometric objectivistic chemic environment may be established to stoichiometrically control carbon content in a solid carbonaceous materials gasifier system. Processing of carbonaceous materials may include dominative pyrolytic decomposition and multiple coil carbonaceous reformation. Dynamically adjustable process determinative parameters may be utilized to refine processing, including process utilization of negatively electrostatically enhanced water species, process utilization of flue gas (9), and adjustment of process flow rate characteristics. Recycling may be employed for internal reuse of process materials, including recycled negatively electrostatically enhanced water species, recycled flue gas (9), and recycled contaminants. Synthesis gas generation may involve predetermining a desired synthesis gas for output and creating high yields of such a predetermined desired synthesis gas.
US08017037B2
A fluorescent substance capable of remarkably increasing the luminous intensity of a I-III-VI2 chalcopyrite type compound having a large band gap among chalcopyrite type compounds with manganese as luminescence centers, and being favorably used for a lighting device using a light emitting diode, a light emitting element of a display device or the like, a light emitting device such as fluorescent lamps such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp and a hot cathode fluorescent lamp, as a fluorescent substance generating fluorescence by ultraviolet excitation, is provided. The fluorescent substance is expressed by composition formula (1) Cu(Al1-xGax)(S1-ySey)2:Mn,Si (1) (wherein x represents a number satisfying 0≦x≦0.4, and y represents a number satisfying 0≦y≦0.4), including manganese as a luminescence center atom.
US08017029B2
A plasma etch method includes simultaneously illuminating an array of plural locations on front surface of the workpiece through the backside of the workpiece with light of a wavelength range for which the workpiece is transparent, while viewing light reflected from the array of plural locations to the backside of the workpiece. The method further includes determining plural etch depths at the array of locations from the light reflected from the array of locations on the front side of the workpiece, and deducing from the plural etch depths a spatial distribution of etch rate across the array of locations. The method also includes changing the etch rate distribution by adjusting a tunable element of the reactor.
US08017016B2
A method for controlling pervaporation through a membrane includes assessing the vapor pressure of each component material of a mobile phase disposed on a retentate side of the membrane, and maintaining a designed environment on a permeate side of the membrane. The environment maintained on the permeate side of the membrane contains partial pressures of selected component materials of the mobile phase at a level substantially equal to or greater than the respective vapor pressures thereof.
US08017013B2
Apparatus, methods and systems for processing waste are provided. For example, a system for processing waste, wherein the waste comprises hard particulates embedded therein, can be provided. The system can comprise a waste disrupter, wherein the waste disrupter disrupts the waste and releases at least one of the embedded hard particulates from the disrupted waste; a segregator, wherein the segregator segregates at least one of the released hard particulates from the waste; and a dilution unit, wherein the dilution unit dilutes the waste. In some embodiments, the system can include a waste loader that provides waste continuously to the waste disrupter, which is configured to disrupt at least a portion of the continuously provided waste.
US08016997B2
A method is provided for determining analyte concentrations, for example glucose concentrations, that utilizes a dynamic determination of the appropriate time for making a glucose measurement, for example when a current versus time curve substantially conforms to a Cottrell decay, or when the current is established in a plateau region. Dynamic determination of the time to take the measurement allows each strip to operate in the shortest appropriate time frame, thereby avoiding using an average measurement time that may be longer than necessary for some strips and too short for others.
US08016986B2
The present invention provides an electrochemical sensing test piece without hemocyte interference, including a main body, electrode unit, reaction tank and chemical reaction zone. The detection zone of the electrode unit corresponds to the inserting end of the main body, and the reaction zone of the electrode unit corresponds to the sensing end of the main body. The reaction tank is arranged onto the sensing end correspondingly to the reaction zone of the electrode unit. The reaction tank is provided with a porous filter layer, whose aperture must be less than 6 μm for or separation of hemocyte in the blood sample. A chemical reaction zone is arranged between the porous filter layer and the reaction zone of the electrode unit. The hemocyte of the blood sample can be blocked and filtered by the porous filter layer, ensuring that the serum of blood sample can enter into the chemical reaction zone.
US08016977B2
Dry pond water evaporation systems and methods are used to evaporate large quantities of water from industrial waste water sources, such as water produced by oil and gas wells. Dry pond systems include a water evaporation system that emits waste water into the air as a fine spray or mist to promote evaporation. Water that falls to the ground and any initially dissolved solids are captured in a water capture depression. Water and solids are transferred from the water capture depression to a water collection pool. Water from the water collection pool is recirculated through the water evaporation system to further concentrate the total dissolved solids (TDS). When the TDS are sufficiently concentrated, they may be harvested, such as by evaporating off the water and recovering salts or minerals as a solid.
US08016976B2
A film removing device includes an approach stage having a flat approach part having a surface substantially flush with the surface of a substrate supported on a support member. The flat approach part faces a first side surface of the substrate at a corner of the substrate where the first side surface and a second side surface of the substrate join. A film removing nozzle spouts a solvent toward a peripheral part of the substrate and sucks a solution while being moved along the second side surface and the approach stage. A gas is spouted into a gap between the flat approach part and the corner of the substrate so that the gas flows through the gap toward the second side surface.
US08016971B2
A method of making an absorbent article with a waist relief area includes providing a web of outer cover material moving in a machine direction; cutting a plurality of first relief holes in the web of outer cover material; at least partially covering the plurality of first relief holes with an overlay material to define a fringe; and cutting the web of outer cover material in a cross-machine direction to define a plurality of discrete absorbent articles wherein each cut extends through each first relief hole. The fringe may be made from the waist elastic material, liner material, fastening material, or facing material. The fringe may also be cut with a plurality of second relief holes having an area smaller than the area of the first relief holes.
US08016970B2
A method and apparatus for applying a pre-cured composite strip to a composite component. A pre-cured composite strip having a thermoset resin may be placed on a surface of a portion of the composite component where a caul plate seam may be expected. Caul plates may be placed on the composite component after placing the pre-cured composite strip to form the caul plate seam. The composite component may be cured after placing the caul plates on the composite component.
US08016969B2
A process for finishing a wood or wooden board, in particular an MDF or HDF board, with an upper side and an underside. The process includes applying a sealing layer of melamine resin to the upper side of the board and printing a decoration onto the sealing layer. A protective layer is applied of melamine resin to the decoration and the board is pressed under the action of temperature until the protective layer and the sealing layer melt and bond to each other with the inclusion of the decoration printed on.
US08016967B2
In the manufacture of a multilayer ceramic substrate including a ceramic laminate by a so-called non-shrink process in which the ceramic laminate disposed between shrinkage control layers is fired, first and second surface conductive films formed on first and second main surfaces of the ceramic laminate may cause warping of the multilayer ceramic substrate after the shrinkage control layers are removed. After the firing step, in removing the shrinkage control layers from a composite laminate, the thickness of at least one of first and second reaction layers formed at interfaces between ceramic green layers and the shrinkage control layers in the firing step is reduced such that the thickness of the first reaction layer is different from the thickness of the second reaction layer, thereby controlling the compressive stress generated by the reaction layers to reduce the warping of the multilayer ceramic substrate.
US08016947B2
A method of cleaning a surface such as a driveway or a vertical wall which includes converting or retro-fitting a zero-turn radius (ZTR) or other type of mower to a cleaning apparatus. The conversion of the mower includes the steps of adding a water supply tank to the deck area of the mower and providing low pressure and high pressure flow lines. The low pressure flow lines are supplied via a low pressure pump. The high pressure flow lines are supplied by a separate high pressure pump unit. Plural solenoid valves are utilized in the method and system to control the flow of a cleaning solution for various method operations.
US08016929B2
A water-based ink includes a dye represented by the general formula (1), water, DPP, and a surfactant represented by the general formula (2). The dye, DPP, and the surfactant are blended so as to satisfy the conditions (A) to (C). (A) an amount of the dye relative to a total amount of the ink (x) is about 0.1 wt % to 1.0 wt % (B) an amount of DPP relative to a total amount of the ink (y) is about 0.5 wt % to 3 wt % (C) in y≧25x/9+2/9 −175x+18y+225z−104≦0 and −100x+18y+225z−66.5≧0 in y≦25x/9+2/9 −275x+54y+225z−112≦0 and −200x+54y+225z−74.5≧0 z: an amount of the surfactant relative to a total amount of the ink (wt %)
US08016925B2
A compact and highly portable combination pressure swing adsorption apparatus and product gas conservation device for medical use, to produce efficiently a gas with a high concentration of oxygen and to deliver the oxygen concentrated gas to a user at selectable times and in selectable doses, in which the operating components are detachably mounted together as a single unit.
US08016924B2
A system for gas separation has a mechanically stable metallic substrate layer having a pair of opposite faces and formed throughout with open pores. Respective functional layers laminated on each of the faces are composed of TiO2 or ZrO2. These functional layers are formed throughout with pores having an average pore diameter of less than 1 nm.
US08016920B2
A riser-based slug control system and a method of controlling slugging in a fluid flowing through a riser are provided. The system includes a gas-liquid separation separator that has a housing defining an internal volume. An inclined inlet is connected to the housing and configured to receive a flow of multiphase fluid and direct the flow of fluid into the housing so that the fluid flows spirally in the volume and separates, with gas from the fluid collecting in an upper portion of the volume and liquid from the fluid collecting in a lower portion of the volume. A tubular passage, which extends at least partially through the internal volume of the housing, defines a plurality of orifices. The tubular passage is configured to receive liquid from the lower portion of the volume and gas from upper portion of the volume, and deliver the mixture of the combined liquid and gas through an outlet.
US08016913B2
An improved method for processing of nickel-bearing ores, laterite ores, saprolite and limonite ores, oxidic and sulfide ores, metallurgical wastes, and other metal-bearing materials, to recover the valuable minerals contained therein, comprising comminuting ore to a desired size; leaching the ore at about 70 C to 130 C for about 30 minutes to 4 hours with nitric acid, raising the temperature of the solution to form a liquid/solid residue in which nickel, cobalt and magnesium values are in solution, and iron, manganese, and aluminum are solid residues in oxide form; conducting a liquid-solid separation and removing the solids; and recovering the nickel, cobalt, and manganese from the liquid-metal concentrate. The leachate is recovered and the nitric acid from the leachate is recycled.
US08016909B2
The present invention provides a jetting process for the production of flakes with uniform size distribution to be used in pigments comprising the steps of ejecting molten metal from a jet head and collecting droplets of metal on a solid collecting substrate or collecting droplets of metal in or on a collecting substrate.
US08016901B2
Multiple designs and methods for aerodynamic separation nozzles and systems for integrating multiple aerodynamic separation nozzles into a single system are disclosed herein. These aerodynamic separation nozzles utilize a combination of aerodynamic forces and separation nozzle structure to induce large centrifugal forces on the gases that in combination with the structure of the nozzle are used to separate heavier constituents of the process gas from lighter constituents. In some embodiments a number of separation nozzles are combined into a single system suitable for dynamic processing of a process gas. In other embodiments the separation nozzles are temperature controlled to condition the incoming gas to a temperature in order to encourage a phase change in certain constituents of the gas to occur within the nozzle to further enhance separation.
US08016881B2
The invention relates to sutures and surgical staples useful in anastomoses. Various aspects of the invention include wound closure devices that use amphiphilic copolymer or parylene coatings to control the release rate of an agent, such as a drug or a biological material, polymerizing a solution containing monomers and the agent to form a coating, using multiple cycles of swelling a polymer with a solvent-agent solution to increase loading, microparticles carrying the agent, biodegradable surgical articles with amphiphilic copolymer coatings, and sutures or surgical staples the deliver a drug selected from the group consisting of triazolopyrimidine, paclitaxol, sirolimus, derivatives thereof, and analogs thereof to a wound site.
US08016877B2
A method for deploying a prosthetic valve assembly is provided. The prosthetic valve assembly replaces a deficient native valve and comprises a replacement valve supported on an expandable valve support. The valve support, which entirely supports the valve annulus, valve leaflets, and valve commissure points, is configured to be collapsible for transluminal delivery and expandable to contact the anatomical annulus of the native valve when the assembly is properly positioned. Portions of the valve support may expand to a preset diameter to maintain coaptivity of the replacement valve and to prevent occlusion of the coronary oslia. The prosthetic valve assembly is compressible about a catheter, and restrained from expanding by an outer sheath. The catheter may be inserted inside a lumen within the body, such as the femoral artery, and delivered to a desired location, such as the heart.
US08016871B2
Blood vessels and other body lumens are stented using multiple, discreet stent structures. Stent structures may be balloon expandable or self-expanding and are delivered by a delivery catheter which is repositioned to spaced-apart delivery sights. By coating the stents with particular biologically active substances, hyperplasia within and between the implanted stents can be inhibited. An exemplary delivery catheter comprises a catheter body having both a pusher rod for advancing the stents relative to a sheath and a reciprocatable delivery catheter for implanting the stents.
US08016867B2
A graft fixation device. The device is useful for affixing a tissue graft to a bone or other body surface. The graft fixation device comprises two implantation members connected by a connecting member. The implantation members have longitudinal passageways therethrough.
US08016866B2
A tulip assembly configured to be coupled to a head of a bone fixation device includes at least one inner member configured to fix the tulip assembly to the head of a bone fixation device, and an outer member including at least one engagement surface configured to selectively fix a rod in the tulip assembly via rotation of the outer member, wherein the fixation of the tulip assembly to the head of the bone fixation device is independent of the fixation of a rod in the tulip assembly.
US08016863B2
A plate of biocompatible material is provided having curvature in two planes such that it conforms to the curvature of the L5 vertebral body and to the patient's lordotic curve. Holes are provided receiving screws for anchorage in the vertebral body and sacrum. A flange or foot portion on the plate provides a wider base end area for support in the L5-S1 interspace. The foot portion is also arranged for appropriate entry angle of screws into the sacrum such as to improve anchorage in the sacrum. Anti-backout and low profile features are incorporated. The anterior lumbar plate is situated to maintain the anterior interbody bone graft in compression by resisting tensile forces during extension.
US08016862B2
A bone stabilizing system includes a collar that has a tubular sidewall with an interior surface and an exterior surface each extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the interior surface at least partially bounding a longitudinal passage extending therethrough. The collar also includes a pair of opposing spaced apart channels transversely extending through the sidewall at the first end thereof and a pair of spaced apart bayonet prongs projecting from the first end of the tubular sidewall. A screw has a threaded portion and a head disposed on an end thereof, the head of the screw being disposed within the longitudinal passage of the collar. A locking cap has a hole extending therethrough and a pair of spaced apart bayonet slots formed thereon, the bayonet slots being configured to receive and engage with the pair of bayonet prongs.
US08016860B2
A device and method for correcting a spinal deformity are provided. A spinal implant for correcting a spinal deformity includes a multipoint connector that connects to at least one vertebra of a spine at a plurality of locations and a force directing device that applies a force to the vertebra through the multipoint connector. The force directing device may include a rod which extends generally along an axis of the spine and a force directing member which is adjustably coupled to both the rod and the multipoint connector and which applies a corrective force to the at least one vertebra.
