US08031720B2

A fault-tolerant packet transmission system is disclosed that can avoid localized load concentration on a specific portion of a network, while autonomously keeping route optimization, without adding a route control function to non-mesh devices. In a packet transmission system including multiple wireless base stations and one or more terminal devices belonging to one of the wireless base stations, each of the wireless base stations has a location table describing each of the terminal devices associated with a corresponding wireless base station to which the terminal device currently belongs. The wireless base stations exchange the information in the location table with each other to update the location tables and forward a received packet to the next hop along a transmission route toward a destination terminal device.
US08031716B2

In an apparatus, there are provided an IP transmitting and receiving unit for transmitting and receiving an IPv4 packet and an IPv6 packet; an IP header converting unit for performing a mutual conversion of the IPv4 packet and the IPv6 packet by an IP header conversion; a DNS substituting unit for receiving a domain information capturing request sent from an IPv4 terminal or an IPv6 terminal and substituting its process; an IPv4 address capturing unit for capturing an IPv4 address from a DHCP server; and an IP address conversion information holding unit for holding an IPv6 address of the IPv6 terminal and the IPv4 address captured by the IPv4 address capturing unit in correspondence to each other. Thus, a communication with the IPv4 terminal can be executed without preliminarily fixedly allocating the IPv4 address to the IPv6 terminal.
US08031713B2

A method, information processing system, and computer readable medium manage a plurality of network interfaces. A data packet is accepted at a pseudo network interface. The pseudo network interface manages a plurality of underlying physical network interfaces. The pseudo network interface selects selected physical network interface from the plurality of physical network interfaces for outputting the data packet. The data packet is modified to include a hardware address associated with the selected physical network interface in response to the selecting. The data packet that has been modified is forwarded to the physical network interface that has been selected.
US08031705B2

A bus interface unit is provided for intermediate switching in a two-wire current loop, wherein the bus interface unit has a transformer for potential-free decoupling of an alternating current signal modulated with digital receive data and/or for coupling in of an alternating current signal to be modulated with digital send data. The alternating current signal is modulated onto a direct current signal of a two-wire current loop. The bus interface unit has a bidirectional modem unit connected on the secondary side to the transformer for output of the receive data on a data bus and for input of the send data from the data bus. The transformer has two primary windings, which are interconnected such that the magnetic fields generated by the two-wire loop current flowing through it cancel each other out. A lowpass and/or a highpass filter for the alternating current signal is connected upstream from the at least one primary winding.
US08031704B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems, devices and methods for improving the efficient deployment and configuration of networking equipment within a network build-out. In certain embodiments of the invention, an iterative analysis of inter-node equipment placement and connectivity, and inter- and intra-node traffic flow is performed to identify a preferred deployment solution. This analysis of deployment optimization takes into account both configurations from a network node perspective as well as from a network system perspective. Deployment solutions are iteratively progressed and analyzed to determine a preferred solution based on both the cost of deployment and satisfaction of the network demands. In various embodiments of the invention, a baseline marker is generated from which the accuracy of the solution may be approximated that suggests to an engineer whether the deployment is approaching an optimal solution.
US08031696B2

A method of routing a voice call from a local media gateway to a terminating media gateway comprises determining IP network connectivity between the local media gateway and terminating media gateway and generating monitoring results, updating network resource status according to the monitoring results, generating a plurality of routes between the local media gateway and the terminating media gateway in response to the updated network resource status, determining a best route from the plurality of routes, and routing the voice call using the best route.
US08031693B2

The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for timing synchronization. Uplink synchronization is a necessary component of a UE operating in a mobile, wireless network. Reliable uplink synchronization generally requires regular uplink transmission containing reference signals. A method is provided that defines a burst period for sending the reference signals, determines an interval between the reference signals, and sends a timing instruction message that includes the burst period and the determined interval. A second method is provided that receives the timing instruction message and sends the reference signals in accordance with the timing instruction.
US08031685B2

A method for communication is disclosed and may include dynamically changing the bit-rate of an audio and/or video stream communicated over a Bluetooth connection based on conditions of the Bluetooth connection. A rate at which corresponding audio and/or video samples, for said audio and/or video stream, are encoded for communication via the Bluetooth connection, may be based on Bluetooth piconet event information. The bit-rate of the audio and/or video stream may be dynamically adjusting based on bandwidth of the Bluetooth connection. The bit-rate of the audio and/or video stream may be dynamically increased based on bandwidth of the Bluetooth connection. The bit-rate of the audio and/or video stream may be dynamically decreased based on bandwidth of the Bluetooth connection. The audio and/or video samples may be encoded utilizing a variable bit rate.
US08031682B2

An apparatus for aggregating and switching traffic in a broadband subscriber network and methods of processing upstream and downstream traffic are provided. The apparatus includes: an upstream traffic processing unit which stores a plurality of packets received from a plurality of downlinks with respect to each subscriber link, and transmits the packets stored with respect to each subscriber link to uplinks through scheduling; and a downstream traffic processing unit which broadcasts a packet received from the uplinks to the subscriber links via a broadcast bus connected to the respective subscriber links and determines with respect to each subscriber link whether to transmit the packet to subscriber links. It is possible to efficiently aggregate, switch, and broadcast subscriber traffic in a broadband subscriber network in which upstream traffic and downstream traffic are asymmetric.
US08031681B2

A common control channel for base station (“BS”)/consumer premise equipment (“CPE”) communication in areas of overlapping coverage by wireless regional area network (“WRAN”) cells operating on different working channels is disclosed. A common control channel is selected from among the various working channels sensed in each of a plurality of overlapping WRAN cells so as to enable BS/CPE and BS/BS communication. Once chosen, each CPE within the overlapping area communicates with the controlling BS via an enhanced coexistence beacon protocol messages. These messages include timing and other synchronization information.
US08031676B2

A method for constructing a mobility model for use in optimizing mobility management in a wireless communication system is disclosed, which comprises steps of collecting a plurality of network traffic statistic data of a plurality of desired items, wherein the desired items are related to the behavior of a plurality of subscribers of the wireless communication system; constructing the mobility model according to the network traffic statistic data, wherein the mobility model is for modeling the mobility behavior of the subscribers; and optimizing mobility management according to the mobility model.
US08031656B2

A wireless telecommunications network supplies a semi-persistent resource that a wireless station can use for special purposes (such as a retransmission of packets for ARQ purposes or a control signal. The semi-persistent resource can be allocated by the system to other terminals if, e.g., a retransmission is not required. Since a retransmission is generally performed in response to a NACK received from a base station, the NACK may itself serve as a token that permits the wireless station to use the semi-persistent allocation. Thus, the technology includes, e.g., a method for resource allocation on a semi-persistent basis and efficient signaling for the usage of such allocation.
US08031655B2

A method for controlling communication overhead from a user equipment to a base station. The base station determines a granularity level of an amount of information about a buffer status of a user equipment buffer. The base station makes the determination based on at least one variable parameter. The determined granularity level is sent to the user equipment, and received thereby. The buffer status is sent to the base station from the user equipment in accordance with the determined granularity level.
US08031650B2

The present invention is generally directed to systems and device for monitoring remote device with a wireless, dual-mode communication protocol. As such, a representative embodiment is a system for monitoring and controlling remote devices. The system includes a first- and a second remote device; and a first and a second wireless transceiver integrated with the respective remote devices. The wireless transceivers are configured to communicate with at least one of a spread-spectrum communication protocol and a fixed-frequency communication protocol.
US08031645B2

Techniques for archiving data exchanged between a terminal and a wireless communication network during a session are described. Session data may be archived at a network entity in real-time while the session is in progress or may be uploaded to the network entity for archival after the session has terminated. The network entity may archive all data exchanged during the session or only data of the terminal, depending on whether authorization is received from other terminals in the session. The network entity may assign an identifier for the session and may store the identifier and other attributes for the session. During or after the session, the network entity may receive from the terminal a request for all or a portion of the archived data and would then provide the requested data. The network entity may archive a single copy of the session data for all terminals in the session.
US08031632B2

A method and system of implementing virtual local area networks (VLANs) with teamed communication ports. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising teaming a plurality of communication ports to form a single virtual communication port (the single virtual port comprising a first set of ports and a second set of ports), sending messages belonging to a first virtual local area network (VLAN) exclusively over the first set of ports from a first device to a second device, and sending messages belonging to a second VLAN exclusively over the second set of ports from the first device to the second device.
US08031629B2

A method of controlling wireless messaging between mobile apparatuses and an onsite office in a worksite, including: dividing the worksite area into elementary cells mapped in correspondence with the topology of the area and into and communication zones, establishing at least one updatable communication attribute value pertaining to a parameter of wireless communication, establishing at least one worksite management attribute value pertaining to a parameter other than a wireless communication parameter of the worksite at that cell, storing values of the worksite and communication attributes, forming a worksite management message with an electronically readable content containing at least one worksite management attribute value, accessing the memory to obtain at least one current communication attribute value, and establishing a wireless communication to or from the communication zone to send or receive the management message on the basis of the current communication attribute value(s) electronically accessed from the memory.
US08031624B2

An enhanced data transport system and method for a mobile terminal are provided that may improve transmission rates. A data transport system for a mobile terminal includes a radio frequency unit, a data processing unit, a memory unit, and a control unit. The radio frequency unit establishes a radio frequency channel on the basis of a transmission control protocol parameter received from a mobile communication network. The data processing unit performs encoding/decoding and modulation/demodulation on signals to be transmitted or received through the radio frequency unit. The memory unit stores routines to execute a communication session and the transmission control protocol parameter. The control unit controls signal flows among the radio frequency unit, the data processing unit, and the memory unit, and configures a data transmission scheme according to the transmission control protocol parameter.
US08031620B2

Methods and systems are provided for real time simultaneous monitoring of logical circuits. In accordance with an example method, first status information is requested for a first logical connection at a host end of a logical circuit comprising the first logical connection. The logical circuit connects a host device to a remote device and traverses a first local access and transport area, an inter-exchange carrier, and a second local access and transport area. The first local access and transport area is at the host end of the logical circuit, and the second local access and transport area is at a remote end of the logical circuit. A logical identifier of the logical circuit is identified based on the first status information. A second logical connection at the remote end of the logical circuit is identified based on the logical identifier of the logical circuit. Second status information for the second logical connection is requested after identifying the second logical connection. An indication of whether the logical circuit has failed is displayed based on the first and second status information.
US08031610B2

A method of moving a receiving window in a wireless mobile communication system, wherein the AM RLC of the transmitting side sends information of the last discarded SDU regardless of continuity of the discarded SDUs. The AM RLC of the receiving side checks whether all SDUs from the start point of the receiving window up to the last discarded SDU are successfully received, delivers the SDUs that are successfully received to an upper layer, and discard only those SDUs that are not successfully received.
US08031599B2

A signature-based traffic classification method maps traffic into preselected classes of service (CoS). By analyzing a known corpus of data that clearly belongs to identified ones of the preselected classes of service, in a training session the method develops statistics about a chosen set of traffic features. In an analysis session, relative to traffic of the network where QoS treatments are desired (target network), the method obtains statistical information relative to the same chosen set of features for values of one or more predetermined traffic attributes that are associated with connections that are analyzed in the analysis session, yielding a statistical features signature of each of the values of the one or more attributes. A classification process then establishes a mapping between values of the one or more predetermined traffic attributes and the preselected classes of service, leading to the establishment of QoS treatment rules.
US08031590B2

A method, apparatus and system for Ethernet Ring Protection (ERP) are disclosed. The system includes: a node which detects a link fault blocks the port connected with the faulty link after the link on the ring is faulty, and sends a fault alarm message to adjacent nodes; and the adjacent nodes judge whether the state of the node changes from the normal state to the faulty state according to the received fault alarm message, and clear the forwarding table of the node if such is the case.
US08031580B1

Optical recording media configured to deter unauthorized access are described. Methods for manufacturing the optical recording media described above are also presented.
US08031543B2

A memory chip has a signal line and a complex impedance which is connected to the signal line for termination of the signal line. A memory having such a memory chip and a method for operating a memory chip are also described. The memory chip on the memory having a signal line that is terminated with a complex impedance.
US08031538B2

The present invention is a method of writing information to a synchronous memory device by examining a present word of N bits to be written, where each bit has a high or low value. The present word is compared to a previous word also having N bits to identify the number of bit transitions from a low value to a high value of vice versa. The present bit is inverted when the number of transitions is greater than N/2. To avoid the need for having an extra bit accompany data bytes to indicate the presence or absence of inversion, the present invention takes advantage of a data mask pin that is normally unused during writing operations to carry the inversion bit. Non-inverted data is written directly into the memory device while inverted data is first inverted again before writing to storage locations, so that true data is stored in the memory device.
US08031533B2

Disclosed is an input circuit of a semiconductor memory apparatus. The input circuit includes a first buffer and a second buffer. The first buffer has an input terminal connected with a first input pin for receiving a control signal used in a multi-control mode for controlling an entire memory area by dividing the entire memory area, and an output terminal having a first level according to a control mode signal. The second buffer has an input terminal connected with a second input pin for receiving one of plural signals used in a single control mode for controlling the entire memory area without dividing the entire memory area, and an output terminal having a second level according to the control mode signal.
US08031530B2

In a method of performing a read operation of a nonvolatile memory device, a selected bit line is precharged. A pass voltage is sequentially applied to all word lines. The pass voltage applied to a word line, selected from among all the word lines, is changed for a read voltage. The read voltage is applied to the selected word line. Data of a memory cell coupled to the selected word line is read.
US08031529B2

Methods of operating memory devices include determining a threshold voltage drift of two or more reference memory cells of the memory device programmed to only a subset of data states of the memory device and, using the determined threshold voltage drift of the two or more reference memory cells, estimating a threshold voltage drift of one or more user data memory cells programmed to a data state of the memory device that is mutually exclusive to the subset of data states of the memory device. Apparatus include memory devices having an array of memory cells having one or more user data memory cells and two or more reference memory cells, and control circuitry configured to maintain locations and initial programmed threshold voltages of the two or more reference memory cells corresponding to only a subset of data states of the memory device.
US08031522B2

Disclosed is a memory system and a method of programming a multi-bit flash memory device which includes memory cells configured to store multi-bit data, where the method includes and the system is configured for determining whether data to be stored in a selected memory cell is an LSB data; and if data to be stored in a selected memory cell is not an LSB data, backing up lower data stored in the selected memory cell to a backup memory block of the multi-bit flash memory device.
US08031517B2

A method of writing multi-bit data to a semiconductor memory device with memory cells storing data defined by a threshold value, the method comprising, for each memory cell, writing a least significant bit, verifying completion of writing the least significant bit, verifying including comparing a written value to one of a low least significant bit verification value and a high least significant bit verification value, and writing a next significant bit upon completion of writing the least significant bit.
US08031514B2

A non-volatile bistable nano-electromechanical switch is provided for use in memory devices and microprocessors. The switch employs carbon nanotubes as the actuation element. A method has been developed for fabricating nanoswitches having one single-walled carbon nanotube as the actuator. The actuation of two different states can be achieved using the same low voltage for each state.
US08031507B2

The sense amplifier detects and amplifies a signal read via bit lines from the ferroelectric capacitor of the memory cell. The dummy capacitor provides a reference voltage to bit lines. The dummy capacitor includes a first dummy capacitor and a second dummy capacitor. The first dummy capacitor is provided with a first dummy plate potential at one end to set the reference voltage to a certain potential. The other end is connected to the bit line. The second dummy capacitor is provided with a second dummy plate potential at one end to fine-tune the reference voltage from the certain potential. The other end thereof is connected to the bit line.
US08031493B2

A method and apparatus are provided for a switching mode converter to improve the light load efficiency thereof. The converter is thus operated with three modes by monitoring a feedback signal and a supply voltage. When the feedback signal indicates that loading gets light enough, the converter is switched from the first mode to the second mode, and during the second mode some cycles are skipped. If loading is too light, the converter is switched from the second mode to the third mode, and during the third mode more cycles will be skipped.
US08031492B2

A PWM controller having an oscillator, a control circuit and a two-level limiter is provided. The oscillator generates a pulse signal. The control circuit couples to the oscillator for generating a PWM signal in response to the pulse signal, wherein the PWM signal controls a power switch. The two-level limiter couples to the control circuit for generating a two-level limit signal in response to an on-time of the PWM signal, wherein the two-level limit signal is formed by a first-level signal and a second-level signal during a switching period of the PWM signal, and the first-level signal is used to limit the maximum output power of the power converter under a high-line input voltage with a heavy-load condition, and the second-level signal is used to limit the maximum output power of the power converter under a low-line input voltage with the heavy-load condition.
US08031468B2

A cooling unit, which is configured to contain and cool air between two rows of equipment racks defining a hot aisle, includes a housing configured to be secured mounted on the two rows of equipment racks such that the housing spans the hot aisle, a heat exchanger supported by the housing and coupled to and in fluid communication with a coolant supply and a coolant return, and an air movement assembly supported by the housing and configured to move air over the heat exchanger. Other embodiments of the cooling unit and methods of cooling are further disclosed.
US08031464B2

Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are directed to a computer that has a housing with walls that form a substantially sealed interior cavity from an exterior environment. The computer includes a plurality of computer components within the interior cavity. The computer also includes at least one heat sink for dissipating thermal energy into the exterior environment. A cooling element is thermally coupled to the heat sink and at least one of the computer components to transfer thermal energy from the computer component into the heat sink and the exterior environment.
US08031458B2

A composite moving apparatus made substantially of composites may include a plurality of longitudinal conductive electrical pathways extending along a substantial length of the composite moving apparatus, and a plurality of lateral conductive electrical pathways extending along a substantial lateral width of the composite moving apparatus. The longitudinal and lateral conductive electrical pathways may be connected in order to provide redundant electrical pathways extending along a substantial portion of the composite moving apparatus. The redundant electrical pathways may carry return current, carry fault current, provide grounding, carry lightning current, provide electromagnetic shielding, minimize resistance and voltage differential, and/or provide a bleed path for electrostatic charge.
US08031448B2

A system, apparatus and a method are described that provide a voltage clamp for a single-supply system. In particular, a negative voltage clamp prevents a negative over-voltage in a system having only a positive independent voltage source. For example, certain analog-to-digital converters and other circuits allow input signals below the negative supply, or ground in single-supply systems, either by direct sampling or using input attenuation resistors. The negative clamp allows the circuit to provide accurate negative over-voltage protection and the absence of this claim would result in over-voltage protection in positive voltage directions only.
US08031447B2

A device is provided for monitoring through-fault current in an electric transformer on an electrical power system. The device generally includes a magnitude calculator for calculating the magnitude of current (e.g., a root means square value of current or magnitude of a fundamental of current) based on the current through the electric transformer. A through-fault energy calculator is further provided which is coupled to the magnitude calculator for calculating a through-fault energy value based on the magnitude of current or the calculated current through the transformer. An accumulator is coupled to the through-fault energy calculator for accumulating a plurality of through-fault energy values, and an alarm coupled to the accumulator for indicating that the accumulated through-fault energy values exceed a selected threshold.
US08031444B2

The semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer in the inventive giant magnetoresistive device (CPP-GMR device) is composed of zinc oxide of wurtzite structure that is doped with a dopant given by at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of Zn, Ge, V, and Cr in a content of 0.05 to 0.90 at %: there is the advantage obtained that ever higher MR ratios are achievable while holding back an increase in the area resistivity AR.
US08031443B2

A magneto-resistance effect element, including: a first magnetization layer of which a magnetization is substantially fixed in one direction; a second magnetization layer of which a magnetization is rotated in accordance with an external magnetic field; an intermediate layer which contains insulating portions and magnetic metallic portions and which is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer; and a pair of electrodes to flow current in a direction perpendicular to a film surface of a multilayered film made of the first magnetic layer, the intermediate layer and the second magnetic layer; wherein the magnetic metallic portions of the intermediate layer contain non-ferromagnetic metal.
US08031437B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a highly reliable hard disk drive (HDD). In an HDD according to an embodiment of the present invention, solder at a solder joint for joining a pad of a head slider and a pad of a transmission wiring comprises the main component of Sn and atomic percent to atomic percent of indium. The solder exhibits the γ phase within the range of −150° C. to 120° C. Accordingly, even if the HDD is left at a low temperature for a long time, the solder joint is not broken.
US08031435B2

An apparatus comprises a magnetic write pole, and a cooling device positioned adjacent to the magnetic write pole. The magnetic write pole can comprise a rare earth metal, or an alloy including a rare earth metal. A method of using a cooling device to increase a magnetic moment of a portion of a magnetic write pole in a magnetic recording head is also provided.
US08031424B2

A system including a read channel device and a loopback circuit. The read channel device communicates with a hard disk controller module via a read bus and a write bus. The loopback circuit is configured to selectively loop back the write bus to the read bus. The read channel device is configured to generate a write clock for the hard disk controller module to write data on the write bus. The read channel device is configured to generate a read clock for the hard disk controller module to read the data on the read bus. The write clock is independent of the read clock.
US08031413B2

A single focus wide-angle lens module includes a fixed aperture diaphragm, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens and a fourth lens arranged from an object side to an image side in a sequence of: the first lens, the diaphragm, the second lens, the third lens and the fourth lens. The first lens has a concave surface on the image side and at least one aspheric surface. The second lens has a positive refractive power, a concave surface on the object side and at least one aspheric surface. The third lens has a meniscus shape, a negative refractive power, a concave surface on the object side and at least one aspheric surface. The fourth lens has a positive refractive power, a convex surface on the object side and at least one aspheric surface.
US08031411B2

A telephoto zoom lens having four lens groups in a P-N-P-P configuration arranged sequentially from an object side. The first lens group includes a front group which is fixed when focusing and has a positive refractive power, and a rear group which moves when focusing and has a positive refractive power. The entire first lens group, including the front and rear groups, is fixed during zooming, and the second and third lens groups move during zooming. The second lens group compensates for shaking of an image plane caused by hand-shaking, by moving in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis, and satisfies the following condition: 1.2
US08031405B2

An optical adjusting apparatus having a composite pattern structure is described. The optical adjusting apparatus include a substrate layer, at least one first pattern module and at least one second pattern module. The substrate has a first optical surface and a second optical surface opposite to the first optical surface. The first pattern module positioned on the first optical surface, wherein the first pattern module has a first structure unit along a first arrangement direction. The second pattern module which is adjacent to the first pattern module and positioned on the first optical surface. The second pattern module has the second structure unit along a second arrangement direction. The first structure unit of the first pattern module is connected to the second structure unit of the second pattern module. Therefore, the convergent angle of a light module is adjusted and the brightness of the light module is increased along specific direction.
US08031404B2

A transmissive fly's eye integrator is disclosed that includes a first array of lenses and a second array of lenses. The first array of lenses and second array of lenses together form a fly's eye integrator, and the first array of lenses and second array of lenses comprise lenses which have a diameter selected from the range of 5 μm-50 μm, and a radius of curvature selected from the range of 25 μm-2500 μm.
US08031398B2

The invention provides a device and a method for extending the bandwidth of short wavelength and long wavelength fiber optic lengths. The invention provides for an optical transmitter package device comprising: a laser diode; and a semiconductor optical amplifier connected directly after and in close proximity to the laser diode, wherein the semiconductor optical amplifier is adapted to operate in a frequency domain such that the semiconductor optical amplifier filters and reshapes optical wavelengths from the laser diode, and wherein the semiconductor optical amplifier is biased below an amplification threshold for the semiconductor optical amplifier. The device may also comprises a feedback circuit which comprises an optical splitter, wherein the feedback circuit samples reshaped optical output from the semiconductor optical amplifier and dynamically adjusts one or both of the semiconductor optical amplifier and the laser diode. In the case of a multimode fiber, the present invention provides the additional ability to provide a controlled offset launch into the fiber and the ability to control modal noise devoid of a specialized optical connector.
US08031396B2

A modular, compact and widely tunable laser system for the efficient generation of high peak and high average power ultrashort pulses. System compactness is ensured by employing efficient fiber amplifiers, directly or indirectly pumped by diode lasers. Dispersive broadening is introduced by dispersive pulse stretching in the presence of self-phase modulation and gain, resulting in the formation of high-power parabolic pulses. In addition, dispersive broadening is also introduced by simple fiber delay lines or chirped fiber gratings. The phase of the pulses in the dispersive delay line is controlled to quartic order by the use of fibers with varying amounts of waveguide dispersion or by controlling the chirp of the fiber gratings. After amplification, the dispersively stretched pulses can be re-compressed to nearly their bandwidth limit by the implementation of another set of dispersive delay lines. A particularly compact implementation of the whole system uses fiber oscillators in conjunction with fiber amplifiers.
US08031395B2

The optical transmission system modulates backward Raman pump light provided to an optical transmission line on one link side of an uplink and downlink, to thereby transmit a pilot signal for confirming a connection state of the optical transmission line to a node on an upstream side. When the pilot signal is received by the node on the upstream side, the backward Raman pump light provided to the optical transmission link on the opposite link side is modulated to thereby send back a response signal to an own node. Then by confirming receipt of the response signal at the own node, the backward Raman pump light provided to the optical transmission line on the one link side is changed over from a low output state to a high output state.
US08031392B2

There is provided a display device including: an electrophoretic display element including, plural types of particles, each of the respective plural types of particles being charged with the same polarity, differing in optical properties, and differing in either in migration speed and/or electric field threshold value for moving, a translucent display-side electrode, a first back-side electrode, and a second back-side electrode; and a voltage control section that controls the voltages applied to the display-side electrode, the first back-side electrode, and the second back-side electrode, such that the types of particles having the fastest migration speed from the plural types of particles, or the types of particles having the lowest threshold value from the plural types of particles, are moved to the first back-side electrode or to the second back-side electrode, and then the particles that moved to the first back-side electrode are moved to the display-side electrode.
US08031385B2

A scanner driver of a galvanometric scanner system includes an analog drive circuit; a control unit 31 for storing and holding optimized data formed from combinations of optimal values of circuit constants set in advance in accordance with a plurality of drive modes of a galvanometric scanner; and an electronic trimmer for changing the circuit constants of the analog drive circuit. The control unit selects one of the optimized data in accordance with an external input, and sets or updates parameters of the circuit constants via the electronic trimmer in accordance with the selected optimized data. When a drive mode of the galvanometric scanner system is changed, the scanner driver can accordingly be optimized readily and quickly.
US08031382B2

A target image 60 is multiplied by an appropriate phase pattern to provide a phase modified image 61 to which an inverse Fourier transform is applied to generate a source hologram 62. A set of intermediate holograms 63 are generated from the source hologram 62 using vertical and/or horizontal shifts of the source hologram 62. A set of final holograms 64 are generated from the set of intermediate holograms 63 using sum and/or differencing of various members of the set of intermediate holograms 63. Each final holograms 64 is approximated to form kinoforms 65 for sequential display to an observer 66 as illuminated subframes 67a to 67d. The observer 66 perceives only one image formed from a number of subframes 67a to 67d, wherein the noise associated with the kinoforms 65 averages over time and the observer 66 perceives an attenuation of such noise.
US08031373B2

A method of converting two-dimension signal including multilevel tone values of areas of the original into two-dimension halftone print copy signal including two-level tone values of printed and blank elements thereof includes, forming two types of two-dimension weight values. In the first, these values are distributed among print copy elements in an order independent of the tone variation along areas of the original. In the second, the geometry of contours and fine details thereof are taken into account. The two-level halftone copy signal is formed by comparing signal values of areas of the original and weight values of the first and second types. The second type values are placed inside the space intervals-segments, whose position is determined by forming the counter trace signal, and the boundaries of segments are set according to the number of neighboring elements for reproducing the counter or fine detail on the halftone copy.
US08031371B2

An image processing apparatus includes a calculation unit configured to calculate an amount of a first coloring material in an area including a plurality of pixels; a determination unit configured to determine an allowable amount of a second coloring material in the area on the basis of the amount of the first coloring material, calculated by the calculation unit, and a limit of the amount of the coloring material; and a control unit configured to control an amount of the second coloring material in the area so as not to exceed the allowable amount of the second coloring material.
US08031368B2

The present invention provides an image processing device which aims for appropriate settings and simplification of printing functions. In a print server, when a print job is received, an application name used in a client terminal is specified from a drawing command of the print job, and standard settings of printing functions provided for each application are read from database files. Thereafter, the standard settings and settings of printing functions of the print job are compared. When the settings are different, after carrying out a warning processing, setting of printing functions based on the standard settings is carried out, and image processing and printing processing based on the set printing functions are executed. In this way, while simplifying settings of printing functions in the client terminal, image processing and printing processing by appropriate printing functions are possible.
US08031363B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for dynamically halftoning image data, substantially in real-time. Halftone threshold values are calculated and stored in memory, and halftone output values are calculated for the portions of the image data that will be displayed on a display device. Halftone screen parameters may be modified, and new halftone screen threshold values may be calculated for any affected halftone screens. For unaffected halftone screens, the previously stored threshold values may be retrieved from memory. In addition, the portion of the image to be displayed may be modified, and the halftone output values of the new portion may be calculated and then displayed.
US08031362B2

A disclosed optical scanning device scans an object scanning surface with a light beam projected from a light source and traveling through an optical system. The optical scanning device includes a liquid crystal element configured to modulate a phase. The liquid crystal element is driven by electric signals and provided on a light path between the light source and the object scanning surface. The liquid crystal element generates different power components in a main scanning direction and a sub scanning direction under temperature variations.
US08031356B2

In a color printing system the printer driver automatically obtains local characteristic information, such as countries, cities, languages, etc., stored in the OS of the host computer. The printer driver or the image forming apparatus color-converts the input data into output data, which reflects the color preference of the specific region where the image forming apparatus is installed, by using the look-up table corresponding to the local characteristic information obtained by the printer driver. Accordingly, the color preference of the specific region, in which the image forming apparatus is installed, is set more quickly and easily without requiring a complicated structure. The system includes a host computer to store local characteristic information of a region where an apparatus is installed, a printer driver to store look-up tables according to the local characteristic information, to select a look-up table corresponding to the local characteristic information obtained from the host computer, and to convert input data into output data representing a color corresponding to a color preference of a specific region by using the selected look-up table, and an image forming apparatus which is connected to the host computer so as to receive and print the output data, which is color-converted by the printer driver.
US08031355B2

A communication device has an image reading unit, a wireless tag reading unit, a transmitting unit, a detecting unit, and a data-size notifying unit. The image reading unit reads image data from an original document on a page basis. The original document has a wireless tag including wireless tag data. The wireless tag data has a data size. The wireless tag reading unit reads the wireless tag data from the wireless tag. The transmitting unit associates the image data with the wireless tag data on a page basis to transmit the associated image data and wireless tag data to another device. The detecting unit detects the data size of the wireless tag data as size information. The data-size notifying unit notifies the another device of the size information.
US08031354B2

An image communication apparatus capable of communicating with external apparatuses determines whether image data received from the external apparatuses is a first type of image data that was to be transmitted to the image communication apparatus or a second type of image data that was to be transmitted to other image communication apparatuses, and performs predetermined processing based on the determination result.
US08031351B2

A message displaying area displays a message “DATA HAS BEEN RECEIVED”, which indicates that a print instruction has been received, as well as a message “CONDUCT AUTHENTICATION”, which urges a user to enter identification information. On the other hand, an input area displays a form in which a “username” and a corresponding “password” are to be entered. Specifically, a display presents an entry screen for identification information, including messages indicating that a print instruction has been received and authentication is required.
US08031339B2

A system according to one embodiment includes a light source for generating light fringes; a sampling mechanism for directing a particle through the light fringes; and at least one light detector for detecting light scattered by the particle as the particle passes through the light fringes. A method according to one embodiment includes generating light fringes using a light source; directing a particle through the light fringes; and detecting light scattered by the particle as the particle passes through the light fringes using at least one light detector.
US08031337B2

An angularly resolved scatterometer uses a broadband radiation source and an acousto-optical tunable filter to select one or more narrowband components from the broadband beam emitted by the source for use in measurements. A feedback loop can be used to control the intensity of the selected narrowband components to reduce noise.
US08031335B2

A method for non-invasive detection of a disease, a status of illicit-drug use, or smoking status includes transferring a body fluid obtained from a patient to a sensor comprising a nano-scale surface structure to allow the body fluid to come in contact with the nano-scale surface structure, illuminating the body fluid and the nano-scale surface structure by a laser beam, scattering the laser beam by the body fluid and the nano-scale surface structure to produce a scattered light, and analyzing the scattered light using a spectral analyzer to diagnose a disease, the status of illicit-drug use, or smoking status in the patient.
US08031324B2

In a substrate processing apparatus, an indexer block, a resist film processing block, a cleaning/drying processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block are provided side by side in this order. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The exposure device subjects a substrate to exposure processing by means of a liquid immersion method. Substrate platforms are provided in close proximity one above the other between the cleaning/drying processing block and the development processing block for receiving and transferring the substrate therebetween. Reversing units that reverse one surface and the other surface of the substrate are respectively stacked above and below the substrate platforms.
US08031319B1

Described herein are structures and techniques for providing an LC cell having a hermetically sealed cover disposed over a fill hole provided in a superstrate. The superstrate and cover have adhesion layers disposed thereon. Solder is disposed or otherwise provided around the fill hole (e.g. either on the cover or the superstrate or as a separate piece). The cover is then disposed over the fill hole and the solder is reflowed to form the hermetic seal over the fill hole.
US08031316B2

It is an object of the invention to protect a flexible printed circuit of a liquid crystal display device. A liquid crystal display device of the invention includes: a flexible printed substrate that extends as far as a position where it opposes a metal frame; and a light-blocking tape that has a portion that is positioned between a semiconductor integrated circuit and a light source. The light-blocking tape includes: a light-blocking layer that has a first surface that faces a liquid crystal display panel and a second surface that faces a backlight module; a first pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that has a portion that is formed on the first surface of the light-blocking layer and pressure-sensitively adheres to the liquid crystal display panel; and a second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer that has a portion that is formed on the second surface of the light-blocking layer and pressure-sensitively adheres to the backlight module. An insulating tape pressure-sensitively adheres to the first or second pressure-sensitive adhesive layer between the liquid crystal display panel and the backlight module and extends as far as between the flexible printed substrate and the metal frame.
US08031312B2

An array substrate for a liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a gate line on the substrate, a thin film transistor including a gate electrode of the gate line, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode, an active layer on the gate insulating layer and ohmic contact layers on the active layer, and source and drain electrodes over the ohmic contact layers, a pixel electrode electrically connected to the drain electrode, a data line electrically connected to the source electrode and crossing the gate line, a common electrode spaced apart from the pixel electrode, and a passivation layer directly between the pixel electrode and the common electrode and directly between the source and drain electrodes.
US08031310B2

Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display including substrates, a liquid crystal, an orientation layer, and electrodes. The orientation layer includes a base layer having a principal surface provided with a plurality of grooves in parallel, and a coating film covering the principal surface. The coating film has a horizontally orienting ability to orient in parallel the molecular major axes of the liquid crystal molecules in the condition where no voltage is impressed on the principal surface. The grooves each extend along a predetermined direction, and are arrayed repeatedly at a given pitch along the direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction.
US08031308B2

To provide a retardation film in which the retardation condition is adjusted to achieve a liquid crystal display without coloration over a wide viewing angle range and having a high contrast ratio, and a method of designing the same, as well as a polarizing film and a liquid crystal display using the same. A liquid crystal display comprising a liquid crystal cell and polarizing films in a Cross-Nicol relationship with each other on both sides of the liquid crystal cell; wherein at least one polarizing film includes a retardation film having reverse wavelength dispersion property; and the liquid crystal display further includes a retardation film having a wavelength dispersion property substantially the same as a liquid crystal layer configuring the liquid crystal cell.
US08031307B2

A liquid crystal display apparatus containing an image sensor, which comprises a liquid crystal display part comprising an active matrix circuit, a peripheral driver circuit for driving the active matrix circuit, and a sensor part, integrated on one substrate, wherein the sensor part is sealed and protected with a sealing part and a counter substrate.
US08031306B2

A device includes a first substrate including a pixel electrode and an underlayer electrode a part of which is opposed to the pixel electrode, a second substrate including a counter-electrode which is opposed to the pixel electrode, and a layer which is held between the first and the second substrate, and which is in a first state prior to power-on and transitions to a second state, at a time of a display operation, wherein the pixel electrode includes a first part that passes light and a second part that reflects light, the second part includes a projection which is opposed to the counter-electrode, and a transverse electric field generating section, which is provided near the projection so as to generate a transverse electric field between the underlayer electrode and the second part, is disposed at an end portion of the second part, which is opposed to the underlying electrode.
US08031301B2

A display substrate includes a pixel, first, second and third gate lines, and a source line. The pixel includes first, second and third unit pixels, each generating a different color. The first, second and third gate lines are electrically connected to respective ones of the first, second and third unit pixels. The source line is electrically connected to each of the first, second and third unit pixels. Each of the first, second and third unit pixels includes a common electrode and a respective pixel electrode. The common electrode is formed on a substrate. The pixel electrodes are disposed over the common electrode such that the pixel electrode face the common electrode. Each of the pixel electrodes has a plurality of openings therethrough. This arrangement results in a wider display viewing angle and a reduction in the required number of source driver chips.
US08031298B2

A liquid crystal display (LCD) and a method of manufacturing the same in which the color filter remains in a boundary portion between pixel electrodes on a storage electrode line or the pixel and common electrodes to prevent residuals of the pixel electrode from shorting the pixel electrodes when the color filter is removed.
US08031294B2

A liquid crystal display module, includes: a light guide plate having a side surface, a rear surface and a top surface opposite to the rear surface; a reflective sheet having a front side on the rear surface of the light guide plate for reflecting light into the light guide plate and also having a rear side opposite to the front side; a lead connected to a light emitting diode lamp adjacent to the light guide plate; and a bottom frame surrounding the side surface of the light guide plate and covering edges of a rear surface of the light guide plate such that a center of the rear side of the reflective sheet is exposed in an opening of the bottom frame, wherein the lead passes through the opening in the bottom frame such that an end of the lead is disposed outside of the bottom frame.
US08031290B2

An exemplary liquid crystal display includes a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module facing the liquid crystal panel. The backlight module includes a light guide plate, a light source and an accommodating frame accommodating the liquid crystal panel, the light guide plate and the light source. The accommodating frame includes a plurality of side walls. The side walls define an absorbing portion and a reflecting portion thereat. The absorbing portion is adjacent to the liquid crystal panel and is configured for absorbing light beams leaking from a periphery of the liquid crystal panel. The reflecting portion is adjacent to the light guide plate and is configured for reflecting light beams leaking from at least one peripheral portion of the light guide plate.
US08031285B2

This invention relates to a thin film transistor substrate, a method of manufacturing the same, and a liquid crystal display panel including the same. The thin film transistor substrate includes a substrate, gate lines disposed on the substrate and extending in one direction, common voltage lines disposed on the substrate and spaced apart from the gate lines, and a gate insulating film disposed on the gate lines and the common voltage lines, the gate insulating film having first contact holes exposing a part of each common voltage line. Common electrodes are disposed on the gate insulating film and are connected to the common voltage lines through the first contact holes. Data lines are disposed on the gate insulating film and extend in a direction crossing the gate lines and thin film transistors are disposed at crossings of the gate lines and the data lines. The thin film transistors are connected to the gate lines and the data lines and include source electrodes and drain electrodes. Pixel electrodes are connected to the thin film transistors.
US08031276B2

Manufacture of a birefringent liquid crystal cell is performed as follows. A layer of isotropic material having an outer surface which is shaped with a surface relief structure and is provided with a liquid crystal alignment property is formed. A flexible sheet having an outer surface provided with a liquid crystal alignment property is formed. A curable birefringent liquid crystal material is applied to one or both of the layer of isotropic material and the flexible sheet. The flexible sheet is applied over the layer of isotropic material with the outer surfaces of the layer of isotropic material and the flexible sheet facing one another with the liquid crystal material therebetween, thereby to form a liquid crystal cell. The liquid crystal material is cured and the flexible sheet is removed from the liquid crystal cell.
US08031270B1

The invention provides an improved remote control system utilizing a host device to configure a single remote control via a first communications link, wherein the remote control operates a plurality of devices via a second communications link.
US08031268B2

A source unit has a video source, a digital audio source, a DDC/CI communications capability and a switch for coupling a pin of a standard video cable either to the digital audio source or to a non-audio conventional connection. A display device has a video consumer, a digital audio consumer, a DDC/CI communications capability and a switch for coupling the pin of the standard video cable either to the digital audio consumer or to a non-audio conventional connection. The switch in the display device is responsive to a DDC/CI command.
US08031265B2

System and method for combining interlaced video frames. A method embodiment for displaying a de-interlaced video sequence includes receiving a video stream, decoding the video stream to produce a sequence of interlaced video fields, creating a first de-interlaced video frame by combining at least two interlaced video fields, determining a cadence of the first de-interlaced video frame, and outputting the first de-interlaced video frame in a next de-interlaced video frame display time slot if the first de-interlaced video frame has proper cadence, while if the de-interlaced video frame has a broken cadence, re-outputting a previously outputted de-interlaced video frame in the next de-interlaced video frame display time slot. A feed-forward control signal may be used to determine which de-interlaced video frame to output and helps to minimize latency as well as storage requirements.
US08031251B2

A driving method for a solid-state image sensing device having a plurality of sensor portions being disposed two-dimensionally in a horizontal and a vertical directions, and a vertical charge transfer portion being disposed between said plurality of sensor portions and being provided with transfer electrodes of a plurality of systems disposed along its disposed direction, including the steps of; selectively applying high level driving pulses to the transfer electrodes of said plurality of systems in respective sectional periods in a vertical transfer period, and transferring the signal charges read out from said plurality of sensor portions in the vertical direction, wherein a sectional period in a vertical transfer period, in which the number of systems of the transfer electrodes to be applied with high level driving pulses becomes minimum is set longer than that of the other sectional periods. It is thus made possible to increase the handling charge quantity in the vertical charge transfer portion without changing time for transfer in the vertical transfer period.
US08031247B2

A method and apparatus providing an imager with shared power supply and readout lines. A pixel array has a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns. Each column of the array comprises a column line coupled to receive pixel signals from the pixels in the column and selectively operated to provide a supply voltage to at least one pixel in a different column.
US08031243B2

An apparatus, method, and medium for generating an image is provided. The apparatus includes an optical module, a filter module which includes a wide-band filter area that allows transmission of optical signals within a wavelength band corresponding to a color of a predetermined color, a narrow-band filter area that allows transmission of optical signals within a wavelength band corresponding to the predetermined color, and an all-pass filter area that allows transmission of optical signals in all wavelength bands, and an image generation module which generates an image by processing optical signals that transmit through the filter module, wherein the image generation module applies different weights to optical signals according to which of the wide-band filter area, the narrow-band filter area, and the all-pass filter area the optical signals respectively transmit through.
US08031232B2

The present invention relates to an image pickup apparatus, a method for capturing an image, and a method for designing the image pickup apparatus capable of realizing a fixed focal length image pickup apparatus of high resolution and fine resolution at a low cost by disposing a plurality of image pickup elements therein. An image pickup device 31 is of a focal coincidence type having a plurality of image pickup elements, such as CCD sensors 62-1 to 62-3, arranged in an array. That is, the image pickup device 31 has an optical system including a first image formation system 41 for forming an image of focal coincidence, a field lens 43 disposed in an image formation plane or in the vicinity of the image formation plane of the first image formation system, and a second image formation system group formed by a plurality of second image formation systems arranged in an array and including an image pickup element CCD sensor 62-K (K is a value between 1 and 3 in this example) for capturing the image formed on itself and a zoom lens 61-K for reforming a predetermined, part of the image formed on the image formation plane on the CCD sensor 62-K. The present invention is applicable to a digital still camera and a digital video camera including a plurality of image pickup elements.
US08031227B2

A position tracking system includes an infrared-sensitive device, such as an infrared camera that generates signals in response to detected infrared light in a field of view of the infrared-sensitive device. A processor is responsive to the signals generated by the infrared-sensitive device for determining a position of the detected infrared light. The processor also generates tilt and pan signals based on the position of the detected infrared light. A tilt and pan mechanism moves a visible-light video camera in response to the tilt and pan signals from the processor. The active infrared light-emitting device includes a loop having at least two infrared light-emitting elements disposed along the loop, on opposite sides of the loop. A control box is disposed in the loop and is in electrical communication with the infrared light-emitting elements. When the loop is disposed around an object that rotates relative to the infrared-sensitive device, a constantly unimpeded viewing channel is provided between the infrared-sensitive device and at least one of the elements due to the positioning of the elements. The position information obtained from the infrared-sensitive device is used to direct a visible-light camera to track the active infrared light-emitting device in a manner similar to that performed by a human camera operator.
US08031222B2

During remote communication session, there can be situations where information needs to be sent at a high resolution. Sending information at a high resolution allows for the capture of detail that can be lost without the use of a high resolution. A web camera can obtain information in both a higher resolution and standard resolution. A sending component can send this information encoded with markers that allow a receiving component to process and display the information.
US08031220B2

An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to bear an image, an exposure unit configured to draw a scanning line on the image bearing member by exposing the image bearing member according to image data, and at least two detection units configured to detect an amount of deviation in exposing position due to the exposure unit. The image forming apparatus further includes a drive unit configured to drive an optical part located on an optical path extending from the exposure unit to the image bearing member to reduce the amount of deviation, a measurement unit configured to measure an amount of driving of the drive unit, an estimation unit configured to estimate a residual amount of deviation, and a modulation unit configured to modulate a writing frequency in the exposure unit based on the measured amount of driving to reduce the estimated residual amount of deviation.
US08031210B2

A method of rendering a computer generated 3D scene integrated with a base image, the method comprising loading a base image, such as a photograph, and a computer generated 3D scene or model. The base image is displayed on a monitor, and in one embodiment the calibration of the camera which generated the base image is determined. The 3D model is rendered as an overlay of the base image responsive thereto. In another embodiment, the camera calibration of the 3D scene is made consonant with the base image by selecting corresponding points. The base image is then additionally displayed at a predetermined transparency as an overlay of the 3D model. A user then selects pixels of the base image overlay for placement in the foreground. The selected pixels are then displayed without transparency and the balance of the base image overlay removed rendering the integrated image.
US08031208B2

A drawing apparatus includes a reception unit, a first holding unit and a drawing processing unit. The reception unit receives graphic information. The first holding unit holds a plurality of first data which is a part of the graphic information received by the reception unit, in association with identification numbers assigned to the first data. The drawing processing unit draws a graphic on the basis of the first data held in the first holding unit. The drawing processing unit uses the plurality of the first data in a same task to draw the graphic. The reception unit records the identification numbers of the first data and a synchronization flag in order of reception. The synchronization flag is set for the first data received first among the plurality of first data processed by the same task in the drawing processing unit.
US08031204B1

Systems and methods used for bilinear texture filtering may also be used to perform font filtering. Font data stored as a texture is read from memory in blocks that are coarsely aligned. Font alignment units may be used to provide a finely aligned region of the font data within a font filter footprint. The finely aligned region is then filtered using bilinear filtering to produce font coverage information representing a grayscale value for a pixel. Using existing bilinear filtering engines in conjunction with font alignment and sample units reduces the need for having a specific engine to perform each of the font filtering operations, possibly saving die area in a graphics system.
US08031199B2

Wireless communication of display information between an information handling system and display is supported by a direct connection between a graphics system of the information handling system and a transceiver of the information handling system. For example, the graphics system outputs pixel level display information through a cable directly to the transceiver. A converter on the transceiver converts the display information to network information, such as from a DisplayPort format to a PCI Express format, so the transceiver can send the display information through a wireless network, such as a personal area network, to the display. A display module located at the transceiver coordinates initiation of communication of display information from the graphics system to the display.
US08031193B1

In some embodiments, a method for high-performance terrain rendering may include one or more of the following steps: (a) obtaining elevation data, (b) determining slope of a terrain surface, (c) selecting a shading model to apply to the terrain surface based upon the slope of the terrain surface, (d) determining if a vehicle's heading has changed, and (e) aligning the shading model index based upon current heading.
US08031172B2

A method and apparatus of using a wearable remote interface device capable of detecting inputs from movements are disclosed. The wearable remote interface device, which could be attached to a finger or a hand or any parts of a body, includes a sensor, a filter, an input identifier, and a transmitter. The sensor, in one embodiment, is capable of sensing the movement of the finger or any part of body in which the wearable remote interface device is attached with. Upon detecting the various movements associated with the finger, the filter subsequently removes any extraneous gestures from the detected movements. The input identifier, which could be a part of the filter, identifies one or more user inputs from the filtered movements. The transmitter transmits the input(s) to a processing device via a wireless communications network.
US08031165B2

A back light unit includes a lamp, a lamp house where the lamp is housed, a diffusion plate provided parallel to a main surface of the lamp house, a display part receiving light irradiated from the lamp and displaying, a frame member that has a structure in which the diffusion plate and the display part can be housed inside of the frame member and that detachably connects to the lamp house, and a shield member connected in a range from the diffusion plate to the frame member so that a space between the diffusion plate and the frame member is shielded.
US08031162B2

The present invention relates to display devices and methods, recording media, and programs that allow moving images to be displayed with less double vision. An LCD 11 updates the display in the order of the columns or rows of pixels on the screen in units of column or row in each period of a frame. LED backlights 12-1 to 12-N illuminate the pixels of the LCD 11, respectively, so as to illuminate part of all the columns or rows on the screen. A display control section 31 controls the light emission of the LED backlights 12-1 to 12-N in a manner such that the LED backlights 12-1 to 12-N illuminate the pixels updated in sequence in each period of the frame.The invention can be applied to display devices.
US08031159B2

A driving circuit for a liquid crystal display includes a plurality of driving units each including a first OP amplifier, a second OP amplifier and a plurality of switches for switching outputs and feedback paths of the OP amplifiers. Because the switches are disposed in the feedback paths of the OP amplifiers of the driving unit, an output impedance of the driving unit can be effectively reduced and the stable time of the output voltage can be shortened.
US08031154B2

A display panel is scanned every two lines during a period of binary writing area in the first half of one frame period in partial display (or in small gradation display) and a steady-state current of an output amplifier for buffering gradation signals supplied to the display panel in a non-scanning period in the second half of one frame period is reduced.
US08031150B2

A liquid crystal display of compact size is disclosed. The liquid crystal display has a tape carrier package and a single integrated PCB for processing a gate driving signal and data driving signal. The tape carrier package includes a base substrate, a gate driver IC formed on said base substrate, an input pattern formed on said base substrate that applies gate driving signals input from an external device to the gate driver IC, a first output pattern formed on said base substrate that outputs a first gate driving signal processed in said gate driver IC, and a second output pattern formed on said base substrate, that outputs a second gate driving signal bypassing the gate driver IC among the gate driving signals.
US08031146B2

A data driver device and a display device, in which the data driver device includes a plurality of data lines; a plurality of first charge-share switches connected between a share line and the plurality of data lines, respectively; and a plurality of second charge-share switches each connected between two adjacent data lines among the plurality of data lines.
US08031144B2

An image display is provided with a display area including pixels, each including illuminating means. A control circuit turns the illuminating means of the pixels on and off. A capacitance is provided having a first node connected to an input terminal of the control circuit. A display signal voltage generation circuit generates display signal voltages for the pixels, while a pixel drive voltage generation circuit generates pixel drive voltages for the pixels. In addition, a connecter is provided for connecting either one of the display signal voltages or the pixel drive voltages to a second node of the capacitance.
US08031141B2

A scan driving circuit includes a first scan driver including a plurality of first units, the first units receiving an input signal or an output voltage of a previous first unit and first and second clock signals to output a scan signal, and a second scan driver having a plurality of second units, the second units receiving a plurality of scan signals output from respective ones of the first units, and at least one of the first and second clock signals, and outputting an emission control signal.
US08031139B2

In a plasma display device, a source of a first transistor S1 is coupled to an X electrode, and a drain thereof is coupled to a cathode of a diode D1. An anode of the diode D1 is coupled to a first power source for supplying a first voltage V1. A drain of the first transistor S1 is coupled to a drain of a second transistor S2 through a capacitor, and a source of the second transistor S2 is coupled to a ground source for supplying a second voltage of 0 V. A third transistor S3 has a source coupled to the drain of the second transistor S2 and a drain coupled to a third power source for supplying a third voltage V2, and a fourth transistor S4 has a drain coupled to the X electrode and a source coupled to the drain of the second transistor S2.
US08031136B2

A plasma display apparatus, and more particularly, a driving method and improved structure of a plasma display apparatus are provided. A sustain signal that alternates between a positive polarity and a negative polarity is supplied to only one electrode. Therefore, it can facilitate the adoption of an integrated driving board. Furthermore, a voltage magnitude of a set-up signal supplying in any one of the remaining sub-fields other than a first sub-field of a frame is less than the voltage magnitude of the set-up signal supplying in the first sub-field. It is therefore possible to increase the contrast.
US08031135B2

The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus and driving method thereof, in which an afterimage occurring when the plasma display panel is turned on can be obviated and an erroneous discharge phenomenon and damage to elements can be prevented. A plasma display apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a plasma display panel including a scan electrode and a sustain electrode, and a controller for applying a sustain pulse, which is the first applied pulse, to the scan electrode and the sustain electrode for a predetermined time after the plasma display panel is turned on. The present invention is advantageous in that it can obviate an afterimage occurring when a plasma display panel is turned on and can prevent an erroneous discharge phenomenon and damage to elements by improving a driving apparatus of the plasma display panel.
US08031131B2

A stage lighting system with a digital and analog part. The digital part is used to form the image, which can be, for example, a full brightness image. The analog part is used to dim the image, and to carry out failsafe operation. If an error occurs in the digital part, then the analog part prevents the image from being shown.
US08031130B2

A display driver comprising: a high-speed serial interface circuit which receives a packet from a host device through a high-speed serial bus using differential signals, and outputs a command or data included in the received packet; a driver circuit which drives a main display panel based on the output command or data; and a low-speed serial interface circuit which outputs a command or data to a sub display driver through a low-speed serial bus when the packet received from the host device includes the sub display driver command or data. And the display driver inserts dummy data to the packet to adjust the difference of the transfer rate by inserting a dummy the dummy data. And the display driver adjust the difference of the transfer rate.
US08031121B2

An apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver device, which includes a receiver section and a processing module. The transmitter transmits a high carrier frequency signal. The receiver section includes first and second antennas that have an antenna radiation relationship for receiving the high carrier frequency signal. A receiver module of the receiver section determines first and second signal properties of the received high carrier frequency signal. The processing module determines a position of the receiver device with respect to the transmitter based on the first and second signal properties and maps the position to a coordinate system.
US08031119B1

In a system for determining the angle of arrival of a target signal received by an array of antenna elements, a pair of receivers simultaneously obtain observations of a received target signal from multiple elements of an array of antenna elements; and a computer processes the simultaneously obtained samples of the target signal to determine a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) of the angle of arrival φ of the target signal by using the following equation: φMLE=argmaxφRe(α*β). The value of β is determined in accordance with whether the target signal is known or unknown. When the target signal is unknown, the computer also processes the simultaneously obtained samples of the target signal to estimate the bandwidth of the received target signal by using binary hypotheses and a generalized log likelihood ratio test (GLLRT) or by using multiple hypotheses and pair-wise generalized log likelihood ratio tests. The value of a bandwidth constraint M that is associated with the estimated bandwidth is used to derive the value of β that is used to determine the MLE of φ.
US08031115B2

A signal processor for processing multiple satellite signals is disclosed. The signal processor includes multiple acquisition channels operable for capturing tracking information from a first plurality of satellite signals synchronously according to multiple correlations between multiple reference coarse acquisition (C/A) codes and the first plurality of satellite signals. The signal processor further includes multiple code generators coupled to the acquisition channels and operable for generating the reference C/A codes to the acquisition channels.
US08031103B2

A digitizer includes an analog to digital converter (ADC), a sampling frequency generator, and a controller. The ADC samples an IF signal to generate a digital signal. The sampling frequency generator is connected to the ADC and provides a sampling clock of variable frequency to the ADC. The controller is connected to the sampling frequency generator and determines frequency of the sampling clock.
US08031090B2

Disclosed are a Multiple User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) codebook design method, and a communication device using the codebook. A MU-MIMO codebook design method includes analyzing beam patterns of candidate vectors included in a predetermined candidate codebook, and eliminating at least one of the candidate vectors based on the beam patterns of the candidate vectors to generate the MU-MIMO codebook for a MU-MIMO system being comprised of the remaining vectors.
US08031085B1

A method for directing a vehicle to operate in a noise generating mode based on a context is provided. A present location of the vehicle is determined using a location sensing device. Then, it is determined whether the present location of the vehicle is within one or more noise generating zones. In response to determining that the present location of the vehicle is within a noise generating zone, the vehicle is directed to operate in the noise generating mode.
US08031074B2

A personal security apparatus includes a transmitting device having an event detector initiating different signals which indicate different event types. A transceiver receives the signals from the transmitting device and interprets each signal as corresponding to a particular event type. The transceiver sends respective event type alert signals to a remote monitoring device. The remote monitoring device provides a plurality of respective event type indicators for each of the event type alert signals received.
US08031065B2

A tire monitor device for a vehicle has a first antenna and a second antenna, a sensor unit attached to each of a front left tire, a front right tire, a back left tire, and a back right tire, and a determining unit. The tire monitor device is operable to transmit a response request signal from the first and second antennas with respect to at least one of the sensor units, and to monitor information of at least one of the tires based on a response signal returned from the at least one sensor unit in response to the response request signal. The first antenna is arranged at a position shifted by a predetermined amount in a left or right direction from an intermediate position between the front left and the front right tires. The second antenna is arranged at a position shifted by a predetermined amount in a left or right direction from an intermediate position between the back left and the back right tires. The sensor unit measures a reception level of the response request signal, and returns a measurement result in the response signal. The determining unit is operable to determine a position of each sensor unit based on information of the reception level of the response request signal contained in the response signal returned from each of the sensor units.
US08031064B2

A tire pressure detecting apparatus has an identification rewriteable tire pressure detector and a setting apparatus. The tire pressure detector is securely mounted on a valve stem inside a tire of a vehicle and has a micro-processing module, a sensing module, a transmitting module and a receiving interface, where the micro-processing module has a memory unit. The setting apparatus is capable of reading or inputting an identification from a failure tire pressure detector, transmits the identification to the identification rewriteable tire pressure detector and writes the identification into the memory unit.
US08031048B2

During traveling a vehicle, an on-vehicle unit control circuit 22 transmits regularly a mobile unit verification encryption code stored in a storage part 23 of an on-vehicle unit 2 to a mobile unit 1; a transmission circuit 10 of the mobile unit 1 replies a response signal to the on-vehicle unit 2 every time the verification code is received; and the control circuit 22 of the on-vehicle unit 2 updates and stores vehicle environmental information in the storage part 23 upon receiving the response signal, and if the on-vehicle unit 2 cannot receive any response signal from the mobile unit 1, a driver is notified with display lamp 53, hazard lamp 54, or alarm buzzer 55 that the response signal has not been received.
US08031047B2

A wireless control system for a vehicle includes a controller provided in a vehicle for controlling a vehicle component in response to a first signal transmitted from a first transmitter and a transceiver provided in the vehicle for receiving a second signal from a second transmitter. The second signal differs from the first signal. The transceiver is configured to transmit a third signal to the controller in response to the second signal, the third signal emulating at least a portion of the first signal.
US08031040B1

A magnetic component has a bobbin structure for winding a conductive material. The bobbin structure includes a bobbin body having a first winding embedded in the bobbin body. The first winding is made of a conductive material. The first winding includes a winding body and two terminal ends. The terminal ends protrude from the bobbin body for connection to a circuit. The winding body of the first winding is embedded inside the bobbin body. Alternatively, the first conductive winding is embedded in a bobbin flange included on the bobbin body. The bobbin structure generally includes a hollow interior cavity shaped for inserting a ferrite core.
US08031032B2

A power amplifier (power amplifier) having multiple solid state sub-amplifiers connected in parallel between the power amplifier input and the power amplifier output are described. The signal input to the power amplifier is provided to an RF splitter connected between the power amplifier input connector and the input of each of the sub-amplifiers. The RF splitter splits the input power from the signal input and provides the power to the sub-amplifier inputs through input electrical paths. The input electrical paths from the power amplifier input to the sub-amplifiers are substantially physically identical. Each of the sub-amplifiers drive an input of an RF combiner connected between the outputs of the sub-amplifiers and the output of the power amplifier. The RF combiner combines the output power from each of the sub-amplifiers through output electrical paths, and provides the combined power to the power amplifier output. The output electrical paths from the sub-amplifiers to the power amplifier output are substantially physically identical.
US08031027B2

A voltage-controlled oscillator includes a voltage regulator, and a delay unit. The voltage regulator independently receives a first oscillation control signal and a second oscillation control signal to provide a regulated voltage signal which is represented by a regular ratio of combination of the first and second oscillation control signals, and the regulated voltage signal is feedback to the voltage regulator. The delay unit generates an output signal having a frequency varying in response to the regulated voltage signal.
US08031023B2

The crystal oscillator for surface mounting includes: a container body having first and second recesses on both principal surfaces thereof; a crystal blank hermetically encapsulated within the first recess; and an IC chip in which an oscillation circuit using the crystal blank is integrated, the IC chip being accommodated within the second recess. The IC chip is provided with a plurality of IC terminals including a pair of crystal terminals used for electrical connection with the crystal blank. A plurality of mounting electrodes to which the IC terminals are connected through flip-chip bonding are formed on a bottom surface of the second recess in correspondence with the IC terminals. A pair of mounting electrodes corresponding to the pair of crystal terminals are electrically connected to the crystal blank and also formed as a pair of dual-purpose electrodes having greater areas than the other mounting electrodes.
US08031008B2

A phase locked loop (PLL) with a loop bandwidth calibration circuit is provided. The mixed-mode PLL comprises an analog phase correction path, a digital frequency correction path, a calibration current source, and a loop bandwidth calibration circuit. The analog phase correction path comprises a linear phase correction unit (LPCU). The digital frequency correction path comprises a digital integral path circuit. The calibration current source is coupled to the LPCU. The loop bandwidth calibration circuit is coupled to a frequency divider and coupled between the input and output of the PLL. The loop bandwidth calibration circuit operates after the calibration current source injects a calibration current into the LPCU.
US08030999B2

Circuits (FIG. 1) that operate with power supplies (VDD) of less than 1 Volt are present. More particularly, circuits (FIG. 1) that operate with supply voltages (VDD) near or lower than the threshold voltage of the transistors (M1A, M1B) in those circuits are presented. Various circuits and embodiments such as operational transconductance amplifiers, biasing circuits, integrators, continuous-time sigma delta modulators, track-and-hold circuits, and others are presented. The techniques and circuits can be used in a wide range of applications and various transistors from metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) to bipolar junction transistors may implement the techniques presented herein.
US08030993B2

The present invention relates to a gain control circuit, which detects an output signal of a front-end circuit to produce a detection signal. An operation unit performs an accumulation operation to the detection signal and thereby produces an operation signal. In addition, the operation unit also resets the operation unit according to a reset signal. A reset unit produces the reset signal for every predetermined interval of time. A control unit produces a control signal according to the operation signal and a first threshold value for controlling an output gain of the front-end circuit.
US08030990B2

In a two-conductor technology circuit the use of certain ASIC components is made possible which, for instance, allow for the supply of contact-free rotational angle sensors, although said ASIC components have a high current consumption.
US08030989B2

An internal voltage generation circuit includes an initial driver configured to sense an internal voltage for a predetermined period of time from the beginning of an active mode and to drive a driving signal, which is used for driving the internal voltage to a level of an external voltage, to a first level, an initial driving terminator configured to drive the driving signal to a second level if the internal voltage is higher than a target level, and a comparison driver configured to drive the driving signal so as to maintain the internal voltage at a target level.
US08030988B2

A method and apparatus for generating multiple voltage level outputs from a single series of charge pump stages. The apparatus includes a plurality of voltage output circuits electrically connected in series. A selected number of the voltage output circuits include voltage output nodes that are available to be connected to loads. A control component in each voltage output circuit regulates operation of the charge pump stages within that circuit to provide a voltage level at the voltage output node regulated independently of other voltage output circuits in the series. The method and apparatus has the advantage of reducing the number of charge pump stages required to achieve a plurality of different voltage output levels. In another embodiment, the method and apparatus recycles charge within the apparatus by transferring charge between voltage output circuits through a load.
US08030987B2

A level shifter circuit includes a pull-up unit configured to pull up an output node to a second voltage level being higher than a first voltage level in response to an input signal swinging with an amplitude of the first voltage level, a pull-down unit configured to pull down the output node in response to the input signal, and a protection unit connected between the output node and the pull-down unit to prevent a voltage of the output node from being applied to the pull-down unit.
US08030982B2

A clock gating cell that comprises a latch in communication with an input enable logic and an output logic circuit, wherein the latch includes a pull-up and/or a pull-down circuit at an input node of the output logic circuit and circuitry preventing premature charge or discharge of the output logic circuit input node by the pull-up and/or the pull-down circuit when the clock gating cell is enabled.
US08030979B2

A reference voltage generating circuit includes a reference voltage generating unit generating a uniform reference voltage in response to a bias voltage, a bias voltage generating unit generating the bias voltage, and a start-up circuit, after activating the bias voltage generating unit by receiving a first supply voltage, canceling a change of the first supply voltage to maintain a separation from the bias voltage generating unit. The circuit adopts a start-up circuit having a voltage distributing unit, thereby preventing a quiescent point of a bias voltage generating unit from entering a zero state and prevents a reference voltage from rising in a power-up state that an analog supply voltage rises according to a change of an external design environment such as a power, a temperature, a process parameter and the like, thereby generating a reference voltage more stably. As a result, current consumption and power consumption are minimized.
US08030975B2

A frequency divider includes a first frequency divider stage coupled to a clock signal and operative to generate a first frequency divided signal. A second frequency divider stage is coupled to the clock signal and to the first frequency divider stage and is operative to generate a second frequency divided signal. A third frequency divider stage is coupled to the clock signal and to the second frequency divider stage and is configured to generate a third frequency divided signal using only i) the clock signal and ii) the second frequency divided signal so that any transition of the third frequency divided signal occurs at an edge of the clock signal at which the second frequency divided signal does not transition.
US08030970B2

The invention relates to a device for forming an electric circuit comprising logic means (30) generating and using small signals of intermediate levels between the device supply levels and means for detecting signals leaving the small signal range.
US08030954B1

Operation of an internal voltage supply level (Vgg) of an IC is characterized over operating temperature or at a selected temperature to determine a temperature-equivalent internal voltage level. The internal voltage supply of the IC is set to the temperature-equivalent level, and the IC is tested at room temperature to screen for low-temperature defects or high-temperature defects.
US08030952B2

The use of a power sink function in IC testing results in a simple and rapid method for testing ICs, and assembled modules, at elevated temperature profiles without the use of environmental ovens. Testing IC devices at elevated temperatures may be useful for ‘burn-in’, for ‘hot sort’ performance testing that may be used in electronic devices such as DRAM memory, logic, communication devices, and microprocessors. The power sink function may be implemented as an additional isolated area of active devices, or as a section of the circuit that is not involved in the testing procedure. Alternately, the power dissipation circuit may consist of a resistive path between two external pins that are not used for IC operation, where the resistor may be on the IC or on the package. This allows for control of the temperature level and profile by simple adjustment of the voltage between the two external pins.
US08030945B2

A Group of circuits and a testing method thereof and a testing machine thereof are provided. In the testing method, a first voltage of a first circuit is adjusted to be a second voltage according to a first adjusting signal, wherein the second voltage is closer to a standard voltage compared to the first voltage. Further, a third voltage of a second circuit is adjusted to be a forth voltage according to a second adjusting signal, and the forth voltage is closer to the standard voltage compared to the third voltage. In addition, a margin range of the second voltage and a margin range of the forth voltage are adjusted together according to a margin adjusting signal. Thereby, time required for testing the first circuit and the second circuit can be decreased, so as to lower the cost.
US08030944B2

The present invention provides a method for continuity test of integrated circuit. By using both pins of integrated circuit to measure a current of an electrostatic discharge device, the contact resistance of the integrated circuit can be obtained by calculating. The method comprises the steps: First, a DUT (device under test) is provided, and the DUT includes a second pin and the second pin connecting zero reference potential. Then, a voltage is applied to a first pin of DUT. Finally, the current through said first pin and said second pin would be measured. Therefore, the testing result of the DUT could be more precise and the quality of the DUT would be made sure.
US08030943B2

The solder-joint integrity of digital electronic packages, such as FPGAs or microcontrollers that have internally connected input/output buffers, is evaluated by applying a time-varying voltage through one or more solder-joint networks to charge a charge-storage component. Each network includes an I/O buffer on the die in the package and a solder-joint connection, typically one or more such connections inside the package and between the package and a board. The time constant for charging the component is proportional to the resistance of the solder-joint network, hence the voltage across the charge-storage component is a measurement of the integrity of the solder-joint network.
US08030941B2

A system for measuring individual cell voltages of a fuel cell stack includes a plurality of voltage scanning units (VSU). Each VSU is arranged for being connected to a group of cells, belonging to the fuel cell stack, the group of cells being provided with terminals that allow measuring a cell voltage. Each VSU comprises a filter/regulator that provides a voltage reference signal Vref, that is applied to a first terminal of a first cell of the group of cells. The VSU further includes a multiplexer arranged for consecutively connecting the other terminals of the group of cells to a first input of an A/D converter, whereby the A/D converter is further provided with a second input for receiving the voltage reference signal Vref. The ADC is further arranged for being fed with a supply voltage Vsup+ and for A/D converting a signal derived from the signals at the first and second input.
US08030940B2

A battery voltage measuring system includes an analog/digital converter configured to receive a higher reference voltage and a lower reference voltage which is lower than the higher reference voltage and to outputs a digital output value based on an input voltage which is lower than the high voltage reference voltage and is higher than the low voltage reference voltage. A battery supplies a battery voltage as the higher reference voltage to the analog/digital converter; a first power supply supplies a first reference voltage as the input voltage to the analog/digital converter; and a second power supply supplies a second reference voltage as the lower reference voltage to the analog/digital converter.
US08030939B2

An electronic apparatus which is capable of correctly displaying the remaining usable time even if a discharged current of a battery pack is changed by an unexpected load due to an external apparatus connected. The electronic apparatus has a battery pack with a secondary battery mounted therein. A first remaining usable time of the electronic apparatus is calculated based on a consumed current of the electronic apparatus. A second remaining usable time of the electronic apparatus is calculated based on a discharged current of the secondary battery. The first remaining usable time calculated by the first remaining usable time calculating unit or the second remaining usable time calculated by the second remaining usable time calculating unit, whichever is smaller, is selected, and then a displaying unit displays the selected remaining usable time.
US08030926B2

This invention provides arrays of counter rotating current surface coils for simultaneous reception and transmission with a volume coil for improved signal-to-noise ratio and radio frequency field homogeneity for in particular high-field (4-8 T) imaging of deep body regions, such as central brain structures.
US08030921B2

This application is directed to methods for chemical species signal suppression in magnetic resonance imaging procedures, where Dixon techniques are enhanced by continuously sampling techniques. K-space data is acquired during a period of read gradient associated with a gradient echo pulse acquisition scheme. A total sampling time (TST) acquisition is employed during the read gradient, using three echoes of a TST data set to achieve chemical species separation in both homogeneous fields as well as areas of field inhomogeneity.
US08030919B2

Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with controlling a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus to perform a balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) technique that includes magnetization preparation with differentiated velocity encoding and spoiling residual transverse magnetization are described. The example systems, methods, and other embodiments are also associated with acquiring a dark blood image in response to the bSSFP technique. A dark blood image is one in which NMR signal acquired from an object subjected to the bSSFP technique and magnetization preparation includes NMR signal from flowing spins and NMR signal from non-flowing spins in a desired ratio.
US08030917B2

A pair of cylindrical magnets with cut away portions has been arranged on both sides of a magnetic sensing element in symmetry of rotation, and a yoke surrounds the magnetic sensing element in contact with outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of the cylindrical magnets with cut away portions. The pair of the cylindrical magnets with cut away portions rotates around an axial center with a concurrent axial displacement along with a rotation of a rotating body. The pair of the cylindrical magnets with cut away portions is arranged in inclined manner against an axis-of-rotation of the magnet. Thereby, the rotation and the displacement in the direction of the axis against the magnetic sensing element of the pair of the cylindrical magnets with cut away portions, and the number of times of rotation can be detected by detecting the size of the magnetic flux density by the magnetic sensing element. The pair of the cylindrical magnets with cut away portions improves the size and linearity of the magnetic field on the axial center.
US08030914B2

A method of a portable electronic device for self-calibration of a proximity sensor. A background measurement is obtained by the proximity sensor and a detection threshold of the proximity sensor is adjusted based on the background measurement. The background measurement is a measure of a received signal when no signal is transmitted by the proximity sensor, and the detection threshold is associated with a sensitivity of the proximity sensor to environmental conditions. A source signal is emitted by the proximity sensor based on the adjusted detection threshold of the proximity sensor, and a return signal is received by the proximity sensor corresponding to the source signal. A function of the portable electronic device may be performed base don the received return signal.
US08030912B2

A controller for a power converter is disclosed. An example circuit controller according to aspects of the present invention includes an input voltage sensor to be coupled to receive an input signal representative of an input voltage of the power converter. A current sensor is also included and is to be coupled to sense a current flowing in a power switch. A drive signal generator is to be coupled to drive the power switch into an on state for an on time period and an off state for an off time period. The controller is coupled to adjust a duty cycle of the power switch in response to a difference between a time it takes the current flowing in the power switch to change between two current values when the power switch is in the on state and a control time period.
US08030911B2

A hybrid control circuit and method combine analog circuit and digital circuit to generate digital PWM signals for a multiphase DC-DC converter to generate an output voltage. For current balance control, analog current error signals are generated by the analog circuit from analog phase current signals of the multiphase DC-DC converter and then converted into digital current error signals for calculating the duties of each phase of the multiphase DC-DC converter. Therefore, fewer bit devices can be used to achieve precise current balance control and the size and cost of the circuit can be reduced.
US08030908B2

A multi-phase DC-DC controller. The multi-phase DC-DC controller comprises converter channels, a channel control device and a power control device. Each converter channel comprises a switch device, a first output node and an inductor coupled between the switch device and the first output node. The channel control device generates adjusted pulse width modulation signals according to control signals of the converter channels to respectively control operation of the switch device in each converter channel. The power control device generates the control signals according to sensed currents in the converter channels so as to dynamically turn on or off each converter channel according to the sensed currents.
US08030904B2

An oscillator circuit including a charge/discharge unit, a capacitance amplifier, and a level detection circuit is provided. The charge/discharge unit is used to receive a control signal, and perform a charge or discharge operation on a charge/discharge terminal according to the control signal. The capacitance amplifier, including a first impedance, a second impedance, a voltage follower, and a capacitor, is capable of providing an equivalent capacitance with amplifying characteristics. An input terminal of the level detection circuit is electrically connected to the charge/discharge terminal of the charge/discharge unit, and the level detection circuit generates the control signal to the charge/discharge unit according to the charge/discharge terminal of the charge/discharge unit. The oscillator circuit of the present invention may use a capacitance with a smaller level to provide an equivalent capacitance with amplifying characteristics, and thus achieve an oscillator function.
US08030896B2

A multi-output voltage battery module including a main body, a plurality of battery cells and a power-managing unit is provided. The battery cells are disposed within the main body and respectively provide different supply voltages for a plurality of electronic elements disposed in an electronic device. The power-managing unit is electrically connected to the battery cells for converting an external voltage into a plurality of charging voltages and further correspondingly outputting the charging voltages to charge the battery cells. The magnitude of each charging voltage is equal to that of the corresponding supply voltage.
US08030894B2

A vehicle may include an electric machine, a battery, a driver interface and one or more controllers. The one or more controllers may be configured to determine whether a battery imbalance condition exists, to cause an alert to be generated via the driver interface if a battery imbalance condition exists, to determine whether a response to the alert is received, and to cause the battery to be rebalanced in a single cycle if a response to the alert is received.
US08030888B2

A system of energy storage and charging usable in vehicles and other applications that eliminate the battery capacity and automotive range issues is described. In our invention, vehicles are equipped with charging mechanisms to charge and recharge onboard batteries using wireless electricity and power transmission using magnetic resonant coupling between tuned electromagnetic circuits. The batteries may be charged using wireless charging systems installed along the roads while the vehicle is in use on the road. Charging system may optionally utilize infrared laser beam radiation to transmit power for charging the batteries on board a vehicle while it is in use as well. The onboard vehicle batteries may also be charged when the vehicle is not being driven either by plugging in the vehicle into wall electricity using wired power connection or may be wirelessly charged using the magnetic resonant coupling. By locating the charging circuits on roads, a continuous operation of electric-only mode of hybrid vehicles or pure electric-only vehicles can be accomplished and fully eliminate the need for gasoline usage.
US08030885B2

An object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device including a battery that can be wirelessly charged, in which the battery can be charged even when the semiconductor device is not put close to a power feeder. Such a semiconductor device has a structure including an antenna circuit, a communication control circuit to conduct wireless communication via the antenna circuit, a battery to be charged with electric power which is externally wirelessly fed via the antenna circuit, and an oscillator circuit to wirelessly feed electric power via the antenna circuit. In addition, the battery in the semiconductor device is wirelessly charged and the semiconductor device externally feeds electric power wirelessly to a chargeable battery in another semiconductor device.
US08030883B2

In a hybrid control device performing cooling control of a secondary battery of a hybrid vehicle, the hybrid control device limiting the amount of charge/discharge of the secondary battery based on an air volume flow of a cooling fan cooling the secondary battery, an operation control mode of the secondary battery cooling fan is changed from an ordinary control mode to a power mode in which an air volume flow of the cooling fan is larger than in the ordinary control mode, whereby a limiting value of the amount of charge/discharge of the secondary battery is varied to expand the usable range of the secondary battery. Accordingly, when improvement of drive power performance is desired by an operator more than low noise within the vehicle, the amount of charge/discharge of the secondary battery is not limited by the cooling fan, and larger drive power performance is thus achieved.
US08030876B2

A stepper motor device uses compensating non-sinusoidal driving values to compensate for operational non-sinusoidal drive characteristics of a motor of the device due to at least design and manufacturing imperfections in the motor. The compensating non-sinusoidal driving values may be derived using back electromagnetic force produced from the motor or using measured rotational positions of the motor when the motor is driven using known driving values.
US08030873B2

A mobile robotic unit features a main body, a plurality of legs for supporting the main body on and moving the main body in forward and reverse directions about a base surface, and a drive assembly. According to an exemplary embodiment each leg includes a respective pivotal hip joint, a pivotal knee joint, and a wheeled foot adapted to roll along the base surface. Also according to an exemplary embodiments the drive assembly includes a motor operatively associated with the hip and knee joints and the wheeled foot for independently driving pivotal movement of the hip joint and the knee joint and rolling motion of the wheeled foot. The hip joint may include a ball-and-socket-type joint interconnecting top portion of the leg to the main body, such that the hip joint is adapted to pivot said leg in a direction transverse to a forward-and-reverse direction.
US08030872B2

A motor controller includes a signal-generating unit that is operable so as to control rotational direction and rotational speed of a motor of a sunshade assembly, and a processing unit that operates the signal-generating unit to rotate the motor in a reverse direction to thereby retract a flexible screen body of the sunshade assembly, and to generate a decelerating signal for progressively reducing the rotational speed of the motor during a final stage of retraction of the flexible screen body.
US08030870B2

A method for reducing the influence of a DC component in a load current of an asynchronous three-phase motor, in which the voltages of two of the three phases are controlled by adjusting firing angles of semiconductor devices of the type turning-off at zero-crossing of the current therethrough comprises the steps carried out for each said controlled phase: detecting turn-off times of the semiconductor devices, calculating a value of a change of firing angle of the semiconductor devices needed for changing the length of the time period between two subsequent turn-off times for compensating for the influence of a DC component, and determining the firing angle of said semiconductor devices in dependence of the result of this calculation.
US08030869B2

A drive amplifier system includes a drive control device, a power supply, and at least one drive amplifier. The power supply includes a power control circuit, a rectifier, and a current sensor. The power control circuit includes an over-current detection circuit, a controller, and a state comparator. The drive amplifier includes a control circuit, a state memory, and an inverting circuit. When a actual current provided for the at least one drive amplifier by the power supply is more than a reference voltage, the over-current detection circuit outputs an over-current detection signal.
US08030868B2

A electric motor is disclosed in which torque ripple is reduced. The electric motor includes a single motor shaft. Rotors are disposed so as to be mutually offset in phase, and the rotors are secured to the motor shaft. Stators are arranged so as to individually correspond to the rotors, and the stators are disposed so as to be matched in phase. The phases of torque ripple generated in each motor unit, which is comprised of a combination of a single rotor and a single stator, are offset.
US08030863B2

A control device converts a torque instruction value of an AC motor into a current instruction of AC motor, and employs current control in which feedback is performed by PI control to match an actual current value with the current instruction. Further, the control device sets a target flow rate of cooling water flowing through a coolant passage based on the converted current instruction, produces a signal for driving a water pump to circulate the cooling water at the target flow rate thus set and provides the signal to the water pump. A revolution speed of the water pump is restricted according to a signal of the control device such that the cooling water circulates through the coolant passage at the flow rate matching with the target flow rate.
US08030862B2

A method for applying power to an electronically commutated motor (ECM) is described. The method includes connecting an AC voltage source to an input of a rectification circuit, connecting a DC voltage source to an output of the rectification circuit, and electrically connecting the DC voltage source and rectification circuit output to operational components of the ECM. The DC voltage source is capable of providing a voltage equal to or greater than a rectified voltage originating from the AC voltage source, and the DC voltage source is connected in parallel with the output of the rectification circuit.
US08030860B2

A power shovel vehicle including a hydraulic pump that outputs hydraulic oil for operating a hydraulic actuator, an electric motor for driving the hydraulic pump, a main battery for supplying direct current electric power, an inverter for converting the direct current electric power into alternating current electric power and operating the electric motor, a second relay for making and breaking the connection between the main battery and the inverter, an operating device for operating the hydraulic actuator, a controller for controlling operation of the hydraulic actuator and inverter, and turning on and off the second relay, a first relay for making and breaking the connection between the main battery and the controller, a power source monitoring controller for monitoring conditions of the main battery and turning on and off the first relay, a hydraulic sensor for detecting the discharge pressure of the hydraulic pump, and an electric current sensor for measuring a load current flowing into the inverter.
US08030859B2

A cold cathode lamp includes a light-transmitting insulating tube, first and second internal electrodes arranged inside the insulating tube, first and second external electrodes arranged outside the insulating tube and respectively connected with the first and second internal electrodes, first and second insulating bodies respectively covering the first and second external electrodes, a first counter electrode arranged opposite to the first external electrode via the first insulating body, and a second counter electrode arranged opposite to the second external electrode via the second insulating body. The first (second) counter electrode has a portion which does not face the first (second) external electrode, and the space between this portion and the insulating tube is filled with the first (second) insulating body. A plurality of such cold cathode lamps can be lit by being connected in parallel with a power supply. In addition, generation of corona discharge near the outer peripheries of the counter electrodes can be suppressed.
US08030857B2

A backlight LED drive circuit 20 includes a step-up DC/DC converter 22 for stepping up a DC power voltage based on a PWM signal and supplying the voltage to the anode of an LED device 12c, a voltage detector 24 for detecting a feedback voltage FBV based on a voltage at a terminal 22b coupled to the cathode of the LED device, a PWM control circuit 26 for outputting a PWM signal to the step-up DC/DC converter 22 so that the feedback voltage FBV may become a predetermined voltage, and a PWM stop circuit 28 for stopping the PWM signal when the feedback voltage FBV is below a second predetermined voltage set smaller than the predetermined voltage. Thereby, such backlight LED drive circuit causes no troubles even when terminal to which the LED device is connected is rendered open.
US08030850B2

In an apparatus for driving a CCFL, a first inverter outputs a first alternating current (AC) voltage to one end of the CCFL. A second inverter outputs a second AC voltage having a reversed phase to the first AC voltage to the other end of the CCFL. A first current-voltage converting circuit converts a secondary current of a first transformer in the first inverter to a voltage and outputs the voltage as a first detection voltage. A second current-voltage converting circuit converts a secondary current of a second transformer in the second inverter to a voltage and outputs the voltage as a second detection voltage. A first abnormality detection circuit determines a circuit abnormality when the potential difference between the first and second detection voltages exceeds a predetermined first threshold voltage.
US08030846B2

The present invention discloses a discharge valve assembly for a linear compressor, comprising: a discharge valve installed at one end of the cylinder to be opened and closed, a compression space for compressing a sucked refrigerant by linear reciprocation of a piston being formed in one end of the cylinder; a discharge cap fixedly installed at one end of the cylinder, for forming a discharge space to which the refrigerant of the compression space is discharged; a discharge valve spring installed between the discharge valve and the discharge cap, for opening and closing the discharge valve according to a refrigerant pressure; and a ring-shaped discharge valve supporter installed in the discharge cap, having at least one main protrusion directly contacting the inner circumference of the discharge cap and at least one auxiliary protrusion disposed with an interval from the inner circumference of the discharge cap being formed on the outer circumference of the discharge valve supporter.
US08030839B2

Provided are a phosphor which is capable of emitting green light of high luminance and in which unfavorable effects on other members has been reduced so as to be applicable to white light having excellent light emitting characteristics, a light emitting device using the phosphor, and a method for manufacturing the phosphor. The phosphor containing silicon, magnesium, and chlorine, and activated with europium and capable of emitting green light, in which the molar ratio of chlorine to magnesium is in a range of 1.0≦Cl/Mg≦1.9. Introduction of chlorine at such a composition ratio improves the light emitting characteristics and the amount of chlorine dissolved.
US08030830B2

A spark plug comprises a shell having a substantially cylindrical threaded portion for threadable engagement in a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine, an insulator disposed coaxially in the shell, a center electrode disposed coaxially in the insulator, a side ground electrode having a first end coupled to the shell and a second end facing an end of the center electrode to define a spark discharge gap therebetween, and an electrode tip portion secured to either the side ground electrode or the center electrode proximate the spark discharge gap. The tip portion is formed from an alloy comprising from about 60 to about 70 percent by weight iridium, from about 30 to about 35 percent by weight rhodium, from 0 to about 10 percent by weight nickel, from about 3500 to about 4500 parts per million tantalum, and from about 100 to about 200 parts per million zirconium.
US08030827B2

In a crystal unit, at least two places of an outer circumference of a quartz crystal blank, which are places that correspond to both ends of a stress sensitivity zero axis of the crystal blank, are supported by supporters and fixed to the supporters by conductive adhesives. Each supporter includes; a vertical portion with a surface extending vertically, a slit formed in the vertical portion as extending vertically and with both ends thereof being closed, and a tongue portion projecting from a lower end of the slit. Each conductive adhesive includes; a first portion formed between the tongue portion and a lower surface of the crystal blank, a second portion extending to an end face of the crystal blank from an outer surface of the supporter and through the slit, and a third portion formed between an inner surface of the supporter and an upper surface of the crystal blank.
US08030826B2

An energy regeneration device for a suspension system may include a transforming body configured to be compressed or elongated by a chassis spring of the suspension system, and at least an electric generating member that are electrically connected each other and configured to be compressed or elongated with the transforming body.
US08030823B2

A bulk acoustic wave resonator structure that isolates the core resonator from both environmental effects and aging effects. The structure has a piezoelectric layer at least partially disposed between two electrodes. The structure is protected against contamination, package leaks, and changes to the piezoelectric material due to external effects while still providing inertial resistance. The structure has one or more protective elements that limit aging effects to at or below a specified threshold. The resonator behavior is stabilized across the entire bandwidth of the resonance, not just at the series resonance. Examples of protective elements include a collar of material around the core resonator so that perimeter and edge-related environmental and aging phenomena are kept away from the core resonator, a Bragg reflector formed above or below the piezoelectric layer and a cap formed over the piezoelectric layer.
US08030815B2

A brushless motor to be used for driving a vane pump, which is employed in a module for inspecting vapor leakage of fuel, is disclosed. The brushless motor includes a mounting plate having a through hole, and an annular space is formed between an inner wall of the through hole and an outer wall of a projection of a motor housing. This annular space allows preventing a welding current from flowing into the projection.
US08030810B2

An automotive electric machine provided with: a stator; a rotor, which is rotationally mounted coaxially to the stator and inside the stator to rotate about a rotation axis; a shaft, which is rotationally mounted about the rotation axis, supports the rotor, and is hollow inside so as to have a longitudinal, central cooling channel filled with a cooling fluid; at least one pushing element, which is arranged inside the cooling channel, is integral with the shaft to rotate with the shaft itself about the rotation axis, and is helical-shaped to define at least one worm which extends within the cooling channel along the rotation axis to push the cooling fluid along the rotation axis due to its rotation.
US08030807B2

An ambient energy harvesting system, and method of use thereof, includes a magnetic flux-generating assembly (28), a coil (30) positioned adjacent to the magnetic flux-generating assembly (28), and a cantilevered arm (24). Vibration of the cantilevered arm (24) enables relative movement between the magnetic flux-generating assembly (28) and the coil (30) to generate an electric current in the coil (30). An effective flexible length (L) of the cantilevered arm (24) is selected such that applied kinetic energy causes the cantilevered arm (24) to vibrate at approximately its resonant frequency.
US08030798B2

A power supply for a medical device having one or more power consuming components. The power supply system comprises first and second battery cells electrically connected in series to supply a first level of power to the components, and at least one additional battery cell. The power supply also comprises a control system configured to electrically connect the at least one additional battery in parallel with one or both of the first or second batteries upon a detection of a power demand at the components that is greater than said first level.
US08030794B2

A device (10) for capturing energy from a fluid flow is disclosed. The device (10) comprises a base (12) adapted for stationary mounting relative to the fluid flow. A member (20), having a longitudinal axis (21), is movably connected relative to the base (12) and is adapted to move relative to the base (12) towards a position in which the longitudinal axis (21) generally aligns with a vertical plane parallel to the direction of the fluid flow passing the member (20). A lift generating element (26) is connected to the member (20) and is movable relative to the direction of the fluid flow to vary a direction of lift produced by the lift generating element (26) as fluid flows therearound. The lift generated by the lift generating element (26) drives the member (20) in oscillatory motion relative to the base (12). An energy transfer mechanism is attached to the member (20) and is adapted to be driven by the oscillation of the member (20).
US08030791B2

Power conversion apparatus and methods are presented for providing electrical power to a grid or other load in which a synchronous machine is driven by a wind turbine or other prime mover to provide generator power to a switching type current source converter (CSC), with a current source rectifier (CSR) of the CSC being switched to provide d-axis control of the synchronous machine current based on grid power factor feedback, and with a current source inverter (CSI) of the CSC being switched to provide leading firing angle control and selective employment of dumping resists to dissipate excess generator energy in a fault mode when a grid voltage drops below a predetermined level.
US08030782B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a first component with a compliant interconnect bonded to a second component with a land pad by a metal to metal bond. In some embodiments, the first component may be a microprocessor die and the second component a package substrate.
US08030772B2

Devices are presented including: a substrate including a dielectric region and a conductive region; a molecular self-assembled layer selectively formed on the dielectric region; and a capping layer formed on the conductive region, where the capping layer is an electrically conductive material such as: an alloy of cobalt and boron material, an alloy of cobalt, tungsten, and phosphorous material, an alloy of nickel, molybdenum, and phosphorous. In some embodiments, devices are presented where the molecular self-assembled layer includes one or more of a polyelectrolyte, a dendrimer, a hyper-branched polymer, a polymer brush, a block co-polymer, and a silane-based material where the silane-based material includes one or more hydrolysable substituents of a general formula RnSiX4-n, where R is: an alkyl, a substituted alkyl, a fluoroalkyl, an aryl, a substituted aryl, and a fluoroaryl, and where X is: a halo, an alkoxy, an aryloxy, an amino, an octadecyltrichlorosilane, and an aminopropyltrimethoxysilane.
US08030768B2

A semiconductor package with a semiconductor chip having under bump metallizations (UBMs) on a first surface and a substrate having open vias. The substrate is attached to the semiconductor chip with the UBMs in alignment with the open vias. An encapsulant surrounds the semiconductor chip and the substrate and a conductor fills the open vias to form external package connections.
US08030766B2

A semiconductor device that can cope with larger numbers of pins and finer pitches while suppressing lowering of the manufacturing yield and reliability includes: a semiconductor chip having a plurality of electrodes provided on an upper surface thereof; a plurality of lead terminals including inner lead portions disposed toward the semiconductor chip; a sheet-form wiring member having a plurality of conductors insulated from one another on one main surface thereof; and a sealing-resin layer for sealing at least the semiconductor chip, the inner lead portions and the wiring member. The electrodes of the semiconductor device and the inner lead portions of the lead terminals are electrically connected respectively to each other via the conductors of the wiring member.
US08030751B2

A method for fabricating a chip-scale board-on-chip substrate, or redistribution element, includes forming conductive planes on opposite sides of a substrate. A first of the conductive planes includes two sets of bond fingers, conductive traces that extend from a first set of the bond fingers, and two sets of redistributed bond pads, including a first set to which the conductive traces lead. The second conductive plane includes conductive traces that extend from locations that are opposite from the second set of bond fingers toward locations that are opposite from the locations of the second set of redistributed bond pads. Conductive vias are formed through the second set of bond fingers to the conductive traces of the second conductive plane. In addition, conductive vias are also formed to electrically connect the conductive vias of the second conductive plane to their corresponding redistributed bond pads in the first conductive plane. Redistribution elements including these features, as well as semiconductor device assemblies including the redistribution elements and assembly methods, are also disclosed.
US08030742B2

Embodiments provide an electronic device including a leadframe, a chip attached to the leadframe, and encapsulation material disposed over a portion of the leadframe. The leadframe includes a first main face opposite a second main face and a plurality of edges extending between the first and second main faces. At least one of the plurality of edges includes a first profiled element and a second profiled element different than the first profiled element. The encapsulation material is disposed over the chip and the plurality of edges of the leadframe.
US08030739B2

A stacked semiconductor package includes a plurality of stacked semiconductor chips each having a circuit unit, a data pad, and a chip selection pad. The plurality of stacked semiconductor chips also includes a plurality of chip selection through electrodes. The chip selection through electrodes penetrate the chip selection pads and the semiconductor chips, and the chip selection through electrodes receive chip selection signals. The chip selection pad of a semiconductor chip is electrically connected to the chip selection through electrode that receives the chip selection signal for selecting the semiconductor chip. The chip selection pad is electrically insulated from the chip selection through electrodes for receiving the chip selection signal for selecting a different semiconductor chip.
US08030731B2

An isolated diode comprises a floor isolation region, a dielectric-filled trench and a sidewall region extending from a bottom of the trench at least to the floor isolation region. The floor isolation region, dielectric-filled trench and a sidewall region are comprised in one terminal (anode or cathode) of the diode and together form an isolated pocket in which the other terminal of the diode is formed. In one embodiment the terminals of the diode are separated by a second dielectric-filled trench and sidewall region.
US08030727B2

An image sensor includes a semiconductor substrate, an interconnection and an interlayer dielectric, an image sensing device, a trench, a buffer layer, a barrier pattern, a via hole, and a metal contact. The semiconductor substrate includes a readout circuitry. The interconnection and an interlayer dielectric layer are formed on and/or over the semiconductor substrate while the interconnection is connected to the readout circuitry. The image sensing device may be formed on and/or over the interlayer dielectric and a trench may be formed in the image sensing device, the trench corresponding to the interconnection. The buffer layer may be formed on a sidewall of the trench. The barrier pattern may be formed on the buffer layer with the via hole penetrating through the image sensing device and the interlayer dielectric under the barrier pattern and exposing the interconnection. The metal contact may be formed in the via hole.
US08030723B2

An image sensor with decreased optical interference between adjacent pixels is provided. An image sensor, which is divided into a pixel region and a peripheral region, the image sensor including a photodiode formed in a substrate in the pixel region, first to Mth metal lines formed over the substrate in the pixel region, where M is a natural number greater than approximately 1, first to Nth metal lines formed over a substrate in the peripheral region, where N is a natural number greater than M, at least one layer of dummy metal lines formed over the Mth metal lines but formed not to overlap with the photodiode, and a microlens formed over the one layer of the dummy metal lines to overlap with the photodiode.
US08030714B2

The present invention discloses a coaxial transistor formed on a substrate, particularly a coaxial metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (CMOSFET). The chips or substrates of the CMOSFETs can be stacked up and connected via through-holes to form a coaxial complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (CCMOSFET), which is both full-symmetric and full-complementarily, has a higher integration and is free of the latch-up problem.
US08030712B2

A method for protecting a circuit component on a semiconductor substrate from a plasma etching or other removal process includes forming a screening layer over an auxiliary layer to conceal at least an area of the auxiliary layer that overlays at least a portion of the circuit component, such as for example a high-ohmic poly resistor. The method transfers a pattern defined by a mask onto the screening layer by selectively removing portions of the screening layer in accordance with the pattern. Portions of the auxiliary layer that are not protected by the screening layer are removed using a plasma gas selective to the auxiliary layer material, without removing the area of the auxiliary layer that overlays the portion of the circuit component, thereby protecting the circuit component from the plasma gas via the screening layer and auxiliary layer.
US08030710B2

A semiconductor device having: a semiconductor substrate; an isolation trench formed in a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate and defining an NMOSFET active region and a PMOSFET active region; a silicon oxide film burying only a lower portion of the isolation trench and defining a recess above the lower portion; an NMOSFET structure formed in the NMOSFET active region and having an insulated gate electrode structure and n-type source/drain regions; a PMOSFET structure formed in the PMOSFET active region and having an insulated gate electrode structure and p-type source/drain regions; a tensile stress film covering the NMOSFET structure and extending to the recess surrounding the NMOSFET active region and to the recess outside the PMOSFET active region along a gate width direction; and a compressive stress film covering the PMOSFET structure and extending to the recess outside the PMOSFET active region along a channel length direction.
US08030708B2

The invention aims at precisely making an effective junction depth sufficiently small with respect to a substrate surface having a steep PN junction stable in its configuration and having a channel formed therein in relation to an extension portion. Gate electrodes are formed on a P-type well and an N-type well through respective gate insulating films. Two extension portions are formed from two first epitaxial growth layers which contact regions, of the P-type well and the N-type well, where channels are to be formed, respectively, and which are at a distance from each other. Two second epitaxial growth layers are formed on the first epitaxial growth layers in positions which are further at a distance from facing ends of the two extension portions in a direction of being separate from each other. Thus, two source/drain regions are formed on a PMOS side and on an NMOS side each. In the case of this structure, there is adopted no ion implantation for introducing impurities into a deep portion. Hence, the impurities in the extension portions do not thermally diffuse into the substrate side through the activation anneal.
US08030701B2

A memory cell of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to an embodiment of the invention has a MONOS structure. The charge storage layer of the memory cell includes insulating material layers. The relationship between the conduction band edge energy and valance band edge energy of the insulating material layers either increases gradually or decreases gradually from the tunnel insulating film toward the block insulating film. Furthermore, when the relative permittivity of the block insulating film is expresses as ∈r, an energy barrier between the charge storage layer and the block insulating film is equal to or larger than 4.5 ∈r−2/3 (eV) and is equal to or smaller than 3.8 (eV).
US08030700B2

A semiconductor memory device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a stacked body provided on the semiconductor substrate and having a plurality of insulator layers and a plurality of conductive layers alternately stacked; a semiconductor layer provided inside a through-hole formed so as to pass through the stacked body and extending in a stacking direction of the insulator layers and the conductive layers; and a charge trap layer provided between the conductive layer and the semiconductor layer. A lower part in the semiconductor layer is narrower than an upper part therein, and at least the lowermost layer in the conductive layers is thinner than the uppermost layer therein.
US08030695B2

A semiconductor memory device having a cross point structure includes a plurality of upper electrodes arranged to extend in one direction, and a plurality of lower electrodes arranged to extend in another direction at a right angle to the one direction of the upper electrodes. Memory materials are provided between the upper electrodes and the lower electrodes for storage of data. The memory materials are made of a perovskite material and arranged at the lower electrodes side of the corresponding upper electrode extending along the corresponding upper electrode.
US08030694B2

The present invention provides a dielectric film having a high permittivity and a high heat resistance. An embodiment of the present invention is a dielectric film (103) including a composite oxynitride containing an element A made of Hf, an element B made of Al or Si, and N and O, wherein mole fractions of the element A, the element B, and N expressed as B/(A+B+N) range from 0.015 to 0.095 and N/(A+B+N) equals or exceeds 0.045, and has a crystalline structure.
US08030689B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate portion that includes a plurality of diffusion regions that include at least one p-type diffusion region and at least one n-type diffusion region. A gate electrode level region is formed above the substrate portion to include a number of conductive features defined to extend in only a first parallel direction. Each of the conductive features within the gate electrode level region is fabricated from a respective originating rectangular-shaped layout feature. Each of the conductive features within the gate electrode level region has a width less than a wavelength of light used in a photolithography process to fabricate the conductive features. Conductive features within the gate electrode level region form respective PMOS transistor devices and respective NMOS transistor devices. A total number of the PMOS transistor devices and the NMOS transistor devices in the gate electrode level region is greater than or equal to eight.
US08030687B2

Disclosed are embodiments of a field effect transistor (FET) having decreased drive current temperature sensitivity. Specifically, any temperature-dependent carrier mobility change in the FET channel region is simultaneously counteracted by an opposite strain-dependent carrier mobility change to ensure that drive current remains approximately constant or at least within a predetermined range in response to temperature variations. This opposite strain-dependent carrier mobility change is provided by a straining structure that is configured to impart a temperature-dependent amount of a pre-selected strain type on the channel region. Also disclosed are embodiments of an associated method of forming the field effect transistor.
US08030686B2

A semiconductor device having a source electrode and a drain electrode formed over a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed over the semiconductor substrate and disposed between the source electrode and the drain electrode, a protection film made of an insulating material and formed between the source electrode and the gate electrode and between the drain electrode and the gate electrode, and a gate side opening formed at least in one of a portion of the protection film between the source electrode and the gate electrode and a portion of the protection film between the drain electrode and the gate electrode and disposed away from all of the gate electrode, the source electrode and the drain electrode.
US08030683B2

A protection circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided between a first terminal and a second terminal and includes: a capacitor element having one end connected to the second terminal; and a multi-cathode thyristor formed on a semiconductor substrate, and including an anode connected to the first terminal, a first cathode connected to the second terminal, and a second cathode disposed between the anode and the first cathode and connected to another terminal of the capacitor element.
US08030682B2

A zinc-blende nitride semiconductor free-standing substrate has a front surface and a back surface opposite the front surface. The distance between the front and back surfaces is not less than 200 μm. The area ratio of the zinc-blende nitride semiconductor to the front surface is not less than 95%.
US08030681B2

A group III nitride substrate in one embodiment has a surface layer. The surface layer contains 3 at. % to 25 at. % of carbon and 5×1010 atoms/cm2 to 200×1010 atoms/cm2 of a p-type metal element. The group III nitride substrate has a stable surface.
US08030675B2

A light-emitting apparatus package of the present invention includes (i) an electrically insulated ceramic substrate, (ii) a first concave section formed in the direction of thickness of the ceramic substrate so as to form a light exit aperture in a surface of the ceramic substrate, (iii) a second concave section formed within the first concave section in the further direction of thickness of the ceramic substrate so that one or more light-emitting devices are provided therein, (iv) a wiring pattern for supplying electricity, which is provided in the first concave section, and (v) a metalized layer having light-reflectivity, which is (a) provided between the light-emitting device and the surface of the second concave section of the substrate, and (b) electrically insulated from the wiring pattern. On the account of this, the light-emitting apparatus package in which heat is excellently discharged and light is efficiently utilized and a light-emitting apparatus in which the light-emitting apparatus package is used can be obtained.
US08030673B2

Provided is a nitride semiconductor light emitting element capable of producing an emission spectrum having two peaks with stable ratio of emission peak intensity. The nitride semiconductor light emitting 1 comprises an active layer 12 disposed between an n-type nitride semiconductor layer 11 and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer 13. The active layer 12 comprises a first well layer 14, second well layers 15 interposing the first well layer 14 and disposed at outermost sides among the well layers, and barrier layers 16, 17 disposed between each of the well layers. The second well layer 15 comprises a nitride semiconductor having a larger band gap energy than the band gap energy of a nitride semiconductor constituting the first well layer 14, and the nitride semiconductor light emitting element 1 has peaks in the emission spectrum respectively corresponding to the first well layer 14 and the second well layer 15.
US08030670B2

Provided is a multi-chip package light emitting diode (LED) device including a plurality of LED chips within a single package. The LED device may include a base substrate, a multi-chip package for a LED on the base substrate, and a light radiator surrounding the multi-chip package and radiating light emitted by the multi-chip package for a LED, wherein the multi-chip package for a LED may include a plurality of LED chips on a single wafer substrate.
US08030667B2

A nitride semiconductor light emitting diode (LED) comprises an n-type nitride semiconductor layer; an electron emitting layer formed on the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, the electron emitting layer being composed of a nitride semiconductor layer including a transition element of group III; an active layer formed on the electron emitting layer; and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer formed on the active layer.
US08030664B2

There is provided a light emitting device of a simpler structure, capable of ensuring a broad light emitting area and a high light emitting efficiency, while manufactured in a simplified and economically efficient process. The light emitting device including: a semiconductor layer; an active layer formed on the semiconductor layer, the active layer comprising at least one of a quantum well structure, a quantum dot and a quantum line; an insulating layer formed on the active layer; and a metal layer formed on the insulating layer.
US08030656B2

A pixel includes an organic light emitting diode, a first transistor having a source coupled to a first power source, a control gate coupled to a first node, and a drain coupled to a second node, wherein the first transistor includes a floating gate and an insulating layer between the floating gate and the control gate, a second transistor having a source coupled to a data line, a drain coupled to the first node, and a gate coupled to a scan line, a third transistor having a source coupled to the second node, a drain coupled to the organic light emitting diode, and a gate coupled to one of a light emitting control line and the scan line, and a capacitor coupled between the first power source and the first node.
US08030647B2

The invention relates to a light transmitter comprising two electrodes facing each other, and at least one light-emitting organic layer with two ends. The thickness of the organic layer varies continuously between the two ends. The invention also relates to a display device comprising such a transmitter.
US08030642B2

Provided are an organic TFT, a method of manufacturing the same, and a flat panel display having the same. The organic TFT includes source and drain electrodes formed on the surface of a substrate, an organic semiconductor layer that includes source and drain regions and a channel region, located on the source and drain electrodes, a gate electrode located above the organic semiconductor layer, and a first insulating layer located on the surface of the organic semiconductor layer, wherein a through hole is formed in at least a portion of the organic semiconductor layer and the first insulating layer, outside an active region that includes the source and drain regions and the channel region.
US08030639B2

Provided is a nitride semiconductor light emitting device including: a first nitride semiconductor layer; an active layer formed above the first nitride semiconductor layer; and a delta doped second nitride semiconductor layer formed above the active layer. According to the present invention, the optical power of the nitride semiconductor light emitting device is enhanced, optical power down phenomenon is improved and reliability against ESD (electro static discharge) is enhanced.
US08030635B2

Memory devices and methods for manufacturing are described herein. A memory device described herein includes a plurality of memory cells. Memory cells in the plurality of memory cells comprise respective bipolar junction transistors and memory elements. The bipolar junction transistors are arranged in a common collector configuration and include an emitter comprising doped polysilicon having a first conductivity type, the emitter contacting a corresponding word line in a plurality of word lines to define a pn junction. The bipolar junction transistors include a portion of the corresponding word line underlying the emitter acting as a base, and a collector comprising a portion of the single-crystalline substrate underlying the base.
US08030626B2

An average write speed M is calculated by averaging write speeds for blocks of a tentative block size La, and write speed variation σ of the blocks with respect to the average write speed M is calculated (Step S12). A maximum speed Vmax is calculated by accelerating and then decelerating (or decelerating and then accelerating) a stage when moving the stage by the width of one of the blocks of the tentative block size La (Step S13). When the relationship “Vmax−M≧σ” does not hold, the tentative block size La is increased (Step S15). When the relationship “Vmax−M≧σ” holds, the tentative block size La is set as an optimal block size Lb (Step S16).
US08030619B2

A system may include a conductive substrate, a plurality of conductive nanostructures disposed on a first side of the conductive substrate, an insulating substrate, and a plurality of electrodes disposed on a first side of the insulating substrate. The first side of the conductive substrate faces the first side of the insulating substrate, and each of the plurality of electrodes is electrically connected to the conductive substrate. In other aspects, a system may include a first insulating substrate and a second insulating substrate, where a first side of the first insulating substrate faces a first side of the second insulating substrate, and each of a first plurality of electrodes is electrically connected to a respective one of a second plurality of electrodes.
US08030605B2

The present invention concerns an apparatus (100, 200) for and a method of using solar energy. To provide an alternative apparatus (100, 200) and an alternative method of using solar energy which structurally requires less complication and expenditure and which is favorable in provision and operation, in accordance with the invention there is proposed an apparatus (100, 200) comprising a target (50) and reflectors (10, 12, 210) for deflecting solar rays on to the target (50) and a corresponding method, wherein the reflectors (10, 12, 210) are respectively pivotable about an axis (20, 220) for tracking in accordance with the azimuth of the sun (30) in the course of a day, wherein the axis (20, 220) is a component part of an axis arrangement (70, 270) which is inclinable for tracking in accordance with the midday height of the sun (30) in the course of a year. If necessary it is possible to achieve continuous focusing of the system by simple mechanical compensating mechanisms.
US08030604B2

A near-field detection optical component operating in transmission. It includes at least one portion (11b) forming at least one grating (11) of diffraction microstructures (11a) succeeding one another over several periods (p), this grating (11) being capable of converting evanescent waves (16), which are established between the component and an object (12) located in the near field, when it reflects or emits radiation having a wavelength, into propagating waves (16′) by a diffraction effect during transmission through the portion (11b) forming the grating (11) of diffraction microstructures (11a). The period (p) of the grating (11) being of the order of magnitude of the wavelength of the radiation.
US08030602B2

An induction foil cap sealer of the present invention includes a cap foil sealer head installed along a conveyor. A controller is operatively connected to the cap sealer head. An infrared detector is adapted to obtain temperature data from a work piece on the conveyor. An electronic memory storage device is capable of storing electronic data, and is operatively connected to the controller. A comparator is in communication with the controller, the electronic memory and the infrared detector. The comparator compares the temperature data with pre-stored electronic data in the electronic memory storage and sends a signal to the controller based on the comparison.
US08030600B2

The hydrogen permeable substrate includes a copper plate, a stainless steel plate, an insulating member, and hydrogen permeable metal. The hydrogen permeable substrate is formed by locating the insulating member between the stainless steel plate and a combined member formed by embedding the hydrogen permeable metal in through-holes made in the copper plate; subjecting the joining face of each component for joining to other components to irradiation with argon ions, to remove the oxide film thereon and activate the surface; and stacking and rolling the components. By so doing, they may be joined at low temperature and low pressure. Once joined, by cutting the hydrogen permeable metal into individual pieces along cut lines, a plurality of hydrogen permeable substrates may be manufactured all at once.
US08030597B2

A partition-type heating apparatus has advantageous effects in that a material to be heated, i.e., a reaction gas used in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, is pre-heated and the pre-heated reaction gas flows through a flow channel defined by the vertical and horizontal partitions so that the flowing reaction gas is heated by the transfer of heat generated from a hot wire during the flow of the reaction gas, thereby securing heating performance required for a small-sized heating apparatus.
US08030595B2

A method for displaying laser irradiation state and a system of displaying laser irradiation state, enabling to monitor laser irradiation state correctly and rapidly even when a laser irradiation direction varies, and a scanner head and a work are relatively apart, characterized that laser light is irradiated at the surface of a work, in a specified pattern shape different from a process pattern from a scanner head, in advance of process by irradiation of laser light at a work by a scanner head mounted at a robot hand.
US08030592B2

A plasma spray apparatus in the form of a gun is utilized to apply an antifoulant coating to marine vessels. The apparatus includes a plasma generator, an electrophoresis element, a heating element, a shield gas element, a liquid cooling system, a forced air system, and a vacuum system. The plasma generator ionizes gas to create a plasma stream, which is utilized in part to supply energy to the heating element that heats a powder material. The heated powder material is exposed to the electrophoresis element to create a covalently bonded coating material. The coating material is injected into the plasma stream and is applied to a target surface. The shield gas element injects a gas flow to surround and protect the plasma and coating material stream as the stream is in flight to the target surface. The liquid cooling system cools portions of the plasma generator and heating element. The forced air system cools a portion of the target surface as the coating material is being applied. The vacuum system removes fumes and stray particles during the application process.
US08030590B2

A gas-circuit breaker includes a cylinder, a stationary piston, and a moving piston. The cylinder has a moving contact that is fixed on one end of a rod and has a gas exhaust that faces a stationary contact. The rod is inserted into the cylinder. The stationary piston is fixed to the container, and is fitted in an opening of the cylinder to create a puffer chamber. Due to movement of the rod, the stationary piston compresses arc-extinguishing gas, and the gas blows onto the arc through gas exhaust. The moving piston partitions the puffer chamber into a first puffer chamber and a second puffer chamber. Sliding of the moving piston changes the capacity of the first puffer chamber and the second puffer chamber according to the difference in pressure in the first puffer chamber and the second puffer chamber.
US08030589B2

A cost efficient and reliable method for online sorting of special glass which works independent of the color of glass and the shape of the material. The scrap glass stream to be detected is thereby irradiated by UV absorption or transmission values of the scrap glass stream, more specifically of the material-specific UV absorption edges and “UV-cutoff” frequencies, with reference values obtained before from standardized material laboratory inspections. If special glass is being detected, blowing nozzles disposed downstream of a detector unit divert the special glass toward a predetermined location where it is deposited. There can also be a system which includes a radiation source, a detection unit, an evaluation and control unit and a removal apparatus.
US08030588B2

A system and associated method is provided for sorting parts, which includes a conveyor system for receiving and circulating a plurality of randomly presented parts, a sorting buffer for accumulating selected parts from the plurality of randomly presented parts in an assigned buffer location, and a sequencing system for sequencing the accumulated selected parts.
US08030583B2

The invention relates to a switching arrangement with two operational settings for switching over a winding during transformer operation, wherein during the switching-over a transient current commutates from one current path to another current path. In that case fixed contacts are arranged in several horizontal planes around a rotatable switching shaft and on an insulating-material frame and have upper and lower contact fingers that can be pressed apart and with which electrical connection can be made by an electrically conductive rail as movable switching contact.
US08030582B2

A body weighing machine (100) is provided with a distance measuring sensor (30) at the central position (C) of a base plate unit (50). A CPU (10) measures the body weight of a human subject. The CPU (10) then drives the distance measuring sensor (30) to measure a distance (Dm) between the sensor and a floor surface and determines whether a minimum distance (D) between the base plate unit (50) and the floor surface is zero. The CPU (10) displays via a display unit (15) a message indicating that an error has occurred in a case in which the minimum distance (D) is zero, and otherwise displays the measured body weight on the display unit (15).
US08030563B2

An audio playing method is provided. The method includes: accessing an audio file from a data storage; transmitting the audio file to a decoder to decode and outputting the decoded audio file through the audio output unit; determining whether a skipping command is received from an input unit; determining the desired section according to the received skipping command if the skipping command is received from the input unit; accessing the starting address of the desired section from the control part, and playing the main audio part from the starting address.
US08030560B2

A novel double haploid maize line designated PHWVZ and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing double haploid maize line PHWVZ with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHWVZ through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the double haploid line PHWVZ or a trait conversion of PHWVZ with another maize line. Inbred maize lines derived from double haploid maize line PHWVZ, methods for producing other inbred maize lines derived from double haploid maize line PHWVZ and the inbred maize lines and their parts derived by the use of those method.
US08030557B1

A novel inbred maize variety designated PHCHP and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing inbred maize variety PHCHP with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHCHP through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the inbred variety PHCHP or a trait conversion of PHCHP with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from inbred maize variety PHCHP, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from inbred maize variety PHCHP and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US08030541B2

The present invention is directed to plants that display an improved oil quantity phenotype or an improved meal quality phenotype due to altered expression of an IMQ nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an improved oil quantity phenotype or improved meal quality phenotype.
US08030535B2

A sanitary napkin has a facing layer joined to a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the facing layer and backsheet. The facing layer has a first region comprising a plurality of apertures, and a second region comprising a plurality of raised, out-of-plane deformations that can be soft, resilient, rib-like elements. In one embodiment, the sanitary napkin also comprises a deep-embossed channel.
US08030521B2

Methods of producing TATB are disclosed. The method comprises providing acid wet TNPG and distilling water from the acid wet TNPG. The TNPG is reacted with an alkoxylating agent to form a solution of 1,3,5-trialkoxy-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene solution, which is reacted with an aminating agent. An alternate method comprises nitrating phloroglucinol in a first vessel to produce TNPG, which is reacted with an alkoxylating agent in a second vessel to form a solution comprising 1,3,5-trialkoxy-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene and at least one of at least one volatile byproduct and at least one nonvolatile byproduct. The at least one of at least one volatile byproduct and at least one nonvolatile byproduct is removed in situ. The 1,3,5-trialkoxy-2,4,6-trinitrobenzene is reacted with an aminating agent.
US08030520B2

This invention relates to a process for preparing functionalized aryl, heteroaryl, cycloalkenyl, or alkenyl compounds, by a transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of a substituted or unsubstituted aryl-X, heteroaryl-X, cycloalkenyl-X or alkenyl-X compound with an alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl or cycloalkenyl halide, where X is a halide, diazonium, tosylate (p-toluenesulphonate), mesylate (methanesulphonate) or triflate (trifluoromethanesulphonate) leaving group.
US08030519B2

Acetoacetic acid arylamides are continuously produced from diketene and primary or secondary aromatic amines under the conditions of a reactive distillation in the presence of water. The continuous method provides a high purity of the products, nearly quantitative yields and a high rate of throughput.
US08030518B2

This invention is directed to compounds of formula I, where G is —O—, —S—, —C(g1)(g2)-, or —NH—, and n=1, 2, or 3. Such compounds modulate potassium channels. The compounds are useful for the treatment and prevention of diseases and disorders which are affected by modulation of potassium ion channels. One such condition is seizure disorders.
US08030517B2

The invention relates to compounds represented by Structural Formula I, which can bind to CCR9 receptors and block the binding of a ligand (e.g., TECK) to the receptors. The invention also relates to a method of inhibiting a function of CCR9, and to the use compounds represented by Structural Formula I in research, therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic methods.
US08030499B2

It is intended to provide a drug which is efficacious against pathological conditions relating to arginine-vasopressin V1b receptor. More particularly speaking, it is intended to provide a drug which has a therapeutic or preventive effect on depression, anxiety, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, eating disorders, hypertension, digestive diseases, drug addiction, epilepsy, brain infarction, brain ischemia, brain edema, head injury, inflammation, immune diseases, alopecia and so on. As the results of intensive studies, a novel 1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one compound and a pyrrolidin-2-one compound fused with a heteroaromatic ring, which are highly selective antagonists of arginine-vasopressin V1b receptor, have high metabolic stabilities and show favorable brain penetration and high plasma concentrations, are found, thereby achieving the above objective.
US08030495B2

The present invention is directed to cyclopropyl proline bis-amide compounds which are antagonists of orexin receptors, and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of neurological and psychiatric disorders and diseases in which orexin receptors are involved. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which orexin receptors are involved.
US08030494B2

An optical recording material containing a compound of formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 each represent hydrogen, hydroxyl, halogen, nitro, cyano, a C1-C30 organic group, or a group of formulae (II), (II′) or (III); or R1 and R2 are connected to form a ring; X1 is —CR3R4— or —NH—; Y1 is a C1-C30 organic group or a substituent of formulae (II), (II′) or (III); R3 and R4 each represent hydrogen, a C1-C30 organic group, or a group of formulae (II), (II′) or (III), provided that, when Y1 is a group of formula (III), R3 is hydrogen, a C1-C30 organic group, or a group of formulae (II), (II′) or (III), and when Y1 is a C1-C30 organic group or a group of formulae (II) or (II′), R3 is a group of formulae (II), (II′) or (III); M is Fe, Co, Ni, Ti, Cu, Zn, Zr, Cr, Mo, Os, Mn, Ru, Sn, Pd, Rh, Pt, or Ir; Anq− is a q-valent anion, p is a number necessary to neutralize an electric charge; and q is 1 or 2.
US08030488B2

Methods of treating an SCD-mediated disease or condition in a mammal, preferably a human, are disclosed, wherein the methods comprise administering to a mammal in need thereof a compound of formula (I): where G, J, L, M, x, y, W, V, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R8a, R9, R9a, R10, R10a, R11 and R11a are defined herein. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of formula (I) are also disclosed.
US08030476B2

Efficient sequence specific gene silencing is possible through the use of siRNA technology. By selecting particular siRNAs by rational design, one can maximize the generation of an effective gene silencing reagent, as well as methods for silencing genes. Methods, compositions, and kits generated through rational design of siRNAs are disclosed including those directed to CKSF1B1.
US08030466B2

The present invention relates to a DNA sequencing method using a nucleoside triphosphate with a fluorescent blocking group on its 3′-OH end as a reversible terminator. Further, the present invention relates to sequencing-by-synthesis method using the mono-modified reversible terminator (MRT), the novel nucleotide monomer having a reversible fluorescent blocking group removable chemically or enzymatically at its 3′-OH end. The sequencing method of the present invention facilitates sequencing of bases inserted by terminating extension of a nucleotide chain by the nucleotide monomer and then detecting fluorescence signal from 3′-OH end. At this time, after analyzing the fluorescence signal, the blocking group conjugated to the 3′-OH end can be effectively removed, indicating that a free 3′-OH functional group can be successfully restored, so that the next monomer insertion is possible, making continuous sequencing possible.
US08030464B2

An intracellular selection system allows screening for peptide bioactivity and stability. Randomized recombinant peptides are screened for bioactivity in a tightly regulated expression system, preferably derived from the wild-type lac operon. Bioactive peptides thus identified are inherently protease- and peptidase-resistant. Also provided are bioactive peptides stabilized by a stabilizing group at the N-terminus, the C-terminus, or both. The stabilizing group can be a small stable protein, such as the Rop protein, glutathione sulfotransferase, thioredoxin, maltose binding protein, or glutathione reductase, an α-helical moiety, or one or more proline residues.
US08030460B2

A compound having the general formula shown below: where R1-6 are independently selected from the group consisting of an electron withdrawing group, an alkyl group, an aryl group, hydrogen, a heteroaryl group, and a five or six member ring structure formed from the R1 and R2 pair, the R3 and R4 pair, the R4 and R5 pair, or the R5 and R6 pair; R7 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; and Y is a nucleophile.
US08030452B2

The present invention provides an improved coating for surfaces of medical implants. The coating comprises at least one interfacial biomaterial (IFBM) which is comprised of at least one binding module that binds to the surface of an implant or implant-related material (“implant module”) and at least one binding module that selectively binds to a target analyte or that is designed to have a desired effect (“analyte module”). The modules are connected by a linker. In some embodiments, the IFBM coating acts to promote the recognition and attachment of target analytes to surface of the device. The IFBM coating improves the performance of implanted medical devices, for example, by promoting osteointegration of the implant.
US08030450B2

The present invention provides isolated nucleic acid molecules that encode a substantial part of canine RANKL polypeptide, including the extracellular domains of that polypeptide, the polypeptide and fragments thereof. Vectors and host cells encoding and expressing canine RANKL polypeptide are provided, as well as antibodies that bind to RANKL and that inhibit RANKL activity. Also provided are methods of treating an animal to inhibit or treat the loss of bone minerals.
US08030443B2

Provided is a squamous cell carcinoma antigen derived peptide which is capable of binding to an HLA-A24 molecule and recognized by the cellular immune system, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising said peptide for the treatment or prevention of squamous cell carcinoma.
US08030442B2

Methods and compositions that inhibit acid sensing ion channels are provided for the prevention and treatment of brain injury, including injury caused by stroke or seizure. The methods and compositions of the invention are additionally effective for the reduction of acidosis in the brain.
US08030432B2

The present invention provides a method of producing a copolymer of hydroxytyrosol, or its derivative, and at least one flavonoid comprising reacting hydroxytyrosol monomers or derivative with at least one flavonoid in the presence of an enzyme and hydrogen peroxide in an aqueous solution.
US08030425B2

Vinyl addition polymer compositions, methods for forming such compositions, methods for using such compositions to form microelectronic and optoelectronic devices are provided. The vinyl addition polymer encompassed by such compositions has a polymer backbone having two or more distinct types of repeat units derived from norbornene-type monomers independently selected from monomers of Formula I: wherein each of X, m, R1, R2, R3, and R4 is as defined herein and wherein a first type of repeat unit is derived from a glycidyl ether substituted norbornene monomer and a second type of repeat unit is derived from an aralkyl substituted norbornene monomer.
US08030420B2

An olefin polymerization reaction unit includes a multistage gas phase polymerization reactor which is divided into two or more polymerization stages, in which polyolefin particles move from an initial stage to a final stage, and in which an olefin monomer-containing gas is fed from the final stage toward the initial stage. The reaction unit also includes first circulating means for feeding to the final stage a gas that is discharged from the initial stage and then cooled with a first heat exchanger, and second circulating means for feeding to one of the polymerization stages a condensate formed by condensing, with a second heat exchanger different from the first heat exchanger, a gas removed from one of the polymerization stages.
US08030418B2

The invention relates to a modified hydrocarbylphenol-aldehyde resin prepared by reacting a hydrocarbylphenol-aldehyde resin with a primary or secondary amine and further with an epoxide. The invention also provides a process for preparing a modified, hydrocarbylphenol-aldehyde resin and a rubber composition containing such resin.
US08030417B2

The present invention is a process for producing a polyester-polycarbonate type thermoplastic polyester elastomer in which a hard segment consisting of a polyester constructed of aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and an aliphatic or alicyclic diol, and a soft segment consisting mainly of aliphatic polycarbonate are connected, comprising at least a step of increasing the molecular weight of an aliphatic polycarbonate diol by a reaction of an aliphatic polycarbonate diol and a chain extender, and a step of reacting aliphatic polycarbonate and a polyester constructed of aromatic dicarboxylic acid and an aliphatic or alicyclic diol in the molten state.
US08030407B2

An activated carbon fiber for fabricating a supercapacitor electrode and its precursor material are provided. The precursor material of the activated carbon fiber includes polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and a polymer having formula (I): wherein R1 is cyano, phenyl, acetate, or methoxycarbonyl, R2 is  R3 is C1-7 alkyl, X is chlorine, bromine, tetrafluoroborate (BF4), hexafluorophosphate (PF6), or NH(SO2CH3)2, and m/n is 1-99/99-1.
US08030404B2

The present invention is directed to the incorporation of functionalized polyethylenes, in amount of about 1% to 95% by weight based upon the weight of the total crosslinkable material, into ethylene alpha olefin elastomers, such as EPDM elastomer compositions, which are crosslinked by peroxides, which results in improved properties, such as hardness and modulus of elongation, and can result in improved higher abrasion resistance, wear resistance, coefficient of friction, tensile strength, and other properties through a broad temperature range, which are beneficial to power transmission products, such as power transmission belts.
US08030399B2

The present invention is for crosslinked membranes and in particular for crosslinked poly(ethylene oxide)-cellulose acetate-silsesquioxane (PEO-CA-Si) organic-inorganic hybrid membranes and their use in gas separation. These crosslinked PEO-CA-Si membranes were prepared by in-situ sol-gel co-condensation of crosslinkable PEO-organotrialkoxysilane and CA-organotrialkoxysilane polymers in the presence of acetic acid catalyst during the formation of membranes. The crosslinkable PEO- and CA-organotrialkoxysilane polymers were synthesized via the reaction between the hydroxyl groups on PEO (or on CA) and the isocyanate on organotrialkoxysilane to form urethane linkages under mild conditions. The crosslinked PEO-CA-Si membranes exhibited both increased selectivity of CO2/N2 and CO2 permeability as compared to a CA membrane, suggesting that these membranes are very promising for gas separations such as CO2/N2 separation.
US08030393B2

Thermoplastic moulding compositions comprising the following components: 5-95% of a copolymer A, 0-60% of a graft rubber B and 5-50% of thin glass fibers C. The copolymer A comprises 70-76% of vinylaromatic monomer(s) A1, 24-30% of vinyl cyanide monomer component(s) A2 and 0-50% of one or more unsaturated copolymerizable monomers A3. The thermoplastic moulding compositions are advantageously used for injection moulding.
US08030391B2

Multistage polymers predominantly stabilized by nonionic emulsifiers and derived from hard and soft monomer compositions containing vinyl esters, of which at least one monomer composition must contain an unsaturated compromisable organosilicon compound, are described.The plastic dispersions can be used as binders in emulsion paints and finishes and impart to these excellent scrub resistance in addition to good blocking resistance.
US08030390B2

A rubber composition having (A) an elastomer component in which the primary elastomer constituent is an ethylene-propylene elastomer polymerized in the gas phase with a metallocene catalyst and having a molecular weight of at least about 250,000; (B) a silicon-modified olefinic elastomer in an amount of from about 5 to about 50 parts per hundred parts of the elastomer component; (C) ground mica in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 30 parts per hundred parts of the elastomer component; and (D) a peroxide curative. The composition may be used in a vibration isolator which may be used in a belt drive system.
US08030376B2

Disclosed herein are processes for dispersing a plurality of unaggregated particles, such as nanoparticles and microparticles, in a viscous medium. The dispersions can be used for making a variety of useful materials, such as carbon nanotube composites.
US08030374B2

An object of the present invention is to prevent, in blending an inorganic filler for the purpose of improving rigidity of a thermoplastic resin, deterioration in impact resistance and surface smoothness caused by the inorganic filler. The invention relates to a polyphenylene ether based resin composition containing (a) from 10 to 93% by weight of a polyphenylene ether based resin and optionally a styrene based resin, (b) from 2 to 20% by weight of a styrene based thermoplastic elastomer modified with an imidazolidinone compound, and (c) from 5 to 60% by weight of an inorganic filler that has been surface treated with a silane compound.
US08030366B2

The invention relates to the use of polyethers containing urethane or urea groups as foam stabilizers, obtained by reacting at least one isocyanate with (a) at least one hydrophilic polyether which statistically carries at least one OH and/or NH2 and/or NH function and (b) at least one hydrophobic polyether which statistically carries at least one OH and/or NH2 and/or NH function and optionally (c) further compounds which carry at least one OH and/or NH2 and/or NH function and/or other isocyanate-reactive groups, such as carboxyl or epoxide functions, with the proviso that at least one isocyanate is ≧difunctional.
US08030364B2

The present invention relates to a preparing method of polyols, polyurethane and polyurethane foams using the same. Polyester, polyamide and polyurethane are depolymerized with the polymeric fatty acid mono(polyhydroxyl alcohol)ide composition and additionally reacted with the polybasic acid, polyol and amine to prepare acid value of 05-˜1 mgKOH/g, hydroxyl value of 10˜500 mgKOH/g, and amine value of 1˜50 mgKOH/g in polyol. This is to transform the double bond of the unsaturated fatty acid from the component of the oils and fats into a conjugated double bond to induce the Diels-Alder reaction, and with the improvement of the reactivity to form a stable combination in the chemical structure to prevent the separate leaching appearance of fat and fatty oil from the final product. In particular, by recycling waste edible oil and waste synthetic resin that can be employed as industrially useful material, the invention provides environment advantages.
US08030356B2

The invention relates to N-hydroxysulfonamide derivatives that donate nitroxyl (HNO) under physiological conditions and are useful in treating and/or preventing the onset and/or development of diseases or conditions that are responsive to nitroxyl therapy, including heart failure and ischemia/reperfusion injury. Novel N-hydroxysulfonamide derivatives release NHO at a controlled rate under physiological conditions, and the rate of HNO release is modulated by varying the nature and location of functional groups on the N-hydroxysulfonamide derivatives.
US08030355B2

A tamsulosin controlled release tablet is formed using a water-swellable matrix-forming composition as a release controlling mechanism. The matrix forming composition comprises (i) a pH-sensitive swellable hydrophilic polymer, which is a cross-linked polyacrylic acid polymer, and (ii) a pH-insensitive swellable hydrophilic polymer. The tablet optionally contains a water insoluble binder as well.
US08030351B2

Described is a method of sanitizing animal carcasses using aqueous streams having an antimicrobial composition added to the stream. Preferably, the antimicrobial composition includes a mixture of one or more carboxylic acids having up to 18 carbon atoms and one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having up to 12 carbon atoms, preferably a mixture of a C2-C4 peroxycarboxylic acid and a C8-C12 peroxycarboxylic acid. Also described is a novel antimicrobial composition adapted for sanitizing animal carcasses containing a mixture of one or more C2-C4 peroxycarboxylic acids and one or more C8-C12 peroxycarboxylic acids and an alpha-hydroxy mono- or dicarboxylic acid.
US08030349B2

The present invention provides a method for preventing the degradation of a thermally unstable medicament in an eye drop containing the medicament thereby to stabilize the eye drop. By adding an organic amine to an eye drop containing a thermally unstable medicament, the degradation of the medicament in the eye drop can be effectively prevented, and therefore the eye drop can be stably stored.
US08030346B2

Compounds of Formula I are useful inhibitors of HIF prolyl hydroxylases. Compounds of Formula I have the following structure: where the definitions of the variables are provided herein.
US08030345B2

The present invention relates to novel compounds of general formula (I), their regioisomers, tautomeric forms, novel intermediates involved in their synthesis. The present invention also relates to a process of preparing compounds of general formula (I), their regioisomers, their tautomeric forms, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and novel intermediates involved in their synthesis.
US08030339B2

This invention relates to novel imidazole derivatives, pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and methods of treatment therewith.The compounds of the invention are useful in the treatment of central nervous system diseases and disorders, which are responsive to modulation of the GABAA receptor complex, and in particular for combating anxiety and related diseases.
US08030338B2

It is an object to provide a method for producing a 2-nitroimidazole derivative having an acyclic sugar chain in a side chain, which is suitable for production of a derivative having a radioisotope.A method for producing 1-(1-benzoyloxymethyl-2-hydroxyethyl)oxymethyl-2-nitroimidazole, characterized by reacting glycerin with a benzoylating agent to obtain 1-O-benzoylglycerin, reacting 1-O-benzoylglycerin with dimethoxymethane in the presence of a dehydrating agent to obtain 4-benzoyloxymethyl-1,3-dioxolane, and then reacting this product with 2-nitroimidazole or 2-nitro-1-trialkylsilylimidazole in the presence of a Lewis acid.
US08030325B2

A polyketide synthase complex composed of polyketide synthase with 15 total modules, a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase with 1 module, and a cytochrome P450 hydroxylase is described. Also provided are novel Streptomyces species and methods of modified Streptomyces species. Further described are novel compounds, 36-ketomeridamycin, C9-deoxomeridamycin, and C9-deoxoprolylmeridamcyin and uses thereof.
US08030319B2

The present invention provides methods for treating cancer and other pathological proliferating conditions by inhibiting mitosis using at least one pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine having the general formula (16): where X is selected from the group consisting of lower alkyls, heteroalkyls, substituted or unsubstituted aryls or heteroaryls, arylalkyls, and heteroarylalkyls; where R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyls, heteroalkyls, substituted or unsubstituted aryls or heteroaryls, arylalkyls, and heteroarylalkyls; where R2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyls, heteroalkyls, alkoxys, substituted or unsubstituted aryls or heteroaryls; where R3 is selected from the group consisting of zero, lower alkyls, heteroalkyls, alkenyls, and heteroalkenyls; and where R4 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted aryls or heteroaryls, arylalkyls, heteroarylalkyls, and hydrogen. The compound may inhibit mitosis in cells that have developed multidrug resistance due to P-glycoprotein and MRP1, and facilitate the reversal of P-glycoprotein mediated resistance.
US08030318B2

Substituted fused bicyclic pyrimidine compounds having an amide-substituted pyridylamine group at C-4 of the pyrimidine ring are useful in the treatment of conditions associated with HCV.
US08030317B2

Compounds of the following formula are provided for use with MEK: wherein the variables are as defined herein. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, kits and articles of manufacture comprising such compounds; methods and intermediates useful for making the compounds; and methods of using said compounds.
US08030316B2

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of compounds which are therapeutically active in the central nervous system.In one aspect, the invention relates to a process for the preparation of compounds of the general formula (I): wherein HA is a pharmaceutically acceptable acid and R1-R4 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, and di-C1-C6-alkylamino-C2-C6-alkoxy. The invention also relates to the use of said compound to manufacture a medicament for the treatment of a serotonin-related disorder.
US08030315B2

The present invention provides a novel heterocyclic compound containing a beta-amino group, a method for preparing the same, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same heterocyclic compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient. The heterocyclic compound of the present invention exhibits excellent DPP-IV inhibitory activity and bioavailability and therefore can be useful for the prophylaxis or treatment of DPP-IV-related diseases such as diabetes or obesity.
US08030311B2

The invention relates to compounds of the formula (I) wherein the moieties R1, R2, R3, R9, R10 and Q and X, Y and Z are as defined in the specification, and salts thereof, as well as their use, methods of use for them and method of their synthesis, and the like. The compounds are protein kinase inhibitors and can, inter alia, be used in the treatment of various proliferative diseases.
US08030304B2

The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I), pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and use thereof as corticotropin releasing factor 1 (CRF1) receptor antagonists in the treatment of psychiatric and neuroendocrine disorders, neurological diseases, and metabolic syndrome.
US08030281B2

The present invention is directed to systems, apparatus and methods for creating derivatives of at least one form of HDL without substantially affecting LDL. These derivatives of HDL are particles with reduced lipid content, particularly reduced cholesterol content. These particles have the capacity to bind cholesterol and are administered to a patient to enhance cellular cholesterol efflux and reduce cholesterol levels in cells, tissues, organs, and blood vessels. The present method is useful for treating atherogenic vascular disease and may be combined with other therapies such as statins, inhibitors of cholesterol absorption, niacin, anti-inflammatories, exercise and dietary restriction.
US08030277B2

A polypeptide having the amino acid sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, or 6, a DNA encoding the same, and an antibody against said polypeptide, and the use thereof. The above amino acid sequence has a homology with chondromodulin-I that has an effect of controlling the growth and differentiation of chondrocytes and inhibiting angiogenesis.
US08030270B2

The present invention concerns combination of an amount of a GPR119 agonist with an amount of a dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor such that the combination provides an effect in lowering a blood glucose level or in increasing a blood GLP-1 level in a subject over that provided by the amount of the GPR119 agonist or the amount of the DPP-IV inhibitor alone and the use of such a combination for treating or preventing diabetes and conditions related thereto or conditions ameliorated by increasing a blood GLP-1 level. The present invention also relates to the use of a G protein-coupled receptor to screen for GLP-1 secretagogues.
US08030265B2

A composition and for removing mineral deposits and method of making the composition is provided which includes water, a fine abrasive, a plurality of petroleum distillate products, at least one polyalcohol, at least one fatty acid, at least one non-ionic surfactant and at least one semipolar solvent. Water is present at about 20-50 wt %, abrasive particles at about 10-35 wt %, petroleum distillates at about 10-35 wt %, polyalcohol at about 0.5-5 wt %, fatty acid at about 0.5-5 wt %, non-ionic surfactant at about 1-3 wt %, and semipolar solvent at about 0.1-1 wt %. A method of removing mineral deposits from a hard surface such as glass is provided which includes applying the aforesaid composition to a hard surface and removing the composition from the surface to remove mineral deposits from the surface.
US08030249B2

Methods relating to the hydrolysis of water-hydrolysable materials are provided. In one embodiment, a method of treating at least a portion of a subterranean formation is provided, the method comprising: providing a water-hydrolysable material; introducing the water-hydrolysable material into a well bore penetrating the subterranean formation; providing a treatment fluid comprising an aqueous liquid and a water-miscible solvent; introducing the treatment fluid into the well bore so as to contact the water-hydrolysable material; and allowing the water-hydrolysable material to hydrolyze. Methods of completing a well also are provided.
US08030238B2

The present invention relates to a new zeolite having a beta-type crystalline structure, characterized by a distribution of the Lewis acid sites and Brønsted acid sites corresponding to a molar ratio [Lewis sites] [Brønsted sites] equal to or higher than 1.5. This new zeolite is useful in preparation processes of alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons through the alkylation and/or transalkylation of aromatic compounds. The preparation method of the new zeolite is also object of the present invention.
US08030231B2

The present invention relates to an absorbent personal care and/or cleansing product for cosmetic and/or dermatological applications comprising at least one non-woven absorbent sheet comprising 10 to 100 wt. % lyocell fibers and 0 to 90 wt. % of at least one other natural, man-made natural and/or synthetic fiber, wherein the lyocell fiber has a fiber titer in the range from 0.5 to 3.5 dtex, wherein the absorbent sheet has a basis weight in the range from 20 to 500 g/m2, and a tensile strength in the range from 5 to 1000 N/5 cm in machine direction and in cross direction. Further, the present invention relates to the use of said absorbent product as puffs, pads, wipes, tissues, towels, toweletts, sponges, brushes, cotton balls, gloves, mitts, cotton tip swabs or as a part thereof in cosmetic and/or dermatological applications, in particular as a basis onto which a cosmetic composition and/or dermatological cleansing and/or skin care composition, in particular in the form of a lotion, is being placed and/or into which said composition is being impregnated.
US08030216B2

A plasma processing method, which enables the etching controllability for a high-dielectric-constant insulating film to be improved. A substrate having a high-dielectric-constant gate insulating film and a hard mask formed thereon is subjected to etching processing using a plasma of a processing gas containing a noble gas and a reducing gas.
US08030212B2

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 organic compound or polymer; and patterning the deposition inhibitor material either after step (b) or simultaneously with applying the deposition inhibitor material to provide selected areas of the substrate effectively not having the deposition inhibitor material. An inorganic thin film material is substantially deposited only in the selected areas of the substrate not having the deposition inhibitor material.
US08030205B2

A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming an inter-layer insulation layer on a substrate; forming openings in the inter-layer insulation layer; forming a metal barrier layer in the openings and on the inter-layer insulation layer; forming a first conductive layer on the metal barrier layer and filled in the openings; etching the first conductive layer to form interconnection layers in the openings and to expose portions of the metal barrier layer, the interconnection layers being inside the openings and at a depth from a top of the openings; etching the exposed portions of the metal barrier layer to obtain a sloped profile of the metal barrier layer at top lateral portions of the openings; forming a second conductive layer over the inter-layer insulation layer, the interconnection layers and the metal barrier layer with the sloped profile; and patterning the second conductive layer to form metal lines.
US08030203B2

A semiconductor device and a method of forming a metal line of a semiconductor device includes a first insulating layer formed over a semiconductor substrate an etch-stop layer formed over the first insulating layer, contact holes formed by etching the etch-stop layer and the first insulating layer, Contact plugs formed within the contact holes and a second insulating layer formed over the contact plugs and the etch-stop layer. The second insulating layer is etched in order to form trenches through which the contact plugs are exposed. Metal lines are formed within the trenches. Accordingly, since a hard mask with a high dielectric constant does not remain between the metal lines, the capacitance of the metal lines can be reduced.
US08030184B2

An epitaxial wafer comprises a silicon substrate, a gettering epitaxial film formed thereon and containing silicon and carbon, and a main silicon epitaxial film formed on the gettering epitaxial film, in which the gettering epitaxial film has a given carbon atom concentration and carbon atoms are existent between its silicon lattices.
US08030182B2

By hydrogen-terminating a semiconductor surface using a solution containing HF2− ions and an oxidant, the hydrogen termination can be quickly carried out. In this case, the semiconductor surface is silicon having a (111) surface, a (110) surface, or a (551) surface.
US08030177B2

An object is to provide a method for manufacturing an SOI substrate including a single crystal silicon film whose plane orientation is (100) and a single crystal silicon film whose plane orientation is (110) with high yield. A first single crystal silicon substrate whose plane orientation is (100) is doped with first ions to form a first embrittlement layer. A second single crystal silicon substrate whose plane orientation is (110) is doped with second ions to selectively form a second embrittlement layer. Only part of the first single crystal silicon substrate is separated along the first embrittlement layer by first heat treatment, thereby forming a first single crystal silicon film. A region of the second single crystal silicon substrate, in which the second embrittlement layer is not formed, is removed. Part of the second single crystal silicon substrate is separated along the second embrittlement layer by second heat treatment, thereby forming a second single crystal silicon film.
US08030166B2

A charge trapping memory cell is described, having pocket implants along the sides of the channel and having the same conductivity type as the channel, and which implants have a concentration of dopants higher than in the central region of the channel. This effectively disables the channel in the region of non-uniform charge trapping caused by a bird's beak or other anomaly in the charge trapping structure on the side of the channel. The pocket implant can be formed using a process compatible with standard shallow trench isolation processes.
US08030156B2

Methods of etching into silicon oxide-containing material with an etching ambient having at least 75 volume percent helium. The etching ambient may also include carbon monoxide, O2 and one or more fluorocarbons. The openings formed in the silicon oxide-containing material may be utilized for fabrication of container capacitors, and such capacitors may be incorporated into DRAM.
US08030154B1

In one embodiment, a method of forming a semiconductor device is provided that includes providing a gate structure on a semiconductor substrate. Sidewall spacers may be formed adjacent to the gate structure. A metal semiconductor alloy may be formed on the upper surface of the gate structure and on an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate that is adjacent to the gate structure. An upper surface of the metal semiconductor alloy is converted to an oxygen-containing protective layer. The sidewall spacers are removed using an etch that is selective to the oxygen-containing protective layer. A strain-inducing layer is formed over the gate structure and the semiconductor surface, in which at least a portion of the strain-inducing layer is in direct contact with the sidewall surface of the gate structure. In another embodiment, the oxygen-containing protective layer of the metal semiconductor alloy is provided by a two stage annealing process.
US08030150B2

A method of fabricating a non-volatile memory integrated circuit device and a non-volatile memory integrated circuit device fabricated by using the method are provided. A device isolation region is formed in a substrate to define a cell array region and a peripheral circuit region. A plurality of first and second pre-stacked gate structures is formed in the cell array region, and each has a structure in which a lower structure, a conductive pattern and a first sacrificial layer pattern are stacked. Junction regions are formed in the cell array region. Spacers are formed on side walls of the first and second pre-stacked gate structures. A second sacrificial layer pattern filling each space between the second pre-stacked gate structures is formed. The first sacrificial layer pattern is removed from each of the first and second pre-stacked gate structures. A damascene metal layer pattern is formed in each of spaces of the first and second pre-stacked gate structures from which the first sacrificial layer pattern is removed, thus completing first and second stacked gate structures. The second sacrificial layer pattern is removed. A stop layer is formed on top surfaces of the first stacked gate structures, top surfaces and side walls of the second stacked gate structures, and a top surface of the substrate.
US08030142B2

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a first region having patterns formed based on grid points as intersections of grid lines; and a second region including a plurality of layout cells an outer edge of which is defined by the grid points, the layout cells having patterns formed based on a wiring rule with patterns connected to patterns of the first region among the patterns being formed based on the grid points at a boundary with the first region.
US08030134B2

Stacked semiconductor assemblies in which a first die is mounted active side upward on a first substrate and is electrically interconnected to the substrate by wire bonding; an adhesive/spacer structure is formed upon the active side of the first die; and a device such as a die or a package or a heat spreader, having an electrically nonconductive side, is mounted upon the adhesive/spacer structure with the electrically nonconductive side facing the first wire bonded die. The side of the device facing the first wire bonded die may be made electrically nonconductive by having an electrically insulating layer, such as a dielectric film adhesive. Also, methods for making the assemblies are disclosed.
US08030133B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing first and second semiconductor substrates, each having first and second main surfaces opposite to one another. A roughened surface is formed on at least one of the first main surface of the first semiconductor substrate and the second main surface of the second semiconductor substrate. A dielectric layer is formed on the first main surface of the semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate is disposed on the dielectric layer opposite to the first semiconductor substrate. The second main surface of the second semiconductor substrate contacts the dielectric layer.
US08030129B2

A method of manufacturing a nonvolatile memory device including forming on a lower insulating layer a first sacrificial pattern having first openings extending in a first direction, forming a second sacrificial pattern having second openings extending in a second direction on the lower insulating layer and the first sacrificial pattern wherein the second openings intersect the first openings, etching the lower insulating layer using the first and second sacrificial patterns to form a lower insulating pattern having contact holes defined by a region where the first and second openings intersect each other, forming a bottom electrode in the contact holes, and forming a variable resistance pattern on the lower insulating pattern so that a portion of the variable resistance pattern connects to a top surface of the bottom electrode.
US08030121B2

A method and apparatus for depositing a film on a substrate includes subjecting material to an energy beam.
US08030113B2

The invention comprises a 3D chip stack with an intervening thermoelectric coupling (TEC) plate. Through silicon vias in the 3D chip stack transfer electronic signals among the chips in the 3D stack, power the TEC plate, as well as distribute heat in the stack from hotter chips to cooler chips.
US08030104B2

A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device is disclosed. The method includes forming a gate electrode, a gate pad, a gate line on a substrate by using a first mask; forming a gate insulating film, an active layer, an ohmic contact layer and a conductive layer in sequence above the substrate including the gate electrode, the gate line and the gate pad; forming an active pattern, an ohmic contact pattern, source/drain electrodes, a data line and a data pad by using a second mask; forming a pixel electrode on the gate insulating film in a pixel region by using a third mask, to contact with the drain electrode; exposing the active pattern by etching the ohmic contact pattern using the source/drain electrodes as an etching mask; forming a passivation film above the substrate including the source/drain electrodes, the data line and the data pad; forming a first contact hole for exposing the gate pad and a second contact hole for exposing the data pad by etching the passivation and/or gate insulating films using a fourth mask; and forming a common electrode having a plurality of holes on the substrate by using a fifth mask.
US08030098B1

Apparatuses including pre-forming conductive bumps on bonding pads for probing and wire-bonding connections and methods for making the same are disclosed. A method may include providing a microelectronic die including a conductive bump formed on a bonding pad, and an insulating layer formed on at least a portion of a surface of the conductive bump, and probing the conductive bump to test the microelectronic die. Other embodiments are also described.
US08030096B2

The present invention provides novel, water-soluble, red-emitting fluorescent rhodamine dyes and red-emitting fluorescent energy-transfer dye pairs, as well as labeled conjugates comprising the same and methods for their use. The dyes, energy-transfer dye pairs and labeled conjugates are useful in a variety of aqueous-based applications, particularly in assays involving staining of cells, protein binding, and/or analysis of nucleic acids, such as hybridization assays and nucleic acid sequencing.
US08030095B2

A gel microdrop composition is provided. In certain embodiments, the gel microdrop composition contains a polymer matrix, an effector particle that releases an effector molecule into the polymer matrix, a first reporter particle that emits a first optically detectable signal and a second reporter particle that emits a second optically detectable signal that is distinguishable from the first optically detectable signal, where the effector particle and said first and second reporter particles are encapsulated by the polymer matrix. Methods of screening that employ the gel microdrop composition and methods of making the gel microdrop composition are also disclosed.
US08030093B2

There is provided a dispensing mechanism for a liquid to be dispensed that does not damage microspherical bodies such as an erythrocyte and a liposome in the liquid to be dispensed when the liquid to be dispensed such as a sample and test liquid is sucked/discharged with a pipette.When a liquid to be dispensed of a sample or a test liquid being an object to be measured includes a microspherical body, and the microspherical body is one with such property that it may be damaged when being contacted with a liquid having an osmotic pressure different from that of the liquid in the microspherical body, the damage of the microspherical body is prevented by sequentially sucking a gas, a solution exhibiting an osmotic pressure that does not damage the microspherical body in the liquid to be dispensed and not having a bad effect on the measurement, the gas, and the liquid to be dispensed in a pipette the inside of which is filled with a liquid, because the pipette inside wall is substituted with the solution having an osmotic pressure that does not damage the microspherical body.
US08030087B2

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method to more easily analyze the concentration of glue in an electrolyte solution, while suppressing the degradation of glue during the analysis. There is provided a method for analyzing the concentration of glue contained in an electrolyte solution containing the electrolyte components by using high performance liquid chromatography, where said method comprises a step wherein an electrolyte solution is added into the eluent pH of which has been adjusted equal to or less than 5 by adding acid to an aqueous solution of phosphate of alkaline metal or alkaline earth metal, a step wherein the eluent into which the electrolyte solution has been added is passed through a separation column the exclusion limit molecular weight of which is 4000-6000 for separating the glue and electrolyte components, and a step wherein the separated glue is detected by a detector.
US08030080B2

A system and method for automated processing of nucleic acids and other samples includes a disposable container comprising a tray and a flexible barrier. The barrier is configured to seal with a top edge of the tray, providing a closed, aseptic work area within the sealed tray. A pipette head and/or other sample manipulation device can be attached to the inside of the barrier, and the barrier can include an interface for a robotic arm or other device. When the barrier is sealed over the tray, the barrier separates the contents of the tray from the robot or other manipulation device. The barrier can be flexible, and allow the robotic arm to move the pipette head throughout the work area of the tray. All samples, reagents, pipette tips and other tools or devices for processing nucleic acid samples may remain within the closed compartment provided by the container during processing.
US08030077B2

Methods for detecting and evaluating the quality of protein crystals are provided comprising subjecting a sample to second order non-linear optical imaging and detecting the second harmonic generation signal.
US08030071B2

Gene complementation is used to restore cholesterol independence in NS lineage murine myeloma cells, such as NS0 and NS 1, yielding a selectable system for recombinant production of polynucleotides and polypeptides.
US08030070B2

The present invention relates to methods of constructing an integrated artificial immune system that comprises appropriate in vitro cellular and tissue constructs or their equivalents to mimic the normal tissues that interact with vaccines in mammals. The artificial immune system can be used to test the efficacy of vaccine candidates in vitro and thus, is useful to accelerate vaccine development and testing drug and chemical interactions with the immune system.
US08030065B2

Two mechanisms are provided for improving the expression of Factor IX in gene therapy vectors. The first is the use of a specific Factor IX polynucleotide coding sequence designed for optimal expression. The second is the use of transcriptional regulatory regions minimized in size so that they can be used to express Factor IX, as well as any other gene of interest, in a size-constrained environment such as in a self complementary gene therapy vector system.
US08030062B2

Apparatus and methods are provided for performing cell growth and cell based assays in a liquid medium. The apparatus comprises a base plate supporting a plurality of micro-channel elements, each micro-channel element comprising a cell growth chamber, an inlet channel and an outlet channel, a cover plate positioned over the base plate to define the chambers and connecting channels. Means are incorporated in the cell growth chambers, for cell attachment and cell growth. In particular, the invention provides a rotatable disc microfabricated for performing cell growth and cell based assays. The apparatus and method can be used for the growth of cells and the detection and measurement of variety of biochemical processes and products using non-invasive techniques, that is techniques which do not compromise the integrity or viability of cells.
US08030061B2

Devices, in vitro cell cultures, systems, and methods are provided for microscale cell culture analogous (CCA) device.
US08030060B2

A first embodiment is a breast cancer prognosticator comprising a detection mechanism consisting a 15-gene signature. In addition there are embodiments comprised of 23-gene signatures and 28-gene signatures. The 28-gene signature may also be used for the prognosis of ovarian cancer. A second embodiment is a method to determine metastatic potential, relapse potential, or both in breast cancer patients comprising collecting a sample from an individual, removing marker-derived polynucleotide from said sample, using a detection mechanism to search for positive matches of said polynucleotides and either the 15, 23, or 28-gene signatures, and developing a quantitative expression profile. Utilizing risk analysis the individual can be placed into one of two or more groups predicting risk and/or clincopathogic variables. Another embodiment is a method to determine relapse free potential in breast cancer patients comprising collecting a sample from an individual, removing marker-derived polynucleotide from said sample, using a detection mechanism to search for positive matches of said polynucleotides and a 24-gene signature, and developing a quantitative expression profile.
US08030059B2

A sensing element for measuring extracellular potential including a substrate, a well provided in a substrate, a guide section provided on the wall of the well, and a detective electrode formed at a lower surface of the substrate. The guide section is for guiding drug. The well is provided at the bottom with a depression, and a first throughhole penetrating through the depression and the lower surface of the substrate. The well is for mixing a subject cell, a culture solution and the drug together. The above-configured sensing element accurately measures a change generated by a subject cell.
US08030056B2

An apparatus and method for catalyzing a reaction on a substrate (24) comprising, a light source (12), a micromirror (16) positioned to redirect light (14) from the light source (12) toward a substrate (24) wherein the redirected light (14) catalyzes a chemical reaction proximate a substrate (24), is disclosed. A computer (18) is connected to; and controls, the positioning of mirrors within the micromirror (16) to specifically redirect light to specific portions of a substrate. The substrate (24) can be placed in a reaction chamber (50), wherein the light (14) that is redirected by the micromirror (16) catalyzes a chemical reaction proximate a substrate (24).
US08030054B2

This invention describes a method for cultivating micro-organisms on solid growth medium in a solid state fermenting reactor by utilising external vibration for transportation and even inoculation of the solid growth medium. The reactor to be used is realized by attaching an external vibrator and at least one inoculation feed inlet to its outer wall.
US08030053B2

An improved hydroxynitrile lyase characterized by having a mutation of substitution of at least one amino acid residue in the amino acid sequence of a wild-type hydroxynitrile lyase with another amino acid and by its hydroxynitrile lyase activity per transformant being higher than the hydroxynitrile lyase activity per transformant into which the wild-type hydroxynitrile lyase gene is introduced; and a method for producing a hydroxynitrile lyase, comprising expressing the improved hydroxynitrile lyase in a host and recovering the improved hydroxynitrile lyase from the resultant culture.
US08030042B2

The present invention provides an enzyme which catalyzes amino acid polymerization in the form of a non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) and a gene encoding the same.
US08030037B2

The invention provides methods of cultivating microalgae photoautotrophically outdoors to prepare concentrated microalgae products containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) docosahexaenoic acid, two long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oil that are very important for human and animal health. It also provides concentrated microalgae products containing EPA and DHA and purified lipid products containing EPA and DHA purified from microalgae. One embodiment provides a concentrated microalgae composition prepared by a process comprising: (a) cultivating microalgae photoautotrophically outdoors in open ponds under filtered sunlight in continuous or batch mode at a dilution rate of less than 35% per day; (b) harvesting the microalgae in exponential phase when cell number is increasing at a rate of at least 20% of maximal rate; and (c) concentrating the microalgae; wherein at least 40% by weight of lipids in the microalgae are in the form of glycodiacylglycerides, phosphodiacylglycerides, or a combination thereof and at least 5% by weight of fatty acids are DHA, EPA, or a combination thereof.
US08030030B2

A method for lignocellulose conversion to sugar with improvements in yield and rate of sugar production has been developed by using ionic liquid pretreatment. This new pretreatment strategy substantially improves the efficiency (in terms of yield and reaction rates) of saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass. Cellulose and hemicellulose, when hydrolyzed into their sugars, can be converted into ethanol fuel through well established fermentation technologies. These sugars also form the feedstocks for production of variety of chemicals and polymers. The complex structure of biomass requires proper pretreatment to enable efficient saccharification of cellulose and hemicellulose components to their constituent sugars. Current pretreatment approaches suffer from slow reaction rates of cellulose hydrolysis (by using the enzyme cellulase) and low yields.
US08030029B2

This disclosure is directed, inter alia, to polynucleotides, polypeptides, vectors, cells and compositions comprising the same, and their use in affecting viral pathogenesis, in particular for influenza viral infection.
US08030022B2

A carotenoid producing bacterium belonging to the genus Paracoccus that selectively produces canthaxanthin so that the amount thereof is not less than 90 percent by weight of the total amount of produced carotenoids including β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, echinenone, canthaxanthin, 3-hydroxyechinenone, 3′-hydroxyechinenone, zeaxanthin, phoenicoxanthin, adonixanthin, and astaxanthin. A method for producing canthaxanthin by culturing the above bacterium, and then collecting carotenoids from bacterial cells or a culture solution after the culturing.
US08030021B2

A method for inexpensive and efficient PHA biosynthesis includes operating a sequencing bioreactor in alternating phases of nutrient deprivation and carbon feedstock deprivation to select for robust PHA-producing microbes. Preferably, the bioreactor is operated in a non-sterile manner with mixed cultures of methanotrophs. The method also preferably uses periodic biomass-wasting (PHA harvesting) at the end of the carbon feed phase, gradually lengthening the time period of carbon deprivation phase to create a penalty for rapid PHA degradation and incentive for PHA accumulation. Also, bacterial enrichment cultures may be introduced periodically. The PHA-accumulating bacteria are preferably grown on common anaerobic degradation products, specifically volatile fatty acids, such as acetate and propionate, and methane gas. The PHA has useful applications in bioplastics and other products.
US08030016B2

The present invention relates to a screening method for a compound and includes a step of detecting binding between a vitamin D receptor and CDP. A novel method enabling screening in vitro of a compound having strong bone forming action and low side effects, a compound participating in osteoblast differentiation and selected by the method of screening, a therapeutic agent containing the compound for diseases intervening in the increase in vitamin D-mediated transcriptional activity by a complex of a vitamin D receptor and CDP, and a kit for performing the screening method are provided.
US08030014B2

A detection agent for high malignancy breast cancer includes an antibody against collagen XIV, or a variant or derivative or fragment of the antibody. A therapeutic agent for high malignancy breast cancer includes a conjugate of an anticancer drug and an antibody against that protein, or a variant or derivative or fragment thereof. Accordingly, it is possible to easily and accurately detect and diagnose high malignancy breast cancer.
US08030013B2

Methods and compositions are provide to allow discrimination of dysplastic nodules from early HCC nodules. More specifically, it has been determined that TERT, GPC3, gankyrin, survivin, TOP2A, LYVE1, Ecadherin, IGFBP3, PDGFRA, TGFA, cyclin D1 and HGF are differentially expressed in HCC as compared to normal liver cells and liver cells that have dysplastic, non-cancerous nodules.
US08030005B2

The present invention comprises a method for the quantitative or qualitative detection of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells and/or CD8+ T cells in a subject, said method comprising quantitatively or qualitatively detecting the expression of cell surface marker CD25 and one or more of cell surface markers CD134 and CD137 in a suitable lymphocyte-containing sample from said subject in response to exposure to an antigen. A method for determining the immunocompetence of a subject and a method for isolating antigen-specific CD4+ and/or CD8+ T cells is also disclosed.
US08029993B2

The present invention provides methods and compositions for asymmetrically tagging a nucleic acid fragment using asymmetric adapters.
US08029988B2

Methods of recombining nucleic acids, including homologous nucleic acids, are provided. Families of gene shuffling oligonucleotides and their use in recombination procedures, as well as polymerase and ligase mediated recombination methods are also provided.
US08029985B2

A method for assaying a biological sample includes forming sensitized microcapsules filled with unique oligomarkers, capturing sensitized microcapsules in the presence of analytes, releasing oligomarkers from microcapsules and detecting and measuring oligomarkers to detect and quantify presence of analyte in biological sample. Using encapsulated oligomarkers provides for an amplified high sensitivity assay and using plurality of oligomarker types provides for a multiplexed assay.
US08029984B2

The invention provides materials and methods for colorectal cancer screening, diagnosis, and therapy.
US08029979B2

The invention relates to a method for determining the substrate specificity of an enzymatic activity comprising the following steps: providing an assembly comprising a plurality of amino acid sequences on a planar surface of a support material, whereby the amino acids are directionally immobilized; contacting and/or incubating of an enzymatic activity with the assembly; and detection of a reaction between one of the amino acid sequences that are immobilized on the assembly and the enzymatic activity. According to the invention, during the reaction of the enzymatic activity with the assembly, a change in the molecular weight of at least one of the amino acid sequences takes place.
US08029963B2

A charge adjuvant for promoting charging of toner particles comprising a dielectric carrier liquid; and an organic aluminum salt dissolved in the liquid, said organic aluminum salt being soluble in the carrier liquid at room temperature is disclosed. Also disclosed are solutions of the charge adjuvant with a charge director, a method of producing toner utilizing the charge adjuvant and a liquid toner.
US08029962B2

A developing agent including a core containing an amorphous polyester resin and a fatty acid ester based wax, a shell provided on the surface of the core and containing a copolymer of an aromatic vinyl monomer and acrylic acid or an acrylic ester, and a coloring agent.
US08029951B2

Provided is a colored curable composition, comprising at least one tetraazaporphyrin dye represented by the following Formula (C1), a color filter prepared by using the same, and a production method thereof. wherein, R1 represents a substituent group; L represents an aliphatic or aromatic connecting group; Z1 represents a non-metal atom group needed for forming a six-membered ring with carbon atoms; at least one of the multiple groups R1 has —OY, —COOY, —SO3Y, —CON(Y)CO—, —CON(Y)SO2— or —SO2N(Y)CO—; Y represents a hydrogen atom, a metal atom or a conjugate acid; and M represents two hydrogen atoms, a bivalent metal atom, a bivalent metal oxide, a bivalent metal hydroxide or a bivalent metal chloride.
US08029948B2

A photomask blank has a light shieldable film formed on a light transmitting substrate. The light shieldable film has a light shielding layer which is formed of molybdenum silicide metal containing molybdenum in a content greater than 20 atomic % and not greater than 40 atomic % and which has a thickness smaller than 40 nm, an antireflection layer formed on the light shielding layer in contact with the light shielding layer and formed of a molybdenum silicide compound containing at least one of oxygen and nitrogen, and a low reflection layer formed under the light shielding layer in contact with the light shielding layer.
US08029947B2

Methods, systems, and tool sets involving reticles and photolithography processing. Several embodiments of the invention are directed toward obtaining qualitative data from within the pattern area of a reticle that is indicative of the physical characteristics of the pattern area. Additional embodiments of the invention are directed toward obtaining qualitative data indicative of the physical characteristics of the reticle remotely from a photolithography tool. These two aspects of the invention can be combined in further embodiments in which qualitative data is obtained from within the pattern area of a reticle in a tool that is located remotely from the photolithography tool. As a result, several embodiments of methods and systems in accordance with the invention provide data taken from within the pattern area to more accurately reflect the contour of the pattern area of the reticle without using the photolithography tool to obtain such measurements. This is expected to provide more accurate data for correcting the photolithography tool to compensate for variances in the pattern area, and it is expected to increase throughput because the photolithography tool is not taken away from processing production wafers to measure the reticle.
US08029943B2

A flow field plate for a fuel cell that has one or more outer layers that makes the plate more conductive and hydrophilic. In one embodiment, the coating is co-deposited as combination of a conductive material and a metal oxide coating. A suitable conductive material is gold and suitable metal oxides include SiO2, HfO2, ZrO2, Al2O3, SnO2, Ta2O5, Nb2O5, MoO2, IrO2, RuO2 and mixtures thereof. The conductive material and metal oxide can also be deposited as two separate layers, where the metal oxide is the outer layer. According to another embodiment, a metal layer is deposited on the plate with nanopores that provide the hydrophilicity. Also, doping ions can be added to the metal oxide to provide low fluoride solubility of the coating to control the rate that hydrofluoric acid etches away the oxide layer.
US08029941B2

A proton-conducting structure that exhibits favorable proton conductivity in the temperature range of not lower than 100° C., and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. After a pyrophosphate salt containing Sn, Zr, Ti or Si is mixed with phosphoric acid, the mixture is maintained at a temperature of not less than 80° C. and not more than 150° C., and thereafter maintained at a temperature of not less than 200° C. and not more than 400° C. to manufacture a proton-conducting structure. The proton-conducting structure of the present invention has a core made of tin pyrophosphate, and a coating layer formed on the surface of the core, the coating layer containing Sn and O, and having a coordination number of O with respect to Sn of greater than 6.
US08029932B2

An anode capable of improving cycle characteristics and a battery using it are provided. An anode active material layer containing Si is provided on an anode current collector. The anode current collector is roughened by providing a projection on a base material with a ten point height of roughness profile Rz1 of 2.0 μm or less. A value of a difference, Rz2−Rz1 obtained by subtracting the ten point height of roughness profile Rz1 of the base material from a ten point height of roughness profile Rz2 of the anode current collector is from 0.2 μm to 5.1 μm. Thereby, even when the anode active material is expanded and shrunk due to charge and discharge, breakage of the anode current collector, fall off of the anode active material layer and the like can be prevented.
US08029931B2

An anode active material comprises graphite core particles, and a first coating layer and a second coating layer formed on the surface of the graphite core particles. The first coating layer comprises silicon microparticles and the second coating layer comprises carbon fiber.
US08029925B2

An electrochemical energy storage cell is provided, in particular an accumulator or a double layer capacitor. In the energy storage cell a core tube, which is open on its two ends, runs through the energy storage cell. Leads may be disposed inside the core tube and gaseous decomposition products, issuing from the energy storage cell, may be vented through the core tube. Furthermore, a cooling of the energy storage cell may take place by way of the core tube. An electronic circuit arranged in the cell monitors parameters of the energy storage cell.
US08029915B2

The present invention provides a highly corrosion-resistant plated steel sheet that can achieve excellent surface smoothness and formability and, according to the process of the present invention, a hot-dip galvanized steel product excellent in surface smoothness and formability having on the steel product surface a zinc alloy plating layer composed of 4 to 22% by mass of Al, 1 to 5% by mass of Mg, 0.000001 to 0.1% by mass of Ti, 0.000001 to 0.5% by mass of Si and the balance of Zn and unavoidable impurities, the plating layer of the plated steel product having a metal structure in which an [Mg2Si phase], an [Al phase], a [Zn2Mg phase] and a [Zn phase] are present in a mixture in the matrix of an [Al/Zn/Zn2Mg ternary eutectic structure], and the plating layer containing a Ti—Al base intermetallic compound in the [Al phase] and/or the [Zn2Mg phase] and/or the [Zn phase], is produced.
US08029910B2

The present invention is directed to a composite comprising a resin element comprising a resin composition and a vulcanized rubber element formed by vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber, wherein the resin composition comprises a resin, a vulcanization-activating agent for improving adhesiveness of the resin to a rubber, and a stabilizer, and the resin composition and the vulcanized rubber are directly joined together.
US08029909B2

A multilayer film of which the optical properties hardly change due to heat and where detachment hardly occurs between layers is provided. The multilayer film has a structure where five or more layers made of thermoplastic resin A (layers A) and five or more layers made of thermoplastic resin B (layers B) having a basic skeleton that is the same as that of thermoplastic resin A are alternately layered on top of each other, and is wherein at least one reflection peak is provided and the difference between the reflectance of the reflection peak before heating and after heating for 30 minutes in an atmosphere of 150° C. is no greater than 15%.
US08029906B2

Compositions and methods for treating metal substrates and/or bonding metal substrates to polymeric materials, such as rubber, are provided. The compositions include at least one substantially hydrolyzed amino silane and at least one substantially hydrolyzed sulfur-containing silane Optionally, the compositions include a nano-size particulate material. The compositions provide coatings on metal substrates for protecting the metal from corrosion and for adhering rubber-like polymeric compositions to the metal with polymer-to-metal vulcanization conditions less dependent on the coating thickness, and with use of less coating materials.
US08029902B2

Bactericidal substrates and methods of functionalizing the surface of substrates with quaternary ammonium and quaternary phosphonium groups using non-equilibrium RF plasmas are provided. The methods include the step of treating the surface of a substrate with a plasma to create surface active sites. Some methods include the step of reacting the surface active sites with linker molecules, which are then reacted with quaternary ammonium precursor molecules to provide a substrate surface functionalized with quaternary ammonium precursor groups. Other methods react the surface active sites with polymer precursor molecules under plasma conditions to form a covalently-bound polymer layer having reactive sites. The polymer reactive sites are reacted with quaternary phosphonium precursor molecules to provide a substrate surface functionalized with quaternary phosphonium groups. Also provided are bactericidal substrates having immobilized, covalently-bound quaternary ammonium or quaternary phosphonium groups.
US08029896B2

Provided is a material for gas barrier containing cellulose fibers having an average fiber diameter of not more than 200 nm, wherein the content of the carboxyl group in a cellulose composing the cellulose fiber is 0.1 to 2 mmol/g. A molded composite having gas barrier properties such as high oxygen barrier properties can be produced by applying the material for gas barrier on a substrate and drying.
US08029889B1

The present invention relates to prepregs, towpregs and preforms made from curable compositions of (a) benzoxazines, (b) a combination of adducts a first of which is prepared from hydroxy-containing compounds, isocyanate-containing compounds and phenolic compounds and the second of which is prepared from the first adduct and epoxy-containing compounds, (c) components reactive with the benzoxazine, such as epoxy resins, episulfide resins and oxetane resins, (d) tougheners, such as polyether sulfones, ATBN and core shell materials and (e) a silica component, where the silica has a mean particle diameter on the order of 10−9 meters.
US08029888B2

A transparent high density polyethylene (HDPE) sheet is disclosed. The sheet has a thickness greater than or equal to 0.05 mm and a bulk haze less than 2%. The HDPE resin is converted into a sheet by thermal processing and the sheet is then uniaxially oriented at a temperature above the melting point of the HDPE resin. The transparent HDPE sheet of the invention can be used for windows and plastic containers.
US08029880B2

A water resistant floor board comprises a top layer, a tongue connector, a groove connector, a body, and a bottom layer. The body is made from a man-made material and placed between the tongue connector and the groove connector, and the top layer is placed above the body, the tongue connector, and the groove connector. The bottom layer is a moisture resistant aluminum foil covering the body, the tongue connector, and the groove connector. The tongue and groove connectors are made from moisture resistant solid wood, and the body is made from man-made material. The top layer has a moisture resistant coating.
US08029879B2

A display device includes a pair of glass substrates. On the side of each of the pair of glass substrates, a press mark is formed between a first end of each of the pair of glass substrates and a position at least 0.3 mm but no more than 3 mm away from the first end, another press mark is formed between a second end of each of the pair of glass substrates and a position at least 0.3 mm but no more than 3 mm away from the second end, a scribing groove having a predetermined scribing amount is formed between the press marks, and there are rib marks in the scribing groove.
US08029874B2

In a plasma processing apparatus provided with control means, gas supply means includes a first gas supply path for supplying a vent gas into a processing chamber by way of a shower plate and a second gas supply path for supplying a vent gas into the processing chamber without via the shower plate, and the control means is capable of adjusting a flow rate of the vent gas of at least one of the first and second gas supply paths in such a manner that a pressure on a back side of the shower plate becomes a pressure that is a positive pressure relative to a pressure in the processing chamber and less than a withstand pressure of the shower plate.
US08029871B2

A silica aerogel coating is produced by reacting a wet gel obtained by the hydrolysis and polymerization of alkoxysilane with an organic-modifying agent to form organically modified silica, dispersing the organically modified silica by an ultrasonic treatment to form an organically modified silica dispersion, adding an ultraviolet-curable resin and a photo-polymerization initiator to the dispersion to prepare a coating liquid, applying the coating liquid to a substrate, and then irradiating ultraviolet rays to the coated layer.
US08029868B1

A method of forming a composite roofing overlay is provided which includes applying a bedding cement to a roofing surface, embedding a porous fabric in the bedding cement, followed by application of a primer and an elastomeric sealer. The bedding cement includes water-based paint waste and sand.
US08029861B2

A phase change ink including a colorant and a carrier including a tri-ester of the formula wherein R1, R2 and R3, and n are as defined herein.
US08029858B2

The invention includes methods of forming material on a substrate and methods of forming a field effect transistor gate oxide. In one implementation, a first species monolayer is chemisorbed onto a substrate within a chamber from a gaseous first precursor. The first species monolayer is discontinuously formed over the substrate. The substrate having the discontinuous first species monolayer is exposed to a gaseous second precursor different from the first precursor effective to react with the first species to form a second species monolayer, and effective to form a reaction product of the second precursor with substrate material not covered by the first species monolayer. The substrate having the second species monolayer and the reaction product is exposed to a third gaseous substance different from the first and second precursors effective to selectively remove the reaction product from the substrate relative to the second species monolayer. Other implementations are contemplated.
US08029846B2

Beverage products and methods for making the same are disclosed. The beverage products comprise a non-nutritive sweetener comprising rebaudioside A and at least one of tagatose, and erythritol, and an acidulant comprising lactic, tartaric, and citric acids.
US08029844B2

A method for making a pastry shell includes the provision of an upward-facing female die, including an open-bottomed baking ring, and a downward-facing male die, and urging the two dies toward each other with a selected volume of dough inserted therebetween such that the male die is inserted concentrically into the female die to form the dough into an unbaked pastry shell conforming substantially to the die space defined between the male and female dies and having a substantially flat, horizontal floor and vertical annular side walls that intersect the floor at substantially a right angle. The baking ring, gasket and unbaked pastry shell define an assembly that is then removed from the forming apparatus, conveyed to a separate oven and baked in the oven such that the baking ring supports the walls of the pastry shell during the conveying and the baking of the shell.
US08029837B2

Provided is a disintegrable or non-disintegrable oral flavor delivery product. The product includes a disintegrable or non-disintegrable chewable pouch with a plurality of perforations. The pouch encloses a non-tobacco flavor product that can be in a gel, semi-liquid, and/or liquid form. A user chews, sucks, and/or manipulates the pouch to cause the enclosed flavor product to leach out of the perforations into the user's mouth.
US08029836B2

Non-perishable plant-derived decorative food items are described, as are methods for making such articles.
US08029835B2

A grain-based food product comprising a grain-based component covered by a moisture-sensitive powder layer and a binding layer adhering the powder layer to the grain-based component. The binding layer is chosen so that the powder layer can later disperse into a liquid that is added just prior to consumption. The powder layer comprises a component of interest to make the product more interesting to consume. For example, the component of interest can be chosen to produce a difference in color, appearance, texture or flavor of the food product in the presence of a liquid, such as milk or water.
US08029830B2

The present invention relates to a new composition comprising substances that promote DNA repair, reduce body fat levels and increase lean body mass and that decrease wrinkle appearance and/or improvement in skin surface. In some aspects, the composition of the present invention include resveratrol, forskohlin and astaxanthin. In another aspect the composition of the present invention further comprises carboxy alkyl ester. The present invention also relates to a method of promoting internal health and external appearance in a subject in need, said method comprising administering to the subject a composition that promotes DNA repair, reduces body fat levels and increases lean body mass and that decreases wrinkle appearance and/or improvement in skin surface.
US08029828B1

A soil amendment or fertilizer composition made from treating chicken litter or similar animal waste, containing excessive amounts of soluble phosphorus and nitrates, with an alkali metal silicate based solution, possibly after mixing with an aqueous alkali earth metal salt solution useful as an activator. The treatment composition and any activator greatly increases the chemical binding of the soluble phosphorus and/or nitrates present in the animal waste or nearby environment such as soil or water.
US08029826B2

The invention features methods of treating a macrophage-associated neurodegenerative disease such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD), or multiple sclerosis (MS) in a subject by administering chlorite in an amount effective to decrease blood immune cell activation. The invention also features methods of monitoring therapy by assessing blood immune cell activation before and after therapy.
US08029812B2

This invention relates to personal care compositions containing polytrimethylene ether glycol in a variety of physical forms including solutions, gels, oil-in-water emulsions, water-in-oil emulsions, suspensions and solids. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the polytrimethylene ether glycol is derived predominantly from monomers obtained from renewable resources, making the personal care products of this embodiment of the present invention more environmentally friendly in terms of their manufacture, use and disposal.
US08029807B2

The present invention discloses a Gram negative bacterium in which the expression of a protein involved in LPS transport to the outer membrane is functionally downregulated such that the level of LPS in the outer membrane is decreased compared to a wild-type Gram negative bacterium. Down regulation of Imp and MsbA proteins can result in such a bacterium. Outer membrane vesicle preparations derived from the Gram negative bacterium of the invention can be used in vaccines to provide protection against bacterial infection.
US08029804B2

Recombinant chimeric antigens comprising unmodified and modified reactive polypeptide fragments of expressed product of the recombinant 56 kDa proteins of multiple strain of scrub typhus, such as Karp, Kato (Ktr56), Gilliam (Gmr56), and TA763 (TAr56). The invention is useful for detecting prior exposure to a number of strains of scrub typhus, based on the strength of reaction toward the chimeric protein and as a component in vaccine formulations and production of immune globulins for passive prophylaxis and immunity in subjects against heterologous infections.
US08029803B2

Disclosed herein are the nucleotide sequences, deduced amino acid sequences as well as methods and compositions necessary to elicit immune responses against chronic Hepatitis B infections in animals and humans. Immune response is enhanced by fusing relevant viral antigens with xenotypic immunoglobulin heavy chain region through a peptide linker and producing the fusion proteins in Baculovirus expression system to incorporate high mannose glycosylation. By virtue of the antibody component, the fusion proteins bind to Fc receptors on the surface of antigen presenting cells, are taken up, processed and derived peptides are presented on MHC Class I, which elicit a CTL (Th1) response. In a similar fashion, due to cross priming and presentation on MHC Class II, will elicit a humoral (Th2) response. In addition, disclosed are the methods of cloning, expression and production of the fusion proteins.
US08029800B2

The invention relates to novel insertion sites useful for the integration of HIV DNA sequences into the MVA genome, and to the resulting recombinant MVA derivatives.
US08029799B2

It is described the use of thymosin alpha in combination with dacarbazine and optionally with Interferon alpha, for preparing a medicament for the treatment of malignant melanoma on stage IV characterized by distant unresectable metastases.
US08029798B2

The invention concerns a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a certain number of infections caused by pathogenic agents such as bacteria, comprising as immunogen, one or several polyosides derived from one or several pathogenic agents. The polyosides are in the form of conjugates, coupled with a carrier protein. The composition contains at least two types of conjugates, each being at least characterised by a different protein carrier.
US08029796B2

The present invention provides synthetic compounds, antibodies that recognize and bind to these compounds, polynucleotides that encode these compounds, and immune effector cells raised in response to presentation of these epitopes. The invention further provides methods for inducing an immune response and administering immunotherapy to a subject by delivering the compositions of the invention.
US08029783B2

The invention concerns anti-DR5 antibodies with improved properties, compositions comprising such antibodies, methods and means for making such antibodies, and their therapeutic use, in particular in the treatment of cancer.
US08029782B2

The present invention relates to the use of ribonucleases (RNases) in the treatment or prevention of disease.
US08029768B2

A pharmaceutical composition for pulmonary delivery comprises glycopyrrolate in a controlled release formulation, wherein, on administration, the glycopyrrolate exerts its pharmacological effect over a period greater than 12 hours.
US08029764B2

Particular genes are aberrantly and consistently expressed in both adenomas and carcinomas of the colon. Products of such genes provide stool and serum markers for colorectal neoplasia. One particular tumor marker, Renal Dipeptidase (RDP), is expressed at high levels in tumors and at greatly reduced levels in normal tissues. The elevated expression of RDP occurs early and remains elevated during the neoplastic process. RDP may therefore be especially useful as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of colorectal neoplasia, even of presymptomatic colorectal neoplasia.
US08029760B2

According to a method of manufacturing carbon nanotubes, minute concavities and convexities are formed at a surface of a substrate, a catalyst metal layer having a predetermined film thickness is formed on the surface having the concavities and convexities, the substrate is subject to a heat treatment at a predetermined temperature to change the catalyst metal layer into a plurality of isolated fine particles. The catalyst metal fine particles have a uniform particle diameter and uniform distribution. Then, the substrate supporting the plurality of fine particles is placed in a carbon-containing gas atmosphere to grow carbon nanotubes on the catalyst metal fine particles by a CVD method using the carbon-containing gas. The carbon nanotubes can be formed to have a desired diameter and a desired shell number with superior reproducibility.
US08029755B2

Methods for the synthesis of tricalcium phosphates are presented, as well as a series of specific reaction parameters that can be adjusted to tailor, in specific ways, properties in the tricalcium phosphate precursor precipitate. Particulate tricalcium phosphate compositions having an average crystal size of about 250 nm or less are provided. Compositions of the invention can be used as prosthetic implants and coatings for prosthetic implants.
US08029754B2

The present invention relates to cerium oxide powder and a process for producing the same. The cerium oxide powder of the invention, which is produced by mixing a cerium source such as cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide and cerium carbonate with an alkali metal compound, as flux, and performing high temperature treatment, may have a variety particle size while having spherical shape.
US08029751B2

The present invention is directed to a precious metal recovery process in which basic ferric sulphates and/or jarosites are controlled by a number of mechanisms, including control of the oxidation reaction conditions in the first autoclave compartment, hot curing of the autoclave discharge slurry, and/or contacting of the autoclave feed slurry with the hot cured discharge liquid.
US08029747B2

Pressure equalizing device comprising a fluid container for attachment to a receptacle such as a vial to permit pressure equalization between the fluid container and the receptacle. The pressure equalizing device comprises a flow channel that is arranged to provide fluid communication into or out of the fluid container when the pressure equalizing device is attached to the receptacle. The pressure equalizing device also comprises a fluid inlet that contains a one-way valve that permits fluid to flow into the fluid container via said fluid inlet and that prevents fluid from flowing out of the fluid container via said fluid inlet and filter-receiving means that are arranged to permit fluid flowing into or out of the fluid container to be filtered when the filter-receiving means comprises a filter.
US08029745B2

Systems for filling sample array by droplet dragging are provided. One aspect of the invention provides an array filling system for filling a platen having a platen surface and an array of receptacles, the receptacles having an internal surface and the receptacles separated by the platen surface, the system comprising: a liquid transfer device capable of holding liquid; and a controller configured to position the liquid transfer device in proximity to the platen surface and to move the liquid transfer device across the surface and over the receptacles to be filled so as to cause sequential communication of liquid in the liquid transfer device with the interior surface of each receptacle.
US08029743B2

A microfluidic device with a vertical injection aperture is provided. The microfluidic device comprises a separation channel, an injection aperture disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the separation channel. The microfluidic device further comprises a semi-permeable filter disposed adjacent to the injection aperture, wherein the filter is configured to preconcentrate a sample in the injection aperture to form a preconcentrated sample plug during an injection operation, and wherein the sample plug flows downwardly from the injection aperture to the separation channel during an electrophoresis operation.
US08029738B2

Methods and devices for removing inflammable gases produced by radiolysis in a closed chamber containing radioactive matters comprising organic compounds and possibly water, or radioactive matters in the presence of organic compounds and possibly water. Inside the chamber there may be placed a catalyst of at least one reaction for oxidizing the inflammable gases by oxygen contained in the chamber atmosphere, supported by an inert solid support; a catalyst of at least the reaction for oxidizing CO to CO2; possibly an oxygen source; and possibly a hygroscopic microporous inert solid support. Also, chambers for radioactive matters containing such devices.
US08029733B2

A reaction vessel having a reaction chamber for holding a sample is fabricated by producing a housing having a rigid frame defining the minor walls of the chamber. The housing also defines a port for introducing fluid into the chamber. At least one sheet or film is attached to the rigid frame to form at least one major wall of the chamber. In preferred embodiments, two sheets or films are attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form two opposing major walls of the chamber, the major walls being connected to each other by the minor walls.
US08029727B2

Solutions for limiting the undesirable spread of pathogens by indirect contact are provided. The solutions involve event-controlled self-sterilization of contact surfaces on articles or fixtures. A self-sterilizing contact surface structure allows chemical sterilizing agents to controllably flow in response to a contact event, from within the article to exude upon a portion of the contact surface.
US08029724B2

A method of making a cutting insert using powder metallurgical methods including using a press with a main pressing direction and a press tool setup with a die, a male core rod, a female core rod, a bottom punch, a top punch and a feed shoe. The insert has a noncylindrical hole perpendicular to the main pressing direction, herein referred to as a cross-hole. A cross-hole with increased dimensional accuracy is obtained if the powder also is compacted by the two core rods.
US08029723B2

Shaped filtration articles are made from a monocomponent nonwoven web formed by flowing first and second fiber-forming materials of the same polymeric composition through first and second die cavities in respective fluid communication with first and second sets of orifices in a meltblowing die tip. The first fiber-forming material flows at a lesser flow rate or viscosity through the first die cavity and first set of orifices to form a set of smaller size filaments and the second fiber-forming material flows at a greater flow rate or viscosity through the second die cavity and second set of orifices to form a set of larger size filaments. The collected nonwoven web contains a meltblown bimodal mass fraction/fiber size mixture of intermingled continuous microfibers and larger size fibers of the same polymeric composition.
US08029721B2

Mold assemblies for compression molding of footwear components include molds, heating elements, conductor plates, insulating layers and carrier trays. An upper mold assembly is placed into a fixture attached to an upper press platen. A lower mold assembly slides into and out of a fixture attached to a lower press platen. Heating elements within the mold assemblies connect to electrical contacts in the fixtures when the mold assemblies are installed in the fixtures, thereby providing electrical power to the heating elements and heating the molds. A conveyor is positioned to receive a mold assembly from (or transfer a mold assembly to) the lower press platen fixture when the lower platen is in a lowered position.
US08029705B2

A method of making an optical element that includes a thermoplastic power portion, the method including laminating a first thermoplastic sheet to one side of a functional film, laminating a second thermoplastic sheet to a second side of the functional film, and affixing either the first thermoplastic sheet or the second thermoplastic sheet to the power portion, with the other of the first or second thermoplastic sheets being open to atmosphere.
US08029704B2

A composition made up of an inorganic fire-retardant having at least a bimodal distribution of particle sizes.
US08029699B2

A phosphor providing orange-yellow radiation is prepared from a cerium activated rare-earth garnet substrate that contains Li (lithium), Si (silicon), N (nitrogen) and F (fluorine) atoms, obtaining the overall stoichiometric equation of (ΣLn)3Al5-x-yLiy/3Mgx/2Si(x/2+2y/3)Fq/2O12-qNq/2. When the activating wavelength is 440˜475 nm, the orange sub-energy band becomes 542˜590 nm, and the radiation quatum ouput q>0.9, showing a cubic crystal garnet structure. The phosphor has color coordinate Σ(x+y)≧0.89, and color purity α≧0.89. The invention also provides a warm white LED that has light intensity J≧300 cd, half open angle 2θ≧60°, luminous efficiency 65≦ζ≦100 lm/W, and color temperature within 2800≦T≦5500K.
US08029694B2

A thermally conductive polymer composition comprising liquid crystalline polymer; metal alloy having a melting point of between about 200° C. and about 500° C.; and thermally conductive filler other than the metal alloy. The composition has a volume resistivity of at least about 1×1013 Ω·cm and a thermal conductivity of at least about 0.7 W/m·K.
US08029690B2

A process for preparing a highly pure quaternary ammonium salt comprising: (1) adding a quaternary ammonium hydroxide salt or quaternary ammonium carbonate to a quaternary ammonium salt containing a protonic acid salt of a tertiary amine as an impurity and thereby neutralizing the tertiary amine protonic acid salt with the quaternary ammonium hydroxide salt or carbonate to convert the acid salt to a tertiary amine and water and to convert the quaternary ammonium hydroxide salt or carbonate to a quaternary ammonium salt at the same time, and (2) removing the tertiary amine and water produced from the system.
US08029687B2

The present invention provides a low-cost polishing slurry having excellent effect with respect to defects and smoothness of the surface to be polished. The polishing slurry comprises a silica abrasive and a ceria abrasive, wherein the silica abrasive content is less than 3 mass % and the ceria abrasive content is less than 1 mass %, based on the entire polishing slurry. Further, the present invention provides a method for producing a crystallized glass substrate for an information recording medium, wherein the method use a polishing slurry of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for producing an information recording medium, comprising forming a recording layer on a crystallized glass substrate for an information recording medium obtained by the present method.
US08029683B2

A solar cell is fabricated by etching one or more of its layers without substantially etching another layer of the solar cell. In one embodiment, a copper layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching a topmost metallic layer comprising tin. For example, an etchant comprising sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide may be employed to etch the copper layer selective to the tin layer. A particular example of the aforementioned etchant is a Co-Bra Etch® etchant modified to comprise about 1% by volume of sulfuric acid, about 4% by volume of phosphoric acid, and about 2% by volume of stabilized hydrogen peroxide. In one embodiment, an aluminum layer in the solar cell is etched without substantially etching the tin layer. For example, an etchant comprising potassium hydroxide may be employed to etch the aluminum layer without substantially etching the tin layer.
US08029677B2

A water purification method and devices, and in particular a purification method effective against microbes, that uses a silane-based antimicrobial, and in particular the AEGIS MICROBE SHIELD antimicrobial, where the antimicrobial is embedded, coated, or otherwise permanently applied to a substrate or carrier, such as a solid, a porous solid, fibers or the like. A volume of microbe contaminated water is exposed to the antimicrobial carrier for sufficient residence time such that sufficient quantities of microbes are eradicated and the water is made potable. The antimicrobial carrier may be an object suspended or placed into a container or reservoir for the water, or the antimicrobial carrier may comprise the container or reservoir itself. Particulate filters or the like may also be combined with the antimicrobial container to remove other undesirable contaminants.
US08029668B2

An apparatus and method for treating raw water. The apparatus comprises a vessel having an inlet for the raw water and an outlet for the skimmed water, and wherein the vessel contains the raw water, and a rotor mechanism for creating a plurality of gas bubbles within the raw water. The apparatus further comprises a disperser device, operatively associated with the rotor mechanism, for dispersing the plurality of gas bubbles from the rotor mechanism within the vessel, and wherein the gas bubbles create an oily froth on the top of the raw water, and a skim tray, positioned about the rotor mechanism, is provided for removing the oily froth from the top of the raw water as well as a secondary skimmer positioned within the skim tray. In one preferred embodiment, an external skim tank that is configured to deliver a gas to the rotor mechanism and wherein the external skim tank is configured to receive the oily froth from the secondary skimmer.
US08029664B2

A variable wash flow filter assembly includes a wash velocity control cone movable between a minimal position and a maximum position.
US08029648B2

In a method for moistening a material web, particularly a moving web, particularly a paper or cardboard web, the moisture is applied onto the material web via at least two medium flows of different temperatures, particularly two vapor flows, or one vapor flow and one gas flow.
US08029647B2

Process for the production of paper, board and cardboard by draining a paper stock on a wire with sheet formation and drying of the sheets, the sheet formation being carried out in the absence of finely divided inorganic flocculants and (a) polymers comprising vinylamine units and/or polyvinylformamide having a molar mass Mw of, in each case, at least 1 million and (b) at least one cationic or nonionic polyacrylamide and/or one cationic or nonionic polymethacrylamide having a molar mass Mw of, in each case, at least 2.5 million being used as retention aids.
US08029646B2

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of forming a cellulose article having a specific volume of less than 3 cc/gm. The method includes the step of incorporating cellulose fibers with a compound, wherein the compound includes an aqueous dispersion. The aqueous dispersion may have at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-based thermoplastic polymer, a propylene-based thermoplastic polymer, and mixtures thereof; at least one polymeric stabilizing agent; and water. In certain embodiments, a combined amount of the at least one polymer and the at least one stabilizing agent comprises about 25 to about 74 volume percent of the aqueous dispersion.
US08029621B2

A raw material feeding device for feeding a gaseous raw material formed by sublimating a solid raw material to a film formation system includes a raw material container for holding the solid raw material therein, a first heating unit placed at a first side of the container, a second heating unit placed at a second side thereof, the first temperature control unit for conducting a first process of controlling the first and the second heating unit to make the temperature of the first side higher than that of the second side to thereby sublimate the solid raw material disposed at the first side, and the second temperature control unit for conducting a second process of controlling the first and the second heating unit to make the temperature of the second side higher than that of the first side to thereby sublimate the solid raw material disposed at the second side.
US08029620B2

In a first aspect, a method is provided for forming an epitaxial layer stack on a substrate. The method includes (1) selecting a target carbon concentration for the epitaxial layer stack; (2) forming a carbon-containing silicon layer on the substrate, the carbon-containing silicon layer having at least one of an initial carbon concentration, a thickness and a deposition time selected based on the selected target carbon concentration; and (3) forming a non-carbon-containing silicon layer on the carbon-containing silicon layer prior to etching. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08029617B2

A lightweight concrete composition containing from 10 to 90 volume percent of a cement composition, from 10 to 90 volume percent of particles having an average particle diameter of from 0.2 mm to 8 mm, a bulk density of from 0.03 g/cc to 0.64 g/cc, an aspect ratio of from 1 to 3, and from 0 to 50 volume percent of aggregate; where the sum of components used does not exceed 100 volume percent, and where after the lightweight concrete composition is set it has a compressive strength of at least 1700 psi as tested according to ASTM C39 after seven days. The concrete composition can be used to make concrete masonry units, construction panels, road beds and other articles.
US08029616B2

A cover composition that can be applied to a bulk material pile, such as landfill refuse, to protect the pile from wind, precipitation, and access by animals and insects is provided. The cover composition is a mixture of a liquid, typically, water; bentonite clay; and synthetic fibers. The composition may be enhanced by the addition of one or more of the following additives: Portland cement, pregelatinized wheat starch, synthetic polymers, soda ash, and latex paint. Unlike prior art cover compositions, the disclosed composition adheres well to waste material, most notably plastics, whereby the composition is easy to apply and provides a substantially uniform, durable protective cover to landfill refuse piles and other bulk materials. Methods of applying the composition to bulk material piles are also disclosed.
US08029615B2

A pearlescent pigment includes a ceramic flake coated with a metal oxide. The metal oxide is, preferably, an oxide of titanium, iron, tin, chromium1, zirconium or a combination thereof, and the refractive index of the metal oxide coating is preferably at least 0.5 higher than that of the ceramic flake. The pearlescent pigment may be included in a coating applied to a metallic or plastic surface to give the surface a lustrous or pearlescent optical effect.
US08029614B2

There are provided a dry aggregate mixture wherein the binder, even when heated, does not evolve unpleasant odor or gas hazardous to human health; a method of foundry molding wherein a space for foundry molding, up to minute portion thereof, can satisfactorily be filled with an aggregate mixture composed of a binder and granular aggregate; and a method of foundry molding wherein the mold used in molding of an aggregate mixture composed of a binder and granular aggregate can retain satisfactory properties even in high humidity. In the method of foundry molding, a mold is formed by the use of a dry mixture obtained by providing an aggregate mixture composed of granular aggregate, a water soluble binder and water and evaporating the water contained in the aggregate mixture through heating, pressure reduction or aeration while mixing so as to effect separation into single granules, or with the addition of a lubricant and a crosslinking agent thereto.
US08029607B2

A system for cleaning at least one filter in a baghouse and an associated method for providing the system. The at least one filter separate a dirty gas chamber from a clean gas chamber, and filters at least one substance from a gas. The system includes a supply of compressed air and a blowpipe to direct the air at the at least one filter to dislodge a collected amount of the at least one substance from the at least one filter. The blowpipe has a cross-sectional flow area through which the compressed air flows. A valve controls provision of the compressed air. The valve has a cross-sectional flow area though which the compressed gas flows. The cross-sectional area of the valve is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the blowpipe to provide for air pressure at the valve to be greater than air pressure at the blowpipe.
US08029597B2

Magnesium-copper compositions are used for the evaporation of magnesium and container up to 43.34% by weight magnesium.
US08029596B2

A method of manufacturing a metallic component includes atomizing, in an inert atmosphere, a metallic liquid having at least one rare-earth element and at least one non rare-earth element to form a metallic powder. A series of heat treating steps are performed on the metallic powder. A first heat treating step is performed in an oxidizing atmosphere, and a second heat treating step is performed in an inert atmosphere. A third heat treating step is performed in a reducing atmosphere to form a metallic power having an increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides. The metallic component is formed from the metallic powder having the increased proportion of rare-earth oxides compared to non rare-earth oxides.
US08029595B2

Methods of generating nanoparticles are described that comprises feeding nebulized droplets into a radio frequency plasma torch to generate nanoparticles, wherein the majority of the nanoparticles generated have a diameter of less than about 50 nm. These methods are useful for synthesizing nanoparticles of metals, semiconductors, ceramics or any other material class where the precursors are either in liquid form or can be dissolved or suspended in a suitable liquid. Methods of feeding nebulized droplets and central gas into a radio frequency plasma torch and apparatus for generating nanoparticles are also described.
US08029594B2

A method for introducing dust into a molten bath of a pyrometallurgical installation is described. According to the method, a carrier gas containing dust particles is guided through a heating zone of an electrode less plasma torch, the gas being converted to a plasma by inductive heating prior to being blown into a region of the installation which receives the molten bath.
US08029591B2

An inorganic fiber aggregate includes an inorganic material and inorganic fibers on which the inorganic material is provided to fix the inorganic fibers each other.
US08029589B2

A method is provided for connecting a filter medium to a connection element, wherein the filter medium and the connection element are brought into contact with each other and connected to each other by exposure to laser radiation. The connection element may be welded to the end faces of filter folds in strips having a width of 1 mm. The connection element may include a laser light-absorbing layer and a laser light-transparent layer. The filter medium and connection elements may comprise nonwoven fabrics.
US08029588B2

Disclosed are improved polymer materials. Also disclosed are fine fiber materials that can be made from the improved polymeric materials in the form of microfiber and nanofiber structures. The microfiber and nanofiber structures can be used in a variety of useful applications including the formation of filter materials.
US08029583B2

A cleaning apparatus for a gas filter may include a movable support, a plurality of orifices, and a control system. The orifices may be arranged on the support for selective discharge of cleaning gas toward corresponding ones of filter openings disposed in a segment of a partition in the gas filter when the support is proximate that segment. The orifices may be grouped into at least first and second groups of orifices that may be fluidly connected to first and second valves configured for selective delivery of cleaning gas The control system may be configured to activate the first valve to cause a discharge of cleaning gas from the first group of orifices when the support is proximate a first segment and to activate the second valve to cause a discharge of cleaning gas from the second group of orifices when the support is proximate a second segment.
US08029581B2

The present invention relates to a method for producing coal gas, including: feeding raw material pulverized coal and a high temperature gasification agent (7) into a coal gas producer (a) for reaction to produce coal gas; performing heat exchange between the coal gas coming out of the coal gas producer and a gasification agent to produce the high temperature gasification agent (7); performing heat exchange between the coal gas, after performing heat exchange with the gasification agent, and water to produce vapor (4), wherein the vapor (4) is a component of the gasification agent; and outputting the coal gas after further dust removal and desulfuration which has performed heat exchange with the water.
US08029576B2

This invention relates to a hair dyeing composition comprising at least one anionic and at least one cationic direct acting hair dyes and showing excellent dyeing ability and excellent resistance to hair washing and environmental influences. The coloring composition of this invention are ready to use coloring composition and, therefore, do not require any mixing prior to application with additional agents such as oxidizers. According to the invention the preferred cationic dyestuffs are selected from the following structures wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 stand for hydrogen, a CH3— or C2H5— group, and Y is an anion such as chloride, bromide, methosulfate.
US08029564B2

A prosthetic heart valve system including a prosthetic heart valve and a deflection device. The deflection device includes a line and a connector assembly including a tensioning component. The line interconnects and passes through free ends of stent posts associated with the heart valve, and is further connected to the tensioning component. The tensioning component is transitionable to a tensioning state in which the line is tensioned to inwardly deflect the stent posts. In this regard, the tensioning component is self-locking relative to the line in the tensioning state, and an entirety of the line extending distal the tensioning device does not extend beyond a stent portion of the heart valve opposite the stent posts. In a preferred embodiment, a holder body is further included, coupled to the heart valve apart from the deflection device.
US08029556B2

The present disclosure concerns embodiments of a reshaping apparatus and methods for restoring the conical shape of a dilated heart ventricle, or at least reshaping the ventricle to a more conical shape to counter the effects of dilation, thereby improving pumping efficiency. In an exemplary embodiment, a reshaping apparatus comprises an implantable body that can be delivered to a dilated left ventricle via the patient's vasculature in a minimally-invasive procedure. When deployed inside the left ventricle, the body is adapted to apply a longitudinal (downward) force against the inner surface of the left ventricle that causes the ventricle to distend or elongate downwardly relative to the base of the heart so as to at least partially restore the conical shape of the heart. In other embodiments, one or more tension members can be secured to heart tissue inside a heart chamber or on the outside of the heart and placed in tension to reshape the geometry of the heart.
US08029547B2

A dynamic spinal stabilization assembly includes a rod having a plurality of slidable collars thereon. The rod is mounted to at least one of the relevant bone anchoring element(s) via the collars. The collars are spaced from one another such that the bone anchoring element engages at least two collars. The collars may be arranged on the rod so that adjacent collars are longitudinally spaced from one another by a distance not more than one-half the length of the rod-receiving channel in the relevant bone anchoring element. There may be elastic elements slidably disposed on the rod between adjacent collars.
US08029545B2

Stabilization systems for stabilizing one or more vertebral levels are provided. The systems include anchors engageable to the vertebrae and an elongate connecting member system that maintains distraction between the vertebrae while allowing at least limited vertebral motion of the stabilized vertebral levels. The stabilization systems can be employed alone in non-fusion procedure or in conjunction interbody fusion and/or postero-lateral fusion procedures. The connecting members are structured to maintain a constant or slightly variable distance between the anchors to which the connecting members are connected while the connections of the connecting members with the anchors allow motion.
US08029541B2

A spinal implant for limiting flexion of the spine includes a tether structure for encircling adjacent spinal processes. Usually, a pair of compliance members will be provided as part of the tether structure for elastically limiting flexion while permitting an extension. A cross-member is provided between the compliance member or other portions of the tether structure to stabilize the tether structure and prevent misalignment after implantation.
US08029530B2

A separate deliverable embolic protection device filter that attaches to a helical coil at a distal end of a conventional guide, for use in a blood vessel when an interventional procedure is being performed to capture any embolic material which may be created and released into the bloodstream during the procedure. The device includes a filter assembly with a proximal end and a distal end, and a guide wire connector attached to the distal end of the filter assembly. The guide wire connector is able to couple with the helical coil of the guide wire. A restraining sheath placed over the filter assembly in a coaxial arrangement maintains the filter assembly in a collapsed position and delivers the filter assembly separately to the helical coil of the guide wire, and then the guide wire connector is joined to the helical coil. Alternatively, the guide wire can include a rotatable coil section forming a portion of the distal tip coil on the guide wire which is adapted to be coupled to the filter assembly. This arrangement allows the filter assembly to be rotatably mounted onto the guide wire.
US08029513B2

A bone-tying cable tightening device with improved easiness of handling of is disclosed. The device comprises a grip portion, a rod-like member extending forward, a knot supporter at the tip, a cable holder to grip and hold the tow arms together, and a sliding block mounted around the rod-like member and connected to a puller and an operation lever to drive the puller. The knot supporter supports two arms that can be hooked away from each other and laterally above the rod-like member, the cable holder is made up of a longitudinal through groove a locking recess which extends, at the end of the through groove, and a backward biased locking member which is provided movably back and forth behind the locking recess on the upper side of the sliding block made so that its forward movement is blocked when it fits in the locking recess.
US08029508B2

A bone-cutting apparatus and associated method and system. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a guide removably attachable to a bone, and a rotatable mill coupled to the guide. The guide has a box-cut opening and the mill is pivotable within the opening. In one embodiment, the mill is laterally adjustable relative to the opening.
US08029504B2

A surgical instrument, such as an endoscopic or laparoscopic instrument, includes an ablation device. The ablation device includes an elongate member comprising first and second channels. First and second probes are disposed within the respective first and second channels, where the first and second probes each define a central axis. First and second electrodes are coupled to distal ends of the respective first and second probes. A distance between the first and second electrodes is adjustable by rotating at least one of the first and second probes about the central axis of the at least one of the first and second probes.
US08029495B2

An apparatus includes a catheter for an intrathecal drug delivery system and a stylet having a curved forward end. Preferably, the curved forward end has a shape in the form of a “J” or a “C.” Also preferably, the catheter has a distal end that conforms to the curved forward end of the stylet. Thus, the present invention provides a catheter having a blunt forward end that minimizes the risk of penetrating the substance of the spinal cord. Additionally, the curved forward end of the stylet can be formed of a springy material so that it straightens out during the processes of insertion through a guide needle and retraction from the needle.
US08029483B2

An absorbent article for personal hygiene, especially a sanitary napkin, panty liner and the like, having an adhesive for securing the article to a garment of a wearer. The present invention provides adhesives with an adhesion performance less dependent from panty material types and washing habits, such as treatment with softeners and the like, thus ensuring reliable fastening on non-treated panties as well as on softener-treated panties.
US08029478B2

An implantable device and method is provided for anchoring a drug depot to a site beneath the skin of a patient, the device and method comprising a head, a shaft and a tip, the head having a recess and/or at least one projection arranged to be engaged by an implantation tool, the shaft having an outer surface that engages the site in a manner that holds the device at the site beneath the skin, the head or shaft having members for attaching the drug depot thereto, and the tip disposed on the shaft opposite the head and capable of insertion into the site beneath the skin of the patient.
US08029477B2

An attachment mechanism for a surgically implantable medical device includes one or more fasteners which may be simultaneously moved from an undeployed position to a deployed position by operation of an integral actuator. The attachment mechanism may be configured to be deactuated, and the fasteners simultaneously moved from a deployed position to an undeployed position, allowing removal or repositioning of the medical device. An applier includes a locator for detachably holding the implantable medical device, locating it at the desired position, and actuating the attachment mechanism. The applier is configured to undeploy the attachment mechanism the implantable medical device can be detached from the body tissue.
US08029471B1

An access device is disclosed that comprises two main assemblies. The first assembly is the cylindrical cannulation assembly. This is the needle-point-bearing assembly which facilitates cannulation (i.e., insertion of the assembly into the arm of the patient). The cylindrical cannulation assembly comprises a cannulation cylinder which has an insertion point (i.e., the needle puncture point) at a first end. The second main assembly of the invention is the cylindrical conduit assembly. This is the assembly that facilitates fluid flow during treatment free of the worry that the very needle which facilitated access will internally lacerate the blood vessel. The cylindrical conduit assembly comprises a cylindrical conduit which is telescopically positioned within the cannulation cylinder. The cannulation cylinder and cylindrical conduit longitudinally move relative to one another.
US08029463B2

A needle protection assembly has a needle hub with a proximal portion having two sets of spaced flanges and a distal portion having a number of arms for forming at least one catch and one slot. A collar with a needle protection housing has at its inner surface a number of protrusions fittable within the space defined by the two sets of flanges, when the collar is press-fitted to the needle hub, and a number of fingers that removably grasp a needle sheath that covers the needle extending from the needle hub. After the sheath is removed, the needle protection housing may be pivoted to cover the needle. Once the housing fully covers the needle, a spline inside the housing coacts against the catch at the needle hub to enable the needle hub to be removed from a syringe by rotating the housing.
US08029459B2

Method and system for integrating infusion device and analyte monitoring system including medication infusion device such as an insulin pump and an analyte monitoring system such as a glucose monitoring system are provided.
US08029458B2

The invention relates to a device which is used to inject an implant (6) into tissues (50). The inventive device is characterized in that it comprises: a main hollow body (2; 2′) having a hollow needle (4; 4′) fixed thereto, into which the implant (6) is introduced; a secondary body (26; 26′) which is disposed coaxially inside the main body (2; 2′) and which surrounds the needle (4; 4′); and a plunger rod (36; 36′) which can slide coaxially inside the hollow needle (4; 4′). The injection device (1; 1′) is arranged such that: (i) when it is pressed against the tissues (50), the main body (2; 2′) slides along the length of the secondary body (26; 26′) from a proximal position to a distal position such that the needle (4; 4′) can penetrate the tissues (50), whereby the movement of the main body (1; 1′) is accompanied by the concomitant movement of the plunger rod (36; 36′); and (ii) the plunger rod (36; 36′) remains fixed and maintains the implant (6) at the required depth in the tissues (50) until the needle (4; 4′) is removed therefrom when the main body (2; 2′) is returned from the distal position to the proximal position.
US08029457B2

A catheter for providing blood flow includes first and second lumen parts having a distal portion with at least one port for delivering and receiving flow from a patient and a non-linear profile along the distal portion.
US08029447B2

The present invention provides a multipurpose host system for processing and displaying invasive cardiovascular diagnostic measurement data. The system includes a an external input signal bus interface. The bus interface receives data arising from cardiovascular diagnostic measurement sensors. Measurement processing components receive data from particular sensor types. Based on the received data, the processing components render diagnostic measurement parameter values. A multi-mode graphical user interface includes display components corresponding to data received from particular sensor types. The user interface provides recommended action prompts that guide a user through a series of actions.
US08029442B2

An analyte monitor includes a sensor, a sensor control unit, and a display unit. The sensor control unit typically has a housing adapted for placement on skin and is adapted to receive a portion of an electrochemical sensor. The sensor control unit also includes two or more conductive contacts disposed on the housing and configured for coupling to two or more contact pads on the sensor. A transmitter is disposed in the housing and coupled to the plurality of conductive contacts for transmitting data obtained using the sensor. The display unit has a receiver for receiving data transmitted by the transmitter of the sensor control unit and a display coupled to the receiver for displaying an indication of a level of an analyte, such as blood glucose. An inserter having a retractable introducer is provided for subcutaneously implanting the sensor in a predictable and reliable fashion.
US08029435B2

An implantable sling for the treatment of male or female incontinence and method of implementing the same. The sling comprises a urethral support portion and at least one anchoring portion extending therefrom. The anchoring portion is operatively positioned through the obturator foramen and about at least one ramus portion of the pelvis such that the support portion of the implant is operatively positioned at or distal to the bulbar urethra (male) or mid-urethral region (female) to treat urinary incontinence. In a preferred embodiment, the implant will have first and second anchoring portions extending from the support portion with each respective one of said anchoring portions being operative to be secured about dedicated ones of the patient's pubic ramus. The implants may further be fabricated from tissues, synthetic materials or combinations thereof.
US08029434B2

The invention relates to a device for the prevention of incontinence, especially urinary incontinence, with an expandable balloon (3) that is connected to at least one fluid conduit (6) by means of which the volume of the balloon (3) can be adjusted. The band is embodied as a porous tube (1). The balloon (3) is located inside the porous tube.
US08029430B2

A method and apparatus for forming informational items such as outserts and booklets may include (a) folding a sheet of paper having product information printed thereon by making a plurality of folds in the sheet of paper to form a first folded article; (b) making a plurality of folds in the first folded article in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and (c) making a final fold in the second direction to form an outsert using a folding apparatus having a pair of adjustably-spaced folding rollers having a nip therebetween and a movable blade member, with the folding rollers spaced apart by a distance within a range of 0.25 inches and 0.45 inches. Water scoring may be used to facilitate folding of the sheet of paper.
US08029421B2

A reactive punching bag device is provided. The reactive punching bag device includes a first telescoping pole and a second telescoping pole. The telescoping poles are via a center pole which may include at least one quick release hook. The connected pole assembly is connectable to a heavy punching bag, or any suitable bag, and provides a reactive obstacle to a trainee developing defensive and offensive skills. In addition, the heavy bag may include at least one attachment chain for hanging the heavy bag. The pole assembly may also include a first and second pole connectable to a center pole by elastic cord through the center of the poles.
US08029420B1

A blood clot risk reducing apparatus includes a frame forming a loop and including a first lateral section, a second lateral section, a front section and a back section. A rod extends between the first and second lateral sections. Two foot panels each include an upper surface, a lower surface, and a distal edge and a proximal edge with respect to the front section. The foot panels are pivotally coupled to the rod. A base is attached to the frame. A pair of foot supports is attached to and extends upwardly from the base. Each of the foot supports is attached to one of the foot panels. The foot supports are resiliently compressible and bias the distal edge of each of the foot panels upwardly. The distal edges of the foot panels are movable downward with a toe portion of a person's foot to exercise their leg muscles while seated.
US08029419B2

A support mechanism includes a front unit and a rear unit, wherein two swing members are respectively and pivotably connected to the front unit and the rear unit. Two positioning members are respectively connected to the two swing members and the front wheel shaft and the rear wheel shaft of a bicycle are connected to the two positioning members, so that the bicycle can pivot together with the swing members. Multiple rollers respectively connected to the front unit and the rear unit and the front and rear wheels are rotatably in contact with the rollers. A connection unit is connected between the rollers on the front unit and the rear unit. When treading the pedals of the bicycle, the front and rear wheels are rotated and the front wheel can be pivoted and the bicycle can be swung.
US08029418B2

A partially-inlaid treadmill system includes a running deck, a wide belt assembled on two parallel rollers to slide over the running deck, side handrails, a panel for controlling and monitoring the treadmill system, a partition that separates a first part of the treadmill system positioned for access to the user from a second part of the treadmill system that includes mechanisms and electro-electronics for driving the belt, incline devices, belt lubrication, ventilation and regulating devices, an emergency control lever, a drawer, a plurality of directional ventilation openings, and an aisle provided on the same side of the partition as the second part of the treadmill for accessing components of the second part of the treadmill system.
US08029416B2

The present invention relates to a standup exercise apparatus that simulates walking and jogging with arm exercise. More particularly, the present invention relates to an exercise machine having separately supported pedals for the feet and arm exercise coordinated with the motion of the feet where the pedal stride length is determined by the movements of an operator.
US08029408B2

A method for compensating a transmitted torque of a clutch between a regulated drive motor, in particular an electromotor, and a combustion engine in the transition to an operation using only the drive motor, to hybrid operation in which an overall torque is supplied jointly by the drive motor and the combustion engine, and the engine speed of the drive motor is controlled with the aid of a manipulated variable; to implement the transition, the combustion engine is dragged by coupling it with the drive motor with the aid of a proportional clutch having a controllable transmitted torque, and the control of the engine speed of the drive motor is implemented as a function of the transmitted torque using which the drive motor is coupled with the combustion engine.
US08029407B2

A planetary gear set equipped with a pinion shaft and a carrier may include a pinion shaft having a engaging portion that protrudes in a longitudinal direction on an end thereof; a carrier into which the engaging portion of the pinion shaft is inserted; and a fastener engaged to the engaging portion of the pinion shaft, such that a portion of the carrier is fixed to the pinion shaft.
US08029403B2

A multi-speed transmission for a vehicle is provided with a selectable one-way braking clutch (SOWBC). The transmission has an input member connected for common rotation with one of the members of four planetary gear sets and an output member connected for common rotation with another of the members of the planetary gear sets. Four interconnecting members connect different members of the planetary gear sets for common rotation. A first brake is selectively engagable to ground the first member of the first planetary gear set to the stationary member. A first, a second, and a third rotating clutch are each selectively engagable to connect a different respective pair of the members of the planetary gear sets for common rotation. A selectable one-way braking clutch is configured to brake in one rotational direction and is selectively reversible to brake in an opposite rotational direction, and freewheels in some speed ratios.
US08029400B2

The present invention provides a center crank eccentrically oscillating speed reducer enabled to increase the available cross-sectional area of a hollow hole, while the generation of large noises is suppressed, as compared with the conventional center crank eccentrically oscillating speed reducer. An eccentrically oscillating speed reducer (100) includes a case (110) configured to have internal teeth (111), a hollow crankshaft 120 configured to have an external gear 123, external gears 131 and (131) have external teeth 131a and 132a a carrier 140, and a transmission gear (160) configured to mesh with an input gear (150) and the external gear (123) and to transmit power transmitted from the input gear (150) to the external gear (123).
US08029398B2

Transmission chain with links coupled by rocker assemblies with each two longitudinal pins which roll over each other and of which one cooperates in a force transmitting way with the opposite pulleys of a pair of cone-shaped pulley sheaves, and these pins have a first dimension (b) in the longitudinal direction, a second dimension (h) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the running direction of the chain and a third dimension (d) cross-wise to the longitudinal direction and in the running direction, in which for each value of the first dimension (b) both other dimensions (h) and (d), respectively, are such that the ratio between this dimension (b) and each of the other dimensions, is, taking into account the expected loading of the chain, as small as possible.
US08029397B2

A chainguard for use on a bicycle includes a housing having a connecting portion and an engaging portion. The connecting portion and the engaging portion are connected to a seat tube and a rear stay of a bicycle frame in the bicycle. Additionally, the rear stay includes a first portion and a second portion adapted for engaging with an axle of a rear wheel, and the first and second portions are interconnected at a corner. Additionally, the second portion includes a first surface, a second surface and a third surface substantially transverse to and interconnecting the first and second surfaces. Further, the third surface defines a positioning portion on which the engaging portion of the chainguard is mounted.
US08029395B2

A hydraulic actuator for a belt type continuously variable transmission, with which a smooth operation is secured and both superior productivity and reduced manufacturing costs can be expected, includes a first cylinder provided on a movable sheave, a drum having a first drum portion that covers the first cylinder and a second drum portion that is fitted to a boss portion of the movable sheave and formed with a plurality of projections, a first plunger having a cylindrical portion that is fitted to the first cylinder and the second drum portion to form a first hydraulic chamber, and a second plunger fitted to the cylindrical portion and the first cylinder to form a second hydraulic chamber. An oil passage connecting the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber is formed by a gap between the second drum portion and cylindrical portion, which are fitted together.
US08029391B2

A bat includes a composite material barrel. The barrel includes a plurality of layers. A stiffening layer forms one of the exterior layers of the barrel. The stiffening layer includes unidirectional fibers, where the unidirectional fibers are oriented to substantially encircle the barrel. The stiffening layer is positioned on the barrel to cover at least a portion of the sweet zone. The barrel may include multiple walls, where each wall includes a stiffening layer.
US08029388B2

The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface that significantly improves aerodynamic symmetry and minimizes parting line visibility by arranging the dimples in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while eliminating great circles due to parting lines.
US08029387B2

A trajectory correcting golf tee constructed with a stem for inserting into the ground and for supporting a golf ball in a fixed position above the ground. The stem is tapered so as to easily insert into the ground in a generally vertical position. The golf tee further includes a top surface with a depression to accept and retain a golf ball. The improvement including an elevated portion along one or two opposing edges of the top surface so as to control and correct a golf ball trajectory.
US08029367B2

Automatic downloading of game content to a game console is provided. A user enables automatic downloading, and thereafter, game content available from a game server is periodically checked to determine if any content matches criteria specified for downloading. If a match is found, and the user has not previously downloaded the content, or a previous version of the content, then the game content is added to a download queue. The content specified in the download queue is transferred to the game console.
US08029364B2

System, methods and apparatus for presenting media in a wagering game machine are described herein. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving an internal media request from a component of the wagering game machine and receiving an external data signal from outside the wagering game machine. In the embodiment, the method also includes preparing media based on the internal media request and the external data signal and presenting the media on media presentation devices.
US08029353B2

In a first aspect, a method (e.g., of operating a gaming device) is provided. The method includes the steps of (i) receiving audio/video content; (ii) associating a plurality of sets of outcome values with the audio/video content; (iii) determining a play session; (iv) determining which of the plurality of sets of outcome values to associate with the audio/video content for a duration of the play session, thereby determining an active set of outcome values; (v) determining a result of a game play during the session; (vi) selecting, based on the result, a value from the active set of outcome values; and (vii) outputting, as an indication of the result, the audio/video content and an indication of the selected value.
US08029346B2

A combine (10) includes a support frame (12) that can be moved across a field in a forward operating direction and a grain tank (42) fastened to it. The grain tank (42) is provided with side walls (58) that can be moved by means of an adjusting drive (68) between a retracted position for operation on public roads and for the storage of the combine (10) and an extended position for the harvesting operation. Each side wall (58) is connected in the upward direction with a cover (84) that is a component of a ring-shaped grain tank extension. The grain tank extension can be moved between an extended position in which it forms a ring that enlarges the grain tank (42) in the upward direction, and a retracted position, in which it encloses the grain tank (42) in the upward direction.
US08029342B2

A system for safely and humanely anesthetizing and/or euthanizing animals is provided. The system provides both manual and automated operation and may be scaled up to accommodate a large number of animals during a single procedure. The system includes a chamber 20 for receiving an animal to be anesthetized or euthanized and a supply of gas is provided for the chamber, and a fluid controller (65, 165, 265, 365) controls the flow of gas to the chamber. In one embodiment, a valve (75) controls the flow of exhaust air to the chamber.
US08029341B2

A polishing tool (1) for finishing an ophthalmic lens includes a drive plate (4) which is equipped with elements (2) for mounting same to the spindle of a polishing machine; a removable polishing pad (5) designed to be rotated by the drive plate (4); positioning elements to block the radial movement of the pad (5) in relation to the plate (4) as well as to enable the pad (5) to slide axially in relation the plate (4); retaining elements which limit the axial sliding movement of the pad (5) in relation to the plate (4) to a pre-determined sliding range; and elements for stopping the rotational movement, having at least one tooth which can be engaged in a slot having a corresponding shape, one of the elements being provided on the plate (4) and the other on the pad (5).
US08029340B2

A quick mount adapter and backing plate is provided for use with a surface care tool of conventional manufacture, the tool including a male or female drive spindle with or without an adapter interface. A surface care media is attached directly to the backing plate. The quick mount adapter is configured with an inner sleeve member and an outer sleeve member, the sleeve members being axially movable and spring-biased in relation to one another. A plurality of keeper balls is disposed between the sleeve members to selectively engage and disengage a circumferential groove that is disposed within a hub of the backing plate. The backing plate is configured to be attachable to the quick mount adapter, the quick mount adapter being attachable to the threaded portion of a drive spindle, and to the threaded portion of the drive spindle itself.
US08029336B1

A glass grinding method starts with an assessment of the scratch or surface defect to be removed. A series of abrasive pads with different diameters and different grits from 60, 120, 180, 220, and 400 grit are selected according to the depth of the scratches or defects on the glass, and is installed on a handheld circular grinder. The work area is restricted to an imaginary area around the scratch that is two times the length of the scratch squared. The area is worked and feathered out with successively finer and finer dry abrasive pads applied flat on the surface of the glass. During this process, the glass surface temperatures are monitored and not allowed to exceed 150° F. Any glass powders that stick and build up on the abrasive disk faces are knocked off by slapping them with wire brushes or rasps. They are not brushed off. In a final pre-polishing stage, the powders are allowed to build to gradually reduce the cutting action and produce a finer surface. When the glass has only a haze left to remove, cerium oxide powders mixed in water are misted from a spray bottle onto a felt pad installed on the grinder. The area is outlined with a dry-grease marker applied on the backside of the glass.
US08029331B2

A moveable electronic toy includes two wheels, two motors configured for driving the two wheels, a deviation detecting module, an adjusting module and a driving module. The deviation detecting module is configured for detecting angular velocities of the two wheels to determine an angular velocity difference between the two wheels. The adjusting module is configured for generating an adjusting signal indicative of the angular velocity of which wheel to be adjusted and an adjustment value of the angular velocity according to the angular velocity difference. The driving module is configured for receiving the adjusting signal and driving a corresponding motor using a pulse-width modulator.
US08029328B2

A method for manufacturing a field emission includes: providing a CNT array; drawing a bundle of CNTs from the CNT array to form a CNT yarn; soaking the CNT yarn into an organic solvent, and shrinking the CNT yarn into a CNT string after the organic solvent volatilizing; applying a voltage between two opposite ends of the CNT string; bombarding a predetermined point of the CNT string by an electron emitter, until the CNT string snapping; and attaching the snapped CNT string to a conductive base, and achieving a field emission electron source. The field emission efficiency of the field emission electron source is high.
US08029318B2

An electric power plug comprises blades, a bridge and a plug body. The bridge includes sleeves for covering the roots of the blades and a core for holding the lower ends of the blades. The blades and the core are integrally molded. The plug body is molded so that the plug body embeds the bridge except the upper portions of the sleeves. The core may embed the lower portions of the blades, cords, a caulking portion for connecting the lower ends of blades and wire conductors of the cords. A cavity may be formed at the central portion of the core. The plug body may be molded so that the plug body embeds the bridge and the cords except the upper portions of the sleeves.
US08029308B2

A connector holding device includes a body-side connector attached to an apparatus body; a cord-side connector for fitting with the body-side connector, provided on the front end of a cord drawn out opposite to the side fitting with the body-side connector; and a connector holding member for holding the cord-side connector, having an opening formed with its cord side smaller than its side fitting with the body-side connector. The device attaches the connector holding member to the apparatus body in a state where the cord-side connector fits with the body-side connector.
US08029300B2

A connector and a system for connectors of a mobile device wherein the connector is angled, that is, wherein the connector includes an external interface for receiving an external connection and an internal interface configured for connection to a printed circuit board, wherein the internal interface is connected to the external interface and the internal interface is at a predetermined angle with respect to the external interface. In a mobile device, the external interface is at an angle to a main printed circuit board of the mobile device.
US08029297B2

A device for preventing electrical shock from a device with electrical interfaces. A shutter or other barrier associated with the device that physically prevents access or contact to one of the electrical interfaces while another electrical interface is in use.
US08029292B2

A multi-socket guide for guiding a semiconductor package to a semiconductor package testing device includes a housing, a guiding unit disposed in the housing, the guiding unit guiding the housing to the semiconductor package testing device, and a mounting unit disposed in the housing, the mounting unit receiving the semiconductor package, wherein a size of the mounting unit corresponds to a size of a ball area of the semiconductor package.
US08029290B2

A method for supplying a plurality of capacitance values to a plurality of heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC/R) components is provided. The method includes configuring a first set of terminals of a connection device to couple a first capacitor to the connection device and configuring the connection device to couple the first capacitor to at least one of the plurality of HVAC/R components. The method further includes configuring a second set of terminals of the connection device to couple a second capacitor to the connection device and configuring the connection device to selectively couple the second capacitor to at least one of the plurality of HVAC/R components.
US08029282B2

A carry and drive device and method for a dental implant or a dental implant component with a driving recess. The device includes a drive end with a configuration substantially matching the drive recess and with an interference surface frictionally engageable with a portion of the driving recess.
US08029279B2

An improved safety hypodermic syringe for dental applications which further includes first finger grip, preferably a thumb ring, on the end of the plunger, forward finger holders and a lock mechanism, which includes extending fingers for grasping the top of the reciprocal sliding sheath. The syringe assembly also includes a reciprocal tubular needle sheath disposed on the exterior of the syringe body and a latch mechanism engaging the syringe body and the sheath to latch the sheath in a needle-covering position after delivering contents from the syringe body. The fingers, preferably biased by a living hinge hold back the locking ring while the dentist administers anesthesia through the syringe. An internal spring, which engages the syringe body and the sheath, expands to move the sheath to cover the needle point. The spring is a non-uniform helical spring having multiple 360° turns with each turn uniformly spaced from adjacent turns.
US08029277B2

It is a common practice with orthodontists in planning treatment for a patient to prescribe dental changes to cure the malocclusion condition of the patient in terms of mesial or distal, buccal or lingual, and occlusal (coronal) or gingival translational displacements; and facial or lingual torque; mesial or distal angulation and mesial or distal rotation displacements. A method and workstation for measuring the dental displacements, or conversely placing the dental elements in desired positions as per the prescriptions for their displacements in a consistent, reproducible and accurate manner is disclosed. A novel orthogonal curvilinear coordinate system is disclosed that enables the measurement of the tooth displacements in conjunction with the individual tooth axes system.
US08029275B2

A self-ligating orthodontic bracket including a base mountable on a tooth and having upstanding hinge members with aligned slots defining an archwire slot and for pivotally and slidably receiving a pair of openable and closable jaws and a spring member engaging said jaws and actuable upon opening and closing said jaws to selectively lock the jaws into open position for insertion or removal of an archwire and closed position for locking the archwire to the bracket.
US08029268B2

The present invention discloses a cooling fetch apparatus of performs, and the apparatus includes: a first fetch mechanism, moved back and forth, for fetching each perform formed in a mold of an injection molding machine from the mold; a second fetch mechanism, moved back and forth, for fetching each preform on the first fetch mechanism. After the second fetch mechanism fetches a predetermined quantity of performs, the performs on second fetch mechanism are unloaded sequentially, such that the injection molding process and the cooling process of the performs are separated. The timing of fetching each perform on the second fetch mechanism is controlled for assuring a good cooling effect of each preform.
US08029256B2

A laterally independently operated column-equipped vulcanizer comprises two (right and left) die opening and closing devices (12A, 12B) disposed to be operable independently of each other, the die opening and closing devices having upper die mounting members (17a, 17b) corresponding to lower die mounting members (13a, 13b) installed on a base plate (11), the upper die mounting members being supported in an ascendable and descendable manner on right and left paired columns (18a, 18b) erected on the base plate. The right and left paired columns throughout the two die opening and closing devices are arranged in V-configuration as viewed in plan. Loaders (22a, 22b) capable of carrying green tires GT into the die opening and closing devices are disposed on the side of the columns narrowly spaced from each other in the lateral direction among the columns arranged in V-configuration. Unloaders (23a, 23b) capable of carrying vulcanized tires T out of the die opening and closing devices are disposed on the side of the columns widely spaced from each other in the lateral direction among the columns arranged in V-configuration. Thus, the entire vulcanizer can be rendered even more compact.
US08029254B2

Provided is scroll-type fluid machine that facilitates the formation of a back-pressure chamber so as to increase the design freedom in the space on the back side of the revolving scroll member, where it is difficult to ensure sufficient space, by decreasing, as much as possible, the installation space of the sealing member partitioning the back-pressure chamber. In the scroll-type fluid machine, a back-pressure chamber to which high-pressure gas is introduced is partitioned between the revolving scroll member and a fixed support member, a sealing member is constructed of an annular U sealing member, the annular U sealing member is oriented in a direction orthogonal to the back side of the revolving scroll member, and one side contacts a side surface (sealed surface) of a fixed support member.
US08029252B2

A turbocharger includes a compressor housing (2) for accommodating a compressor wheel (5) drivable by an electric motor (21) and an electric motor (21) for driving a compressor wheel (5) accommodated in a compressor housing, the electric motor being supplied with electric power through at least one motor plug connector (12). The turbocharger further comprises a turbine housing (4), a center housing (3) for accommodating a shaft (6). The compressor wheel is driven by the turbine wheel (8) via the shaft (16) and can additionally be driven by the electric motor, where the compressor housing further includes at least one main power plug connector (16) disposed on an axial side of the compressor housing, facing the electric motor.
US08029249B2

The invention relates to a metering pump assembly for admixing a fluid reduction agent into an exhaust gas flow with a metering pump for delivering the reduction agent and with a premixing device, in which in a mixing region, the reduction agent delivered by the metering pump is mixed with a pressurized gas, wherein the metering pump assembly comprises a pump head with a central plate in which at least the metering pump and the premixing device are arranged.
US08029236B2

A heat dissipation fan includes a housing, a first rotor, a second rotor, a base and a plurality of static blades. The first rotor has a shaft and a plurality of rotor blades. The second rotor is coupled to the first rotor and has a plurality of rotor blades. The base is disposed in the housing for supporting the first and second rotors. The static blades are disposed between the housing and the base, wherein a rear portion of each static blade extends along an axial line of the heat dissipation fan for improving the working efficiency of the second rotor.
US08029231B2

A fan track liner within a rotor blade assembly for a gas turbine engine comprises a radially inner casing liner member and a radially outer casing liner member adjacent to the radially inner casing liner member. A septum is interposed between the radially inner and radially outer casing liner members and bonds together the radially inner and radially outer casing liner members. The septum includes predetermined weakened regions which permit penetration of the septum in use by a rotor blade in the event of impact of the radially inner casing liner member by a detached rotor blade. Assembly otherwise capable of resisting ice shed from the blade impacting the same region.
US08029218B2

A load securing device for stacked cargo comprises a body member having contact surfaces adapted to engage a side portion of a cargo item that is stacked on a pair of each of a pair of stacked cargo items. One end of a flexible member such as a strap is attached to the body member. The flexible member extends through a space created between the stacked items or the stacked items and a carrier surface, with its other end being secured to a carrier supporting the stacked items. Optimally, and when expecting forces to be applied to both sides of the stacked items, a load securing device is placed on either side of the stacked items so that forces arising during the transport of the stacked items are resisted in both directions.
US08029213B2

An indexable insert with nicks for a rotary tool includes plurality of nicks are provided in an upper surface serving as a flank face. The nicks have their ends in the upper surface. The nicks divide a ridge line serving as a main cutting edge in a longitudinal direction. Each nick has a width gradually increasing toward the end.
US08029212B2

A pneumatic tube system, including at least one system control module for controlling delivery of a pneumatic carrier through pneumatic tubing. The system includes at least one pneumatic tube station having a sealer, the sealer includes a heating pad and a sealing strip, where the sealer automatically grips the open end within the heating pad and the sealing strip upon insertion of the bag into the system. In one example, the sealer creates a vacuum to extract air from an interior space of the bag. The sealer applies heat to the open end to seal the bag. The system includes at least one pneumatic tube station configured for sending at least one carrier, the at least one sending pneumatic tube station being in signal communication with the at least one system control module, where the at least one carrier is sent through the system by pneumatic tubing.
US08029205B2

A retractable writing instrument has a push-to-extend, push-to-retract operating mechanism assembled for life as a single module which is removeable from a body of the writing instrument. A prehensile member is connected to the operating mechanism and is moveable axially for displacing the writing tip of the cartridge between its extended and retracted positions. The prehensile member has resilient parts adapted for grasping the end of the cartridge inserted through an aperture in the operating mechanism module and pressed into a cavity in the prehensile member, thereby allowing users to readily replace the cartridge without the risk of releasing small easily-lost components of the operating mechanism.
US08029204B2

A dispenser for spreadable foodstuffs or spreadable non-food substances allowing for dispensing of metered amounts of foodstuffs or non-food substances and spreading without the need for additional utensils that are not part of the packaging is disclosed. Dispenser is easily refilled with replaceable cartridges and designed to keep contents away from air as contents are dispensed.
US08029200B2

A printing apparatus includes a detection signal receiving device that receives a detection signal from a computer; where a printable condition determining device subsequently determines whether a predetermined printable condition is satisfied; where a power-ON device subsequently turns-ON the main power supply of the printing apparatus; and where a control device subsequently executes print preparation processing; wherein when the power-ON device turns-ON the main power supply of the printing apparatus, the printing apparatus is in sleep mode or energy saving mode in which electric power is supplied only to the control device and the detection signal receiving device; and the printing apparatus includes a power supply portion equipped with a battery, and when a power supply is started, first, the printing apparatus turns into sleep mode or energy saving mode in which electric power is supplied only to the control device and the detection signal receiving device.
US08029198B2

Provided are an actuation mechanism having two degrees of freedom of movement and a sentry robot having the actuation mechanism having two degrees of freedom of movement capable of performing wide and narrow monitoring and sentry in short and long ranges and automatically shooting at a target. The actuation mechanism having two degrees of freedom includes a pivot driving portion and a vertical driving portion. The pivot driving portion includes a platform, a vertical driving portion connection portion rotatably installed on the platform, and a pivot driving portion including a motor which rotates the vertical driving portion connection portion. The vertical driving portion includes a pivot driving portion connection portion connected to an upper side of the vertical driving portion connection portion, a column standing on the pivot driving portion connection portion, a mount rotatably arranged in an upper portion of the column, and a motor rotating the mount with respect to the column. The rotation shaft of the vertical driving portion connection portion of the pivot driving portion and the rotation shaft of the vertical driving portion mount intersect each other.
US08029196B2

The electronic device according to the present invention has a device body capable of attaching a second device thereto by a screw member, and comprises a chassis provided to the device body, a mounting seat made of resin for attaching the second device, and a metal plate, the mounting seat is provided to the chassis and provided with a female screw formed therein in which the screw member is to be threaded as well as a closing part defining a bottom surface of the female screw and a back surface of the mounting seat, and the metal plate is fixed to the mounting seat to support the closing part by supporting a back surface thereof.
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