US08223910B2
A device and a method for frame synchronization, the method includes providing a high frequency clock signal over a clock line during a transmission of information over a data line connected to a media access controller and to at least one component; defining a short synchronization period; processing at least one signal conveyed over the data line during the short synchronization period to determine a presence of a synchronization error; and maintaining at least the clock line in a low power mode when the data line is substantially idle.
US08223909B2
Methods and apparatus for sampling and determining the frequency of periodic digital signals. An exemplary digital sampling apparatus includes a polyphase sampling apparatus configured to sample a periodic digital signal according to a polyphase clock system having multiple phases. The multiple phases provided by the polyphase clock system are successively distributed in time so that consecutive phases have a periodic phase difference. By using a polyphase clock system, a sampling rate that is equivalent to a sampling clock having a period equal to the phase difference in time between phases of the polyphase clocks is realized. Accordingly, the effective sampling rate of a given periodic digital signal can be increased, or the sampling of higher frequency periodic digitals signals can be achieved, while the underlying logic circuitry used to capture the samples is clocked at a much lower rate.
US08223904B2
A multiple-input receiver for processing one or more communication signals is disclosed. The receiver includes a first and second demodulators, a decoder and decision logic. The first and second demodulators respectively use a first algorithm and a second algorithm and are both coupled to the receiver. The first algorithm includes interference nulling and is different from the second algorithm. A decoder can be alternatively used with the first or second demodulators to decode one or more signals from the receiver. The decoder produces a decoded signal. The decision logic chooses to use either the first demodulator or the second demodulator to affect the decoded signal.
US08223902B2
An analog complex filter combines an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal to output first and second analog signals. An analog-to-digital converter converts the first and second analog signals into first and second digital signals. A digital complex filter attenuates components corresponding to the quadrature signal and the in-phase signal of the first and second digital signals, respectively. A digital bandwidth limited filter allows a target component and an image component contained in the digital complex signal composed of the first and second digital signals from the digital complex filter to pass therethrough, and attenuates an adjacent interference component. An IQ imbalance correction circuit corrects a quadrature error and an amplitude error between the first and second digital signals from the digital band-pass filter.
US08223897B2
Compact pulse shape partial response (CPS PR) signaling is developed for trellis based signals like QM-MSK, and for PAM/QAM type signals to improve the performance to bandwidth tradeoff. Compact pulse shaped signals are partial response signals that employ a very short pulse shaping filter and use Viterbi decoding to optimally detect the CPS signal in presence of its inherent inter-symbol interference. The CPS filters considered herein have much shorter impulse response than the well-known raised cosine (RC) filter. There is no need to equalize the received signal to eliminate ISI or to allow a fixed amount of ISI between received signal samples as sampled at the symbol rate as is common in partial response maximum likelihood (PRML) systems. Numerical results indicate that CPS QM-MSK and CPS QAM provides between several dB of gain, depending on constellation size, over PR-CPM and RC QAM, when compared at a given value of bandwidth, i.e., B99Tb.
US08223896B2
Teachings presented herein offer reduced computational complexity for symbol sequence estimation, and also provide for the generation of soft bit values representing the reliability of that estimation. A demodulator is configured to generate these soft bit values by identifying a candidate value for each symbol in the sequence which is more likely than at least one other in a defined set of candidate values. Based on the candidate value identified for each symbol, the demodulator forms a reduced set of candidate values for the symbol by selecting as many additional candidate values from the defined set as are needed to have complementary bit values for each bit value in that identified candidate value. The demodulator calculates soft bit values for the symbol sequence based on a sequence estimation process whose state space for each symbol is constrained to the corresponding reduced set.
US08223894B2
A wireless transmission device enabled to improve an error rate performance at a receiver, by acquiring at least one of frequency diversity effect and a time diversity effect while keeping the interference resistance which is acquired by diffusion. In this transmission device, a modulation unit (101) modulates data to create a modulation symbol having in-phase components and quadrature components. An IQ individual spreading unit (102) arranges the diffusion chips, which are obtained by spreading the modulation symbol, of the in-phase components and the quadrature components, in areas extending in diffusion domains set individually for the in-phase components and the quadrature components. An IQ combining unit (103) combines the arranged spreading chips of the in-phase components and the quadrature components.
US08223893B1
A method and apparatus for processing a data packet at a receiver. The method includes receiving a data packet having been previously transmitted by a transmitter over a channel, in which the data packet includes (i) a preamble portion having a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) training symbols, wherein each OFDM training symbol comprises a plurality of subcarriers, and (ii) a data portion. The method further includes, for each subcarrier, determining an estimate of the channel based on the plurality of OFDM training symbols in the preamble portion; compensating each estimate of the channel with a compensation factor having a first term and a second term, wherein (i) the first term varies linearly with respect to an index of the plurality of subcarriers and (ii) the second term is a constant term; and processing the data portion based on the compensated estimates of the channel.
US08223883B2
An amplitude signal and a frequency signal are generated through processing of data. The frequency signal is angle modulated. The amplitude signal is adjusted based on a delay time and is amplitude amplified. The resultant signal from the angle modulation is amplitude modulated based on the resultant signal from the amplitude amplification to obtain a modulated signal. The modulated signal is used to calculate a delay between the amplitude signal and the frequency signal, which is used for feedback control of the delay time by which the amplitude signal is adjusted until no delay exists only in a test period. Through the signal generating, a sinusoidal signal is outputted as each of the amplitude signal and the frequency signal during the test period.
US08223879B2
A method and system for improving a level of service between wireless devices. Handheld devices implementing the Bluetooth specification typically have relatively limited transmission ranges. As a result, and since they are typically portable, such devices easily experience abrupt communication interruptions, either between themselves and other handheld devices, or between themselves and fixed devices. The effective range of the devices can be extended by providing additional error-correcting coding. Although this modification also results in an extended transmission time, users are provided with an increased transmission range, and are given warning that service may soon be interrupted. Users may then, if they wish, take such steps as finishing their communication or moving into their devices' normal transmission range. Additionally, the handheld devices may use the extra transmission time and range to search for a forwarding path to a recipient device, thus minimizing or preventing any service interruption.
US08223876B2
Provided are an apparatus for receiving signals in an OFDM communication system using multiple transmission/reception antennas and a method thereof. The method includes modulating a predetermined part of a data stream based on a multi-dimensional reception procedure to generate a first modulated data stream; regenerating a symbol corresponding to the modulated data stream; eliminating the regenerated symbol from a remained data stream; modulating the eliminated data stream to generate a second modulated data stream; and outputting an output signal obtained by serializing the first modulated data stream and the second modulated data stream.
US08223874B2
A system for transmitting data from a transmitter comprising at least two transmitting antennas, an encoder following an error correcting code structure and a transmit beamforming technique to a receiver comprising at least two receiving antennas and a decoder defined according to the error correcting code structure over a transmit beamformed MIMO channel. The coding rate Rc of the encoder (ENC), the parameters of the transmit beamformed MIMO channel and a target diversity order of the system are selected dependently one from each other.
US08223870B2
Embodiments achieve favorable performance-complexity trade-offs in MIMO detection for three or more channel inputs. Some embodiments describe systems and methods comprising a leaf node predictor for receiving a processed communications stream, determining at least one channel metric corresponding to the communications stream for a given channel realization, and generating at least three instructions to output, which at least one instruction corresponds to at least one predicted best leaf node candidate for the given channel realization. Further embodiments alternatively describe systems and methods which enumerate N1 best values of a first symbol, enumerate N2(i) best values of a second symbol for an i-th best value of the first symbol, enumerate N3(i, j) best values of a third symbol for an i-th best value of the first symbol and j-th best value of the second symbol, combine enumerated best values of each symbol into a leaf-node value, and compute the cost of each leaf-node value enumerated.
US08223869B2
A method for detection of a control channel includes receiving data transmitted via the control channel. A control channel receive quality is estimated based on a metric difference between a metric of a known final trellis state and a minimum metric amongst the metrics of the trellis states based on the received data. It is decided whether or not to detect the control channel depending on the estimated control channel receive quality.
US08223865B2
The present invention relates to a method for the blind estimation of at least one parameter of an OFDM signal by maximizing an objective function depending on said parameter. The objective function implements a parameterized model of the OFDM modulation and a matched filtering corresponding to that model. The OFDM signal, baseband demodulated and then sampled in an observation window, is the object of the adapted filtering to calculate the objective function.It is also proposed to include, in the parameterized model, the temporal offset between the observation window and an OFDM symbol as well as the frequency offset between the frequency of the OFDM signal carrier and the baseband demodulation frequency.
US08223864B2
A method for detecting radio frequency interference (RFI) is provided. The method includes the following steps. Parameters of at least two pairs of digital subscriber lines (DSLs) are acquired. Sub-carriers having RFI in each pair of the at least two pairs of DSLs are detected according to the parameters. The number of line pairs having RFI on the same sub-carrier in the DSLs is counted, and if the number of the line pairs occurring RFI on the sub-carrier is greater than a preset threshold, or if a ratio of the number of the line pairs occurring RFI on the sub-carrier to a line pair number of the at least two pairs of DSLs is greater than a preset threshold, it is determined that RFI exists at a frequency corresponding to the sub-carrier. A device and a system for detecting RFI are further provided. Therefore, RFI frequency existing in xDSL can be detected.
US08223857B2
A device and method for communicating by a mobile communication terminal in communication with a base station. The method according to an embodiment includes exchanging a frame of data with the base station. The frame of data includes a) a plurality of first subframes each having a first number of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols, and b) a plurality of second subframes each having a second number of orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) symbols different from the first number. One of the second subframes includes an idle symbol.
US08223855B2
A method for blindly detecting a precoding matrix index used to transmit a data or control signal is provided. The method includes receiving at a mobile station (102) a common reference signal and user specific data and control signal weighted by precoding matrix. An objective function is applied to the received reference signal and user specific data and control signal that minimizes the objective function for each of at least one rank used to transmit the received user specific data and control signal and each of known possible modulation constellations used to transmit the received data/control signal to determine the precoding matrix index (PMI).
US08223853B2
A decoder for a layered modulation system can be configured to independently and concurrently decode each of a base and enhancement layer. The base layer decoder and enhancement layer decoder can be configured substantially in parallel and can each operate concurrently on the same received layered modulation symbol. Each of the base and enhancement layer decoders can be configured with a bit metric module that is configured to determine a signal quality metric based on the received symbol. In systems having turbo encoded data, the bit metric module can be configured to determine a log likelihood ratio. The ratio is based in part on a channel estimate and an energy ratio used in the layered modulation constellation.
US08223850B2
In one embodiment, the method includes determining a reference pixel group including a pixel to be filtered. The reference pixel group includes at least three successive pixels. Two of the three successive pixels are in a first block and one of the three successive pixels is in a second block. The second block is adjacent to the first block. The method further includes applying weight factors to at least each of the three successive reference pixels. The weight factors are different according to pixel position. A filtered value is obtained by summing at least the three weighted successive pixels.
US08223847B2
A plurality of bit streams are seamlessly spliced. Separate decoders decode each bit stream. A controller selects the decoded pictures according to a re-encoding range in the vicinity of a splicing point of the bit streams. Pictures presenting a reordering of the streams are excluded in the selection of the decoded pictures. An encoder re-encodes the pictures within the re-encoding range-When it is determined that crossover motion compensation exists between pictures of different streams, the controller changes the motion prediction direction of the problematic picture. The controller changes a motion prediction picture type of a picture which is improperly motion predicted with reference to another stream. A quantization characteristic or motion vectors for the new picture type are generated by the controller. The controller effects the encoding in accordance with a target amount of bits to prevent a breakdown of a buffer and a discontinuation of an amount of data occupancy thereof. A multiplexer multiplexes the original streams with the re-encoded stream to produce a seamless bit stream.
US08223846B2
A spatial error concealment (SEC) method for concealing a spatial image error of an encoded image frame caused by a damaged macroblock (MB) is provided. The SEC method selects a proper SEC algorithm by adaptively classifying a plurality of correct MBs adjacent to the damaged MB, so as to execute interpolation pixel compensation or matching block copying, thus obtaining image data of the damaged MB. In such a way, the damaged MB is processed to apply the least affection to the entire image frame. The SEC algorithm is selected from bilinear interpolation (BI) method, directional interpolation (DI) method, multi-directional interpolation (MDI) method, and best neighborhood matching (BNM) method. The SEC method further includes a fast determination calculation, which utilizes image directional data related to the damaged MB in coding data of the original frame to execute a direct SEC process, for saving time on determination calculation, thus accelerating the processing speed.
US08223844B2
A decoder adapted to generate an intermediate decoded version of a video frame from an encoded version of the video frame, determine either an amount of high frequency basis functions or coefficients below a quantization threshold for at least one block of the video frame, and generate a final decoded version of the video frame based at least in part on the intermediate decoded version of the video frame and the determined amount(s) for the one or more blocks of the video frame, is disclosed. In various embodiments, the decoder may be incorporated as a part of a video system.
US08223836B2
A constant-quality rate control system and algorithm for multiple encoders with a single video source are disclosed. The system comprises a base encoder, a region of interest (ROI) detector, and at least one ROI encoder. The base encoder encodes a base video sequence which is a down-sampled version of a video sequence and sends the base video sequence to a multiplexer. The ROI detector extracts an ROI video sequence from the original video sequence. The ROI encoder encodes the ROI video sequence and sends it to the multiplexer. The ROI encoder uses information obtained during encoding of the base video sequence to improve the encoding of the ROI video sequence. The information of the base video sequence are used to better control the bit-rate and the quality of the ROI video sequence.
US08223833B2
A picture coding method for preventing occurrence of a malfunction includes: an adding step (Step S203) of coding a memory management command for the first picture of a predetermined picture number and adding the coded command to the second picture that is different from the first picture; and a re-adding step (Steps S205 to S208) of coding the memory management command again and re-adding re-coded command to the section other than the second picture in a coded picture stream VSt. In the re-adding step, re-addition of the memory management command is prohibited when the first picture is not immediately previous in coding order among the pictures of the predetermined picture number included in the coded picture stream VSt.
US08223829B2
An adaptive digital filter is provided with a filter unit for generating and supplying an output signal by means of a convolution operation of an input signal and a filter coefficient, or a filter unit for taking as input signal a complex signal in which one of two signals that are generated from one real signal and that have phases that differ by 90° is a real part and the other signal is an imaginary part for generating and supplying an output signal that is a complex signal by means of a convolution operation of the input signal and a filter coefficient that is the real signal; and the update amount of the filter coefficient is controlled based on the estimated value of the amplitude of at least one of the input signal and output signal of the adaptive digital filter.
US08223827B2
A method and apparatus are provided for determining a plurality of filter tap weights or biases (or both) for a noise predictive filter used to generate one or more signal dependent branch metrics. A filter tap weight or filter bias (or both) are adaptively accumulated for each possible data condition. The data conditions may comprise, for example, each possible data pattern for a given data dependency length. The appropriate accumulated filter tap weight or bias to update can be selected based on a data condition associated with the current received data. The filter tap weights associated with a delay 0 tap can be adapted for each filter condition except for a single normalizing condition, whose corresponding delay 0 tap remains fixed.
US08223808B2
Transmission of information in a wireless network is performed by allocating a channel from a transmitter to a receiver. The channel has at least one time slot with each time slot having a plurality of symbols. Each slot contains at least one reference symbol (RS). As information becomes available for transmission, it is classified as prioritized information (PI) and other information. One or more priority symbols are generated using the digital samples of the priority information. Other symbols are generated using the other data. Priority symbols are transmitted on the channel in a manner that separation of priority symbol(s) and a reference symbol does not exceed a time duration of one symbol. For example, Rank Indicator (RI) is transmitted using symbol k, ACKNAK is transmitted using symbol k+1; and the reference signal (RS) is transmitted using symbol k+2, wherein symbols k, k+1, and k+2 are consecutive in time. The other symbols are transmitted in available locations.
US08223805B2
The present invention relates to the domain of video equipment. In particular, the invention relates to a device able to receive packets in a network. The device comprises: means for receiving packets containing samples realized at a period, means for regenerating a ramp by means of a loop that delivers a clock, means for initializing, at every zero-crossing of the ramp, a counter whose rhythm is determined by the clock, means for generating image cues at every zero-crossing of the counter, and means for reconstituting a synchronization signal from said image cues, means for transmitting the synchronization signal to an item of remote equipment to be synchronized. According to the invention, the device comprises: means for receiving a return synchronization signal identical to the synchronization signal received by the equipment, means for extracting return image cues from the return synchronization signal, means for transmitting, to the loop, a sum between a sample and a sample of a signal delivered by the image counter, the samples having been realized at a rate set by the return image cues.
US08223803B2
A network device may include a set of switches. Each of the switches may include a set of ingress links and a set of egress links. One of the switches may store mapping information that identifies a first timeslot and one of the egress links for data received, during a second timeslot, on one of the ingress links. The one of the switches may receive data, associated with the second timeslot, on the one of the ingress links, identify the first timeslot and the one of the egress links, associated with the second timeslot and the one of the ingress links, based on the mapping information, and output the data, during the first timeslot, on the one of the egress links.
US08223799B2
A wireless communication device may generate an interactive digital diary for one or more users. The device may handle location information, multimedia data, transactions and/or secure communications via a plurality of technologies. Digital diary information may be stored internally or externally, it may be searchable and/or may comprise moving images, still images, audio, text, geographic location, entity information, time, date, transactions, financial information, consumer information, security information, user input, communications, user contacts, software applications, user profiles, scheduled events, prompts and/or reminders. The digital diary may comprise an interactive user interface which may have mapping capability and may provide link access to digital diary information and/or associated entities. User input methods may comprise screen touch, pressure sensor, key entry and/or voice. Information may be captured via a camera, microphone, geo-location data receiver, transaction write/reader, digital clock, digital calendar, key entry and/or tactile sensor.
US08223798B2
A receiver includes a sample rate converter configured to receive an input data stream having a variable data rate and to output a data stream having a fixed data rate. In some embodiments, the input data stream corresponds to digital video, digital audio and/or metadata, while in other embodiments the input data stream corresponds to any digital data stream that needs to be data rate converted for use by a receiving device. The sample rate converter is configured to track an externally sourced reference time signal corresponding to the input data stream.
US08223797B2
A method and a system for setting up header compression communication and a header compression policy function entity are disclosed herein. The method includes: a header compression enforcement function entity receives a header compression indication from a header compression policy function entity; and the header compression enforcement function entity negotiates header compression channel parameters with the other corresponding header compression enforcement function entity to set up header compression channel. A communication system and a header compression policy function entity are disclosed. The embodiments of the present disclosure overcome the failure of implementing the header compression communication in the prior art.
US08223793B2
A transmission apparatus for line signals is provided having a line device for transmitting the line signals at prescribed signal levels and having a line driver device which has an amplifier unit and a control unit. A determination unit is used to change over the operating mode of the amplifier unit when a signal level for the line signals exceeds a prescribed reference level by virtue of a determination unit having established that a prescribed reference signal level has been exceeded by the signal level of the line signals.
US08223777B2
Methods, machine-readable media, and apparatuses are disclosed for interfacing computer networks. According to one embodiment, a method for interfacing a first network using a first protocol with a second network using a second protocol can comprise receiving an event in the form of a first message from the first network, where the first message is encoded using the first protocol. The first message can be translated into a second message, where the second message is encoded using the second protocol. The second message can be transmitted to the second network. If a response is not received from the second network within a configurable interval, the event can be processed based upon at least one rule that is responsive to the event. A third message can then be transmitted to the first network, where the third message is responsive to the first message and is encoded in the first protocol.
US08223775B2
A cable modem system and architecture. A cable modem engine performs all cable modem functions, and a data networking engine performs all data and home networking functions. The cable modem engine is completely partitioned from the data networking engine. DOCSIS and VoIP functionality is implemented in the cable modem engine. The VoIP functionality may be in accordance with the PacketCable specification. The data networking functionality provided by the data networking engine may be in accordance with the CableHome specification.
US08223761B2
A route diagnosis method which supports policy-based routing is applied in the network which includes a router supporting policy-based routing, which comprises: adding stream description information of service stream in diagnosis-protocol-message, and containing a router warning option in IP head of the said diagnosis-protocol-message; based on the router supporting policy-based routing receiving said diagnosis-protocol-message, routing according to said stream description information in the said diagnosis-protocol-message; said diagnosis-protocol-message is processed as standard diagnosis-protocol-message by the router which is independent of policy-based routing. Employing the method of the present invention, the middle router which supports policy-based routing is able to transfer the message independent of IP head of the said diagnosis-protocol-message, but select routing according to said stream description information included in the message, thereby being capable of keeping the consistency between the diagnosis-protocol-message and routing of the service stream. The purpose that is actually diagnosing routing or correctly diagnosing route is achieved.
US08223756B2
A filter-information transmitting/receiving unit transmits path information with the filter information when the filter information is set by a filter setting unit, and receives the path information when the filter information is set in other network device. A filter-combining determining unit determines whether redundant filter information with the other network device is to be combined or deleted, based on the filter information and the path information. A filter control unit issues a filter-setting request or a filter release request based on a result of determination by the filter-combining determining unit.
US08223755B2
A system may provide trust relationship information for a telephone number, where the trust relationship information may indicate whether one or more nodes consider a target node as including or as being associated with a VoIP call agent for the telephone number based on demonstrated knowledge of a PSTN call. The system may determine a target trust relationship to the target node based on the trust relationship information, where the target trust relationship indicates a level of trust a validating node has in the target node being associated with or including the VoIP call agent for the telephone number, and where validating node and the one or more nodes may be in different respective administrative domains of a network.
US08223747B2
Techniques for using instant messaging preferences and settings are used for predictive communications, including routing of data traffic, are provided. A voice call can be routed over a packet-based network if a voice network is not available, or for other reasons. In addition to voice calls, embodiments of the invention can route video calls, multimedia communications and other communications. In some implementations, an instant message presence can be queried for in determining how to route a voice-over-IP or PSTN telephone call. Thus, a call might be routed to a computer or computing device unrelated to the location of the PSTN telephone line being called, if an associated instant messenger presence is detected on that computer or computing device.
US08223745B2
Additional routing information is added to a transaction packet without recalculating an ECRC by inserting the additional routing information at predetermined bit positions in the transaction packet known to have predetermined bit values. The modified transaction packet can then be routed using the additional routing information. The predetermined bit values can subsequently be reinstated at the predetermined bit positions in the packet.
US08223733B2
A mobile wireless communications system including a plurality of individual transponding nodes of various types, all in communication with a central processing hub. A local user signal is processed by the central processing hub and radiated through multiple paths to a plurality of the plurality of individual transponding platforms simultaneously. The signal is then re-radiated by each of the plurality of the plurality of individual transponding platforms to a mobile terminal that receives the re-radiated signal from the plurality of the plurality of individual transponding platforms coherently and in phase. The number of transponders and codes used to transmit each user signal can be readily adapted to user requirements.
US08223731B2
A method and a system for interworking with a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network in a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal. According to the method, a relay station for connecting the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal with the Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network sets a connection with the Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network through an initialization process. A user authentication with the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal is performed by the relay station in compliance with a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) protocol. A user authentication with a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network Access Control Router (ACR) is performed in compliance with a Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) network protocol by the relay station in place of the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) terminal.
US08223722B2
This disclosure describes a provisional hand-off mechanism to transfer handsets between base stations for a MAC protocol that combines contention-free and contention-based MAC protocols for use in wireless VoIP systems with multiple base stations that reduces packet overhead thus allowing for transmission of high bit-rate data to multiple users over wired and wireless means.
US08223720B1
When a mobile telephony device is conducting a voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephone call via a data network, and the mobile telephone device transitions from a first wireless data connection to a second wireless data connection, signaling between the mobile telephone device and a media relay inform the media relay how to address data packets bearing the media of the call after the transition has occurred. In some embodiments, the mobile telephone device establishes multiple simultaneous wireless data connections, and the mobile telephony device switches the media of the call between the wireless data connections depending on the quality of the wireless data connections.
US08223715B2
A wireless local area communications network that includes one or more access points each of which may have associated wireless communications devices in communication with it over a plurality of channels, some of which may be shared with a radar signal. The wireless communications devices are able to roam from one access point to another access point, in the presence of the channels shared with radar, in a seamless manner or in a manner in which the current communications session is not interrupted or delayed due to the requirement that any device in the network not transmit on those channels being shared with radar signals until the device can confirm that the channel is radar free. Furthermore, it is possible to guarantee that the communications session will not be disrupted during such roaming by configuring the wireless communications device to scan the wireless medium for only a minimum period of time necessary to detect a regularly occurring signal.
US08223699B2
A method (20,200) and apparatus (10) for detecting and identifying spectrum opportunities, including the steps of communicating a location of at least one node (12) to at least one base station (14) (24), transmitting a list of at least one channel from the at least one base station (14) to the at least one node (12) (26), and sensing the at least one channel from the list by the at least one node (12) (34). The method (20,200) also includes the steps of determining if the at least one channel is in use, and if the at least one channel is in use, determining the user of the at least one channel that is in use (38).
US08223691B2
A wireless communication apparatus is capable of improving communication efficiency by reducing the amount of control information transmitted. A channel quality information extraction section extracts CQI's from a received signal. An allocation control section allocates subcarriers every communication terminal apparatus and selects a modulation scheme in such a manner that required transmission rate is satisfied for each communication terminal apparatus based on required transmission rate information etc. and CQI's for communication terminal apparatus of each user. A required subcarrier number determining section decides the number of subcarriers allocated every communication terminal apparatus in such a manner as to satisfy the required transmission rate for each communication terminal apparatus based on required transmission rate information etc. of communication terminal apparatus of each user. A required subcarrier number information generating section generates information for the number of subcarriers allocated every communication terminal apparatus. A subcarrier allocation section allocates packet data to selected subcarriers. Modulating sections adaptively modulate packet data allocated to each subcarrier.
US08223689B2
The present invention relates to communicating between a network and user equipment in a wireless communication system. The invention includes receiving an indicator on a first transmission frequency having no associated uplink service. The indicator indicates at least one transmission frequency different from the first transmission frequency and having no associated uplink service. Moreover, the indicator indicates whether the availability of a service on the at least one transmission frequency is provided on the first transmission frequency.
US08223678B2
Methods and apparatus relating to power management of periodic transmissions from networking applications are described. In one embodiment, a periodic transmission manager coupled between one or more network applications and one or more network interfaces may control the flow of periodic transmissions from the one or more network applications to the one or more network interfaces. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US08223674B2
The invention is to provide a relay signal system or a device which enables the use of signal related services such as IP phone services even if a supply of power from a commercial AC power source is stopped, for instance, due to a power outage. The signal relay device comprises: a power reception terminal that is coupled to an AC power source, a plurality of connectors containing a plurality of terminal pins for receiving and transmitting signals such as packet signals in which the terminal pins are coupled to each other by wire, and a power charging unit, which is coupled to the power reception terminal by wire and stores a backup power charged by an AC power provided from the power reception terminal by wire and supplies the backup power to wires coupled to a part or all of the plurality of connectors.
US08223673B2
Methods and systems for secure conferencing in a network have been provided. Relevant endpoints from the provided endpoints are selected on the basis of the endpoint selection parameters received in an SRTP extension. Data streams generated from the selected endpoints are decrypted and mixed, to obtain all the possible data stream mixes. A source identifier is inserted in all the possible data stream mixes. On the basis of source identifiers, endpoints can selectively receive any of the generated data streams.
US08223669B2
A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising receiving a packet, determining whether the packet comprises a topology label, and adding the topology label to the packet if the packet does not comprise the topology label. Included is a method comprising routing a plurality of packets corresponding to a plurality of forwarding equivalence classes (FECs) over a plurality of network topologies using a topology label and plurality of forwarding labels for each network topology. Also included is a network comprising a plurality of nodes in communication with each other and having a plurality of network topologies, wherein at least some of the nodes are configured to route data packets for a plurality of FECs along a path in each network topology using a topology label corresponding to each network topology and an inner label corresponding to each FEC.
US08223656B2
A qualification and monitoring function (604, 606) monitors the line conditions of a last mile access network that is connected with a multi-access broadband network. The qualification and monitoring function (604, 606) sends data to a Resource Manager (602) of the access network upon request. The monitoring function collects, stores, and analyzes performance data, media conditions and stability data using interpretation filters to derive performance indicators. The conditions of the network are also automatically provided to the resource manager (602) for immediate attention if the access network conditions exceed predetermined thresholds.
US08223633B2
F_PORTs of an edge switch are logically trunking with N_PORTs of a node device outside the fabric via a trunked group of communications links. The trunked N_PORTs of the node device and the trunked F_PORTs of the edge switch are configured to send and receive frames of a particular stream across the multiple trunked links for in-order communication with the other device. The node device outside the fabric initially negotiates with the edge switch using a sequence of fabric login requests and fabric login acceptances to establish the trunked connection between the devices (and their respective ports).
US08223629B2
A core router adapted to back up a nominal output router. This kind of core router of a first autonomous subsystem is connected to a nominal output router of the first autonomous system adapted to route traffic whose destination is a second autonomous system, the first autonomous system further including a back-up output router adapted to route traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system. The core router includes means for identifying a router of the first autonomous system, adapted to identify a router adapted to route traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system in the event of a failure affecting traffic to said nominal output router, the identified router being either the back-up output router or a protector router of the first autonomous system, this protector router being adapted to redirect traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system via said back-up output router; means for detecting a failure affecting routing of traffic to said nominal output router; and means for redirecting traffic whose destination is the second autonomous system in a predetermined route in a tunnel to the identified router, said tunnel not passing through the nominal output router.
US08223625B2
Systems and methods allow cell acquisition in a wireless communication system in frequency division multiple access mode of operation. Code sequences transmitted over primary synchronization channel (P-SCH) enable detection of symbol boundary, cyclic prefix duration, and indication of broadcast channel bandwidth. Sequences transmitted over secondary synchronization channel (S-SCH) afford radio frame boundary detection, cell identification, and broadcast channel bandwidth indication. Cell identification can be conveyed jointly between P-SCH and S-SCH codes. Broadcast channel sequences convey cyclic prefix timing, system bandwidth and other system information. Relay of cell acquisition information, as well as multiple-cell acquisition when wireless system operates with frequency reuse are described.
US08223623B2
Systems and methods are provided for processing Time Domain Multiplexing Pilot symbols by employing complex accumulators to determine peak values which indicate the start of timing and frequency information. In an embodiment, a method is provided for timing acquisition in a wireless network. The method includes acquiring samples from an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) data packet over a predetermined period of time, where the samples include one or more TDM pilot symbols. The samples are then processed to determine a maximum value that indicates the TDM pilot symbol has been detected.
US08223612B2
An optical pickup apparatus according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor laser, an objective lens, a grating, and a light detecting device. The grating is installed between the semiconductor laser and the objective lens to divide the light beam emitted from the semiconductor laser into three beams or more including a main beam and a sub-beam. The light detecting device receives the divided light reflected by the optical recording medium. The grating includes a first diffraction grating and a second diffraction grating. The first diffraction grating has patterns formed for dividing a sub-beam with respect to a first optical recording medium having a first track pitch, and second diffraction grating has patterns formed for dividing the sub-beam divided by the first diffraction grating into sub-beams with respect to a second optical recording medium having a second track pitch.
US08223608B2
Disclosed is an adjustment apparatus for adjusting an optical pickup capable of recording and/or reproducing plural optical discs of different sorts. The adjustment apparatus is an optical disc for adjustment (1) having a first signal recording layer (5) having a physical format in common with a CD and a second signal recording layer (7) having a physical format in common with a DVD. On the first and second signal recording layers, there are concentrically recorded EFM modulated data. The respective signal recording layers are provided with recording areas (8), (9) not overlapped with each other.
US08223606B2
A method for detecting a typical defect area on a disc track includes the following steps. Firstly, a source signal is provided. Then, first and second signals are generated according to the source signal. The first and second signals are held at the peak level of the source signal and respectively decreased at first and second drop rates. Then, first and second threshold values are subtracted from the first and second signals to generate first and second slice signals, respectively. Afterwards, the source signal is compared with either the first slice signal or the second slice signal. When the first slice signal is larger than the source signal, a typical defect signal is changed from a first level to a second level. Whereas, the typical defect signal is changed from the second level to the first level when the second slice signal is smaller than the source signal.
US08223603B2
A frequency detection apparatus and method for generating a stable clock signal synchronized with an input signal and a signal boost filter used in the frequency detection apparatus and method, the frequency detection apparatus includes a signal boost filter filtering out the high frequency component of an input signal and boosting the high frequency component, and a frequency detector receiving an input signal with the boosted high frequency component and a clock signal, detecting a frequency difference between the input signal and the clock signal, and producing a control voltage corresponding to the frequency difference. Accordingly, even when there is a big difference between the frequency of the input signal and an oscillating frequency, a frequency error can be stably detected. Thus, a stable clock signal can be obtained.
US08223601B2
An address-accessing device includes first and second information generators for producing first and second information according to the received address signals; a phase offset detector for producing a phase offset according to the first and second information; a reference signal generator for producing a reference signal according to the phase offset, the first information and the second information; and a decoder used to determine the structure type of an address-in-pregroove unit (ADIP) according to the reference value. This address-accessing device is capable of adjusting the decision level and the phase offset automatically to lower the error rate occurring in the address access procedure.
US08223599B2
Provided is a recording/reproduction apparatus capable of securing a backup area for management information on a recording medium without affecting the capacity of a user data area. Before a hard disk drive or a disc medium (recording medium) is finalized, metadata is recorded in a metadata area and when the hard disk drive or the disc medium are finalized, a user data area portion corresponding to the volume of metadata required for the finalizing is set as a metadata mirror area and then the metadata recorded in the metadata area is copied to the metadata mirror area.
US08223593B2
An electronic timepiece includes a reception unit that receives satellite signals transmitted from positioning information satellites; a manual reception process unit that starts operation of the reception unit and executes a manual reception process when an external operating member is operated; an automatic reception process unit that automatically operates the reception unit and executes an automatic reception process when a predetermined condition is satisfied; a simple time adjustment process unit that executes such a process to receive a satellite signal from one positioning information satellite, acquire time information from the received satellite signal, and adjust an internal time; and a high precision time adjustment process unit that executes such a process to receive satellite signals from a plurality of positioning information satellites, acquire time and positioning information from the received satellite signals and determine the location, and adjust the internal time to the time acquired based on the positioning result. The simple time adjustment process is executed when the automatic reception process executes. The high precision time adjustment process is executed when the manual reception process executes, after voltage detection of the battery is detected and if the so detected voltage is greater than a prescribed voltage.
US08223566B2
The embodiments of the present invention disclose a memory device having a fast and shared redundancy decision scheme and a memory control method. The memory device includes an address receiver, a command receiver, a command controller, a row address generator, a column address generator and a shared redundancy decision circuit.
US08223562B2
Dual I/O data read is performed in an integrated circuit which includes a serial peripheral interface memory device. In one example, a second page read address is transmitted to the memory device using a first input pin and a second input pin concurrently, while transferring data from the memory device associated with a first page read address using a first output pin and a second output pin concurrently. The first page read address is associated with a first location in the memory device and the second page read address is associated with a second location in the memory device.
US08223561B2
Methods for programming a memory device, memory devices configured to perform the disclosed programming methods, and memory systems having a memory device configured to perform the disclosed programming methods are provided. According to at least one such method, multiple pages of memory cells are inhibited during a programming operation such that memory cells enabled for programming are separated by two or more inhibited memory cells of the same row of memory cells regardless of the intended pattern of data states to be programmed into that row of memory cells.
US08223560B2
An apparatus includes at least one memory device including a floating gate element and a magnetic field generator that operably applies a magnetic field to the memory device. The magnetic field directs electrons in the memory device into the floating gate element.
US08223556B2
A method and non-volatile storage system are provided in which programming speed is increased by reducing the number of verify operations, while maintaining a narrow threshold voltage distribution. A programming scheme performs a verify operation at an offset level, before a verify level of a target data state is reached, such as to slow down programming. However, it is not necessary to perform verify operations at both the offset and target levels at all times. In a first programming phase, verify operations are performed for a given data state only at the target verify level. In a second programming phase, verify operations are performed for offset and target verify levels. In a third programming phase, verify operations are again performed only at the target verify level. Transitions between phases can be predetermined, based on programming pulse number, or adaptive.
US08223544B2
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.
US08223543B2
A memory includes first and second select gate transistors, memory cells, a source line, a bit line, a selected word line which is connected to a selected memory cell as a target of a verify reading, a non-selected word line which is connected to a non-selected memory cell except the selected memory cell, a potential generating circuit for generating a selected read potential which is supplied to the selected word line, and generating a non-selected read potential larger than the selected read potential, which is supplied to the non-selected word line, and a control circuit which classifies a threshold voltage of the selected memory cell to one of three groups by verifying which area among three area which are isolated by two values does a cell current of the selected memory cell belong, when the selected read potential is a first value.
US08223538B2
In accordance with some embodiments, a phase change memory may be formed in which the thermal conductivity in the region outside the programmed volume of phase change material is reduced. This may reduce the power consumption of the resulting phase change memory. The reduction in power consumption may be achieved by forming distinct layers of phase change material that have little or no mixing between them outside the programmed volume. For example, in one embodiment, a diffusion barrier layer may be maintained between the two distinct phase change layers. In another embodiment, a face centered cubic chalcogenide structure may be utilized.
US08223536B2
A semiconductor memory device comprises: a phase change element (RP) and a memory cell transistor (MN0) that controls writing and reading of data with respect to the phase change element (RP); the memory cell transistor (MN0) supplies a current to the phase change element (RP) based on a first potential (VPS) in a first (read) operation mode, and in a second (write) operation mode supplies a current based on the first potential (VPS), and subsequently supplies a current based on a second potential (VPP) higher than the first potential (VPS). In a write operation, consumed current is reduced.
US08223535B2
A phase change memory device includes a bitline biasing unit; and a bitline selection unit connecting a selected bitline to the bitline biasing unit and disconnecting deselected bitlines from the bitline biasing unit in an operative condition. A bitline discharge unit is connected to the bitlines to discharge leakage currents in the bitlines. The bitline discharge unit has a voltage regulation unit and a plurality of bitline discharge switches coupled between the voltage regulation unit and a respective bitline. The bitline discharge switches are controlled to connect the deselected bitlines to the voltage regulation unit and to disconnect the selected bitline from the voltage regulation unit. The voltage regulation unit comprises a PMOS transistor coupled between a regulated voltage bus and a reference potential line. The regulated voltage bus is connected to the bitline discharge switches and the control terminal of the PMOS transistor is biased to a constant voltage.
US08223519B2
A power control system includes a rectifier circuit, a buck circuit, a voltage divider circuit, a control circuit, and a switch circuit. A first terminal of the rectifier circuit is connected to an alternating current (AC) power supply. A second terminal of the rectifier circuit is connected to a first terminal of the buck circuit and a first terminal of the voltage divider circuit. A first terminal of the control circuit is connected to a second terminal of the buck circuit. A second terminal of the control circuit is connected to a second terminal of the voltage divider circuit. A third terminal of the control circuit is connected to the switch circuit. The switch circuit is connected to the AC power supply and an electronic device.
US08223514B2
A DC-DC converter circuit includes a boosting circuit having at least part of a DC-DC converter; a control signal circuit that controls the boosting circuit; and a power supply unit being electrically connected to both of the boosting circuit and the control signal circuit and supplying at least the control signal circuit with electric power. The DC-DC converter includes a plurality of capacitors and switching units enabling each of the plurality of capacitors to be electrically independent, and the control signal circuit transmits a signal to the switching units when the DC-DC converter is not operating in intermittent operation thereof, the signal indicating each of the plurality of capacitors being made to be electrically independent.
US08223512B2
A power converter includes a small-sized inductor connected to an AC voltage input line for power factor correction and a filter for suppressing conduction noise. The inductor is connected to a rectifier and comprises first and second windings and that are wound on a common magnetic core and loosely coupled with each other. A leakage inductance component of the inductor functions as an energy storage element in a main conversion operation and an excitation inductance component of the inductor functions as a noise reduction element for suppressing an conduction noise caused by on-off operation of a switching element.
US08223508B2
A power supply to provide electrical power to one or more loads. The power supply may include a resonant air core transformer to provide an adjustable and adaptable source of power to electronic devices. The power supply may include isolated primary-side circuitry and secondary-side circuitry. The primary-side circuitry may include control circuitry that, among other things, provides drive waveforms for the primary-side switching circuitry. In embodiments configured to produce AC output, the secondary-side circuitry may also include switching circuitry. The primary-side control circuitry may provide drive waveforms for the secondary-side switching circuitry. The secondary-side circuitry may include measurement circuitry that measures the current and/or voltage of the output and provides those measurements to the control circuitry through isolation circuitry. The control circuitry may adjust the drive waveforms for the primary-side and/or secondary-side switching circuitry as a function of the measured values.
US08223507B2
An electronic circuit having a circuit board, a shield frame and a shield cover is provided. The shield frame is provided on the circuit board along a fringe of an area of the circuit board. The shield frame is discontinuous at a portion on the fringe. The shield cover is fastened to the shield frame so as to cover the area having the fringe along which the shield frame is provided.
US08223502B2
A chip card holder is configured for receiving a chip card. The chip card holder includes a housing defining a groove, a latching part received in the groove, a fixing element made of rubber material. The chip card is received in the latching part. The fixing element includes a main plate, a positioning portion, a rib, and a free end. The positioning portion is positioned on a side of the main plate. The positioning portion latches the housing. The rib is positioned on the same side which positioning the positioning portion. The rib resists the chip card. The free end extends from a peripheral edge of the main plate. The present disclosure further discloses an electronic device using the chip card holder.
US08223498B2
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a printed circuit board and a thermal interface member. The printed circuit board is configured to be coupled to an electronic device, such as, for example, a removable (or “pluggable”) optical transceiver. A first surface of the printed circuit board includes a thermally-conductive portion, and a second surface of the printed circuit board includes a thermally-conductive portion that is coupled to the thermally-conductive portion of the first surface by a thermally-conductive via between the first surface and the second surface. The thermal interface member is coupled to the first surface of the printed circuit board such that a portion of the thermal interface member is in contact with the thermally-conductive portion of the first surface. The portion of thermal interface member is deformable and thermally-conductive.
US08223494B2
A conduction cooled circuit board assembly may include a frame and at least one circuit board attached to the frame, having at least one area to be cooled. The assembly may also include at least one rail attached to the frame, and at least one heat pipe having a first end and a second end, the first end disposed near the area and the second end in contact with the rail so as to transfer heat from the area to the rail.
US08223488B2
A locking assembly security apparatus engages with a tablet computer or similar device, which is securely locked to it via a plunger lock. A corner pocket engages one corner of the tablet computer, while another proximal lockable corner pocket engages the diagonally opposite corner of the tablet computer. The security apparatus includes a diagonally extending chassis bar between the opposite set of corner pockets. The base of a proximal pocket extends from the diagonally extending chassis bar to the flanges at the proximal end on the other side of the integral hinge pin housing of the proximal pocket, which flips up to permit a corner of the tablet computer to be inserted or disengaged.
US08223487B2
An electronic device including a main body, a display, and a light emitting module is provided. The main body has a restrictive opening. A pivoting side of the display is pivoted to the main body. A side of the display away form the pivoting side has a latch structure protruding from a first surface of the display. The light emitting module is disposed at the latch structure. When the display is opened relative to the main body, the light emitting module emits light toward a second surface of the main body to illuminate the second surface of the main body. When the display is closed relative to the main body, the latch structure is accommodated in the restrictive opening.
US08223476B2
A field rephaseable metering device is provided including at least three distribution buses including two side buses and a center bus, the center bus having a vertical center line. At least one meter socket is provided having a vertical center line offset from the vertical center line of said center bus, each meter socket including a first line terminal and a second line terminal. At least two line straps are provided, each having a first end configured for connecting with one of the first or second line terminals, and a second elongate end configured to be selectively connectable to one of the side buses associated with its line terminal or the center bus. When each line strap is positioned to connect one of the line terminals with one of the distribution buses, a longitudinal axis of each line strap is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of each distribution bus.
US08223473B2
An electrolytic capacitor that contains an anodically oxidized porous anode, cathode, and an electrolyte that contains an alkali metal salt and ionically conductive polymer is provided. The alkali metal salt forms a complex with the ionically conductive polymer and thereby improves its ionic conductivity, particularly at higher temperatures. The electrolyte also contains an organic solvent that reduces the viscosity of the electrolyte and helps lower the potential barrier to metal ion transport within the electrolyte to improve conductivity. By selectively controlling the relative amount of each of these components, the present inventors have discovered that a highly ionically conductive electrolyte may be formed that is also in the form of a viscous liquid. The liquid nature of the electrolyte enables it to more readily enter the pores of the anode via capillary forces and improve specific capacitance. Further, although a liquid, its viscous nature may inhibit the likelihood of leakage.
US08223472B1
A capacitor having at least one electrode pair being separated by a dielectric component, with the dielectric component being made of a polymer such as a norbornylene-containing polymer with a dielectric constant greater than 3 and a dissipation factor less than 0.1 where the capacitor has an operating temperature greater than 100° C. and less than 170° C.
US08223471B2
A multilayer capacitor is provided which can efficiently prevent chattering noises from occurring in a simple structure.In the multilayer capacitor, a metal terminal is disposed about a capacitor element body. Even when an electrostrictive vibration is generated in the multilayer capacitor upon voltage application, a joint surface joining a substrate connecting surface and a terminal connecting surface together in the metal terminal can flex, so as to mitigate the electrostrictive vibration, thereby preventing chattering noises from occurring. In the multilayer capacitor, the terminal connecting surface and joint surface form a rising part having a height which is about half that of the capacitor element body. Therefore, the joint surface joins together the terminal connecting surface and substrate connecting surface that are positioned on different side faces of the capacitor element body, whereby a sufficient length can be secured in the joint surface, thus improving the efficiency of mitigating electrostrictive vibrations. Further, a simple procedure of just mounting the bottom face of the capacitor element body onto the front side of the capacitor element body supporting surface can easily attach the metal terminal to the capacitor element body.
US08223470B2
An apparatus includes a processing chamber having a plasma containing region, a dielectric plate secured on top of the processing chamber, a power source separated from the plasma containing region by the dielectric plate, and a chuck supported within the processing chamber. The chuck is operable and configured to move with respect to the power source.
US08223469B2
A circuit fault detector and interrupter which consists of parallel current conduction paths, including a path through a mechanical contactor and a path through a power electronics switch having active feedback control. A fault can be detected by a fault detection circuit within 50 microseconds of the occurrence of the fault, causing the mechanical contactor to be opened and the fault current to be commutated via a laminated, low-inductance bus through the power electronics switch. The power electronics switch is thereafter turned off as soon as possible, interrupting the fault current and absorbing the inductive energy in the circuit. The fault current can be interrupted within 200 microseconds of the occurrence of the fault, and the device reduces or eliminates arcing when the mechanical contactor is opened.
US08223468B2
A power conditioning circuit for conditioning power supplied by a power source at a nominal frequency over conductors in a polyphase system includes first and second phase conductors. First and second inductors are connected in series between the first and second phase conductors and first and second phase output lines, wherein all of the power supplied by the power source to the first and second phase output lines flows through the first and second inductors. An inductance of each of the first and second inductors increases when power at frequencies greater than the nominal frequency flows through the first and second phase conductors, thereby blocking power at frequencies greater than the nominal frequency from reaching the first and second phase output lines.
US08223448B1
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk including a plurality of tracks defined by servo sectors, wherein each track comprises a plurality of data sectors. The disk drive further comprises a preamp circuit operable to amplify a read signal emanating from the head to generate a pre-amplified read signal. A first gain setting of the preamp circuit is calibrated in response to a plurality of the servo sectors, and the first gain setting is adjusted in response to a plurality of the data sectors.
US08223421B2
A shutter includes a first insulating substrate, a first electrode layer, a second insulating substrate, a second electrode layer, and a light-blocking layer. The first electrode layer is formed on the first insulating substrate. The first electrode layer includes layer portions insulated from one another. The second electrode layer is formed on the second insulating substrate. The light-blocking layer is disposed between the first and second electrode layers. The light-blocking layer includes a liquid and opaque and charged balls movably distributed in the liquid. At least one layer portion is selected. The at least one selected layer portion and the second electrode layer are connected to respective positive voltage and negative voltage to generate an electric field to the charged balls. The charged balls are attracted by the electric field to arrange in a configuration corresponding to the at least one selected layer portion to block light.
US08223408B2
An image forming apparatus is capable of scanning a document having a larger size than the flat. For example, it is possible to scan an A3 document using a scanning sensor having a slight larger size than an A4 document, and also it is possible to obtain a high quality of the A3 document image.
US08223402B2
What is disclosed is a novel system and method for color trapping on halftoned bi-level bitmaps. Color edges are detected and edge pixels that need to be trapped are identified. The number of pixels qualified as edge pixels eligible for color trapping can be up to a pre-determined number of pixels away from the color edge. Estimates for the continuous-tone values are obtained for the dominant colors on each side of the two-color edge. The contone value of the dominant color on the opposing side of the two-color edge is assigned to the qualified edge pixels. Qualified edge pixels are re-halftoned using their assigned contone value so that halftones for one color are extended beyond the edge into the other color. The re-halftoned edge pixels are combined with the original bitmap to produce a new bitmap for the image. The new bitmap is then provided to an image output device.
US08223396B2
A color processing device includes a color range conversion component, a control component and a color conversion and clipping component. The color range conversion component performs a color range conversion of input color signals in accordance with a specified color range conversion condition. The control component excludes from objects of the color range conversion by the color range conversion component a color value, of the input color signals, of which a position in a predetermined color space is outside a color reproduction range and which satisfies a predetermined condition. The color conversion and clipping component, after a color space conversion, applies clipping to a color value that falls outside the color reproduction range of the designated device in the color space dependent on the designated device, including rounding off such that the color value falls in the color reproduction range.
US08223387B2
Based on layout information, in regard to a group of reusable objects appearing in a range from a lowermost layer to a layer immediately before a variable object appears in the order of arranging image objects, one new reusable object is generated for each group of pages on which reusable objects constituting the group of reusable objects are identical and have same arrangement positions, the new reusable object generated by merging the reusable objects constituting the group of reusable objects. Also new layout information is generated by replacing description of each of the reusable objects constituting the group of reusable objects in the layout information with description of the new reusable object corresponding to the group of reusable objects.
US08223386B2
An image forming apparatus provided with an image forming section forming a reference mark at the position being away from the leading edge of the front surface of a sheet by a prescribed length, and forming an image for the front surface based on the forming position of the reference mark, a transfer sheet reversing section reversing the sheet, a leading edge detection sensor detecting the leading edge of the rear surface of the sheet and a mark detection sensor detecting the forming position of the reference mark on the sheet based on the leading edge of the rear surface of the transfer sheet, and the image forming section forms an image on the rear surface of the transfer sheet based on the forming position of the reference mark on the sheet whose reference point is the leading edge of the rear surface of the transfer sheet.
US08223384B1
Systems, apparatuses, and methods for defining an image in a handheld imaging translation device are described herein. The image may be defined as a plurality of color planes having a plurality of bits, the bits of each color plane stored in consecutive memory addresses, and the color planes separated by a consistent offset, such that each bit and its associated bits are equally separated by the consistent offset.
US08223378B2
A printing system capable of increasing the working efficiency of an operator engaged in a post-process necessary after printing can be provided. For this purpose, the user interface unit can execute a display which allows the operator to explicitly input, for each job, instruction information in consideration of a post-process necessary after a printing process in a job requiring a printing process by a printing apparatus in a printing system capable of stacking, on a stacking unit, printed materials having undergone the printing process. When the job to be processed is a job for which the operator inputs the instruction information via the display, printed materials of the job for which the operator inputs the instruction information are stacked on the stacking unit while the printed materials are classified every printed materials on the basis of the instruction information input by the operator for the job.
US08223374B2
A maintenance system of an image forming apparatus is composed of an image forming apparatus and a central management apparatus connected to it via a communication line. The image forming apparatus is composed of an image forming unit for forming an image, an information output unit for outputting intra-machine information of the image forming unit, a voice information input unit for inputting voice information of a user of the image forming unit, and a first communication controller for outputting the intra-machine information and voice information via the communication line. A central management apparatus is composed of a second communication controller connected to the communication line for inputting the intra-machine information and voice information which are outputted from the image forming apparatus, an emotional condition recognition unit for recognizing the emotional condition of the user of the image forming apparatus on the basis of the voice information received by the second communication controller, a support data storage unit for storing beforehand support information corresponding to the intra-machine information and emotional condition, a main controller for extracting the corresponding support information from the support information storage unit on the basis of the intra-machine information received by the second communication controller and the emotional condition of the user recognized by the emotional condition recognition unit, and an input/output unit for reporting the support information extracted by the main controller to an operator.
US08223373B2
A method having corresponding apparatus and computer-readable media embodying instructions executable by a computer to perform the method comprises: in response to a request to print an image stored on a first website, automatically downloading an image editing pipeline for the image from a second website in response to the request, wherein the image editing pipeline describes one or more image editing operations for the image; automatically downloading the image from the first website; automatically generating an edited image based on the image and the image editing pipeline; and automatically printing the edited image on a printer.
US08223368B2
An apparatus for executing image processing by a plurality of serially connected image processing modules stores, in memory, set values for the plurality of image processing modules and image data to be processed by the plurality of image processing modules, adds headers to respective ones of the set values and image data that have been read out of the memory and transmits the result to a top image processing module among the plurality of image processing modules.
US08223354B2
An printing apparatus capable of maintaining confidentiality of a printed matter more reliably. Where a confidential print command is received, when user identification information for a user who issued the confidential print command is read from a recording medium such as an IC card by a reader, the printing apparatus puts the execution of the print processing pertaining to the confidential print command on hold if print processing based on a command issued by a user other than the user who issued the confidential print command via operation of an operation unit is being executed, and it begins the execution of the print processing pertaining to the confidential print command if print processing based on a command issued by a user other than the user who issued said confidential print command via operation of the operation unit is not being executed.
US08223353B2
A system and method for an adaptable print driver that adapts its behavior to make use of multiple processors when they are available on the host computer. In particular, during installation or initialization of the print driver, the driver will query the operating system for the number and type of processors present. If the print driver detects that multiple processors are present, it will operate in a way that makes explicit use of the multiple processors.
US08223345B2
A surface position detecting apparatus comprises a light-sending optical system which makes first light from a first pattern and second light from a second pattern incident at different incidence angles to a predetermined surface to project an intermediate image of the first pattern and an intermediate image of the second pattern onto the predetermined surface; a light-receiving optical system which guides the first light and the second light reflected on the predetermined surface, to a first observation surface and to a second observation surface, respectively, to form an observation image of the first pattern on the first observation surface and an observation image of the second pattern on the second observation surface; and a detecting section which detects position information of the observation image of the first pattern on the first observation surface and position information of the observation image of the second pattern on the second observation surface and which calculates a surface position of the predetermined surface, based on the position information of the observation image of the first pattern and the position information of the observation image of the second pattern.
US08223342B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for an interferometer system. An interferometer system may comprise a plurality of light sources, wherein each light source of the plurality is configured to transmit a source beam. The interferometer system may also include an interferometer including a polarizing beam splitter and a reference reflector. The interferometer is configured to receive the source beam and transmit a measurement beam to a target reflector and a reference beam to the reference reflector. Additionally, the interferometer system may include a plurality of receivers, wherein each receiver of the plurality is associated with a light source and configured to receive a mixed beam comprising a reflected measurement beam and a reflected reference beam. Moreover, the interferometer is configured to receive at least one source beam at an angle with respect to an axis perpendicular to a side of the interferometer configured to receive the source beam.
US08223335B2
A system for alignment measurement for a rolling embossed double-sided optical film, the system comprising: a first roller with a first brightness enhancement film pattern and a first alignment pattern thereon, a second roller with a second brightness enhancement film pattern and a second alignment pattern thereon; a measuring unit for measuring diffraction patterns in the first alignment region and the second alignment region, respectively; and a control unit electrically connected to the first roller, the second roller and the measuring unit to adjust the relative position between the first roller and the second roller according to the diffraction patterns measured by the measuring unit.
US08223334B1
A system and method for improving data provided by ellipsometer, polarimeter and the like systems involving diminishing the effects of undesirable noise in the intensity of a beam of electromagnetic radiation caused by, for instance, random variations in intensity of a source provided beam of electromagnetic radiation and/or periodic or non-periodic variations in beam intensity resulting from wobble/wander of a moving sample, during investigation of the sample by the beam of electromagnetic radiation.
US08223330B2
A method for producing planar extended electrodes with nanoscale spacings that exhibit very large SERS signals, with each nanoscale gap having one well-defined hot spot. The resulting highly sensitive substrate has extended metal electrodes separated by a nanoscale gap. The electrodes act as optical antennas to enhance dramatically the local electromagnetic field for purposes of spectroscopy or nonlinear optics. SERS response is consistent with a very small number of molecules in the hotspot, showing blinking and wandering of Raman lines. Sensitivity is sufficiently high that SERS from physisorbed atmospheric contaminants may be detected after minutes of exposure to ambient conditions.
US08223326B2
The present invention relates to a dark-field examination device. The dark-field examination device according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises: an illumination unit for irradiating light towards an examination object on a base; a reflection unit for reflecting, back towards the examination object, incident light which has been reflected by means of the examination object or incident light which has passed through the base; and an imaging unit for imaging the examination object by receiving light which has been scattered by means of the examination object, and in that the illumination unit, the reflection unit and the imaging unit are arranged in such a way that part of the light which has been irradiated from the illumination unit is scattered by means of the examination object and falls incident upon the imaging unit while another part of the light which has been irradiated from the illumination unit falls incident upon the reflection unit, and the light reflected back towards the examination object by means of the reflection unit is scattered by means of the examination object and falls incident upon the imaging unit.
US08223323B2
A method includes a first step of joining a multimode fiber to a first end of an optical fiber being a specimen, allowing light to propagate from the multimode fiber to the specimen, measuring an intensity of light from a second end of the specimen, and determining a first power spectrum; a second step of joining the multimode fiber to a first end of a reference fiber having bending loss higher than that of the specimen, allowing light to propagate from the multimode fiber to the reference fiber, measuring an intensity of light from a second end of the reference fiber, and determining a second power spectrum; a third step of determining a difference spectrum by subtracting the second power spectrum from the first power spectrum; and a fourth step of determining a higher-order mode cutoff wavelength of the specimen on the basis of a shape of the difference spectrum.
US08223319B2
An exposure device is provided. The exposure device includes an alignment stage unit, an exposure processing unit and a workpiece moving mechanism. The alignment stage unit includes: an alignment stage that holds a workpiece having workpiece marks thereon; at least one first alignment microscope that detects the workpiece marks of the workpiece; and a first moving mechanism that relatively moves the alignment stage and the first alignment microscope in an 1-axis direction by a width of the workpiece. The exposure processing unit includes: a mask stage that holds a mask having mask marks thereon; a second alignment microscope that detects the mask marks of the mask; and an exposure stage that holds the workpiece. The workpiece moving mechanism moves the workpiece from the alignment stage unit to the exposure processing unit.
US08223318B2
An illumination optical apparatus is able to quickly perform switching between polarization states of illumination light in a first region and in a second region. The illumination optical apparatus of the present invention for illuminating a surface to be illuminated on the basis of light from a light source is provided with an optical integrator of a wavefront division type arranged in an optical path between the light source and the surface to be illuminated and including a plurality of wavefront division regions; and a polarization changing member for changing a polarization state of at least one beam out of a beam incident to a first region in the wavefront division regions of the optical integrator and a beam incident to a second region in the wavefront division regions of the optical integrator.
US08223316B2
An exposure apparatus includes an optical path in which a plurality of optical units are arranged and which includes a portion of projecting a pattern of an original onto a substrate to expose the substrate to light, and a controller configured to monitor deteriorations, due to light, of the plurality of optical units, wherein the controller is configured to monitor each of a plurality of sections of the optical path each of which includes at least one optical unit, for deterioration of the at least one optical unit belonging to a corresponding section.
US08223310B2
Provided is a liquid crystal device including a first substrate and a second substrate which face each other with a liquid crystal layer interposed therebetween, wherein a plurality of columnar spacers for maintaining a gap between the first substrate and the second substrate is arranged on a surface of a liquid crystal layer side of the first surface, and spacer reception portions are arranged on a surface of a liquid crystal layer side of the second substrate in regions which face the columnar spacers, and wherein the spacer reception portions include contact reception portions which are in contact with the columnar spacers and non-contact reception portions which are not in contact with the columnar spacers.
US08223293B2
A method of assembling a liquid crystal display is provided. First, a front cover, a bezel, a liquid crystal panel and a hinge are provided, wherein the front cover has an opening, and the bezel has a first hinge cap. The hinge is assembled to the liquid crystal panel. The front cover and the liquid crystal panel are assembled to the bezel, such that the hinge is partially covered by the first hinge cap, and the liquid crystal panel is exposed by the opening. A second hinge cap is provided. The second hinge cap is assembled to the first hinge cap, such that the hinge is wrapped by the first hinge cap and the second hinge cap. A back cover is provided. The back cover is assembled to the front cover.
US08223284B2
A liquid crystal device 10 of the present invention includes conductive films 81a, 81b for storage capacitors, i.e., a first conductive film 81a and a second conductive film 81b, which are connected to two adjacent pixel electrodes 44a, 44b, respectively, via contact sections 70a, 70b formed through a second insulating film 62. The part of a storage capacitor 83 located below the conductive films 81a, 81b is divided into a first capacitor line 83a arranged below the first conductive film 81a and a second capacitor line 83b arranged below the second conductive film 81b.
US08223281B2
An array substrate for an in-plane switching mode liquid crystal display device includes a substrate, a gate line disposed along a first direction on the substrate, a data line disposed along a second direction and crossing the gate line to define a pixel region, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, pixel electrodes disposed in the pixel region and connected to the thin film transistor, common electrodes disposed in the pixel region and alternating with the pixel electrodes, a semiconductor layer underlying the data line and including a portion having a width greater than a width of the data line, and a first blocking pattern comprising an opaque material and disposed under the semiconductor layer.
US08223279B2
A three-dimensional (3D) display system is provided for displaying a 3D image. The 3D image includes at least a first image and a second image, with a parallax between the first image and the second image. The 3D display system includes a display device, and a liquid crystal lens array. Further, the display device is configured to display at least two combined images of the 3D image in a single display period, and each of the two combined images includes a part of the first image and a part of the second image. The liquid crystal lens array has a plurality of lens units configured to separate the part of the first image and the part of the second image in each of the two combined images into predetermined viewing directions, respectively, such that a complete first image and a complete second image are displayed without losing resolution.
US08223278B2
A display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, pads, a first flexible circuit board, and a second flexible circuit board. The first substrate includes a first insulating substrate, a first resistance layer formed on the first insulating substrate, and first and second signal lines formed on the first insulating substrate. The second substrate faces the first substrate and includes a second insulating substrate, a second resistance layer formed on the second insulating substrate, and third and fourth signal lines formed on the second insulating substrate. The pads comprise a first pad connected to the first signal line, a second pad connected to the second signal line, a third pad connected to the third signal line, and a fourth pad connected to the fourth signal line. The first flexible circuit board is connected to two of the pads and the second flexible circuit board is connected to the other two pads.
US08223258B2
A backlight photographing method is applicable in a digital camera. In the backlight photographing method, a backlight detection program is first executed to obtain a backlight flag. Next, when the backlight flag is in a backlight status, a flash is emitted and a photo is photographed. In addition, photographing parameters of the digital camera may be adjusted according to a low brightness characteristic value acquired by the backlight detection program, so as to obtain a photo having a foreground with a preferred exposure effect.
US08223254B2
A camera system includes an interchangeable lens and a camera body. The camera body includes an imaging unit, a contrast detection unit, a defocusing amount detection unit, and a body microcomputer. The contrast detection unit is configured to detect a contrast value from an image signal of a subject acquired by the imaging unit, and is configured to detect the focal state of an optical image on the basis of the contrast value. The defocusing amount detection unit is configured to detect the focal state of the optical image by phase difference detection method. The body microcomputer is configured to select either the contrast detection unit or the defocusing amount detection unit on the basis of lens information on the interchangeable lens side.
US08223245B2
Disclosed is an imaging lens capable of improving weatherability, reducing performance degradation, and obtaining an optical performance excellent across a wide wavelength region from the visible wavelength region to the near-infrared wavelength region. An imaging lens for forming an image of visible and near-infrared light includes, in order from the object side: a front group that has a positive power; an aperture stop; and a rear group that has a negative power. In the imaging lens, the rear group includes a negative meniscus lens that is disposed closer to the object side and has a surface convex toward the object side, and a biconvex lens that is disposed closer to the image side. In addition, all the lenses constituting the imaging lens are single lenses.
US08223241B2
A camera for facilitating multi-positioned photography, wherein the camera includes a housing and a lens. The camera also includes a pair of control interfaces disposed on the top side and the bottom side of the housing. In addition, the camera includes a pair of flashes oppositely disposed on the front side of the housing. Furthermore, the camera may include a pair of display modules disposed on the front side and the back side of the housing. The camera includes an orientation module and a control module, configured to control an aspect of functionality of the camera according to the orientation information from the orientation module. The control module includes a self-shot module configured to automate a setting while taking a self photo.
US08223238B2
A solid-state imaging apparatus which can photograph a high-definition image and, at high quality, a moving image having lower resolution than that of the high-definition image is provided. The solid-state imaging apparatus comprises: plural pixels which include a photoelectric conversion unit and a transfer unit; an impurity diffused region which accumulates charges transferred from the photoelectric conversion unit through the transfer unit; an amplifying unit which outputs signals based on the charges accumulated by the impurity diffused region; and a reset unit which resets potential of the impurity diffused region, wherein the four pixels including the obliquely adjacent two pixels and the two pixels, in a same row or column, adjacent to one of the obliquely adjacent two pixels constitute a unit pixel group, and the impurity diffused region, the amplifying unit and the reset unit are commonly connected to the four pixels constituting the unit pixel group.
US08223236B2
Apparatuses and methods which involve reading out an image sensor comprising an array of light-sensitive sensor elements are disclosed. In an embodiment, the light-sensitive sensor elements are grouped into a plurality of consecutive sensor element groups, and in an embodiment reading out the light-sensitive sensor elements is performed groupwise in an at least partially not according to the consecutive order of the groups.
US08223230B2
Descriptions are provided of various implementations of an automated tuning process configured to optimize a procedure for post-processing images captured by a camera sensor.
US08223229B2
In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method of correcting a captured image for lens shading artifacts, the captured image being captured by an image capture system, the method comprising: determining a function L(x, y) being a lens shading correction function to be applied to images captured by a lens of the image capture system in order to correct for lens shading artifacts; if a focal length associated with the captured image is less than a focal length associated with, the function L(x, y) then cropping the function L(x, y) based on the focal length associated with the captured image; and scaling the cropped function L(x, y) to a size of the tin-cropped Junction L(x, y).
US08223228B2
When clamping a signal from a solid state image sensor, float of an optical black pixel output due to incoming of infrared light avoids a malfunction of a clamp from occurring. When clamping a signal from the solid state image sensor, the difference between the optical black pixel output and a clamp target level is output as a difference output, the difference output is compared with a comparison level to integrate the number of times larger than the comparison level every horizontal line. When the number of times is equal to or more than a certain rate (⅔) from the number of optical black pixels on the horizontal line, an optical black float state is determined and clamping operation is performed in accordance with a held value immediately before.
US08223227B2
The invention relates to an apparatus and method, for capturing an electronic image using a CMOS imager having an electronic shutter and a reduced dark current component in its image output signal. The dark current is reduced by—reading out each line of the CMOS imager in normal and reversed order and subsequent processing.
US08223222B2
Disclosed herein is a method of storing or transferring an image along with an image-processing parameter for processing the image. When storing or transferring a second image for storage or transfer which has a second resolution for storage or transfer differing from a reference resolution, a reference image-processing parameter set according to a reference resolution image having the reference resolution is corrected based on a difference between the reference resolution and the second resolution, so that it becomes a second parameter corresponding to the second image. The second parameter obtained by the correction is stored or transferred along with the second image.
US08223215B2
A method for filtering distance information from a 3D-measurement camera system comprises comparing amplitude and/or distance information for pixels to adjacent pixels and averaging distance information for the pixels with the adjacent pixels when amplitude and/or distance information for the pixels is within a range of the amplitudes and/or distances for the adjacent pixels. In addition to that the range of distances may or may not be defined as a function depending on the amplitudes.
US08223213B2
A system for Unmanned Air Vehicles and security applications that enables the use of a megapixels commercial digital camera with high resolution stills picturing capability, integrated with a camera control interface unit, long range wireless analog video link or CCTV link having 5 MHz bandwidth, but still able to transmit the high resolution pictures in full, by breaking the megapixels stored picture of the digital camera to a multitude of “subpictures”, each limited in resolution and 5 Mhz bandwidth.The wireless received analog video “subpictures” stream feed a P.C with frame grabber and software that reconstruct the complete megapixels picture.
US08223202B2
The present invention relates to an airborne reconnaissance system for capturing images in a wide field of regard which comprises: (a) An array of a plurality of n prisms being one next to the other, each prism having an essentially flat and rectangular front surface, and at least an output surface wherein: (a1) a front surface of each of the plurality of prism is being directed toward a different section of a strip of terrain transversal to the flight direction of the aircraft, thereby collecting light rays coming mostly from that terrain strip section; (a2) each output surface of each of the prisms directs light rays which are received through said front prism surface toward a front lens of an optical unit; (b) A focal plane array; (c) Optical unit comprising a front lens, the front lens receiving light separately but simultaneously through the output surfaces of all the prisms, said optical unit comprises addition optics for directing the light received from said lens thereby to produce separate corresponding prism images on said focal plane array; (d) Control unit for periodically capturing all the images that are produced on the focal plane array at each instant, and transferring them into an electronic storage; and (e) Processing and combining unit for processing and combining all the separate stored prism images into a full image of the terrain relating to said wide field of regard.
US08223186B2
A method is described for initiating and controlling a video conference between multiple video conference studios. A virtual meeting space is defined within a user interface comprising icons representing selected remote studios in geometric positions that mimic the locations of separate live video images coming from the selected remote studios, enabling participants in the local studio to naturally associate the live video images with the icons representing the remote studios.
US08223181B2
A thermal printhead includes a substrate, a nonconductive coating over the substrate, a number of heating elements disposed on the substrate, and one or more resistors at least partially disposed within the nonconductive coating. The heating elements cause thermochromic media to selectively darken in accordance with selective activation of the heating elements as the media moves in relation to the thermal printhead, to print a desired image on the media. The nonconductive coating protects the heating elements and wears away with usage of the printhead. The media comes into contact with the nonconductive coating during printing of the desired image on the media. The resistors indicate wear of the thermal printhead, and have electrical resistances that increase as the resistors are worn away in accordance with wearing away of the nonconductive coating.
US08223176B2
Provided are a display device, which can improve display quality by correcting an original image signal whose frame frequency is a first frequency or a second frequency different from the first frequency, and a method3 of driving the display device. The display device includes an image signal processor which corrects an original image signal whose frame frequency is a first frequency or a second frequency different from the first frequency and outputs a corrected image signal, a first lookup table which stores image correction data corresponding to an (n−1)-th frame and an n-th frame that corresponds to the original image signal having the first frequency, and a display panel which displays an image corresponding to the corrected image signal. A second lookup table, which corresponds to the original image signal having the second frequency, is generated from the first lookup table, and the first or second lookup table is selected based on the frame frequency of the original image signal to output the corrected image signal.
US08223174B2
A display apparatus, which displays a color image by controlling the number of emissions or the intensity thereof in accordance with primary color video signals input thereto, has a detection portion and a white balance correction portion. The detection portion is used to detect the number of emissions or the intensity, and the white balance correction portion is used to correct white balance by adjusting the amplitudes of the primary color video signals in accordance with the detected number of emissions or the detected intensity. Therefore, correct white balance can be maintained regardless of the number of emissions or the intensity of emission.
US08223160B2
A display control system includes a division unit configured to divide a display screen into plural areas, a display unit configured to display data in each of the plural areas, and a setting unit configured to set any one of plural data transfer modes to each of the plural areas according to an instruction by a user, without changing a type of display data to be displayed in each of the plural areas. In addition, a transfer unit is configured to transfer, for each of the plural areas, display data to be displayed in the area in the data transfer mode set to the area by the setting unit. The display unit displays the display data transferred by the transfer unit in the area among the plural areas and corresponding to the type of display data.
US08223157B1
A graphics system that implements a binning database with an accumulation buffer to perform super sampling. In one embodiment, an application of a host machine passes a geometry of a full scene to a binning database which stores the scene in spatially sorted bins. The contents of the bin are passed to rendering hardware, and rendered multiple times, each time with a stochastic offset applied to the sample points. The results are accumulated in an accumulation buffer and prepared for display.
US08223156B2
Methods, devices, program products and systems are disclosed for displaying multiple virtual universe avatar states. Each of a plurality of avatar states of a first avatar of a first virtual universe user are stored in a storage medium as a function of a time of each state. A first avatar is displayed in a current state to a second user of an engaging second avatar, the engaging instigating a selecting and a retrieving of a subset of plurality of states from the storage medium, each of the subset states different from each other and the current state. Selected subset states are visually displayed to the second user, each of the displayed states visually distinct from another and the current state. The first avatar current state is stored in the storage medium associated with the engagement.
US08223152B2
An animation authoring apparatus and method of authoring an animation including a storyboard editor to provide a storyboard editing screen, to interact with a user to edit a storyboard, and to store the edited storyboard, a parser to parse syntax of the edited storyboard, and a rendering engine to convert the edited storyboard into a graphic animation based on the parsed syntax of the edited storyboard.
US08223137B2
An liquid crystal display (LCD) device includes an LCD panel provided with a plurality of pixels, wherein the pixels are defined by a plurality of gate and data lines formed perpendicularly, an auxiliary storage capacitor formed in each of the pixels, a gate driver to drive the gate lines in sequence by supplying a scan pulse voltage to the gate lines of the LCD panel, wherein the scan pulse voltage is comprised of a high gate voltage and a low gate voltage, and a discharger to supply a pulse voltage to the gate line based on a source voltage for operating the LCD panel, wherein the discharger enables the auxiliary storage capacitor to be discharged to the ground voltage as the voltage of the gate line approaches the ground voltage.
US08223129B2
An operation device includes: a touch panel on which at least one operation button is displayed; a press position detection unit detecting a press position when a user presses the touch panel; a button operation detection unit determining whether an operation is applied to the operation button based on the press position; a button operation appropriateness determination unit determining whether a button operation by the user is appropriate; and a button operation facilitating unit facilitating subsequent button operations by the user when it is determined by the button operation appropriateness determination unit that the button operation by the user is inappropriate.
US08223122B1
A communicator device which allows improved functions. The communicator device may have real movable keys which are reconfigured when the device is used in different orientations. In a sideways orientation, the device has a rectangular aspect ratio which is wider than it is tall. And in that sideways orientation, the buttons are reconfigured to the orientation they would normally have. The communicator device may also be reoriented into the other position, in which case the assignment and the indication on the buttons is also correspondingly changed. The communicator device may have a projector to project videos, and the communicator device may be able to retrieve numbers and e-mails to be used for communications from a repository on the Internet or from a search engine on the Internet.
US08223121B2
A system and a method for determining an attitude of a device undergoing dynamic acceleration is presented. A first attitude measurement is calculated based on a magnetic field measurement received from a magnetometer of the device and a first acceleration measurement received from a first accelerometer of the device. A second attitude measurement is calculated based on the magnetic field measurement received from the magnetometer of the device and a second acceleration measurement received from a second accelerometer of the device. A correction factor is calculated based at least in part on a difference of the first attitude measurement and the second attitude measurement. The correction factor is then applied to the first attitude measurement to produce a corrected attitude measurement for the device.
US08223115B2
The liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of data lines forming a matrix, a back light unit including a plurality of light source blocks capable of being driven separately, an image processing circuit to generate a movement judgment signal based on a digital video data to be displayed in an interior mode, a backlight controller to generate a light source driving control signal to control portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a moving image and portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a still image, separately, based on the movement judgment signal, and a backlight driving circuit including a plurality of light source drivers to turn on the portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a moving image and to turn off the portions of the light source blocks corresponding to a still image based on the light source driving control signal.
US08223112B2
At least one embodiment of the present invention is directed to, even when external noise is applied to a shift register during all-on operation, preventing through-current from flowing in unit circuits and also to prevent increase in load on all-on control signal lines. When a high-level all-on control signal is provided to a unit circuit of a shift register, a transistor T3 is brought into off-state, so that a transistor T2 cannot output an on-voltage to a first output terminal. However, a transistor T24 is brought into on-state, so that the first output terminal outputs an on-voltage to the exterior. On the other hand, a transistor T32 is brought into on-state, so that a second output terminal outputs an off-voltage to a unit circuit 11 in the next stage. At this time, the transistor T3 is kept in off-state, so that no through-current flows to the transistors T24 and T3.
US08223111B2
An LCD device includes a plurality of gate lines and a plurality of shift register units for driving corresponding gate lines. Each shift register unit includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit, disposed on a first side of a corresponding gate line, includes a pulse generator and a first transistor having a first W/L ratio. The pulse generator provides a driving signal according to the voltage obtained at a node, while the first transistor maintains the voltage level of the node. The second circuit, disposed on a second side of the corresponding gate line, includes a second transistor having a second W/L ratio. The second transistor maintains the voltage level of the driving signal from the second side of the corresponding gate line. The first W/L ratio is smaller than the second W/L ratio, and the first circuit occupies larger space than the second circuit.
US08223098B2
In on embodiment of the present invention, an image displaying apparatus is disclosed which divides 1 frame into plural sub-frame periods, and modifies the image signals in the following manner in the case of receiving an image of a frame in which a region denoted by an image signal α or an image signal close to the image signal α and a region of another image signal β or an image signal close to the image signal β are adjacent to each other. Specifically, the image displaying apparatus carries out display, in at least one sub-frames period A, with a modified image signal so that the difference with the image signal of the other region becomes smaller, and in at least one other sub-frames period B, with a modified image signal so that the difference with the image signal of the other region becomes more significant, in the vicinity of the boundary between the region of the image signal α and the region of the image signal β. In this way, an embodiment of the present invention provides an effect of improvement in moving picture quality of a hold-type display device without causing a decrease in luminance or flicker.
US08223095B2
An organic light-emitting display device having a pixel unit to test pixels, wherein the organic light-emitting display device includes: a substrate; a display unit located on the substrate; a plurality of first scan lines located in the display unit; and a second scan line located in the display unit and separated from the first scan lines, wherein a plurality of pixel units, except one test pixel unit located in at least one corner of the display unit, are electrically connected to the first scan lines, and the test pixel unit that is not connected to the first scan lines is electrically connected to the second scan line.
US08223093B2
An electro-optical device includes an element substrate having a first signal line; a second signal line extending in a second direction crossing the first signal line; a first field-effect transistor including a first semiconductor layer extending in a direction crossing the second direction; a second field-effect transistor including a second semiconductor layer extending in the direction crossing the second direction; a first pixel electrode is adjacent to a second pixel electrode. The first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer are displaced from each other in the second direction. An end of the first semiconductor layer facing toward the second pixel electrode is closer to the second pixel electrode than an end of the second semiconductor layer facing toward the first pixel electrode.
US08223091B2
An image display apparatus is provided for performing image display by dividing one frame period into a plurality of sub-frame periods, determining a gradation level of each of the sub-frame periods in accordance with a gradation level of an input image signal and supplying the determined gradation level to an image display section. The image display apparatus comprises a display control section, wherein the display control section supplies a relatively largest gradation level in a relatively central sub-frame period which is at a time-wise center or closest to the time-wise center of one frame period, and supplies a sequentially lowered gradation level in a sub-frame period which is sequentially farther from the relatively central sub-frame period.
US08223090B2
A plasma display device is disclosed. The device includes a plasma display panel including an address electrode, first and second display electrodes crossing the address electrode, a dielectric layer covering the display electrodes, and an MgO protective layer covering the dielectric layer. The device also includes a driver configured to generate a sustain pulse width of 1 to 3.5 μs, and a statistical delay time (Ts) depending on temperature is represented by the following Formula 1: y=A×e−kx (Formula 1), wherein k is a constant, x is 1/temperature, y is 1/Ts, and A is a constant. The MgO protective layer may be formed by MgO deposition in which water vapor partial pressure is in a range of from 2×10−7 to 6×10−7 Torr·l/s. The temperature dependency of the discharge characteristics is reduced, response speed is improved, and the discharge stability is improved.
US08223080B2
A transmission and reception module according to one embodiment of the present invention includes an antenna, a transmission circuit, a wave detection circuit, a high-frequency switch, a small-signal high-frequency diode limiter circuit, and a first power amplifier. The antenna transmits a transmission wave, or receives a reception wave. The transmission circuit is connected to the antenna via a circulator and supplies the transmission wave to the antenna. The wave detection circuit is connected to the antenna via the circulator and branches the reception wave received by the antenna to generate a control signal based on one branched reception wave. The high-frequency switch is connected to the wave detection circuit and suppresses a power of the other branched reception wave when the control signal is input thereto. The small-signal high-frequency diode limiter circuit is connected to the high-frequency switch and further suppresses the power of the other branched reception wave output from the high-frequency switch. The first power amplifier is connected to the small-signal high-frequency diode limiter circuit and amplifies the power of the other branched reception wave whose power has been suppressed by the small-signal high-frequency diode limiter circuit.
US08223073B2
The invention provides a determination of direction to a remote object which omnidirectionally transmits a signal. The invention includes a handheld directional and omnidirectional antenna at a user's location and a handheld circuit coupled to the antennas to determine field strengths of the signal received from the remote object by the two antennas. A comparison of the received signals at the antennas during a sweep a field of observation is made and a probable direction of the remote object relative to the user's location is selected from the data sweep. The apparatus may further comprise a digital compass which generates a compass heading corresponding to each direction in which the directional antenna is pointed. The circuit stores field strength data by compass heading and averages the field strength data according to a predetermined protocol over compass headings.
US08223061B2
The invention proposes to provide distraction spoofing even on modern infrared, radar and dual-mode guided missiles (4) by production of a decoy chain (20). The chain (20) is formed by a plurality of apparent targets which are switched successively, for example by firing of individual chaff submunitions (2.1-2.5). The deployment takes place before or during the search phase of the missile and can in this case, for example, be carried out using the reverse walk-off principle or at the same time simultaneously or successively and in the form of a pattern. This ensures that the decoys (2.1-2.5) act initially in the greatest selected range zone away from the target (3). The spoofing chain (20) created in this way results in the missile (4) having to carry out a series of time-consuming analysis processes on its way to the target (3).
US08223056B2
Some embodiments include apparatus and methods having an amplifier, a capacitor network coupled to the amplifier, and switching circuitry coupled to the amplifier and the capacitor network. The switching circuit is configured to successively apply a selected reference voltage selected from among a first reference voltage, a second reference voltage, and a third reference voltage to the capacitor network in response to a digital input code to generate an output voltage. Additional embodiments are disclosed.
US08223051B2
A sigma-delta modulator (200) for an ADC, passes an input signal to a loop filter (20), then to a multi-bit quantizer (30) of the modulator (200). An output of the quantizer (30) is passed to a digital filter (50), and a feedback signal is passed back to the loop filter (20), the feedback signal having fewer bits than are produced by the multi-bit quantizer (30). No separate feedback loop for the digital filter (50) is used, so as to reduce the need to adjust the loop filter for stable operation. The digital filter (50) can have an order greater than one in the passband of the sigma-delta modulator (200).
US08223046B2
Techniques for accelerated processing associated with analog to digital signal conversion are disclosed. Accelerated processing is provided for sample-and-hold and track-and-hold circuits used with analog to digital converters in various embodiments. An abbreviated sampling state, an abbreviated reset state, or both are employed in various embodiments. By accelerating processing so as to avoid the need for waiting for a signal to settle within a predetermined tolerance, errors of different types may be incurred. Such errors are determined during calibration and stored for future retrieval and error compensation. Techniques for online and offline calibration are disclosed, whereby calibration may or may not impact normal signal conversion processing. Techniques disclosed herein find broad applicability in analog to digital conversion and yield faster processing in a variety of contexts.
US08223045B2
A D/A converter includes a D/A converter base part having a first D/A converter unit performing D/A conversion of high order bits and a second D/A converter unit performing D/A conversion of low order bits and including an auxiliary bit assigned an identical weight to a least significant bit, a correction D/A converter part, an error detection processing section generating a digital code supplied to a correction D/A converter unit in the correction D/A converter part, and a control section. The control section compares one bit current source with another bit current source in a lower order than the one bit current source, and corrects a value of the one bit current source by causing to supply the digital code to the correction D/A converter unit when the value of the one bit current source changes.
US08223038B2
An evaluation device for a driver assistance system for a vehicle includes an input for receiving image information recorded by a camera, a first component for locating an image section present in a predefined shape in first image information received from the camera, and a second component for requesting second image information. The second image information corresponds to a renewed image of an image section found by the first component, with improved contrast in relation to the first image information. A third component is present for identifying a traffic sign in the second image information, and an output for emitting a signal relating to a traffic sign identified by the third component. There is also provided a computer program product and a method for operating a driver assistance system.
US08223037B2
A method and an apparatus for warning of emergency vehicles in emergency service. The emergency vehicles use vehicle-to-vehicle communication to transmit warning messages which are received by other vehicles and are indicated to the driver of the receiving vehicle. In order to allow rapid orientation of the driver, provision is made for the warning message from the emergency vehicle to have a position statement for the emergency vehicle and for the position statement to be evaluated in the vehicle which receives the warning message, wherein the position of the emergency vehicle is indicated relative to the position of the receiving vehicle.
US08223034B2
A mounting assembly for an automatic meter reading (AMR) unit includes a body having a head and an elongate stem extending from a bottom surface of the head. The elongate stem is sized and configured to be received in and extend through a hole formed in a cover of a pit, and the head has a size greater than a size of the hole formed in the cover of the pit. A nut defines a central aperture sized and configured to receive the elongate stem of the body, and a support channel has a pair of spaced apart arms each including a ledge configured to be received in a slot formed in the elongate stem of the body. The support channel defines an opening that is sized and configured to receive at least a portion of the AMR unit therein.
US08223032B2
A monitoring system includes a discoverable wireless device, a proximity monitor, and a monitoring server. The proximity monitor is configured to automatically discover the discoverable wireless device in response to the discoverable wireless device being within a wireless range of the proximity monitor. The monitoring server is communicatively connected to the proximity monitor via a communications network. The monitoring server is configured to i) receive proximity information associated with the discoverable wireless device from the proximity monitor, and ii) transmit an instruction signal based on the received proximity information to an electrical component located remotely from the proximity monitor. The instruction signal causes the electrical component to modify an operating parameter of the electrical component.
US08223027B2
A wireless tank monitoring system for remotely monitoring a plurality of storage tanks is provided. This tank monitoring system utilizes wireless communication from individual tank level monitors to a single SatComm Gateway. The SatComm Gateway then utilizes a low-Earth Orbit satellite constellation to transmit information to a central data collection center. The data collection center then provides access to this information to clients. These clients also have the capability of controlling individual monitors via the bi-directional communications path through the satellite link to the SatComm Gateway to the individual monitors. The SatComm Gateway packages the information from each of the monitors to optimize the communications through the satellite link to decrease the cost of transmission. Intrinsic safety is provided by each of the individual tank level monitors.
US08223020B2
A method for synchronizing a RFID receiver, comprising receiving an input signal from a RFID tag, said input signal comprising a preamble section, creating a first reference waveform, comprising at least a fraction of said preamble section, calculating a first correlation value by correlating said input signal and said first reference waveform, creating a second reference signal so that there is virtually zero correlation between said first reference waveform and said second reference waveform, and using said first correlation value and said second correlation value for adjusting synchronization timebase, wherein the sign and the size of said second correlation value indicates the size and the sign of phase inaccuracy of the synchronization timebase.
US08223017B2
An object is to provide a control apparatus of a showcase in which appropriate illumination having a high presentation effect can be realized by an LED illumination apparatus having a high durability against turning ON/OFF and capable of securing a predetermined illumination intensity even under an environment at a low temperature. The control apparatus controls a plurality of showcases so that display chambers where commodities are displayed are illuminated with LED illumination apparatuses, and includes a person detecting sensor provided in a showcase disposed in such a position that the approaching of any person can first be detected among the plurality of arranged showcases, so that the approaching of the person is detected. When the person detecting sensor detects the approaching of the person, the illumination intensities of all the LED illumination apparatuses of the plurality of showcases are increased.
US08223001B2
A target device comprising a wireless interface that transmits configuration data to and receives commands from a remote control device. A control module that receives said commands and that adjusts operation of said target device based thereon; and a user input interface for locally adjusting operation of said target device.
US08222996B2
An embodiment of the present invention provides a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, comprising at least one light emitting diode (LED) that is controlled by the RFID's logic and powered by the RFID's power harvesting circuit, wherein the RFID tag is capable of being interrogated by an RFID reader and reporting its unique identification number by RF backscatter and/or controlling the illumination state of the at least one LED.
US08222993B2
In one embodiment of the present invention, a lock actuating device for a lock mechanism of a lock has a transceiver capable of interaction with a wireless key device, a controller coupled to the transceiver and capable of generating a control signal, and a lock actuator adapted for actuation of the lock mechanism upon receipt of the control signal from the controller. The controller has a sleep mode and an operational mode. The lock actuating device also has a wake-up arrangement including a sensor and associated circuitry. The sensor is positioned to detect the presence of a user in a vicinity of the lock actuating device. The circuitry is adapted to generate a wake-up control signal to the controller upon detection of the user, so as to cause the controller to switch from sleep mode to operational mode.
US08222989B2
The invention relates to a method for protection of a movable asset, particularly a motorvehicle (100), against unauthorized use with the following steps: cryptographic identity verification and/or cryptographic authentication of the vehicle with an external computer system (108), verification whether a blocking is stored for the motorvehicle, transmission of a signal from the computer system to the vehicle in order to allow use of the motorvehicle if no blocking is stored for the motorvehicle.
US08222973B2
An acoustic wave resonator that is excellent in terms of return loss characteristics at the resonant and anti-resonant frequencies and that is capable of effectively reducing loss includes an IDT electrode in which a plurality of first electrode fingers and a plurality of second dummy electrode fingers are connected to a first common electrode, a plurality of second electrode fingers and a plurality of first dummy electrode fingers are connected to a second common electrode. Apodization weighting is applied in the acoustic wave propagation direction. The metallization ratio of a non-crossing region is relatively high compared with the metallization ratio of a crossing region in the acoustic wave propagation direction.
US08222963B2
A voltage-controlled oscillator includes a resonator section in which a plurality of types of variable capacitance elements having different structures and capacitance variation characteristics are connected in parallel and capacitance values of the plurality of types of variable capacitance elements are controlled simultaneously by a control voltage; and an amplifier section for maintaining oscillation produced by the resonator section. Varactor diodes and MOS varactors can be used as the variable capacitance elements.
US08222960B2
An RF power amplifier includes an RF choke coil, a power amplification circuit unit, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection unit. The RF choke coil is connected to a voltage terminal through which an operating voltage is applied. The RF choke coil supplies the operating voltage and interrupts an RF signal. The power amplification circuit unit is supplied with the operating voltage through the RF choke coil. The power amplification circuit unit amplifies an input signal inputted through an input terminal and outputs the amplified input signal through an output terminal. The ESD protection unit is connected between a first connection node and a ground. The ESD protection unit bypasses an ESD voltage from the first connection node to the ground, the first connection node being a node between the voltage terminal and the RF choke coil.
US08222957B2
A differential amplifying circuit includes first and second differential transistor pairs, first and second constant current sources, first and second current mirror circuits and first and second output transistors. The differential amplifying circuit also includes a feedback circuit configured to perform feed-back operations to the first and second current mirror circuits to restrain reduction of gate voltages of the output transistors. The constant current sources are configured to increase bias currents in response to reduction of the gate voltages of the output transistors.
US08222952B2
A semiconductor device prevents the OFF current of a complementary field effect transistor from varying with changes in ambient temperature. The semiconductor device includes: a substrate voltage generating circuit that generates the substrate voltage of an n-channel MOS transistor forming a CMOS; a replica transistor that is a replica of the n-channel MOS transistor, and is diode-connected; and a voltage applier that applies a voltage of a predetermined voltage value between the anode and cathode of the replica transistor. In this semiconductor device, the substrate voltage of the replica transistor is the substrate voltage generated by the substrate voltage generating circuit. The substrate voltage generating circuit controls the substrate voltage to be generated so that the current value of the current flowing into the replica transistor becomes equal to a given target value.
US08222948B2
A bootstrapped switch circuit can include at least one transistor, to receive an input signal and allow the input signal to pass through as an output signal based on a control signal, and a voltage-controlled voltage source, to provide first and second voltages between a gate and a source of the at least one transistor in response to the control signal. The voltage-controlled voltage source can include a differential pair and a current source. A gate of one of the differential pair can receive the control signal and a gate of the other of the differential pair can receive a logical inverse of the control signal. The current source can provide a current to connected sources of the differential pair. The first voltage can turn on the at least one transistor and be produced in response to a first logic state of the control signal resulting in the current of the current source flowing entirely through a first one of the differential pair. The second voltage can turn off the at least one transistor and be produced in response to a second logic state of the control signal resulting in the current of the current source flowing entirely through a second one of the differential pair.
US08222942B2
An initialization circuit comprises a section signal generator generating a section signal, of which a prescribed section is enabled in response to a power-up signal, a first oscillator generating a first period signal in response to the section signal, a first period multiplier generating a first multiplied signal by multiplying a period of the first period signal, and a signal selector transferring the first multiplied signal or a second multiplied signal selectively as a self-refresh enable signal in response to the section signal.
US08222940B2
An electrothermal frequency-locked loop (EFLL) circuit is described. This EFLL circuit includes an oscillator in a feedback loop. A drive circuit in the EFLL circuit generates a first signal having a fundamental frequency, and an electrothermal filter (ETF) in the EFLL circuit provides a second signal based on the first signal. This second signal has the fundamental frequency and a phase (relative to the first signal) that corresponds to a temperature-dependent time constant of the ETF. Moreover, a sensing component in the EFLL circuit determines a parameter associated with a temperature of the ETF. For example, the parameter may be the temperature or may be other than the temperature, such as the fundamental frequency and/or the phase of the second signal. Furthermore, the EFLL circuit includes a compensation circuit that compensates for frequency changes associated with changes in the temperature based at least on the parameter so that the fundamental frequency is approximately independent of the temperature.
US08222925B2
A multimode line driver circuit is provided. The multimode line driver circuit has a first driver circuit for receiving a first differential input signal and transmitting a first differential output signal, and a second driver circuit for receiving a second driver circuit for receiving a second differential input signal and transmitting a second differential output signal. The multimode line driver circuit also has a first switch coupling the first driver circuit to a first power supply and a second switch coupling the second driver circuit to a second power supply. The multimode line driver circuit also has a transformer coupled to the output interface for transforming the first differential output and the second differential output and a mode controller configured to close the first switch in the first mode and to close the second switch in the second mode.
US08222922B2
A logic device implementing configurations for ROM based logic uses arrays of memory cells to provide outputs based on inputs received at the logic device. The logic device stores values in the memory cells that are accessed when an input is received. The memory cells are transistors that provide values of ‘1’ or ‘0.’ Various configurations reduce the number of transistors while implementing the memory block by utilizing a single bitline or a dynamic precharge implementation.
US08222916B2
A circuit and method of directly measuring the Single Event Transient (SET) performance of a combinatorial circuit includes a measurement chain. The measurement chain includes a plurality of cells, each in turn including a pair of SR latches, a dual-input inverter, and a target. During measurement and testing, the targets are irradiated, and a pulse signal caused by an SET event is allowed to propagate through the measurement chain only if the pair of SR latches are active at the same time. The pulse signal is latched by the measurement chain, thus allowing the presence of an SET event to be detected.
US08222914B2
Systems and methods for adjusting threshold voltage. A threshold voltage of a transistor of an integrated circuit is measured. A bias voltage, which when applied to a body well of the transistor corrects a difference between the threshold voltage and a desired threshold voltage for the transistor, is determined. The bias voltage is encoded into non-volatile storage on the integrated circuit. The non-volatile storage can be digital and/or analog.
US08222909B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus provide an accurate time constant for electroporation. A model voltage function is created (analog, digital, or combination) to provide a model voltage having the desired time constant. A voltage is applied to the sample. A comparing circuit compares the output voltage, which may be attenuated, to the model voltage and provides an output control signal. This output signal is used to modify a resistance in parallel with the sample, thereby altering the output voltage to approximate the model voltage, which has the desired time constant. In one aspect, the control signal may be used to turn on and off a transistor that is in series with a resistor in order to modify the parallel resistance.
US08222897B2
An apparatus for the nondestructive measurement of materials that includes at least two layers of electrical conductors. Within each layer, a meandering primary winding is used to create a magnetic field for interrogating a test material while sense elements or conducting loops within each meander provide a directional measurement of the test material condition in different orientations without requiring movement of the test circuit or apparatus. In a bidirectional implementation the meanders are oriented 90° apart while in a quadridirectional implementation the meanders are orientated at −45, 0, 45, and 90°. Multidirectional permeability measurements are used to assess the stress or torque on a component. These measurements are combined in a manner that removes temperature effects and hysteresis on the property measurements. This can be accomplished through a correction factor that accounts for the temperature dependence. After the correction, the permeability measurement is then used to assess the local stresses and strains in the material of interest.
US08222892B2
An apparatus including a controller, a transport in communication with the controller having a movable portion and a transport path and a multi-dimensional position measurement device in communication with the controller, the multi-dimensional position measurement device including a plurality of transformers and at least one element attached to the movable portion, wherein the multi-dimensional position measurement device is configured so that a circuit is completed in at least one plurality of transformers as the at least one element passes proximate to the at least one of the plurality of transformers and the controller is configured to calculate a multi-dimensional position of the movable object based on an output of the at least one of the plurality of transformers, wherein the multi-dimensional position includes at least a gap between the movable portion and the plurality of transformers.
US08222886B2
A voltage detector that detects an AC voltage in an object includes: an electrode disposed facing the object; a current-to-voltage converter that has a first input set at a reference voltage and a second input connected to the electrode and converts a detection current, which corresponds to a potential difference between the detected AC voltage and the reference voltage on a path including the electrode and a feedback circuit connected to the second input, to a detection signal; an integrating circuit that integrates the detection signal and outputs an integrated signal whose amplitude changes in accordance with the potential difference; an insulating circuit that inputs the detection signal or the integrated signal, and outputs the signal so as to be electrically insulated from the input; and a voltage generating circuit that generates the reference voltage by amplifying a signal based on the integrated signal to reduce the potential difference.
US08222882B2
A controller for a power supply includes a logic block and a time-to-frequency converter. The logic block is to generate a drive signal in response to a clock signal. The drive signal is to be coupled to control switching of a power switch of the power supply to regulate an output of the power supply. The time-to-frequency converter is coupled to the logic block and generates the clock signal having a frequency responsive to a time period of the drive signal.
US08222878B2
A voltage regulator uses a comparing apparatus having hysteresis characteristics. The voltage regulator includes a comparator for comparing a comparison voltage with a reference voltage, and outputs a result of the comparison; a switching controller for generating a plurality of switching signals in response to the comparison result; resistors connected in the form of a string, to divide the comparison voltage into a plurality of voltages; and a switching box for selecting one of the plural voltages, as the comparison voltage, in response to the switching signals.
US08222874B2
A boost converter circuit that includes a power supply, an inductor coupled to the power supply to receive current from the power supply, a diode coupled to receive current from the inductor and coupled to provide current to a load as an output, an inductor switch coupled to a node between the inductor and the diode for selectively switching current from the inductor anyway from the diode, and a ramp circuit. The ramp circuit is coupled to the node between the inductor and the diode, and is configured to selectively sample a voltage at the node between the inductor and the diode via a sampling switch and use the sampled signal to produce a stabilization ramp to stabilize the output.
US08222873B2
A circuit for regulating voltage in a power driver, the circuit comprising a current amplifier adapted to measure current flowing through an input resistor, separate AC and DC components of the current flowing through an input resistor, and apply an AC gain factor to the AC component and a DC gain factor to the DC component.
US08222871B2
Method and device for charging an electrical energy storage element, in particular an ultracapacitor
The device according to the invention for charging a first electrical energy storage element (1), in particular an ultracapacitor, from a second electrical energy storage element (2), in particular a battery, is of the type of those comprising a reversible DC/DC converter (3) arranged between the first and second elements (1,2). In accordance with the invention, the device moreover comprises a stepdown voltage converter (4) arranged between the DC/DC converter (3) and the first element (1). Advantageously, the device comprises means controlled (11,12,23) so as to charge with a low current the first element (1) from the second element (2), in particular a battery in a poor state of charge, so as to allow the starting of an engine of a motor vehicle even from a battery in a poor state of charge.
US08222869B2
A charging circuit includes a pulse generator and a controller coupled to the pulse generator. The pulse generator is used to generate a plurality of pulses to control a charging switch. The controller is used to control a pulse density of the plurality of pulses. A charging current flowing through the charging switch can be adjusted according to the pulse density.
US08222866B2
A control device turns on a system relay and relays. A first boost converter rectifies an AC voltage supplied through a connector and a first power supply line. Further, the boost converter responds to a signal from the control device to boost the rectified voltage, and outputs the boosted voltage to a second power supply line. A second boost converter receives a voltage from the second power supply line to convert the voltage in accordance with a signal from the control device for output to a third power supply line. Since the system relay and one relay are both turned on, first and second batteries are connected in parallel to the third power supply line and a ground line. The first and second batteries are thereby charged.
US08222853B2
A servo motor control apparatus having a feedback loop includes: an oscillation detecting section, which detects oscillation of the feedback loop, to output an oscillation detection signal; a parameter operating section, which gives an operational instruction to set a control parameter in the feedback loop based upon the oscillation detection signal; and an updating section, which is supplied with a set value for setting a control parameter, and sets the control parameter in the feedback loop while making an update thereon in accordance with the operational instruction given by the parameter operating section, wherein when the oscillation detection signal indicates no detection of oscillation, the parameter operating section gives the updating section an operational instruction to set a control parameter in accordance with the supplied set value, and when the oscillation detection signal indicates detection of oscillation, parameter operating section gives the updating section an operational instruction to set such a control parameter as to narrow a frequency band width of the feedback loop.
US08222850B2
An overload protection device includes a motor, a transmitting shaft, a driving wheel, a resilient member, a sensor and a controller. The transmitting shaft including driving arm is meshed with the motor. The driving wheel is rotably engaged with the transmitting shaft at a distal end. The resilient member is connected to the driving arm at one end, and connected to the driving wheel at another end for driving the driving wheel to rotate. The sensor is mounted on the driving wheel and covered by the driving arm, and configured for and outputting a signal when the transmitting shaft is rotated relative to driving wheel. The controller is installed in the transmitting shaft and electrically coupled with the sensor for receiving the signal outputted from the sensor and shutting down the motor correspondingly.
US08222845B2
A method is disclosed for operating a rotating electric machine, wherein the rotating electric machine is connected by phases to a converter circuit having a direct-current circuit for switching at least two voltage levels, and the phases of the converter circuit are connected to the direct-current circuit according to a selected switch state combination of switch states of power semi-conductor switches of the converter circuit. Exemplary embodiments can reduce the switching frequency of the power semi-conductor switches, based on a prediction of further behavior of the overall system, and selection of an optimum switching state combination.
US08222838B2
There is provided a light-emitting-element driving circuit which comprises a light-emitting circuit unit in which a plurality of current paths in each of which a light-emitting element and a first switching element are connected in series are placed in parallel with each other between a power supply terminal connected to an input power supply and a common terminal, a common circuit unit in which a second switching element and a constant current source which supplies a predetermined current which is defined in advance are connected in series and which is placed between the common terminal and a ground terminal which is grounded, and a plurality of third switching elements each of which is placed between an anode terminal of the respective light-emitting element of the light-emitting circuit unit and ground, wherein a switching control is applied for the first switching elements, the second switching element, and the third switching elements.
US08222835B2
An electronic ballast is provided for adjustable filament preheating of a discharge lamp based on output current symmetry. A power converter receives DC power and outputs AC power. A starting circuit generates a high voltage for starting the lamp. A control circuit controls the AC power output from the power converting circuit. A symmetry determining circuit determines a positive-negative symmetrical state of the AC power output to the lamp with respect to ground. After lamp startup, the control circuit enters a filament heating operation in which the output frequency of the power converting circuit is controlled to a first frequency. At one or more predetermined current detection points during the filament heating operation, the control circuit checks the symmetry state. If the output current is symmetrical at the current detection point, the control circuit ends the frequency heating operation and enters steady state operation with an output frequency of the power converter controlled to a second frequency for maintaining lamp lighting. If the output current is asymmetrical at the current detection point, the control circuit increases the output current to the lamp and continues the frequency heating operation.
US08222832B2
An LED lamp is provided in which the output light intensity of the LEDs in the LED lamp is adjusted based on the input voltage to the LED lamp. A dimmer control unit detects a type of dimmer switch during a configuration process. Using the detected dimmer type, the dimmer control unit generates control signals appropriate for the detected dimmer type to provide regulated current to the LEDs and to achieve the desired dimming effect. The LED lamp can be a direct replacement of conventional incandescent lamps in typical wiring configurations found in residential and commercial building lighting applications that use conventional dimmer switches.
US08222816B2
A multi plasma display panel is disclosed. The multi plasma display panel includes a plurality of plasma display panels positioned adjacent to one another, each of the plurality of plasma display panels including, a front substrate on which a first electrode is positioned, a rear substrate on which a second electrode crossing the first electrode is positioned, a barrier rib between the front substrate and the rear substrate, the barrier rib providing a plurality of discharge cells, and an exhaust hole on the rear substrate. The exhaust hole is formed in at least one of the plurality of discharge cells. A size of a discharge cell in which the exhaust hole is formed is greater than a size of at least one discharge cell in which the exhaust hole is not formed.
US08222799B2
The present invention provides electroactive polymer transducers configured for surface mode deformation to provide thickness mode actuation. The inventive transducers may find use in various applications, including but not limited to haptic feedback for user interface devices (e.g., key buttons, key pads, touch pads, touch screens, touch plates, touch sensors, etc.), fluid movement and control mechanism such as pumps and valves, breaking and clutch mechanisms, power generation, sensing, etc.
US08222795B2
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.
US08222784B2
An electric machine provided with: a stator, equipped with a single stator winding; at least two shafts, which are independent of one another and are mounted so that they can turn; at least two rotors, which are independent of one another, are magnetically coupled to the stator, and are mounted on the shafts; and a single electronic power converter, which is connected to the stator winding for supplying the stator winding itself with a total electric current.
US08222778B2
According to one embodiment, in a high-voltage bushing of a rotating electric machine, the communicating holes are inclined at least toward a circumferential direction of the hollow conductor or toward a machine external side from a direction vertical to a wall surface of the hollow conductor.
US08222776B2
A power supply unit superimposes alternating-current voltage on direct-current voltage and applies it to a motor. As a result, when the motor is rotated, a current containing an alternating-current component flows. Further, the motor includes a capacitor connected in parallel with one phase coil. Owing to this capacitor, the impedance of the motor circuit between brushes is varied according to the rotation of the motor. Variation in impedance appears as variation in the amplitude of the alternating-current component in motor current. A signal processing unit extracts an alternating-current component from the motor current detected by the current detection unit and generates a rotation pulse corresponding to variation in the amplitude. A rotation angle detection unit detects the rotation angle of the motor based on this rotation pulse.
US08222772B1
A method and apparatus for efficiently converting power from an AC line is disclosed. The power converter supplies power to the load, performing power factor correction at nominal and high loads, i.e. above a predetermined output power threshold, and operating in an on-demand burst mode at low loads, i.e. below a predetermined output power threshold, e.g. to supply power in a green mode to supervisory circuitry during a powered off state. The duration of an operating interval during which power conversion takes place may be reduced and varied at low loads as a function of the output power demands to increase overall conversion efficiency. The operating interval may be centered about a peak in the input voltage waveshape for operating intervals that are less than a full rectification period. For operating intervals that are less than a full rectification period a modified power factor correction may be used, in which the input current waveshape approximates the input voltage waveshape during the operating interval.
US08222771B2
Within an illuminating pushbutton switch, an electronic circuit replaces an electromagnetic holding coil for latching or releasing a state of the illuminated pushbutton switch, and further provides blinking functionality. The electronic circuit includes inputs receiving set, reset and toggle control signals, outputs delivering open, closed and blink control signals, latch logic controlled by the set and reset control signals and delivering signals maintaining the illuminated pushbutton switch in either an open or closed state, and a frequency divider and oscillator coupled together to deliver a blink control signal. The electronic circuit fits within the illuminated pushbutton switch housing in space sized to hold two snap action switching devices without increase in the length, weight or mounting depth of the illuminated pushbutton switch. The inputs and outputs are coupled to external pins from the illuminated pushbutton switch and may be remotely controlled.
US08222760B2
The present disclosure relates to a method for controlling at least one proximity sensor of a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a rotor shaft, the at least one proximity sensor being adapted to measure a radial displacement of the rotor shaft; the method includes: providing at least one reference value, detecting an output of the at least one proximity sensor, the output depending on a measured distance by the respective proximity sensor; comparing the detected output of the proximity sensor with at least one reference value. Further, the present relates to a control arrangement for a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising a wind rotor shaft; wherein the control arrangement comprises at least one proximity sensor being adapted to measure a radial displacement of the rotor shaft, wherein the at least one proximity sensor is adapted to generate an output signal depending on a measured distance by the respective proximity sensor; wherein the control arrangement further comprises a control device, the control device being adapted to receive the output signal of the at least one proximity sensor, wherein the control device is adapted to compare the output signal with at least one reference value. Finally, the present disclosure relates to a wind turbine comprising a control arrangement.
US08222756B2
A power generation system is provided that includes an internal combustion engine configured to provide rotational mechanical energy. A generator is configured to receive the rotational mechanical energy and generate electrical power in response to the rotational mechanical energy. A fluid medium is provided to the internal combustion engine and to the generator for removing thermal energy from the internal combustion engine and from the generator.
US08222733B2
A first substrate has a first surface facing a second surface of the second substrate. The active chips are disposed on and electrically connected to the first surface, and spaced apart from each other by an interval, wherein the active chips respectively have a first active surface. The bridge chip is mechanically and electrically connected to the second surface, and has a second active surface partially overlapped with the first active surfaces of the active chips, such that the bridge chip is used for providing a proximity communication between the active chips. The connection structure is disposed between the first surface and the second surface for combining the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08222724B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor element module having high reliability, superior electric connection and thermal connection and capable of securing sufficient cooling performance, and also to provide a method for manufacturing the same. The semiconductor element module (1) comprises an IGBT (2) and a diode (3) having electrodes formed on surfaces of both sides thereof, a ceramic substrate (7), in which thermal conductivity is high, having wiring circuit layers (4, 5) formed on the surface thereof for bonding to surfaces of one side of the IGBT (2) and the diode (3), a ceramic substrate (8), in which thermal conductivity is high, having a wiring circuit layer (6) formed on the surface thereof for bonding to surfaces of other side of the IGBT (2) and the diode (3), and a sealing member (11) which is sandwiched between the outer edges of the ceramic substrates (7, 8) for sealing inside thereof; and these members are bonded by room-temperature bonding.
US08222722B2
An integrated circuit package including: a substrate having front connection pads on a front face, an integrated circuit die linked to the front face of the substrate and having front connection pads, connection wires for connecting selected front pads of the integrated circuit die to selected front pads of the substrate, first connection balls on selected front connection pads of the integrated circuit die, and second connection balls on selected front connection pads of the substrate. An integrated circuit device including a second substrate connected to the connection balls of the integrated circuit package.
US08222718B2
A semiconductor die package. The semiconductor die package includes a premolded clip structure assembly having a clip structure, a semiconductor die attached to the clip structure, and a first molding material covering at least a portion of the clip structure and the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die package also includes a leadframe structure having a die attach pad, where the leadframe structure is attached to premolded clip structure assembly.
US08222717B2
An embedded semiconductor die package is made by mounting a frame carrier to a temporary carrier with an adhesive. The frame carrier includes die mounting sites each having a leadframe interconnect structure around a cavity. A semiconductor die is disposed in each cavity. An encapsulant is deposited in the cavity over the die. A package interconnect structure is formed over the leadframe interconnect structure and encapsulant. The package interconnect structure and leadframe interconnect structure are electrically connected to the die. The frame carrier is singulated into individual embedded die packages. The semiconductor die can be vertically stacked or placed side-by-side within the cavity. The embedded die packages can be stacked and electrically interconnected through the leadframe interconnect structure. A semiconductor device can be mounted to the embedded die package and electrically connected to the die through the leadframe interconnect structure.
US08222708B2
An image sensor and a method of fabricating the same are provided. A pad region is disposed on a substrate. The pad region has a higher concentration of impurity ions than the substrate. The pad region is selectively removed using the substrate as an etch mask, thereby forming a hole. A conductive pad is formed in the hole of the substrate.
US08222702B2
The present invention provides an improved CMOS diode structure with dual gate conductors. Specifically, a substrate comprising a first n-doped region and a second p-doped region is formed. A third region of either n-type or p-type conductivity is located between the first and second regions. A first gate conductor of n-type conductivity and a second gate conductor of p-type conductivity are located over the substrate and adjacent to the first and second regions, respectively. Further, the second gate conductor is spaced apart and isolated from the first gate conductor by a dielectric isolation structure. An accumulation region with an underlying depletion region can be formed in such a diode structure between the third region and the second or the first region, and such an accumulation region preferably has a width that is positively correlated with that of the second or the first gate conductor.
US08222696B2
An active region, a source region, and a drain region are formed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate or a single crystal semiconductor thin film. Impurity regions called pinning regions are formed in striped form in the active region so as to reach both of the source region and the drain region. Regions interposed between the pinning regions serve as channel forming regions. A tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a control gate, etc. are formed on the above structure. The impurity regions prevent a depletion layer from expanding from the source region toward the drain region.
US08222694B2
A semiconductor package may comprise a semiconductor substrate, a MOSFET device having a plurality cells formed on the substrate, and a source region common to all cells disposed on a bottom of the substrate. Each cell comprises a drain region on a top of the semiconductor device, a gate to control a flow of electrical current between the source and drain regions, a source contact proximate the gate; and an electrical connection between the source contact and source region. At least one drain connection is electrically coupled to the drain region. Source, drain and gate pads are electrically connected to the source region, drain region and gates of the devices. The drain, source and gate pads are formed on one surface of the semiconductor package. The cells are distributed across the substrate, whereby the electrical connections between the source contact of each device and the source region are distributed across the substrate.
US08222691B2
In one embodiment, a transistor includes a pillar of semiconductor material arranged in a racetrack-shaped layout having a substantially linear section that extends in a first lateral direction and rounded sections at each end of the substantially linear section. First and second dielectric regions are disposed on opposite sides of the pillar. First and second field plates are respectively disposed in the first and second dielectric regions. First and second gate members respectively disposed in the first and second dielectric regions are separated from the pillar by a gate oxide having a first thickness in the substantially linear section. The gate oxide being substantially thicker at the rounded sections. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.
US08222688B1
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first oxide layer formed on the substrate, an oxygen-rich nitride layer formed on the first oxide layer, a second oxide layer formed on the oxygen-rich nitride layer, and an oxygen-poor nitride layer formed on the second oxide layer.
US08222686B2
A semiconductor device having a nonvolatile memory cell which includes a semiconductor substrate, a first insulating film formed over the semiconductor substrate, a control electrode formed over the first insulating film, the first insulating film acting as a gate insulator for the control gate electrode, a second insulating film formed over the semiconductor substrate, and a memory gate electrode formed over the second insulating film and being adjacent to the control gate electrode, the second insulating film acting as a gate insulator for the memory gate electrode and featuring a non-conductive charge trap film, the control gate electrode having a different type conductivity than that of the memory gate electrode. A manufacturing technique for a semiconductor device including a nonvolatile memory cell having control gate and memory gate electrodes is also featured.
US08222681B2
A trench IGBT is disclosed. One embodiment includes an embedded structure arranged above a collector region and selected from a group consisting of a porous semiconductor region, a cavity, and a semiconductor region including additional scattering centers for holes, the embedded structure being arranged below the body contact region such that the embedded structure and the body contact region overlap in a horizontal projection.
US08222677B2
A semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate; a cell array block formed on the semiconductor substrate and including plural stacked cell array layers each comprising a plurality of first lines, a plurality of second lines crossing the plurality of first lines, and memory cells connected at intersections of the first and second lines between both lines; and a plurality of contact plugs extending in the stack direction of the cell array layers to connect between the first lines, between the second lines, between the first or second line and the semiconductor substrate, or between the first or second line and another metal line, in the cell array layers. The first or second line in a certain one of the cell array layers has a contact connector making contact with both sides of the contact plug.
US08222669B2
A device for forming a Group III-V semiconductor on a substrate. The device has a primary chamber comprising a substrate and a heat source for heating the substrate to a first temperature. A secondary chamber comprises a metal source and a second heat source for heating the secondary chamber to a second temperature. A first source is provided which is capable of providing HCl to the secondary chamber wherein the HCl and the metal form metal chloride. A metal-organic source is provided. A metal chloride source is provided which comprises a metal chloride. At least one of the metal chloride, the metal-organic and the second metal chloride react with the nitrogen containing compound to form a Group III-V semiconductor on the substrate.
US08222659B2
A semiconductor light-emitting device includes (A) a light-emitting portion obtained by laminating in sequence a first compound semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second compound semiconductor layer; (B) a first electrode electrically connected to the first compound semiconductor layer; (C) a transparent conductive material layer formed on the second compound semiconductor layer; (D) an insulating layer composed of a transparent insulating material and having an opening, the insulating layer being formed on the transparent conductive material layer; and (E) a second electrode that reflects light from the light-emitting portion, the second electrode being formed on the transparent conductive material layer and on the insulating layer in a continuous manner, wherein, assuming that areas of the active layer, the transparent conductive material layer, the insulating layer, and the second electrode are respectively S1, S2, S3, and S4, S1≦S2
US08222651B2
A semiconductor device in which the wiring resistance and parasitic inductance of a semiconductor package configuring a power semiconductor module is reduced. In the semiconductor device, a semiconductor chip with an IGBT formed therein and a diode chip are mounted over the upper surface of a die pad. An emitter pad of the semiconductor chip and an anode pad of the diode chip are coupled with a lead by an Al wire. One end of the lead is located in a higher position than the upper surface of the die pad in order to shorten the length of the Al wire for coupling the emitter pad and the lead.
US08222650B2
Semiconductor structures and devices based thereon include an aluminum nitride single-crystal substrate and at least one layer epitaxially grown thereover. The epitaxial layer may comprise at least one of AlN, GaN, InN, or any binary or tertiary alloy combination thereof, and have an average dislocation density within the semiconductor heterostructure is less than about 106 cm−2.
US08222649B2
A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, to appropriately determine an impurity concentration distribution of a field relieving region and reduce an ON-resistance. The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first drift layer, a second drift layer, a first well region, a second well region, a current control region, and a field relieving region. The first well region is disposed continuously from an end portion adjacent to the vicinity of outer peripheral portion of the second drift layer to a portion of the first drift layer below the vicinity of outer peripheral portion. The field relieving region is so disposed in the first drift layer as to be adjacent to the first well region.
US08222637B2
A fused aromatic ring derivative shown by the following formula (1): wherein Ra and Rb are independently a hydrogen atom or a substituent, m and n are independently an integer of 1 to 13, and when m and n are two or more, Ras and Rbs may be independently the same or different, and L1 is a single bond or a substituted or unsubstituted divalent linking group, provided that the fused aromatic ring derivative shown by the formula (1) does not have an anthracene ring.
US08222635B2
An electronic device includes at least a substrate, an area on the substrate which has to be protected against moisture and/or oxygen, at least one contact, and an encapsulation layer system including at least a first inorganic layer. The at least one contact extends from the sealed area to a part of the substrate not sealed by the encapsulation layer system. The contact includes a shunt, which is an interruption bridged by an electrically conductive bridge. The first inorganic layer of the encapsulation system is applied so that it is in direct physical contact with the electrically conductive bridge. The bridge has a structure and shape which can be sealingly covered by the encapsulation layer system and is made from a material through which no moisture and/or oxygen can penetrate.
US08222634B2
The present invention relates to a novel anthracene derivative and an organic electronic device using the same. The organic electronic device according to the present invention shows excellent characteristics in efficiency, driving voltage, and life time.
US08222623B2
Generation of quantum-correlated and/or polarization entangled photon pairs with unequal wavelengths
The invention provides an apparatus and method for generating quantum-correlated and/or polarization-entangled photon pairs with unequal wavelengths. The photon pairs generated collinearly with respect to the pump light via a nonlinear process in a nonlinear optical medium are collected into a single mode fiber and split using a dichroic device. The wavelengths of photons constituting a pair are selected such that, first, their efficient propagation in the same single mode optical fiber, and second, their efficient splitting with high switching ratio, is possible. A detected rate ˜105-106 pairs/s and >98% quantum interference visibility of polarization entanglement is observed. This source, given its performance, robustness and minimum alignment requirements is ideal for quantum communication schemes, in particular for entanglement-based quantum cryptography.
US08222618B2
An object of the invention is to realize a method and an apparatus for processing and observing a minute sample which can observe a section of a wafer in horizontal to vertical directions with high resolution, high accuracy and high throughput without splitting any wafer which is a sample. In an apparatus of the invention, there are included a focused ion beam optical system and an electron optical system in one vacuum container, and a minute sample containing a desired area of the sample is separated by forming processing with a charged particle beam, and there are included a manipulator for extracting the separated minute sample, and a manipulator controller for driving the manipulator independently of a wafer sample stage.
US08222616B2
A system and method of adapting a radiation therapy treatment plan for a patient by varying the fraction size delivered to the patient on any individual day, based at least partially on the use of daily patient registration (i.e., taking images of the patient before each fraction is delivered to see the position and size of the tumor on that day). The fraction size can be dynamically altered based upon the biology of the tumor.
US08222615B2
Method has laser scanner for pixel-precise imaging of fluorescent samples having fluorescent dyes. The scanner has sample table, laser and first optical system providing laser beam for exciting the samples, scanner head with deflecting element for scanning sample, first lens, second optical system for forwarding emission beams triggered by the laser beam and deflected by first lens and deflecting element to a detector, position encoder emitting position signals indicating location of the scanner head, electronic element for filtering the detector signals with a time constant and an A/D converter for digitizing the filtered detector signals. The filtered detector signals and the position encoder signals are acquired independently, in parallel and continuously by a computer and are related to a common time base, the A/D conversion being carried out often so that each pixel of an image is always assigned more than one data point.
US08222612B2
The present invention relates to a radiation image capturing apparatus, and includes a radiation image information detector for detecting radiation image information of a subject, a casing containing the radiation image information detector, a reading circuit for reading the radiation image information from the radiation image information detector, and a heat release unit for fastening the reading circuit and releasing heat generated by the reading circuit to the casing.
US08222609B2
An image pickup apparatus includes a base that has electric conductivity, at least one image pickup element, and at least one fixing member for fixing the image pickup element to the base. The base has at least one conducting portion on the surface thereof on the side of the fixing member, and the image pickup element has a conducting portion on the surface thereof on the side of the fixing member. The fixing member is formed of peelable resin for separating the image pickup element from the base by applying current. The area of the conducting portion of the base is larger than the area of the fixing region between the fixing member and the base.
US08222604B2
The present invention is directed to a method for non-contact or stand off chemical detection by selectively exciting one or more analytes of interest using an IR source tuned to at least one specific absorption band without significantly decomposing the analyte and determining if the analyte is present by comparing emitted photons with an IR detector signal made before and during or shortly after exciting the analyte. Another embodiment provides a method for non-contact or stand off chemical detection by selectively exciting one or more analytes of interest using an IR source tuned to at least one specific absorption band without significantly decomposing the analyte, wherein the analyte is excited sufficiently to generate a vapor plume, and wherein the plume is examined to detect the presence of the analyte. Additionally, the present invention provides for a system for non-contact or stand off chemical detection.
US08222601B2
A scanning electron microscope capable of modifying the focal position of a condenser lens with high speed and high reproducibility in order that low-magnification images are obtained at large depths of focus and that high-magnification images are obtained at high resolution. The microscope has a specimen-holding portion, an electron beam source, a condenser lens for converging the electron beam, an objective lens for focusing the converged beam into a very small spot onto a specimen, scan coils, a detector for detecting a specimen signal emanating from the specimen, and a display portion for displaying the detected specimen signal as an image. An axisymmetric electrode is disposed within the magnetic field produced by the condenser lens. A voltage is applied to the electrode.
US08222591B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a proximity sensor includes a driver, a photodiode (PD), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with analog-to-digital-to-analog (ADA) feedback, and a controller. The driver is adapted to selectively drive a light source. The photodiode (PD) is adapted to produce a photodiode current signal (Idiode) indicative of an intensity of light detected by the PD, where the light detected by the PD can include ambient light and/or light transmitted by the light source that was reflected off an object proximate the PD. The controller is adapted to control the driver and the ADC with ADA feedback. A digital output of the ADC with ADA feedback is indicative of a proximity of an object to the PD with at least a majority of the ambient light detected by the PD rejected.
US08222584B2
A light fixture, using one or more solid state light emitting elements utilizes a diffusely reflect chamber to provide a virtual source of uniform output light, at an aperture or at a downstream optical processing element of the system. Systems disclosed herein also include a detector, which detects electromagnetic energy from the area intended to be illuminated by the system, of a wavelength absent from a spectrum of the combined light system output. A system controller is responsive to the signal from the detector. The controller typically may control one or more aspects of operation of the solid state light emitter(s), such as system ON-OFF state or system output intensity or color. Examples are also discussed that use the detection signal for other purposes, e.g. to capture data that may be carried on electromagnetic energy of the wavelength sensed by the detector.
US08222578B2
A household appliance has a housing and a door that define an interior, and an electric controller. A measuring device is disposed in the interior for measuring a physical parameter and includes a measuring probe and a probe antenna. A lighting device for illuminating the interior of the household appliance includes a cover and a transmit or receive antenna. The transmit or receive antenna is disposed on the housing and sealed from the interior in a substantially airtight manner using the cover. The transmit or receive antenna is in signal communication with the electric controller allowing wireless signal transmission between the measuring probe and the electric controller.
US08222577B2
Method for treating a crank pin of a crank shaft. In the method hardness of the crank pin surface is measured and when the hardness is over a predetermined limit value, depth of the hard spot is measured. Heat treatment parameters are determined at least on the basis of the depth measurement and the hard spot is heat treated. During the heat treatment the hard spot is heated by an induction heating device.
US08222573B2
A dual-spectrum intelligent cooking and baking machine without oil fume includes a housing, a top cover, an inner cylinder with heat preservation, an inner cooking and baking machine and a control circuit. An upper heater is disposed on the inner top surface of the top cover, and a lower heater is disposed on the inner undersurface of the inner cylinder with heat preservation. The upper heater and the lower heater are optical heaters. An insulating layer with light and heat penetration is disposed on the lower heater. The inner cooking and baking machine is a pan, a stockpot or a barbecue net rack. The pan or the stockpot is disposed moveably on the upper surface of the insulating layer with light and heat penetration. The barbecue net rack is disposed moveably over the insulating layer with light and heat penetration and is connected with the motor by the coupling device.
US08222568B2
Electronically heated tool for use in installation of anchoring devices employing hot melt adhesives
An electrically heated tool adapted for an anchoring device includes a housing having an opening, a heating head extending forwardly out of the opening, and a movable member disposed movably on the heating head and extending forwardly out of the opening. The movable member has an engagement hole permitting extension of the heating head therethrough, a front annular surface, a loading portion disposed on the front annular surface, and a loading space defined between the loading portion and the front annular surface. The movable member is movable relative to the heating head between an extended position whereat a front pressing surface of the heating head is spaced apart from a forwardly protruding nose of the device, and a retracted position whereat the front pressing surface contacts the nose. A spring is disposed for biasing the movable member toward the extended position.
US08222567B2
A system for laser shock peening includes a laser positioned to direct a laser pulse at a first side of a work piece and a coupler on a second side of the work piece. The system further includes a Doppler shift detector positioned to measure a velocity of the coupler. A method for laser shock peening includes depositing an amount of energy from a laser pulse into a first side of a work piece and transmitting a pulse having a first frequency at a second side of the work piece. The method further includes receiving a reflected pulse having a second frequency from the second side of the work piece and determining the velocity of the work piece based on the difference between the first frequency and the second frequency.
US08222563B2
A beam capturing device for a processing machine includes a housing and at least one rotating body. The housing includes a substantially linear opening for receiving a cutting beam from the processing machine during processing of a workpiece. The at least one rotating body is arranged beneath the opening in the housing. The at least one rotating body is arranged to be rotationally driven about its axis of rotation and is arranged to absorb energy from the cutting beam entering the housing through the opening.
US08222562B2
Mastering tools and systems and methods for forming a plurality of cells on the mastering tools are provided. In particular, the systems vary the geometry of the cells or the placement of the cells, or both, for forming a textured surface on a mastering tool.
US08222560B2
Weld faces of electrodes for resistance spot welding are formed with a suitable area of protrusions and/or intrusions. The size, shape, and elevation or depths of the protrusions or intrusions are determined for the formation of suitable spot welds in and between metal workpieces such as aluminum or steel panels for vehicle bodies. The protrusions or intrusions are also conceived and used to form an image on at least a visible surface of the welded article to produce an attractive appearance on the surface of the welded sheet.
US08222557B2
An electric discharge machining apparatus having a gate signal generator for generating a gate signal, a power source for applying a voltage across a work gap formed between a tool electrode and a workpiece, a gap voltage detector for detecting a gap voltage of the work gap, an electric discharge detector for supplying an electric discharge detection signal representing electric discharge to the gate signal generator. The electric discharge detector includes a counter for generating a sample clock having a frequency greater than the frequency of the gate signal, and a comparator for receiving the gap voltage and determining that a fall in the gap voltage is larger than a specified voltage difference in each sample clock. The electric discharge detection signal is generated in response to an output signal of the comparator.
US08222535B2
A circuit arrangement comprising a set of signal layers, a set of first power layers, a set of second power layers, a set of signal vias, a set of first power vias, a set of second power vias, wherein a signal via of the set of signal vias provides a signal path for a high-frequency (HF) signal current, wherein at least a power via of the set of first power vias and at least a power via of the set of second power vias provide return paths for return currents associated with the signal current, wherein the return path provided by the power via of the set of second power vias is connected with a power layer of the set of second power layers, wherein at least one power layer of the set of first power layers is arranged between the power layer of the set of second power layers and each signal layer of the set of signal layers.
US08222531B2
A board interconnection structure having a first printed wiring board in which a first conductive circuit is arranged on a first insulating layer, the first conductive circuit having, on an end portion thereof, a first connection terminal in which an upper surface width is narrower than a bottom surface width; a second printed wiring board in which a second conductive layer having a second connection terminal is arranged on a second insulating layer; and a connection layer that forms fillets along longitudinal side surfaces of the first connection terminal, and interconnects the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal. The first connection terminal may have a projection portion.
US08222528B2
The invention provides a circuit board structure for electrical testing and a fabrication method thereof. The circuit board structure includes: a core board having a plurality of first circuits, an electroplating conductive wires, and distributing wires for electrical connection thereof; a dielectric layer formed on the core board, the first circuits, the distributing wires and the electroplating conductive wires, wherein the dielectric layer is formed with at least one opening for exposing the distributing wires; a plurality of second circuit formed on the dielectric layer and electrically connected to the first circuits; a solder mask layer formed on the dielectric layer and the second circuits; and at least one first opening formed in the solder mask layer, above the distributing wires, and deep into the dielectric layer to create a broken circuit between the distributing wires and the electroplating conductive wires, thus enabling electrical testing of the circuit board structure, and reducing noise interference.
US08222514B2
A solar energy module includes one or more solar cells, each having a front side for receiving light and an opposite back side. An encapsulant material covers at least the front side of each of the solar cells. The solar energy module also includes a backskin layer formed from a cross-linked mixture of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and acid copolymer bonded to the back side of each of the solar cells.
US08222510B2
The invention provides for a thermoelectric system comprising a substrate comprising a first complex oxide, wherein the substrate is optionally embedded with a second complex oxide. The thermoelectric system can be used for thermoelectric power generation or thermoelectric cooling.
US08222503B2
A sound reverberator device for detachable connection to the strings of a string musical instrument which has strings tensioned over a bridge piece connected to the top wall of the sound box or the instrument. The reverberator comprises three spaced apart metal coil springs secured side-by-side at a common end to a spring support. A metallic string attachment member is secured to a free end of each of the springs. The attachment member has string engaging fingers for engaging a respective one of a pair of adjacent strings of the musical instrument. The attachment member further has a bridge abutment portion for contact with the bridge piece. When the reverberator is connected to the musical instrument, the springs are tensioned with the attachment member connected to the strings whereby vibrations imparted to the strings will be transmitted to the bridge piece and the associated spring. The spring will then vibrate and transmit its vibrations to the sound box through the bridge piece whereby to modify the tonality sound generated by the sound box. A sound damping device also provides progressive sound damping produced by the springs.
US08222502B1
A novel maize variety designated 10216740 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing maize variety 10216740 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into 10216740 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety 10216740, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety 10216740. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety 10216740.
US08222500B1
A novel maize variety designated PHW1W and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHW1W with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHW1W 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 variety PHW1W or a trait conversion of PHW1W with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHW1W, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHW1W and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US08222496B2
A novel garden bean cultivar, designated H37113, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of garden bean cultivar H37113, to the plants of garden bean line H37113 and to methods for producing a bean plant by crossing the cultivar H37113 with itself or another bean line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a bean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic plants produced by that method and to methods for producing other garden bean lines derived from the cultivar H37113.
US08222493B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP31005 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP31005, cells from soybean variety XBP31005, plants of soybean XBP31005, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP31005. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP31005 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XBP31005, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP31005. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP31005 are further provided.
US08222474B2
A method for the solvent extraction of 1,3-butadiene from a mixture of C4 hydrocarbons that employs a distillation tower to produce the desired 1,3-butadiene product as an overhead and a separate bottoms stream that is removed from and not recycled in the solvent extraction process.
US08222470B2
A process for oligomerizing an olefinic hydrocarbon feed is described which consists of bringing said feed into contact with a catalyst comprising a silica-alumina, the silica content of said catalyst being in the range 5% to 95% by weight, said catalyst being prepared using a process comprising at least: a) mixing at least one alumina compound which is partially soluble in an acid medium with either at least one silica compound which is completely soluble in the reaction mixture or a combination formed by at least one silica compound and at least one alumina compound, said silica and alumina compounds being completely soluble in the reaction mixture, in order to form a solid precursor of said catalyst; b) hydrothermal treatment of the solid derived from step a) by calcining in moist air for a period in the range 4 to 7 hours.
US08222467B2
A non-extracted hydrocarbon composition feed is substantially free of both C4− hydrocarbons and the C7+ aromatic hydrocarbons and contains benzene and benzene coboilers as well as sulfur, nitrogen, olefins and dienes.
US08222454B2
The present invention discloses a process for preparing optically pure milnacipran and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, which adopts racemic milnacipran as starting material, tartaric acid derivatives and their compositions as resolving agents to resolve.
US08222450B2
Sulfonic acid anhydrides, and more particularly triflic anhydride, are prepared by reacting a sulfonic acid or a mixture of two sulfonic acids with a reactant exhibiting acid pseudohalide tautomerism and containing at least one carbon atom which is involved in the tautomerism bearing two halogen atom substituents.
US08222445B2
The present invention relates to an industrially usable process for preparing alkali metal and alkaline earth metal tricyanomethanides in particularly high purity.
US08222442B2
A phosphorylcholine group-containing compound that is a structure having a phosphorylcholine group represented by the following formula 1 and an amino group or a group derived from an amino group in an identical compound. (In the formula, m is 2 or more and 6 or less and p is 1 or 2. Each of X1, X2 and X3 is an alkyl group whose carbon number is 1 or more and 6 or less.)
US08222439B2
The invention relates to a process for the production of carboxylic acid esters by esterification of carboxylic acids and/or transesterification of carboxylic acid esters with alcohols in the presence of a liquid metal catalyst, characterized in that the liquid metal catalyst is the alkaline earth metal salt of a carboxylic acid.
US08222437B2
Systems and methods for extracting lipids of varying polarities from oleaginous material.
US08222431B2
The present invention is directed to an improved process for synthesizing phosphonic and phosphinic acid chymase inhibitor compounds.
US08222429B2
The present invention provides a photolabile protecting group that can be removed by light irradiation under mild conditions. More specifically, the present invention provides a method comprising protecting a reactive functional group (e.g., a hydroxyl group, amino group, carboxyl group, carbonyl group, phosphodiester group, etc.) by the photolabile protecting group, and then removing the photolabile protecting group simply by light irradiation under neutral conditions.The present invention relates to a compound represented by Formula (3): wherein Ar1 is an optionally substituted aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, Ar2 is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl group, X is a leaving group, and n is an integer of 1 or 2; and a method of protecting and deprotecting an amino group etc. using the compound.
US08222428B2
The present invention discloses a method for continuously producing an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide which comprises the continuous steps of reacting a para-alkyl phenol compound as a raw material with 1.7 to 2.5 molar equivalent of sulfur and 0.25 to 0.75 molar equivalent of an alkali metal reagent per 1 mol of the phenol compound (the first step); and oxidizing a cyclic phenol sulfide of the formula (2) produced by the above reaction with an oxidizing agent(s) in the same reactor as that of the first step and without taking the cyclic phenol sulfide out of the reactor: wherein R represents a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and m is an integer from 4 to 8, to obtain an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide of the formula (3) (the second step): wherein R represents a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 4 to 8, and n is 1 or 2.
US08222426B2
An aromatic compound of the following formula (1), (2), (5) or (6), wherein, Ar1 and Ar3 represent a tetra-valent aromatic hydrocarbon group or a tetra-valent heterocyclic group, and Ar2, Ar4, Ar5, Ar6 and Ar7 represent a tri-valent aromatic hydrocarbon group or a tri-valent heterocyclic group, A1 represents —Z1—, —Z2-Z3— or —Z4═Z5—, wherein Z1, Z2 and Z3 represent O, S or the like and Z4 and Z5 represent N, B, P or the like, X1, X2, X3, X4, X9, X10, X11, and X12 represent a halogen atom or the like.
US08222423B2
In recognition of the need to develop novel therapeutic agents and efficient methods for the synthesis thereof, the present invention provides novel bifunctional, trifunctional, or multifunctional compounds for inhibiting histone deacetylases, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and derivatives thereof. The present invention further provides methods for treating disorders regulated by histone deacetylase activity (e.g., proliferative diseases, cancer, inflammatory diseases, protozoal infections, hair loss, etc.) comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an inventive compound to a subject in need thereof. The present invention also provides methods for preparing compounds of the invention.
US08222421B2
Certain chemical entities chosen from compounds of Formula 1 and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, chelates, non-covalent complexes, and prodrugs thereof, are provided herein. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising at least one chemical entity and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles chosen from carriers, adjuvants, and excipients, are also provided herein. Methods of treating patients suffering from certain diseases and disorders responsive to angiogenic kinase modulation, which comprise administering to such patients an amount of at least one chemical entity effective to reduce signs or symptoms of the disease or disorder are disclosed. These diseases include cancer, including breast neoplasia, endometrial cancer, colon cancer, and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Methods of treatment include administering at least one chemical entity as a single active agent or administering such at least one chemical entity in combination with one or more other therapeutic agents. A method for determining the presence or absence of an angiogenic kinase in a sample comprising contacting the sample with at least one chemical entity under conditions that permit detection of activity of the angiogenic kinase, detecting a level of the activity of the angiogenic kinase, and therefrom determining the presence or absence of the angiogenic kinase in the sample.
US08222419B2
The present invention provides a compound, an oxepin derivative having excellent histamine receptor antagonistic action, which is useful as an antihistamine. The oxepin derivative of the present invention has a potent histamine receptor antagonistic action. Further, the compound of the present invention shows low intracerebral migration even when a mouse that is orally administered with the compound is subjected to an intracerebral receptor binding test, so that the compound has preferred properties of alleviating side effects in the central nervous system, such as drowsiness. The oxepin derivative of the present invention is very useful as a novel antihistamine having smaller side effects in the central nervous system, such as drowsiness.
US08222399B2
A photoreactive polysaccharide which comprises a polysaccharide bound to a glycidyl ester via a covalent bond, a photocrosslinked-polysaccharide prepared by using the photoreactive polysaccharide, and medical products comprising the photocrosslinked-polysaccharide.
US08222391B2
Provided are an oligonucleotide primer set for amplifying at least one target sequence of the genomic RNA of norovirus, an oligonucleotide probe or probe set specifically hybridizing with at least one target sequence of the genomic RNA of norovirus, a microarray immobilized with the probe or probe set, and a method of detecting norovirus using the probe or probe set.
US08222390B2
The present invention provides compositions and their use in diagnosing and/or distinguishing inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome.
US08222389B2
The present invention relates to the use in a diagnostic hybridization assay of a molecular beacon probe for lowering: the effect of sequence variations in a nucleic acid analyte, and/or the IBL effect due to the possible opening of the stem-loop structure of a molecular beacon by way of (contaminants in the amplification) enzymes, which assay comprises the steps of contacting a set of primers and a sample containing the nucleic acid analyte to amplify the analyte and detecting the amplified analyte or its complement using a molecular beacon probe, wherein the molecular beacon probe comprises one or more nucleotides and/or nucleotide analogues that have an affinity increasing modification. The invention also relates to such molecular beacon probe and to a kit for performing a diagnostic assay using such molecular beacon probe.
US08222388B2
Regulatory regions suitable for directing expression of a heterologous polynucleotide in plant tissues, e.g., flower and silique tissues, are described, as well as nucleic acid constructs that include these regulatory regions. Also disclosed are transgenic plants that contain such constructs and methods of producing such transgenic plants.
US08222383B2
Disclosed are DNA encoding a polypeptide which can modulate the activity of a muscle-specific tyrosine kinase, and others. The DNA is selected from the following members (a) to (d): (a) DNA comprising a specific nucleotide sequence; (b) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence capable of hybridizing with a specific nucleotide sequence under stringent conditions; (c) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence having the substitution, deletion and/or addition of one or several amino acid residues in a specific amino acid sequence; and (d) DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence having 90% or higher homology to a specific nucleotide sequence.
US08222371B2
Proteins (INSP141, INSP142, INSP143, and INSP144) identified as anthrax receptor-like proteins containing von Willebrand factor A (vWFA) and Anthrax receptor extracellular (ANT_IG) domains and the use of these proteins and nucleic acid sequences from the encoding genes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disease are described.
US08222365B2
This disclosure relates to a polyamideimide resin containing a structure represented by formula (1):
US08222350B2
A thermoplastic composition comprising in combination a polycarbonate, a polycarbonate-polysiloxane copolymer, an impact modifier composition comprising ABS or BABS, a second impact modifier different from BABS or ABS, an aromatic vinyl copolymer, and optionally a gel-type low gloss additive, wherein the 60° gloss of the thermoplastic composition is measured to be less than or equal to 14 GU on 3 millimeter chips having a textured surface when measured according to ASTM D2457, and wherein a molded sample of the thermoplastic composition has a low temperature notched Izod impact at −40° C. of at least 65 KJ/m2 when measured according to ISO 180/1A is disclosed. The composition has low gloss, high low temperature impact, and a significantly improved balance of properties.
US08222343B2
The present invention is directed to a method for preparing a cellulose reactive adduct of polyvinylamide and a composition resulting from the method. The preparation of the cellulose reactive adduct is carried out close to a Critical Concentration defined herein. When the reaction is run close to this Critical Concentration, the risk of gelation is minimized, consumed glyoxal is maximized, and shelf live is enhanced. Additionally, the glyoxalated vinylamides of the present invention impart improved wet and dry strengthening efficiency to paper and paperboard when compared to adducts disclosed in previously described art.
US08222341B2
Semi-conductive silicone compositions and articles of manufacture containing these compositions are formed by combining a silicone precursor composition with an alkali metal salt and polymerizing the silicone precursor composition in the presence of the alkali metal salt to form a polymerized semi-conductive silicone composition. The polymerized silicone composition can be formed into a solid or foam article of manufacture having a volume resistivity of E8 to E12 ohm-cm, such as a roller or an anti-static belt.
US08222339B2
An adhesive composition comprises: (i) at least one ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer, (ii) at least one tackifier; and (iii) an oil or a low molecular weight polymer. Preferably, the ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer has a Mw/Mn from about 1.7 to about 3.5, at least one melting point, Tm, in degrees Celsius, and a density, d, in grams/cubic centimeter, wherein the numerical values of Tm and d correspond to the relationship: Tm≧858.91−1825.3(d)+1112.8(d)2. The composition can be used in hot melt adhesives, pressure sensitive adhesives, hot melt pressure sensitive adhesives and thermoplastic marking paints.
US08222333B2
Adhesives containing inter-crosslinked polymeric microparticles are described. The polymeric microparticles include an acrylic polymer. The present disclosure also relates to water-based emulsions containing polymeric microparticles and a suitable inter-crosslinking agent as well as methods of making adhesives from such water-based emulsions.
US08222328B2
A method of manufacturing of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a toothed belt (10) having a belt part (13) and a tooth part (14) sticking out of the belt part (13). This method of manufacturing includes a first step of forming a reinforcing-sheet (12) including a fiber sheet and a coating film formed on the fiber sheet by drying the fiber sheet on which an aqueous treatment agent containing a first rubber latex and a first vulcanizing agent is applied, and a second step of reinforcing a surface of the tooth part (14) with the reinforcing-sheet (12) by vulcanizing the first rubber and a second rubber at the same time while adhering a rubber composition, which is a material for the tooth part (14), including the second rubber and a second vulcanizing agent to the reinforcing-sheet (12). The aqueous treatment agent contains the vulcanizing agent in the range of 10 parts by weight to 100 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of the first rubber.
US08222326B2
The invention provides a water-based ink composition for inkjet recording which contains vinyl polymer particles containing a styrene-acrylic acid copolymer in which the total content of the constitutional units derived from styrene monomer, acrylic acid, and methacrylic acid is 45% by mass or more; and at least one of an azo pigment represented by Formula (1), a tautomer thereof, a salt or hydrate thereof; and a water-based liquid medium, and which is excellent in discharge stability after a long-term storage or after aging at high temperatures: wherein, Q represents a heterocyclic group; W represents an alkoxy group, an amino group etc.; X1 and X2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group etc.; R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; R2 represents a heterocyclic group; and n represents an integer of 1 to 4.
US08222324B2
This invention provides a process for producing an epoxy resin composition having core/shell rubber particles (rubber-like polymer particles) dispersed in an epoxy resin, wherein an epoxy resin composition excellent in the dispersed state of rubber-like polymer particles in an epoxy resin with a reduced amount of contaminants is produced easily and efficiently.The epoxy resin composition having rubber-like polymer particles dispersed well in an epoxy resin with less contaminant is obtained by bringing an aqueous latex of rubber-like polymer particles (B) into contact with an organic medium (C) showing partial solubility in water, then bringing an organic medium (D) having lower partial solubility in water than that of the organic medium (C) into contact therewith to separate water substantially, to remove the rubber-like polymer particles as a dispersion (F) having the polymer particles dispersed in the organic medium, and mixing it with an epoxy resin (A), followed by distilling volatile components away.
US08222310B2
An extruded polypropylene type resin foam having a high expansion ratio of at least 15 times and a closed cell ratio of at least 70% and excellent in the heat insulation property, and its production process, are provided.An extruded polypropylene type resin foam, which is produced by extrusion-foaming a polypropylene type resin composition containing a linear polypropylene type resin having a melt tension at 230° C. of from 5 to 30 g, by using a blowing agent containing at least a hydrocarbon type gas, and which has an expansion ratio of at least 15 times and a closed cell ratio of at least 70%.
US08222308B2
A method of preparing a porous polymer structure comprising the steps of: forming a liquid composition comprising at least one polymer dissolved in at least one solvent; subjecting the liquid composition to stress, and if necessary also to a reduction in temperature, to cause the liquid composition to form a bi-continuous phase separated composition, the bi-continuous phase separated composition comprising a polymer rich phase and a polymer poor phase; solidifying the at least one polymer in the polymer rich phase; and removing the polymer poor phase from the polymer rich phase to provide the porous polymer structure having a bi-continuous morphology from the polymer rich phase.
US08222304B2
The invention relates to process for the treatment of a hydrophobic surface by a liquid film comprising an aqueous phase comprising the coating of said surface by the liquid whose aqueous phase comprises an effective amount of surface properties modifying agent and an active agent.
US08222301B2
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a resin microparticle aqueous dispersion, which can produce monodisperse resin microparticles, does not cause clogging by a product, does not require a high pressure, and has a high productivity. Thus, provided is a method for producing a resin microparticle aqueous dispersion, wherein a fluid having at least one kind of resin dissolved in a solvent with which a resin is soluble and compatible and a fluid of an aqueous solvent join together in a thin film fluid formed between processing surfaces arranged opposite so as to be able to approach to and separate from each other, at least one of which rotates relative to the other, whereby resin microparticles are obtained in the thin film fluid by way of separation/emulsification.
US08222300B2
The present invention provides methods of using halogenated volatile compounds, e.g., halogenated ether, for treating a neurological disorder, e.g., Parkinson's disease.
US08222298B2
Compounds, methods, uses, compositions, kits and packages for the treatment of imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation, based on uses of 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (4-P-PDOT) and analogs, derivatives, prodrugs, precursors thereof, and salts thereof, are described.
US08222296B2
Conjugates of a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) compound or a glycine compound and an analgesic drug are disclosed. Further disclosed are pharmaceutical compositions containing these conjugates and uses thereof in the treatment of CNS-associated diseases or disorders, optionally in combination with a psychotropic drug.
US08222256B2
The invention provides methods of treating cancer with a compound which inhibits kinases, more specifically IGF1R and Abl, in combination with treatments(s) selected from surgery, radiation, monoclonal antibody, bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, and one or more chemotherapeutic agent(s).
US08222238B2
The present invention relates to the use of pteridine derivatives for the treatment of increased intracranial pressure, secondary ischemia, and disorders associated with an increased level of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species.
US08222237B2
Described herein are 3-(6,6-ethylene-17β-hydroxy-3-oxo-17α-pregna-4-ene-17α-yl)propionic acid γ-lactone derivatives having progestational and aldosterone antagonistic activity. Also described herein are methods of preparing and using these novel compounds.
US08222236B2
This invention discloses 2-methylene-(20E)-20(22)-dehydro-19-nor-vitamin D analogs, and specifically 2-methylene-(20E)-20(22)-dehydro-19-nor-1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, and pharmaceutical uses therefore. This compound exhibits relatively high transcription activity as well as pronounced activity in arresting the proliferation of undifferentiated cells and inducing their differentiation to the monocyte thus evidencing use as an anti-cancer agent and for the treatment of skin diseases such as psoriasis as well as skin conditions such as wrinkles, slack skin, dry skin and insufficient sebum secretion. This compound also shows lower activity in vivo on bone calcium mobilization and similar in vivo intestinal calcium transport activity compared to the native hormone 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, and therefore may be used to treat autoimmune disorders or inflammatory diseases in humans as well as renal osteodystrophy. This compound may also be used for the treatment or prevention of obesity.
US08222234B1
A method of producing a granule containing at least 40 weight percent phosphoroamidothioate, preferably acephate, by processing the phosphoroamidothioate in powder form along with a liquid through a vertical continuous noncompressive agglomerator having a vertical rotating shaft on which are mounted a plurality of adjustable blades.
US08222219B2
A compound of the formula: wherein Ring A and Ring B are: (1) Ring A is an optionally substituted unsaturated monocyclic heterocyclic ring, and Ring B is an optionally substituted unsaturated monocyclic heterocyclic ring, an optionally substituted unsaturated fused heterobicyclic ring, or an optionally substituted benzene ring, (2) Ring A is an optionally substituted benzene ring, and Ring B is an optionally substituted unsaturated monocyclic heterocyclic ring or an optionally substituted unsaturated fused heterobicyclic ring, or (3) Ring A is an optionally substituted unsaturated fused heterobicyclic ring, and Ring B are independently an optionally substituted unsaturated monocyclic heterocyclic ring, an optionally substituted unsaturated fused heterobicyclic ring, or an optionally substituted benzene ring; X is a carbon atom or a nitrogen atom; Y is —(CH2)n— (n is 1 or 2); or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or a prodrug thereof.
US08222214B2
The invention features methods to induce and maintain a protective cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response to a peptide of the HER2/neu oncogene, E75, with the effect of inducing and maintaining protective or therapeutic immunity against breast cancer in a patient in clinical remission. The methods comprise administering to the patient an effective amount of a vaccine composition comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, an adjuvant such as recombinant human GM-CSF, and the E75 peptide at an optimized dose and schedule. The methods further comprise administering an annual or semi-annual booster vaccine dose due to declining E75-specific T cell immunity. The invention also features vaccine compositions for use in the methods.
US08222211B2
A novel class of embryo derived peptides are described (Preimplantation factor) that were generated synthetically and were tested on peripheral blood immune cells and shown to block activated but not basal immunity, inhibiting cell proliferation and creating a TH2 type cytokine bias. In addition PIF peptides enhance endometrial receptivity by increasing adhesion molecules expression. PIF biological activity appears to be exerted by specific binding to inducible receptors present on the several white cell lineages. PIF peptides, which are immune modulators, therefore may have diagnostic and non toxic therapeutic applications in improving fertility, reducing pregnancy loss as well may be useful when administered for the treatment of autoimmune diseases and for prevention xenotransplants rejection.
US08222209B2
Provided are modified growth hormone polypeptides, nucleic acid molecules encoding modified growth hormone polypeptides and methods of generating modified growth hormone polypeptides. Also provided are methods of treatment using modified growth hormone polypeptides.
US08222196B2
The invention is a composition and method for removing soils containing polymerized non-trans fats from surfaces. The composition comprises a polymer and sequentrant, wherein the polymer is oleophobic and hydrophilic. Optionally, the composition may also include a wetting agent. The composition may be used by applying it to a clean surface as a pretreatment so that when said surface is soiled or contaminated with polymerized non-trans fats it may be easily removed with water.
US08222193B2
The present invention relates to hydrogel particles containing bubbles and having a specific gravity of 0.7 to 1.00 and an average particle diameter of 50 to 500 μm, as well as a process for producing the same. The hydrogel particles may also contain hollow inorganic particles.
US08222183B2
The present invention provides a thermochromic coloring color-memory composition which effectively produce a characteristic that colors can be reversibly memorized and maintained and has applicability to various fields and a thermochromic coloring color-memory microcapsule pigment containing the composition.A thermochromic coloring color-memory composition comprising a homogeneous solubilized mixture of (A) an electron donative coloring organic compound, (B) an electron accepting compound and (C) a compound represented by the following formula (1) as a reaction medium which controls color reactions of the components (A) and (B): wherein X represents any of a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a methoxy group, and a halogen atom, m represents an integer of from 1 to 3, and n represents an integer of from 1 to 20.
US08222175B2
This invention relates to a process for the preparation of an olefin polymerization catalyst, to the use of the catalyst in olefin polymerization and to the catalyst and polymers obtained. In particular, the invention relates to the preparation of a catalyst comprising an organometallic compound of a transition metal of Group 3 to 10 of the Periodic Table (IUPAC) by a semi-continuous or continuous process.
US08222170B2
Disclosed are a glass substrate for an information recording medium, having excellent scratch resistance and a light weight and having high fracture toughness, the glass substrate having a fragility index value, measured in water, of 12 μm−1/2 or less or having a fragility index value, measured in an atmosphere having a dew point of −5° C. or lower, of 7 μm−1/2 or less, or the glass substrate comprising, by mol %, 40 to 75% of SiO2, 2 to 45% of B2O3 and/or Al2O3 and 0 to 40% of R′2O in which R′ is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Li, Na and K), wherein the total content of SiO2, B2O3, Al2O3 and R′2O is at least 90 mol %, and a magnetic information recording medium comprising a magnetic recording layer formed on the glass substrate.
US08222151B2
A method of lithography patterning includes forming a hard mask layer on a material layer and forming a capping layer on the hard mask layer. The capping layer does not react with oxygen gas during a photoresist ashing process. The capping layer is patterned by using a first resist pattern and a second resist pattern as etch masks. After the capping layer is patterned, the hard mask layer is patterned by using the patterned capping layer as an etch mask.
US08222135B2
By forming an aluminum nitride layer by a self-limiting process sequence, the interface characteristics of a copper-based metallization layer may be significantly enhanced while nevertheless maintaining the overall permittivity of the layer stack at a lower level.
US08222132B2
The present disclosure provides a method that includes forming first and second gate structures over first and second regions, respectively, removing a first dummy gate and first dummy dielectric from the first gate structure thereby forming a first trench and removing a second dummy gate and second dummy dielectric from the second gate structure thereby forming a second trench, forming a gate layer to partially fill the first and second trenches, forming a material layer to fill the remainder of the first and second trenches, removing a portion of the material layer such that a remaining portion of the material layer protects a first portion of the gate layer located at a bottom portion of the first and second trenches, removing a second portion of the gate layer, removing the remaining portion of the material layer from the first and second trenches.
US08222124B2
This method for manufacturing a SIMOX wafer includes: forming a mask layer on one surface side of a silicon single crystal wafer, which has an opening on a region where a BOX layer is to be formed; implanting oxygen ions through the opening of the mask layer into the silicon single crystal wafer to a predetermined depth, and locally forming an oxygen implantation region; annealing the silicon single crystal wafer with the mask layer, and oxidizing the oxygen implantation region so as to form the BOX layer; and removing a coated oxide film that covers the whole silicon single crystal wafer which is formed in the annealing of the silicon single crystal wafer, wherein the mask layer has a lamination comprising an oxide film and either one or both of a polysilicon film and an amorphous silicon film.
US08222118B2
A method of relieving stress in a semiconductor wafer and providing a wafer backside surface finish capable of hiding cosmetic imperfections. Embodiments of the invention include creating a wafer backside surface which can be used for all dies on the semiconductor wafer intended for different product applications and be deposited with backside metallization (BSM) material. The method provides a rough texture on the wafer backside followed by isotropic etching of the wafer backside to recover the wafer strength as well as to preserve the rough texture of the wafer backside. After wafer backside metallization, the rough texture of the wafer backside hides cosmetic imperfections introduced by subsequent processes.
US08222117B2
An SOI substrate and a manufacturing method of the SOI substrate, by which enlargement of the substrate is possible and its productivity can be increased, are provided. A step (A) of cutting a single crystal silicon substrate to form a single crystal silicon substrate which is n (n is an optional positive integer, n≧1) times as large as a size of one shot of an exposure apparatus; a step (B) of forming an insulating layer on one surface of the single crystal silicon substrate, and forming an embrittlement layer in the single crystal substrate; and a step (C) of bonding a substrate having an insulating surface and the single crystal silicon substrate with the insulating layer therebetween, and conducting heat treatment to separate the single crystal silicon substrate along the embrittlement layer, and forming a single crystal silicon thin film on the substrate having an insulating surface are conducted.
US08222113B2
A method for forming a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device includes at least steps of forming a pair of trenches in a substrate at both sides of a gate structure, filling the trenches with a silicon germanium layer by a selective epitaxy growth process, forming a cap layer on the silicon germanium layer by a selective growth process, and forming a pair of source/drain regions by performing an ion implantation process. Hence, the undesirable effects caused by ion implantation can be mitigated.
US08222103B1
Generally, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to a semiconductor device with embedded low-k metallization. A method is disclosed that includes forming a plurality of copper metallization layers that are coupled to a plurality of logic devices in a logic area of a semiconductor device and, after forming the plurality of copper metallization layers, forming a plurality of capacitors in a memory array of the semiconductor device. The capacitors are formed using a non-low-k dielectric material (k value greater than 3), while the copper metallization layers are formed in layers of low-k dielectric material (k value less than 3). A semiconductor device is also disclosed which includes a plurality of logic devices, a memory array comprising a plurality of capacitors, a conductive contact plate coupled to the plurality of capacitors, and a plurality of copper metallization layers coupled to the logic devices, wherein the plurality of copper metallization layers are positioned at a level that is below a level of a bottom surface of the contact plate. A material other than a low-k dielectric material is positioned between the plurality of capacitors in the memory array.
US08222086B2
A plurality of FPGA dice is disposed upon a semiconductor substrate. In order both to connect thousands of signal interconnect lines between the plurality of FPGA dice and to supply the immense power required, it is desired that the substrate construction include two different portions, each manufactured using incompatible processes. The first portion is a signal interconnect structure containing a thin conductor layers portion characterized as having a plurality of thin, fine-pitch conductors. The second portion is a power connection structure that includes thick conductors and vertical through-holes. The through-holes contain conductive material and supply power to the FPGA dice from power bus bars located at the other side of the semiconductor substrate. The portions are joined at the wafer level by polishing the wafer surfaces within a few atoms of flatness and subsequent cleaning. The portions are then fusion bonded together or combined using an adhesive material.
US08222085B2
Flip chip ball grid array semiconductor devices and methods for fabricating the same. In one example, a near chip scale method of semiconductor die packaging may comprise adhering the die to a substrate in a flip chip configuration, coating the die with a first polymer layer, selectively removing the first polymer layer to provide at least one opening to expose a portion of the die, and depositing a first metal layer over the first polymer layer, the first metal layer at least partially filling the at least one opening to provide an electrical contact to the die, and including a portion that substantially surrounds the die in a plane of an upper surface of the first metal layer to provide an electromagnetic shield around the die.
US08222078B2
A semiconductor device package die and method of manufacture are disclosed. The device package die may comprise a device substrate having one or more front electrodes located on a front surface of the device substrate and electrically connected to one or more corresponding device regions formed within the device substrate proximate the front surface. A back conductive layer is formed on a back surface of the device substrate. The back conductive layer is electrically connected to a device region formed within the device substrate proximate a back surface of the device substrate. One or more conductive extensions are formed on one or more corresponding sidewalls of the device substrate in electrical contact with the back conductive layer, and extend to a portion of the front surface of the device substrate. A support substrate is bonded to the back surface of the device substrate.
US08222076B2
A process for fabricating a semiconductor layer of an electronic device including: liquid depositing one or more zinc oxide precursor compositions and forming at least one semiconductor layer of the electronic device comprising predominately amorphous zinc oxide from the liquid deposited one or more zinc oxide precursor compositions.
US08222069B2
An image sensor including a first region where a pad is to be formed, and a second region where a light-receiving element is to be formed. A pad is formed over a substrate of the first region. A passivation layer is formed over the substrate of the first and second regions to expose a portion of the pad. A color filter is formed over the passivation layer of the second region. A microlens is formed over the color filter. A bump is formed over the pad. A protective layer is formed between the bump and the pad to expose the portion of the pad.
US08222067B2
A multibit electro-mechanical memory device comprises a substrate, a bit line on the substrate, a first interlayer insulating film on the bit line, first and second lower word lines on the first interlayer insulating film, the first and second lower word lines separated horizontally from each other by a trench, a spacer abutting a sidewall of each of the first and second lower word lines, a pad electrode inside a contact hole, first and second cantilever electrodes suspended over first and second lower voids that correspond to upper parts of the first and second lower word lines provided in both sides on the pad electrode, the first and second cantilever electrodes being separated from each other by the trench, and being curved in a third direction that is perpendicular to the first and second direction; a second interlayer insulating film on the pad electrode, first and second trap sites supported by the second interlayer insulating film to have first and second upper voids on the first and second cantilever electrodes, and first and second upper word lines on the first and second trap sites.
US08222065B1
A method for forming a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) is provided that includes forming oxide features outwardly of a CMUT control chip in a silicon wafer. The oxide features are planarized. A silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer is bonded to the planarized oxide features. For a particular embodiment, the SOI wafer comprises a single crystal epitaxial layer, a buried oxide layer and a silicon layer, and the single crystal epitaxial layer is bonded to the planarized oxide features, after which the silicon layer and the buried oxide layer of the SOI wafer are removed, leaving the single crystal epitaxial layer bonded to the oxide layer.
US08222064B2
A method of fabricating a compound semiconductor vertical LED is provided. A first growth substrate capable of supporting compound semiconductor epitaxial growth thereon is provided. One or more epitaxial layers of compound semiconductor material such as GaN or InGaN is formed on the first growth substrate to create a portion of a vertical light emitting diode. Plural trenches are formed in the compound semiconductor material. Passivating material is deposited in one or more trenches. A hard material is at least partially deposited in the trenches and optionally on portions of the compound semiconductor material. The hard material has a hardness greater than the hardness of the compound semiconductor. A metal layer is deposited over the compound semiconductor material followed by metal planarization. A new host substrate is bonded to the metal layer and the first growth substrate is removed. Dicing is used to form individual LED devices.
US08222059B2
In a method of manufacturing an optical device, a whole substrate is first prepared which has a plurality of regions corresponding to substrates constituting a plurality of optical devices, respectively. A plurality of chips are then mounted to the plurality of regions, respectively. A whole sealing member having a plurality of sealing members is integrally attached to the whole substrate to form an intermediate body. The intermediate body is divided into the above-described regions. Thus, the optical device having a substrate, a chip as an optical element mounted to the substrate and a sealing member with transparency provided at the substrate for the purpose of sealing the chip is manufactured. This manufacturing method improves the efficiency of manufacturing an optical device.
US08222056B2
A manufacturing method of a light-emitting diode, includes the steps of: successively growing a first clad layer, an active layer and a second clad layer on a substrate; and patterning the first clad layer, the active layer and the second clad layer into a specified plane shape, and causing at least a part of an outer peripheral part of the active layer to protrude to an outside from at least one of the first clad layer and the second clad layer.
US08222055B2
Provided are a silicon nitride layer for a light emitting device, light emitting device using the same, and method of forming the silicon nitride layer for the light emitting device. The silicon nitride layer of the light emitting device includes a silicon nitride matrix and silicon nanocrystals formed in the silicon nitride matrix. A light emitting device manufactured by the silicon nitride layer has a good luminous efficiency and emits light in the visible region including the short-wavelength blue/violet region and the near infrared region.
US08222053B2
Apparatuses and methods for manufacturing a solar cell are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the solar cell may be manufactured by disposing a solar cell in a chamber having a particle source; disposing a patterned assembly comprising an aperture and an assembly segment between the particle source and the solar cell; and selectively implanting first type dopants traveling through the aperture into a first region of the solar cell while minimizing introduction of the first type dopants into a region outside of the first region.
US08222049B2
Microfluidic systems and methods including those that provide control of fluid flow are provided. Such systems and methods can be used, for example, to control pressure-driven flow based on the influence of channel geometry and the viscosity of one or more fluids inside the system. One method includes flowing a plug of a low viscosity fluid and a plug of a high viscosity fluid in a channel including a flow constriction region and a non-constriction region. In one embodiment, the low viscosity fluid flows at a first flow rate in the channel and the flow rate is not substantially affected by the flow constriction region. When the high viscosity fluid flows from the non-constriction region to the flow constriction region, the flow rates of the fluids decrease substantially, since the flow rates, in some systems, are influenced by the highest viscosity fluid flowing in the smallest cross-sectional area of the system (e.g., the flow constriction region). This causes the fluids to flow at the same flow rate at which the high viscosity fluid flows in the flow constriction region. Accordingly, by designing microfluidic systems with flow constriction regions positioned at particular locations and by choosing appropriate viscosities of fluids, a fluid can be made to speed up or slow down at different locations within the system without the use of valves and/or without external control.
US08222046B2
The present invention is directed to immunoassays for detecting one or more target analytes in a fluid sample wherein the detection reaction occurs on a solid support and involves an amplification system. In particular, the invention is directed to making and using a test device having at least one site for detecting the presence of at least one target analyte, wherein a conjugate comprising dextran-polystreptavidin is immobilized at the test site(s) as a capture reagent for a complex containing the target analyze.
US08222044B2
A test strip with a sample receiving chamber having a novel flared portion that terminates in a sample receiving opening. The flared portion provides a reservoir from which sample fluid can be drawn into the capillary or sample receiving chamber. The wider opening provided by the present invention is easier to “target” with a sample fluid. In preferred embodiments, the hydrophilic reagent layer extends to the dosing end or side of the test strip and further promotes wicking of the sample into the sample receiving chamber and thus reduces dose hesitation. In other preferred embodiments, a tapered dosing end is provided on the test strip in combination with the flared portion, and this combination create a test strip that will draw sample fluid into the sample receiving chamber regardless of where along the dosing edge of the test strip the fluid sample makes contact.
US08222041B2
A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) capable of performing as a CO2 or O2 sensor is disclosed, hi one implementation, a polymer solar cell can be connected to the HEMT for use in an infrared detection system. In a second implementation, a selective recognition layer can be provided on a gate region of the HEMT. For carbon dioxide sensing, the selective recognition layer can be, in one example, PEI/starch. For oxygen sensing, the selective recognition layer can be, in one example, indium zinc oxide (IZO). In one application, the HEMTs can be used for the detection of carbon dioxide and oxygen in exhaled breath or blood.
US08222039B2
A process for purification of water soluble polymers is provided. A polymer of interest can be separated from a mixture of polymers, provided the polymer of interest differs from other polymers in the mixture in the number of reactive terminal groups. The process involves derivatizing polymers at the reactive terminal groups with a derivatizing molecule, bearing either (i) two or three cationic or anionic ionizable groups, and a group capable of covalent bonding to the reactive terminal groups or (ii) three or four ionizable groups, at least one of which is capable of covalent bonding to the reactive terminal groups; followed by ion exchange. The process allows removal of PEG from MPEG, and can be used for polymers having an average size greater than 9,000 Da Derivatization may be reversible in order to allow re-use of recovered contaminant polymers.
US08222031B2
The present invention relates to methods for cultivating dermal fibroblasts, methods for preparing in vitro dermis equivalents, methods for preparing three-dimensional in vitro skin equivalents, an in vitro dermis equivalent, a three-dimensional in vitro skin equivalent, and methods for determining the effect of a chemical substance or of an agent on human skin cells using the in vitro dermis equivalent and/or the in vitro skin equivalent.
US08222027B2
An auto-nucleating device includes a tube containing a crystalline cholesterol matrix. The ends of the tube are closed by a membrane that is impermeable to the cholesterol but permeable to liquids contained in a cryopreservation vessel. The auto-nucleating device provides a site for ice nucleation during freezing of the liquid within the vessel. One such cryopreservation vessel is a flexible vial having a closed port at one adapted to be pierced by a needle to withdraw the liquid within, and an opposite end that is initially open to receive the liquid. Another vessel includes an adaptor mounted to liquid container with a tubular branch closed by a needle septum and another tubular branch provided with a barbed fitting for engaging a flexible tube that terminates in a needle septum. In another embodiment, the vessel includes an inlet and vent branch at the top of the container and an outlet septum at a bottom opening.
US08222026B2
A membrane supported bioreactor arrangement and method for anaerobic conversion of gas into liquid products including membrane modules having hollow fibers packed across a cross sectional area of the membrane module, each of the hollow fibers formed from an asymmetric membrane wall having a porous outer layer defining biopores for retaining a porous biolayer about the outer surface of the membrane wall and a less permeable hydration layer around the hollow fiber lumen; a membrane vessel for surrounding the outside of the hollow fibers with a process gas from a gas supply conduit; and a liquid supply conduit operably connected to the hollow fibers for supplying a process liquid to the hollow fiber lumens. The gas supply conduit enables the formation of a biolayer on the outer surface of the hollow fiber wall by interaction of microorganisms with the process gas and the production of a liquid product.
US08222020B2
A novel strain of Lactobacillus fermentum, denoted strain Ess-1, which has been deposited at Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH and has been assigned accession number DSM17851. Lactobacillus fermentum, strain Ess-1, has shown valuable properties in the inhibition of Candida, and has medical uses, in particular for the treatment and/or prevention of candidasis and urinary tract infections. In addition, pharmaceutical products and articles include the novel bacterial strain.
US08222017B2
Methods for the evolution of NADPH binding ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes to acquire NADH binding functionality are provided. Specific mutant ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes isolated from Pseudomonas that have undergone co-factor switching to bind NADH are described.
US08222013B2
A novel class of bacteria is described which has improved efficiency in the production of thanol by anaerobic fermentation of substrates containing carbon monoxide.
US08222012B2
A process is provided for rapidly producing target concentrations of peroxycarboxylic acids from carboxylic acid esters. More specifically, carboxylic acid esters are reacted with a source of peroxygen, such as hydrogen peroxide, in the presence of an enzyme catalyst comprising an enzyme having identity to an acetyl xylan esterase from Lactococcus lactis having perhydrolysis activity. The polypeptide is an enzyme structurally classified as a member of the carbohydrate esterase family 7 (CE-7). The peroxycarboxylic acids produced by the present process can be used in disinfecting, bleaching, and other laundry care applications. Compositions comprising the reaction components and the peroxycarboxylic acids produced by the process are also provided.
US08222004B2
The invention relates to a method for screening a pharmaceutical for treating or preventing a neurodevelopmental disorder or a psychiatric disorder accompanied by an abnormality of oxytocin system by using an increase in expression or enzymatic activity of CD38 as an index, and a diagnosis of a predisposition to a neurodevelopmental disorder or a psychiatric disorder accompanied by an abnormality of oxytocin system by using a mutation present in a CD38 gene region as an index.
US08222001B2
The invention relates to a process for the culturing of cells, preferably E1-immortalized HER cells, more preferably PER.C6 cells in a reactor in suspension in a cell culture medium, wherein the cells produce a biological substance, preferably an antibody, wherein at least one cell culture medium component is fed to the cell culture and wherein the cell culture comprising the cells, the biological substance and cell culture medium is circulated over a separation system and wherein the separation system separates the biological substance from substances having a lower molecular weight than the biological substance and wherein the biological substance is retained in or fed back into the reactor. Preferably part of the substances of lower molecular weight is continuously removed from the cell culture.
US08221995B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for diagnosing SIRS, sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or MODS in a subject, or assigning a prognostic risk for one or more clinical outcomes for a subject suffering from SIRS, sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, or MODS, the method comprising performing an immunoassay for CCL23 splice variant.
US08221991B2
The present invention relates to a novel human orphan nuclear receptor that binds to a cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase (CYP) promoter and that is activated by compounds that induce CYP gene expression. The invention further relates to nucleic acid sequences encoding such a receptor, to methods of making the receptor and to methods of using the receptor and nucleic acid sequences encoding same. The invention also relates to non-human animals transformed to express the human receptor and to methods of using such animals to screen compounds for drug interactions and toxicities.
US08221981B2
The invention relates to improved methods and compositions for the nucleic acid amplification of one or multiple variants (strains) of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) present in a sample, and preferably in a sample from a pathogen infected individual. In particular, novel primers, methods and kits for the amplification of one or more species of HIV Rev, Gag and Nef nucleic acids are provided. The amplified HIV nucleic acid can be used to identify and/or quantitate HIV variants present in a sample. Nucleic acids produced by the methods of the invention or the proteins encoded thereby can also be used directly as vaccines or to transfect/load antigen presenting cells. The loaded antigen presenting cells can be used as a vaccine for the treatment or prevention of HIV infection.
US08221973B2
Methods are provided for ascertaining the sequence of a genomic DNA sample by nicking the DNA sample with a restriction nicking enzyme, followed by nick translation with labeled nucleotides, such that the labeled nucleotides can be quantified and compared to a known, reference genome.
US08221971B2
Adenovirus serotypes differ in their natural tropism. The adenovirus serotypes 2, 4, 5 and 7 all have a natural affiliation towards lung epithelia and other respiratory tissues. In contrast, serotypes 40 and 41 have a natural affiliation towards the gastrointestinal tract. The serotypes described, differ in at least capsid proteins (penton-base, hexon), proteins responsible for cell binding (fiber protein), and proteins involved in adenovirus replication. This difference in tropism and capsid protein among serotypes has led to the many research efforts aimed at redirecting the adenovirus tropism by modification of the capsid proteins.
US08221965B2
Antireflective coating compositions and related polymers are disclosed.
US08221955B2
Methods of making ink toners for use in electrostatic imaging are disclosed.
US08221952B2
A method of charging toner particles in a liquid toner includes mixing the toner with an acid, and mixing the toner with a base that reacts with the acid to charge the toner particles. The base is added first and the acid subsequently to charge the toner particles with a positive charge.
US08221923B2
A stop method for a fuel cell system including a fuel cell unit in which hydrogen is supplied to an anode, and air is supplied to a cathode so as to generate electrical power via an electrochemical reaction. The stop method includes the steps of stopping supply of hydrogen to the anode, electrically connecting the anode and the cathode via an electrical load, and supplying air to the anode.
US08221919B2
In the production of a membrane/electrode assembly 10, a first catalyst layer 22 (a second catalyst layer 34) is formed by a process comprising steps (a) and (b). (a) A step of applying a coating fluid comprising a catalyst and an ion-exchange resin, on a substrate to form a coating fluid layer. (b) A step of disposing a reinforcing layer 24 (34) on the coating fluid layer formed in the step (a) and then, drying the coating fluid layer to form a first catalyst layer 22 (a second catalyst layer 34) The process provides a catalyst layer whereby defects such as cracks are scarcely formed in the catalyst layer, and the bond strength is high at the interface between the catalyst layer and a reinforcing layer and at the interface between the catalyst layer and a polymer electrolyte membrane.
US08221917B2
A positive active material composition for a rechargeable battery, a positive electrode including the same, and a rechargeable battery including the same, the positive active material composition including a positive active material and a surface-modified metal oxide.
US08221916B2
A method for manufacturing a lithium ion secondary battery comprises the step of sintering a laminate sandwiched by setters disposed on both sides of the laminate having only interfaces between an electrolyte green sheet and a positive electrode green sheet and/or a negative electrode green sheet. A lithium ion secondary battery manufactured by the method described above is also provided.
US08221909B2
An electronic component that includes a substrate and a phase-separated layer supported on the substrate and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The phase-separated layer includes a first phase comprising lanthanum manganate (LMO) and a second phase selected from a metal oxide (MO), metal nitride (MN), a metal (Me), and combinations thereof. The phase-separated material can be an epitaxial layer and an upper surface of the phase-separated layer can include interfaces between the first phase and the second phase. The phase-separated layer can be supported on a buffer layer comprising a composition selected from the group consisting of IBAD MgO, LMO/IBAD-MgO, homoepi-IBAD MgO and LMO/homoepi-MgO. The electronic component can also include an electronically active layer supported on the phase-separated layer. The electronically active layer can be a superconducting material, a ferroelectric material, a multiferroic material, a magnetic material, a photovoltaic material, an electrical storage material, and a semiconductor material.
US08221908B2
An organic electroluminescent element including at least an emission layer sandwiched between an anode and a cathode, wherein the emission layer comprises at least a compound represented by Formula (A),
US08221886B2
Provided is an aromatic polycarbonate resin composition containing, with respect to 100 parts by mass of a resin mixture including 60 to 99 mass % of (A) an aromatic polycarbonate resin and 1 to 40 mass % of (B) a styrene-based resin, 1 to 30 parts by mass of a compatibilizer, the compatibilizer being formed of a block or random copolymer constituted of an aromatic vinyl monomer unit and an acrylate-based monomer unit. This aromatic polycarbonate resin composition has improved transparency and improved extrusion stability.
US08221882B2
A process for producing inorganic spheres, which comprises injecting an aqueous liquid containing an inorganic compound into a laminar flow of an organic liquid which runs at a flow rate of from 0.001 to 2 m/s in a flow path through a porous membrane to form a W/O type emulsion and solidifying the aqueous liquid containing an inorganic compound in the W/O type emulsion.
US08221875B2
A varnish includes an epoxy resin, a curing agent, an accelerator agent and fillers. The fillers include sericite powders. The sericite powders have composition of SiO2 in weight ratio of 55±3%. Furthermore, the Mohs' scale of hardness of the sericite powder is between 2 to 3. Glass fabric cloth is dipped into the varnish so as to form a prepreg with better machined-work capability.
US08221874B1
A durable composite sheet is provided, with a method of manufacturing the composite sheet. The method includes using a crack-resistant reinforcement panel between a gel coat and a reinforcement panel, which may be of lauan or of other materials. At least one outer coat of material is applied onto a mold surface. A barrier layer may be formed on the outer coat, preferably by spraying. At least one coat of a resin material, containing a curable resin and optionally a filler, and a fibrous reinforcement material are applied over the outer coat (over the barrier layer if present) to form a reinforcement layer. The reinforcement panel is applied to the crack-resistant reinforcement layer, and is bonded thereto.
US08221872B2
An easy-open end comprising a resin-coated metal plate obtained by coating a metal substrate with a anti-blocking agent-containing biaxially drawn film via a primer, wherein an important feature resides in that the anti-blocking agent in the biaxially drawn film is of a spherical shape having an average particle size of 0.5 to 2.5 μm and an average particle size ratio (long diameter/short diameter) in a range of 1.0 to 1.2, and is contained at a ratio of 0.05 to 0.5% by weight in the biaxially drawn film. Even without forming a top-coat layer, therefore, the film is not scratched or the forming-tool is not damaged by the anti-blocking agent that adheres and deposits on the forming tool. Besides, the resin coating favorably adheres to the metal plate offering excellent advantage in production and in economy.
US08221865B2
To provide an optical recording medium excellent in the balance of characteristics, which has a sufficient surface hardness and of which the deformation when the environmental temperature and the environmental humidity change is small.An optical recording medium comprising a resin substrate, a recording and reading layer, a cover coat layer which is a cured product of a radiation-curable composition containing a urethane (meth)acrylate (A) and a (meth)acrylate compound (B) other than the urethane (meth)acrylate (A), and a hard coat layer having a surface hardness of at least B in this order, wherein of the cover coat layer, the ratio of the elastic modulus in tension upon absorbing water to saturation to the elastic modulus in tension at 25° C. under a humidity of 45% is at least 0.20.
US08221860B2
Multi-chamber coatings are provided. The multi-chamber coating includes a first medium and a second medium. The first medium covers at least a first portion of the second medium so as to form first and second chambers. At least one material property of the first medium is different than the second medium. The first chamber and the second chamber share a wall. The wall is configured to apply a restorative force upon deformation of the first or second chambers. The coating is configured to be attached to an object that is configured to be inserted into an orifice.
US08221859B2
The invention provides a moist wipe for cleaning a surface, the wipe comprising a sheet material premoistened with an aqueous emulsion comprising a wax and no or a low amount of silicone compounds. The wipe is used to wipe a surface, to prevent or reduce against water staining on the surface, as might arise from subsequent contact with aqueous liquids. The invention further provides a packaged product containing at least one wipe, and a method of manufacturing moist wipes.
US08221853B2
A method for forming a graphitic tin-carbon composite at low temperatures is described. The method involves using microwave radiation to produce a neutral gas plasma in a reactor cell. At least one organo tin precursor material in the reactor cell forms a tin-carbon film on a supporting substrate disposed in the cell under influence of the plasma. The three dimensional carbon matrix material with embedded tin nanoparticles can be used as an electrode in lithium-ion batteries.
US08221847B2
The present invention provides a method for providing anti-ice protection to surfaces, particularly aerodynamic surfaces, to prevent foul weather icing for extended periods of time and over repeated icing situations, comprising applying an organic polymer matrix layer to the surface where the organic polymer matrix layer comprises a homopolymer comprising up to 50% porous polymer solids having a pore size of up to 100 Angstroms and being capable of absorbing and chemically bonding an aqueous freeze-point depressant solution in amounts of up to 99.75% by weight.
US08221841B2
A gas turbine engine blade has a platform. A root depends from the platform and an airfoil extends from the platform. The airfoil has leading and trailing edges and pressure and suction sides. The blade has a substrate having a surface. A compressive stress exists below a first region of the surface. The first region extends over a majority of a streamwise perimeter of the airfoil at a location at a spanwise distance from the tip or more than 50% of a tip-to-platform span. A coating is on the surface including at the location.
US08221824B2
A method is provided for altering a drug release profile of a coating of a medical device by increasing a surface area of the coating of the medical device. The method may include indenting the coating using a crimping apparatus, a rolling apparatus, or a clamping device. The method may alternatively or additionally include changing a chemical composition of at least one coating component to increase a roughness of a texture of the coating, and/or drying or partially drying the coating before the coating impacts the medical device.
US08221808B2
Calcium additives useful for fortifying baked goods, such as bread products, with calcium are disclosed. The calcium additives are particularly useful for fortifying leavened baked goods with calcium. Methods for preparing the calcium additives and using the calcium additives to fortify baked goods are also disclosed. Generally, the calcium additives comprise intimate admixtures calcium carbonate and an acid such as citric acid.
US08221798B1
A method and solution for treating nasal infections efficiently is provided. The method includes providing a first solution comprising 0.1 to 2 wt % sodium chloride and providing a second solution comprising 2 to 8 wt % NaOCl. A first aliquot of the first solution and a second aliquot of the second solution are mixed to provide a therapeutic solution comprising at least 3-600 ppm free chlorine. The therapeutic solution is introduced into a sinus cavity containing an infection.
US08221796B2
The present invention discloses an improved copper-based fungicide/bactericide composition. The improved composition offers higher biological activity over typical copper-based products, while requiring significantly less copper in the composition. The present invention also discloses methods of making the improved copper-based fungicide/bactericide composition. The present invention further discloses methods of using the improved copper-based fungicide/bactericide composition.
US08221793B2
A composition for chemoembolotherapy of solid tumors comprises particles of a water-insoluble water-swellable synthetic anionic polymer and, absorbed therein an anthracycline. Suitably the polymer is a poly(vinyl alcohol) based polymer and the drug is doxorubicin.
US08221782B2
The present invention relates in general to implantable flexible bone composites, and method for preparing the same. The flexible bone composite includes at least one polymeric layer and at least one calcium-containing layer. The polymeric layer can be a polymeric layer including a synthetic polymer. The calcium-containing layer can include a calcium compound such as β-Ca3(PO4)2. The flexible bone composites of the invention are useful as bone void fillers and have improved handling characteristics.
US08221779B2
The present embodiment of the invention is generally directed to compositions comprising suspensions of poorly water-soluble compounds recrystallized in nanoparticulate sizes ranging from 0.1 to 5 μm. In addition, the embodiment of the invention is directed to methods for preparation and administration of these compositions to a patient for prevention and treatment of disease states. In particular, the embodiment of the invention is directed to compositions comprising suspensions of poorly water-soluble compounds, such as antimitotics and antibiotics, in nanoparticulates and methods of prevention and treatment of chronic disease states, such as cancer, by intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of such compositions.
US08221774B2
An anti-stick agent that may be incorporated into an aqueous medium to assist in the prevention of soils and bodily exudates adhering to the skin. A substrate may be utilized to assist in delivering the anti-stick agent to the skin.
US08221769B2
Therapeutic methods and microorganisms therefor are provided. The microorganisms are designed to accumulate in immunoprivileged tissues and cells, such as in tumors and other proliferating tissue and in inflamed tissues, compared to other tissues, cells and organs, so that they exhibit relatively low toxicity to host organisms. The microorganisms also are designed or modified to result in leaky cell membranes of cells in which they accumulate, resulting in production of antibodies reactive against proteins and other cellular products and also permitting exploitation of proferating proliferating tissues, particularly tumors, to produce selected proteins and other products. Vaccines containing the microorganisms are provided. Combinations of the microorganisms and anti-cancer agents and uses thereof for treating cancer also are provided.
US08221759B2
The present invention relates to the identification and cloning of a novel neutralizing human monoclonal antibody to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus. The invention provides such antibodies, fragments of such antibodies retaining RSV-binding ability, chimeric antibodies retaining RSV-binding ability, and pharmaceutical compositions including such antibodies. The invention further provides for isolated nucleic acids encoding the antibodies of the invention and host cells transformed therewith. Finally, the invention provides for diagnostic and therapeutic methods employing the antibodies and nucleic acids of the invention.
US08221729B2
Disclosed are-(2′-Hydroxy-4′-aminophenyl)benzotriazole derivatives of formula wherein R1 and R4 independently of each other are hydrogen; C1-C28alkyl; C1-C28alkoxy; C2-C28alkenyl; C2-C28alkinyl; C3-C12cycloalkyl; C3-C12cycloalkenyl; C7-C28aralkyl; C1-C20heteroalkyl; C3-C12cycloheteroalkyl; or C5-C16 heteroaralkyl; and wherein C1-C28alkyl, C1-C28alkoxy, C2-C28alkenyl and C2-C28alkinyl are unsubstituted or may be substituted by at least one C1-C5alkyl, C1-C5alkoxy or hydroxy; R2 and R3 independently of each other are hydrogen; C1-C28alkyl; C2-C28 alkenyl; C2-C22alkinyl; C3-C12cycloalkyl; C3-C12cycloalkenyl; C7-C28 aralkyl; C1-C20 heteroalkyl; C3-C12cycloheteroalkyl; C5-C16heteroaralkyl; and wherein C1-C28alkyl, C1-C28alkoxy, C2-C28alkenyl and C2-C28alkinyl are unsubstituted or may be substituted by at least one C1-C5alkyl, C1-C5alkoxy or hydroxy; or CO—R5; or R2 and R3 together with the linking nitrogen form a 5- to 7-membered, monocyclic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; R5 is C1-C28alkyl; C2-C28alkenyl; C2-C28alkinyl; C3-C12cycloalkyl; C3-C12cycloalkenyl; C7-C20aralkyl; C1-C20 heteroalkyl; C3-C12 cycloheteroalkyl; C1-C5alkoxycarbonyl-C1-C5alkyl; or C5-C16heteroaralkyl; for protecting human and animal hair and skin from harmful effects of UV radiation.
US08221727B2
A comestible, water-based composition containing natural ingredients provides an effective amount of at least one active ingredient selected to reduce the proliferation of bacteria in the mouth of animals to treat and improve the dental health of animals. The composition can be administered to animals in the form of their daily intake of water and may be especially packaged for ready use and consumption by animals in pre-packaged and portable doses. Compositions containing natural ingredients and formulated as toothpastes for animal dental care are also provided.
US08221724B2
Oral compositions comprising fused silica, wherein the composition is essentially free of sodium lauryl sulfate.
US08221722B2
An oral care composition comprising a fused silica abrasive and an active.
US08221719B2
This invention relates to a group of novel chelating agents, novel chelates, biomolecules labeled with said chelates or chelating agents as well as solid supports conjugated with said chelates, chelating agents or labeled biomolecules. Especially the invention relates to novel chelating agents useful in solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides or oligopeptides and the oligonucleotides and oligopeptides so obtained.
US08221716B2
A method of synthesizing carbon nanotubes including forming a solution including an organometallic compound containing catalyst particles and a solvent, adding at least one support to the solution, wherein the carbon nanotubes are synthesized on a surface of the at least one support, and applying radiation to the solution to which the at least one support is added.
US08221715B2
A compound containing at least two pyridinium derivatives in its molecular structure and being in a reduced form thereof may be used as a CNT n-doping material. The compound may donate electrons spontaneously to CNTs to n-dope the CNTs, while being oxidized into its stable state. An n-doped CNT that is doped with the CNT n-doping material may maintain a stable n-doped state for a long time without being dedoped even in the air and/or water. Further, the n-doped state may be easily controlled when using the CNT n-doping material.
US08221701B2
Provided is a microfluidic device that can automatically perform various types of biological blood analysis. In the microfluidic device, a specimen is centrifugally separated and the centrifugally separated specimen is diluted into various dilution ratios. Also, at least two reagents that are required for one reaction and that need to be separately stored are stored in separate chambers, and they are mixed when a reaction is needed. Thus, various conventional blood analyzing reagents can be used as they are or after being minimally processed in the microfluidic device.
US08221700B2
Systems and methods for improved measurement of absorbance/transmission through fluidic systems are described. Specifically, in one set of embodiments, optical elements are fabricated on one side of a transparent fluidic device opposite a series of fluidic channels. The optical elements may guide incident light passing through the device such that most of the light is dispersed away from specific areas of the device, such as intervening portions between the fluidic channels. By decreasing the amount of light incident upon these intervening portions, the amount of noise in the detection signal can be decreased when using certain optical detection systems. In some embodiments, the optical elements comprise triangular grooves formed on or in a surface of the device. The draft angle of the triangular grooves may be chosen such that incident light normal to the surface of the device is redirected at an angle dependent upon the indices of refraction of the external medium (e.g., air) and the device material. Advantageously, certain optical elements described herein may be fabricated along with the fluidic channels of the device in one step, thereby reducing the costs of fabrication. Furthermore, in some cases the optical elements do not require alignment with a detector and, therefore, facilitate assembly and/or use by an end user.
US08221698B2
A liquid container includes: a liquid containing chamber that is accommodated in a pressure space and is pressurized by a pressurized fluid to be introduced into the pressure space so as to discharge a liquid stored in an inside thereof; and a liquid detection portion for detecting the liquid in the liquid containing chamber, the liquid detection portion includes: a liquid detection chamber that has a liquid inlet port communicating with the liquid containing chamber and a liquid outlet port communicating with an external liquid consuming apparatus, and a volume of which changes according to a liquid pressure between the liquid inlet port and the liquid outlet port; a detection unit that is provided on one of first and second walls opposite to each other, a distance between the first and second walls changing in accordance with the change in volume of the liquid detection chamber, for detecting a vibration wave form of the liquid; and a space forming portion that, when the volume of the liquid detection chamber is minimized, forms a predetermined space between the first and second walls.
US08221688B2
An exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine is provided in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine. The exhaust gas purification device includes an HC trapping converter comprising a carrier; an HC adsorbing layer, supported on the carrier and adapted to adsorb unburned fuel; and a ternary catalyst layer, supported on a surface of the HC adsorbing layer and adapted to oxidize and remove the unburned fuel. The HC adsorbing layer includes particulate HC adsorbents each of which has a follow space and which are stacked. The ternary catalyst layer covers the HC absorbing layer such that a thickness of the ternary catalyst layer increases from an upstream side to a downstream side of the converter in the direction of exhaust gas flow.
US08221687B2
A system and a method are provided for removing greenhouse gases, particulates and pollutants from the atmosphere utilizing a greenhouse gas collection apparatus. An atmospheric mixture is collected and progressively treated in first, second and third tube furnaces and a scrubber to produce an effluent for treatment in a chemical processing plant. The first tube furnace oxidizes hydrocarbons, the second tube furnace oxidizes any remaining nitrous and nitric oxides, and the third tube furnace oxidizes sulfur dioxide. The scrubber precipitates carbon dioxide as calcium carbonate. A vacuum pump draws the atmospheric mixture through tube furnaces and the scrubber.
US08221683B2
Provided is a specimen preparation apparatus capable of supplying a specimen from the specimen preparation apparatus to a specimen analyzer without burdening an operator. This specimen preparation apparatus comprises a stained specimen preparation part for preparing a specimen on a slide glass and staining the specimen, a keeping part for storing the stained specimen slide glass prepared in the stained specimen preparation part and a control part for deciding whether to supply the stained specimen slide glass to the keeping part or to the external apparatus.
US08221673B2
The present invention provides a method for producing an injection molded panel member having a first portion, a second portion, and an appearance surface portion. The method includes placing the appearance surface portion of the panel member into a mold cavity. The mold cavity preferably includes a first chamber adapted to form the first portion of the panel member, and a second chamber adapted to form the second portion of the panel member. After the appearance surface portion of the panel member is inserted into the mold, molten plastic material and pressurized gas are injected into the first chamber of the mold cavity. After the molten plastic material is injected into the first chamber of the mold, molten plastic material is injected into the second chamber of the mold cavity. The molten plastic is then cooled until it solidifies. After the molten plastic is sufficiently cooled, the pressurized gas is vented and the panel member is removed from the mold.
US08221664B2
A hot axial pressing method for sintering a ceramic powder, particularly doped Gd2O2S, comprises the step of placing a first porous body (7), the ceramic powder (9) and a second porous body (7) into a mould shell (5) supported by a support (13, 14). The ceramic powder (9) is located between the porous bodies (7). Gaseous components are evacuated from the ceramic powder (9) up to an ambient pressure of less than 0.8 bar. The porous body (7) and the ceramic powder (9) are heated to a maximum temperature of at least 900° C. and are applied to a pressure up to a maximum pressure of at least 75 Mpa. According to the invention the variation in time of the heating step and the variation in time of the pressure applying step is adjusted to each other such that the mould shell 5 is held by the porous bodies (7) and/or the ceramic powder (9) in a state where the mould shell (5) and the support (13, 14) are disconnected with respect to each other.
US08221661B2
The invention relates to the building material industry and to the use of labor saving tools of industrial continuous and batch brick kilns. Said invention makes it possible to develop a process for producing large-sized clay ceramic products consisting in carrying out rapid and high-quality baking and to accelerate a construction process. The inventive method for producing a clay house or another clay construction consists in forming, during construction, through and blind voids in a wall and a ceiling in such a way that they are closed with a noncombustible material from outside, in covering window and door apertures in the ready clay construction with a noncombustible material, and in baking the construction to a ceramic state in such a way that hot gas penetrates into the voids and that the body of the product is uniformly heated. During baking the construction is used in the form of a furnace (combustion chamber).
US08221648B2
The present invention include fluorescent nanocrystals which have high fluorescence intensity, are water soluble, exhibit physical and chemical stability, and whose spectral properties are detectably modified as the size of functional groups bonded to the nanocrystal surface change when contacted with target molecules in a sample. The molecules in the sample add to or reduce the size of functional groups on the fluorescent nanocrystal proportional to the activity and amount of the target molecules. The present invention may be used to detect telomerase in a sample.
US08221645B2
Disclosed is a heat dissipating material which is interposed between a heat-generating electronic component and a heat dissipating body. This heat dissipating material contains (A) 100 parts by weight of a silicone gel cured by an addition reaction having a penetration of not less than 100 (according to ASTM D 1403), and (B) 500-2000 parts by weight of a heat conductive filler. Also disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a heat-generating electronic component and a heat dissipating body, wherein the heat dissipating material is interposed between the heat-generating electronic component and the heat dissipating body.
US08221642B2
A method for removing a plurality of dielectric films from a supporting substrate by providing a substrate with a dielectric layer overlying another dielectric layer, contacting the substrate at a first temperature with an acid solution exhibiting a positive etch selectivity at the first temperature, and then contacting the substrate at a second temperature with an acid solution exhibiting a positive etch selectivity at the second temperature. The dielectric layers exhibit different etch rates when etched at the first and second temperatures. The first and second acid solutions may contain phosphoric acid. The first dielectric layer may be silicon nitride and the second dielectric layer may be silicon oxide. Under these conditions, the first temperature may be about 175° C. and the second temperature may be about 155° C.
US08221638B2
Prior to wafer processing, pressure ratio control is executed on a divided flow rate adjustment means so as to adjust the flow rates of divided flows to achieve a target pressure ratio with regard to the pressures in the individual branch passages. As the processing gas from a processing gas supply means is diverted into first and second branch pipings under the pressure ratio control and the pressures in the branch passages then stabilize, the control on the divided flow rate adjustment means is switched to steady pressure control for adjusting the flow rates of the divided flows so as to hold the pressure in the first branch passage at the level achieved in the stable pressure condition. Only after the control is switched to the steady pressure control, an additional gas is delivered into the second branch passage via an additional gas supply means.
US08221636B2
A magnetic head includes a pole layer, and an encasing layer having a groove that accommodates the pole layer. A manufacturing method for the magnetic head includes the steps of forming a nonmagnetic layer that will later undergo formation of the groove therein and will thereby become the encasing layer; forming the groove in the nonmagnetic layer so that the nonmagnetic layer becomes the encasing layer; and forming the pole layer such that the pole layer is accommodated in the groove of the encasing layer. The nonmagnetic layer is formed of Al2O3. The step of forming the groove in the nonmagnetic layer includes the step of taper-etching the nonmagnetic layer by reactive ion etching with an etching gas containing at least BCl3 and N2 among BCl3, Cl2 and N2.
US08221635B2
A process for manufacturing a printed wiring board includes specifying overlapping etches for a first portion of the printed wiring board and a second portion of the printed wiring board, the first portion of the printed wiring board having disposed thereon a printed circuit having at least one dimension critical to printed wiring board operation, etching a first conductor in the first portion of the printed wiring board when a first conductor thickness is a predetermined thickness, completing all plating steps, and etching a second conductor in the second portion of the printed wiring board.
US08221624B2
A system for separating liquids of different densities employs a collector shell (17) made up of smooth lines and curvatures. A fairing creates and controls the flow of the liquids (for example water and oil) by gathering, capturing and isolating one liquid beneath the surface of the other liquid (24). The trapped and water pressurized oil is extracted and transferred to a storage container (21). One embodiment, the collector shell (17) is a simple design yet complex in achieving a workable shape that can accomplish all of the above using a small number of moving parts all of which, with the possible exception of the collector shell (17) and the elevator screw (12) are off the shelf items. The collector shell (17) inherently suppresses turbulence. The accumulation of oil captured in the collector bowl (17d) remains in a state of semi-suspension in both rough and normal surface conditions. The only movement of the oil is in a vertical direction when the elevator screw (12) is in motion.
US08221619B2
A fluid filter and an end cap of the fluid filter are described. The filter may be a spin on oil filter, which includes a combination dual valve element defining an integral anti-drain back valve and an integral relief valve, a retainer assembly for maintaining the combination dual valve element in position in the end cap, relative to the filter. The combination dual valve element includes an ADB sealing lip forming an anti-drain back valve portion, and an RV sealing lip forming a relief valve portion.
US08221616B2
A control valve assembly (10) controls the flow of water to and from a treatment tank (16) and the regeneration of the treatment material therein. A housing of the valve assembly includes connections for a tank inlet and tank outlet. An inlet chamber (60), outlet chamber (34), a pressure-operated inlet valve (24) and an outlet valve (32). A pair of venturi chambers (81a, 81b) are configured to provide co-current and counter-current regeneration. A regeneration control subsystem includes a turbine (104) and a nozzle impinging thereon to produce rotation. An external port (130) receives fluid to provide a driving for the turbine in order to initiate regeneration. A bypass chamber (60) communicates with the inlet chamber (15). The inlet valve (24) has dual seating surfaces for controlling the communication between the inlet chamber, transfer chamber (70) and tank inlet (26).
US08221611B2
A device which is suitable for electrochemically processing an object comprises at least an electrolyte-containing chamber, means for supporting the object to be processed in the chamber, a counter electrode disposed in the chamber as well as means for applying an electrical potential difference between the object to be processed and the counter electrode. The device furthermore comprises at least one holder and at least one rod-shaped coelectrode supported by the holder, which rod-shaped coelectrode extends towards the object and which in use has a polarity opposite that of the counter electrode.
US08221604B2
Transfer of fluid substances, and/or substances comprised in fluid substances, is controlled by introducing a separation medium, which prevents transfer of the fluid substances, and/or the substances comprised in the fluid substances, to an intermediate cavity connecting a first cavity and a second cavity; and introducing a connection medium to replace the separation medium and thereby start substance transfer to the second cavity. Substance transfer may be readily controlled without relying on mechanical means. Based on the present invention, two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis can be readily implemented on a chip.
US08221603B2
A surface-contact sensor includes a housing defining an opening, an ion-permeable membrane at the opening, a counterelectrode within the housing, and a reference electrode within the housing that is spaced apart from the current-collector. A current-collector pad includes a grommet support having a base and a lumen defining an opening. An ion-permeable membrane spans at least a portion of the opening of the grommet. The ion-permeable membrane is held in place by a gasket surrounding the lumen. A current collector, at least in one embodiment, is proximate to a portion of the ion-permeable membrane that spans the opening.
US08221595B2
The invention provides a method for forming a patterned material layer on a structure, by condensing a vapor to a solid condensate layer on a surface of the structure and then localized removal of selected regions of the condensate layer by directing an ion beam at the selected regions, exposing the structure at the selected regions. A material layer is then deposited on top of the solid condensate layer and the exposed structure at the selected regions. Then the solid condensate layer and regions of the material layer that were deposited on the solid condensate layer are removed, leaving a patterned material layer on the structure.
US08221587B2
The invention consists in the use, in a method for manufacturing a sheet of paper, of an aqueous suspension and/or dispersion of mineral materials as an agent for slowing the penetration of the paper coating into said sheet, characterized in that said suspension and/or dispersion contains at least one water-soluble copolymer made up of at least one ethylenically-unsaturated anionic monomer, and at least one ethylenically-unsaturated oxylalkylated monomer terminated by a hydrophobic chain.It also consists in a method for manufacturing a sheet of paper which implements said copolymer, as well as the sheet of paper obtained.
US08221586B2
The invention relates to improvements in security substrates and in particular to fibrous security substrates, such as paper, incorporating a watermark. The security substrate comprises a fibrous base layer, having a normal base fiber density, said base layer incorporating a watermark consisting of a plurality of alphanumeric characters. Each character comprises dark and/or light regions, the dark regions being formed by more densely deposited fibers than the normal base fiber density and the light regions being formed by less densely deposited fibers than the normal base fiber density. The density of the fibers in any region is substantially uniform such that there is no gradual change of tone between the light and dark regions. Each dark and light region adjoins at least one light and dark region respectively and an area of normal fiber density.
US08221565B2
Methods of making and resultant compositions thereof, which include a gas generant having a coating including an inorganic combustion inhibitor. Such coated gas generants are useful in pyrotechnic compositions and ignition materials, and may be employed, for example, in inflatable restraint systems. The ratio of coated and uncoated gas generant bodies within an airbag inflator may be tailored to provide S-curve inflation performance. Spray application of aqueous mixture including the combustion inhibitor onto the gas generant body provides a rapid way to achieve a thin but robust coating.
US08221562B2
A method for casting medium carbon, B/Ti steel product using compact strip processing or thin slab casting. The method can include providing a steel composition including boron and titanium and casting the steel composition into a slab having a thickness between about 25 and 150 mm. The slab can have a cast composition including about 0.23 to 0.30 wt. % carbon, about 0.0010 to 0.0050 wt. % boron, about 0.010 to 0.050 wt. % titanium, about 1.15 to 1.50 wt. % manganese, less than 0.35 wt. % silicon and a Ti/N ratio greater than 2.9. The amount of each element is provided based upon the total weight of the steel composition. The steel slab can be free from cracks and significant defects. Furthermore, the steel slab can be used for electric resistance welded (ERW) products.
US08221560B2
Disclosed herein are a lead-free solder alloy and a manufacturing method thereof. More specifically, disclosed are: a lead-free solder alloy, which comprises 0.8-1.2 wt % silver (Ag), 0.8-1.2 wt % copper (Cu), 0.01-1.0 wt % palladium (Pd), 0.001-0.1 wt % tellurium (Te), and a balance of tin (Sn), and thus has a melting point similar to those of prior lead-free solder alloys, excellent wettability, very low segregation ratio, and excellent weldability with a welding base metal, such that it improves temperature cycle performance and drop impact resistance simultaneously, when it is applied to electronic devices and printed circuit boards; a manufacturing method of the above alloy; and electronic devices and printed circuit boards which include the same.
US08221546B2
A method of epitaxially growing a SiC layer on a single crystal SiC substrate is described. The method includes heating a single-crystal SiC substrate to a first temperature of at least 1400° C. in a chamber, introducing a carrier gas, a silicon containing gas and carbon containing gas into the chamber; and epitaxially growing a layer of SiC on a surface of the SiC substrate. The SiC substrate is heated to the first temperature at a rate of at least 30° C./minute. The surface of the SiC substrate is inclined at an angle of from 1° to 3° with respect to a basal plane of the substrate material.
US08221544B2
A polycrystalline film is prepared by (a) providing a substrate having a thin film disposed thereon, said film capable of laser-induced melting, (b) generating a sequence of laser pulses having a fluence that is sufficient to melt the film throughout its thickness in an irradiated region, each pulse forming a line beam having a predetermined length and width, said width sufficient to prevent nucleation of solids in a portion of the thin film that is irradiated by the laser pulse, (c) irradiating a first region of the film with a first laser pulse to form a first molten zone, said first molten zone demonstrating a variation in width along its length to thereby define a maximum width (Wmax) and a minimum width (Wmin), wherein the first molten zone crystallizes upon cooling to form one or more laterally grown crystals, (d) laterally moving the film in the direction of lateral growth a distance that is greater than about one-half Wmax and less than Wmin; and (e) irradiating a second region of the film with a second laser pulse to form a second molten zone having a shape that is substantially the same as the shape of the first molten zone, wherein the second molten zone crystallizes upon cooling to form one or more laterally grown crystals that are elongations of the one or more crystals in the first region.
US08221542B2
The present invention describes a fire resistant building material composition, useful for example as a fire door core and to a method of making this composition. The building material of the present invention is prepared from an aqueous mixture of predominately expanded perlite, a small amount of a binder component consisting essentially of calcined gypsum and an organic binder, and optionally a fibrous reinforcement.
US08221538B2
The invention relates to an aqueous pigment preparation, containing (A) at least one organic and/or inorganic pigment, (B) a dispersing agent of the formulas (I), (II), (III) or (IV), or mixtures of the dispersing agent of the formulas (I), (II), (III) or (IV), (C) optionally a wetting agent (D) optionally further surfactants and/or dispersing agents, (E) optionally one or multiple organic solvents, or one or multiple hydrotropic substances, (F) optionally further additives common for the production of aqueous pigment dispersions, and (G) water.
US08221529B2
In an embodiment, a dialysis fluid cassette is disclosed. The cassette includes a plurality of walls defining at least one valve chamber, a dialysis fluid inlet, a dialysis fluid outlet and a dialysis fluid pathway. The cassette further includes a baffle extending from a first one of the walls to an opposing second one of the walls. The baffle includes an end fixed to a third one of the plurality of walls and a free end. The fixed end separates the dialysis fluid inlet from the dialysis fluid outlet and the baffle and the plurality of walls are constructed and arranged such that the flow of dialysis fluid along the pathway defined in part by the baffle slows as the flow approaches the free end of the baffle.
US08221522B2
The present invention describes a system and method for accurately measuring the pressure within a filter housing. A pressure sensor and a communications device are coupled so as to be able to measure and transmit the pressure within the filter housing while in use. This system can comprise a single component, integrating both the communication device and the pressure sensor. Alternatively, the system can comprise separate sensor and transmitter components, in communication with one another. In yet another embodiment, a storage element can be added to the system, thereby allowing the device to store a set of pressure values. The use of this device is beneficial to many applications. For example, the ability to read pressure values in situ allows integrity tests to be performed without additional equipment. In addition, integrity testing for individual filters within multi-filter configurations is possible.
US08221516B1
A bactericidal and fungicidal composition having fertilizer properties, the composition containing a percentage of potassium polyposphite is disclosed. The composition is useful as a fungicide, bactericide, and as a fertilizer for application to plants and, particularly, commercial crops. A method of making the polyposphite composition is described, as well as methods of using same.
US08221513B2
Systems and processes for producing synthesis gas. A carbonaceous feedstock can be combined with one or more low-oxygen carrier fluids having a high heating value. The feedstock and carrier fluid, in the presence of one or more oxidants, can be gasified to provide a synthesis gas. In one or more embodiments, at least a portion of the synthesis gas can be recycled for use as the carrier fluid.
US08221512B2
Provided is a hydrogen generator capable of suppressing degradation in capability of a hydrogen generator which is caused by crush of particulate reforming catalyst and of suppressing decrease in reforming efficiency due to decrease in heat transfer efficiency of a catalyzing portion which is caused by the crush of the particulate reforming catalyst. A hydrogen generator comprises a catalyzing portion 50 having particulate reforming catalyst P, and a combusting portion 5 for heating the catalyzing portion 50, the hydrogen generator being configured to generate a reformed gas containing hydrogen while flowing a material gas containing steam in a direction in which the catalyzing portion 50 extends. The catalyzing portion 50 includes a separating member 40. The separating member 40 is disposed on a separating cross-section which is a cross-section of the catalyzing portion 50 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the catalyzing portion 50 extends. A plurality of air holes 40D having a shape to inhibit passage of the particulate reforming catalyst P are provided on the separating member 40. An opening having a shape to permit passage of the particulate reforming catalyst P is provided on the separating cross-section.
US08221506B2
The prosthetic foot (1) consists of three or four laminas, a lower lamina (1a) defining the under-heel and the foot front, a rear lamina (1b) defining the heel and functioning as the Achilles tendon and as the soleus muscle, two upper laminas (1c and 1d) defining the front part of the foot and performing the function of the front tibial muscle, and a connector (2) in proximity to the ankle to serve as a coupling for a tube (3).
US08221501B2
An expandable intervertebral implant including a body having a longitudinal axis and including first and second axial walls spaced apart along a transverse axis, and first and second transverse end walls extending between and interconnecting the first and second axial walls. The intervertebral implant includes an expansion member co-acting with the axial walls to expand the body along the transverse axis.
US08221497B2
The middle ear prosthetic device comprises: a columellate prosthesis arranged to replace the ossicular chain of the middle ear with the exception of the stapes footplate or the entire stapes, a first end of this prosthesis being intended to be inserted into a hole provided in the footplate or to rest on the footplate itself, or to be connected to the stapes capitellum respectively; an annular element of bioinert metal insertable into the auditory tube at the position in which the neotympanum is to be formed; a tensostructure of non-reabsorbable bioinert material, which extends into the interior of the annular element and is fixed to this latter, the tensostructure presenting apertures which provide the surgeon with a sufficient view of the surgical field and allow the required surgical manoeuvres; first and second means for connecting the second end of the columellate prosthesis and the neotympanum to the tensostructure respectively.
US08221492B2
An expandable venous valve having a support structure that configured to enlarge the area adjacent to the valve structure such that the flow patterns of retrograde flow are modified in a way that facilitates the flushing of the pockets at the base of the valve area to prevent stagnation of bodily fluid, which in the venous system, can lead to thrombus formation. The enlarged pocket areas can be created by forming an artificial sinus adjacent the valve structure in an unsupported section of vessel wall between two support frame section or the support frame can comprise an expanded-diameter intermediate or proximal section that forms an artificial sinus adjacent the valve structure. In another group of embodiments, the attachment pathway between opposing leaflets and the support frame and/or vessel wall comprises a proximal portion that places the leaflets in extended contact with one another and a distal portion forms a large angle with respect to the adjacent walls such that a large pocket is created at the base of the leaflets. In one embodiment, the attachment pathway extends distally along a pair of substantially parallel longitudinal attachment struts to create an extended leaflet contact area, then angles circumferentially and distally from the former along distal attachment struts to define the bottom edge of the leaflets.
US08221480B2
Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to compositions, methods, devices, systems, and products regarding frozen particles. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles include materials at low temperatures. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles provide vehicles for delivery of particular agents. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles are administered to at least one biological tissue.
US08221472B2
A bone anchor (100) for attaching a rod (108) to a bone has an anchor member (106) for attachment to the bone and an anchor head (104) having a U-shaped opening for receiving the rod. The bone anchor also includes a locking cap (102) that has a main body (900) and a set screw (1000). Advantageously, in one embodiment the locking cap preferably is designed such that a single tool can be used to lock the locking cap in place on the anchor body preferably with a 90° turn and preferably then drive the set screw to clamp the rod. The locking cap also preferably non-threadingly engages the anchor body. The anchor body preferably has an inclined surface on its top surface which elastically deflects extending tabs on the main body to secure the locking cap to the anchor body. A method of implantation and assembly of the bone anchor are also described.
US08221467B2
A dynamic spine stabilization element of a spine stabilization assembly includes first and second spinal rod segments that are coupled to one another via a connector. The connector allows movement of a spinal rod segment with respect to the coupling device and/or with respect to another spinal rod segment. This provides limited angulation (e.g. bending) between spinal rod segments allowing for limited movement of the vertebra connected by the present dynamic stabilization element. The connector may allow pivoting motion of the rod segments relative to the coupling device and relative to the other rod segment such as pivoting motion of one rod segment in a first plane and pivoting motion of the other rod segment in a second plane that is perpendicular to the first plane. The connector may also be bendable or flexible. In this form, the connector allows limited flexing, bending or angulation as between the associated spinal rod segments during use. Moreover, ends of the spinal rod segments may be configured to prevent or limit rotation of the spinal rod segments. The configured ends may cooperate with the coupling device to achieve the limitation on rotational movement.
US08221457B2
The present invention relates to an osteosynthesis device, particularly for spinal support or correction, enabling easier and compact implantation, that can be particularly used in the case of implantation via the anterior approach, and a preassembly method for such a device. Said device comprises implants screwed into two vertebrae and one plate characterized in that the plate is joined to at least one implant by attachment structure able to hold said plate without preventing the implant from rotating on its screwing axis, or without preventing a specified clearance of the plate with respect to the implant. In this way, said attachment structure make it possible to continue screwing the implant, or adjust the position of the plate after the plate has been on the implant.
US08221443B2
Kits and methods for submucosal endoscopic access into body cavities such as the peritoneal cavity and the posterior mediastinum through a submucosal endoscopic procedure in which an opening is formed through the muscularis propria within a bleb. The procedure may result in a mucosal flap formed by separated mucosal tissue within the bleb and the mucosal flap may be advantageously used to assist in closure of the opening.
US08221438B2
Devices and methods for reducing a size of a lumen are provided. In one embodiment, a lumen reduction device is provided having an end effector with a trough formed therein for receiving tissue surrounding a lumen, and a plurality of fasteners configured to engage the tissue disposed within the trough. In use, the end effector can be actuated to deliver the fasteners to the tissue, and one or more sutures coupled to the fasteners can be used to pull the fasteners together and thereby cinch the tissue to reduce the size of a lumen.
US08221437B2
A liquid delivery wand includes a centrally located fluid storage chamber. An absorbent pad is located within the working end of the wand for applying the treatment liquid to the skin while a vacuum is applied to the skin through an abrasive coated treatment tip. Coaxial, cylindrical tubes with flow channels between tube surfaces control the flow rate, the pressure drop being established by the close fit and length of adjacent surfaces of the coaxial components. The flow rate of the liquid is adjustable by simply rotating the interfitting components. The chamber that holds the liquid is sealed from the atmosphere at the distal and proximal end. When the wand is connected to vacuum and the distal end contacts the skin, the vacuum applies a negative pressure to the fluids within a fluid chamber. A small portion of liquid is thus transferred to wet the filter pad.
US08221418B2
The present disclosure relates to various apparatus, systems and methods of identifying and treating tissue using at least one electrical property of tissue. Provided is a method for identifying and treating tissue, the method including providing a electrosurgical treatment device including an electrode assembly for measuring one or more electrical properties of a target tissue, the electrode assembly being mounted on a distal end thereof, measuring the one or more electrical characteristics of the target tissue, comparing the measured electrical property values of the target tissue against electrical property values of known tissue types, identifying a tissue type of the target tissue, adjusting an energy delivery configuration of the electrosurgical treatment device to the type of target tissue, and activating the electrosurgical treatment device to treat the target tissue.
US08221413B2
A method and apparatus of treating tissue adjacent to a bodily conduit using thermotherapy, while preventing obstructions of the bodily conduit due to edema employs the circulation of warmed fluid to maintain the temperature of the bodily conduit walls and compresses the tissue to be treated to increase the effectiveness of the irradiated heat. An energy-emitting source containing catheter is inserted in a bodily conduit and is positioned in a region of the tissue to be treated so that the energy-emitting source radiates energy to the tissue to be treated. Fluid warmed to over 30° C. is circulated into and through the catheter to warm walls of the bodily conduit adjacent the catheter. The circulated fluid inflates a balloon to a pressure to compress the tissue to be treated. The combination of warmed fluid over 30° C. being circulated adjacent the bodily conduit to maintain the warmth in its walls and the compression of the tissue to be treated enables a natural stent to be formed that remains after the catheter and compression balloon is removed.
US08221412B2
A device for penetrating tissue includes an elongated element having a distal end, a proximal end, a body extending between the distal and the proximal ends, and a lumen located within at least a portion of the body, wherein the lumen has a cross-sectional shape that is a polygon. A device for penetrating tissue includes an elongated element having a distal end, a proximal end, and a body extending between the distal and the proximal ends, at least a portion of the body having a cross-sectional profile that is a polygon, wherein the elongated element is a cannula.
US08221410B2
A method of creating a tissue effect at a tissue site delivers electromagnetic energy through a skin surface from an electromagnetic energy delivery device coupled to an electromagnetic energy source. At least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or electromagnetic energy source includes a memory. A reverse thermal gradient is created through the skin surface to sufficiently heat an underlying tissue site to provide that a temperature of the skin surface is lower than a temperature of the underlying tissue. Information is stored from the memory to facilitate operation of at least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or the electromagnetic energy source. Electromagnetic energy is applied through the skin surface to the underlying tissue. A tissue effect is created on at least a portion of the tissue site.
US08221396B2
Described herein are devices, systems and methods for treating disease and/or infection by the release of silver from an implant over an extended period of time. In particular, the devices described herein may be used to treat infections such as osteomyelitis by the controlled release of silver ions from multiple sites of an extended-use implant. This implant typically includes a plurality of arms that both anchor and help distribute the released ions within the tissue. Power may be applied to release the silver ions into the tissue.
US08221386B2
A medication-delivery method relating to an infusion device specifically adapted for syringe injections.
US08221384B2
Disclosed is an anastomosis catheter, for achieving a tissue to tissue or synthetic graft to tissue attachment. The catheter includes a plurality of deployable tissue anchors, which may be laterally deployed into surrounding tissue. The anchors may be used to achieve end to end or end to side anastomoses. Methods are also disclosed.
US08221383B2
The invention provides a medical device having a catheter and one or more expandable constricting/occluding members. The catheter has a lumen communicating with a port at its distal end. The lumen and port are adapted for introduction of therapeutic or diagnostic devices, including an angioplasty/stent catheter and an atherectomy catheter, into a vertebral or basilar artery. The constrictor/occluder is mounted proximal to the port of the catheter. Manometers may be mounted distal to one or more constrictors for measuring pressure distal to the constrictor(s). Methods of using the devices for preventing distal embolization during vertebral and/or basilar procedures by reversing blood flow in the vertebral artery toward the subclavian artery are disclosed.
US08221382B2
A system for mixing or reconstituting a drug contained in a first container with a diluent or fluid contained in a second container. The second container has a port docking assembly for engaging the first container. The first container is rotatable and axially slidable within the port docking assembly. The port docking assembly has an actuator to urge a stopper fluidly sealing the first container into the interior of the first container. The port docking assembly further includes a movable plug constructed to fluidly seal the second container in a first, docked position and to provide access to the interior of the second container in a second, activated position, whereby fluid communication between the first and second containers is provided when the first and second containers are in the second, activated position.
US08221379B2
A disposable absorbent article may comprise a chassis and an ear. The chassis comprises a liquid permeable topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and backsheet. The ear comprises an elastomeric material and a first substrate joined to the elastomeric material. The ear has a first void region adjacent the proximal edge of the ear. The ear is joined to the chassis by at least one mechanical bond that engages the elastomeric material.
US08221370B2
In a personal care article for contact with human skin, a non-woven substrate of the article has a longitudinal direction, a transverse direction and at least one skin-contact surface. A plurality of surface features is disposed on the at least one skin-contact surface in a sinusoidal wave-form along at least one of the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction of the substrate. The surface features have a height that generally defines an amplitude of the sinusoidal wave-form, and are spaced from each other a spatial distance. This spatial distance is at least in part a function of a movement speed at which the article is to be moved relative to the skin while in contact therewith. In one method of making such a substrate, the movement speed and a temporal frequency are selected and used to determine the spacing between surface features on the skin-contact surface of the substrate.
US08221362B2
The disclosures made herein relate to an infusion device specifically adapted for syringe injections. In one embodiment of the disclosures made herein, an infusion device comprises a body including an accessible surface having a single inlet port therein, an engagement surface having a single outlet port therein, a medication delivery channel extending between the single inlet port and the single outlet port, and an identification feature on the accessible surface of the body adjacent to the single inlet port. The single inlet port of the medication delivery channel is tapered thereby forming a funnel-shaped entry into the medication delivery channel. A cannula is coupled to the body at the single outlet port and is adapted for receiving medication from the single outlet port and transmitting the medication therethrough.
US08221360B2
A disposable clip (10) is used to releasably attach an ampoule (13) to a syringe (11). The clip (10) includes an ampoule engaging portion (19) and a syringe engaging portion in the form of a recess (17). The ampoule engaging portion (19) comprises a compressible projection which is inserted into the neck (21) of the ampoule (13). The ampoule engaging portion (19) is thereby compressed and frictionally engages the inside of the neck (21) to secure the ampoule (13) firmly to the clip (10). The clip (10) does not obscure the label on the ampoule (13).
US08221356B2
A medication delivery system, comprising: a movable part (230, 232) adapted to move relative to a stationary part; at least two conductors (234, 236) which are arranged such that an electrical characteristic is defined by the mutual position of the movable and the stationary part and/or by movement of one of said parts relative to the other; and a detector for detecting a change of said electrical characteristic, wherein the parts are stationary relative to each other during dose setting and in that the parts are moved relative to each other during dose ejection, such that that detector provides a signal indicative of the actual amount of the ejected dose.
US08221353B2
An intravitreal injection system for administering a pharmacological agent formulation to an intravitreal compartment of an eye, comprising (i) an injection member coupled to, or comprising, an internal formulation chamber that is adapted to receive and contain the pharmacological agent formulation therein, (ii) a needle having a first end that is in communication with a formulation chamber and a second injection end, and (iii) a movable platform for positioning the system on the eye, guiding the needle, and limiting the penetration depth of the needle into the eye.
US08221349B2
An inflatable bone tamp for performing a minimally invasive surgical procedure includes an inflatable structure having at least three contiguous lobes, that when inflated, cause the inflatable structure to exhibits an outwardly tapering expansion profile. By forming the inflatable structure such that the reduced-diameter junction(s) between the lobes has a greater wall thickness then the adjacent lobes, the durability and abrasion-resistance of the inflatable bone tamp can be increased.
US08221348B2
An evacuation sheath assembly and method of reducing or removing a blockage within a vessel without permitting embolization of particulate matter is provided. The evacuation sheath assembly includes a first elongate tubular member, having proximal and distal ends and a main lumen configured to be placed in fluid communication with a blood vessel. An expandable member is provided on a distal portion of the tubular member and is configured to form a seal with the blood vessel. The evacuation assembly further includes a second elongate tubular member having proximal and distal ends and an inflation lumen configured to be placed in fluid communication with the expandable member and a gas inflator. The gas inflator includes a high pressure gas source and a mechanism for regulating the pressure of the gas delivered by the gas inflator. The gas inflator is configured to be placed in fluid communication with the proximal end of the inflation lumen in order to provide a regulated pressure gas source for inflating the expandable member. A method of treatment of a blood vessel using the evacuation sheath assembly includes advancing the evacuation sheath assembly into the blood vessel through a guide catheter. The expandable member is inflated to provide form a seal between the blood vessel and the guide catheter and a vacuum is applied to the main lumen of the first elongate tubular member to cause retrograde blood flow and carry fluid into the main lumen of the evacuation sheath assembly.
US08221345B2
An apparatus comprising a pump configured to deliver insulin, an input configured to receive blood glucose data, a user interface, and a controller communicatively coupled to the pump, the input, and the user interface. The controller includes a blood glucose data module to compare the blood glucose data to a target blood glucose level for an insulin pump user. The controller is configured to present a question related to the blood glucose level via the user interface when the blood glucose level is different than the target blood glucose level, receive a response to the question via the user interface, and present a recommended user action based at least in part on the response. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US08221341B1
An ankle-foot orthotic device incorporating an adjustable response system allowing the hindfoot to recognize that the foot landed on the heel during a walking sequence is provided. The device is constructed to provide feedback for the patient to make adjustments needed throughout the body structures to prepare for weight transfer onto the foot during gait. The system also helps the patient to maintain toe extension during a walking sequence. The device generally incorporates an articulated foot support and a foot support insert configured to substantially inhibit supination or pronation of the mid foot.
US08221333B2
A puncturing system includes a support tape (1) that supports a plurality of lancets (2), a first reel (3) onto which the support tape (1) with unused lancets (2) is wound, a second reel (4) on which portions of the support tape with used lancets (2) are to be wound, a winding mechanism which, by turning the second reel (4), brings the lancets (2) supported by the support tape (1) to a position of use one after another and thus unwinds the support tape (1) from the first reel (3) and winds it onto the second reel (4), and a puncturing drive mechanism (7) with which lancets (2) located in the position of use are accelerated in order to puncture the skin. The support tape (1) between the first and second reels (3, 4) is twisted only in one direction of rotation by at least a quarter turn, preferably by at least a half turn.
US08221330B2
The invention relates to a method and apparatus for assessing the reactivity observable in a certain physiological signal, especially the EEG signal, of a comatose subject. In order to obtain an objective and a reliable measure of the reactivity automatically and without the presence of a trained EEG specialist, a valid signal model is constructed for an EEG signal obtained from the subject. A time reference corresponding to a stimulus is applied and further signal data is obtained from the time series, the further signal data being subsequent to the time reference. By employing the further signal data, the method tests whether the signal model remains to be a valid signal model for the EEG signal also after the stimulus, and indicates, based on the test, whether reactivity is present in the physiological signal.
US08221326B2
In accordance with an embodiment of the present technique, there is provided methods and systems for detecting the location of a sensor and determining calibration algorithms and/or coefficients for calculation of physiological parameters based on the detected location. An exemplary embodiment includes receiving a signal corresponding to absorption of at least one wavelength of light by a patient's tissue, generating a plethysmographic waveform from the signal, determining an identifying characteristic of the plethysmographic waveform, and determining a location of the sensor based on a comparison of the identifying characteristic with at least one defined criterion.
US08221310B2
Tissue visualization devices and variations thereof are described herein where such devices may utilize a variety of methods for facilitating clearing of the device of opaque bodily fluids and sealing between the device and the underlying tissue surface. Additionally, methods and devices for enhancing navigation of the device through a patient body are also described.
US08221301B2
Provided are a centrifuge that rotates about a rotation axis to separate a material and a method of centrifugal separation. The container is coupled to the centrifuge to freely pivot upward and downward on a pivoting axis vertical to a rotation plane. The container has an opening at an upper end thereof and holds a material inside. An angle adjuster raises the central axis of the container beyond a perpendicular angle with the rotation axis while the centrifuge is rotating in order to arrange the opening of the container downward with respect to the rotation plane and point an end of the container opposite to the opening of the container upward with respect to the rotation plane, and allow a portion of layers formed during centrifugal separating to flow down through the opening.
US08221298B2
Pre-stretched films may be used to increase the rate at which loads can be wrapped and to minimize the exertion required when using traditional handheld film. However, the edges of pre-stretched films are easily damaged, which may result in tearing or failure of the film during use. The present disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods for folding the edges of the film, resulting in a film that is less susceptible to damage and easier to use.
US08221295B2
An exercise device, comprising an upper body unit including at least one load member having at least one elastic/resilient element and a pair of gripping portions for manual grasping by the user, wherein an applied force exerted onto the gripping portions transitions the element from an initial state to an elastically deformed state, and wherein a reduction in the applied force resiliently reforms the element back toward the initial state. In one embodiment, a lower body unit is also provided including a support base defining a support surface, a plurality of light sources configured to generate discrete lighted regions on the support surface, and a controller configured to activate and deactivate the discrete lighted regions. In another embodiment, the lower body unit includes at least two position sensors having sensing paths arranged along a sensing plane to detect a presence of a user, and a controller in communication with the position sensors to determine a position of the user relative to the sensing plane.
US08221288B2
Various embodiments of methods, apparatus and systems that diagnose and/or detect faults of an electro-hydraulic control system for a transmission are presented. Some embodiments, adjust a main line pressure of the electro-hydraulic control system and detect faults based upon changes in a pressure switch resulting from such adjustments of the main line pressure. The pressure switch may be incorporated into a control main valve or a clutch trim valve of the electro-hydraulic control system.
US08221275B2
In a chain transmission using a hybrid chain having inner and outer links with bushings, or with bushings and rollers, the rollers mesh with a central sprocket, and the link plates have teeth that function as a silent chain, meshing with side sprockets fixed to the central sprocket. The teeth of the link plates of the inner links have a shape different from that of the teeth of the link plates of the outer links. The outer flanks of the teeth can all have the same shape, and the shape difference can be in the shapes of the inner flanks.
US08221260B2
Wood-type golf club heads include: (a) a club head body including heel, toe, crown, sole, and weighted rear portions; and (b) a variable thickness ball striking face. The club head body parts and weighted portion(s) may be arranged such that the club head has a moment of inertia about a vertical axis passing through the club head center of gravity of at least 5000 g-cm2. Such club heads may include: (a) a cup face member including a ball striking face portion and a return portion; (b) sole and crown portions engaged with the return portion; (c) a rear body member engaged with the crown and/or sole portions; (d) a weight member at the club head rear; and/or (e) a hosel member engaged with the cup face member, the crown portion, and/or the sole portion. Methods of making such club heads also are described.
US08221251B2
An articulated joint includes a first rotational member and a second rotational member coupled with and positioned generally coaxial to the first rotational member. The joint also includes a boot. The boot is selectively deformable in response to an increase in pressure in a joint chamber to increase the volume of the joint chamber. The volume of the joint chamber is selectively changed due to, at least in part, relative movement of the boot end to the second rotational member.
US08221238B1
A reputation of an on-line gamer is calculated in accordance with feedback about the gamer provided by other players. The gamer's reputation is determined in accordance with the number of players the gamer has encountered via game play, the number of players who have indicated that they prefer to play with the gamer again, and the number of players who have indicated that they prefer not to play with the gamer again. Parameters used to determine the gamer's reputation can be weighted and/or decayed to allow a more dynamic and temporally accurate determination of the gamer's reputation. Players can observe other players' reputations.
US08221235B2
The present invention provides a drawing machine and a game apparatus using the same by which it is easier to give the participants of the drawing an impression like drawing is carried out fairly when the computer drawing in which a winning-probability of each of drawing-objects is changed is carried out.A drawing machine for determining a winning-object from a plurality of drawing-objects includes: a winning-probability data storage unit for storing winning-probability data showing respective winning-probabilities of the plurality of drawing-objects; a drawing unit for carrying out a drawing in accordance with the winning-probability of each of the drawing-objects determined by the winning-probability data stored in the winning-probability data storage unit and determining a winning-object from the plurality of drawing-objects; a winning-probability data changing unit for changing the winning-probability data stored in the winning-probability data storage unit; a winning-probability image displaying unit for displaying a winning-probability image showing the winning-probability of each of the drawing-objects determined by the winning-probability data stored in the winning-probability data storage unit; and a winning-probability displaying control unit for changing the winning-probability image displayed on the winning-probability image displaying unit, when the winning-probability data changing unit changes the winning-probability data, so as to correspond to the changed winning-probability data.
US08221190B2
A polishing apparatus to simultaneously polish both surfaces of a work, and includes a pair of stools rotating in opposite directions, a pair of detecting units to detect rotation rates of the stools, a pressurizing unit to compress the work between the pair of the stools, a slurry supply unit to supply a slurry to the stools, and a control unit to reduce, when determining that a frictional force between the polishing surface and the work exceeds a threshold, at least one of a load applied by the pressurizing unit, the rotation rate of the stools, and a supply amount of the slurry.
US08221184B2
A floatable toy structure is disclosed herein, the floatable toy structure having: a floatable base portion; a collapsible track section secured to the floatable base portion, the collapsible track section capable of being positioned in an extended position and a stowed position, the collapsible track section extending upwardly from the floatable base portion when it is in the extended position; a support secured to the floatable base portion, the support configured to support the collapsible track section in the extended position; a pump for spraying water from a spray nozzle movably secured to the floatable toy structure; and a gate pivotally mounted to the floatable toy structure proximate to the collapsible track section, the gate being configured for movement between a first position and a second position, the gate further comprising a vessel for holding water therein, wherein the gate moves from the first position to the second position when a predetermined amount of water is placed into the vessel and wherein the gate moves away from the collapsible track section as it moves from the first position towards the second position.
US08221183B2
The present invention provides a versatile construction kit that can be used to easily form models of virtually any conceivable person, place or thing including a variety of vehicles, buildings, people, animals, weapons, machinery, caricatures, objects and the like. The construction kit comprises plural disc-shaped connectors that are connectable by way of a tongue-and-recessed retainer mechanism and optionally also by way of interconnectable notches by which they can be perpendicularly and detachably interconnected and/or optionally by way of a tongue-in-slot mechanism. The universal connectors are so versatile they can form virtually any geometric, regular, irregular, asymmetric, or symmetric configuration.
US08221179B2
The cavity 102 defines an empty volume formed in the insulator 108 has its walls defined by the insulator 108 and may extend through either (or both) the first electrode 106 or the second electrode 104, in which case the first electrode and/or second electrode also define the walls of the cavity 102. The cavity 102 is preferably cylindrical and has a diameter of 0.1 μm-1 mm. More preferably, the diameter ranges from 0.1 μm-500 μm, 1 μm-100 μm, or 100 μm-500 μm. The cavity 102 will be filled with a gas that contacts the cavity walls, fills the entire cavity 102 and is selected for its breakdown voltage or light emission properties at breakdown. Light is produced when the voltage difference between the first electrode 106 and the second electrode 104 creates an electric field sufficiently large to electrically break down the gas (nominally about 104 V-cm). This light escapes from the microcavity 102 through at least one end of the cavity 102.
US08221178B2
An organic electro-luminescence display device includes a thin film transistor on a first substrate, where the thin film transistor has a drain region and a common electrode connected to the drain region. An organic electro-luminescence diode resides on a second substrate, where the organic electro-luminescence diode includes a spacer covered with a diode electrode. First and second sealant materials reside at a periphery of the first and second substrates, where the first sealant material surrounds the thin film transistor and the organic electro-luminescence diode, and the second sealant material surrounds an outer perimeter of the first sealant material. The first and second substrates are bonded together, such that the common electrode of the thin film transistor contacts the diode electrode of the organic electro-luminescence diode. The bonding process is carried out by sequentially sealing the first sealant material and the second sealant material.
US08221170B2
An electrical connector includes an insulative housing defining a base and a cover confronting with the base, and a plurality of contacts sandwiched between the base and the cover. The base defining at least one latching post to engaging with corresponding mating hole on the cover. The at least one post is a cone tubular with a diameter of a free end thereof larger than a diameter of a root thereof and the mating hole has a portion aligned with the free end which has a larger diameter than another portion thereof aligned with the root.
US08221168B2
A plug connector for a cable having at least two signal conductors, in particular a star quad cable, having a signal conductor part and an insulating part which holds the signal conductor part. The signal conductor part has a spring lug, electrically and mechanically connected to a signal conductor, wherein the insulating part has an axial hole and a spring lug passes through each of said axial holes, wherein the holes are arranged to hold the spring lugs at a physical distance from one another. The spring lugs project beyond the insulating part at the plugging-side end and are bent over in such a way that the respective bent-over portions of the spring lugs run from the plugging-side end in the direction of the cable-side end on an outer face of the insulating part and can be resiliently elastically deformed in the radial direction.
US08221163B2
The invention provides a connector including a body having an insulating property; a terminal group provided in the body; and a shield case having electrical conductivity. The terminal group includes a first terminal, and a second terminal, being provided adjacent to the first terminal and having higher impedance than the first terminal. The shield case includes an outer shell, configured to surround an peripheral surface of the body, and an impedance adjuster, provided at the outer shell and located adjacent to at least a portion of the second terminal and on an opposite side of the second terminal from the first terminal.
US08221159B2
A patchbay includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a circuit board with conducting traces. The front panel has mounted thereon a plurality of XLR/TRS combination jacks, and sets of pairs of TRS jacks. The rear panel has five DB25 connectors. The circuit board extends from the front panel to the rear panel; each set of three conducting traces forms a channel connected to one of the DB25 connectors. The DB25 connectors connect to channels for Mic in, Line in, Preamp out, A/D in, and D/A out, respectively. Each XLR/TRS combination jack is connected to a Mic in channel and to a Line in channel. One of each pair of TRS jacks in the first set is connected to a Preamp out channel and the other is connected to an A/D in channel. Each TRS jack in the second set is connected to a D/A out channel.
US08221158B2
A socket having a replaceable module includes a socket panel and a replaceable module. The socket panel is provided with socket units. The replaceable module is detachably provided on the socket panel. The replaceable module is provided with socket subunits. The edge of the replaceable module is provided with a trough located between the replaceable module and the socket panel. The present invention further provides a replaceable module for a socket. The replaceable module can be replaced according practical demands, which makes it more versatile. Further, the replaceable module has a better safety.
US08221155B2
The present invention relates to a splice restraint for use with sleeves that attach to joints. The splice restraint includes a first securing member constructed and arranged to be received in a groove of a first sleeve that is installable on a first leg of a joint, a second securing member constructed and arranged to be received in a groove of a second sleeve that is installable on a second leg of the joint, and a strap connecting the first securing member to the second securing member. The strap having a length determined by the distance between the groove on the first sleeve and the groove on the second sleeve when the first and second sleeves are properly installed on the joint. The splice restraint provides a visual indication that the sleeves are properly installed on the joint, as well ensures that sleeves will not be displaced after the lineman leaves the site.
US08221137B2
A mini display port structure is provided for receiving a connector insert. The mini display port structure includes a circuit board unit and a receptacle unit. The circuit board unit has a base board, wherein an opening is formed on one side of the base board. A portion of the receptacle unit is accommodated in the opening of the circuit board unit and is connected to the base board. Accordingly, the circuit board unit is elevated at a certain position within the height of receptacle unit, and thus the height of the receptacle unit can include the height of the circuit board unit at the same time, thereby shrinking the height of the mini display port structure after the circuit board unit is assembled for making a compact mini display port.
US08221118B2
Dental retention systems which facilitate the adjustment or removal of an oral appliance, e.g., a crown or bridge, from a reconfigurable abutment assembly are described. The adjustable abutment assembly may be secured to an anchoring implant bored into the bones within the mouth. The abutment assembly has a projecting abutment portion with one or more shape memory alloy compression plates or elements extending along the projecting abutment portion. Each of the plates has a length with one or more straightened portions and with at least one curved or arcuate portion. Energy may be applied to the elements such that the arcuate portion self-flattens to allow for the oral appliance to be placed thereupon while removal of the energy allows the elements to reconfigure into its curved configuration thereby locking the oral appliance to the abutment. Removal of the oral appliance may be effected by reapplication of energy to the elements.
US08221115B2
A system includes a first source containing a liquid fuel, a second source containing a gaseous fuel, and a combustion burner connected to the first and second sources and selectively in fluid communication with the liquid fuel and the gaseous fuel to receive the fuels. The burner is capable of switching between combustion of the liquid fuel and combustion of the gaseous fuel without modification to the burner or the system.
US08221114B2
A mold for fabricating an optical fiber connector is provided. The mold includes a mold body, a core pin and a positioning block. The mold body defines a molding chamber, and the molding chamber has a lens forming portion for forming a lens. The core pin is configured for insertion into the molding chamber and forming an optical fiber insertion hole. The core pin includes a first portion and a second portion thinner than the first portion. The positioning block is configured for being arranged in the molding chamber. The positioning block includes an engaging hole for engagingly receiving the second portion.
US08221112B2
A method of securely mounting a stent on a balloon of a catheter. The method generally includes crimping a stent on a balloon of a catheter at least one time, and positioning the balloon with the stent thereon within a polished bore of a mold formed at least in part of a metallic material. The balloon is pressurized and heated within the mold, or within a sheath, in two stages as the stent is restrained from radially expanding. The method may include crimping the stent onto the balloon one or two times during processing. The method increases retention of the stent on the balloon catheter following sterilization.
US08221111B2
Disclosed is a mold wherein one bottom surface member (2) and four lateral surface members (3) are assembled. The sides of each lateral surface member (3) are respectively provided with a projection (5) and a recess (6) for combining the lateral surface members together, and the projection (5) of one lateral surface member (3) is engaged with the recess (6) of the adjacent lateral surface member (3). By using the one bottom surface member (2) and four lateral surface members (3), a mold can be assembled or disassembled without using screw or bolts. Consequently, the assembly or disassembly work of the mold is dramatically simplified, thereby improving work efficiency significantly.
US08221108B2
A punch (10, 110) for forming a tablet is described. The punch includes a cam surface (24, 124) which in use contacts a compression surface (62). The cam surface includes a substantially planar flat portion (14, 114), the flat portion having a non-circular shape when viewed along a direction (20) normal to the plane of the flat portion.
US08221107B2
The invention relates to a mold clamping unit on a plastic injection molding machine, the unit having a clamping mechanism for opening and closing an injection mold, the mechanism having a servo motor as the drive motor (21). The drive motor drives at least one spindle drive (10) which has a spindle nut (12) and spindle which work together on a bearing position (14). A cooling system with cooling channels (25) is provided for removing heat from the clamping mechanism. A more efficient cooling of the spindle drive is achieved in that the cooling channels (25) penetrate the bearing position (14) of the spindle drive (10) and/or one of the cooling plates (23) assigned to the bearing position.
US08221103B2
A motor, comprising: an internal motor chamber, and a rotor rotatable therein. The rotor is drivable by having a pressure medium applied to it and a braking element for braking the rotor. The braking element is axially arranged directly adjacent to the rotor, wherein the braking element and the rotor are axially moveable with respect to each other and form a spring-loaded friction pair, at least between a front end face of the rotor and the braking element.
US08221102B2
A hydraulic machine has a gear wheel (2) with outwardly extending teeth and a gear ring (4) with inwardly extending teeth formed by rollers each of which is supported in a pocket (8) in the gear ring, and pressurized spaces are formed between the gear wheel and the inwardly extending teeth. To keep the wear of the machine small, each pocket (8) has at least two different radii (R1, R2, Rn) whereby a radius (R2, Rn) at a smaller displacement from the edge (12) of the pocket is larger than a radius (R1) at a larger displacement from the same edge (12) of the pocket (8).
US08221100B2
A valve seat for use in a high pressure pump comprises an inner portion force fit within an outer portion. The outer portion has a fluid plenum at an outer peripheral surface. Fluid passages extend radially inwardly to communicate with a valve recess in the inner portion. A seal housing for a high pressure pump comprises an outer portion and an inner portion. The inner portion is force fit within the outer portion. The inner portion has an inner bore having a first location to receive seal packings, and a second location to receive valve spring structure. The inner portion has a curved surface that bottoms out against a curved surface within the outer portion.
US08221099B2
A fluid pump assembly is disclosed for performing in a damp environment. A pump member is provided that drives a quantity of fluid. A pump housing encloses the pump member and includes a breather hole for circulating cooling air around the pump member during operation. A cover is provided that substantially covers the breather hole and defines a tortuous path that enables air to circulate through the breather hole while preventing entry of water thereto.
US08221082B2
An impeller is provided having a first plate, a second plate, a plurality of blades being positioned between and connected to the first and second plates, and at least one brace member having first and second planes positioned between and connected to two blades such that the brace extends generally perpendicular from the first blade and extends from the second blade at an angle.
US08221078B2
Power and signals may be transmitted from a root portion of an extendable rotor blade to a moving tip portion using a slide block and a slide channel. The slide block is configured to fit within the slide channel and includes a conductive element that comes into contact with a conductive element of the slide channel. The tip portion may be attached to the slide block such that as the slide block moves along the slide channel, the tip portion is extended or retracted accordingly. The conductive elements may be fixed within each of the slide block and slide channel so that when the tip portion is retracted or extended, the conductive elements do not move.
US08221077B2
A fan blade assembly having both an electrical connection and a mechanical connection to a rotating hub. The assembly is configured so that a single installation motion creates the mechanical connection and the electrical connection. The electrical connection preferably includes multiple independent conductor paths.
US08221075B2
A method for operating a wind turbine includes operatively coupling a fluid container within the wind turbine. The fluid container is in flow communication with an air distribution system at least partially defined within a blade of the wind turbine. The method further includes channeling a fluid from the fluid container into the air distribution system, and discharging the fluid from the air distribution system through at least one aperture of the air distribution system defined through an outer surface of the blade to facilitate removing debris from the air distribution system.
US08221074B2
A shroud assembly for an engine cooling fan positioned between an engine and a radiator includes a ring shroud, a radiator shroud, and a flexible boot. The ring shroud is mounted adjacent to the fan and includes a locking feature. The radiator shroud, which is mounted to the rear of the radiator, has a first end with a first aperture for receiving air flowing rearwardly through the radiator, and a second end with a second aperture for discharging air received by the first aperture. A first end of the flexible boot engages the locking feature of the ring shroud to secure the flexible boot to the ring shroud. A second end of the flexible boot contacts the radiator shroud so that the boot provides fluid communication between the ring shroud and the radiator shroud.
