US08422274B2

A semiconductor storage device includes a memory cell array, a plurality of word lines, a plurality of bit lines, a first gate wiring element 3a, 3b, a second gate wiring element 3c, 3d, a first connector 5a, 5b, and a second connector 5c, 5d. Each memory cell 10 has first and second sets having a driver transistor 11, a load transistor 12, and an access transistor 13. The word lines are arranged in parallel to each other along a first direction. The bit lines are arranged in parallel to each other along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first gate wiring element comprises a gate electrode of the first driver transistor and the first load transistor, and has a rectangular shape having straight line on opposite sides. The second gate wiring element comprises a gate electrode of the access transistor and has a rectangular shape having straight line on opposite sides.
US08422258B2

Disclosed are a maximum power point tracker, a power conversion controller, a power conversion device having an insulating structure, and a method for tracking maximum power point. The power conversion device includes: a DC/AC converter including a primary DC chopper unit having a primary switch, a transformer, and an AC/AC conversion unit including a secondary switch; a current detector detecting current from an input stage of the DC/AC converter and providing a detected current value; a voltage detector detecting a system voltage from an output stage of the DC/AC converter; and a power conversion controller generating a primary PWM signal to be provided to the primary DC chopper unit and secondary first and second PWM signals, having the mutually opposing phases, to be provided to the AC/AC conversion unit by using the detected current value and the system voltage.
US08422257B2

A Voltage Source Converter of M2LC-type has a series connection of switching cells (7), in which each switching cell has on one hand at least two semiconductor assemblies connected in series and having each a semiconductor device of turn-off type and a free-wheeling diode connected in parallel therewith and on the other at least one energy storing capacitor (20). The series connection of switching cells has one first end (61) connected to a direct voltage pole (5) on high voltage potential and an opposite end (62) connected to a phase output (10) of the converter. An arrangement (70) is configured to connect the phase output (10) to another said pole (6) on neutral voltage potential on a direct voltage side of the converter and to deliver voltage pulses to said phase output being both positive and negative with respect to said neutral potential.
US08422252B2

An integrated circuit (IC) forming a pulse-width modulator controls the switching operation of an output stage of a switching power supply. A snubber capacitor that is coupled to a primary winding of a transformer of the output stage is used for producing a capacitive coupled charging current. The capacitive coupled charging current is coupled to a filter or charge storage second capacitor for producing in the second capacitor a first portion of a second power supply voltage. During a portion of a switching cycle of the output stage, the snubber capacitor is coupled to an inductor to form a resonant circuit. The resonant circuit produces in the second capacitor a second portion of the second power supply voltage for energizing the IC. The second power supply voltage is used for energizing the IC.
US08422243B2

An integrated circuit package system that includes: providing an electrical interconnect system including a support structure and a lead-finger system; processing a top edge of the support structure along an outermost periphery thereof, to include a recess for preventing mold bleed, the recess surrounded by the lead finger system; and encapsulating the recess and the electrical interconnect system with an encapsulation material to interlock the encapsulation material.
US08422242B2

A structure for fixing circuit board, adapted for fixing a circuitboard at the rear of a cage, is disclosed, which comprises: a circuitboard; and a clamp, configured with a clipping part, a fixing part and an elastic part; wherein, the clipping part is coupled to the fixing part while the fixing part is coupled to the elastic part; the clipping part has a first hook formed at a surface facing toward the fixing part; the elastic part has a second hook formed extruding out form a surface facing away from the fixing part; the clipping part and the fixing part are arranged straddling across the top edge of the circuitboard while enabling the first hook to couple to a fastener of the circuitboard; and the elastic part is arranged facing toward the cage while enabling the second hook to secure to the bottom of the cage.
US08422241B2

Provided is a small resin-sealed electronic control device with a reduced plane area and volume, which can provide an enlarged area on which circuit components are mounted without increasing a plane area of electronic boards. In the resin-sealed electronic control device, a support member (20A) includes a first support plate (21a), a second support plate (22a), and a pair of rising portions (23a) which form a space portion with a first electronic board (30A) and a second electronic board (40A). An exterior covering material (11) is formed by injecting a melted synthetic resin into the space portion and spaces outside the space portion along the pair of rising portions (23a). Inner circuit components (33) are situated inside window holes formed through the support plate (20A) and face one of the first electronic board (30A) and the second electronic board (40A) opposed to each other with a gap interposed therebetween.
US08422232B2

A system for controlling temperature of an antenna module including a heat generating module, and a radome and an underbody cover that enclose the heat generating module. The system includes: a heat collecting unit mounted on inner surface of the antenna module; a heat discharging unit mounted on outer surface of the antenna module; and a heat transfer unit for transferring heat from the heat collecting unit to the heat discharging unit.
US08422228B2

A cooling jacket includes: a flow channel member through which a cooling medium flows, at least a part of which is in contact with an object to be cooled, and which includes a region having a channel cross-sectional area larger than that of any other region; and a projection portion which is provided at a downstream side of the region where the channel cross-sectional area is large.
US08422223B2

A multi-modular data center includes at least one modular computing module and at least one modular power supply module. The modular computing module includes a transportable container, a plurality of computing systems, a cooling system, a surveillance system, and a network interface. The modular power supply module includes a transportable container and a plurality of power supply systems. The transportable containers are configured for transport via a transport infrastructure. The plurality of computing systems is mounted within the transportable container. The cooling system is disposed in the transportable container. The surveillance system is configured to monitor the transportable container. The network interface is configured to interface between an Internet access connection and the computing systems. The plurality of power supply systems is mounted within the transportable container.
US08422218B2

A cooling device includes an enclosure, an external heat rejection device, a primary cooling system including a loop heat pipe like device. The LHPL device includes, an evaporator module, a condenser module, a vapor line, a liquid return line, and a working fluid having a liquid phase and a vapor phase. The evaporator module includes a component-evaporator heat spreader, an evaporator body, and an evaporator-component clamping mean. The evaporator body includes an evaporator outer shell, a working fluid inlet port, a compensation chamber, a working fluid exit port, and an evaporator wick having vapor escape channels. The condenser module includes a condenser coolant inlet, a condenser coolant exit, a condenser condensation channel, a condensation channel working fluid inlet, a condensation channel working fluid exit, and a condensation channel-coolant thermal interface further comprises a coolant passageway. The secondary cooling system including a secondary coolant, the secondary cooling system cooling a secondary heat rejecting component, wherein the secondary heat rejecting component is one of the plurality of other components.
US08422217B2

A hard disk drive includes a housing module configured to accommodate one of many different types of hard disk modules. Each hard disk module includes a number of connectors. The housing module includes a connecting board, and different types of connectors protruding from the connecting board, corresponding to the connectors of the different types of hard disk modules.
US08422214B2

A mobile electronic apparatus has a display side housing with a bearing unit at one end, a dummy hinge with a rotary unit mounted in the bearing unit at one end and a joint unit at the other end, and a key side housing joined to the joint unit at one end. The housings are turnably connected to one another via the dummy hinge. A key side housing has a vertically extending boss unit. A joint unit has an insertion hole into which the boss unit is inserted. The insertion hole has a fitting hole, in which the boss unit is fitted when the joint unit and the key side housing are joined to one another, and a diameter-expanding hole in communication with the fitting hole and expanded in a rotational direction of the rotary unit toward the key side housing.
US08422204B2

A slide electronic device includes a first body, a second body, and a slide mechanism. The slide mechanism includes a first connecting member and a second connecting member. One end of the first connecting member is pivotally connected to the first body, an opposite end is pivotally connected to the second body, one end of the second connecting member is pivotally connected to the first body, and an opposite end is pivotally connected to the second body. A distance between rotary axes of the two ends of the first connecting member exceeds that of the second connecting member. When the second body slides relative to the first body, the first connecting member and the second connecting member are rotated relative to the first body and the second body until an end of the second body resists the first body and the second body is angled.
US08422198B2

There is provided an electric double layer capacitor package and a method of manufacturing the same. The electric double layer capacitor package includes an exterior case formed of insulating resin and having therein one or more partitions providing a plurality of housing spaces; a plurality of capacitor cells disposed in the plurality of housing spaces, respectively, each capacitor cell including first and second electrodes and a separator interposed between the first and second electrodes; and an internal series-connection terminal buried in each of the partitions and connecting the plurality of capacitor cells in series.
US08422195B2

A feedthrough flat-through capacitor includes a capacitor having a first and second set of electrode plates, a first feedthrough passageway through the capacitor, a first lead disposed within the first feedthrough passageway and conductively coupled to the first set of electrode plates, a second feedthrough passageway through the capacitor disposed remote from the first feedthrough passageway, and a second lead disposed within the second feedthrough passageway and conductively coupled to the first set of electrode plates. The second set of electrode plates are typically conductively coupled to a ground. An EMI shield may be provided to electromagnetically isolate the first lead from the second lead.
US08422193B2

An electrostatic clamp (ESC), system, and method for clamping a workpiece is provided. A clamping plate of the ESC has central disk and an annulus encircling the central disk, wherein the central disk is recessed from the annulus by a gap distance, therein defining a volume. Backside gas delivery apertures are positioned proximate to an interface between the annulus and the central disk. A first voltage to a first electrode of the annulus clamps a peripheral region of the workpiece to a first layer. A second voltage to a second electrode of the central disk generally compensates for a pressure of a backside gas within the volume. The ESC can be formed of J-R- or Coulombic-type materials. A cooling plate associated with the clamping plate further provides cooling by one or more cooling channels configured to route a cooling fluid therethrough.
US08422187B2

Apparatuses and methods for providing transient electrical event protection are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a detection and timing circuit, a current amplification circuit, and a clamping circuit. The detection and timing circuit is configured to detect a presence or absence of a transient electrical event at a first node, and to generate a first current for a first duration upon detection of the transient electrical event. The current amplification circuit is configured to receive the first current from the detection and timing circuit and to amplify the first current to generate a second current. The clamping circuit is electrically connected between the first node and a second node and receives the second current for activation. The clamping circuit is configured to activate a low impedance path between the first and second nodes in response to the second current, and to otherwise deactivate the low impedance path.
US08422175B1

Embodiments described herein relate to a disk drive coupler for reducing particulates in a disk drive. In some embodiments, the disk drive includes a first component having a top surface and a bottom surface, the first component defining an aperture with an interior surface between the top surface and the bottom surface, and a channel on at least one of the top surface, the bottom surface, and the interior surface. In some embodiments, the disk drive coupler includes a fastener configured to be received within the aperture and is configured to secure the first component to a second component. The channel is configured to permit the drawing of air from at least one of the aperture, the top surface, and the bottom surface of the first component before and after the fastener secures the first component to the second component.
US08422170B2

A suspension includes a flexure and a plurality of electrical traces formed on the flexure. Each electrical trace has a trace body and a bonding pad arranged for connecting with a slider, and the bonding pad is a free end before connecting with the slider and is capable of bending to the trace body flexibly, and the bonding pad includes a trace body layer and a solder layer formed on the trace body layer, thereby the bonding pads of the electrical traces connecting with the slider by reflowing the solder layer. The present invention uses no extra solder balls, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost and the corresponding apparatus cost. The invention also discloses a manufacturing method of a suspension, and a connecting method for a suspension and a slider.
US08422169B2

A shallow trench discrete track media structure is fabricated by etching a magnetic recording layer to provide a plurality of discrete magnetic data tracks separated by shallow trenches. Each shallow trench has a trench floor formed at a depth in the magnetic recording layer that is less than the thickness of the magnetic recording layer. Exposed regions of the magnetic recording layer beneath the trench floor are reacted with reactive plasma to diminish the magnetic moment of the exposed regions.
US08422167B1

A magnetic writer is formed with a texture on a surface of a write pole, preferably on a surface associated with the trailing edge of the writer. This texturing results in, in effect, a magnon-magnon scattering process that increases the surface damping of the pole and thus decreases the write field rise time. Rare earth elements can also be added in amounts sufficient to further increase the damping.
US08422166B1

A magnetic head includes a coil, a main pole, a write shield, and a return path section. The return path section is located forward of the main pole in a direction of travel of a recording medium to thereby define a space. The coil includes a first coil element and second coil elements extending to pass through the space. The second coil elements are located forward of the first coil element in the direction of travel of the recording medium. The return path section includes a first portion located such that the first coil element is interposed between the first portion and the medium facing surface, and a second portion located such that the second coil elements are interposed between the second portion and the medium facing surface.
US08422157B2

According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk medium is pre-formatted on both the surfaces by magnetic transfer. Sectors with the same sector number on the front surface and the rear surface of the magnetic disk medium are arranged at positions shifted by a predetermined angle associated in advance with determination target information.
US08422155B2

A sliding member structure is stably operated by preventing rattling and achieves a decrease in cost. A male helicoid is provided in a fixed barrel, and a female helicoid is provided in a focus barrel. The focus barrel is made of a light-transmissive resin. The fixed barrel is made of a sliding material to which a curable material is not fixed. The fixed barrel and the focus barrel are set by a fixture to dispose the male helicoid and the female helicoid with a predetermined clearance, and the curable material is filled into the clearance between the male helicoid and the female helicoid. The curable material is cured by irradiating UV rays. A cured material layer is formed on a surface of the male helicoid.
US08422146B1

An imaging lens assembly includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element with positive refractive power having a convex object-side surface, a second lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a concave image-side surface, a third lens element with positive refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface, and a fourth lens element with negative refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a concave image-side surface. The third lens element and the fourth lens element are aspheric. The fourth lens element has at least one inflection point. By adjusting the distance between the second lens element and the first lens element as well as the thickness of the second lens element, the imaging lens assembly can be easy to be manufactured and assembled without decreasing its imaging quality.
US08422142B2

Device including a membrane and a support defining a cavity containing a fluid, where the membrane includes an anchoring area to the support, a central area able to be deformed following a displacement of fluid and an actuation area between the anchoring and central areas, and means of actuation to apply stress to the membrane in the actuation area and cause a displacement of the fluid to the central area following an actuation. The cavity includes a main chamber in the central area and a peripheral chamber in the actuation area communicating with the main chamber. The peripheral chamber includes at least one forced flow structure favoring the flow of at least a part of the fluid from the peripheral chamber to the main chamber or vice versa following the actuation. A given forced flow structure has no attachment both to the support and to the membrane.
US08422137B2

An optical element includes first and second microlens array units on which microlenses are arranged. The microlenses are formed by lens contour having a polygonal shape in a plan view. The first and second microlens array units are arranged opposite to each other at a position where a distance between the first and second microlens array units is at least longer than a focal distance of the microlens, and are formed so that a direction of vertices of the lens contour of the microlens arranged on the first microlens array unit is different from a direction of vertices of the lens contour of the microlens arranged on the second microlens array unit. According to the above optical element, it is possible to appropriately suppress an influence of shift of the position between the first and second microlens array units, and it becomes possible to produce the optical element with ease.
US08422125B2

A self-collimator concave spectral shaping device for chirped-pulse-amplification (CPA): uses a spectrum decomposing system with CTSI construction, a spectrum synthesizing system with CTSI structure that is symmetrical to the decomposing structure, and a spectrum shaping system including an aperture and a planar reflector for spectrum shaping function design. The device accomplishes the following functions: firstly decomposing the spectrum of a chirped temporal pulse laser to a spectral domain; then shaping the spectrum in the spectral domain; finally synthesizing un-shiftily this shaped spectrum in the spectral domain into a temporal chirped pulse with a designed shape. The device has the feature of requiring less optical components, compacting the structure, requiring less space, cheap in cost, and running stability, for its small size of concave reflector, and its self-collimation and its symmetrical distribution, which it can be not only utilized in a general laser spectrum shaping and spectrum modulation, but also can be utilized for a high energy and ultra-high peak-power laser system in chirped pulse amplification with a large caliber and with a chirped pulse bandwidth of a few nanometers.
US08422122B2

Several embodiments of waveguide amplifiers incorporating a network of waveguides, signal splitters, solid state amplifiers and signal combiners are disclosed. The signal splitters and combiners have similar structures including parallel input and exit ports. In some embodiments, the solid state amplifiers are enclosed within the waveguide amplifier.
US08422115B2

A display device is provided. The display device includes: a substrate including a unit display area, a fixing member that is formed on the substrate and that is electrically isolated, an insulating layer that is formed on the fixing member, a fixing electrode that is formed on the insulating layer and that is electrically connected to a power source, and a plurality of moving members with one end fixed to the insulating layer and positioned apart by a distance from the fixing electrode. The plurality of moving members and the fixing electrode are positioned within the unit display area.
US08422112B2

A display system 1 is composed of a ghost image reducing device 100 and an image device 10. The ghost image reducing device 100 comprises an image reflecting element 110 and a polarizing element 120. The image reflecting element 110 includes a substrate 112 and a phase modulating element 114 which is adjacent to the substrate 112 and has a reflecting surface 114a. The image device 10 generates a polarized image light P1 which is received by the reflecting surface 114a. Then, a portion of the polarized image light P1 is reflected by the reflecting surface 114a for producing a first reflecting polarized image light P2, another portion of the polarized light P1 is projected into the phase modulating element 114 and reflected by the substrate 112 for producing a second reflecting polarized image light S2 whose polarizing direction is different from that of the first reflecting polarized image light P2.
US08422111B2

A leaky travelling wave array of optical elements provide a solar wavelength rectenna.
US08422110B2

An optical switch changes the refractive index of an electro-optical crystal according to an electric field applied to the electro-optical crystal so as to switch depending on whether the electro-optical crystal enables incident light to pass through or whether the electro-optical crystal enables incident light to be totally reflected. The optical switch includes an electrode section including a plurality of electrodes and formed in the electro-optical crystal, a principal plane including the largest area of each electrode on a same plane of the electro-optical crystal; an insulator layer on at least one plane of the electro-optical crystal, the plane being parallel with the electrode section, the insulator layer made of an insulator with lower dielectric constant than the electro-optical crystal; and a temperature control device formed on and in contact with the insulator layer and controls a temperature of the electrode section or dissipates heat generated in the electrode section.
US08422096B2

Disclosed are a method and a computer program product for dissipating heat produced in a scan head assembly of an imaging apparatus during scanning of media sheets in the imaging apparatus. The method includes determining at least one of a temperature of the scan head assembly and a media sheet scan count. The method further includes moving the scan head assembly between a first position of the scan head assembly and a second position of the scan head assembly for dissipating heat, based on at least one of the temperature of the scan head assembly and the media sheet scan count.
US08422095B2

An image scanner includes a light-pervious supporting plate, an enclosure, an image sensor, several light sources, and two or four light guide plates. The supporting plate supports an original to be scanned. The enclosure and the supporting plate cooperatively define a receiving space. The image sensor is received in the receiving space, and has a receiving surface. The two, four, or six light sources emit light. The light guide plates each include a light incident surface and an output surface. The light incident surface is configured for receiving light from the respective light sources. The output surface is configured for emission of surface light to scan the original on the supporting plate. In this manner, the surface light is reflected by the original to the receiving surface of the image sensor, thus an image of the original is captured.
US08422091B2

Carried out are (i) an infrared light scanning process in which light is directed to a document in a state in which a visible light cut filter is provided in an optical path, in which the light is directed from a light source to the document, reflected from the document, and then received by a light receiving element, so that the light receiving element receives the reflected light from the document and prepares image data S1; (ii) a visible light scanning process in which the light is directed to the document in a state in which no visible light cut filter is provided in the optical path, so that the light receiving element receives the reflected light from the document and prepares image data S2; and (iii) a color correction process in which a color of an image in the image data S2 is corrected in accordance with the image data S1 so that an influence of light having a infrared wavelength is removed or reduced from the image data S2. According to this, regardless of document paper types, document image data whose color tone is closer to a document color tone sensed by human eyes.
US08422090B2

A device includes a processing system having a processor and a memory and an image capture component coupled to the processing system. The image capture component is configured to receive an image of a subject region within a field of view and an image of a control region within the field of view. The processing system is configured to process the image of the control region as a user input for processing the image of the subject region.
US08422081B2

An apparatus includes a gray converter to convert an inputted color image to be printed into a gray conversion image and to outputs the gray conversion image a difference calculator to calculate a at least one difference value between at least one color channel image with respect to the color image and the gray conversion image; and a gray reviser to revise the gray conversion image based on the at least one difference value and to output a gray conversion image.
US08422075B2

An information updating apparatus compares resolution information and color information acquired from received image data with resolution information and color information acquired from an external apparatus, and, if an amount of information of the resolution information and color information acquired from the received image data is larger than an amount of information of the resolution information and color information acquired from the external apparatus, replaces image feature amount data stored in the external apparatus with image feature amount data acquired from the received image data and replaces text data stored in the external apparatus with text data extracted from the received image data.
US08422074B2

A print data generating device includes: (a) a display; (b) a print-image-region selector for selecting a print image region which is a region of an original-data-based image, such that the selected print image region corresponds to each of desired images; (c) a media size recognizer for recognizing a size of a print medium; (d) a print layout determiner for determining, based on a size of the print image region and the recognized size of the print medium, a print layout of the desired images that are to be printed onto the print medium, such that a number of the desired images printable onto the print medium is maximized in the determined print layout; and (e) a display controller for causing the display to display a print layout preview showing the desired images that are arranged according to the determined print layout. The print data generating device generates a print data which is used for printing, in conformity with the print layout preview, the desired images arranged according to the determined print layout, onto the print medium.
US08422073B2

The image forming apparatus includes first and second reading portions which read images of first and second faces of an original, an image forming portion which forms an image on a sheet based on image data read by the reading portions, a calculation portion which calculates difference between respective image data, a correction portion which calculates correction data to decrease difference of the image data based on the image data difference, and a control portion which controls the image forming portion so that an image for correction to correct the reading accuracy difference is formed on a sheet based on the correction data; and the calculation portion calculates difference between respective image data when the image for correction formed on a sheet is respectively read by the first and second reading portions, and the correction portion recalculates correction data based on the image data difference calculated by the calculation portion.
US08422051B2

Identification information of a user who performs search is shared between an information processing apparatus and a device. When search from the user having the identification information is accepted, the device responds. At this time, when the condition for sending back a response can be set from both the information processing apparatus and device and is satisfied, the device transmits device information to the information processing apparatus.
US08422050B2

An apparatus is provided that can perform distributed control for a plurality of operation units, without concentrating control in a single device. The apparatus includes a plurality of modules that respectively correspond to a plurality of operation units, each module including a communication device, a functional block setting device and a functional block connected with a corresponding operation unit. The functional block has a register that holds, in an updateable condition, control values relating to various controls of the corresponding operation unit. Each module is triggered by an operation start signal input to a start terminal of the communication device to start an operation for controlling a corresponding operation unit in accordance with each control value held in the register device.
US08422029B2

A method of testing a convex mirror surface figure in which an optical quality substrate material is used having a convex front surface and a rear surface polished to a precise optical figure to create a lens. The lens is then tested by a standard interferometric or wavefront lens-testing method and the convex surface coated once a desired curvature is obtained. Null testing may be attained by passing a collimated interferometer beam through a focusing lens shaped to counter the predicted spherical aberration introduced by a perfect convex mirror/lens.
US08422019B2

A light with a known spectrum is emitted from a light source toward a road surface, a first reflected light that is a reflected light of the known light reflected from the road surface is received by a first light receiver, and a reflectance spectrum of the light of the road surface is calculated from a spectrum of the first reflected light received by the first light receiver and the spectrum of the known light stored in the storage unit. A second reflected light that is reflected light of an environmental light reflected from the road surface is received by a second light receiver, and a spectrum of the environmental light is calculated from a spectrum of the second reflected light received by the second light receiver and the calculated reflectance spectrum of the light of the road surface.
US08422011B2

A spectrometer comprises a detector array and a prism. The prism comprises a first prism element comprising a substantially crystalline crown material, and a second prism element contacting the first prism element, the second prism element comprising a substantially crystalline flint material. The spectrometer further includes optics configured to direct light at least twice through the prism. The prism is configured to disperse light received from the optics at an incident angle therethrough into constituent spectra in visible and infrared wavelength bands that are dispersed from the prism at angles offset from the incident angle. The constituent spectra are directed onto the detector array with approximately equal dispersion across the visible and infrared wavelength bands. Among other things, desirable material selections for the first and second prism elements are also disclosed.
US08422010B2

Methods and systems for determining a characteristic of a wafer are provided. One method includes generating output responsive to light from the wafer using an inspection system. The output includes first output corresponding to defects on the wafer and second output that does not correspond to the defects. The method also includes determining the characteristic of the wafer using the second output. One system includes an inspection subsystem configured to illuminate the wafer and to generate output responsive to light from the wafer. The output includes first output corresponding to defects on the wafer and second output that does not correspond to the defects. The system also includes a processor configured to determine the characteristic of the wafer using the second output.
US08421999B2

Exposure areas are wholly overlapped by moving a gradient refractive index lens array in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction, or by providing a plurality of gradient refractive index lens arrays, an optical filter having a density distribution of lightness and darkness to compensate light transmission nonuniformity of the gradient refractive index lens array is arranged, or an opening control plate for limitedly using only of a uniform portion is provided. Two or more means may be simultaneously provided among the aforementioned mean. Moreover, any one of a microscopic transmission shutter array, a microscopic reflection shutter array, and a microscopic light emitter array is used instead of a mask, or an illuminating device and the mask.
US08421994B2

Electric power is generated by using a generator equipped with: a coil unit that is arranged on a barrel platform and incorporates coils; and a magnet unit that has a magnet section arranged on a protruding section of a column separated from the barrel platform in terms of vibration and generates an electromotive force in a non-contact state with the coils, and a motor that drives the magnet section, and thus a wiring that supplies electric power to the barrel platform does not have to be used. Accordingly, vibration that has been propagated to the barrel platform through the wiring can be precluded.
US08421988B2

A liquid crystal panel 10 includes a pair of substantially rectangular substrates 17, 18 attached to each other, a liquid crystal layer 19 provided between the substrates 17, 18, and a sealant portion 20 having a substantially frame-like shape surrounding and sealing the liquid crystal layer 19. The sealant portion 20 includes an oblique portion 34 arranged oblique to the sides of the substrate 17, 18, at each of the four corners thereof. The liquid crystal panel 10 further includes a reinforcing portion 35 fixed to both substrates 17, 18. The reinforcing portion 35 is arranged along a planar direction of the substrate 17, 18 so as to be located between the oblique portion 34 and a corner point of the substrate 17, 18.
US08421981B2

A display panel having a display region and a sealant region is provided. The display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a sealant and a display medium. The sealant is disposed between the first and second substrates and within the sealant region. The display medium is disposed between the first and second substrates and within the display region. The second substrate includes pixel units and wires electrically connected to the pixel units. The pixel units are disposed within the display region, the wires extend to the sealant region from the display region, and at least a portion of the wires in the sealant region has slots. In particular, each of the slots has a side edge adjacent to the edge of the wire which the slot is disposed therein, and the distances from the side edge to the edge of the wire are not equal.
US08421973B2

A sealant contains a plurality of conductive members, and is formed in a closed pattern, when viewed from a direction normal to a surface of a first substrate or a second substrate. A second electrode is formed on a surface located on the first substrate side of the second substrate, and a first electrode, which is provided so as to face a part of the second electrode, and is electrically connected to the second electrode through the conductive members contained in the sealant, is formed over the first substrate. The first electrode is provided so as to at least partially overlap a crossing portion of the sealant.
US08421964B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a display area in which pixels each wutg a pixel electrode and a TFT are arranged in a matrix form, a counter substrate disposed opposite to the TFT substrate, a sealing material formed in the periphery to bond the TFT substrate and the counter substrate, and a liquid crystal layer interposed between an orientation film formed on the TFT substrate and an orientation film formed on the counter substrate. A first, second or third color filter is formed corresponding to each of the pixels in the display area of the TFT substrate, and an orientation film stopper is formed by an overlapping portion of the first, second or third color filter, outside of the display area. A profile of the orientation film formed on the TFT substrate is defined by the orientation film stopper.
US08421963B2

An LCD device and a method for fabricating the same is described, in which each of light-shielding patterns has the uniform thickness to prevent the step coverage from being generated in color filter patterns by the light-shielding patterns. The LCD device includes a substrate with pixel and light shielding regions defined, a transparent material layer formed on the substrate corresponding to the pixel regions, a light-shielding layer formed on the substrate corresponding to the light shielding regions, and a color filter layer on the transparent material layer.
US08421958B2

A backlight module is disclosed in the present disclosure. The backlight module comprises a reflective sheet, a printed circuit board (PCB), a diffuser plate and a supporting structure. The reflective sheet is attached onto the PCB, and the supporting structure is located between the diffuser plate and the reflective sheet. The supporting structure comprises a body portion and a supporting portion, and the PCB comprises an adapter member. By using the adapter member and the supporting structure in the backlight module of the present disclosure, the supporting structure can make contact with the PCB in a large area and support the diffuser plate stably. Further, a liquid crystal display (LCD) device using the backlight module described above is also disclosed in the present disclosure.
US08421957B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel and an illuminating device having a plurality of LED packages which include LED's and a lens. Each LED package includes a high refractive index member containing a substance having a larger refractive index than that of a material forming the lens and which seals the LED. The lens is shaped to have a recess near its center, and is shaped so that a moving radius increases as a polar angle increases within a range of 0 to 80 degrees. The moving radius is defined as a distance starting from the lens center and ending in the lens surface, and the polar angle is defined as an angle that is made by the moving radius to the center axis that is vertical to a plane on which said LED package is located and passing through the center of the lens.
US08421956B2

A composite color separation system, comprises: a light control module, a light guide module and a light splitting module. The light control module has a lighting unit and a lens unit, in which the lighting unit includes an array of lighting elements whereas there are at least two types of lighting elements in the array for emitting at least two beams of different wavelengths. The light from the lighting unit is directed to enter the lens unit before being discharged out of the light control module. The light guide module comprises: a first light incident surface, for receiving the beams from the light control module; a first light emergence surface; and a light guide structure, for guiding the beams to the first light emergence surface where they are discharged out of the light guide module to the light splitting module. The light splitting module is used for splitting the beams.
US08421955B2

An LCD device using LEDs as light sources provided herein is capable of reducing the manufacturing cost and the power consumption by a reduction in the number of LEDs used. A backlight according to the present invention includes LEDs mounted on a wiring board and a light guide plate having a matrix array of light guide plate blocks assigned the LEDs. The number of LEDs assigned to the block located in a peripheral area is smaller than the number assigned to the block located around the center to reduce the number of LEDs used in the backlight. If a ratio of the brightness in a peripheral area of the screen to the brightness in a central area is 60% or higher, the human eye does not perceive non-uniform luminance. Thus, the manufacturing cost and the power consumption of the LCD device can be reduced.
US08421952B2

A backlight for a display includes a plurality of illumination modules, each illumination module including a light source and a reflective member. A portion of the reflective member is disposed over the light source. A liquid crystal display panel is disposed over the plurality of illumination modules. The reflective member is configured such that a majority of light from the light source is directed parallel to the liquid crystal display panel, to provide uniform illumination of the liquid crystal display panel. In some embodiments, the light source is at least one semiconductor light emitting diode.
US08421935B2

A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device includes the steps of combining a first substrate and a second substrate between which a liquid crystal layer is to be held, and forming a functional member directly on a surface of the first substrate opposite to the side holding the liquid crystal layer.
US08421930B2

A digital broadcast receiver 1 capable of receiving a program broadcast by a plurality of services from among broadcast electric waves to which a single physical channel is assigned and provided with at least an I/O device (a display 18) is provided. The digital broadcast receiver includes a control unit (15) for determining whether or not there are identical services in services which the digital broadcast receiver has received in each of a plurality of regions, and for, when determining that there are identical services in the services, generating a service list for each of the regions (countries) or for each of the services (broadcast stations) while merging the physical channels, and then displaying the service list generated thereby on the I/O device to urge a viewer to perform a selection input.
US08421924B2

An image processing method and its associated image processing circuit for processing an image based on a sequential couleur avec memoire (SECAM) system are provided. The image includes a first pixel, a second pixel and a third pixel, which are successively arranged in a same vertical line and are respectively corresponding to a first image signal and a second image signal and a third image signal. The image processing method includes steps of calculating a chroma signal via a vertical filtering process according to the first image signal, the second image signal and the third image signal; calculating a chroma angular frequency via a frequency modulation process according to the chroma signal; and generating a chromaticity according to the chroma angular frequency.
US08421917B2

This invention enables, for example, reduction of motion blur in a hold-type display device and reduce flicker in an impulse-type display device by a simple process. For this purpose, an LPF filters a frame of input image data (A[i]) to generate low-frequency image data (L). A subtractor and an adder generate high-frequency image data (SH). Another adder adds the low-frequency image data (L) from a delay circuit to subsequent low-frequency image data. A divider halves the sum to generate low-frequency averaged image data (SL). A switch alternately outputs the high-frequency image data (SH) and the low-frequency image data (SL) every time a frame of image data is input. As a result, the apparatus of this invention can generate output image data having a frame rate twice that of the input image data.
US08421916B2

The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for interpolation of images, and in a particular example to de-interlacing of video signals using spatial interpolation. The present invention discloses a method for measuring the slope of a picture portion in which picture gradients are calculated from said selected pixel values and the slope measurement being derived from said gradient values. The invention also discloses a method of spatial interpolation of an array of pixel values, in which interpolated values are dependent upon the measurement of the slope associated with said array. Non-integer slopes can easily be accommodated with the method of the invention.
US08421915B2

For example, samples included in a frame constituted by a 3840×2160/24P,25P,30P/4:4:4,4:2:2,4:2:0/10,12-bit signal are mapped into first to fourth sub-images specified in the HD-SDI format, in units of two adjoining samples. Thus, it is possible to transmit through a transmission constitution for the HD-SDI format. The signal can be converted into serial digital data permitting a bit rate of 10.692 Gbps or the like and transmitted, and the receiving side can accurately reproduce original data.
US08421904B2

The lens apparatus includes an aperture stop (SP) forming an aperture, a first lens (A or B) disposed on a first side further than the aperture stop, the first side being one of an object side and an image side, and a second lens (B or A) disposed on a second side further than the aperture stop, the second side being the other of the object side and the image side. In zooming or focusing, the aperture stop is moved independently of the first and second lenses. The first lens and the aperture stop are brought into a first state where an aperture stop side lens surface of the first lens is located away from the aperture stop on the first side and a second state where at least part of the aperture stop side lens surface (RA or RB) of the first lens protrudes through the aperture to the second side further than the aperture stop.
US08421900B2

It is an object to provide an image of a desired composition in case the user is unsatisfied with the composition of an image already captured.An image capturing apparatus for capturing an image is provided, wherein the apparatus includes an image capturing designation range acquiring unit for acquiring an image capturing designation range designated by a user; an image capturing unit for capturing an image of a range wider than the image capturing designation range; a storing unit for storing information indicative of the image capturing designation range corresponding to the captured image; and an image displaying unit for displaying at least an image within the image capturing designation range out of the captured image by making the user recognize the image capturing designation range.
US08421895B2

An image sensing device and image sensing method is described, in which an interrupt circuit is disposed to interrupt a clock signal input to a logic circuit not associated with the reading of image data when the image data is read, so as to temporarily interrupt the operation of the logic circuit, thereby reducing the power noises caused by the current generated during the operation of the logic circuit.
US08421893B2

A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a comparison section comparing a pixel signal from a pixel with a ramp signal and outputting a comparison signal. A measurement section starts counting in synchronism with the ramp signal and continues the counting until a signal supplied thereto reverses to measure comparison time. A comparator output controlling section interposed between the output of the comparison section and the input of the measurement section stops, if a pixel signal value exceeds a predetermined value determined based on a tanning phenomenon when the counting is started, the counting when the comparison signal is supplied to the measurement section to reverse the comparison signal, but supplies, if the pixel signal value does not exceed the predetermined value, a signal which is not reversed within a measurement period to the measurement section to continue the counting during the measurement period.
US08421892B2

A solid-state imaging device includes: an image area including pixels arranged in a matrix; two row memories each of which alternatively (i) stores at a time pixel signals for each of rows, and (ii) sequentially provides each of the stored pixel signals; a reading control unit, during a horizontal period, sequentially reading the stored pixel signals one by one from a first line memory to cause the first line memory, the first line memory representing one of the two row memories; a holding control unit causing, during the horizontal period, a second line memory to hold pixel signals provided from one of the rows in the image area, the second line memory representing another one of the two row memories; and a reading suspending unit causing the reading control unit to suspend reading out the pixel signals from the first line memory during a noise occurrence predicted period.
US08421883B2

Disclosed is an information processing method comprising the steps of: storing measured position information in association with first time information representing times of day at which the measured position information is obtained; storing video information in association with second time information representing times of day at which the video information is obtained; and associating the measured position information with the video information in accordance with degrees of difference between the first time information and the second time information.
US08421870B2

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for automatic control of multiple cameras capable of supporting an effective camera view angle in a broadcast, a movie, etc. The automatic control apparatus of multiple cameras includes: a first main camera; a first camera driver controlling an operation of the first main camera; a second main camera; a second camera driver controlling an operation of the second main camera; at least one auxiliary camera; at least one third camera driver controlling an operation of the at least one auxiliary camera; and an interoperation processor changing a view angle of the at least one auxiliary camera by controlling the at least one third camera driver in accordance with a view angle changing reference changed by changing the view angle of the first main camera, the second main camera, or the first and second main cameras.
US08421866B2

An image monitoring system includes: recording means for recording an image captured by a camera via a network; control means for controlling the system so as to display the present image captured by the camera or a past image recorded on the recording means on display means; and moving-object detecting means for detecting a moving object from the image captured by the camera; wherein the moving-object detecting means includes resolution conversion means for generating an image with a resolution lower than the resolution of the image captured by the camera, positional-information output means for detecting a moving object from the image generated by the resolution conversion means and outputting positional information on the detected moving object, and information merging means for merging the positional information of the moving object with the image captured by the camera on the basis of the positional information of the moving object output by the positional-information output means.
US08421846B2

A jig supports an array of cameras on a platform using a plurality of brackets among which one is immovably secured to the platform at a center of the array while the remainder is pivotally connected to the platform. A computer-implemented system creates an interlaced image. The system includes a trigger mechanism operatively coupled to the cameras to effect nearly simultaneous image capture. A focal target and a sizing reference are provided at a focal position of the lenses. A computer having a processor and a memory executes code that interlaces bands of images captured from each of the cameras, at nearly a single point in time, into an interlaced image and processes the sizing reference and adjusts a size of one or more of the captured images for inclusion in the interlaced image.
US08421844B2

An apparatus, a method of videoconferencing and a videoconferencing system are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes: (1) a monitor configured to switch between a display mode and a reflecting mode and (2) a camera located in front of the monitor, the camera positioned to face the monitor and synchronized with the monitor to capture a local image reflected therefrom during the reflecting mode.
US08421836B2

A light-emitting device includes: a circuit board including at least two of signal interconnection layers each having plural signal interconnections, at least adjacent two of the signal interconnection layers including signal interconnections provided so that center positions of the respective signal interconnections in a direction intersecting with a longitudinal direction are displaced from each other in portions of the signal interconnections provided in the longitudinal direction; and plural light-emitting chips each having plural light-emitting elements, the light-emitting chips being arrayed in line in the longitudinal direction on a surface of the circuit board.
US08421818B2

A signal processing device (200) included in a display which has a color reproduction range larger than that of the input device. The signal processing device (200) comprises color coordinate adjusting unit (210) for performing a color coordinate adjustment for reducing the color coordinates of a video input signal inputted from the input device so as to reduce the variation of the color coordinates caused by the difference between the color reproduction ranges, a luminance adjusting unit (220) for performing a luminance adjustment for reducing the luminance component of the video input signal, a display element control unit (240) for generating a video output signal according to the output of the color coordinate adjusting unit (210) and the output of the luminance adjusting unit (220), and a rate control unit (230) for increasing the color coordinate adjustment contribution rate (β) given to the video output signal by the color coordinate adjustment and decreasing the luminance component contribution rate (α) given to the video output signal by the luminance adjustment if the color saturation of the video input signal with a specific hue is higher than a predetermined threshold.
US08421816B1

Disclosed are various embodiments for facilitating the selection of colors. An initial set of colors from a color space is generated in one or more computing devices for rendering in a user interface. Each color from the color space is expressed as a respective tuple of color component values. A selection of one of the initial set of colors is obtained. A subsequent set of colors from the color space is generated for rendering in the user interface. The subsequent set of colors is determined according to values of the N most significant bits of each of the corresponding color component values of the one of the initial set of colors, where N is a predetermined positive integer that is less than a bit length of each color component value.
US08421815B2

A system and method for displaying an image are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a data stream representing a frame of an image. The data stream may indicate a first color pixel cluster corresponding to a first color and a second color pixel cluster corresponding to a second color. The first color pixel cluster and the second color pixel cluster may be displayed. The first color pixel cluster may be different from the second color pixel cluster.
US08421814B2

A display device capable of displaying an image selected by a user for a certain period of time without interruption even when power consumption to be used to completely display the image exceeds a remaining capacity of a battery, and a method of driving the same. The display device includes a storage element; a selection circuit configured to select an image stored in the storage element according to a user request; a battery; a first detection circuit configured to detect a remaining capacity of the battery; a controller; and a display panel coupled to the battery via the controller and configured to display the selected image in accordance with a control output of the controller.
US08421807B2

A display device includes a display unit and a plurality of refreshing units. The display unit has a plurality of the display areas. Each of the display areas has a plurality of pixels. Each of the pixels has a memory. The refreshing units respectively control to refresh the pixels of the corresponding display areas at different time periods. Thus, the produced peak current during the pixel refreshing can be reduced, and the stored pixel data can be maintained.
US08421805B2

Dynamic animated avatars selectively morph to reveal or depict the user's identity while simultaneously emulating or tracking active movements associated with the user's verbal stream or perceived movements of the user. A user elects morphing to transition the rendered avatar to another, more revealing avatar, for example from a cartoon caricature to a posed photographic image. Animation processing identifies active movements derived from an input stream to compute animations of the mouth and profile based on speech, text, or captured video from the user. The computed animations appear as active movements to the currently rendered avatar, and emulate the user speaking or moving according to text, audio or video being transmitted. A user maintains an anonymous or posed identity with respect to the receiving party, and chooses to reveal a different avatar depicting a truer identity at the user's discretion, while continuing to display active movements paralleling the user's verbal activities.
US08421790B2

The present invention relates to an integrated circuit (IC) for SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) standby power reduction in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) driver. The IC layout mainly disposes a high-current endurable transistor between a power supply pad and a power supply metal layer of the SRAM matrix. When the IC enters a standby mode, the electrical interconnection between the power supply pad and the power supply metal layer of the SRAM is cut off through the transistor so that the leakage current and the power consumption of the SRAM can be reduced.
US08421787B2

A circuit and method for driving a line repair amplifier includes a line repair amplifier which can be driven by using a single side input which can use an amplifier which drives a gray high side only and an amplifier which drives a gray low side only separately in a liquid crystal display device which uses a line repair amplifier.
US08421786B2

A display device includes an image display region displaying images, an automatic light sensor sensing ambient lighting conditions of a location of the display device, and a control system controlling an amount of light produced within the image display region by the displayed images based upon the sensed ambient lighting conditions, wherein the control system includes a single user interface displayed within the image display region and allows simultaneous enabling/disabling of the automatic light sensor and adjusting of image display characteristic values of the displayed images by a user.
US08421785B2

An electrical device having a display screen to adjust displaying image based on a rotation of a web camera. The web camera is rotatably installed on one side of the frame surrounding the display screen. The web camera captures an image data in a first direction or a second direction. An image sensor generates a plurality of brightness signals based on the image data. A processing unit is used for determining the display to show the image data in a first mode or a second mode based on the plurality of brightness signals.
US08421776B2

A touch input system, comprising a surface, adapted to receive at least one simultaneous touch inputs from human fingers; a sensor adapted to detect the at least one touch inputs and produce at least one signal representing a unique position for the at least one touch input; and a processor, adapted to receive the at least one signal and produce an output representing a touch detection and a mapping of a coordinate position on the surface for each of the simultaneous touch inputs. The system may detect, for example, two touch inputs simultaneously. The surface may be non-planar and distinct from a small solid angle section of a sphere.
US08421775B2

A method of detecting a touch point includes detecting an edge image of a finger image from an input image, generating a touch point image utilizing the detected edge image, and calculating coordinates of the touch point from the touch point image. The touch point image may be generated by setting a center at a position separated by a set distance in a gradient direction with respect to a position where the edge image is detected, and generating the touch point image by summing up gradient magnitude values with respect to a set area based on the set center. The coordinates of multiple touch points may be calculated by updating coordinates of the multiple touch points according to the gradient magnitude values accumulatively summed up in the multiple touch points based on a comparison between the coordinates of the multiple touch points and the set distance.
US08421772B2

A resistive touch control device and driving methods and a driving controller thereof are provided to switch operation modes of a touch panel. Depending on the user's requirement, the touch panel can be operated in multi-touch mode or only in an analog mode with high resolution. In other words, the touch control device can be operated in a digital mode, the analog mode, or a hybrid mode including both of the digital and the analog modes.
US08421769B2

An electronic cosmetic case includes a stereo image display unit, and a pair of image capturing units. The pair of image capturing units is for simultaneously capturing facial image of a user from two different directions, and providing the captured images to the stereo image display unit. The stereo image display unit receives the two captured images and simultaneously displays one captured image to the left eye and displays the other captured image to the right eye, thus allowing the user to perceive a stereo image.
US08421763B2

An electronic device with anti-shock function includes a shell, a sensor, and a controller received in the shell and electrically coupled to the sensor. The sensor includes at least one pressure sensor to generate a position signal and at least one touch sensor to generate a touch signal. The controller defines the electronic device to be in a freefall state and enters into a protection mode when the controller does not receive the position signal and the touch signal.
US08421759B2

A color filter substrate including a substrate, a plurality of patterned color filter layers, and a plurality of sensing serials is provided. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The substrate includes a plurality of display regions arranged in array and a separated region located between the display regions. The patterned color filter layers are arranged in array on the first surface and corresponding to the display regions. The sensing serials are arranged on the second surface and insulated from each other. Each sensing serial includes a plurality of sensing pads; a plurality of bridging lines, each connected with two adjacent sensing pads; a plurality of patterned conductive layers stacked and electrically connected with the sensing pads. The position of the patterned conductive layers is corresponding to the separated region. A touch-sensing liquid crystal display and a touch-sensing substrate are also provided.
US08421752B2

An electronic device includes an object sensor for detecting motion of an object, such as a stylus or finger, relative to device and during a period of contactless object movement. A motion sensor, such as an accelerometer, detects device motion during the period of contactless object movement. A processor determines a gesture that corresponds to the movement of the object and to movement of the device. This device, and the associated method, results in a more accurate determination of an intended gesture, such as a three-dimensional gesture. For example, the processor, or gesture determinator, can compensate for movement of the device when determining the gesture corresponding to detected contactless movement of the object.
US08421742B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a panel having pixel electrodes arranged at intersections of a plurality of signal lines via switching elements for transmitting display data and a plurality of scanning lines for transmitting control signals, and a control circuit for controlling the panel. The liquid crystal panel is divided into first pixel regions and second pixel regions adjacent to the first pixel regions. The control circuit carries out impulse driving in which the control signals transmitted to each of the scanning lines are activated two times in one frame period for displaying an image. The control circuit writes the display data in either one of the pixel regions and writes reset data in the other pixel regions when the control signals are activated once of the two times. By writing the reset data in the pixel regions, the display data written in an immediately preceding frame are reset. In consecutive frames, the display data written in the pixel regions are always reset in one frame period. Therefore, blurring in a moving image can be alleviated. Since writing the display data and the reset data is carried out separately in the first pixel regions and in the second pixel regions, flicker is prevented from occurring in a display screen.
US08421739B2

A burst mode inverter that drives a discharge tube lamp in a manner that produces more emissions. A DC power supplier produces DC power. An inverter converts that DC power to AC power having a Pulse Width Modulated frequency that is between 2 and 3 times the system's frame frequency. A duty cycle controller controls the duty-on-time of the Pulse Width Modulation frequency so as to be with the range of about 40% to 100%.
US08421738B2

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and a method of displaying images, and a liquid crystal display includes: a liquid crystal panel assembly including a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of data lines crossing with the gate lines, and a plurality of pixels which are respectively connected to one of gate lines and one of the data lines; and a driver providing an image signal to the pixels. At least a portion of a non-display area of the liquid crystal panel assembly is cut and removed, and the driver displays black at a first display area in the vicinity of the removed non-display area. An area displaying images can be surrounded by black and thus image can be well-balancedly displayed without being biased in the whole screen so as to improve display quality.
US08421737B2

A scanning line driving circuit includes a first transistor having a source electrode connected to a power supply and a drain electrode to a scanning line and a second transistor having a source electrode connected to the scanning line and a drain electrode connected to a clock signal line. The conductivity type of the second transistor is identical to that of the first transistor. A bias can be supplied, so that the first and second transistors are caused to be in an off-state simultaneously.
US08421728B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a display section, an image signal drive circuit, a scan signal drive circuit, a common electrode potential control circuit, and a synchronous circuit. The display section has scan electrodes, image signal electrodes, a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged in a matrix, a plurality of switching elements for transmitting an image signal to the pixel electrodes, and a common electrode. The common electrode potential control circuit changes an electric potential of the common electrode into a pulse shape, after the scan signal drive circuit has scanned all the scan electrodes and the image signal has been transmitted to the pixel electrodes. Otherwise, the image signal is overdriven. Otherwise, torque for returning to a no-voltage-application state is increased.
US08421726B2

A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: an active matrix substrate; a counter substrate; and a liquid crystal layer (512) including light-diffusing liquid crystal that has (i) when no voltage is being applied thereto, a first display state in which the liquid crystal molecules are aligned irregularly, and (ii) when a voltage is being applied, a second display state in which the liquid crystal molecules are aligned regularly, the active matrix substrate having a first surface which is below a surface on which pixel electrodes (504) are provided, the first surface having a first region on which a gap between adjacent pixel electrodes (504) is projected, the first region having partial regions which orthogonally cross gate bus lines GL (501), source bus lines SL (502) being each provided in a second region at a location shifted from a corresponding one of the partial regions so that the source bus line SL (502) is covered by the adjacent pixel electrodes (504).
US08421724B2

A liquid crystal display device includes: scanning wires, provided so as to correspond to a plurality of pixels disposed in a matrix manner, to which scanning signals are applied; and signal wires to which data signals are applied, wherein the scanning wires and the signal wires cross each other. TFTs, electrically connected to the scanning wires and the signal wires, each of which is provided in the vicinity of an intersection of the scanning wire and the signal wire, and the TFTs are connected to pixel electrodes. A dummy pixel driven by a dummy signal wire is provided externally adjacent to an endmost pixel column. This brings about a matrix type liquid crystal display device that equalizes capacitive conditions of all the signal wires to each other and can prevent deterioration of display quality that is brought about by a specific portion differently displayed.
US08421716B2

During first period, TFTs: and are set in ON and OFF states, respectively. Potential Va is fed into a source line Sj so that potential of pixel electrode is Va. During second period, the TFTs: and are set in the OFF and ON states, respectively. The potential Va is continuously fed into the source line Sj. This sets potential of node to Va, thereby changing the potential of the pixel electrode. During third period, the TFTs: and are set in the OFF state. This realizes a display device where high cost factors and power consumption increase are suppressed, and the effective value of voltage expressed by difference between potential applied to a driving potential input terminal and reference potential can have variance larger than amplitude of signal voltage fed into a data signal line, the variance corresponding to variation in the signal voltage.
US08421710B2

A light source apparatus emits light image information. A reflective layer is formed on a planarization film formed on a metal substrate. LED thin films are arranged in a matrix having columns extending in first directions and rows extending in second directions perpendicular to the first directions, the LED thin films being bonded to the reflective layer by means of intermolecular force. First wires are connected to first electrodes of the LED thin films. Second wires are connected to second electrodes of the LED thin films. A first driver circuit selectively electrically drives the LED thin films, arranged in the rows, via the plurality of first wires. A second driver circuit selectively electrically drives the LED thin films, arranged in the rows, via the plurality of second wires.
US08421709B2

An image display device comprises an image display panel that displays a 2D or 3D image; a driving circuit that applies a data voltage of a 2D data format for the 2D image or a data voltage of a 3D data format for the 3D image to the image display panel; and a controller that controls the driving circuit according to a 2D mode for displaying the 2D image or a 3D mode for displaying the 3D image, wherein R, G, and B subpixels of the image display panel each comprises first and second fine subpixels divided by one data line and two adjacent gate lines. In the 2D mode, the same data voltage of the 2D data format is applied to the first and second fine subpixels. In the 3D mode, the data voltage of the 3D data format is applied to the first fine subpixel and a black gray voltage is applied to the second fine subpixel.
US08421707B2

A portable electronic device includes: a computing device body including a main housing, a computing device disposed in the main housing, a keyboard and a touch control display disposed on the main housing and connected electrically to the computing device; a display screen body including a display housing and a flat panel display disposed on the display housing and connected electrically to the computing device; and a two-dimensional hinge connecting pivotally the display housing to the main housing such that the display screen body is pivotable relative to the main housing. The computing device is configured to output image signals to the touch control display and the flat panel display, respectively, the image signals being generated based on user operation of at least one of the touch control display and the keyboard and being output simultaneously to the touch control display and the flat panel display.
US08421704B2

A radiator coupled to an antenna patch disposed along a first end of the radiator, said patch disposed on an insulator. A ground plane is connected to the insulator and a radome is disposed opposite a second end of the radiator. The radome may have a region presenting a convex surface towards the radiator, and the radome has a second region presenting a concave surface towards the radiator. The first end of the conical radiator is the apex of the cone. A ground plane is included and a portion of the ground plane is a planar surface and another portion extends away from the planar portion towards the radome. Also disclosed is a method for forming a radiation pattern by shaping the radome to effectuate a predetermined radiation pattern using localized convex and concave surfaces positioned on the radome at different points in relation to the conical radiator.
US08421693B2

Good electric characteristics are obtained even after an antenna being further incorporated into an antenna apparatus including an antenna case having a limited space. An antenna device 31 is formed on an antenna substrate 30 installed upright in an antenna base 20. A flat antenna unit 35 is fastened to the antenna base 20 so that the flat antenna unit 35 is immediately below the antenna device 31. If the wavelength of a center frequency in an operating frequency band of the flat antenna unit 35 is λ, an interval between an upper surface of the flat antenna unit 35 and a lower end of the antenna device 31 is set to about 0.25 λ or more. Accordingly, it becomes possible to make directional characteristics of radiation in a horizontal plane of the flat antenna unit 35 non-directive without being affected by the antenna device 31 and also to achieve good gain characteristics.
US08421689B2

Handheld electronic devices are provided that contain wireless communications circuitry. The wireless communications circuitry may include antenna structures. To accommodate manufacturing variations, the antenna structures and handheld electronic devices may be characterized by performing measurements such as antenna performance measurements. Appropriate antenna adjustments may be made during manufacturing of a handheld electronic device based on the characterizing measurements. An antenna may be formed using an inverted-F design in which an antenna flex circuit is mounted to a dielectric antenna support structure. Cavities in the support may be selectively filled with dielectric material and dielectric patches may be added to the antenna flex circuit to adjust the dielectric loading of the antenna. The length of a ground return path in the antenna may be adjusted by appropriate positioning of an electrical connector within the ground return path.
US08421683B2

An antenna system comprises a ground plane, a flexible substrate, a first antenna element disposed upon the flexible substrate and proximal to the ground plane, the flexible substrate configured so as to be at least partially rolled, and a Radio Frequency (RF) module in communication with the first antenna element and transmitting and receiving radio waves through the first antenna element.
US08421681B2

An antenna includes a grounding element, a connecting element, and first and second radiator elements. The connecting element includes an elongated first connecting section, and a second connecting section connecting the first connecting section to the grounding element. The first radiator element includes a first radiator section extending substantially perpendicular from one side of the first connecting section, and second and third radiator sections extending substantially perpendicular from one side of the first radiator section. The second radiator element includes a first radiator portion extending substantially perpendicular from the one side of the first connecting section, and second and third radiator portions extending substantially perpendicular from one side of the first radiator portion and extending in an opposite direction relative to the second and third radiator sections.
US08421676B2

Embodiments of the present invention include a method of determining a location of a mobile device. The method comprises transmitting a signal between a plurality of known locations and receiving signal at device of unknown location such as a mobile device. The signal may include multiple tones having different frequencies and resulting in sets of residual phase differences. The location of the mobile device may be determined using the known locations and the frequency and phase differences between the transmitted tones. In one embodiment, OFDM signals may be used between an access point and mobile device, for example, to determine the location of the mobile device.
US08421672B2

Provided is a method and apparatus for a pseudo range verification of a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver, more particularly, a method and apparatus for the pseudo range verification of the GNSS receiver by comparing the pseudo range for a measurement calculated in the GNSS receiver and the pseudo range for a verification generated depending on a position of the GNSS receiver.
US08421669B2

A synthetic aperture processing system that includes a signal transmission unit for generating and radiating a plurality of chirp waves to an irradiation region from measuring sites, a signal reception unit for receiving a plurality of reflected waves caused by the plurality of chirp waves, a range compression unit for range-compressing each of the reflected waves and generating reception data consisting of sinc functions, a cross-correlation computation unit for, based on a plurality of model data segments, calculating correlation values representing a degree of correlation between each of the model data segments and the reception data, and image output unit for outputting the correlation values calculated by cross-correlation computation unit.
US08421667B2

A detection device for detecting the presence of a speed detection system, red light camera, or other electronic surveillance means. The device includes a display means whereby the graphical and audible presentation changes from the non alert condition to the alert condition in accordance to a user selectable choice of options, thereby increasing awareness to the surveillance threat.
US08421664B2

An analog-to-digital converter includes: a first latch row corresponding to a first stage; a second latch row corresponding to a second stage; and a digital processor for encoding output signals of the second latch row and generating a digital signal. The first latch row includes a plurality of first latches that receive an analog input signal and reference voltages and operate in synchronization with a first clock signal, and the second latch row includes: a plurality of second latches that receive outputs signals of the plurality of first latches and operate in synchronization with a second clock signal delayed from the first reference clock; and a plurality of third latches that receive output signals of two neighboring latches of the plurality of first latches and operate in synchronization with the second clock signal by means of an interpolation technique.
US08421650B2

The invention relates to a wheel guide rail (9; 10; 13; 14) for a car wash system for laterally delimiting a travel range (4) of a vehicle to be treated in the car wash system and a car wash system comprising treatment devices (1, 1′, 3, 3′) that can travel along a direction of travel (F) for a vehicle to be treated, a pair of wheel guide rails (10, 10′) disposed at the wash system floor (B) between the treatment devices (1, 1′, 3, 3′) and running in the direction of travel (F) and at a distance from one another perpendicular to the direction of travel (F), said guide rails delimiting a lateral travel range (4) for the vehicle. The object of facilitating a safe and damage-free treatment and cleaning of vehicles is met by the invention by a wheel guide rail, wherein at least one distance sensor (9f; 11; 13f; 14f) is provided in the guide rail (9; 10; 13; 14) for measuring the distance from the guide rail (9; 10; 13; 14) to an outside of the wheel and/or side of the vehicle, a car wash system comprising such wheel guide rails and a method for centrally positioning a vehicle within a vehicle range (4) of a car wash system.
US08421648B2

A wrong-way-travel warning device comprising a vehicle speed detecting part configured to detect a vehicle speed of a vehicle, a part configured to detect a position of the vehicle, an angle detecting part configured to detect an angle of a vehicular longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to a lane marking if the vehicle speed of the vehicle becomes less than or equal to a predetermined value, and a warning part configured to issue a warning to an occupant if the position of the vehicle is on a main lane of a highway and if the angle becomes about 90 degrees, is provided.
US08421645B2

An electrostatic protector used in a portable electronic device includes an electrostatic conducting unit and an electrostatic protecting unit connected to the electrostatic conducting unit. The electrostatic protecting unit includes at least one protecting circuit, each protecting circuit includes a diode, and the diode has a cathode connected to the electrostatic conducting unit and an anode grounded. Electrostatic charges on the portable electronic device are transmitted to the electrostatic conducting unit and generate a voltage on the cathode of the diode to break down the diode, such that the electrostatic charges are transmitted to the ground via the broken down diode and the voltage on the cathode of the diode is reduced.
US08421639B2

A power meter for monitoring current in a power cable annunciates an alarm if the current transgresses one or more alarm current limits. False alarms are avoided by delaying the activation of the alarm for a delay interval following determination that current is flowing in the monitored conductor.
US08421637B2

A method of utilizing device indicator lights includes providing a device that includes a plurality of device indicator lights and a user control. A first set and a second set of device states are monitored. The plurality of device indicator lights are individually utilized to communicate each of the first set of device states. It is determined if the user control has been activated. The plurality of device indicator lights are used in concert to communicate one of the second set of device states upon a determination that the user control has been activated.
US08421636B2

A patient monitoring system according to one embodiment includes a real-time wetness sensor configured to detect the rate of change in wetness occurring within an associated diaper, and automatically adjusting the sensitivity of the sensor to account for a wetness event unrelated to urination. A monitoring unit may be utilized in such a manner that the monitoring system controller-monitors the wetness sensor and generates data associated with detected-wetness events relative to the diaper. A wireless transmitter configured with the monitoring unit and in communication with the monitoring system controller may be further utilized to send the generated data, through a host computer, to a caregiver unit having a caregiver system controller in communication with the host computer. The caregiver can then check the status of the patient, provide a service, and annotate the patients history by transmitting the recorded observation and service provided back to the base station.
US08421634B2

Described is using the human body as an input mechanism to a computing device. A sensor set is coupled to part of a human body. The sensor set detects mechanical (e.g., bio-acoustic) energy transmitted through the body as a result of an action/performed by the body, such as a user finger tap or flick. The sensor output data (e.g., signals) are processed to determine what action was taken. For example, the gesture may be a finger tap, and the output data may indicate which finger was tapped, what surface the finger was tapped on, or where on the body the finger was tapped.
US08421622B2

A monitoring system for a moving object including a leaking transmission device having a first and second leaking transmission paths extending substantially in parallel to each other, first equipment for transmitting a first transmission signal from one end side of both the ends of the leaking transmission device as a transmission medium to the other end side, second equipment for transmitting a second transmission signal from the other end side of both the ends of the leaking transmission device as the transmission medium to the one end side, and a detector for detecting a two-dimensional movement of a moving object as a monitoring target on the basis of a difference between variations of first and second reception signals based on the respective reflection waves of the first and second transmission signals from the moving object.
US08421615B2

A method and apparatus for a sensor network having a plurality of reference nodes and a sensor node that enables the sensor node to compute a relative position through transmission range control and position mapping. In transmission range control, each reference node sends location information signals to the sensor node while varying transmission power. In position mapping, the sensor node forms a grid of vertical and horizontal lines corresponding to a square area defined by the neighboring reference nodes, extracts coordinates of intersections in the grid belonging to a shared region between areas covered by location information signals of various transmit power levels from the neighboring reference nodes, and sets the position of the sensor node to the middle points of the extracted coordinates. Each reference node sends a location information signal when a random backoff time expires after reception of a location information request signal.
US08421599B2

The present invention relates to a URL providing apparatus and a method thereof, and a mobile station that accesses the Internet by using the provided URL, and an Internet access method thereof. The mobile station attaches an RF-ID tag that stores an RF-ID tag value corresponding to identification information of the mobile station thereto, and thus when a user brings the mobile station into an interrogation range of an RF-ID reader included in the URL providing apparatus, the URL providing apparatus receives the corresponding RF-ID tag value from the RF-ID reader. When the URL providing apparatus acquires an IP address of the mobile station by using the received RF-ID tag value and provides a URL to the mobile station by using the acquired IP address, the mobile station automatically accesses the Internet by using the URL. Such an Internet access method can minimize additional cost of the mobile station and simplify an Internet access process to a specific URL.
US08421598B1

The present invention discloses battery assisted RFID system RF power control implementations that optimize the amount of transmitted power and interference from a reader in relation to the sensitivity of the RFID tags, their ranges from the reader, and the unique physics of the backscatter RFID radio link. Tag transmit power control implementations are also disclosed. These methods enhance system reliability when employing battery assisted RFID tags that operate with sensitive transistor based square law tag receivers and highly sensitive RFID readers intended to take advantage of outstanding tag sensitivity. Further enhancement is achieved via implementation of specialized commands that optimally support the power control operations, otherwise control system interference, and allow maximum usage of high sensitivity in both tags and readers.
US08421597B2

A portable communication terminal having a remote control apparatus includes a CPU. The CPU detects electronic appliances around there by a wireless tag reader, displays characters respectively corresponding to the detected appliances on a monitor, transmits test signals to these appliances, and changes a manner of the character of the appliance except for the appliance which responds, that is, in an off-state. Furthermore, the CPU detects identification information of a base station which is able to communicate with the terminal, registers the identification information detected under a desired location condition in the register, and determines whether or not a match condition is satisfied between detected identification information and the identification information which has been registered. Then, if the determination result is affirmative, the electronic appliance around there is detected by the wireless tag reader, and an operation screen for remotely controlling the detected appliance on a monitor is displayed.
US08421596B2

Provided is a door lock device which is installed on a door, to enable people to facilitate to find out location of the door at dark or night and enable the door to be illuminated with a certain brightness so as to be easily viewed at indoor and outdoor sides when indoor and/or outdoor illumination is low, that is, at dark. As a result, the door lock device enables people to easily find out an entrance gate under the fire and other emergency situations. As well, people do not need to find out a particular position or particular article gropingly even in a dark indoor or outdoor. Accordingly, people may not be easily hurt. In addition, since indoor and outdoor places can be illuminated at a certain brightness, the door lock device can indicate that people exist in a warehouse or on a roof of a building even in the case that a warehouse door lock device or a roof entrance door lock device has been automatically locked.
US08421590B2

A remote control method for remotely controlling the operation of equipment furnished in a vehicle in response to a remote control request generated by a remote controller is provided. The method comprises the steps of (a) acquiring vehicle status information from the vehicle; (b) determining whether to operate particular vehicle equipment designated by the remote control request based on the vehicle status information; and (c) regulating the remote control request based on the determination result representing acceptability of remote-control operation of the requested vehicle equipment.
US08421588B1

A device for controlling and monitoring the operation and energy consumption of one or more electrical apparatuses comprising a processor/transceiver control unit connected to each electrical apparatus and having at least one microprocessor wired to a transceiver, the microprocessor storing an operating protocol, the processor/transceiver control unit further having one or more relays defining channels wired to the microprocessor and on which respective ones of the electrical apparatuses are connected to the processor/transceiver control unit, each relay having an associated current transformer for monitoring the circuit amperage, and a means for measuring and totalizing energy consumption on each channel, whereby the processor/transceiver control unit monitors the energy consumption of each electrical apparatus and controls power thereto according to at least one of the energy consumption and the operating protocol associated with the respective electrical apparatus.
US08421577B2

A planar inductive unit having at least one operating frequency is provided. The inductive unit comprises at least one inductor winding (120) having a first width (121) and a centre (122) and being arranged in a first plane. The inductive unit furthermore comprises at least one ground path (200) having a first section (205) extending in the first plane and at least a second section (210) with a second width (211) extending in at least a second plane.
US08421573B2

An inductor including a primary coil coaxially arranged and operated in parallel with isolated secondary coils each including at least one loop winding with two open-circuited ports. At least one phase shifting device is arranged between open-circuited ports of at least one secondary coil. A method to operate an inductor by combining primary and secondary coils with phase shifting devices to get a wide tuning range is also provided. The method includes the step of phase shifting open-circuited ports of at least one secondary coil.
US08421572B2

A bobbin used in a transformer is disclosed. The bobbin includes a main body, two side walls, two wire collecting bases and at least one extension wire collecting base. The main body has a tunnel. The two side walls are disposed on the two ends of the main body, respectively. The tunnel passes through the two ends of the main body and the two side walls. The two wire collecting bases are disposed on the two side walls respectively or on one of the two side walls. Each wire collecting base has at least one wire collecting part. The extension wire collecting base has at least one extension wire collecting part. The extension wire collecting base can couple with the wire collecting base.
US08421570B2

The transformer ensures the transmission of electrical power by electromagnetic induction between the first (11) and second (12) coils concentrically arranged on the first (7) and second (8) tubular parts respectively, which are made of a ferromagnetic material, and coaxially mounted in such a way that an outer surface (13a, 13b, 13c) of one part can rotate in relation to an inner surface (14a, 14b, 14c) of the other. These surfaces each consist of two straight cylindrical rotation surfaces (13a, 13c; 14a, 14c) of different diameters, each extending from one of the axial ends of the part (7; 8) to an intermediate radial shoulder (13b, 14b) for connecting these surfaces. The parts (7; 8) are arranged head-to-foot one inside the other so as to delimit, between the shoulders (13b; 14b), an annular space receiving the coils (11, 12), between two annular gaps each delimited by two (13a, 14a; 13b, 14b) of the facing cylindrical surfaces of the first (7) and second (8) parts. Each coil comprises at least one layer of a plurality of strip-like windings.
US08421569B1

A magnetic field generator includes a holding unit, an induction winding, and an operation unit. The induction winding is slidably and rotatably mounted on the holding unit. The operation unit is electrically connected to the induction winding, and positioned in a predetermined distance away from the induction winding. The operation unit provides current to the induction winding, and the induction winding generates magnetic field in response to receiving the current from the operation unit.
US08421554B2

A filtering device comprises an analogue quadrature splitter together with a first filtering element and a second filtering element. The filtering device is adapted to transform filtering characteristics of the first filtering element and filtering characteristics of the second filtering element into an effective filtering characteristic present in an output signal at an output terminal of the analogue quadrature splitter. The first filtering element and the second filtering element comprise filtering elements of high accuracy, with a steep roll-off but poor power handling capabilities. Using a high power quadrature splitter it is possible to transform the filtering characteristics of the first filtering element and/or the second filtering characteristic of the second filtering element into the effective filtering characteristics. The present disclosure further provides a method for filtering RF signals and a computer program implementing the manufacture of the filtering device and an execution of the method of filtering.
US08421547B2

When dynamically varying a number of active paths in a system, a desired return loss is maintained. Certain embodiments enable dynamic varying of the impedance of parallel signal paths in a system responsive to the number of active ones of the parallel paths dynamically changing, in order to maintain a relatively constant impedance match between a source and the combination of parallel paths, thereby retaining a desired return loss.
US08421544B2

The embodiments of the invention relate to apparatus and method for reducing electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI) in computer systems via a chaotic wide band frequency modulation. The chaotic noise modulator, in one embodiment, comprises: a master cell to generate a control voltage corresponding to an un-modulated reference signal; and a slave cell having a chaotic signal generator to generate a random noise signal, the slave cell coupled with the master cell and operable to generate a modulated output signal in response to the control voltage.
US08421534B2

The predistorter may include: a predistortion filter predistorting an input signal to provide an output signal; a predistortion output estimation unit estimating the characteristics of a nonlinear device based on a signal processed by the nonlinear device and the output signal, and calculating a desired output signal of the predistortion filter by using the estimated characteristics of the nonlinear device; and an adaptive algorithm driving unit comparing the output signal with the desired output signal to output an error as a comparison result, calculating a filter coefficient according to which the calculated error is minimized, and providing the calculated filter coefficient to the predistortion filter in order to update a filter coefficient of the predistortion filter.
US08421531B2

A low dissipation, low distortion amplifier includes a driver amplifier stage and a main output stage, with a plurality of impedance networks providing, among other things, feedback paths from outputs of the driver and main output stages to the input of the driver stage. The impedance networks also provide coupling paths from the outputs of the driver and main output stages to the load. The impedance networks can all be formed of resistors, capacitors, or network combinations thereof. An additional feedback path can be added from the load to the driver stage to flatten out the frequency response at low frequencies. The driver and main output stages may be operated in Class AB and B modes respectively, and/or in Class G or H modes. An intermediate amplifier driver stage may be added between the driver and main output stages.
US08421523B2

A voltage supply circuit includes a pump voltage generator for generating an input voltage by changing a power source voltage to a desired level and changing a level of the input voltage according to a rising time of an operating voltage.
US08421521B1

Embodiments relate to a metal-oxide-semiconductor device including a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). The MOSFET includes a gate configured to change electrical characteristics based on a sensed chemical characteristic and a source and drain. One of the source and drain is connected to an analysis circuit, and a backgate is connected to an AC voltage source.
US08421517B2

A semiconductor device of the present invention is provided with a terminal for connecting a plurality of buses to the outside of the semiconductor device, a bus interface circuit for treating the plurality of buses as the same bus within the semiconductor device and a controller connected to the bus interface circuit.
US08421487B2

A method and a device for monitoring at least one output stage for an inductive load using a current regulator and an analysis device are described. A short circuit to a power supply or to ground is detected by comparing at least one current value in a switching phase of the at least one output stage with at least one current value in a free-wheeling phase of the at least one output stage.
US08421486B2

An oil-degradation detecting apparatus that can more accurately judge oil degradation and a mechanical system having a rotating part or a sliding part and including the oil-degradation detecting apparatus are provided. Two plates (21, 22) are disposed in an oil flow path (11) so as to be parallel to each other, an ammeter (24) measures a current that flows when an AC voltage is applied between the two plates (21, 22), a voltmeter measures the voltage between the plates (21, 22), and a signal processor (processor) (31) determines the electrical conductivity and the dielectric constant of the oil (10) based on the measurement results from the ammeter (24) and the voltmeter (25) and judges degradation of the oil (10) based on the electrical conductivity and the dielectric constant.
US08421483B2

A device may include a first layer, a second layer, a third layer, a capacitive sensing component coupled to the first layer, and a force sensing component coupled to the first layer and the third layer and configured to detect the amount of force applied to the second layer. A method may include monitoring capacitance and voltage at one or more input sensors configured to detect changes in capacitance and to detect changes in applied force, detecting a change in capacitance, activating a capacitance response in response to detecting a change in capacitance, detecting a change in voltage, and activating a force response in response to detecting a change in voltage.
US08421481B2

Detecting and/or mitigating the presence of particle contaminants in a MEMS device involves including MEMS structures that in normal operation are robust against the presence of particles but which can be made sensitive to that presence during a test mode prior to use, e.g., by switching the impedance of sensitive structures between an exceptionally sensitive condition during test and a normal sensitivity during operation; surrounding sensitive nodes with guard elements that are at the same potential as those nodes during operation, thereby offering protection against bridging particles, but are at a very different potential during test and reveal the particles by their resulting leakage currents; extending the sensitive nodes to interdigitate with or otherwise extend adjacent to the guard structures, which neither contribute to nor detract from the device operation but cover otherwise open areas with detection means during test; and/or converting benign areas in which particles might become trapped undetectably by electric fields during test to field-free regions by extending otherwise non-functional conductive layers so that the particles can then be moved into detection locations by providing some mechanical disturbance.
US08421479B2

At least one embodiment is directed to a sensor for measuring a parameter. A signal path of the system comprises an amplifier (612), a sensor element, and an amplifier (620). The sensor element comprises a transducer (4) at a first location of a waveguide (5), and a reflective surface (30) at a second location of the waveguide (5). A parameter such as force or pressure applied to the sensor element can change the length of waveguide (5). A pulsed energy wave is emitted by the transducer (4) into the waveguide (5) at the first location. The transducer (4) is responsive to pulsed energy waves reflected from reflective surface (30) to the second location. The transit time of each pulsed energy wave is measured. The transit time corresponds to the pressure or force applied to the sensor element.
US08421477B2

A circuit for detecting variation of a resistance value of a resistor with respect to a reference value includes a first resistor; a second resistor; a first current source circuit for supplying current to the first resistor; a second current source circuit for supplying current to the second resistor; a voltage comparator circuit for comparing a voltage across the first resistor and a voltage across the second resistor; and a control circuit for digitally adjusting the supply current of at least one of the first or second current source circuit. A ratio of resistance values of the first and second resistors can be obtained from an adjustment value from the control circuit and result of comparison from the voltage comparator circuit.
US08421476B2

A fan failure detector for detecting whether a fan is locked with a drive IC, a coil and an inspection circuit, the drive IC outputting a pulse signal, the coil is electrically connected to the drive IC and driven by the drive IC, the inspection circuit is electrically connected to the drive IC and the coil, the inspection circuit includes an RC charge/discharge circuit, a diode, a second capacitor, a voltage divider and a transistor having an output terminal, wherein the RC charge/discharge circuit, the diode, the voltage divider and the transistor are sequentially connected in series, the second capacitor is electrically connected with the diode and the voltage divider, when the fan operates normally, the output terminal provides a low voltage signal, when the fan locks, the output terminal provides a high voltage signal to avoid a wrong judgment that the fan still operates normally.
US08421471B2

Method for nondestructive and noncontact detection of faults in a test piece, with a transmitter coil arrangement with at least one transmitter coil that transmits periodic electromagnetical AC fields to a test piece, a receiver coil arrangement with at least one receiver coil for detecting a periodic electrical signal having a carrier oscillation whose amplitude and/or phase is modulated by a fault in the test piece. A signal processing unit produces a useful signal from the receiver coil signal, and an evaluation unit evaluates the useful signal to detect a fault in the test piece. A self-test unit undertakes systematic quantitative checking of signal processing functions of the signal processing unit and/or of the transmitter coil arrangement and/or of the receiver coil arrangement and/or upon external request undertakes calibration of the signal processing unit using a calibration standard which replaces the transmitter coil arrangement and/or of the receiver coil arrangement.
US08421469B2

A test apparatus and corresponding method for simulating an internal cell short and initiating thermal runaway in a battery cell is disclosed whereby the cell is internally heated through rapid charge and discharge cycles at high currents. The magnitude of the selected current may be modulated to simulate a cell short with the desired power profile without unrealistically heating neighboring cells or interfering with the thermal environment of the cell within the module.
US08421467B2

Battery insulation resistance measurement methods, insulation resistance measurement methods, insulation resistance determination apparatuses, and articles of manufacture are described. According to one aspect, a battery insulation resistance measurement method includes determining a voltage of a battery, determining a voltage of a first terminal of the battery with respect to a ground reference, determining a voltage of a second terminal of the battery with respect to the ground reference, and using the voltages of the battery, the first terminal and the second terminal, determining an insulation resistance of the battery with respect to the ground reference.
US08421465B2

This disclosure describes methods and apparatus for indicating battery cell status on a battery pack assembly used during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments described herein seek to provide methods for indicating battery cell status on the exposed exterior of a battery assembly pack both when the battery is in use and when the battery is not in use during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments utilize power from the ventilator as well as power from the battery pack itself to light the indicators during periods of battery use and non-use, respectively. Embodiments described herein further seek to provide an apparatus indicating battery cell status on the exposed exterior of the battery pack assembly during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments described herein further seek to provide an apparatus for a battery pack assembly used during mechanical ventilation. Embodiments described herein seek to provide a system for a ventilation system with an inserted battery pack assembly.
US08421464B2

An underground tunnel detection system does not employ radar. Instead, an automatic frequency control is used to keep a continuous wave (CW) transmission tuned to the resonant frequency of a resonant microwave patch antenna (RMPA). Changes in loading and the bulk dielectric constant of the mixed media in front of the RMPA will affect its resonant frequency and input impedance. A significant shift in the measured input impedance is interpreted as a possible tunnel, and the phase angle of the measured input impedance tends to indicate a slightly forward or aft position relative to the detection system rolling over it on the ground surface.
US08421460B2

An upconverter has a two port parametric amplifier that has a first port to receive an input signal to be amplified and upconverted and a second port to receive a local oscillator signal and to output the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies. The upconverter further has an antenna coupled to the second port to receive the local oscillator signal and transmit the amplified, upconverted signal at upper and lower sideband frequencies and a low noise amplifier at the first port of the parametric amplifier, which is powered by the local oscillator signal.
US08421455B1

A magnetometer and concomitant magnetometry method comprising emitting light from a light source, via a pulse generator pulsing light from the light source, directing the pulsed light to an atomic chamber, employing a field sensor in the atomic chamber, and via a signal processing module receiving a signal from the field sensor.
US08421454B2

A nuclear magnetic resonance well logging tool, where some embodiments comprise two, oppositely oriented magnets separated by a pole piece to guide static magnetic flux into a sensitive volume, and another pole piece serving as a core for several antennas. For some embodiments, the antennas are solenoids. Two of the antennas serve as transmit and receive antennas, where they are driven to generate an elliptically polarized magnetic field, and their antenna responses are combined so that the combined response is sensitive to elliptically polarized magnetic fields, but with zero gradient in the z-direction. A third antenna serves as a receive antenna sensitive to magnetic field vectors having a sinusoidal spatial variation in the z-direction of period equal to the length of the third antenna. A fourth antenna serves as a receive antenna sensitive to sinusoidal magnetic field vectors with the same spatial-frequency as the third antenna, but phase shifted by 90 degrees. A fifth antenna may be utilized, which serves as a receive antenna sensitive to the next higher spatial-frequency component of the received signal. The receive antennas have good cancellation of mutual coupling. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08421448B1

A system includes a controller, a Hall-effect sensor and transceiver connected to the controller; and a flux-producing element having a plurality of magnetic flux lines emanating therefrom. The system may be secured to or contained within a wearable glove. The flux-producing element may be coupled to an object separate from the wearable glove. The Hall-effect sensor transmits a Hall-effect sensor signal to the controller when the Hall-effect sensor is perpendicular to at least some of the plurality of magnetic flux lines. The Hall-effect sensor signal may include data received from the flux-producing element. The controller transmits a controller signal to the transceiver after receiving the Hall-effect sensor signal. The controller signal may include input from a motion sensor and/or an orientation sensor connected to the controller. The transceiver may transmit the signal to a remote processor. The signal may be used for gesture recognition, information coding, and/or information processing.
US08421447B2

An electromagnetic induction type rotary encoder includes an excitation board including an excitation coil, a detection board fixed to a movable element to face the excitation board and including a detection coil placed to face the excitation coil with a clearance therefrom, and a controller for outputting an excitation signal to the excitation coil and processing a detection signal output from the detection coil. The controller includes an excitation circuit for exciting the excitation coil at high frequency and a high-frequency generating circuit, a demodulation circuit for demodulating a signal from the detection coil in accordance with excitation to the excitation coil, a waveform shaping circuit for waveform shaping a signal from the demodulation circuit, and a pulse generating circuit for outputting a pulse signal based on the signal from the waveform shaping circuit. Each of the excitation coil and the detection coil is formed in a meandering coil pattern.
US08421444B2

A device for sensing electrical current or voltage in an electrical distribution system using an actively compensated current ratio transformer that includes a first magnetic core having a first permeability and a second magnetic core having a second permeability higher than the first permeability. A primary winding having P turns is coupled with the first and second magnetic cores, a measurement winding having M turns is coupled with the first and second magnetic cores so that current in the primary winding induces current in the measurement winding, and a sense winding having S turns is coupled with the second magnetic core. An amplifier coupled to the sense winding receives a voltage developed across the sense winding and produces a compensation current in response to the received voltage. The amplifier has an output coupled to the sense winding to feed the compensation current through the sense winding to reduce the voltage developed across the sense winding voltage to substantially zero. A burden resistor is coupled to the measurement winding and the sense winding for receiving the sum of the current induced in the measurement winding and the compensation current.
US08421435B2

In a circuit and method for correcting a delay variation of a subthreshold CMOS circuit operating in a subthreshold region, a power supply voltage controlling circuit is provided for supplying a controlled output voltage to a subthreshold digital CMOS circuit as a controlled power supply voltage. The subthreshold digital CMOS circuit includes CMOS circuits each having a pMOSFET and an nMOSFET and operating in a subthreshold region with a predetermined delay time, and further includes a minute current generator circuit generating a predetermined minute current based on a power supply voltage, and a controlled output voltage generator circuit generating a controlled output voltage for correcting a variation in the delay time based on a generated minute current and supplying the controlled output voltage to the subthreshold digital CMOS circuit as a controlled power supply voltage including a change in each threshold voltage of the pMOSFET and the nMOSFET.
US08421434B2

A temperature corrected voltage bandgap circuit is provided. The circuit includes first and second diode connected transistors. A first switched current source is coupled to the one transistor to inject or remove a first current into or from the emitter of that transistor. The first current is selected to correct for curvature in the output voltage of the bandgap circuit at one of hotter or colder temperatures.
US08421420B2

A rectification processor includes rectifier elements that control charge to batteries independently for each of the batteries. A charge-state detector detects charge states of the batteries from their voltages, and determines whether to select the batteries for charging in a half-cycle determined beforehand in accordance with the detected result. A synchronous signal detector detects a signal synchronized with the phase of the 3-phase alternate current (AC) generator from the 3-phase AC generator, and outputs a synchronous signal. A charge controller controls the charge in the rectification processor in synchronization with the 3-phase AC generator according to the synchronous signal from the synchronous signal detector, and, in accordance with the charge states of the batteries output from the charge-state detector, controls charge amounts to the battery/batteries that was determined for selection.
US08421415B2

Provided is a hybrid working machine capable of performing battery charging control both for a working period and a standby period. The hybrid working machine includes a hydraulic actuator, an engine, a hydraulic pump driven by the engine to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic actuator, a battery, a generator motor connected to the engine to serve as a generator by an output power of the engine to charge the battery and serve as a motor for assisting the engine by supply of an electric power from the battery, a battery monitor detecting a battery SOC, a controller which controls a charging power of the battery depending on the battery SOC, and a working state detector detecting a working state as information for discriminating between a working period during which the hydraulic actuator is actuated and a standby period during which the hydraulic actuator is not actuated. The controller limits the charging power in the standby period in comparison with in the working period.
US08421410B2

A resonance type non-contact charging device includes a high frequency power source, a primary side resonant coil, a secondary side resonant coil, a charger, a secondary battery, and a stop control unit. The primary side resonant coil receives supply of high frequency electric power from the high frequency power source. The secondary side resonant coil is arranged apart from the primary side resonant coil in a non-contact manner. The secondary side resonant coil receives electric power from the primary side resonant coil through magnetic field resonance between the primary side resonant coil and the secondary side resonant coil. The charger receives supply of high frequency electric power from the secondary side resonant coil. The secondary battery is connected to the charger. The stop control unit stops the high frequency power source before stopping the charger when charging is to be stopped.
US08421394B2

The invention relates to a method for current measurement in an in particular multiphase electrical system, in which an electrical load is energized as desired by at least one circuit element and a control unit produces drive signals which act on the at least one circuit element in order to achieve the desired energization of the load. The invention provides that clock patterns of the drive signals are associated with measurement windows for current measurement, in particular for measuring phase currents, and clock patterns are temporally offset in order to obtain measurement windows with a sufficient temporal length. A minimum temporal shift is the sum of a minimum dead time of the circuit element, a minimum settling time of the measuring amplifier circuit, and a minimum sampling time of the analogue-to-digital converter. The invention furthermore provides that the clock patterns are selected taking into consideration a phase selection for the current measurement. Provision may be made for the clock patterns to be selected taking into consideration the instantaneous rotary angle position of the phase vector. In addition, a corresponding apparatus is specified.
US08421389B2

The invention relates to converters (inverters, pulse or frequency converters) and to driving “magnetically active” operating means. According to one embodiment, a circuit arrangement for feeding the operating means in at least one first winding phase (S1), comprises a first branch (Z1) of a frequency converter (WR1) adapted for and operable at a switching frequency of not higher than 5 kHz for outputting a main alternating current generated at said switching frequency and having a substantially lower operating frequency (f1) to a winding (L1). A second branch (z1) of another frequency converter (WR2) is adapted for and operable at a second switching frequency of more than 5 kHz for outputting a supplementary alternating current generated at said switching frequency to the same winding (L1). In the at least one winding (L1), the two alternating currents (iA(t); iB(t)) of the two branches (Z1, z1) are superimposed to form a sum current.
US08421385B2

Disclosed is a method for braking or stopping an electromotor which can be operated with direct current, such as a brushless direct current motor. If there is an error in the electromotor or in the electronic or mechanical units connected to the electromotor, the presence of definite error states is verified, and the electromotor is braked, by carrying out, taking into consideration a maximum loading capacity of an electronic control unit which is connected to the electromotor, at least temporarily, a control of the electromotor which is adapted to the detected, definite error state.
US08421371B2

An LED drive circuit in which an alternating voltage is input and an LED is driven, and which can be connected to a phase control dimmer The LED drive circuit is provided with an edge detector for detecting an edge of the output voltage of the phase control dimmer; and a current extractor for extracting a current from a current feed line for feeding an LED drive current to the LED; wherein the value of the current extracted from the current feed line by the current extractor is varied in accordance with the detection results of the edge detector.
US08421367B2

A light-emitting diode (LED) light source suitable for being electrically connected with a power line is provided. The LED light source includes an LED array, a power line communication (PLC) unit and a current control unit. The PLC unit is electrically connected with the power line, and the current control unit is electrically connected with the LED array and the PLC unit.
US08421363B2

A lamp assembly includes a housing that selectively receives a removable, plug-in high intensity discharge (HID) lamp. A transformer and electrical circuit are received in the housing for providing an instant start, hot re-strike ignition of the lamp at less than 25 kilovolts. A circuit for an instant start, hot re-strike of an HID lamp supplies an ignition voltage to the HID lamp that includes pulses having an amplitude of less than 25 kilovolts and a frequency ranging from approximately 20 hertz to approximately 500 hertz. Preferably, the frequency is greater than 100 hertz, more preferably the frequency is approximately 150 hertz. The amplitude of pulses are preferably less than approximately 15 kilovolts, and more preferably approximately 8-10 kilovolts. The pulse width is approximately 200 nanoseconds and the peaks of the pulses are periodic with a period of approximately 2 milliseconds.
US08421362B2

An illumination apparatus used in non-light emission transparent display devices includes a base material, light emitting elements arranged two dimensionally on the surface of the base material, a drive section driving the light emitting elements, and a light emitting intensity control section controlling a light emitting intensity of the light emitting elements. An arrangement of the light emitting elements is such that a density at ends of the base material is high compared to that in a center part thereof, and the ends have a high density in regions where the base temperature is high and the center part has a high density in regions where the base material temperature is high.
US08421359B2

A discharge lamp unit constitutes circuit components including self-heating components that radiate the heat, i.e., a circuit board and a DC/DC transformer, and a heat radiation member. The heat radiation member made of metal is arranged in a portion between the self-heating components and the other components, so as to cover at least a portion of the self-heating component. In the discharge lamp unit, the heat produced by the self-heating components can be absorbed by the heat radiation member before the conducting heat reaches the circuit components other than the self-heat components. As a result, the heat produced by the self-heating components can be effectively radiated away.
US08421355B2

In a plasma tube array-type display device, a first surface of the intermediate member, which is a flexible and bumpy intermediate member 4 interposed between a plasma tube array and a frame substrate, is attached with the rear surface of the plasma tube array at a top face of a plurality of convex portions provided on the first surface, and a second surface opposite to the first surface is attached with the frame substrate so as to define a screen shape, thereby the plasma tube array can be separated easily from the frame substrate.
US08421350B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device, which has a high operating performance and reliability.A third passivation film 45 is disposed under an EL element 203 which comprises a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, to make a structure in which heat generated by the EL element 203 is radiated. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents alkali metals within the EL element 203 from diffusing into the TFTs side, and prevents moisture and oxygen of the TFTs side from penetrating into the EL element 203. More preferably, heat radiating effect is given to a fourth passivation film 50 to make the EL element 203 to be enclosed by heat radiating layers.
US08421347B2

In a device according to the present invention, a first conductive electrode layer being patterned and light transmissive is formed on a light-transmissive substrate and a laminated layer containing a plurality of organic-compound layers is formed so as to cover at least a part of the first electrode layer. The laminated layer is partly removed so that the first electrode layer is partly exposed. At least one layer containing a second conductive electrode layer is formed on the laminated layer and the exposed part of the first electrode layer. A part of the laminated layer and a part of the second electrode layer are simultaneously removed by application of a laser beam from a side of the substrate, so that a plurality of light-emitting sections are electrically connected in series on the substrate.
US08421341B2

An electroluminescent device includes: first to third pixel regions; a first electrode in each of the first to third pixel regions, wherein the first electrode of the third pixel region has a first thickness, the first electrode of the first pixel region has a second thickness less than the first thickness, and the first electrode of the second pixel region has a third thickness less than the second thickness; a second electrode in each of the first to third pixel regions; at least two electroluminescent units in each of the first and third pixel regions and disposed between the first electrode and second electrode, wherein one of the at least two electroluminescent units includes a blue light emitting layer and the other of the at least two electroluminescent units include a red/green light emitting layer; and a charge generation layer disposed between the at least two electroluminescent units.
US08421332B2

Disclosed herein are a capacitive touch screen and a method for manufacturing the same. The capacitive touch screen includes: a base member on which a plurality of electrode patterns are formed; conductive adhesive members formed at ends of the electrode patterns; a window disposed over the base member and having a plurality of electrode wirings formed in an outer region thereof, the plurality of electrode wirings being opposite to the electrode patterns; and auxiliary electrodes formed at one of the ends of the electrode wirings to conduct the electrode patterns with the electrode wirings by the conductive adhesive members.
US08421315B2

An electrostrictive structure includes a flexible polymer matrix and a carbon nanotube film structure at least partly embedded into the flexible polymer matrix. The carbon nanotube film structure includes a number of carbon nanotubes combined by van der Waals attractive force therebetween. The carbon nanotube film structure extends in a curve in the flexible polymer matrix.
US08421313B2

A piezoelectric energy harvesting device (PEHD) comprising a driving element, conducting element, piezoelectric layer and non-piezoelectric layer capable of converting ambient mechanical energy into electrical energy. The piezoelectric layer may be constructed from PMN-PT or PZT having a thickness of about 1-150 μm. The PEHD may be used to generate about 1 W. The harvested energy may be stored and used to power microelectronic devices and rechargeable battery technologies.
US08421312B2

An acceleration sensor includes a piezoelectric layer formed on a substrate, and sensing electrodes formed in the piezoelectric layer. In the acceleration sensor, the piezoelectric layer interposing between the sensing electrodes is polarized in a film thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer.
US08421300B2

A brush holder is placed between a yoke housing and a gear housing and includes a holder member and a base member. The holder member is installed to an opening of the yoke housing and holds a plurality of brushes. The base member is installed to the holder member and includes a connector, which is adapted to connect with an external connector to receive an electric power. An output side end part of the yoke housing has a flange portion, through which the gear housing is fixed to the yoke housing. The holder member includes a contact portion that contacts the flange portion of the yoke housing in an axial direction of a rotatable shaft.
US08421295B2

A stator for an electric rotating machine is provided which is equipped with a stator coil. The stator coil has a plurality of in-slot portions arrayed within each of slots formed in a stator core in a radial direction of the stator core. Adjacent two of the in-slot portions disposed in each of the slots have radially-facing surfaces which extend in non-parallel to one another at least one of ends of the in-slot portions. The non-parallel orientation of the radially-facing surfaces avoids close contact between entire areas thereof when the in-slot portions move undesirably within the slot in the radial direction of the stator core. In other words, a gap is kept between the radially-facing surfaces and serves as a radiator to dissipate heat, as generated in the in-slot portions.
US08421291B2

The disclosure relates to an electric machine with a permanent magnet rotor, where permanent magnets have been fitted on an outer surface of a cylindrical rotor, and relates to a permanent magnet. The permanent magnets forming the electric machine's rotor pole are shaped so that the electric machine's air gap is substantially constant in a middle of the pole, and the air gap increases in an essentially straightforward manner when moving towards the edge of the pole. The permanent magnet is of an even thickness in the middle, and becomes thinner towards the edges. This can result in a decrease in the torque ripple and cogging torque of an electric machine.
US08421281B2

The invention relates to a linear drive for a machine tool having a housing, having a carriage, which is mounted so it is axially movable in the housing via two bearings, and has a central axis and a length, and having at least one first motor, having a first motor element and a second motor element, wherein said first motor element is disposed on said carriage and said second motor element is disposed on said housing, wherein said first motor element is implemented on said carriage as a primary part and said second motor element is implemented on said housing as a secondary part. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for moving a carriage for a lathe tool of a highly-dynamic machine tool employing a crossed roller bearing for mounting the carriage, wherein all roller bodies of said crossed roller bearing are always operationally linked to a carriage-side bearing surface, and said carriage is driven at an oscillation frequency of at least 50 Hz, in particular between 60 Hz and 200 Hz.
US08421274B2

A wireless energy transfer system includes a first energy transfer unit having at least one resonant frequency, a second energy transfer unit having the at least one resonant frequency, and a load. The first wireless energy transfer unit includes a first coil magnetically coupled to a first wireless energy transfer cell, and the second wireless energy transfer unit includes a second coil magnetically coupled to a second wireless energy transfer cell. The first coil receives first energy and through the magnetic coupling between the first coil and the first wireless energy transfer cell, the first wireless energy transfer cell is caused to generate second energy, wherein the second wireless energy transfer cell receives the second energy and through the magnetic coupling between the second wireless energy transfer cell and the second coil, the second coil is caused to provide third electromagnetic wave energy to the load.
US08421272B2

There is provided a transmission system, including a power supplying apparatus that includes an AC signal generation unit that generates an AC signal, a first resonance unit that has an induction component and/or a capacitance component and resonates the AC signal generated by the AC signal generation unit, and a power supplying electrode that externally radiates the resonated AC signal as a potential difference in an electrostatic field, and a power receiving apparatus that includes a power receiving electrode that generates an electric signal by sensing the potential difference in the electrostatic field, a second resonance unit that has an induction component and/or a capacitance component and resonates the electric signal generated by the power receiving electrode, and a rectification unit that rectifies the resonated electric signal.
US08421271B2

An apparatus includes an energy storage device, a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the energy storage device, and an input device. A voltage bus is coupled to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter and to the input device. The apparatus also includes a controller configured to control the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter to convert a charging energy on the voltage bus into a charging energy suitable for charging the energy storage device during a charging operation and to monitor a voltage of the energy storage device during the charging operation. The controller is also configured to control the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter to convert the charging energy into a charging energy configured to maintain the voltage of the energy storage device at a pre-determined value.
US08421258B2

A machine for recovering power from a flow of compressed gas, for example, natural gas includes a turbo-expander having a turbo-expander wheel, and a generator having a rotor able to be driven by the turbo-expander wheel and a stator about the rotor. The turbo-expander and the generator are housed in a length of pipe. The turbo-expander wheel has an obverse side facing the generator. There is a flow passage for the flow of expanded gas that places the obverse side of the wheel in gas flow communication with an outer surface of the stator. This outer surface typically carries fins to facilitate cooling of the stator by expanded gas from the turbo-expander.
US08421247B2

A connecting material that includes metallic particles with an oxygen state ratio of less than 15% as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a mean particle size between 0.1 μm and 50 μm; and especially a connecting material that includes metallic particles that have been subjected to treatment for removal of a surface oxide film and subjected to surface treatment with a surface protective material, so as to provide a connecting material having a high coefficient of thermal conductivity even when joined at a curing temperature of up to 200° C. without application of a load, and that has sufficient bonding strength even when the cured product has been heated at 260° C.; as well as a semiconductor device employing the connecting material to bond a semiconductor element to a support member.
US08421243B2

A layered chip package includes a main body, and wiring disposed on a side surface of the main body. The main body includes: a main part including a plurality of layer portions stacked; a plurality of first terminals disposed on the top surface of the main part and connected to the wiring; and a plurality of second terminals disposed on the bottom surface of the main part and connected to the wiring. The plurality of layer portions include a first-type layer portion and a second-type layer portion. The first-type layer portion includes a conforming semiconductor chip, and a plurality of first-type electrodes that are connected to the semiconductor chip and the wiring. The second-type layer portion includes a defective semiconductor chip, and a plurality of second-type electrodes that are connected to the wiring and not to the semiconductor chip.
US08421237B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a first memory layer oriented in a first planar orientation, a second memory layer oriented in a second planar orientation, a third memory layer oriented in the first planar orientation; and a connector that is connected to the first memory layer at an electrical contact of the first memory layer and to the third memory layer at an electrical contact of the third memory layer, where the connector is unconnected to the second memory layer. At least one of the electrical contact of the first memory layer and the electrical contact of the third memory layer comprises a through-layer via. The second planar orientation is angularly offset a predetermined number of degrees from the first planar orientation.
US08421236B2

A semiconductor device includes an electrode pad formed above a semiconductor substrate, and being a connecting portion for an external electrical connection; a multilayer body including a plurality of first interconnect layers formed in a plurality of insulating films stacked between the semiconductor substrate and the connecting portion and including an upper interconnect connected to the connecting portion, and a via configured to connect the first interconnect layers; a ring body formed in the plurality of insulating films to surround the multilayer body without interposing space, and including a plurality of second interconnect layers and at least one line via linearly connecting the second interconnect layers; and a lead line electrically connecting the connecting portion to an internal circuit. The multilayer body is connected to the ring body by at least one of the plurality of first interconnect layers. The lead line is connected to the ring body.
US08421235B2

The semiconductor device has a unit stack body including a plurality of units stacked on one another. Each unit includes a power terminal constituted of a lead part and a connection part. The connection part is formed with a projection and a recess. When the units are stacked on one another, the projection of one unit is fitted to the recess of the adjacent unit, so that the power terminals of the respective unit are connected to one another.
US08421231B2

The present invention provides a conductive composite comprising: suspension matrix, metal nanoparticles suspended within the suspension matrix, wherein the conductive composite has a conductivity greater than 104 S cm−1.
US08421230B2

Production of a device including: a substrate; multiple components forming an electronic circuit on the substrate; multiple superimposed metal levels of interconnections of the components, wherein the metal levels are located in at least one insulating layer resting on the substrate; and multiple elements made from a positive temperature coefficient conductive polymer material, wherein the elements traverse the insulating layer to a given depth, and are connected to at least one conductive line of a given interconnection level.
US08421222B2

A method of assembling chips. A first chip and a second chip are provided. At least one conductive pillar is formed on the first chip, and a conductive connecting material is formed on the conductive pillar. The second chip also comprises at least one conductive pillar. The first chip is connected to the second chip via the conductive pillars and the conductive connecting material.
US08421220B2

A chip package includes: a substrate; a plurality of conductive connections in contact with the silicon carrier; a silicon carrier in a prefabricated shape disposed above the substrate, the silicon carrier including: a plurality of through silicon vias for providing interconnections through the silicon carrier to the chip; liquid microchannels for cooling; a liquid coolant flowing through the microchannels; and an interconnect to one or more chips or chip stacks.
US08421219B2

A semiconductor component includes a semiconductor element that has a plurality of signals, a wiring board that is disposed below the semiconductor element and that draws the plurality of signals of the semiconductor element, a heat conduction member that dissipates heat generated by the semiconductor element, a joining member that is disposed between the semiconductor element and the heat conduction member and that joins the heat conduction member to the semiconductor element, a support member formed with an opening so as to surround the semiconductor element that supports the heat conduction member, a first adhesive member that is disposed between the support member and the wiring board to bond the support member with the wiring board and a second adhesive member that is disposed between the support member and the heat conduction member to bond the support member with the heat conduction member.
US08421217B2

A system and method system for achieving mechanical and thermal stability in a multi-chip package. The system utilizes a lid and multiple thermal interface materials. The method includes utilizing a lid on a multi-chip package and utilizing multiple thermal interface materials on the multi-chip package.
US08421216B2

A vacuum hermetic organic packaging carrier is provided. The organic packaging carrier includes an organic substrate, a conductive circuit layer, and an inorganic hermetic insulation film. The organic substrate has a first surface. The conductive circuit layer is located on the first surface and exposes a portion of the first surface. The inorganic hermetic insulation film at least covers the exposed first surface to achieve an effect of completely hermetically sealing the organic packaging carrier.
US08421214B2

A semiconductor device mountable to a substrate is provided. The device includes a semiconductor package having at least one semiconductor die, an electrically conductive attachment region, and a packaging material in which is embedded the semiconductor die and a first portion of the electrically conductive attachment region contacting the die. A metallic shell encloses the embedded semiconductor die and the first portion of the electrically conductive attachment region.
US08421209B2

A semiconductor device in which a semiconductor chip, a lead frame and metal wires for electrically connecting the lead frame are sealed with sealing resin. The lead frame has a plurality of lead terminal portions, a supporting portion for supporting the semiconductor chip, and hanging lead portions supporting the supporting portion. Each of the lead terminal portions adjacent to the hanging lead portion is a chamfered lead terminal portion having, at its head, a chamfered portion formed substantially in parallel with the hanging lead portion so as to avoid interference with the hanging lead portion.
US08421206B2

Provided is a semiconductor device in which a connection between connection terminals and land of the semiconductor device can be checked with the semiconductor device kept in a sound condition, the connection not being allowed to be checked with a semiconductor chip. The semiconductor device of the present invention includes: a package substrate; a semiconductor chip mounted on the package substrate; a first land formed in a first principal surface of the package substrate; a second land formed in a second principal surface of the package substrate; first connection terminals connected to the second land and having the connection thereto not allowed to be checked with the semiconductor chip; a connection interconnection for connecting the first land and the second land; a second connection terminal formed in the second principal surface of the package substrate; and a branch interconnection for connecting the connection interconnection and the second connection terminal.
US08421202B2

A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a substrate; attaching a device to the substrate; providing interconnects on the substrate; and forming a flexible tape substantially conformal to the device and contacting the interconnects.
US08421194B2

A trench structure and an integrated circuit comprising sub-lithographic trench structures in a substrate. In one embodiment the trench structure is created by forming sets of trenches with a lithographic mask and filling the sets of trenches with sets of step spacer blocks comprising two alternating spacer materials which are separately removable from each other. In one embodiment, the trench structures formed are one-nth the thickness of the lithographic mask's feature size. The size of the trench structures being dependent on the thickness and number of spacer material layers used to form the set of step spacer blocks. The number of spacer material layers being n/2 and the thickness of each spacer material layer being one-nth of the lithographic mask's feature size.
US08421193B2

An integrated circuit device includes a bottom wafer, at least one stacking wafer positioned on the bottom wafer, and at least one conductive via penetrating through the stacking wafer and into the bottom wafer in a substantially linear manner, wherein the bottom wafer and the stacking wafer are bonded by an intervening adhesive layer, and no bump pad is positioned between the bottom wafer and the stacking wafer. A method for preparing an integrated circuit device includes the steps of forming a bottom wafer, forming at least one stacking wafer, bonding the at least one stacking wafer to the bottom wafer by an intervening adhesive layer, and forming at least one conductive via penetrating through the stacking wafer and into the bottom wafer in a substantially linear manner, wherein no bump pad is positioned between the bottom wafer and the stacking wafer.
US08421179B2

A Schottky diode with high antistatic capability has an N− type doped drift layer formed on an N+ type doped layer. The N− type doped drift layer has a surface formed with a protection ring. Inside the protection ring is a P-type doped area. The N− type doped drift layer surface is further formed with an oxide layer and a metal layer. The contact region between the metal layer and the N− type doped drift layer and the P-type doped area forms a Schottky contact. The P-type doped area has a low-concentration lower layer and a high-concentration upper layer, so that the surface ion concentration is high in the P-type doped area. The Schottky diode thus has such advantages of lowered forward voltage drop and high antistatic capability.
US08421178B2

A solid-state imaging device including an imaging area formed of a plurality of pixels arrayed in a two-dimensional matrix is provided. The solid-state imaging device includes: a photoelectric conversion portion including a charge accumulation region provided on a semiconductor substrate; a read transistor for reading electric charges from the photoelectric conversion portion; and a gettering site for separating metal impurities within the semiconductor substrate from at least the photoelectric conversion portion. The photoelectric conversion portion is provided on the surface side of the semiconductor substrate, and the gettering site is provided on the rear side away from the semiconductor substrate.
US08421177B2

The vertical silicon photomultiplier according to the present invention includes a trench electrode and a PN-junction layer perpendicular to the trench electrode forms and can maximize the quantum efficiency at optical wavelengths, 200˜900 nm in such a way that: it generates electric fields horizontal thereto, by applying a reverse bias voltage to between the trench electrode and the PN-junction layer, so that, although ultraviolet light does not reach the PN-junction layer but is incident on the surface, electron-hole pairs can be produced by the horizontally generated electric fields although and an avalanche breakdown can be thus generated, and it allows ultraviolet light, capable of being transmitted to a relatively deep depth, to react with the PN-junction layer.
US08421173B2

A chip package structure includes a silicon substrate, a sensing component, a metal circuit layer, a first insulating layer and a conductive metal layer. The silicon substrate has opposite first and second surfaces. The sensing component is disposed on the first surface. The metal circuit layer is disposed on the first surface and electrically connected to the sensing component. The first insulating layer covers the second surface and has a first through hole to expose a portion of the second surface. The conductive metal layer is disposed on the first insulating layer and includes first leads and a second lead. The first leads are electrically connected to the metal circuit layer. The second lead is filled in the first through hole to electrically connect to the silicon substrate and one of the first leads. A chip packaging process for fabricating the chip package structure is also provided.
US08421165B2

Apparatuses, systems, and methods for tunneling MOSFETs (TFETs) using a self-aligned heterostructure source and isolated drain. TFETs that have an abrupt junction between source and drain regions have an increased probability of carrier direct tunneling (e.g., electrons and holes). The increased probability allows a higher achievable on current in TFETs having the abrupt junction.
US08421158B2

The present invention provides a method for forming a chip structure with a resistor. A semiconductor substrate is provided and has a surface. A plurality of electronic devices and a resistor is formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of circuit layers are formed over the semiconductor substrate. The dielectric layers are stacked over the semiconductor substrate and have a plurality of via holes. Each of the circuit layers is disposed on corresponding one of the dielectric layers respectively, wherein the circuit layers are electrically connected with each other through the via holes and are electrically connected to the electronic devices. A passivation layer is formed over the dielectric layers and the circuit layers. A circuit line is formed over the passivation layer, wherein the circuit line passes through the passivation layer and is electrically connected to the resistor.
US08421151B2

The semiconductor device of this invention has unit cells, each of which includes: a substrate; a drift layer on the substrate; a body region in the drift layer; a first doped region of a first conductivity type in the body region; a second doped region of the first conductivity type arranged adjacent to the body region and in a surface region of the drift layer; a third doped region of the first conductivity type arranged between two adjacent unit cells' second doped region of the first conductivity type and in the surface region of the drift layer to contact with the second doped region of the first conductivity type; a gate insulating film arranged to contact with the surface of the drift layer at least between the first and second doped regions of the first conductivity type; a gate electrode on the gate insulating film; and first and second ohmic electrodes. The dopant concentration of the third doped region of the first conductivity type is lower than that of the second doped region of the first conductivity type and equal to or higher than that of the drift layer.
US08421150B2

The present invention discloses a high voltage device and a manufacturing method thereof. The high voltage device is formed in a first conductive type substrate, wherein the substrate has an upper surface. The high voltage device includes: a second conductive type buried layer, which is formed in the substrate; a first conductive type well, which is formed between the upper surface and the buried layer; and a second conductive type well, which is connected to the first conductive type well and located at different horizontal positions. The second conductive type well includes a well lower surface, which has a first part and a second part, wherein the first part is directly above the buried layer and electrically coupled to the buried layer; and the second part is not located above the buried layer and forms a PN junction with the substrate.
US08421146B2

A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a silicon pillar provided perpendicularly to a main surface of the semiconductor substrate; a gate dielectric film that covers a portion of a side surface of the silicon pillar; an insulator pillar that covers remaining portions of the side surface of the silicon pillar; a gate electrode that covers the silicon pillar via the gate dielectric film and the insulator pillar; an interlayer dielectric film provided above the silicon pillar, the gate dielectric film, the insulator pillar, and the gate electrode; and a gate contact plug embedded in a contact hole provided in the interlayer dielectric film, and in contact with the gate electrode and the insulator pillar. A film thickness of the insulator pillar in a lateral direction is thicker than a film thickness of the gate dielectric film in a lateral direction.
US08421141B2

A non-volatile memory device includes a substrate, a gate stack, a selecting gate, an erasing gate, a source region, and a drain region. The gate stack on the substrate includes from bottom to top a tunneling dielectric layer, a floating gate, an inter-gate dielectric layer, a control gate, and a spacer that is located between sidewalls of the control gate and the inter-gate dielectric layer. A side of the floating gate adjacent to the erasing gate has a warp-around profile and a sharp corner protruding from a vertical surface of the spacer. The selecting and erasing gates are respectively located at first and second sides of the substrate of the gate stack. The source region is located in the substrate under the erasing gate. The drain region is located in the substrate at a side of the selecting gate.
US08421135B2

In a display device such as a liquid crystal display device, a large-sized display screen is realized under low power consumption. A surface of a source wiring line of a pixel portion employed in an active matrix type liquid crystal display device is processed by way of a plating process operation so as to lower a resistance value of this source wiring line. The source wiring line of the pixel portion is manufactured at a step different from a step for manufacturing a source wiring line of a drive circuit portion. Further, electrodes of a terminal portion are processed by a plating process operation so as to reduce a resistance value thereof.
US08421132B2

A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes forming a stress inducing layer over one or more partially completed field effect transistor (FET) devices disposed over a substrate, the one or more partially completed FET devices including sacrificial dummy gate structures; planarizing the stress inducing layer and removing the sacrificial dummy gate structures; and following the planarizing the stress inducing layer and removing the sacrificial dummy gate structures, performing an ultraviolet (UV) cure of the stress inducing layer so as to enhance a value of an initial applied stress by the stress inducing layer on channel regions of the one or more partially completed FET devices. A semiconductor structure includes a UV cured tensile nitride layer formed over the substrate and between gate structures of the NFET devices, with portions of the UV cured tensile nitride layer having a trapezoidal profile with a bottom end wider than a top end.
US08421122B2

A monolithic high power radio frequency switch includes a substrate, and first and second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors on the substrate. Each of the first and second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors includes a respective source, drain and gate terminal. The source terminal of the first gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor is coupled to the drain terminal of the second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, and the source terminal of the second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor is coupled to ground. An RF input pad is coupled to the drain terminal of the first second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, an RF output pad is coupled to the source terminal of the first gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor and the drain terminal of the second gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor, and a control pad is coupled to the gate of the first gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor.
US08421121B2

An apparatus in one example comprises an antimonide-based compound semiconductor (ABCS) stack, an upper barrier layer formed on the ABCS stack, and a gate stack formed on the upper barrier layer. The upper barrier layer comprises indium, aluminum, and arsenic. The gate stack comprises a base layer of titanium and tungsten formed on the upper barrier layer.
US08421120B2

A problem is arisen in conventional J-FETs that a shifting in a threshold voltage (VT) is generated before or after an energization with a gate current. A junction gate field effect transistor (J-FET) according to the present invention includes an undoped InGaAs channel layer 5, which is capable of accumulating carrier of a first conductivity type, a p+ type GaAs layer 17 (semiconductor layer), which is provided on the undoped InGaAs channel layer 5, and contains an impurity of a second conductivity type, and a gate electrode 18, which is provided on the p+ type GaAs layer 17. Here, the concentration of hydrogen contained in the p+ type GaAs layer 17 is lower than the concentration of the second conductivity type carrier in the p+ type GaAs layer 17.
US08421114B2

In the present invention, a semiconductor film is formed through a sputtering method, and then, the semiconductor film is crystallized. After the crystallization, a patterning step is carried out to form an active layer with a desired shape. The present invention is also characterized by forming a semiconductor film through a sputtering method, subsequently forming an insulating film. Next, the semiconductor film is crystallized through the insulating film, so that a crystalline semiconductor film is formed. According this structure, it is possible to obtain a thin film transistor with a good electronic property and a high reliability in a safe processing environment.
US08421112B2

Disclosed are a light emitting device and a light emitting device package having the same. The light emitting device includes a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer under the first conductive semiconductor layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer under the active layer; a first electrode layer under the second conductive semiconductor layer; an electrode including a top surface making contact with a part of a bottom surface of the first conductive semiconductor layer; and an insulating member for covering an outer peripheral surface of the electrode, wherein a part of the insulating member extends into a region between the second conductive semiconductor layer and the first electrode layer from a bottom surface of the electrode.
US08421109B2

A light-emitting apparatus package of the present invention includes (i) an electrically insulated ceramic substrate, (ii) a first concave section formed in the direction of thickness of the ceramic substrate so as to form a light exit aperture in a surface of the ceramic substrate, (iii) a second concave section formed within the first concave section in the further direction of thickness of the ceramic substrate so that one or more light-emitting devices are provided therein, (iv) a wiring pattern for supplying electricity, which is provided in the first concave section, and (v) a metalized layer having light-reflectivity, which is (a) provided between the light-emitting device and the surface of the second concave section of the substrate, and (b) electrically insulated from the wiring pattern. On the account of this, the light-emitting apparatus package in which heat is excellently discharged and light is efficiently utilized and a light-emitting apparatus in which the light-emitting apparatus package is used can be obtained.
US08421105B2

A semiconductor light-emitting device is provided. The semiconductor light-emitting device may include a light-emitting structure, an electrode, an ohmic layer, an electrode layer, an adhesion layer, and a channel layer. The light-emitting structure may include a compound semiconductor layer. The electrode may be disposed on the light-emitting structure. The ohmic layer may be disposed under the light-emitting structure. The electrode layer may include a reflective metal under the ohmic layer. The adhesion layer may be disposed under the electrode layer. The channel layer may be disposed along a bottom edge of the light-emitting structure.
US08421097B2

An organic light emitting diode display includes a substrate main body, a plurality of organic light emitting diodes formed on the substrate main body, and a differential capping layer covering the plurality of organic light emitting diodes, the differential capping layer having a plurality of thicknesses. The differential capping layer has first regions with a thickness of 90 nm to 120 nm, and second regions with a thickness smaller than the thickness of the first regions.
US08421094B2

A light emitting device includes: a ceramic substrate; a plurality of LED chips; a printed resistor(s) connected in parallel with the plurality of LED chips; a dam resin made of a resin having a low optical transmittance; a fluorescent-material-containing resin layer; and an anode-side electrode and a cathode-side electrode, (a) which are provided on a primary surface of the ceramic substrate so as to face each other along a first direction on the primary surface and (b) which are disposed below at least one of the dam resin and the fluorescent-material-containing resin layer. With the configuration in which a plurality of LEDs, which are connected in a series-parallel connection, are provided on a substrate, it is possible to provide a light emitting device which can achieve restraining of luminance unevenness and an improvement in luminous efficiency.
US08421090B2

A display and a method of manufacturing the same, the display including a substrate main body, a first thin film transistor on the substrate main body, the first thin film transistor including a first gate electrode, the first gate electrode including polycrystalline silicon, a first semiconductor layer on the first gate electrode, first source electrode, and a first drain electrode, and a second thin film transistor on the substrate main body, the second thin film transistor including a second semiconductor layer, the second semiconductor layer including polycrystalline silicon and being on a same plane as the first gate electrode, a second gate electrode on the second semiconductor layer, a second source electrode, and a second drain electrode.
US08421089B2

A light emitting device includes a substrate, a first lead frame and a second lead frame on the substrate, an installation portion electrically connected to the first lead frame or the second lead frame, the installation portion being thinner than the first lead frame or the second lead frames, a light emitting diode on the installation portion, and a conductive member electrically connecting at least one of the lead frames to the light emitting diode.
US08421079B2

A pixel structure having an SMII (semiconductor-metal-insulator-ITO) capacitor is provided. Specifically, a partial region of a transparent electrode layer corresponding to a semiconductor layer is removed, so as to eliminate parasitic capacitance between the transparent electrode layer and the semiconductor layer, prevent defects (e.g., waterfall, image sticking, etc.) from occurring on the display frame, and improve the display quality.
US08421075B2

A light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system are provided. The light emitting device includes a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and an active layer between the first and second conductive type semiconductor layers. The active layer includes a first active layer adjacent to the second conductive type semiconductor layer, a second active layer adjacent to the first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a gate quantum barrier between the first and second active layers.
US08421070B2

A semiconductor device may include a composite represented by Formula 1 below as an active layer. x(Ga2O3).y(In2O3).z(ZnO)  Formula 1 wherein, about 0.75≦x/z≦about 3.15, and about 0.55≦y/z≦about 1.70. Switching characteristics of displays and driving characteristics of driving transistors may be improved by adjusting the amounts of a gallium (Ga) oxide and an indium (In) oxide mixed with a zinc (Zn) oxide and improving optical sensitivity.
US08421067B2

A semiconductor device having a structure which enables sufficient reduction in parasitic capacitance is provided. In addition, the operation speed of thin film transistors in a driver circuit is improved. In a bottom-gate thin film transistor in which an oxide insulating layer is in contact with a channel formation region in an oxide semiconductor layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are formed in such a manner that they do not overlap with a gate electrode layer. Thus, the distance between the gate electrode layer and the source electrode layer and between the gate electrode layer and the drain electrode layer are increased; accordingly, parasitic capacitance can be reduced.
US08421066B2

An organic electroluminescence device includes: a pair of electrodes; and at least one organic layer including a light emitting layer, the light emitting layer being provided between the pair of electrodes, wherein at least one layer of the at least one organic layer contains a compound represented by formula (1): wherein each of Z11 and Z12 independently represents an aromatic heterocyclic ring or an aromatic hydrocarbon ring; R11 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, provided that a plurality of R11s are the same or different; m represents an integer of 1 or more; and L1 represents a single bond or an m-valent linking group and is linked to any one of C atoms in R11, Z11 and Z12, provided that when m is 1, L1 does not exist.
US08421065B2

An organic electroluminescent display device which satisfies all of chromatic purity, transmission factor, reduction in reflection, and reflected color in balance at low cost is provided. An organic electroluminescent (EL) display device includes: a main substrate; an organic light-emitting layer formed above the main substrate and including a red light-emitting layer which emits red light, a green light-emitting layer which emits green light, a blue light-emitting layer which emits blue light, and a bank which is a non-light emitting region; a first light-adjusting layer formed above the blue light-emitting layer and the bank, which selectively transmits the blue light and selectively absorbs the green light and the red light; and a second light-adjusting layer formed above the red light-emitting layer and the green light-emitting layer, which selectively absorbs the blue light and selectively transmits the green light and the red light.
US08421062B2

A nanofiber composite including a nanofiber formed of a hydrophobic polymer, a nanowire formed of a conductive or semiconductive organic material that is oriented in the nanofiber in the longitudinal direction of the nanofiber, and an ionic active material.
US08421054B2

A light-emitting diode element includes: an n-type conductive layer 2 being made of a gallium nitride-based compound, a principal surface being an m-plane; a semiconductor multilayer structure 21 provided on a first region 2a of the principal surface of the n-type conductive layer 2, the semiconductor multilayer structure 21 including a p-type conductive layer 4 and an active layer 3; a p-electrode 5 provided on the p-type conductive layer 4; a conductor portion 9 provided on a second region 2b of the principal surface of the n-type conductive layer 2, the conductor portion 9 being in contact with an inner wall of a through hole 8; and an n-type front surface electrode 6 provided on the second region 2b of the principal surface of the n-type conductive layer 2, the n-type front surface electrode 6 being in contact with the conductor portion 9.
US08421052B2

An electrical device includes an insulating substrate; an elongated piezoelectric semiconductor structure, a first electrode and a second electrode. A first portion of the elongated piezoelectric semiconductor structure is affixed to the substrate and a second portion of the elongated piezoelectric semiconductor structure extends outwardly from the substrate. The first electrode is electrically coupled to a first end of the first portion of the elongated piezoelectric semiconductor structure. The second electrode is electrically coupled to a second end of the first portion of the elongated piezoelectric semiconductor structure.
US08421051B2

According to one embodiment, a resistance-change memory includes a variable resistance element having a laminated structure in which a first electrode, a resistance-change film and a second electrode are laminated, and set to a low-resistance state and a high-resistance state according to stored data, an insulating film provided on a side surface of the variable resistance element, and a fixed resistance element provided on a side surface of the insulating film, and includes a conductive film, the fixed resistance element being connected in parallel with the variable resistance element.
US08421050B2

Methods in accordance with this invention form a microelectronic structure by forming a carbon nano-tube (“CNT”) layer, and forming a carbon layer (“carbon liner”) above the CNT layer, wherein the carbon liner comprises: (1) a first portion disposed above and in contact with the CNT layer; and/or (2) a second portion disposed in and/or around one or more carbon nano-tubes in the CNT layer. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08421049B2

Provided is a switching device including ion conducting part 4 having an ion conductor, first electrode 1 formed at a first gap away from ion conducting part 4, second electrode 2 formed to be in contact with ion conducting part 4 and third electrode 3 formed at a second gap away from ion conducting part 4. Second electrode 2 supplies metal ions to the ion conductor, or receives the metal ions from the ion conductor to precipitate metal corresponding to the metal ions.
US08421045B2

An article for providing protection from electromagnetic energy, and an associated method for provision of such. The article includes conductive fibers extending within the article, varistor material dispersed and secured within the article, and ferrite material dispersed and secured within the article.
US08421043B2

A solid state radiation source array is provided, the array comprising at least one solid state ultraviolet radiation source and at least one solid state infrared radiation source.
US08421041B2

The invention comprises intensity control of a charged particle beam acceleration, extraction, and/or targeting method and apparatus used in conjunction with charged particle beam radiation therapy of cancerous tumors. Particularly, intensity of a charged particle stream of a synchrotron is described. Intensity control is described in combination with turning magnets, edge focusing magnets, concentrating magnetic field magnets, winding and control coils, and extraction elements of the synchrotron. The system reduces the overall size of the synchrotron, provides a tightly controlled proton beam, directly reduces the size of required magnetic fields, directly reduces required operating power, and allows continual acceleration of protons in a synchrotron even during a process of extracting protons from the synchrotron.
US08421037B2

A variety of methods and systems are described that relate to reducing optical noise. In at least one embodiment, the method includes, emitting a first light having a selected wavelength from a light source, receiving a reflected first light onto a phosphor-based layer positioned inside a receiver, the reflected first light being at least some of the emitted first light that has been reflected by an object positioned outside of a desired target location. The method further includes, shifting the wavelength of the received reflected first light due to an interaction between the received reflected first light and the phosphor-based layer, and passing the received reflected first light with respect to which the wavelength has been shifted through a light detector without detection.
US08421036B2

A sensor chip includes a dielectric plate and a sensor portion having a metal layer deposited on a predetermined area on the dielectric plate. A photo-reactable labeling-substance of an amount corresponding to the amount of a substance to be detected in a sample binds to the sensor portion by contacting the sample with the sensor portion. The amount of the substance to be detected is obtained by irradiating the predetermined area with excitation light and by detecting light output from the photo-reactable labeling-substance in an enhanced electric field that has been generated on the metal layer by irradiation with the excitation light. The photo-reactable labeling-substance includes a photo-reactable substance enclosed by a light transmissive material that transmits light output from the photo-reactable substance to prevent metal quenching that occurs when the photo-reactable substance is located close to the metal layer.
US08421035B2

Systems and methods that enhance the resolution of a microscope in all three spatial dimensions. A microscope system is provided that typically includes a first objective lens (20), an illumination source that provides excitation illumination (λex) at a first wavelength through the objective lens (20) in a first direction onto a fluorescent sample so as to induce fluorescent emission in the sample at a second wavelength (λfl) different than the first wavelength. The system also typically includes an element (60) that provides illumination at the second wavelength (λfl) to the sample in a second direction different from the first direction, and a detector (10) for detecting the fluorescent emission. The optical gain of the fluorescent emission at the second wavelength is enhanced through stimulated emission.
US08421030B2

One embodiment relates to a charged-particle energy analyzer apparatus. A first mesh is arranged to receive the charged particles on a first side and pass the charged particles to a second side, and a first electrode is arranged such that a first cavity is formed between the second side of the first mesh and the first electrode. A second mesh is arranged to receive the charged particles on a second side and pass the charged particles to a first side, and a second electrode is arranged such that a second cavity is formed between the first side of the second mesh and the second electrode. Finally, a third mesh is arranged to receive the charged particles on a first side and pass the charged particles to a second side, and a position-sensitive charged-particle detector is arranged to receive the charged particles after the charged particles pass through the third mesh.
US08421019B2

A method and a corresponding system for obtaining a serum mid-infrared spectroscopic profile using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are described. The method comprises acquiring FTIR spectra for dried sera and preprocessing the FTIR spectra of sera by differentiation and smoothing to enhance weak spectral features and to remove baseline variations. The preprocessed FTIR spectra are normalized to a common intensity range, the normalization being performed in a spectral sub-region defined by strongest infrared (IR) absorption for a protein to obtain the serum spectroscopic profile. The serum spectroscopic profiles provide a basis to diagnose immunoglobulin disorders or to quantify serum immunoglobulin levels.
US08421006B2

A device for generating sprays of charged droplets, and resulting nanoparticles, the device comprising a first needle connected to an electrical potential line to generate a first spray of charged particles from the first needle, and a second needle spaced apart from and facing the first needle, and connected to an electrical line configured to ground the second needle or to apply a voltage to the second needle that is the same polarity as the voltage applied to the first needle. The device also comprising an electric field modifier connected to the first needle, and configured to modify an electrical field to generate a second spray of charged particles from the second needle.
US08421005B2

The present invention is a device to restrict the sampling of analyte ions and neutral molecules from surfaces with mass spectrometry and thereby sample from a defined area or volume. In various embodiments of the present invention, a tube is used to sample ions formed with a defined spatial resolution from desorption ionization at or near atmospheric pressures. In an embodiment of the present invention, electrostatic fields are used to direct ions to either individual tubes or a plurality of tubes positioned in close proximity to the surface of the sample being analyzed. In an embodiment of the present invention, wide diameter sampling tubes can be used in combination with a vacuum inlet to draw ions and neutrals into the spectrometer for analysis. In an embodiment of the present invention, wide diameter sampling tubes in combination with electrostatic fields improve the efficiency of ion collection.
US08420988B2

A domestic appliance includes a control panel and a control panel mounting bracket which includes a frame shaped for being installed on a surface panel of a domestic appliance. The surface panel has an opening therein for receiving the frame. The frame has an open portion for receiving a control mount adhered over the open portion. The surface panel has a top surface and a bottom surface, and the frame has a main securing member having at least one tab extending therefrom. The tab is bendable along a line off-set from vertical such that when the tab is bent, it bears against the bottom surface of the surface panel to urge the frame against the surface panel.
US08420983B2

A steam cooker 1 has: a steam generation heater 52 generating steam; and a steam heating heater 41 heating the steam generated by the steam generation heater 52 to generate overheated steam and heating steam in a heating chamber 20 through circulation, an-article-to-be-heated F being cooked by use of steam fed into the heating chamber 20. The steam cooker 1 has: a first cooking step in which the article-to-be-heated F is cooked with supply of electric power to the steam generation heater 52 being larger than that to the steam heating heater 41; and a second cooking step in which the article-to-be-heated F is cooked with supply of electric power to the steam generation heater 52 being smaller than that to the steam heating heater 41. When the temperature of the article-to-be-heated F exceeds the fat melting temperature zone but is less than or equal to 100° C., the first cooking step is switched to the second cooking step.
US08420981B2

A substrate thermal processing system. The system has at least one substrate holding module having a housing configured for holding an isolated environment therein. A substrate heater is located in the housing and has a substrate heating surface. A substrate cooler is located in the housing and having a substrate cooling surface. A gas feed opening into the housing and feeding inert or reducing gas into the housing when the substrate is heated by the heating surface. A gas restrictor is within the housing restricting the fed gas between the substrate heating surface and a surrounding atmospheric region substantially surrounding the substrate heating surface in the housing and forming an aperture through which the fed gas communicates with the atmospheric region.
US08420980B2

The conventional lead member had a constant thickness in a section parallel to a longitudinal direction, so that it has found it difficult to enlarge a joint area with a soldering material. Therefore, the lead member itself has to be enlarged so as to enlarge the contact area which contributes to the joining property between the lead member and the soldering material. In a section parallel to the longitudinal direction of a lead member (11) and containing the center axis (A) of the lead member (11), the distance from one point (X) of the soldered portion of the outer circumference of the lead member (11) to the center axis (A) of the lead member (11) is made shorter than the distance from another point (Y) of the soldered portion to the center axis (A), so that the contact area between the lead member (11) and the soldering material can be enlarged.
US08420972B2

The present invention relates to a method of machining a master link disposed at a distal end of a chain and constituting a part of a track chain link of a lower driving device used in an endless track vehicle (a bulldozer, an excavator). According to the present invention, it is possible to rapidly perform the machining work by secondarily adjusting the horizontal degree and the vertical degree of the integrally manufactured front and rear master link in a short time after primarily wire cutting it by using an exclusive clamping jig for the primary wire cut and an exclusive clamping jig for the secondary machining center, and machine the interference portion generated at the time of the assembly of the master link with the corresponding product, by using the machining center provided with the ball end mill, the flat end mill, and the chamfer end mill, in a short time, thereby achieving reduction of the machining time, maintaining the uniform quality and reduction of the production expense.
US08420969B2

An embodiment of a switchgear has: a closing shaft; a main lever fixed to the closing shaft and associated with a movable contact; a cutoff spring; a sub-shaft; a sub-lever and a latch lever which are connected to the sub-shaft; a roller pin mounted to the leading end of the latch lever; a latch; a latch returning spring for urging the latch; a latch pin fixed to the latch; and a ring mounted to the latch pin so as to be movable in the radial direction of the latch pin. In the closed state, the roller pin presses the leading end of the latch. In power cutoff operation, latch is pulled so as to permit rotation of the latch, engagement between the roller pin and the leading end of the latch is disengaged, and the sub-shaft is rotated by urging by the cutoff spring.
US08420968B2

Disclosed is a switching mechanism for a mold cased circuit breaker, capable of indicating a contacts status by a position of a handle. The switching mechanism comprises a handle; a lever providing a rotation supporting point of the handle; a shaft configured to rotatably support a movable contactor; a trip spring having an upper end supported by the handle, and configured to indicate a melt-adhered state of contacts by manipulating the handle to a TRIP position from an OFF position since a horizontal position of a lower end supporting point thereof in the TRIP position is discordant with a horizontal position of a rotation supporting point of the lever; a latch configured to restrict the trip spring; an upper link and a lower link; a toggle pin configured to support a lower end of the trip spring so as to provide the lower end supporting point; a latch holder; a nail rotatable to a position to restrict or release the latch holder; and an isolation lever having one end connected to the shaft and another end contactable to the nail, pressed by the lever by being upwardly moved so as to contact the lever, and configured to push the nail to a position to release the latch holder when manipulating the handle to an OFF position in a state that the contact of the movable contactor and the contact of the fixed contactor are melt-adhered to each other.
US08420967B2

A back-lit operating unit for construction machinery includes a front panel having a plurality of cut-outs. Operating components are received in the cut-outs. A lighting device is arranged behind the front panel. The front panel has a sandwich construction including a carrier panel, a transparent mounting panel located on a front of the carrier panel, and a transparent film located on a front of the mounting panel.
US08420960B1

Apparatus, systems, and methods associated with a disconnect pullout handle for selectively conducting power between jaw connectors are provided. In one embodiment, the disconnect pullout handle includes a molded handle base and a conductive blade configured for frictional engagement with the jaw connectors to provide a current path therebetween. The conductive blade is molded integrally into the blade retaining finger.
US08420955B2

A lead pin for a package substrate includes a coupling pin, a head portion, and a flowing prevention portion. The coupling pin is to be inserted into a hole which is formed in an external substrate. The head portion is formed at one end of the coupling pin. The flowing prevention portion is formed on the top surface of the head portion and prevents a solder paste from flowing toward the coupling pin on the top surface of the head portion when the head portion is mounted on the package substrate.
US08420953B2

A dummy memory card includes a circuit board and a golden finger board. The circuit board includes a first conductive element and a second conductive element connected to a first electrical load. The golden finger board extends from the circuit board and is inserted into a memory slot of a motherboard. The golden finger board includes a first power pin and a first ground pin. The first conductive element is electrically connected to the first power pin. The second conductive element is electrically connected to the second power pin.
US08420951B2

A manufacturing method of a package structure is provided. In the manufacturing method, a metal substrate having a seed layer is provided. A patterned circuit layer is formed on a portion of the seed layer. A first patterned dry film layer is formed on the other portion of the seed layer. A surface treatment layer is electroplated on the patterned circuit layer with use of the first patterned dry film layer as an electroplating mask. The first patterned dry film layer is removed. A chip bonding process is performed to electrically connect a chip to the surface treatment layer. An encapsulant is formed on the metal substrate. The encapsulant encapsulates the chip, the surface treatment layer, and the patterned circuit layer. The metal substrate and the seed layer are removed to expose a bottom surface of the encapsulant and a lower surface of the patterned circuit layer.
US08420945B2

A package substrate may include an insulating substrate, first circuit patterns, second circuit patterns and a test pattern. The first circuit patterns may be arranged on the insulating substrate. The second circuit patterns may be arranged on the insulating substrate. The second circuit patterns may be arranged between the first circuit patterns. The test pattern may be electrically connected between same polar terminals of the first circuit patterns and the second circuit patterns. Thus, electrical connections between the semiconductor chip and the circuit patterns may be tested before performing a process for cutting the package substrate.
US08420943B1

Disclosed herein are embodiments of an electrical wiring grommet. In one aspect, an electrical wiring grommet includes a body mounting portion, a closure panel mounting portion and a flexible conduit portion extending between the body mounting portion and the closure panel mounting portion. The flexible conduit portion includes a longitudinally extending body contact segment having a circumference, the circumference having a first circumferential portion and a second circumferential portion. The first circumferential portion includes a corrugated surface having a plurality of ridges with a first ridge height, and the second circumferential portion includes a corrugated surface having a plurality of ridges with a second ridge height less than the first ridge height.
US08420937B2

An enclosure of an outdoor apparatus includes a first case, a second case and a gasket ring sealed between the first case and the second case. The first case includes a first cover and a flange portion extending from the first cover outwardly. The first case defines a first open surrounded by the flange portion. The flange portion defines a latching groove towards the first open. The second case includes a second cover and a stopper portion extending from the second cover outwardly. The stopper portion is received in the first open and matches with the flange portion. The cover defines a second open surrounded by the stopper portion and opposite to the first open. The stopper portion includes a latch portion protruded outwardly from the stopper portion to engage with the latching groove.
US08420935B2

A bus support system is provided. The bus support system includes a bus support having a plurality of vertical channels configured to receive vertical bus conductors, each of the plurality of vertical channels having a rear protrusion on a rear side of the bus support. The bus support system also includes a plurality of add-on bus support braces disposed on the rear side of the bus support and configured to contact the plurality of channels to limit a movement of the vertical bus conductors during a high current event.
US08420927B2

A solar cell and a solar cell module including the solar cells are disclosed. The solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type; an emitter layer of a second conductive type positioned at a light receiving surface of the substrate; a plurality of first electrodes that are positioned on the emitter layer and are electrically connected to the emitter layer; and at least one first current collector that is positioned on the emitter layer in a direction crossing the plurality of first electrodes, wherein a thickness of each of the plurality of first electrodes is different from a thickness of the at least one first current collector, and a difference of the thickness of the each first electrode to the thickness of the at least one current collector is equal to or less than about 0.5 times the thickness of the at least one first current collector.
US08420923B1

A music playing device for symphonic compositions allows a user to selective locate one or more musical instrument playing pieces within an orchestral pit and to listen to the series of notes of those instruments placed into the pit. The additive and subtractive benefits of musical instruments are thus appreciated. The device comprises a main base and individual, preferably, three dimensional musical instruments as playing pieces. Multiple symphonic musical compositions are available to be played with only the notes of those instruments being heard if and when placed into the pit area.
US08420907B1

Basically, this invention provides for an inbred corn line designated NPFA5849, methods for producing a corn plant by crossing plants of the inbred line NPFA5849, with plants of another corn plant. The invention relates to the various parts of inbred NPFA5849, including culturable cells. This invention also relates to methods for introducing transgenic transgenes into inbred corn line NPFA5849, and plants produced by said methods.
US08420894B2

A novel snap pea cultivar, designated SL3118, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of pea cultivar SL3118, to the plants of pea-line SL3118 and to methods for producing a pea plant by crossing the cultivar SL3118 with itself or another pea line. The invention further relates to methods for producing a pea 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 pea lines derived from the cultivar SL3118.
US08420879B2

The invention relates to a process for workup of a stream (1) comprising butene and/or butadiene, butane, hydrogen and/or nitrogen and carbon dioxide, comprising: (a) absorption of stream (1) with a mixture (5) comprising 80 to 97% by weight of N-methylpyrrolidone and 3 to 20% by weight of water to obtain a stream (9) comprising N-methylpyrrolidone, water, butene and/or butadiene, butane, and optionally carbon dioxide, and a stream (7) comprising hydrogen and/or nitrogen and butane, (b) extractive distillation of stream (9) with a stream (13) comprising 80 to 97% by weight of N-methylpyrrolidone and 3 to 20% by weight of water to separate the stream (9) into a stream (17) comprising N-methylpyrrolidone, water, butene and/or butadiene, and a stream (15) comprising essentially butane, and optionally carbon dioxide, (c) distillation of stream (17) into a stream (23) comprising essentially N-methylpyrrolidone and water, and a stream (21) comprising butene and/or butadiene.
US08420871B2

Process for producing a chlorohydrin by reaction between a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, an ester of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof, and a chlorinating agent, according to which the multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, the ester of a multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or the mixture thereof used contains at least one solid or dissolved metal salt, the process comprising a separation operation to remove at least part of the metal salt.
US08420864B2

Disclosed herein is N-ethylmethylamine having a very high degree of purity, that is to say very low contents of impurities commonly encountered in conventional industrial processes, and a process for preparing, on an industrial scale, high-purity N-ethylmethylamine.
US08420856B2

The present invention provides a process for preparing Teriflunomide of formula (I).
US08420851B2

The present invention relates to novel compounds of general formula (I) which are thyroid receptor ligands and are preferably selective for the thyroid hormone receptor beta (TR-Beta). Further, the present invention relates to processes of preparing such compounds, their tautomeric forms, novel intermediates involved in their synthesis, their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, methods for using such compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US08420850B2

The invention comprises compounds which are derived from a drug or a substance with therapeutic properties, and useful as reagents for the synthesis of biostable polymers including said drug in their backbone, namely polyurethanes, polyureas or polyurea urethanes that are biocompatible and biostable. The invention also comprises the processes for preparing the compounds and the polymers, and to the use of these polymers for the manufacture of medical devices.
US08420849B2

Provided are γ-ketosulfide compounds represented by the formula (5): where the structural variables R1, R2, R3 and R4 are as defined herein.
US08420839B1

A method of purifying 1α-hydroxy-2-methylene-18,19-dinor-homopregnacalciferol to obtain 1α-hydroxy-2-methylene-18,19-dinor-homopregnacalciferol in crystalline form using precipitation with hexane from ethyl acetate. A method of preparing 1α-hydroxy-2-methylene-18,19-dinor-homopregnacalciferol crystals acceptable for X-ray experiment using precipitation with hexane from benzene by diffusive exchange of the solvents is also described.
US08420838B2

According to the invention, a process for the rectification of mixtures of high-boiling air- and/or temperature-sensitive substances which require a high separation efficiency is proposed, in particular a process for the working-up of a VE- or VEA-containing product stream. The process is characterized in particular in that, in a first purification stage, low-boiling products and unspecified isomers of the useful product are separated from the product stream virtually without loss of useful product and that, in a second purification stage, the useful product is removed in a stream having a purity of >97% by weight and a further stream having a purity of >92% by weight. A preferred embodiment of the process serves for working up VEA, in which the loss of useful product in the first purification stage is less than 5%, based on that amount of VEA in the feed which is added to the purification stage per unit time. Furthermore, the first purification stage may comprise a rectification column (1), from the top (1a) of which the low-boiling products and the unspecified isomers of VEA are taken off, a stream containing the useful product in purified form being taken off at the side (15) and/or at the bottom (1b) of the column (1).
US08420837B2

A stabilized nano-Fe6-iron-crown ether complex is formed by preparing a solution of an iron salt and an olygomer crown compound in dialkylamine or diethylamine. Sodium tetrahydroboron (NaBH4) and dialkylamine or ethylendiamine are added at a temperature of 0-10° C. The mixture is heated to room temperature and boiled, thereby converting the formed iron (II)-borhydride complex (Fe(BH4)2) to a crown ether—iron-hydride complex [CWFe06]·(2H)6. At higher temperature this last complex is converted to the Fe06-crown nanocomposite complex.
US08420834B2

Disclosed is a process for manufacturing crude Artemisinin comprising the extraction of Artemisia annua from plant material with carbon dioxide or water in a critical physical state such that after extraction, the solvent evaporates completely from the resulting extract.
US08420827B2

Wherein n is an integer of from 0 to 3; R1A is a 5-membered aromatic heterocyclic group containing at least one oxygen atom; R2A is —COR8 (wherein R8 is aryl); R3A is hydrogen or lower alkyl; and R12 represents cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alicyclic heterocyclic group, aromatic heterocyclic group, alicyclic hetocyclic-alkyl, or aromatic heterocyclic-alkyl, and R1A, R2A, R3A and R12 are individually optionally substituted.
US08420819B2

A process to crystallize uniform small particles of a compound of Formula (I) with narrow particle size distribution and excellent powder characteristics that facilitate the formulation process and optimal drug product performance, wherein the compound of Formula (I) is: wherein R1, R2, and R3 are as described herein.
US08420810B2

A compound of a formula (I): wherein R1 represents a C3-10 branched alkyl group which may be substituted; R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-4 alkyl group which may be substituted; R3 represents a C1-4 alkyl group which may be substituted or a halogen atom; R4 represents a C1-4 alkyl group which may be substituted; and ring 1 represents a cyclic group which has planarity and may have a substituent group, a salt thereof, an N-oxide thereof or a solvate thereof, or a prodrug thereof, is useful as a medicinal component having CRF antagonistic activity for the prevention and/or treatment of a neuropsychiatric disease, a peripheral organ disease and the like.
US08420808B2

The present invention is directed to a process for the preparation of Efavirenz, (4S)-6-chloro-4-(cyclopropylethynyl)-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,4-dihydro-2H-3,1-benzoxazin-2-one, of formula (I) comprising reacting the intermediate of formula (II) [0045] as a free base or a salt thereof, with diphosgene (TCMCF, trichlormethylchloroformate) Cl3CO—COCl in an organic solvent or in a biphasic medium comprised of an organic solvent and water, preferably but not mandatorily in the presence of a weak base in an amount sufficient to neutralise the reaction mixture or in an up to 30% molar excess of such amount.
US08420804B2

A method of making a 5-formylporphyrin, comprises the steps of: condensing a 5-acetaldipyrromethane with a dipyrromethane-1,9-dicarbinol to produce a porphyrin having an acetal group substituted thereon at the 5 position; and then hydrolyzing said porphyrin to produce said 5-formylporphyrin. Products and intermediates useful in such methods, along with methods of making such intermediates, are also described.
US08420793B2

Recombinant lubricin molecules and uses thereof. Novel recombinant lubricin molecules and their uses as lubricants, anti-adhesive agents and/or intra-articular supplements for, e.g., synovial joints, meniscus, tendon, peritoneum, pericardium and pleura, are provided.
US08420788B2

The present invention relates to an affinity ligand capable of selective interaction with an epitope sequence consisting of 47 amino acids or less and comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 and/or SEQ ID NO:2. Further, it relates to a polypeptide consisting of the epitope sequence and to uses of the affinity ligand and the polypeptide.
US08420787B2

The present invention relates to human thymic stromal lymphopoietin (hTSLP) antibodies and especially those which neutralize hTSLP activity. It further relates to methods for using anti-hTSLP antibody molecules in diagnosis or treatment of hTSLP related disorders, such as asthma, atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and Hodgkin's lymphoma.
US08420771B2

Provided are a new pH-sensitive co-polymer prepared from polyethylene oxide and a method of preparing the same. The polyethylene oxide co-polymer includes repeating units expressed by the Chemical Formulas 1 and 2, and further includes at least one of repeating units expressed by the Chemical Formulas 3 through 6.
US08420768B2

Higher diamondoid derivatives capable of taking part in polymerization reactions are disclosed as well as intermediates to these derivatives, polymers formed from these derivatives and methods for preparing the polymers.
US08420760B2

Substantially isotaclic propylene interpolyraets comprise (A) at least 60 weight percent (wt %) units derived from propylene, and (B) between greater than zero and 40 wt % units derived from ethylene, the propylene interpolyrner further characterized by at least one of the following properties: (1) a ratio of less than 1 measured at interpolyraer number average molecular weight (Mn), (2) a relative compositional drift of less than 50%, arid (3) propylene chain segments having a chain isotacticity triad index of at least 70 mole percent.
US08420755B2

The present invention relates to a novel metallocene compound, a catalyst composition including the compound and an olefin polymer prepared using the same. The metallocene compound and the catalyst composition can be used for preparing the olefin polymer with high copolymerization degree and high molecular weight. Particularly, the block copolymer with high heat resistance can be prepared by using the metallocene compound, and the olefin polymer with high melting point (Tm) can be obtained, even if co-monomer is used at an increased amount in preparation of olefin polymer.
US08420754B2

The present invention is directed to the use of aluminum alkyl activators and co-catalysts to improve the performance of chromium-based catalysts. The aluminum alkyls allow for the variable control of polymer molecular weight, control of side branching while possessing desirable productivities, and may be applied to the catalyst directly or separately to the reactor. Adding the alkyl aluminum compound directly to the reactor (in-situ) eliminates induction times.
US08420747B2

A thermosetting polymer material capable of being used in powder coatings. The thermosetting polymer material includes at least one hydroxyl functional aliphatic polycarbonates that is formulated and crosslinked with isocyanates to yield a thermoset organic coating material. These materials provide improved weatherability as compared to prior art powder coating materials while also being less expensive than prior art materials utilizing fluorinated polymers.
US08420741B2

An ethylene based polymer composition comprising the following component (A) and the following component (B) wherein the content of the component (B) is 0.1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the component (A):Component (A): an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer satisfying all of the following requirements (a1) to (a3): (a1) the density is 890 to 925 kg/m3, (a2) the melt flow rate (MFR) is 0.1 to 10 g/10 minutes, (a3) the flow activation energy (Ea) is less than 50 kJ/mol, Component (B): an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer satisfying all of the following requirements (b1) to (b3): (b1) the density is 890 to 925 kg/m3, (b2) the intrinsic viscosity [η] measured in a tetralin solution is 4 to 15 dL/g, (b3) the flow activation energy (Ea) is less than 50 kJ/mol.
US08420718B2

The composition of the present invention contains a product having a thiol group obtained by reacting an Sb or Bi oxide or an Sb or Bi halide with at least one kind of polythiol compounds selected from compounds having at least two thiol groups in a molecule.
US08420716B2

A golf ball exhibits excellent abrasion-resistance and resilience. A golf ball of the present invention includes: a core; and a cover covering the core, wherein the cover is formed of a cover composition containing a (meth)acrylic polymer-modified silicate and a resin component.
US08420714B2

An ink composition comprising: (A) an isoindoline-based pigment; (B) a polymeric dispersant; (C) an alkylammonium salt of a sulfonated derivative of a disazo-based yellow colorant; (D) a polymerizable compound; and (E) a polymerization initiator.
US08420708B2

Methods for making dental crowns, bridges, inlays, onlays, veneers, fillings, and other restorations are provided. The methods involve using a two-phase light curing (TPLC) material. Preferably, the TPLC material used to form the dental restoration comprises a blend of polymerizable compounds; photopolymerization systems (a) and (b), and particulate filler materials (a) and (b). In a first light-curing step, curing light having a wavelength of greater than 420 nm is used to activate system (a). In a second light-curing step, curing light having a wavelength of less than 420 nm is used to activate system (b). The two step light-curing method is efficient and allows the dentist to make restorations having high mechanical strength and pleasing aesthetics.
US08420699B1

Therapeutically effective compositions and methods to inhibit dry eye as well as other conditions are provided. A therapeutically effective composition consists of at least one surfactant; a preservative with reduced immunogenicity relative to thimerosol; a complexing agent; and deionized, demineralized, ozonated water.
US08420698B2

Histone deacetylase is a metallo-enzyme with zinc at the active site. Compounds having a zinc-binding moiety, such as, for example, a hydroxamic acid group or a carboxylic acid group, can inhibit histone deacetylase. Histone deacetylase can repress gene expression, including expression of genes related to tumor suppression. Accordingly, inhibition of histone deacetylase can provide an alternate route for treating cancer, hematological disorders, e.g., hemoglobinopathies, and genetic related metabolic disorders, e.g., cystic fibrosis and adrenoleukodystrophy.
US08420696B2

The subject invention provides a method of preventing a neurodegenerative disease in a subject or oxidative stress in the brain of a subject, comprising administering to the subject a less than cholinesterase-inhibitory amount or a less than monoamine oxidase-inhibitory amount of R(+)-6-(N-methyl,N-ethyl-carbamoyloxy)-N′-propargyl-1-aminoindan or a salt thereof effective to prevent the neurodegenerative disease or oxidative stress in the subject.
US08420694B2

A compound represented by the formula (I′): or a salt thereof, has a superior androgen modulating action, wherein R1, R2, R4 to R8, R10 and R11 are defined in the claim.
US08420693B2

The present invention relates to novel Dipyrrole Compounds, compositions comprising a Dipyrrole Compound, and methods useful for treating or preventing cancer or a neoplastic disorder comprising administering a Dipyrrole Compound. The compounds, compositions, and methods of the invention are also useful for inhibiting the growth of a cancer cell or neoplastic cell, treating or preventing a viral infection, or inhibiting the replication and/or infectivity of a virus. The invention also provides screening assays for compounds that can be used in combination with Dipyrrole Compounds for the treatment of cancer or neoplastic disease, inhibition of cancer cell growth, or treatment of viral infections.
US08420692B1

Reaction of nordihydroguaiaretic acid with various alkyl chlorides, 1-piperidinecarbonyl chloride, methyl chloroformate, or 1,1′-carbonyldiimidazole under alkaline conditions produced the corresponding phenol ethers, carbamates and carbonates, respectively, in 67-83% yields (Scheme 1 and Scheme 2). Among these derivatives, the nitrogen-containing compounds were converted to the corresponding hydrochloride salts. Having good solubility, these NDGA derivatives were found to be stable in aqueous solution. These new compounds exerted potent activities against HIV Tat-regulated transactivation in cos-7 cells. The most active transcription inhibitor compound of this series 5b (P4N, Tetrapiperidino NDGA, meso-2,3-dimethyl-1,4-bis(3,4-[2-(piperidino)ethoxypehnyl])butane tetrakishydrochloride salt) has an IC50 of 0.88 μM.
US08420686B2

The present invention discloses compounds of Formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof: which inhibit RNA-containing virus, particularly the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention.
US08420685B2

A compound of the formula: Wherein A1, A2, X, R2 and R3 are as defined herein, or a composition containing the same, which compound is useful in treating renal-, liver- or pulmonary fibrosis.
US08420675B2

The invention is concerned with the compounds of formula I: and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and esters thereof, wherein Q, W, X, R1—R5 and n are defined in the detailed description and claims. In addition, the present invention relates to methods of manufacturing and using the compounds of formula I as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds. The compounds of formula I are antagonists at the CRTH2 receptor and may be useful in treating diseases and disorders associated with that receptor such as asthma.
US08420673B2

Disclosed are compounds of Formula 1, including all geometric and stereoisomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, A, G, W1, Q, X, Z, and n are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula 1 and methods for controlling plant disease caused by a fungal pathogen comprising applying an effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.
US08420657B2

The invention relates to compounds of formula I and salts thereof wherein the substituens are as defined in the specification, processes for the preparation thereof; to pharmaceuticals containing such compounds, in particular for the use in one or more Protein tyrosine kinase mediated diseases.
US08420647B2

This invention relates to novel phenyl amide or pyridyl amide derivatives of the formula wherein A1, A2, B1, B2 and R1 to R11 are as defined in the description and in the claims, as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof. These compounds are GPBAR1 agonists and can be used as medicaments for the treatment of diseases such as type II diabetes.
US08420644B2

The present invention relates to the use of at least one compound of formula (I) below: or at least one of the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, for the preparation of a medicament intended for the prevention or for the treatment of cerebral edemas.
US08420643B2

The present invention is directed to methods of use of a compound of Formula I: and/or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt, hydrate, solvate, tautomer, optical isomer, or combination thereof, a composition comprising the thiosemicarbazone, a method of administration thereof, and use thereof to treat a cancer.
US08420640B2

The present invention is directed to compounds that inhibit amyloid aggregation and methods of treatment therewith.
US08420626B2

The present invention relates to arene connected polyamine macrocyclic derivatives represented by general formula I, pharmaceutically acceptable salts or hydrates thereof which have anti-HIV activities, in which the definitions of substituents are as defined in the description; to preparation methods of the compounds of formula I; to pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds of formula I or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts or hydrates; to the use of the compounds of formula I or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts or hydrates for the preparation of a medicament for the treatment and prevention of HIV-associated diseases.
US08420620B2

Disclosed is a hetero-bifunctional ligand for use in inducing internalization of a target receptor. The hetero-bifunctional ligand includes a target receptor-binding agent that specifically binds the target receptor linked to an internalizing receptor-binding agent that specifically binds to an internalizing receptor, where the two binding agents are non-identical. Also disclosed is a method of inducing the internalization of a target receptor on a cell. The method includes contacting a cell with a hetero-bifunctional ligand, where binding of the hetero-bifunctional ligand induces internalization of a target receptor of the cell. Also disclosed a method of treating a disease or condition associated with a target receptor using the disclosed hetero-bifunctional ligand and pharmaceutical compositions including a hetero-bifunctional ligand.
US08420599B2

Disclosed is a bone-reinforcing agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 6,000 to 150,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 12 to 14 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an activity of accelerating the calcification in an osteoblast.
US08420596B2

The present invention relates to novel macrocyclic compounds and methods of treating a hepatitis C infection in a subject in need of such therapy with said macrocyclic compounds. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of the present invention, or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs thereof, in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient.
US08420595B2

The current invention provides methods and compositions for treating sensorineural hearing loss including but not limited to acute acoustic trauma (AAT). The composition includes compounds which function as free radical traps such as phenyl butyl nitrone (PBN), free radical scavengers, such as edaravone, resveratrol, ebselen and iron chelator and compounds from the family of antioxidant compounds including, but not limited to, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), Acetyl-L-Carnitine (ALCAR), glutathione monoethylester, ebselen, D-methionine and carbamathione. The compositions of the current invention may be delivered by injections or orally.
US08420594B2

The invention relates to inhibitors of Multi drug Resistant Protein 4 (MRP4) for the treatment and/or the prevention of cardiac disorders, such as acute or chronic heart failure and cardiogenic shock. The invention also relates to agents stimulating MRP4 activity for the treatment and/or the prevention of cardiac hypertrophy.
US08420588B2

Disclosed are isosorbide glyceryl ether derivatives according to the following general formula (I), wherein R or R′ represent a hydrogen atom, or an alkyl or an acyl group with 6 to 22 C-atoms, and n and m represent independent from each other zero, or a number from 1 to 4, and the use thereof in cleansers or detergents or personal care applications.
US08420583B2

A lubricating oil composition and methods of operating an internal combustion engine to provide improved engine operation. The lubricating composition includes a major amount of oil of lubricating viscosity; and a minor amount of at least one highly grafted, multi-functional olefin copolymer made by reacting an acylating agent with an olefin copolymer having a number average molecular weight greater than about 10,000 up to about 50,000 in the presence of a free radical initiator to provide an acylated olefin copolymer having a degree of grafting (DOG) of the acylating agent on the olefin copolymer of from above about 1.5 to about 3.0 wt. %. The acylated olefin copolymer is then reacted with an amine to provide the highly grafted, multi-functional olefin copolymer.
US08420576B2

Methods comprising introducing a hydrophobically and cationically modified relative permeability modifier into a portion of a subterranean formation. The hydrophobically and cationically modified relative permeability modifier comprises a hydrophilic polymer backbone with a hydrophobic modification and a cationic modification. The cationic modification may comprise at least one cationic compound comprising an alkyl chain length of from 1 to 3 carbons.
US08420575B2

A method of forming an underlying layer of an alignment film for an oxide superconducting conductor, includes arranging two or more kinds of targets along a lengthwise direction of a base material so as to face a surface of the base material; simultaneously irradiating an ion beam on surfaces of the two or more kinds of targets to deposit constituent particles of the targets on the surface of the base material in the order of the arrangement of the two or more kinds of targets; and forming a laminate in which two or more kinds of thin films are repeatedly laminated on the surface of the base material by passing the base material through a deposition region of the constituent particles a plurality of times so that the constituent particles of the targets are repeatedly deposited on the surface of the base material at each passage.
US08420572B2

Conventional fungicidal compositions have had practical problems such that either a preventive effect or a curative effect is inadequate, the residual effect tends to be inadequate, or the controlling effect against plant diseases tends to be inadequate depending upon the application site, and a fungicidal composition to overcome such problems has been desired. The present invention provides a fungicidal composition containing a carboxylic acid amide derivative of the formula (I) or a salt thereof, as an active ingredient: wherein A is phenyl which may be substituted, benzodioxolanyl which may be substituted, or benzodioxanyl which may be substituted; B is 2- or 3-pyridyl which may be substituted; each of R1 and R2 is alkyl, or R1 and R2 may together form a 3- to 6-membered saturated carbon ring, provided that when B is 3-pyridyl which may be substituted, A is phenyl substituted by at least two substituents.
US08420570B2

The invention relates to 3-(benzylsulfinyl)-5,5-dimethyl-4,5-dihydroisoxazole derivatives and 5,5-dimethyl-3-[(1H-pyrazol-4-ylmethyl)sulfinyl]-4,5-dihydroisoxazole derivatives of the formula (I) and their salts processes for their preparation and their use as herbicides and plant growth regulators, in particular as herbicides for the selective control of harmful plants in crops of useful plants.
US08420558B2

A method for connecting two or more superconducting wires (1, 2), each comprising at least one filament (3a-3b) that contains MgB2, wherein the superconducting connection is realized through exposed end regions (13) of the filaments (3a-3d) via a superconducting matrix, is characterized in that a bulk powder (4) of a high-temperature superconductor (HTS) powder with a transition temperature of Tc>40K is provided, into which the exposed end regions (13) of the filaments (3a-3d) project, wherein the Boron of the Boron powder of the bulk powder (4) is in amorphous modification, and the bulk powder (4) is compacted together with the projecting exposed end regions (13) of the filaments (3a-3d) to form a compressed element (8). The method improves the quality, in particular, the current carrying capacity and the critical magnetic field strength of a superconducting connection of two MgB2 wires.
US08420555B2

A manufacturing method for a semiconductor device including: determining pattern dependency of a radiation factor of an element forming surface of one wafer having a predetermined pattern formed on the wafer; determining a heating surface of the wafer, based on the pattern dependency of the radiation factor; holding the one wafer having the determined heating surface and another wafer having a determined heating surface, spaced at a predetermined distance in such a manner that non-heating surfaces of the one wafer and the another wafer oppose to each other; and heating the each heating surface of the one wafer and the another wafer.
US08420553B2

A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, which includes the steps of forming a gate electrode layer over a substrate having an insulating surface, forming a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, forming an oxide semiconductor layer over the gate insulating layer, forming a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer over the oxide semiconductor layer, forming an insulating layer including oxygen over the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode layer, and the drain electrode layer, and after formation of an insulating layer including hydrogen over the insulating layer including oxygen, performing heat treatment so that hydrogen in the insulating layer including hydrogen is supplied to at least the oxide semiconductor layer.
US08420547B2

A plasma processing method performed in a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber accommodating a substrate in which a plasma is generated; a mounting table mounting the substrate, which is provided in the processing chamber and to which a plasma attraction high frequency voltage is applied; and a facing electrode provided to face the mounting table in the processing chamber, to which a negative DC voltage is applied, the method including: applying a plasma attraction high frequency voltage to the mounting table for a predetermined period of time; and stopping the application of the plasma attraction high frequency voltage to the mounting table. In the plasma processing method, the application of the plasma attraction high frequency voltage and stopping thereof are alternately repeated.
US08420541B2

A method for increasing adhesion between polysilazane and silicon nitride is disclosed, comprising, providing a substrate comprising a trench, forming a silicon nitride liner layer on a bottom surface and a sidewall of the trench, performing a treating process to the silicon nitride liner layer for producing a hydrophilic surface with OH groups that can increase adhesion between the silicon nitride liner layer and a subsequently formed polysilazane coating layer, and forming a polysilazane coating layer into the trench and on the silicon nitride liner layer.
US08420538B2

A copper wiring material surface protective liquid is provided that is used in production of a semiconductor circuit device containing copper wiring, and consists of an aqueous solvent and an acetylene alcohol compound containing at least 3-phenyl-2-propyn-1-ol. A method for producing a semiconductor circuit device is provided that contains: forming an insulating film and/or a diffusion preventing film on a silicon substrate; then forming a copper film by a sputtering; then forming a copper film or a copper alloy film containing 80% by mass or more of copper thereon by a plating method; and flattening the film by a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) method, thereby providing a semiconductor substrate containing a flattened copper wiring, in which the semiconductor substrate having an exposed surface of a copper wiring material is treated by making in contact with the copper wiring material surface protective liquid.
US08420534B2

Methods of forming a PrCaMnO (PCMO) material by atomic layer deposition. The methods include separately exposing a surface of a substrate to a manganese-containing precursor, an oxygen-containing precursor, a praseodymium-containing precursor and a calcium-containing precursor. The resulting PCMO material is crystalline. A semiconductor device structure including the PCMO material, and related methods, are also disclosed.
US08420533B2

In sophisticated metallization systems, vertical contacts and metal lines may be formed on the basis of a dual inlaid strategy, wherein an edge rounding or corner rounding may be applied to the trench hard mask prior to forming the via openings on the basis of a self-aligned via trench concept. Consequently, self-aligned interconnect structures may be obtained, while at the same time providing superior fill conditions during the deposition of barrier materials and conductive fill materials.
US08420532B2

The present invention relates to a method of fabricating a semiconductor device. According to the method, a first insulating layer having a contact hole formed therein is formed over a semiconductor substrate. A second insulating layer is gap filled within the contact hole. A third insulating layer having a trench formed therein is formed over the semiconductor substrate including the contact hole. The second insulating layer gap filled within the contact hole is removed. A contact plug and a bit line are formed within the contact hole and the trench.
US08420530B2

A method for forming interconnects in a substrate, the substrate comprising a semiconductor layer on an oxide layer forming a silicon-on-oxide substrate, the method comprising forming a plurality of holes into the substrate to the semiconductor layer, and metalizing the plurality of holes to form the interconnects.
US08420523B2

The present invention relates to a chip packaging method and structure, in which bonding pads provided on the chip are connected by a plurality of metal wires via bonding, each of the metal wires is bending in the middle part to be higher than a predetermined height, and its ends are respectively electrically connected with two of the bonding pads. A molding layer is packaged on the chip and the molding layer is higher than the predetermined height. The molding layer is sliced at the predetermined height. Two upper breakpoints of each metal wire are exposed and a substrate is attached onto the molding layer. A plurality of circuit contacts of the substrate are respectively electrically coupled with the upper breakpoints. Whereby, the invention is capable of reducing the length of the metal wires in order to improve transmission speed, but also to reduce the volume of the packaging structure.
US08420521B2

A stack structure of semiconductor packages and a method for fabricating the stack structure are provided. A plurality of electrical connection pads and dummy pads are formed on a surface of a substrate of an upper semiconductor package and at positions corresponding to those around an encapsulant of a lower semiconductor package. Solder balls are implanted to the electrical connection pads and the dummy pads. The upper semiconductor package is mounted on the lower semiconductor package. The upper semiconductor package is electrically connected to the lower semiconductor package by the solder balls implanted to the electrical connection pads, and the encapsulant of the lower semiconductor package is surrounded and confined by the solder balls implanted to the dummy pads. Thereby, the upper semiconductor package is properly and securely positioned on the lower semiconductor package, without the occurrence of misalignment between the upper and lower semiconductor packages.
US08420504B2

There are provided a semiconductor device having a structure which can realize not only suppression of a punch-through current but also reuse of a silicon wafer used for bonding, in manufacturing a semiconductor device using an SOI technique, and a manufacturing method thereof. A semiconductor film into which an impurity imparting a conductivity type opposite to that of a source region and a drain region is implanted is formed over a substrate, and a single crystal semiconductor film is bonded to the semiconductor film by an SOI technique to form a stacked semiconductor film. A channel formation region is formed using the stacked semiconductor film, thereby suppressing a punch-through current in a semiconductor device.
US08420502B2

A method for producing a Group III-V semiconductor device, includes forming, on a base, a plurality of semiconductor devices isolated from one another, forming, through ion implantation, a high-resistance region in a surface layer of a side surface of each semiconductor device, after formation of the high-resistance region, forming a p-electrode and a low-melting-point metal diffusion prevention layer on the top surface of the semiconductor device, bonding the semiconductor device to a conductive support substrate via a low-melting-point metal layer, and removing the base through the laser lift-off process.
US08420497B2

A semiconductor structure is formed in the metal interconnect structure of an integrated circuit in a method that provides either two individual resistors that are vertically isolated from each other, or a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor. As a result, both semiconductor resistors and MIM capacitors can be formed in the same process flow.
US08420495B2

This invention disclosed a manufacturing approach of collector and buried layer of a bipolar transistor. One aspect of the invention is that a pseudo buried layer, i.e, collector buried layer, is manufactured by ion implantation and thermal anneal. This pseudo buried layer has a small area, which makes deep trench isolation to divide pseudo buried layer unnecessary in subsequent process. Another aspect is, the doped area, i.e, collector, is formed by ion implantation instead of high cost epitaxy process. This invention simplified the manufacturing process, as a consequence, saved manufacturing cost.
US08420490B2

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and the method uses the mode of thermal annealing the source/drain regions and performing Halo ion implantation to form a Halo ion-implanted region by: first removing the dummy gate to expose the gate dielectric layer to form an opening; then performing a tilted Halo ion implantation to the device from the opening to form a Halo ion-implanted region on both sides of the channel of the semiconductor device; and then annealing to activate the dopants in the Halo ion-implanted region; finally performing subsequent process to the device according to the requirement of the manufacture process. Through the present invention, the dopants in the Halo ion-implanted region improperly introduced to the source region and the drain region may be reduced, and then the overlap between the Halo ion-implantation region and the dopant region of the source/drain regions may be reduced, thus to reduce the band-band leakage current in the MOSFET, and hence improve the performance of the device.
US08420488B2

A high voltage device is provided. The high voltage device includes a gate on a substrate, two source/drain regions in the substrate beside the gate, and a composite gate dielectric layer that includes at least two stacked continuous layers, extending from one side to another side of the gate. Wherein, the at least two stacked continuous layers is a combination of at least one thermal oxide layer and at least one chemical vapor deposited layer.
US08420487B2

Power MOS device of the type comprising a plurality of elementary power MOS transistors having respective gate structures and comprising a gate oxide with double thickness having a thick central part and lateral portions of reduced thickness. Such device exhibiting gate structures comprising first gate conductive portions overlapped onto said lateral portions of reduced thickness to define, for the elementary MOS transistors, the gate electrodes, as well as a conductive structure or mesh. Such conductive structure comprising a plurality of second conductive portions overlapped onto the thick central part of gate oxide and interconnected to each other and to the first gate conductive portions by means of a plurality of conducive bridges.
US08420483B2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type and forming a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type thereon. The method also includes forming an insulator layer on the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type, etching a trench into at least the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type, and forming a thermal oxide layer in the trench and on the semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type. The method further includes implanting ions into the thermal oxide layer, forming a second insulator layer, removing the second insulator layer from a portion of the trench, and forming an oxide layer in the trench and on the epitaxial layer. Moreover, the method includes forming a material in the trench, forming a second gate oxide layer over the material, and patterning the second gate oxide layer.
US08420481B2

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a solid state electrolyte memory cell includes a cathode, an anode and a solid state electrolyte. The anode includes an intercalating material and first metal species dispersed in the intercalating material.
US08420480B2

A gate-edge diode is made in a diode region of a substrate and a non-volatile memory cell is made in an NVM region of the substrate. A first dielectric layer is formed on the substrate in the diode region and the NVM region. A first conductive layer is formed on the first dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is formed on the first conductive layer. A second conductive layer is formed over the second dielectric layer. A first mask is formed over the diode region having a first pattern. The first pattern is of a plurality of fingers and a second mask over the NVM region has a second pattern. The second pattern is of a gate stack of the non-volatile memory cell. An etch is performed through the second conductive layer, the second dielectric layer, and the first conductive layer to leave the first pattern of the plurality of fingers in the diode region and the second pattern of the gate stack in the NVM region. An implant is performed using the gate stack and the plurality of fingers as a mask to provide source/drain regions adjacent to the gate stack in the NVM region and diode terminals between the fingers in the diode region to form the gate-edge diode with the diode terminals and the substrate.
US08420477B2

A method for fabricating a gate dielectric layer comprises the steps of: forming a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate; performing a nitrogen treating process to form a nitride layer on the dielectric layer; and performing a thermal treating process at 1150-1400° C. for a period of 400-800 milliseconds, to form a gate dielectric layer. A step of forming a gate layer on the gate dielectric layer may be performed to form a gate structure.
US08420475B2

This invention published a parasitic vertical PNP bipolar transistor in BiCMOS (Bipolar Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) process; the bipolar transistor comprises a collector, a base and an emitter. Collector is formed by active region with p-type ion implanting layer. It connects a p-type buried layer which formed in the bottom region of STI (Shallow Trench Isolation). The collector terminal connection is through the p-type buried layer and the adjacent active region. The base is formed by active region with n type ion implanting which is on the collector. Its connection is through the original p-type epitaxy layer after converting to n-type. The emitter is formed by the p-type epitaxy layer on the base region with heavy p-type doped. This invention also comprises the fabrication method of this parasitic vertical PNP bipolar in BiCMOS (Bipolar Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) process. And this PNP bipolar transistor can be used as the IO (Input/Output) device in high speed, high current and power gain BiCMOS (Bipolar Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) circuits. It also provides a device option with low cost.
US08420470B2

The disclosed method of fabricating a semiconductor device structure forms a dummy gate structure on a substrate, deposits a dielectric material overlying the dummy gate structure in a manner that forms angled sidewalls of the deposited dielectric material outboard the spacers, and conformally deposits a compressive material overlying the deposited dielectric material such that the deposited compressive material forms angled peaks overlying the dummy gate structure. The method continues by forming an upper dielectric layer overlying the deposited compressive material, planarizing the resulting device structure, and exposing the temporary gate element of the dummy gate structure. Thereafter, the temporary gate element is removed, while leaving sections of the deposited compressive material outboard the spacers, and the gate recess is filled with a gate electrode material. The compressive material pulls the upper ends of the spacers apart to facilitate filling the gate recess.
US08420469B2

A method for forming a field effect transistor (FET) includes forming a dummy gate on a top semiconductor layer of a semiconductor on insulator substrate; forming source and drain regions in the top semiconductor layer, wherein the source and drain regions are located in the top semiconductor layer on either side of the dummy gate; forming a supporting material over the source and drain regions adjacent to the dummy gate; removing the dummy gate to form a gate opening, wherein a channel region of the top semiconductor layer is exposed through the gate opening; thinning the channel region of the top semiconductor layer through the gate opening; and forming gate spacers and a gate in the gate opening over the thinned channel region.
US08420468B2

Disclosed are embodiments of a field effect transistor (FET) having decreased drive current temperature sensitivity. Specifically, any temperature-dependent carrier mobility change in the FET channel region is simultaneously counteracted by an opposite strain-dependent carrier mobility change to ensure that drive current remains approximately constant or at least within a predetermined range in response to temperature variations. This opposite strain-dependent carrier mobility change is provided by a straining structure that is configured to impart a temperature-dependent amount of a pre-selected strain type on the channel region. Also disclosed are embodiments of an associated method of forming the field effect transistor.
US08420466B2

A device having thin-film transistor (TFT) floating gate memory cell structures is provided. The device includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate, and one or more source or drain regions being embedded in the dielectric layer. the dielectric layer being associated with a first surface. Each of the one or more source or drain regions includes an N+ polysilicon layer on a diffusion barrier layer which is on a first conductive layer. The N+ polysilicon layer has a second surface substantially co-planar with the first surface. Additionally, the device includes a P− polysilicon layer overlying the co-planar surface and a floating gate on the P− polysilicon layer. The floating gate is a low-pressure CVD-deposited silicon layer sandwiched by a bottom oxide tunnel layer and an upper oxide block layer. Moreover, the device includes at least one control gate made of a P+ polysilicon layer overlying the upper oxide block layer. A method of making the same memory cell structure is provided and can be repeated to integrate the structure three-dimensionally.
US08420464B2

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device that includes at least two fin structures, wherein one of the at least two fin structures include epitaxially formed in-situ doped second source and drain regions having a facetted exterior sidewall that are present on the sidewalls of the fin structure. In another embodiment, the disclosure also provides a method of fabricating a finFET that includes forming a recess in a sidewall of a fin structure, and epitaxially forming an extension dopant region in the recess that is formed in the fin structure. Structures formed by the aforementioned methods are also described.
US08420462B2

A display device including a thin film transistor with high electric characteristics and high reliability, and a method for manufacturing the display device in high yield are proposed. In a display device including a channel stop thin film transistor with an inverted-staggered structure, the channel stop thin film transistor with the inverted-staggered structure includes a microcrystalline semiconductor film including a channel formation region. An impurity region including an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is formed as selected in a region in the channel formation region of the microcrystalline semiconductor film which does not overlap with a source electrode or a drain electrode. In the channel formation region, a non-doped region, to which the impurity element imparting one conductivity type is not added, is formed between the impurity region, which is a doped region to which the impurity element is added, and the source region or the drain region.
US08420434B2

A solid state imaging device having a back-illuminated type structure in which a lens is formed on the back side of a silicon layer with a light-receiving sensor portion being formed thereon. Insulating layers are buried into the silicon layer around an image pickup region, with the insulating layer being buried around a contact layer that connects an electrode layer of a pad portion and an interconnection layer of the surface side. A method of manufacturing such a solid-state imaging device is also provided.
US08420423B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus includes a planarization layer, a plurality of group electrode layers having different numbers of layers on the planarization layer and including a first group electrode layer having a metal layer, a reflective layer, a first transparent conductive layer, a second transparent conductive layer, and a third transparent conductive layer sequentially stacked, a second group electrode layer having the metal layer, the reflective layer, the first transparent conductive layer, and the third transparent conductive layer sequentially stacked, and a third group electrode layer having the metal layer, the reflective layer, and the first transparent conductive layer sequentially stacked, an intermediate layer on the first group electrode layer, the second group electrode layer, and the third group electrode layer, and including at least one organic light-emitting layer, and a second electrode layer on the intermediate layer.
US08420421B2

A method for fabricating a GaN-based thin film transistor includes: forming a semiconductor epitaxial layer on a substrate, the semiconductor epitaxial layer having a n-type GaN-based semiconductor material; forming an insulating layer on the semiconductor epitaxial layer; forming an ion implanting mask on the insulating layer, the ion implanting mask having an opening to partially expose the insulating layer; ion-implanting a p-type impurity through the opening and the insulating layer to form a p-doped region in the n-type GaN-based semiconductor material, followed by removing the insulating layer and the ion implanting mask; forming a dielectric layer on the semiconductor epitaxial layer; partially removing the dielectric layer; forming source and drain electrodes; and forming a gate electrode.
US08420403B2

A method for evaluating the caking property of sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles, characterized in that sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles are hermetically sealed in a packaging material having a water vapor transmission rate of at least 3 g/(m2·24 h) (at 40° C. with a relative humidity difference of 90%) as stipulated in JIS K7129 and left at rest at a temperature of from 17 to 35° C. at a carbon dioxide gas concentration of from 0.03 to 0.05 vol % at a relative humidity of from 40 to 95% for from 2 weeks to 3 months, and the proportion of agglomerated sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles is determined to evaluate the caking tendency. A novel test method for evaluating the caking property of sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles, capable of providing results of the caking property test with high reproducibility, quantitatively with high versatility, can be provided.
US08420402B2

The present invention is generally directed to thiol quantitation assays, methods of performing the assays, and compounds used in the assays. It is more specifically directed to assays that include one or more disulfides and related molecules and methods. The disulfides contain a FRET pair.
US08420397B2

Fluid flow devices include a small plate (2), at least one flow channel (20) formed into this small plate, at least one storage channel (221-226) extending from this connection channel, and a set of valves (V1-V6), each of which is suitable for allowing or stopping the flow of fluid in a corresponding storage channel.
US08420393B2

Methods of producing human stem cells are disclosed for parthenogenetically activating human oocytes by manipulation of O2 tension, including manipulation of Ca2+ under high O2 tension and contacting oocytes with serine threonine kinase inhibitors under low O2 tension, isolating inner cell masses (ICMs) from the activated oocytes, and culturing the cells of the isolated ICMs under high O2 tension. Moreover, methods are described for the production of stems cells from activated oocytes in the absence of non-human animal products, including the use of human feeder cells/products for culturing ICM/stem cells. Stem cells produced by the disclosed methods are also described.
US08420392B2

The present invention provides a method for forcingly culturing a piece of human periosteum tissue in a shorter culture period, the method including the steps of: (1) placing a periosteum piece dissected from a patient on a culture dish containing no culture solution; (2) dropping platelet-rich plasma collected from the patient onto the surface of the periosteum piece on the culture dish and coagulating the platelet-rich plasma so as to cover the surface of the periosteum piece; (3) adding a first culture medium to the culture dish and growing the culture; and (4) growing the culture in a second culture medium containing a basic fibroblast growth factor and no platelet-rich plasma, after the step (3).
US08420388B2

The present invention provides a porcine beta-casein gene, a porcine beta-casein gene promoter, an expression vector comprising the same promoter, and a method for the production of a target protein using the same expression vector. The promoter of the present invention facilitates mammary gland-specific expression of the target protein and therefore can be useful for high-concentration production of beneficial proteins in milk.
US08420385B2

Swabs, and materials of the present disclosure, and methods of making same, include randomly arranged sea-island bicomponent fibers.
US08420383B2

An incubator is fitted with an enclosure which surrounds the incubator. A cold air generation system supplies relatively cold air to a space formed between enclosure and the incubator. The system supplying the cold air can be embodied in a cart or base upon which the incubator sits. The enclosure is also placed on the base in a manner such that it substantially envelops the incubator. The top of the cart has openings for egress of cold air and return of air so that air may circulate in a closed loop. The incubator, cold air supply system and enclosure present a solution for incubating samples in a nominal 20-25° C. temperature environment. The enclosure, which is preferably insulated, may include a void or opening which exposes doors or other access device of the incubator, allowing direct access to the samples in the incubator while the rest of the incubator is enveloped by the enclosure.
US08420359B2

The present invention provides a method of producing butanol, comprising: causing a microorganism which belongs to the genus Clostridium and is capable of producing butanol to produce butanol in a medium comprising saccharides assimilable by a microorganism which belongs to the genus Clostridium, lactic acid and/or acetic acid as substrates. By the method of the present invention, the concentration of butanol produced in a culture medium (solution) can be increased and, furthermore, the rate of butanol production can also be increased. In the present invention, a mixture of D-lactic acid and L-lactic acid obtained by lactic acid fermentation or a fermentation product of hetero-lactic acid fermentation containing acetic acid as a by-product can be utilized. By combining lactic acid fermentation and the method of the present invention, a practical system of butanol production from inedible biomass which requires neither expensive enzyme nor advanced technology such as genetic manipulation can be constructed.
US08420358B2

The invention relates to a process for the combined production of butanol and hydrogen from biomass, comprising the steps of fermenting biomass to obtain butanol in a first reaction mixture; removing the butanol and hydrogen from the first reaction mixture to obtain effluent; and using the effluent as a substrate in a second reaction mixture in a process using low substrate concentrations, in particular a hydrogen production process. Preferably, the process using low substrate concentrations is a hydrogen production process and at least part of the end products of the hydrogen production process is removed from the second reaction mixture for obtaining an effluent that comprises organic acid, which effluent is returned to the first reaction mixture.
US08420356B2

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can convert feedstock materials to a sugar solution, which can then be fermented to produce ethanol. Biomass feedstock is dispersed in a liquid medium and then saccharified.
US08420350B2

The invention provides a modified glycosylation-deficient HGF and a production method thereof. The glycosylation-deficient HGF is produced by introducing amino acid mutation(s) so that no glycosylation take place at at least one glycosylation site of hepatocyte growth factor.
US08420347B2

A test mixture for detecting the presence or absence of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (“MRSA”) directly in a first generation biological specimen, the test mixture including: a) an amount of amino acids; b) an amount of nitrogen sources; c) an amount of salts; d) an amount of vitamins; e) an amount of calcium; f) an amount of coagulase substrates which will clot the test mixture in the presence of S. aureus in the first generation biological specimen; and g) an amount of a MecA gene inducer effective to kill any Methicillin Susceptible Staphylococcus Aureus (“MSSA”) in the first generation biological specimen.
US08420338B2

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for measuring the level of MG53 found in a biological fluid as a biomarker for a disease or disorder, e.g., tissue damage, exercise capacity or a muscle-related disease or disorder. In addition, the invention relates to targeting the native MG53 found in the blood as a therapeutic approach.
US08420335B2

The present invention provides a method of testing the ability of a test compound to bind to and optionally modulate the activity of a protein of the JMJD2 subfamily of Jumonji proteins. The method comprises incubating a test compound with a protein of the JMJD2 subfamily of Jumonji proteins, a co-factor of said protein and, optionally, a substrate for demethylation. The method of the invention can be used for screening large numbers of compounds to identify a group of compounds that are candidate compounds for clinical use for treatment of certain cancers especially prostate cancers. Other compounds that do not have activity in the screening assays can be eliminated from further consideration as candidate compounds. The method of the invention therefore has utility in the pharmaceutical industry.
US08420331B2

A type IV collagen-like immunoreactive peptide and an antibody thereof which are useful for detecting nephritis, a method for selecting a type IV collagen-like immunoreactive peptide, a method for screening an immunoreactive antibody and an immunoreactive peptide, a nephritis model, a method for detecting chronic nephritis, a vaccine, and a therapeutic agent for nephritis are provided.A type IV collagen-like immunoreactive peptide immunologically reacts with an isolated, chronic nephritis-derived biological sample. Preferably, the type IV collagen-like immunoreactive peptide includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of at least one chain selected from alpha 1 to alpha 6 chains as a constituent alpha chain, at least one region selected from 7S, the central helical domain, and NC1 as a constituent region, and a peptide having 3 to 35 amino acids as a constituent peptide.
US08420329B2

The present invention provides methods for detecting and/or diagnosing cancer through the determination of the expression level of the STC2 gene. The gene was discovered to discriminate cancer cells from normal cells. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods of screening for therapeutic agents useful in the treatment of cancer, methods for treating cancer. Moreover, the present invention provides double-stranded molecules targeting the STC2 gene, which are suggested to be useful in the treatment of cancer. The compositions and methods of the present invention find particular applicability to prostate cancer, more specifically, castration-resistant prostate cancer and aggressive prostate cancer.
US08420326B2

A method of evaluating performance of an activation gas deactivating an antigenic substance including the steps of causing the antigenic substance and the activation gas to react with each other, to obtain a processed antigenic substance, and causing an antibody against the antigenic substance with the processed antigenic substance to measure binding activity of the processed antigenic substance with the antibody is provided, whereby an evaluation method that can accurately and easily evaluate performance of an activation gas deactivating an antigenic substance is provided.
US08420323B2

An object to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a nucleic acid amplification method by which a nucleic acid can be amplified using oligonucleotide primers and DNA polymerase. The present invention provides a nucleic acid amplification method which comprises performing incubation of a reaction solution containing at least one type of deoxynucleotide triphosphate, at least one type of DNA polymerase, at least two types of oligonucleotide primer, and the nucleic acid fragment as a template so as to perform a polymerase reaction that initiates from the 3′ end of the primer and thus amplifying the nucleic acid fragment, wherein a tag sequence is added at the 5′ end of the first oligonucleotide primer, and the tag sequence is a nucleotide sequence on the template nucleic acid fragment which is present downstream of the sequence which is substantially complementary with the 3′ end region of the first oligonucleotide primer (a region where the first oligonucleotide is annealed to the template nucleic acid).
US08420319B2

The present invention provides methods and compositions for asymmetrically tagging a nucleic acid fragment using asymmetric adapters.
US08420315B2

Single nucleotide polymorphisms and uses for determining the imprinting status of the Insulin Growth Factor-2 gene in a clinical specimen are described.
US08420313B2

Multiplexed analysis of molecular structures of samples. A plurality of sample wells is arranged on a substrate. A plurality of electrodes is fabricated on a first side of the substrate. The electrodes are disposed on the side of the substrate exposed to the sample wells. The electrodes include working electrodes, counter electrodes, and optionally include reference electrodes. At least two of the sample wells includes a plurality of working electrodes. The plurality of electrodes is configured to allow electrochemical analysis of the associated sample wells in a multiplexed fashion. The plurality of electrodes is electrically coupled to an interface to a sample analysis system. The interface to the sample analysis system can include contacts or connections. The sample analysis system controls a signal to the electrodes in a multiplexed fashion and performs the electrochemical analysis.
US08420311B2

The present invention is related to a method for blocking the infection of cells by dengue virus, based on interfering the direct interaction of the viral envelope protein with a cellular receptor or its indirect interaction with said cellular receptor through a carrier protein, as well as related uses; wherein said cellular receptor is the alpha-2 macroglobulin receptor, also known as the low density receptor-related protein or as CD91, and said carrier protein is human alpha-2 macroglobulin.
US08420310B2

The present invention provides a method for detecting idiopathic interstitial pneumonia, which comprises measuring the expression level of a periostin gene or the amount of a periostin protein in a biological sample. Thereby, a method for detecting idiopathic interstitial pneumonia using a marker is provided.
US08420306B2

This application relates to a newly identified animal cell structure, the midbody scar. This structure is a remnant of the midbody that is retained by one daughter cell following cytokinesis and persists through multiple subsequent cell cycles. The midbody scar can be useful as a marker of dividing cells or of a cell's replicative age.
US08420302B2

A method of fine patterning a thin film and a method of manufacturing a display substrate by using the same, in which a fine photo pattern is formed on a base substrate, and a photoresist pattern is formed on the thin film. A fine photo pattern is formed by ashing the photoresist pattern. A fine pattern is formed by removing the thin film exposing through the fine photo pattern. A fine pattern is formed, and the fine pattern has a higher resolution than that of an exposure apparatus. The reliability of a process for manufacturing a display substrate and the display quality of a display device may be improved.
US08420300B2

A method of producing a multilayer printed wiring board by attaching a photosensitive dry film onto an interlaminar resin insulating layer having a thin-film conductor layer and conducting a light exposure and development to form a plating resist and then forming a conductor circuit on a portion not forming the plating resist. The photosensitive dry film has a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound layer on a first surface thereof.
US08420292B2

A polymer comprising recurring units of formula (1) and having a solubility in alkaline developer which increases under the action of an alkaline developer is provided. The polymer has transparency to radiation of up to 200 nm and improved water repellency, water slip, acid lability and hydrolysis and is useful as an additive polymer to formulate a resist composition. R1 is H, F, methyl, or trifluoromethyl, R2 is a monovalent fluorinated hydrocarbon group, An is a (n+1)-valent hydrocarbon or fluorinated hydrocarbon group, and n is 1, 2 or 3.
US08420287B2

Disclosed is a positive photosensitive resin composition that includes: (A) a polybenzoxazole precursor including a repeating unit represented by the Chemical Formula 1, a repeating unit represented by the Chemical Formula 2, or a combination thereof, and a thermally polymerizable functional group at least one terminal end of the polybenzoxazole precursor; (B) a photosensitive diazoquinone compound; (C) a silane compound; (D) a phenol compound including a cross-linking functional group; and (E) a solvent.
US08420283B2

Provided is a coating liquid for forming an undercoat layer of an electrophotographic photoreceptor exhibiting high stability. In the coating liquid for forming an undercoat layer of an electrophotographic photoreceptor containing metal oxide particles and a binder resin, the metal oxide particles have a cumulative volume average diameter D50 of 0.1 μm or less and a volume particle size distribution width index SD satisfying the following Expression (1) which are measured by a dynamic light-scattering method in the coating liquid for forming an undercoat layer, 0.010≦SD≦0.040  (1) where SD=(D84−D16)/2, where D84 represents the particle diameter (μm) at a point of 84% in the cumulative volume particle size distribution curve, and D16 represents the particle diameter (μm) at a point of 16% in the cumulative volume particle size distribution curve.
US08420280B2

The present invention provides a hologram recording medium which can attain high refractive index change, flexibility, high sensitivity, low scattering, environment resistance, durability, low dimension change (low shrinkage) and high multiplicity in holographic memory record using a blue laser. A hologram recording medium (11) comprising at least a hologram recording material layer, wherein the hologram recording material layer (21) comprises at least a metal oxide and a photopolymerizable compound; and said hologram recording medium has a light transmittance of 50% or more at a wavelength of 405 nm, or a light reflectance of 25% or more at a wavelength of 405 nm.
US08420274B2

A membrane electrode assembly for a fuel cell, includes: an electrolyte membrane, and cathode and anode that are respectively disposed on opposing surfaces of the electrolyte membrane, wherein the anode comprises an anode catalyst layer, an anode micro-porous layer and an anode diffusion support that are sequentially disposed on one surface of the electrolyte membrane, wherein the thickness ratio of the anode catalyst layer to the anode micro-porous layer is in a range of 1:0.82 to 1:3.28, and the thickness ratio of the anode catalyst layer to the anode diffusion support is in a range of 1:5 to 1:7.05.
US08420261B2

Thin film alloy electrodes are provided that are useful as negative electrodes in lithium-ion electrochemical cells. The alloys include aluminum and at least one additional electrochemically active metal or composite. They can be used as a current collector or as a complete electrode.
US08420260B2

The present invention relates to a binder for an electrode of a secondary battery, including polymer particles in which two or more types of monomers are polymerized with two or more types of cross-linking agents with mutually different molecular weights. The binder, through which the combination of the specific ingredients above, fundamentally improves electrode stability, starting from the manufacturing process of an electrode, to thereby provide a secondary battery with excellent cycle characteristics.
US08420259B2

One exemplary embodiment includes an electrode including an embedded compressible or shape changing component.
US08420253B2

A secondary battery, sheathes a protection circuit board with a separate cover, connects the sheathed protection circuit board to a bare cell, and executes a molding or hard pack operation with a molding resin member in a space between the protection circuit board and the bare cell. The secondary battery may be constructed with a rechargeable bare cell, a protection circuit board supporting a protection circuit electrically connected to the bare cell and an external terminal, a board exterior cover adhering to the protection circuit board and the board exterior cover exposing the external terminal, and a first lead plate and a second lead plate that electrically connect the bare cell to the protection circuit board.
US08420252B2

A first current collector on the first surface of the substrate and a second current collector having a first surface and a perimeter. One of the first and second current collector is an anode current collector and the other is a cathode current collector. The battery also comprises a cathode material having a perimeter, the cathode material being located on the cathode current collector; an electrolyte layer having a perimeter, the electrolyte separating the cathode material from the anode current collector; an insulation layer having a perimeter, the insulation layer together with the electrolyte layer separating the anode current collector from the cathode material and the cathode current collector. A first passivation layer generally overlies at least the perimeter of the cathode material, the perimeter of the electrolyte, and the perimeter of the insulation layer, the first passivation layer being electrically coupled to the first current collector and forming a continuous metal to metal seal around a defined area of the first current collector. The first passivation layer has a via opening. A second passivation layer is electrically coupled to the second current collector through the via opening of the first passivation layer.
US08420247B2

The present invention relates to a crosslinking polymer-supported porous film for battery separator, including: a porous film; and a crosslinking polymer supported on the porous film, the crosslinking polymer having a plurality of cation-polymerizable functional groups in the molecule thereof and having oxyalkylene groups represented by general formula (I): in which the Rs may be the same or different and each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and n represents an integer of 4 to 9, in a side chain thereof.
US08420242B2

A cell module has a cell group with a plurality of cells connected to each other. The module comprises a bus bar plate including a bus bar connecting between the cells and an end cover for covering the bus bar plate. The cell module is configure to be fixed with the end cover.
US08420234B2

An organic electroluminescent device is provided and includes: a pair of electrodes; an organic layer including a light emitting layer between the electrodes. The organic layer contains a compound represented by formula (I). In formula (I), R11, R12, and R13 each independently represents a C1-6 alkyl group, Q1 represents a carbon atom or a silicon atom, R14 represents a hydrogen atom or -Q2(R16)(R17)R18 in which Q2 represents a carbon atom or a silicon atom and R16, R17, and R18 each independently represents a C1-6 alkyl group, R15 represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a cyano group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heteroaryl group, and n stands for 1 or 2.
US08420232B2

Disclosed are Binaphthyl-Arylamine Polymers having Formula I: In the Formula: Ar1 is an arylene; Ar2 is an aryl group; Ar3 is an arylene; Binap is a binaphthyl moiety; M is a conjugated moiety; and x, y and z are mole fractions such that x+y+z=1.0, with the proviso that x and y are not zero.
US08420230B2

Provided is an organic light emitting diode employing a luminescent efficiency improvement layer containing a compound represented by Formula 1 below: The OLED including the luminescent efficiency improvement layer containing the compound represented by Formula 1 can have excellent luminescent efficiency.
US08420229B2

An OLED device comprising a cathode, an anode, and having therebetween a light emitting layer and an electron-injecting layer, where (a) the light emitting layer contains a host and up to 50 volume % of a light-emitting fluoranthene compound with a 7,10-diaryl substituted fluoranthene nucleus having no aromatic rings annulated to the fluoranthene nucleus; and (b) the electron-injecting layer being located between the cathode and the light-emitting layer contains an organic alkali metal compound. It provides reduced drive voltage, operational stability and luminance of OLED devices.
US08420228B2

Disclosed herein is an organic electroluminescent (EL) device comprising an intermediate layer made of at least one selected from a hole blocking material and an electron blocking material.
US08420223B2

An insert with a light weight per unit length, which is securely separable to obtain insert pieces, a method for producing such an insert, and a method for producing long products using such an insert. The insert includes a large number of insert pieces and joining parts formed by the application of a rolling operation and a tension force, and has a ladder-shaped configuration. Slits are defined between adjacent insert pieces, and include first slits, each having a large width in a longitudinal direction of the insert, and second slits, each having a width smaller than that of the first slits so as to be alternately formed. The joining parts include first joining parts, each having a small width in a width direction of the insert, and second joining parts, each having a width larger than that of the first joining parts so as to be alternately formed. The width ratio of the insert pieces, the first slits and the second slits in the longitudinal direction is determined to 100:(65˜104):(24˜53), whereas the width ratio of the first joining parts to the second joining parts in the width direction is determined to 20:(28˜33).
US08420217B2

Elastic bonding films that include an elastic, thermoset core layer and a thermoplastic bonding layer on each side of the core layer are described. The thermoset core layer is a polyurethane formed as the reaction product of (i) a multifunctional isocyanate with (ii) a combination of polyols comprising (a) polyester diol, (b) crosslinker, and (c) hard segment. Articles incorporating such elastic bonding films including fabrics bonded to such films are also described.
US08420210B2

There are provided a resin composition comprising a crosslinking component with a weight average molecular weight of 1,000 or less having a plurality of styrene groups and represented by the following formula: wherein R is a hydrocarbon skeleton, each of R1s is a hydrogen atom or a hydrocarbon group, each of R2, R3 and R4 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, m is an integer of 1 to 4, and n is an integer of 2 or more, at least one high-molecular weight compound, an inorganic filler, and at least one treating agent for said inorganic filler; its cured product; and a prepreg, a laminate sheet having a conductor layer, and a multilayer printed wiring board obtained by processing the conductor layer of the laminate sheet into wiring.
US08420203B2

The present invention relates to a surface structure for a working device. In particular, the invention relates to a surface structure for a working device that has at least one first element with a first height and a second element with a second height, and a third element having a third height, wherein the second height is greater than the third height, having in addition a first grip area, a second grip area, and a third grip area, wherein the elements are arranged on a dot matrix, wherein the centers of the second elements and the centers of the third elements are arranged on the points of intersection and the centers of the first elements are not arranged on the points of intersection, and the first grip area comprises first elements and second elements, the second grip area comprises predominantly second elements, the third grip area comprises predominantly third elements. The present invention also relates to a working device having such a surface structure.
US08420202B2

A stab and ballistic resistant material and method of preparing the same, comprising a stab-resistant layer and a ballistic resistant layer, wherein the stab-resistant layer comprises at least one layer, wherein each layer is constituted of two structural units, each of which is formed from perpendicularly combined high strength and high module unidirectional fiber prepreg strips, adjacent structural units are rotated 45°, and the stab-resistant layer has membranes adhered to both sides; the ballistic resistant layer comprises at least one layer, wherein each layer is constituted of two structural units, each of which is formed from perpendicularly combined unidirectional fiber prepreg strips, adjacent structural units are rotated 90°, and the ballistic resistant layer has membranes adhered to both sides. The stab and ballistic resistant material of the invention makes stab and ballistic resistant vests lighter, more efficient in protection, and easy to produce.
US08420194B2

The present invention is concerned with rotomoulded articles having very low warpage and shrinkage and consisting essentially of polyethylene prepared with a catalyst system based on a bis-indenyl or on a bis(n-butyl-cyclopentadienyl)metallocene component.
US08420173B2

A production method for producing a wrapper for cigarettes is provided wherein, with a web kept traveling, a combustion inhibitor in liquid form is intermittently applied to one surface of the web to form undried banded layers arranged with a predetermined space therebetween in the traveling direction of the web, water is applied to the surface of the web over its entire area before or after the combustion inhibitor is applied, and then the web is rapidly dried.
US08420171B2

A heater for a phase change memory may be formed by depositing a first material into a trench such that the material is thicker on the side wall than on the bottom of the trench. In one embodiment, because the trench side walls are of a different material than the bottom, differential deposition occurs. Then a heater material is deposited thereover. The heater material may react with the first material at the bottom of the trench to make Ohmic contact with an underlying metal layer. As a result, a vertical heater may be formed which is capable of making a small area contact with an overlying chalcogenide material.
US08420169B2

A thin film of a uniform film thickness is formed even without increasing the film deposition rate. The temperature of an evaporation device disposed in an evaporation chamber is raised in advance, and an organic material is dropped from a supply unit onto an evaporation surface of the evaporation device; and when the organic material is evaporated, a heated carrier gas is introduced into the evaporation chamber, and is mixed in the evaporation chamber and is introduced into a discharger. While a molecular flow is formed in the discharger in a case that only the organic material vapor is introduced into the discharger, the pressure within the discharger is raised due to the carrier gas, so that a viscous flow is formed and the mixed gas is filled in the discharger and is uniformly discharged. The organic material may be supplied by a small amount and the film deposition rate may not become too high.
US08420153B2

A coating with antimicrobial agents for use with medical devices. In one approach, a related method involves coating high temperature vulcanized silicone material with a room temperature vulcanized dispersion.
US08420137B2

The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a plant extract from Curcuma plants, characterized by the process steps process step A) liquid extraction of Curcuma rhizomes, process step B) optionally, separation of a curcuminoid-containing solid obtained by precipitation from the extraction mixture obtained in process step A), process step C) removal of solvents present from the extraction mixture obtained in process step A) or B) to obtain a concentrate and process step D) distillation of the concentrate at a pressure of less than 1 bar to give the extract as distillate.
US08420131B2

This invention relates to a composition of a unique combination of three novel dietary supplements for use in a weight loss program. The composition includes a mood enhancer, an insulin sparing agent, and a peripheral energy blocker. Also provided is a method of treatment in a weight loss program.
US08420129B2

There are provided a chlorine dioxide solution composition whose solute includes dissolved chlorine dioxide and chlorite; and a solution composition encapsulating body including a glass vessel or enameled vessel and the chlorine dioxide solution composition hermetically sealed therein.
US08420128B2

An agent for thermally stabilizing lactoferrin, which comprises a nucleic acid as an active ingredient, can be added to lactoferrin to impart thermal stability to lactoferrin. Thermally stabilized lactoferrin can be heat-sterilized at a pH value around a neutral pH value while keeping its activity.
US08420122B2

The present invention provides a method of continuous precipitation and isolation of an amorphous solid particulate form of 3-[2-(3-tert-Butyl-ureido)-3,3-dimethyl-butyryl]-6,6-dimethyl-3-aza-bicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2-carboxylic acid (2-carbamoyl-1-cyclobutylmethyl-2-oxo-ethyl)-amide having controlled physical properties. The present invention provides also pharmaceutical formulations comprising the precipitated compound.
US08420121B2

Drug delivery vehicles that release one or more drugs, e.g., an opioid antagonist and/or an opioid, in response to changes in the chemistry of body fluids, specifically in response to changes in the partial pressure of CO2 in the environment of the hydrogel are described. The drug delivery vehicles include hydrogels that swell or shrink in response to changes in the partial pressure of CO2 in their environment, thus regulating release of an entrapped drug.
US08420119B2

This present disclosure relates to pharmaceutical compositions for treating tumors using a polymeric micelle encapsulating an anti-tumor drug. The polymeric micelle comprises block copolymers comprising at least one hydrophilic block, at least one hydrophobic block, and at least one zwitterion. The present disclosure also relates to methods of enhancing the solubility of such drugs, methods of increasing the blood circulating time of such drugs, and methods of delivering such drugs to one or more solid tumors.
US08420113B2

The present invention is directed to a medical device, specifically a prosthesis which utilizes a novel class of blends between biodegradable polymers and bioceramics for medical device applications allowing one to capitalize on the biodegradable nature of these two distinct materials while enhancing the strength of these devices through the addition of various amounts of bioactive ceramic and glasses to biodegradable polymers. The blend may be fabricated into a medical device such as a stent or a distal protection device, and may incorporate various agents to enhance radioapacity and/or pharmacological function. In addition, the blend may be used as a coating to a medical device.
US08420108B2

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.
US08420107B2

This invention, in one aspect, relates to synthetic immunoreactive peptides. These peptides are approximately 20-25 amino acids in length which are portions of the N termini of the M proteins of the most prevalent United States (U.S.) Group A Streptococcus (GAS) serotypes. At least some of the synthetic peptides can be recognized by M type-specific antibodies and are capable of eliciting functional opsonic antibodies and/or anti-attachment antibodies without eliciting tissue cross-reactive antibodies. In another aspect, it relates to compositions or vaccines comprising these synthetic serotype-specific peptides, including polypeptides and proteins. The invention may also be isolated antibodies which are raised in response to the peptides, compositions or vaccines. The invention further relates to kits for using the peptides, compositions, or antibodies. In still further aspects, the invention also relates to methods for using the peptides, compositions, vaccines, or antibodies and methods for tailoring vaccines.
US08420098B2

The present invention relates to fibronectin based scaffold domain proteins that bind PCSK9. The invention also relates to the use of the innovative proteins in therapeutic applications to treat atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia and other cholesterol related diseases. The invention further relates to cells comprising such proteins, polynucleotides encoding such proteins or fragments thereof, and to vectors comprising the polynucleotides encoding the innovative protein.
US08420096B2

Disclosed are compositions and methods related to cell-penetrating suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins that inhibit cytokine-induced signaling.
US08420092B2

The invention relates to use of the natural cytotoxicity receptor NKp46 for preventing and treating diabetes, including type I diabetes (TID) and type 2 diabetes. In particular, the invention provides compositions comprising a fragment of the extracellular region of NKp46 for preventing the onset and progression of diabetes.
US08420091B2

The present invention provides methods and compositions for treatment, screening, diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer and uterine cancer, for monitoring the effectiveness of breast cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer and uterine cancer treatment, and for drug development.
US08420087B2

The invention provides a compound comprising a target specific portion and an effector portion wherein the target specific portion comprises or consists of a monoclonal antibody having specificity for oncofoetal fibronectin, or a fragment or variant thereof which retains the antigen binding specificity of the parent monoclonal antibody and the effector portion comprises or consists of interleukin-12, or a functional fragment or variant thereof, characterized in the monoclonal antibody having specificity for oncofoetal fibronectin binds to a region of oncofoetal fibronectin other than the ED-B region. The invention further provides nucleic acids encoding the compounds of the invention, and the use of such compounds in medicine, e.g. in the treatment of cancer.
US08420080B2

We have discovered that the activated phosphorylated form of focal adhesion kinase (hereafter “FAKp”) strengthens the microvascular endothelial cell (EC) junctions that form a barrier in pulmonary endothelia, and the increased barrier helps to prevent acute lung injury (ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Thus certain embodiments of the invention are directed to prevention and treatment of ALI and ARDS by administering a therapeutically effective amount of FAKp to subjects at risk of developing or diagnosed as having either ALI or ARDS.
US08420078B2

A method of inhibiting growth of, reducing or eliminating a cell population of a subject in need thereof is disclosed. The method comprises (a) thermally, mechanically and/or chemically damaging antigen-bearing cells which comprise at least one antigen characterizing cells of the cell population, with the proviso that the chemically damaging of the antigen-bearing cells is not predominantly effected using one or more antineoplastic agents, thereby generating immunogenic cells; and (b) introducing in the subject a cell aggregate which comprises the immunogenic cells and added antigen-presenting cells, thereby inducing an immune response for inhibiting growth of, reducing or eliminating the cell population of the subject.
US08420074B2

Lactobacillus strains that have a genetic Profile I based on Apa I, Not I, and Xba I digests are provided. Preferably, the strains decrease level of at least one of coliforms and E. coli within the gastrointestinal tract of an animal. A direct-fed microbial that includes the strain is additionally provided. A method of feeding an animal the strain and a method of forming a direct fed microbial that includes the strain is also provided.
US08420066B2

Provided is an O/W emulsion cosmetic composition, which contains the following components (A), (B) and (C): (A) a polymer which is either a nonionic or cationic polymer composed of a hydrophobic monomer unit and a hydrophilic monomer unit and contains from 40 to 80 wt. % of a hydrophilic group; (B) a dispersion containing the following components (a), (b), (c) and (d): (a) powders having ultraviolet screening ability and having a surface subjected to hydrophobic treatment, (b) a polymer composed of a hydrophobic monomer unit and a hydrophilic monomer unit, (c) a silicone oil, and (d) an alcohol having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, at an (a):(b):(c):(d) weight ratio of (from 25 to 65):(from 0.1 to 5):(from 10 to 50):(from 10 to 50); and (C) water.
US08420065B2

Disclosed are hair or skin conditioning compositions comprising by weight: (a) from about 0.1% to about 10% of a thickening polymer system; (b) from about 0.1% to about 8.0% of a surfactant system selected from the group consisting of cationic surfactant, nonionic surfactant, and mixtures thereof; (c) from about 0.1% to about 10% of a hydrophobically modified amido silicone copolyol; and (d) an aqueous carrier; wherein the composition has a transmittance of 25% or more and/or wherein the composition has a viscosity of from about 1,000 cps to about 50,000 cps and Shear Thinning Index of 30 or more. The compositions are especially suitable for hair care products such as hair conditioning products for rinse-off/leave-on use.
US08420059B2

A single phase aerosol composition comprising the following constituents: (a) 5 to 75 wt % of a hydrofluorocarbon(s) (HFC) of vapor pressure greater than or equal to 4 bar at 20° C. (60 psig at 70° F.); (b) 10 to 30 wt % of a hydrocarbon propellant; (c) 1 to 70 wt % of a hydrocarbon solvent(s) with a vapor pressure of less than 0.1 mm Hg at 20° C.; (d) 0.01 to 10 wt % of an active constituent(s) selected from the group which includes fragrances, air-sanitisers, air fresheners, deodorizers, odor eliminators, malodor counteractants, insecticides, insect repellants, medicinal substances, disinfectants, aroma therapy compositions; and, (e) 0 to 25 wt % of an adjuvant constituent(s) other than (a), (b), (c) or (d). Methods of making the said composition and aerosol dispensers containing the said composition are also disclosed.
US08420054B2

A method for measuring of histamine in an epidermis comprising applying an adhesive article to an epithelium of a mammal; allowing for adherence of epithelial cells to the adhesive article; removing the adhesive article from the epithelium of the mammal; preparing the adhesive article using standard laboratory methods for extraction; extracting histamine from the epithelial cells adhered to said adhesive article; measuring histamine from the epithelial cells adhered to said adhesive article; determining the amount of histamine in the epithelial cells as compared to a baseline sample. Further, a method of objectively measuring the perception of itch in mammals and wherein there is a reduction in histamine from a baseline level which is directly proportional to a reduction in an itch perception.
US08420050B2

Novel methods of treating prostate tumors or of delaying the progression of prostate tumors are also provided, including, methods of treating bone or soft tissue metastases of prostate cancer methods for treating hormone sensitive and hormone refractory prostate cancer, methods for delaying the progression of hormone sensitive prostate cancer, for facilitating combination therapy in patients with hormone sensitive prostate cancer and for decreasing aberrant vascular permeability in patients with hormone sensitive prostate cancer, said methods comprising the step of administering to a subject a dose comprising an amount of radioactively labeled L70, N-[4-[[[[[4,7,10-Tris(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododec-1-yl]acetyl]amino]acetyl]amino]benzoyl]-L-glutaminyl-L-tryptophyl-L-alanyl-L-valyl-glycyl-L-histidyl-L-leucyl-L-methioninamide.
US08420046B1

Disclosed is a method of preparing high crystalline nanoporous titanium dioxide photocatalyst, capable of preparing the high crystalline nanoporous titanium dioxide photocatalyst in mass production through a simply synthesis method using an ultrasonification. The method includes the steps of (a) mixing a titanium precursor and a surfactant in a first solvent and performing a sol-gel reaction; (b) maturing a reactant obtained through the sol-gel reaction for 15 hours to 25 hours; (c) filtering the matured reactant and washing the matured reactant; (d) primarily drying the washed reactant at a temperature of 20° C. to 50° C. to obtain titanium sediments; (e) mixing the titanium sediments in a second solvent and performing an ultrasonification with respect to the mixed solution for 10 minutes to 120 minutes; and (f) secondarily drying the mixed solution, which has been subject to the ultrasonification, at a temperature of 15° C. to 45° C. to obtain titanium dioxide photocatalytic particles.
US08420035B2

The invention relates to a coating composition for diesel oxidation catalysts or a combination of diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particle filters, said coating composition comprising a combination of a noble metal on a metal oxide, with the exception of cerium oxide, and a zeolite doped with iron. The invention also relates to a catalyst provided with the coating according to the invention, and to a method for treating the exhaust gas of diesel internal combustion engines.
US08420032B1

Reactors and methods for solar thermochemical reactions are disclosed. Embodiments of reactors include at least two distinct reactor chambers between which there is at least a pressure differential. In embodiments, reactive particles are exchanged between chambers during a reaction cycle to thermally reduce the particles at first conditions and oxidize the particles at second conditions to produce chemical work from heat. In embodiments, chambers of a reactor are coupled to a heat exchanger to pre-heat the reactive particles prior to direct exposure to thermal energy with heat transferred from reduced reactive particles as the particles are oppositely conveyed between the thermal reduction chamber and the fuel production chamber. In an embodiment, particle conveyance is in part provided by an elevator which may further function as a heat exchanger.
US08420021B2

There is provided an ignition or plasma generation apparatus that eliminates the need for resonance means in a combustion chamber and simplifies the electrode structure within the combustion chamber in an instance where energy from each of a spark discharge and microwaves is used to ignite an air-fuel mixture gas in an internal combustion engine. The ignition or plasma generation apparatus includes a mixing circuit for mixing a high-voltage pulse from a high-voltage pulse generator and microwave energy from a microwave generator; and an ignition plug into which an output from the mixing circuit is supplied, the plug used for introducing the output into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The output supplied from the mixing circuit to the ignition plug is supplied in a manner in which the microwave energy and the high-voltage pulse are superimposed on each other on a same transmission line.
US08420010B2

A method for preparing a rare earth permanent magnet material is characterized by comprising the steps of disposing a powder mixture on a surface of a sintered magnet body of R1—Fe—B composition wherein R1 is at least one element selected from rare earth elements inclusive of Sc and Y, the powder mixture comprising a powder containing at least 0.5% by weight of M which is at least one element selected from Al, Cu, and Zn and having an average particle size equal to or less than 300 μm and a powder containing at least 30% by weight of a fluoride of R2 which is at least one element selected from rare earth elements inclusive of Sc and Y and having an average particle size equal to or less than 100 μm, and heat treating the magnet body having the powder disposed on its surface at a temperature equal to or below the sintering temperature of the magnet body in vacuum or in an inert gas, for causing at least one of M and R2 in the powder mixture to be absorbed in the magnet body. The invention provides an R—Fe—B sintered magnet with high performance and a minimized amount of Tb or Dy used.
US08420008B2

An exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a side well for a metal melting furnace. The side well comprises an insulated body having a front wall adapted to form part of an insulated side wall of a metal melting furnace and a top, a cavity within the body including a single upright well having a cylindrical wall adjacent to a closed bottom of the cavity, an entrance to the cavity at the top of the insulated body, a metal inlet channel leading directly into the cavity from an inlet aperture in the front wall, and a metal outlet channel leading directly from the cavity to a metal outlet aperture in the front wall. The side well includes a rotatable impeller having a vertical rotatable shaft and at least one vaned section positioned at a lower end of the rotatable shaft; wherein the impeller extends into the cavity with the vaned section positioned in the well adjacent to the cylindrical wall.
US08420004B2

The present invention provides a meltblown wetlaid method for producing non-woven fabrics from natural cellulose using pulp as raw material and N-methylmorpholine N-oxide (NMMO) as solvent for dissolving into dope. The dope is then extruded out of a spinneret to form filament bundle by meltblown method. Subsequently, by means of ejecting mist aerosol of water, the filament bundle is coagulated with regeneration. Via post treatments of water rinsing, hydro-entangled needle punching, drying, winding-up and the like have been orderly applied, then final product of nonwoven fabrics with continuous filament are produced from natural cellulose.
US08420003B2

A tube material is formed by continuously extruding a thermoplastic resin material in the shape of a cylinder that has a thickness of 100 μm and a circumferential length of 800 mm. After that, in a polishing process, the tube material is rubbed with a lapping tape of #2000 while being rotated in one direction at a fixed speed, so that circumferential stripes are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the tube material. Then, the circumferential stripes are thermally transferred by pressing the outer circumferential surface of the heated tube material against a mold surface that is finished in the shape of circumferential stripes by a thermal transfer process.
US08419991B2

A process for manufacturing free-flowing pellets based on cellulosic spun fibers. The process includes a) wetting at least one cellulosic spun-fiber strand with a preferably aqueous dispersion of a polymer and/or an oligomer for the purpose of applying sizing, b) drying the at least one spun-fiber strand, and c) comminuting the at least one spun-fiber strand into pellets. The free-flowing pellets are made from at least one comminuted spun-fiber strand having sizing made from a polymer and/or an oligomer. A fiber-reinforced thermoplastic includes finely distributed free-flowing pellets for manufacturing fiber-reinforced performs.
US08419989B2

The present invention concerns a process and apparatus for spinning polymer filaments comprising extruding a polymer solution to form one or more filaments into an air gap above a coagulation liquid, where the filaments are subject to strain; forming a downward stream of liquid and filaments by contacting the polymer solution with a coagulation liquid; passing the filaments and liquid through a quench tube; contacting the liquid with a surface such that the downward force of gravity on the liquid does not increase the strain of the filaments in the air gap; and separating the liquid from the filaments.
US08419972B2

A polymerizable liquid crystal composition is provided that is excellent in UV curing characteristics in the air and is excellent in orientation homogeneity, and a polymer film as a selective reflection film is provided that is obtained by orienting and polymerizing the composition on a supporting substrate. The liquid crystal composition contains a compound (1), a compound (2), a compound (3), a compound selected from a group of compounds represented by the formulae (4) to (6), and a surfactant. In the following formulae Y1 to Y4 and Y6 are each alkylene, A2, A3, A41, A42, A51, A52 and A6 are each a cyclic group, Z2 to Z4 and Z6 are each a bonding group, P4 and P6 are each an integer of from 0 to 3, R2, R31 and R32 are each hydrogen, halogen or alkyl, and Q1 and Q2 are each a polymerizable group.
US08419970B2

A silicon nitride polishing liquid for chemical mechanical polishing of a body to be polished in a planarization process for manufacturing of a semiconductor integrated circuit, the body to be polished including at least a first layer containing silicon nitride and a second layer containing at least one silicon-including material selected from the group consisting of polysilicon, modified polysilicon, silicon oxide, silicon carbide, and silicon oxycarbide, the silicon nitride polishing liquid having a pH of 2.5 to 5.0, and including (a) colloidal silica, (b) an organic acid that has at least one sulfonic acid group or phosphonic acid group in the molecular structure thereof and functions as a polishing accelerator for silicon nitride, and (c) water.
US08419967B2

A perovskite oxide represented by a general expression, (Aa, Bb)(Cc, Dd, Xx)O3. (where, A: an A-site element, A=Bi, 06.0, O: oxygen, and standard molar ratio among A-site elements, B-site elements, and oxygen is 1:1:3, but it may deviate from the standard within a range in which a perovskite structure is possible).
US08419964B2

Chemical etching methods and associated modules for performing the removal of metal from the edge bevel region of a semiconductor wafer are described. The methods and systems provide the thin layer of pre-rinsing liquid before applying etchant at the edge bevel region of the wafer. The etchant is less diluted and diffuses faster through a thinned layer of rinsing liquid. An edge bevel removal embodiment involving that is particularly effective at reducing process time, narrowing the metal taper and allowing for subsequent chemical mechanical polishing, is disclosed.
US08419959B2

An electrode assembly for a plasma reaction chamber used in semiconductor substrate processing. The assembly includes an upper showerhead electrode which is mechanically attached to a backing plate by a series of spaced apart cam locks. A guard ring surrounds the backing plate and is movable to positions at which openings in the guard ring align with openings in the backing plate so that the cam locks can be rotated with a tool to release locking pins extending from the upper face of the showerhead electrode.
US08419956B2

A surface emitting photonic device including a substrate; and a waveguide structure on the substrate. The waveguide structure includes an active region along its longitudinal axis and the active region is for generating light. The waveguide structure also has a trench formed therein transverse to the active region and defining a first wall forming an angled facet at one end of the active region, the first wall having a normal that is at a non-parallel angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the waveguide structure. The trench also defines a second wall located opposite the first wall.
US08419950B2

According to one embodiment, a pattern forming method is disclosed. The method includes contacting a template with light curable resin on a substrate. The template comprises a concave-convex pattern including concave portions and convex portions, and a metal layer provided on a convex portion of the concave-convex pattern. The concave-convex pattern is to be contacted with the light curable resin. The pattern forming method further includes irradiating the light curable resin with light of a predetermined wavelength under a condition ε1=−2ε2. Where ε1 is a complex relative permittivity of the metal layer corresponding to the predetermined wavelength, ε2 is a complex relative permittivity of the light curable resin corresponding to the predetermined wavelength.
US08419948B2

A method for treating wastewater treats wastewater. In an embodiment, the method for treating wastewater includes treating wastewater comprising a chemical oxygen demand. The method includes dissolving an iron compound in the wastewater. The method also includes adjusting the pH of the wastewater to reduce the chemical oxygen demand of the wastewater.
US08419945B2

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for cleansing blood through hemodialysis by the process of diffusion across a membrane into dialysate. This dialyzer also removes solutes from the blood by a process of convection, where fluid and dissolved solutes pass through the membrane out of the blood. In one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, the MECS dialyzer uses a counter-flow between the dialysate and blood through a plurality of microchannels. The dialyzer comprises a plurality of flat semi-permeable membranes interleaved between microchannel sheets to define a plurality of flow channels. The stack of membranes and microchannel sheets are aligned and consolidated to form the MECS dialyzer. The MECS dialyzer acts as a flow manifold with ports and headers to collect the blood and dialysate and direct them to and from the microchannels.
US08419943B2

The invention is directed to a method of removing a deleterious substance bound to a protein in blood of a patient by introducing a displacer substance into the blood under conditions in which the displacer substance replaces deleterious substance bound to the protein, thereby resulting in additional unbound deleterious substance in the blood, and removing unbound deleterious substance from the blood by extracorporeal renal replacement treatment.
US08419941B2

A method for yielding concentrated ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of a water solution of saccharide generated by a saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme is provided. Water is separated from the ethanol water solution yielded from ethanol fermentation of the water solution of saccharide generated by the saccharification of the lignocellulose by enzyme with pervaporation method using a water separation membrane. Condensate prepared by condensing ethanol vapor existing in a space above a liquid level of the ethanol water solution is collected.
US08419940B2

A pumping machine, that can serve a system as the sole main pump for pressurizing a primary liquid flow, incorporates, in a single machine, a rotor-drum type AP (axial piston) pump and a PX (pressure exchanger) that recovers energy from a secondary liquid flow such as the brine discharge from an RO seawater desalination system, with benefits including fewer moving parts and small machine size along with lower capital and operating costs. A single rotor-drum containing the cylinders and pistons is located between two end blocks, one or both configured with manifold passageways, ports and sliding valves. A swash-plate at one end reciprocates the pistons axially when the rotor-drum is rotated. Two working chambers, primary and secondary, are formed at opposite ends of a single piston in each cylinder, thus enabling the single rotor-drum to function as a primary liquid-pressurizing axial pump (AP) with sliding valves at the primary end enabling primary liquid pumping, and as a secondary outflow-driven pressure exchanger (PX) recovering energy from pressure drop in the secondary liquid flow and thus contributing work to primary pumping, saving energy and reducing operating costs.
US08419936B2

A drive mechanism for back pressure regulator used in liquid chromatography, supercritical fluid chromatography, or supercritical fluid extraction allows very fine automated control over a very wide range of pressures by combining a linear actuator compressing a spring, pushing a pin. The nozzle assembly of the regulator comprises a flow through chamber containing a diaphragm and a seat, in which the pin pushes the diaphragm against the seat, together with an upstream pressure sensor and electronic feedback control to the motor of the actuator. The BPR of the embodiments exhibits high pressure stability and extremely low pressure noise, even at moderate to high pressures. The exemplary BPR can be use at either constant pressure or to generate pressure programs where the pressure is varied versus time. Further, the nozzle assembly has a field-replaceable head, requiring no mechanical adjustment on replacement.
US08419934B1

A filter assembly includes an outer filter assembly, the outer filter assembly including an outer filter layer of pleated polyester fabric arranged in a hollow cylindrical shape and first and second end caps for retaining the ends of the outer filter layer, and an inner filter assembly including a hollow cylindrical core having a side wall with a plurality of perforations defined therein, an inner filter layer of meltblown polypropylene disposed around an outer surface of the side wall of the hollow cylindrical core, and first and second end caps. The inner filter assembly is removably received within the outer filter assembly such that the hollow cylindrical core and inner filter layer extend within the hollow cylindrical shape defined by the outer filter layer. The filter assembly is adapted to be mounted in a horizontal orientation within a filtering chamber of a spa device.
US08419931B2

The current invention provides an improved petroleum coking process wherein the risk of silicone poisoning of units downstream of the coke drums is eliminated. The method of the current invention controls the foam layer within the coke drum by injection of a non-silicone anti-foam agent, preferably a tire oil. In another embodiment, the current invention provides a controlled foaming method which increases the liquid production from the coke drum. In the controlled foaming method, an anti-foam agent is cyclically injected into the drum early in the coke drum fill cycle. The cyclic injections manage the foam layer without inducing the induction phase in the coke feedstock, thereby increasing the total volume of feedstock received by the coke drum.
US08419917B2

An electroplating head is disposed above and proximate to an upper surface of a wafer. Cations are transferred from an anode to an electroplating solution within the electroplating head. The electroplating solution flows downward through a porous electrically resistive material at an exit of the electroplating head to be disposed on the upper surface of the wafer. An electric current is established between the anode and the upper surface of the wafer through the electroplating solution. The electric current is uniformly distributed by the porous electrically resistive material present between the anode and the upper surface of the wafer. The electric current causes the cations to be attracted to the upper surface of the wafer.
US08419905B2

A method for forming a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on air bearing surface (ABS) of a slider, comprises steps of: providing sliders arranged in arrays, each slider having an ABS; forming a mixing layer in the ABS of the slider by depositing a first DLC layer on the ABS, the mixing layer consisting of the slider material and the first DLC layer material; removing the first DLC layer to make the mixing layer exposed; forming a second DLC layer on the mixing layer.
US08419901B2

A reactor is provided for converting organic material to charcoal, with the reactor having a furnace and a retort extending through the furnace. The retort has an auger extending therethrough, with the auger having a flight with gaps therein. Members project inwardly from the walls of the retort at the gaps in the flight to unplug blockages in the retort. A gas collection system is provided which has a branched portion having two or more venting tubes, each with valves so that each may be shut off independently to allow to off-line cleaning without requiring shutdown of the system. A method for converting organic material may be practised by introducing combustible materials into the reactor.
US08419900B2

To provide an apparatus for pretreatment for saccharification easily and continuously applying a treatment and capable of reusing ammonia at low cost. The apparatus has a mixing unit 2, a first heating unit 3, a separation unit 4, a transfer unit 6, an ammonia water supply unit 8 and an ammonia recovery unit 19. The apparatus may have the first heat exchanger 18, a second heat exchanger 25 and a heat supply unit 27 and further has a second heating unit 14. The apparatus may have a wet grinding unit 32 between the heating unit 3 and 25.
US08419887B2

A composite structural member is provided. The structural member includes a tubular shaft having a mating region of stiffness, and possibly thickness, greater than another region of said shaft. The shaft defines a lumen, and a fitting is disposed in the lumen. The fitting has a coupling region that defines at least one recessed portion bounded by one or more non-recessed portions, and the mating region mates with the coupling region of said fitting. As such, the shaft and fitting are mechanically restrained from at least some relative movement due to interference of the shaft and the fitting. A sleeve may be coupled to said shaft, for example, by including a tubular inner surface that proximately surrounds at least part of said shaft and mating region, for discouraging expansion of the mating region of said shaft.
US08419885B2

A method to bond carbon nanotubes to a surface. The mechanism of this bonding is studied, and shows that intercalation of alkali ions is possibly the central mechanism. Bonding pull-off forces of 4-5 N/cm2 were measured. This bonding also provides improved interfacial properties for other phenomenon, including improved thermal conductivity.
US08419876B1

A method of fabricating a composite structure exhibiting reduced flammability includes forming a joint between two composite sections and substantially filling the joint with a structural adhesive. A strip of intumescent material is formed and placed in the joint surrounded by the intumescent material.
US08419848B2

A compound of Formula (1) or a salt thereof: wherein: X is N or C(CN); Z is optionally substituted naphthyl; and Ar is an aryl group carrying at least one nitro substituent and optionally one or more further substituents.
US08419847B2

UV or EB curing ink compositions for screen printing which contain a remarkably high amount of an epoxidized vegetable or animal oil as sustainable material and a reactive diluent.
US08419844B1

A moisture removal system for removing water moisture from an air stream and an associated method are provided. The moisture removal system includes one or more packed beds that include a water-entry surface at which liquid water is received and an air-entry surface that is located substantially opposite the water-entry surface and at which the air stream is received. The air stream passes through the one or more packed beds in a direction substantially counter-current to the passage of the liquid water and the liquid water and the air stream contact one another in the one or more packed beds resulting in the removal of at least a portion of the water moisture from the air stream. The moisture removal system can be located upstream of and be operably connected to the inlet of a gas turbine system to which the air stream is delivered from the moisture removal system.
US08419841B2

An air processing device is provided by which a current-carrying section is attached to a casing by an insulating member having a covering section covering an outer periphery face of a current-carrying section and a tube-like section in which a power source-side end of the covering section is supported by a tube bottom section. This consequently secures a long insulating distance from an electric discharge spray section and a charged dust collecting section via the current-carrying section to the casing. As a result, the respective electrodes and the casing can have an improved insulating performance therebetween even under an environment where water droplets are supplied.
US08419840B2

The present invention provides an air-conditioning system that supplies a gas to a space to be air-conditioned and/or discharges a gas from the space to be air-conditioned through a permeable membrane in order to provide an air-conditioning system that can sufficiently block suspended matter in the air such as SPM, and can sufficiently introduce outside air in which the permeable membrane is an asymmetric membrane formed of a polymeric material prepared by polymerizing a monomer composition containing a predetermined monomer.
US08419836B2

An apparatus is provided for separating a liquid from a gas-liquid mixture. The apparatus has an enclosure having an inlet and an outlet defining a flow path for the gas-liquid mixture. The apparatus includes a plurality of plates in the enclosure that are arranged in the flow path between the inlet and outlet, with the plates being configured to coalesce liquid from the gas-liquid mixture contacting the plates. A reservoir may be in fluid communication with the plates and be positioned to receive fluid coalesced by the plates. The plates may be arranged so as to create a turbulent flow of the gas-liquid mixture flowing from the inlet toward the outlet.
US08419834B2

In at least some embodiments, the present invention relates to an air cleaner having a housing portion, and a low profile rain cover having an opening on an underside of the cover to allow unfiltered air to enter into the air cleaner. Also, in at least some embodiments, the present invention relates to an air cleaner including a housing and an additional component by which the air cleaner is capable of being directly coupled to a carburetor inlet. In some such embodiments, one or more protrusions can be provided within a channel formed by the housing/additional component to influence air flow. Further, in at least some embodiments, the present invention relates to an air cleaner having a shaped wall formed on a housing portion, where the shaped wall includes both an interior surface and an exterior surface by which air flowing within the air cleaner is imparted with helical motion.
US08419833B2

A two phase gas-liquid separation apparatus is provided that shapes the flow in a flow shaping line. Shaping the two-phase flow allows centrifugal force to send the heavier, denser liquid to the outside wall of the flow shaping line and allows the lighter, less dense vapor or gas to occupy the inner wall of the flow shaping line. With the gas positioned on the inner wall of the flow shaping line, an exit port on the inner wall will allow for the majority, if not all, of the gas, along with a low amount of liquid, to be sent to a conventional separator. A high ratio of vapor/liquid at a flow rate much lower than the total flow rate within the flow shaping line is sent to the conventional separator. This allows for efficient separation of the vapor from the liquid with the use of a smaller conventional separator.
US08419830B2

An apparatus and method for adsorption of organic and inorganic volatile compounds in gas flows by continuous and simultaneous distribution of a plurality of primary and secondary flows, through particular distribution and shut-off devices, to a plurality of chambers, in which the individual energy and mass transfer operations associated with such adsorption occur. High flow-rate and/or concentration are accommodated, following a cyclic adsorption/regeneration process, in which a part of the adsorbent material is used to separate the compounds in gas flows, while the rest of the material sequentially undergoes two or more desorption steps in a stabilized atmosphere suitable to carry the desorbed compounds at very high concentrations, and a final cooling step in a stabilized atmosphere, for preparing the material for continuing the process.
US08419823B2

The present disclosure describes a method for recovering metals such as gallium, indium and aluminum from III-V group compound semiconductors or semiconducting materials thereof containing arsenic, antimony and/or selenium. The method includes the step of adsorbing the arsenic, antimony and selenium selectively to an adsorbent containing the rare-earth metal compound with the use of the adsorbent.
US08419822B2

Processes for producing carboxylic acid-stabilized silver nanoparticles are disclosed. A reaction mixture comprising a silver salt, a carboxylic acid, and a tertiary amine is heated to form carboxylic acid-stabilized silver nanoparticles.
US08419817B2

The present invention is a filter that includes a length of filter media and a continuous, substantially nonlinear adhesive strand. The filter media has a front face and a rear face. The filter media has a plurality of pleats defined by a plurality of fold lines, each fold line being intermediate oppositely sloping first and second wall surfaces. The plurality of fold lines comprise a first plurality of pleat tips and a second plurality of pleat valleys. The adhesive strand is provided on the front face of the filter media in discontinuous contact with the filter media. The adhesive strand contacts the filter media at a pleat tip and contacts the filter media at a portion of a first wall surface and contacts the filter media at a portion of a second wall surface.
US08419803B2

Methods and compositions for producing flowable compositions, e.g. pastes, that set into calcium phosphate products are provided. In the subject methods, dry reactants that include a calcium source and a phosphate source are combined with a setting fluid to produce the flowable composition. A feature of the subject methods is that the dry reactants include a particulate calcium and/or phosphate reactant having a mean particle size of less than about 8 μm and narrow size distribution. Also provided are the compositions themselves as well as kits for use in practicing the subject methods. The subject methods and compositions produced thereby find use in a variety of applications, including the repair of hard tissue defects, e.g., bone defects.
US08419801B2

An implantable, adjustable prosthesis includes a first component which may be moved relative to a second component by use of a transcutaneous control signal. A method of operating such a prosthesis is also disclosed.
US08419798B2

A joint prosthesis includes a head component that is engaged to a bone stem through a mounting element. The mounting element is configured for articulating engagement with the stem to permit angular positioning of the head component in multiple degrees of freedom. The mounting element is fastened to the stem by a press-fit engagement and a separate mechanical fastener.
US08419797B2

An implant for stabilizing bones or vertebrae includes an implant body with at least a first hole and a second hole that can be fixed by a first screw and a second screw. Each of the screws includes a screw thread. Each of the holes has a threaded portion with an internal thread for cooperating with the screw thread, wherein the threaded portion of at least the first hole is formed of a flexible material. A guiding member that is a separate part is insertable into the implant body such that it is arranged at least partially within the first hole. The guiding member is configured to guide the first screw when the first screw is screwed through the threaded portion of the first hole. The second screw is spaced apart from the guiding member when the second screw is screwed through the threaded portion of the second hole.
US08419795B2

An interbody cage system includes an interbody cage having a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior. The interbody cage system also includes an insertion tool. A portion of the insertion tool extends into the proximal end and the interior.
US08419791B2

An intraocular lens comprises an optic and one or more haptics, wherein the or each haptic can be compressed in the plane of the lens, and which additionally comprises, around the optic, an annular rim that, in use, is in contact with the posterior capsular sac.
US08419790B1

The intraocular lens (IOL) fixation device includes an elongate handle having a slender, elongate neck extending therefrom. The neck terminates at a head section. The head section includes a rotator, upon which a plurality of radiating vacuum holding legs extends outward, the end of each leg having a suction cup attached thereto. The legs and the suction cups include hollow channels that communicate with a source of vacuum in order to facilitate gripping of the IOL. Upon insertion of the IOL and proper placement of the head over the IOL, activation of vacuum firmly holds the IOL through the suction cups. The rotator is rotated to accurately align the IOL within the capsular bag. The IOL fixation device also includes irrigation means for selective irrigation of the target area.
US08419785B2

Medical devices are manufactured from fine grained materials, processed from of a variety of metals and alloys, such as stainless steel, cobalt-chromium and nickel-titanium alloys. A fine grained metal or alloy is formed from a specimen rapidly heated to its recrystallization temperature, and then subjected to high temperature, multi-axial deformation, for example, by heavy cross-forging or swaging. The deformed specimen may be cooled and reheated to a second recrystallization temperature. The metal or alloy in the specimen is then allowed to recrystallize, such that the grain size is controlled by quenching the specimen to room temperature. A desired medical device is then configured from the fine grained material. Decreasing the average grain size of a substrate material and increasing the number of grains across a thickness of a strut or similar component of the medical device increases the strength of the device and imparts other beneficial properties into the device.
US08419772B2

Provided herein are systems, devices and methods for the correction of spinal deformities with the use one or more implantable rods configured to apply a corrective force to the spine. Methods of minimally invasive implantation of a corrective system are provided, such as where the corrective system is attached only to the spinous process of one or more vertebral bodies. Various corrective systems as well as components thereof are also provided, such as those that allow limited movement with respect to the spinal column.
US08419769B2

An adjustable loop knotless anchor assembly having an adjustable loop suture element that utilizes an adjustable or sliding knot for length adjustment during a tissue repair. The slidable knot is located on a sleeve that is placed into a bone mass for capturing an anchor element. The anchor element captures the adjustable loop and then is inserted into the sleeve. The anchor element is adjusted for securing it in a locked position within the sleeve for secure attachment of the anchor element therein.
US08419765B2

A medical instrument includes a swingable operating section formed of a pair of forceps which rock around a first rocking axis. A tubular sheath includes a distal end portion situated on a proximal end side of the operating section having a circular-section portion having a circular cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal central axis and a pair of flat portions formed by cutting the opposite sides of the circular-section portion and in sliding contact with the proximal end portions of the forceps. A manipulator advances and retreats in a longitudinal direction of the sheath, thereby rocking the forceps. A junction connects the manipulator for rocking motion around a second rocking axis with respect to the forceps in the flat portions, and is situated on or near a reference plane passing through the longitudinal central axis of the sheath and extending parallel to the second rocking axis when the operating section is closed.
US08419762B2

A trocar assembly including a trocar and a trocar sheath and methods for accessing an intracorporeal site, e.g. biopsy or trocar site, using the trocar assembly. The trocar has a tissue penetrating distal tip, an elongated shaft and a proximal handle portion. The distal portion of the trocar sheath forms a releasable connection, such as a friction fit, with the shaft of the trocar and a slit that extends from the distal portion to the proximal end of the trocar sheath. The trocar assembly is advanced through the patient's tissue until the distal end of the trocar sheath is located at the desired site and then the trocar is removed. A treatment device such as a radiation balloon catheter is advanced through the interior of the sheath until the treatment component thereof is at the desired site.
US08419757B2

An ultrasonic surgical assembly includes a reusable cordless ultrasonic transducer and a disposable handle body that defines a battery-holding compartment therewithin, having an ultrasonic surgical waveguide, and operable to removably couple the transducer to the waveguide, the transducer being removably couplable to the handle body.
US08419754B2

Suturing systems may comprise a cartridge and a drive unit which are detachable from each other. The cartridge often has a cartridge body, a plurality of jaws, and a cartridge interface. The drive unit has a drive unit body, a linkage, and a drive unit interface which will typically include a latch. A latch input is coupled to the latch so that a movement of the input moves the latch to the released position. The cartridge interface or the drive unit interface includes a channel while the other includes a shaft which is fittingly receivable in the channel. Opposed motions of the input and cartridge during cartridge removal avoid inadvertent detachment during use.
US08419751B2

A clipping instrument for biological tissues equipped with an outer tube which can be inserted into a biological cavity, an operating member freely passed through the outer tube, an operating wire freely passed though the operating member, a self-opening holder which can be opened and closed by the action of the operating member attached to the edge of the operating wire, and a self-opening clop having a clipping member for clopping a biological tissue which is attached to the edge of the holder in a detachable manner by opening/closing the holder. Using this clopping instrument, a lesion site can be surely clipped over a long period of time in ligating a breeding site in a biological tissue, stitching a laceration, making in excision of a mucosal tissue and so on with an endoscope.
US08419748B2

A device for removing thrombus from a body cavity is disclosed. The device comprises a flexible wire having a proximal end and a distal end. The device further comprises an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The proximal portion attached to the distal end of the flexible wire and distally extends therefrom to the distal portion. The device further comprises an expandable member formed helically about the elongated shaft. The expandable member is configured to helically close, defining a collapsed state for delivery and retrieval of the device. The expandable member is configured to helically open, defining an expanded state for removing thrombus from the body cavity. The expandable member has at least one member portion helically extending from the elongated shaft at a predetermined angle, defining a proximally faced opening when the member is in the expanded state.
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