US08509793B2

Present invention provides a communication method and a communication system that can provide more detailed communication control, larger transmission capacity, and more flexible resource distribution to users in comparison with a communication method using a conventional frame format.There are provided a downlink frame generator 14 that generates a downlink frame for a downlink period in which a cell station 10 communicates with at least one personal station of the plurality of personal stations 20 in a predetermined frame format, and an uplink frame generator 24 that generates an uplink frame for an uplink period in which at least one personal station of the plurality of personal stations communicates with the cell station 10 in a predetermined frame format, wherein the frame format of the downlink frame includes a MAP field that notifies, in the downlink period, each personal station of information indicating an available or unavailable subchannel for each personal station.
US08509783B2

A mobile station UE is provided with an access right management unit for managing a CSG-ID corresponding to a CSG cell which permits the mobile station UE to access thereto, a measurement unit for measuring the radio quality of a CSG cell defined as an object to be measured, and a measurement report transmission unit for, only when the radio quality of a CSG cell corresponding to the CSG-ID managed by the access right management unit out of the radio qualities of CSG cells measured by the measurement unit satisfies a report condition, transmitting a measurement report including at least the radio quality of the CSG cell corresponding to the CSG-ID.
US08509763B2

A method and apparatus evaluating base station efficiency in a network. The method may comprises: obtaining, from a plurality of base stations, cell performance measurements, wherein the cell performance measurements include a transmitted carrier power value and a dedicated channel (DCH) power value, generating a plurality of cell efficiency coefficients for each of the plurality of base stations by processing the obtained cell performance measurements, determining if at least one of the plurality of base stations is an inefficient base station from at least one of the plurality of cell efficiency coefficients, and transmitting at least one network modification suggestion, wherein the at least one network modification suggestion is based on the at least one of the plurality of cell efficiency coefficients used in determining the at least one inefficient base station.
US08509756B2

The subject disclosure provides a system and methods for a central network monitoring authority to be automatically alerted upon loss of broadband connectivity at a residential gateway. In connection with detecting a connectivity loss in a residential gateway, traceable alert data is created, a mobile device is located within range of an associated femto cell, the traceable alert data is provided to the mobile device; and the mobile device is then employed to transmit the traceable alert data to a central network monitoring authority.
US08509730B2

A remote control method between mobile devices and a system thereof are provided. The system includes a server including a control command list for controlling a help-requesting device. The server authenticates a remote control authorization of a control device and relays a data packet communication between the help-requesting device and the control device. The help-requesting device transmits a help request message to the control device through the server. The control device acquires the authorization to remotely control the help-requesting device from the server and then transmits a control command for controlling the help-requesting device to the help-requesting device through the server. The help-requesting device executes the received control command and then transmits execution result data to the control device through the server. The control device outputs the execution result data received from the help-requesting device.
US08509729B2

Emergency alert messages are received from an emergency service or governmental agencies and modified according to user, user group, or device characteristics or preferences. Emergency alert messages are appended with source identifiers that can be used by users to respond to such alert messages. The emergency alert messages and the response messages can include multimedia content. Emergency alert messages received on a user device can be transmitted to other devices using various means, including short distance wireless communications protocols.
US08509727B2

A system and method for providing Emergency Alert System (EAS) notifications over Internet Protocol (IP) delivery platforms, including a proxy server coupled to an emergency alert system receiver, a subscriber management database coupled to the proxy server, and an instant messaging server coupled to the proxy server and to the subscriber management server.
US08509726B2

Methods, apparatuses, and systems directed to facilitating troubleshooting wireless connectivity issues in a wireless network. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, either a diagnostic supplicant in the wireless client or a diagnostic manager initiates a troubleshooting protocol between the diagnostic supplicant and the diagnostic manager over a diagnostic link in response to one or more events. In one embodiment, after the diagnostic supplicant establishes a link to a diagnostic manager via a diagnostic link, the diagnostic supplicant generates and transmits a problem report to the diagnostic manager. The problem report initiates a troubleshooting protocol between the diagnostic manager and the diagnostic supplicant.
US08509724B2

A wireless communication system, wherein a sub-set of radio frequency signals received from corresponding antenna elements is selected and combined into a single radio frequency signal, the single radio frequency signal being processed and demodulated in a single processing chain, includes a radio frequency phasing network for co-phasing the selected radio frequency signals before combining and a processor for controlling combining and phasing in order to obtain a single radio frequency signal having a radio performance indicator which satisfies predetermined conditions.
US08509722B2

Systems and devices for controlling frequency drift in satellite broadcast systems. A receiver antenna system for a direct broadcast satellite signal communications system in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention comprises an oscillator, a mixer, coupled to the oscillator, for converting satellite signals at a first frequency to signals at an intermediate frequency, an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter, coupled to the mixer, for receiving the signals at the intermediate frequency and for converting the signals at the intermediate frequency at near-real-time to a digital data stream, a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), coupled to the A/D converter, for processing the digital data stream, and a drift estimator, coupled to the DSP, the drift estimator determining a frequency drift of the oscillator, wherein the receiver antenna system corrects the frequency drift of the oscillator using the determined frequency drift.
US08509720B2

Aspects of a method and system for LNA adjustment to compensate for dynamic impedance matching are provided. In this regard, an antenna matching network may be configured to maximize received signal strength for a determined frequency and an amplifier gain may be adjusted based on the maximized signal strength such that output levels of the amplifier are between specified limits. The antenna matching network may be programmatically controlled via one or more switching elements. The amplifier gain may be programmatically controlled via one or more bias points. The antenna matching network may be configured for a plurality of frequencies in a frequency band, such as an FM broadcast band, and a configuration for each frequency may be stored. Accordingly, when the receiver is tuned to a frequency, a corresponding configuration may be retrieved from memory.
US08509718B2

An antenna tuner unit (ATU) that provides broadband tuning is disclosed. The disclosed ATU includes a radio frequency (RF) switch circuit having an N number of switch inputs, wherein N is a natural number equal to 2 or greater. An N number of reactance elements are coupled in series between an RF input and one of the N number of switch inputs. Taps between adjacent pairs of the N number of reactance elements, wherein each of the taps is coupled to a corresponding one of the N number of switch inputs. The ATU further includes a capacitive element for each of the taps, wherein each capacitive element is coupled between a corresponding one of the taps and a voltage node. In at least one embodiment, each of the capacitive elements is made up of a programmable capacitor array.
US08509716B2

A method for selecting antenna configurations in a satellite receiving system, the method comprising: selecting antenna configurations using a first mode of operation wherein frequency shift keying (“FSK”) of a frequency is implemented, or a second mode of operation wherein a DC level is implemented, and adaptively controlling a capacitor to condition a signal while the second mode is in use and removing the effects of the capacitor while the first mode is in use.
US08509713B2

An active antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission paths, a variable common power supply unit, and an envelope detection system. The transmission paths are adapted to carry a plurality of similar transmission path signals, wherein at least one of the plurality of transmission paths comprises an amplifier having a power input and a signal input for one of the plurality of similar transmission path signals. The variable common power supply unit is connected to the power input of the amplifier for supplying power to the amplifier. The envelope detection system is connected to an envelope input of the variable common power supply unit and adapted to provide a common envelope signal for the plurality of similar transmission path signals to the variable common power supply unit. A method for envelope tracking and computer program products for manufacture and method execution are also claimed.
US08509710B2

Techniques for transmitting data using a combination of explicit cyclic delay and implicit cyclic delay are described. A transmitter may perform first processing for cyclic delay diversity (or explicit cyclic delay processing) based on a first set of cyclic delay values known to a receiver. The transmitter may perform precoding based on a precoding matrix either before or after the explicit cyclic delay processing. The transmitter may perform second processing for cyclic delay diversity (or implicit cyclic delay processing) based on a second set of cyclic delay values unknown to the receiver. The transmitter may perform both explicit and implicit cyclic delay processing for data and may perform only implicit cyclic delay processing for pilot. One entity may select the first set of cyclic delay values and inform the other entity. The transmitter may autonomously select the second set of cyclic delay values without informing the receiver.
US08509702B2

A method of calibrating a device under test (DUT) to communicate wirelessly includes providing predetermined reference signal strength values corresponding to a reference device, the reference signal strength values including a first group of signal strength values measured at each of a first plurality of transmission power levels. The method further includes measuring signal strength values for the DUT including a second group of signal strength values measured at each of a second plurality of transmission power levels, mapping the measured signal strength values in the second group of signal strength values to corresponding reference signal strength values in the first group of signal strength values to create a plurality of mapped data pairs, and generating a lookup table according to the mapped data pairs and storing the generated lookup table in a memory of the DUT. The method also includes calibrating the DUT according to the lookup table.
US08509699B1

A radio access network (RAN) accumulates page messages in a paging buffer for subsequent transmission into a wireless coverage area. A buffer monitor is configured to periodically monitor the occupancy of the paging buffer and to detect when there is a surge in the paging buffer occupancy (e.g., when the occupancy increases by at least a threshold amount during an evaluation time period). When the buffer monitor detects a surge in paging buffer occupancy, the RAN transmits a control message that changes one or more access parameters that mobile stations operating in the wireless coverage area use to determine when to transmit responses to page messages. Because of the changed access parameters, mobile stations that receive page messages in the same time period are less likely to transmit responses in the same access cycle channel, thereby reducing the possibility of access probe collisions.
US08509692B2

Disclosed is a system and method for the real-time wireless transmission of a digital audio signal and control data. A transmitter may be coupled to an audio source. The transmitter includes a processor to combine control data with a digital audio signal from the audio source and the processor wirelessly transmits the combined control data and digital audio signal to a receiver. The receiver includes a processor that is used to receive the combined control data and digital audio signal and to process the control data to perform a user pre-defined function.
US08509688B2

A portable device capable of controlling a piconet selects a logical channel when forming the piconet. The device includes a controller configured to start a first piconet. The controller couples to at least one secondary device in the first piconet. The portable device also includes a transmitter configured to communicate with the at least one secondary device via a wireless communication channel. The controller is configured to select communication channel resources based at least in part on resources allocated to a second piconet in order to mitigate interference between the piconets. The controller is configured to form the first piconet to operate in either a non-interference mode when the controller is able to establish communications with a second controller in the second piconet or a coexistence interference mitigation mode when the controller is unable to establish communications with the second controller in the second piconet.
US08509687B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device comprising a receiver port configured to be operatively coupled to a local receiver antenna; a transmitter port configured to be operatively coupled to a local transmitter antenna and to receive signals received by the local transmitter antenna at least for a portion of time while the local receiver antenna is not operatively coupled to the receiver port; and a quiet spot determination unit configured to receive signals received by the local receiver antenna at least for a portion of time while the local receiver antenna is operatively coupled to the receiver port, receive signals received by the local transmitter antenna at least for the portion of time while the local receiver antenna is not operatively coupled to the receiver port, and determine a quiet spot frequency. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08509681B2

Disclosed is a method of using relay that may continuously transmit data without time division based on superposition coding in a communication system. When transmission of a relay-supported user signal via a base station-relay link is performed, the method of using relay based on the superposition coding reuses a resource allocated to a direct-transmission user based on the superposition coding to perform the transmission. According to example embodiments, a separate resource for the base station-relay link may not be needed, and continuous relay transmission is possible without time division, thereby substantially increasing frequency efficiency and reducing a transmission delay caused by the use of the relay.
US08509678B2

Embodiments include methods and systems for activating display of content items on a mobile device based on event criteria associated with a profile of a user. For example, one embodiment comprises a method of activating reception of multimedia data on a mobile device. The method includes receiving metadata identified with at least a portion of one of plurality of broadcasts, determining, based on the metadata identified with the portion of broadcast content, whether the portion contains event metadata satisfying event criteria associated with a profile of a user, and instructing a receiver of a mobile device of the user to tune to the broadcast for receipt of the portion of the broadcast.
US08509672B2

A sheet transport apparatus including two or more covers is described. The two or more covers are disposed relative to a sheet transport path. In one example, the two covers include two stacked covers that are movable relative to each other. In another example, the two covers include two side-by-side covers in which one pivots, permitting movement of the other side-by-side cover.
US08509668B2

A fixing device includes a belt heating a toner image on recording material, a member slidable on the belt inner surface, a pressor pressing the belt against the member to form a recording material nip, and a projection and recess provided on a nip forming surface of the member. When pressure applied when a toner temperature of the toner image reaches a softening temperature T1 (° C.) is P1 (kgf/cm2), pressure applied when the toner temperature reaches an incipient fluidization temperature T2 (° C.) is P2 (kgf/cm2), the toner temperature when P(t)/η(t) wherein η(t)is a toner melt viscosity (Pa·s) and P(t) is a pressure (kgf/cm2) applied with the toner melt viscosity η(t) is maximum is T3 (° C.), and pressure applied when the toner temperature reaches T3 (° C.) is P3 (kgf/cm2), the following relationships are satisfied: 0.3
US08509667B2

A fixing device for thermally fixing a developing agent image to a sheet including: a fusing member; a heater; a nip member; a reflection member; a stay; and a backup member. The fusing member has an inner peripheral surface defining an internal space and is circularly movable. The heater is disposed in the internal space and radiates a radiant heat. The nip member is disposed in the internal space. The inner peripheral surface is in sliding contact with the nip member. The reflection member including a reflection portion and an extending portion reflects the radiant heat from the heater toward the nip member. The stay covers the reflection portion and supports the nip member. The extending portion extends outside of the stay. A backup member provides a nip region in cooperation with the fusing member upon nipping the fusing member between the backup member and the nip member.
US08509662B2

An image forming apparatus includes a latent image carrier on which a latent image is formed, a developer carrier being in contact with the latent image carrier and configured to develop the latent image by using a liquid developer that contains toner and a carrier liquid, an image carrier belt being in contact with the latent image carrier, where the latent image carrier is configured to transfer the latent image onto an area of the image carrier belt, a transfer roller including a concave section on a circumferential surface thereof and a sheet member being configured on a part of the circumferential surface other than where the concave section is wherein the transfer roller is configured to transfer the latent image onto a transfer material, and a control unit being configured to control the area of the image carrier belt being in contact with the sheet member via the transfer material.
US08509660B2

A developing apparatus includes a developer bearing member, a supporting portion, an urging unit, and a movement regulating member. The developer bearing member rotates while bearing developer. The supporting portion rotatably and movably supports the developer bearing member and includes a recessed portion that is formed into a concave shape. The urging unit urges the developer bearing member in a predetermined direction of the rotational axis direction. The movement regulating member is fitted to an end of the developer bearing member and is movable together with the developer bearing member. The movement regulating member may move to a first position where movement in a perpendicular direction is regulated by coming into contact with a portion of the supporting portion and a second position that is a position apart from the first position and movable in the perpendicular direction without coming into contact with the portion of the supporting portion.
US08509657B2

A two component developer storage product to replenish a two component developer containing at least toner and carrier includes: a cylindrical container having an opening at one end thereof; a lid to close the opening; a toner layer stored in the cylindrical container; and a carrier layer stored in the cylindrical container; wherein the toner layer and the carrier layer are stacked, and the cylindrical container has a spiral projection on an inner spherical surface thereof, and is configured such that when the cylindrical container is rotated, the toner layer and the carrier layer are conveyed by the spiral projection and toner and carrier are discharged from the opening.
US08509649B2

A reassembled laser printer toner cartridge and method of manufacture including a cartridge seal assembly in which the remains of an OEM laser printer toner cartridge's toner hopper pull seal strip(s) is left in position, or a substitute conductive strip is put in the same position to simulate the OEM pull seal strip(s) if the OEM strips have been damaged or are missing in order to enable a repaired or remanufactured cartridge to cooperate with the printer in detecting measuring and displaying the amount of toner consumed from the cartridge and shut the printer down, once the toner cartridge is empty, and a toner cartridge hopper foam seal strip assembly that covers the remnants of the OEM seal strips and provides a seal to prevent leakage of toner from the re-filled toner cartridge.
US08509645B2

An image forming system includes an image forming apparatus including a heating fixing portion and a host computer capable of instructing printing. In the image forming apparatus, throughput can be changed and discriminated in accordance with a printing number. For printing on small size sheets, the system is operable in a normal small size sheet mode and in a high speed small size sheet output mode, in which the printing is effected at a throughput which is higher than that in the normal small size sheet mode and, after completion of the printing, the image forming apparatus rests for a predetermined rest period. The host computer includes a mode selector for selecting a mode from the high speed small size sheet output mode and the normal small size sheet mode, and a controller for transmitting the mode selected by the mode selector to the image forming apparatus.
US08509644B2

A fixing device includes a temperature controller that controls a temperature of a fixing rotary body based on the temperature of the fixing rotary body detected by a temperature detector so as to heat the fixing rotary body to a plurality of preset target temperatures that includes a first target standby temperature, a target fixing temperature, a target idle temperature, and a second target standby temperature. When the target fixing temperature is lower than the first target standby temperature, the temperature controller separates a pressing rotary body from the fixing rotary body to idle the fixing rotary body for a predetermined idle time period before a fixing operation starts. After the fixing operation, the temperature controller controls a heater to change the temperature of the fixing rotary body to the second target standby temperature.
US08509628B2

A first optical splitter splits an input optical signal and outputs it to first and second optical paths. A second optical splitter outputs the optical signal from the first optical path to third and fourth optical paths. A third optical splitter outputs the optical signal from the second optical path to fifth and sixth optical paths. In the second optical path, 1-symbol delay element and π/4 phase shifter element are configured. In the fourth optical path, π/2 phase shifter element is configured. First and second adjuster circuits adjust the optical path length of the second and the fourth optical paths, respectively, by temperature control. A first optical coupler couples optical signals transmitted via the third and the fifth optical paths. A second optical coupler couples optical signals transmitted via the fourth and the sixth optical paths. Photodetectors convert the optical signals from the optical couplers into electrical signals.
US08509624B2

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprising an optical transmitter, having an optical transmitter portion and an electrical transmitter portion, and configured to convert an electrical signal to an optical signal, and transmit the optical signal; an optical receiver, having an optical receiver portion and an electrical receiver portion, configured to receive an optical signal and convert the optical signal to an electrical signal; a passive power controller configured to passively detect whether or not a cable is coupled with the optical transmitter and, if not, to place at least the optical transmitter portion in a sleep mode.
US08509623B2

An optical LNB capable of fast position-adjusting is employed in an LNBF. The optical LNB includes a down-converting device coupled to an OMT of the LNBF for down-converting a polarized signal for generating a first intermediate frequency signal, a branching device for branching the first intermediate frequency signal for generating a second and a third intermediate frequency signals, an electrical/optical converting device coupled to the branching device for converting the second intermediate frequency signal into an optical signal, and a power end for receiving power from a power supply and outputting the third intermediate frequency signal.
US08509621B2

An optical add/drop multiplexer (OADM) having an Add path for adding optical channel signals input through a plurality of Add ports to an outbound dense wavelength division multiplexed (DWDM) signal, and a Drop path for switching selected channels from an inbound DWDM signal to one or more of a plurality of Drop ports. The OADM has a loopback connection between the Add path and the Drop path. The loopback connection couples a selected loopback channel wavelength from the Add path to the Drop path. The physical connection between a transceiver and the OADM can be verified by connecting the transmitter to an Add port of the OADM and the receiver to a Drop port of the OADM. The OADM is controlled to switch the selected loopback channel wavelength in the Drop path to at least one intended drop port to which the receiver should be connected, and the transmitter is controlled to transmit a predetermined test signal using the loopback channel wavelength. Detecting the test signal by the receiver verifies that the receiver is connected to the at least one intended drop port.
US08509617B2

A node, a data processing system, and a data processing method are provided. The node includes a control module, adapted to generate synchronization information and Optical Burst (OB) configuration information; at least one synchronization processing module, adapted to perform a synchronization process on OB paths at a plurality of wavelengths according to the synchronization information; and a cross-connection module, adapted to perform, a cross-connection process on the OB paths, on which the synchronization process has been performed. The data processing system includes at least two nodes, where the nodes are connected through OB paths at one or more wavelengths, and the nodes are adapted to transfer service data through the OB paths. The technical solutions can reduce volume, power consumption, and costs of the nodes, and avoid a problem of generation of data conflict on an optical layer due to lack of optical buffers in all optical switching.
US08509614B2

[Problem]This invention aims at solving the problem of how a subscriber premises-side optical network unit can be switched to an evaluation mode without the use of a jig board.[Means for Solving the Problem]The invention refers to a subscriber premises-side optical network unit (ONU 10) which is connected to a center-side optical network unit (OLT 1a) via an optical transmission line (optical fiber 2, 4) and to an external device (switch 6) via an electric signal line (electric signal line 5); comprising a memory (memory switch 15a) the stored content of which can be directly or indirectly rewritten by the external device; a detection part (CPU 15) for detecting that the content of the memory has been rewritten; and a control part (CPU 15) for performing, when the detection part detects that the stored content of the memory has been rewritten, a control whereby the optical sending part which sends optical signals to the optical transmission line is put into a continuous light emission state.
US08509613B2

In optical communication systems, an optical signal which is modulated with a data signal is transmitted from an optical transmitter, and is launched into a fiber-optic transmission link. The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for the measurement of the distribution of the reflectivity along an optical transmission line implemented by using the signal processing based on the cross-correlation function between the data signal with which the optical transmitter is modulated and the back-reflected signal returned to the optical transmitter to provide the in-service monitoring of the fiber-optic transmission link.
US08509612B1

A viewfinder for attaching to a device having image-capturing capability has a structure for supporting an eyepiece, an engagement interface implemented on the structure to engage a complementary portion of a device having image-capture capability in a specific direction, and at least one eyepiece attached to the structure, such that the eyepiece has an axis proceeding in the specific direction with the viewfinder engaged to the device having image-capture capability.
US08509610B2

An image stabilization control apparatus corrects image shake, which is caused by the shake of a camera, using a shake correction unit. An angular velocity sensor detects angular rotational shake in the yaw direction, and an angular velocity sensor detects angular rotational shake in the roll direction. An accelerometer detects acceleration in the horizontal direction. A camera CPU calculates a first correction amount for use in the correction of translational shake in the yaw direction using the outputs of the angular velocity sensor and the accelerometer, and calculates a second correction amount for use in the correction of translational shake in the roll direction using the outputs of the angular velocity sensor and the accelerometer. A driving unit drives a shake correction unit in accordance with the correction amount of translational shake.
US08509606B2

A radiant heating unit is selectively operated to move radiant heating panels to regulate heating of a continuous web of media as the web moves along a media pathway in an imaging device. The radiant heating panels in a radiant heating unit may be moved to any one of a plurality of positions between and including a fully open position and a retracted position in the housing. A panel driver is operated to move the radiant heating panels to one of the positions in the plurality of positions in response to a variable view factor signal.
US08509598B1

According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus receives a first packet group of a stream of content data. The apparatus includes a first detector, a second detector and an index generator. The first detector detects a first packet of the first packet group, the first packet including program information. The second detector detects a start packet of a second packet group from the first packet group, the second packet group carrying a randomly accessible video frame. The second detector detects a time stamp from the start packet or another packet having the same packet ID. The index generator generates index information indicating a storage position of the first packet in a buffer and the time stamp.
US08509583B2

Described is an optical element for guiding electromagnetic radiation. The optical element includes a base body and at least one film, wherein the film is configured to adhere to the base body to form an intimate connection with the base body without using an adhesion promoting interlayer and is arranged such that the electromagnetic radiation passes through it.
US08509574B2

An all-fiber optic Faraday rotator and isolator is presented. The device has a multicomponent glass optical fiber having a core having a first doping concentration of 55%-85% (wt./wt.) of a first rare-earth oxide and a cladding having a section doping concentration of 55%-85% (wt./wt.) of a second rare-earth oxide, where the first rare-earth oxide and the second rare earth oxide are one or more of Pr2O3, Nd2O3, Pm2O3, Sm2O3, Eu2O3, Gd2O3, Tb2O3, Dy2O3, Ho2O3, Er2O3, Tm2O3, Yb2O3, La2O3, Ga2O3, Ce2O3, and Lu2O3, and where the refractive index of the cladding is lower than a refractive index of the core. The fiber optic device further includes multiple magnetic cells each formed to include a bore extending there through, where the fiber is disposed in the bore of one of the magnetic cells.
US08509573B2

When a plurality of images are combined together, a positioning error can occur. To correct positioning error, the images may be displayed on a display, and a user may specify a correction value using an operation device. However, in a case where the operation device does not have high performance or the display does not have a screen large enough to provide sufficiently high viewability, the correction of the positioning error is difficult. In the present invention, in view of the above, a sheet is printed and a user describes on the sheet a correction value in terms of relative position of a plurality of images stored in a memory. The sheet is read by a reading apparatus, and an image obtained is analyzed to determine the specified correction value. The relative position of the plurality of images stored in the memory is corrected based on the determined correction value.
US08509568B2

This apparatus obtains a mapped position (xo, yo) of (xi, yi), acquires (xi′, yi′) by performing inverse mapping for each reference position being based on (xo, yo), obtains (xi″, yi″) by performing inverse mapping for integer parts xoc and yoc of xo and yo respectively, and performs interpolation using fraction parts of x- and y-coordinates of a position, of (xi″, yi″) and (xi′, yi′), whose integer parts of the x- and y-coordinates respectively coincide with xi and yi, and peripheral pixel values of (xi, yi).
US08509563B2

A system for generating soft copy (digital) versions of hard copy documents uses images of the hard copy documents. The images may be captured using a device suitable for capturing images, like a camera phone. Once available, the images may be processed to improve their suitability for document generation. The images may then be processed to recognize and generate soft copy versions of the documents represented by the images.
US08509553B2

An encoder, a decoder, an encoding method and a decoding method are provided. The encoder includes a reversible color transform module, a difference pulse code modulation (DPCM) intra prediction module, a quantization module, a reversible frequency transform module and an entropy coding module. The reversible color transform module performs a reversible color transform to output a transformed video signal according to an input video signal. The DPCM intra prediction module performs a DPCM intra prediction to output a least residual according to the transformed video signal. The quantization module performs a quantization operation to output a quantization coefficient according to the least residual. The reversible frequency transform module performs a reversible frequency transform to output a frequency coefficient according to the quantization coefficient. The entropy coding module performs entropy coding to output a compression bit stream according to the frequency coefficient.
US08509552B1

In one embodiment the present invention includes a digital image processing method for concealing errors. The method includes determining error pixel locations based on motion vectors and determining if the error pixel locations in a current frame are on an edge of an object in the current frame. If an error pixel location is on an edge, then a search of pixel values is performed in the current frame along the edge for a replacement pixel value. If the error pixel location is not on an edge, then a search of pixel values is performed in a region adjacent to the edge for the replacement pixel value.
US08509543B2

A subject tracking device includes: an input unit that sequentially inputs input images; an arithmetic operation unit that calculates a first similarity level between an initial template image and a target image and a second similarity level between an update template image and the target image; a position determining unit that determines a subject position based upon at least one of the first and the second similarity level; a decision-making unit that decides whether or not to update the update template image based upon the first and the second similarity level; and an update unit that generates a new update template image based upon the initial template image multiplied by a first weighting coefficient and the target image multiplied by a second weighting coefficient, and updates the update template image with the newly generated update template image, if the update template image is decided to be updated.
US08509524B2

An image processing device includes a dictionary data storage unit to store dictionary data regarding features that a plurality of objects has, an arithmetic unit to compute feature data of an input image based on information of the input image that includes an object with a specific feature among the plurality of objects, and a calculation unit to calculate a parameter for adjusting the dictionary data regarding the object with the specific feature based on the feature data and the dictionary data.
US08509522B2

A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable storage medium provides the ability to determine two or more camera viewpoint optical centers. A first image and a second image captured by camera devices (and the rotations for the camera devices) are obtained. For each pair of matched points between the first image and the second image, a linear equation is defined that utilizes the rotations, pixel coordinates of the matched points and optical centers. A matrix ATA is computed where each row of A corresponds to a pair of matched points and the number of columns is 3N (N representing the number of camera devices). The matrix is solved resulting in an eigenvector that holds the optical centers that are used to output image information.
US08509520B2

A system and a method for establishing an association for a plurality of images and a recording medium thereof are provided. The system includes a storage module and an association establishment module. The storage module stores a plurality of images. Any two images having at least one common content form an associated image set. Each associated image set has an associated position information and an associated angle information, and each image in the same associated image set respectively has a photographing point with respect to a common content therein. The associated position information and the associated angle information are relative positions of and an included angle between photographing angles of the two photographing points with respect to the common content. The association establishment module establishes an association between the images according to the associated image sets and the associated position information and the associated angle information thereof.
US08509512B2

This invention provides an examination method, an examination apparatus, and an examination program capable of performing the examination corresponding to the type or the like of the site to be examined and capable of reducing the examination time when examining the substrate. The X-ray is output from an X-ray source, and the X-ray that transmitted the substrate to be examined is photographed as an X-ray perspective image in an FPD (Flat Panel Detector). The photographing for generating the reconstruction data by X-ray CT is performed at the positions on the virtual circle having the optical axis of the X-ray source as an axis, similar to the photographing for generating the reconstruction data by tomosynthesis. Thus, in generating the reconstruction data by X-ray CT, the data is converted so that each image rotates using affine conversion with the center of each X-ray perspective image as an axis according to the rotation position on the virtual circle as if the X-ray perspective images obtained at the respective positions are photographed at the positions, and then the filtering process is performed.
US08509507B2

A method includes determining a plausibility of one or more perfusion parameter maps generated based on perfusion image data and correcting at least one of the perfusion parameter maps when the plausibility for the at least one perfusion parameter map does not satisfy pre-set perfusion parameter plausibility criteria.
US08509499B2

A method and system of identity masking to obscure identities corresponding to face regions in an image is disclosed. A face detector is applied to detect a set of possible face regions in the image. Then an identity masker is used to process the detected face regions by identity masking techniques in order to obscure identities corresponding to the regions. For example, a detected face region can be blurred as if it is in motion by a motion blur algorithm, such that the blurred region can not be recognized as the original identity. Or the detected face region can be replaced by a substitute facial image by a face replacement algorithm to obscure the corresponding identity.
US08509496B2

A method of tracking a face in a reference image stream using a digital image acquisition device includes acquiring a full resolution main image and an image stream of relatively low resolution reference images each including one or more face regions. One or more face regions are identified within two or more of the reference images. A relative movement is determined between the two or more reference images. A size and location are determined of the one or more face regions within each of the two or more reference images. Concentrated face detection is applied to at least a portion of the full resolution main image in a predicted location for candidate face regions having a predicted size as a function of the determined relative movement and the size and location of the one or more face regions within the reference images, to provide a set of candidate face regions for the main image.
US08509495B2

What is disclosed is a novel system and method for identifying an individual in an IR image involves the following. Intensity values are collected at N wavelengths for each pixel in an IR video-based image. The intensity values are collected using an IR imaging system having an IR detector and an IR Illuminator. The intensity values are then used to identify pixels of human skin in the IR image. If human skin is identified in the IR image then, the human hand is identified in the IR image from the human skin to distinguish the hand from the background. Vein patterns in the hand are then located and extracted. A reference vein pattern is retrieved from a database of known vein patterns for individuals, and a comparison is made to determine a match. If a match is determined, then the individual in the captured IR image can be identified.
US08509493B2

A biometric identification system enabling biometric authentication without a user providing his or her biometric data to an authentication entity, including an interface for data input/output with an electronic device in a state attached to an attachment part provided at the electronic device or data input/output by proximity wireless communication with the electronic device, a biometric data detecting means for acquiring the biometric data from a living subject, a memory for storing identification use biometric data used for the biometric identification in a secure state, and a controlling means for performing processing for comparing the biometric data acquired by the biometric data detecting means with the identification use biometric data stored in the memory for identification and processing for outputting a predetermined request or predetermined data to the electronic device via the interface on the condition that the comparison processing has judged coincidence in the secure state.
US08509486B2

A vehicle license plate recognition method and a system thereof are disclosed. A region where a vehicle license plate image exists is detected according to the edge densities of an input image and a vehicle license plate specification. A text area of the vehicle license plate image is divided into a plurality of character images. The character images are binarized to obtain a plurality of binarized character images. A plurality of characters is recognized from the binarized character images. The characters are recombined to form a character string. The abovementioned steps are repeated to obtain a new character string from another image of the same vehicle, which is captured at a next time point. The character string is compared with the new character string character by character to obtain a comparison result for verifying reliability of recognition through a voting technique.
US08509481B2

An image processing apparatus includes a motion vector detecting unit configured to detect, for each field of a signal, a motion vector in each of a plurality of vector detection areas within the field, a determining unit configured to determine, for each field, a group area obtained by grouping the motion vector detection areas based on the motion vector detected by the motion vector detecting unit, a geometric center calculation unit configured to obtain, for each field, a geometric center of the group area, a determination unit configured to determine group areas that correspond to each other in fields that are in consecutive relation in terms of time by comparing the geometric centers of the group areas obtained for each field in consecutive relation.
US08509479B2

An image of a scene may be observed, received, or captured. The image may then be scanned to determine one or more signals emitted or reflected by an indicator that belongs to an input object. Upon determining the one or more signals, the signals may be grouped together into a cluster that may be used to generate a first vector that may indicate the orientation of the input object in the captured scene. The first vector may then be tracked, a virtual object and/or an avatar associated with the first vector may be rendered, and/or controls to perform in an application executing on the computer environment may be determined based on the first vector.
US08509477B2

This invention relates to a network interface device having a first capture device interfacing with a first external information source to capture first external information. The captured information is processed and stored in a first media, which storage is initiated at an initial time and completed at a completion time, thus providing a stored defined set of first captured information. A transmitter transmits the captured information to a remote location on a network after the completion time. A remote processing system is disposed at the remote node on the network and includes a database and a receiver for receiving the transmitted information from the transmitter as a received defined set of first captured information. A data converter converts the received information to a second format as a set of converted first captured information, the second format different than the first media format, the second format being a searchable format.
US08509476B2

System and method for detecting cloud shadows over water from ocean color imagery received from remote sensors.
US08509474B1

The present invention relate generally to digital watermarking and data hiding. One claim recites a method including: obtaining a first color channel and a second color channel, the first color channel and the second color channel are components of a color image signal or color video signal; obtaining a digital watermark orientation pattern, the orientation pattern serving to facilitate detection of a watermark message; separating the digital watermark orientation pattern into first frequency components and second frequency components; utilizing a programmed electronic processor or electronic processing circuitry, transforming the first color channel by steganographically embedding the first frequency components therein; and utilizing a programmed electronic processor or electronic processing circuitry, transforming the second color channel by steganographically embedding the second frequency components therein. Of course, other combinations and claims are provided too.
US08509470B2

The present invention relates to magnetic field interface clothes performing contactless magnetic field communication with a mobile terminal, the magnetic field interface clothes includes: a receiving part in which a mobile terminal is received and a coil part performing contactless magnetic field communication with a coil part of the mobile terminal at a position facing a coil part of the mobile terminal is formed, wherein the coil part formed in the receiving part includes a first coil and a second coil, the first coil and the second coil are received in the receiving part to have different winding directions.
US08509467B2

There are provided a human body sound transmission system and a method. The human body sound transmission system according to an aspect of the present invention directly or indirectly contacts a human body to apply coupled signals of high frequency sound signals with high frequency signals, which recover sound signals from the high frequency sound signals, to the human body and transmit the sound signals using the human body as a transmission medium, wherein a magnitude of the sound signals recovered around a human's ear is increased in proportion to the number of signals transmitted through the human body by transmitting the plurality of signals including the same sound signals through the human body.
US08509459B1

Systems and methods for a noise canceling microphone and microphone system are disclosed. The system generally includes a housing with a printed circuit board forming a surface of the housing. Electrical terminals are located on an exterior side of the printed circuit board. A diaphragm is disposed within the housing. A first port in the housing remote from the printed circuit board provides access to one face of the diaphragm first face and a second port disposed in the housing remote from the printed circuit board provides access to a second face of the diaphragm.
US08509456B2

A circuit configured to adjust the level of an audio signal includes filters each of which is configured to receive an audio signal, and to pass a band set for the filter. Variable gain amplifiers are severally provided to the respective filters, and each variable gain amplifier amplifies the output signal of the corresponding filter. An adder sums the input audio signal and the output signals of the variable gain amplifiers. A control unit controls the level of the output signal of each of the variable gain amplifiers, and controls the gain of each variable gain amplifier according to the level thus monitored.
US08509453B2

Audio apparatus, including an audio player, housed within a casing, for producing audio output, a port on a surface of the casing for inserting a headphone connector therein, a light emitting source, a power source, housed within the casing, for supplying power to the audio player and to the light emitting source, and a headphone for listening to audio output produced by the audio player, including a connector for insertion into the port, and a light pipe for transmitting light generated by the light emitting source.
US08509444B2

A low cost scramble key management apparatus which enables to manage a scramble key based on individual contract information and to ensure security in narrow band broadcasting. The scramble key management apparatus 7 includes an ECM decoding unit 75 for decoding an ECM in which a scramble key and individual contract information are encrypted. The individual contract information includes contract information indicating contract statuses of a plurality of content receivers 3, 3, . . . which is arranged based on receiver IDs for identifying each of the content receivers 3. The scramble key management apparatus 7 includes a contract information obtaining unit 76b for obtaining the contract information of the content receiver 3 associated with the receiver ID from the individual contract information and a contract status determining unit 76c for determining the contract status and outputting the scramble key to a content decoder 5 if the contract status is under contract.
US08509431B2

A wireless device may perform a local authentication to reduce the traffic on a network. The local authentication may be performed using a local web server and/or a local OpenID provider (OP) associated with the wireless device. The local web server and/or local OP may be implemented on a security module, such as a smartcard or a trusted execution environment for example. The local OP and/or local web server may be used to implement a provisioning phase to derive a session key, associated with a service provider, from an authentication between the wireless device and the network. The session key may be reusable for subsequent local authentications to locally authenticate a user of the wireless device to the service provider.
US08509418B1

A system for providing a live agent with information on a telephone call has an interactive voice response (IVR) mechanism responding to a telephone call placed by a caller by providing a request signal transferred to the caller. The caller may be requested to produce a voice response indicating a purpose of the telephone call. A speech recognition mechanism processes the caller's voice response so as to produce a data signal representing a recognized voice response. A computer telephony integration (CTI) unit forwards to the live agent the telephone call from the caller, concurrently with forwarding the data signal representing the recognized voice response to a terminal for display to the live agent. The CTI unit may perform a screen popping function to display the data signal as a visual object at the terminal of the live agent. The visual object may include a text corresponding to the recognized voice response.
US08509414B2

A target phone number previously associated with a first user is presently associated with a second user such that the target phone number is not presently associated with the first user. A caller uses a calling phone number to initiate a phone call to the target phone number. In response, it is determined whether the calling phone number is on a list of phone numbers associated with the first user. If the calling phone number is on the list of phone numbers associated with the first user, then the caller is notified that the target phone number is no longer associated with the first user. It is determined whether the caller wants to continue with the phone call, and if not, the phone call is terminated before it reaches the second user.
US08509405B2

An approach is provided for blocking communication sessions. Attribute information of a user is acquired. A unique identifier is generated based on the acquired attribute information. The unique identifier is associated with a plurality of communication identifiers that are used to activate, respectively, a plurality of communication services, wherein the unique identifier is used to block communication sessions associated with the corresponding communication services.
US08509401B2

A multicast transmission system includes a server and a plurality of terminal devices, the servers and the terminal devices connected through a network. Each terminal device includes data transmission means for transmitting data to the server during a PTT call, and output means for receiving counting result data from the server and outputting the counting result data. The server includes counting means for counting or tallying up data received from the terminal devices, and counting data transmission means for transmitting the counting result data to the terminal devices used by members of the PTT call.
US08509399B2

Messages in a message system are converted from one format to another format in accordance with preferred message formats and/or conditions. Message formats can include text messages, multimedia messages, visual voicemail messages, and/or other audio/visual messages. Based on conditions such as recipient device location or velocity and a preferred message format a message can be converted into an appropriate transmission format and transmitted and/or communicated to the recipient in its appropriate format (e.g., text, multimedia, audio, etc. . . . ).
US08509397B2

The invention comprises music and information delivery systems and methods. One system comprises a portable communication device configured to receive a piece of music from an audio source and transmit the piece of music via a first communication medium to a host computer. The host computer is configured to receive the piece of music from the portable communication device and search a storage medium to identify and access the piece of music from the storage medium. The host computer is configured to transmit the piece of music via a second communication medium to one or more reception units that are configured to receive the piece of music from the host computer via the second communication medium.
US08509394B2

An automated ringback update system for customizing ringback signals is disclosed. Communications devices activate and interact with the automated ringback update system via the recognition of a feature associated with a printed matter to allow for modifications of the network service.
US08509392B2

Various aspects are described that may provide various communications services. These services may provide for the ability of a user to initiate or request a communication with a third party, such as an emergency service party or a vendor, using a network-coupled device that may be pre-associated with a physical address.
US08509391B2

A Voice over IP (VoIP) module is used to connect an alarm system to a monitoring station over the Internet. A built-in wireless or Ethernet over A/C power component is described, such that the Voice-over-IP equipment can be placed at a distance from a router, without the need to run an Ethernet cable from the VoIP equipment to the router. This arrangement is useful, as in many cases, the customer's security system is hidden within a closet, or else placed within the home or business at a significant distance from their Internet connection and router. The present invention accomplishes this by adding a built-in WiFi (wireless) radio, or a built-in Ethernet over Power circuit, into the Voice-over-IP equipment installed in the home or business.
US08509390B2

A correctional facility communication system for sending an external message to an offender of a correctional facility is disclosed. The correctional facility communication system includes a messaging system and a correctional facility system coupled together with a wide area network. The messaging system is at a first location and the correctional facility system is at a second location, different from the first location. The messaging system authenticates a sender of the external message, receives the external message in electronic form at the first location, checks the external message against criteria specified by the correctional facility, determine a second location of the offender and a corresponding printer, and sends the external message to the second location for automatic printing with the corresponding printer.
US08509381B2

A patient positioning system for a panoramic dental radiation imaging system, including an upright support, and a patient positioning arm with chin rest mounted thereto. Wands are each rotatably connected to the patient positioning arm and connected together so as to move at identical angles of rotation, but in the opposite direction. Lasers, including a mid-sagittal, a Frankfort Plane, two cuspid, and one toe laser, each providing a line of visible laser light directed at a respective area of a patient's face, or at the floor, assist a technician in properly positioning the patient. A mirror is mounted to the upright support by a mechanism that permits the mirror to be pivoted outward from the support, in either of two directions, so as to enable the technician to see the lasers on the patient's face from the technician's position on either side of the positioning arm.
US08509378B2

A shift register is discussed in which a pull-up switching device is turned off positively in a period in which no scan pulse is forwarded for securing drive stability and prevents a picture quality from becoming poor. The shift register in one embodiment includes stages having any one of first and second start pulses, and any one of first to fourth clock pulses to forward a scan pulse in succession, wherein the first and second start pulses are in gate high voltage states for two horizontal periods, with the second start pulse forwarded with a delay of one horizontal period than the first start pulse. The first to fourth clock pulses are in gate high voltages for two horizontal periods, with one horizontal period delay to one another.
US08509374B2

Method including: inducing, with antiprotons, nuclear fission in a material, such as depleted uranium; measuring leakage of radioactive byproduct produced by the fission; and producing, responsive to the measuring, a design for the nuclear fuel element. Apparatus, manufactures, and products produced by the method can be encompassed.
US08509370B2

A phase locked loop device includes a phase detector that measures a difference in phase between a reference clock signal and an output clock signal provided to a device module. The phase detector provides a pulse having a width indicative of the phase difference. If the phase difference exceeds one of a plurality of threshold values, an indicator can be asserted. Based on the indicator, a control module can take remedial action, such as providing a different clock signal to the device module or triggering an interrupt at a processor device.
US08509369B2

A frequency synthesis system with self-calibrated loop stability and bandwidth, which outputs an output signal based on an input signal and includes a detector, a charge pump, a filter, a controllable oscillator and a programmable frequency divider. The detector produces a detection signal based on a logic level difference between the input signal and a feedback signal. The charge pump is connected to the detector in order to produce a control signal based on the detection signal. The filter is connected to the charge pump in order to produce a tuning signal based on the control signal. The controllable oscillator is connected to the filter in order to produce the output signal based on the tuning signal. The programmable frequency divider is connected to the controllable oscillator in order to produce the feedback signal based on the output signal. The filter is a discrete time loop filter.
US08509367B2

The invention provides a receiver comprising a data input and a strobe input. The strobe signal transitions whenever two consecutive bits in the data signal are the same. The receiver comprises combining means for generating a recovered clock signal from a combination of the data and strobe signals. The receiver also comprises a first sampling stage arranged to sample the data signal in dependence on the recovered clock signal, the first sampling stage comprising a plurality of sampling circuits and being arranged to obtain consecutive samples of the data signal using alternating ones of the sampling circuits. A second sampling stage is arranged to sample the data from the first sampling stage in dependence on a local system clock signal.
US08509366B1

A final NOCE (noise covariance estimate) for reducing noise in a first channel of a receiver with a plurality of antennas is calculated. A first raw NOCE for the first channel is calculated, wherein a raw NOCE for a channel is an initial estimate of the covariance of noise in that channel between the plurality of antennas. At least a second raw NOCE for a second channel is calculated. A metric using the first and second raw NOCEs is calculated. The metric is used to determine whether the second raw NOCE should be included in the calculation of the final NOCE.
US08509365B2

The present invention relates to a blind adaptive filter for narrowband interference cancellation, which includes an adaptive filter, a delay unit coupled to the adaptive filter for generating a delayed signal with a predetermined delay length from the output signal of the adaptive filter, and an error calculation unit coupled to the adaptive filter and the delay unit. The error calculation unit compares the output signal from the adaptive filter and the delayed signal from the delay unit to extract error information, and feedback the first error information to the adaptive filter. The first error information is formed of a transfer function including a number of coefficients, and used to adjust the adaptive filter and remove interference in the next input signal. The disclosed technique is also applicable in wideband receivers, as well as resisting multiple strong narrowband interferences having a frequency sweep rate of tens of milliseconds.
US08509364B2

An apparatus and method suitable to estimate impairments of wireless signals, including both noise and interference of the wireless signals are disclosed herein. The noise of the wireless signals may be caused by thermal noise and platform noise. An adaptive scheme may dynamically switch between estimating interference only or the combined noise and interference. Other embodiments may be disclosed or claimed.
US08509360B2

A pulse radio receiving apparatus includes a reference waveform generation section that generates a reference waveform signal, a delay section that generates a plurality of delayed waveform signals by delaying the reference waveform signal by different amounts of delay, a correlation calculation section that generates a plurality of correlation value signals showing correlation values between a received signal, and the reference waveform signal and the delayed waveform signals, a determination section that compares predetermined combinations of the plurality of correlation value signals and generates a difference detection signal showing a direction and degree of a phase shift between the received signal and the reference waveform signal according to comparison results, and a synchronization control section that controls a phase of the reference waveform signal generated by the reference waveform signal generation section based on the difference detection signal.
US08509359B2

A multi-channel sequential Viterbi decoder includes: an input buffer, a “Read Data from Input Buffer” signal driver, a processing unit selector, a decoder channel parameters registers unit, a processing unit for a “Reset Path Metrics” command, a processing unit for a “Set Path Metric Value for the Given Path Number” command, a processing unit for a “Get Single Bit from the Path with Given Number” command, a processing unit for a “Process Input Samples” command, a memory for storing decoding paths and path metrics, a unit for generating an address for the memory, and data buffers for decoder channels output.
US08509353B2

In a digital receiver, a noise attenuation and signal magnitude mapping variable amplifying unit includes a filter and an amplifier, amplifies and band-bass filters an analog signal and attenuating white noise and an interference signal other than a band signal. An ADC performs subsampling on a carrier frequency of a desired signal and performs oversampling on the band of the desired signal by using a sampling frequency to convert the analog signal which has passed through the noise attenuation and signal magnitude mapping variable amplifying unit into a digital signal of a direct conversion frequency band or an intermediate frequency band. The ADC has a dynamic range for processing both the desired signal and an undesired signal adjacent to the desired signal. A digital signal processing unit converts a signal frequency of the digital signal or digital-filters an undesired signal within the digital signal and processes the digital signal by digitally adjusting a gain.
US08509351B1

The present disclosure relates to multi-mode RF circuitry using a single IQ modulator topology that may support different communication standards, including enhanced data rates for global system for mobile communications evolution (EDGE) and EDGE evolution by dividing certain modulation functions between a frequency synthesizer and an IQ modulator. Specifically, during a standard modulation mode, which may be used to support many communications standards, the frequency synthesizer provides an un-modulated RF carrier signal to the IQ modulator, which either phase modulates or phase and amplitude modulates the un-modulated RF carrier signal to provide a standard modulated RF signal. During a small signal polar modulation mode, which may be used to support the EDGE and EDGE evolution protocols, the frequency synthesizer provides a phase-modulated RF carrier signal to the IQ modulator, which may or may not amplitude modulate the phase-modulated RF carrier signal to provide a small signal polar modulated RF signal.
US08509341B2

A communications device includes a modulator and a filter downstream therefrom and operable to generate an output wideband complex signal with a frequency notch therein. The filter includes a finite impulse response (FIR) filter with L taps to generate N output values, with L>N. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) block is downstream from the FIR filter and has a length N so that filter transition regions occur between frequency bins of the FFT block. A notching block is downstream from the FFT block to generate the frequency notch. An Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) block is downstream from the notching block and has the length N.
US08509339B2

A multi-user multiple input multiple output (MIMO) downlink beamforming system with limited feed forward (200) is provided to enable precoding matrix information to be efficiently provided to a subset of user equipment devices (201.1), where zero-forcing transmit beamformers (wi) are computed at the base station (210) and assembled into a precoding matrix (W). The precoding matrix is encoded using a compact reference signal codebook (225, 207.1) for forward link signaling, either by sending bits indicating the index of the transmission matrix used, or by transmitting one or more precoded pilots or reference signals wherein the pilot signals are precoded using vectors uniquely representative of the transmission matrix used which includes candidate reference signal matrices which meet a predetermined condition number requirement, such as a condition number threshold.
US08509324B2

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method and an apparatus for peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction of a transmission signal in a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) system. The method may utilize a permutation of a time domain signal, and/or a permutation of a frequency domain signal or a permutation of a signal transformed by a unitary matrix. The apparatus may include an M-point DFT or some other M×M unitary matrix, N-point IDFT, interpolation and frequency conversion units, and a pair of possibly different permutation matrices of size M×M, where M can be less or equal than N.
US08509322B2

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and apparatus of adjusting a wireless communication signal. In some demonstrative embodiments the method may include, for example, allocating a plurality of spectral components to an adjustment signal based on a spectral range of the wireless communication signal to be adjusted by the adjustment signal, wherein one or more of the spectral components are included in the spectral range. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08509319B2

A method in a wireless communication device includes receiving precoding matrix information including first and second precoding submatrices, transmitting a first transport block from a first set of at least two antennas according to the first precoding submatrix and a second transport block from a second set of at least two antennas according to the second precoding submatrix, receiving a retransmission request for the second transport block, and retransmitting the second transport block according to a retransmission precoding matrix from at least one of the first set of antennas and at least one of the second set of antennas.
US08509318B2

Apparatus and methods are described that enable concurrent transmission of multiple data signals including clock, synchronization, and power over a single-wire bus between a master device and one or more slave devices. A first transmission channel from the master device to the slave device may modulate the width of periodic pulses between a first voltage level and a second voltage level with respect to a reference potential. A second transmission channel may modulate the amplitude of at least one of the first and second voltage levels to at least one third voltage level. Concurrent communications between a master device and one or more slave devices over a single-wire bus can be achieved.
US08509315B1

Synchronization of data streams is enabled. Synchronized data streams may include compressed data streams. Conventional data compression components may be utilized to generate the compressed data streams. As an example, compressed digitized video and associated metadata may be synchronized in this way. Synchronization may be enabled based on causing data compression components to generate detectable data units. For example, patterns of data units having well characterized entropies may be passed through data compression components to generate detectable patterns of compressed data units.
US08509314B2

A method and apparatus for error concealment in image data including a block having an error, the method including: dividing a region that surrounds the block into a plurality of neighboring regions; separately calculating edge angles of the neighboring regions; and selectively performing directional interpolation based on the calculated edge angles.
US08509310B2

An encoding method, medium, and system encoding an image, with an image being encoded by generating a plurality of image slices as images of each color component of the image and encoding the image slices in parallel with each other and independently of each other. Accordingly, although an image to be encoded has a large number of color components, the image can be compressed promptly. In addition, a decoding method, medium, and system are also provided decoding an image, with a plurality of encoded image slices being included in a corresponding bitstream, which are images of each color component of the image to be restored, are decoded in parallel with each other and independently of each other so as to restore the image using the decoded image slices. Accordingly, although an image to be decoded has a large number of color components, the image can be restored promptly.
US08509306B2

A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.
US08509304B2

A video encoding method and apparatus, and a video decoding method and apparatus, which are capable of improving efficiency of encoding a luminance component video signal by predicting information on various encoding modes of the luminance component video signal by using a result obtained by encoding a chrominance component video signal, are provided. Accordingly, a block mode and an intra-prediction mode of the luminance component video signal are predicted from a previously encoded and recovered chrominance component video signal, and the predicted block mode and the predicted intra-prediction mode are used to encode the luminance component video signal.
US08509295B1

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for predicting bit errors in a communication channel, comprising generating a model representative of the communication channel, formulating enhanced noise at a first noise level that is higher than a second noise level, the second noise level corresponding to a level of noise that the communication channel experiences during a general operation of the communication channel, simulating an operation of the model by injecting the enhanced noise into the model, determining actual bit errors of the model when the model is simulated with the enhanced noise, and estimating a bit error rate (BER) when the model of the communication channel is operated with noise of the second level. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08509292B2

A receiver includes a frequency converter configured to generate a I signal and a Q signal from each band of a multiband signal and a mismatch compensator configured to estimate a mismatch of the I signal and the Q signal for each of the bands of the multiband signal and store at least one compensation value to compensate for the estimated mismatch. The frequency converter compensates for the mismatch of the I signal and the Q signal based on the at least one compensation value.
US08509287B2

Aspects of a method and system for diversity processing utilizing a programmable interface suppression module may include one or more circuits that are operable to program an interference suppression module based on one or more interference cancellation parameters. A plurality of weighting factor values may be computed based on the one or more interference suppression parameters and a received plurality of multipath signals. A plurality of estimated signals may be generated based on the plurality of weighting factor values. A plurality of updated estimated signals may be generated based on the plurality of estimated signals. A plurality of interference suppressed signals may be generated based on the plurality of updated estimated signals.
US08509285B2

A base station apparatus transmits control information to a radio communication apparatus on one or more control channel elements (CCEs) with consecutive CCE number(s) and receive a response signal from the radio communication apparatus. The response signal is spread with a sequence defined by a cyclic shift value that is determined among multiple cyclic shift values from an index of physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), which is associated with a first CCE number of aforementioned one or more CCEs, and with an orthogonal sequence that is determined among multiple orthogonal sequences from the index. One of cyclic shift values used for an orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an odd CCE number and another one of the cyclic shift values used for the same orthogonal sequence is determined from an index of the PUCCH, which is associated with an even CCE number.
US08509284B2

A system for communicating a sequence of information symbols using a chaotic sequence spread spectrum signal. The system includes a transmitter (402) for transmitting a signal including the information symbols, the information symbols encoded into the signal using a first chaotic sequence of chips generated at the transmitter. The system also includes a receiver (404) configure to receive the signal and extract the information symbols from the signal, the information symbols extracted using a second chaotic sequence of chips generated at the receiver. In the system, the first and the second chaotic sequences are identical and synchronized in time and frequency, each of the sequence of symbols is associated with a randomly generated threshold symbol energy value, and the portion of chips in the first and the second chaotic sequences associated with each of the plurality of information symbols is selected based on the associated threshold symbol energy value.
US08509280B2

The gas laser oscillator apparatus of the present invention has a temperature-detecting mechanism disposed at the bearings of the bellows section. The temperature-detecting mechanism detects temperature rise in the bearings and calculates a maintenance cycle with reference to the predetermined data on relationship between temperature and the lifetime of the bearings. Disposed at the bearings, the temperature-detecting mechanism outputs a signal that indicates a replacement cycle according to the temperature of the bearings. More preferable, the temperature-detecting mechanism has a sensor at a tip end of a spring having a pressure force smaller than a load applied to the bearings in advance. To enhance accuracy of temperature detection, the spring is wrapped around with heat insulating material so as not to be exposed to outside temperature.
US08509276B2

Hybrid plasmonic waveguides are described that employ a high-gain semiconductor nanostructure functioning as a gain medium that is separated from a metal substrate surface by a nanoscale thickness thick low-index gap. The waveguides are capable of efficient generation of sub-wavelength high intensity light and have the potential for large modulation bandwidth >1 THz.
US08509268B2

A method for use in a field unit operable in a wireless communication network. The method includes receiving an indication of a plurality of access identifiers from a base station. The field unit selects an access identifier from the plurality of access identifiers received from the base station. The selected access identifier is associated with a type of field unit request. The field unit transmits the selected access identifier to the base station. The field unit then receives a message from the base station. The message is based on the transmitted selected access identifier. The message contains a timing adjustment that indicates an amount to advance timing. A corresponding field unit apparatus, a base station method, and corresponding base station apparatus is also disclosed.
US08509261B2

In one embodiment, a media converter comprises a power interface that extracts power from a communication medium coupled to the media converter for powering the media converter. In another embodiment, a connector comprises a first media attachment interface to physically attach a first communication medium to the connector and a second media attachment interface to physically attach a second communication medium to the connector. The connector further comprises a mounting interface to physically attach the connector to a structure. The connector communicatively couples the first communication medium and the second communication medium. The connector processes management data communicated over at least one of the first communication medium and the second communication medium.
US08509260B2

A portable data terminal includes at least two communication transceivers having different operating characteristics, one for conducting data communications on a wired subnetwork and one for conducting data communications on a wireless subnetwork. A communication processor converts data received by the communication transceivers to a predetermined format for a base module and converts data in a predetermined format from the base module to a format for transmission by a selected one of the first and second communication transceivers, thereby isolating the base module from differing characteristics of the transceivers. The communication processor is arranged to relay communications received by one transceiver for re-transmission by the other transceiver and to transfer communications from one subnetwork to the other, without activating the base module.
US08509250B2

The invention provides a resource allocation method for a network element adapted for multimedia broadcast and synchronized services in a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system comprising a plurality of base stations synchronized for data transmission, the method comprising: inputting a set of synchronized subframe numbers per radio frame and a total number of radio frames, wherein each radio frame contains a predefined number of subframes; selecting a first value of the set of synchronized subframe numbers; first allocating the first value as a number of synchronized subframes per frame to the total number of radio frames; second allocating the first value as the number of synchronized subframes per frame to a first half of the total number of radio frames, if the first allocating step is not performed; and selecting a second value of the set of synchronized subframe numbers. The method further comprises: third allocating the second value as the number of synchronized subframes per frame to the first half of the total number of radio frames, if the first and second allocating step is not performed; forth allocating the second value as the number of synchronized subframes per frame to a second half of the total number of radio frames, if the second allocating step is performed; selecting a third value of the set of synchronized subframe numbers; wherein one of the allocating steps is performed according to bandwidth requirements of the multimedia broadcast and synchronized services.
US08509245B1

A method, system, and computer program product for routing data in a network. The data is routed from a source in the network to a destination in the network along a path from the source to the destination through a plurality of nodes in the network using state information. The plurality of nodes forms the network and comprises static nodes and mobile nodes. In response to a loss of a route at a node in the mobile nodes, the node sends the data is sent to all other nodes in the plurality of nodes. Responses are received at the node from the destination through a number of paths from the destination to the node. Updated state information for the node is identified using the responses. The data is sent from the node to the destination along a selected route for the node using the updated state information.
US08509243B2

A method and a device for sending a packet based on Tunneling Protocol used in Layer 2 are provided. Specifically, when a traffic flow needs to be sent from a network side to a client via QinQ termination equipment in which the tunneling protocol used in Layer 2 is used, forwarding address information corresponding to the client is obtained by searching a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) snooping binding table according to Internet Protocol (IP) address information of the client in a packet of the traffic flow. The packet of the traffic flow can be sent to the client according to the obtained forwarding address information.
US08509242B2

The present invention involves traffic management in a communication system (1) comprising multiple communication terminal (10, 200) that each has data flows presented in transmit buffers (14, 220). The terminals (10, 200) utilize a default priority scheme for selecting data from the buffers (14, 220) to transmit at transmission occasions determined by a schedule scheme. A switching event is detected based on information of an estimate distribution of data flows in a first portion (2) of the system (1). A priority scheme update message is generated based on this event detection. The update message comprises information of a temporary priority scheme that is to be used by terminals (10, 200) in a second portion (2; 5) of the system (1). By using this temporary scheme that assigns new temporary priorities to the data flows, a local shaping of the transmission pattern and data flow distribution in the second system portion (2; 5) is possible.
US08509238B2

A communication network of the present invention includes: a plurality of superordinate nodes 110 to 1m0 forming a cascade type topology; and a plurality of terminal nodes 111 to 11n, connected to at least one superordinate node from among said plurality of superordinate nodes and forming a star type topology with the superordinate node connected.
US08509227B2

A unique pattern detection unit conducts a search for a unique pattern in a forward direction of a program stream, and detects a pseudo unique pattern PUP included in encoded data. A header information extraction unit sets extraction starting position information indicating a head of pseudo header information following the extracted pseudo unique pattern UP0 to an extraction starting position storing unit. The header information extraction unit extracts pseudo header information HD0 following the pseudo unique pattern PUP, and an error checking unit conducts error check on the pseudo header information PHD. If any error is detected from the pseudo header information PHD, the unique pattern detection unit resumes the search for the unique pattern from the position indicated by the extraction starting position information stored in the extraction starting position storing unit.
US08509226B1

A system and method for aggregating services within a VoIP network. The VoIP network comprises a plurality of vendors, resellers, and users, and each reseller aggregates a plurality of services from the vendors and other resellers. Each type of service may be organized into two or more tiers, with each tier including one or more services. Each tier is presented to downstream users as a single price and is re-branded with the reseller's branding elements. Downstream users can select a desired service from a given tier, and the tier may automatically select a service that maximizes the profit for the reseller.
US08509205B2

Systems and methods according to one or more embodiments provide for a multicode transmitter/receiver that acts like a high power array when a correlated receiver is used, but acts as a collection of small low gain transmitters when an uncorrelated receiver is used. In one embodiment, a method of transmitting and receiving signals comprises splitting a signal into more than one portion for feeding the signal into separate elements of an array; coding each portion of the signal for transmission through each separate element of the array with a different code respectively; transmitting each coded portion of the signal through a corresponding separate element of the array; receiving the coded portions of the signal by at least one element on a receiver side; decoding the coded portions of the signal; and adding decoded portions of the signal to form a complete received signal.
US08509200B2

A method and system for transferring user equipment (UE) in a mobile communication system are disclosed. According to the method, a source core (CN) network determines to transfer a UE that it serves and sends a transfer instruction carrying UE transfer restriction information to the UE; an access network receives a transfer request that is sent by the UE according to the restriction information carried in the transfer instruction; the access network selects a target CN entity that is different from the source CN entity for the UE; and the UE is transferred to the target CN entity. The method and system provided by the present invention are applicable to user transferring between CN entities in any communication network. The transferring is initiated by a network side entity, and a more preferable CN entity is selected for the UE to provide a better service.
US08509199B2

A method and a system of detecting a duplicate service set identifier (SSID) via self-scanning in a WLAN are provided. An access point (AP), when a scan request is given, generates a probe request packet by inserting a SSID of the AP thereinto, transmits the probe request packet to neighbor APs, receives probe response packets, in response to the probe request packet, from the neighbor APs, detects SSIDs from the probe response packets, and informs the presence of a neighbor AP, the SSID of which is the same as that of the AP, if any of the detected SSIDs is the same as the SSID of the AP.
US08509192B2

IIF architectures and corresponding call flows are provided for CDMA2000/GPRS roaming scenarios such as GPRS foreign mode with Mobile IPv4, GPRS foreign mode with Simple IPv4 or IPv6, CDMA2000 packet data foreign mode with Mobile IPv4, and CDMA2000 packet data foreign mode with Simple IPv4 or IPv6.
US08509191B2

If a handoff by a mobile station currently associated with a particular access point is probable, then the particular access point sends an activation alert to one or more other access points. An access point receiving the activation alert that is in a low-power state enters a higher-power state. An access point receiving the activation alert that is in a higher-power state, remains in that higher-power state.
US08509181B2

When a wireless communication apparatus capable of directly communicating with another communication apparatus performs communication via an access point, the wireless communication apparatus shares communication setting information with the other communication apparatus, the communication setting information being information for performing direct communication with the other communication apparatus without using that access point. If a radar signal is detected during communication with the other communication apparatus via the access point, switching to direct communication with the other communication apparatus is made based on the shared communication setting information.
US08509174B2

A communication permitted slot setting section 12a randomly and equally divides one prescribed cycle for each wireless terminal and sets some of them, respectively, as permitted slots “p.” A communication assigning section 12b assigns the total communication “n” per one cycle pre-assigned to each wireless terminal to each permitted slot “p.” A communication timing determining section 12c randomly determines communication timings for each permitted slot “p.” A degree-of-congestion measuring section 12d measures the degree of congestion of wireless resources. A connectivity estimating section 12e estimates the connectivity M for each permitted slot. Each time a communication opportunity is consumed, a communication readjusting section 12f assigns the communication opportunity to an permitted slot with a higher connectivity M at a higher probability in the next cycle.
US08509171B2

A method for transmitting data from a secondary station to at least one primary station includes the primary station transmitting on a signaling channel to the secondary station a resource allocation message allocating resource blocks for transmission of data from the secondary station. The resource allocation message includes a field for allocating resources in a first domain, where at least one bit of the field is stolen to allocate resources in a second domain which is different from the first domain.
US08509163B2

A method and a system for selecting network equipment are provided. The method includes: selecting a primary pool or a pool with the highest priority from preset information when UE needs to select network equipment; and selecting the network equipment for the UE from the selected primary pool or pool with the highest priority. Thus, the relocation times of an MME and a serving SAE gateway are effectively reduced and an operation efficiency of a network is enhanced. Meanwhile, the UE having or subscribing a new service function selects to be attached to the network equipment with the new service function within a pool, such that the diversity demands for service development are satisfied, and the equipment overhead is saved.
US08509162B2

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate scheduling over multiple hops in a wireless communication network. Radio resources can be partitioned into sets of sub-frames that can be allocated statically and/or dynamically. Statically allocated radio resources can be reassigned over time based on the loading on each hop and/or throughput imbalance. In addition, dynamic assignment of sub-frames to each hop can be based on traffic or channel conditions. Moreover, the radio resources can be dynamically allocated in a distributed scheme, wherein a base station controls the scheduling of resources, or a centralized scheme, wherein a relay station controls the scheduling of resources. Furthermore the allocation of radio resources can be transparent or explicit. In the transparent case, the access terminal listens directly to the base station, and the relay station does not transmit control information, such as DL or UL assignments. Conversely, when the allocation of resources is explicit the relay station does transmit control information.
US08509160B2

In a closed-loop wireless communication system (300), channel-side information—such as CQI information, rank adaptation information or MIMO codebook selection information—is fed back to the transmitter (310) in response to a start message (301) using a configurable or default time period or window by having the receiver (320) automatically terminate feedback upon expiration of the time period/window. The receiver (330) may continue or interrupt the feedback upon receipt of appropriate messaging (e.g., 306) from the transmitter (310).
US08509156B2

A system and method for adaptive control of an averaging parameter in a communications network may include an averaging parameter adaptive control module (APAC) that is associated with a base station and that includes one or more processors configured to generate a first averaging parameter that is transmitted by the base station to a mobile station communicating with the base station. The mobile station may use the first averaging parameter to generate first channel condition information that indicates a condition of a communication channel. First feedback information including the first channel condition information may be received at the base station. The APAC may generate a second averaging parameter using the first averaging parameter and the first feedback information and may transmit the second averaging parameter from the base station to the mobile station, thereby adaptively controlling the second averaging parameter based on the first feedback information.
US08509155B2

A base station includes a transmit path circuitry that determines a PUCCH format 3 index and transmits an uplink grant to a subscriber station, the uplink grant including an indication of the PUCCH format 3 index. The base station also includes a receive path circuitry that receives a PUCCH format 3 signal in a subframe from the subscriber station. The receive path circuitry also receives a first demodulation reference signal for the PUCCH format signal in the first slot of the subframe, where the first demodulation reference signal is determined based at least partly upon a first demodulation reference signal cyclic shift number. The receive path circuitry also receives a second demodulation reference signal for the PUCCH format 3 signal in the second slot of the subframe, where the second demodulation reference signal is determined based at least partly upon a second demodulation reference signal cyclic shift number.
US08509150B2

The invention relates to a method for operating a mesh network, especially according to IEEE standard 802.11s, wherein the mesh network comprises a plurality of network nodes, which have outer edge nodes and inner network nodes. A first edge node forms a connection point for external first stations disjunctive to the network, and a second edge node forms a connection point for external second stations disjunctive to the network, wherein data packets are to be exchanged between the first and second stations. During a switch of an external station from one edge node to another edge node, especially from a coverage area of the first edge node to a coverage area of the second network node, the respective association information of the network nodes is updated by means of an association message while inserting a validity duration for the association of the external stations connected to the edge nodes. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method for operating a mesh network.
US08509144B2

A method for communicating includes utilizing a satellite comprising receivers, transmitters, transmit switches, and a gateway switch structure. Prior to a time T, each of at least P receivers are used to receive one of at least P signals from P gateway terminals. During one frame, the gateway switch structure is used to switch the at least P signals to the plurality of transmit switches. Each of the at least P signals are switched into fixed location beams. After time T and before a time T2, each of at least Q receivers are used to receive a different one of at least Q signals from Q gateway terminals. During one frame, the gateway switch structure is used to switch the at least Q signals to the plurality of transmit switches. Each of the at least Q signals are switched into fixed location beams. Q and P are non-zero positive integers and Q
US08509142B2

A method for adjusting a granularity of resource allocation in a wireless mobile communication system supporting a compact scheduling is discussed. A resource indication value (RIV) corresponds to a start index (S) of one set of consecutive virtual resource blocks (VRBs) and a length of the VRBs. The start index (S) is selected from among ‘s’ values (where s=P+mT
US08509138B2

New multiplexing UL structures for supporting legacy system are provided. A 16m system of diversity mode can be multiplexed with 16e system in PUSC mode in FDM manner with the same tiles/permutation rules. A 16m system can be multiplexed with 16e system in AMC mode in FDM and/or TDM manner. The time length of multiplexed 16e PUSC packets and/or 16m packets can be extended to more than two sub-frames for UL coverage. A PRU for 16m system may consists of 16 sub-carriers by 6 OFDM symbols, 18 sub-carriers by 6 OFDM symbols, or 20 sub-carriers by 6 OFDM symbols.
US08509136B2

A base station BS transmits downlink data to a relay station RS. A mobile station MS transmits uplink data to the relay station RS. The relay station RS determines a first modulation scheme for transmitting the uplink data to the base station BS, and determines a second modulation scheme for transmitting the downlink data to the mobile station MS. The relay station RS multiplies a symbol sequence obtained by the first modulation scheme by a symbol sequence obtained by the second modulation scheme for each symbol, and multicasts the multiplication result to the base station BS and the mobile station MS.
US08509134B2

An apparatus and method for negotiating sleep cycle setting between a base station and a mobile station in a wireless communication system are provided. A method for operating a transmitter to negotiate sleep cycle setting of a mobile station in a wireless communication system includes transmitting a DSx request message including sleep cycle setting information to a receiver, and receiving a DSx response message, which includes at least one of acceptance/refusal information about DSx and acceptance/refusal information about sleep cycle setting change, from the receiver. Herein, the DSx is one of a Dynamic Service Addition (DSA), a Dynamic Service Change (DSC), and a Dynamic Service Deletion (DSD).
US08509132B2

A method of measurement reporting and a cellular radio terminal are provided. A method of measurement reporting comprises receiving, while a measurement reporting scheme is active, a request for a radio connection reconfiguration, suspending the measurement reporting scheme upon the receiving a request and resuming the suspended measurement reporting scheme upon a completion of the radio connection reconfiguration. A cellular radio terminal is configured to carry out the method of measurement reporting.
US08509131B2

A method and apparatus are provided for allocating and transmitting groups of subcarriers, called tiles, between a plurality of transceiver antennas. The method includes receiving at least one downlink signal by a subscriber station transceiver through at least one of the plurality of subscriber station antennas, characterizing a received signal of at least one downlink signal over multiple subcarriers, and allocating tiles for uplink transmission through at least one of the plurality of transceiver antennas. The tiles allocation is based on the characterized received signal of the at least one downlink signal over multiple subcarriers and is based on a required power Ptx for uplink transmission compared with a maximum power P that each of the plurality of the transceiver antennas can emit.
US08509123B2

A communication application configured to support a conversation among participants over a communication network. The communication application is configured to (i) support one or more media types within the context of the conversation, (ii) interleave the one or more media types in a time-indexed order within the context of the conversation, (iii) enable the participants to render the conversation including the interleaved one or more media types in either a real-time rendering mode or time-shifted rendering mode, and (iv) seamlessly transition the conversation between the two modes so that the conversation may take place substantially live when in the real-time rendering mode or asynchronously when in the time-shifted rendering mode.
US08509122B2

The invention discloses a method (800) for use in a cellular wireless system (100) with a base station (120), a cell (110) in the system and a first user terminal (130) which can be scheduled for receiving traffic from the base station during a down link period, and for transmitting traffic to the base station during an up link period. There is a first guard period (TUD) between the up link period and the down link period, and a second guard period (TDU) between the down link period and the up link period. The method (800) comprises measuring the interference level in the cell for part of the time between two consecutive down link periods, and varying at least one of the following in accordance with the measured interference level: the duration of the first or second guard period, the duration of the up link period, or the traffic sent in the up link period.
US08509121B2

A system and method using a local wireless network for group communications are provided. The method includes establishing one of a plurality of mobile communication units as a master communication unit and establishing as slave communication units each of the plurality of mobile communication units that are not established as the master communication unit. The method further includes communicating group call information only to the master communication unit with the master communication unit redistributing the group call information to the slave communication units using a local wireless communication network.
US08509120B2

Techniques for managing multiple ICS sessions in an IMS network are described. In one method, a MSC server detects that a user terminal has been transferred from a first access network to a second access network and, in response, sends a message to an SCC AS, the message indicating transfer of the user terminal. The MSC server receives, in response, one or more requests for MSC server-assisted mid-call feature services for the user terminal, and assigns transaction identifiers to one or more sessions held for the user terminal or to one or more conference participants corresponding to the user terminal. Corresponding techniques carried out at an SCC AS are also described.
US08509118B2

A customer order is received for routing data for a time period, and provisioning a logical circuit for routing the data during the time period. The logical circuit is provisioned through a first LATA, an IEC, and a second LATA. The logical circuit includes first variable communication paths that automatically reroute from a first set of switches to a second set of switches of the first LATA while maintaining the logical circuit, second variable communication paths to route the data through the second LATA, and fixed communication paths to route the data between the first LATA, the second LATA, and the IEC. The second set of switches form a route associated with the first variable communication paths that is not predefined and that is dynamically defined at a time of automatic rerouting. The logical circuit is added to a deletion batch, and disconnected at the end of the time period.
US08509116B2

A computer-implemented method receives a list of polygonal vertices associated with multiple polygons located in proximity to one another in a two-dimensional region and analyzes the polygonal vertices. The method automatically generates, based on the analysis, a polygonal hull that encloses the multiple polygons such that a line segment connecting any two polygonal vertices of the multiple polygons falls completely inside the generated polygonal hull. The multiple polygons may correspond to a two-dimensional geographic region. The computer-implemented method may be used for geographic regional segmentation.
US08509093B2

A device may receiving alarms identifying failures of network elements, create a site table that includes a list of sites at which the alarms are generated and a number of alarms for each of the sites, determine whether an outage has occurred based on the alarms, analyze whether the outage is a false outage based on a failure of a probe that generates the alarms, and provide a notification that includes the site table, an indication of whether the outage has occurred, or an indication whether the outage is a false outage.
US08509088B2

A communication apparatus includes an acquiring unit that acquires wireless cost for each path to other communication apparatuses in an ad hoc network to which the communication apparatus belongs; an accumulating unit that accumulates wireless cost for each path, acquired at different times by the acquiring unit; a determining unit that determines a priority level for each path, based on time correlations among the paths in terms of the wireless cost accumulated by the accumulating unit; and a communicating unit that communicates with the other communication apparatuses by preferentially using a path of a relatively high priority level.
US08509086B2

An apparatus is equipped to receive network traffic data for network traffic routed over one or more network links relevant to a network link. Selected numbers of analysis are performed to determine if the network link of interest is being misused. The analyses include but are not limited to analyses to determine whether the network traffic routed are inconsistent with an expected traffic pattern, whether unallocated source addresses are present, whether source addresses exhibit an uncharacteristic even distribution pattern, whether a server is uncharacteristically excessive in responding to the same source address, whether normal bursty behavior is absent from the traffic, whether a ratio of packets in one direction to packets in another direction is out of balance, whether a ratio of packets of one type to packets of another type is out of balance, and whether a server is uncharacteristically excessive in responding with error responses.
US08509083B2

According to an aspect of an embodiment, a band management apparatus that manages a communication band of a transmission path between data relay devices in a ring network comprises a hypothetical network management information storage unit that stores information on the communication band set for the transmission path for each hypothetical network set in such a way as to include the data relay devices, a communication band calculator that calculates the communication band for each transmission path between neighboring data relay devices contiguously connected without sandwiching another data relay device, based on the information stored by the hypothetical network management information storage unit and a communication band setting unit that individually sets each communication band calculated by the communication band calculator as the communication band of the transmission path between the neighboring data relay devices.
US08509072B2

A network monitoring and network congestion analysis can be performed based on a comparison of data packets at multiple different network nodes installed at different locations on a communication path. A downstream network node may be installed at a user location while an upstream network may be installed at an access router further up the network. A network congestion analyzer may receive data packet information including timestamps from both network nodes, and may compare the data packet information to group the data packets into application flows and match the corresponding packets from the different network nodes. Based on the data packet matching, the network congestion analyzer may calculate packet loss, packet delay, packet delay variation, and perform other network congestion analysis techniques for the application flows corresponding to a user's various devices and the applications executing on those devices.
US08509066B2

A method is provided that includes setting a first oversubscription factor of a control plane for an interface, measuring forwarding plane utilization on the interface, and calculating a second oversubscription factor of the control plane for the interface using the measured forwarding plane utilization as compared with a target forwarding plane utilization on the interface. The method also includes determining whether to update the first oversubscription factor based upon the calculated second oversubscription factor.
US08509063B1

Network operating methods provide a first packet switch coupled to a second packet switch via a primary packet tunnel having an active status and one or more inactive backup packet tunnels having an inactive status. The methods access data describing at least one performance characteristic of the primary packet tunnel and, based at least on the data, deactivate the primary packet tunnel while still operational and activate one of the backup packet tunnels. Network operating methods provide a first device coupled to a second device via an active primary packet tunnel and one or more inactive backup packet tunnels, access data describing performance characteristics of the one or more backup packet tunnels, and, based at least on the data, deactivate the primary packet tunnel and activate one of the backup packet tunnels.
US08509059B2

A method for operating a VRRP router and a communication system therefor, wherein a first router operating as a backup router receives an advertisement message from a second router operating as a master router during a first period, and checks a session state of the second router using a BFD module during a second period that is shorter than the first period. Upon detecting a session down for the second router by the BFD module, the first router compares a time at which the advertisement message was received and a time at which the session down was detected, with the first and second periods, and determines an operation state of the second router according to comparison results. The first router switches from a backup router to a master router, and sends an advertisement message to the second router, if the second router is in a down state.
US08509045B1

A controller for a laser driver includes a parameter generation module, a timing encoding module, and a pulse generation module. The parameter generation module is configured to, for each mark contained in a bit stream, generate a set of timing parameters based on defining characteristics of the bit stream. The defining characteristics include length of the mark and at least one of (i) a length of a leading space prior to the mark and (ii) a length of a following space subsequent to the mark. The timing encoding module is configured to determine a plurality of pulse defining parameters based on the set of timing parameters. The pulse generation module is configured to create a plurality of pulses based on the plurality of pulse defining parameters, combine the plurality of pulses into a plurality of enable signals, and output the plurality of enable signals to the laser driver.
US08509037B1

A waveguide extends away from a media-facing surface. The waveguide includes top and bottom cladding layers and a core disposed therebetween. The core includes a middle core layer and an outside core layer having respective first and second indices of refraction. The first index of refraction is smaller than the second index of refraction. A near field transducer is disposed within the middle core layer proximate the media-facing surface.
US08509032B2

A system and method to optimize the overall power output of a photovoltaic solar array. The solar panels are connected to software adjustable power optimizing devices, which in turn are connected to a mesh network with individual router devices. The individual router devices will send and receive data packets by creating or detecting vibrations in a solid vibration conducting media (such as the solar power wiring) that connects the individual photovoltaic solar panels. Often at least one centralized control device is used to periodically request sensor data packets from the individual router devices and solar panels. The centralized control device will typically compute the proper adjustments for the individual adjustable power optimizing devices that will optimize the overall power output from the photovoltaic solar array. The control device will then send adjustment data packets back to the individual router devices through the mesh network, thus optimizing overall power output.
US08509031B2

Circuitry for high-power, high-frequency excitation of electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT) without the use of a matching transformer is described. This circuit contains at least 4 switching devices, arranged in an H-Bridge configuration to drive EMATs over a range of frequencies. The switching devices can be connected in parallel with respect to the H-Bridge and switched in sequence for greater power output and variety of wave forms including, Churp, Hemming window tone burst, rectangular tone burst and Barker Code wave forms. A circuit for driving sensor coils of an EMAT to correct the disadvantages of conventional pulsers. A plurality of switching devices are connected in parallel and augmented with support circuitry to provide increased power output, stability, reduced noise and complex output wave forms. This design provides for the application of modulated pulses such as multi-pulse, multi-frequency bursts with peak power outputs over 20,000 watts and frequencies over 10,000 Hertz.
US08509024B2

Such a device is disclosed that includes a terminal, a first voltage generator generating, when activated, a voltage at the terminal and stopping, when deactivated, generating the voltage, and a second voltage generator generating, when activated, the voltage at the terminal and stopping, when deactivated, generating the voltage. The first voltage generator being configured to be activated in response to a first control signal taking an active level and deactivated in response to the first control signal taking an inactive level, and the second voltage generator being configured to be activated in response to each of the first control signal and a second control signal taking an active level and deactivated in response to at least one of the first and second control signal taking an inactive level.
US08509013B1

Subject matter disclosed herein relates to accessing memory, and more particularly to operation of a partitioned bitline.
US08509007B2

Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to a read circuit that uses a hybrid read scheme as set forth herein. In this hybrid read scheme, a state machine, at a first time in the read operation, sets a reference signal SRef to a first reference value to induce determination of a first comparison result. At a second subsequent time in the read operation, the state machine sets the reference signal SRef to a second reference value, which is based on the first comparison result. Setting the reference signal to the second reference value induces determination of a second comparison result. The first and second comparison results are then used to determine the digital value read from the memory cell.
US08509004B2

A nonvolatile logic circuit includes a latch unit including a pair of first and second latch nodes; and a pair of first and second nonvolatile memory cells electrically connected to the first and second of latch nodes, respectively. A write operation is performed on the first and second nonvolatile memory cells according to a direction of a current flowing through the first and second nonvolatile memory cells when a write enable signal is activated. The direction of flow of current determined based on data on the respective first and second latch nodes, and a logic value written on the first nonvolatile memory cells is different from a logic value written on the second nonvolatile memory cell.
US08508977B2

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a first cell array includes memory cells and reference cells, a second cell array located adjacent to the first cell array in a first direction, a third cell array located adjacent to the first cell array in a second direction crossing the first direction, a fourth cell array located adjacent to the second cell array in the second direction, and a sense amplifier connected to the first to fourth cell array and configured to compare a current through a memory cell with a current through a reference cell to determine the data of the memory cell. A reference cell is selected from a cell array which is diagonally opposite to a cell array as a read target.
US08508972B2

An apparatus and method of testing one-time-programmable memory provides one-time-programmable memory having one or more memory locations for storing data and corresponding programming circuitry for each memory location. In addition, each programming circuitry has a circuit element configured to permanently change state to store the data in the memory. The method also reads each memory location to verify that the memory location is unprogrammed and activates the programming circuitry for each memory location, which applies a test current to the programming circuitry. The test current is less than a threshold current needed to permanently change the state of the circuit element. The method then determines whether the programming circuitry is functioning properly.
US08508967B2

An object is to provide a semiconductor device having a novel structure, which can hold stored data even when not powered and which has an unlimited number of write cycles. A semiconductor device is provided with both a memory circuit including a transistor including an oxide semiconductor (in a broader sense, a transistor whose off-state current is sufficiently small) and a peripheral circuit such as a driver circuit including a transistor including a material other than an oxide semiconductor (in other words, a transistor capable of operating at sufficiently high speed). The peripheral circuit is provided in a lower portion and the memory circuit is provided in an upper portion; thus, the area and size of the semiconductor device can be decreased.
US08508963B2

In a step-down switching regulator, a switching element is a high-voltage NMOS transistor, turned on and off based on a control signal generated by a controller, and charges an inductor with an input voltage input to an input terminal. A first drive circuit is a low-voltage MOS transistor and turns on and off the switching element based on the control signal. A voltage generator generates a predetermined first power supply voltage not greater than a withstand voltage of the low-voltage MOS transistor. A capacitor is connected in parallel with the first drive circuit and stores charge from the voltage generator to supply power to the first drive circuit. One end of the capacitor is connected to a junction node between the switching element and the inductor, and the other end of the capacitor is supplied with the first power supply voltage generated by the voltage generator.
US08508961B2

A power conversion apparatus includes two power conversion circuits, two direct-current inductors, and a pulse-width-modulation control circuit. One of the two power conversion circuits is connected in parallel to a direct-current load or a single-phase alternating-current load, and the other of the two power conversion circuits is connected in parallel to a three-phase alternating-current load. The two power conversion circuits are connected in reverse polarity to each other via the two direct-current inductors. The pulse-width-modulation control circuit pulse-width-modulates the two power conversion circuits, allows switching between the two power conversion circuits, and realizes a bidirectional step-up/down operation between the direct-current load or single-phase alternating-current load and the three-phase alternating-current load.
US08508954B2

An apparatus includes a first substrate having a first land and a second substrate having a second land. A first molding compound is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. A first semiconductor chip is disposed on the first substrate and in contact with the first molding portion. A first connector contacts the first land and a second connector contacts the second land. The second connector is disposed on the first connector. A volume of the second connector is greater than a volume of the first connector. A surface of the first semiconductor chip is exposed. The first molding compound is in contact with the second connector, and at least a portion of the second connector is surrounded by the first molding compound.
US08508945B1

A card installation device includes a casing and a pushing member. The casing has an accommodating recess for accommodating a card. A pushing end of the pushing member is movably disposed in the casing. When the card is accommodated in the accommodating recess, the pushing end is used for pushing the card into a card slot of an electronic device. Accordingly, the invention can assist a user in aligning the card with the card slot well during insertion so as to prevent the card and/or the card slot from being damaged.
US08508944B2

A power supply device including a casing and a power supply module is provided. The casing has an opening. The power supply module includes a frame, a pin base, a plurality of pins and a printed circuit board. The frame is detachably disposed in the casing. The pin base is fixed at the frame and is exposed by the opening. The pins are fixed at the pin base, and first ends of the pins are exposed in the opening. The printed circuit board is disposed in the casing and is electrically connected to second ends of the pins.
US08508942B2

An electronic device includes an enclosure. The enclosure includes a motherboard area and a power supply area adjacent to the motherboard area, which are both located at a first end of the enclosure, a hard disk drive area for mounting hard disk drives at a second end of the enclosure, and a fan area arranged between the motherboard area and the hard disk drive area.
US08508941B2

A fan assembly includes a housing; a plurality of fan units mounted in the housing; and a flex printed circuit board (PCB) having a first portion, the first portion of the flex PCB electrically connected to each of the plurality of fan units, the flex PCB having a second portion, the second portion of the flex PCB including a printed circuit assembly (PCA), the PCA having mounted thereon a connector to connect to a PCA disposed within a chassis. Alternatively, an apparatus includes a chassis having a PCA disposed inside the chassis; and a fan assembly, the fan assembly including a housing; a plurality of fan units mounted in the housing; and a flex PCB having a first portion, the first portion of the flex PCB being arranged parallel to a surface of the housing and being electrically connected to each of the plurality of fan units, the flex PCB having a second portion, the second portion of the flex PCB including a PCA, the PCA having mounted thereon a connector connected to the PCA disposed within the chassis.
US08508936B2

A portable electronic device includes a main body, a door and a latch. The main body includes a positioning concave area on a bottom surface thereof. The positioning concave area has a cutout at a first edge, and an inclined surface and a guide edge at an opposite edge. The door is detachably connected with the bottom surface of the main body. The latch is slidably connected with a through hole of the door. The latch has an engaging portion and a guiding portion at two opposite ends. When the door is assembled to the bottom surface of the main body, the engaging portion inserts into the cutout. When the door is taken apart from the bottom surface, the engaging portion is removed from the cutout, and the guiding portion slides along the guide edge to move the door along a direction perpendicular to a long axis of the latch.
US08508934B2

An aircraft signal computer system includes a plurality of modular signal computer units and a liquid cooling device for cooling the modular signal computer units. The liquid cooling device includes a coolant line, which is connectable to a central liquid cooling system of an aircraft in order to supply a liquid coolant medium at a desired low temperature to the liquid cooling device. The coolant line of the liquid cooling device is in thermal surface contact with the modular signal computer units in order to dissipate heat from the modular signal computer units. A heat-emitting component of the modular signal computer units may be in thermal contact with a coolant bath or an internal heat conductor for removing heat energy.
US08508930B2

The invention discloses a hard disk carrying apparatus comprising a main body, a plurality of slide racks, and a plurality of valves. In the main body, an accommodating space is concavely disposed at a front side of the main body; a plurality of primary slide rails that are adjacent and parallel to each other are disposed on a bottom wall in the accommodating space; a plurality of secondary slide rails is disposed on a top wall in the accommodating space. Each of the plurality of slide racks is a long rack. Each of the plurality of valves is a long door plate member. An end of each valve is a pivot end that is pivotally installed at a bottom edge of the front side of the main body; the other end of the valve is a latch end that includes a locking element disposed thereon.
US08508928B2

Carrier for the rack mounting of two or more data storage devices into a chassis. The carrier includes support members along the length of the carrier, to receive and retain the two or more data storage devices. The carrier further includes a single electrical communication connector to provide an electrical communication interface for all of the data storage devices in the carrier, to and from a mating connector on a board of the chassis. The carrier further includes an interposer to adapt electrical signals from the single electrical communication connector into a form that is usable by the data storage devices.
US08508920B2

The invention relates to an electronic apparatus comprising a flexible display 12 cooperating with a housing 15 and conceived to be alternated between an at least partially collapsed state and an at least partially extended state, said housing 15 comprising a substantially rigid portion 16a , 16b , 16c conceived to at least partially support an outer region of a surface of the flexible display in the extended state, wherein said rigid portion 16a , 16b , 16c is arranged for at least partially receiving a functional module 18a, 18b, 18c of the electronic apparatus.
US08508916B2

Electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) devices include sealing conductor establishing a series connection between multiple storage cells in a single package, which may be operable at higher voltages than conventional EDLC devices.
US08508906B2

A device for identifying a control mode for a voltage or current release of a voltage-release or current-release switching device includes at least one control unit having first and second control inputs. The control unit includes a signal detection device configured to detect a signal state at a first control input and a blocking device configured to disable the second control input when a control signal is detected at the first control input.
US08508900B2

An overvoltage protection circuit prevents a voltage higher than an allowable voltage value from being supplied to a predetermined to-be-protected circuit. A voltage is applied from outside to an input end 11. A cathode terminal of a zener diode 13 is connected to the input end 11. A first resistance element 14 is connected between an anode terminal of the zener diode 13 and a ground terminal. A voltage detection integrated circuit 15 detects a voltage between both ends of the zener diode 13, and outputs a detection signal that indicates whether or not the detected voltage is higher than the allowable voltage value. When the detection signal indicates that the detected voltage is no higher than the allowable voltage value, a MOSFET 16 supplies the to-be-protected circuit with the voltage applied to the input end 11. When the detection signal indicates that the detected voltage is higher than the allowable voltage value, the MOSFET 16 ceases the supply, to the to-be-protected circuit, of the voltage applied to the input end 11.
US08508891B2

An electrical switching apparatus includes separable contacts; an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts; and a trip mechanism cooperating with the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. The trip mechanism includes an input structured to receive a remote signal to remotely enable an arc reduction maintenance mode, a first circuit structured to enable the arc reduction maintenance mode in response to the received remote signal, and a second circuit structured to provide an electrical signal remote from the trip mechanism in order to remotely indicate that the arc reduction maintenance mode is remotely enabled.
US08508890B2

The present invention discloses an arc extinguishing hybrid transfer switch, including a mechanical switch and a first thyristor branch connected in parallel with the first contact branch of the mechanical switch, wherein the first thyristor branch includes a first thyristor, a second thyristor, a first polarized capacitor and a second polarized capacitor, the first thyristor and the first polarized capacitor are connected in series in the same direction, the second thyristor and the second polarized capacitor are connected in series in the same direction, and a branch consisted of the first thyristor and the first polarized capacitor and a branch consisted of the second thyristor and the second polarized capacitor are connected in parallel in reverse direction. The invention further discloses a switching method for the arc extinguishing hybrid transfer switch for implementing an arc extinguishing of a mechanical switch. In the invention, a low-power thyristor may be used, thus the cost of the switch may be lowered greatly. Moreover, the thyristor may be replaced by the polarized capacitor for implementing the arc extinguishing when a short-circuit failure occurs on the thyristor. Thus, the load current is lowered greatly and the influence of thyristor failure on the load is reduced.
US08508889B2

An electrical connection structure connects a piezoelectric element to a flexure with a conductive adhesive. An electrode surface is formed on the piezoelectric element, and a terminal surface is formed on the wiring member and is smoother than the electrode surface. A gold plate layer is formed on the terminal surface and is connected to the electrode surface with the conductive adhesive. At least one recess is formed by laser processing on the conductive terminal surface layer. The electrical connection structure substantially equalizes the surface roughness of the terminal surface with the gold plate layer to that of the electrode surface, improves a bonding strength on the terminal surface nearly to that on the electrode surface, enhances the reliability of electrical connection between the electrode surface and the terminal surface, maintains electrical characteristics of the terminal surface, and prevents contamination around the terminal surface.
US08508877B2

An apparatus includes a disk arrangement, a first signal processing path configured to output data from the disk arrangement according to a first protocol, a second signal processing path configured to output data from the disk arrangement according to a second protocol, and an interface including a set of electrical conductors and a mode control unit. The mode control unit is configured to output data from the first signal processing path on the set of electrical conductors according to the first protocol and to output data from the second signal processing path on the set of electrical conductors according to the second protocol according to a control signal received by the mode control unit. The second protocol is different from the first protocol.
US08508873B2

A water-resistant structure of a lens barrel includes a sealing member that seals an annular gap between inner and outer annular members, wherein the sealing member is positioned in a vicinity of an open end of the outer annular member and is fixed to one of the inner and outer annular members to be slidable on the other of the inner and outer annular members, and a drain groove formed on the inner annular member and positioned alongside the sealing member at a position closer to the open end of the outer annular member than the sealing member. Furthermore, a frictional resistance of a first sealing member produced between a secondary annular member and a manually-rotatable annular members is greater than a frictional resistance of the second sealing member that urges one of two of the manually-rotatable annular members to follow a rotation of the other thereof when rotated.
US08508864B2

A high performance fixed focal length optical imaging system for example for a cine camera is operable to receive radiation from an object space and deliver the received radiation through the optical system so as to form an image at an image surface in an image space. The imaging system has the advantage of providing high relative illumination and high contrast at elevated spatial frequencies even when using a fast aperture.
US08508861B2

This present disclosure provides an image lens assembly in order from an object side to an image side comprising five lens elements with refractive power: a first lens element with negative refractive power having a concave image-side surface; a second lens element with positive refractive power having a convex image-side surface; a third lens element with positive refractive power having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a fourth lens element with negative refractive power; and a fifth lens element with positive refractive power. By such arrangement, sufficient field of view is provided, and the aberration of the lens assembly is corrected for obtaining higher image resolution.
US08508842B2

An optical signal amplifier for use in optical networks operating in a ring configuration comprising a first doped optical fiber loop pumped by a first laser and a second optical fiber loop pumped by a second laser.
US08508833B2

A pixel unit of an electrochromic display panel and a driving method thereof are described. The pixel unit includes a first substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode, on the first substrate; a first auxiliary counter electrode, on the first substrate and disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first electrochromic material, on the first electrode; a second electrochromic material, on the second electrode; a second substrate, opposite to the first substrate; a third electrode, on the second substrate; a third electrochromic material, on the third electrode; and an electrolyte layer, between the first substrate and the second substrate.
US08508829B2

A vehicle indication system is proposed having an optical system (1), having a first indication device (2) and having a second indication device (3), wherein the optical system is intended to indicate information, which is provided by the first indication device, in an at least partially transparent or translucent form, wherein the optical system is intended to indicate information, which is provided by the second indication device, in an at least partially reflective form, wherein the optical system has a first area (6), the light transmission coefficient and light reflection coefficient of which are variable, and wherein the optical system has a second area (4), the light reflection coefficient of which is provided in a reduced form by means of a non-reflective layer.
US08508823B2

An available image area is recognized from information, including a read start position and a read end position of a document, a scaling for performing image processing, a processing object position, or the like. Subsequently, the number of chromatic pixels of one line is counted to output it to a memory, and when it is summed up to an end line of the available image area, a difference between a count number N1 in one previous line of the available image area and a count number N2 in the end line of the available image area is calculated to thereby compare the difference with a predetermined threshold value. When the difference is larger than the threshold, it is determined to be a chromatic image, whereas when the difference is smaller than the threshold, it is determined to be an achromatic image.
US08508814B2

An image reading apparatus for reading an image of a document optically by illuminating a document with light emitted from a plurality of light emitting elements arranged linearly and by reading light reflected from the document. The image reading apparatus has a first light emitting element for emitting light in a first direction, a second light emitting element for emitting light in a second direction and one substrate for supporting the first light emitting element and the second light emitting element thereon.
US08508813B2

An optical scanner includes: a light source; a light deflector configured to deflect a light beam from the light source in a main scanning direction; a scanning lens through which the light beam having been deflected by the light deflector passes; a beam detector configured to detect the light beam; a mirror disposed between the light deflector and the scanning lens in an optical axis direction of the scanning lens and configured to reflect the light beam having been deflected by the light deflector toward the beam detector; and a wall portion configured to cover one end face of the mirror that faces the scanning lens, wherein the surface of the wall portion facing the scanning lens is tilted with respect to a sub-scanning direction orthogonal to the main scanning direction.
US08508809B2

An image reading apparatus that optically reads a document includes: multiple line sensors provided approximately parallel to each other and each having light-receiving elements arranged in line form, each line sensor capturing respective line-shaped regions spanning in the main scanning direction of the document in respective color components; a movement unit that causes the positional relationship between the document and the multiple line sensors to move relative to the sub scanning direction that is orthogonal to the main scanning direction; a color skew adjustment unit that adjusts positional skew in the sub scanning direction in scan data of each of the color components captured by the multiple line sensors in synchronization with the movement caused by the movement unit, in accordance with an offset amount based on the distance between each of the multiple line sensors.
US08508800B2

A length L of the test pattern string is determined so as to satisfy a condition L≦{P−(Q1+Q2)}×V, where a time Q is a total time of a time Q1 for which the test pattern string is transferred from an exposure position of the test pattern string to a sensor and a time Q2 from when the test pattern is detected by the sensor until a color misregistration correction value calculated on the basis of a result of detecting is reflected in image formation; a time P is a time from a timing of starting to write the test pattern string to a timing of starting to write an image in which the correction value should be reflected; and a driving speed of a second image carrier is V.
US08508786B2

A system and method of billing for scanning service costs is provided to examine content of a page and apply a cost function to approximate the cost of scanning the page. Examining the page includes detecting an object in the page, determining a type of the detected object, determining an approximate file size of the page, and determining an approximate area of coverage of the detected object within the page. A usage profile of each type of detected object is calculated and stored. The cost function uses the detected object, the approximate file size, the approximate area of coverage, and a weight value associated with the type of detected object to approximate the cost of the page. When costs are calculated over a period of time, the weight value of each type of detected object may be adjusted based on the usage profile for each type of detected object.
US08508783B2

A printer includes a connection port that connects an external storage device to the printer, a command input unit that inputs coded information or text-form information, and a processor that executes a command corresponding to coded information or text-form information inputted in the command input unit by using data stored in the external storage device connected to the connection port.
US08508777B2

The present invention provides a printing system provided with a printing apparatus and a post-processing apparatus, and a control method thereof, wherein, when an instruction is given to execute an off-line job in which a post-process by the post-processing apparatus is performed without printing by the printing apparatus (S11), a screen for selecting an off-line job using the post-processing apparatus can be displayed by the second user interface of the post-processing apparatus and the off-line job can be selected (S12), and, in response to an instruction to start the off-line job from the first user interface of the printing apparatus (S16), the off-line process is executed (S17 and S18).
US08508773B2

The present disclosure provides a method of assigning media access control (MAC) addresses to image paths for a printing system. The method comprises: initializing a MAC address to each image path board in the printing system wherein the printing system includes at least two print engines each having an image path board; modifying a card cage enclosure to include a bit selector for each image path board; and, creating a unique IP address for each MAC address including generating a unique octet for each MAC address. A slot ID is used for the generating of the unique octet for each MAC address having a standard base value.
US08508772B2

An approach is provided that prints print jobs based on energy demand data. The print job manager, which is a software application running on an information handling system receives a print request, the print request including a print job. The print job manager retrieves energy demand data. The energy demand data corresponds to a power grid that is a power source for a printer accessible from the information handling system. If the energy demand data indicates a a non-elevated energy demand, then the print job is printed on the printer. On the other hand, if the energy demand data indicates an elevated energy demand, then the print request is stored in a storage and the process waits until the energy demand is not elevated, at which time the print job is printed on the printer.
US08508767B2

A method can be used for processing electronic documents, each of which are assigned a plurality of attributes. The documents are sorted into one or more groups based on the attributes, such that the electronic documents of each group share at least one of the attributes. The attributes of the documents in each group are analyzed to determine an appropriate processing site for each group, and then the groups are each routed to their respective processing sites determined to be appropriate therefor.
US08508763B2

An image forming apparatus is provided, in which the image forming apparatus includes a user database in which user identification information for identifying an user of the image forming apparatus is registered, an operation panel for receiving a key operation input, a secure program used for determining whether a user service can be provided on the basis of the user identification information in the user database and another user identification information input by the user.
US08508754B2

A standard data format of printing data is provided. The data format of printing data stored or transmitted to an image forming apparatus printing the printing data includes: page data information containing pure data of the printing data; and page header information, which is information on the pure data and information for determining a figure to be printed of the printing data, wherein the data format is always maintained throughout all components in the image forming apparatus.
US08508745B2

A Mach-Zehnder MEMS interferometer is achieved using two half plane beam splitters formed at respective edges of a first medium. The first beam splitter is optically coupled to receive an incident beam and operates to split the incident beam into two beams, a first one propagating in the first medium towards the second beam splitter and a second one propagating in a second medium. A moveable mirror in the second medium reflects the second beam back towards the second beam splitter to cause interference of the two beams.
US08508743B2

In a crankshaft testing method for the classification testing of at least one bearing surface of a crankshaft or the like, a reflection of a reference object at the bearing surface to be tested (reflection image) is detected by at least one sensor, using a sensor system. The detected reflection image is evaluated with regard to its contrast, and the crankshaft is classified as “unsatisfactory” when the contrast is below a predefined or predefinable threshold value.
US08508740B2

An optical multi-pass cell (100) including a sample cavity (109) is provided. The cell (100) also includes first and second end mirrors (103, 104) positioned within the housing (101). The mirrors (103, 104) are configured to reflect a beam of light directed at one of the first or second end mirrors (103, 104) off-axis from the optical axis (113) one or more times between the end mirrors (103, 104) through the sample cavity (109) at a first distance from the optical axis (113) to create a first beam pattern (330). The cell (100) also includes one or more relay minors (220) positioned to intercept reflect the beam of light such that at least a second beam pattern (331) is created between the end mirrors (103, 104) at a distance from the optical axis (113) different from the first distance of the first beam pattern (330).
US08508738B2

The nitrogen oxide sensing element of the present invention is such that a sensing film (11) is formed on the surface of a substrate (12a), the sensing film including a polymer containing as dispersed therein a porphyrin containing cobalt as a central metal, or a single derivative having a porphyrin skeleton containing cobalt as a central metal or a mixture of derivatives each having a porphyrin skeleton containing cobalt as a central metal; thus, this sensing element is capable of determining the concentration of NO with high sensitivity and satisfactory accuracy under the condition that the cobalt porphyrin is not affected by reaction inhibitors such as O2 and CO even in the atmosphere.
US08508736B2

A lithographic apparatus has an alignment system including a radiation source configured to convert narrow-band radiation into continuous, flat and broad-band radiation. An acoustically tunable narrow pass-band filter filters the broad-band radiation into narrow-band linearly polarized radiation. The narrow-band radiation may be focused on alignment targets of a wafer so as to enable alignment of the wafer. In an embodiment, the filter is configured to modulate an intensity and wavelength of radiation produced by the radiation source and to have multiple simultaneous pass-bands. The radiation source generates radiation that has high spatial coherence and low temporal coherence.
US08508732B2

The present disclosure relates to an improved device and methods for adapting to a laser diffraction apparatus used for measuring particle size distribution and density of the plume of a powder composition emitted from a dry powder inhaler.
US08508728B2

The invention relates to an inspection apparatus (1) for inspection of bottles (2) or similar containers, comprising at least one lighting device (9, 11) and one camera (12, 13) which form an inspection bridge (6). The inspection bridge (6) has on the inspection side (7) thereof a first lighting device (9) and a first camera (12), wherein at an inspection side (8) of the inspection bridge (6) located opposite the first inspection side (7), there is a second lighting device (11) and a second camera (13).
US08508725B2

The measuring method includes a step of causing reference light to enter an object placed in a first medium to measure a first transmitted wavefront, a step of causing the reference light to enter the object placed in a second medium to measure a second transmitted wavefront, a step of measuring first and second placement positions where the object is placed in the first and second media, and a calculating step of calculating an internal refractive index distribution of the object by using measurement results of the first and second transmitted wavefronts. The calculating step calculates the internal refractive index distribution from which a shape component of the object is removed by using the measurement results of the first and second transmitted wavefronts, and first and second reference transmitted wavefronts of a reference object to be placed at positions identical to the first and second placement positions.
US08508711B2

A temperature sensor is provided to measure the temperature of immersion liquid at a position where the immersion liquid is supplied. The reading of this temperature sensor is used to control the magnitude of heat input to the immersion liquid using a heater and/or cooler. A controller is used to calculate the calibration error of the temperature sensor relative to a temperature sensor that is provided upstream. The controller uses readings of the temperature difference between the two temperature sensors at one or more mass flow rates in order to estimate the temperature difference between the two temperature sensors at an infinite mass flow rate. The temperature difference at this infinite mass flow rate is estimated to be the temperature calibration error of the temperature sensor to measure the temperature of immersion liquid at a position where the immersion liquid is supplied relative to the upstream temperature sensor.
US08508705B2

In order to improve the light transmissivity above the transparent comb-teeth electrodes provided in an in-plane switching mode active matrix liquid crystal display unit, the liquid crystal gaps above the transparent comb-teeth electrodes are made larger than the liquid crystal gaps between the transparent comb-teeth electrodes.
US08508702B2

This liquid crystal display device comprises electrodes that are formed on at least one of a pair of substrates, and are used for applying voltage onto liquid crystal molecules; a first alignment control layer that is sandwiched between the substrates, and makes the liquid crystal molecules aligned vertically; a liquid crystal layer formed by sandwiching a liquid crystal composition comprising a liquid crystal and a photopolymerizable compound between the substrates, followed by ultraviolet ray irradiation; and a second alignment control layer composed of a UV-cured product formed by the ultraviolet ray irradiation that is formed so that not less than two domains having different threshold voltages are present in a pixel, and at least one of the domains has a threshold voltage higher than the threshold voltage by the first alignment control layer. Liquid crystal display devices having good half-tone viewing angle characteristics are provided.
US08508697B2

A system and a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element through a reduced number of steps are provided, in which a liquid crystal panel is turned over, by means of a panel turning mechanism, about an axis not parallel to any of the long and short sides of the liquid crystal panel so that the positional relationship between the long and short sides of the liquid crystal panel can be reversed, after one of sheet pieces of optical functional films is bonded to the liquid crystal panel and before another of the sheet pieces is bonded thereto, which can achieve the same effect by a single operation as in the case where turning over the liquid crystal panel and rotating it are performed independently.
US08508689B2

A light-emitting device includes a light-emitting element 110; and a lens section 132 covering over the light-emitting element 110. The lens section 132 includes an entrance surface S1 on which light from the light-emitting element 110 is incident; an exit surface S2 from which the light incident on the entrance surface S1 is emitted; and an optical axis L extending so as to penetrate the entrance surface S1 and the exit surface S2. A concave section 132a is formed in an area of the exit surface S2, which contains the optical axis L, and two flat sections 132b are formed so as to face each other across the optical axis L. The exit surface S2 defines an upwardly-protruding curved surface formed between the two flat sections 132b, and the optical axis L is coincidence with a reference optical axis of the light-emitting element 110.
US08508680B2

A touch screen sensor with a conductive micropattern includes one or more features to obscure or reduce the visibility of the conductive micropattern.
US08508677B2

A PBS sheet is curved into a partially cylindrical shape so as to be concave or convex toward a panel surface along a central axis which is perpendicular to both an incident light axis of illumination light and a reflection light axis perpendicular to the incident light axis. The illumination light from a light source is converted into s-polarized light by a polarization converting system, and energy distribution thereof is made uniform by a rod integrator. Then, the illumination light is sequentially split into three color lights, R, G, and B, by a color wheel. The illumination light is approximately totally reflected on the PBS sheet, and applied toward a liquid crystal display panel. The illumination light having been reflected on the PBS sheet illuminates the panel surface with neither too large nor too small illumination range. The R, G, and B component images having been reflected on the panel surface are sequentially projected on a screen so as to be observed as a full color image.
US08508672B2

A system for, and method of, improving video image sharpness and a continuous-light-emitting video display system employing the system or the method. In one embodiment, the system for improving video image sharpness includes: (1) a sub-frame generator configured to receive a frame of a video image and generate plural sub-frames therefrom and (2) a spatial filter, associated with the sub-frame generator and configured to cause the plural sub-frames to be spatially filtered with respect to one another based on a display sequence thereof.
US08508669B2

A video signal processing apparatus includes: a plurality of input sections to each of which a video signal from an imaging apparatus whose operation is controllable or is not controllable; an input selector selecting a video signal inputted through the input sections; a screen producer producing a plurality of areas by dividing a screen into portions in which the video signals selected by the input selector are displayed, the screen producer producing a first color frame for the area for the video signal representing a primary output, a second color frame for the area for the video signal representing a standby output, and a third color identifier for the area for the video signal from the controllable imaging apparatus; and an output section outputting the video signals and the frames or the identifier to a display device that displays the screen formed of the plurality of areas.
US08508666B2

A moving image processing apparatus includes a brightness information acquisition unit configured to acquire, from an input video signal, brightness information indicating brightness of the video signal, an illumination information acquisition unit configured to acquire illumination information about an environment of the moving image processing apparatus, an adaptation coefficient calculation unit configured to calculate an adaptation coefficient for an observer based on brightness when the brightness indicated by the brightness information is less than a first threshold and the brightness indicated by the illumination information is less than a second threshold, a correction coefficient calculation unit configured to calculate a correction coefficient to be used for image correction of the video signal based on the adaptation coefficient calculated by the adaptation coefficient calculation unit, and an image correction unit configured to perform image correction on the video signal using the correction coefficient calculated by the correction coefficient calculation unit.
US08508663B2

An electronic device has a plurality of wired-connection terminals, a selection portion that selects one of the plurality of wired-connection terminals for input of source data, and a transmission portion that wiredly transmits a command requesting a shift to a normal-operation mode to another electronic device having a power-save mode after switching of input by selection by the selection portion. The plurality of wired-connection terminals are all of an identical type for wired connection to another electronic device having a power-save mode.
US08508648B2

An imaging lens includes an aperture stop ST, a first lens L1 that is shaped to form a meniscus lens that directs a convex surface to the object side near an optical axis and has positive refractive power, a second lens L2 that is shaped to form a meniscus lens that directs a convex surface to the object side near the optical axis and has negative refractive power, a third lens L3 that is shaped to form a meniscus lens that directs a concave surface to the object side near the optical axis and has positive refractive power, and a fourth lens L4 that is shaped to form a meniscus lens that directs a convex surface to the object side near the optical axis, arranged in this order from an object side to an image side. When the first lens L1 has a focal length f1 and the second lens L2 has a focal length f2, the imaging lens is configured such that a relationship 0.3<|f1/f2|<0.7 is satisfied.
US08508646B2

The present invention relates to cameras and other image capture devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image capture device having a polarizing filter that reduces reflected light during operation of the image capture device.
US08508634B2

Disclosed herein is a solid-state image pickup element, including: a semiconductor layer in which a photodiode for carrying out photoelectric conversion is formed; a first film containing negative fixed charges and formed on the semiconductor layer in a region in which at least the photodiode is formed by utilizing either an atomic layer deposition method or a metal organic chemical vapor deposition method; a second film containing the negative fixed charges and formed on the first film containing therein the negative fixed charges by utilizing a physical vapor deposition method; and a third film containing the negative fixed charges and formed on the second film containing therein the negative fixed charges by utilizing either the atomic layer deposition method or the metal organic chemical vapor deposition method.
US08508631B2

A pixel defect detection and correction device includes: an average value acquisition section that acquires an average value of pixel values of adjacent pixels with different colors excluding a pixel whose defect is to be detected, which is a pixel of interest, in a processing region where adjacent pixels with the same color and adjacent pixels with different colors are arrayed with the pixel whose defect is to be detected in the middle; and a defect determining section that determines whether the pixel whose defect is to be detected is defective on the basis of at least the average value. The defect determining section determines whether the pixel whose defect is to be detected is defective by comparison of the pixel value of the pixel whose defect is to be detected, the average value of adjacent pixels with different colors, and a designated different-color pixel threshold value.
US08508629B2

A CMOS image sensor includes an image pixel array, a dark pixel array, data bit liens, reference bit lines, a driver, comparators, and analog-to-digital converter (“ADC”) circuits. The image pixel array generates analog image signals in response to incident light. The dark pixel array generates analog black reference signals for analog black level calibration of the analog image signals. In one embodiment, the data bit lines each coupled to a different column of image pixels of the image pixel array and the reference bit lines each coupled to a different column of black reference pixels within the dark pixel array. The driver is coupled to the reference bit lines to drive an analog black reference signal. The comparators each couple to one of the data bit lines and each coupled to an output of the driver and offset the analog image signals with the analog black reference signals in an analog domain. The ADC circuits each coupled to an output of a comparator.
US08508622B1

An image capturing device includes an image sensing device, a processor, and a memory. Using this, the device can determine a plurality of image-based characteristics for a proposed image, compute a composition measure for the proposed image and the given settings that depends from at least two of the plurality of image-based characteristics of the proposed image, output an indication of the composition measure to a user, in the form of simple indicators, more complex indicators/displays, and/or provide suggestions for altering at least one characteristic of the proposed image or data about the context of a shot, receive an image capture signal from the user in response to the indication, receive a captured image from the image sensing device in response to the image capture signal, and store the captured image in memory. The feedback can also be provided at a later time.
US08508619B2

A high dynamic range (HDR) image generating apparatus and method is provided. The HDR image generating apparatus may set an auto-exposure time, a long exposure time, a short exposure time, and a reference exposure time. The auto-exposure time may be set to be shorter than the long exposure time, the short exposure time may be set to be shorter than the auto-exposure time, and the reference exposure time may be set to fall within a range between the auto-exposure time and the short exposure time. The image generating apparatus may obtain a first image with the long exposure time and a second image with the reference exposure time, may correct motion in the first image and adjust a dynamic range of the second image, and then may composite the resultant first and second images to generate a high dynamic range image.
US08508594B2

A surface camera system includes a support housing configured to be embedded in the surface of a track and a camera housing couplable to the support housing. A camera is coupled to the camera housing and may be embodied as a high definition camera or a standard definition camera. The camera housing includes a top surface shaped and sized so as not to interfere with traffic on the track.
US08508590B2

A method and apparatus for simulating a physical environment to facilitate vehicle operation and task completion is described. In one embodiment, the method includes processing data that is transmitted from a sensor array comprising a plurality of devices, wherein the plurality of devices are placed throughout a physical environment that comprises a plurality of objects, accessing model information associated with the plurality of objects, wherein the model information indicates at least one physical attribute associated with each of the plurality of objects, correlating the model information with the transmitted data from the sensor array to produce a correlation result, generating at least one visual representation of the physical environment from at least one viewpoint based on the correlation result and identifying at least one obstruction, within the physical environment, using the at least one visual representation.
US08508584B2

According to the apparatus, the method, the program, and the recording medium of the present invention, the amount of feed of a first zoom lens and the amount of feed of a second zoom lens corresponding to a magnification of the first zoom lens and a magnification of the second zoom lens which are close to each other are associated, and the amounts of feed of the first zoom lens and the second zoom lens corresponding to an arbitrarily designated magnification are set. Accordingly, the magnifications of the first zoom lens and the second zoom lens can be accurately made almost equal over the entire zoom range. Since the magnifications of the first zoom lens and the second zoom lens are made equal on the basis of the amounts of feed, effective pixels do not decrease, unlike magnification correction using an electronic zoom.
US08508576B2

A remote presenting system, includes: a plurality of displays, configured to display a remote image; an audio output apparatus, configured to output remote audio information; a multimedia communication terminal, configured to process and control audio/video information obtained by a local end and audio/video information sent by a remote end; a plurality of video cameras, configured to shoot a local video image and send the shot video image to the multimedia communication terminal to be processed; an audio collection apparatus, configured to collect local audio information, and send the collected audio information to the multimedia communication terminal; and a plurality of user locations, corresponding to the plurality of video cameras respectively, and respectively being in an approximately perpendicular relationship with optic axes of camera lenses of the plurality of video cameras.
US08508570B2

A method for efficiently accessing pertinent information retrieved from a videoconferencing system call log. System call logs typically contain a chronological list of raw information pertaining to inbound and outbound videoconferencing calls. The method for efficiently accessing this chronological information is performed using input from the user at an endpoint to correlate and sort for display the information required at the current time. Videoconferencing systems typically are shared use or community type devices and the method of this disclosure allows for more user friendly access to pertinent information. Auto population of a speed dial list or associating a smart tag with the retrieved information is another possible feature to aid the end user. This method will allow a business to more efficiently use a limited number of videoconferencing systems amongst diverse groups of users with diverse calling needs.
US08508568B2

A frequency adjusting unit adjusts a frequency of the clock signal to be supplied to a drive unit when an image is to be formed on the second face in response to a contraction ratio of the printing material on which an image has been formed on the first face. The phase difference determining unit determines a phase difference between the clock signal corresponding to the first face and the clock signal corresponding to the second face in response to a frequency difference and a sign thereof between the clock signal corresponding to the first face and the clock signal corresponding to the second face. The change control unit changes from the clock signal corresponding to the first face to the clock signal corresponding to the second face.
US08508567B2

A surface-emission laser array comprises a plurality of surface-emission laser diode elements arranged in the form of a two-dimensional array including a plurality of columns of the surface-emission laser diode elements, each column including therein at least two surface-emission laser diode elements in a first direction. The surface-emission laser diode elements in a column are disposed with an equal interval in the first direction. The plural columns arc disposed in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction. An interval between two adjacent columns is larger in a central part than in a peripheral part of the two-dimensional array of the surface-emission laser diode elements in the second direction.
US08508566B2

A light emitting apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting chips, a first wire, a second wire, a third wire, and a fourth wire. The plurality of light emitting chips each have a plurality of light emitting devices and are divided into a plurality of chip groups, the light emitting devices in each of the light emitting chips being divided into a plurality of device groups. The first wire transmits in common a transmission signal to the light emitting chips. The second wire transmits in common a first selection signal to a given chip group of the light emitting chips. The third wire transmits in common a second selection signal to a set of the device groups. The fourth wire transmits a turn-on control signal to each of the chip groups.
US08508562B2

The invention provides an image display device that has an especially satisfactory display quality for animated images, and sufficiently suppresses the irregularities of display quality among pixels. The image display device includes a light emitting drive means that drives a light emitting means, based on an analog display signal inputted to the pixels, and a light emitting control switch for controlling a light-on or light-off of the light emitting means on one end of the light emitting drive means in each pixel.
US08508560B2

A disclosed liquid crystal displaying device having a liquid crystal displaying unit and a backlight unit includes a signal processing unit dividing an input signal into plural blocks in conformity with a predetermined number of dividing a screen of the backlight unit, a high frequency component acquiring unit acquiring high frequency components for the blocks; a signal component analyzing unit analyzing signal components of the input signal for the blocks, a low frequency component acquiring unit acquiring low frequency components for the blocks, a backlight driving signal generating unit generating a backlight driving signal based on signals acquired by the signal component analyzing unit and the low frequency component acquiring unit, an inverter inverting the backlight driving signal, and a synthesizing unit acquiring a synthesized signal displayed by the liquid crystal displaying unit based on the input signal, the high frequency components, and the inverted driving signal.
US08508556B2

An image display method including following steps is provided. A backlight of a display panel is adaptively adjusted according to a backlight adjustment factor related to the intensity value of an external light and the brightness of an original image. Brightness factors of the original image are corrected according to the adjustment of the backlight, and the original image is reset by using the corrected brightness factors and original color factors. Thereby, the problem of image distortion caused by backlight adjustment can be reduced.
US08508552B2

Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for improving output rendering in anti-aliased rendering scenarios. Relative guidelines are used to improve output rendering in certain anti-aliased rendering scenarios. The system receives information regarding at least one visual element area which is important for symmetric appearance, with at least two guideline pairs included in the information. These pairs of relative guidelines represent gaps between edges of elements for which gaps should be preserved. A guideline snapping procedure is performed for each relative guideline to generate a snapping displacement for each relative guideline. The snapping displacements are provided as inputs to a pixel snapping procedure that snaps the points of the visual element to create an adjusted image. The adjusted image is then rendered on a display device in an anti-aliased rendering scenario. Equal sizes of gaps between neighboring elements can be preserved when these gaps are defined equal by a client.
US08508550B1

An animation scene including a group of objects is rendered by dividing the group into multiple clipping regions based on object location. The objects are sorted based on the depth extent of each object relative to a camera position. The objects are then assigned to a clipping region such that each clipping region includes about the same number of objects. Each clipping region is then rendered independently and in parallel to reduce processor and memory load.
US08508549B2

Graphical user interface objects are specified by a collection of attribute-value pairs, the collection of which comprise a complete description of the object and may be used by a rendering element to create a visual representation of the object. In practice, each of a first portion of attributes may be associated with two or more values—each value (for a given attribute) specifying that attribute's value for a unique resolution. A second portion of attributes are associated with a single value and are, therefore, display resolution independent. Accordingly, the target object may be displayed at any of the specified design display resolutions or accurately displayed at any resolution between the specified design display resolutions.
US08508534B1

Input is received that selects an animation aspect associated with an object within an animation. The animation involves the object and an original frame of reference through which the animation is displayed, and the selected animation aspect is one that changes over time with respect to the original frame of reference. The animation is displayed through a new frame of reference defined by holding the selected animation aspect constant over time. During the animation display through the new frame of reference, input is received that manipulates the object to create a new animation aspect associated with the object. The new animation aspect associated with the object is recorded in the animation.
US08508522B2

Methods for producing a remote current for driving a load, include one of sourcing and sinking a local current, Iref, through a distributed impedance line, at a first node thereof; the other of sourcing and sinking a remote current, Iref, through the distributed impedance line in response to the local current Iref; determining a rate change of voltage of the first node; and sourcing or sinking additional current, into or out of the first node, in response to the rate of change of voltage of the first node in order to settle the voltage on the distributed impedance line, and apparatus for providing such are disclosed.
US08508514B2

A display module includes a scan line, a data line, a driving circuit and a level converting circuit. The driving circuit has at least one first driving unit and at least one second driving unit electrically connected to the first driving unit. A non-DC signal is transmitted between the first driving unit and the second driving unit for controlling the first driving unit and/or the second driving unit. The first driving unit outputs a first driving signal to the scan line. The second driving unit outputs a second driving signal to the level converting circuit. The level converting circuit is electrically connected with the driving circuit and the data line, and outputs a display signal to the data line according to the second driving signal. A driving method of the display module is also disclosed.
US08508513B2

A display device which enhances time-wise likelihood for a leak current from a floating memory node by increasing the number of writings of a voltage to a floating memory node. A vertical driver includes: a shift register including basic circuits which output common electrode driving pulses based on a transfer; and a common electrode driver including common basic circuits which receive the common electrode driving pulses and the transfer clock. Each common basic circuit includes: a circuit A which fetches an AC signal based on the common electrode driving pulse; a circuit B which outputs, based on the AC signal, a first common voltage or a second common voltage which differs from the first common voltage in voltage level to the common electrodes corresponding to the AC signal; and a circuit C which holds a state of the circuit B based on the transfer clock.
US08508509B2

An optical touch device includes a display panel and at least a light emitting and receiving unit. The display panel includes a transparent substrate having a touch surface and a plurality of side surfaces adjacent to the touch surface. At least one of the side surfaces is a first light incidence surface and at least one of the side surfaces is a first light emitting surface. Each light emitting and receiving unit includes a linear light source and a light sensing component. The linear light source is disposed beside the first light incidence surface and is configured for providing optical signals into the transparent substrate. The light sensing component is disposed beside the first light emitting surface. The light sensing component is configured for receiving the optical signals from the linear light source. The optical touch display device has advantages of low cost.
US08508500B2

A touch panel electrical device includes a touch panel, a notice signal generator and a processing unit. The processing unit is electrically connected with the touch panel and the notice signal generator respectively. The touch panel senses a touched position on the touch panel. The processing unit includes a notice-generating module. The notice-generating module makes the notice signal generator generate a notice sound signal or a notice vibration signal according to the touched position to notice a user a touched instruction corresponding to the touched position he/she touches.
US08508499B2

A touch sensing circuit is provided. Signal generators output a pulse signal according to a control signal. Touch detection circuits are arranged as an array, generating a sensing signal according a touch event and the pulse signal. The touch detection circuits in the same row are coupled to the same signal generator. The sensing circuits are respectively coupled to the touch detection circuits in the same column, generating an output signal according to the sensing signal. The controller receives the output signal, outputs the control signal to control one of the signal generators outputting the pulse signal, and detects the touch detection circuit corresponding to the touch event according to the output control signal and the output signal.
US08508494B2

Disclosed is a user interface that responds to differences in pressure detected by a touch-sensitive screen. The user selects one type of user-interface action by “lightly” touching the screen and selects another type of action by exerting more pressure. Embodiments can respond to single touches, to gestural touches that extend across the face of the touch-sensitive screen, and to touches in which the user-exerted pressure varies during the course of the touch. Some embodiments respond to how quickly the user changes the amount of pressure applied. In some embodiments, the location and pressure of the user's input are compared against a stored gesture profile. Action is taken only if the input matches “closely enough” to the stored gesture profile. In some embodiments, a notification is sent to the user when the pressure exceeds a threshold between a light and a heavy press.
US08508485B2

An apparatus and method for inputting a character using a keyboard displayed on a touch screen in a portable terminal. The apparatus and method determines if a touch signal is generated, with the keyboard displayed. Upon generation of the touch signal, a touched character is recognized by analyzing the touch signal. The character is displayed enlarged in a predetermined screen area. It is then determined if the touch has been completed, while the character is displayed enlarged. Upon sensing the touch completion, the character is displayed in a main screen area.
US08508483B2

A character input apparatus and method in a terminal are provided, in which a touch screen displays a first key set and a second key set. The first key set includes first letter keys with all consonants and a second letter key with symbols indicating Tone Marks (Tms) and positions of predetermined vowels, for inputting all vowels and Tms. The second key set includes the predetermined vowels or Tms. Upon selection of a symbol by the second letter key, the controller controls the touch screen to display the second key set and receives at least one letter by the first key set and the second key set.
US08508477B2

An input apparatus that moves an instruction sign displayed on a display device to any position, the display device being connected to an information processing apparatus, including: an operation portion that includes a magnet, and operates the movement of the instruction sign; a restoration portion that is composed of an elastic member, supports the operation portion, and restores the operation portion to a reference position when the operation portion has inclined; magnetic members that are arranged at maximum displacement positions of the operation portion where an attractive force of the magnet exceeds the restoring force of the restoration portion; a detection portion that detects an inclined direction and an inclined angle of the operation portion; and an output portion that outputs the inclined direction and the inclined angle detected by the detection portion to the information processing apparatus.
US08508471B2

Cooperative multi-display systems and techniques are provided. In one embodiment, a cooperative multi-display system includes multiple flexible displays, a controller that processes an original image into sub-images, each of the sub-images being at a location in the original image that corresponds to a location of each of the multiple flexible displays, and a driver that drives the multiple flexible displays and forwards the processed sub-images from the controller to the multiple flexible displays, respectively.
US08508464B2

The present invention discloses a backlight control circuit capable of distinguishing an under current condition, comprising: at least one light emission device path having a voltage node; at least one current source for controlling the current amount on the light emission device path; and at least one under current detection circuit for generating a first control signal according to the voltage at the voltage node, wherein when the first control signal changes its state, the under current detection circuit generates a second control signal to change the voltage on the voltage node if the light emission device path is normally connected.
US08508462B2

A dimming structure for an image display device further includes a contrast panel for altering contrast differences in a portion around an outputted image to achieve dimming effects on an image smaller than a light emitting lamp. In the dimming structure, a backlight unit has a plurality of light sources disposed therein. A display panel displays an image while the backlight unit is disposed to light the display panel. A contrast panel is disposed between the backlight unit and the display panel. The contrast panel has a light emitting window formed in a portion thereof corresponding to the image of the display panel to transmit light emitted from the backlight unit therethrough. The dimming structure assures uniform dimming effects on the portion around the image despite use of a light source bigger than the image to be outputted.
US08508452B2

A method and a system for displaying images are provided. In the method, a pixel is provided that includes a layer of ferroelectric material and a layer of liquid crystal material. A first electric field is momentarily applied to the pixel to electrically polarize the ferroelectric layer to a first polarization. The first polarization is then used to maintain the liquid crystal material in a first orientation corresponding to a first apparent brightness of the pixel.
US08508451B2

A display apparatus and a method for driving a display panel thereof are provided. The display panel includes an inducing signal readout line and N gate lines, in which N is a natural number. The inducing signal readout line is coupled to a plurality of inducing circuits. Each inducing circuit is coupled to one of the gate lines, and the Nth gate line is coupled to one of the inducing circuits. In the method, several gate pulses are provided to drive the gate lines sequentially to turn on the corresponding inducing circuits, wherein at least a portion of the driving duration of a gate pulse provided to the Nth gate line is in a blanking time between two frames.
US08508449B2

A method and apparatus is provided for reducing color shift in relation to viewing angle in an LCD. The method includes receiving a plurality of pixel data constituting an image, each pixel data including a plurality of sub-pixel color components having respective data values; for each of the pixel data, comparing the sub-pixel color component data values included therein; and based on the comparison, modifying the sub-pixel color component data values included in the pixel data to reduce color shift when displayed on the LCD.
US08508448B2

This invention provides a method and apparatus for driving bistable cholesteric liquid crystal displays. The method and apparatus provided a display in which all the pixels are initially driven to the P state. Selected pixels for the display are then driven to the FC state to provide the desired message. The state of the pixels is then maintained for a viewing period prior to any resetting of the display to the P state. The switching from the P state to the FC state allows fast addressing times and lower voltages to be used in driving the display.
US08508447B2

A pixel includes a primary element and a secondary element. At least a portion of the primary element is deformable between two positions. In one position, the light source is reflected such that the observer observes a dark pixel. In the other position, the light is reflected such that the observer observes a bright pixel. Gray levels of light are viewable by varying between the two positions.
US08508442B2

An organic light emitting display and a method of driving the display are disclosed. The display uses an automatic current limit driving method. The method includes comparing current and previous frames of data to select a peak brightness ratio for displaying the current frame. If the difference between the frames is greater than a threshold, the peak brightness ratio of the previous frame is used for the current frame.
US08508437B2

A plasma display device has a crystal particle made of MgO single crystal where the cathode luminescence emission spectrum exhibits a desired characteristic, and displays an image by a driving method in the initializing period. The initializing period has the first half for applying the voltage, which gradually increases from a first voltage and to a second voltage, to a second electrode, and the latter half for applying the voltage, which gradually decreases from a third voltage and to a fourth voltage.
US08508436B2

A display or light-modulating device incorporates one or more measures of liquid that obstruct or filter light that passes onto or through the liquid; a space distribution of different light-modulating filters, optical instrument or materials or of materials that change the frequency or color of light passing onto or through them, to emit a different frequency or color of light; and means to apply electrowetting effect to controllably modulate the location or shape of one or more measures of a polar or conductive liquid, so that at least some portion of one or more light-obstructing or light-filtering measures of liquids is caused to be located between one or more light sources and the space distribution of light-modulating filters, optical instruments or light-modulating materials, or said space distribution of materials that change the frequency or color of light passing onto or through them, to emit a different frequency or color of light, thereby controllably modulating properties of light emitted from said device.
US08508430B2

An antenna reflector (100, 700) comprising a centrally located hub (120), inner ribs (108) rotatably secured at a proximal end to the hub, outer ribs (110) extendible from the inner ribs, and a guideline truss structure (132, 160) configured to support a flexible antenna reflector surface (122). The inner ribs are rotatable from a stowed position in which they are generally aligned with a central axis of the hub, to a rotated position in which they extend in a radial direction relative to the central axis. The guideline truss structure is secured to each outer rib using standoff cords attached at intermediate locations along a length of the outer rib between opposing ends (116, 118) thereof. The outer ribs are configured to be linearly displaced respectively along an elongated length of the inner ribs from a proximal position adjacent to the hub, to an extended position distal from the hub.
US08508427B2

A tri-column antenna array architecture, containing a plurality of active radiating elements that are spatially arranged on a modified reflector structure is disclosed. Radiating elements disposed along (P1 and P2) outlying center lines are movable and provided with compensating radio frequency feed line phase shifters so as to provide broad range of beam width angle variation of the antenna array's azimuth radiation pattern.
US08508424B2

A high band element and an antenna including a plurality of high band elements are provided. The high band element can include directors disposed above four dipoles, and the antenna can include a plurality of low band elements configured to accommodate the plurality of high band elements. The low band elements can be configured in a 1-2-2-2-1 arrangement or a 2-2-2-2-1 arrangement.
US08508421B2

An antenna element and a phased array antenna including a plurality of such antenna elements are described. The antenna element includes a waveguide configured for operating in a below-cutoff mode and having a cavity, an exciter configured for exciting the waveguide, and a shield. The shield includes a holder arranged within the cavity, and a front plate mounted on the holder and disposed over at least a part of the exciter.
US08508418B2

An electronic device may be provided with a conductive housing. The conductive housing may be formed from a metal. Slots may be formed in the housing. The slots may serve as an antenna and may be fed using an antenna feed structure within the electronic device housing. The electronic device may have a frame to which housing structures are attached and may have a stand or other support structure. The frame may be used to mount a display, to support housing walls, to support clutch barrel structures, etc. The slots may be formed in the frame or in a space between the frame and the housing walls. The slots or other antenna structures may also be formed in the stand. Multiple slots may be used together to support operations in two or more communications bands. There may be multiple dual slot antennas in the electronic device.
US08508415B2

An antenna for transmitting and receiving an electric wave in plural frequency bands has a conductor, two slots formed in the conductor to be facing to each other, opened ends of the two slots being formed on opposite sides, respectively, and a feeding point formed only in either one of the two slots.
US08508412B2

A semiconductor device, includes a chip, a first external terminal, a second external terminal, and a partial antenna wiring that is coupled to the first external terminal, and that constitutes a matching circuit, wherein the chip includes first and second electrode pads that are coupled to the partial antenna wiring, a third electrode pad that is different from each of the first and second electrode pads, and that is coupled to the second external terminal, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit that is coupled to the third electrode pad.
US08508409B2

To suppress an adverse effect caused by side lobes of an antenna array when determining an AWV to be used in communication. A first communication device transmits/receives a training signal while scanning a beam pattern, and a second communication device receives/transmits the training signal with a fixed beam pattern. A primary DOD/DOA in the first communication device is determined based on the transmission/reception result of the training signal. Then, second round training is performed. In this point, the first communication device transmits/receives the training signal while scanning a beam pattern in a state where transmission to the primary DOD or reception from the primary DOA is restricted. A secondary DOD/DOA is determined based on the result of the second round training. An AWV corresponding to the primary DOD/DOA and an AWV corresponding to the secondary DOD/DOA are selectively used in communication between the first and second devices.
US08508401B1

A remote control method for adjusting the temporal length between first and second command codes for an activity includes transmitting the first command code and transmitting the second command code after a first temporal length to an appliance. The method includes determining whether the appliance executed the second command code including: i) if the remote control receives an input that the appliance executed the second command code, the first temporal length is stored in memory and used for subsequently requests for the activity, or if the remote control receives an input that the appliance did not execute the second command code, the first temporal length is lengthened to a second temporal length. Until the first temporal length is not lengthened to the second temporal length, the remote control repeats the transmitting steps, and the determining step where the first temporal length for the second transmitting step is substituted with the second temporal length.
US08508397B2

A device for expanding the dynamic range of a broadband analog/digital converter is provided. The device comprises a splitter module configured to split an analog input signal into a first analog signal output on a first signal branch, and a second analog signal output on a second signal branch. The device further comprises a first analog/digital converter configured to digitize the first analog signal into a first digital signal, a second analog/digital converter configured to digitize the second analog signal into a second digital signal, and a first switching module configured to switch one of the first signal branch and the second signal branch to an output of the apparatus. The device further comprises a first regulating module, disposed between the second analog/digital converter and the first switching module, wherein the first regulating module is configured to adaptively match amplitudes of the second digital signal to amplitudes of the first digital signal.
US08508388B2

The invention is related to methods and apparatus that use a visual sensor and dead reckoning sensors to process Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). These techniques can be used in robot navigation. Advantageously, such visual techniques can be used to autonomously generate and update a map. Unlike with laser rangefinders, the visual techniques are economically practical in a wide range of applications and can be used in relatively dynamic environments, such as environments in which people move. One embodiment further advantageously uses multiple particles to maintain multiple hypotheses with respect to localization and mapping. Further advantageously, one embodiment maintains the particles in a relatively computationally-efficient manner, thereby permitting the SLAM processes to be performed in software using relatively inexpensive microprocessor-based computer systems.
US08508387B2

The present invention allows quick detection of actual hazardous windshears while ignoring the effects of normal turbulence. A system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a signal processor configured to determine a presence of hazardous windshear based on: (a) whether a measured windshear is beyond a first predetermined threshold, and (b) whether a measured turbulence level is beyond a second predetermined threshold.
US08508386B2

In an in-vehicle information processor 100 including a communication device 104 which acquires traffic signal information regarding the lighting state of a traffic signal 401 and a display 106 which executes signal waiting time notification based on the traffic signal information acquired by the communication device 104, the display 106 starts the signal waiting time notification when the speed of a own vehicle 300 becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold value. For this reason, even in the case where the own vehicle 300 has stopped before the traffic signal for a certain reason although it tried to pass the traffic signal, the signal waiting time notification is performed again when the speed of the own vehicle 300 becomes equal to or smaller than the predetermined threshold value. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform the signal waiting time notification more accurately when necessary.
US08508383B2

An interior rearview mirror system of a vehicle includes an interior rearview mirror assembly having an electro-optic reflective element. The reflective element includes (i) an electro-optic active region where an electro-optic medium is disposed and is bounded by a perimeter seal and (ii) a user input region outboard of the electro-optic active region. At least one backlit user input, such as a capacitive touch sensor, is disposed at the reflective element at the user input region and outboard of the perimeter seal and the electro-optic medium. A control is operable to determine a location of a touch or proximity of a finger of a user that is at or near the first surface of the front substrate at the user input region, and the control generates an output signal indicative of a determined touch or proximity of a finger of a user.
US08508370B1

Synthetic thermoelectric materials comprising phononic crystals can simultaneously have a large Seebeck coefficient, high electrical conductivity, and low thermal conductivity. Such synthetic thermoelectric materials can enable improved thermoelectric devices, such as thermoelectric generators and coolers, with improved performance. Such synthetic thermoelectric materials and devices can be fabricated using techniques that are compatible with standard microelectronics.
US08508337B2

The invention relates to a method for validating a biometrical acquisition, mainly the acquisition of a body imprint of a body area such as fingerprints or a face imprint, wherein the method involves together with the biometric acquisition: lighting the body area using at least one radiation having at least two respective different wavelengths between approximately 500 nm and 1150 nm; taking at least two reflectometry measurements concerning said and at least two wavelengths for measuring the reflection index of the tissues for these wavelengths; calculating the ratio for two measured indices; and comparing the ratio with a range of reference values characterizing a haemoglobin-containing living tissue in terms of proportions of oxygenated and non-oxygenated forms characteristic of the living states for the wavelengths in question; if the ratio is included in said range, the body area is considered as living and the biometrical acquisition is validated; and conversely, if the body area is considered as not living, the biometrical acquisition cannot be validated.
US08508326B2

The present invention may provide a surge protection device, which may include a reference node, first, second, and third nodes, a first arcing section (GAP) coupled between the first and second nodes, and configured to receive a surge voltage from the first node, a first metal oxide varistor (MOV) coupled between the second and reference nodes, and configured to reduce the surge voltage to a first sub-surge voltage at the second node, a second arcing section (GAP) coupled between the second and third nodes, and configured to receive the first sub-surge voltage from the second node, and a second metal oxide varistor (MOV) coupled between the third and reference nodes, and configured to reduce the first sub-surge voltage to a second sub-surge voltage at the third node.
US08508317B2

A broadband coupling filter for generating a notch filtering effect is disclosed. In the broadband coupling filter, a substrate includes a first layer, a second layer and a third layer. A first signal terminal, a second signal terminal, and a block transmission line are formed in the first layer, wherein the first signal terminal is used for receiving a signal, and the second signal terminal is used for outputting a filtering result of the signal. A grounding plate is formed in the second layer, having a hole. A third signal terminal, a forth signal terminal and a second block transmission line are formed in the third layer. A connection unit is further formed in the third layer, for connecting the third signal terminal and the forth signal terminal.
US08508314B2

A design structure, structure, and method for providing an on-chip variable delay transmission line with a fixed characteristic impedance. A method of manufacturing a transmission line structure includes forming a signal line of the transmission line structure, forming a first ground return structure that causes a first delay and a first characteristic impedance in the transmission line structure, and forming a second ground return structure that causes a second delay and a second characteristic impedance in the transmission line structure. The first delay is different from the second delay, and the first characteristic impedance is substantially the same as the second characteristic impedance.
US08508307B2

An oscillation circuit including a reference voltage generation circuit that adds a proportional-to-absolute-temperature (PTAT) output, which increases in proportion to an absolute temperature, to a complementary-to-absolute-temperature (CTAT) output, which decreases in proportion to an absolute temperature, to generate and output a reference voltage. The oscillation circuit generates an oscillation signal having a desired and fixed frequency.
US08508304B2

Reducing a gain of a VCO, which may be used in a serdes system, includes using an oscillator replicating the VCO. The oscillator frequency varies according to PVT conditions of circuit elements of the oscillator, which affect a speed of the circuit elements. A first circuit receives an output of the oscillator to produce a current that varies inversely proportionally to the oscillator frequency. A second circuit injects the current into a power supply line of the VCO. Thus, high VCO frequencies can be attained. By reducing the gain of the VCO, thermal noise contribution of the loop resistor and the loop capacitor required for desired loop bandwidth are reduced. During fast corner conditions, minimal current is injected into the VCO. During slow corner conditions, high current is injected into the VCO. These help keep VCTRL of the PLL loop close to a mid-rail operating region.
US08508295B2

A amplifier that obtains an output by power combining, comprising; a distribution circuit that distributes an input signal into two signals; a first amplifier circuit that amplifies one of the two signals distributed by the distribution circuit and operates in class AB mode; a second amplifier circuit that amplifies the other of the two signals distributed by the distribution circuit and operates in class B or C mode; a lumped constant circuit that connects outputs of the first and second amplifier circuits; a first impedance transformation circuit connected to an output of the first amplifier circuit; a second impedance transformation circuit connected to an output of the second amplifier circuit, and a quarter wavelength impedance transformation circuit with one end thereof connected to a combining point of output sides of the first and second impedance transformation circuits and with the other end thereof connected to a load (FIG. 1).
US08508289B2

This invention provides a semiconductor device structure formed on a conventional semiconductor-on-insulator (SeOI) substrate defined by a pattern defining at least one field-effect transistor having: in the thin film of the SeOI substrate, a source region, a drain region, a channel region, and a front control gate region formed above the channel region; and in the base substrate beneath the buried oxide of the SeOI substrate, a back control gate region, arranged under the channel region and configured to shift the threshold voltage of the transistor in response to bias voltages. This invention also provides patterns defining standard-cell-type circuit structures and data-path-cell type circuit structures that include arrays of the FET patterns provided by this invention. Such circuit structures also include back gate lines connecting the back gate control regions. This invention also provides methods of operating and designing such semiconductor device structures.
US08508287B2

Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to regulators for charge pumps. Such regulators selectively activate a charge pump based not only on the voltage output of the charge pump, but also on an series of wake-up pulses that are delivered at predetermined time intervals and which are delivered independently of the voltage output of the charge pump. Hence, these wake-up pulses prevent extended periods of time in which the charge pump is inactive, thereby helping to prevent latch-up in some situations.
US08508286B2

As provided herein, in some embodiments, power consumption and/or chip area is reduced by bias circuits configured to provide bias conditions for more than one active circuit, thereby reducing the number of bias circuits in a design. Shared bias circuits may reduce the aggregate amount of on-chip area utilized by bias circuitry and may also reduce the total power consumption of a chip. Additionally and/or alternatively, bias circuits disclosed herein are configured to provide outputs that are less susceptible to changes in the voltage supply level. In particular, in some embodiments, bias circuits are configured to provide relatively constant bias conditions despite changes in the voltage supply level. In some embodiments, bias circuits are configured to provide bias conditions that compensate for perturbations caused by changes other inputs, in order to stabilize a particular operating point.
US08508281B2

A half bridge is described with at least one transistor having a channel that is capable in a first mode of operation of blocking a substantial voltage in at least one direction, in a second mode of operation of conducting substantial current in one direction through the channel and in a third mode of operation of conducting substantial current in an opposite direction through the channel. The half bridge can have two circuits with such a transistor.
US08508280B2

Systems and methods are provided for reading an associated state of a qubit. A first soliton is injected along a first Josephson transmission line coupled to the qubit. A velocity of the first soliton is selected according to a physical length of the qubit and a characteristic frequency of the qubit. A second soliton is injected at the selected velocity along a second Josephson transmission line that is not coupled to the qubit. A delay associated with the first soliton is determined relative to the second soliton.
US08508273B2

An apparatus for outputting data of a semiconductor memory apparatus, which is capable of varying the slew rate and the data output timing, includes a bias generator that generates a bias having a level corresponding to a set value, a slew rate controller that controls a pull-up slew rate or a pull-down slew rate of input data on the basis of the bias generated by the bias generator, and a data outputting unit that outputs data on the basis of the slew rate controlled by the slew rate controller. Therefore, it is possible to satisfy various operational conditions without changing the structure of the circuit and to correspond rapidly and appropriately whit a change in the system, which enables the applied range of the products to be extended.
US08508262B2

Systems and methods for design and operation of signal generator circuitry with output frequencies greater than the oscillator frequency. Accordingly, in a first method embodiment, a method of producing an output periodic electronic signal comprises accessing four signals having a quadrature phase relationship. First and second pairs of these signals having a one half cycle phase relationship are averaged to produce two signals having an improved duty cycle and a one-quarter cycle phase relationship. The first and second averaged periodic electronic signals are combined in an exclusive OR circuit to produce the output periodic electronic signal at twice the oscillator frequency. Advantageously, the periodic signal may comprise a desirable duty cycle of 50 percent.
US08508259B2

A method for driving a non-linear load element. On account of the non-linear interrelationship between the voltage and the current at the load element and the related non-linear dependence of the power loss on the quantities “voltage” and “current”, an adjustment of the switching speed only on the basis of the power loss in the switching element cannot be carried out with non-linear load elements without being confronted with undesirable switching losses and related electromagnetic noise fields. Therefore, the load current currently flowing in the load element is picked up in addition to the currently determined power loss in the switching element, and the switching speed of the switching element is controlled in dependence on the determined power loss and on the current picked up. The switching speed can be optimally adjusted when driving the non-linear load elements by means of PWM.
US08508258B2

A driver circuit that lowers the dependence of the loss in the wide gap semiconductor device upon the temperature is provided. A gate driver circuit for voltage driven power semiconductor switching device includes a power semiconductor switching device, a driver circuit for supplying a drive signal to a gate terminal of the switching device with reference to an emitter control terminal or a source control terminal of the switching device, and a unit for detecting a temperature of the switching device. The temperature of the power semiconductor switching device is detected, and a gate drive voltage or a gate drive resistance value is changed based on the detected temperature.
US08508254B2

An integrated circuit (IC) includes a set of metastability-hardened storage circuits. Each metastability-hardened storage circuit may include: (a) a pulse width distortion circuit; (b) a first circuit powered by a nominal power supply voltage, and a second circuit powered by a higher-than-nominal supply voltage; (c) an inverter and a bias circuit, where the bias circuit provides a bias current based on an intermediate state of the inverter to resolve a metastable state of the inverter; or (d) a latch, and a dynamic bias circuit that causes current to be injected into the latch to resolve a metastable state of the latch.
US08508244B2

System and method for optimizing the consumption of power while maintaining performance in capacitive sensor arrays. A limited sensing area is used to improve the update rate and sensitivity of a row/column array of capacitive sensors. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for scanning a plurality of capacitive sensors by: detecting a stimulus in the field of capacitive sensors, scanning the field of capacitive sensors to determine the position of the stimulus. Once the position of the stimulus is determined, a subsection of the field comprising window corresponding to the position of the stimulus remains activated while the remaining sensors in the field are deactivated.
US08508237B2

A calibration kit (100) for calibrating a connectable network analyzer (102), including a converter (104, 106) adapted for performing a conversion between an electrical signal and an optical signal, a calibration standard (108, 110) for calibrating the network analyzer (102), and a switch array (112) adapted for switching the converter (104, 106) and the calibration standard (108, 110) in a manner to enable an electrical calibration of the network analyzer (102) and a calibration of the converter (104, 106) coupled to the network analyzer (102).
US08508236B2

An electronic device, and associated method, provided with a circuit board (10), with a set of input contacts (IN/COM), a set of output contacts (OUT/COM) and an electrical circuit (18) connected between the input contacts (IN/COM) and the output contacts (OUT/COM) and a controller. The controller carries out a real-time test of the circuit board using a test signal introduced into the electrical circuit, the electrical circuit (18) being designed as a passive network having a characteristic transfer function and provided with at least two separate partial circuits (18′, 18″) wherein the separate partial circuits are electrically connected in the assembled state by cooperation with at least one of: at least one device components and/or assembly components (181).
US08508231B2

A microresistivity logging tool includes a monopole current injection electrode and first and second potential electrodes deployed on a downhole tool body. A controller is configured to apply a high frequency alternating current between the monopole current injection electrode and a return and measure a corresponding AC potential difference between the first and second electrodes.
US08508227B2

A method for position dependent change in the magnetization in an object, according to a requirement in a magnetic resonance measurement, wherein radio-frequency pulses are irradiated in conjunction with supplementary magnetic fields that vary in space and over time and are superposed on the static and homogeneous basic field of a magnetic resonance measurement apparatus along a z-direction, is characterized in that non-linear supplementary magnetic fields are used, whose spatial gradient of the z-component is not constant at least at one instant of the irradiation, and that the radio-frequency pulses to be irradiated are calculated in advance, wherein progressions over time of the field strengths of the supplementary magnetic fields in the region of the object that are calculated and/or measured position-dependently are included in this calculation. This enables change in the magnetization with an at least locally spatially higher resolution and/or shorter irradiation duration of the RF pulses and supplementary magnetic fields than is feasible with linear supplementary magnetic fields produced by conventional gradient systems. In particular, this is possible under the technical and physiological conditions that currently constrain the performance of the known methods using linear supplementary fields.
US08508223B2

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus acquires magnetic resonance (MR) data associated with a plurality of different delay times according to a pulse sequence in which a region-selective saturation pulse is first applied, a region-non-selective inversion recovery pulse is then applied, and then the magnetic resonance data is acquired, the delay time being defined as a period from the saturation pulse application time to the start of MR data acquisition. A plurality of blood flow image data respectively associated with the plurality of different delay times are created using the acquired MR data.
US08508222B2

A device capable of producing a high resolution chemical analysis of a sample, such as fluid, is based upon nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The nuclear magnetic polarizations of the sample are generated by sequentially illuminating the sample with a focused beam of light carrying angular orbital angular momentum (OAM) and possibly momentum (spin). Unlike in a typical NMR used for magnetic nuclear resonance imaging (MRI) or spectroscopy, the present device does not make use of a strong magnet.
US08508220B2

A method and system for evaluating the condition of a laminated core of an electric machine, and including a first yoke wound with a first winding and having a first pair of arms spanning between a first pair of teeth of the laminated core, and a second yoke wound with a second winding and having a second pair of arms spanning between a second pair of teeth. A power supply provides power to an electrical circuit defined by one of the first and second windings to produce a magnetic flux in the yoke corresponding to the one of the first and second windings and defining an excitation yoke. A monitoring module provides a measurement of a characteristic of an electrical circuit defined by the other one of the first and second windings to identify a fault corresponding to an eddy current between individual laminations in the laminated core.
US08508217B2

An output circuit of a charge mode sensor includes a second resistor and an operational amplifier. The second resistor connects an output portion of the charge mode sensor and a ground. The operational amplifier is configured to output a detection signal that varies in accordance with an amount of charge kept in the charge mode sensor. The operational amplifier includes an inverting input portion, a non-inverting input portion, and an output portion. The inverting input portion is connected to the output portion of the charge mode sensor via a sensor cable. The non-inverting input portion is connected to a reference voltage. The output portion is connected to the inverting input portion via a first resistor.
US08508210B2

The present invention proposes a hot surface igniter (HSI) controller which is transformerless and which is capable of delivering power from a 120/240 VAC RMS mains voltage, for example, to a load whose nominal operational voltage is equivalent to 24 VAC RMS, for example, sinusoidal full wave AC Voltage. The controller provides an impulse range which is mainly designed to deliver power to hot surface igniter active loads with sufficient thermionic inertia and mass, and where the real voltage shape of supplied power is unimportant. This is achieved by supplying half-cycle pulses to the HIS that are separated by even number of half-cycles that are not supplied to the HIS. Thus the consecutively applied half-cycles are always of opposing polarity.
US08508198B2

A power supply conversion circuit includes a PWM chip and many sub-circuits. Each sub-circuit includes an inductor, a first capacitor connected to ground, a first resistor connected in series with the first capacitor to form a branch parallel to the inductor, a differential pair having a first differential signal trace and a second differential signal trace, a second resistor, and a second capacitor. The first trace is connected between the connection of the first resistor and the first capacitor and the PWM chip. The second resistor is connected between the connection of the first resistor and the inductor and the second capacitor. The second trace is connected between the connection of the second resistor and the second capacitor and the PWM chip. The ratios of the capacitances of each two second capacitors are the same as that of the lengths of the traces of each two corresponding differential pairs.
US08508194B2

Provided is a semiconductor device that may include a switching device having a negative threshold voltage, and a driving unit between a power terminal and a ground terminal and providing a driving voltage for driving the switching device. The switching device may be connected to a virtual ground node having a virtual ground voltage that is greater than a ground voltage supplied from the ground terminal and may be turned on when a difference between the driving voltage and the virtual ground voltage is greater than the negative threshold voltage.
US08508193B2

A system that powers a wireless sensor mechanism from ambient sources without the need to replace a battery is disclosed. The present invention uses an energy harvesting mechanism built onto, for example, a substrate to recharge a rechargeable energy storage mechanism that is built on the same substrate. The energy storage mechanism provides power to a transmission/receiving mechanism and microprocessor that may also be arranged on said substrate. The energy-harvesting mechanism may be combined with a power management unit to enable efficient use and regulation of the harvested energy.
US08508186B2

The present invention provides a charging system for a transportation system without a contact wire having a configuration in which a power storage device of a vehicle is charged by a charging device provided on the ground when the vehicle equipped with the power storage device stops at a station on a track. In the present invention, the track includes a first track and a second track, the station includes a station controller which detects stopping of the vehicle, the charging device includes a first power line for supplying power to a vehicle on the first track and a second power line for supplying power to a vehicle on the second track, the first power line and the second power line each include switching means for controlling flow of the power supplied from the charging device, and the station controller controls the switching means, thereby causing the charging device to charge any of the vehicle on the first track and the vehicle on the second track.
US08508185B2

A charging method and system. The method includes detecting and monitoring by a computer processor, a frequency signal associated with an input voltage signal used for powering power consumption devices at a first specified location. The computer processor generates frequency level data associated with the monitoring. The computer processor receives a request to enable a charging process for charging a rechargeable power source and power source data associated with the rechargeable power source and a user. In response to the request, the computer processor enables a customized charging process associated with charging the rechargeable power source based on the frequency level data and/or the power source data.
US08508181B2

An adjustable frequency drive includes a base having a first portion and a second portion, and an active front end converter disposed on the base. The converter includes an input, an output, and a plurality of first electronic switches electrically connected between the input and the output. An inverter is disposed on the base and includes an input electrically connected to the output of the active front end converter, an output, a plurality of capacitors disposed on the first portion of the base and electrically connected to the input of the inverter, a plurality of second electronic switches disposed on the second portion of the base and electrically connected between the input and the output of the inverter, and a heat pipe assembly. The inverter is structured to provide a single, three-phase output structure.
US08508178B2

Methods and systems of accelerating a brushless, DC electric motor based on torque may include determining a slope based on a maximum torque of the BLDC motor at a lower operating load and a maximum torque of the motor at a higher operating load, determining a period of the rotor based on sensor signals, and determining and applying a phase advance to a PWM pulse for a subsequent revolution of the rotor based on the period and the slope. In some embodiments, the amount of the phase advance is further based on maximum load optimum advance and/or maximum load speed. In some embodiments, a phase dwell is determined based on a positive torque zone and applied to the PWM pulse. In some embodiments, when the motor is operating below a given threshold, fixed-width PWM pulses are applied to subsequent revolutions of the rotor instead of phase-advanced PWM pulses.
US08508177B2

A stepping motor drive device includes: a first pulse generation circuit that generates pulses at rising or falling edges of a first clock signal; a second pulse generation circuit that generates pulses at rising and falling edges of a second clock signal; a first mask circuit that outputs or masks the output of the first pulse generation circuit depending on whether the second clock signal is normal; a second mask circuit that outputs or masks the output of the second pulse generation circuit depending on whether the first clock signal is normal; a logic circuit that logically combines the outputs of the mask circuits; a step position control circuit that determines the step position of a motor according to the output of the logic circuit; and a motor drive section that supplies a current to the motor according to the output of the step position control circuit.
US08508165B2

A rectifier connected with an AC source through a reactor, a plurality of capacitors connected in series between output terminals of the rectifier, first switching means connected between one input terminal of the rectifier and a connection point of a plurality of capacitors, second switching means connected between the other input terminal of the rectifier and the connection point of a plurality of capacitors, and a plurality of diodes connected with the plurality of capacitors in inverse-parallel are provided.
US08508164B2

An electrical machine device is disclosed, the electrical machine device including an electrical machine and a converter electrically coupled to the electrical machine. A configuration of the electrical machine generates a first vibration component in the electrical machine and the converter generates a second vibration component in the electrical machine. The electrical machine and the converter are adapted to each other such that the first vibration component and the second vibration component at least partially interfere destructively. Further, respective methods and computer programs for controlling a converter or operating a converter are disclosed.
US08508161B2

A drive apparatus includes a magnet rotor having a plurality of magnetic poles that are magnetized, a stator having a magnetic pole portion that opposes each pole of the magnet rotor, a coil configured to excite the magnetic pole portion, a position detector configured to detect a position of the magnet rotor, a first driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with a preset time interval, a second driver configured to switch an electrification state of the coil in accordance with an output of the position detector, and a controller configured to select the first driver when the output of the position detector is less than a first threshold, and to select the second driver when the output of the position detector is equal to or larger than the first threshold.
US08508160B2

Provided is a technique to suppress hunting in a range of a minimum resolution of a pulse encoder when a servo motor has reached a target position and stopped, thereby maintaining a stable stop state. A servo motor position control device uses a cascade configuration having a position control loop as a main loop and a velocity and current control loop as a minor loop. A proportion control is performed for a position control while a proportion integration control is performed for a velocity control and a current control. When the servo motor position has reached the target position and stopped (S201), a current instruction value for the current control is maintained at a value upon stop (S202) and the current control is switched to the proportion control (S204).
US08508151B2

When a voltage V detected by a voltage detecting section is lower than a first threshold value Vth1, an NPN transistor is turned on, a control terminal Ve is placed at a low level, and an overload protection circuit section halts the operation of a switching circuit section. When the voltage V detected by the voltage detecting section becomes higher than the first threshold value Vth1, the NPN transistor is turned off, the control terminal Ve is placed at a high level, and the overload protection circuit section resets the halt of the operation of the switching circuit section and makes the operation resumed.
US08508143B2

In a driving circuit for controlling a brightness of a light emitting diode based on a duty ratio of a pulse-width modulation signal, an integration circuit is disposed on a connecting line between a gate of a first transistor coupled with a constant current source and a gate of a second transistor coupled in series with a light emitting diode. The integration circuit smoothes a change in a gate voltage of the first transistor and transmit a smoothed change in the gate voltage to the gate of the second transistor. A third transistor is coupled between a ground and a portion of the connecting line located between the gate of the first transistor and the integration circuit. The third transistor is activated and deactivated based on the duty ratio, thereby changing the gate voltages of the first transistor and the second transistor.
US08508138B2

A lighting system for dim ambience has at least one light source module, implemented in an ambience. The light source module has multiple light emitting units. Each unit is respectively controlled to produce a luminance. A luminance detecting unit detects a photonic luminance and a luminance ratio. A processing and operation module calculates a mesopic luminance according to the photonic luminance and the luminance ratio. When the photonic luminance is less than a dim-light setting value, a power control information is obtained by a fitness operation with a given condition set. The power control information is corresponding to an optimized mesopic luminance after fitness. A control unit receives the power control information to modulate the luminance of the light emitting units.
US08508134B2

A Hall-current ion source with a narrow ion beam energy distribution is presented. A narrow ion beam energy distribution is provided by a utilization of a multi-chamber anode through which a working gas is applied and delivers a uniform working gas distribution in a discharge channel. Introduction of a working gas through a lower part of anode makes applied electric potential in a narrow area and leading to enhanced conditions for a working gas ionization, high ion beam current, high translation of a discharge voltage into a “monochromatic” ion beam mean energy distribution. A multi-chamber anode with a slit exit for introduction of a working gas into area under anode is utilized to prevent a backflow of insulating and dielectric depositions on anode parts, and under anode area makes a nominal operation with reactive gases without a phenomenon called as “anode poisoning” during long operating hours. The ion source with a shielded Hot Filament design shows very effective ion beam neutralization properties; it produces less heating of the substrate than a traditional one; it has a cleaner ion beam because its beam is not contaminated by the Hot Filament material particles. In the design with two Hot Filaments the ion source operation is extended for tens of hours.
US08508123B2

Disclosed herein is a display panel based on active matrix driving having a display area made up of N pixel control lines, M video signal lines orthogonally intersecting the N pixel control lines, and pixel circuits arranged at intersections between the N pixel control lines and M video signal lines, wherein positional identification patterns are arranged on every k (k being a natural number) pixel control lines inside each of the pixel circuits.
US08508121B2

An organic light-emitting display apparatus for selectively realizing circular polarization according to external light conditions, including a substrate; an organic light-emitting device on the substrate; a sealing member on the organic light-emitting device; a phase retardation layer on a surface of the substrate, the organic light-emitting device, or the sealing member; and a linear polarization layer on another surface of the substrate, the organic light-emitting device, or the sealing member, wherein the linear polarization layer is located to be closer to a source of external light than the phase retardation layer, and wherein the linear polarization layer comprises a photochromic material.
US08508113B2

The invention is directed to a lamp assembly, and particularly to a method of fixing a first light source and a second light source in a single lamp assembly. More specifically, the invention provides a lamp assembly and a mechanism for fixing at least two light sources therein, at least one of which is a compact fluorescent light source, an incandescent light source, or a halogen light source, and where the fixing mechanism used involves soldering the lead-in wires of the second light source to a printed circuit board of the lamp assembly, which is in operative connection with the lamp ballast.
US08508111B1

A display panel and a method for inspecting thereof are provided. The display panel includes a first signal circuit, a second signal circuit and a plurality of first resistor. The first signal circuit includes a plurality of first signal lines which disposes in parallel along a first direction and electrically connects to one another. The second signal circuit includes a plurality of second signal lines disposing in parallel along the first direction, and the second signal lines and the first signal lines are alternately disposed in parallel. Each of second signal lines is connected to at least a first resistor. The interval between the first signal line and the second signal line is smaller than 60 μm and the difference between the resistances of the first signal line and the second signal line is ranged form 300 ohm to 30000 ohm.
US08508101B2

The structure of the patent is a substrate wherein a metal electrode, a dielectric thin film, and a further dielectric thin film are adhered onto a piezoelectric substrate. A substrate wherein elastic wave energy is confined in the piezoelectric substrate can be obtained. In particular, when a SiO2 thin film and an AlN thin film are used as thin films 4 and 5, respectively, a substrate excellent in an electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2) and a temperature characteristic of frequency can be yielded by making the film thicknesses of electrodes 2 and 3 and those of the thin films 4 and 5 into optimal values.
US08508100B2

A surface acoustic wave (“SAW”) element includes a substrate which is formed of a piezoelectric material, a plurality of first electrodes which are disposed on the substrate and separated from each other, a plurality of second electrodes which are disposed on the substrate and are separated from the first electrodes and are separated from each other, and oxide films which are disposed on the respective plurality of first electrodes and the plurality of second electrodes.
US08508089B2

A permanent magnet is rotated about an axis extending between opposing north and south poles. The magnetic field of the rotated permanent magnet interacts with magnetic fields of permanent magnets carried by a shuttle for repelling and attracting the fixed permanent magnets, and providing a linear reciprocating movement of the shuttle responsive to the rotary motion of the rotated permanent magnet.
US08508088B2

A wiring component for a motor coil includes: a wire coil configured by a plurality of wire segments arranged in a circumferential direction so as to form a ring shape, each of the wire segments including an arc-shaped main-body portion made of a conductive wire rod bent in an arc shape, protruding portions formed at both end portions of the main-body portion and upright portions respectively formed at end portions of the protruding portions; an inner clip formed with a plurality of first holding portions at an outer circumferential surface of the inner clip; and an outer clip formed with a plurality of second holding portions at an inner circumferential surface of the outer clip. The inner clip and the outer clip are connected to each other so as to hold the wire coil between the first holding portions and the second holding portions.
US08508083B2

An electrical motor has been developed having an epoxy, which encapsulates a stator winding to protect the stator winding from the humid and damp atmosphere associated with a cooling tower. The electrical motor includes a stator core, a stator winding configured about the stator core, and an epoxy encapsulating at least an end portion of the stator winding, the epoxy enabling the stator winding to be isolated from an atmosphere surrounding a fan within in a cooling tower operated by the electrical motor in which the stator core and the stator winding are positioned.
US08508078B2

A switching circuit controls the flow of current between its input and output in accordance with the state of a control signal applied to the circuit. When the control signal is in a first state and the voltage applied to the input is higher than the voltage at the output, the circuit provides a low resistance path between its input and output terminals thereby enabling current to flow from the input to the output. When the control signal is in the first state and the voltage at the output is higher than the voltage at the input, the circuit inhibits current flow from the output to the input. When the control signal is in a second state, the circuit is turned off thus inhibiting current flow between the input and the output.
US08508077B2

An inductive power transfer system comprises a primary unit operable to generate an electromagnetic field and at least one secondary device, separable from the primary unit, and adapted to couple with the field when the secondary device is in proximity to the primary unit so that power can be received inductively by the secondary device from the primary unit without direct electrical conductive contacts therebetween. The system detects if there is a substantial difference between, on the one hand, a power drawn from the primary unit, and on the other hand, a power required by the secondary device or, if there is more than one secondary device, a combined power required by the secondary devices. Following such detection, the system restricts or stops the inductive power supply from the primary unit. Such a system can detect the presence of unwanted parasitic loads in the vicinity of the primary unit reliably.
US08508076B2

A wireless power transmission unit includes an oscillator for converting DC energy into RF energy having a frequency f0 and a first antenna for transmitting the RF energy. The first antenna includes a first inductor and a first capacitor that are connected together in series to form a series resonant circuit with a resonant frequency fT. The unit further includes a second antenna for receiving, by resonant magnetic coupling, at least a part of the RF energy that has been transmitted by the first antenna. The second antenna includes a second inductor and a second capacitor that are connected in parallel with each other to form a parallel resonant circuit with a resonant frequency fR. The resonant frequencies fT and fR are set to be substantially equal to the frequency f0 of the RF energy, the oscillator has a voltage step-up ratio Voc, the first inductor has an inductance L1, the second inductor has an inductance L2, the second inductor is coupled with the first inductor by a resonant magnetic field at a coupling coefficient k which is set to be less than 0.5, and the power transmission unit satisfies (L2/L1)≧4(k/Voc)2.
US08508073B2

Methods and mechanisms to simultaneously regulate two or more supply voltages provided to an integrated circuit by a voltage regulator. In an embodiment of the invention, a voltage regulation message exchanged between the integrated circuit and the voltage regulator includes an identifier indicating two or more supply voltages selected from a plurality of supply voltages provided to the integrated circuit by the voltage regulator, where the voltage regulation message relates to the indicated two or more supply voltages. In another embodiment, the voltage regulation message indicates a desired supply voltage level to which the indicated two or more supply voltages are to transition.
US08508068B2

The power supply apparatus for sliding door 100 includes the vehicle body side fixing member 110 provided in the guide rail receiving portion 143, the bracket side fixing member 120 provided in the bracket 151, the wiring body 130 for supplying power from the vehicle body 140 side to the sliding door 150 side and the running member for bracket 160 for running and holding the wiring body 130 on the back surface of the bracket 151. The wiring body 130 is held with the vehicle body side fixing member 110 and the bracket side fixing member 120, and is arranged to run on the back surface of the bracket 151 with the running member for bracket 160.
US08508065B1

A windmill generator system featuring a base with a generator, a shaft extending upwardly from the base, and a rotor housing rotatably attached atop the shaft. The shaft is operatively connected to the generator via a clutch system. The rotor housing is adapted to spin in a first direction and a second direction about the shaft, wherein rotation of the rotor housing generates energy for the generator. At least two flanges extend outwardly from the rotor housing. A wing is disposed on each flange. The wings extend outwardly a distance away from the rotor housing to harness wind. Each wing comprises a series of adjustable louvers.
US08508064B2

In the gondola (2) of a wind power plant (1) according to the invention the main shaft comprises several parts. The rotors (21, 45) of the generators (4, 5) are parts of the main shaft. Other shaft sections (17, 18) are used for supporting the main shaft (3) on the machine carrier or, respectively the gondola frame (7) and the attachment of the rotor hub (6). The generators (4, 5) may be completely pre-assembled and delivered as mounting units. During the pre-assembly of the generators, the rotor (21) and the stator (26) are fixed relative to one another by mounting aids. The mounting aids, interlocking devices, are removed after the whole drive train is mounted to the machine carrier (7).The stator of the generator (26) is mounted on the machine carrier (7) via adjustable supports.
US08508057B2

The present invention provides a power generator for generating electricity comprising a high pressure core having an interior chamber. The interior chamber is filled with a volume of one or more pressurized inert gases. A microwave frequency generator is provided for resonating the gas at a high radio frequency typically 2.4 GHz or higher, and means for securing and emitting the frequency generator into the core are provided. In addition, electrical conductors are positioned in the core to effectuate the production of electricity through lightening, arc, flame, and high heat. The conductors extend through the core to conduct the flow of electricity away from the core. A coolant such as water may be circulated around the outside surface of the core to dissipate heat from the core, the coolant can then be converted to steam to power a turbine to provide a second method through which the invention generates electricity.
US08508046B2

A circuit substrate is presented. The circuit substrate comprises internal terminal electrode 2; a substrate 1; a wiring layer 21 formed on a portion of the surface of the substrate and having one end thereof connected to the internal terminal electrode; an insulating film contacting as a surface with the wiring layer; and an external terminal electrode 9 connected to the other end of the wiring layer and used for connecting to the exterior. The angle of the cross-section of the wiring layer taken perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate in the edge portion that the wiring layer contains is 55° (55 degree) or less, and the wiring layer that contains multiple mutually independent columnar crystals extending perpendicularly in a direction different from the direction of the surface of the substrate.
US08508042B2

An electronic device includes a semiconductor device and a wiring substrate having a wiring pattern. The semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor chip having an electrode; a convex-shaped resin protrusion provided on a surface of the semiconductor chip, the surface having the electrode; and wiring having a plurality of electrical coupling sections which are aligned on the resin protrusion and electrically coupled to the electrode. The semiconductor device is mounted to the wiring substrate so that the electrical coupling sections and the wiring pattern are brought into contact and electrically coupled with each other. The plurality of electrical coupling sections brought into contact with the wiring pattern include curved or bent shapes projecting in a longitudinal direction of the resin protrusion.
US08508036B2

A microelectronic package including a dielectric layer having top and bottom surfaces, the dielectric layer having terminals exposed at the bottom surface; a metallic wall bonded to the dielectric layer and projecting upwardly from the top surface of the dielectric layer and surrounding a region of the top surface; a metallic lid bonded to the wall and extending over the region of the top surface so that the lid, the wall and the dielectric layer cooperatively define an enclosed space; and a microelectronic element disposed within the space and electrically connected to the terminals.
US08508027B2

The semiconductor device of the invention includes a transistor, an insulating layer provided over the transistor, a first conductive layer (corresponding to a source wire or a drain wire) electrically connected to a source region or a drain region of the transistor through an opening portion provided in the insulating layer, a first resin layer provided over the insulating layer and the first conductive layer, a layer containing conductive particles which is electrically connected to the first conductive layer through an opening portion provided in the first resin layer, and a substrate provided with a second resin layer and a second conductive layer serving as an antenna. In the semiconductor device having the above-described structure, the second conductive layer is electrically connected to the first conductive layer with the layer containing conductive particles interposed therebetween. In addition, the second resin layer is provided over the first resin layer.
US08508014B2

According to an aspect of the invention, a solid-state image sensor having a plurality of pixels includes a plurality of lower electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, an upper electrode, a wiring portion and a plurality of connection portions. The plurality of lower electrodes respectively corresponds to the plurality of pixels. The photoelectric conversion layer is stacked on the lower electrodes. The upper electrode is stacked on the photoelectric conversion layer. The wiring portion supplies, to the upper electrode, a voltage to generate an electric field between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. The plurality of connection portions connects the wiring portion and the upper electrode. The plurality of connection portions are disposed in a circumference region which is a region other than a sensor region in which a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements are arranged. The plurality of connection portions is disposed in a symmetrical arrangement.
US08508011B2

A semiconductor apparatus including a substrate, a pixel array on the substrate, first and second conductive pads between which the substrate locates is provided. The apparatus also comprises an insulating layer arranged between the substrate and the first conductive pad; a third conductive pad arranged between the substrate and the insulating layer; a first conductive member which passes through the insulating layer and connects the first and third conductive pads to each other; and a second conductive member which passes through the substrate and connects the second and third conductive pads to each other. The pixel array further comprises a conductive line connected to circuit elements included in pixels aligned in a row or column direction. The first conductive pad is connected to the conductive line in an interval between the pixels.
US08508010B2

A method of manufacturing a solid-state imaging device is provided. The method includes: forming an insulating layer extending over an effective pixel region where a plurality of pixels each having a photoelectric conversion element is arranged and a peripheral area adjacent to the effective pixel region; forming an opening in the insulating layer located immediately above the photoelectric conversion element on the effective pixel region; forming a dummy opening in the insulating layer on the peripheral region; and forming a buried layer on the insulating layer to fill the opening and the dummy opening formed in the insulating layer.
US08508009B2

A microlens, an image sensor including the microlens, a method of forming the microlens and a method of manufacturing the image sensor are provided. The microlens includes a polysilicon pattern, having a cylindrical shape, formed on a substrate, and a round-type shell portion enclosing the polysilicon pattern. The microlens may further include a filler material filling an interior of the shell portion, or a second shell portion covering the first shell portion. The method of forming a microlens includes forming a silicon pattern on a semiconductor substrate having a lower structure, forming a capping film on the semiconductor substrate over the silicon pattern, annealing the silicon pattern and the capping film altering the silicon pattern to a polysilicon pattern having a cylindrical shape and the capping film to a shell portion for a round-type microlens, and filling an interior of the shell portion with a lens material through an opening between the semiconductor substrate and an edge of the shell portion. The image sensor includes a microlens formed by a similar method and a photodiode having a cylindrical shape.
US08508008B2

In a semiconductor device, optical signal transfer capabilities are implemented on the basis of silicon-based monolithic opto-electronic components in combination with an appropriate waveguide. Thus, in complex circuitries, such as microprocessors and the like, superior performance may be obtained in terms of signal propagation delay, while at the same time thermal requirements may be less critical.
US08508004B2

A memory device includes a fixed magnetic layer, a tunnel barrier layer over the fixed magnetic layer, and a free magnetic structure formed over the tunnel barrier layer, wherein the free magnetic structure has layers or sub-layers that are weakly magnetically coupled. Thus, a low programming voltage can be used to avoid tunnel barrier breakdown, and a small pass transistor can be used to save die real estate.
US08507991B2

A semiconductor device is provided. A multi-component high-k interface layer containing elements of the substrate is formed from an ultra-thin high-k dielectric material in a single-layer structure of atoms by rapid annealing in the manufacturing of a CMOS transistor by the replacement gate process, and a high-k gate dielectric layer with a higher dielectric constant and a metal gate layer are formed thereon. The EOT of the device is effectively decreased, and the diffusion of atoms in the high-k gate dielectric layer from an upper level thereof is effectively prevented by the optimized high-k interface layer at high-temperature treatment.
US08507990B2

A disclosed semiconductor device includes multiple gate electrodes disposed on a semiconductor substrate; and multiple sidewall spacers disposed on sidewalls of the gate electrodes. The thickness of the sidewall spacers is larger on the sidewalls along longer sides of the gate electrodes than on the sidewalls along shorter sides of the gate electrodes.
US08507982B2

A semiconductor device includes a drift diffusion region of a first conductivity type, a body diffusion region of a second conductivity type, a source diffusion region of the first conductivity type, an insulating film buried in a trench formed in an upper portion of the drift diffusion region and spaced apart from the body diffusion region, a drain diffusion region of the first conductivity type formed in an upper portion of the drift diffusion region and adjacent to the insulating film on the opposite side of the insulating film from the source diffusion region, and a gate electrode formed on a portion of the body diffusion region, the drift diffusion region, and a portion of the insulating film. The drift diffusion region includes a substrate inner region, and a surface region containing an impurity of the first conductivity type at a higher concentration than that of the substrate inner region.
US08507972B2

According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a stacked structural unit, a semiconductor pillar, a memory layer, an inner insulating film, an outer insulating film and a cap insulating film. The unit includes a plurality of electrode films stacked alternately in a first direction with a plurality of inter-electrode insulating films. The pillar pierces the stacked structural unit in the first direction. The memory layer is provided between the electrode films and the semiconductor pillar. The inner insulating film is provided between the memory layer and the semiconductor pillar. The outer insulating film is provided between the memory layer and the electrode films. The cap insulating film is provided between the outer insulating film and the electrode films, and the cap insulating film has a higher relative dielectric constant than the outer insulating film.
US08507968B2

A memory device (100) includes a semiconductor wire including a source region (132), a drain region (134), and a channel region (130) between the source region (132) and the drain region (134). A gate structure that overlies the channel region includes a memristive portion (120) and a conductive portion (110) overlying the memristive portion (120).
US08507966B2

Semiconductor arrays including a plurality of access devices disposed on a buried conductive line and methods for forming the same are provided. The access devices each include a transistor having a source region and drain region spaced apart by a channel region of opposite dopant type and an access line associated with the transistor. The access line may be electrically coupled with one or more of the transistors and may be operably coupled to a voltage source. The access devices may be formed in an array on one or more conductive lines. A system may be formed by integrating the semiconductor devices with one or more memory semiconductor arrays or conventional logic devices, such as a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device.
US08507962B2

Pixel sensor cells, e.g., CMOS optical imagers, methods of manufacturing and design structures are provided with isolation structures that prevent carrier drift to diffusion regions. The pixel sensor cell includes a photosensitive region and a gate adjacent to the photosensitive region. The pixel sensor cell further includes a diffusion region adjacent to the gate. The pixel sensor cell further includes an isolation region located below a channel region of the gate and about the photosensitive region, which prevents electrons collected in the photosensitive region to drift to the diffusion region.
US08507960B2

A solid-state imaging device that includes a pixel including a photoelectric conversion section, and a conversion section that converts an electric charge generated by photoelectric conversion into a pixel signal. In the solid-state imaging device, substantially only a gate insulation film is formed on a substrate corresponding to an area under a gate electrode of at least one transistor in the pixel.
US08507954B2

A single chip wireless sensor comprises a microcontroller connected by a transmit/receive interface to a wireless antenna. The microcontroller is also connected to an 8 kB RAM, a USB interface, an RS232 interface, 64 kB flash memory, and a 32 kHz crystal. The device senses humidity and temperature, and a humidity sensor is connected by an 18 bit ΣΔ A-to-D converter to the microcontroller and a temperature sensor is connected by a 12 bit SAR A-to-D converter to the microcontroller. The device is an integrated chip manufactured in a single process in which both the electronics and sensor components are manufactured using standard CMOS processing techniques, applied to achieve both electronic and sensing components in an integrated process.
US08507949B2

A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a carrier transit layer disposed above the substrate, a compound semiconductor layer disposed on the carrier transit layer, a source electrode disposed on the compound semiconductor layer, a first groove disposed from the back of the substrate up to the inside of the carrier transit layer while penetrating the substrate, a drain electrode disposed in the inside of the first groove, a gate electrode located between the source electrode and the first groove and disposed on the compound semiconductor layer, and a second groove located diagonally under the source electrode and between the source electrode and the first groove and disposed from the back of the substrate up to the inside of the carrier transit layer while penetrating the substrate.
US08507945B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and a MOS transistor. The semiconductor substrate has the first main surface and the second main surface facing each other. The MOS transistor includes a gate electrode (5a) formed on the first main surface side, an emitter electrode (11) formed on the first main surface side, and a collector electrode (12) formed in contact with the second main surface. An element generates an electric field in a channel by a voltage applied to the gate electrode (5a), and controls the current between the emitter electrode (11) and the collector electrode (12) by the electric field in the channel. The spike density in the interface between the semiconductor substrate and the collector electrode (12) is not less than 0 and not more than 3×108 unit/cm2. Consequently, a semiconductor device suitable for parallel operation is provided.
US08507944B2

Disclosed herein is a light emitting device including a first nitride semiconductor and a second nitride semiconductor, each of which includes a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and a connection layer formed between the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer of the second nitride semiconductor and the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer of the first nitride semiconductor, wherein the first nitride semiconductor and the second nitride semiconductor are connected by the connection layer, and the light emitting device further comprises electrodes formed on at least a part of the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer of the first nitride semiconductor, at least a part of the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer of the second nitride semiconductor, and at least a part of the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer of the second nitride semiconductor. The light emitting device may be driven and emit light using AC power.
US08507934B2

An exemplary light emitting diode (LED) package includes a substrate having a first electrical portion and a second electrical portion formed thereon, two antioxidation layers formed on and electrically connected to the first electrical portion and the second electrical portion, respectively, and an LED chip disposed on the substrate and electrically connected to the two antioxidation layers.
US08507933B2

A LED lighting device includes a substrate defining a groove formed by a sidewall and a bottom, a LED chip received in the groove, a reflector attached to the side wall, a circuit protection module electrically connected with the LED chip, and a notch defined on the bottom for receiving the circuit protection module.
US08507932B2

An LED unit includes an LED and an optical element. The LED includes a substrate, an LED chip fixed on the substrate and an encapsulation encapsulating the LED chip. The LED further includes a first magnet fixed on the substrate. The optical element includes an optical adjustment layer and a second magnet. The second magnet attracts the first magnet to fix the optical element on the LED. The LED unit can be adjusted to have different optical characteristics by replacing the optical element thereof with another optical element.
US08507929B2

One or more regions of graded composition are included in a III-P light emitting device, to reduce the Vf associated with interfaces in the device. In accordance with embodiments of the invention, a semiconductor structure comprises a III-P light emitting layer disposed between an n-type region and a p-type region. A graded region is disposed between the p-type region and a GaP window layer. The aluminum composition is graded in the graded region. The graded region may have a thickness of at least 150 nm. In some embodiments, in addition to or instead of a graded region between the p-type region and the GaP window layer, the aluminum composition is graded in a graded region disposed between an etch stop layer and the n-type region.
US08507920B2

An embodiment of the disclosure includes a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure includes a first III-V compound layer. A second III-V compound layer is disposed on the first III-V compound layer and different from the first III-V compound layer in composition. An interface is defined between the first III-V compound layer and the second III-V compound layer. A gate is disposed on the second III-V compound layer. A source feature and a drain feature are disposed on opposite side of the gate. Each of the source feature and the drain feature includes a corresponding metal feature at least partially embedded in the second III-V compound layer. A corresponding intermetallic compound underlies each metal feature. Each intermetallic compound contacts a carrier channel located at the interface.
US08507916B2

A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed by a stack of a titanium layer, a molybdenum nitride layer, an aluminum layer, and a molybdenum nitride layer, the titanium layer is formed by dry etching, and an oxide semiconductor layer is formed by performing annealing in an oxygen-containing atmosphere after formation of the source electrode and the drain electrode.
US08507910B2

An active matrix display apparatus includes a transistor, a storage capacitor, and a light-emitting element formed on a substrate. The transistor includes a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode. The storage capacitor has a multilayered structure of a first electrode, a dielectric layer, and a second electrode stacked in this order on the substrate, and the light-emitting element has a multilayered structure of a third electrode, a light-emitting layer, and a fourth electrode stacked in this order on the substrate. The first electrode is electrically connected to the gate electrode of the transistor, and at least a part of the storage capacitor is disposed between the substrate and the light-emitting element. All of the substrate, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are formed from a material transmitting a visible light emitted by the light-emitting element. Viewing from a top of the substrate, a region for storing charges in the storage capacitor includes or is equal to a light-emitting region of the light-emitting element.
US08507909B2

A measuring apparatus including a first chip, a first circuit layer, a first heater, a first stress sensor and a second circuit layer is provided. The first chip has a first through silicon via, a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The first circuit layer is disposed on the first surface. The first heater and the first stress sensor are disposed on the first surface and connected to the first circuit layer. The second circuit layer is disposed on the second surface. The first heater comprises a plurality of first switches connected in series to generate heat.
US08507907B2

It is to provide a semiconductor memory device in which high voltage is not needed in writing, a defect is less likely to occur, the writing time is short, and data cannot be rewritten without an increase in cost. The semiconductor memory device includes a memory element which includes a diode-connected first transistor, a second transistor whose gate is connected to one terminal of a source electrode and a drain electrode of the diode-connected first transistor, and a capacitor connected to the one terminal of the source electrode and the drain electrode of the diode-connected first transistor and the gate of the second transistor.
US08507906B2

Provided is a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor having a structure capable of increasing areas of photodiodes in unit pixels and expanding light receiving areas of the photodiodes. In the CMOS image sensor, transfer transistors may be formed on the photodiode, and reset transistors, source follower transistors, and selection transistors may be formed on a layer on which the transfer transistors are not formed. In such a CMOS image sensor, the areas of the photodiodes may be increased in unit pixels so that a size of the unit pixels may be reduced and sensitivity of the pixel may be improved.
US08507902B2

The invention provides a semiconductor device where data can be written after the production and forgery caused by rewriting of data can be prevented, and which can be manufactured at a low cost using a simple structure and an inexpensive material. Further, the invention provides a semiconductor device having the aforementioned functions, where wireless communication is not blocked by the internal structure. The semiconductor device of the invention has an organic memory provided with a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a control circuit for controlling the organic memory, and a wire for connecting an antenna. Each of the plurality of memory cells has a transistor and a memory element. The memory element has a structure where an organic compound layer is provided between a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The second conductive layer is formed in a linear shape.
US08507891B2

The present invention provides a Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device exhibiting improved emission performance and high electrostatic breakdown voltage. The Group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device has a layered structure in which an n-type contact layer, an ESD layer, an n-type cladding layer, a light-emitting layer, a p-type cladding layer, and a p-type contact layer are deposited on a sapphire substrate. The ESD layer has a pit. The n-type cladding layer and the light-emitting layer are formed without burying the pit. The pit has a diameter of 110 nm to 150 nm at an interface between the n-type cladding layer and the light-emitting layer. The barrier layer of the light-emitting layer is formed of AlGaN having an Al composition ratio of 3% to 7%.
US08507888B2

According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile memory device includes a selection element layer and a nanomaterial aggregate layer. The selection element layer includes silicon. The nanomaterial aggregate layer is stacked on the selection element layer. The nanomaterial aggregate layer includes a plurality of micro conductive bodies and fine particles dispersed in a plurality of gaps between the micro conductive bodies. At least a surface of the fine particle is made of an insulating material other than silicon oxide.
US08507880B2

A method for fabricating waveguides comprising nano-apertures for illumination of sub-resolution exposures is presented. In particular, the end of a waveguide, such as an optical fiber, is coated with a material, such as an electrically conducting metal or a semiconductor. This material is then selectively removed through the process of ion milling, creating an aperture in the material at the end of the waveguide. Under normal conditions, if the aperture is smaller than the wavelength of light in the waveguide, there is little or no transmission through the aperture. However, with the appropriate selection of materials and aperture geometry, for example a metallic conducting coating and sub-wavelength “C-shaped” or “bow-tie” aperture, enhancement of transmission of light through the aperture can be achieved, allowing effective illumination of sub-resolution spots using the ion-milled aperture. This can be used in a nanolithography system incorporating waveguide illuminators as well.
US08507874B2

A fluid treatment system having: an inlet; an outlet; and a fluid treatment zone disposed therebetween. The fluid treatment zone has: (i) an elongate first radiation source assembly having a first longitudinal axis, and (ii) an elongate second radiation source assembly having a second longitudinal axis. The first and second longitudinal axes are non-parallel to each other and to a direction of fluid flow through the treatment zone. The present fluid treatment system can treat large volumes of fluid (e.g., wastewater, drinking water or the like); it requires a relatively small “footprint”; it results in a relatively lower coefficient of drag resulting in an improved hydraulic pressure loss/gradient over the length of the treatment system; and it results in relatively lower (or no) forced oscillation of the radiation sources thereby mitigating breakage of the radiation source and/or protective sleeve (if present).
US08507872B2

A neutron detector includes a microchannel plate having a structure that defines a plurality of microchannels, and layers of materials disposed on walls of the microchannels. The layers include a layer of neutron sensitive material, a layer of semiconducting material, and a layer of electron emissive material. For example, the layer of neutron sensitive material can include boron-10, lithium-6, or gadolinium.
US08507864B2

An improved net radiometer that measures the total net difference between incoming solar and surface reflected radiant short-wave solar energy flux, and inclusive of the down and upwelling long-wave infrared terrestrial radiant energy flux, within the combined short-wave and long-wave far infrared spectral range is disclosed. Disclosed are net radiometers with thermal absorbers structured to reduce wind sensitivity while maintaining or improving response time. Also disclosed are net radiometers that are configured in a novel way to reduce moisture and water accumulation on the thermal absorber surfaces. In addition, net radiometers are disclosed where the components are configured and thermal absorber structured to reduce unit-to-unit inconsistencies and minimize absorber sensitivity asymmetry effect between the upper and lower instrument absorbers.
US08507863B2

An electronic device includes a protective layer above a proximity sensor having a radiation emitter and a radiation detector. A groove, which may be wedge shaped, is formed in the bottom surface of the protective layer. A radiation barrier, which may be reflective or absorptive material, is placed in the groove in the bottom surface of the protective layer. A light blocking coating may be applied to the bottom surface and the groove of the protective layer to prevent the passage of visible radiation and permit the passage of infrared radiation. A radiation shield may be positioned between the emitter and the detector directly below the radiation barrier. Alignment features may be formed on the mating surfaces of the radiation barrier and radiation shield to align the protective layer with respect to the radiation shield and proximity sensor.
US08507862B2

A light sensor including a substrate and one or more low profile baffle plates, the baffle plates including collimator holes to allow intended light to strike the light detector of the substrate while preventing extraneous light from striking the detector. The baffle plates are disposed above the substrate, on a shroud, which covers a portion of the substrate but allows intended light to pass through the collimator holes onto the light detector. By stacking baffle plates having a thin, low profile, one on top of another upon the shroud, extraneous light striking the material at an angle between the collimator holes cannot enter the sensor while intended light in the substantial front of the sensor enters the sensor through the collimator holes and can be detected by the light detector.
US08507861B2

A radiological characterization device comprising at least one collimated radiological measuring probe, a sensitive end of which is placed in an exchangeable collimator having an opening and a field of observation. The collimator is carried by a collimator holder, the assembly consisting of collimator and collimator holder being inserted in a stack between two shielding screens, the shielding screens being exchangeable so as to adjust the thickness thereof, the assembly consisting of collimator and collimator holder and the shielding screens providing protection for the probe vis-à-vis parasitic ionizing radiation coming from ionizing radiation sources situated outside the field of observation of the collimator.
US08507860B2

A tunable terahertz resonator includes a semiconductor substrate and a metal layer contacting a surface of the semiconductor substrate. A depletion layer is formed in the semiconductor substrate near an interface between the metal layer and the semiconductor substrate. A chiral nanostructure is coupled to the substrate or the metal layer, the chiral nanostructure including a conducting or semiconducting material and having an inductance. A bias circuit applies a bias voltage across the metal layer and the semiconductor substrate to control a capacitance of a tunable capacitor that includes the depletion layer. The chiral nanostructure and the tunable capacitor form a tunable resonant circuit. The tunable terahertz resonator can be used in a terahertz radiation emitter or receiver.
US08507856B2

A pattern measuring method and device are provided which set a reference position for a measuring point to be measured by a scanning electron microscope and the like, based on position information of a reference pattern on an image acquired from the scanning electron microscope and based on a positional relation, detected by using design data, between the measuring point and the reference pattern formed at a position isolated from the measuring point.
US08507855B2

A modulator of a charged particle beam system is arranged to generate a modulation signal that is provided to an inductor, which receives the modulation signal and modulates, by inductance, a supply voltage signal for the charged particle beam system. Modulation of the supply voltage signal changes a focal length of a charged particle beam produced by the charged particle beam system.
US08507851B2

Nano-electrospray ionization techniques include the introduction of a separation solvent containing a sample to a column-integrated needle having a column filled with a resin for liquid chromatography. The separated sample components are sprayed from the tip of the column-integrated needle toward a sample introduction orifice of a mass spectrometer. An organic solvent is simultaneously introduced to a solvent-supplying needle. The organic solvent is supplied from the tip of the solvent-supplying needle to the tip of the column-integrated needle.
US08507846B2

An ion trap mass spectrometer and methods for obtaining a mass spectrum of ions by step scanning the driving frequency in frequency increments over a bandwidth, wherein for each step a specific frequency is held for a fixed number of complete cycles, wherein each specific frequency is changed continuously to the frequency in the next step, and wherein each specific frequency in each step starts at phase zero position.
US08507844B2

Techniques are described for performing sample analysis. Liquid chromatographic separation of a sample is performed and an eluent is generated. Mass spectrometry on said eluent is performed to detect a compound where the compound may occur in trace amounts. The compound may have a concentration, for example, of approximately less than one part per trillion.
US08507839B2

An optical system includes an optical bench defining a mounting surface, an objective lens mounted to the optical bench, and an image intensifier tube. The image intensifier tube includes: (i) a housing defining an interior region and a mounting surface, and (ii) a photocathode bonded to a glass faceplate defining a faceplate surface, wherein the photocathode is positioned within the interior region of the housing, and wherein the mounting surface of the housing resides on the same plane as the faceplate surface. The mounting surface of the optical bench is mounted onto the mounting surface of the image intensifier tube housing such that the mounting surface of the optical bench resides on the same plane as the faceplate surface and the faceplate surface of the faceplate is the surface of the faceplate that is positioned closest to the objective lens.
US08507838B2

The Microstructure Photomultiplier Assembly (MPA) enables the effective conversion of light signals (received at the front of the assembly) into readily-detectable electrical signals. The MPA comprises a photocathode, followed by an electron-multiplying plate(s) made from an insulating substrate which does not emit sufficient contaminants to poison the photocathode. Each plate is coated with a conductive layer. The front face of each plate is further coated with a layer of secondary electron-emissive material which, when struck by an incoming electron, can produce secondary electrons. Each plate is perforated with channels. The channels are designed to promote the efficient transfer and acceleration of electrons through the channels, under an applied voltage differential across the plate(s). An anode (pixelated or non-pixelated) at the end of the last plate collects the electrons and generates an electrical signal. The MPA is contained within a vacuum enclosure.
US08507837B2

An automated method to monitor performance of a terrestrial solar cell array tracking the sun. The solar cell system includes drive means that adjust a position of the array along different respective axes with respect to the sun using the drive means. The techniques include predicting the position of the sun during a time period, and sampling an output parameter of the array indicative of performance. The sampled data may be used to identify a fault in the solar cell array, for example a misalignment or a failure of one or more solar cells, in which case a notification of that fault may be generated for the operator or a control signal may be output for correcting the fault. Alternatively, an output signal may be sent to an external system associated with the solar cell system. Various alignment testing routines for checking the solar tracking are described. These routines may involve moving a solar cell array to a reference position at the start of, or during, an alignment routine in order to improve accuracy of position measurement during the routine.
US08507833B2

Systems and methods for brazing and soldering using low and non-silver based filler metals are described. The present invention includes methods and systems for brazing and soldering using copper based or bronze type filler metals in lieu of silver containing filler metals. The systems and methods provide advantages in that the bronze filler metals are substantially cheaper than silver alloy filler metals that are commonly used. Furthermore, the present invention uses a low-temperature, water-soluble flux that provides for easier cleanup after the completion of the brazing process. Additionally, the present invention provides significant advantages over traditional copper brazing in that it allows for a one-piece workflow and eliminates the need for large component pieces and filler metal inventories. This results in a significant decrease in capital expenditures and utility costs. Finally, the method described results in a significant decrease in the amount of equipment maintenance and capital investment that is necessary.
US08507828B2

A method for the production of a contact structure of a semiconductor component comprises the masking of at least one side of a semiconductor substrate with a coating and the partial removal thereof in at least one pre-determined region.
US08507826B2

A microplasma spray coating apparatus includes a microplasma apparatus with an anode, cathode, and an arc generator for generating an electric arc between the anode and cathode. An arc gas emitter injects inert gas through the electric arc. The electric arc is operable for ionizing the gas to create a plasma gas stream. A powder injector nozzle extends through the anode and injects powdered material into the plasma stream for transfer to the workpiece.
US08507824B2

A cart that uniformly transverses floor decking that has sequential peaks and valleys. The cart comprises a wheel assembly having an array of wheels forming rows and columns of wheels positioned under the cart wherein at any given instant of time a number of the wheels of the rows and columns contact peaks of the floor decking and while other wheels extend over and free from contacting the valleys such that the cart uniformly traverses the floor decking.
US08507820B2

A mobile electronic device has a dome switch assembly secured to the housing of the device, over a recess formed in the housing of device. The dome switch assembly has a substrate with a vent hole communicating between the recess of the housing and the space comprised between the substrate and a dome actuation portion of the dome switch assembly. Upon actuation of the dome switch assembly, air present between the dome actuation portion and the substrate flows into the recess of the housing.
US08507817B2

A latch assembly includes a latch plate having an opening therethrough; and a latch shaft having a shaft member and a positioning shoulder disposed on the shaft member. The positioning shoulder has a seating surface thereon. The shaft member passes through the opening of the latch plate. The latch plate engages the positioning shoulder of the shaft member. The seating surface of the shaft member is swaged to retain the latch plate to the shaft member.
US08507810B2

The invention relates to a dynamic scale for bulk material, having two swivel arms (2) and two load-lifting arms (8) mounted to the free end of said swivel arms, with one hole (7) being located in each of the swivel arms (2) and positioned transversely to the extension of the swivel arm and also transversely to the neutral fiber brought about by the flexural load. A pipe (9) is fitted into the hole (7) and is welded thereto. The pipe (9) comprises two sensors (14, 15) transversely to the longitudinal axis thereof, said sensors being located at an angle of substantially 90° to each other and each being disposed at an angle of ±45° to the direction of the shear stress component τxy. Under the influence of the shear stress, the cross section of the tube (9) is deformed into an ellipse that is inclined at about 45°, the shorter and longer axis (11, 13) thereof being measured using the sensors (14, 15). Said sensors (14, 15) each comprise two force inlets (16, 17), which are inserted with pretension in suitable recesses in the tube (9).
US08507807B2

A wiring board includes at least one signal layer, at least one ground layer, at least one power plane, at least one power supply via that electrically conducts wiring over one substrate surface where a semiconductor device chip is mounted, wiring over another substrate surface, and the power plane, and signal wiring for performing signal transmission between a plurality of semiconductor device chips. The power plane is placed to the one substrate surface side than the signal wiring. The power supply via is composed of a large diameter aperture and a small diameter aperture. The large diameter aperture has a relatively large diameter and is formed from the one substrate surface to the power plane, and the small diameter aperture has a relatively small diameter and is formed from the power plane to the other substrate surface.
US08507797B2

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the use of graphene as a transparent conductive coating (TCC). In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films grown on large areas hetero-epitaxially, e.g., on a catalyst thin film, from a hydrocarbon gas (such as, for example, C2H2, CH4, or the like). The graphene thin films of certain example embodiments may be doped or undoped. In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films, once formed, may be lifted off of their carrier substrates and transferred to receiving substrates, e.g., for inclusion in an intermediate or final product. Graphene grown, lifted, and transferred in this way may exhibit low sheet resistances (e.g., less than 150 ohms/square and lower when doped) and high transmission values (e.g., at least in the visible and infrared spectra).
US08507792B2

The present application is directed to a film they may be used as an adhesive for solar panels. For example, the present application is directed to a composition, for example an adhesive composition, comprising a low crystalline poly-alpha-olefin resin having and an alkoxysilane functional poly-alpha-olefin having a tensile strength of less than 500 MPa. The composition has a melt flow index of less than 30.The application is also directed to a panel comprising a front panel comprising a transparent barrier, a back panel and a photovoltaic material layer between the front panel and the back panel. An adhesive layer is between the front panel and the back panel, wherein the adhesive layer adheres the front panel to the back panel, and the adhesive layer comprises a low crystalline poly-alpha-olefin elastomer blended with an alkoxysilane functional polyolefin.
US08507786B1

A method for fabricating a shaped thin-film photovoltaic device. The method includes providing a shaped substrate member including a surface region and forming a first electrode layer overlying the surface region. Additionally, the method includes forming an absorber comprising copper species, indium species, and selenide species overlying the first electrode layer. The method further includes scribing through the absorber using a mechanical tip to form a first pattern. Furthermore, the method includes forming a window layer comprising cadmium sulfide species overlying the absorber including the first pattern. Moreover, the method includes scribing through the window layer and the absorber using the mechanical tip to form a second pattern. The second pattern is separated a distance from the first pattern.
US08507783B1

A string saddle system for a multi-stringed instrument includes a unitary saddle body having a plurality of integral cavities, each in correspondence with a respective string and defining an area of sensitivity beneath each string extending from a top saddle body surface to the corresponding cavity structure and extending horizontally according to a length of the integral cavity. A flexurally responsive transducer element is located within and mechanically coupled to each integral cavity at mechanical coupling points for converting vibratory energy from the respective string to an electric signal. A first conductor layer is embedded within the saddle body, and, a second conductor layer embedded within the saddle body, the first and second conductor layers configured on a unitary plane, and connected to each transducer such that the transducer element of adjacent integral cavities couple electrical signals of alternating phase.
US08507778B2

Self-assembling multimeric physical models of closed polyhedral structures made of structurally symmetric units, and which mimic the structure and self-assembly characteristics of naturally occurring systems such as viral capsids, are provided. Also provided are methods of creating structurally symmetric units, kits for forming self-assembling physical models of polyhedral structures, and methods of forming the same.
US08507777B2

A new and distinct Guzmania hybrid named ‘TROPIX’ characterized by solid growth habit; funnel-form rosette plant, measuring about 35 cm to 50 cm in height (above the pot when flowering); numerous, green color foliage (measuring about 25-45 cm length and about 3-4.5 cm in width) Superior floral bract production; bracts are red in color (closest to RHS 45A); head inflorescence, measuring about 8 cm in height when flowering commences to about 15 cm in height at maturity, and about 12 cm in diameter; and long-lasting habit.
US08507776B2

A wheat cultivar, designated WB-249, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds, plants, and hybrids of wheat cultivar WB-249, and to methods for producing a wheat plant produced by crossing plants from wheat cultivar WB-249 with themselves or with plants from another wheat variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a wheat plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic wheat plants and plant parts produced by those methods. The invention also relates to wheat varieties or breeding varieties and plant parts derived from wheat cultivar WB-249, to methods for producing other wheat varieties, lines or plant parts derived from wheat cultivar WB-249, and to the wheat plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid wheat seeds and plants produced by crossing wheat cultivar WB-249 with another wheat cultivar.
US08507772B1

A novel maize variety designated PH1D02 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1D02 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1D02 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1D02 or a locus conversion of PH1D02 with another maize variety.
US08507771B2

According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH864601. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH864601, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH864601 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH864601.
US08507760B2

A wild rocket cultivar, designated Tricia, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of wild rocket cultivar Tricia, to the plants of wild rocket cultivar Tricia and to methods for producing a wild rocket plant by crossing the cultivar Tricia with itself or another wild rocket cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing a wild rocket plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic wild rocket plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to wild rocket cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from wild rocket cultivar Tricia, to methods for producing other wild rocket cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from wild rocket cultivar Tricia and to the wild rocket plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid wild rocket seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar Tricia with another wild rocket cultivar.
US08507748B2

The present invention relates to a method for the generation of single chain immunoglobulins in a mammal. In particular, the present invention relates to a method for the generation of single chain camelid VHH antibodies in a mammal which undergo the process of class-switching and affinity maturation found within antibody producing B cells. Single chain antibodies generated using the method of the present invention and the uses thereof are also described.
US08507746B2

An absorbent article for preventing leakage is provided, the article including an absorbent assembly having an absorbent assembly perimeter, and a leakage warning element disposed adjacent a portion of the perimeter, wherein the leakage warning element includes a dimension change member adapted to dimensionally change upon liquid contact to produce a transition in the absorbent article between an activated state and an un-activated state, thereby producing a physical sensation indicating a fullness level of the absorbent assembly. The absorbent article also provides an absorbent assembly having an absorbent assembly perimeter and a leakage warning element including a stored energy device and a dimension change member, the dimension change member disposed along a portion of the perimeter, wherein the dimension change member is adapted to break upon liquid contact to produce a transition in the leakage warning element from an un-activated state to an activated state.
US08507734B2

The present invention provides a process for purifying a monoterpene or sesquiterpene having a purity greater than about 98.5% (w/w). The process comprises the steps of derivatizing the monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) to produce a monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) derivative, separating the monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) derivative, and releasing the monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) from the derivative. Also encompassed by the scope of the present invention is a pharmaceutical composition comprising a monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) having a purity greater than about 98.5% (w/w). The purified monoterpene can be used to treat a disease such as cancer. The present monoterpene (or sesquiterpene) may be administered alone, or may be co-administered with radiation or other therapeutic agents, such as chemotherapeutic agents.
US08507733B2

Provided are a complex prepared from ammonium salt-containing ligands and having such an equilibrium structural formula that the metal center takes a negative charge of 2 or higher, and a method for preparing polycarbonate via copolymerization of an epoxide compound and carbon dioxide using the complex as a catalyst. When the complex is used as a catalyst for copolymerizing an epoxide compound and carbon dioxide, it shows high activity and high selectivity and provides high-molecular weight polycarbonate, and thus easily applicable to commercial processes. In addition, after forming polycarbonate via carbon dioxide/epoxide copolymerization using the complex as a catalyst, the catalyst may be separately recovered from the copolymer.
US08507732B2

The present invention is directed to a composition comprising a tris-hydroxyaryl compound having a metal ion impurity content of less than 10 ppm and to a process for the purification of tris-hydroxyaryl compound having a metal ion impurity, comprising at least the following steps: a) conditioning a sulphonic acid group-containing active ion exchanger with a solvent which is suitable for the handling of the tris-hydroxyaryl compounds, b) producing a solution of the tris-hydroxyaryl compounds to be purified in a solvent which is suitable for the handling of the tris-hydroxyaryl compounds, c) contacting the tris-hydroxyaryl compound-containing solution from b) with the conditioned ion exchanger from a), d) separating the tris-hydroxyaryl compound-containing solution from c) from the conditioned ion exchanger, e) removing at least part of the solvent from the solution of the tris-hydroxyaryl compound separated in d) under low temperature stress.
US08507721B2

A process for preparing acrylic acid from ethanol and formaldehyde, in which, in a reaction zone A, the ethanol is partially oxidized to acetic acid in a heterogeneously catalyzed gas phase reaction, the product gas mixture A obtained and a formaldehyde source are used to obtain a reaction gas input mixture B which comprises acetic acid and formaldehyde and has the acetic acid in excess over the formaldehyde, and the formaldehyde present in reaction gas input mixture B is aldol-condensed with acetic acid present in reaction gas input mixture B to acrylic acid under heterogeneous catalysis in a reaction zone B, and unconverted acetic acid still present along-side the acrylic acid target product in the product gas mixture B obtained is removed therefrom, and the acetic acid removed is recycled into the production of reaction gas input mixture B.
US08507703B2

A purification system suitable for use in fatty material processing is disclosed. A method of using a purification system to process fatty materials, such as oils, edible oils, fats, and similar materials, is also disclosed.
US08507700B2

Method of producing C8-C15 hydrocarbons comprising providing a ketone starting material; providing an aldol starting material comprising hydroxymethylfurfural; mixing the ketone starting material and the aldol starting material in a reaction in the presence of a proline-containing catalyst selected from the group consisting of Zn(Pro)2, Yb(Pro)2, and combinations thereof, or a catalyst having one of the structures (I), (II) or (III), and in the presence of a solvent, wherein the solvent comprises water and is substantially free of organic solvents, where (I), (II) and (III) respectively are: where R1 is a C1-C6 alkyl moiety, X=(OH) and n=2. In (III), X may be CH2, sulfur or selenium, M may be Zn, Mg, or a lanthanide, and R1 and R2 each independently may be a methyl, ethyl, phenyl moiety.
US08507690B2

The invention provides a thiazole derivative useful as a VAP-1 inhibitor, as well as a pharmaceutical agent for the prophylaxis or treatment of VAP-1 associated diseases and the like, a method of inhibiting VAP-1 in a subject, and a method for the prophylaxis or treatment of VAP-1 associated disease in a subject. The thiazole derivative is a compound represented by the formula (I): R1—NH—X—Y—Z wherein each symbol is as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08507689B2

Compounds of the class of organic salts based on monomethine cyanine cation and azomethine complex cation are useful to promote light sensitivity and light resistance in laser writable and readable recording material. The compounds of Formula (I) and (IV) are exemplified in Formula (I) with X being oxygen, sulfur, or selenium; R1 and R2 are each C1-C20 alkyl, C7-C30 arylalkyl; R3 to R6 are each hydrogen, C1-C20 alkyl, etc.; R4 and R5 may be taken together to form a 6-membered ring; Y1 and Y2 are each C1-C20 alkyl; R7 to R10 are each hydrogen, C1-C20 alkyl, etc.; and adjacent two of R7 to R10 may be taken together to form a 5- or 6-membered ring. In Formula (IV) M′ is Fe, Co, Ni, Cr or Mn; and R11 to R26 are each hydrogen, nitro, —NRR′ (R and R′ are each C1-C4 alkyl).
US08507688B2

The present invention relates to a process for preparing α-arylmethylcarbonyl compound of the formula (III), characterized in that aryl- and heteroarylacetic acids and derivatives thereof of the formula (I) are reacted with α-halomethylcarbonyl compounds of the formula (II) in the presence of a palladium catalyst, of a phosphine ligand, of an inorganic base and of a phase transfer catalyst, optionally using an organic solvent.
US08507668B2

Process for the synthesis of ivabradine of formula (I): addition salts thereof with a pharmaceutically acceptable acid, and hydrates thereof.
US08507665B2

A reactive cyclodextrin derivative or a reactive glucose derivative is used as a template derivative for forming an ultra-low dielectric layer. A layer is formed of the reactive cyclodextrin derivative or the reactive glucose derivative capped with Si—H and then cured in an atmosphere of hydrogen peroxide to form the ultra-low dielectric layer.
US08507654B2

This invention relates to engineering of antibodies and more specifically provides altered antibodies of the IgG class to which one or more effector molecules are attached. The invention further relates to methods for the production of such conjugated antibodies.
US08507647B2

The present invention relates to novel lipopeptide compounds, pharmaceutical compositions of these compounds and methods of using these compounds as antibacterial compounds. The compounds of the invention are particularly useful against a variety of bacteria, including resistant strains. The compounds are useful as antibacterial agents against Clostridium difficile.
US08507639B2

Radiopaque polymers have a main chain and a plurality of amide groups which have bound to the amide nitrogen atom thereof an organohalide group that is pendant to the polymer main chain, the organo halide group including one or more iodine and/or bromine atoms thereon. The polymer may be a modified polyamide polymer, copolymer or block copolymer or a modified poly(meth)acrylamide or (meth)acrylamide copolymer or block copolymer. The polymers may be employed in medical devices and are useful for instance to track the movement of a catheter through the body or the inflation of a balloon at a site. The polymers may be made by coupling reactions performed on preexisting amide polymers.
US08507633B2

A process for the preparation of thermoplastic polyurethane by reacting (a) isocyanates with (b) compounds reactive toward isocyanates and having a molecular weight (Mw) of from 500 to 10 000 g/mol and (c) chain extenders having a molecular weight of from 50 to 499 g/mol, if appropriate in the presence of (d) catalysts and/or (e) conventional additives, wherein the chain extender mixture consisting of a main chain extender (c1) and one or more co-chain extenders (c2) is used and the thermoplastic polyurethane prepared has a rigid phase fraction of greater than 0.40, the rigid phase fraction being defined by the following formula: rigid ⁢ ⁢ phase ⁢ ⁢ fraction = { ∑ x = 1 k ⁢ [ ( m KVx / M KVx ) * M Iso + m KVx ] } / m ges with the following meanings: MKVx: molar mass of the chain extender x in g/mol mKVx: mass of the chain extender x in g MIso: molar mass of the isocyanate used in g/mol mges: total mass of all starting materials in g k: number of chain extenders.
US08507629B2

A production method of the present invention is a production method of an organic polymer containing two or more organic ring structures and a chain structure threading through the organic ring structures. This method includes a polymerization step of forming the organic polymer, in which the organic ring structures, which are restricted from moving, are disposed at each of a particular constitutional unit, by polymerizing at least one type of monomers each of which has no ionic functional group that releases a metal ion. The above at least one type of monomers include a monomer (M) containing the organic ring structure and a chain component threading through the organic ring structure.
US08507625B2

Provided is a Michael addition product prepared from a multifunctional acryl monomer having multiple hydroxyl groups allowing introduction of acryl functional groups, as a Michael acceptor, and a Michael donor. The Michael addition product is a novel multifunctional compound having an oligomer and a photoinitiator moiety in the molecule. Since it can be cured under a standard UV curing condition without having to add a photoinitiator, it is reduced to air pollution or health problem. Therefore the superior physical properties were obtained by cured coatings without surface tackiness. In addition, its hydroxyl groups allow, through isocyanate bonding or introduction of acryl groups, 3-dimensional crosslinking and molecular and compositional design for improving expandability, friction, and reactivity and hydrophilicity for self-adhesion, hardness of cured film, or the like. Consequently, a very useful, multifunctional or water-dispersible coating composition may be prepared.
US08507623B2

Disclosed are a maleimide-α-alkylstyrene-based, heat-resistant bulk terpolymer and a preparation process thereof. More specifically, disclosed are a bulk terpolymer, comprising 5-60 wt % of an N-substituted maleimide monomer, 10-70 wt % of an α-alkylstyrene monomer and 5-50 wt % of an unsaturated nitrile monomer, as well as a continuous bulk polymerization process for preparing the same. The disclosed bulk terpolymer has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 70,000-300,000 and a glass transition temperature of 140-200° C., shows excellent high-temperature thermal stability and heat resistance and a remarkably low melt viscosity, and thus is excellent not only in processability, but also in productivity, processability, moldability and blendability, when it is blended with other resins. Also, the continuous bulk polymerization process is equipped with a devolatilizer and enables the bulk terpolymer to be produced at low cost and high efficiency.
US08507619B2

The invention relates to a process for the polymerization of vinyl-containing monomers such as, for example, monomeric vinyl halides, in a reaction mixture, in which process less waste is generated.
US08507612B2

A crosslinkable, pre-adhesive composition is described comprising an acid-functional (meth)acrylate copolymer and an aziridine crosslinking agent, which when crosslinked provides a pressure-sensitive adhesive and pressure-sensitive adhesive articles.
US08507610B2

The present invention provides a production method of a modified polymer material produced by modifying a polymer material having in a molecule thereof a multiple bond that reacts with a nitrile oxide, includes reacting the polymer material with an aromatic nitrile oxide derivative having a substituent at an ortho-position of a nitrile oxide group of an aromatic nitrile oxide in which the nitrile oxide group is bonded to an aromatic ring.
US08507605B2

The present technology provides a latex comprising: a mixture of microgels and sol polymers of an acrylic copolymer, wherein the Mc of the acrylic copolymer is greater than or equal to the Me thereof; the Mw of the sol polymers is greater than or equal to twice the Me of the acrylic copolymer; the amount of sol polymer having a Mw less than twice the Me of the acrylic copolymer is about 20 wt % or less than 20 wt %. Such lattices may be used to form films for use as adhesives such as pressure sensitive adhesives. Also provided are methods for manufacturing the films and adhesives.
US08507594B2

Disclosed herein is a flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition including a polycarbonate resin, a branched acrylic copolymer, and a flame retardant. The flame retardant thermoplastic resin composition can have good compatibility as well as good flame retardancy, scratch resistance, colorability and appearance without requiring the addition of a compatibilizer.
US08507593B2

A primer composition including a binder resin, a compound (A) expressed by general formula (1) below or a hydrate thereof, and a solvent. In such a primer composition, a content of the compound (A) is not less than 0.1 mass % and not more than 1.5 mass %.
US08507586B2

The reinforced thermoplastic resin composition of the present invention includes: 50 to 90% by weight of a polycarbonate resin (A); 10 to 50% by weight of a graft copolymer mixture (B) (provided that a total amount of the component (A) and the component (B) accounts for 100% by weight) which is obtained by graft-polymerizing an aromatic alkenyl compound monomer unit (a) and a vinyl cyanide compound monomer unit (b) onto a rubber polymer (B1); and 6 to 22 parts by weight of an inorganic filler (D) which has been surface-treated with a water-soluble polyamide, relative to the total of 100 parts by weight of the polycarbonate resin (A) and the graft copolymer mixture (B). There is provided a reinforced thermoplastic resin composition exhibiting excellent moldability, generates a minimal amount of gas during molding, and also being capable of improving the rigidity of the resulting molded article and the impact resistance when dropping the product.
US08507583B2

An actinic energy radiation curable ink-jet ink comprising an actinic energy radiation polymerizable compound, wherein the actinic energy radiation polymerizable compound comprises a vinyl ether compound, a total content of the vinyl ether compound is 30% or more by mass, the vinyl ether compound comprises a bis-vinyl ether compound and a multifunctional vinyl compound having three or more vinyl ether groups, 10 to 70% by mass of the ink is the bis-vinyl ether compound, and 5 to 70% by mass of the ink is the multifunctional vinyl compound having three or more vinyl ether groups.
US08507570B2

A light-curable dental material is provided, comprising a polymerizable compound having at least one ethylenically unsaturated bond, a photopolymerization initiator for polymerizing said polymerizable compound, and a 1,3-dipolar compound as a polymerization inhibitor.
US08507566B2

Process for the production of synthesis gas which involves the steps of: a) preparing a vapor phase mixture comprising steam and at least one hydrocarbon or oxygenated hydrocarbon with an atmospheric boiling point in the range of −50 to 370° C., said vapor phase mixture having a H2O/C molar ratio at least 2, and b) catalytically or non-catalytically converting the vapor phase mixture into synthesis gas, which process is characterized in that the oxygen is only added in bonded form.
US08507558B2

A method of treating patients in need of treatment for a cardiac disorder has been found which comprises administering to the patient a seven carbon fatty acid compound or derivative thereof, wherein the compound or derivative thereof is able to readily enter the mitochondrion without special transport enzymes. A dietary formulation suitable for treatment of heart tissue in cardiac or surgical patients has been found which comprises a seven-carbon fatty acid chain, wherein the seven-carbon fatty acid chain is characterized by the ability to transverse the inner mitochondrial membrane by a transport mechanism which does not require carnitine palmitoyltransferase I, carnitine palmitoyltransferase II, or carnitine/acylcarnitine translocase and the ability to undergo mitochondrial β-oxidation, and wherein the compound is selected from the group consisting of n-heptanoic acid or a derivative thereof, a triglyceride comprising n-heptanoic acid or a derivative thereof, and triheptanoin or a derivative thereof.
US08507555B2

Compositions comprising combinations of magnesium ascorbate (magnesium Vitamin C of “MgVC2”) and Vitamin K3 or (VK3) or a quinone and semiquinone analogue of VK3, are used in methods for killing or inhibiting the growth of tumor or cancer cells or preneoplastic cells in a subject, or for treating cancer in a subject in need of such treatment.
US08507548B2

This invention relates to a method of treating addiction using a composition containing quercetin. Preferably, it also contains vitamin B3, and vitamin C.
US08507547B2

Disclosed is a composition which is safe for a human body and an animal, can be ingested continuously on a daily basis, has an anti-fatigue activity, and is effective for the prevention or treatment of a disease or condition associated with fatigue. Specifically disclosed is an anti-fatigue agent comprising andrographolide optionally together with an α-lipoic acid as an active ingredient(s). Also disclosed is a novel oral composition comprising andrographolide and an α-lipoic acid. The anti-fatigue agent and the oral composition are useful for the prevention or treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, overfatigue, physical fatigue, mental fatigue and organ fatigue.
US08507544B2

The present invention relates to (2S)-2-({3′-Chloro-4′-[(2,2-dimethylpyrrolidin-1-yl) carbonyl]-5-fluorobiphenyl-2-yl}oxy)propanoic acid and (2R)-2-({3′-chloro-4′-[(2,2-dimethylpyrrolidin-1-yl) carbonyl]-5-fluorobiphenyl-2-yl}oxy)propanoic acid of formula (I), and crystalline forms and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof useful as pharmaceuticals.
US08507543B2

Indazole compounds, processes for their preparation, intermediates usable in these processes, pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds and their use in therapy.
US08507541B2

The present invention is directed to N-hydroxyamidino compounds which are modulators of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), as well as compositions and pharmaceutical methods thereof.
US08507526B2

The use of 4-[2-(4-methylphenylsulfanyl)phenyl]piperidine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof in the treatment of irritable bowl syndrome.
US08507510B2

This invention relates to pyrimidine derivatives of general formula I in which Q, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, X, and m have the meanings that are contained in the description, as inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases and VEGF-receptor tyrosine kinases, their production as well as their use as medications for treatment of various diseases.
US08507500B2

This document relates to compounds as well as methods and materials involved in modulating neurotransmitter reuptake. For example, compounds, methods for synthesizing compounds, and methods for inhibiting neurotransmitter reuptake are provided.
US08507489B2

The present disclosure provides bicyclic triazole protein kinase modulators and methods of using these compounds to treat diseases mediated by kinase activity.
US08507487B2

Provided are certain triazolopyridines and triazolopyrazines of Formula 1. wherein X, Y, R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 have any of the meanings described herein; processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them, and their use in the treatment of cell proliferative disorders.
US08507486B2

1-ethyl-3-[3-(1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-pyrido[2.3-b]pyrazine-6-yl]thiourea which HAS activity to the modulation of misdirected cellular signal transduction processes such as tyrosine kinases, serine/threonine kinases and/or lipid kinases.
US08507480B2

Isoxazoles of formula (A) or (B) are inhibitors of HSP90 activity, and useful for treatment of, for example cancers: wherein R1, is a group of formula (IA): —Ar1-(Alk1)p-(Z)r-(Alk2)s-Q, wherein in any compatible combination Ar1 is an optionally substituted aryl or heteroaryl radical, Alk1 and Alk2 are optionally substituted divalent C1-C6 alkylene or C2-C6 alkenylene radicals, p, r and s are independently 0 or 1, Z is -0-, —S—, —(C═O)—, —(C═S)—, —SO.sub.2-, —C(═O)O—, —C(═O)NRA—, —C(═S)NRA—, —SO2NRA—, —NRAC(═O)—, —NRASO2—or —NRA— wherein RA is hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl, and Q is hydrogen or an optionally substituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic radical; R2 is (i) a group of formula (IA) above or (ii) a carboxamide radical; or (iii) a non aromatic carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring wherein a ring carbon is optionally substituted, and/or a ring nitrogen is optionally substituted by a group of formula -(Alk1)p-(Z)r-(Alk2)s-Q wherein Q, Alk1, Alk2, Z, p, r and s are as defined above in relation to group (IA); and R3 is hydrogen, optionally substituted cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkenyl, or C1-C6 alkynyl; or a carboxyl, carboxamide, or carboxyl ester group.
US08507477B2

Compounds of Formula (I): (where variables R1A, R1B, R2, R3, R4, A, and Z are as defined herein) which are useful as antagonists of CGRP receptors, and useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which CGRP receptors are involved, such as headache, and in particular migraine and cluster headache. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP receptors are involved.
US08507474B2

This invention is directed to compounds of the formula (I) and salts therefore that are generally useful as anthelmintic agents or as intermediates in processes for making anthelmintic agents. This invention also is directed to processes for making the compounds of this invention, pharmaceutical compositions and kits comprising the compounds of this invention, uses of the compounds of this invention to make medicaments, and treatments comprising the administration of the compounds of this invention to animals in need of the treatments.
US08507469B2

The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) wherein A is C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, C1-C6-hydroxyalkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, C2-C6-halo-alkenyl, C3-C6-cycloalkyl, aryl-C1-C4-alkyl, aryl-C2-C4-alkenyl, aryl or hetaryl; is a single or double bond; X1 and X2 are N, CRx1, NRx2 or CRx3Rx4; Rx1, Rx3 and Rx4 are H, halogen, CN, NO2, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl, etc. or two geminal radicals Rx3 and Rx4 together with the carbon atom to which they are bound may form a carbonyl group or a 3- to 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic spiro-annulated ring; Rx2 is hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, etc.; or two vicinal radicals Rx1, Rx2, Rx3 or Rx4 together with X1 and X2 form a five- or six-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic fused ring; Y1, Y2 and Y3 are N or CRy; Ry is H, halogen, CN, NO2, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-alkoxy, C1-C6-alkylcarbonyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, etc.; wherein a maximum of 3 of the radicals X1, X2, Y1, Y2 and Y3 are selected from NRx1 and N; R1 is hydrogen, C1-C6-alkyl, C1-C6-hydroxyalkyl, C1-C6-haloalkyl, etc.; R2 is C1-C4-alkyl or C1-C4-haloalkyl; n is 0, 1 or 2; physiologically tolerated acid addition salts and the N-oxides thereof, pharmaceutical composition comprising them, a method for treating medical disorders selected from diseases of the central nervous system, addiction diseases or obesity, said method comprising administering an effective amount of such compounds to a subject in need and the use of such a compound for preparing a pharmaceutical compositions.
US08507460B2

Provided herein are compounds, compositions and methods for the treatment of Flaviviridae infections, including HCV infections. In certain embodiments, compounds and compositions of nucleoside derivatives are disclosed, which can be administered either alone or in combination with other anti-viral agents.
US08507458B2

The object of present invention is to provide a system that can deliver in vivo nucleic acids such as an siRNA for suppressing a target gene expression in vivo more safely and efficiently, and to provide an expression-suppressing agent and a pharmaceutical composition utilizing the system. An introduction substance into chylomiclon, particularly nucleic acids to which an alpha-tocopherol is bound for suppressing a target gene expression, can be delivered more safely and efficiently into hepatic cells in vivo by administering the nucleic aids under the condition where the production of chylomicron is induced in the body. Alternatively, alpha-tocopherol-bound nucleic acids are mixed with extracted chylomiclon, and then they are administered. Consequently, a target gene expression is suppressed, thereby a disease caused by an elevated expression of the target gene can be treated more safely and efficiently.
US08507456B2

The present invention is related to a nucleic acid, preferably binding to C5a, selected from the group comprising type A nucleic acids, type B nucleic acids, type C nucleic acids, type D nucleic acids and nucleic acids having a nucleic acid sequence according to any of SEQ.ID.No. 73 to 79.
US08507440B2

A method for managing withdrawal from an addictive substance is described. The method involves administering one or more peptides having specific activity for the ε and/or γ isozyme of protein kinase C (PKC). The peptide(s) can be administered prior to, concurrent with, or subsequent to administration of the addictive substance. Also described is a kit having at least one container containing a peptide having isozyme-specific activity for εPKC or γPKC and instructions for use.
US08507423B2

The present invention is generally directed to diester-based lubricant compositions comprising one or more isomeric mixtures of diester species wherein the kinematic viscosity of the composition at temperature of 100 C is at least 3 mm2/s The present invention is also directed to methods of making these and other similar lubricant compositions. In some embodiments, the methods for making such diester-based lubricants utilize a biomass precursor material from which mono-unsaturated free lipid species can be provided or otherwise generated, wherein such mono-unsaturated free lipid species are converted to isomeric diol species en route to the synthesis of diester species for use as/in the diester-based lubricant compositions.
US08507421B2

A process includes adding an effective amount of a calcium lignin sulfonate to a thickened base grease to form a lubricating grease wherein the calcium lignin sulfonate has a molecular weight of at least 10,000 g/mol; the calcium lignin sulfonate has a water content of less than about 0.5 wt %; the effective amount is from about 1 wt % to about 20 wt % based upon the weight of the lubricating grease; the thickened base grease is obtained from a grease forming process or a lubricating paste; and the lubricating grease has a water solubility below about 3 wt %, as determined by a water wash out-test.
US08507418B2

The invention relates to compositions in the form of silicone oil emulsions which are intended to be applied to curing bladders as a mold-release agent during tire production.
US08507412B2

New fluids are disclosed for use in servicing subterranean formations containing oil and gas. In particular, an improved chemical gelling additive for hydrocarbon based fracturing fluids is disclosed having reduce, negligible or no volatile phosphorus at temperatures below about 250° C.
US08507408B2

A synergistic antimicrobial composition containing a glyphosate compound and one of 4,5-dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one or 2-n-octly-4-isothiazolin-3-one or N-Butyl-1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one is provided. Also provided is a method of inhibiting the growth of or controlling the growth of microorganisms in a building material by adding such a synergistic antimicrobial composition. Also provided is a coating composition containing such a synergistic antimicrobial composition, and a dry film made from such a coating composition.
US08507397B2

The present invention relates to a novel organometallic compound based on a divalent metal belonging to the 2nd column of the Periodic Table that can be used as an alkylating agent in a catalytic system based on a rare-earth metal. This novel compound corresponds to the formula: in which, M is a metal belonging to the 2nd column of the Periodic Table, chosen from Be, Mg, Sr, Ba, and Ra; R1, R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen atoms or alkyl or aryl substituents, optionally bonded together to form at least one ring or at least one aromatic ring; R and R′ denote alkyl or aryl substituents; L is a Lewis base; x is an integer from 0 to 4; m is an integer greater than or equal to 0; and n is an integer greater than or equal to 1.
US08507393B2

Provided is a dielectric ceramic composition comprising: 40-70 wt % of a borosilicate-based glass frit comprising 50-80 mol % of SiO2, 15-20 mol % of B2O3, 0.1-5 mol % of one or more alkali metal oxide selected from Li2O and Na2O, and 0.1-30 mol % of one or more alkaline earth metal oxide selected from MgO, CaO, SrO and ZnO; and 30-60 wt % of a ceramic filler represented by Chemical Formula 1: (Zn1-xMgx)2SiO4  (1) wherein 0≦x≦1. The disclosed low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) composition is sinterable at low temperature, with a relative density of at least 95% in the temperature range of 800-900° C., is capable of minimizing electric loss, with a dielectric constant of 4-7 and a very low dielectric loss, and is applicable from the low-frequency band to the millimeter-wave band of 60 GHz or more.
US08507387B2

Some embodiments include methods of removing noble metal-containing particles from over a substrate. The substrate is exposed to a composition that reduces adhesion between the noble metal-containing particles and the substrate, and simultaneously the substrate is spun to sweep at least some of the noble metal-containing particles off from the substrate. Some embodiments include methods in which tunnel dielectric material is formed across a semiconductor wafer. Metallic nanoparticles are formed across the tunnel dielectric material. A stack of two or more different materials is formed over the metallic nanoparticles. A portion of the stack is covered with a protective mask while another portion of the stack is left unprotected. The unprotected portion of the stack is removed to expose some of the metallic nanoparticles. The semiconductor wafer to is subjected to etchant suitable to undercut at least some of the exposed metallic nanoparticles, and simultaneously the semiconductor wafer is spun.
US08507382B2

Common sources of different (e.g., concentrated) process materials are controllably supplied to multiple blending manifolds associated with multiple process tools, processing stations, or other points of use, to create an independently controllable process material blend for each tool, station, or point of use. Multi-constituent process materials may be circulated from a supply container through a blending manifold to a return container to ensure homogeneity until immediately prior to blending and use. Such containers may include liner-based containers adapted for pressure dispensation.
US08507381B2

The invention relates to a method for fabricating silicon and/or germanium nanowires on a substrate, comprising a step of bringing a precursor comprising silicon and/or a precursor comprising germanium into contact with a compound comprising copper oxide present on the said substrate, by means of which growth of nanowires takes place.
US08507380B2

A method of forming contact openings in the fabrication of integrated circuitry includes forming a mask which includes at least one of photoresist and amorphous carbon received over a plurality of spaced conductive line constructions. The conductive line constructions include insulative caps and insulative sidewalls. The mask includes a plurality of spaced lines and trench spaces between adjacent of the spaced lines. The spaced lines and the trench spaces angle relative to the conductive line constructions. The trench spaces are received over node locations which are received between adjacent of the conductive line constructions. The at least one of photoresist and amorphous carbon is treated with a plasma to reduce lateral width of the spaced lines and to increase lateral width of the trench spaces. After the treating, contact openings are etched to the node locations selectively relative to the insulative caps and the insulative sidewalls.
US08507379B2

A semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed. The method comprises: providing a substrate with a first dielectric layer and a gate, wherein the gate is embedded in the first dielectric layer and an upper portion of the gate is an exposed first metal; and covering only the exposed first metal with a conductive material that is harder to be oxidized than the first metal by a selective deposition. An advantage of the present invention is that the metal of the upper surface of the gate is prevented from being oxidized by covering the metal gate with the conductive material that is relatively harder to be oxidized, thereby facilitating the formation of an effective electrical connection to the gate.
US08507373B2

A semiconductor device having a DRAM region and a logic region embedded together therein, including a first transistor formed in a DRAM region, and having a first source/drain region containing at least a first impurity, and a second transistor formed in a logic region, and having a second source/drain region containing at least a second impurity, wherein each of the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region has a silicide layer respectively formed in the surficial portion thereof, and the first source/drain region has a junction depth which is determined by an impurity and is deeper than the junction depth of the second source/drain region.
US08507368B2

High throughput systems and processes for recrystallizing thin film semiconductors that have been deposited at low temperatures on a substrate are provided. A thin film semiconductor workpiece is irradiated with a laser beam to melt and recrystallize target areas of the surface exposed to the laser beam. The laser beam is shaped into one or more pulses. The beam pulses have suitable dimensions and orientations to pattern the laser beam radiation so that the areas targeted by the beam have dimensions and orientations that are conductive to semiconductor recrystallization. The workpiece is mechanically translated along linear paths relative to the laser beam to process the entire surface of the workpiece at high speeds. Position sensitive triggering of a laser can be used to generate laser beam pulses to melt and recrystallize semiconductor material at precise locations on the surface of the workpiece while it is translated on a motorized stage.
US08507362B2

A process of forming ultra thin wafers having an edge support ring is disclosed. The process provides an edge support ring having an angled inner wall compatible with spin etch processes.
US08507358B2

A composite wafer semiconductor device includes a first wafer and a second wafer. The first wafer has a first side and a second side, and the second side is substantially opposite the first side. The composite wafer semiconductor device also includes an isolation set is formed on the first side of the first wafer and a free space is etched in the isolation set. The second wafer is bonded to the isolation set. A floating structure, such as an inertia sensing device, is formed in the second wafer over the free space. In an embodiment, a surface mount pad is formed on the second side of the first wafer. Then, the floating structure is electrically coupled to the surface mount pad using a through silicon via (TSV) conductor.
US08507357B2

The present invention discloses a method for lift-off of an LED substrate. By eroding the sidewall of a GaN epitaxial layer, cavity structures are formed, which may act in cooperation with a non-fully filled patterned sapphire substrate from epitaxial growth to cause the GaN epitaxial layer to separate from the sapphire substrate. The method according to an embodiment of the present invention can effectively reduce the dislocation density in the growth of a GaN-based epitaxial layer; improve lattice quality, and realize rapid lift-off of an LED substrate, and has the advantages including low cost, no internal damage to the GaN film, elevated performance of the photoelectric device and improved luminous efficiency.
US08507356B2

Semiconductor device manufacturing method includes forming a first mask, having a first opening to implant ion into semiconductor substrate and being used to form first layer well, on semiconductor substrate; forming first-layer well having first and second regions by implanting first ion into semiconductor substrate using first mask; forming second mask, having second opening to implant ion into semiconductor substrate and being used to form second layer well, on semiconductor substrate; and forming second-layer well below first layer well by implanting second ion into semiconductor substrate using second mask. First region is formed closer to an edge of first-layer well than second region. Upon implanting first ion, first ion deflected by first inner wall of first mask is supplied to first region. Upon implanting second ion, second ion deflected by second inner wall of second mask is supplied to second region.
US08507355B2

A method of manufacturing high performance metal-oxide-metal capacitor device that resolves problems with implementing high capacitance in the metal-oxide-metal region by filling with a low-k material both in the metal-oxide-metal region and the metal interconnection region, utilizing performing selective photolithography and etching of the first dielectric layer to define metal-oxide-metal (MOM for short) region, and filling the MOM region with high dielectric constant (high-k) material to realize a high performance MOM capacitor.
US08507345B2

An aspect of the present invention provides a semiconductor device that includes a first conductivity type semiconductor body, a source region in contact with the semiconductor body, whose bandgap is different from that of the semiconductor body, and which formed heterojunction with the semiconductor body, a gate insulating film in contact with a portion of junction between the source region and the semiconductor body, a gate electrode in contact with the gate insulating film, a source electrode, a low resistance region in contact with the source electrode and the source region, and connected ohmically with the source electrode, and a drain electrode connected ohmically with the semiconductor body.
US08507336B2

The invention provides a method for forming a metal gate and a method for forming a MOS transistor. The method for forming a metal gate includes: providing a substrate; forming a sacrificial oxide layer and a polysilicon gate on the substrate; forming a silicon oxide layer on sidewalls of the sacrificial oxide layer and the polysilicon gate; forming a stop layer that covers the substrate; removing a part of the stop layer in the spacers; forming a second interlayer dielectric layer that covers the first interlayer dielectric layer, the spacers and the polysilicon gate; polishing the second interlayer dielectric layer to expose the spacers and the polysilicon gate; removing the polysilicon gate to form a trench; removing the sacrificial oxide layer in the trench; and forming a metal gate in the trench. The invention prevents from recesses and therefore metal bridge and metal residuals in the recesses.
US08507333B2

Disclosed is an integrated circuit device having series-connected planar or non-planar field effect transistors (FETs) with integrated voltage equalization and a method of forming the device. The series-connected FETs comprise gates positioned along a semiconductor body to define the channel regions for the series-connected FETs. Source/drain regions are located within the semiconductor body on opposing sides of the channel regions such that each portion of the semiconductor body between adjacent gates comprises one source/drain region for one field effect transistor abutting another source/drain region for another field effect transistor. Integrated voltage equalization is achieved through a conformal conductive layer having a desired resistance and positioned over the series-connected FETs such that it is electrically isolated from the gates, but in contact with the source/drain regions within the semiconductor body.
US08507329B2

A compound semiconductor device is provided with a substrate, an AlN layer formed over the substrate, an AlGaN layer formed over the AlN layer and larger in electron affinity than the AlN layer, another AlGaN layer formed over the AlGaN layer and smaller in electron affinity than the AlGaN layer. Furthermore, there are provided an i-GaN layer formed over the latter AlGaN layer, and an i-AlGaN layer and an n-AlGaN layer formed over the i-GaN layer.
US08507321B2

An embodiment of the invention provides a chip package which includes: a carrier substrate; a semiconductor substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface, disposed overlying the carrier substrate; a device region or sensing region located on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate; a conducting pad located on the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate; a conducting layer electrically connected to the conducting pad and extending from the upper surface of the semiconductor substrate to a sidewall of the semiconductor substrate; and an insulating layer located between the conducting layer and the semiconductor substrate.
US08507316B2

A method includes performing a first die-saw on a package structure includes forming a first and a second metal lead extending into a trench of a package structure, wherein the first and the second metal leads contact the side edges of contact pads that are in devices in the package structure. The first and the second metal leads are interconnected through a connecting metal portion. A pre-cut is performed to cut the connecting metal portion to separate the first and the second metal leads, wherein remaining portions of the connecting metal portion have edges after the pre-cut. A dielectric coating is formed over the first and the second metal leads. A die-saw is performed to saw apart the package structure, so that the first and the second dies are separated into separate piece. In each of the resulting pieces, the edges of the remaining portions of the connecting metal portion are covered by remaining portions of the first dielectric coating.
US08507315B2

A method of forming a memory cell is provided that includes forming a steering element above a substrate, and forming a reversible resistance-switching element coupled to the steering element. The reversible resistance-switching element includes one or more of TiOx, Ta2O5, Nb2O5, Al2O3, HfO2, and V2O5, and the reversible resistance switching element is formed without being etched. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US08507303B2

The present invention provides a thin film transistor array panel including an insulating substrate, a gate line formed on the insulating substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a drain electrode and a data line having a source electrode formed on the gate insulating layer wherein the drain electrode faces the source electrode with a gap therebetween, and a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode. At least one of the gate line, the data line, and the drain electrode includes a first conductive layer made of a conductive oxide and a second conductive layer of Ag that is deposited adjacent to the first conductive layer.
US08507302B1

Techniques for fabricating metal devices, such as vertical light-emitting diode (VLED) devices, power devices, laser diodes, and vertical cavity surface emitting laser devices, are provided. Devices produced accordingly may benefit from greater yields and enhanced performance over conventional metal devices, such as higher brightness of the light-emitting diode and increased thermal conductivity. Moreover, the invention discloses techniques in the fabrication arts that are applicable to GaN-based electronic devices in cases where there is a high heat dissipation rate of the metal devices that have an original non- (or low) thermally conductive and/or non- (or low) electrically conductive carrier substrate that has been removed.
US08507301B2

A TFT array substrate includes: a gate electrode connected to a gate line; a source electrode connected to a data line crossing the gate line to define a pixel region; a drain electrode which is opposite to the source electrode with a channel in between; a semiconductor layer defining the channel between the source electrode and the drain electrode; a pixel electrode in the pixel region and connected to the drain electrode; a channel passivation layer on the channel of the semiconductor layer; a gate pad extending from the gate line, where a semiconductor pattern and a transparent conductive pattern are formed; a data pad connected to the data line, where the transparent conductive pattern is formed; and a gate insulating layer formed under the semiconductor layer, the gate line and the gate pad, and the data line and the data pad.
US08507299B2

The present invention relates to a light emitting diode package and a manufacturing method thereof.The light emitting diode package includes a substrate, an LED chip mounted on an upper part of a substrate, a molding material coated at the upper part of the substrate including an external surface of the LED chip, and an encapsulant coated at a lower part of the substrate and can improve luminous efficiency, minimize a package failure, and reduce a manufacture cost by facilitating the manufacturing process.
US08507295B2

The invention concerns methods of quantification of an analyte, A, in a test sample by means of a single immunochromatographic device, such as a lateral flow device (LFD). One method comprises the steps of: a) mixing a determined amount of said test sample with a determined amount of a quantification agent, QA1, said QA1 being capable of binding specifically and simultaneously both to an immobilized binding partner and to A, thus obtaining a mixture wherein the amount of A in said test sample is reflected by the ratio of the concentration of A-QA1 complex formed to the concentration of free QA1 in said mixture; b) applying a determined volume of said mixture to said device equipped with a test band in which said binding partner of the QA1 is immobilized, so that A-QA1 complex and free QA1 are immobilized at said test band in a ratio that relates to their concentration ratio in the mixture applied, said volume of mixture being determined to provide a total amount of A-QA1 complex and free QA1 capable of sufficiently saturating the immobilized binding partner in said test band; c) measuring the amount of either said A-QA1 complex or said free QA1 immobilized at the test band by means of an appropriately chosen detection procedure; d) comparing the result obtained from the test sample with the results obtained from calibration samples containing known or allocated amounts of A and thus determining the amount of A in said test sample. By including the two procedural stages a) and b) this greatly diminish or eliminate the sources of run-to-run variation.
US08507290B2

The present invention generally relates to water-soluble, highly fluorescent polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) compounds useful for sensing and bioimaging applications.
US08507279B2

A system and method for a flow cytometer system including a prepared sample fluid with reference beads; an interrogation zone that analyzes the prepared sample fluid; a peristaltic pump system that draws the sample fluid through the interrogation zone; and a processor that monitors a measured volume of sample fluid sampled by the peristaltic pump system and an expected sample volume based on data generated by the analysis of the sample fluid. A system and method is additionally described using an alternative volume sensing fluidic system.
US08507272B2

The invention relates to methods of altering expression of a genomic locus of interest or specifically targeting a genomic locus of interest in an animal cell, which may involve contacting the genomic locus with a non-naturally occurring or engineered composition that includes a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) binding polypeptide having a N-terminal capping region, a DNA binding domain comprising at least five or more Transcription activator-like effector (TALE) monomers and at least one or more half-monomers specifically ordered to target the genomic locus of interest, and a C-terminal capping region, wherein the polypeptide includes at least one or more effector domains, and wherein the polypeptide is encoded by and translated from a codon optimized nucleic acid molecule so that the polypeptide preferentially binds to the DNA of the genomic locus.
US08507269B2

Described herein are compositions and uses thereof related to Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel activity. Also described herein CRAC channel modulators for treating diseases or conditions that would benefit from inhibition of SOC channel activity.
US08507262B2

Disclosed is a bubble excluder device (2) adapted for use with, and attachment to, a probe (6) for continuous measurement of the cell density of a culture in a liquid medium; the bubble excluder device comprising an inlet and an outlet to allow flow of liquid through the device and bubble exclusion means (20) to reduce or prevent ingress of bubbles from the liquid medium outside the device.
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