US08547684B2

A load center includes a pair of generally parallel busbars for distributing a single phase of electricity to circuit breakers through a multitude of stabs that form respective bridges between the pair of busbars to provide respective bidirectional paths for dissipating heat from each of the stabs to both of the busbars and to provide a connection point for a pair of circuit breakers installed into the load center.
US08547679B2

An electronic weapon has an installed deployment unit from which an electrode, tethered by a filament, is launched. According to various aspects of the present invention, the deployment unit includes a housing, two filaments stored in the housing prior to launching, and two electrodes, each coupled to the end of one of the filaments. A propellant in the housing launches the electrodes responsive to the launch device. In operation, an end portion of each filament experiences a tensile stress during launching. The tensile stress follows a nonlinear path along a surface of an undulation of an interior of the respective electrode.
US08547677B2

The application discloses novel internal structures of energy conditioners, assemblies of external structures of energy conditioners and mounting structure, and novel circuits including energy conditioners having A, B, and G master electrodes.
US08547660B2

A magnetic write head having a tapered trailing edge and having a magnetic layer formed over a trailing edge of the write pole at a location recessed from the ABS, the magnetic layer being separated from the trailing edge of the write pole by a thin non-magnetic layer. The thin non-magnetic layer is preferably sufficiently thin that the magnetic layer can function as a portion of the write pole in a region removed from the ABS. A trailing magnetic shield is formed over the write pole and is separated from the write pole by a non-magnetic trailing gap layer. A non-magnetic spacer layer can be formed over the magnetic layer to provide additional separation between the magnetic layer and the trailing magnetic shield.
US08547657B1

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk surface comprising a plurality of tracks, each track comprising a plurality of servo sectors. The disk drive further comprises a head coupled to a distal end of an actuator arm, and a voice coil motor (VCM) and a microactuator operable to actuate the head over the disk surface. The head is first servoed in response to the servo sectors, and after first servoing the head, a manufacturing procedure is executed by controlling the VCM and the microactuator to servo the head while accessing the disk surface. After executing the manufacturing procedure, the head is second servoed in response to the servo sectors, and the microactuator is evaluated in response to the first and second servoing.
US08547626B2

A method of shaping a mechanical layer is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises depositing a support layer, a sacrificial layer and a mechanical layer over a substrate, and forming a support post from the support layer. A kink is formed adjacent to the support post in the mechanical layer. The kink comprises a rising edge and a falling edge, and the kink can be configured to control the shaping and curvature of the mechanical layer upon removal of the sacrificial layer.
US08547615B2

A head-mounted display device for generating reconstructions of three-dimensional representations including a frame, in which at least one light source, at least one optical system and at least one encodable light modulator are situated, wherein the light modulator with an encoding of a wavefront of the three-dimensional representation in the encoding area is positioned at the place of an observer window defined in an observer plane or the light modulator with an encoding of a hologram of the wavefront of the three-dimensional representation in the encoding area is positioned in the region closely in front of the observer window for transforming the hologram into the observer window. When the light modulators are illuminated, complex wavefronts of the three-dimensional representation are situated in the observer window and the reconstruction of the three-dimensional representation is visible in a visual cone spanned by the observer window and the light modulator.
US08547614B2

Provided is a 3-colorant DOD (dot-off-dot) periodic halftone geometry used to render an image. The DOD 3-colorant halftone geometry includes a base colorant halftone screen with hexagonally tiled halftone dots arranged in a hexagonal pattern, the hexagonally tiled halftone dots having a first fundamental frequency vector Vh1, a second fundamental frequency vector Vh2, and a third fundamental frequency vector Vh3, where Vh3 is substantially equivalent to Vh1+Vh2.
US08547611B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a storing section, an image forming section to form a measurement image to output a measurement chart, and a control section for inputting density information indicating densities at positions of the measurement image, to calculate a correction value corresponding to each position based on the density information, to store the value in association with an output condition including a screen condition indicating a screen processing at the time of outputting the chart, to determine the output condition of the image data, to read the value corresponding to the output condition, and to correct the image data based on the value, wherein the image forming section forms an image based on the corrected image data, and when no correction value corresponding to the screen condition of the input image data is stored in the storing section, the control section inhibits the correction from being executed.
US08547610B2

An image processing apparatus includes: an output unit that outputs a tone-correction-parameter generation sheet and a scanner-profile generation sheet identical in layout of patch columns, each containing patches of different tone values, formed thereon; a scanning unit that scans the patches at scanner positions on a platen; a scanner-profile creating unit that creates, for each of the scanner positions, a scanner profile specifying a relationship between readout values of patches on the scanner-profile generation sheet and color measurement values of the patches measured with a colorimeter; a color-measurement-value deriving unit that determines, from readout values of the patches on the tone-correction-parameter generation sheet and the scanner profiles for the scanner positions, color measurement values of the patches; and a calculating unit that calculates a tone correction parameter for correcting differences between the color measurement values and target color measurement values for the patches on the tone-correction-parameter generation sheet.
US08547604B2

A cable arrangement structure is provided with a movable body configured to reciprocally move relative to a base member, and a flexible cable transmitting electrical signals. One end of the flexible cable is fixedly connected to the base member, and another end is connected to the movable body. The flexible cable has a curved portion, and both ends of the flexible cable being located on a same side with respect to the curved portion. A tension applying unit configured to contact the curved portion of the flexible cable from an inner side of a curvature of the curved portion to apply tension to the flexible cable when the curved portion is located on a front direction of the movable body as moved. Application of the tension to the flexible cable is controlled in mechanical association with movement of the movable body.
US08547596B2

An image forming apparatus includes a first density correction unit that corrects density correction characteristics in correcting density of print image data to be output by using a density correction patch formed in an image forming process; a second density correction unit that corrects the density correction characteristics by using a density correction patch printed on a recording sheet; an image inspection unit that compares an image density of inspection image data obtained by scanning a printed output image with an image density of the print image data to be output, thereby inspecting a magnitude of a density change in the printed output image; and a density control unit that selects one from the first and second density correction units according to the magnitude of the density change and causes the density correction characteristics to be corrected by the selected one from the first and second density correction units.
US08547591B2

An image processing apparatus performing image processing on image data stored in a temporary storage area, is provided. The image processing apparatus includes: a size-reducing unit that reduces a size of original image data, wherein the size of the original image data is reduced according to a parameter of the original image data such that a size-reduction ratio of a chroma component is greater than a size-reduction ratio of a luminance component, to perform the image processing; and a storage control unit that stores size-reduced image data in the temporary storage area to perform the image processing.
US08547590B2

An apparatus and method of calculating a resolution. The method of calculating a resolution includes selecting a region having an edge from a test chart, calculating a spatial frequency response (SFR) of an image forming device that has printed the test chart from the selected region, setting a frequency that corresponds to a principal SFR among the calculated SFRs of the image forming device as a principal frequency of the SFR of the image forming device, and judging the set principal frequency as the resolution of the image forming device.
US08547581B2

A printing system includes a storage unit that stores printing status information and host apparatus identification information. The printing status information includes a printing status representing whether a printing processing of the print job is interrupted, and the host apparatus identification information represents the host apparatus as a requestor of the print job. The printing system includes a update unit that updates the printing status information based on a monitoring result of the printing apparatus; a job managing unit that judges whether to execute the print job according to the printing status information when receiving a processing request of the print job from the host apparatus; and a printing status information managing unit that decides printing status information to be stored in the storage unit. The printing status information managing unit first deletes, from the storage unit, printing status information on a print job transmitted from a low-ranked host apparatus.
US08547569B2

In order to easily set a process condition with effective use of a function of each of a plurality of MFPs, an image processing system includes a plurality of MFPs connected to a network. Each of a plurality of MFPs includes a group function information storing unit to store, for each of a plurality of MFPs, function information which defines an individual process that does not allow processed data to be output to any MFP other than that MFP and a shared process that allows processed data to be output to any MFP other than that MFP, a setting screen display unit to read function information of all of a plurality of MFPs to display a setting screen that allows setting of a process condition for performing a process that can be performed in at least one of a plurality of MFPs, a process condition reception unit to receive the process condition, and an output unit to output the process condition to any one of a plurality of MFPs.
US08547565B2

An image processing apparatus is capable of transmitting its status information to a remote apparatus. A job receiving section receives an image outputting job from an external apparatus. An image outputting section outputs an image based on the image outputting job. A notification destination information memory stores notification destination information including a first notification destination for a first output device and a second notification destination for a second output device. A communication section sends status information about the image outputting section to the first and second notification destinations. When the image outputting section is outputting the image, if the status information is outputted from the image outputting section, the communication section sends the status information to the first output device. If job receiving section receives another image outputting job when the status information exists, the communication section sends the status information to the second output device.
US08547562B2

An image forming device includes an operation unit, a job executing unit, a receiving unit, a first determining unit, and a second determining unit. The print job received at the receiving unit contains information about an amount of print resource to be consumed. The first determining unit determines whether the receiving unit receives a print job while the user is setting another print job by the operation unit. The second determining unit determines whether the print resource remains as much as both the received print job and the another print job can be executed when the first determining unit determines that the receiving unit receives the print job while the user is setting the another print job by the operation unit. The job executing unit sets an order of priority for executing the print job based on the determination result of the second determining unit.
US08547560B2

A sheet processing apparatus includes a gripper unit which is moved to a retreat region along long grooves in advance when moving a stapler unit to any one of first and second binding positions. The stapler unit is moved to the binding position by being guided by a guide rail portion while passing above the long grooves. Therefore, moving operations of both of the gripper unit and the stapler unit can be smoothly performed under a state in which movement of both thereof is not prohibited by the long grooves and the guide rail portion. Further, an image forming apparatus including the sheet processing apparatus is provided.
US08547558B2

A wind power rotor with measuring device (3) for measuring rotor deflection. A measuring cavity (20), which has a transmitter/receiver (31/32) at one end and a reflector device (33) at the other end, extends in a longitudinal direction of the rotor. The transmitter/receiver (31/32) is accommodated in a housing (50), which is fastened to an intermediate plate (10) with three-point mounting (12, 13, 14).
US08547554B2

A system includes a moisture analyzer configured to detect moisture in natural gas. The moisture analyzer includes an absorption cell that encloses and conducts the natural gas. The moisture analyzer also includes a pressure control device that may reduce a pressure of the natural gas inside the absorption cell. The moisture analyzer includes a light emitting device that may transmit light through the natural gas inside the absorption cell, as well as a photodetector that may detect an intensity of the light transmitted through the natural gas and exiting the absorption cell.
US08547548B1

Disclosed is a final defect inspection system, which including a host device, a microscope, a bar code scanner, a support tool, a signal transceiver and an electromagnetic pen. The bar code scanner scans a bar code on a circuit board provided on the support plate. The host device selects data and a circuit layout diagram from the database corresponding to the bar code. The signal transceiver and the electromagnetic pen are electrically connected to the host device. The electromagnetic pen is used to make a mark on a scrap region of the circuit board where any defect is visually found through the microscope. The signal transceiver receives and transmits the positions of the mark to the host device such that the host device calculates the coordinate of a scrap region based on a relative position between an original point and the positions of the mark.
US08547546B2

A data processing and controlling portion calculates the amounts of coordinate deviations between the artificial defects on the standard sample and the detected defects, checks the sensitivity (instrumental sensitivity (luminance, brightness, or the like)), and proceeds to execution of hardware corrections. If the coordinate deviation is less than a certain value, software corrections are carried out. In the case of the software corrections, coordinate corrections are made for the whole standard sample. The amounts of coordinate deviations are computed and checked. If the amounts of coordinate deviations are outside a tolerance, coordinate corrections are made for each region obtained by dividing the standard sample.
US08547545B2

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for inspecting a surface of a substrate. The apparatus includes: a rotatable stage on which a substrate to be inspected is placed; an inspection optical system having an illumination light source for emitting light to a substrate placed on the stage and a detector for detecting light from the substrate which is irradiated with the light from the illumination light source; an A/D converter for amplifying and A/D converting signals output from the detector in the inspection optical system; and a defect detector for detecting defects in a surface of the substrate by processing signals output from the detector and converted by the A/D converter and classifying the defected defects. The defect detector extracts micro defects in the surface of the substrate by processing the signals output from the detector, and detects linear defects existing discretely in a linear region.
US08547541B2

A method for determining optical properties of an optical fiber including providing optical fibers having varying values of an optical property, measuring values of the optical property of the fibers, selecting one of the fibers as a reference fiber, determining the relative backscatter coefficient of the fibers compared to the reference optical fiber, correlating data obtained in step ii) with data obtained in step iv) to obtain a calibration curve showing a correlation between the Rrel and the values of the optical property of the optical fibers, measuring the Rrel of another optical fiber compared to the reference fiber, and determining a value of the optical property of the another optical fiber based on the calibration curve obtained in step v).
US08547538B2

A method of generating a library of reference spectra includes storing at least one reference spectrum, storing a plurality of different transmission curves, and for at least two transmission curves from the plurality of different transmission curves, calculating a modified reference spectrum from the reference spectrum and the transmission curve to generate a plurality of modified reference spectra. The transmission curves represent distortion to a spectrum introduced by variations in components in an optical path before a substrate surface.
US08547506B2

A color filter substrate including a substrate, a black matrix layer and a color filter substrate layer is provided. The substrate has a plurality of grooves. The black matrix layer is disposed on the substrate between each two adjacent grooves, wherein the black matrix layer extends to the region above the groove from the edge of the groove and an undercut profile forms between the bottom of black matrix and the substrate. The color filter layer including a plurality of filter films separated is filled in the plurality of grooves and the plurality of filter films is separated from each other by the black matrix layer. In addition, a method of fabricating a color filter substrate is also provided. The above-mentioned color filter substrate and the fabricating method thereof can improve the quality and color uniformity of the color filter substrate.
US08547495B2

Disclosed is a display device. The display device comprises a frame receiving at least one of a liquid crystal panel and a backlight unit, an adhesive layer coupling the liquid crystal panel to the backlight unit, and wherein the adhesive layer comprises at least one of an adhesive sheet for light diffusion and a polarizer film.
US08547481B2

This invention is a preprocessor apparatus and method algorithm facilitating black bar detection in video frames or fields. The preprocessing marks a sharp discontinuity between pixels a predetermined distance apart on each line. On first detection of this discontinuity the location and pixel value is stored. The location and pixel value is also stored for the last discontinuity in the line. This data enables software to detect top horizontal bars, bottom horizontal bars, left vertical bars and right vertical bars.
US08547480B1

Multi-window display operations may be optimized in an electronic device. The electronic device comprises a screen that may be operable to provide a multi-window display by enabling configuring of a plurality of display regions, where video content corresponding to one or more of the plurality of applications is displayed in each of the plurality of display regions. Optimizing multi-window display operations may comprise monitoring updates of video content for each of the plurality of display regions of the screen, and generating a frame comprising video content for all of the plurality of display regions when one or both of the following occurs: all pending video content updates are completed and a frame generation deadline is reached.
US08547476B2

An imager and a method for real-time, non-destructive monitoring of light incident on imager pixels during their exposure to light. Real-time or present pixel signals, which are indicative of present illumination on the pixels, are compared to a reference signal during the exposure. Adjustments, if necessary, are made to programmable parameters such as gain and/or exposure time to automatically control the imager's exposure to the light. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, only a selected number of pixels are monitored for exposure control as opposed to monitoring the entire pixel array.
US08547474B2

The image pickup apparatus is configured to move a focus lens and an image pickup element to perform focusing, the image pickup element being moved in a predetermined movable range. The image pickup apparatus includes a position detector configured to detect a position of the image pickup element moved for the focusing; and a controller configured to move, after the focusing, the image pickup element to a specific position closer to a center of the predetermined movable range than the position detected by the position detector and to move the focus lens so as to decrease generation of defocus due to the movement of the image pickup element to the specific position.
US08547471B2

A camera module includes an image sensor chip including a substrate having first and second opposite surfaces and a ground pad on the first surface, a housing surrounding the sides of the image sensor chip but which leaves the second surface of the image sensor chip exposed, an electromagnetic wave-shielding film united with the housing, and an electrical conductor electrically connected to the ground pad. The camera module also has an optical unit disposed on the first surface of the image sensor chip in the housing to guide light from an object to the image sensor chip. The electrical conductor extends through a side of the housing. The conductor also contacts the electromagnetic wave-shielding film to electrically connect the ground pad and the electromagnetic wave-shielding film.
US08547468B2

An image pickup apparatus that reduces the likelihood that when a user operates a display screen with a fingertip while not looking through a viewfinder, the user's fingertip will be falsely detected, and makes it less likely that erroneous operation resulting from the false detection will occur. When an eye proximity sensor detects an object approaching, the light emission luminance of a display unit is reduced, or display on the display unit is turned off. When the eye proximity sensor has not detected an object approaching, first-type display objects that execute assigned functions in response to touch operations are displayed farther away from the eye proximity sensor on a display surface of the display unit than second-type display objects that do not execute assigned functions even when touched. When a touch on any of the first-type display objects is detected, a function assigned to the first-type display object is executed.
US08547459B2

A solid-state imaging device, includes: plural unit pixels including a photoelectric conversion portion converting incident light into an electrical signal, and a waveguide having a quadratic curve surface at an inner surface and introducing the incident light to the photoelectric conversion portion.
US08547456B1

A method for monitoring inactive pixels in a scene imaging system may include determining a location of at least one inactive pixel in a focal plane array. The method may include sensing an environment image based upon a surrounding environment of an aircraft. The method may include generating an image associated with the environment image. The method may include evaluating a location for one or more inactive pixels in the generated image in comparison to a location for the at least one inactive pixel in the focal plane array. The method may include determining whether a fault exists in image generation or image display based upon the evaluation.
US08547455B2

An image processing circuit includes an analogue front-end (AFE) processing unit, comprising a horizontal driver, an image-capturing unit, a voltage current regulation unit, and a dummy loading device. The image-capturing unit is driven by the horizontal driver. The voltage current regulation unit at least provides a voltage and a current to the AFE processing unit. The dummy loading device bears an inrush current noise of the current, connected to an output terminal of the voltage current regulation unit. During a predetermined time section just before a start of transmitting a horizontal shift clock by the AFE processing unit to the image-capturing unit, the dummy loading device is set at a turned-on state within the predetermined time section, and set at a turned-off state other than the predetermined time section.
US08547452B2

An image processing apparatus including: a pixel array section in which unit pixels, each having a photoelectric conversion element, are two-dimensionally arranged in a matrix; and a signal processing section determining a signal level by any one of a water gate mode determining the signal level in accordance with a first amount of electric charge based on an electric charge accumulated in the unit pixels, the electric charge more than or equal to a prescribed accumulated electric charge, in a first exposure period or a second amount of electric charge based on all the electric charges accumulated in the unit pixels in a second exposure period including the first exposure period and a multiple exposure mode determining the signal level in accordance with a plurality of amounts of electric charge based on all the electric charges accumulated in the unit pixels in a plurality of exposure periods.
US08547450B2

A method for calibrating automatic white balance (AWB) in a digital system is provided that includes capturing an image of a test target under a natural lighting condition, generating a first color temperature reference from the captured image, and outputting AWB configuration data for the digital system, wherein the AWB configuration data comprises the first color temperature reference and a second color temperature reference generated using the test target under simulated lighting conditions. A method for calibrating automatic white balance (AWB) in a digital system comprising a first imaging sensor is provided that includes receiving a reference for AWB that was generated using an image captured using a second imaging sensor, and compensating a histogram reference into a histogram reference for AWB for the first imaging sensor in the digital system based on R, G, B adjustment values from the second imaging sensor to the first imaging sensor.
US08547445B1

An apparatus having a circuit is disclosed. The circuit may be configured to (i) process a digital image received from a camera sensor and (ii) convert the digital image after the processing. The converting generally uses a lookup table-based conversion that performs both (a) a color correction and (b) a tone correction.
US08547438B2

An object detecting apparatus includes an evaluation information storage unit that stores evaluation information used for computing an evaluation value for each of a plurality of objects, where the evaluation value is used for evaluating which one of the objects is contained in an image, a determination information storage unit that stores determination information used for determining whether the object is contained in an image in association with each of the objects, a computing unit that computes the evaluation value for each of the objects by extracting features from a plurality of areas of the image using the evaluation information and comparing two of the extracted features, and a determination unit that determines whether the object is contained in the image using the determination information associated with the object relating to the evaluation value that satisfies a predetermined condition among the evaluation values computed for the objects.
US08547436B2

A method of configuring data processing apparatus for automatically determining the real size of an object in an image of a scene is provided. The method includes responding to user input by displaying in the image of the scene displayed on the display screen a virtual object representative of a real size object to establish a first datum position, and storing data defining the first datum position; varying a size of the virtual object in the image; storing data representative of a horizontal and vertical size of the virtual object relative to the displayed image at the first datum position; displaying said virtual object at a second datum position in said image; varying the size of the virtual object on the display screen at the second datum position; and storing data representative of the vertical and horizontal size of the virtual object at the second datum position.
US08547435B2

An internet connected mobile security system for recording at least one audio and video on a removable semiconductor storage media in a continuous record loop for evidentiary documentation purposes inside an automotive vehicle or as a wearable video recording device is described.
US08547433B2

It is disclosed an extended-life video detector assembly (VDA) directable at a viewing region. The VDA includes a video camera module having a normally inactive state, and a passive detection module (PDM) for selective activation of the video camera module. A battery powers the VDA for an extended period of at least two years. The VDA may include a control panel assembly (CPA) positioned within a communication range from the VDA for sending and receiving wireless signals to and from the VDA, and a central monitoring station located remotely from the CPA and communicating with it. Also the VDA includes a recording module, for recording video information. The PDM discriminates movement of an object in the viewing region and consequently activates the video camera module, based on characteristic parameters like temperature, size, movement direction, and movement speed.
US08547428B1

A pipe inspection system employing a camera head assembly incorporating multiple local condition sensors, an integral dipole Sonde, a three-axis compass, and a three-axis accelerometer. The camera head assembly terminates a multi-channel push-cable that relays local condition sensor and video information to a processor and display subsystem. A cable storage structure includes data connection and wireless capability with tool storage and one or more battery mounts for powering remote operation. During operation, the inspection system may produce a two- or three-dimensional (3D) map of the pipe or conduit from local condition sensor data and video image data acquired from structured light techniques or LED illumination.
US08547427B2

An illumination device and an observation system capable of outputting light having a continuous spectrum and high color rendering properties are provided. Employed is an illumination device including a first light source that emits first-wavelength-band light having a first wavelength band of violet color; a second light source that emits second-wavelength-band light having a second wavelength band that is broader than the first wavelength band and having a continuous spectrum; a light combining section that is composed of a dicroic mirror and that combines the first-wavelength-band light and the second-wavelength-band light; and a combination-ratio adjusting section that adjusts the combination ratio of the first-wavelength-band light and the second-wavelength-band light to be combined by the light combining section.
US08547426B2

Systems, apparatus, and methods for providing a micro-scanning system with low settle times for fingerprint image capture are provided. In one embodiment, a flexure apparatus includes a stiffening device and parallelogram structures. The flexure apparatus is configured to move an image sensor to different positions to capture images that can be used to form a composite image according to micro-scanning techniques. The stiffening device allows the resonant frequency of the flexure apparatus to be established at a higher level than the operation frequency of the flexure apparatus, minimizing the settle time required for the flexure apparatus.
US08547425B2

The diagnosability of diseased parts is improved by precisely correcting fluorescence images without being affected by specular reflection and without being affected by thick blood vessels. Provided is a fluorescence observation apparatus that includes a light source unit that radiates, onto an observation target site, illumination light that is in the wavelength band absorbed by a blood vessel, first excitation light that includes the wavelength band of the illumination light and generates autofluorescence by exciting an autofluorescent substance in the blood vessel, and second excitation light that is in a different wavelength band from the first excitation light and generates agent fluorescence by exciting fluorescent dye that selectively stains normal tissue and abnormal tissue; an image-acquisition unit that obtains respective images by capturing reflected light, autofluorescence, and agent-fluorescence, obtained by radiating the illumination light, and the first and the second excitation light onto the same observation target site; and an image processing unit that extracts a blood-vessel image from the obtained reflected-light image, obtains a reference image by applying interpolation to an area in the autofluorescence image corresponding to the extracted blood-vessel image, and corrects the agent-fluorescence image, obtained by the image-acquisition unit, based on the obtained reference image.
US08547421B2

A display includes an integrated imaging sensor and a plurality of pixels. The imaging sensor integrated within the display includes a plurality of individual sensors each of which provides an output. The content of the display is modified based upon the sensed content.
US08547419B2

The method of the invention includes: determining a set of points of a space and a value of each of these points at a given moment, the set of points including the points of the object in the position thereof at the given moment; selecting a three-dimensional representation function that can be parameterized with parameters and an operation that gives, using the three-dimensional representation function, a function for estimating the value of each point in the space; and determining parameters, such that, for each point in the set, the estimation of the value of the point substantially gives the value of the point.
US08547412B2

An image forming apparatus includes: a light source; a photosensitive member; a brushless motor including a stator and a rotor; a rotary polygon mirror rotated by the brushless motor; an energization switching unit that turns on/off energizations of the coils; a voltage detecting unit that outputs a detection signal based on induced voltages generated in coils of the stator by rotation of the rotor; and a motor controlling unit that controls the turning on/off of the energizations by the energization switching unit based on the detection signal. In a non-image forming period after one image forming operation, the motor controlling unit performs a low-speed process where the motor controlling unit maintains a rotation speed of the brushless motor at a speed, which is lower than a speed in the image forming operation, and at which the induced voltages are detectable by the voltage detecting unit.
US08547404B2

A liquid crystal display apparatus enables image display with optimum quality corresponding to the genre of an image to be displayed. The liquid crystal display apparatus controls the emission luminance of a backlight according to the APL of an image signal measured at an APL measuring portion 14. Upon emission luminance control, the display apparatus sets the follow performance of a change of the backlight emission luminance in following a change in a characteristic quantity of the image signal according to a genre so that the display image can be viewed without an odd feeling. Specifically, the APL of the image signal measured at the APL measuring portion 14 is put into a filter 15, and the rate of a change in the APL on the time axis is controlled through weighted averaging to control the follow performance of the emission luminance control on the backlight. At this time, the genre of image to be displayed is determined, and a constant used for weighted averaging on the filter 15 is changed according to the determined genre to optimize display quality for each genre.
US08547397B2

A method for processing data, in particular an image representative of an observation zone in which is situated an object arranged with respect to a reference plane.Such a method comprises the following steps: reception of the image which has been captured beforehand by means of first and second image capture devices, display (EV2) of the image received in a plane which comprises an object plane, containing said object, and said reference plane which has been determined beforehand as being the plane situated at the intersection of a conical beam and of a parallel beam emitted respectively by said first and second image capture devices, determination (EV3), in the displayed image, of the number of pixels separating two contiguous sides, respectively of the object plane and of the reference plane, and extending along a determined direction (X or Y), correlation (EV4) of the determined number of pixels with the value of the measurement of the real distance (d) which separates said object from said reference plane.
US08547392B2

A signal processing apparatus and a signal processing method are disclosed. The signal processing apparatus includes a correction block and a division correction block. The correction block receives grayscale data comprising achromatic color grayscale data or chromatic color grayscale data to create corrected grayscale data. The division correction block receives the corrected grayscale data to create first division grayscale data and second division grayscale data having a grayscale value less than or equal to a grayscale value of the first division grayscale data. The correction block includes a first correction block and a second correction block. The first correction block receives the grayscale data and includes a one-dimensional lookup table to create corrected create achromatic color grayscale data. The second correction block includes a three-dimensional lookup table and an interpolator.
US08547387B2

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which in some implementations a graphical object is generated around a mathematical boundary of a region of interest in an image. The graphical object has varying opacity in which a higher opacity in areas of the graphical object in close proximity to the boundary acts as a visual cue to indicate close proximity to the boundary, and lesser opacity in areas of the graphical object of more distant proximity to the boundary acts as a visual cue to indicate distant proximity to the boundary.
US08547386B2

A painterly conversion unit of an image processing device, for example, converts a main-object image piece and a background image piece into respective painterly images with a fine touch and a rough touch, respectively, when, for example, the ratio of a region representing the main-object image piece relative to a whole image represented by image data is less than a predetermined threshold. Moreover, the painterly conversion unit converts the whole image into a painterly image with a touch of predetermined roughness when the ratio of the region representing the main-object image piece relative to the whole image represented by the image data is equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold.
US08547379B2

Systems, methods, and media for generating heat maps of event data are provided herein. Methods may include gathering instances of event data according to a performance characteristic, discretely decomposing the instances by applying at least one constraint to the instances, assigning a hue to each instance, the hue being associated with the at least one constraint, and generating a heat map that includes representations of the instances, wherein each representation includes the hue associated with the at least one constraint to which the instance has been assigned.
US08547378B2

A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium are disclosed for time-based degradation of images. In one embodiment, the rendering of a first frame of a digital video using a GPU may be initiated. In one embodiment, it may be determined that a time elapsed in rendering the first frame exceeds a threshold. In one embodiment, a downsampling factor may be determined in response to determining that the time elapsed exceeds the threshold. In one embodiment, a second frame of the digital video comprising a second set of one or more images may be rendered based on the downsampling factor using the GPU. Rendering the second frame based on the downsampling factor may comprise sending each of the second set of images to the GPU at a reduced resolution comprising a respective original resolution for each image divided by the downsampling factor.
US08547374B1

A 3D reconstruction technique using integral imaging, which does not require computing point correspondences. The technique has been demonstrated that it can effectively estimate the surface of an object, and reconstruct the surfaces of partially occluded objects. Reconstruction can be performed from either an array of imaging sensors, or a single moving imaging sensor with known positions. The technique relies on the concept that each view is allowed to vote on the contents of the scene via ray tracing. Various sharpness metrics are utilized for estimating the locations of visible surfaces in the views, and reconstruction is posed as an optimization problem.
US08547372B2

A pixel circuit and an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display device using the same are provided. The pixel circuit compensates for a threshold voltage of a driver transistor and for a voltage drop, and separately drives an initialization time to improve a contrast ratio. The pixel circuit further suppresses a leakage current caused by a data voltage using a fixed power source so that current variation caused by the leakage current can be reduced or minimized to improve crosstalk, and the duty of an emission control signal can be adjusted to remove motion blur. The pixel circuit also compensates for a leakage current generated in a turn-off state of a transistor with an increase in a drain-source voltage.
US08547363B2

A digital signature collection and authentication system includes an ink pen having an ultrasonic transmitter that transmits ultrasonic energy to a plurality of ultrasonic receivers. A computer triangulates the location of the pen versus time to generate the signature shape, and to generate velocity and acceleration data. The pen also includes a pressure sensitive tip to record pressure applied to the pen tip. The pen also includes a higher frequency burst transmitter useful to generate a time reference, and to transmit the pressure information. The computer packetizes the shape, velocity, acceleration, and pressure data with a time stamp and an IP address or phone number, encrypts the packet and sends it to a host computer for authentication.
US08547347B2

A method for generating multiple windows frames, an electronic device thereof, and a computer program product using the method are provided. In the present method, first, a touch trajectory generated by continuously touching a touch panel of the electronic device is detected, wherein the center of the touch panel is a display area, and a non-display area surrounds the display area. Then, whether the touch trajectory is started from one side of the non-display area and passed through the display area to be extended to another side of the non-display area is determined. If so, the display area is split according to the touch trajectory to display at least two windows frames. As a result, an intuitional and convenient method for generating multiple windows frames in the display area is provided, and the operation of the electronic device is made very convenient.
US08547342B2

A computing device displays an item on a display of the computing device and establishes a wireless connection with one or more other devices. The computing device receives an input gesture on a touch panel of the computing device, where the input gesture has a direction, and determines a geographic direction of the input gesture. The computing device also identifies one of the one or more other devices in the geographic direction and sends the item on the display to the one of the one or more devices in the geographic direction.
US08547341B2

A touch-sensitive sheet member contains a body having predetermined hardness and a sheet shape and a sense-of-touch-representing unit that represents a sense of touch. The sense-of-touch-representing unit has a predetermined size and is arranged at positions of the body or at a predetermined position of the body. The touch-sensitive sheet member also contains a medium-supplying unit that supplies medium to the sense-of-touch-representing unit.
US08547334B2

A customer user input device such as a computer mouse is disclosed. A core module can house the sensor, micro-controller and RF modules (if any). It may or may not also house the microswitches and scroll wheel. The core module can accept inserts having differing or variable button configurations so that the user can customize the location of the buttons in accordance with the user's intentions.
US08547333B2

An optical joystick is connected to a vibratory transducer such as a piezoelectric transducer, where the vibratory transducer produces vibration which may be perceived upon a surface of the optical joystick. The vibration is perceived primarily at the surface of the optical joystick, and not upon a case of the computing device, and is distinguishable from other vibrations which may be induced in the computing device. Vibrations are created to indicate scrolled items in a list, selected items, or navigation within certain displayed zones.
US08547332B2

A pointing method, medium, and system detecting a synchronization signal from a plurality of light sources sequentially blinking at predetermined periods, detecting position information of the light sources by driving a video camera in synchronization with the synchronization signal, removing noise from among observed light sources by using the position information, and calculating a pointed to position by using the position information of the non-noise light sources. Provided is also a pointing reception method, medium, and system using a plurality of light sources blinking sequentially at predetermined periods, receiving the position information corresponding to light sources presenting the signals received by a pointing device and the position information pointed by the pointing device, and changing output data with respect to the pointed position information.
US08547330B2

A system and method are provided for managing data being displayed on at least one monitor screen based on monitoring user's attention in relation to the monitor screen. In one embodiment, upon detecting that the user's attention is leaving at least a portion of a screen, the system may alert the user of such an event. Alternatively, the system could alert the user upon detecting a triggering condition while the user's attention is away from the at least a portion of the screen. The step of alerting the user may include modifying at least a portion of a display on a monitor not being viewed by the user. Additionally, the system may initiate preparation of a report including any data not being viewed by a user during the time period when the user is not viewing a portion of the monitor.
US08547324B2

An electrophoretic display sheet comprising a display layer, a first electrode, and second electrodes. The display layer has a plurality of reservoir portions filled with a dispersion liquid containing particles. Each of the plurality of reservoir portions has predetermined positions. When an electric field having a direction is generated by applying a voltage to between the first electrode and the second electrodes, the particles are locally gathered to the predetermined positions of each of the plurality of reservoir portions so as to make rows of the particles along the direction of the electric field in the dispersion liquid. The electrophoretic display sheet is capable of exhibiting both superior responsiveness (responsibility) and superior color display performance with high contrast in changing a display color.
US08547316B2

A display apparatus includes a display panel, a panel substrate including a data line driver, a controller connected to the panel substrate, and a connection unit provided in the panel substrate. The controller selects M signal lines from N signal lines (M is a natural number satisfying M≦N) in accordance with a frame rate of a video data, and transmits M-phase video data to the panel substrate via the selected M signal lines. The data line driver controls the switching circuits of the connection unit in accordance with the frame rate of the video data to connect the M signal lines via which the video data is transmitted, to the data lines, and sequentially selects the M data lines to supply each piece of the video data transmitted via the M signal lines to each pixel connected to the selected M data lines.
US08547308B2

A display device comprises a pixel array unit including a plurality of pixels, and power supply lines and a power supply scanner for supplying a power supply voltage switching between first and second potentials to each of the power supply lines, wherein each of the pixels includes a light emitting element, a sampling transistor, a driver transistor, and a holding capacitor. The sampling transistor samples a signal potential to be held in the holding capacitor, the driver transistor receives a supply of a current from the power supply scanner through the power supply line at a first potential and flows a drive current to the light emitting element in accordance with the held signal potential, and the power supply scanner changes the power supply line from the first potential to the second potential before the sampling transistors samples the signal potential.
US08547307B2

A display device includes an organic EL element and a capacitor. A driving transistor is connected to an anode of the organic EL element and passes a current to the organic EL element. The current corresponds to a voltage held in the capacitor. A first switch is between the capacitor and a data line, and the data line supplies the voltage to the capacitor. A voltage detector is connected to the data line for detecting an anode voltage applied to the organic EL element. A second switch is between the anode and the data line. A controller turns on the first switch, causes the organic EL element to emit light, and causes the voltage detector to detect the anode voltage by turning off the first switch and turning on the second switch while the organic EL element is emitting light.
US08547306B2

The present invention enhances a display quality of a display device as a task. As means for solving such a task, the present invention provides a display device including a light emitting element and a switching element in a pixel, wherein the switching element is provided for supplying a power source to the light emitting element and is constituted of a first switching element and a second switching element. The first switching element and the second switching element are configured to be operated, in response to inputting of data signals into the inside of the pixel, one switching element assumes a positive bias state and another switching element assumes a reverse bias state, and the bias states are alternately changed over between the first switching element and the second switching element in response to time-sequential inputting of the data signals, and the supply of the power source to the light emitting element is performed by way of either one of the first switching element and the second switching element.
US08547298B2

A method to display a graphic illustrating an operational environment of a vehicle includes monitoring informational inputs describing the operational environment of the vehicle, processing the informational inputs to determine critical information, monitoring location of the eyes of an operator of the vehicle, determining a registered graphic describing the critical information hidden from a view of the operator by a non-transparent component of the vehicle based upon the location of the eyes of the operator, and displaying the registered graphic describing the critical information hidden from the view of the operator upon the non-transparent component of the vehicle, the non-transparent component including a material reactive to display graphics in response to an excitation projector.
US08547297B1

In an exemplary embodiment, the color resolution of a first image display screen is increased by assembling the first display screen with a second image display screen in an overlaid manner. Transmissive color filter elements are provided associated with addressable sub-pixels of the display screens. A first set of sub-pixels of the first screen and a second set of sub-pixels of the second screen are cooperatively addressed to display an image pixel of the display assembly, where the first set of sub-pixels addressed is spatially offset from the second set of sub-pixels addressed along the planar surfaces of the display screens. The exemplary display assembly formed by the display screens thereby enables the use of more than three colors to define a broadened color space relative to that defined by the display screens separately.
US08547285B2

A unit includes a glidepath aerial and a support organ designed to be mounted on the front landing gear of an aircraft, with the landing gear forming an electrically conductive ground plane. The aerial is mounted on the support organ and is electrically insulated from this support organ by insulating elements. The support organ has a longitudinal dimension at least equal to around one quarter of the wavelength λ at which the aerial functions, so that the distance separating this aerial and the ground plane is greater than λ/4, and the aerial also has a transmission line designed to connect the aerial to a receiver in the aircraft. The transmission line is surrounded by an electromagnetic shielding element serving as a faradization screen for the transmission line, and designed to be electrically connected to the ground plane.
US08547283B2

A multiband antenna having a ground plane and a radiating portion is provided. The radiating portion includes a first metal portion, a second metal portion, an inductively-coupled portion, and a third metal portion. The first metal portion has a first coupling metal portion and a signal feeding line electrically connected thereto. The second metal portion has a second coupling metal portion and a shorting metal portion electrically connected thereto with a shorting point connected to the ground plane. The first and second coupling metal portions are coupled and a capacitively-coupled portion is formed therebetween. The inductively-coupled portion is connected between the third and second metal portions. The first and second metal portions enable the antenna to generate a first operating band. The first, second and third metal portions enable the antenna to generate a second operating band, the frequencies of which are lower than those of the first operating band.
US08547277B1

Disclosed are a system and method for controlling transmit power of a mobile node in air-to-ground communications to a fixed node. Power is controlled by taking into consideration the position of the mobile node, the ground position of a plurality of fixed nodes, and the RF pattern of an antenna. The ground position of the plurality of fixed nodes is determined by at least using a tower i.d. broadcast by the fixed nodes. Preferably, a power level is selected that will excite the fewest number of the plurality of fixed nodes while still maintaining a stable connection with at least one of the fixed nodes. The system may also utilize a repeater to receive communication signals from one or more mobile phones. This repeater then pre-amplifies the signal with a gain control signal received from one of the plurality of fixed nodes. The repeater would then pass the pre-amplified signal to the power amplifier for further amplification as controlled by the power controller.
US08547275B2

An antenna architecture for hemispherically-scanning active electronically scanned arrays (AESA). The antenna architecture utilizes variable diameter disks of antenna elements configured in a conical implementation. The antenna elements are oriented such that the element boresight is normal to the surface of the conical structure. Beamforming takes place on each disk first, and them separately in combining the signals from each disk, thereby reducing complexity. The antenna optionally utilizes disks of antenna elements of the same diameter to form a cylindrical antenna, which when combined with a conical configuration create enhanced sectors while maintaining a hemispherical coverage capability. Further, use of two conical configurations can produce a fully spherical coverage capability.
US08547263B2

The invention provides a system of generation of multi-channel analog output signals, from a single analog input signal, and the controlled activation of peripheral devices responsive to the multi-channel analog output signals. A single-channel to multi-channel analog-to-analog converter is provided to convert the single analog input signal to multiple output channels. Uni-directional coupling is used for coupling and mixing the multi-channel outputs and transferring the mixed outputs to a data bus. Signals on the data bus are used to drive the multiple peripheral devices.
US08547258B2

A calibration method to compensate for a sparsifying basis mismatch is provided. An analog signal is converted to a first digital signal at a sampling frequency that is less than a Nyquist frequency for the analog signal to generate a first digital signal. Each of a plurality of spectral terms is iteratively isolated from the first digital signal, and the offset for each of the plurality of spectral terms is iteratively determined. A dictionary is then constructed using the offset for each of the plurality of spectral terms, where the dictionary compensates for mismatch from a sparsifying basis.
US08547255B2

In a method for encoding a symbol it is determined whether the symbol can be encoded by a codeword of a first codebook. In case this is true, the appropriate codeword for the symbol is selected from the first codebook. Otherwise, a codeword is selected from the first codebook indicating that the symbol cannot be encoded by a codeword of the first codebook and the symbol is split into a plurality of first sub-symbols and for at least one of the first sub-symbols a codeword is selected from a second codebook. Also a corresponding method for decoding is described.
US08547251B2

An on-board vehicle warning system includes a location detecting section, a regulation retrieving section, an incoming message receiving section and a potential violation alerting section. The location detecting section detects respective geographic locations of a vehicle and a forthcoming intersection. The regulation retrieving section retrieves, based on the intersection location, a jurisdiction including local intersection regulation information pertaining to a vehicle position with respect to an intersection boundary at the time of a particular phase transition of a traffic light. The incoming message receiving section receives intersection status information of the intersection containing a geographic location of the boundary and phase information including a current phase and a time to the phase transition of a traffic light of the intersection. The potential violation alerting section estimates a future position of the vehicle with respect to the boundary at the occurrence of the phase transition to determine a potential violation.
US08547245B2

A system and method are provided for providing electromagnetic (EM) measurement-while-drilling (MWD) telemetry capabilities using an existing mud-pulse MWD tool. An EM tool intercepts the output from the mud-pulse tool and generates an EM signal that mimics a mud-pulse pressure signal. The EM signal is intercepted at the surface by a receiver module that conditions the signal and inputs the signal into the existing pulse tool receiver. Since the EM signal mimics a mud-pulse signal, the pulse tool receiver does not require software or hardware modifications in order to process an EM telemetry mode. The EM tool can be adapted to also provide dual telemetry by incorporating a conventional pressure pulser that would normally be used with the pulse tool.
US08547234B2

A safety system for a truck loading dock with an elevated platform provides an alarm that warns of a hazard at the loading dock such as a forklift operating inside the truck or a falling hazard that may exist due to the dock door being open while a truck is not present at the dock. In cases where a dock's open doorway is protected by a barrier that can be opened or closed, the alarm can be de-activated by closing the barrier. In some embodiments, the safety system includes a remote body sensor that detects when someone or something is near the doorway. In response to the body sensor, a second, more pronounced alarm can warn of more imminent danger where someone on the platform may be too close to an open doorway when a truck is not present.
US08547233B2

An integrated circuit includes a thermal-effect unit and a processing unit. The thermal-effect unit generates an electrical energy and forms a temporary channel when experiencing a thermal cycle. The processing unit has a thermal-cycle number, and updates the thermal-cycle number through the temporary channel in response to the electrical energy.
US08547232B2

An approach is presented for transferring data via radio frequency (RF) memory tags. The UE manager receives a request, at a device, to grant access for interaction between a first RF memory tag and a second RF memory tag, the first RF memory tag associated with one or more trusted storage. Further, the UE manager determines an accessibility state of the first RF memory tag, the one or more trusted storage, or a combination thereof. Then, the UE manager causes, at least in part, granting of the access based, at least in part, on the accessibility state. The access is via a connection between the first RF memory tag and the second RF memory tag.
US08547223B2

The system provides approximations of a person's location to interested parties wherein the approximations are based upon a detection device's location and inherent inaccuracies related to that detection device. The system can evaluate location information from multiple detectors and approximate the location using and combining that information. The system can provide a confidence level for that determination. The system can also degrade confidence levels assigned to the location as a function of time. Each location can include a hierarchy of subtypes with each subtype including a precision level, the precision level associated with an accuracy level of a detector involved for placing a person within that particular location. When a detector receives location information, the system described herein can traverse through the locations and their associated precision levels to approximate the correct type of location within the hierarchy using the accuracy level of the detector.
US08547219B2

An automotive brake light system producing a graduated display according to the level of vehicle deceleration as sensed by an onboard piezoelectric accelerometer. Taillight assemblies are divided into segments which are illuminated in sequence to produce a graduated display. The vehicle anti-lock brake system may be connected into the system to provide a special lighting effect such as blinking the taillights during a panic stop condition.
US08547216B2

A system and method for a tire temperature measurement system is disclosed. An instantaneous temperature value of a tire may be requested through an input device. At the time of a temperature measurement request a control unit may retrieve tire temperature from a sensor and determine an instantaneous temperature value of a tire. The instantaneous temperature value of a tire may be displayed, stored and transmitted to a remote device.
US08547201B2

According to one embodiment, when sending a transmission target main data 21, an authentication-tag generator unit 13 generates an authentication tag 23 by using a main data 21 and a key data 22 stored in a key-data storage unit 12. A transmitter/receiver unit 14 adds the authentication tag 23 to the main data 32 sends as a transmission data. When receiving the received data 24a, the transmitter/receiver unit 14 divides the received data into a main data 21a and an authentication tag 23a. The authentication-tag generator unit 13 generates an authentication tag 23b for comparison. A received-data authentication unit 15 determines whether or not those the received authentication tag 23a and the authentication tag for comparison 23b match with each other. A different key data is used every time upon the authentication-tag generation and use time of each key data during a set period is restricted.
US08547196B2

A thermally responsive switch includes a hermetic container including a housing and a header plate hermetically secured to an open end of the housing, a conductive terminal pin inserted through the header plate, a conductive pin, a thermally responsive plate having one of two ends fixed to the terminal pin, a movable contact secured to the other end of the thermally responsive plate, and a fixed contact fixed via an electrical conductor to the terminal pin, the conductor having a fuse part and a heater. The fixed contact is fixed to a ceramic member disposed between the container and the fixed contact. The housing includes a bottom surface including both lengthwise ends between which the conductive pin is interposed. Both ends of the housing bottom surface are deformed axially relative to the conductive pin from an initial state, so that an operating temperature of the switch is calibratable.
US08547193B2

In a stationary induction apparatus, an inter-partial-coil insulating plate and a plurality of inter-partial-coil spacer insulators form a refrigerant flow path in conjunction with each other. A space having an inter-partial-coil insulation dimension for withstanding an abnormal voltage is formed between a pair of partial coils. The inter-partial-coil insulating plate and the inter-partial-coil spacer insulators support both the pair of partial coils at an insulated state so as to maintain the inter-partial-coil insulation dimension. The insulators are arranged so as to be overlapped with each other in the direction in which mutually adjacent partial coils are opposed to each other.
US08547186B2

The present invention is directed to a compact balun device that includes an unbalanced port and a set of balanced differential ports. A first set of coupled transmission line structures is coupled to the unbalanced port and one port of the set of balanced differential ports. The first set of coupled transmission line structures is characterized by at least one device parameter and a first length that is substantially equal to a quarter of a wavelength (λ). The wavelength (λ) corresponds to a first frequency. A second set of coupled transmission line structures is coupled to another port of the set of balanced differential ports. The second set of coupled transmission line structures is characterized by the at least one device parameter and a second length that is substantially equal to the quarter of a wavelength (λ). The wavelength (λ) corresponds to the first frequency. A plurality of interconnections couples the first set of coupled transmission line structures and the second set of coupled transmission line structures. The plurality of interconnections are configured such that the compact balun operates at a reduced operating frequency, the reduced operating frequency being selected from a range of frequencies by varying at least one device parameter. The range of frequencies is approximately between one-sixth of the first frequency and one-half the first frequency.
US08547181B2

An oscillator with adjustable oscillation frequency includes an active device showing a negative input resistance at a terminal, an oscillator circuit coupled to the terminal of the active device showing the negative input resistance, and an element with adjustable ohmic resistance by which the oscillation frequency of the oscillator is adjustable.
US08547179B2

A PLL circuit includes a phase detector, a loop filter (LF), a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and a frequency divider. The phase detector compares a phase of a signal Fs which is input from outside with a phase of a signal Fo/N which is input from the frequency divider. The loop filter generates a signal Vin by removing alternating current components from a signal input from the phase detector. The voltage-controlled oscillator outputs a signal Fo based on the signal Vin input from the loop filter. The frequency divider converts the signal Fo output from the voltage-controlled oscillator into Fo/N (frequency division by N), and outputs it to the phase detector.
US08547177B1

Disclosed herein is an improved power amplifier, referred to as a Switched-Capacitor Radio Frequency Power Amplification (SCPA). The SCPA may be fabricated with scale CMOS technology. The SCPA may include a plurality of stages, each stage including a storage device, a switch, and selection circuitry. Various combinations of the stages may produce an output signal based on characteristics of a reference signal to be amplified. The output from the stages may be combined to create an amplified approximate square wave. The amplified square wave may be filtered by output circuitry such as a bandpass matching circuit, resulting in an output signal that may be an amplified version of the reference signal.
US08547174B1

Systems and methods can provide an improved broadband linearizer that includes a distortion generator with a bypass path for generating both composite triple beat (CTB) and composite second order (CSO) distortions suitable for linearizing a laser. The linearized laser can be suitable for injection into a communications network such as, for example, a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) network, among others.
US08547168B2

Systems, methods, and devices that employ a dynamic gate boost component (DGBC) to generate a desired boosted gate voltage to facilitate controlling an enhanced charge pump are presented. An enhanced charge pump can comprise a desired number of charge transfer switches (CTSs) and a desired number of DGBCs, wherein a DGBC can apply a desired boosted gate voltage to the gate of an associated CTS to control switching of the CTS. An auxiliary gate boost component (AGBC) of one circuit path can apply a desired boosted gate voltage to a CTS of another circuit path to control switching of that CTS. The AGBC and DGBC can operate to facilitate maintaining the overdrive voltages of all of the CTSs in the enhanced charge pump so that the overdrive voltages are essentially unchanged under various loading current conditions. Multiple enhanced charge pumps can be cascaded to produce a higher output voltage.
US08547160B2

There is disclosed current-mode time-interleaved sampling circuitry configured to be driven by substantially sinusoidal clock signals. Such circuitry may be incorporated in ADC circuitry, for example as integrated circuitry on an IC chip. The disclosed circuitry is capable of calibrating itself without being taken off-line.
US08547156B2

Apparatus and methods are disclosed related to using one or more field effect transistors as a resistor. One such apparatus can include a field effect transistor (FET), averaging resistors and a bidirectional current source. The averaging resistors can apply an average of a voltage at the source of the FET and a voltage at the drain of the FET to the gate of the field effect transistor. The bidirectional current source can turn the FET on and off. The FET can operate in the ohmic region when on. Such an apparatus can improve the linearity of the FET as a resistor, for example, at lower frequencies near or at direct current (DC). In some implementations, the apparatus can include one or more current sources to remove an offset introduced by the bidirectional current source at the source and/or the drain of the FET.
US08547142B2

A power semiconductor device has: an output transistor connected between a power-supply terminal and an output terminal; a gate charge-discharge circuit configured to charge/discharge a first node connected to a gate of the output transistor to ON/OFF control the output transistor; a short switch circuit connected between the first node and the output terminal; and a short control circuit configured to control the short switch circuit. In the turn-ON period, the ON period and the turn-OFF period, the short control circuit cuts off electrical connection between the first node and the output terminal through the short switch circuit. In the OFF period, the short control circuit electrically connects the first node and the output terminal through the short switch circuit.
US08547138B2

A semiconductor device includes a first input buffer adjusting a logic threshold voltage, a first replica circuit, a first reference voltage generating circuit, and a first comparator circuit. The first replica circuit is identical in circuit configuration to the first input buffer. The first replica circuit has an input and an output connected to the input. The first replica circuit generates the logic threshold voltage as an output voltage. The first reference voltage generating circuit generates a first reference voltage. The first comparator circuit compares the logic threshold voltage as an output voltage of the first replica circuit to the first reference voltage to generate a first threshold adjustment signal. The first comparator circuit supplies the first threshold adjustment signal to the first input buffer and the first replica circuit. The first threshold adjustment signal allows the first input buffer to adjust the logic threshold voltage.
US08547130B2

A method for detecting a foreign particle trapped between substrates of a liquid crystal display panel, by which a potential short caused by the particle can be made into a short with reliability, and thus it is possible to make a display defect manifest itself that is caused by the particle. The method is for detecting the presence of a foreign particle trapped between flexible substrates (21, 26) of a liquid crystal display panel (20), between the substrates liquid crystals filled, and the method includes making the panel pass between supporting rollers (3) arranged to support one surface of the panel, and a pressing roller (4) disposed at a position opposed to a space between the supporting units and arranged to press the other surface of the panel, bending the panel, and displacing the substrates with respect to each other in their surface directions.
US08547120B1

An apparatus for testing a DUT includes a pulsed signal source; a hard current-limiter adapted to be operated in series relationship between the pulsed signal source and the DUT; and a voltage sensor adapted to sense a voltage across the DUT in response to the pulsed signal source.
US08547119B2

A dynamic quantity detection device includes a detection portion, a signal process portion, and an operation mode switch portion. The detection portion detects a dynamic quantity applied from an outside and generates a sensor signal in accordance with the dynamic quantity. The signal process portion processes the sensor signal from the detection portion to have a property suitable for an external device. When the sensor signal output from the detection portion is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold value, the operation mode switch portion sets an operation mode to a power save mode by stopping an operation of the signal process portion. When the sensor signal output from the detection portion is greater than the predetermined threshold value, the operation mode switch portion switches the operation mode to a normal mode by activating the signal process portion.
US08547117B2

A capacitive touch panel can select a way of voltage control with a high degree of detection accuracy according to operating environment. In response to approach of an input unit, the stray capacitance of the sensing electrode the input unit approached increases. Accordingly, charge and discharge of the stray capacitances of a plurality of sensing electrodes are controlled, and a sensing electrode the potential change of which is made slow by the increase in stray capacitance and resultant increase in time constant is detected as a sensing electrode the input unit approached. The stray capacitance of a sensing electrode can selectively be controlled either by the charge control or by the discharge control, and optimum one of the controls is selected according to operating environment.
US08547116B2

To enable position or distance of sensing target making approach, etc. to the range of sensing area to be detected securely with simple configuration at low cost and improve latitude of designing, position detector includes capacitance sensor unit and detecting circuit unit. Capacitance sensor unit includes first and second sensing electrodes and dielectric material therebetween. Dielectric material has range L of sensing area defined on its sensing surface. Detecting circuit unit includes selector switches SWA and SWB, capacitance sensing circuits, A/D converters, and arithmetic processing circuit. Arithmetic processing circuit judges and detects the position of sensing target in range L of sensing area based on detected values of capacitances C1 and C2 sensed by first and second sensing electrodes under switching control on selector switches SWA and SWB.
US08547113B2

Changes of the stray capacitances of a large number of sensing electrodes can be detected simultaneously. Further, even if a stray capacitance changes slightly, an input operation to a sensing electrode can be detected based on elapsed time until the electric potential of the sensing electrode becomes the same as a threshold potential. The stray capacitance of a sensing electrode and a resistor of the sensing electrode form a CR time constant circuit. Charge or discharge of the stray capacitance of the sensing electrode is controlled while a rest time in a predetermined time ratio is set. A stray capacitance that slightly increases in response to an input operation made near a sensing electrode can be detected by detecting the stray capacitance in extended elapsed time until the electric potential of the sensing electrode becomes the same as the threshold potential.
US08547103B2

An apparatus and method for estimating a parameter of interest of an earth formation, particularly relating to borehole logging methods and apparatuses for estimating electrical resistivity properties at multiple depths of investigation. The apparatus may include two or more transmitters for introducing electrical current to the earth formation. The apparatus may include a controller configured to deliver an electrical signal to the two or more transmitters either simultaneously or sequentially. The controller may deliver an electrical signal to two or more transmitters at the same frequency for estimating depth of investigation. The apparatus may include one or more receivers responsive to electric signals from the earth formation at one or more frequencies to provide data from one or more depths of investigation. The method may include steps for using the apparatus to obtain data that may be used to estimate the parameter of interest.
US08547098B2

A magnetic resonance system includes at least one coil and at least one coaxial line connecting the at least one coil to an electronic receive system. The at least one coil includes a preprocessing device that converts the received signals to at least one transmission frequency that is different from a transmit frequency. The coaxial line includes at least one sheath wave barrier with a trap suppressing sheath waves of transmit frequency both on the outside and the inside of a sheath conductor of the coaxial line.
US08547095B2

A method and apparatus are described wherein a micro sample of a fluidic material may be assayed without sample contamination using NMR techniques, in combination with magnetoresistive sensors. The fluidic material to be assayed is first subject to pre-polarization, in one embodiment, by passage through a magnetic field. The magnetization of the fluidic material is then subject to an encoding process, in one embodiment an rf-induced inversion by passage through an adiabatic fast-passage module. Thereafter, the changes in magnetization are detected by a pair of solid-state magnetoresistive sensors arranged in gradiometer mode. Miniaturization is afforded by the close spacing of the various modules.
US08547091B2

A measuring method measuring a resistance of a resistor of a magnetic sensor that includes the resistor is provided. The method includes a step of measuring an output voltage of the magnetic sensor in an AC magnetic field, a step of measuring a first combined resistance of the MR element and the resistor in no magnetic field, a step of measuring a second combined resistance of the MR element and the resistor in a constant magnetic field of which a direction and strength are substantially the same as a magnetic field, a step of measuring a third combined resistance of the MR element and the resistor in another constant magnetic field of which a direction and strength are substantially the same as another magnetic field, and a step of calculating the resistance of the resistor based on the output voltage, the first, second and third combined resistance.
US08547087B2

A magnetic field sensor assembly (401a, 401b) for measuring an angular direction (φ) of a sensed magnetic field (Happl) relative to the assembly, the sensor assembly comprising: a sensor (404a, 404b) of a first type configured to sense an orientation of the sensed magnetic field; a sensor (402, 406) of a second type configured to measure an orientation and a direction of the sensed magnetic field; and processing circuitry (403, 405) connected to each of the magnetic field sensors, the processing circuitry being configured to process output signals from the sensor of the first type to determine an uncorrected sensed magnetic field angle and to apply an offset angle to the uncorrected magnetic field angle dependent on a logical combination of signs of output signals from the sensors of the first and second types.
US08547080B2

Provided is a voltage regulator capable of preventing a large current from flowing even when a battery (110) is connected with reverse polarity by mistake. The voltage regulator employs a circuit configuration in which a substrate potential (n-well) of an output transistor (103) of the voltage regulator is not fixed to a potential of a VDD terminal, and a power supply of a reference voltage circuit (101) and an error amplifier (102) is not fixed to the VDD terminal.
US08547074B2

A sequential switching shunt regulator cell comprising: a power line (PL) for connecting a power source (SA) to a power bus (PB); a shunting (SSW) switch for shunting said power line; and driving means (DM) for opening or closing said shunting switch depending on an error signal (MEA) indicative of a voltage level of said power bus; characterized in that it also comprises: a non-redundant rectifier (D3) connected in series to said power line for disconnecting the power bus from the shunting switch when the latter is closed; and a fault detector (FD) for detecting a short-circuit fault condition of said non-redundant rectifier, and for opening the shunting switch in reply to said condition. Advantageously, the rectifier can be a synchronous rectifier. A solar power regulator comprising a plurality of solar arrays connected to a power bus through respective sequential switching shunt regulator cells of the kind described above.
US08547072B2

A phase control apparatus includes a first transistor whose source or emitter is connected to one end of an AC power supply and whose drain or collector is connected to one end of a load, a second transistor whose source or emitter is connected to the other end of the AC supply and whose drain or collector is connected to the other end of the load, a diode bridge that rectifies an AC voltage of the AC supply, and a parallel circuit of a zener diode and a capacitor. The parallel circuit generates a high potential relative to a bridge negative output terminal potential, or generates a low potential relative to a bridge positive output terminal potential. First and second transistor control terminal potentials are switched between the high and the bridge negative output terminal potentials, or between the low and the bridge positive output terminal potentials.
US08547057B2

Exemplary embodiments are directed to selective wireless power transfer. A method may include transferring wireless power to at least one electronic device while varying at least one parameter of the wireless power transfer according to a wireless power transfer scenario.
US08547050B2

Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed, including an induction-motor controller having a phase path; a solid-state switch interposed on the phase path; and a controller coupled to the solid-state switch. In certain embodiments, the controller is configured to switch the solid-state switch so that the solid-state switch is conductive during a conduction angle of a cycle of an incoming AC power waveform conveyed by the phase path, calculate the conduction angle based on a generally sinusoidal reference value that has a frequency lower than a frequency of the incoming AC power waveform, and adjust the generally sinusoidal reference value based on a value indicative of flux in a load coupled to the phase path.
US08547049B2

A DC motor assembly includes a motorized unit for generating a rotatable power at an output shaft, and a step adjusting control arrangement including an optical grating and a photocoupler. The optical grating, which is operatively coupled at the output shaft, has a plurality of light transmissible portions and a plurality of light blocking portions alternating with the light transmissible portions. The photocoupler is activated to send out an impulse signal in responsive to a phase shift between the light transmissible portion and the light blocking portion of the optical grating, wherein the output shaft is controllably driven to be rotated and stopped in a sequent manner as a stepping movement thereof in responsive to the impulse signal so as to controllably adjust the rotational speed of the output shaft.
US08547031B2

A circuit configuration may include an operational amplifier having a plus and a minus input and an output; and a current sensing resistor, whereby the voltage drop across the resistor is coupled to the minus input; a first transistor having a control electrode, a reference electrode and a working electrode, the working-reference electrode path of which is coupled in series to a first and second connection for a first LED between a connection for a supply voltage and the reference potential; a second transistor having a control electrode, a reference electrode and a working electrode, the working-reference electrode path of which is coupled in series to a first and second connection for a second LED between a connection for a supply voltage and the reference potential; a first switch and a second switch coupled in series between the output and the control electrode of the first and second transistor, respectively.
US08547030B2

A current source (10), comprising a bipolar transistor (1) including a control terminal and a controlled path, a first terminal on the controlled path, to which first terminal an electrical load (D1, D2) may be connected, a second terminal on the controlled path, which second terminal may be connected to a reference potential via a resistor (4), a measuring device (2) coupled to the control terminal for measuring a control current on the control terminal, a compensation device (3) coupled to the measuring device (2) and the bipolar transistor (1) in such a manner that the control current of the bipolar transistor (1) is compensated for at the first terminal of the controlled path.
US08547013B2

A display device of the present invention includes a red-light-emitting element (1), a green-light-emitting element (2), and a blue-light-emitting element (3). The red-light-emitting element (1) and the green-light-emitting element (2) each include an organic EL section (20) and a color converting layer (15). The color converting layer (15) has an optical distance that extends from (i) a position of the color converting layer from which position light is emitted to (ii) an extraction surface of the color converting layer, the optical distance being varied between the red-light-emitting element (1) and (2). The blue-light-emitting element (3) may include a film-thickness adjusting layer (19) instead of the color converting layer (15).
US08547004B2

An embodiment of the invention is a microtip microplasma device having a first metal microtip opposing a second metal microtip with a gap therebetween. The first and second metal microtips are encapsulated in metal oxide that electrically isolates and physically connects the first and second metal microtips. In preferred devices, the first and second metal microtips and metal oxide comprise a monolithic, unitary structure. Arrays can be flexible, can be arranged in stacks, and can be formed into cylinders, for example, for gas and liquid processing devices, air filters and other applications. A preferred method of to forming an array of microtip microplasma devices provides a metal mesh with an array of micro openings therein. Electrode areas of the metal mesh are masked leaving planned connecting metal oxide areas of the metal mesh unmasked. Planned connecting metal oxide areas are electrochemically etched to convert the planned connecting metal oxide areas to metal oxide that encapsulates opposing metal microtips therein. The mask is removed. The electrode areas are electrochemically etched to encapsulate the electrode areas in metal oxide.
US08547000B2

An ultrasonic transducer for an ultrasonic, flow measuring device comprising an electromechanical transducer element and an ultrasound window, wherein an adapting, or matching, layer liquid at operating conditions of the ultrasonic transducer is arranged between the electromechanical transducer element and the ultrasound window, wherein the ultrasonic transducer has holding means, which exert a releasable force toward the ultrasound window on the electromechanical transducer element, in order to hold the electromechanical transducer element in a predetermined position relative to the ultrasound window.
US08546999B2

In one general aspect, various embodiments are directed to an ultrasonic surgical instrument that comprises a transducer configured to produce vibrations along a longitudinal axis at a predetermined frequency. In various embodiments, an ultrasonic blade extends along the longitudinal axis and is coupled to the transducer. In various embodiments, the ultrasonic blade includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is movable relative to the longitudinal axis by the vibrations produced by the transducer.
US08546995B2

A micro-electro-mechanical actuator consists of a first semiconductor layer comprising a movable element with comb electrodes, a support element with inner and outer comb electrodes and a stationary element with comb electrodes, an electrical insulation layer, and a second semiconductor layer with a cavity to allow out-of-plane rotation of the movable and support elements. The movable element is mounted to the support element by a first pair of torsional hinges whereas the support element is mounted to the stationary element by a second pair of torsional hinges such that the actuator is in gimbaled structure. Inner comb electrodes of the support element interdigitate with comb electrodes of the movable element, and outer comb electrodes of the support element interdigitate with comb electrodes of the stationary element in the same plane defined by the first semiconductor layer to form in-plane comb-drive actuators. The in-plane comb-drive actuator may be controlled to generate two-dimensional oscillation of the movable element about the two axes defined by the torsional hinges. The second semiconductor layer may further comprise comb electrodes which interdigitate vertically with outer comb electrodes of support element to form vertical comb-drive actuators. Combing the in-plane and the vertical comb-drive actuators, the movable element is controllable to perform two-dimensional raster scan motion.
US08546991B2

A synchronous generator 1 including a rotor having a field winding placed in the slots thereof and a stator having an armature winding placed in the slots thereof, wherein the value of the number of slots per two poles in stator minus the number of slots per two poles in rotor is equal to or greater than +9, or equal to or smaller than −9.
US08546990B2

A permanent magnet synchronous rotating electric machine includes a rotor and a stator. The rotor includes a first hole, a second hole, a first magnet, and a second magnet. The second hole is provided on an opposite side with respect to a center line extending along a radial direction of the rotor. The first magnet is provided in the first hole and extends along a first longitudinal axis inclined at a first acute angle with respect to the center line. The second magnet is provided in the second hole and extends along a second longitudinal axis inclined at a second acute angle with respect to the center line. The second acute angle is smaller than the first acute angle.
US08546985B2

The present invention refers to a high efficiency and cold electromagnetic motor that is able to considerably increase the electromagnetic and/or mechanic potential energy available to be used in any equipment fed by primary sources of energy. More specifically, the present invention refers to a motor, or also a generator, that comprises structural and functioning features that reduce the consumption of electric energy and, at the same time, deliver mechanic potential energy and work torque at least equivalent to the conventional electric motors.
US08546983B2

Embodiments of the invention provide an electric machine module including module housing with an inner wall and at least one end cap. The module can at least partially define a machine cavity. The electric machine module can also include at least two drain holes positioned substantially circumferentially apart from one another and extending through a lower portion of the module housing. The at least two drain holes can provide gravity-fed fluid pathways out of the machine cavity.
US08546972B2

A vertical wind power generator comprises a tower column (1), at least one generator unit (2), at least two blades (3), an excitation control device (16), a rotation rectifying device (161), a bidirectional frequency converter (15), flanges (7-13), bearings (4-6), a cooling system, a crane (80) and a lift system. The generator unit (2) comprises a bracket (201), a generator (202) and an exciter (203). The bracket (201) comprises an outer bracket (2011) and an inner bracket (2012). The generator (202) comprises a stator (2021) and a rotor (2022). The exciter (203) comprises a stator (2031) and a rotor (2032). The vertical wind power generator can be manufactured at reduced cost, be rapidly started, improve the utilization efficiency of wind power, have a better cooling effect on the generator (202) and increase its operating life, and therefore reduce maintenance cost and time.
US08546970B2

A turbine for a fluid stream has a support structure, a cage rotor, and a generator. The cage rotor is rotated about a first axis by motive fluids moving with a component perpendicular to the first axis. The cage rotor is pivotally mounted to the support structure about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis. A generator is driven by the rotation of the cage rotor. An actuator adjusts the pivotal position of the cage rotor relative to the support structure.
US08546966B1

A fluid flow torque generator unit is composed of an impeller assembly, a housing, and a supporting frame. The housing contains one half of the impeller assembly and is configured to divide the force of the oncoming fluid flow into three components which work together to increase the force on the front of the impellers and to create a suction effect on the back of the impellers increasing torque output. One unit powering an electric generator can produce sufficient electricity for residential or commercial use. One unit or multiple units working together can be incorporated into an assembly that includes a source of compressed air to provide an air flow when the wind subsides, insuring a continuous output of electricity. The basic unit operates equally well in response to underwater currents. The dimensions and number of units are determined by the fluid flow source and the desired output.
US08546963B2

An improved generator frame includes a grappling attachment feature and theft-deterring weight receptacle for adding weight on-site. In one method of using the improved generator frame, concrete or metal components may added to the weight receptacle to increase the overall weight of a generator assembly to deter its theft.
US08546962B2

A mark structure for measuring the alignment accuracy between a former layer and a latter layer with electron beam inspection (EBI) is described. The mark structure includes multiple divisions, each of which includes at least one region that includes multiple parts each disposed with a pair of a pattern of the former layer and a pattern of the latter layer. In each region, all of the parts have the same distance in a direction between the pattern of the former layer and the pattern of the latter layer. The distance in the direction is varied over the regions of the divisions of the mark structure.
US08546961B2

Disclosed are a structure including alignment marks and a method of forming alignment marks in three dimensional (3D) structures. The method includes forming apertures in a first surface of a first semiconductor substrate; joining the first surface of the first semiconductor substrate to a first surface of a second semiconductor substrate; thinning the first semiconductor on a second surface of the first semiconductor substrate to provide optical contrast between the apertures and the first semiconductor substrate; and aligning a feature on the second surface of the first semiconductor substrate using the apertures as at least one alignment mark.
US08546955B1

An embodiment of an apparatus is disclosed. This embodiment of the apparatus includes an interposer, a first die stack, a second die stack, a third die stack, and a fourth die stack which are all coupled to the interposer. The interposer provides a common base for and a stratum of each of the first die stack, the second die stack, the third die stack, and the fourth die stack. The first die stack includes an optical engine. The optical engine includes at least one optical engine die. The second die stack includes a plurality of programmable resource dies. The third die stack includes at least one memory die. The fourth die stack includes a serializer-deserializer die.
US08546953B2

Through silicon via (TSV) isolation structures are provided and suppress electrical noise such as may be propagated through a semiconductor substrate when caused by a signal carrying active TSV such as used in 3D integrated circuit packaging. The isolation TSV structures are surrounded by an oxide liner and surrounding dopant impurity regions. The surrounding dopant impurity regions may be P-type dopant impurity regions that are coupled to ground or N-type dopant impurity regions that may advantageously be coupled to VDD. The TSV isolation structure is advantageously disposed between an active, signal carrying TSV and active semiconductor devices and the TSV isolation structures may be formed in an array that isolates an active, signal carrying TSV structure from active semiconductor devices.
US08546948B2

A silicon structure includes a silicon substrate having an electric element; a wiring conductor and a bonding pad, connecting the electric element and an external circuit; a protective layer disposed on the silicon substrate; and a pad opening pattern provided in the protective layer to exposed the bonding pad, wherein a probe mark position and a wire bonding position differ, without increasing the size of the bonding pad in plan view. A substrate exposure part, which is not covered with the protective layer, is provided at part of an outer edge of the bonding pad disposed inside the pad opening pattern in the protective film, and the wiring conductor is not exposed through substrate exposure part.
US08546938B2

A stacked package and method of manufacture are provided. The stacked package may include a first semiconductor package, a second semiconductor package, plugs and spacers. The second semiconductor package may be stacked on the first semiconductor package. The plugs may electrically connect the first semiconductor to the second semiconductor package. The spacer may be interposed between the first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package to form a gap between the first semiconductor package and the second semiconductor package, thereby preventing an electrical short between the plugs.
US08546937B2

A semiconductor devices includes a first die pad having the conductivity connected to one end of a DC power source, a second die pad having the conductivity connected to the other end of the DC power source, a first switching element provided on the first die pad, receiving DC power from the DC power source via the first die pad, and having a terminal opposite to the first die pad connected to a first output terminal, and a second switching element provided on the second die pad, receiving the DC power from the DC power source via the second die pad, and connected to the first output terminal, and having a terminal opposite to the second die pad.
US08546931B2

A stacked semiconductor component includes a semiconductor substrate having a substrate contact, a substrate opening extending to an inner surface of the substrate contact, and a conductive interconnect comprising a wire in the substrate opening having a wire bonded connection with the inner surface of the substrate contact. The stacked semiconductor component also includes a second substrate stacked on the semiconductor substrate having a contact bonded to the conductive interconnect on the semiconductor substrate. The second substrate can also include conductive interconnects in the form of wire bonded wires, and the stacked semiconductor substrate can include a third semiconductor substrate stacked on the second substrate.
US08546928B2

The present application relates to a multiple component which is to be subsequently individualized by forming components containing active structures, in addition to a corresponding component which can be used in microsystem technology systems. The multiple component and/or component comprises a flat substrate and also a flat cap structure which are bound to each other such that they surround at least one first and one second cavity per component, which are sealed against each other and towards the outside. The first of the two cavities is provided with getter material and due to the getter material has a different internal pressure and/or a different gas composition than the second cavity. The present application also relates to a method for producing the type of component and/or components for which gas mixtures of various types of gas have a different absorption ratio in relation to the getter material.
US08546916B2

Semiconductor devices, capacitors, and methods of manufacture thereof are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating a capacitor includes forming a first material over a workpiece, and patterning the first material, forming a first capacitor plate in a first region of the workpiece and forming a first element in a second region of the workpiece. A second material is formed over the workpiece and over the patterned first material. The second material is patterned, forming a capacitor dielectric and a second capacitor plate in the first region of the workpiece over the first capacitor plate and forming a second element in a third region of the workpiece.
US08546914B2

A method for forming an embedded capacitor structure is provided. Firstly, a first dielectric layer having a trench therein on a substrate is provided. A capacitor structure is formed on the bottom surface of the trench. The capacitor structure includes a first metal layer, a capacitance-insulating layer and a second metal layer and the portion surface of the first metal layer on the bottom surface of the trench is exposed. A cap layer is formed on the top surface and the inner surface of the trench and on the capacitor structure. A second dielectric layer is formed on the cap layer. The portion of second dielectric layer and the portion of the cap layer are removed to form a plurality of contact windows therein, and the portion surface of the first metal layer and the portion surface of the second metal layer are exposed by the plurality of contact windows.
US08546910B2

The present invention provides a semiconductor structure, which comprises a substrate, a semiconductor base, a cavity, a gate stack, sidewall spacers, source/drain regions and a contact layer; wherein, the gate stack is located on the semiconductor base, the sidewall spacers are located on sidewalls of the gate stack, the source/drain regions are embedded within the semiconductor base and located on both sides of the gate stack, the cavity is embedded within the substrate, and the semiconductor base is suspended over the cavity, the thickness in the middle portion of the semiconductor base is greater than the thicknesses at both ends of the semiconductor base in a direction along the gate length, and both ends of the semiconductor base are connected with the substrate in a direction along the gate width; the contact layer covers exposed surfaces of the source/drain regions. Accordingly, the present invention further provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure, which is favorable for reducing the contact resistance at the source/drain regions, enhancing the device performance, lowering the cost and simplifying the manufacturing process.
US08546909B2

According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes an element region, a gate insulating film, a first gate electrode, an intergate insulating film, a second gate electrode and an element isolation region. The gate insulating film is formed on the element region. The first gate electrode is formed on the gate insulating film. The intergate insulating film is formed on the first gate electrode and has an opening. The second gate electrode is formed on the intergate insulating film and in contact with the first gate electrode via the opening. The element isolation region encloses a laminated structure formed by the element region, the gate insulating film, and the first gate electrode. The air gap is formed between the element isolation region and side surfaces of the element region, the gate insulating film and the first gate electrode.
US08546908B2

A semiconductor amplifier is provided comprising, a substrate and one or more unit amplifying cells (UACs) formed on the substrate, wherein each UAC is laterally surrounded by a first lateral dielectric filled trench (DFT) isolation wall extending at least to the substrate and multiple UACs are surrounded by a second lateral DFT isolation wall of similar depth outside the first isolation walls, and further semiconductor regions lying between the first isolation walls when two or more unit cells are present, and/or lying between the first and second isolation walls, are electrically floating with respect to the substrate. This reduces the parasitic capacitance of the amplifying cells and improves the power added efficiency. Excessive leakage between buried layer contacts when using high resistivity substrates is avoided by providing a further semiconductor layer of intermediate doping between the substrate and the buried layer contacts.
US08546901B2

A high sensitivity image sensor including a pixel, the pixel including a single electron field effect transistor (SEFET), the SEFET including a first conductive type well in a second conductive type substrate, second conductive type source and drain regions in the well and a first conductive type gate region in the well between the source and the drain regions.
US08546896B2

A method and system for providing a magnetic substructure usable in a magnetic device, as well as a magnetic element and memory using the substructure are described. The magnetic substructure includes a plurality of ferromagnetic layers and a plurality of nonmagnetic layers. The plurality of ferromagnetic layers are interleaved with the plurality of nonmagnetic layers. The plurality of ferromagnetic layers are immiscible with and chemically stable with respect to the plurality of nonmagnetic layers. The plurality of ferromagnetic layers are substantially free of a magnetically dead layer-producing interaction with the plurality of nonmagnetic layers. Further, the plurality of nonmagnetic layers induce a perpendicular anisotropy in the plurality of ferromagnetic layers. The magnetic substructure is configured to be switchable between a plurality of stable magnetic states when a write current is passed through the magnetic substructure.
US08546893B2

N-channel power semiconductor devices in which an insulated field plate is coupled to the drift region, and immobile electrostatic charge is also present at the interface between the drift region and the insulation around the field plate. The electrostatic charge permits OFF-state voltage drop to occur near the source region, in addition to the voltage drop which occurs near the drain region (due to the presence of the field plate).
US08546891B2

A FinFET device may include a first semiconductor fin laterally adjacent a second semiconductor fin. The first semiconductor fin and the second semiconductor fin may have profiles to minimize defects and deformation. The first semiconductor fin comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the first semiconductor fin may have a flared profile that is wider at the bottom than the upper portion of the first semiconductor fin. The second semiconductor fin comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion of the second semiconductor fin may have a flared profile that is wider than the upper portion of the second semiconductor fin, but less than the lower portion of the first semiconductor fin.
US08546889B2

A high breakdown voltage semiconductor device includes: an n− type region (101) surrounded by a p− well region (102) on a p− type silicon substrate (100); a drain n+ region (103) connected to a drain electrode (120); a p base region (105) formed so as to surround the drain n+ region (103); a source n+ region (114) formed in the p base region (105); and a p− region (131) for isolating the n− type region (101) into an n− type region (101a) including the drain n+ region (103), and an n− type region (101b) not having the drain n+ region (103). The n− type region (101b) is connected to the drain electrode (120) or the drain n+ region (103) via an n offset region (104) or a polysilicon (304) which is a high resistance element.
US08546884B2

A high value resistor of the present invention has an active layer deposited over a semi-insulating substrate. Channel etch regions are defined within the active layer. Gate metal is deposited over each channel etch region. Ohmic contact material is deposited at opposing ends of the active layer to define connection regions. A second metal is deposited over the connection regions to form input/output pads. This resistor pattern presents significant increase in resistance in a given area without any additional processing or process steps.
US08546883B2

A semiconductor device includes a second conductive-type deep well configured above a substrate. The deep well includes an ion implantation region and a diffusion region. A first conductive-type first well is formed in the diffusion region. A gate electrode extends over portions of the ion implantation region and of the diffusion region, and partially overlaps the first well. The ion implantation region has a uniform impurity concentration whereas the impurity concentration of the diffusion region varies from being the highest concentration at the boundary interface between the ion implantation region and the diffusion region to being the lowest at the portion of the diffusion region that is the farthest away from the boundary interface.
US08546881B2

A semiconductor device includes a second conductive-type well configured over a substrate, a first conductive-type body region configured over the second conductive-type well, a gate electrode which overlaps a portion of the first conductive-type body region, and a first conductive-type channel extension region formed over the substrate and which overlaps a portion of the gate electrode.
US08546875B1

Described herein are embodiments of a vertical power transistor having drain and gate terminals located on the same side of a semiconductor body and capable of withstanding high voltages in the off-state, in particular voltages of more than 100V.
US08546874B2

A semiconductor device includes a drift layer and a body region that forms a p-n junction with the drift layer. A contactor region is in the body region, and a shunt channel region extends through the body region from the contactor region to the drift layer. The shunt channel region has a length, thickness and doping concentration selected such that: 1) the shunt channel region is fully depleted when zero voltage is applied across the first and second terminals, 2) the shunt channel becomes conductive at a voltages less than the built-in potential of the drift layer to body region p-n junction, and/or 3) the shunt channel is not conductive for voltages that reverse bias the p-n junction between the drift region and the body region.
US08546862B2

A memory cell (100) comprising a transistor, the transistor comprising a substrate (101), a first source/drain region (102), a second source/drain region (112), a gate (104) and a gate insulating layer (103) positioned between the substrate (101) and the gate (104), wherein the gate insulating layer (103) is in a direct contact with the substrate (101) and comprises charge traps (131) distributed over an entire volume of the gate insulating layer (101).
US08546859B2

The invention relates to a semiconductor device with a semiconductor body comprising a CMOS image sensor with a plurality of active pixels arranged in rows and columns each pixel comprising a pinned photodiode and a plurality of transistors for operating the pixel in the image forming process and including reset means.According to the invention the semiconductor device comprises also precharge means by which the photodiode can be precharged by a fixed amount of charge carriers after it has been reset by the reset means. In this way the sensors has a highly linear response, in particular at low light/radiation level, and a very low noise. The sensor is very suitable for X-ray/medical applications.
US08546857B1

A semiconductor structure and a method for forming the same are provided. The semiconductor structure comprises: a semiconductor substrate; a source region and a drain region defined in the semiconductor substrate respectively, and a trench formed in the source region and/or the drain region, in which a rare earth oxide layer is formed in the trench; a source and/or a drain formed on the rare earth oxide layer; and a channel region formed between the source and the drain. A relationship between a lattice constant a of the rare earth oxide layer and a lattice constant b of a semiconductor material of the source and/or the drain and/or the channel region is a=(n±c)b, where n is an integer, c is a mismatch ratio of lattice constants, and 0
US08546847B2

A semiconductor device provides a gate electrode formed on a lateral face of a wide trench, and thereby the gate electrode is covered by a gate insulating layer and a thick insulating layer to be an inter layer. Therefore, a parasitic capacitance of the gate becomes small, and there is no potential variation of the gate since there is no floating p-layer so that a controllability of the dv/dt can be improved. In addition, the conductive layer between the gate electrodes can relax the electric field applied to the corner of the gate electrode. In consequence, compatibility of low loss and low noise and high reliability can be achieved.
US08546839B2

A light emitting diode includes a substrate, a first semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer, the active layer and the second semiconductor layer are stacked on one side of the substrate in that order. The first semiconductor layer is oriented to the substrate. A number of channels are defined between the first semiconductor layer and the substrate.
US08546836B2

A light-emitting element includes a semiconductor laminated structure including a nitride semiconductor, and formed by laminating a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a light-emitting layer and a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, the first semiconductor layer being exposed by removing a part of the second semiconductor layer and the light-emitting layer, a concave portion formed in the exposed portion of the first semiconductor layer, a first electrode formed on the concave portion and being in ohmic contact with the first semiconductor layer, and a second electrode being in ohmic contact with the second semiconductor layer and formed surrounding the first electrode.
US08546829B2

A semiconductor light emitting device and a method for making the semiconductor light emitting device are described. The semiconductor light emitting device includes an epitaxial structure having a first type doped layer, a light emitting layer, and a second type doped layer. The epitaxial structure may further include an undoped layer. A substrate is bonded to at least one surface of the epitaxial structure with an adhesive layer. One or more posts are located in the adhesive layer. The posts may have different widths depending on the location of the posts and/or the posts may only be located under certain portions of the epitaxial structure.
US08546822B2

A backlight film includes a flexible substrate with a first electrode layer, a polymeric light emitting layer, a second electrode layer and a protection layer formed subsequently on the flexible substrate. The first electrode layer, the polymeric light emitting layer and the second electrode layer each has a predetermined pattern. The backlight film further includes an insulating layer arranged around the polymeric light emitting layer. A method and an apparatus for forming the backlight film are also provided.
US08546810B2

A thin film transistor in which an effect of photo current is small and an On/Off ratio is high is provided. In a bottom-gate bottom-contact (coplanar) thin film transistor, a channel formation region overlaps with a gate electrode, a first impurity semiconductor layer is provided between the channel formation region and a second impurity semiconductor layer which is in contact with a wiring layer. A semiconductor layer which serves as the channel formation region and the first impurity semiconductor layer preferably overlap with each other in a region where they overlap with the gate electrode. The first impurity semiconductor layer and the second impurity semiconductor layer preferably overlap with each other in a region where they do not overlap with the gate electrode.
US08546800B2

A thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode formed on the substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate electrode, a channel region formed on the gate insulating layer, a source region and a drain region formed at two opposite ends of the channel region, a first etching block layer made of silicon oxide and a second etching block layer made of silicon nitride which are formed in sequence on the channel region. The second etching block layer defines a groove in a center thereof to expose a part of the first etching block layer. The groove divides the second etching block layer into a first region and a second region. A source electrode extends from the source region to the first region. A drain electrode extends from the drain region to the second region.
US08546788B2

Patterns of a nonvolatile memory device include a semiconductor substrate including active regions extending in a longitudinal direction, an isolation structure formed between the active regions, a tunnel insulating layer formed on the active regions, a charge trap layer formed on the tunnel insulating layer, a first dielectric layer formed on the charge trap layer and the isolation structure, wherein the first dielectric layer is extended along a lateral direction, a control gate layer formed on the first dielectric layer, wherein the control gate layer is extended along the lateral direction, and a second dielectric layer formed on a sidewall of the control gate layer along the lateral direction and coupled to the first dielectric layer.
US08546786B2

A nonvolatile memory device includes: a substrate; a stacked structure member including a plurality of dielectric films and a plurality of electrode films alternately stacked on the substrate and including a through-hole penetrating through the plurality of the dielectric films and the plurality of the electrode films in a stacking direction of the plurality of the dielectric films and the plurality of the electrode films; a semiconductor pillar provided in the through-hole; and a charge storage layer provided between the semiconductor pillar and each of the plurality of the electrode films. At least one of the dielectric films includes a film generating one of a compressive stress and a tensile stress, and at least one of the electrode films includes a film generating the other of the compressive stress and the tensile stress.
US08546783B2

A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same with easy formation of a phase change film is realized, realizing high integration and using a phase change film as a memory element. Between a MISFET of a region forming one memory cell and an adjoining MISFET, each MISFET source adjoins in the front surface of an insulating semiconductor substrate. A multi-layer structure of a phase change film and electric conduction film of specific resistance lower than the specific resistance is formed in plan view of the front surface of a semiconductor substrate ranging over each source of both MISFETs, and a plug is stacked thereon. The multi-layer structure functions as a wiring extending and existing in parallel on the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and an electric conduction film sends current in a parallel direction on the surface of the semiconductor substrate.
US08546779B2

According to one embodiment, a resistance-change memory of embodiment includes a first interconnect line extending in a first direction, a second interconnect line extending in a second direction intersecting with the first direction, and a cell unit. The cell unit is provided at an intersection of the first interconnect line and the second interconnect line. The cell unit includes a non-ohmic element having a silicide layer on at least one of first and second ends thereof, and a memory element to store data in accordance with a reversible change in a resistance state. The silicide layer includes a 3d transition metal element which combines with an Si element to form silicide and which has a first atomic radius, and at least one kind of an additional element having a second atomic radius greater than the first atomic radius.
US08546778B2

Resistance variable memory cells and methods are described herein. One or more methods of forming a resistance variable memory cell include forming a silicide material on a terminal of a select device associated with the resistance variable memory cell, forming a modified region of the silicide material by modifying a resistivity of a region of the silicide material, forming a conductive element on at least a portion of the modified region, and forming a resistance variable material on the conductive element.
US08546777B2

A radiographic image capturing device includes: a radiation detector that has plural sensor portions; a detection circuit that reads out, as electrical signals, electric charge quantities stored in each of the sensor portions and converts the electrical signals into digital image data; a receiver that receives electrical power; a power source that is charged by the electrical power and supplies electrical power for driving to at least the radiation detector and the detection circuit; and a controller which, in the case of performing video imaging, controls the detection circuit so as to allow electric charges to be stored in a predetermined storage period and which performs control such that, in the storage period of each imaging, it stops at least one of the charging of the power source with the received electrical power or the reception of the electrical power from the outside by the receiver.
US08546759B2

A measuring device, in particular a handheld measuring device, for the localization of objects enclosed in a medium, including at least one photometric sensor that obtains by way of the at least one photometric sensor a first measurement signal of the object to be examined, so that by evaluation of that measurement signal, information about an object enclosed in the medium is obtained, and at least one further sensor, for generating at least one further second measurement signal for obtaining information about the object enclosed in the medium. A method for the localization, by way of a photometric sensor, of objects enclosed in a medium.
US08546754B2

An ion trap comprises substantially elongate electrodes 10, 20 some of which are curved along their axis of elongation and which define a trapping volume between them. The sectional area of this trapping volume towards the extremities of the trap in the direction of elongation is different to the sectional area away from its extremities (eg towards the middle of the trap). In a preferred embodiment, the trap has a plurality of elongate electrodes, wherein opposed electrodes have different radii of curvature so that the trap splays towards its extremities. Thereby, a wider mass range of ions can be trapped and ejected, a higher space charge capacity (for a given trap length) is provided, and sharper ion beam focussing on ejection is possible.
US08546752B2

Methods and systems for extraction of analytes from samples for analysis using mass spectrometers are described herein.
US08546742B2

An embodiment relates to image sensor comprising one or more nanowires on a substrate of a cavity, the nanowire being configured to transmit a first portion of an electromagnetic radiation beam incident on the sensor, and the substrate that absorbs a second portion of the electromagnetic radiation beam incident on the sensor, wherein the first portion is substantially different from the second portion. The substrate could have a anti-reflective material. The ratio of a diameter of the cavity to a diameter of the nanowire could be at less than about 10.
US08546739B2

A manufacturing method of a wafer level chip scale package of an image-sensing module is provided. The method includes providing a wafer having a plurality of die regions, and a plurality of sensing units is formed on a surface of the wafer in each die region. A plurality of lens units is formed on the sensing units, wherein each lens unit includes a lens and an edge wall that are integrally formed. A light-shielding film is also formed on a surface of at least one edge wall of at least one lens units. A dicing process is then performed on the wafer to form a plurality of image sensor chips.
US08546730B2

An electrical socket for powering an electrical/electronic accessory device having an electrical plug that is received in the socket, comprising: an electrically conductive socket well for slidably receiving the electrical plug of the electrical/electronic device; an electrical connector portion disposed distally on the socket well and comprising an insulator fastened to the socket well at a distal end thereof and having at least two electrical terminals for connecting to a vehicle electrical power source; a plurality of first electrical contacts disposed at a distal end of said socket well and extending radially and proximally from the center of said well and being electrically connected to a first of said electrical terminals of said electrical connector portion; a second of said electrical terminals of said electrical connector portion being electrically connected to said socket well; and said plurality of first electrical contacts being adapted to electrically slidably engage with an inner periphery of a hollow cylindrical electrical contact of said electrical plug.
US08546712B2

A MEMS device comprises first and second opposing electrode arrangements (22,28), wherein the second electrode arrangement (28) is electrically movable to vary the electrode spacing between facing sides of the first and second electrode arrangements. At least one of the facing sides has a non-flat surface with at least one peak and at least one trough. The height of the peak and depth of the trough is between 0.01t and 0.1t where t is the thickness of the movable electrode.
US08546709B2

A structure for preventing misoperation of a flashlight is configured to prevent a flashlight from being unintentionally turned on. The structure includes a safety pin and a slide power switch slidably provided on the flashlight. The slide power switch has a recess for removably receiving the safety pin. An embrasure-like channel is provided at a lower part of the safety pin for matching a T-shaped base in an accommodating area of the flashlight. A retaining portion is provided at the T-shaped base for retaining a bulge formed inside the channel of the safety pin when the structure is not in use. When the safety pin is pushed toward the slide power switch, the bulge climbs over the retainer and is then engaged with the recess of the slide power switch. Thereby, the flashlight not in use is secured from misoperation, namely being unintentionally turned on.
US08546700B2

A capacitor comprising: a capacitor body including a plurality of laminated dielectric layers, a plurality of inner electrode layers which are respectively disposed between mutually adjacent ones of the dielectric layers, a first main surface located in a laminated direction of the dielectric layers, and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface; a first outer electrode formed on the first main surface of the capacitor body and electrically connected to the inner electrode layers; a second outer electrode formed on the second main surface of the capacitor body and electrically connected to the inner electrode layers; a first dummy electrode formed on the first main surface of the capacitor body; and a second dummy electrode formed on the second main surface of the capacitor body.
US08546684B2

Provided is an organic photoelectric conversion element having a high photoelectric conversion ratio. Provided is also a method for manufacturing an organic photoelectric conversion element which can significantly reduce the manufacturing cost by forming a transparent electrode and an organic generation layer portion by coating a material. The organic photoelectric conversion element includes on a transparent substrate, a first electrode unit having a transparent conductive layer, an organic generation unit, and a second electrode unit which are successively arranged in this order when viewed from the transparent substrate. The transparent conductive layer constituting the first electrode unit contains conductive fiber and transparent conductive material.
US08546670B2

A tremolo device for static retention of a plurality of musical instrument strings in a stringed instrument. The tremolo device has a body with an upper surface, a neck portion, and a plurality of strings anchored at a first end of the neck and extending over at least a portion and secured to the tremolo device at the other end of the neck portion and the body and possesses an inertia block mechanism with substantially solid construction disposed to receive and securely retain a plurality of raw instrument strings without removal of a ball end from each string. The inertia block has an upper portion, a lower portion, and a plurality of internal, longitudinally displaced, cylindrically shaped, string retaining chambers designed to pass through an entirety of the block mechanism. The string retaining chambers have an upper and lower portion corresponding with the upper and lower portions of the block.
US08546667B1

A novel maize variety designated X05B902 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X05B902 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X05B902 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X05B902, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X05B902. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X05B902.
US08546665B1

A novel maize variety designated X90B059 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X90B059 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X90B059 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X90B059, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X90B059. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X90B059.
US08546661B2

A novel soybean variety, designated XB30AL11 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB30AL11, cells from soybean variety XB30AL11, plants of soybean XB30AL11, and plant parts of soybean variety XB30AL11. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB30AL11 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB30AL11, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB30AL11, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB30AL11. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB30AL11 are further provided.
US08546657B2

A novel soybean variety, designated XB25Q11 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB25Q11, cells from soybean variety XB25Q11, plants of soybean XB25Q11, and plant parts of soybean variety XB25Q11. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB25Q11 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB25Q11, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB25Q11, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB25Q11. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB25Q11 are further provided.
US08546656B1

A novel soybean variety, designated XBP29005 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP29005, cells from soybean variety XBP29005, plants of soybean XBP29005, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP29005. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP29005 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP29005, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP29005, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP29005. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP29005 are further provided.
US08546655B2

A novel soybean variety, designated XB25X11 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB25X11, cells from soybean variety XB25X11, plants of soybean XB25X11, and plant parts of soybean variety XB25X11. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB25X11 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB25X11, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB25X11, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB25X11. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB25X11 are further provided.
US08546652B2

The invention provides seed and plants of cucumber hybrid PS 14741865 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of cucumber hybrid PS 14741865 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a cucumber plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another cucumber plant, such as a plant of another genotype. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08546647B2

The invention provides plant gene promoters and regulatory elements that are root-specific and/or induced by parasitic nematodes. The promoters of the invention are useful for controlling expression of nucleic acids of interest in plants' roots. The invention also provides expression cassettes including the plant gene promoters and regulatory elements of the invention, transgenic plants containing such expression cassettes, and methods of producing such transgenic plants.
US08546640B2

A method for delivering active ingredients to a wet substrate from a flexible, three-dimensional, water-absorbent substrate material comprised of a web of substantially water-insoluble fibers into which is infused a solid anhydrous composition having a melting point of from about 45° C. to about 55° C. said anhydrous composition comprising (i) at least one surfactant selected from the group consisting of cationic quaternary surfactants, anionic surfactants or nonionic surfactants or one multi-lamellar liquid crystal emulsifier system, (ii) at least one fatty alcohol, (iii) at least one emollient selected from the group consisting of cosmetically-acceptable oils, esters and liquid triglycerides, (iv) at least one active ingredient and (v) optionally, a solid cleansing agent having a melting point from about 50° C. to about 70° C. Preferred active ingredients are skincare and haircare actives, including emollients, humectants, conditioning agents, sunscreens and sunblocks, and artificial tanning agents.
US08546626B2

The invention is concerned with a supported or unsupported catalyst comprising an active phase constituted by a sulfur-containing group VIB element, the group VIB element being molybdenum, and a hydrodeoxygenation process with a yield of hydrodeoxygenation product which is greater than or equal to 90% of charges from renewable sources using a catalyst according to the invention.
US08546625B2

A process for the conversion of sugars and/or other biomass to produce hydrocarbons, hydrogen, and/or other related compounds is described. In one aspect, the process includes fermenting biomass to produce one or more organic intermediates, for example, a carboxylic acid, and optionally, hydrogen. The carboxylic acids may then be decarboxylated to produce carbon dioxide and one or more hydrocarbon compounds. Also described are steps to further react the hydrocarbon compounds to form polymers, hydrocarbon compounds having at least 4 carbon atoms, or the like.
US08546621B2

The present invention is directed to a process for the manufacture of 3,7-dimethyl-1-octen-3-ol comprising the following steps: a) hydrogenation of 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-on to 6-methyl-2-heptanon in the presence of hydrogen and a palladium containing catalyst on a carrier selected from the group consisting of carbon, calcium carbonate and aluminum oxide. b) reaction of 6-methyl-2-heptanon with acetylene to 3,7-dimethyl-1-octin-3-ol in the presence of ammonia and potassium hydroxide and in the absence of any additional organic solvent; c) hydrogenation of 3,7-dimethyl-1-octin-3-ol to 3,7-dimethyl-1-octen-3-ol in the presence of hydrogen and a palladium containing catalyst on a carrier selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, aluminum oxide, silica, porous glass, carbon or graphite, and barium sulphate, with the proviso that the catalyst additionally contains lead when the carrier is calcium carbonate. The present invention is further directed to a process for the manufacture of isophytol and vitamin E, where a thus produced 3,7-dimethyl-1-octen-3-ol is used as starting material.
US08546616B2

The object of the invention are compounds of the formula (2) wherein R1 is H, methyl or ethyl, R2 is C1- to C4 alkyl, A is a C2- to C4 alkylene group, m is number from 10 to 400, n is 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, a method for their production and their use in the production of polyurethane prepolymers.
US08546614B1

Multifunctional amine crosslinkers that may be used to create crosslinked polyimide, polyamide, and poly(amide-imide) polymers and films having shape memory properties at elevated temperatures and methods of making the same.
US08546604B2

The invention relates to a diol-ester based plasticizer prepared by reacting a diol and a carboxylic acid for use with a polyvinyl chloride resin composition to impart improved physical properties, such as hardness and tensile strength.
US08546599B2

The disclosed subject matter relate to a di-tert-butylphenyl alkylsulfonate compound, tert-butylphenyl alkylsulfonate compound, di-tert-butylphenyl arylsulfonate compound or tert-butylphenyl arylsulfonate compound useful as an intermediate raw material of a pharmaceutical, agricultural chemical, electronic material or polymer material and the like, or as a battery material, and also provides a nonaqueous electrolytic solution for a lithium secondary battery having superior cycle performance and other battery properties through the use thereof, and a lithium secondary battery. The disclosed embodiments further relate to a nonaqueous electrolytic solution for use as in a lithium secondary battery containing, in a nonaqueous electrolytic solution in which an electrolyte salt is dissolved in a nonaqueous solvent, 0.01 to 10% by weight of a di-tert-butylphenyl alkylsulfonate compound, tert-butylphenyl alkylsulfonate compound, di-tert-butylphenyl arylsulfonate compound or tert-butylphenyl arylsulfonate compound, and to a lithium secondary battery and a compound.
US08546598B2

The invention relates to a silane compound including a cycloalkyne functionality, to a method for functionalising a solid substrate, and to the solid substrate thus produced. The silane compound of the invention corresponds to the formula X-E-A-Z where X is a silyl group, E is an organic spacer group, A is a single bond or a —CONH—, —NHCO—, —OCH2CONH—, —NHCOCH2O—, —O— or —S— group, and Z is a cycloalkyne or heterocycloalkyne with at least 8 members. The invention is particularly suitable for use in the field of medicine.
US08546597B2

An organic silane compound for forming a Si-containing film by plasma CVD is provided. The silane compound contains 2 or more silicon atoms bonded by an intervening straight chain or branched oxygen-containing hydrocarbon chain having 4 to 8 carbon atoms containing a bond represented by Cp—O—Cq wherein p and q independently represent number of carbon atoms with the proviso that 2≦p≦6 and 2≦q≦6 and the carbon chains do not contain an unsaturated bond which conjugates with the oxygen atom, wherein all of the 2 or more silicon atoms has 1 or more hydrogen atom or an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
US08546593B2

Methods of making a liquid crystal mixture essentially comprised of at least one fatty acid ester or fatty acid, at least one polyhydric solvent, and at least one alkali reactant. The resultant mixture includes at least one fatty acid ester or fatty acid, at least one polyhydric solvent, and at least one salt of said fatty acid ester or fatty acid. The resultant mixture exhibits enhanced stability and aqueous solubility of fatty acids and fatty acid esters. When medium chain fatty acid monoglycerides are used in the method, the resultant mixture exhibits antimicrobial efficacy.
US08546586B2

A cyanine dye derivative having high fluorescence intensity in a short wavelength region, and also a controllable migration velocity by further introducing a quaternary ammonium cation. A compound having general formula [1] or a salt thereof: wherein R1 to R6 each independently represent an alkyl group having, as a substituent, a group represented by the general formula [101]:
US08546585B2

The present invention discloses a process for preparing eprosartan mesylate, in which eprosartan is dissolved or suspended in glacial acetic acid, then methanesulfonic acid is added and a solution of eprosartan mesylate in glacial acetic acid is obtained by stirring, a solid of eprosartan mesylate is precipitated by continuously stirring and then obtained by filtration, or a solid of eprosartan mesylate is obtained by concentrating the glacial acetic acid to dry, or a solid of eprosartan mesylate is obtained by adding dropwise an organic ester solvent into the glacial acetic acid under stirring to precipitate a crystal and separate the crystal.
US08546582B2

A sulfenamide vulcanization accelerator is provided that acts satisfactorily slowly on a vulcanization reaction, produces no carcinogenic nitrosamine, and is free from environmental hygiene problems such as bioaccumulation. Also provided is an N-alkyl-N-t-butylbenzothiazole-2-sulfenamide represented by formula [I]. The vulcanization accelerator is a vulcanization accelerator for rubber, containing this compound. Furthermore provided is a process for producing the vulcanization accelerator. wherein R represents methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, or n-butyl.
US08546574B2

The invention relates to conglomerates of tenatoprazole potassium salts of the following general formula (I), that consist of an equimolar mixture of enantiomers having R and S configurations and capable of crystallization in the form of a conglomerate, wherein said salts are selected from tenatoprazole dehydrated potassium salt, tenatoprazole potassium dimethanolate, tenatoprazole potassium diethanolate and tenatoprazole potassium ethylene-glycolate. The invention also relates to a pharmaceutical composition containing such salt, and to the use of said salt.
US08546556B2

The present invention provides novel carbocyclic α-L-bicyclic nucleosides and oligomeric compounds comprising at least one of these carbocyclic α-L-bicyclic nucleosides. The carbocyclic α-L-bicyclic nucleosides are useful for enhancing one or more properties of the oligomeric compounds they are incorporated into including nuclease resistance.
US08546542B2

The invention relates to an antibody that inhibits histamine releasing activity induced by an antigenic substance contained in sweat. The invention further relates to an antibody which can react with a sweat antigen composition and inhibit the histamine releasing activity of the composition on a sweat antigen stimulation-responsive cell.
US08546540B2

To provide a method of detecting abnormal bone metabolism by using a gene strongly expressed in an osteoclast; a method of screening a compound having a therapeutic and/or preventive effect on abnormal bone metabolism; and a pharmaceutical composition for treating and/or preventing abnormal bone metabolism. Provision of a method of detecting abnormal bone metabolism by using the expression of human Siglec-15 gene as an index; a pharmaceutical composition containing an antibody which specifically recognizes human Siglec-15 and has an activity of inhibiting osteoclast formation; and the like.
US08546539B2

Disclosed are processes for producing a variant polypeptide (e.g. antibodies) having modified binding characteristics for human Fc gamma receptor IIA (CD32A) leading to increased inhibition of proinflammatory mediators while retaining binding to a target antigen via its Fv portion, which processes comprise altering the polypeptides by substitution of at least two amino acid residues at EU position 325, 326 or 328 of a human IgG CH2 region for a sequence selected from SAAF, SKAF, NAAF and NKAF. Also disclosed are molecules, particularly polypeptides, more particularly immunoglobulins (e.g. antibodies) that include a variant CDR3 region, wherein the variant CDR3 region includes at least one amino acid modified relative to a wild-type CDR3 region. The polypeptides that can be generated according to the methods of the invention are highly variable, and they can include antibodies and fusion proteins that contain an Fc region or a biologically active portion thereof.
US08546537B2

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mutant streptavidin wherein the immunogenicity (antigenicity) in mammals of a streptavidin is reduced. The present invention provides a mutant streptavidin, which comprises an amino acid sequence in which (a) the arginine residue at position 72 is substituted with another amino acid residue, and (b) any one or more of the tyrosine residue at position 10, the tyrosine residue at position 71, the glutamic acid residue at position 89, the arginine residue at position 91, and the glutamic acid residue at position 104 are substituted with other amino acid residues, with respect to the amino acid sequence of a core streptavidin as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, and which has decreased immunogenicity as compared with that of a wild-type streptavidin.
US08546536B2

The present invention relates to novel engineered Ga proteins and assay methods of using such proteins to advance drug discovery. Engineered Ga proteins described by the invention contain alterations of at least one and preferably two or more amino acid residues that are highly conserved among all four subfamilies of Ga proteins. A preferred engineered protein disclosed here is a double mutant, Gαπ R178M A326S. This specific combination of mutations yields an unexpectedly amplified effect on Ga function both in terms of GTPase activity (GTP hydrolysis) and GDP dissociation. This synergistic effect may have a profound influence on the way GPCR signaling pathways are examined for the development of new pharmacotherapies, particularly in the field of central nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
US08546535B2

The invention relates to fusion constructs, methods of using fusion constructs and methods of treating undesirable or aberrant cell proliferation or hyperproliferative disorders, such as tumors, cancers, neoplasia and malignancies.
US08546522B2

Provided are a method for preparing fine round powdery polycarbonate and a method for preparing a high molecular weight polycarbonate resin using the same.More specifically, provided are a method for preparing fine round powdery polycarbonate, comprising (A) polymerizing non-phosgene polycarbonate, (B) extruding the polycarbonate into fine round powdery amorphous polycarbonate, (C) surface-crystallizing the fine round powdery amorphous polycarbonate in the presence of a solvent or dispersion medium, and (D) drying the surface-crystallized fine round powdery polycarbonate, and a method for preparing high molecular weight polycarbonate resin capable of obtaining polycarbonates with various molecular weights ranging from low molecular weights to high molecular weights by continuously using the obtained fine round powdery polycarbonate via a solid state polymerization step. In accordance with the methods, it is possible to remarkably simplify crystallization of amorphous polycarbonate and thus to realize process continuousness and economical efficiency enabling commercial mass-production, and to overcome production of high molecular weight polycarbonate, the most serious problem of conventional non-phosgene melt polymerization processes.
US08546514B2

Disclosed is a continuous process for manufacturing aliphatic polycarbonate by polymerizing carbon dioxide and one or more epoxide compound in the presence of catalyst, in which carbon dioxide, one or more epoxide compound, and the catalyst are continuously supplied to polymerization reactor to produce aliphatic polycarbonate, separate unreacted carbon dioxide and epoxide compound and recycle them as raw materials.
US08546511B2

The present invention provides a polyamideimide resin for flexible printed circuit boards that prior to curing exhibits an excellent solubility, processability, and handling characteristics, and that after curing exhibits flame retardancy, solder heat resistance, circuit embeddability, and flexibility and further has a high glass-transition temperature (Tg) and is able to maintain a high adhesive strength. The present invention provides a polyamideimide resin for flexible printed circuit boards, which is obtained by the polymerization reaction of an acid component comprising at least a monoanhydride and an aromatic dicarboxylic acid with a diisocyanate compound or diamine compound in an approximately equimolar amount with respect to the total molar amount of the acid component, wherein the molar amount of the monoanhydride is 0.4 to 0.8 taking the total molar amount of the acid component as 1.
US08546505B2

This invention relates generally to norbornene-monomer, poly(norbornene)homopolymer, and poly(norbornene)copolymer compounds containing a functionalized carbazole side chain, having desirable solution processability and host characteristics. It also relates to hole transport and/or electron blocking materials, and to organic host materials for an organic luminescence layer, an OLED device, and compositions of matter which include these compounds.
US08546502B2

Disclosed are a production process of a dye polymer having a dye content of from 1 to 50 wt %, and the dye polymer and its use. The production process includes subjecting an addition-polymerizable monomer to living radical polymerization by using, as a polymerization initiator, a dye having a polymerization initiating group enabling the living radical polymerization. The dye polymer and a composition of the dye polymer and a pigment are useful as good coloring agents for various products or articles. The colored products or articles are high in transparency, and are provided with high added value. The dye polymer can also be used as a dispersant for pigments, thereby making it possible to afford pigment dispersions excellent in dispersion properties and dispersion stability.
US08546483B2

To provide a highly storage-stable nonionic oil-in-water organosiloxane emulsion composition that substantially does not contain ionic surfactant and that on a long-term basis does not undergo separation of the emulsion composition. An oil-in-water organosiloxane emulsion composition that characteristically comprises (A) 100 weight parts of organosiloxane, (B) 0.5 to 35 weight parts of organic-modified organosiloxane, (C) 0.5 to 35 weight parts of nonionic surfactant, (D) 0.5 to 15 weight parts of water-soluble solvent, and (E) water, wherein the content of (F) ionic surfactant in the composition is less than 0.1 weight part per 100 weight parts component (A).
US08546471B2

A Waterborne adhesive comprising 1 to 50 weight-% of a (meth)acrylate copolymer manufactured by polymerization of at least one ester of methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, crotonic acid and/or itaconic acid with aliphatic alcohols, substituted aliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols, polyether glycols, and other copolymerizable monomers, having an acid number from 0 to 150 mgKOH/g, 0 to 40 wt-% of natural polymers 0.5 to 30 wt-% of urea, 0.1 to 20 wt-% of additives, characterized in that the adhesive contains 0.05 to 20 weight-% of a super absorbent polymer.
US08546467B2

The present invention relates to a process comprising the steps of a) contacting an aqueous dispersion of a TiO2 slurry containing adsorbing dispersant with an adsorbing latex to form a mixture, wherein the pH of the mixture of the TiO2 slurry and adsorbing latex are sufficiently high to inhibit interaction between the TiO2 and the adsorbing dispersant; then b) lowering the pH of the mixture of step a) sufficiently to promote interaction between the TiO2 and the adsorbing latex, thereby forming a composite; wherein the adsorbing latex comprises structural units of itaconic acid or a salt thereof. The process of the present invention provides for improved hiding and reduced grit for coatings compositions.
US08546461B2

The present invention relates to a method for producing water-absorbing polymer particles by radiation-inducing polymerization on a continuously revolving belt, electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of greater than 400 nm being shielded.
US08546451B2

The present invention relates to methods of treating androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) induced hot flashes and severe hot flashes in a subject.
US08546445B2

A composition which is adapted for oral consumption comprising daidzein and an anthocyanidin, wherein the weight ratio of daidzein to anthocyanidin is in the range of from 1:1 to 1:100, wherein the daidzein is in the form of a pre-prepared aqueous dispersion, and wherein the composition is free of soy protein, which can exhibit an anti-inflammatory effect in skin, the use of a composition containing daidzein and an anthocyanidin for obtaining an anti-inflammatory effect in the skin and a method of reducing skin inflammation through the oral consumption of the composition.
US08546442B2

Disclosed are compounds of the formula (I), useful for treating a variety of diseases and disorders that are mediated or sustained through the activity of CCR1 including autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Also disclosed are methods of making and methods of using same.
US08546439B2

Chemical compounds that disrupt retroviral assembly and maturation are presented herein. More particularly, this disclosure provides small molecule compounds that disrupt the formation and maturation of virus particles and methods of using such small molecules to treat HIV-1 infection.
US08546434B2

The present invention provides triazole compounds of Formula I: as further described herein. The invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula I, and a method of treating a disorder mediated, at least in part, by KSP in a mammalian patient comprising administering to a mammalian patient in need of such treatment a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of Formula I.
US08546431B2

A method for treating a human comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of 3-[3-tert-butylsulfanyl-1-[4-(6-methoxy-pyridin-3-yl)-benzyl]-5-(pyridin-2-ylmethoxy)-1H-indol-2-yl]-2,2-dimethyl-propionic acid or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or a pharmaceutically acceptable N-oxide thereof, to the human in need.
US08546430B2

Thalidomide analogs that modulate tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) activity and angiogenesis are disclosed. In particularly disclosed embodiments, the thalidomide analogs are isosteric sulfur-containing analogs. Also disclosed are methods of treating a subject with the analogs.
US08546429B2

The present invention relates to certain trisubstituted aryl and heteroaryl derivatives of Formula (I) that are modulators of metabolism. Accordingly, compounds of the present invention are useful in the prophylaxis or treatment of metabolic disorders and complications thereof, such as, diabetes and obesity.
US08546427B2

The present invention relates to compounds according to formula (I) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts or esters thereof, wherein R1 to R7 have the significance given herein. The compounds are activators of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and are useful in the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases that are related to AMPK regulation, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia, type 1 or type 2 diabetes and cancers.
US08546419B2

The present invention relates to conjugate comprising a carrier substituted with one or more occurrences of a moiety having the structure: wherein each occurrence of M is independently a modifier having a molecular weight ≦10 kDa; denotes direct of indirect attachment of M to linker LM; and each occurrence of LM is independently an optionally substituted succinamide-containing linker, whereby the modifier M is directly or indirectly attached to the succinamide linker through an amide bond, and the carrier is linked directly or indirectly to each occurrence of the succinamide linker through an ester bond. In another aspect, the invention provides compositions comprising the conjugates, methods for their preparation, and methods of use thereof in the treatment of various disorder, including, but not limited to cancer.
US08546417B2

The invention relates to fused and spirocycle compounds of Formula I: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, prodrug, or solvate thereof, wherein R1, R2, Q1-Q3, and Z are defined as set forth in the specification. The invention is also directed to the use of compounds of Formula I to treat, prevent or ameliorate a disorder responsive to the blockade of calcium channels, and particularly N-type calcium channels. Compounds of the present invention are especially useful for treating pain.
US08546415B2

N-n-Alkylation of nicotine converts nicotine from an agonist into an antagonist specifically for neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes mediating nicotine-evoked dopamine release. Conformationally restricted analogs exhibit both high affinity and selectivity at this site, and are able to access the brain due to their ability to act as substrates for the blood-brain barrier choline transporter.
US08546407B2

The invention provides a compound for use as a protein kinase B inhibitor, the compound being a compound of the formula (Ic) or salts, tautomers or N-oxides thereof.
US08546404B2

Disclosed are the ERK inhibitors of formula 1.0: and the pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters and solvates thereof. Q is a piperidine or piperazine ring that can have a bridge or a fused ring. The piperidine ring can have a double bond in the ring. All other substitutents are as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of treating cancer using the compounds of formula 1.0.
US08546398B2

The present invention provides stereoisomers and stereoisomeric mixtures of 3-aminocarbonyl-bicycloheptene-2,4-pyrimidinediamine compounds having antiproliferative activity, compositions comprising the compounds and methods of using the compounds to inhibit cellular proliferation and to treat proliferate diseases such as tumorigenic cancers.
US08546396B2

The present invention relates to compounds of formulae 1 and 2 and methods for modulating the Wnt signaling pathway using these compounds, wherein A1, A2, B, Y and Z all represent rings.
US08546391B2

The invention relates to compounds of the formula (I) either (i) in the state of a base or an acid addition salt, or (ii) in the state of an acid or a base addition salt, as well as to a method for preparing same and to the therapeutic applications thereof.
US08546381B2

This disclosure relates to new compounds that may be used to modulate a histamine receptor in an individual. Novel compounds are described, including new bridged heterocyclic [4,3-b]indole compounds. Pharmaceutical compositions are also provided. Pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds are also provided, as are methods of using the compounds in a variety of therapeutic applications, including the treatment of a cognitive disorder, psychotic disorder, neurotransmitter-mediated disorder and/or a neuronal disorder.
US08546380B2

A composition having BACE 1 inhibitory activity containing a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein ring A is an optionally substituted heterocyclic group; E is lower alkylene; X is S; R1 is a hydrogen atom or lower alkyl; R2a, R2b, R3a, R3b, R4a and R4b is each independently a hydrogen atom, halogen, or hydroxy etc.; n and m are each independently an integer of 0 to 3; n+m is an integer of 0 to 3; R5 is a hydrogen atom or substituted lower alkyl; or its pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US08546336B2

The present invention is directed to a compound of the formula: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and use of such compounds for treating proliferative diseases such as cancer, in mammals.
US08546331B2

The invention is based on the discovery that interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1alpha) is expressed on the proinflammatory CD14+CD16+ monocyte subset. Importantly, since IL-1alpha appears to be almost exclusively expressed on this monocyte subset and not other leukocytes, it represents an ideal marker for targeting the CD14+CD16+ monocyte subset. The effectiveness of an agent that depletes such pathogenic cells or modulates IL-1alpha function on such cells type can be monitored by assessing CD14+CD16+ monocyte levels or functionality.
US08546323B2

Treatments employing the matricellular protein thrombospondin-1 (TSP-I) and related compositions are disclosed for stabilizing atherosclerotic plaque and decreasing occurrence of plaque rupture events leading to, for example, myocardial infarction, stroke, and acute limb ischemia. Various peptides, including certain synthetic peptides, related to TSP-I are also disclosed. Such peptides have utility in stabilizing plaque in various contexts, including the disease states mentioned above. Some of these peptides include one or more sequences related to active sites of TSP-I for regulating, e.g., TGF-ss1 and MMP-9 activity. Experimental data show that a representative peptide provides a beneficial effect with systemic injection of the peptide.
US08546319B2

The present invention provides for compositions and methods for treating, ameliorating or preventing a lysosomal storage disease by administering to a patient suffering from a lysosomal storage disease a P97 conjugated with an enzyme which is capable of transportation into the lysosomes of cells on either sides of the blood brain barrier.
US08546316B2

The present invention relates to a dishwashing composition comprising abrasive particles and a suspending aid selected from the group consisting of crystalline wax structurants, micro-fibril-cellulose, amido-gellants, di-benzylidene polyol acetal derivatives, and mixtures thereof, and the process and use thereof.
US08546310B2

Of the many compositions and methods provided herein, an example method includes a method of treating a subterranean formation that comprises combining components comprising water and a density-matched suspension to prepare a treatment fluid, wherein the density-matched suspension comprises a suspending liquid and a solid particle suspended in the suspending liquid, and introducing the treatment fluid into a well bore. An example composition includes a suspension that comprises a suspending liquid comprising a hydrophobic liquid, wherein the hydrophobic liquid hydrolyzes when placed in contact with an aqueous fluid to form hydrophilic products, and a solid particle suspended in the suspending liquid, wherein the suspension is a density-matched suspension.
US08546309B2

The present invention concerns monomeric or polymeric linker molecules useful in biological and chemical applications, their synthesis, and the synthesis and use of derivatives of the linkers conjugated to a variety of detectable labels and other substances. The linkers may be used, for example, in conjunction with fluorescent labels, nucleic acid or nucleic acid analog probes, and solid phase systems, and to enhance the solubility of the conjugated molecules.
US08546307B2

The present disclosure relates to novel triple tag sequences that may comprise a 6× histidine tag, a c-myc tag and a V5 tag. The present disclosure also provides polynucleotides, proteins, vectors and host cells that comprise the triple tag sequence of the present disclosure, including libraries of such polynucleotides, proteins, vectors and host cells. The novel triple tag sequences of the present disclosure may be used in phage display vectors and phage libraries and in methods for detection, screening, capture, purification, quantitation, and/or recovery of proteins of interest to which they are linked. Proteins of interest include antibodies such as single chain antibodies, single chain antibodies, and Fab fragments of antibodies or peptides such as non-antibody peptides.
US08546287B2

A group V metal/rhenium-modified molecular sieve catalyst can be used in hydrocarbon conversion reactions. Embodiments can provide a toluene conversion of at least 30 wt % with selectivity to benzene above 40 wt % and to xylenes above 40 wt % and non-aromatics selectivity of less than 2.0 wt %.
US08546285B2

The present invention provides a nanostructured composite material of γ-alumina-doped zirconia stabilised with cerium oxide and zirconia-doped α-alumina, the process for obtaining it and the applications thereof, such as knee prostheses, hip prostheses, dental implants, mechanical components for pumps, alkaline batteries, ceramic components for stereotactic neurology, cutting tools, etc.
US08546280B2

Lithium silicate materials are described which can be easily processed by machining to dental products without undue wear of the tools and which subsequently can be converted into lithium silicate products showing high strength.
US08546279B2

A cloth material for marking including: a label cloth made of a white cloth formed of a fiber containing a component having affinity for a sublimation dye; an intermediate layer disposed on a rear surface of the label cloth, the intermediate layer including a synthetic resin which has affinity for the component of the label cloth and which has a melting point higher than a sublimation temperature of the sublimation dye; a transfer adhesive layer including a hot-melt thermoplastic synthetic resin and disposed on a surface of the intermediate layer; and a sheet of release paper disposed on a surface of the transfer adhesive layer. The intermediate layer is formed and closely fixed on the rear surface of the label cloth by laminating or coating. The transfer adhesive layer is also formed by laminating or coating. Desired colors, patterns and/or figures are transferable from transfer paper printed with a sublimation dye onto a surface of the cloth material for marking that has a transfer adhesive layer on its rear surface.
US08546277B2

Process for heating a plastic by means of at least one source of electromagnetic radiation, characterized in that the electromagnetic radiation is emitted in the infrared at a wavelength or in a wavelength spectrum contained in one of the following ranges: 1110-1160 nm; 1390-1450 nm; 1610-1650 nm; 1675-1700 nm; 1880-2100 nm; 2170-2230 nm.
US08546274B2

A highly stressed dielectric material, such as a tensile stressed material, may be deposited in a conformal manner so as to respect any deposition constraints caused by pronounced surface topography of highly scaled semiconductor devices, followed by the deposition of a buffer material having enhanced gap-filling capabilities. Thereafter, a further stress-inducing layer is deposited to form a doublet structure, which acts on the transistor elements, thereby enhancing overall performance, without increasing the probability of creating deposition-related irregularities. Hence, production yield as well as performance of highly scaled semiconductor devices may be increased.
US08546270B2

An atomic layer deposition apparatus and an atomic layer deposition method increase productivity. The atomic layer deposition apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a heater for supporting a plurality of semiconductor substrates with a given interval within the reaction chamber and to heat the plurality of semiconductor substrates and a plurality of injectors respectively positioned within the reaction chamber and corresponding to the plurality of semiconductor substrates supported by the heater. The plurality of injectors are individually swept above the plurality of semiconductor substrates to spray reaction gas.
US08546269B2

Techniques for fabricating nanowire-based devices are provided. In one aspect, a method for fabricating a semiconductor device is provided comprising the following steps. A wafer is provided having a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) layer over a buried oxide (BOX) layer. Nanowires and pads are etched into the SOI layer to form a ladder-like structure wherein the pads are attached at opposite ends of the nanowires. The BOX layer is undercut beneath the nanowires. The nanowires and pads are contacted with an oxidizing gas to oxidize the silicon in the nanowires and pads under conditions that produce a ratio of a silicon consumption rate by oxidation on the nanowires to a silicon consumption rate by oxidation on the pads of from about 0.75 to about 1.25. An aspect ratio of width to thickness among all of the nanowires may be unified prior to contacting the nanowires and pads with the oxidizing gas.
US08546268B2

STI divot formation is minimized and STI field height mismatch between different regions is eliminated. A nitride cover layer (150) having a thickness less than 150 then a oxide cover layer (160) having a thickness less than 150 is deposited acting as implant buffer after pad oxide removal following the STI CMP process. This nitride or oxide stack is selectively removed by masking prior to gate oxidation of each LV (low voltage) region (GX1), MV (intermediate voltage) region (GX3) and HV (high voltage) region (GX5) respectively followed by a gate poly deposition.
US08546266B2

The invention provides a plasma processing apparatus and a dry etching method for etching a multilayered film structure having steps with high accuracy. The plasma processing apparatus comprises a vacuum reactor 107, a lower electrode 113 placed within a processing chamber of the vacuum reactor and having a wafer 112 to be etched mounted on the upper surface thereof, bias supplying units 118 and 120 for supplying high frequency power for forming a bias potential to the lower electrode 113, a gas supply means 111 for feeding reactive gas into the processing chamber, an electric field supplying means 101 through 103 for supplying a magnetic field for generating plasma in the processing chamber, and a control unit 127 for controlling the distribution of ion energy in the plasma being incident on the wafer 112 via the high frequency power.
US08546259B2

Semiconductor components are often fabricated that include a nickel silicide layer, e.g., as part of a gate electrode in a transistor component, which may be formed by forming a layer of nickel on a silicon-containing area of the semiconductor substrate, followed by thermally annealing the semiconductor substrate to produce a nickel silicide. However, nickel may tend to diffuse into silicon during the thermal anneal, and may form crystals that undesirably increase the sheet resistance in the transistor. Carbon may be placed with the nickel to serve as a diffusion suppressant and/or to prevent nickel crystal formation during thermal annealing. Methods are disclosed for utilizing this technique, as well as semiconductor components formed in accordance with this technique.
US08546256B2

The methods include forming a semiconductor substrate pattern by etching a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor pattern has a first via hole that exposes side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern, and the side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern exposed by the first via hole have an impurity layer pattern. The methods further include treating upper surfaces of the semiconductor substrate pattern, the treated upper surfaces of the semiconductor substrate pattern being hydrophobic; removing the impurity layer pattern from the side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern exposed by the first via hole; forming a first insulating layer pattern on the side walls of the semiconductor substrate pattern exposed by the first via hole; and filling a first conductive layer pattern into the first via hole and over the first insulating layer pattern.
US08546239B2

Air gap isolation in non-volatile memory arrays and related fabrication processes are provided. Electrical isolation can be provided, at least in part, by bit line air gaps that are elongated in a column direction and/or word line air gaps that are elongated in a row direction. The bit line air gaps may be formed in the substrate, extending between adjacent active areas of the substrate, as well as above the substrate surface, extending between adjacent columns of non-volatile storage elements. The word line air gaps may be formed above the substrate surface, extending between adjacent rows of non-volatile storage elements.
US08546235B2

An integrated circuit includes a substrate and a first metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor disposed over the substrate. The MIM capacitor includes a first metallic capacitor plate disposed over the substrate. At least one first insulator layer is disposed over the first metallic capacitor plate. A second metallic capacitor plate is disposed over the at least one first insulator layer. At least one first dielectric layer is disposed over the substrate. At least a portion of the at least one first dielectric layer is disposed between the first metallic capacitor plate and the at least one first insulator layer.
US08546233B2

A method produces integrated circuit arrangement that includes an undulating capacitor in a conductive structure layer. The surface area of the capacitor is enlarged in comparison with an even capacitor. The capacitor is interlinked with dielectric regions at its top side and/or its underside, so that it can be produced by methods which may not have to be altered in comparison with conventional CMP methods.
US08546226B2

A method for fabricating a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) non-volatile memory cell, wherein the method comprises steps as following: a pad oxide layer and a first hard mask layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. The pad oxide layer and the first hard mask layer are then etched through to form an opening exposing a portion of the substrate. Subsequently, an oxide-nitride-oxide (ONO) structure with a size substantially less than or equal to the opening is formed to coincide with the portion of the substrate exposed from the opening.
US08546224B2

A method for manufacturing a twin bit cell structure with an aluminum oxide material includes forming a gate dielectric layer overlying a semiconductor substrate and a polysilicon gate structure overlying the gate dielectric layer. An undercut region is formed in each side of the gate dielectric layer underneath the polysilicon gate structure. Thereafter, an oxidation process is performed to form a first silicon oxide layer on a peripheral surface of the polysilicon gate structure and a second silicon oxide layer on an exposed surface of the semiconductor substrate. Then, an aluminum oxide material is deposited over the first and second silicon oxide layers including the undercut region and the gate dielectric layer. The aluminum oxide material is selectively etched to form an insert region in a portion of the undercut region. A sidewall spacer is formed to isolate and protect the exposed aluminum oxide material and the polysilicon gate structure.
US08546215B2

A memory device comprising a vertical transistor includes a digit line that is directly coupled to the source regions of each memory cell. Because an electrical plug is not used to form a contact between the digit line and the source regions, a number of fabrication steps may be reduced and the possibility for manufacturing defects may also be reduced. In some embodiments, a memory device may include a vertical transistor having gate regions that are recessed from an upper portion of a silicon substrate. With the gate regions recessed from the silicon substrate, the gate regions are spaced further from the source/drain regions and, accordingly, cross capacitance between the gate regions and the source/drain regions may be reduced.
US08546205B2

Apparatus and methods for detecting evaporation conditions in an evaporator for evaporating metal onto semiconductor wafers, such as GaAs wafers, are disclosed. One such apparatus can include a crystal monitor sensor configured to detect metal vapor associated with a metal source prior to metal deposition onto a semiconductor wafer. This apparatus can also include a shutter configured to remain in a closed position when the crystal monitor sensor detects an undesired condition, so as to prevent metal deposition onto the semiconductor wafer. In some implementations, the undesired condition can be indicative of a composition of a metal source, a deposition rate of a metal source, impurities of a metal source, position of a metal source, position of an electron beam, and/or intensity of an electron beam.
US08546202B2

A manufacturing method for semiconductor structures includes providing a substrate having a first region and a second region defined thereon, forming a plurality of first patterns in the first region and at least a second pattern in the second region, forming a plurality of first spacers respectively on sidewalls of the first patterns and at least a second spacer on a sidewall of the second pattern, forming a patterned protecting layer in the second region, removing the first patterns from the first region to form a plurality of first masking patterns in the first region and at least a second masking pattern in the second region, and transferring the first masking patterns and the second masking pattern to the substrate.
US08546199B2

A method of manufacturing a transparent transistor including a substrate, source and drain electrodes formed on the substrate, each having a multi-layered structure of a lower transparent layer, a metal layer and an upper transparent layer, a channel formed between the source and drain electrodes, and a gate electrode aligned with the channel. The lower transparent layer or the upper transparent layer is formed of a transparent semiconductor layer, which is the same as the channel.
US08546198B2

A method of manufacturing a transparent transistor including a substrate, source and drain electrodes formed on the substrate, each having a multi-layered structure of a lower transparent layer, a metal layer and an upper transparent layer, a channel formed between the source and drain electrodes, and a gate electrode aligned with the channel. The lower transparent layer or the upper transparent layer is formed of a transparent semiconductor layer, which is the same as the channel.
US08546195B2

A semiconductor wafer is made by forming a first conductive layer over a sacrificial substrate, mounting a semiconductor die to the sacrificial substrate, depositing an insulating layer over the semiconductor die and first conductive layer, exposing the first conductive layer and contact pad on the semiconductor die, forming a second conductive layer over the insulating layer between the first conductive layer and contact pad, forming solder bumps on the second conductive layer, depositing an encapsulant over the semiconductor die, first conductive layer, and interconnect structure, and removing the sacrificial substrate after forming the encapsulant to expose the conductive layer and semiconductor die. A portion of the encapsulant is removed to expose a portion of the solder bumps. The solder bumps are sized so that each extends the same outside the encapsulant. The semiconductor die are stacked by electrically connecting the solder bumps.
US08546188B2

A first set of semiconductor substrates includes semiconductor chips having bonding pads arranged in a primary pattern. A second set of semiconductor substrates includes semiconductor chips having bonding pads arranged in a mirror-image pattern. A first semiconductor substrate from the first set is bonded to a second semiconductor substrate from the second set such that each bonding pads is bonded to a mirror-image bonding pad. Additional substrates are bonded sequentially such that the bonded structure includes an even number of semiconductor substrates of which one half have bonding pads of the primary pattern and are bonded to the side of the first semiconductor substrate, while the other half have bonding pads of the mirror-image pattern and are bonded to the side of the second semiconductor substrate. The mirror-image patterns of the bonding pads enable maximal cancellation of wafer bow.
US08546184B2

A method of forming an electronic assembly includes dispensing a die attach material on a substrate into a recessed portion that includes an inner recessed portion of including a die pad. The die attach material is not dispensed on an outer raised flat portion of the die pad. A semiconductor die is attached directly on the outer raised flat portion and affixed to the die pad with said die attach material in said interior recessed portion but not on said outer raised flat portion.
US08546179B2

A method of fabricating a self-aligned top-gate organic transistor comprises depositing a photoresist material over the dielectric material, and exposing the photoresist material to irradiation through the substrate using the source and drain electrodes as a mask. The exposure defines a region for deposition of the gate electrode.
US08546162B2

A method for forming a light guide layer with improved transmission reliability in a semiconductor substrate, the method including forming a trench in the semiconductor substrate, forming a cladding layer and a preliminary light guide layer in the trench such that only one of opposite side end portions of the preliminary light guide layer is in contact with an inner sidewall of the trench, and performing a thermal treatment on the substrate to change the preliminary light guide layer into the light guide layer.
US08546153B2

There is provided a resin dispensing apparatus for a light emitting device package and a method of manufacturing a light emitting device package using the same. The resin dispensing apparatus includes a resin dispensing part including a resin storage portion filled with a resin therein and a resin discharge portion combined with the resin storage portion and discharging the resin therefrom; a supporting part having a light emitting device package disposed on an upper surface thereof and electrically connected to the light emitting device package; a voltage applying part having both terminals respectively connected to the resin dispensing part and the supporting part to apply a voltage thereto; and a sensing part electrically connected to the resin dispensing part and the supporting part individually and sensing a contact between the resin dispensing part and the light emitting device package with an electrical signal.
US08546138B2

A method of enriching mesenchymal precursor cells including the step of enriching for cells based on at least two markers. The markers may be either i) the presence of markers specific for mesenchymal precursor cells, ii) the absence of markers specific for differentiated mesenchymal cells, or iii) expression levels of markers specific for mesenchymal precursor cells. The method may include a first solid phase sorting step utilising MACS recognising expression of the antigen to the STRO-1 Mab, followed by a second sorting step utilising two colour FACS to screen for the presence of high level STRO-1 antigen expression as well as the expression of VCAM-1.
US08546136B2

The present invention provides compositions and methods for rapid assembly of one or more assembled polynucleotides from a plurality of component polynucleotides. The methods of the invention utilize circular nucleic acid vectors that comprise a DNA segment D flanked by an annealable linker sequence, annealable linker sequence pairs LA and LB, or annealable linker sequence/primer binding segment pairs LA and PB or PA and LB. Restriction endonuclease digestion of a plurality of vectors containing the DNA segments to be assembled generates a plurality of DNA fragments comprising the elements PA-D-LB, LA-D-LB, and LA-D-PB or D-LB, LA-D-LB, and LA-D. The sequences of annealable linker sequences LA and LB provide complementary termini to the DNA fragments, which are utilized in host cell mediated homologous recombination or together with promer binding segments PA and PB in a polymerase cycling assembly reaction for the ordered assembly of the various DNA segments into one or more assembled polynucleotides.
US08546131B2

A method and a device or kit for detecting a nucleic acid, which enable simple and precise visual detection of a nucleic acid amplified by an nucleic acid amplification method, without necessity of special devices are provided. The method for detecting a nucleic acid in a sample comprises: contacting a sample with a dye to react with each other; and observing a substance produced by the reaction with visible light, and evaluating the presence or absence of a nucleic acid by eye. The device or kit for detecting a nucleic acid in a sample comprises: a carrier that holds a dye which can bind to a nucleic acid; a path for passing a sample through the carrier; and an evaluation part for observing a substance produced by the reaction between the sample and the dye with visible light, and evaluating the presence or absence of a nucleic acid by eye.
US08546130B2

An oligomer probe array with improved signal-to-noise ratio includes a substrate, a plurality of probe cell active regions formed on or in the substrate, with each of the plurality of probe cell active regions having a substantially planar surface and being coupled with at least one oligomer probe with own sequence, and a probe cell isolation region defining the probe cell active regions and having no functional groups for coupling with the oligomer probes on a surface.
US08546128B2

The invention provides a passive fluidics circuit for directing different fluids to a common volume, such as a reaction chamber or flow cell, without intermixing or cross contamination. The direction and rate of flow through junctions, nodes and passages of the fluidics circuit are controlled by the states of upstream valves (e.g. opened or closed), differential fluid pressures at circuit inlets or upstream reservoirs, flow path resistances, and the like. Free diffusion or leakage of fluids from unselected inlets into the common outlet or other inlets at junctions or nodes is prevented by the flow of the selected inlet fluid, a portion of which sweeps by the inlets of unselected fluids and exits the fluidics circuit by waste ports, thereby creating a barrier against undesired intermixing with the outlet flow through leakage or diffusion. The invention is particularly advantageous in apparatus for performing sensitive multistep reactions, such as pH-based DNA sequencing reactions.
US08546123B2

Provided is a process for the production of poliovirus, comprising the steps of: a) providing a serum-free suspension culture of cells, which are primary human retina (HER) cells that have been immortalized by expression of adenovirus E1 sequences, b) infecting the cells with poliovirus, at a cell density of between 2×106 cells/ml and 150×106 cells/ml, and c) harvesting poliovirus at a time of between 12 and 48 hours after infection.
US08546116B2

A method and apparatus for fractionating a lignocellulose-based biomass are provided. The method includes providing a lignocellulose-based biomass, extracting lignin from the biomass by adding a first solvent capable of dissolving the lignin, extracting xylose by adding a second solvent capable of dissolving hemicellulose to the biomass treated with the first solvent, and extracting the cellulose remaining in the biomass. In this method, a continuous process can be performed instead of a low efficiency batch-type process and components of the biomass can be obtained at high yield.
US08546115B2

The present invention relates to polyesterases having cutinase and/or suberinase activity obtainable from Coprinus and Trichoderma. The invention further relates to a method for producing the polyesterases, and to polynucleotides, vectors and host cells used therein. The enzymes are useful in hydrolysing cutin, suberin and other polyesters for example in treating agricultural or food raw materials, or wood raw materials, pulp and paper products and waste, and in modifying polyester fibers, or in laundry and dish applications.
US08546109B2

The present invention relates to a method for lignocellulosic conversion to sugar using an ionic liquid pretreatment for the saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass. Thus, cellulose, hemicellulose, when hydrolyzed into their sugars, can be converted to ethanol fuel through well-established fermentation technologies. These sugars also form the feedstocks for production of a variety of chemical and polymers. The complex structure of the biomass required pretreatment to enable efficient saccharification of cellulose and hemicellulose components to their constituent sugars.
US08546095B2

The methods of the disclosure provide fluorescence-based assays for calcineurin activity, especially in isolated T cells. The methods include the stimulation of the T cells with agents that specifically target the TCR with or without influencing co-stimulatory pathways. One TCR agonist is monoclonal antibodies specific for CD3, which more precisely distinguish the inducible activity of calcineurin than does an alternative method targeting the T cell receptor (CD3) combined with CD28 costimulation. This method more accurately distinguishes between the measured level of calcineurin activity of T cells from immunosuppressed transplant recipients and normal individuals, and thus has improved diagnostic accuracy with respect to the response of an individual to immunosuppressant therapy following an organ transplant.
US08546091B2

Methods for determining whether a cancer patient is likely to benefit from treatment with a taxane compound based on Akt-Ser473 phosphorylation status are provided, together with kits for determining Akt-Ser473 phosphorylation status and methods for improving treatment of a cancer patient that include obtaining a determination of the Akt-Ser473 phosphorylation status of the cancer.
US08546072B2

An object of the present invention is to provide a peptide derivative for determining β-glucan or endotoxin which allows high sensitivity measurement, and a method for determining β-glucan and/or endotoxin using the same. The present invention relates to (1) a peptide derivative represented by the following general formula [1]: X-A1-Gly-Arg-A2-E-D  [1], (2) a reagent for determining β-glucan and/or endotoxin comprising the above-described peptide derivative, (3) a method for determining β-glucan and/or endotoxin, characterized in that a sample containing β-glucan and/or endotoxin, an amebocyte lysate of a horseshoe crab and the above-described peptide derivative are reacted each other, then the resulting released compound represented by the following general formula [2]: H-A2-E-D  [2] is separated from unreacted substance and quantified, and the determination is made based on this value, and (4) a reagent kit for determining β-glucan and/or endotoxin, comprising an amebocyte lysate of a horseshoe crab and the above-described peptide derivative as constituents thereof.
US08546066B2

A method for forming a conductor pattern comprising the steps of (a) forming a photo-crosslinkable resin layer on a substrate provided with a conductive layer on its surface, (b) treating the photo-crosslinkable resin layer with an alkali aqueous solution to render it thinner, (c) carrying out exposure for a circuit pattern, (d) developing and (e) etching, the steps included in this order, said alkali aqueous solution being an aqueous solution containing 5 to 20 mass % of an inorganic alkaline compound, or method for forming a conductor pattern comprising the steps of (a′) forming a photo-crosslinkable resin layer on a substrate provide with a conductive layer on its surface and inside a hole thereof, (i) curing the photo-crosslinkable resin layer on the hole alone or on the hole and a surrounding area thereof, (b′) treating the photo-crosslinkable resin layer in an uncured portion with an alkali aqueous solution to render it thinner, (c) carrying out exposure for a circuit pattern, (d) developing and (e) etching, these steps included in this order, said alkali aqueous solution being an aqueous solution containing 5 to 20 mass % of an inorganic alkaline compound.
US08546065B2

A mask for crystallizing a semiconductor layer includes a plurality of first main-slit portions, a plurality of second main-slit portions, upper slit portion and lower slit portion. The first main-slit portions extend along an inclined direction with respect to a first direction. The second main-slit portions are spaced apart from the first main-slit portions. The upper slit portion is disposed on the first main-slit portions along a second direction to be parallel to the first main-slit portions, and extends partway over the second main-slit portions to be longer than the first main-slit portions. The lower slit portion is disposed under the second main-slit portions along the second direction to be parallel to the second main-slit portions, and extends partway under the first main-slit portions to be longer than the second main-slit portions.
US08546062B2

A composition of matter. The composition of matter includes a polymer having an ethylenic backbone and comprising a first monomer having an aromatic moiety, a second monomer having a base soluble moiety or an acid labile protected base soluble moiety, and a third monomer having a fluoroalkyl moiety. Also a photoresist formulation including the composition of matter and a method of imaging using the photoresist formulation including the composition of matter.
US08546054B2

An electrophotographic toner includes a binder resin, a colorant, and a releasing agent, wherein the electrophotographic toner has a complex viscosity (η) of 4e2 Pa·s to 8e3 Pa·s at a temperature range of 120 to 160° C. and an angular velocity range of 1.6 to 10 rad/s, a rate of change of the complex viscosity of 165 to 185 Pa·s/° C. at 1.6 rad/s, and 70 to 80 Pa·s/° C. at 10 rad/s within the temperature range, a stress relaxation of 1.0 e3 to 4.5 e4 Pa at a relaxation time of 0.05 to 0.3 seconds under a temperature range of 120 to 160° C., and a rate of change of the stress relaxation (ΔG/ΔT) of 785 to 1000 Pa/° C. at 0.05 seconds and 190 to 215 Pa/° C. at 0.3 seconds within the temperature range above.
US08546048B2

A technique generating sloping resist profiles based on an exposure process uses a reticle having structures surrounded with first and second contrasting interleaved bands below the resolution limit of the stepper used to expose the resist. Exemplary embodiments include a reticle having interleaved, non-overlapping transparent and opaque bands surrounding a transparent feature with an innermost one of the opaque bands bordering the structure, such as a via opening or a metal conductors pattern, resulting in the patterned photoresist having sloped or tapered sides with consistent reproducibility. The slope in the photoresist is then transferred to the underlying layer during an etch using the tapered photoresist as a mask. Alternatively, the sloped resist can have a negative slope angle for patterning metal conductors using a metal lift-off technique.
US08546044B2

The present invention easily provides a polymer electrolyte that exhibits high proton conductivity under low humidity conditions and has a high level of durability and mechanical strength. The polymer electrolyte is produced by mixing proton-conducting sulfonated polyethersulfone C1, sulfonated polyphenylene sulfide C2 or sulfonated poly(4-phenoxybenzoyl-1,4-phenylene) C3 having a sulfonic acid group A as a protic acid group with 1,4-benzenedimethanol B as a crosslinking agent having a methylol group and heat-treating the mixture so that a reaction can be carried out. The polymer electrolyte includes a plurality of proton-conducting sulfonated polyethersulfone moieties C chemically bonded at their aromatic ring moieties other than the sulfonic acid group A to one another through a residue B′ of 1,4-benzenedimethanol.
US08546037B2

A fuel cell separator of the present invention is a plate-shaped fuel cell separator including a reaction gas supply manifold hole 21, a reactant gas discharge manifold hole 22, a groove-shaped first reactant gas channel 131, and one or more groove-shaped second reaction gas channels 132 and 133, wherein the first reactant gas channel 131 includes a first portion 41 and a second portion 51 located upstream of the first portion 41, and a cross-sectional area of a first specified portion 81 which is a continuous portion including at least the first portion of the first reactant gas channel 131 and/or a cross-sectional area of a second specified portion 82 which extends continuously from at least a downstream end of the first reactant gas channel 131 is/are smaller than cross-sectional areas of the second reactant gas channels 132 and 133.
US08546033B2

A fuel battery system which can suppress unexpected variation of a target power during execution of a high potential avoidance control operation. The fuel battery system sets a high potential avoidance target voltage value, converts the high potential avoidance target voltage value into a target power value on the basis of the voltage-power property map of a fuel battery, limits the target power value within a range between a predetermined upper limit value and a predetermined lower limit value, and controls the operation of the fuel battery on the basis of the target power value while limiting the output voltage of the fuel battery to a value which is not larger than the high potential avoidance target voltage. This can suppress the unexpected variation of the target power value resulting from the erroneous estimation of output properties caused by the momentary drop of the high potential avoidance target voltage.
US08546027B2

Improved nanotube devices and systems/methods for fabrication thereof are provided. The present disclosure provides systems/methods for depositing controlled numbers of nanotubes with specific properties at predefined locations for the fabrication of nanotube devices. The nanotube devices may be utilized in a range of applications. A bio-fuel cell system that does not require a proton exchange membrane separator and does not need a mediator to transfer charge is provided. This exemplary bio-fuel cell uses enzyme functionalized SWNTs for the anode/cathode. The absence of a membrane in the bio-fuel cell configuration opens up the possibility of other configurations that would otherwise be unfeasible. This includes a bio-fuel cell where the anode/cathode are on the same substrate. Since the electrodes can share the same substrate, the configuration may be integrated with a circuit device on the same substrate. An IC and its power source may be fabricated on the same silicon wafer.
US08546026B2

Disclosed are a gas-liquid separator, a hydrogen generating apparatus, and a fuel cell generation system, having the same. The gas-liquid separator can include an inflow path, into which a fluid material having a liquid and a gas flows; a centrifugal path, connected to the inflow path to receive the fluid material and formed spirally such that the fluid material is separated into the liquid and the gas by difference in centrifugal forces, an outer side of the centrifugal path having stronger affinity for the liquid than an inner side of the centrifugal path; and an outflow path, connected to the centrifugal path and discharging the liquid and the gas, which have been separated in the centrifugal path. With the present invention, it is possible to efficiently separate gas such as hydrogen and liquid such as a electrolyte solution without complex devices.
US08546021B2

A non-aqueous electrolyte solution for a lithium secondary battery includes a lithium salt and an organic solvent and further includes a solvent having a fluoro group and a specific siloxane compound. A lithium secondary battery having the above non-aqueous electrolyte solution exhibits greatly improved capacity recovery characteristics after high temperature storage and also reduces side effects such as swelling.
US08546007B2

A rechargeable battery is disclosed. In one embodiment, the battery includes i) a current collecting plate, ii) a plurality of electrode assemblies electrically connected in parallel with each other via the current collecting plate, wherein each of the electrode assemblies comprises two opposing ends and an outer side formed between the two ends, and wherein the current collecting plate is electrically connected to one of the two ends of the electrode assemblies. The battery may further includes 1) a spacer and 2) a can configured to accommodate i) the current collecting plate, ii) the plurality of electrode assemblies and iii) the spacer, wherein the spacer is positioned i) between adjacent electrode assemblies and/or ii) between an inner surface of the can and at least one of the electrode assemblies, and wherein the spacer comprises at least one non-linear portion which contacts the outer side of at least one of the electrode assemblies.
US08545999B1

A method and system for providing a magnetoresistive structure are described. The magnetoresistive structure includes a first electrode, an insertion layer, a crystalline tunneling barrier layer, and a second electrode. The first electrode includes at least a first magnetic material and boron. The crystalline tunneling barrier layer includes at least one constituent. The insertion layer has a first boron affinity. The at least one constituent of the crystalline tunneling barrier layer has at least a second boron affinity that is less than the first boron affinity. The second electrode includes at least a second magnetic material.
US08545997B2

A coated cutting tool has a substrate and a coating. The coating includes at least one multi-nano-layer having a nano-composite nano-layer formed of crystalline (TixAlyCrz)N and amorphous Si3N4, wherein 0.25≦x≦0.75, 0.25≦y≦0.75, 0.05≦z≦0.2, 0.85≦x+y+z≦0.97. The atomic ratio of silicon is 1−x−y−z and 1−x−z<0.75 and the thickness of the nano-composite nano-layer is from 1 nm to 100 nm.
US08545996B2

Organometallic soft salt compounds are provided. In particular, the compounds comprise mononuclear Ir-based soft salts. The compounds may be used in organic light emitting diodes (OLED) and light emitting cells (LEC).
US08545995B2

An optical system according to one embodiment includes a substrate; and an optical absorption layer coupled to the substrate, wherein the optical absorption layer comprises a layer of diamond-like carbon, wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 50% of mid wave infrared light (3-5 μm wavelength) and at least 50% of long wave infrared light (8-13 μm wavelength). A method for applying an optical absorption layer to an optical system according to another embodiment includes depositing a layer of diamond-like carbon of an optical absorption layer above a substrate using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, wherein the optical absorption layer absorbs at least 50% of mid wave infrared light (3-5 μm wavelength) and at least 50% of long wave infrared light (8-13 μm wavelength). Additional systems and methods are also presented.
US08545994B2

An article includes an electrodeposited metallic material including Co with a minimum content of 75% by weight. The metallic material has a microstructure which is fine-grained with an average grain size between 2 and 5,000 nm and/or an amorphous microstructure. The metallic material forms at least part of an exposed surface of the article. The metallic material has an inherent contact angle for water of less than 90 degrees at room temperature when measured on a smooth exposed surface portion of the metallic material which has a maximum surface roughness Ra of 0.25 microns. The metallic material has an exposed patterned surface portion having surface structures having a height of between at least 5 microns to about 100 microns incorporated therein to increase the contact angle for water at room temperature of the exposed patterned surface portion to over 100 degrees.
US08545993B2

A composite material with a ballistic protective effect having a first, outer layer made of a first steel alloy and at least one second layer which is arranged under the first layer and is made of a second steel alloy. The composite material with a ballistic protective effect allows for a reduction in the weight or the wall thicknesses of the composite material in comparison to conventional composite ballistic materials, by utilizing a first steel alloy of the first layer that has the following alloy constituents in percent by weight (% by weight): 0.06%≦C ≦1.05%, 0.05%≦Si≦1.65%, 0.3%≦Mn≦2.65%, 0.015%≦Al≦1.55%; Cr≦1.2%, Ti≦0.13%, Mo≦0.7%, Nb≦0.1%, B≦0.005%, P≦0.08%, S≦0.01%, Ni≦4.0%, and V≦0.05%, the remainder being Fe and inevitable impurities. The second layer of the composite material having a higher elongation than the first layer.
US08545972B2

An improved vapor-phase deposition method and apparatus for the application of multilayered films/coatings on substrates is described. The method is used to deposit multilayered coatings where the thickness of an oxide-based layer in direct contact with a substrate is controlled as a function of the chemical composition of the substrate, whereby a subsequently deposited layer bonds better to the oxide-based layer. The improved method is used to deposit multilayered coatings where an oxide-based layer is deposited directly over a substrate and an organic-based layer is directly deposited over the oxide-based layer. Typically, a series of alternating layers of oxide-based layer and organic-based layer are applied.
US08545967B2

A metal sheet, inclusive of a metal strip, having a front side and a back side, both the front side and the back side comprising a first coating having an average thickness in the range from 0.5 to 10 μm, wherein the first coating of the front side contains particles, which release divalent or multivalent metal ions upon the action of an acid, in such an amount that a self-depositing coating agent forms, upon contact with the front side, a second coating thereon, whereas this is not the case for the first coating of the back side. The first coating of the front side can be overcoated with a self-depositing coating agent. Cut edges that do not have a first coating can be covered with the self-depositing coating agent. Correspondingly coated metal sheets, as well as a method for the manufacture thereof, are furthermore within the scope of the invention.
US08545959B2

Methods of the invention include those for applying protective sheets to composite articles. According to these methods and resulting composite articles, a protective sheet is applied to at least a portion of an exterior surface formed from a composite material and where protection is desired. At least one exterior surface of the composite article to be protected can be integrally formed in the presence of the protective sheet. Improved bonding of the protective sheet to the composite article and improved processing efficiency are advantageously achieved according to the invention.
US08545956B2

An expandable insert assembly, method of making the same, and a vehicle structure are disclosed. A structure may include a wall defining at least a portion of a cavity, with the wall including an installation surface for the insert. The insert may include a substrate configured to be secured to the installation surface, with the substrate having a stiffness allowing the substrate to deflect relative to an initial shape. The insert further includes a plurality of discrete expandable elements secured to the substrate adjacent the installation surface. Each of the discrete expandable elements are formed of an expandable material and are secured to the substrate such that they do not affect the stiffness of the substrate prior to expansion of the expandable elements.
US08545951B2

Anti-fouling treatments are applied to polymer substrates for preventing bacterial adhesion. The polymer substrate may comprise a medical device, such as a catheter. The treatment generally comprises a polymer layer graft polymerized to the surface of the polymer substrate. An anti-biofilm agent is contained in the polymer layer or applied to the surface. A polymer over-layer is then applied that encapsulates the anti-biofilm agent. The anti-biofilm agent prevents bacterial adhesion through the polymer over-layer.
US08545950B2

A method of distributing or commercializing fresh meat having the general steps of butchering a slaughtered animal into a plurality of retail cuts; packaging the retail cuts into a plurality of articles wherein each article comprises a polymeric oxygen barrier film having a transparent portion in contact with at least a portion of the fresh meat product; transporting the packaged article to a retail outlet, wherein the packaged article is adapted for retail display and sale without removing the polymeric film and wherein the fresh meat product has a desirable appearance especially a desirable red color e.g. having an “a*” value of at least about 15 for the fresh beef product or of at least about 6 for a fresh pork or fresh poultry product and the color is maintained for at least five days and up to four weeks or more after display.
US08545949B2

A resin composition used to form a dye-receiving layer of a thermal transfer-receiving sheet in which the dye-receiving layer is formed on at least one surface of a substrate contains a core/shell-type latex including a core containing (A) and a shell containing (B) and a cross-linking agent that reacts with a carboxyl group contained in the shell. (A) is an acrylic resin at least containing, as one of its monomers, a substituted or unsubstituted phenoxyalkyl (meth)acrylate and/or a substituted or unsubstituted phenoxy polyalkylene glycol (meth)acrylate. (B) is a urethane resin containing a carboxyl group.
US08545929B2

Systems and methods for applying liquid coating materials to a substrate, such as an electronic component or circuit board. A control system of a coating system controls an applicator and a robot moving the applicator to apply the liquid coating material to the substrate in accordance with the information contained in a coating program. The control system determines a volume of liquid coating material actually dispensed onto the substrate during the coating program, and compares the dispensed volume to a desired dispensed volume of liquid coating material to produce an error signal representing the difference between the calculated and desired volume values. The control system uses the error signal to change the dispensed volume of liquid coating material on a subsequent substrate by a future coating program.
US08545922B1

A method of reducing pathogenic bacteria in the neck of poultry is provided. The method includes opening up a neck of a poultry (20) and rupturing cervical air sacs (12). The exposed, ruptured cervical air sacs are treated with an antibacterial agent, thereby reducing pathogenic bacteria.
US08545921B2

The invention relates to chocolate compositions where the fat phase comprises at least cocoa butter and optionally milk fat and/or a cocoa butter equivalent and the chocolate can be liquefied and re-solidified without bloom and without a pre-crystallization step.
US08545911B2

A phorbol ester is decomposed by mixing an organic substance containing a phorbol ester and Bacillus substilis var. natto and subjecting the resulting mixture to fermentation. At this time, 4 parts by mass of organic substance containing a phorbol ester is mixed with 0.5 to 3 parts by mass of water, and the resulting mixture is subjected to high-temperature and high-pressure sterilization. Then, a solution obtained by dissolving 0.004 to 0.2 part by mass of Bacillus subtilis var. natto in 0.5 to 1 part by mass of water is added, and the resulting mixture is subjected to fermentation at 30 to 50° C. for two to four weeks.
US08545905B2

The present invention relates to a whitening cosmetic composition containing a green tea extract and, more particularly, to a whitening cosmetic composition containing a green tea extract that is prepared from green tea leaves by hot water extraction and liquid culture with Aspergillus oryzae to provide a high inhibitory effect on tyrosinase.
US08545901B2

The invention relates to a topical composition and a method for reducing or preventing occurrence of acne on the skin. It is an object of the present invention to provide for a combination of herbal extracts that interact synergistically to provide a cosmetic composition for prevention, reduction or treatment of acne. The present invention provides for a topical composition comprising (i) an extract of a first active which is Azhadirachta indica; and (ii) an extract of a second active selected from Momordica charantia or Sesamum indicum.
US08545899B2

Methods for forming surface roughened titanium dioxide coatings are disclosed. Sol-gel compositions may be prepared having colloidal metal oxide particles and/or colloidal silica particles, formed on a substrate, and subsequently the coated substrate may be heated at a temperature sufficient to form a surface roughened anatase titanium dioxide coating. Surface roughened titanium dioxide coatings having at least one of improved antimicrobial properties, self-cleaning properties, hydrophilicity, and/or activation time are also disclosed. Substrates comprising such coatings are also disclosed.
US08545891B1

The disclosure relates to sunscreen compositions having a synergistic combination of titanium dioxide filtering agents that provide a high sun protection factor (SPF). Compositions according to the disclosure have high SPF values without requiring high overall amounts of titanium dioxide filtering agents. Also, the sunscreen compositions are less opaque and white than traditional sunscreens making them aesthetically appealing to consumers. Finally, the disclosure relates to methods of using the described compositions for protecting keratinous substances such as skin and hair from UV radiation.
US08545890B2

The present invention describes a directly compressible composite excipient prepared by coating calcium silicate with a carbohydrate. The present invention further describes the incorporation of the composite excipient into a tablet formulation. The orally disintegrating tablets are of optimal mechanical strength and disintegrate within 60 seconds in the oral cavity.
US08545889B2

The present invention comprises a co-processed carbohydrate system, and formulations produced therefrom, which formulations are directly compressible into solid dosage forms, some of which rapidly and completely dissolve or disintegrate in the oral cavity within 60 seconds. The invention also comprises the solid dosage forms produced by directly compressing the co-processed carbohydrate system, some of which, when placed in the oral cavity, shall dissolve or disintegrate, preferably within about 60 seconds.
US08545887B2

A dosage form comprises: (a) at least one active ingredient: (b) a core having a first surface portion upon which resides a first coating and a second surface portion which is substantially free of the first coating; and (c) a shell which resides upon at least a portion of the second surface portion, wherein the shell comprises a different material from the first coating. In another embodiment, the dosage form comprises: (a) at least one active ingredient; (b) a core comprising a center portion having an exterior surface and an annular portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface, wherein the annular portion interior surface is in contact with at least a portion of the center portion exterior surface, and a coating resides on at least a portion of the annular portion exterior surface; and (c) a shell which resides upon at least a portion of the exterior surface of the center portion, wherein the shell comprises a different material than the impermeable coating. In another embodiment, the dosage form comprises: (a) at least one active ingredient; (b) a core having an outer surface and a cavity which extends at least partially through the core such that the core outer surface has at least a first opening therein; (c) a first coating which resides on at least a portion of the core outer surface, wherein the first shell portion comprises a different material from the first coating; and (d) a first shell portion which is adjacent to the first opening and covers at least the first opening.
US08545884B2

The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical dosage form containing the active substance BIBW 2992 as the dimaleate salt, providing an immediate release profile of the active substance, further, the invention relates to compacted intermediates comprising BIBW 2992 dimaleate salt (BIBW 2992 MA2) in form of a powder prepared using a combined roller compaction and sieving step from BIBW 2992 MA2, intermediate blends prepared from said compacted intermediate as well as solid oral formulations providing an immediate release profile of the active substance, made from said compacted intermediate or from said intermediate blends ready for use/ingestion, e.g. capsule and tablet formulations such as uncoated or film-coated tablets prepared by direct-compression, and methods for their production.
US08545882B2

The present invention is directed to a sustained release pharmaceutical composition in oral dosage form consisting essentially of a pharmaceutically effective amount of a medicament and a hydrophobic material in the absence of a lactose or hydrophobic carbohydrate polymer, said medicament being present in an amount greater than about 25% of the pharmaceutical composition and having a water solubility greater than about 1 gram per 10 mL of water at 25° C., said hydrophobic material having a melting point ranging from at least about 40° C. to about 100° C. at 1 atm pressure, and being present in an amount ranging from about 3% to about 20% by weight of the pharmaceutical composition and in an amount less than the of the medicament, and said hydrophobic material not being present in coating of said pharmaceutical composition; said pharmaceutical composition being prepared by direct compression in the absence of or melting the hydrophobic material or the use of high shear mixer. The present invention is also directed to a method of preparing said pharmaceutical composition.
US08545880B2

A once a day bupropion hydrochloride formulation is disclosed.
US08545879B2

The invention provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a therapeutically effective amount of meloxicam, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the pharmaceutical compositions are in the form of a fast disintegrating dosage form suitable for releasing meloxicam rapidly in the oral cavity. Also provided are processes for preparing a pharmaceutical composition of the invention. Further provided are methods of treating arthritis or pain in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising orally administering to the subject a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition according to the invention.
US08545875B2

Nanolipidic Particles (NLPs) having average mean diameters of 1 nm to 20 nm are made from a precursor solution. NLPs can be loaded with a desired passenger molecule. Assemblies of these particles, called NLP assemblies, result in a vehicle population of a desired size. Single application or multifunction NLP assemblies are made from the loaded NLPs and range in size from about 30 to about 200 nm. A method of using preloaded NLPs to make larger carrier vehicles or a mixed population provides increased encapsulation efficiency. NLPs have application in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries.
US08545869B2

The resorption of a medical implant can be controlled with the use of particles embedded in a resorbable bulk material forming the implant or portion thereof. The implant can be removed from a body of a mammal by natural biological mechanisms after use. The resorption of the implant can involve swelling and/or hydrolyzing of the particles within the implant upon contact with a body fluid such that porosity and flow of fluid within the bulk material of the implant is increased. Resorption of the implant may also involve the use of particles with magnetic properties embedded within the implant such that an applied magnetic field causes the particles to vibrate within the bulk material thereby increasing the porosity and thus the flow of fluid, hence facilitating resorption of the implant. The resorption rate of the implant can be controlled by modulating swelling, hydrolysis, or movement of the embedded particles.
US08545868B2

The present invention relates to implantable medical devices coated with polymer having hemocompatible and/or prohealing moieties appended thereto and to their use in the treatment of vascular diseases.
US08545860B2

Compositions and methods for the preparation of a composition comprising a block copolymer and ester-terminated polyester amide solubilized in a compatible solvent are disclosed. The disclosed compositions are long-lasting, transfer resistant, flexible, and water-proof capable of complexing the active ingredient to provide such benefits. The disclosed compositions are useful for formulating cosmetics, personal care products, cosmeceuticals, and the like.
US08545858B2

Porous calcium phosphate implant compositions that approximate the chemical composition of natural bone mineral are provided. In addition to calcium phosphate, the compositions include an effervescent agent to promote the formation of interconnected pores and a cohesiveness agent to maintain the shape and hardness of the hardened composition. When introduced at an implant site, the calcium phosphate compositions are remodeled into bone. Methods for using the calcium phosphate compositions, e.g., to repair or replace bone, are also provided.
US08545854B2

The present invention relates to novel recombinant vaccines providing protective immunity against tuberculosis. Further, the present invention refers to novel recombinant nucleic acid molecules, vectors containing said nucleic acid molecules, cells transformed with said nucleic acid molecules and polypeptides encoded by said nucleic acid molecules.
US08545850B2

The present invention is directed to compositions of matter comprising immunoconjugates comprising an anti-CD79b antibody comprising: (i) an HVR-L1 sequence of KASQSVDYEGDSFLN (SEQ ID NO: 194), (ii) an HVR-L2 sequence of AASNLES (SEQ ID NO: 195), (iii) an HVR-L3 sequence of QQSNEDPLT (SEQ ID NO: 196), (iv) an HVR-H1 sequence of GYTFSSYWIE (SEQ ID NO: 202), (v) an HVR-H2 sequence of GEILPGGGDTNYNEIFKG (SEQ ID NO: 203), and (vi) an HVR-H3 sequence of TRRVPIRLDY (SEQ ID NO: 204) and to methods of using those compositions of matter for the treatment of hematopoietic tumor in mammals.
US08545849B2

The invention provides antibodies that are modified to reduce aggregration propensity, and methods of producing such antibodies. The present invention also provides particularly stable and soluble scFv antibodies and Fab fragments specific for TNF, which comprise specific light chain and heavy chain sequences that are optimized for stability, solubility, in vitro and in vivo binding of TNF, and low immunogenicity. The nucleic acids, vectors and host cells for expression of the recombinant antibodies of the invention, methods for isolating them and the use of said antibodies in medicine are also disclosed.
US08545846B2

Disclosed are methods for the treatment and/or prevention of Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and disease states and conditions characterized by insulin resistance, decreased insulin production, hyperglycemia, hypoinsulinemia, metabolic syndrome, Type 1 diabetes and obesity, comprising administering to a subject an effective amount of anti-IL-1β antibody or fragment thereof.
US08545834B2

The invention features methods and compositions for the treatment and prevention of Parkinson's Disease.
US08545831B2

In the present invention, the applicants describe methods and compositions of treating damaged cardiovascular elements and cardiovascular conditions including hypotension, atherosclerotic lesions, vulnerable plaque, and acute myocardial infarct. The applicants demonstrate the ability of a biomembrane sealing agent to accumulate on the walls of damaged blood vessels and help improving mean arterial pressure following tissue injury. The applicants describe the use of formulations comprising at least one biomembrane sealing agent and one bioactive agent for prophylactic treatment such as they could be administered concurrently to an invasive therapeutic intervention or after the insult (i.e. post-injury or post-surgery). Alternatively, these methods and compositions could be used to reduce the severity of cardiovascular diseases after onset.
US08545821B2

Cosmetic compositions comprising water-redispersible polymers are provided, as well as methods for using such compositions in cosmetics that afford powder-to-liquid and moisture-resistant benefits. These cosmetics can provide easier portability, as well as long wear benefits when topically applied to the skin or hair.
US08545820B2

Compositions containing metal ions bound into a titanate are described which have demonstrated an ability to suppress bacterial growth of a number of organisms associated with periodontal disease and caries.
US08545818B2

The present invention provides kits and methods for treating hair on the scalp comprising non-toxic compositions providing beneficial effects on hair without employing high temperatures, free radical initiators or rinsing hair after applying the compositions.
US08545813B2

The present invention relates to contrast agents for MRI and related methods of use.
US08545809B2

The present application discloses compositions and methods of synthesis and use of 18F or 19F-labeled molecules of use in PET, SPECT and/or MR imaging. Preferably, the 18F or 19F is conjugated to a targeting molecule by formation of a complex with a group IIIA metal and binding of the complex to a bifunctional chelating agent, which may be directly or indirectly attached to the targeting molecule. In other embodiments, the 18F or 19F labeled moiety may comprise a targetable construct used in combination with a bispecific antibody to target a disease-associated antigen. The disclosed methods and compositions allow the simple and reproducible labeling of molecules at very high efficiency and specific activity in 30 minutes or less. In preferred embodiments, the labeled molecule may be used for imaging in a subject without purification after labeling.
US08545806B2

Certain embodiments disclosed herein relate to compositions, methods, devices, systems, and products regarding frozen particles. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles include materials at low temperatures. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles provide vehicles for delivery of particular agents. In certain embodiments, the frozen particles are administered to at least one biological tissue.
US08545805B2

The invention is directed to a method for making small crystal zeolites, such as small crystal SSZ-32, in the absence of an amine component.
US08545800B1

This disclosure is directed to a new crystalline molecular sieve designated SSZ-87, which is synthesized using an N,N′-diisopropyl-N,N′-diethylbicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,3:5,6-dipyrrolidinium dication as a structure directing agent.
US08545797B2

The present invention relates to new germanosilicate SSZ-75 molecular sieve, and methods for synthesizing germanosilicate SSZ-75.
US08545794B2

The invention relates to a powder compound of the formula NiaMbOx(OH)y, wherein M represents Co and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Zn, Al, Sr, Mg, or Ca and mixtures thereof, or M represents Co Mn and Fe, wherein 0.6≦a<1.0, 0
US08545785B2

The present invention provides a barium fluoroborate compound, a nonlinear optical crystal and the preparation method and use thereof. Both of the barium fluoroborate compound and the nonlinear optical crystal have a chemical formula of Ba4B11O20F. The crystal belongs to orthorhombic crystal system, has a space group Cmc21 with unit cell parameters of a=18.802(3) Å, b=10.7143(19) Å, c=8.6113(14) Å, V=1734.7(5) Å3. The crystal has a powder second harmonic generation efficiency of 10 times that of KDP (KH2PO4). The ultraviolet cutoff wavelength is about 170 nm. The barium fluoroborate compound is prepared by a solid-state reaction. The barium fluoroborate nonlinear optical crystal prepared by a high temperature melting liquid method has large hardness and is easy to be cut, polished and stored. This crystal can be used widely in preparing the nonlinear optical devices of the second harmonic generator, the up frequency converter, the down frequency converter or the optical parametric oscillator or the like.
US08545772B2

An interface is provided for storing microfluidic samples in a nanoliter sample chip. A fluid access structure provides a fluid access region to a selected subset of sample wells from an array of sample wells. A fluid introduction mechanism introduces a sample fluid to the fluid access region so that the sample wells in the selected subset are populated with the sample fluid without the unselected sample wells being populated with the sample fluid.
US08545771B2

The invention provides fluidic devices having incorporated electrodes. One device comprises a card and first and second caddy segments. The first caddy segment comprises first and second electrodes. The second caddy segment comprises first and second reservoirs disposed on a first surface of the second segment, a channel disposed on a second surface of the second segment, and first and second vias extending between the first and second surfaces. The first caddy segment is attached to the first surface of the second caddy segment. The card is attached to the second surface of the second caddy segment such that the card provides a closed surface for the device.
US08545767B2

This passive one-way valve is used in a connection portion between first and second flow channels, and includes: an inlet portion into which a fluid from the first flow channel flows; an elastic portion for blocking the inlet portion; a rigid portion for supporting the elastic portion from a side opposite to the inlet portion across the elastic portion; a gap portion formed around the rigid portion; and an outlet portion which is in communication with the gap portion for letting the fluid flow out into the second flow channel. Furthermore, the inlet portion is hermetically sealed by the elastic portion being pressed against the inlet portion side by the rigid portion. According to this passive one-way valve, it is possible to provide a simple and inexpensive passive one-way valve without requiring special equipment such as a vacuum pump and pressurized air, and to provide a microfluidic device using the same.
US08545765B2

A first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode are provided in a middle of a passage. The second electrode is provided on an upstream side of the first electrode, and the third electrode is provided on a downstream side of the first electrode. A connecting line connects the first electrode to a first pole of a pulsed power supply, and connects the second electrode and the third electrode to a second pole of the pulsed power supply. The first electrode crosses a first gas passing surface and occupies a part of the first gas passing surface. The second electrode and the third electrode cross a second gas passing surface and a third gas passing surface and occupy a part of the second gas passing surface and the third gas passing surface respectively.
US08545757B2

A sample treatment apparatus is designed to directly monitor a pressure signal from a pressure sensor to examine pressure fluctuations resulting from a sample's sway before a discharge of the sample, so that the discharge is performed after the confirmation of the absence of pressure changes. The apparatus has a detection function that allows a discharge to be started even before a pressure fluctuation vanishes completely, by allowing the operator to set a desired number of pressure monitorings, monitoring time, or pressure amplitude. The detection function also allows an alarm to be raised when a pressure fluctuation has not fallen within a given range. The sample treatment apparatus therefore allows discharge of more accurate amounts of samples.
US08545752B2

A cooling plate (10) for a metallurgical furnace in accordance with the present invention has a panel-like body (12) with a front face (14) and an opposite rear face (16), an upper edge (22) and an opposite lower edge (24), and a first side edge (18) and an opposite second side edge (20). The front face (14) is provided with grooves (32) extending between the first and second edges (18, 20), the grooves (32) forming lamellar ribs (34) on the front face (14), each rib (34) having a crest (37) and adjoining sidewalls (39, 39′), a base (38) being arranged in the groove (32) between two neighboring ribs (34). In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, at least one of the grooves (32) is provided with a metal insert (40) arranged against at least one of the sidewalls (39, 39′).
US08545751B2

A refractory nozzle assembly comprising a vessel operable to contain a molten metal and having at least one outlet. The assembly includes an inner assembly having an aperture extending therethrough and an outer assembly having an aperture extending therethrough. The inner and outer assemblies are arranged in the outlet of the vessel and are arranged for relative lateral movement such that inner and outer assemblies are operable to move between an open configuration, where the apertures therethrough are generally overlapping, and a closed configuration, where the apertures are not overlapping. The junction between the inner and outer assemblies is located within a periphery of the vessel.
US08545748B2

A brick comprises a thermoplastic material, such as high density polyethylene (HDPE), and a cement-containing material. The brick may be made by mixing thermoplastic material and dry, uncured cement-containing material. This mixture is placed in a mold. The mold is heated while the mixture is compressed to melt or soften the thermoplastic material and to bind the particulate material in the mold into the shape of a brick. After the hardened brick is removed from the mold, the surface of the brick may be sprayed with water to cure cement-containing material on the surface of the brick.
US08545740B2

The present disclosure provides embodiments of a releasable fastening arrangement that can include a first fastening strip secured to and extending over a substrate surface and having a first surface carrying first fastening elements extending from the surface. The releasable fastening arrangement can also include a second fastening strip having a second surface carrying second fastening elements that are engageable by the first fastening elements to form a releasable fastening. The first surface can include a flexible flap that is formed therein, and that is surrounded by other portions of the first surface. The flap can carry at least one of the first fastening elements, and can flap have a distal edge that is displaceable from the substrate surface under peel loads applied to the at least one first fastening element carried by the flap.
US08545739B2

The present invention relates to a method for the production of micro-particles of polysaccharides. The method includes preparing a feeding solution and a gelifying liquid to collect nebulized jets of the feeding solution. The feeding solution contains at least one polymer capable of forming micro-particle structures and at least one biologically active substance. The feeding solution is pressurized inside an air-less nebulizing unit and then nebulized through the unit itself so as to generate nebulized jets impacting the surface of the gelifying liquid.
US08545735B2

A material of phosphorus-doped lithium titanium oxide with spinel structure includes a plurality of lithium titanium oxide particles, wherein a portion or the entirety of the surface layer of the lithium titanium oxide particle is doped with phosphorus. The surface layer is from 1 to 10 nanometers in thickness. Alternatively, the entire lithium titanium oxide particle can be doped with phosphorus. The material can be in powdered form, including a plurality of micro-scale particles each constituted by a plurality of the lithium titanium oxide particles.
US08545731B2

A conductive paste containing silver nanoparticles and a conductive circuit board provided therewith are provided. The conductive paste containing silver nanoparticles includes 15 to 50 weight % of silver nanoparticles based on a total weight of the conductive paste, the silver nanoparticles having an average particle size of 1 to 100 nm; 0.1 to 2.5 weight % of carbon nanotubes based on the total weight of the conductive paste, the carbon nanotubes having an average diameter of 2 to 40 nm; 1 to 15 weight % of a binder based on the total weight of the conductive paste; and a solvent.
US08545729B2

A method is described for producing a silver colloid solution comprised of highly stable resulting colloids, the method comprising: adding an aqueous solution of a hydroxylamine salt to an aqueous solution of an alkali, and then dispersing into the mixture an aqueous solution of the metal ions, the hydroxylamine salt being selected such that the anion, when combined with the said metal ions, would form a metal salt having a very low solubility in water, wherein the metal ion solution is introduced into the mixture in such a manner that the metal ions are substantially dispersed throughout the mixture within one second. A maturing period, preferably at elevated temperatures, leads to a stable state in which the characteristics of the colloid undergo no further changes, and it is preferred to make and store the colloid in a polystyrene container for greatest stability. The resulting colloids from such method exhibit high light-scattering properties of small particle size and low background fluorescence levels, with a long shelf life, making it particularly suitable for Raman spectroscopy.
US08545728B2

A method for preparing an electrostatic dissipative polymer and a blend of a thermoplastic polymer and the ESD polymer is disclosed. The method for preparing an electrostatic dissipative polymer includes the step of polymerizing the electrostatic dissipative polymer in the presence of a reactive solvent and lithium salt dissolved in the reactive solvent, wherein the amount of the reactive solvent is from 0.1 to 20 weight parts based on 100 weight parts of the produced electrostatic dissipative polymer, the amount of lithium salt is from 0.1 to 5 weight parts based on 100 weight parts of the produced electrostatic dissipative polymer, and the reactive solvent is aliphatic glycol having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms and having a primary alcohol group, or aromatic glycol having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms.
US08545726B2

A burner includes a burner front having annular and central openings. The annular opening, for discharging a solid fuel, fluidly connects to a central passage way. The central opening, for discharging an oxygen containing gas, fluidly connects to an annular passage way for passage of oxygen positioned co-axial with the central passage way. The central passage way has a downstream part and a diameter that increases over a first length and subsequently decreases over a second length terminating at the burner front. Inside the downstream part a hollow member is positioned which is closed at one end and has an opening at or near the burner front, and has increasing and decreasing diameters aligned with the increasing and decreasing diameters of the central passage way forming an annular passage. The hollow member fluidly connects with the annular passage way for the oxygen containing gas via one or more connecting conduits.
US08545722B2

An illumination system, comprising a radiation source and a luminescent material comprising at least one phosphor capable of absorbing a part of light emitted by the radiation source and emitting light of wavelength different from that of the absorbed light; wherein said at least one phosphor is a yellow red-emitting cerium(III)-activated alkaline earth oxonitridoaluminosilicate of general formula Ca1−x−yAxAl1+a−bBbSi1−aN3−aOa:Cey, wherein A selected from the group comprising beryllium, magnesium, strontium, barium, zinc, manganese, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, praseodymium, samarium, europium, and B selected from the group comprising boron, gallium, scandium and wherein 0
US08545719B2

The present invention provides a liquid crystal polyester composition, comprising (i) 100 parts by weight of a liquid crystal polyester, and (ii) 65 to 100 parts by weight of a combination of a fibrous filler with a plate-like filler, wherein the fibrous filler has a number-average fiber diameter of 5 to 15 μm, and a number-average aspect ratio of 20 to 40, and a content ratio by weight of the fibrous filler to the plate-like filler is more than 1.0 and 1.6 or less; and a process for producing the liquid crystal polyester composition comprising a step of melt-kneading the above respective components with one another.
US08545714B2

An aspect of the present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a hexagonal ferrite magnetic particle comprising melting an Al-containing starting material mixture to prepare a melt and quenching the melt to obtain an amorphous material; subjecting the amorphous material to heat treatment to cause a hexagonal ferrite magnetic particle to precipitate in a product obtained by the heat treatment; collecting a hexagonal ferrite magnetic particle by subjecting the product to treatment with an acid and washing, wherein the hexagonal ferrite magnetic particle collected has a particle size ranging from 15 to 30 nm, comprises 0.6 to 8.0 weight percent of Al, based on Al2O3 conversion, relative to a total weight of the particle, and Al adheres to a surface of the hexagonal ferrite magnetic particle.
US08545712B2

In a method of manufacturing semiconductor wafers, front and back surfaces of the semiconductor wafers are simultaneously polished with a double-side polishing machine that includes: a carrier for accommodating the semiconductor wafer; and an upper press platen and a lower press platen for sandwiching the carrier. The method includes: accommodating the semiconductor wafer in the carrier while a thickness of the semiconductor wafer is set to be larger than a thickness of the carrier by 0 μm to 5 μm; and polishing the semiconductor wafer while feeding a polishing slurry to between the surfaces of the semiconductor wafer and surfaces of the press platens. In the polishing, an allowance of both surfaces of the semiconductor wafer is set at 5 μm or less in total.
US08545707B2

A coalescer includes fibrous media capturing droplets of the dispersed phase, coalescingly growing the droplets into larger drops which further coalesce and grow to form pools that drain, and adapted to reduce pressure drop thereacross by increasing dispersed phase drainage therefrom.
US08545704B2

Provided is a method for recovering high-concentration and high-purity amine from amine-containing waste water generated from nuclear power plants and thermal power plants. The method includes: capturing amine and concentrating waste water using a cation exchange resin; separating amine from the concentrated amine-containing waste water; and carrying out further separation of amine via distillation. The method may be applied to treat amine, which causes an increase in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total nitrogen concentration, drastically at the time of its generation from waste water of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants. In this manner, the method may prevent an increase in load of existing waste water treating plants and avoid a need for modifying the equipment in the existing plants. In addition, the method disclosed herein may allow recovery and reutilization of amine, injected continuously to prevent corrosion of water/vapor circulation systems of nuclear power plants and thermal power plants, thereby improving the cost-efficiency in such power plants.
US08545693B2

Described and illustrated herein are systems and exemplary methods of operating a multianalyte measurement system having a meter and a test strip. In one embodiment, the method may be achieved by applying a test voltage between a reference electrode and a first working electrode; measuring a first test current, a second test current and a third test current at the working electrode with the meter after a blood sample containing an analyte is applied to the test strip; estimating a hematocrit-corrected analyte concentration from the first, second and third test currents; and displaying the hematocrit-corrected analyte concentration.
US08545687B2

Apparatus for the electrolytic treatment of the product L using a treatment agent is used to make the treatment of a plate-shaped product more uniform. This apparatus includes devices 40, 42 for retaining the product L in the apparatus, one or more flow devices 10, which each include at least one nozzle 15 and are disposed situated opposite the product L, one or more counter electrodes 30, which are inert relative to the treatment agent and are disposed parallel to at least one treatment surface, eccentric motor means for generating a relative movement 44 between the product L, on the side, and the flow devices 10 and/or the counter electrodes 30, on the other side, in at least one direction parallel to a treatment surface. The product L can be immersed in the treatment agent during treatment.
US08545670B2

A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate using plasma includes a first electrode configured to mount the substrate, a second electrode disposed to face the first electrode with a predetermined space, a chamber containing the first electrode and the second electrode, the chamber being capable of adjusting an inside atmosphere, a first electric power source device configured to apply a first RF voltage for controlling a self-bias voltage generated on the substrate to the first electrode, the first electric power source device applying a substantially constant width and a substantially constant value in a peak-to-peak voltage of an RF voltage of a first frequency at intervals, and a second electric power source device configured to apply a second RF voltage of a second frequency for generating plasma between the first and second electrodes to one of the first electrode and the second electrode.
US08545666B2

A labeling apparatus for applying wrap labels includes a first conveyor section and a second conveyor section aligned with the first conveyor section thereby defining a conveying surface along which a package is conveyed in a conveying direction. The first conveyor section is spaced from the second conveyor section in the conveying direction thereby defining a gap between the first conveyor section and the second conveyor section. A label conveyor is located at least partially below the conveying surface having a vertical orientation to deliver a wrap label upwardly through the gap between the first and second conveyor sections. A wiper assembly is located above and spaced vertically from the conveyor surface to define a space between the wiper assembly and the conveying surface. The wiper assembly is arranged to receive a leading edge of the wrap label when it is delivered from the label conveyor and to position the leading edge of the wrap label such that the wrap label spans the space between the wiper assembly and the conveying surface for delivery of an adhesive surface of the wrap label over an edge of the package as the package passes through the space.
US08545665B2

A process for the manufacture of a decorative board, which board, on its upper surface includes a decorative layer and a wear layer of cellulose and thermosetting amino resin. A decorative layer and wear layer is applied as a surface layer on a base layer and bonded thereto by pressing under elevated temperature and pressure in a laminate press. The wear layer, the decor layer and the base layer are arranged to form a stack of layers. The stack of layers are fed into a laminate press and pressed therein under heat and pressure where at least the upper surface becomes heated. The decorative board is acquired from the laminate press whereupon a forced cooling of the decorative board is initiated in order to bring the surface temperature of the decorative board down.
US08545664B2

A tape applying device for applying electrically conductive tape onto a board includes: a applying head for pressing the conductive tape; a tape holding unit including a reel section having a feed reel for feeding the conductive tape laminated with a separator and a wind-up reel to which the separator is to be wound up, and a tape guide section for guiding the conductive tape along with the separator to a position of pressing by the applying head; and a base section which has a tape guide driving unit for moving up and down the tape guide section, and to and from which the tape holding unit is fittable and removable. The tape guide section, while in a fitted state of being fitted to the base section, is separated from the reel section and moved up and down by driving force of the tape guide driving unit.
US08545659B2

The present invention provides a method as well as a tool (1, 48) for producing a T-stringer, in particular in the aircraft and spacecraft sector. The method is characterized by two lay-up strips (3, 4) being arranged on top of one another, wherein areas (5, 6) of the lay-up strips (3, 4) corresponding to the stringer foot (60) that is to be formed, are spaced apart from one another by means of separation films (7, 8) and areas (14, 15) of the lay-up strips (5, 6) corresponding to a stringer web (61) come into direct contact with one another, in particular, forming a material bond. In a further method step, the lay-up strips (3, 4) are clamped at the areas (14, 15) corresponding to the stringer web (61) that is to be formed. In an even further step, the areas (5, 6) corresponding to the stringer foot (60) that is to be formed are folded open in opposite directions (28, 29) by means of a folding-open mandrel (25), and by means of a pressing roller (37) the areas (5, 6) are pressed against corresponding pressing surfaces (23, 24) of the clamping device (1) such that the areas (23, 24) are properly flush. Finally, the folded lay-up strips (3, 4) are cured to form the T-stringer that is to be produced. The method according to the invention has the advantage over the known method for producing T-stringers that a smaller number of steps is required to produce the T-stringer and can be automated easily.
US08545658B2

Systems are provided for fabricating a plurality of possible pleat packs used in the formation of circumferentially pleated filter sleeves comprising a substantially horizontal contact surface, a pleating machine having cutting structure, operatively positioned proximate the substantially horizontal contact plane, for delivering continuous upstanding pleat packs of a predetermined pleat formation to the horizontal contact surface, structure for guiding the upstanding pleat packs received from the pleating machine into a flattened condition, structure for securing the pleat packs in the flattened condition and structure for forming the flattened pleat packs into a predetermined length for subsequent formation into sleeves of circumferential pleats. Methods for fabricating a plurality of possible pleat packs used in the formation of circumferentially pleated filter sleeves are also provided.
US08545653B2

In order to provide an adhesive tape for producing a joint during a static reel change between two flat web materials wound up onto reels, having a carrier and a self-adhesive compound, with which the exposure of the self-adhesive compound during the further processing of the webs bonded to each other is avoided, it is proposed that, in the self-adhesive compound, a gap be formed in the longitudinal direction of the adhesive tape, in order to form two self-adhesive compounds having a spacing (V), as viewed in the width of the adhesive tape. Furthermore, a corresponding method is proposed.
US08545647B2

The present application describes and claims an item of hardware suitable for bonding to a substrate such as a vehicle glazing. The item of hardware of the invention helps to ensure that the adhesive applied is effectively contained and utilized for its intended purpose. A preferred type of adhesive is also described and claimed.
US08545645B2

A method of producing steel with reduced internal stress concentrations is disclosed. In an embodiment, hot steel is shaped by a rolling mill. The resultant steel product is bundled as soon as practicable and the bundle is allowed to cool. Vibration energy is applied to the bundle of steel product so that internal stress concentrations within the steel product are relieved. In an embodiment, a plurality of bundles are stored on a rack and the rack is vibrated, the vibrations being transmitted to the plurality of bundles so that undesired internal stress concentrations within the steel products are relieved. Alternatively, magnetics may be used to relieve the undesired internal stress concentrations within the steel products. Thus, improved steel is produced as well as improved steel that can be produced more rapidly than known techniques.
US08545641B2

A method for manufacturing a sintered rare-earth magnet having a magnetic anisotropy, in which a very active powder having a small grain size can be safely used in a low-oxidized state. A fine powder as a material of the sintered rare-earth magnet having a magnetic anisotropy is loaded into a mold until its density reaches a predetermined level. Then, in a magnetic orientation section, the fine powder is oriented by a pulsed magnetic field. Subsequently, the fine powder is not compressed but immediately sintered in a sintering furnace. A multi-cavity mold for manufacturing a sintered rare-earth magnet having an industrially important shape, such as a plate magnet or an arched plate magnet, may be used.
US08545639B2

A method of cleaning a surface of a component of a plasma chamber, wherein the component has an aluminum or anodized aluminum surface, the method including the steps of: soaking the surface of the component in a diluted sulfuric peroxide (DSP) solution; spray rinsing the surface with water following removal of the surface from the DSP solution; soaking the surface in a dilute nitric acid (HNO3) solution; spray rinsing the surface with water following removal of the surface from the dilute nitric acid solution; and repeating at least twice the steps of soaking the surface in dilute nitric acid followed by spray rinsing the surface.
US08545627B2

Semiconductor structures are provided comprising a substrate and a epitaxial layer formed over the substrate, wherein the epitaxial layer comprises B; and one or more element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf and Al and has a thickness greater than 50 nm. Further, methods for integrating Group III nitrides onto a substrate comprising, forming an epitaxial buffer layer of a diboride of Zr, Hf, Al, or mixtures thereof, over a substrate; and forming a Group III nitride layer over the buffer layer, are provided which serve to thermally decouple the buffer layer from the underlying substrate, thereby greatly reducing the strain induced in the semiconductor structures upon fabrication and/or operation.
US08545613B2

A composition of matter includes a cationic dye and a solvent, wherein the composition does not have particles that are greater than 25 microns in diameter. The disclosure also describes a method for producing a composition of matter. An ink jet cartridge includes the composition of matter. A device includes a substrate having an image printed thereon with the composition of matter. A method includes using an inkjet printer to print a graphic on a first major surface of a substrate; moistening a user's skin surface; contacting the first major surface of the substrate to the user's moistened skin surface; and removing the substrate from the user's skin surface, thereby leaving a mirror image of the printed graphic on the user's skin surface. Moreover, an art kit includes a first substrate having a graphic printed thereon and a second substrate having a mirror image of the graphic printed thereon.
US08545611B2

A release agent and method for using the same is provided. The release agent may have a high viscosity and gravity measurement and allowing for incorporation of a plurality of alternative oils and greases to be used as coating agent. Additionally, the release agent is adaptable for multiple uses by an end user as a coating agent without the need for reapplication of the release agent after every use. Moreover, the release agent may have additives such as anti-oxidants, preservatives, and emulsifiers that may allow for longer shelf life, easier coating and the like. Still further, the release agent may incorporate coloring and fragrances to make the agent more user friendly and easier to identify for coating purposes by the end user. The release agent may also incorporate freezing point depressants, anti-oxidants, emulsifiers, fragrances and solvent additives to increase shelf life and efficacy of the release agent.
US08545610B2

An adsorbent canister has a housing defining an adsorption chamber therein, an adsorbent filled in the adsorption chamber, and a honeycomb core. The honeycomb core is made from a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the adsorbent, defines therein a plurality of cells passing through the honeycomb core and is disposed in the adsorption chamber. The adsorbent canister can further have a heater for heating the honeycomb core or the honeycomb core can be made from a material, which produce heat when current is applied.
US08545609B2

The Microwave System and method of reactivation is designed to provide an indirect, safe and energy efficient source of heat and temperature rise required in the reactivation section of the desiccant unit for the release into atmosphere of the water vapors which are accumulated in the desiccant rotor. This microwave reactivation system and method is based on heat transfer produced from a heated fluid which is pumped through a closed loop coil assembly. This closed loop coil assembly is located and runs through both the isolated heating chamber of the microwave section and the reactivation / regeneration section in the dehumidification system. The airstream passing through the reactivation intake section comes in contact with the coil assembly and is heated to the desired temperature prior to reaching the desiccant rotor.
US08545590B2

The fiber webs described herein may be incorporated into filter media and filter elements. The fiber webs may exhibit a high dust holding capacity. The fiber webs may also exhibit a low thickness. The fiber webs may be sufficiently flexible and/or deformable so that they may be processed to include a series of waves (also known as flutes) that extend along the cross-machine direction.
US08545587B2

Multi-phase filter media, as well as related articles, components, filter elements, and methods, are disclosed.
US08545584B2

The invention relates to a structure based on glass fiber coated with a resin composition designed to reinforce bonded abrasive articles, the resin composition including the following constituents in the proportions indicated, expressed in percentage by weight of solid matter: 75 to 98% of a mixture of at least one novolac having a glass transition temperature lower than or equal to 60° C. and at least one novolac having a glass transition temperature above 60° C., 0.5 to 10% of at least one wax, 0 to 3.5% of at least one plasticizing agent.
US08545582B2

A coated abrasive article includes a backing and fused alumina-zirconia abrasive grains attached to the backing with a binder. The fused alumina-zirconia abrasive grains include between about 35 wt % and about 45.5 wt % ZrO2+HfO2, between about 43.7 wt % and about 65 wt % Al2O3, less than about 0.8 wt % SiO2 and less than about 10 wt % other oxides. The fused alumina-zirconia abrasive grains simultaneously satisfy both a granulometric and densimetric condition.
US08545580B2

A chemically-modified mixed fuel includes methane gas from at least two methane-production sources and can be utilized in any process that incorporates a Kellogg Primary Reformer. A method for producing the chemically-modified mixed fuel described herein includes providing a first methane-containing gas from a first methane-production source, providing a second methane-containing gas from a second methane-production source and blending the first methane-containing gas with the second methane-containing gas at a suitable pressure to form a chemically-modified mixed fuel. In some cases, at least one additional methane-containing gas can be provided from at least one additional methane-production source and blended with the chemically-modified fuel.
US08545567B1

A spinal fusion device is disclosed. The spinal fusion device includes a first endplate configured for fitting within a disc space and engaging with a first vertebra and a second endplate configured for fitting within the disc space and engaging with a second vertebra. The two endplates are separated by a single spacer that is positioned between the first endplate and the second endplate and maintains a pre-determined distance between the first endplate and the second endplate. The spacer contains an anterior end, a posterior end, a first lateral side, a second lateral side opposite to the first lateral side, a first surface that engages with the first endplate, a second surface that engages with the second endplate. Also disclosed are methods and instruments for implanting the spinal fusion device.
US08545558B2

A buckle useful for cortical fixation has a graft retention loop slidably affixed thereto for movement from a first position adjacent a first end of the buckle to a second position at about the midpoint of the buckle. The buckle, with a graft over the loop, is drawn up lengthwise through a bone tunnel through a tibia and then flipped sideways to rest against the surface of the bone with the loop and graft depending back into the tunnel. The sliding attachment of the loop permits flipping of the buckle minimizes the flipping distance, which is the excess amount of the loop which must be pulled free of the tunnel to allow the buckle to be flipped sideways.
US08545539B2

An apparatus and method for reducing and fixing fractures, for example, a proximal humeral fracture. A jacking device releasably attached to a locking plate presses against an inferior aspect of the head to rotate the head into anatomic alignment. Suture material stitched into the soft tissue superior to the head pulls the superior end of the head and guides and steers the head. The suture material passes through suture holes in the superior end of the plate. The jacking device positions and holds the head in an anatomic neck/shaft angle, thereby allowing the head to be fixed to the locking plate. In one such embodiment, a swivel bushing in the plate receives the jacking device and allows the angle of the device to be adjusted as desired. To aid in the fluoroscopic visualization during surgery, a radiolucent retractor is used to avoid blocking the surgeon's view.
US08545537B2

A Developmental Pacifier is provided to help infants with functional feeding development and to assist with specific developmental problems in young children such as developmental delays, prematurity, gastro-esophageal reflux, autism spectrum disorder, hypotonicity, cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, microcephaly, and other sensory integrative dysfunctions. The developmental pacifier of the present invention encourages acceptance of food textures and stimulates oral-motor awareness, and reduces or eliminates functional feeding problems in children. The Developmental Pacifier has a nipple with an upper portion and a base portion, a base, and sensory elements. A series of Developmental Pacifiers with varying sensory elements may be used for certain treatment regimens as prescribed by a medical practitioner, pediatric occupational therapist, or other pediatric specialist.
US08545535B2

Various devices, systems and methods for knotless anchoring of sutures to repair bodily tissue are disclosed. These devices allow sutures to be anchored to bone or other tissues, and more specifically provide a suture anchor which eliminates the need for the operator to knot the suture to secure the suture under tension. Thus, damaged tissue may be re-attached to a substrate tissue. The anchors have a minimum of moving parts and find particular utility in hip and shoulder arthroscopy, e.g. labral re-attachment, rotator cuff repair, and similar procedures.
US08545534B2

A surgical instrument comprising an elongate tube extending along an axis includes an actuation mechanism; a first jaw spine; and a second jaw spine the second jaw spine pivotally connected to the first jaw spine at a common pivot pin to open and close the jaw spines in response to movement of the actuation mechanism. The jaw spines can be formed of a metallic material and are overmolded with an atraumatic plastic material. By overmolding the plastic onto the metal spine, an atraumatic outer surface can be formed of the plastic material along with a high degree of detail.
US08545529B2

Vitrectomy probes and system related thereto are disclosed herein. The disclosure describes various example vitrectomy probes having an adjustable cutting port size. Various example features are described for adjusting the size of the cutting port. Further, the disclosure provides examples for adjusting the size of the cutter port while the vitrectomy probe is in operation. Some implementations disclosed herein include a piezoelectric element operable to adjust a position of a stroke limiter to define a size of the cutter port.
US08545528B2

A system for performing an ocular surgical procedure is provided. The system includes a multiple frequency signal source, a configurable tuned output filter connected to the multiple frequency signal source, and a multiple frequency ultrasonic handpiece. The multiple frequency signal source operates at a first frequency and is configured to drive the configurable filter and the multiple frequency ultrasonic handpiece at the first frequency. The multiple frequency signal source operates at a second frequency and is configured to drive the configurable filter and the multiple frequency ultrasonic handpiece at the second frequency, and the design addresses third harmonic frequency issues for the multiple frequency ultrasonic handpiece. Switchable passive components, such as inductors, resistors, and/or capacitors may be employed in the configurable tuned output circuit, or alternately multiple similar circuits may be employed. Alternately, a multi-tap transformer may be provided.
US08545527B2

A surgical instrument is provided for cutting bone and other tissue. The instrument includes a housing. A plurality of sensors is located in the housing in a spaced apart orientation from each other. A collar is moveably mounted to the housing into a plurality of different collar orientations on the housing. A lever comprising an actuator is moveably coupled to the collar and, with the collar located in any one of the plurality of different collar orientations, the lever is operable to move the actuator relative to one of the plurality of sensors in order to vary a signal produced by that sensor.
US08545526B2

The devices and methods described herein relate to improved structures for removing obstructions from body lumens. Such devices have applicability in through-out the body, including clearing of blockages within the vasculature, by addressing the frictional resistance on the obstruction prior to attempting to translate and/or mobilize the obstruction within the body lumen.
US08545525B2

The present embodiments provide medical apparatuses and methods for rapidly forming an anastomosis between two viscera. The medical apparatus generally comprises affixing a clamp to an elongate member. The method generally comprises positioning and then deploying the medical apparatus between and within two stomas via an elongate member.
US08545524B2

A method for interconnection of two tubular organs via an opening at one end of an end portion of a first organ and an aperture in a side wall of a second organ. The end portion is initially passed through a first passage of a first element until the end portion projects past an end edge of the element, whereupon the end portion is everted round the end edge. Gripping parts of a second element with a second passage are then inserted in the second organ via the aperture. Finally, the first element with the everted portion of the first organ is inserted in the second passage, whereby the gripping parts are influenced in such a manner that they come into engagement with the inside of an edge portion of the aperture. A device for implementation of the method.
US08545521B2

A suturing assembly is provided that is configured to pull a capsule attached to a suture through tissue. The suturing assembly includes a shaft aligned on a longitudinal axis of the suturing assembly, and a head coupled to the shaft. The head includes a proximal portion and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal portion by a throat. The proximal portion houses a needle that is movable through a needle exit port. The proximal portion of the head and the needle exit port are both aligned on the longitudinal axis. A proximal side of the distal end of the head defines a cavity adapted to receive the capsule and a distal side of the distal end of the head defines a slot adapted to allow the suture to pass through the distal end of the head and into the cavity.
US08545516B1

A device including a body having a bottom wall and a cover including a top wall and a sidewall which enclose an interior chamber so that the interior chamber is waterproof to enable the device to be placed in an enclosure where water comes in contact with the device, the interior chamber housing a mechanism by which a shaft or axle supporting a dermabrasion wheel is caused to rotate, the body further including an activation member which when activated causes the shaft and the dermabrasion wheel to rotate in either a counterclockwise direction or a clockwise direction, so that the dermabrasion wheel will peel hardened skin cells from a location on a foot when the location on the foot is placed against the dermabrasion wheel while the dermabrasion apparatus is rotating.
US08545511B2

Described herein is an expandable shoulder trial for a reverse shoulder system including a rotatably adjustable insert housed within a humeral cup. The insert has proximal and distal ends, the proximal end having a concave recess therein adapted to receive a glenosphere prosthesis. The distal end of the insert includes a shaft, the shaft having a helical groove disposed on at least a portion thereof. A distal end of the humeral cup is inserted in a humeral stem. The humeral cup has a proximal end including a recess therein, the recess defined by a circular wall. A guide pin protrudes from the circular wall and is adapted to engage the helical groove of the insert shaft. The proximal end of the insert may rotate along an axis toward the proximal end of the humeral cup and along the same axis away from the proximal end of the humeral cup.
US08545504B2

The present invention relates to a set of tools and accessories used for properly positioning a stemmed humeral component, and/or a humeral stem provisional, within a canal in the humerus. The set of tools and accessories includes one or more fin clamps that are configured to be temporarily attached to a fin on the humeral component or the provisional; a ruler that is configured to be attached to the arm of the fin clamp, a fixation pin and pin driver configured to be used with the other tools for marking a position on the humerus; and one or more sleeves that are configured to slide over the stem of the humeral stem provisional to maintain it in the desired position.
US08545492B2

A device for radio frequency ablation (RFA) of diseased tissue has a mesh or plate with a grid of holes for holding electrodes; a plurality of electrodes with adaptable active tip length; means for visualizing and probing insertion depth of each of the electrodes in the diseased tissue; a switch box, connectable to the electrodes and adapted to distribute current between the electrodes during the RFA process; a control unit for controlling the switch box; and means for monitoring the RFA process. The control unit is adapted to determine groups of electrodes, an electric mode for activation of each group of electrodes, a polarity for electrodes within each group of electrodes, an activation mode for the groups, a time interval and order for activation of the groups, a power output and current strength, and a duration of the RFA process.
US08545489B2

A method for reducing skin is disclosed, in which a plurality of incisions or removals are made to collectively form a patch of skin to be reduced, instead of making a single large treatment of the patch. Thus, scarring after healing is less noticeable. Preferably, the treated regions of skin are arranged such that a total area of all removed skin segments taken in a direction perpendicular to an axis of said patch changes gradually along said axis. The removed regions of skin are preferably navicular in shape, and the patches are preferably navicular in shape in the event an elongated incision is made. The removal of skin regions can be realized by proper treatment methods such as incisions and laser treatment. The mask may be attached to the patch of skin to be treated after said skin is stretched.
US08545488B2

Embodiments of the present invention include a laser catheter that includes a catheter body, a light guide, and a distal tip that extends beyond the exit aperture of the light guide. In some embodiments, an imaging device is disposed on the distal tip such that the imaging device is distal relative to the exit aperture of the light guide. In some embodiments, the imaging device can be gated to record images during and/or slightly beyond periods when the laser catheter is not activated.
US08545486B2

Surgical clip appliers are provided and include a housing; at least one handle pivotably connected to the housing; a channel assembly extending distally from the housing; a clip carrier disposed within the channel assembly and defining a channel and a plurality of windows therein; and a plurality of clips slidably disposed within the channel of the clip carrier. The surgical clip appliers further include a drive channel reciprocally disposed within at least one of the housing and the channel assembly; a wedge plate reciprocally disposed within the channel assembly; a pusher bar reciprocally positioned within the housing and the channel assembly; and a motion multiplier system having a plurality of linkage members configured to distally move the pusher bar by an incremental amount upon an initial actuation of the handles, and configured to proximally move the pusher bar and the wedge plate subsequent to the initial actuation of the handles.
US08545480B2

An animal feces suction apparatus includes a tubular body having a stretching portion and a connection portion, a feces suction channel formed in the tubular body, a plurality of liquid channels disposed in a tube wall of the tubular body and formed with a plurality of liquid outlets in the stretching portion, an aspirator connected to the connection portion and communicated with the feces suction channel so as to generate a suction force within the feces suction channel, and a liquid supplying device connected to the connection portion and communicated with the liquid channels so as to provide a liquid to a large intestine of an animal via the liquid outlets. The stretching portion is stretched into the large intestine of the animal and transmits the liquid so as to soften the feces, and the feces is then sucked out from the large intestine through the feces suction channel by the suction force.
US08545477B2

Multiple reservoir implantable valve accumulator pump for the delivery of medication, and method of infusate delivery. The apparatus includes at least first and second infusate reservoirs in a common pressure chamber, each in fluid communication with a metering assembly. The metering assembly includes an accumulator that is preferably a fixed volume accumulator having an inlet and an outlet. A first valve is in fluid communication with the first infusate reservoir and an inlet of the accumulator, and a second valve is in fluid communication with the second infusate reservoir and an inlet of the accumulator. An outlet valve is in fluid communication with the outlet of the accumulator. The accumulator can be filled with infusate from the first and second infusate reservoirs sequentially, can be filled from the first infusate reservoir multiple times consecutively, the second infusate reservoir multiple times consecutively, or any combination or permutation thereof.
US08545476B2

A reconstitution assembly includes a housing including a lower sleeve and an upper sleeve, including a first container and a second container disposed vertically opposite the first container. A transfer set assembly is disposed within the housing between the first container and the second container. The transfer set assembly includes an upper spike housing and a lower spike housing, with a flow path defined through the upper spike housing and the lower spike housing. The transfer set assembly is configured to access contents of the first container and then upon the activation of a triggering mechanism, create a fluid pathway between the first container and the second container. The triggering mechanism includes trigger fingers which ensure the transfer set assembly sequentially accesses the contents of the first container before accessing the contents of the second container. The disposition of the first container activates the triggering mechanism.
US08545472B2

In a pants-type absorbent product, a first middle elastic member is located along a horizontal direction in a middle front part between a pair of leg openings in an outer covering sheet. The first middle elastic member contracts a first sheet and a second sheet, and middle gathers are formed. Thus, it is possible to improve fitting of a middle part to a wearer. In the middle front part, both ends of the first middle elastic member are apart from edges of the pair of leg openings, and a pair of non-contracted parts are provided between the both ends of the first middle elastic member and the edges of the pair of leg openings, to thereby improve flexibility of portions in the vicinities of the leg openings in the outer covering sheet.
US08545469B2

A component for securing attachment of a medical device, such as a wound dressing or an ostomy bag is disclosed, to the skin of a patient, said component including a first plastic film coated with a skin-friendly adhesive on the lower side thereof. According to the invention a body of soft, compressible and elastic material is disposed between the first plastic film and a second plastic film, said first and second films extending beyond the compressible body around the circumference thereof and are affixed to each other in parts extending around the circumference of the compressible body so that a closed space containing said compressible body is formed, said closed space being in contact with the surrounding atmosphere by a non-return valve, and in that the first plastic film includes through-going openings in a region delimited by the compressible body.
US08545467B2

A wound cover connecting device for the sealing connection of a drainage tube and a wound cover covering a wound has a base body for the sealing contact on an outside of the cover. According to the invention, the device comprises at least one penetration element for producing a through-passage in the cover. The device enables a simple, fast, and tight connection between the cover and the tube. In addition, it enables a treatment of the wound that is as uniform and has as large a surface as possible.
US08545462B2

In various embodiments, an ophthalmic surgical instrument may include an aspiration tube, an irrigation/aspiration tip (formed of a first material such as plastic), and a patch, coupled to the irrigation/aspiration tip, made of a second material (e.g., silicone) having a higher coefficient of friction than the first material. In some embodiments, the patch may be placed on the irrigation/aspiration tip in a position to allow a user of the irrigation/aspiration tip to manipulate an intraocular lens (IOL) through contact between the patch and the IOL. For example, the patch may be positioned on a side of the irrigation/aspiration tip opposite an aspiration port or on a distal end of the irrigation/aspiration tip. In some embodiments, the patch may be formed separately and coupled to the irrigation/aspiration tip through an adhesive or may be molded onto the irrigation/aspiration tip. In some embodiments, the patch may include features to increase friction.
US08545457B2

A sprayer which inhibits or prevents clogging from occurring in a nozzle when a liquid is ejected from the nozzle includes a nozzle having a first internal tube through which a first liquid passes, and a second internal tube through which a second liquid passes. An external tube is provided in which the first internal tube and the second internal tube are positioned so that the gas passes therebetween. In the sprayer, each distal end part of the first internal tube and the second internal tube includes a gas permeable film impermeable to each liquid, and permeable to the gas.
US08545437B2

A blood sugar level control system for measuring a blood sugar level and administering insulin into a body. The blood sugar level control system includes a blood sugar measuring device having a first wireless data transmitting part to transmit data relating to the blood sugar level; an insulin dispensing device having a wireless data communication unit including a second wireless data transmitting part to transmit data to a second blood sugar measuring device, and a wireless data receiving part to receive data from the first wireless data transmitting part and the second blood sugar measuring device; and an attachment mechanism to couple the insulin dispensing device and the blood sugar measuring device so that the blood sugar measuring device is movable, without separating from the insulin dispensing device at least three specific positions.
US08545434B2

A catheter for use in the extracorporeal treatment of bodily fluids comprises a catheter body having a withdrawal port, an infusion port, and a plurality of lumens therein. One of the lumens comprises a withdrawal lumen for transport of fluids withdrawn from a body vessel through the withdrawal port to an extracorporeal treatment unit, such as a dialyzer. Another lumen comprises an infusion lumen for infusion of treated fluids from the extracorporeal treatment unit through the infusion port into the vessel. The withdrawal port is positioned proximally from the infusion port along a length of the catheter body, and includes a generally helical profile.
US08545432B2

A retrograde flow system is configured for treating an artery. The system includes an arterial access device adapted to be introduced into an artery and receive blood flow from the artery. A shunt fluidly is connected to the arterial access device, wherein the shunt provides a pathway for blood to flow from the arterial access device to a return site. A flow control assembly is coupled to the shunt and is adapted to regulate blood flow through the shunt between at least a first blood flow state and at least a second blood flow state. A shut-off valve assembly automatically blocks fluid flow through the shunt in response to injection of the fluid into the arterial access device.
US08545405B2

Acoustic waves exhibit force that pushes objects along the direction of sound propagation. Precise motions require well-focused beams. The technique of time-reversal acoustics (TRA) overcomes beam distortions introduced by propagation along irregular paths to focus sound without knowledge of the medium properties. TRA requires a small receiver to be placed at a point of desired focus. The invention disclosed refines TRA by introducing data matching schemes to extend the points of focus beyond the location points of the receivers. With as few as two receivers, a large region can be manipulated with well-focused acoustic beams and with no receiver at a desired point of focus. Applications are described in drug delivery in medicine; environmental fluid contaminant control; and in oil exploration, for retrieving oil stuck in underground pockets.
US08545398B2

An in-vivo image acquiring system includes a capsule endoscope which is introduced into the inside of a subject to acquire an in-vivo image of the subject and a receiving apparatus for receiving the in-vivo images of the subject from the capsule endoscope through receiving antennas. The capsule endoscope transmits the in-vivo images of the subject taken successively at a time interval corresponding to function or feature of the capsule endoscope. The receiving apparatus calculates a time interval of the in-vivo images received successively from the capsule endoscope and identifies the in-vivo images depending on the function or feature of the capsule endoscope based on a calculated time interval.
US08545394B2

A selective cannulation method for a lumenal tissue's branch section includes: a first step for guiding an endoscope having a channel to an aperture section of the lumenal tissue; a second step for inserting a distal end of an endoscopic treatment instrument through the channel into the aperture section of the lumenal tissue; a third step for having the distal end of the endoscopic treatment instrument make contact with a pipe wall extending from the aperture section of the lumenal tissue to the branch section at two opposed points on the pipe wall by deforming the distal end of the endoscopic treatment instrument; a fourth step for sliding and moving the distal end of the endoscopic treatment instrument to the branch section while having the distal end of the endoscopic treatment instrument make contact with the pipe wall; and a fifth step for inserting the distal end of the endoscopic treatment instrument into a predetermined branch lumen divided from the branch section.
US08545393B2

A method of providing a user with a body implantable penile prosthetic includes providing a pump attachable to a pressure reservoir and a penile implant; pressurizing liquid in the pressure reservoir; configuring the pressure reservoir to release the pressurized liquid from the pressure reservoir to the penile implant at a first pressure for inflating the penile implant to an erect state; and pumping the pressurized liquid from the penile implant to the pressure reservoir and pressurizing the pressurized liquid to a second pressure greater than the first pressure.
US08545386B2

The invention relates generally to surgical implants, and in various embodiments to surgical implants configured for promoting growth of collagenous tissue at an anatomical site.
US08545385B2

An implantable reservoir body is provided which, as and when required, makes available a working medium that serves at least to inflate an implantable unit. An elastic hollow body is provided whose wall encloses a reservoir volume, and an induction coil arrangement is provided inside the reservoir volume and/or an induction coil arrangement is connected to the wall of the hollow body. The induction coil arrangement is connected to a pump/electronics unit provided inside or outside the hollow body, and a fluid channel is provided which leads out of the hollow body and which is connected to the pump unit and/or directly to the implanted unit that is to be inflated.
US08545379B2

A cannula for implantation into a chamber of a heart includes an elongate body having a lumen extending along a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end. The first and second ends define openings into the lumen and the second end includes a flat portion. A flared tip portion extends from the flat portion of the second end in a direction toward the first end, and flares radially outward from the longitudinal axis and in such direction. A ring member extends around the axis of the elongate body and is spaced from the flared tip portion, and the ring member is adapted for retaining the elongate body in a position relative to a wall of the chamber. An embodiment of a flared tip portion may further include a barbed surface configured to contact tissue around an aperture in the wall of the heart when the cannula travels through the aperture.
US08545368B1

A method regulates a machine having a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and service brakes in a manner to reduce power transmission through the applied brakes. The method utilizes an unaltered torque-to-speed curve that relates the torque output to the speed output of the CVT. An under-run curve may be applied to the torque-to-speed curve and that corresponds to a target speed. The method may receive an operator input signal indicative of a braking event. In response, the method may shift the torque-to-speed curve to limit the output torque available. The method may also adjust the under-run curve in a manner that maintains correspondence with the target speed.
US08545367B2

A hybrid system includes a hybrid module that is located between an engine and a transmission. The hybrid system includes an energy storage system for storing energy from and supplying energy to the hybrid module. An inverter transfers power between the energy storage system and the hybrid module. The hybrid system also includes a cooling system, a DC-DC converter, and a high voltage tap. The hybrid module is designed to recover energy, such as during braking, as well as power the vehicle. The hybrid module includes an electrical machine (eMachine) along with electrical and mechanical pumps for circulating fluid. A clutch provides the sole operative connection between the engine and the eMachine. The hybrid system further incorporates a power take off (PTO) unit that is configured to be powered by the engine and/or the eMachine.
US08545360B2

A variable ratio transmission having an infinitely variable ratio, for enabling a tidal turbine (10) or the like running at relatively low but continuously varying speeds, to drive smoothly a constant speed machine, such as a synchronous generator or the like, without excessive transient torques. A preferred transmission includes a primary differential gear train (120), having a driven input (50), and a driving output, wherein the ratio of the input speed to output speed is variable, and wherein said ratio is governed by the reaction torque provided by speed controlling gearing (150) within the primary differential (120), the transmission including a secondary differential gear train (220), which is in rotational communication with the input (50) via a first route (115), and is in rotational communication with the speed controlling gearing (150) via a second different route (125), wherein the secondary differential gear train includes two parallel power paths.
US08545344B2

Disclosed herein is a golf club including a shaft, a club head and several devices for releasably connecting the shaft to the club head.
US08545341B2

An eight-directional controlled dynamic plate based on one-point allows a central portion of a forward side of the dynamic plate with feet of the golfer being positioned thereon to be connected in one-point to the swing plate body, and the dynamic plate to be inclined in eight directions including a forward, a rearward, a leftward, and a rightward direction and four edge directions, so that the dynamic plate is to be positioned corresponding to an inclination surface and an inclination angle of actual outdoor golf course.
US08545338B2

The present invention comprises: a frame; an ascending and descending vertical carrier; a motor; a first rod for performing a forwards rotation or backwards rotation movement; a second rod linked in movement to the other end of the first rod; a separating type of pressed-member which separates from the ascending and descending vertical carrier when the ascending and descending vertical carrier is ascending, and which collides with and is pressed by a pushing plate formed in the other side surface of the ascending and descending vertical carrier when the ascending and descending vertical carrier is descending; a rotational force transmission means for converting the pressing force of the pressed-member into a rotational force; and a golf ball guide member means for nudging the golf ball and settling it on a tee member of the ascending and descending vertical carrier when the vertical carrier has descended.
US08545335B2

A system and method for a toy with memory (flash memory) storage capabilities and a method for the toy to connect to other like toys and to a computer and he internet for online virtual play and simulation. Connection to a computer system allows the user the ability connect to the internet and register the toy allowing the user access to interact with a virtual activities and scenarios including a virtual computer image and animation of the toy connected to a computer which is connected to the Internet. User may also purchase or win a USB (Universal Serial Bus) node or dongle with codes that attach to the USB connection on the toy to allow access to special rooms and events in the virtual world on the website. The status of the game is saved back to the memory storage in the toy.
US08545311B2

A method and system for micro-betting. Video of one or more portions of one or more macro-events can be displayed via a display screen associated with a remote computing device. One or more potential micro-outcomes can be identified within the event or events. Multiple and parimutuel betting options can be generated with respect to varying micro-outcomes within or part of the macro-event(s). Then, one or more micro-bets among the multiple and parimutuel betting options with respect to the micro-outcome(s) can be placed via the remote computing device in communication with a data network. The micro-bet(s) can be transmitted from the remote computing device for placement via one or more servers in communication with the data network. Additionally, data indicative of the multiple and parimutuel betting options can be displayed via the display screen of the remote computing device in association with the video of the event or events displayed via the display screen.
US08545308B2

Methods, computer readable media and systems related to wagering games, and in particular those that concern providing and redeeming partial game outcomes. One example method includes receiving a completion request from a player who is operating a gaming device to complete at least one partial game outcome. The partial game outcome was previously provided to the player, who used a first device that is different than the gaming device. This example method includes determining that the player is entitled to a complete game outcome, displaying the partial game outcome on the gaming device, determining the complete game outcome, and then displaying the complete game outcome.
US08545300B2

A system and method for recording and displaying craps game data is disclosed. A display positioned proximate to a craps table displays craps game data which can be manually input or acquired automatically. Manually inputting craps game data is facilitated by a remote control device in communication with the display. A scanner, camera or other image capturing means can be used to acquire dice roll outcomes which are then automatically transmitted to the display. Various displayed craps game data, including a roll history and a clock, allow players to observe whether a craps table is hot or cold. System memory permits best rolls of the day, week, month, year or all time to be displayed as well.
US08545295B2

Systems, methods and devices for processing coins are presented herein. A coin processing system is disclosed which includes a housing with a coin input area for receiving a batch of coins, a controller with a communication interface operatively attached to the housing, and a coin processing unit for counting, discriminating, and/or valuing coins received from the coin input area. The coin processing system also includes a mobile coin receptacle removably disposed within the housing and configured to receive coins from the coin processing unit. The mobile coin receptacle is configured to wirelessly communicate information to the communication interface of the controller. The mobile coin receptacle can include one or more electrical contacts that mate with one or more electrical contacts on the housing to wirelessly communicate the information.
US08545287B2

A breast support garment is configured with adjustable straps, cups, and/or other components in order to facilitate modification of the appearance of the bust. Modifying the length of certain straps causes the cups to move upwards/downwards and/or inwards/outwards with respect to the center of the breast support garment. Shoulder straps or other portions of the breast support garment may pass through guide loops and/or couple to the breast cups or garment shell to permit adjustment. The location of each breast cup may be independently adjusted.
US08545279B2

A marine propulsion system comprising, in one embodiment: a fuel-filled tank; an air compressor that generates compressed air; an engine that receives fuel from the tank, wherein the air compressor is powered by the engine; and at least one hot gas generator that receives compressed air from the air compressor, the hot gas generator comprising: (a) a combustion chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the compressed air injected into the combustion chamber at the inlet, the combustion chamber adapted to produce hot gas; (b) an injection nozzle that receives fuel from the tank, the injection nozzle positioned proximate to the inlet of the combustion chamber, the injection nozzle adapted to spray the fuel into the combustion chamber; and (c) an exhaust Coanda nozzle positioned at the outlet of the combustion chamber through which the hot gas produced in the combustion chamber is discharged from the hot gas generator.
US08545278B2

A method for operation of a hybrid propulsion system for a marine vessel, including at least one electric motor and at least one internal combustion engine as drive units, is disclosed. Depending on the requirement, for example the vessel speed, the drive units individually or jointly drive at least one propulsion unit, for example a propeller, the power outputs of the drive units to the at least one propulsion unit controlled by a control device as a function of a set value, for example a set value for the propeller rotation speed or the vessel speed, and an operating mode such that the sum of these power outputs results in a total power being output to the at least one propulsion unit, with this total power output being split between the power outputs of the individual drive units as a function of the set value and the operating mode.
US08545264B2

A one-piece rubber plug (20) includes a main body (21) with insertion holes (24) and tubular projections (22) communicating with the insertion holes (24) and projecting from the rear surface of the main body (21). Restricting surfaces (36) matchable with restriction areas (25) on the outer peripheries of the tubular projections (22) are formed on through holes (33) of a rear holder (30). The rear holder (30) is displaced between a deformation permitting position where the restricting surfaces (36) are not in contact with the restriction areas (25) and where resilient radially expansive deformations of the tubular projections (22) are permitted and a deformation preventing position where radially expansive deformations of the tubular projections (22) are prevented by bringing the restricting surfaces (36) into contact with the restriction areas (25) substantially over the entire circumferences.
US08545263B2

A coaxial connector with a connector body is provided with a connector body bore. An annular coupling groove is provided in the connector body bore open to a cable end of the connector body. A clamp sidewall of the coupling grove is angled inward from a bottom of the coupling groove. A slip ring seated within the coupling body bore is provided with a grip surface. An annular compression body is positioned between the slip ring and the clamp sidewall. The connector body and the coupling body are coupled together via threads. The slip ring is dimensioned for axial advance of the coupling body along the threads to exert a compression force against the compression body to clamp a leading edge of the outer conductor between the compression body and the clamp sidewall.
US08545262B2

Shorting clip for an ignition system adapted to be mounted in a retainer insert, including two contact members adapted to each contact a pin of a squib to short-circuit the pins and a first grounding contact adapted to contact a ground contact of a squib connector and at least one second grounding contact adapted to contact an electroconductive part of a squib. The clip further includes a support structure connecting the contact members and the first and second grounding contact with each other, which support structure is adapted to be arranged essentially parallel to the plug-in direction of the retainer insert.
US08545260B2

A base is capable of containing a data cable, the data cable having a first plug, a second plug and a transmitting wire connecting the first plug and the second plug. The base includes a housing defining an opening; and a receiving member and a winding member positioned on the inner surface of the housing. The first plug is capable of protruding out of the housing via the opening, the transmitting wire is capable of being wound around the winding member, and the second plug is capable of being received in the receiving member.
US08545237B2

A connector comprises a generally cylindrical dielectric body with a central bore in the dielectric body. The dielectric body has a first end and second end opposite the first end. Conductors extend axially through the cylindrical dielectric body and are spaced apart from each other in a generally circular or elliptical arrangement. Each conductor comprises an embedded portion in the dielectric body and mating portions extending from the first end and the second end.
US08545235B2

A housing for a CATV filter includes an outer sleeve which is preferably made of stainless steel. A filter assembly and two headers are contained within the outer sleeve. Two engagement holes for a special pin spanner-type wrench are formed in a face of the outer sleeve instead of in a header. The engagement holes are preferably “drifted” holes, which in effect means that rims are created during the forming of holes which add to the strength of the holes.
US08545234B2

A pluggable module includes a housing having a locating opening that is at least partially defined by a wall of the housing. A circuit board is at least partially disposed within the housing and includes an edge and a mating contact. An electrical connector is mounted to the circuit board and includes an electrical contact having a mounting segment that is configured to be electrically connected to the mating contact of the circuit board. The electrical connector includes a dielectric connector body that holds the electrical contact. The body has a base that is coupled to the edge of the circuit board and a locating boss that extends outwardly on the base. The locating boss is received within the locating opening of the housing and includes a crush rib that extends outwardly from the locating boss. The crush rib is deformed and engaged with the wall of the housing.
US08545231B2

The present invention is an obstructive sleep apnea demonstration model device for a user and a patient. The device includes a vertical display stand with a horizontal base, a vertical front surface and a horizontal flange, a vertical side profile base with a removed oral cavity portion attached to the display stand and disposed within the horizontal flange, a top movable side piece with an upper lip, a set of upper teeth, a hinge and a palate. The device also includes a back elongated movable side piece disposed behind the top side piece that hinges on the palate, a chin assembly side piece with a chin, a lower lip, a set of lower teeth and a tongue and an intraoral appliance that is placed between the upper teeth and the lower teeth to treat the patient with an obstructive sleep apnea condition.
US08545230B2

This document discusses, among other things, method and apparatus for a non-nutritive suck (NNS) entrainment pulse generator. An embodiment includes a valve assembly in communication with a first pressure and a second pressure to change a pressure of a baglet. A controller can switch the valve assembly to selectively couple the first and second pressures to the baglet to produce a series of pressure pulses within the baglet. In an embodiment, the pulse generator is substantially self-contained. In an embodiment, the valve assembly includes a reciprocating piston assembly to generate the series of pressure pulses. In an embodiment, the NNS entrainment pulse generator is portable.
US08545226B2

A firearm shooting simulator includes an image capturing device fitted to a firearm and configured to capture at least one image of a target, once activated. The system further includes a processor which is configured to determine any variance between a center point of the image captured and a point on the target sighted by the firearm when the image is captured. This is achieved by sighting the firearm at a particular point on the target and programming the processor with the location of this sighted point. Once the processor is aware of which point is sighted by the firearm, the image is captured and the processor determines a center point of the image captured.
US08545225B2

The present invention provides a redox-curing type composition that penetrates into a wet body, particularly into a tooth structure (dentin), is cured in an accelerated manner by the moisture contained in the wet body, thereby exhibits a higher bond strength than those of conventional redox-curing type compositions, and has satisfactory storage stability. The present invention is a redox-curing type composition including a polymerizable monomer (a) having an acidic group, a polymerizable monomer (b) having no acidic group, a powdery inorganic peroxide (c) with an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 50 μm, an amine-based reducing agent (d), and a polymerization accelerator (e). The amine-based reducing agent (d) includes an aromatic amine (d−1) and an aliphatic amine (d−2), and a weight ratio (d−1):(d−2) therebetween is 5:1 to 1:50.
US08545224B2

A method for increasing the speed in setting artificial teeth in full dentures or dental prostheses. The method provides premade tooth segments, the premade tooth segments including at least one tooth that may be preset into a gingival roll manufactured with either the individual teeth connected together in the gingival roll or by a mid-tooth connection at the mesial and distal surfaces of each tooth in the segment. The method further includes setting the premade tooth segments into a wax bite rim and fitting the wax bite rim to the patient's mandibular or maxillary arch. Another aspect is a method for individualizing the denture or dental prosthesis whereby the incisors can be manipulated to create a personal and natural appearance.
US08545222B2

The invention provides a method for dental restoration including direct modification of an abutment in the oral environment to obtain the ideal shape, contour, and margin placement. The method is featured with directly measuring the shortest distance X1 between a location L1 on the surface of the abutment and the surface of a surrounding object, and increasing the shortest distance X1 until it is not less than a predetermined value. The invention exhibits numerous merits such as simplified procedure, cost-effectiveness, reduction of laboratory adjustment, reduction of chair time, and reduction of office visits.
US08545220B2

Provided is an orthodontic treatment including a main tube, and a pair of caps provided at both ends of the main tube to form an adhesion space therebetween in which an adhesive is accommodated and the adhesive is prevented from flowing into the main tube through an insertion hole of the main tube.Since the adhesive is applied to the adhesion space formed by fitting the pair of caps onto the outer circumference of the main tube, the caps can prevent the applied adhesive flowing into the main tube and the wire can be easily inserted into the main tube.
US08545209B2

A three-dimensional object forming apparatus is provided, which at least comprises: a construction stage, a printing module, plural temporary storage tanks, plural powder supplying tanks, a construction tank, a printing quality inspection component for forming a pattern to determine whether the printing module is blocked or not, a maintenance device, and a dust-proof device.
US08545208B2

The invention relates to a process for producing thermoformed articles such as food packagings or parts thereof with a mechanical weakening between adjoining functional areas, which, for utilization by a user, can be at least partly separated at the mechanical weakening, in a thermoforming die having an upper die and a lower die, the mechanical weakening being introduced with a three-dimensional extension during the period of time during which the material to be formed is located in the thermoforming die, and a thermoforming die for implementing the process.
US08545189B2

A method and an arrangement for controlling a pump station includes measurement of the surface level of a liquid (465) by means of a sensor (452) and controlling the electric drive (401, 420, 430) of the pump (440) to a predetermined speed of rotation when a specific surface level value has been reached. This predetermined rotation speed value is preferably the rotation speed at which the ratio of the flow rate to the consumed power, i.e. the efficiency, is optimal. The measurement of the surface level and the related data processing for control of the pump are performed in a frequency converter (420) in conjunction with the control.
US08545188B2

A hydraulic controller having at least one input for a hydraulic fluid for controlling the speed of a hydraulic pump driven by an internal combustion engine is characterized in that the controller has at least two inputs, that at least two pressure chambers each connected to one of the inputs are provided, that each of the same has a piston displaceable under pressure from a rest position against the force of a spring into a switched position and that the piston rod thereof engages at the end of a rod or a pull in the switched position.
US08545184B2

The present application describes a locking spacer assembly for use with a groove in a rotating disk. The locking spacer assembly may include a locking spacer with a leg and a wedge tool in contact with the leg so as to pull the leg inward and into the groove.
US08545179B2

A system for the structural monitoring of blades 1 on a wind turbine. Each blade 1 has respective optical fiber bragg grating sensors 5. The system has a number of input connectors, which connect to the strain sensors 5 of respective blades 1. A single output connector connects to a data processing device 3 which processes signals from the strain sensors 5. The input connectors each have a signal path to the output connector that is different in length to the signal path from the other input connectors, such that signals from a given blade 1 can be identified at the data processing device 3 by the time of arrival of the signals. The system has the advantage that the each of the blades 1, including the sensors attached to it or embedded within it can be identical and therefore interchangeable.
US08545178B2

A variable pitch propulsor system with a propeller pitchlock system having a pitchlock solenoid valve located in communication with a pitchlock pressure circuit to selectively actuate pitchlocking in response to a controller. The pitchlock solenoid valve includes an electro-mechanical device which is normally closed but may be commanded to electrically open and dump the pitchlock pressure which causes actuation of the pitchlock system. The pitchlock solenoid provides a mechanism which will selectively pitchlock the propulsor system; permits a built in test routine to determine the condition of the pitchlock system through a commanded propeller pitchlock sequence; requires no mechanical link between the rotating and non-rotating propeller components to initiate pitchlock; is independent of engine and gearbox configurations; and can initiate pitchlock remotely with a signal from a remote location.
US08545176B2

A wobble plate motor comprises a rotatable shaft having a bent end rigid with the shaft and an inclined plate journalled on the bent end. When only one side of the inclined plate is directly subjected to high pressure, the plate rolls on a base in the manner of a spinning coin as it decays, i.e. as its spin rate falls to a value where the coin is inclined to the axis of rotation. As the plate rotates, torque is generated on the rotatable shaft so the shaft may drive a work consumer such as a generator, pump or compressor.
US08545165B2

A substrate aligner providing minimal substrate transporter extend and retract motions to quickly align substrate without back side damage while increasing the throughput of substrate processing. In one embodiment, the aligner having an inverted chuck connected to a frame with a substrate transfer system capable of transferring substrate from chuck to transporter without rotationally repositioning substrate. The inverted chuck eliminates aligner obstruction of substrate fiducials and along with the transfer system, allows transporter to remain within the frame during alignment. In another embodiment, the aligner has a rotatable sensor head connected to a frame and a substrate support with transparent rest pads for supporting the substrate during alignment so transporter can remain within the frame during alignment. Substrate alignment is performed independent of fiducial placement on support pads. In other embodiments the substrate support employs a buffer system for buffering substrate inside the apparatus allowing for fast swapping of substrates.
US08545159B2

An apparatus for a liquid crystal display device includes: a process chamber for treating a substrate; a load-lock chamber having an interior conveyor; and a transfer chamber connected to the process chamber and the at least one load-lock chamber, the transfer chamber having a substrate-transferring means.
US08545155B2

The invention relates to an attachment fastener that comprises a body (1) extending in an axial direction, with a head (2), a leg (3) and a skirt-shaped flexible collar (4) provided between the head (2) and the leg (3), and annular sealing washer (5) for sealing the length of a peripheral edge (42) of the collar (4), said sealing washer (5) having a lower surface (57) directed towards the opposite side of the collar (4) having at least one annular bead defining a first sealing line on the lower surface (57) of the washer (5). The sealing washer (5) is adapted to be removably attached onto said peripheral edge (32) of the collar (4), and comprises an upper surface opposite the lower surface (57), which defines an annular shoulder protruding on the side of the collar (4) and on which bears said peripheral edge (42) of the collar (4), said annular shoulder defining another sealing line on the upper surface of the washer (5).
US08545154B2

A license plate fastener assembly includes a female collar including an internally threaded cylinder and a radially outboard flared shoulder. A bumper is mounted on the shoulder. A bolt is compatibly received in the threaded cylinder. The bolt presents a bolt head to define a selectively adjustable distance between the bolt head and the bumper. One or more washers made or synthetic resin may be mounted on the cylinder for selective depth adjustment of the distance.
US08545143B2

The router of the present invention includes a motor housing for enclosing a motor, a support foot for receiving the motor housing, and an adjustment rod mounted to the support foot. The adjustment rod includes a first engagement part and the motor housing includes a second engagement part matched with the first engagement part. The adjustment rod can move between a first position where the first engagement part engages the second engagement part, and a second position where the first engagement part disengages from the second engagement part. As a result, both a fine and a coarse cutting depth adjustment are performed conveniently and easily.
US08545141B2

A flute spread angle θ in a drill axis-perpendicular section of a spiral flute is defined, a region of the flute taking part in chip treatment is formed along a first circle along an cutting edge of a concave curve and a second circle inscribed in this circle, both of the first circle and the second circle are circumscribed on a third circle expressing the web thickness, the radius R of the first circle and the radius R1 of the second circle are in the range of 0.40 D to 0.70 D and in the range of 0.15 D to 0.30 D respectively, and a drill rotational direction front portion of the spiral flute is formed on the second circle to be closer to the drill center than a fourth circle having a diameter of 0.65 D.
US08545135B2

A test kit for unevenly worn sheave grooves, a tool for regrooving sheave grooves that are found to be unevenly worn, and a method for testing for and maintaining the sheave grooves utilizing the test kit and tool. The test kit includes magnetic standards which adhere to a sheave beneath the portion of the sheave touched by the ropes, facilitating testing without having to unrope the sheave. Unevenly worn sheave grooves are visually ascertained by holding a straightedge adjacent to the magnetic standards. The regrooving tool includes a shank that can be received by a stand set up next to the sheave, a body attached to the shank, and an interchangeable cutting insert received by the body that is inserted in the sheave groove. When the sheave is rotated, the sheave groove is ground by the cutting insert, with each groove being ground sequentially until all grooves are again uniform.
US08545134B2

A milling or boring tool has a main tool body rotatable about a tool axis and a cutting element which can be fastened to the main tool body and which has a cutting portion or a cutting insert seat for receiving a cutting insert. To provide a fastening system for fastening the cutting element to the main tool body, which is to be easily implemented at low cost, which allows highly accurate positioning of the cutting element on the main tool body, and which permits very rapid exchange of the cutting element, a centering pin is arranged parallel to the boring axis with an axis that does not coincide with the tool axis and is connected on one part, the main tool body or the cutting element, and a corresponding centering opening is provided on the other part, the cutting element or the main tool body.
US08545131B2

A two-lane ship lock having center-wall tanks that hold water drained from one lane for use in filling the second lane as the unit is operated. The method reduces transit water-use where a lock connects a waterway to a sea with large daily tides by capturing seawater in a lagoon at high tide for use at start of chamber refilling during lower tides.
US08545120B2

A dual cosmetic container is disclosed. The container has a sleeve that has a first end and a second end, each of the ends are adapted to receive a receptacle for containing a cosmetic product. The cosmetic product in the first receptacle is different from the cosmetic product in the second receptacle. At least one of the receptacles has an applicator in the form of a rollerball for dispensing product.
US08545119B2

A substrate cleaning apparatus includes a substrate holding and rotating unit for holding a center of a rear surface of a substrate and rotating the substrate; a cleaning unit including a first cleaning member, a second cleaning member provided around the first cleaning member and a base to which the first and second cleaning members are secured; an elevating unit for moving the substrate holding and rotating unit and the cleaning unit relative to each other so as to allow the first and second cleaning members to come into contact with the rear surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding and rotating unit; and a driving unit for driving the substrate and the cleaning unit relative to each other in a direction along the rear surface of the substrate so as to allow part of the second cleaning member to be exposed to the outside of the substrate.
US08545118B2

The invention provides coating units, heat-treating units, and a first main transport mechanism for transporting substrates to each of these treating units. The substrates are transferred from the first main transport mechanism to a second main transport mechanism through a receiver. When a substrate cannot be placed on the receiver, this substrate is placed on a buffer. Thus, the first main transport mechanism can continue transporting other substrates. The other substrates in the treating units are transported between the treating units without delay, to receive a series of treatments including coating treatment and heat treatment as scheduled. This prevents lowering of the quality of treatment for forming film on the substrates.
US08545117B2

A conversion adapter apparatus is provided that connects a camera body and an interchangeable lens. The conversion adapter apparatus includes a camera body side installation portion to receive a camera body, a lens side installation portion to receive an interchangeable lens, and a first communication contact group provided on the camera body side installation portion and connected to a communication contact group. The conversion adapter apparatus additionally includes a second communication contact group provided on the lens side installation portion and connected to the communication contact group and a conductive member that electrically connects the first communication contact group and the second communication contact group. A position of the first communication contact group around a camera optical axis and a position of the second communication contact group around the camera optical axis are different from each other.
US08545115B2

A blade room for a second blade group is formed between a shutter base plate and a middle plate and a blade room for a first blade group is formed between the middle plate and an auxiliary base plate, by separating a space between the shutter base plate and the auxiliary base plate by the middle plate. A push pin which is planted on the shutter base plate pushes a portion on the lower area of the middle plate toward the auxiliary base plate so that the middle plate bends in the shape of an arc. Also, the area of the middle plate below the exposure aperture has the narrowest width in the portion which is pushed by the push pin and the pushed portion of the middle plate has a shape by which the area of the middle plate below the exposure aperture is easy to bend.
US08545103B1

Embodiments of the invention relate to tilting pad bearing assemblies and apparatuses. The disclosed tilting pad bearing assemblies and apparatuses may be employed in downhole motors of a subterranean drilling system or other mechanical systems. In an embodiment, a bearing assembly or apparatus includes a support ring and a plurality of tilting pads. Each tilting pad is tilted and/or tiltably secured relative to the support ring. In some embodiments, one or more of the tilting pads include a plurality of superhard bearing segments assembled to form a superhard bearing surface. One or more seams may be positioned between adjacent superhard bearing segments of the superhard bearing segments. In other embodiments, one or more of the tilting pads may include at least one or only one superhard bearing segment, such as a polycrystalline diamond bearing segment.
US08545100B2

A pouch comprising a first panel comprising a first flap having an interior and a second panel comprising a second flap having an interior. The second panel is attached to the first panel and portions of the first panel and the second panel define a chamber and an outlet. The pouch further comprises a strip removably attached to a portion of the interior of the first flap and a portion of the interior of the second flap and covering the outlet formed by the first panel and the second panel.
US08545091B1

A method and apparatus for blending liquids and granular materials in which an impeller assembly is mounted for rotation within a housing at a lower end of a particles inlet and characterized in particular by circumferentially spaced impeller vanes in outer concentric relation to a series of expeller vanes surrounding the particles inlet and which together propel the solid particles outwardly to intermix with the liquid introduced into the annulus surrounding the impeller assembly, and different selected vane configurations are provided with circumferential portions protruding into the path of counterflow of the slurry from the annulus in order to keep the eye or central area of the impeller assembly dry.
US08545080B2

In a switch module which is arranged in opposition to a key substrate, the switch module is provided which is able to reduce an amount of light leaking out from the vicinity of an end of a light guiding member in the direction of key parts, so that the key parts can be illuminated in a uniform manner by the light which advances in the interior of the light guiding member. A switch module is provided with a circuit substrate that has a metal dome sheet mounted on a surface thereof which is arranged in opposition to a key substrate, a light guiding sheet that is arranged between the key substrate and the circuit substrate, an LED, and a reflector that makes the light emitted from the LED incident into the light guiding sheet from an end thereof, wherein key parts are able to be illuminated by the switch module.
US08545079B2

A light pipe includes a light guiding body and a light shielding. The light guiding body comprises an installing portion, a light incident portion, and a light emitting portion. The light incident portion and the light emitting portion oppositely formed in the two opposite ends of the installing portion. A light shielding member is made of pliable material, and fits over a side surface of the installing portion, an end surface of the installing portion adjoining the light emitting portion, and a side surface of the light emitting portion.
US08545070B2

Disclosed in a door mirror device capable of continuously emitting light from two light guides. The door mirror device comprises: a first light-emitting light guide arranged in the visor part of a door mirror foldably mounted on the door mirror support part of a vehicle; a second light-emitting light guide provided in the door mirror support part, an end of the second light-emitting light guide facing to an end of the first light-emitting light guide so as to have continuity with the first light-emitting light guide; and a light source configured to emit light toward the first light-emitting light guide and the second light-emitting light guide, the light source being provided in the visor part.
US08545069B2

A portable light apparatus includes a light housing with a light source and a separate battery case connected to the light housing with a cable. The light apparatus can be configured and used in several different ways: as a miner light or flashlight, with the light housing secured to an end of the battery case via a snap-in connection; as a bicycle light, with the battery case secured to a handlebar stem and the light housing secured to the handlebar or stem; a helmet light, with the battery case attached at the back of the helmet and the light housing at front; and as a headstrap light, with the light housing attached to the headstrap at a front position and the battery casing at a different position, preferably at rear. Clips, brackets and straps are included for adapting the light and battery case to the various purposes, without tools. Preferably the light housing is capable of pivoting on a base, so the user can adjust aim of the light beam.
US08545060B2

A light fixture, comprising a matrix, a plurality of electrical sockets fixedly secured to the matrix and forming a rigid matrix of electrical sockets electrically interconnected in two dimensions. One or more light emitting diode modules are individually removable and replaceable within any individual electrical socket within the matrix. Each individual light emitting diode module includes a base and a light emitting diode, wherein the base is configured and arranged for fitted electrical engagement within the electrical socket.
US08545059B2

An electrodeless lamp street lighting fixture comprises a housing, an electronic ballast, and a light emitter that comprises a light bulb, a light reflecting cover, and a transparent cover fixed together. The light emitter and the electronic ballast could be pivotally connected to the housing. An external surface of the housing is served as a radiating plane of the electronic ballast. Therefore, the present invention needs no tool for dismantlement, the radiating effect of the electronic ballast is satisfactory, and the installment is convenient.
US08545053B2

A light device with multiple LED light sources includes a metal conductive plate and a plurality of LED elements. The metal conductive plate consists of plural plate members, and a slot is defined between every two adjacent plate members for physically separating the two adjacent plate members. Each LED element is electrically connected to the plate members disposed at two sides of the slot. The LED elements are electrically connected in series or in parallel through the plate members disposed at the two sides of the slot.
US08545049B2

A light module includes one or more LEDs coupled to a circuit board, a lens disposed over at least one LED, and an adhesive layer disposed between each LED and the lens. A flange extends from at least one side of the lens. The adhesive layer fixes the lens in an optical alignment over the corresponding LED. The adhesive layer includes at least one of a non-permeable layer with an adhesive material on the top and bottom surfaces, a gas-permeable layer with an adhesive material on the top and bottom surfaces, a deposited material, and an over mold material. An alignment tool including one or more optical recesses and one or more alignment features is used in the assembly of at least one of an optical assembly and a light module that includes the optical assembly. The alignment tool facilitates precise alignment of the lenses over the LEDs.
US08545043B2

An illumination device for providing synchronous forward and backward lighting is disclosed. The illumination device includes a light housing of a predetermined shape and an illumination light source provided in the light housing. Also provided in the light housing is a reflector having a front section and a rear section, each of which sections forms a flared reflective area. Light emitted by the illumination light source in the light housing is reflected by the reflective areas of the front and rear sections of the reflector and hence directed both forward and backward, so as for the illumination device to provide wide-range lighting when in use.
US08545039B2

A lamp base having an electrical device recharging receptacle configured to receive a plug from a recharging device for a portable rechargeable electronic device. The receptacle is configured as a standard automobile cigarette lighter receptacle. The receptacle includes standard cigarette lighter receptacle electrical contacts that are connected to a voltage and current conversion circuit for receiving standard household voltage and converting it into standard automotive voltage and current. An adapter receptacle is provided in the lamp base with securable replacement electrical and mechanical connection mechanism, wherein the conversion circuit provides a voltage and current to the adapter receptacle. A replaceably securable USB adapter plug comprising a second conversion circuit for converting the voltage and current provided to the adapter receptacle into a standard USB voltage and current. The replaceably securable USB adapter plug may be electrically and mechanically disconnected and replaced with an upgraded replaceably securable USB adapter plug having a third conversion circuit to convert the voltage and current provided to a different USB voltage and current.
US08545038B2

The present invention provides a back frame of flat panel display device, which includes at least first and second primary assembling pieces. The at least two primary assembling pieces are joined to form the back frame. The primary assembling pieces have positioning sections, and the positioning section cooperate with a back panel of the flat panel display device to position the back frame. The present invention also provides a backlight system and a flat liquid crystal display device. The present invention uses positioning sections formed on the primary assembling pieces to cooperate with a back panel of the flat panel display device to fix the back frame to the back panel so as to facilitate removal of the back frame and further secure the whole structure of the flat liquid crystal display device.
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