US08688221B2
A medical device, programmer, or other computing device may determine values of one or more activity and, in some embodiments, posture metrics for each therapy parameter set used by the medical device to deliver therapy. The metric values for a parameter set are determined based on signals generated by the sensors when that therapy parameter set was in use. Activity metric values may be associated with a postural category in addition to a therapy parameter set, and may indicate the duration and intensity of activity within one or more postural categories resulting from delivery of therapy according to a therapy parameter set. A posture metric for a therapy parameter set may indicate the fraction of time spent by the patient in various postures when the medical device used a therapy parameter set. The metric values may be used to evaluate the efficacy of the therapy parameter sets.
US08688218B2
A lead-connection system includes a lead and a connector. The lead includes a distal end, a proximal end, a plurality of electrodes disposed at the distal end, a plurality of terminals disposed at the proximal end, and a plurality of conductor wires electrically coupling each of the plurality of electrodes to a different one of the plurality of terminals. The connector defines a port for receiving the proximal end of the lead and a plurality of connector contacts. The number of connector contacts is greater than the number of terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead. When the connector receives the proximal end of the lead, each of the terminals disposed on the proximal end of the lead makes electrical contact with at least one of the connector contacts of the connector and no two terminals make electrical contact with a same one of the connector contacts.
US08688217B2
An implantable pulse generator or external trial stimulator for coupling to a lead with a distal end and a proximal end, the lead comprising at least one terminal disposed at the proximal end. The implantable pulse generator comprises a connector for receiving the proximal end of the lead, the connector having at least one contact, and a sensor configured and arranged for detecting electrical connectivity between the implantable pulse generator or external trial stimulator and the lead, the sensor comprising at least one sensor contact, the sensor contact being configured and arranged for electrically coupling to a terminal of the lead and at least one of the contacts of the connector when the lead is fully inserted in the connector and thereby detecting electrical connectivity between the implantable pulse generator or external trial stimulator and the lead.
US08688216B2
Cardiac electrostimulation energy is delivered to a heart chamber of a subject according to a normal pacing mode using a set of implantable pacing electrodes. When a threshold test for the heart chamber is initiated and a sensing electrode independent from the set of pacing electrodes is unavailable for the heart chamber, cardiac electrostimulation energy is delivered to the subject according to a threshold test mode. The threshold test mode includes sensing a cardiac activity signal from a subject using a set of sensing electrodes that includes an electrode common to the set of pacing electrodes, and changing the electrostimulation energy and sensing a resulting cardiac activity signal using the set of sensing electrodes to determine the optimum electrostimulation energy for capture of the heart chamber.
US08688208B2
The subject disclosure relates to a method and system for visual object categorization. The method and system include receiving human inputs including data corresponding to passive human-brain responses to visualization of images. Computer inputs are also received which include data corresponding to outputs from a computerized vision-based processing of the images. The human and computer inputs are processing so as to yield a categorization for the images as a function of the human and computer inputs.
US08688200B2
Techniques for detecting ischemia and classifying a type of ischemia are described. Electrograms of cardiac activity may be generated using implanted or external electrodes, e.g., electrodes carried on vascular leads within the heart and a housing electrode. In some examples, ischemia is detected and classified as benign or malignant based on whether a change an electrogram metric is detected, or first detected, in an endocardial electrogram or a non-endocardial electrogram. The relative timing of the change in the electrogram metric and a change in heart rate or patient activity may also be considered. In some examples, the system may create a stress test for detecting ischemia by instructing the patient to exercise or increasing the cardiac pacing rate.
US08688199B2
A method of aiding in the diagnosis or prediction of degenerative joint disease in a joint of a patient. The method comprises obtaining a test spectrum of Raman scattered radiation from cartilage tissue in the joint, and analyzing the test spectrum, or one or more regions thereof, to assess whether the test spectrum is consistent with the patient having, or subsequently developing, degenerative joint disease in the joint.
US08688188B2
In aspects of the present disclosure, a no coding blood glucose monitoring unit including a calibration unit is integrated with one or more components of an analyte monitoring system to provide compatibility with in vitro test strip that do not require a calibration code is provided. Also disclosed are methods, systems, devices and kits for providing the same.
US08688185B2
The invention relates to a device and a method for measuring blood, tissue, or skin parameters, in particular the oxygen saturation in blood, by attaching one or more sensors to body parts such as fingers, earlobes, toes, hand, or foot. The invention relates further to a method for the preparation of said device.
US08688184B2
A noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor platform for mobile animals such as small rodents, namely rats and mice is useful such as in a laboratory research environment. The noninvasive photoplethysmographic sensor platform may be a collar which provides an easily affixed, adjustable attachment mechanism that encircles the animal, such as the neck. The neck of the animal provides several particular advantages as a sensor mounting platform for photoplethysmographic sensors. For pulse oximetry, the neck location will provide significant blood flow under all conditions. For small mammals, such as rats and mice, transmittance pulse oximetry through the neck of the subject remains possible. The neck mounted collar also offers inherent bite resistance to the sensor platform.
US08688181B1
A new class of superconducting compositions, and methods for making and using them are described. These compositions exhibit superconductivity at temperatures in excess of 26° K. and are comprised of transition metal oxides having at least one additional element therein which may create a multivalent state of the transition metal oxide. The composition can be a ceramic-like material having a layer-like crystalline structure, where the structure is distorted having either an oxygen excess or deficiency. An example is RE-AE-TM-O, where RE is a rare earth or rare earth-like element, AE is an alkaline earth element, TM is a transition metal element (such as Cu) and O is oxygen.
US08688178B2
[Problems] A portable mobile apparatus where two magnetism detecting unit and a reduced number of magnets can specify in which of the following four states the housings of the apparatus are: an open state where the housings are opened, a closed state where the housings are closed, a reversed display state where the housings are closed with a display reversed to face the outside, and a 90-degree state where the display is turned 90 degrees in the reversed display state.[Means of Solving Problems] The portable mobile apparatus has a display housing (11), an operation housing (21), a universal hinge (30) that enables both housings (11, 21) to be opened and closed at a connection end and enables the display housing (11) to rotate about an axis (B) that is normal to a display surface (11A) and about an axis (C) that is in parallel with the display surface (11A), a first magnet (12) and a second magnet (13) that are installed at the display housing (11), a first Hall IC (22) and a second Hall IC (23) that are installed at the operation housing (21) so as to correspond to the magnets (12, 13), and state determination unit (35) for determining each of the open/close states of the display housing (11) and the operation housing (21) based on detection information from the Hall ICs (22, 23).
US08688176B2
Components and methods for forming such components with mechanically-bonded plastic are provided. A representative method includes: providing a metal chassis, the chassis having an opening extending through; placing the chassis in a mold; flowing plastic into the mold such that the plastic flows into the opening, the plastic being mechanically bonded to the metal of the chassis to form an integrated metal and plastic component; and removing the integrated metal and plastic component from the mold.
US08688170B2
A device accessible via a wireless service network includes logic to receive digital frames from a wireless communication device, to identify digital frames that are suitable tiles for a digital panorama, to create a digital panorama from the identified frames, and to associate the panorama with one or more locations on a digital map.
US08688167B2
There is provided a mobile telephony device, comprising a mobile station that can be connected to a mobile telephony network by using a SIM card. A multiplexer can be connected to the mobile station, the multiplexer holding several SIM cards. An exemplary multiplexer may comprise a first switching component that is configured such that each one of the SIM cards can be connected to the mobile station. The exemplary multiplexer may comprise a second switching component that is configured to switch off the mobile station while one SIM card is being disconnected from the mobile station and another SIM card is being connected to the mobile station.
US08688164B2
A radio base station (1), which is to be pre-blockaded, transmits a pre-blockade initiate notification to radio base stations (2A-2F) neighboring the radio base station (1). Further, the radio base station (1) reduces the transmission power thereof at a predetermined reduction rate at a initiation time of the pre-blockade. Meanwhile, each of the radio base stations (2A-2F) receives the pre-blockade initiate notification and increases the transmission power at a predetermined increase rate at the initiation time of the pre-blockade, the absolute value of predetermined increase rate being equal to that of the predetermined reduction rate at the radio base station (1).
US08688163B2
Methods and apparatus in a wireless communication system are described for receiving and processing transmit power control commands, where, for example, the response to the transmit power control commands is conditionally decoupled from at least one of a transmit bandwidth parameter, a transport format parameter and a power stepsize limit. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the disclosed subject matter. Therefore, it is to be understood that it should not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
US08688162B1
A method and system for reducing latency by anticipating responsive data communications is described. When the user of a first mobile station receives a message sent from a second mobile station, the user of the first mobile station may responsively reply. If, before the reply is sent, the second mobile station releases its network radio link and goes dormant, the reply may be delayed as the radio link is set up again after the reply is sent. To reduce this latency, the first mobile station may monitor its user's actions and, upon an indication that the user intends to soon reply to the earlier received message, the first mobile station may send a signal into the network which causes the second mobile station to maintain its radio link or to set up a new radio link if it has gone dormant.
US08688160B2
Electronic devices may be provided that contain wireless communication circuitry. The wireless communication circuitry may include radio-frequency transceiver circuitry coupled to antennas. An electronic device may include a baseband processor and other storage and processing circuitry that implements protocol stacks for handling multiple radio access technologies. The storage and processing circuitry may use the transceiver circuitry to convey data using a first radio access technology while periodically interrupting the conveying of the data to monitor a paging channel using a second radio access technology. In performing the paging channel monitoring operations, the storage and processing circuitry may enforce a time limit that ensures that operations using the first radio access technology are not disrupted more than desired.
US08688156B2
A method and apparatus for controlling a link margin are provided. The method includes: receiving, from a second device, a link margin frame including information about the link margin related to a communication link between a first device and the second device; and performing at least one operation selected from among a change in transmission power, a change in a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), beam forming, and a change of the communication link to another frequency band, based on the received link margin frame.
US08688152B2
A messaging method in a system including a wireless network, a routing server, and a plurality of mobile stations. A first mobile station has first communications applications and a first PIN and a second mobile station has second communications applications and a second PIN. The method includes sending an invitation including the first PIN from the first mobile station to the second mobile station using one of the first communications applications, and sending an acceptance including the second PIN from the second mobile station to the first mobile station using one of the second communications applications. The method further includes creating first messages including the second PIN and sending them to the second mobile station through the wireless network, and creating second messages including the first PIN and sending them to the first mobile station through the wireless network. The routing server routes the messages based on the PINs.
US08688139B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to concurrently estimating locations for one or more mobile stations and one or more wireless transmitters.
US08688138B2
Methods and apparatuses for location determination in wireless assisted positioning systems. In one aspect of the disclosed method and apparatus, a method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: computing a second estimated position of a mobile device using a first assumed geometric relationship for a location of the mobile device in relation to a navigational transmitter (e.g., a basestation, a pseudolite, or a Satellite Positioning System (SPS) satellite). The first geometric relationship is linearly independent from the altitude of the mobile device (e.g., obtained from an altitude aiding) and a second geometric relationship based on range information (e.g., a range from the mobile device to the navigational transmitter, a pseudorange, an arrival time, or a round trip time) measured with respect to the navigational transmitter. In another embodiment of the disclosed method and apparatus, the method to determine a position of a mobile device in a positioning system includes: determining an estimated clock bias from a strength indicator of a signal transmitted from a navigational transmitter to the mobile device.
US08688135B2
The present invention discloses a method and base station for implementing a carrier aggregation. The method comprises: a base station determines predetermined information, wherein the predetermined information comprises reserved resources for the carrier aggregation and the capability of a user terminal; the base station selects a first carrier resource from the reserved resources according to the capability of the user terminal and selects, for the user terminal, a second carrier resource for bearing data from the resources except the reserved resources; and the base station aggregates the first and second carrier resources. On the premise of reducing the inter-cell interference, the present invention can increase the number of the carriers used by the user terminal to meet the various requirements of a new wireless communication network and guarantee the communication quality of the wireless communication network.
US08688131B2
An RF connection matrix may include first and second carrier-specific RF connection matrix modules. The first carrier-specific RF connection matrix module can be adapted to route a first downlink transmission to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on a first carrier. The second carrier-specific RF connection matrix module can be adapted to route a second downlink transmission to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on a second carrier. Methods for facilitating simulcasting and de-simulcasting may include receiving a signal associated with a sector ID, which signal includes a first downlink transmission for a first carrier and a second downlink transmission for a second carrier. The first downlink transmission can be routed to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on the first carrier. The second downlink transmission can be routed to one or more remote antenna units for transmission on the second carrier.
US08688123B2
A method for transmitting a mobility state is provided in the present invention, the method includes: when an source evolved NodeB (eNB) performs a handover of a user equipment (UE) in a connectivity state, it sends the UE historical information to a target eNB; the target eNB decides a mobility state of the UE according to the UE historical information. Alternatively, when the source eNB performs a handover of the UE in a connectivity state, it decides the mobility state of the UE according to the UE historical information, sets the corresponding mobility state instruction information and sends it to the target eNB; the target eNB acquires the mobility state corresponding to the UE according to the received mobility state instruction information. A system for transmitting a mobility state is also provided in the present invention.
US08688122B2
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to wireless communications and techniques for determining a power save duration for an out of service subscription based, at least in part, on a detected mobility status change of a mobile device. Aspects generally include a mobile device, that shares a single radio resource for establishing connections with a first and second subscription, using a detected mobility status change to determine a power saving duration for an out of service subscription.
US08688111B2
A method includes receiving, at a first distributed mobile architecture (DMA) system, a call from a first mobile subscriber to a second mobile subscriber and determining whether the second mobile subscriber is registered with one of the first DMA system and a second DMA system based on information stored at an authentication, authorization, and accounting module. The information stored at the AAA module includes a first home location register storing information associated with mobile subscribers registered with the first DMA system and a first community location register storing information associated with a second HLR of the second DMA system.
US08688101B1
A network controller including processing circuitry may be configured to receive dynamic position information indicative of a three dimensional position of at least one mobile communication node, compare fixed position information indicative of fixed geographic locations of respective access points of a network to the dynamic position information to determine a relative position of the at least one mobile communication node relative to at least one of the access points based on the fixed position information and the dynamic position information, and provide network control instructions to at least one network asset based on the relative position.
US08688097B2
A method and apparatus for reconfiguring an operational frequency and associated bandwidth used by a femto-cell base station are disclosed. The femto-cell is configured to provide coverage to a User Equipment by connecting to a core telecommunications network via a gateway device. The method includes checking a list of frequencies and associated bandwidths available to a wireless network interface of the femto-cell base station and determining if any of the frequencies in the list matches the operational frequency supported by the User Equipment to which the femto-cell base station is providing coverage. If at least one frequency matches the one supported by the User Equipment, a second frequency is selected from the list of frequencies, said second frequency being established as the operational frequency of the femto-cell base station.
US08688083B2
A method includes providing advertisement data to a mobile device, receiving an input associated with the mobile device based on the advertisement data, and providing a credit based on the input. The input may be based on at least one of a location of the mobile device, a messaging communication initiated using the mobile device, an entry in an information management application, and a transaction executed using the mobile device.
US08688076B2
The subject innovation relates to a subscriber identifier for subscriber authentication in a mobile telecommunications network. The subscriber identifier comprises a memory device that contains a first subscription data record for subscriber authentication in a first mobile telecommunications network. The memory device further contains a second subscription data record for subscriber authentication in a second mobile telecommunications network. Based on an available mobile telecommunications network, one of the contained subscription data records being usable for subscriber authentication in each case.
US08688070B2
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for location-based emergency information. A current geographic location of a device is determined. One or more first contact information items based on the determined geographic location are received at the device. The first contact information items include one or more contact information items associated with emergency services.
US08688068B2
A system and method for temporarily reconfiguring a communications system to provide selected services are provided. A method for temporarily providing selected services by a cell of a communications system includes receiving a first command, changing an operating mode of the cell responsive to the first command, and indicating the operating mode to a first selected device and a first non-selected device. The cell operating in the operating mode serves the first selected device based on the first command, and the first non-selected device is a selected device prior to the change in the operating mode and is capable of accessing the cell before the cell changes the operating mode responsive to the first command and is not capable of accessing the cell after the cell changes the operating mode responsive to the first command.
US08688066B2
A receiver includes an antenna configured to receive a set of RF signals, and a low-noise amplifier (LNA) coupled to the antenna and amplify the set of RF signals to generate a set of amplified signals. The receiver further includes a down-conversion mixer configured to down convert the set of amplified signals to baseband frequencies. The receiver further includes a low-pass filter configured to filter from the set of amplified signals to baseband frequencies an out-of-band signal. The receiver further includes a high-pass filter configured to reverse the filtering of the low-pass filter. The receiver further includes a peak detector configured to determine whether the LNA is operating at saturation; and an automatic-gain controller configured to decrease a gain of the LNA based on the determination of the peak detector.
US08688061B2
A system and method for biasing a power amplifier includes a power amplifier having a driver stage and an output stage, the driver stage having a plurality of driver devices, a bias current source configured to deliver a bias current to each of the plurality of driver devices, and a current directing element configured to receive the bias current and selectively bias each of the plurality of driver devices based on a reference voltage and a system voltage.
US08688057B2
The present invention relates to the field of food/drink containers and multimedia systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a combination of a food/drink container. The present invention provides the user an immediate multimedia/communications sources while using the container wherein the container includes a body for accommodating food/drink, a closure for closing the container and a communications/multimedia module.
US08688055B2
An amplifier integrated circuit (IC) including a push-pull amplifier having a push stage and a pull stage. A first loop of wire configured to form a first degeneration inductance of the push stage. A second loop of wire configured to form a first degeneration inductance of the pull stage. The first loop and the second loop are concentric. The first loop is connected to a reference potential. The second loop is connected to a supply voltage.
US08688052B2
An integrated circuit (IC) having a radio receiver configured to perform a jitter self-test is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a radio receiver and a pulse generator. The pulse generator is configured to generate a pulse train based on a first periodic signal received from the radio receiver. The radio receiver is configured to use the pulse train to determine an amount of phase noise generated by a local oscillator of the radio receiver. The pulse generator and the radio receiver are implemented on the same IC die.
US08688050B2
A system and method of establishing a connection between a wireless terminal and a display apparatus of a display system includes comparing a signal strength of signals transmitted and received between the wireless terminal and the display apparatus, and automatically establishing the connection if it is determined that the signal strength is greater than or equal to a threshold value based on connection parameters in the signals.
US08688049B2
The object of the present invention is to perform an enhanced prediction technique. The object is achieved by a method in a base station comprised in a radio access network. The base station is adapted to communicate with at least one user equipment, the method comprises the steps of receiving a sequence of CQI values sampled at the times t=1, . . . , n, from one or more of the at least one user equipments; estimating for each of the received specific CQI value k, the conditional expectation of the CQI value at time t+d, given the specific CQI value k at time t; and obtaining a predicted CQI value for the specific CQI value k, which predicted CQI value is the estimated conditional expectation of the CQI values at a time t+d for the specific CQI value k.
US08688045B2
Exemplary embodiments include a frequency modulation (FM) transmitter and a non-FM receiver, which may be implemented on the same IC chip. The FM transmitter may include a digital FM modulator, a lowpass filter, an amplifier, and an LC tank circuit. The digital FM modulator may receive a digital input signal, perform FM modulation with the digital input signal, and provide a digital FM signal. The lowpass filter may filter the digital FM signal and provide a filtered FM signal. The amplifier may amplify the filtered FM signal and provide an output FM signal. The LC tank circuit may filter the output FM signal. The digital FM modulator may perform FM modulation by changing a variable divider ratio of a multi-modulus divider within a PLL. A delta-sigma modulator may receive the digital input signal and generate a modulator output signal used to obtain the variable divider ratio.
US08688042B2
Another information processing apparatus in a communicable range of a short-distance wireless communication is repeatedly searched for, wireless communication is automatically established therewith, data is automatically transmitted to the other information processing apparatus with which the wireless communication has been established, and data transmitted from the other information processing apparatus is automatically received. Then, based on an operation by a user, evaluation data is generated which indicates an evaluation by the user with respect to the data content indicated by the received data. Further, the transmission source of the data which has become a target of the evaluation indicated by the evaluation data is specified and the generated evaluation data is transmitted to the transmission source.
US08688041B2
A mobile network solution provides secure and portable wireless networking service to mobile users with devices equipped with wireless network interfaces. The Secure Nomadic Wireless Network, or SNOWNET, follows a hierarchical approach. Special SNOWNET nodes are deployed in the area where networking service is needed and form a backbone network. At the same time, SNOWNET nodes provide local access service to regular mobile clients. SNOWNET provides security through authentication of the nodes and clients, as well as through encryption of the data.
US08688040B2
A Bluetooth headset for a helmet having an inter-communication is provided. The Bluetooth headset includes a headset body configured to be mounted on a helmet, a microphone and a speaker that are configured to be installed on the headset body, a jog dial configured to be installed to perform a rotation operation and be subject to a push operation, a Bluetooth module configured to be accommodated in the headset body and to perform wireless communication while paired with an external Bluetooth device, and a control unit configured to be accommodated in the headset body to process a signal input from the microphone, a signal input according to the rotation operation and the push operation of the jog dial and a signal received from the Bluetooth module and output the processed signal to the speaker and the Bluetooth module.
US08688036B2
A wireless communications headset system for double hearing protection systems that eliminates the problems associated with typical wireless communications systems. The system employs a magnetic-field coupled wireless link from a loop transmitter to a magnetic field receiver. Current through the transmitter wire loops generates magnetic flux which passes through a communications earplug. The earplug has a receiver for converting the magnetic flux to electrical voltage, and this voltage is used to drive a speaker within the earplug. The transmitter can be easily installed into aviation headsets. The loop transmitter has an open center sized so that it fits around the pinna of the human ear enabling a close position to the communications earplug. This close position is advantageous if an efficient system is desired.
US08688022B2
Disclosed are a heating fixing belt and a fixing device by which good long-term durability is achieved, and a process for forming the heating fixing belt.The heating fixing belt comprises a resistance heating layer formed of a resin in which at least a conductive substance is dispersed, a parting layer laminated on the resistance heating layer and a pair of electrodes for supplying electric power to the resistance heating layer, which are respectively stacked and provided on both end portions of the resistance heating layer in such a manner that at least parts thereof come into contact with the resistance heating layer, wherein the electrodes are each composed of a metal mesh sheet. In the heating fixing belt, the metal mesh sheet forming the electrode preferably has an aperture ratio of 10 to 60.
US08688018B2
A developing device includes a container, a toner holding member, a developing electric field forming unit, a layer forming unit, an electrode member, and a low-frequency electric field forming unit. The container accommodates toner. The toner holding member holds toner and transports the toner to a developing region where the toner holding member and the latent image holding member face. The developing electric field forming unit forms a developing electric field for developing a latent image held on a latent image holding member. The layer forming unit forms a toner layer on the toner holding member prior to the developing region. The electrode member faces the toner holding member. The low-frequency electric field forming unit forms a low-frequency electric field acting on residual toner between the electrode member and the toner holding member, and forms stripe-shaped projections in accordance with a period of the low-frequency electric field.
US08688017B2
An image formation unit includes an image carrier, a developer carrier configured to supply developer to the image carrier to form a developer image on the image carrier, first and second developer supply members configured to supply the developer to the developer carrier, a first developer container room configured to contain therein the developer and accommodating therein the first developer supply member, and a second developer container room configured to contain therein the developer and accommodating therein the second developer supply member.
US08688006B2
A drive transmission device includes drive transmission members including a detection target gear, a detection device detecting the rotational position of the target gear and including a position detection member and a detection unit, and a conductive protection member protecting the detection unit. The detection unit and the protection member are assembled to the same member to be installed to an external apparatus. If there is a dimensional error in the protection member causing a portion of the protection member closest to the target gear to shift in position relative to the detection unit beyond a predetermined range, the protection member comes into contact with the detection unit in the assembling process, and is corrected in shape by the detection unit, with the shift in position relative to the detection unit of the portion of the protection member closest to the target gear kept within the predetermined range.
US08688002B2
An image forming apparatus to which a cartridge having a photosensitive drum is detachably mounted. A cartridge supporting member supports the cartridge mounted to a main body of the apparatus, and an operation member is operated to be moved when the cartridge is mounted. When the operation member is moved in a state in which the cartridge is mounted, the cartridge supporting member is rotated away from the transfer member so that the cartridge is rotated and inclined at an angle θ1 with respect to the transfer member, and an exposure device is rotated away from the transfer member and is inclined at an angle θ2 greater than the angle θ1 with respect to the transfer member, so that the cartridge is allowed to be detachable from the main body of the apparatus.
US08687996B2
An image forming apparatus, including an upper section including an image forming section to form an image on a recording sheet, a lower section arranged below the upper section including a sheet supplying tray to stack a plurality of recording sheets, a partitioning body to separate the upper section and the lower section in a vertical direction, wherein the lower section includes a dehumidification device to heat the inside of the lower section and to dehumidify the recording sheets stacked on the sheet supplying tray, the partitioning body includes a first shielding member to shield a bottom portion of the upper section, a second shielding member separated from the first shielding member to shield a top portion of the lower section, a clearance formed between the first shielding member and the second shielding member, and an air blowing section to blow air into the clearance.
US08687995B2
A heating roller including a resistive heating layer and a fusing device including the heating roller. By separately disposing a plurality of electrodes in an axis direction of the heating roller, and by independently controlling each electrode, the heating roller may correspond to various papers having different sizes. Accordingly, the temperature of the heating roller may be stably controlled.
US08687990B2
An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image carrying member, a rotatable transfer member cooperative with the image carrying member, and a fixing unit having a fixing nip for nipping and feeding the recording material discharged from the transfer nip while fixing the toner image. In addition, a bowing amount measuring unit measures a bowing amount of the recording material, a storing portion stores a target bowing amount, and a speed controller controls a feeding speed of the recording material. The storing portion stores a plurality of target bowing amounts, which are selectable depending on kinds of the recording material, and the speed controller controls the feeding speed in the fixing nip, and then controls the feeding speed so that the bowing amount is substantially zero at the time when a trailing edge of the recording material leaves the transfer nip.
US08687986B2
The image forming apparatus includes a loop amount detection sensor, disposed between a secondary transfer part and a fixing part, for detecting a loop amount of a transfer material by detecting a reflection of light radiated on the transfer material, a density detection sensor for detecting a density of a toner image that is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt with the primary transfer roller, and a loop control part for controlling the loop amount of the transfer material based on the density of the toner image that is detected by the density detection sensor and the loop amount that is detected by the loop amount detection sensor. Accordingly, the image forming apparatus attains higher accuracy in the deflection amount detection by performing the deflection amount detection at least with the dependency of the image formed on the transfer material mitigated.
US08687984B2
An image forming apparatus, to which a plurality of cartridges are detachably mountable, with the cartridges each having a cartridge side identification portion, includes an image forming unit configured to form an image, a plurality of mounting portions to which the cartridges are demountably mountable, and an identification urging mechanism provided in each of the mounting portions. The identification urging mechanism permits a cartridge to be mounted to the mounting portion when the cartridge is to be properly mounted to the mounting portion on the basis of correspondence with the cartridge side identification portion, and urges the cartridge in a direction opposite a direction in which the cartridge is mounted when the cartridge is improper for the mounting portion. The identification urging mechanism permits, even when the cartridge is improper for the mounting portion, the cartridge to enter to a mount position where the proper cartridge is mounted.
US08687980B2
A feedback light tuning device and the optical communication system and method using the same are provided. By tuning the feedback light, the mechanism can completely correct the mean-wavelength drift up to 30 nm or 19400 ppm. The mechanism can be applied to various harsh environments which cause the mean-wavelength drift, so as to achieve a required stable mean-wavelength for the light source and to increase the acceptable range of radiation dose.
US08687974B2
Compensation for in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) timing skew and offset in an optical signal may be achieved based on the correlation between derivatives of I and Q samples in the optical signal. The magnitude of the correlation between derivatives is measured to determine the presence of skew. Correlation between derivatives may be coupled with frequency offset information and/or with trials having additional positive and negative skew to determine presence of skew. Correlations are determined according to pre-defined time periods to provide for continued tracking and compensation for timing skew that may result from, for example, thermal drift.
US08687964B2
A method and apparatus of managing remote third party OTN & WDM transceiver equipment using the same fibers used for end user data exchange is described. A network device collects management instructions for the OTN & WDM transceiver equipment, assembles this management information into the overhead of a data frame and transmits on an optical link directly coupled to the network device. The WDM transceiver function converts the optical signal to an electrical one and the OTN function extracts the management instructions from the OTN overhead. A processor associated with the OTN framer function acts on that information. The management instructions includes the instruction to periodically and continuously, load certain performance, alarm or informational data into its OTN overhead and transmit that to a similar transceiver at the remote end of the communications link. Network-based monitoring equipment can optically tap off a portion of the signal and extract this information, allowing the network-based device to gain knowledge of conditions at the end points.
US08687954B2
A flash lens and a flash module employing the same. The flash lens includes a lens unit including an incident surface, a reflecting surface, and a light-emitting surface; and a lens seating portion disposed at a lower portion of an edge of the light-emitting surface, extending and protruding from the reflecting surface, and including a pattern formed in a lower surface thereof. In addition, the flash module according to an embodiment of the present invention may include the flash lens and a light emitting diode (LED) chip integrally formed with the flash lens.
US08687950B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus, which play 2D video data or 3D video data, includes a 2Dto3D converter and a display controller. The 2Dto3D converter generates 3D video frames corresponding to 2D video frames in the 2D video data. The display controller controls displaying the 3D video frames on a screen if 3D play of the 2D video data has been requested, and controls displaying 3D video frames in the 3D video data if play of the 3D video data has been requested. The display controller controls displaying the 2D video frames on the screen if a change of a play speed has been requested during the 3D play of the 2D video data.
US08687949B2
Flexibility with respect to access and enjoyment of time shifted content in a content distribution network is provided, especially with regard to content not present on a DVR. A DVR accesses a network storage device over a network for particular portions of content not available on the DVR and the network storage device provides those missing portions. The user may then rewind and playback not only already locally stored content but also that content provided by the storage device. Content can be provided through faster-than-real-time transmissions such that the content is made available to the DVR prior to it being needed for rewind functionality or playback.
US08687941B2
Techniques are disclosed for automatic static summarization of videos. For example, a method of creating a static summary of a video comprises the following steps. Shots in the video are detected, wherein the detected shots are frames of the video having a correlation. The detected shots are clustered into clusters based on similarity. The clusters of shots are ranked. At least a portion of the shots are selected based on cluster ranking for inclusion in the static summary. The static summary is generated by combining thumbnail images of the selected shots. Prior to the ranking step, the method may further comprise detecting a presence of slides in any of the shots, and the ranking of a given shot is based in part on whether the shot is a slide. By way of example, such static summaries can be shared in emails and in calendar applications.
US08687940B2
A method for providing a list of records in a digital broadcast receiver and a digital broadcast receiver for providing a list of records are disclosed. A reception unit receives a broadcast signal including a data broadcast-associated application. A storage medium store records. And A controller manages the application, receives a list request for requesting a list of record series belonging to a series from the application, generates a list, selects a record from a list of the stored records based on a link between the series and the record, includes the selected record in the generated list, and transmits the generated list to the application.
US08687935B2
There is provided an optical fiber module including a reel having a flange on one side of both sides thereof, a first optical fiber being wound around the reel, a first adhesive being applied to a roll of the first optical fiber so that lines of the first optical fiber are fixed to each other and the roll of the first optical fiber is fixed to the flange of the reel, and a first sheet member being fixed to the roll of the first optical fiber with the first adhesive.
US08687929B2
In order to facilitate positioning of a collimator lens and an optical fiber while preventing cost increase, provided is an optical collimator having a holder (11) which has a cylindrical shape and is made of metal; a collimator lens (12) which is housed in a housing part (11c) formed at an end of the holder (11); and an optical fiber (13) which is inserted via an insertion hole (11a) formed at an opposite end of the holder (11) and is fixed at a predetermined position. At least one of the collimator lens (12) and an end surface of the optical fiber (13) is made to abut to a recess (11e) formed in proximity of the housing part (11c) of the holder (11) thereby to perform positioning.
US08687928B2
Provided is an optical characteristic measuring probe which can detect the position and the direction of the leading end of the probe without affecting a monitoring image. The bendable optical characteristic measuring probe is provided with a light guide body (71), which transmits light emitted from a light source and irradiates a subject to be measured with light, and a guide tube (70), which holds the light guide body (71) such that the light guide body freely rotates about the axis and is freely displaced in the axis direction. The light guide body (71) guides at least two types of light, i.e., measuring light for measuring the optical characteristics of the subject to be measured, and position determining light for measuring the position of the light guide body. On the side surface of the guide tube (70), a mark (M) having the characteristics of transmitting the measuring light and returning only the position determining light to the light guide body is provided.
US08687919B2
An image processing apparatus includes an image output apparatus and an image reading apparatus. The image output apparatus includes an input object information receiving unit that receives first input object information, a first information image generating unit that generates a first information image, a second information image generating unit that generates a second information image, a first combining unit that combines the first information image with a document, a second combining unit that combines the second information image with a document, and a first output unit that outputs the document. The image reading apparatus includes a first reading unit that reads an information image including first input object information, a second reading unit that reads an information image including second input object information, an extracting unit that extracts the first and second input object information, and a determining unit that determines whether these pieces of information correspond to each other.
US08687914B2
A method of producing an image is disclosed. At least one symbol is received. A first image with at least one light spot is, optionally, captured by an image capturing apparatus. The performing order of receiving the symbol and capturing the first image may be reversed. The first image is duplicated to provide a plurality of duplicated first images, and the duplicated first images are shifted according to the symbol to obtain a plurality of shifted first images. The brightness values of corresponding pixels of the shifted first images are computed to produce a second image with a light track that traces the symbol.
US08687910B2
An image filtering method and apparatus that filter a block of a plane area by using a pseudo-random filter are provided, whereby artifacts generated in image encoding and decoding procedures are removed, the method including: determining a similarity between pixel values of a the first block; and generating a second block by selectively applying a pseudo-random filter on the first block according to a result of based on the determining the determined similarity.
US08687906B2
An image processing device includes a first output unit that performs predetermined image processing for image data, and outputs image data having m bits per pixel; a second output unit that performs pseudo gradation-increase processing by a dither method or a multilevel error diffusion method for the output image data, and outputs image data having n bits per pixel, where n
US08687903B1
Systems and methods for compressing a depthmap are provided. In some aspects, a system includes an encoding module configured to group a plurality of pixels of a depthmap. Each grouped pixel of the depthmap includes a depth value and is associated with an optic ray aligned with a camera capturing the depthmap. Each of the plurality of depth values is within a predetermined offset from one another. The encoding module is further configured to generate a primitive based on the grouped plurality of pixels. The primitive includes an identification value. Each of the plurality of optic rays intersects a corresponding portion of the primitive. The encoding module is further configured to transform the depthmap based on the primitive. Each grouped pixel of the transformed depthmap includes the identification value. The system also includes a compression module configured to compress the transformed depthmap.
US08687902B2
A system, method, and computer program product that may use a cache in the decompression of block compressed image data. Each data entry in the cache may represent decompressed image data corresponding to a compressed block of an image. The indices of the cache are keys, where each key is the output of a hash process that is performed on the corresponding compressed block. Decompression of a compressed block may be performed by hashing the compressed block to generate the key. The key may be used to access the cache. The decompressed data indexed by the key may be read and used as the decompressed version of the compressed block. If no data corresponds to the key, or if the cached data indexed by this key is otherwise invalid, then a conventional decompression process may be applied to the compressed block to yield the decompressed data. This decompressed data may then be written to the cache, at a location corresponding to the key.
US08687901B2
An information processing system assigns a comment to a specific region of an image, and calculates a total value of evaluation scores based on assigned comments for each image as an evaluation value of that image.
US08687897B2
A method for detecting orientation of the contours in an image, performs an initial transformation of the image using a non-decimated multi-resolution transform, segments the image into a plurality of blocks, determines the optimal resolution for each block, and detects the predominant direction of contour for each of the blocks.
US08687896B2
Picture image processor, method for processing picture image and method for processing picture image
A picture image processing apparatus includes a candidate detection unit that detects a lateral boundary line candidate and a paint-blank boundary line candidate from the picture image information acquired, and a verification unit that verifies whether or not the lateral boundary line candidate etc. detected is the lateral boundary line etc.; a storage unit that memorizes, as hysteresis information, verification information including the lateral boundary line etc. in case the lateral boundary line candidate etc. detected has been verified to be a lateral boundary line etc. The storage unit also memorizes car speed information associated with the hysteresis information. The apparatus further includes an estimation unit that, using the hysteresis information and the car speed information, estimates positions of the lateral boundary line etc. in a next frame. The storage unit memorizes the estimation information including the position in the next frame of the lateral boundary line position etc. estimated. The verification unit uses the estimation information memorized at a time point of estimation in the storage unit to execute verification.
US08687892B2
Embodiments described herein provide a system and method for generating a binary descriptor representing an image patch (200). The method includes determining a first specified number of features within an image patch (200), performing mean intensity difference tests for the first specified number of features, and generating a binary string of the first specified number of features for the image patch (200) based on the mean intensity difference tests. The method includes dividing the image patch (200) into a number of sub-patches (204), and, for each sub-patch (204), determining a second specified number of features within the sub-patch (204), performing mean intensity difference tests for the second specified number of features, and generating a binary string of the second specified number of features. The method also includes transforming the binary strings for the image patch (200) and the sub-patches (204) into a binary descriptor representing the image patch (200).
US08687889B2
A form image managing system includes a partitioned master image storing unit which stores partitioned master images obtained by partitioning a master image, a form image obtaining unit which obtains an image of a form, a searching unit which searches the partitioned master image storing unit for a partitioned master image having a high correlation with each of a plurality of partial images obtained by partitioning the image of the form, a difference data generating unit which generates difference data between the partial image and corresponding partitioned master image having the high correlation with the partial image, and a form image data storing unit which stores, as form image data that represents the image of the form, identification information for identifying the corresponding partitioned master image and the difference data by making the identification information and the difference data correspond to the partial image.
US08687885B2
A method for performing column/row pattern suppression in a digital input image includes creating a smoothed version of the input image by averaging a set of columns/rows neighboring around the column/row being corrected. A difference image is constructed by subtracting the smoothed image from the input image. New column/row intensities are computed from the difference image. An output image is constructed with suppressed column/row patterns by subtracting the new column/row intensities from the input image.
US08687880B2
Methods are provided for generating a low dimension pose space and using the pose space to estimate one or more head rotation angles of a user head. In one example, training image frames including a test subject head are captured under a plurality of conditions. For each frame an actual head rotation angle about a rotation axis is recorded. In each frame a face image is detected and converted to an LBP feature vector. Using principal component analysis a PCA feature vector is generated. Pose classes related to rotation angles about a rotation axis are defined. The PCA feature vectors are grouped into a pose class that corresponds to the actual rotation angle associated with the PCA feature vector. Linear discriminant analysis is applied to the pose classes to generate the low dimension pose space.
US08687879B2
Provides quantitative data about a two or more dimensional image. Classifies and counts number of entities an image contains. Each entity comprises a structure, or some other type of identifiable portion having definable characteristics. The entities located within an image may have different shape, color, texture, etc., but still belong to the same classification. Alternatively, entities comprising a similar color/texture may be classified as one type while entities comprising a different color/texture may be classified as another type. May quantify image data according to set of changing criteria and derive one or more classifications for entities in image. I.e., provides a way for a computer to determine what kind of entities (e.g., entities) are in image and counts total number of entities visually identified in image. Information utilized during a training process may be stored and applied across different images.
US08687877B1
Embodiments relate to locking geometric and camera parameters in image-based three-dimensional modeling. In a first embodiment, a computer-implemented method modifies a three-dimensional model using a set of two-dimensional photographic images. In the method, at least one constraint, input by a user, for a two-dimensional photographic image from the set of two-dimensional photographic images are received. Each constraint indicates that a position on the two-dimensional photographic image corresponds to a position on the three-dimensional model. When the number of constraints received for the two-dimensional photographic image is less than or equal to a first threshold value, camera parameters representing a camera that took the constrained photographic image. Finally, a photogrammetry algorithm is applied to at least the set of parameters to determine at least one unlocked parameter in the set of parameters and to modify the three-dimensional model based on the constraints.
US08687870B2
A system and method for correcting inhomogeneity of spatial intensity in 3D MR image data includes application of a 3D filter to the 3D MR image to generate a first set of data and a second set of data. The first set of data includes a high frequency component and a weak edge component, and the second set of data includes a low frequency component and a strong edge component. The system and method also include derivation of an inhomogeneity correction from the second set of data, application the inhomogeneity correction to the second set of data, and addition of the first set of data to the inhomogeneity corrected second set of data to create a corrected 3D MR image.
US08687868B2
An image generating apparatus of the present invention has a determination unit that sets a target area in a part of an area inside a subject, executes processing to adjust a phase of each detection signal based on a distance from each detection element to a target area and a tentative velocity, and calculate dispersion of intensities of a plurality of detection signals of which phases are adjusted, for a plurality of tentative velocities, and determines a velocity for which dispersion of intensities is minimum, out of the plurality of tentative velocities, as a propagation velocity.
US08687864B2
An image diagnostic processing device includes peripheral region specifying means which specifies a peripheral region connecting to an abnormal candidate region included in an image representing the inside of a subject, and judging means which judges whether the abnormal candidate region is an anatomic abnormal region or not, based on a first feature quantity of the abnormal candidate region and a second feature quantity of the peripheral region.
US08687861B2
A 3D image reconstructing method using X-ray volume photography acquires a plurality of X-ray area array images of the object interested according to locating principle of the digital photographic measurement. A plurality of mark points of the known 3D positions are simultaneously taken in the X-ray photo, and the method uses the coordinates of the mark points in the rectangular coordinate system for volume photographic 3D image reconstruction and the coordinates of the mark points in the X-ray photo coordinate system to construct a transforming relationship of the two coordinate systems. The method determines the path and the position of each X beam by using the transforming relationship and gets all voxels of each X-ray passing the object interested. The method uses the voxel g and the pixel G of the same X beam path to get Radon set of equations to determine the gray scale value of voxel g, then determines the gray scale values of all voxels g by computer and reconstructs a 3D volume image of the object interested based on the gray scale value of voxel g.
US08687856B2
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging systems for imaging uniquely identifiable structure are provided including a source having an associated source arm path and having an associated reference arm path coupled to the source path, the reference arm path having an associated reference arm path length. A sample having an associated sample arm path coupled to the source arm and reference arm paths is provided. Processing methods to convert the depth-dependent image data to a uniquely identifiable code are provided. Related methods and computer program products are also provided.
US08687852B2
A motion detection device (200) receives a signal indicative of a moving image and detects motion between frames with respect to each block region consisting of one or a plurality of adjacent pixels constituting each frame constituting the moving image, and includes: a difference calculation section (220) for obtaining a difference signal (S220) indicative of a difference between adjacent two frames; a first edge detection section (230) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, a first edge signal (S230) included in one of the two frames; a second edge detection section (240) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, a second edge signal (S240) included in the other of the two frames; an edge calculation section (250) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, an edge signal (S250) by adding a product of the first edge signal (S230) and a first coefficient to a product of the second edge signal (S240) and a second coefficient; and a division section (260) for obtaining, with respect to each block region, a motion signal (S260) by dividing the difference signal (S220) by the edge signal (S250).
US08687851B2
The present invention provides an image recognition apparatus with enhanced performance and robustness.In an image recognition apparatus 1, an image classification information accumulating unit 20 stores therein feature information defining visual features of various objects obtained through a learning process. For classification of input images, an image feature obtaining unit 18 extracts descriptors indicating features from each input image, image vocabularies corresponding to the descriptors are voted, and a classifying unit 19 calculates existence probabilities of one or more candidate objects, based on the result of the voting. According to the existence probabilities, objects contained in the image is identified. Through the calculation, the existence probabilities are adjusted by an exclusive classifier, based on exclusive relationship information defining exclusive object sets each containing different objects (object labels) predicted not to coexist in a same image.
US08687849B2
A system for performing object identification combines pose determination, EO/IR sensor data, and novel computer graphics rendering techniques. A first module extracts the orientation and distance of a target in a truth chip given that the target type is known. A second module identifies the vehicle within a truth chip given the known distance and elevation angle from camera to target. Image matching is based on synthetic image and truth chip image comparison, where the synthetic image is rotated and moved through a 3-Dimensional space. It is assumed that the object is positioned on relatively flat ground and that the camera roll angle stays near zero. This leaves three dimensions of motion (distance, heading, and pitch angle) to define the space in which the synthetic target is moved. A graphical user interface (GUI) front end allows the user to manually adjust the orientation of the target within the synthetic images.
US08687846B2
An image processing apparatus includes an obtaining part configured to obtain a plurality of images including a photographing object photographed by a photographing part; a determination part configured to detects a shift in position between a first image and a second image included in the plurality of images obtained by the obtaining part, and determine whether the first image is suitable for being superposed to the second image; a selection part configured to select a certain number of images from the plurality of images based on a determination result of the determination part; and a synthesis part configured to synthesize the certain number of images selected by the selection part.
US08687843B2
The method for restricting access to sensitive contents of digital images using the digital watermarking technique for encoding and decoding sensitive contents of images is characterized in that the sensitive contents of an image are obscured, and the information necessary for the high quality reconstruction is encoded in the insensitive area of the transmitted image by modification of the DCT spectrum coefficients. The information concerning the obscured contents is retained by means of transform coefficients and processed independently. Noise with statistics identical to that of the digital watermark is inserted into the image after decoding. The system contains encoding unit including acquisition module connected with sensitive contents encoding module through sensitive patterns automatic detection module with attached memory buffer. Also, acquisition module is connected directly with sensitive contents encoding module and with compression module. In the decoding unit, stream decoding module is connected with image sensitive contents decoding module.
US08687841B2
A cell phone is disclosed for acquiring information to be transmitted to a receiving facility and for transmitting such thereto. A capture device captures information from an external source. A processor is provided for associating with the captured information a representation of the date and time of the capture of the information, such that the representation of the date and time information in association with the captured information forms augmented captured information. The processing also places the augmented captured information in association with user information in a transmission of the augmented captured information to a receiving facility requiring such user information. A transmitter transmits the transmission including the augmented captured information and the user information to the receiving facility. An encryptor encrypts the augmented captured information for transmission to the receiving facility.
US08687840B2
Methods and devices to conserve power on a mobile device determine an active region on a display and dimming a portion of the display backlight corresponding to the non-active regions. The method includes detecting an active region and a non-active region on a display. The detection may be based on a user interaction with the display or processing an image of the user to determine where on the display the user is looking. The method may control a brightness of a backlight of the display depending on the active and non-active region.
US08687823B2
An interface is provided between a transducer and audio processing circuitry. The interface has a switching device coupled to the transducer. The interface also has a first signal path that is selectively coupled to transducer via the switching device and includes a first output, the first signal path being configured to selectively receive input signals from the transducer, and form a first output signal at the first output by amplifying the input signals to provide a first gain. The first output is coupled to the audio processing circuitry. A second signal path is provided that is selectively coupled to the transducer via the switching device and includes a second output. The second gain is selected to be substantially larger than the first gain. The switching device is configured to switch the input signal between the first signal path and the second signal path.
US08687818B2
A method for dynamically adjusting the spectral content of an audio signal, which increases the harmonic content of said audio signal, said method comprising translating an encoded digital signal into data bands, creating a psychoacoustic model to identify sections of said data bands that are deficient in harmonic quality, analyzing the fundamental frequency and amplitude of said harmonically deficient data bands, creating additional higher order harmonics for said harmonically deficient data bands, adding said higher order harmonics back to said encoded digital signal to form a newly enhanced signal, inverse filtering said newly enhanced signal, and converting said inverse filtered signal to an analog waveform for consumption by the listener.
US08687812B2
Method and apparatus are described wherein, in one example embodiment, a first entity shares a digital file such as a digital image with a second entity, and the first entity and the second entity each use the digital file as a seed to generate identical public/private key pairs using the same key generation procedure, such that both entities hold identical key pairs. The first and second entities may use the key pairs to encrypt, decrypt, or sign and authenticate communications between the entities.
US08687809B2
Embodiments may include receiving a protected version of content including different encryption chains including encrypted blocks of content. The protected version of content may include decryption information for decrypting the encrypted chains; the decryption information may include initialization vectors that are distinct from the content. Embodiments may also include performing chained decryption on a particular sequence of data blocks including multiple encryption chains from the protected version of the content and at least some of the initialization vectors. Some of the initialization vectors may be positioned between the encryption chains within the particular sequence such that during the chained decryption the initialization vectors are decrypted in sequence with the data blocks of the encryption chains. The chained decryption may result in a sequence of decrypted data blocks including decrypted initialization vectors. Embodiments may include generating a decrypted version of the content by excluding the decrypted initialization vectors from that sequence.
US08687805B2
A method, of providing a key pair for secure transmission of data between at least two applications, includes receiving context information relating to the context of the applications. generating a key pair using the provided context information from the applications, and sending the generated key pair to the at least two applications.
US08687798B2
Embodiments of the invention include methods, apparatus, systems and means for distinguishing between microphone line signals resulting from: actuation of a microphone button of a headset plugged into a telephone device jack, and removal of the headset plug form the jack. During a telephone call, a first signal can be detected on a microphone line of a headset jack to indicate whether a microphone button of the headset is actuated. Also, while the headset plug is being disconnected from the jack, a transition on the microphone line can be detected, from a second signal indicating that the microphone is being disconnected, to a third signal indicating that the microphone button is actuated. Consequently, to avoid erroneously hanging up a call, transitions to the third signal when removing the plug form the jack can be ignored and the call can be maintained. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
US08687791B1
A system, method, and computer readable medium for routing an agent to a preferred communications platform comprises accessing a server comprising a routing strategy, wherein the routing strategy consists of a site value, a project identification value, a project load value, and an attribute value of the agent, and wherein the site value takes precedent over the project identification value which takes precedent over the project load value which takes precedent over the attribute value of the agent, and routing the agent to the preferred environment based on a result of the routing strategy.
US08687787B2
A method and arrangement for providing a ring-back presentation to a calling terminal after receiving a call setup request from the calling terminal (A) for a first communication session (308) with a called terminal (B). A second packet-based communication session (310) is established with the calling terminal, independent of the first session, and pre-defined media content is provided as said ring-back presentation (312) to the calling terminal over the second session. Thereby, ring-back presentations to waiting callers can be selected from a great range of media types, including visual media. A calling user can also control the playout or display of the ring-back presentation irrespective of when the call is answered.
US08687786B2
A designated service provider of a customer having slamming protection on their account may not be changed without authorization from the customer to remove the slamming protection. When a customer's telephone company receives a request to change the customer's long distance provider and subsequently determines that the customer has slamming protection on their account, the telephone company notifies the requester that the requested change may not be provisioned due to the slamming protection. The customer's authorization to remove the slamming protection is provided by the requester in the form of an audio file that is reviewed by the telephone company. If the telephone company or an agent of the telephone company listens to the audio file and approves the request, then the customer's slamming protection is removed.
US08687785B2
A system includes a first interface to connect with a network, and a second interface to connect with a telephone device of an enterprise. A unit controls a connection between the first and second interfaces for an outgoing call from the telephone device to a remote telephone device connected to the network. A processor subsystem coupled with the unit operates to initiate communications with a telephone device associated with a supervisor having authority to allow or deny the call. The processor subsystem also operates too present the supervisor with information that includes a purpose or reason for the outgoing call. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure.
US08687778B2
Disclosed herein, among other things, are apparatus and methods for interactive property communication. In various embodiments, an interactive property communication system includes two or more property communication nodes (PCNs) each adapted for coupling to an electrical service. PCNs include a radio transceiver for communications with a broker service adapted for controlling communications with one or more PCNs.
US08687773B2
A system and method for interfacing unified message processing systems with legacy voice mail, e-mail and facsimile systems, located behind corporate firewalls. The system includes a unified message server, a proxy interface and a message protocol convertor. The proxy interface is configured to access the legacy system in response to a request from a unified message server. Messages stored on the legacy system are converted by a protocol convertor to a predetermined format compatible with the unified message server. The converted messages are then transferred to a unified message server which is capable of providing messages from different messaging system, such as voice mail, e-mail and facsimile to users in a predetermined format. The invention permits enterprise wide communication systems to provide unified messaging without abandoning pre-existing legacy messaging system.
US08687771B2
Methods and apparatus to test a subscriber line for a broadband access service are disclosed. An example network interface device (NID) comprises a tone generator to transmit a tone on a subscriber line to characterize the subscriber line while a DSL modem is providing a DSL service via the subscriber line, the tone having a frequency occurring within a range of frequencies in use by the DSL modem to provide the DSL service, and a pair of terminals to couple the DSL modem and the tone generator to the subscriber line.
US08687764B2
A contraband detection system includes one or more detection devices operatively coupled to a spreader beam of a cargo container crane system. Detection devices may include an X-ray scanner, a detection apparatus, and a sensor array. The X-ray scanner is operative for outputting high-energy X-rays capable of penetrating through the contents of the cargo container. The X-ray scanner is movable from an inactive first position that facilitates engagement of the spreader beam with the cargo container to an active second position that facilitates the scanning of the contents of the cargo container. The detection apparatus is similarly deployable from a first position to a second position and includes a plurality of limbs capable of rotation about a plurality of axes. The detection apparatus further includes a radiation source and a receptor plate.
US08687763B2
The value of a tube voltage of an x-ray tube, used to acquire x-ray projections of a patient in order to generate at least one image in each phase of a multiphase examination, is determined from a contrast-to-noise ratio that establishes the desired image quality of the image in each phase, and the tube current for each tube voltage for each phase is determined given a constantly maintained contrast-to-noise ratio for different tube voltages. For each phase, a value for the dose of x-ray radiation is defined for each different tube voltage and the associated determined tube current. From among the different tube voltages, a tube voltage is set that causes the total dose of x-ray radiation applied to the patient to be as low as possible for all phases of the examination.
US08687756B2
In described embodiments, a receiver includes a clock and data recovery (CDR) circuit with a voltage control oscillator (VCO) having proportional and integral loop control, and a Lock to Reference (L2R) mode circuit using Phase and Frequency Detector (PFD) control of the VCO during the absence of input data to the CDR. A regular CDR second order loop incorporating PFD control of the VCO during the absence of input data to the CDR achieves relatively rapid lock to reference when compared to counter-based lock to reference mode of operation.
US08687752B2
A serial bit stream having a given bit per second rate is received and distributed to a plurality of phase shifted samplers. A multi-phase sampling trigger is generated at a rate lower than the given bit per second rate, and each of the phase shifted samplers is controlled by one of the phases of the multi-phase sampling trigger. The time spacing between phases of the multi-phase sampling trigger is the inverse of the given bit per second rate. The phase of the multi-phase sampling trigger is aligned with the phase of the serial bit, to collectively recover by the plurality of phase shifted samplers a plurality of consecutive bits from the serial bit stream.
US08687751B1
A system including a first receiver module and a first interference canceller module. The first receiver module generates a first set of decoded codewords by decoding codewords in a received signal and determines if any of the first set of decoded codewords fails cyclic redundancy check (CRC). The first interference canceller module generates a second signal based on a first decoded codeword from the first set of decoded codewords when (i) any of the first set of decoded codewords fails CRC and (ii) the first decoded codeword passes CRC. By subtracting the second signal from the first signal, the first interference canceller module (i) cancels interference of a first codeword, which corresponds to the first decoded codeword, on a second set of codewords, which includes the plurality of codewords and excludes the first codeword and (ii) generates a third signal, which includes the second set of codewords.
US08687745B2
According to the teachings presented herein, a method and apparatus provide a reduced search space for blindly decoding a message included in a signal received at a communication receiver, where the message has an unknown format. Improving blind detection efficiency in this manner offers numerous advantages, including but not limited to lower power consumption through reduced processing overhead, and lower power consumption through expanded sleep opportunities. As a non-limiting example, the communication receiver comprises a mobile station configured for operation according to Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards, as promulgated by the 3GPP for E-UTRA systems, where the mobile station is configured to reduce a search space of DCI message decoding by determining message format likelihoods and blindly decoding a received DCI message based on the message format likelihoods.
US08687742B2
An ensemble detector uses calibrated noise references to produce ensemble sets of data from which properties of non-stationary processes may be extracted. The ensemble detector comprising: a receiver; a switching device coupled to the receiver, the switching device configured to selectively connect each of a plurality of reference noise signals to the receiver; and a gain modulation circuit coupled to the receiver and configured to vary a gain of the receiver based on a forcing signal; whereby the switching device selectively connects each of the plurality of reference noise signals to the receiver to produce an output signal derived from the plurality of reference noise signals and the forcing signal.
US08687741B1
A method includes receiving first and second synchronization sequences that jointly indicate an identity of at least one base station. Multiple hypotheses are selected, each hypothesis associating a respective first candidate sequence with the first synchronization sequence and a respective second candidate sequence with the second synchronization sequence. Each hypothesis is assigned a respective composite score depending on a respective first quality of match between the first candidate sequence in the hypothesis and the first synchronization sequence, on a respective second quality of match between the second candidate sequence in the hypothesis and the second synchronization sequence, and on a similarity between the respective first and second qualities of match. The at least one base station is identified based on respective composite scores of the hypotheses.
US08687736B1
A multi-channel quadrature bandpass-sampling receiver is provided with a plurality of RF signals that are modulated at different carrier frequencies, are frequency-shifted, and are staggered to a first IF frequency. A quadrature bandpass-sampling analog-to-digital demodulator digitizes and down-converts the aggregate RF signals to a second low IF frequency, wherein each frequency-shifted RF signal can be demodulated to DC by a digital down converter.
US08687732B2
Embodiments of systems and methods for the coexistence of wireless radios having differing protocols are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. In some embodiments systems and methods for synchronizing clocks between two radios, and using a signal to notify one of the radios to refrain from transmitting for a timeperiod are described.
US08687726B2
A method for transmitting digital data on a communication channel, between a transmitter base comprising N transmission antennas and K receivers. A signal carrier of frequency f0 and M sub-carriers of index m are used, adapted to transport K streams of digital data sk in parallel between the transmitter base and each receiver. The method comprises a step in which N.M complex symbols tn(m) are calculated from K.M symbols sk(m), by t n ( m ) = ∑ k = 1 K α k · H k , n * ( m ) · s k ( m ) , where * denotes a complex conjugate, Hk,n(m) is a complex value estimating the transfer function of the communication channel between the transmission antenna n and the receiving antenna k at a corresponding frequency of the sub-carrier m, and αk is a normalization coefficient.
US08687719B2
An OFDM modulation process and means for transmitting multiple carriers through a communication channel having a bandwidth arranged ion chunks with further subcarriers being allocated to form at least one guard band, comprising automatically and periodically shifting said chunks to the left or to the side in order to overlap said guard band and increase spectral diversity.
US08687703B2
A method for decoding a compressed image stream, the image stream having a plurality of frames, each frame consisting of a merged image including pixels from a left image and pixels from a right image. The method involves the steps of receiving each merged image; changing a clock domain from the original input signal to an internal domain; for each merged image, placing at least two adjacent pixels into an input buffer and interpolating an intermediate pixel, for forming a reconstructed left frame and a reconstructed right frame according to provenance of the adjacent pixels; and reconstructing a stereoscopic image stream from the left and right image frames. The invention also teaches a system for decoding a compressed image stream.
US08687700B1
An apparatus comprising a classifier cache, a plurality of variable length decoder circuits and a core engine circuit. The classifier cache may be configured to store one or more compressed classifier streams. The plurality of variable length decoder circuits may each be configured to generate one or more uncompressed classifier streams in response to a respective one of the compressed classifier streams received from the classifier cache. The core engine circuit may be configured to detect one or more objects in a video signal by checking a portion of the video signal using the uncompressed classifier streams.
US08687698B2
A method of encoding a sequence of video frames, comprising receiving a sequence of video frames, encoding at least a first portion of the sequence of frames using the first type of transform/subband representation to produce first transform/subband coefficients, encoding at least a second portion of the sequence of frames using the second type of transform/subband representation to produce second transform/subband coefficients; and providing the first and second transform/subband coefficients at an output.
US08687694B2
The reference picture selection method according to the present invention is a method for selecting a reference picture for a current bottom field, and includes: predicting a degree of a motion of the current bottom field using a specific field which precedes the current bottom field in coding order; setting reference picture candidates suitable for coding the current bottom field based on the predicted degree of motion; and selecting a reference picture of the current bottom field among the set reference picture candidates.
US08687693B2
For frames sequentially functioning as a reference frame in a video sequence frame set, a motion estimate set is accessed. One motion estimate characterizes motion associated with pixels of each region of the reference frame in relation to regions of one frame of the set of frames, which is temporally displaced in time with respect to other frames in the set of frames. An additional motion estimate characterizes motion associated with pixels of each reference frame region in relation to a second frame of the set, which is temporally displaced from the one frame and other frames of the frame set. A temporal image prediction set, corresponding to the first and additional motion estimate, is predicted, based on an alignment of the reference frame regions over the frame set. The temporal image predictions are blended and a temporal predictor is generated over the frame set based on the blending.
US08687691B1
An array encoding system and method for use with high definition digital video data streams includes method and means for analyzing the incoming data stream, splitting the data stream in accordance with video complexity or other criteria, encoding each of the subsidiary data streams in accordance with a desired encoding standard, and combining the data streams to generate an output. The encoding system and method is particularly suited to encoding data streams to provide an output with is substantially consistent with the H.264 video communications standard. The system and method are scalable.
US08687667B2
To improve a laser system comprising at least one externally stabilizable semiconductor laser, from the laser active zone of which a laser radiation field can be coupled out, and a feedback element, disposed externally in the laser radiation field, which couples out, from the laser radiation field, a feedback radiation field having a defined wavelength and bandwidth, and couples back same into the active laser zone for determining the wavelength and bandwidth of the laser radiation field, in such a way that the wavelength stabilization may be achieved more cost-effectively, it is proposed that the feedback element is a resonant waveguide grating which reflects back a portion of the laser radiation field lying within an angular acceptance range.
US08687665B1
Semiconductor light-emitting devices; methods of forming semi-conductor light emitting devices, and methods of operating semi-conductor light emitting devices are provided. A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first laser section monolithically integrated with a second laser section on a common substrate. Each laser section has a phase section, a gain section and at least one distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) structure. The first laser section and the second laser section are optically coupled to permit optical feedback therebetween. Each phase section is configured to independently tune a respective one of the first laser section and second laser section relative to each other.
US08687647B2
A communication node includes a token-start-right acquisition processor that issues a token-start-right acquisition frame containing specific information, determines a priority based on predetermined reference using specific information for other communication node and the specific information for the own communication node upon reception of a token-start-right acquisition frame from the other communication node, issues the token-start-right acquisition frame at a predetermined time interval when the own communication node has a higher priority than the other communication node, and stops issuing the token-start-right acquisition frame when the own communication node has a lower priority than the other communication node, to forward the token-start-right acquisition frame of the other communication node, and also includes a token start processor that passes the token frame to the ring upon reception of the token-start-right acquisition frame which is issued by the token-start-right acquisition processor and circulates around the ring.
US08687640B2
There is provided a method of enabling media bypass for a media gateway in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of media gateways via which a signaling path for transfer of signaling information for setup of a communication session between endpoint devices can be established and via which a media path for transfer of media data between the endpoint devices during the communication session can be established. The method includes receiving, at the media gateway, an inbound communication session setup request message requesting setup of a communication session between an originating endpoint device and a terminating endpoint device in the telecommunications network, the inbound communication session setup request message being transmitted along an inbound signaling path to the media gateway; transmitting, from the media gateway, an outbound communication session setup request message in response to receiving the inbound communication session setup message, the outbound communication session setup request message being transmitted along an outbound signaling path from the media gateway; and including preceding device connectivity data in the outbound communication session setup request message, the preceding device connectivity data indicating at least one media connectivity setting for at least one preceding device which is located before the media gateway in the inbound signaling path, the at least one connectivity setting identifying one or more other devices to which the at least one preceding device is configured to be connectable in the media path, to enable bypass of the media gateway in the media path if an ensuing device in the outbound signaling path determines that such bypass should be conducted.
US08687633B2
An edge node of a communication network and method to classify incoming Ethernet traffic based on predetermined criteria. An ingress switch is configured to receive an incoming Ethernet frame. A frame classifier is configured to identify flows and to correlate a flow to a corresponding bandwidth profile and corresponding forwarding treatments defined for the flow.
US08687631B2
An example method is provided and includes receiving a packet associated with a flow, determining a tunnel identifier for the flow, and determining a flow identifier for the flow. The method includes associating the flow identifier and the tunnel identifier to an Internet protocol (IP) address to generate a binding to be used for a network address and port translation (NAPT). In other embodiments, a routing decision is executed based on the binding between the identifiers and the IP address. The flow identifier can be a context identifier (CID), and the tunnel identifier can be a softwire tunnel ID. In yet other embodiments, the packet can be tagged as part of an encapsulation operation, which includes providing information about a network location at which the network address and port translation is to be executed.
US08687626B2
A system and method for remote monitoring through a voice over Internet Protocol phone. An indicator configured to activate a video interface of the VoIP phone is received. A determination is made whether the indicator authorizes the video interface. The video interface of the VoIP phone is activated in response to determining the indicator authorizes the video interface. Video communications are sent and received between the VoIP phone utilized by a receiving party and a communications device utilized by a calling party. An action is performed in response to recognizing a response from the receiving party.
US08687624B2
Various embodiments provide an apparatus and method for handling dynamic payloads in a heterogeneous network. An example embodiment includes a first node interface to receive a first request for data communication from a first node, the first request being coded in a first protocol and including information identifying a first payload type. The example embodiment includes a second node interface to receive a second request for data communication from a second node, the second request being coded in a second protocol and including information identifying a second payload type. The first node interface of the example embodiment configures a message coded in the first protocol to include the information identifying the second payload type and to send the message to the first node.
US08687621B2
In one embodiment, performance parameters may be determined for each of a plurality of network address prefixes in a computer network. Based on the respective performance parameters, the prefixes may be resized through at least one of consolidation of adjacent prefixes and splitting of prefixes, and traffic may then be routed in the computer network based on the resized prefixes.
US08687620B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate searches for a cell in a wireless communication environment. A mobile device can employ a searcher that can detect timing information respectively associated with PSCs and cells to determine the cell with the highest correlation. The searcher can detect SSCs, which can include detecting associated phase information, to determine the SSC with the highest correlation, CP length, and/or other information to facilitate identifying a desired cell having the strongest signal to establish communication between the mobile device and the desired cell. PSCs respectively associated with cells can have different positions in the symbol sequences, and SSCs can respectively be phase shifted at different angles to facilitate detection and identification of a cell(s), where a PSC can be utilized as a phase reference by the associated SSC.
US08687615B2
An HGW mobile device 20 can perform data communication on the basis of a plurality of wireless communication methods with different theoretical maximum transmission speeds, i.e., on the basis of a mobile wireless communication method and a wireless LAN communication method. Since the HGW mobile device 20 is provided with a mobile wireless communication unit 210 and a wireless LAN communication unit 250, it is able to relay data transmission between an external network 10 and a client terminal 30. A transmission speed initializing unit 230 sets a value according to a theoretical maximum transmission speed of the wireless communication method with the slower theoretical maximum transmission speed, i.e., the theoretical maximum transmission speed of the mobile wireless communication method, as an initial transmission speed for the wireless LAN communication unit 250 to first start wireless LAN communication with the client terminal 30 on the basis of the wireless LAN communication method.
US08687606B2
A method is implemented by a subscriber unit in a wireless communication for establishing a network session. The subscriber unit encodes an acknowledgment message for transmission on a shared reverse link channel to a base station. Acknowledgment information associated with a received session tag at the subscriber unit to the base station is transmitted over the shared reverse link channel, on a condition that the session tag is received from a network server via the base station on a forward link channel and identified by the subscriber unit. The acknowledgment is transmitted on a reverse traffic channel on a condition that the session ID tag is not identified by the subscriber unit.
US08687602B2
Methods and apparatus for coordinated error correction among a set of wireless base stations in communication with one another. In one embodiment, the wireless base stations are part of a cellular network having various cellular base stations (including a serving base station, and multiple supplemental base stations), and transmit multiple redundant versions of a transport block using a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) based scheme. The aggregate of the multiple redundant versions of the transport block are soft combined and acknowledged (ACK) or not-acknowledged (NACK) by the cellular equipment. The serving base station and supplemental base station devices dynamically configure the bundled acknowledgment operation based on various desired operational attributes relating to the operational parameters of the network.
US08687600B2
A mobile terminal operates to switch communications from a first wireless network to a second wireless network. The mobile terminal determines a transmission error value for transmissions to the first wireless network based on a count of data packet errors of the transmissions identified over a predetermined time period. The mobile terminal then calculates a transmission error percentage value based on the transmission error value and a total number of attempted data packet transmissions over the predetermined time period. When the transmission error percentage error value is greater than a predetermined error percentage value, the mobile terminal provides an indication to switch the communication operations from the first wireless network to the second wireless network.
US08687599B2
In a method and a mobile communications receiver for performing signal measurements, signal measurement data is received from at least one base station during at least part of a measurement period. Each measurement period comprises a number of non-equidistant snapshot measurement windows during which the receiver receives signal measurement data. At least one average signal strength value of the signal measurement data received during the measurement period is computed.
US08687590B2
A method is provided for handing over a user equipment (UE). The method includes a donor access node with which the UE is in communication via a serving relay node receiving UE context information. The method further includes the donor access node using the UE context information to identify data packets that belong to the UE, wherein the data packets are forwarded from the serving relay node to a target relay node.
US08687588B2
Devices and methods are provided for deploying and/or implementing a low power mode in an access point (AP) base station. The low power mode may be implemented based on the presence and/or status of access terminals (ATs). In one embodiment, the method may involve determining whether any ATs are present within at least one defined coverage area. In another embodiment, the method may involve determining whether the ATs are in an idle or active state.
US08687587B2
In general, the present invention provides for a direct inter-subsystem transfer of an active communication session, such as a call, between a packet subsystem (PS) and a circuit-switched subsystem (CS) in an efficient and effective manner while maintaining service control and continuity. Further, the inter-subsystem transfer may take place between a PS of one generation and a CS of another generation.
US08687584B2
The present invention relates to a wireless communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for performing processes in which a terminal determines control channel allocation, as well as to an apparatus for the method. The method comprises the following steps: monitoring, on a first carrier, a first search space, containing a control channel candidate set, for control channels having no carrier indication information; and monitoring, on a second carrier, a second search space, containing a control channel candidate set, for control channels having carrier indication information. If the terminal is set to monitor a plurality of control channel candidates which have the same radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), the same information size, and the same first control channel element (CCE) in the first search space and in the second search space, the control channels are received only in the first search space on the first carrier.
US08687578B2
A method for allocating the resources of a remaining region other than a region carrying a SuperFrame Header (SFH) and signaling the resource allocation is disclosed. A Mobile Station (MS) receives resource allocation information about a remaining region other than a region carrying an SFH in a predetermined channel bandwidth by the SFH from a Base Station (BS) and decodes the received resource allocation information. The MS decodes control information efficiently by receiving repetition number information about a sub_secondary SFH (sub_S-SFH) or sub_secondary Broadcast CHannel (sub_S-BCH) from the BS by a Primary SFH (P-SFH) or Primary BCH (P-BCH).
US08687575B2
A wireless communication terminal apparatus wherein even when a SC-FDMA signal is divided into a plurality of clusters and the plurality of clusters are then mapped to respective discontinuous frequency bands (when C-SC-FDMA is used), the improvement effect of system throughput can be maintained, while the user throughput can be improved. In the apparatus, a DFT unit (210) subjects a symbol sequence of time domain to a DFT process, thereby generating signals of frequency domain. A setting unit (211) divides the signals input from the DFT unit (210) into a plurality of clusters according to a cluster pattern that is in accordance with an MCS set, an encoding size, or the number of Ranks occurring during MIMO transmissions, which is indicated in those signals input, and then maps the plurality of clusters to the respective ones of a plurality of discontinuous frequency resources, thereby setting a constellation of the plurality of clusters in the frequency domain.
US08687569B2
A method of allocating frequency channels in a wireless communication system comprising common channel framework enabled stations, said method comprising: —using by said common channel framework enabled stations a common frequency channel at common time intervals in order to determine a communication frequency channel on which a pair of common channel framework enabled stations will be allowed to exchange data frames, —periodically changing the common frequency channel at the beginning of each common time interval.
US08687567B2
A method that includes establishing a connection with a default access point, transmitting a request to access or utilize an application, a service, or a resource, receiving a response to the request that includes a location of a serving access point that provides the application, the service, or the resource, establishing a connection with the serving access point, and receiving an assignment of a network address that is anchored by the serving access point.
US08687563B2
In order to satisfy the conflicting requirements for spectrum sensing and QoS of data transmission, it is highly desirable for a cognitive radio system, e.g. IEEE 802.22 WRAN, to perform spectrum sensing and data transmission simultaneously. Embodiments of the invention address critical issues of self-interference generated from a transmission unit to the co-located sensing unit when the simultaneous sensing and data transmission technique is applied. A number of interference mitigation techniques are described and analysis are given.
US08687558B2
Methods and apparatus to route emergency communication sessions are disclosed. An example method involves querying a gateway node cache in response to a first broadcast probe received at a node of a wireless Internet-based network. When the gateway node cache identifies a first gateway node, a first response is selectively sent to nodes that participated in a search flood associated with the first broadcast probe.
US08687554B2
A system and method for effecting communication between a plurality of healthcare measurement devices and a remote patient monitoring server is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of effecting communication between the healthcare measurement devices and the remote patient monitoring server, includes communicating with an healthcare gateway device using a common gateway protocol to receive translated data via a plurality of translation units associated with a plurality of device communication modules residing in wired and wireless healthcare measurement devices, and communicating with the remote patient monitoring server using a plurality of remote protocols residing in a plurality of remote communication modules to transmit the received translated data. In some embodiments, the healthcare gateway device is communicatively coupled between the healthcare management devices and the remote patient monitoring server.
US08687553B2
An apparatus and method for a multi-tier wireless home mesh network is described. The method may include formation of an infrastructure-less wireless home mesh networking environment comprising a collection of nodes that operate as a decentralized, ad hoc wireless network with multiple sub-networks or tiers that are responsible for different functions within the network. Each node of the multi-tier network is configured to forward data to other nodes and is assigned to a particular tier based on the node's performance capabilities. A further embodiment includes identification of a wireless home mesh network. Once identified, one or more proprietary messages may be exchanged in a secure manner to establish connections with a home electronics device as either a mobile node or a stationary node of the home network. A home electronics device may wirelessly communicate to route data within one or more nodes of the wireless home mesh network. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08687552B2
The disclosed method of processing a digital broadcast signal comprises generating one RS frame or two RS frames according to the RS frame mode, forming the data group including the mobile service data and signaling data, forming and outputting a plurality of data packets including the mobile service data in the data group, wherein the 118 data packets and K data packets are outputted for the data group, the K being scalable between 0 and 38, interleaving the mobile service data included in the plurality of data packets, wherein the data group includes a scalable data region including data included in the K data packets, wherein the scalable data region carries data included in the first RS frame when the RS frame mode is the single frame mode, or carries data included in the third RS frame when the RS frame mode is the dual frame mode.
US08687550B2
A system for configuring base station parameters comprises a base station, a mobile station and a code generating system. Additionally, a method for configuring base station parameters comprises steps of: after a code generating system generates an operation code, the operation code is sent to a base station via a mobile station, wherein the operation code includes information required for performing a configuration operation; the base station, if determining the operation code as received to be valid, then performs the corresponding configuration operation according to the information required for performing the configuration operation. According to the present invention, without depending on the base station controller and other network elements such as a network management system, the base station can implement message interaction over air link, i.e., parameter configuration may be implemented without requiring the base station to access to the network management system; by using a key and a check code, a parameter configuration process which is triggered inadvertently or maliciously is avoided.
US08687549B2
Method and apparatus for processing location service messages in a satellite position location system is described. In one example, a mobile receiver includes a satellite signal receiver, wireless circuitry, and at least one module. The satellite signal receiver is configured to receive satellite positioning system signals, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) signals. The wireless circuitry is configured to communicate location service messages between the mobile receiver and a server through a cellular communication network. The location service messages may include any type of data related to A-GPS operation, such as assistance data, position data, request and response data, and the like. The at least one module is configured to provide a user-plane interface and a control-plane interface between the satellite signal receiver and the wireless transceiver. The at least one module is capable of processing location service messages communicated using either the control-plane signaling or user-plane signaling mechanisms.
US08687547B2
A processing terminal, for example a PDA or laptop, includes one or more application-layer programs and a network broker. The network broker exposes currently-available network resources, such as network access points in-range of the terminal, to the applications layer. The network broker is also arranged to automatically establish network connections via the or each network access point and to acquire operating parameters indicative of the status and/or performance of the connections. The available bandwidth of a connection is one example of an operating parameter. Data subsequently sent to, or transmitted from, the application-layer programs is communicated over a selected one or more of the established connections in accordance with predefined connection rules indicating which connection is/are to be selected in dependence on the operating parameters. Access credentials for enabling the terminal automatically to access a network via a different access point can also be provided using an existing connection.
US08687545B2
Multiple downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) carriers can enhance wireless communication between nodes and user equipment (UE). Among the carriers, it is beneficial to have some special, by configuration designated carriers to provide synchronization, system information, paging, data and control for multi-carrier enabled UEs. Thereby, overhead system information can be reduced. For instance, synchronization and paging for a certain cell are not provided on all carriers. A carrier can provide backward compatibility for single carrier UEs for access, synchronization, broadcast, and new control region within the data region of the legacy terminals. Coordination between nodes for selecting anchor carriers that mitigate interference and for transmit power control for non-anchor carriers provide further network performance advantages.
US08687541B2
The invention relates to methods for scheduling of uplink transmission and generating transport blocks according to multiple received uplink assignments Furthermore, the invention is also related to the implementation of these methods in hardware and software. To propose strategies for generating plural transport blocks within a given time constraint, the invention introduces prioritization of the uplink assignments, so that multiple uplink assignments can be ranked in the mobile terminal in a priority order. The prioritization of the uplink assignments is used to determine the order in which the individual transport blocks corresponding to the uplink assignments are filled, respectively how the data of different logical channels is multiplexed to the transport blocks for transmission in the uplink. Another aspect of the invention is to suggest joint logical channel procedures that operate on virtual transport blocks accumulated from the received uplink assignments. One or more such joint logical channel procedure can be performed in parallel.
US08687532B1
A method and system for wirelessly communicating information from a bidirectional high speed data modem/router in a housing via an Ethernet connection on a first radio transceiver communicating with a second radio transceiver at a customer's premises, wherein the housing connects to a supporting strand that supports a coaxial cable carrying a RF spectrum signal and AC power signal.
US08687528B2
A network arrangement comprising a relay node (RN), wherein the RN is configured to assign a plurality of resource blocks (RBs) allocated by an enhanced node B (ENB) for at least one user equipment (UE). A network comprising an ENB, wherein the ENB is configured to allocate a plurality of RBs for an RN, wherein the RBs are assigned for at least one UE. Also disclosed is a method for communicating in a network, comprising selecting a time-division (TD) communication mode, and using resource scheduling based on the selected TD communication mode.
US08687519B2
A system, method, and Ethernet bridge utilizing forced MAC learning to set up a path from an originating node, PON (23) to one or more terminating nodes, PTN (12) through intermediate bridge nodes (14, 21). In the point-to-point case, a Previous Hop Bridge (PHB) list defines the links in the path. Each link includes a destination address, source address, port number, and VID. A path learning frame (13, 19, 22) containing the list is sent in reverse order from the PTN through the intermediate bridge nodes to the PON. Each node in the path saves the received frame's header information as learned path information using standard MAC learning functionality, removes the node's own information from the list, and forwards the frame with the remainder of the list to the next node using the port specified by the port number for that link. When the frame arrives at the PON, all nodes have saved the learned path information.
US08687513B2
A method includes collecting route parameters from a first intermediate node and a second intermediate node that can be configured to communicatively couple a source node to the destination node, determining at least a first route through the first intermediate node and a second route through the second intermediate node, and determining which route among the first route and the second route is optimal according to one or more criteria.
US08687505B2
A traffic control apparatus is provided which includes an interface connector to transmit/receive an Internet Protocol (IP) packet to/from an external circuit, a frame generator to receive the IP packet through the interface connector and to generate a Media Access Control (MAC) frame, and a network processor to transmit/receive the IP packet to/from the frame generator, to execute at least one programmable application, and to identify and classify the at least one programmable application.
US08687496B2
Disclosed is a reordering method for sending packets, to which numbers indicating sequence are attached, from a base station to a mobile station, and rearranging the packets in order of the sequence number in the mobile station. When a handover source base station transfers packets which have not been sent to the mobile station, out of packets received from a host station, to a handover target base station, and the handover target base station sends the packets to the mobile station, data is sent from the handover source base station to the mobile station to notify that transference of the packets has been executed at the execution of handover sequence. The mobile station executed, reordering of the received packets when the transference of the packets has been executed.
US08687495B2
A data packet communication system employs radio link control (RLC) transmission between a transmitter and a receiver with an Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) arrangement whereby polling of the receiver is accomplished with reduced amount of redundantly transmitted data, such as between an access node and terminal. Upon a polling event, such as emptying of a transmission buffer of the transmitter, expiration of a polling timer, or reaching a radio link control (RLC) protocol data units (PDUs) count threshold, the transmitter sends a polling command to the receiver. This polling command is smaller than any of the RLC PDUs by resegmenting to a variably sized PDU sending a reduced amount of data. With evolving communication standards tending toward larger PDUs, such as in excess of a kilobyte for HSPA+ (High-Speed Packet Access Evolution) and 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution), this inefficiency can be of increasing impact.
US08687491B2
Systems, apparatus, and methods for managing an overflow of data packets received by a switch are disclosed. A traffic flow of data packets may be transmitted to a switch and it may be determined whether the switch has sufficient input capacity available to enable receipt of the transmitted data packets. When the input capacity of the switch is insufficient, a traffic flow control measure may be implemented to, for example, pause, limit, filter, or otherwise modify the traffic flow of data packets so that any overflowing data packets will not be lost or otherwise compromised due to the switch's inability to accept the data packets.
US08687489B2
Systems and methods are provided for a signaling an ongoing communication of a data unit in a data packet is to be aborted. Upon a determination to abort an ongoing communication is made, a code-point in a data unit header is utilized to indicate the ongoing communication is to be aborted. A first class of code-point is a dedicated, predefined abort data unit field header. A second class of code-point is a combination of a set of existing, predefined data unit header fields, at least one data unit header field in the combination holds a value that is either invalid or legitimate yet unlikely to occur. Conveying code-point(s) to indicate termination of an ongoing communication of a data unit in a data packet in a regular communication mitigates transmission disruption and saves channel capacity.
US08687486B2
A system according to some embodiments of the invention includes (1) a component (e.g. ANDSF) that provides a cell selection rule to a UE and (2) a component (e.g. an access node) that provides the UE with information about the load in the cell currently utilized by the UE. This enables the UE to determine whether to leave the cell, which may be a 3GPP cell, and use a different cell, which may be a non-3GPP cell, by applying the cell selection rule in conjunction with its knowledge about the load of the cell.
US08687480B2
The present application provides methods, devices and transmitters that mitigate increases in peak to average power ratio (PAPR) from transmission diversity in a single carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) modulated uplink A PAPR preserving precode matrix hopping method that utilizes cyclic shift delays is provided, as well as a sub-band based transmit diversity scheme. The present application also provides methods, devices and transmitters that relax the scheduling restrictions associated with uplink scheduling in the LTE standard.
US08687479B2
Methods and apparatus for performing channel estimation and reporting back channel information or other information such as a suggested traffic transmission rate are described. A signal including a pilot signal of interest is received. Portions of the signal corresponding to the pilot signal are analyzed to determine if any of the portions, e.g., signal portions corresponding to individual tone symbols used to communicate the pilot signal, were subject to excessive interference, such as might be the result of collisions, rendering the signal portions unreliable. Signal sub-portions determined to be unreliable are excluded from a determination of the amount of pilot signal energy that was received. Signal interference is determined from a portion of the received signal on which the pilot signal was not transmitted. Channel information in the form of information and/or a suggested traffic rate may be reported back to the device which transmitted the pilot signal.
US08687476B2
A method and an optical storage medium are provided for storing data to and accessing data from an embedded virtual medium within the optical storage medium. Information describing the embedded virtual medium may be stored on to the optical storage medium. Space for an embedded lead-in area of the embedded virtual medium, as well as user data for the embedded virtual medium, may be allocated within a data zone of the optical medium. A spare sector bitmap may be included in a lead-an area of the optical medium indicating spare sectors within the embedded virtual medium as being unavailable. A spare sector bitmap may be included within the embedded virtual medium indicating available spare sectors of the embedded virtual medium. Physical sector/logical block mapping of the optical storage medium may be modified for accessing data stored on the embedded virtual medium.
US08687470B2
An optical disk playback device comprises one or more lasers, an optical assembly, an optical detector, and controller circuitry coupled to the optical detector. The optical assembly is configured to direct incident light from the one or more lasers so as to form first and second scanning spots on a surface of an optical disk, and is further configured to direct corresponding reflected light from the first and second scanning spots on the surface of the optical disk to the optical detector. The optical detector is configured to process the reflected light from the first and second scanning spots to generate respective first and second data streams, and the controller circuitry is configured to generate a three-dimensional image signal from the first and second data streams.
US08687460B2
Methods and apparatus for generating borehole seismic surveys are disclosed. The methods and apparatus enable more accurate surveys than previous surveying systems. In some embodiments, firing of remote seismic sources is synchronized with data recording in a borehole. In some embodiments, the synchronization is based on a universal time standard. In some embodiments, GPS positioning technology is used to predict firing times and synchronize firing times with downhole and surface recording.
US08687457B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a system clock input block configured to be inputted with a system clock, a data clock input block configured to be inputted with a data clock, a first phase detection block configured to compare a phase of the system clock, generate a first phase detection signal, and determine a logic level of a reverse control signal in response to the first phase detection signal, a second phase detection block configured to compare a phase of a clock acquired by delaying the system clock by a correction time, generate a second phase detection signal, and determine a logic level of a clock select signal in response to the first and second phase detection signals, and a clock select block configured to select and output the data clock or a clock acquired by delaying the data clock.
US08687452B2
A semiconductor memory device pertaining to the present invention includes a plurality of memory macros having memory cells and memory peripheral circuits which drive the memory cells; first power supply switches which control power supply to the memory cells; and a second power supply switch which controls power supply to the memory peripheral circuits. The first power supply switches are located within the memory macros, respectively, and provided between a power supply line feeding power to the memory cells and the memory cells. The second power supply switch is located outside the memory macros and provided between the power supply line and a common power supply wiring for the memory peripheral circuits in the plurality of memory macros.
US08687449B2
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes plural core chips CC0 to CC7 to which mutually different pieces of chip identification information LID are allocated, and an interface chip IF that controls the core chips CC0 to CC7. The interface chip IF receives address information ADD for specifying a memory cell, and supplies in common a part of the address information to the core chips CC0 to CC7 as chip selection information SEL to be compared with the chip identification information LID. With this configuration, it appears from a controller that an address space is simply enlarged. Therefore, an interface that is same as that for a conventional semiconductor memory device can be used.
US08687445B2
A method for repairing degraded field effect transistors includes forward biasing PN junctions of one of a source and a drain of a field effect transistor (FET), and a body of the FET. Charge is injected from a substrate to a gate region to neutralize charge in the gate region. The method is applicable to CMOS devices. Repair circuits are disclosed for implementing the repairs.
US08687440B2
At a succeeding stage of a sense amplifier, a first data latch is provided which has the same bit number as the page length and is controlled to invariably hold the same data as that of the sense amplifier. When a column address strobe (CAS) access begins, data is transferred from the first data latch to an error checking and correcting circuit, and error correction and parity generation are performed in a pipeline process. As a result, the CAS access time and the CAS cycle time are reduced.
US08687439B2
A semiconductor memory apparatus includes one or more semiconductor chips configured to have predetermined capacity and structure; and a signal level control unit configured to control levels of external signals, which are input to the one or more semiconductor chips, in order to realize various capacities and structures using the one or more semiconductor chips.
US08687432B2
This invention proposes a multi-bit resistive-switching memory cell and array thereof. Multiple conduction paths are formed on each memory cell and independent of each other, and each conduction path can be in a high-resistance or low-resistance state, so as to form a multi-bit resistive-switching memory cell. A memory cell array can be formed by arranging a plurality of multi-bit resistive-switching memory cells, and the memory cell array provides a simple, high density, high performance and cost-efficient proposal.
US08687421B2
The decision on whether to refresh or retire a memory block is based on the set of dynamic read values being used. In a memory system using a table of dynamic read values, the table is configured to include how to handle read error (retire, refresh) in addition to the read parameters for the different dynamic read cases. In a refinement, the read case number can used to prioritize blocks selected for refresh or retire. In cases where the read scrub is to be made more precise, multiple dynamic read cases can be applied. Further, which cases are applied can be intelligently selected.
US08687420B2
A semiconductor memory device which includes multi-bit memory cells that store multi-bit data and memory cells that store data of fewer bits then that of the multi-bit data. Thus, the semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of memory cells which store n-bit (where n is a natural number that is equal to or larger than 2) data for one cell. Among the plurality of memory cells, h-bit (h≦n) data is stored in a memory MLC of a first region MLB, and i-bit (i
US08687419B2
Techniques and devices relating to adjusting one or more operational parameters for memory cells are provided. One such device may include a detection unit configured to perform one or more reading operations on a set of memory cells to determine an upper bound of the threshold voltages of the set of memory cells. The device may further include a parameter adjustment unit configured to adjust one or more operational parameters for the set of memory cells based, at least in part, on the determined upper bound of the threshold voltages. Other techniques and devices are also provided.
US08687408B2
A highly integrated programmable non-volatile memory and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. More particularly, a memory device including an antifuse and a diode, or a variable resistor and a diode, an operation method thereof, and a manufacturing method of a plurality of memory cells capable of increasing the integration density by utilizing a vertical space are provided. The highly integrated programmable non-volatile memory includes first stepped cells and second stepped cells formed to have different heights. The first stepped cells are formed on a horizontal plane with a high height, and the second stepped cells are formed on a horizontal plane with a low height.
US08687403B1
An integrated circuit (IC) device may include a first portion having a plurality of volatile memory cells; and a second portion coupled by a data transfer path to the first portion, the second portion including a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells, each nonvolatile memory cell including at least one resistive element programmable more than once between different resistance values. A memory device may also include variable impedance elements accessible by access bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) having at least a portion formed by a semiconductor layer formed over a substrate. A memory device may also include a plurality of memory elements that each includes a dielectric layer formed between a first and second electrode, the dielectric layer including a solid electrolyte with a soluble metal having a mobility less than that of silver in a germanium disulfide.
US08687401B2
Ferro-resistive random access memory (Ferro-RRAM), operation method and manufacturing method thereof
The invention provides a Ferro-RRAM, a method of operating the Ferro-RRAM, and a method of fabricating the Ferro-RRAM, and pertains to the technical field of memory. The Ferro-RRAM comprises an upper electrode, a lower electrode, and a ferroelectric semiconducting thin-film layer provided between the upper electrode and the lower electrode and serving as a storage function layer; wherein the ferroelectric semiconducting thin-film layer is operable to generate a diode conduction characteristic by ferroelectric domain reorientation, and is operable to modulate the diode conduction characteristic by variation of the ferroelectric domain orientation; the Ferro-RRAM stores information according to variation of modulation of the diode conduction characteristic. The Ferro-RRAM has such characteristics of being simple in structure and fabrication, non-destructive readout and nonvolatile storage.
US08687396B2
The method can be used for the regulation of power in an alternating current electrical network (ACNW; ACNW1, ACNW2), using a conversion system (PCS) having at least two terminals (1,2; 1,2,3; 1,2,3,N) for connection to the network, wherein each of said terminals has a corresponding electrical potential. Each of the potentials of these terminals has an upper and a lower envelope, the difference between which, or envelope voltage (VEP,EN), is a variable positive continuous quantity having a maximum value (VEA) called the envelope amplitude.The method comprises the operations of: defining at least an upper range (ER) of voltage values, comprising said maximum value or envelope amplitude (VEA) and having a width (VE; VEE) which is substantially smaller than the envelope amplitude (VEA); using a structure (PCS) including at least a first static converter (ES) capable of regulating the electrical power by the regulation of the envelope voltage (VE; VEE) in the aforesaid upper range (ER); this upper range (ER) having a width determined in such a way that the at least one static converter (ES) regulates more than one half of the mean active electrical power exchanged with the network (ACNW; ACNW1, ACNW2).
US08687393B2
A power converter module is disclosed, which is an all-digital module. The power converter module includes a reference voltage generation unit, a voltage loop control unit, a current loop control unit, an input voltage compensation unit, and a pulse width modulation generation unit, to transfer input power to stable output power for providing power to an external loading device through driving bridge switch unit with external driver. The voltage loop control unit and the current loop control unit contain a proportion-integral-differentiation controller for receiving signal related to voltage and current of loading device to form voltage control loop and current control loop. The pulse width modulation generation unit contains function of deciding necessary stop time to improve quality of output power and decrease the effect of input power and loading variation, and to provide stable sine-waveform output power to the external loading device.
US08687389B2
A device has a converter which is connected to a direct voltage circuit through a short-circuit protection unit. The short-circuit protection unit is arranged at least partially in the direct voltage circuit and is provided in the direct voltage circuit to suppress short-circuit current flowing through the converter. The device contains one or more controllable power semiconductors, wherein a protection element is arranged in parallel to at least one of the controllable power semiconductors. The device prevents the negative effects of a short circuit occurring in the direct voltage network in a particularly reliable manner. For this purpose, the protection element is an energy store.
US08687388B2
A low input-current harmonic three-phase boost rectifier includes an input stage for receiving a three-phase input voltage in relation to a neutral node and an output stage adapted to couple to at least one load. The rectifier further includes one or more switching converter stages, each having a plurality of switches coupled to the neutral node, the plurality of switches operating with a fixed duty cycle, the fixed duty cycle being a substantially 50% duty cycle. The rectifier further includes one or more controllers adapted to vary the switching frequency of the plurality of switches based on at least one of a condition of the at least one load or the input voltage and includes one or more decoupling stages, each including one or more inductive elements adapted to inductively decouple the output stage from at least one of the one or more switching converter stages.
US08687387B2
A frequency limitation method used in a quasi-resonant controlled switching regulator is disclosed. The switching frequency is limited by setting a minimum time period, such as a minimum switching period or a minimum OFF time period. The minimum time period is varying according to the difference between the minimum time period of the previous cycle and an offset value, so as to eliminate the audible noise caused by the frequency hopping when the minimum OFF time period is close to the valley of a quasi-resonant signal.
US08687381B2
A wiring structure for an electronic apparatus has a structure in which a first wiring path where a first harness that is used for transmitting a primary power is wired and a second wiring path where a second harness that is used for transmitting a secondary power is wired are formed, and a structure related to the first wiring path is formed so that, in a case where the first harness is wired, the first harness is integrated with the structure related to the first wiring path.
US08687378B2
A high-frequency module includes first and second switch IC elements and a substrate. The first and second switch IC elements are the same or substantially the same IC chips, and are mounted in the same or substantially the same orientation. The first switch IC element is mounted on the substrate. The second switch IC element is mounted above the first switch IC element. Due to wire bonding, the individual pad electrodes of the first and second switch IC elements are connected to the land electrodes of the substrate, which are to be connected to the individual pad electrodes. Between a pad electrode and a land electrode connected to each other, another land electrode is not provided.
US08687375B2
The present invention relates to an automated distress locator transmitter assembly adapted to be installed on transportation means such as aircrafts and the like comprising: a base member having a primary enclosure downwardly formed from the surface thereof and defining a first peripheral flange thereon; a secondary enclosure having a second peripheral flange formed at the upper portion thereof, said secondary enclosure being enclosed within said primary enclosure and being provided with an ejector means; a locator transmitter member being provided within said secondary enclosure and secured on said ejector means; an associated cover being provided on said secondary enclosure, said associated cover being secured on said second peripheral flange; and means to secure and automatically detached said associated cover from said second peripheral flange to release and eject said locator transmitter member to a substantial distance away from said second enclosure at a predetermined switching command.
US08687373B2
A card structure includes a first element and a second element. The first element includes a first peripheral portion and a plurality of first contact points exposed by the first peripheral portion. The second element includes a second peripheral portion and a plurality of second contact points corresponding to the first contact points of the first element and exposed by the second peripheral portion. When the first and second elements are joined with each other, the first peripheral portion of the first element and the second peripheral portion of the second element are adjacent to each other, to juxtapose the first contact points of the first element and the second contact points of the second element to each other. The juxtaposed first and second contact points of the first and second elements are coupled to each other by a welding portion.
US08687372B2
A flexible circuit assembly that includes a flexible circuit substrate. A spacer is attached to a first side surface of the substrate, and a die carrier is attached to the opposite side surface of the substrate. The die carrier includes one or more photonic die mounted thereon that face an opening formed through the substrate so that the photonic die transmits and/or receives optical signals through the opening. Wire bonds electrically connect the photonic die to an electrical pad on the first side surface of the substrate. The spacer helps to space the wire bonds from an optical connector that connects to the flexible circuit assembly, so that the wire bonds do not interfere with the mechanical connection between the flexible circuit assembly and the optical connector.
US08687365B2
An electronic device including a fan unit capable of setting an air blowing direction toward any of an interface plate side of a casing and a back plate side opposite to the interface plate; a power supply unit; a first housing portion capable of housing the power supply unit and provided within the casing to be close to the back plate; a second housing portion capable of housing the power supply unit and provided within the casing to be close to the interface plate; a detection portion that detects the air blowing direction of the fan unit and a position where the power supply unit is housed; and a warning portion that operates based on the detection portion to give a warning in a case where the air blowing direction of the fan unit is different from the side where the casing houses the power supply unit.
US08687361B2
A portable electronic device, including a first portion, a second portion hingedly coupled to the first portion so that the first and second portions are movable between an open position and a closed position, and a hinge member coupled to the first portion and second portion adjacent the hinged end of the first and second portions. The hinge member includes at least one input device therein.
US08687359B2
A top case assembly for a portable computer is disclosed. The assembly may include an integral unified (e.g., homogenous) top case formed from a single part. The integral top case provides an enclosure, frame and cosmetic exterior of the portable computer. The integral top case also serves as the primary structure of the portable computer. The assembly may include a variety of subassemblies such as keyboards, touchpads, circuit boards, and drives that are carried by the underside of the integral top case. The integral top case may be formed from aluminum slab that has been machined to form walls, openings, attachment areas and cosmetic areas of the top case.
US08687350B2
The disclosed technology describes a motherboard with an arrangement of components that is aesthetically pleasing and enables ease of servicing. Inner components, such as add-on cards, memory slots and the CPU on the motherboard, are easily accessible through a removable side of the computer case. The cable connectors on the motherboard for internal components are hidden from view when the removable side of the computer case is opened or cannot be seen if the removable side of the computer case is translucent. As such, at least a portion of cables which connect between the motherboard and other devices, such as disk drives, the power supply and LED (Light Emitting Diodes) is at least partially, mostly or fully hidden from view when the removable portion of the case is removed. Further when servicing the computer, the cables are out of the way of the various microchips and add-on cards which connect to the motherboard. Thus, the appearance of the computer case and motherboard of the disclosed technology is visually attractive and the unit is overall easier to service than those available in the prior art.
US08687347B2
A relatively thin planar anode for use in a wet electrolytic capacitor is provided. Through a combination of specific materials and processing techniques, the present inventors have surprisingly discovered that the resulting anode may possess a high volumetric efficiency, yet still be able to operate at a high voltage and capacitance, resulting in a capacitor with a high energy density. The anode is a pressed pellet formed from an electrically conductive powder that contains a plurality of particles (including agglomerates thereof) having a flake-like morphology. The present inventors have discovered that such a morphology can optimize packing density, which reduces the thickness of the anode and improves volumetric efficiency. Such particles can provide a short transmission line between the outer surface and interior of the anode and a highly continuous and dense wire-to-anode connection with high conductivity. The particles may also increase the breakdown voltage and help lower ESR.
US08687342B2
A lightning strike protection system for protecting composite structures, an improved lightning strike appliqué (LSA) for such a lightning strike protection system, and a method of protecting composite structures, such as an aircraft fuselage. The LSA is electrically connected to adjacent conductive surfaces, e.g., by a fuzz button or a wire bond inserted in the bottom of the LSA. An adjacent conductive surface may be another LSA, a lightning diverter overlay, or a current return network. Charge, e.g., from a lightning strike to the LSA, flows to the conductive layer through the electrical connector.
US08687338B2
A highly reliable protection element for a storage battery is provided. A protection element includes a low melting point metal body and heater elements. The low melting point metal body is connected to a charger side line and a storage battery side line of a charge/discharge circuit. The heater element is connected to the storage battery side line and a switch, and the heater element is connected to the charger side line and a switch. When the switches are operated, a voltage that is not affected by a voltage drop of the low melting point metal body is applied to one of the heater elements, so that the low melting point metal body can be reliably fused.
US08687332B2
The present invention provides a transistor circuit with protecting function. The transistor circuit includes a transistor, a voltage detecting unit, a current detecting unit, a temperature detecting unit, and a protecting unit. The voltage detecting unit detects a voltage drop of the transistor and generates an over-voltage protection signal. The current detecting signal detects a current flowing through the transistor and generates an over-current protection signal. The temperature detecting unit detects a temperature of the transistor circuit and generates an over-temperature protection signal. The protecting unit is coupled to the control terminal to control a state of the transistor according to the over-voltage protection signal, the over-current protection signal, and the over-temperature protection signal to reduce the voltage difference between the control terminal and the second terminal, such that the voltage drop of the transistor is decreased or decreased to zero.
US08687327B2
An electronic system has IGBT, on driving FET and off driving FET connected with the gate of the IGBT, and a control circuit. The on driving FET in an on state supplies electric charge to the IGBT gate. The off driving FET in an on state releases the charge from the GET gate. The control circuit controls each of the on FETs according to a driving signal to be set in the on and off states every switching period of time and to control the voltage at the IGBT gate. When on-failure occurs in the on driving FET set in the on state so as to keep the on driving FET in the on state in spite of control of the control circuit, the control circuit controls a controlled element other than the off driving FET to set the IGBT in the off state.
US08687319B2
A spin torque oscillator for microwave assisted recording includes a perpendicular free layer having a magnetic anisotropy axis in a direction perpendicular to a film surface, and an in-plane free layer composed of a magnetic film effectively having a magnetization easy plane on a film surface. When electric currents flows from the in-plane free layer side to the perpendicular free layer side, both free layers exchange spin information and thereby rotate their respective magnetizations almost antiparallel to each other and along a boundary surface with high-speed. Preferably, the perpendicular free layer is thinner than the in-plane free layer. It is also preferable that a magnetic anisotropy field of the perpendicular free layer attributable to materials should balance, in reverse directions, with an effective demagnetizing field in the perpendicular direction. Furthermore, the perpendicular free layer is preferably placed on the main pole side.
US08687317B1
A spindle motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft and an upper annular member. The rotating portion includes a sleeve. The shaft includes an annular or substantially annular upper shaft recessed portion recessed radially inward from an outside surface of the shaft. The upper shaft recessed portion is arranged opposite to an inside surface of a hole of the upper annular member. An adhesive is arranged in a gap defined between the upper shaft recessed portion and the inside surface of the hole of the upper annular member.
US08687316B2
In a spindle motor, a cup portion of a base member includes a cylindrical portion and a bottom plate portion. The cylindrical portion is concentric or substantially concentric with a central axis extending in a vertical direction. The bottom plate portion closes a bottom portion of the cylindrical portion. The bearing mechanism is accommodated in the cup portion. An adhesive is arranged between an outer circumferential surface of the bearing mechanism and an inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion. At least one of the outer circumferential surface of the bearing mechanism and the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion includes an axially extending vertical groove. A communicating hole which is not filled with the adhesive is arranged in at least a portion of an inside of the vertical groove. The communicating hole extends continuously from an upper to a lower end portion of the vertical groove.
US08687312B1
A process is disclosed for determining one or more edges of usable portions of a disk drive. Such knowledge can be used to determine the range of valid tracks of the disk and improve utilization of available disk space. The process can detect the edges by processing one or more disk controller signals, such as an adaptive feed-forward (AFC) injection signal, or a position error signal (PES).
US08687311B2
A first parameter associated with a writer preamp is defined. A write current of the writer preamp is adjusted in accordance with the first parameter so that an asymmetric signal is applied at a write head. The asymmetric signal results in symmetric writing of bits to a medium.
US08687308B1
In one aspect, systems, apparatuses and techniques obtain, through read circuitry, timing information for a machine-readable medium to determine head position; and write, by write circuitry, a first set of spiral servo reference tracks at a first frequency on a first zone of the medium and a second set of spiral servo reference tracks at a second, different frequency on a second zone of the medium. The second zone may be different from the first zone. Further, at least one of the first and second sets of spiral servo reference tracks may be written to the medium based on at least the timing information.
US08687305B2
In one embodiment, a tape drive system includes a read channel, a write channel, logic adapted for accessing data sets using the read channel and/or the write channel, logic adapted for counting each data set access using the read channel that used error recovery procedure (ERP), logic adapted for counting each data set access using the read channel that did not use ERP, logic adapted for counting each data set access using the write channel that used ERP, logic adapted for counting each data set access using the write channel that did not use ERP, and logic adapted for accessing subsequent data sets using the read channel and/or the write channel, wherein any subsequent data set access that uses ERP is accessed using an initial ERP step characterized by a first tape speed, wherein the first tape speed is selected at least partially based on the counts.
US08687299B1
An attachment mechanism includes a compliance member positioned between a body and bayonets. The bayonets collectively define an aperture therebetween. Alignment members prevent rotation of the bayonets relative to the body while allowing the bayonets to move radially outwardly against the compliance member. When a second attachment mechanism is received in the aperture of the first attachment mechanism, relative rotation therebetween may interlock corresponding bayonets thereof. The attachment mechanisms may release from one another in a drop event or other incidence of force applied thereto by allowing a bayonet to radially move outwardly out of contact with a corresponding bayonet of the second attachment mechanism. Related methods are also provided.
US08687298B2
A lens barrel includes a fixed cylinder, a first rotary cylinder rotatably provided around an axis relative to the fixed cylinder, and a moving cylinder disposed inside of the first rotary cylinder to move integrally with the first rotary cylinder on the axis and rotate around the axis relative to the first rotary cylinder. The moving cylinder includes a front protrusion group of three or more protrusions and a rear protrusion group of two or more protrusions on an outer circumference. The first rotary cylinder includes, in an inner circumference, a first circumferential groove, a second circumferential groove, a first guide having three or more depressions, and a second guide having two or more depressions. The first rotary cylinder and the moving cylinder are coupled with each other by fitting the front and rear protrusion groups into the first and second circumferential grooves, respectively.
US08687296B2
A driving mechanism includes a first piezoelectric element that vibrates in a thickness-shear vibration mode in a first direction, a first member that is driven to vibrate in the first direction by the first piezoelectric element, a second piezoelectric element that is supported by the first member and that vibrates in the thickness-shear vibration mode in a second direction, and a second member that is driven to vibrate in the second direction by the second piezoelectric element.
US08687295B2
An apparatus for adjusting an optical element includes at least one optical element for passing light, an adjustment frame coupled to an edge of the optical element, a lens barrel supporting a rear side of the adjustment frame, an elastic support unit arranged between the adjustment frame and the lens barrel and providing an elastic force to the adjustment frame, and at least one axial adjustment unit coupled to the lens barrel by penetrating the adjustment frame and the elastic support unit and adjusting a position of the adjustment frame in an axial direction.
US08687291B2
An optical system includes a first lens unit fixed during a focusing operation and having a positive refractive power, a second lens unit moving in an optical axis direction during the focusing operation and having a negative refractive power, a third lens unit positioned at the image side relative to the second lens unit and having a positive or negative refractive power, the first lens unit is configured by first, second, and third partial lens units, the first partial lens unit is configured by two positive lens components, the second partial lens unit is configured by one cemented lens having a negative combined refractive power, the third partial lens unit is positioned between the second partial lens unit and the second lens unit and has a positive refractive power as a whole, and each lens unit is configured so as to meet an appropriate condition.
US08687288B2
A driver vision field extender uses flexible vinyl Fresnel-type prism lens material with substantially parallel horizontal straight linearly extending prism lines. The parallel lines permit wide side by side views without substantial distortion. As the driver vision field extender is intended to be positioned contiguously along the windshield, the driver vision field extender after installation preferably exhibits a concave shape acting to focus the light defining and delineating overhead objects towards front-seated passengers such as the driver.
US08687287B2
The present invention provides a projection apparatus including an image generation device and a projection lens. The projection lens is disposed between a light valve of the image generation device and a projection screen, and the projection lens includes a plurality of lenses. The lenses include a first lens, a second lens and a third lens, and the first lens, the second lens and the third lens are aspherical lenses. An effective focal length of the projection lens is between 5 mm and 8 mm, and a sum of the effective focal length of the projection lens and a number of the lenses is between 14 and 17.
US08687286B2
A meso-optic device (1) includes a substantially annular meso-optic body (100) including an axis of revolution (2), a divergent conic optical surface (112) substantially coaxial with the axis of revolution (2), with the divergent conic optical surface (112) configured to receive electromagnetic radiation propagating along an optical axis (3) from an impingent direction, wherein the optical axis (3) is coincident with or intersects the axis of revolution (2), and with the divergent conic optical surface (112) configured to divergently re-direct the electromagnetic radiation away from the axis of revolution (2), and a convergent conic optical surface (114) substantially coaxial with the axis of revolution (2), with the convergent conic optical surface (114) configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation divergently re-directed by the divergent conic optical surface (112) and with the convergent conic optical surface (114) configured to convergently re-direct the electromagnetic radiation toward the axis of revolution (2).
US08687282B2
A focus module containing a boundary element and a focus element. The focus element includes a fluid and a deformable membrane, with the fluid being entrapped between the boundary element and the deformable membrane. The focus module also includes a pressure element, which is capable of deforming the focus element by pressing on the deformable membrane in the direction of the boundary element.
US08687281B2
A lens system suitable for use with a camera is disclosed. The lens system employs liquid optics to provide stabilization of an image. A pair of liquid lens cells provides stabilization of the image. A second pair of liquid lens cells may provide stabilization in another direction. The two pairs of liquid cells may provide stabilization in any direction.
US08687280B2
The present invention relates generally to an arcuate liquid meniscus lens with a meniscus wall. Some specific embodiments include a liquid meniscus lens with a meniscus wall essentially in the shape of a conical frustum, additional embodiments may include a cylindrical wall, each with microchannels. Embodiments may also include a lens of suitable size and shape for inclusion in a contact lens.
US08687278B2
An opto-mechanical switch produces different optical paths from two optical path sections out of a plurality of optical path sections that are oriented in different spatial directions. The switch has an optical component on which one end of each optical path section impinges, and which is adapted to be moved linearly in a direction of movement at right angles to the optical path sections between different switching positions, in which it selectively couples different optical path sections optically with each other. Further provided is a measuring system for the analysis of fluids, having such an opto-mechanical switch.
US08687275B2
Curved polarization filters and methods of manufacturing such filters. The method includes laminating a planar polarization layer to a planar retarder layer at a predetermined orientation and bending the laminate to create a curved filter. The strain on the retarder layer results in stress-induced birefringence, and the predetermined orientation of the retarder substantially compensates for the stress-induced birefringence. In some embodiments, the predetermination is based on mathematical models. In some other embodiment, the predetermination is based on experimental data.
US08687273B2
In an image display device having a parallax barrier element, a bright display with a broad viewing range can be realized.The image display device according to the present invention includes: a display panel having a first group of pixels for displaying a first image and a second group of pixels for displaying a second image; and a parallax barrier element for separating display light emitted from the first group of pixels and display light emitted from the second group of pixels, the parallax barrier element including a plurality of light-shielding portions and a plurality of light-transmitting portions which are alternately positioned within the same plane. The parallax barrier element includes converging elements respectively provided for the plurality of light-transmitting portions.
US08687272B1
A projection screen that reduces speckle by separating reflective flakes by at least 100 micrometers. The reflective flakes are held in a binder material that is coated on a backing layer. In a laser projection system, the separation distance between reflective flakes may be at least twice the coherence length of the laser light.
US08687270B2
A main amplifier system includes a first reflector operable to receive input light through a first aperture and direct the input light along an optical path. The input light is characterized by a first polarization. The main amplifier system also includes a first polarizer operable to reflect light characterized by the first polarization state. The main amplifier system further includes a first and second set of amplifier modules. Each of the first and second set of amplifier modules includes an entrance window, a quarter wave plate, a plurality of amplifier slablets arrayed substantially parallel to each other, and an exit window. The main amplifier system additionally includes a set of mirrors operable to reflect light exiting the first set of amplifier modules to enter the second set of amplifier modules and a second polarizer operable to reflect light characterized by a second polarization state.
US08687267B2
An acousto-optical tunable filter is disclosed. The filter includes a medium having one or more indices of refractions alterable by the application of acoustic waves to the medium. The filter also includes an acoustic transducer coupled to the medium to generate the acoustic waves Altering the frequency of the acoustic wave selects among the different wavelengths in the incident light ray. The device also includes an optical mirror for reflecting a wave diffracted by the medium back to the medium so that it can again be diffracted. The first diffracted wave has its frequency shifted in one direction by the frequency of the acoustic wave while the second diffracted wave has its frequency shifted in the opposite direction, thereby compensating for the first shift. The result is an output ray with little or no frequency shift.
US08687260B2
A spatial light modulator comprises a solid-state chiral material disposed between electrodes such that the polarization direction of the polarized light incident thereto can be controlled through an electrical field established between the electrodes.
US08687259B2
The invention relates to a polymerizable LC material with negative optical dispersion, a polymer film with negative optical dispersion obtainable from such a material, and the use of the polymerizable LC material and polymer film in optical, electrooptical, electronic, semiconducting or luminescent components or devices.
US08687258B2
Variable transmittance optical filters capable of transitioning from a light state to a dark state on exposure to UV radiation and from a dark state to a light state with application of an electric voltage are provided. The optical filters comprise a switching material that comprises one or more chromophores that have electrochromic and photochromic properties.
US08687254B2
An optical filter comprising a first substrate, a first mirror formed on the first substrate, a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, the second substrate including a concave portion, and a second mirror formed on the concave portion and facing the first mirror, wherein the first substrate includes a first portion located on the first mirror, a second portion located around the first portion, a third portion located around the second portion, and a fourth portion located around the third portion, wherein both a thickness of the second portion and a thickness of the fourth portion are equal to or smaller than a thickness of the first portion.
US08687253B2
A method and apparatus for reducing speckle noise in an image of an object are disclosed. The method includes, placing the object in an interferometer at a first position along a beam path of an object beam, irradiating the object with the object beam, moving the object from the first position to a second position by longitudinally shifting the object along the beam path of the object beam, irradiating the object with the object beam at the second position. At each of the first and second positions a holographic image formed by interference between the object beam and a reference beam is recorded. An object image with reduced speckle noise is obtained by averaging the holographic images. Either an arithmetic mean or a weighted average may be used in the averaging of the holographic images.
US08687236B2
A method and apparatus as provided for determining, for an ink to be deposited on a substrate by a halftone inkjet printing process, a nominal coverage value (the ‘ink restriction value’), that corresponds to an amount of ink sufficient to fully cover the area of the substrate to be printed. This determination is effected by measuring the reflectance of the printed substrate for a range of nominal coverage values, and then using an automatic processing arrangement to determine, from the change of measured reflectance with nominal coverage value, the nominal coverage value at which continuous tone behavior commences.
US08687232B2
A function execution device connected to at least one other device includes: a memory storing a plurality of setting values corresponding to a plurality of setting items; an execution portion executing a function by using the plurality of setting values; a screen data supply portion supplying, to a display device, device screen data for showing a device screen, on which a user selects a target device from the at least one other device, and item screen data for showing an item screen, on which the user selects at least one setting item from the plurality of setting items; an acquisition portion that acquires device information about the target device; and a transmission portion transmitting, to the target device, at least one setting value corresponding to the at least one setting item selected by the user on the item screen, among the plurality of setting values stored in the memory.
US08687231B2
There is provided a decoloring device including a decoloring unit, a first sheet conveying unit, a pre-decoloring reading unit, a type determining unit, a second sheet conveying unit, a post-decoloring reading unit, a decoloring success or failure determining unit, and a determination criterion setting unit. The type determining unit determines the type of image on the sheet conveyed to the decoloring unit based on the reading result in the pre-decoloring reading unit. The post-decoloring reading unit reads an image on the sheet after the decoloring, which is conveyed by the second sheet conveying unit. The decoloring success or failure determining unit determines whether or not the decoloring in the decoloring unit is successful based on the reading result in the post-decoloring reading unit. The determination criterion setting unit sets a determination criterion in the decoloring success or failure determining unit, based on the type of image, which is determined by the type determining unit.
US08687228B2
According to an embodiment of the present invention, in a plug-in of a general use application, sheet size information and margin information set by the application are calculated by using a scaling factor at the time of an expansion or reduction printing. The calculated sheet size information and margin information are reconfigured into the application.
US08687227B2
An image forming apparatus is provided with a data retrieving unit that retrieves index image data and associating file information corresponding files from a recording medium. The index image data and associating tile information are allocated to a plurality of arrangement sections. The index image data and associating file information may be printed on a printing sheet in accordance with a predetermined layout. A judging unit is provided to judge whether the associating file information is less than or equal to a predetermined length, The associating file information which is longer than the predetermined length is normally printed incompletely so as to he printed within the arrangement section. A layout modifying unit is provided to modify the predetermined layout for the arrangement section if the associating file information is longer than the predetermined length so that the associating file information is printed completely on the printing sheet.
US08687222B2
An image data buffer apparatus includes a memory, and a FIFO control unit configured to cause the memory to operate as a FIFO and having a write pointer indicative of a write position of the memory and a read pointer indicative of a read position of the memory, wherein the FIFO control unit is configured to store image data as a plurality of blocks in the memory at respective positions successively indicated by the write pointer as the image data are supplied as the blocks contained in an image, to read one of the blocks from the memory at a position indicated by the read pointer, to read, from the memory, partial data that is part of at least one block adjacent to the one of the blocks, and to consolidate the one of the blocks and the partial data for transmission as one consolidated block.
US08687208B2
When the processing of process steps of a print job that includes job definition information showing the process steps of a printing process and information relating to drawing data used in printing is executed by devices, a printing control apparatus connected to the devices determines whether the processing content of a target print job has been changed by the devices from a processing content defined by the job definition information, and, if determined that the processing content has been changed, collects the job definition information defining the changed processing content.
US08687207B2
A method for determining the optimum procedure for a job change on a printing-material processing machine (10) with at least one control computer. The data of a first machine job is compared to the data of a subsequent machine job using a control computer, and the comparison is used to establish an order of the operations to be carried out during the job change. Also provided is a device for determining the optimum procedure for a job change on a printing-material processing machine (10) with at least one control computer. The control computer is intended to compare the data of a first machine job to the data of a subsequent machine job, and to use the comparison to establish an order of the operations to be carried out during the job change.
US08687202B2
A displacement detecting device has a diffraction grating, grating interferometers, and relative position information output sections. The grating interferometers have a light source, reflectors, a beam splitter, and light receiving sections. The reflectors reflect 1st-order diffracted lights diffracted by the diffraction grating, and cause the reflected 1st-order diffracted lights to be incident at a position substantially identical to the position at which the light from the light source is irradiated. Furthermore, the reflectors cause the 1st-order diffracted lights to be incident on the diffraction grating at an angle different to either the incidence angle of the light from the light source incident on the diffraction grating or the angle at which the 1st-order diffracted lights are transmitted through or reflected by the diffraction grating.
US08687194B2
A sensor having a housing with a first member connected to a second member to form a circular central opening. A plurality of photoelectric transmitters and receivers are placed between the first member and the second member such that each receiver is within a liner-of-sight of each transmitter across the central opening and the signals sent between the receivers and transmitters fills an area of detection.
US08687191B2
An apparatus comprises a detector, a pressure sensor and a processor. The detector is operable to detect light that is scattered by an aerosol that is associated with a pressure. The pressure sensor is operable to measure the pressure. The processor is coupled to the detector and to the pressure sensor, and is configured to receive at least a signal from the detector and the pressure sensor. The processor is further configured to use the received signals to calculate a volume of the first aerosol, and to output an output signal associated with the calculated volume. The various measurements can be repeated and compared, and the output signal can be a feedback signal for metering subsequent amounts of the aerosol, based on the comparison.
US08687189B2
The present invention relates to the detection of materials using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). This invention discloses methods to draw the analyte of interest in a homogeneous matrix and subsequent analysis of these matrices, wherein the said matrices are preferably arranged in an array format. This invention is particularly applicable to analysis of Liquid samples arranged in an array format.
US08687186B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to nanowire-based systems for performing surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. In one embodiment, a system comprises a substrate having a surface and a plurality of tapered nanowires disposed on the surface. Each nanowire has a tapered end directed away from the surface. The system also includes a plurality of nanoparticles disposed near the tapered end of each nanowire. When each nanowire is illuminated with light of a pump wavelength, Raman excitation light is emitted from the tapered end of the nanowire to interact with the nanoparticles and produce enhanced Raman scattered light from molecules located in close proximity to the nanoparticles.
US08687185B2
A device and a method for optical parallel analysis of a sample arrangement. The device includes a system of sample areas provided on and/or in a front face of the carrier substrate for receiving a sample substance; a system of detector areas provided on and/or in a back face of the carrier substrate, each detector area being assigned to a corresponding sample area; and a system of optical devices, each optical system being assigned to a corresponding sample area and being designed in such a way that it deflects light beams, which the corresponding sample area in response to an optical excitation does not emit in the direction of a detector area assigned to it, in the direction of the detector area assigned to it and/or in the direction of a detector-free area on the back face of the carrier substrate.
US08687183B2
The present invention provides an imprint apparatus for performing an imprint process of transferring a pattern onto a substrate by curing a resin on the substrate while the resin is in contact with a mold, and removing the mold from the cured resin, including a detection unit configured to detect a foreign particle existing on the substrate, wherein the detection unit includes an obtaining unit configured to irradiate a surface of the substrate with light, and obtain light from the surface of the substrate, and a specification unit configured to specify a shot region where a foreign particle existing on the substrate is positioned, based on the light obtained by the obtaining unit.
US08687174B2
A unit pixel included in a photo-detection device, the unit pixel including a floating diffusion region in a semiconductor substrate, a ring-shaped collection gate over the semiconductor substrate, a ring-shaped drain gate over the semiconductor substrate, and a drain region in the semiconductor substrate, wherein the collection gate and the drain gate are respectively arranged between the floating diffusion region and the drain region.
US08687172B2
Systems and methods improve the accuracy of spatial coordinate measurements by optical digitizers by obtaining a separate distance measurement, which may be via direct ranging rather than triangulation, and combining the distance measurement with the spatial coordinate measurements to improve the accuracy of the three-dimensional spatial coordinate measurement.
US08687166B2
A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes an encoder type sensor system configured to measure a position of a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus relative to a reference structure. The encoder type sensor system includes an encoder sensor head and an encoder sensor target and the lithographic apparatus comprises a recess to accommodate the encoder sensor target.
US08687149B2
A method of adapting a visual unit having a first screen (10) in a first focal plane by the addition of one or more at least partially transparent display screens (20) at least partially overlapping said first screen (10) and located in focal planes distinct from said first focal plane, characterized in that an at least partially transparent emissive layer (21) is provided between said first screen (10) and at least one said additional display screen (20).
US08687148B2
The present invention enables a liquid crystal display device using LEDs as a light source to reduce uneven brightness, increase efficiency of heat discharged from the LEDs, and provide area brightness control. The liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel and a backlight. The backlight includes a light guide panel and a plurality of LEDs arranged on a line. The light guide panel includes a concave portion extending in a longitudinal direction of the light guide panel. A large number of LEDs are placed in the concave portion of the light guide panel. The plurality of LEDs arranged on a line emit light alternately in opposite directions. This configuration allows for uniform brightness distribution without forming a large number of concave portions in the light guide panel. Further, this configuration also allows for area brightness control by controlling a large number of LEDs by group.
US08687146B2
The invention provides a reflective plate that includes a first reflective part having a predetermined surface roughness and a second reflective part having a surface roughness that is less than the predetermined surface roughness of the first reflective part. The invention also provides a reflective plate that is capable of supplying a liquid crystal panel with substantially uniform light.
US08687143B2
A method of illuminating a display includes spatially varying the luminance of a multi-colored light source illuminating a plurality of pixels of the display in response to receiving a plurality of pixel values, and varying the transmittance of a light valve of the display having filters corresponding to the multi-colored light source in response to receiving the plurality of pixel values. The illumination is modified for a plurality of pixel values based upon modification of the luminance of the light source and varying the transmittance of the light valve. The modifying is further based upon modification of at least one of the multi-colored light sources together with modification of the transmittance of the light valve corresponding to at least one of the filters of a different color than the at least one of the multi-colored light sources in such a manner that increases the color gamut of the display.
US08687142B2
A backlight unit comprises a light emitting diode (LED) package including one or more LED chips, a light source PCB mounting one side of a bottom of the LED package or both sides of the bottom of the LED package, a bottom cover supporting the light source PCB under the light source PCB, and having an embossing portion which protrudes toward the LED package with a size corresponding to the bottom of the LED package which is not mounted on the light source PCB, and a heat emission material filling between the bottom of the LED package and the embossing portion.
US08687132B2
A method of manufacturing a display device according to one aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a display device including a liquid crystal interposed between a CF substrate and a TFT substrate that are opposed to each other, the method including the steps of: bonding the CF substrate and the TFT substrate each having a mother substrate shape to form a cell substrate from which at least one panel is to be cut out; forming, after formation of the cell substrate, a parallax barrier layer for separating a display image on an outer side of the cell substrate at a side of one of the CF substrate and the TFT substrate; and dividing, after formation of the parallax barrier layer, the cell substrate into at least one panel.
US08687127B2
According to one embodiment, a video display apparatus including, a first power-supply module configured to be charged while a commercially available power is connected, a second power-supply module connected as an external apparatus and configured to be charged together with the first power-supply module while the commercially available power is connected, and a power switching module configured to supply power from at least one of the first and second power-supply modules upon receipt of an instruction to stop connection with the commercially available power.
US08687120B2
High definition media content processing techniques are described in which enhanced media content rendering techniques may be performed to output high definition media content. In an implementation, luma keying may be provided to define clear pixels in a composite output using an optimum set of graphics processing instructions. In another implementation, techniques are described which may provide clear rectangles in a composite output of one or more video streams. Clear rectangles to appear in the composite output are configured by a media playback application. A texture is arrived at to represent a union of each of the clear rectangles and is applied to form the clear rectangles in the composite output. In another implementation, capture techniques are described in which an image to capture is resolved as strips to an intermediate texture and then from the texture to a capture buffer in system memory.
US08687118B2
A repeater is to be provided between a source device and a sink device and be used in a Lip-sync correction system that transmits a video signal and an audio signal from the source device to the sink device through a HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) transmission path and reproduces the video signal and the audio signal in synchronous with them on the sink device. A communication from the source device to the sink device is defined as a downstream communication, and a communication from the sink device to the source device is defined as a upstream communication. The repeater includes a processor that receives the video signal and the audio signal through the upstream communication and the downstream communication and processes the received video signal and the received audio signal. The processor corrects deviation between the video signal and the audio signal.
US08687114B2
Operating on video frames includes determining a frame set backdrop of a set of video frames that is a characterization of the relative difference in content of the set of video frames. Decreasing video quality of the set of video frames when the frame set backdrop is relatively higher indicating relatively greater content difference among video frames of the set of video frames and increasing/leaving quality of the set of video frames when the frame set backdrop is relatively lower indicating relatively lesser content difference among video frames of the set of video frames. Alteration of video quality of the set of video frames includes altering a frame rate, altering a pixel resolution, and/or altering color resolution of the set of video frames and/or altering a ratio of independent frames to predictive frames of the set of frames.
US08687113B2
An image pickup apparatus which has a small-sized removable handle unit easy to be handled and removed and prevents breakage of electrical contacts. The handle unit includes a handle-side connector having a handle-side connector terminal section, rear handle fixing members for mounting the handle unit to the main unit, a connector fixing plate for mounting the handle-side connector to the handle unit, and resilient members interposed between the handle-side connector and the connector fixing plate. The main unit includes a main unit-side connector having a second terminal section and a main unit-side fixing portion to which the rear handle fixing members are affixed. The handle-side connector and the main unit-side connector are connected such that the first terminal section and the second terminal section are electrically connected in a state of the rear handle fixing members being affixed to the main unit-side fixing portion.
US08687109B2
An image capturing device employing as illumination source(s) (flash apparatus(es)) a plurality of light emitting diodes emitting light of different colors; wherein such light emitting diodes are respectively made to emit light in pulsed fashion in turn by emitted color during exposure time(s). Furthermore, during exposure time(s), such light emitting diodes may be made to sequentially emit light in pulsed fashion in turn by emitted color, and/or such light emitting diodes may be made to sequentially emit light in pulsed fashion in turn by emitted color over multiple iterations.
US08687099B2
Disclosed herein is an imaging device including: a pixel unit including a pixel disposed in a plane and a driving unit. The pixel includes an accumulating section configured to detect a physical quantity, and accumulate a charge corresponding to the physical quantity, a transfer section configured to transfer the charge from the accumulating section, a converting section configured to convert the charge into a voltage, an output section configured to output a signal of the voltage converted by the converting section, a reset section configured to reset the potential of the converting section, and a connecting section connected to the converting section. The driving unit is configured to transfer a signal for giving an instruction to transfer the charge, and a connecting signal for controlling connection and non-connection. The driving unit makes the charge transferred in a state of the converting sections being connected to each other.
US08687097B2
A CMOS image sensor in which column-parallel ADCs are mounted. Reference voltages Vref1 to Vref4 having slopes with different gradients and a reference voltage Vref5 are used. Additionally, a comparison circuit that compares an output voltage Vx of a unit pixel with any one of the reference voltages Vref1 to Vref4, and a comparison circuit that compares the one of the reference voltages Vref1 to Vref4 with the reference voltage Vref5 are included in a column processing circuit. High-resolution AD conversion is performed at a high speed by respective operations of the comparison circuits and an up/down counter.
US08687096B2
A piecewise linear processing device applies different amplification rates according to a general environment and a low luminance environment where much noise exists. The piecewise linear processing device includes a knee point storing unit configured to store a user's default setting value and low luminance setting value; a luminance detecting unit configured to detect a noisy environment to output a current luminance information signal and a maximum luminance information signal; an adaptive knee point supply unit configured to receive the default setting value, the low luminance setting value, the current luminance information signal, and the maximum luminance information signal to supply a adjusted adaptive knee point according to a degree of noise; and a piecewise linear processing unit configured to apply a section amplification rate to an input data on the basis of a region corresponding to the adaptive knee point.
US08687094B2
A mobile terminal and a method of displaying an object related information in the mobile terminal are disclosed, in which the method includes receiving an image via a camera module of the mobile terminal, the received image depicting objects located within a predetermined distance from the mobile terminal, obtaining at least one object related information corresponding to the received image, displaying the received image including the obtained at least one object related information, receiving a zoom-in command signal for the camera module, zooming in on the displayed image according to the received zoom-in command signal such that the zoomed-in image is displayed at a zoom position, and displaying object related information in the obtained object related information corresponding to at least one object of the zoomed-in image depicted between the zoom position and the predetermined distance.
US08687093B2
An apparatus having an electronic zoom function, comprising an image sensing element, a zoom magnification setting unit, a pixel signal readout unit, an image processor, and a controller which, when the zoom magnification is between first and second zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a first pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a second pixel count, and when the zoom magnification is between third and fourth zoom magnifications, controls to read out pixel signals of a third pixel count, and to generate the image using pixel signals of a fourth pixel count, the second pixel count is not larger than the first pixel count, the fourth pixel count is not larger than the third pixel count.
US08687091B2
An image capturing apparatus that includes an image capture unit, an interface unit, a processing unit, and a display unit, wherein the image capture unit captures an image, the memory unit stores the image, the interface unit loads one or more look transforms into the image capturing apparatus, the processing unit converts color signals of the image from values of the image capturing apparatus into an output rendering space using a device-independent color space, automatically applies the look transform(s) to the image, and generates a rendered image, which is then displayed by the display unit.
US08687083B2
A reference pixel memory storage space configuration method for configuring a main storage sub-space and an extra storage sub-space of a reference pixel memory storage space of a high resolution digital image capturing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes steps of: calculating a first frame to obtain a plurality of first reconstruction reference pixels; storing the first reconstruction reference pixels in the main storage sub-space; moving a search range window to search the first reconstruction reference pixels and calculating a second frame by referencing the first reconstruction reference pixels covered by the search range window to obtain a plurality of second reconstruction reference pixels, and when the search range window is moved from a first region to a second region in the main storage sub-space, the first region becomes an available space. The second reconstruction reference pixels are orderly stored in the extra storage sub-space and the available space.
US08687082B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a pixel section in which a plurality of pixels converting optical signals into electric signals and accumulating the electric signals in accordance with an exposure period are arranged in a matrix shape; and a pixel driving section that is able to drive the pixel section to perform reset thereof and accumulate and output the electric signals, wherein the pixel driving section includes a vertical reading function of alternately reading pixel columns for which addition is vertically performed and pixel columns for which the addition is not performed, and a column reading function of changing the addition and normal reading whenever reading each single row in response to scanning of the vertical reading circuit, and the pixel driving section performs pseudo thinning-out reading addition equivalent to thinning-out by reading all pixels without thinning out pixels in a reading target row.
US08687080B2
An image pickup apparatus a camera 100 includes an image pickup element 105 including a plurality of imaging pixels 106 which perform a photoelectric conversion of an image formed by a light beam from an image pickup optical system and a plurality of focus detection pixels 107 which perform a photoelectric conversion of an image formed by a divided light beam of the light beam, a focus detector 113 which performs a focus detection of the image pickup optical system based on an output of the focus detection pixels 107, an aperture controller 104 which performs a control so that an aperture value of the image pickup optical system is equal to or less than a predetermined value when the focus detector 113 perform the focus detection, and an exposure controller 110 which adjusts an exposure condition in accordance with the aperture value controlled by the aperture controller 104.
US08687075B2
An imaging apparatus, which is capable of recording a still image during a moving image recording operation, includes a display unit, an operation unit configured to receive an instruction from a user, and a controller configured to control the display unit to display information about a number of recordable still image data, when the operation unit receives a predetermined instruction during a moving image recording operation.
US08687074B1
The present invention relates to camera arrangements with backlighting detection. The camera arrangements are capable of simultaneously capturing real scene data from various viewpoints. This data may include illumination data impinging the scene. The illumination data may then be utilized to alter the apparent illumination of a second image, either real or virtual, which is to be superimposed over the real scene so that the illumination across the entire superimposed scene is consistent. The camera arrangements may utilize combinations of umbilical cables and light tubes to expand or contract the field of capture. The camera arrangements may also include in-line signal processing of the data output.
US08687067B2
An object of the present invention is to simplify a calibration operation of a camera and to shorten a time necessary for calibration. A camera calibration device 10 is mounted on a predetermined position of a movable object 100 and includes a camera 11 configured to take an image including an index 41 provided outside the movable object 100, an image superimposing unit 122 configured to generate a superimposed image by superimposing a calibration object 42 having a position adjustment part and a rotation adjustment part on the image taken by the camera 11, and a calculation unit 124 configured to calculate, based on a position of the calibration object 42 after being shifted in the superimposed image such that an end or a center of the index 41 meets the position adjustment part and a part of the index other than the end or the center overlaps the rotation adjustment part, parameters relative to a pan angle, a tilt angle and a roll angle for calibration of the camera mounting position.
US08687054B1
A method and system for providing individualized video program content whereby currently available synchronized active shutter technology, such as is implemented in currently available 3-D televisions, and multiple channel audio technology, such as stereo, or 5:1 surround sound technology, is modified to provide two or more interlaced versions of at least a portion of a video program such that two or more “classes”, or types of viewers, can virtually simultaneously view separate versions of the portion of a video program in a single run of the video program, i.e., in the same viewing of the program by both types of viewers.
US08687053B2
The present invention provides a stereoscopic image display device that improves visibility of a stereoscopic pointer image when the pointer position moves between objects in the stereoscopic image that have greatly different display depths. The display device changes the display depth of the stereoscopic pointer image in accordance with the display depth of an object in the stereoscopic image. When the pointer position moves between objects that have greatly different display depths from time t0 to time t1, the stereoscopic pointer image at time t1 is rendered so as to be perceived as having a display depth intermediate between the display depth of the stereoscopic pointer image at time t0 and the display depth of the display screen at the pointer position at t1. As a result, visibility of the stereoscopic pointer image is improved.
US08687045B2
A three-dimensional image-capturing apparatus includes an image-capturing device having a plurality of image-capturing regions and a plurality of optical systems for forming images of a subject in the image-capturing regions. The optical systems includes a plurality of reflectors for reflecting rays from the subject a number of times and at least a lens provided to be closer to the image-capturing device than the reflection means closest to the subject. The reflectors and the lens are used to form, in the image-capturing regions, separate images of the subject which are captured from different viewpoints.
US08687044B2
Compatibility between a depth image consumer and a plurality of different depth image producers is provided by receiving a native depth image having unsupported depth camera parameters that are not compatible with a depth image consumer, and converting the native depth image to a virtual depth image having supported virtual depth camera parameters that are compatible with the depth image consumer. This virtual depth image is then output to the depth image consumer.
US08687043B2
A method of generating a stereoscopic image signal and scaling the same includes receiving a left-eye image signal and a right-eye image signal, generating a progressive stereoscopic image signal by multiplexing the left-eye image signal and the right-eye image signal, and scaling up or down the progressive stereoscopic image signal. Accordingly, it is possible to simplify a structure of an apparatus to generate the stereoscopic image signal and reduce manufacturing costs of the apparatus to generate the stereoscopic image signal.
US08687041B2
In a stereoscopic panorama image creating method according to an embodiment of the presently disclosed subject matter, a plurality of stereoscopic images formed of left images and right images continuously shot with a stereoscopic imaging apparatus 1 being moved in one direction, the left images of the stereoscopic images are synthesized together and the right images thereof are synthesized together to create a stereoscopic panorama image, corresponding points of the stereoscopic images are detected, an image shift amount for setting a parallax of each corresponding point at a predetermined value is calculated, and information about the corresponding point and the image shift amount are recorded in association with the stereoscopic panorama image.
US08687038B2
A registrant provides at least one registrant electronic contact, such as a telephone number, during a registration process. The registrant's information may be compared to a database of such information. The registrant is verified by establishing a connection with the registrant via the registrant contact. The verification code is communicated to the registrant, which is input into an on-line form. Notification events are established, and the registrant is notified of the occurrence of a previously established notification event by establishing a connection with the registrant via the registrant contact.
US08687036B2
A light source driver mounted on a rectangular-shaped substrate includes a plurality of output parts that output driving signals to drive a plurality of light-emitting bodies. The plurality of output parts are disposed in a vicinity of the two sides of the substrate, the two sides of the substrate forming a corner of the substrate.
US08687032B2
An apparatus and method of securing and maintaining the integrity of desired information on a ribbon and media subsequent to a printing operation is provided. The apparatus and method includes a thermal transfer printer having a print station and a printhead operable for performing a printing operation. The printhead is capable of performing an initial print operation and then being raised from the media, thereby allowing the used ribbon to be rewound a predetermined distance about a supply spindle. Thereafter, a second print operation is performed on the space previously printed upon using characters, designs or block-out patterns and the used ribbon is then wound onto a take-up spindle. In exemplary embodiments, the used ribbon can also be reprinted with a waste media several times thus further obscuring the image on the used ribbon.
US08687024B2
An active matrix display apparatus comprises plural gate lines and plural source lines that are arranged such that the plural gate lines respectively intersect the plural source lines and light-emitting element circuits, which are provided to respectively correspond to intersections at which the plural gate lines intersect the plural source line. Additionally, each of the light-emitting element circuits includes a light-emitting element for emitting light according to a current supplied thereto, a drive transistor for controlling a current supplied to the light-emitting element, and a control transistor for controlling writing of an image signal to the drive transistor. Furthermore, the drive transistor has a body terminal and is configured to correct luminance of the light-emitting element using a voltage applied to the body terminal.
US08687016B2
Method and system for enhancing the quality of video prompts in an interactive media response system
Embodiments of the present invention recite a method for enhancing the quality of visual prompts in and interactive media response system. In one embodiment, a video coder/decoder (codec) used by a thin device is determined. A visual prompt to be displayed on the thin device is accessed and the display parameters of the visual prompt are modified such that at least one character of the visual prompt is aligned with a blocking artifact generated by the video codec.
US08687009B2
An image processing apparatus for managing a memory device having a plurality of storage areas including a storage area storing out-of-use information and a free area storing no information, the image processing apparatus comprises memory control unit adapted to determine whether or not there is a storage area storing the out-of-use information based on a request for storing information and determining the storage area storing the out-of-use information as an area for storing the information, in a case where the storage area exists; and information writing unit adapted to overwrite generated information to the storage area determined by the memory control unit.
US08687008B2
A latency tolerant system for executing video processing operations. The system includes a host interface for implementing communication between the video processor and a host CPU, a scalar execution unit coupled to the host interface and configured to execute scalar video processing operations, and a vector execution unit coupled to the host interface and configured to execute vector video processing operations. A command FIFO is included for enabling the vector execution unit to operate on a demand driven basis by accessing the memory command FIFO. A memory interface is included for implementing communication between the video processor and a frame buffer memory. A DMA engine is built into the memory interface for implementing DMA transfers between a plurality of different memory locations and for loading the command FIFO with data and instructions for the vector execution unit.
US08687004B2
At least certain embodiments of the present disclosure include a font file having graphic image files. In one embodiment, the font includes a set of glyphs and the font file includes a set of predetermined information of each glyph and graphic image data of each glyph. The graphic image data contains a graphic image of the corresponding glyph, which may be a multi-color glyph.
US08686997B2
The present invention provides a computer implemented method and apparatus for composing an assembly of a plurality of objects. The method comprises navigating in a PLM database and displaying 3D representations of modeled objects. The method further comprises selecting in the PLM database a plurality of the modeled objects. The method further comprises storing the selected modeled objects in an editable area. The selected modeled objects are three-dimensionally displayed in the editable area. The method further comprises composing the assembly in a scene by using at least one instance of at least one of the objects stored in the editable area.
US08686992B1
Methods and systems for 3D shape retrieval are described herein. An embodiment includes receiving a query 3D model, extracting a plurality of features of the query 3D model, comparing the features of the 3D query model against a plurality of features of one or more 3D models in a repository, calculating a similarity score based on the comparing step, ranking the 3D models based on the similarity score and returning one or more 3D models based on the ranking step. The embodiment further includes generating a representation of the query 3D model, calculating a correlation matching function between the representation of the query 3D model and representations of 3D models in the repository, determining a plurality of matching scores between the query 3D model and the 3D models in the repository for each rotational alignment of the 3D models and selecting the highest score from the plurality of matching scores based on the determining step.
US08686988B2
In the case of depositing a metal in a plurality of stages by applying deposition voltages having a plurality of rectangular waves at different voltages to an electrochemical display element, the application time of the rectangular wave at the highest voltage among the plurality of rectangular waves is set to a time (Tip) required for reaching a resistance inflexion point (Rip) where the resistance value (R) of a pixel starts to rapidly increase or shorter. Thus, the element can be prevented from being broken without deteriorating the response characteristics of a display element.
US08686978B2
A video processing includes: a boundary detecting section which respectively detects, in a current frame and a previous frame, a boundary between a first pixel in which the applied voltage designated by the video signal is lower than a first voltage and a second pixel in which the applied voltage is equal to or higher than a second voltage which is higher than the first voltage; and a correcting section which corrects the voltage applied to the liquid crystal element corresponding to at least one of the first pixel and the second pixel in positions between which a portion which moves from the boundary of the previous frame by one pixel is interposed, within the boundary of the current frame, to correct the input video signal in a direction where a transverse electric field generated in the first pixel and the second pixel is reduced.
US08686973B2
A display is provided. The display includes a frame, a display module, and a bendable cover. The frame includes a bottom surface and a lateral surface, the display module is disposed on the frame, and the bendable cover has a surface layer and an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer is located on the surface layer, a part of the surface layer is adhered to the display module through the adhesive layer, another part of the surface layer is attached to the lateral surface of the frame and adhered to the bottom surface of the frame through the adhesive layer.
US08686959B2
An input emulation apparatus for any touch screen device with an input device having a receptive component for a user's hand and/or finger inputs and a contact component for contacting the touch screen device, where the contact component is operatively linked to the input component so that the contact device contacts the touch screen device as it responds to the user's hand input.
US08686958B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for dynamically zoning a touch screen environment. The apparatus includes an identification module detecting a number of users around a perimeter of a display, a zoning module generating, via a processor, a plurality of user zones in response to the number of users detected, and a positioning module orienting a gesture zone, within each of the plurality of user zones, in relation to a corresponding user. The method includes detecting a number of users around a perimeter of a display, generating, via a processor, a plurality of user zones in response to the number of users detected, and orienting a gesture zone, within each of the plurality of user zones, in relation to a corresponding user.
US08686957B2
An apparatus in which an outer conductive ring surrounds the periphery of a touch-sensitive surface of a touch sensor serving as a manually-operable control, wherein a portion of the outer conductive ring is also between the touch-sensitive surface and another manually-operable control that lacks the ability to sense the mere touch of a tip of a digit of a user. A processing device causes the level of capacitance of the outer conductive ring to be measured on a recurring basis for instances of an amount of additional capacitance above a minimum capacitance threshold, and employs such amounts of additional capacitance in a comparison to distinguish between the user interacting with a control surface defined on the touch-sensitive surface of the touch sensor or the other manually-operable control.
US08686956B2
A capacitive touch sensing structure includes: a substrate; a plurality of first electrode groups arranged from a first position towards a second position in a first direction, wherein each of the first electrode groups includes a plurality of first electrodes extended from a third position towards a fourth position in a second direction; a plurality of first conducting wires each having a plurality of contacts respectively coupled to the first electrodes of each of the first electrode groups; a plurality of second electrode groups arranged from the first position towards the second position in the first direction, wherein each of the second electrode groups includes a plurality of second electrodes extended from the fourth position towards the third position in the second direction and respectively staggering with the first electrode groups; and a plurality of second conducting wires each having a plurality of contacts respectively coupled to the electrodes of each of the second electrode groups.
US08686945B2
The invention relates to a data processing device input apparatus (1) for inputting characters, in particular graphics characters and/or commands, by—manual actuation, in particular finger contact with input field elements (3) of an input field (4), the input field (4) being divided into two input partial fields (5, 6), the individual input partial fields (5, 6) being arranged on a base (7) so as to be set apart from each other viewed in the axial direction, and the input surfaces (24, 25) of the input partial fields (5, 6) opposing each other in the working position and a reproduction component (8) for the visual detectability of the input surfaces (24, 25) of the input field (4) being associated with said input surfaces. This may be advantageous as a result of the fact that the input partial fields (5, 6) are pivotably articulated to the base (7) so as to be set apart from each other and the reproduction component (8) is arranged on the base (7) between theoretical pivot axes (A5, A6) of the input partial fields (5, S) or is integrated in the base (7).
US08686941B2
Triggering haptic sensations based on sound output from a computer device. A portion of sound data is stored that is output to a user as audio from an application program running on a computer. The portion of sound data is analyzed using intelligent heuristics to extract at least one sound feature from the sound data. The execution of at least one haptic effect is triggered based on the sound feature, where the haptic effect is commanded to the haptic feedback device approximately correlated to the output of the portion of sound to the user as audio. The haptic effect causes a haptic sensation to be output to the user. Different haptic effects can be associated with different sound features, frequency ranges, amplitudes, etc.
US08686918B1
An antenna includes a first antenna element comprising a pseudo-conductor material and forming a substantially closed polygonal loop around a center. The first antenna element conforms to a ground plane. The antenna also includes a plurality of transmission lines in the ground plane. Each transmission line comprises a conductor material, is extending radially outward from a feed end towards an outer end, is electromagnetically coupled to the first antenna element at a crossover point at which the transmission line crosses over the first antenna element, and is coupled, at the center, to a corresponding feed line. The antenna further includes a feed circuit for exciting the plurality of transmission lines to cause the antenna to emit in a predetermined direction and using a predetermined polarization mode.
US08686914B2
An antenna module is provided for transmitting a wireless signal. The antenna module includes a reflective superstrate, an antenna substrate, a feed conductor, a ground layer and a reflective pattern. The reflective superstrate includes a third surface and a fourth surface, wherein the third surface is opposite to the fourth surface. The antenna substrate includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is opposite to the second surface. A feed conductor is disposed on the first surface. The ground layer is disposed on the second surface. The reflective pattern is formed on the third surface and faces the feed conductor, wherein a reflection gap d is formed between the reflective pattern and the ground layer, and the wireless signal has a wavelength λ, and the reflection gap d is between λ/20 and λ/80.
US08686912B2
A folded dipole antenna capable of transmitting and receiving signals from CDMA 450 system comprises a folded dipole Printed Circuit Board (PCB) having conducting strips on each side of the PCB forming excitation and grounding arms of the antenna, having a symmetric conducting strip configuration. The conducting strip on each side of the PCB includes an m-shaped conducting strip having a center conducting leg, and two symmetrically configured folded arms. The center conducting leg is thinner in width than the two folded arms. The PCB is placed is mounted perpendicularly to a base plate through a plastic holder. A coaxial cable having a center core extended through the folded dipole PCB connects with the excitation arm and with a metal shield soldered along the center conducting leg of the ground arm.
US08686902B2
Antenna structures and configurations which incorporate alignment keys and support structures which mate Composite Right and Left Handed (CRLH) metamaterial (MTM) structures formed on two or more substrates.
US08686896B2
A method for determining beamformer scattering parameters for a plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays that each include a radiating (e.g., dipole) component and a beamformer component provides for obtaining for the plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays a plurality of electromagnetic measurements at a plurality of ports. Analogous electromagnetic measurements are obtained for a reference subarray including a radiating component but absent a beamformer component. The plurality of phased array radar antenna subarray electromagnetic measurements and the reference subarray electromagnetic measurements provide a plurality of beamformer scattering parameter values for the plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays that may be used in modeling and calibrating a phased array radar apparatus that may be assembled from the plurality of phased array radar antenna subarrays.
US08686892B2
A method of reducing cross-range streaking in a radar image includes determining a number of on-pixels in each line of at least a portion of the radar image, determining which lines have a determined number of on-pixels that exceeds a threshold number, and removing the on-pixels of lines having the determined number of on-pixels exceeding the threshold number.
US08686888B2
The present disclosure is directed to a switched capacitor amplifier that includes a switched capacitor network and a complementary push-pull amplifier. The switched capacitor amplifier of the present disclosure can provide a larger fraction of the charge provided by a power supply and flowing through the amplifier to a capacitive load at the output of the amplifier compared to switched capacitor amplifiers that use single-ended class-A amplifiers. The switched capacitor amplifier of the present disclosure can be used in a converter stage of a pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to improve the ADC's power efficiency and/or bandwidth. It can be further generalized to be used in other applications other than pipelined ADCs.
US08686881B1
Machines, systems and methods for compression ratio estimation are provided. The method comprises selecting a plurality of sample points in a data stream to compress sample data selected at said sample points according to a first compression method; and computing an average compression ratio contribution over the selected plurality of sample points, wherein compression ratio contribution of a sample point is determined based on the first compression method and data in locality of the sample point, and wherein the locality for the sample point is defined by locations in the data stream, such that said locations potentially affect the sample point's contribution to the compression ratio.
US08686870B2
An intelligent physical layer management system is provided that includes active electronic hardware, firmware, mechanical assemblies, cables, and software that guide, monitor, and report on the process of connecting and disconnecting patch cords plugs in an interconnect patching environment. RFID tag integrated chips are used to identify which switch port a patch cord is plugged into. The system is capable of monitoring patch cord connections to detect insertions or removals of patch cords or plugs. In addition, the system can map the patch field in interconnect configurations.
US08686868B2
A system and method for assisting drivers of Bomb Carts and Shuttle Carriers to position their vehicles appropriately for loading and unloading containers at a gantry crane. The system uses laser scanners mounted at various levels on the gantry crane sill beams to determine the type, position, orientation and skew angle of the vehicles as well as whether the vehicles are in a loaded or unloaded condition. In addition, the system provides indicator devices to direct drivers how to move their vehicles.
US08686863B2
The invention is directed to a system and process for estimating a core body temperature of a human subject. The system includes mount, a body, and a heat trap having a temperature sensor. The mount is operable to secure the device to a toilet or adjacent surface. The body houses a microprocessor. The heat trap is distal to the body and is shaped to receive a liquid stream and contain the thermal energy therein. The heat trap comprises a low thermally conductive material. The temperature sensor is in communication with the microprocessor. The temperature sensor is associated with the heat trap and disposed proximate a surface of said heat trap, wherein the liquid stream is directed across said temperature sensor. The system optionally incorporates a process and memory to store input of the temperature sensor and associate the input with a person, compare the input to historical records for a person, and determine a febrile condition for the person based on the input.
US08686861B2
An RFID system and method utilizes an RFID device, wherein the RFID device senses a thing or condition interior to a closable container at or proximate the RFID device and transmits messages. The messages include information uniquely identifying the RFID device and information relating to the thing or condition sensed at or proximate the RFID device. Information in the received messages relating to the thing or condition sensed at or proximate the RFID device of messages are employed for determining whether the container is closed, is not closed, has been closed, or has been not closed, or any combination thereof, whereby an opening of and/or tampering with the container may be detected. Messages received from the RFID device, as well as an indication of a condition, may be relayed to a remote location.
US08686838B1
The present invention is in the field of virtualization of Network Interface Cards and Controllers (NIC) that connect to for example a host computer that can have multiple functions and OS's (referred to as guest functions and guest-OS's) running on it simultaneously and, in particular, relates to the virtualization of the operation of a single NIC such that it can be used simultaneously by multiple guests in such a manner that memory references due to the network traffic originating from and destined to a particular guest is kept separate from other network traffic, and that allows the Media Access Controller (MAC) within the NIC to operate such that it only accepts network packets that are destined to one of the guest-functions or guest-OS's, and the MAC is not required to operate in promiscuous mode where it accepts all incoming packets in order to implement the virtualization features.
US08686837B2
Various embodiments include apparatus, systems, and methods including an apparatus comprising a remote operable to receive a non-radio frequency beacon signal, the non-radio frequency beacon signal transmitted within and contained substantially within an approximate line-of-sight transmission space, the non-radio frequency beacon signal including at least one channel information portion, wherein the channel information portion includes information indicating a radio frequency, the remote operable to establish bi-directional communications using the radio frequency designated by the at least one channel information portion.
US08686835B2
A baggage arrangement management method includes acquiring information for identifying a collection place of an arrangement destination from a RFID tag of an arrangement target piece of baggage, acquiring information for identifying a collection place at which baggage is arranged from an RFID tag of the piece of baggage lastly arranged at the collection place, and comparing the two pieces of information to confirm the collection place. Information of identifying each piece of baggage arranged at the collection place is cumulatively recorded in the RFID tags of the subsequent pieces of baggage arranged next to the place.
US08686832B2
A computer-based system manages and communicates the identity, attributes, and current state of a geographic point of interest. The system includes a beacon device and a distributed data network. The beacon device includes a housing supporting control electronics, a display, and communication electronics. The beacon is placed at a visible location at the geographic point of interest and receives information concerning the geographical point of interest. The display visibly communicates the information while the communication electronics communicates the same information to the distributed data network. A user can query a location-based service and receive the same information from the distributed data network that is being communicated by the display, assuring communication of accurate and consistent information concerning the geographic point of interest.
US08686830B2
The invention relates to a communication system that comprises a vehicle electronic key, a vehicle telecommunication device and a portable telecommunication terminal, the electronic key including a first transmitter and the vehicle including a first receiver, the first transmitter and the first receiver being provided for carrying out the transmission of at least one information request from the electronic key to the vehicle, the vehicle telecommunication device including at least a second transmitter, the portable telecommunication terminal including at least a second receiver, the second transmitter and the second receiver being provided for carrying out the transmission of information from the vehicle to the portable telecommunication terminal, the portable telecommunication terminal being provided for displaying at least a portion of the information on a display member of the portable telecommunication terminal. The invention also relates to an electronic key and to a method for communicating information from a vehicle to a portable telecommunication terminal.
US08686827B2
An object is to provide a PTC element that can be made thinner, using a Pb-free semiconductor ceramic composition.The object is achieved with a PTC element including at least two metal electrodes and a BaTiO3 system semiconductor ceramic composition arranged between the electrodes, in which, in the semiconductor ceramic composition, a portion of Ba in the BaTiO3 system is substituted by Bi—Na and a semiconductorizing element, vacancies are formed on Bi sites by depleting at least a portion of Bi, and oxygen defects are formed on a crystal thereof. Since the PTCR characteristic at the inside of the semiconductor ceramic composition is negligibly weak in comparison with the PTCR characteristic at the interface between the semiconductor ceramic composition and the electrodes, the PTC element can be made thinner.
US08686824B2
A magnetic core for an electromagnetic device is formed from alternating interleaved steel laminations. The core comprises a plurality of core elements comprising legs and yokes oriented substantially quadrature to the legs, such that abutting core elements are in substantially quadrature relation. A plurality of flux deflection zones are defined in regions where flux flows from one core element to an abutting core element. At least one of the layers has at least one core element composed of grain-oriented steel, and the remaining core elements are composed of non-grain-oriented steel, such that at least some flux deflection zones are composed of a substantial amount or substantially entirely of non-grain-oriented steel. Flux flowing in the direction of the grain orientation in the core element(s) composed of grain-oriented steel changes direction to flow through the abutting core element in the flux deflection zone composed of non-grain-oriented steel. This reduces the power losses in flux deflection zones of the core relative to cores formed entirely from grain-oriented steel, because the flux is never flowing perpendicular to the direction of the grains in the steel, while providing a design that is considerably less expensive than cores formed from non-grain-oriented steel with substantially the same level of power losses or lower.
US08686822B2
A surface mounted pulse transformer (100) comprising a drum core (1) and a number of coils (3). The drum core includes a core (11), a first flange (12a) and a second flange (12b) disposed on both ends of the core. The number of coils wind around the core to form a primary coil and a secondary coil. A number of electrodes (40) are formed on surfaces of the first and second flanges and to be connected to an external substrate. The ends of the coils are physically and electrically connected to the electrodes. One of the electrodes has an electrode groove (401) for receiving and positioning one end of the coils.
US08686821B2
An inductor structure including a plurality of solenoids and at least one connecting line is provided. One of the solenoids serves as a core, and the remaining solenoids are sequentially wound around the core solenoid. Axes of the solenoids are substantially directed to the same direction. Each connecting line is correspondingly connected between ends of two adjacent solenoids to serially connect the solenoids.
US08686820B2
Provided is a reactor having a small size with consideration of loss reduction. A reactor 1A includes a coil 10 and a magnetic core 20. The coil 10 is formed by winding a wire. The magnetic core 20 includes an internal core portion 21 that is inserted through the coil 10 and a couple core portion 23 that is coupled to an end of the internal core portion 21 and that covers an outer periphery of the coil 10. The core portions 21 and 23 form a closed magnetic path. An interposed core portion 25 is disposed between the coil 10 and the internal core portion 21. The reactor 1A satisfies 0
US08686811B2
A stripline filter having a substrate, a grounding electrode, principal-surface lines, side-surface lines, and common electrodes, and is mounted on a set substrate by soldering. The side-surface lines are disposed on a side surface of the substrate, and are wetted by solder during soldering. Each of the common electrodes is connected to a corresponding one of the principal-surface lines. The common electrodes are also connected to the grounding electrode via the side-surface lines.
US08686805B2
The disclosure relates to an oscillator for use in generating frequencies in a frequency synthesizer, comprising: a first inductor element forming a metal trace loop with at least one turn, and a first capacitive circuit arranged to form a first resonance circuit with the first inductor element and being connected to the first inductor element through at least one first connection terminal, wherein the first capacitive circuit comprises at least one capacitive element and an electrical components arrangement arranged to establish and maintain an oscillation. The oscillator is characterized in that a second capacitive circuit comprising at least one capacitive element and an arrangement of electrical components, is arranged to form a second resonance circuit with the first inductor element and being connected to the first inductor element through at least one second connection terminal located on the opposite side of the first inductor element in respect to the first connection terminal of the first capacitive circuit, wherein the first and second resonance circuits are tuned to substantially the same frequency. The invention also relates to a frequency synthesizer and to a network node for use in a telecommunications network.
US08686801B2
In an embodiment of a converter, a first oscillator provides switching signals for switching between charging and discharging of a capacitor, and a second oscillator is configured to add an offset voltage or a feedback-current-dependent voltage to a sawtooth waveform generated by the second oscillator switched in synchronism with the first oscillator.
US08686792B2
A supply voltage controller 11 includes a simplified envelope creating unit 111 that calculates an envelope of an input audio signal according to an input audio signal from an external device, creates a supply voltage control signal so that a waveform of the supply voltage control signal follows a waveform of the envelope, and outputs the supply voltage control signal to a voltage variable power supply 12 a constant time before the input audio signal is amplified by the amplifier 14. Accordingly, an amplifying device can be provided which can reduce the distortion of the output signal not depending on a change in the slew rate of the voltage variable power supply 12 and suppress the deterioration of power efficiency.
US08686791B2
An amplifying apparatus includes: a plurality of amplifiers; a linear combiner receiving a plurality of leakage signals resulting from cross leakage between outputs of the plurality of amplifiers and performing a linear combination of level values of the plurality of leakage signals to generate a plurality of linear combination signals; and an output calculator calculating real level values of a plurality of output amplified signals of the amplifiers from level values of the linear combination signals.
US08686788B2
A circuit and method for filtering a signal. An amplifier receives an input signal and generates a differential output signal. A first resonator having series and parallel resonant frequencies is connected to the positive output port of the amplifier. A second resonator having series and parallel resonant frequencies is connected to the negative output port of the amplifier. The first and second resonators are coupled at a connection point. A buffering device receives the combined outputs of the resonators and outputs a filtered signal. The filtering method receives signals and passes them through the elements of the filter circuit to generate a filtered output signal.
US08686786B2
A semiconductor device includes: a first driving voltage generation unit configured to generate a first driving voltage; a fuse unit coupled between an output node for receiving the first driving voltage and a fuse state sensing node; a driving unit configured to drive the fuse state sensing node with a second driving voltage in response to a control signal; a voltage level control unit configured to generate a voltage level control signal in response to a fuse state sensing signal that corresponds to a voltage level of the fuse state sensing node; and a second driving voltage generation unit configured to control and output a voltage level of the second driving voltage in response to the voltage level control signal. The semiconductor device repeatedly performs a rupture operation by monitoring a fuse state sensing signal.
US08686780B2
An attenuation circuit uses a voltage controlled variable resistance transistor as a signal attenuator for receivers operating in the zero Hz to about 30 MHz range. The transistor functions in the linear region to linearize the transistor resistance characteristics used for signal attenuation. In an exemplary application, the attenuation circuit is used as an RF attenuator for AM radio broadcast receivers and amplifiers with automatic gain control. Multiple attenuation circuits can be coupled in parallel, each attenuation circuit having a different sized variable resistance transistor, to form sequentially activated stages that increase the range of attenuation while minimizing distortion.
US08686777B1
Various embodiments of circuits and methods for enabling a slew rate programmability and compensation of input/output circuits are provided. The circuit includes a delay code generation circuit and at least one input/output (I/O) circuit. The delay code generation circuit is configured to receive a clock signal and a delay factor and generate a compensated delay code based on the clock signal or a combination of the delay factor and the clock signal. The I/O circuit includes a plurality of delay lines associated, integrated or communicatively associated with the delay code generation circuit and is configured to program the plurality of delay lines so as to generate a predetermined delay corresponding to the compensated delay code in order to achieve a predetermined slew rate of the I/O circuit.
US08686776B2
A phase rotator based on voltage referencing is disclosed. A voltage signal is generated that is proportional to the phase difference between two input signals. The voltage signal is then used as the upper voltage limit for a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC is programmable via an input vector to generate a DAC output. The DAC output is used to generate a phase rotated (phase shifted) output, which is at an intermediate phase between the two input signals.
US08686767B1
An apparatus and a method for a programmable timing in digital integrated circuits implementing peak current mode controlled power converters are disclosed. The programmable dead-time is implemented by means implemented in hardware, software, and combination of hardware and software, carrying out setting a second timer value; setting a third timer value with respect to the second timer value; detecting a reset event; reloading a second counter from a current timer value to the second timer value upon detecting the reset event; resetting a second pulse width modulated waveform amplitude from a second amplitude value to a first amplitude value upon detecting the reset event; and setting a first pulse width modulated waveform from a first amplitude value to a second value upon the second counter reaching a third value.
US08686766B2
According to one embodiment, a circuit comprises a Capacitive Trans-Impedance Amplifier (CTIA) configured to receive a current pulse at an input and convert the current pulse to a voltage step. The voltage step is directed to a first signal path and a second signal path. When the voltage step exceeds a first threshold, the first signal path directs an enable pulse to the second signal path. The second signal path generates an output pulse when the voltage step exceeds a second threshold and the enable pulse is enabled. The second signal path comprises a first, a second, and a third amplifier to increase detection of the voltage step by the second signal path.
US08686763B2
A receiver circuit includes a buffering unit configured to buffer an input signal and generate a buffering signal; a variation detection unit configured to generate a control signal according to a level of a reference voltage; a driving unit configured to drive the buffering signal and generate an output signal; and a compensation unit configured to control a slew rate of the output signal in response to the control signal.
US08686762B2
An LIN transmitter includes a current mirror coupled to a transmit output node and a control circuit coupled to a transmit input node for controlling the current mirror with various load current control signals.
US08686755B2
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided to implement clock gating with double data rate (“DDR”) logic. In traditional single data rate (“SDR”) clock gating, disabling the clock holds the clock logic level to a predefined value, potentially causing a logic transition that would be erroneously interpreted as a normal clock transition by DDR logic. Similar techniques can also be utilized to convert a SDR clock to a half-frequency DDR clock for use with DDR logic, realizing the energy efficiencies of DDR clocking.
US08686743B2
A substrate including a sensor unit, wherein the sensor unit includes a coil wound at least once arranged on the surface of the sensor or embedded within and near the surface thereof. With such an arrangement, an electric current that corresponds to information with respect to the substrate (e.g., the temperature of the substrate or the amount of charge stored in the substrate) flows through the coil.
US08686740B2
A calibration method for an inertial drive actuator of detecting a position of a moving body based on an electrostatic capacitance is proposed. The calibration method includes driving the moving body; outputting a first signal for detecting the electrostatic capacitance of opposing parts of a moving body side electrode provided on the moving body and a detecting electrode provided opposing the moving body side electrode; receiving a second signal obtained after the first signal output at the outputting has passed through the moving body side electrode and the detecting electrode; and calculating an optimum first signal based on the second signal received at the receiving.
US08686738B2
Disclosed are systems and methods for monitoring an electrical wire. A safety device utilized to monitor the wire may include at least one current sensing device, at least one voltage sensing device, and at least one processing component. The current sensing device measures a current on at least one conductor of the wire. The voltage sensing device measures a voltage associated with the safety device. The at least one processing component receives the measurements and identifies, based upon the current measurement, an overcurrent event. The processing component then compares the voltage measurement to a stored voltage value and determines, based upon the comparison, that a difference between the voltage measurement and the stored voltage value satisfies a threshold condition. The processing component directs, based upon the determination, at least one relay to be opened to discontinue provision of an electrical power signal onto the electrical wire.
US08686737B2
A diagnostic circuit is configured for connecting to a unit under test that has a load and a sinusoidal source. The diagnostic circuit includes a voltage sensing device that has an input for sensing a signal, a first terminal for connecting to the load, a second terminal for connecting to the sinusoidal source, and a relay connected between the first and second terminals for connecting the sinusoidal source to the load. Clamping diodes are provide for clamping a sinusoidal signal and include a first clamping diode connected between a D/C voltage source and the input and a second clamping diode connected between ground and the input. A resistor is connected between the D/C voltage source and the first terminal. The diagnostic circuit verifies the operational functionality of the load, related wiring and connections.
US08686723B2
The Larmor frequency for an in situ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tool is determined and used to acquire NMR data. An NMR tool is provided and placed in situ, for example, in a wellbore. An initial estimate of the Larmor frequency for the in situ NMR tool is made and NMR data are acquired using the in situ NMR tool. A spectral analysis is performed on the NMR data, or optionally, the NMR data are digitized and a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) is performed on the digitized NMR data. The modal frequency of the spectral analysis or DFT is determined, and the Larmor frequency for the in situ NMR tool is determined using the modal frequency. The NMR tool is modified to transmit at the determined Larmor frequency and then used to acquire further NMR data.
US08686721B2
A system, method and computer-readable medium for mapping magnetic activity for a current linking a planet's space environment to an ionosphere of the planet are disclosed. Magnetic field measurements of the current are obtained from a plurality of satellites orbiting the planet. A residual magnetic field is determined from the obtained magnetic field measurements. The determined residual magnetic field is arranged to create a time series for a selected location of a planet-centered coordinate system. The magnetic activity is mapped using the created time series for the selected location.
US08686712B2
A time-stretched enhanced recording scope (TiSER) is described using time stretch analog-to-digital conversion in a real-time burst mode. A chirped optical signal is modulated in response to receiving segments of an input signal. The optical signal with its modulated input signal, is stretched through an optical medium and digitized to represent the waveform segment. TiSER provides ultra-fast real-time sampling within short segment bursts of the original input signal while providing an ability to detect non-repetitive events. Methods and apparatus are also described for providing real-time information about inter-symbol information (ISI), rapidly determining bit-error rates (BER), performing time-domain reflectometry (TDR), generating eye diagrams for serial data, facilitating digital correction of data, clock recovery, optical carrier phase recovery, and otherwise increasing the speed and/or accuracy of a diverse range of high-speed signal measurement and processing activities.
US08686711B2
A method for calibrating a high frequency measuring device so as to accurately measure plasma processing parameters within a chamber. A calibration parameter is calculated from a first set of three reference loads measured by a high frequency measurement device. A second calibration parameter is calculated from S parameters measured between a connection point where the high-frequency measuring device is connected and the inside of the chamber of a plasma processing device. A second set of three reference loads, which include the impedance previously calculated and encompass a range narrower than that encompassed by the first set of three reference loads, is measured with the reference loads in the chamber. Another calibration parameter is calculated from the measured impedances of the second set of three reference loads measured by the high- frequency measuring device, and the true values of those impedances, and a detected voltage signal and a detected current signal are calibrated using the above calibration parameters.
US08686709B2
Apparatus and associate method including a substrate having a first surface; a lid having a second surface; at least one spacer element interposed between the substrate and the lid so as to maintain the first and second surface spaced apart; a partition with a plurality of nanometric size through-openings interposed between the spacer element and the lid defining a first chamber a second chamber fluidically connected together through at least one of the openings; the substrate has at least one first electrode on the first surface and the lid has a second electrode, the first electrode being configured to detect an electric signal associated to the passage of one of said particles through one of the through-openings.
US08686707B2
A voltage regulator with a low quiescent current is provided. The voltage regulator includes a pulse voltage generating unit, a first switch unit, a regulating unit and a power output unit. The pulse voltage generating unit receives an input voltage to provide an intermittent signal with a predetermined period, and output a pulse voltage according to the intermittent signal. The first switch unit is turned on according to the intermittent signal. The regulating unit converts the pulse voltage into a continuous voltage. The power output unit receives the continuous voltage to output a voltage power through a power output terminal. And, the power output unit detects an output current of the power output terminal to adjust current drive capability of the power output unit dynamically. Thus, the pulse voltage generating unit consumes power while the intermittent signal is enabled, so as to achieve the power saving effect.
US08686701B2
An active wire compensation circuit, adapted to compensate a level of an output voltage detecting signal, is disclosed. A feedback controller controls a converting circuit according to the compensated output voltage detecting signal to have a load voltage for driving a load stabilized at a predetermined voltage level. The active wire compensation circuit comprises a compensating unit and a feedback compensating unit. The compensating unit detects the load current flowing through the load and accordingly generates a compensating current. The feedback compensating unit modulates the level of the output voltage detecting signal according to the compensating current and generates the compensated output voltage detecting signal.
US08686691B2
A determination system for determining whether metal lithium is precipitated in a lithium ion secondary battery includes: a discharging unit that causes the lithium ion secondary battery to perform constant current discharge until a voltage of the lithium ion secondary battery becomes a voltage corresponding to a predetermined low state of charge; a natural increase acquisition unit that acquires a natural increase in voltage of the lithium ion secondary battery after the constant current discharge is terminated; and a precipitation determining unit the compares the acquired natural increase with a predetermined threshold, that determines that the metal lithium is not precipitated when the natural increase is larger than or equal to the threshold, and that determines that the metal lithium is precipitated when the natural increase is smaller than the threshold.
US08686690B2
A method of charging a battery pack that can prevent a battery or an external power source from being damaged due to a trickle charge current in order to improve battery safety, and the battery itself. The method of charging the battery pack includes determining whether a charge current exists, determining whether the charge current and a charge voltage are changed if determined that the charge current exists, determining whether the charge current is changed from a first current level to a second current level less than the first current level, and a present voltage level of the battery is less than a former voltage level if determined that the charge current and the charge voltage are changed, and maintaining the charge current at the second current level for a predetermined maintenance time if determined that the present voltage level of the battery is less than the former voltage level.
US08686680B2
Certain embodiments of a system for reducing backlash include a member geared for rotation in first and second directions. In various implementations, a first motor causes rotation in the first direction with an output biased to preclude space between mating gear components in the first direction, and a second motor, which is mechanically independent of the first motor, causes rotation in the second direction with an output biased to preclude space between mating gear components in the second direction.
US08686678B2
An electric motor, having a stator (465), a rotor (470), and an apparatus for evaluating a signal provided for controlling said motor (110), comprises a receiving unit (430, 440) for receiving a control signal (PWM_mod), which is a pulse width modulated signal (PWM) onto which a data signal (DIR, DATA) is modulated. An evaluation unit (440) is provided for evaluating the modulated control signal (PWM_mod). The unit is configured to extract, from the modulated control signal (PWM_mod), data provided for operation of the motor (110). The control apparatus includes a signal generator (450) configured to generate, on the basis of the extracted or ascertained data provided for operation of the motor (110), at least one control signal for the motor (110), such as a commanded direction of rotation. Piggybacking other control data onto the PWM power level signal reduces hardware investment, by permitting omission of a signal lead which would otherwise be required in the motor structure.
US08686677B2
A synchronous fan system is provided which intermittently calibrates the fans by rotating periodically the fans each to a common stop position.
US08686670B2
A system and method for determining the holding torque of a brake in a material handling system is disclosed. The material handling system may include a bridge, a trolley, and a hoist, each driven along a different axis by a motor. A brake is operatively coupled to the motor to prevent unwanted motion of the motor. A motor controller is coupled to each motor which controls operation of the motor and its corresponding brake. The motor controller generates a torque command to the motor while keeping the brake set. The initial torque command is less than the holding torque of the brake. The torque command is incremented until motion is detected on the motor. The torque value when motion is detected is stored in the motor controller and displayed to an operator.
US08686666B2
A control system is disclosed for determining an actual temperature of a light emitting diode. The control system uses conductor that supply power to the light emitting diode to supply a pulse to the light emitting diode. The pulse is determined along with a reaction caused by the pulse and the information gained is used in determination of the light emitting diode die temperature which can then be used in controlling current to the light emitting diode to control the temperature of the light emitting diode.
US08686664B2
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to automated control of lighting systems at individual-light-fixture, local, regional, and larger-geographical-area levels. One embodiment of the present invention comprises a hierarchical lighting-control system including an automated network-control center that may control up to many millions of individual lighting fixtures and lighting elements, regional routers interconnected to the network-control center or network-control centers by public communications networks, each of which controls hundreds to thousands of individual light fixtures, and light-management units, interconnected to regional routers by radio-frequency communications and/or power-line communications, each of which controls components within a lighting fixture, including lighting elements, associated ballasts, sensors, and other devices.
US08686657B2
A power supply device includes a convertor and an arithmetic circuit. The convertor supplies electric power by performing an ON and OFF operation of a switching element. The arithmetic circuit calculates a control command value at predetermined intervals based on a digital value, which reflects an output voltage of the convertor, from a conversion circuit. Based on the control command value, a pulse signal generation circuit determines a duty ratio of a pulse signal to make the output voltage of the convertor stable. A driving signal with a finely adjusted duty ratio can be generated by an operation clock signal having a lower frequency than a conventional device. As a result, the number of output lines is appropriate if there is at least a single output line for the pulse signal from the pulse signal generation circuit.
US08686654B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a switch-mode regulator, and more particularly, to systems, devices and methods of using a switch-mode regulator to regulate an LED current to improve overall LED system efficacy and suppress power consumption of a dimmable LED illumination system. Both high and moderate brightness modes are implemented in an LED driver based on the switch-mode regulator. In the high brightness mode, the LED current is larger than a preferred LED current. In the moderate brightness mode, the LED current is smaller than the preferred LED current, and the LED driver sustains the preferred driver efficiency while the LED current remains as a direct current. Such a switch-mode power supply or regulator may also be used in applications other than the LED illumination system.
US08686650B2
An LED backlight device includes an inverter having an input connected to a DC power supply to provide an output AC current. A plurality of transformers are each configured to drop AC current input from the inverter. Input sides of the transformers are connected in series to an output of the inverter and output sides of the transformers are disposed in parallel. A plurality of full-wave rectification circuits are respectively connected to the output sides of the transformers and full-wave rectify the dropped AC currents, respectively. A plurality of smoothing circuits are respectively connected to outputs of the full-wave rectification circuits, and are configured to smooth the full-wave rectified currents to output DC currents, respectively. A plurality of LED strings are respectively connected to the outputs of the smoothing circuits and each of the LED strings have a plurality of LEDs.
US08686632B2
An organic electroluminescent device having a plurality of pixels, the device comprising: an anode formed on a substrate; an organic electroluminescent layer formed on the anode in each well of a well-defining layer to form the plurality of pixels; a cathode layer on the electroluminescent layer and a layer of metal on the top surface of the well-defining layer; wherein a conductive layer is deposited over the cathode layer and the metal layer to electrically connect the cathode layer on the electroluminescent layer with the metal layer on the top surface of the well-defining layer.
US08686624B2
A self-light emitting device and an electrical appliance including the same are provided, in which extracting efficiency of light from a light emitting element, especially in an EL element, can be improved. A light scattering body formed by etching a transparent film is provided on an insulator so that the extracting efficiency of light can be improved, and the self-light emitting device with high efficiency of light emission can be provided.
US08686622B2
The composite substrate is a substrate used to manufacture an acoustic wave device, and includes a support substrate, a piezoelectric substrate, and a adhesive layer with which the support substrate and the piezoelectric substrate are bonded to each other. In the composite substrate, assuming that a surface of the piezoelectric substrate that is bonded to the support substrate is defined as a first surface and a surface at the side opposite to the first surface is defined as a second surface, the piezoelectric substrate is formed such that the first surface is inside the second surface when the first surface is projected onto the second surface in a direction perpendicular to the second surface. In other words, the composite substrate has an outer peripheral surface that is formed such that the circumference thereof increases toward the top surface of the piezoelectric substrate.
US08686621B2
The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a piezoelectric device that is less likely to be damaged during the cutting process from a wafer into individual pieces, and can be measured at the wafer without being affected by adjacent piezoelectric devices. The piezoelectric device includes: a first plate which constitutes a part of the package for storing the vibrating portion, having a pair of first edges and second edges situated vertically to the first edges; a second plate bonded to the first plate and constitutes another part of the package for storing the vibrating portion; and an adhesive for bonding the first plate and the second plate together. A pair of castellations is formed on each first edge, situated symmetrical to a straight line that passes through a centerline of the first plate and is parallel to the second edge. The present disclosure also provides methods for manufacturing.
US08686618B2
A vibrating device includes a vibrator having multiple electromechanical energy converting elements, with the vibrating device generating a first standing wave and a second standing wave in the vibrator with a predetermined time phase difference. The first standing wave and the second standing wave having multiple nodal lines aligned in the same direction and being different in terms of an order. A first electromechanical energy converting element is disposed at a first portion, and a second electromechanical energy converting element is disposed at a second portion. The first portion extends in a first direction parallel to one of the multiple nodal lines, and the second portion extends in a second direction which crosses the first direction.
US08686609B2
The invention relates to an electrical motor (10), in particular an alternating current generator, having a housing (13) that has at least one bearing shield (13.2), having a rectifier device (139) which has an interconnection unit (144) that interconnects the current rectifier (147, 150) to a bridge circuit, characterized in that the interconnection unit (144) has at least one platform (295) that is oriented to the bearing shield (13.2) and the opening (40) is separated by at least one brace (340) which holds a hub (337), wherein the opening (40) has a niche (346) that is incorporated on the radial outer edge (349) of the opening and wherein the platform (295) projects into said niche (346) and a connection wire (216) exiting the platform (295) extends into the opening (40).
US08686586B1
A lighting micro hydraulic power generator includes a leaving water shell, a coil module, a lighting module, a fan, and an entering water cover. The leaving water shell has a container, a plurality of leaving water holes, and a screw thread. The coil module is set within the container of the leaving water shell, which is able to receiving external force for power generation and outputting power. The lighting module is set on the bottom of the leaving water shell, wherein the lighting module is electrically connected to the coil module, and is powered by the coil module to emit light. The fan is connected to the coil module, when the fan is driven by the external force to rotate, it is able to drive the coil module to generate and output power.
US08686585B2
A kinetic energy generation device includes a rotation mechanism, a speed increaser coupled to the rotation mechanism, and a power generation element coupled to the speed increaser. The rotation mechanism includes a central shaft and an outer circumferential zone surrounding the central shaft. The outer circumferential zone receives therein partition plates set in radial direction and spaced from each other so that the partition plates show upward inclination. The central shaft is rotatably coupled to the speed increaser, and the speed increaser is coupled to the power generation element so as to constitute the kinetic energy generation device. The rotation mechanism is arranged under a water flow in order to allow each of the receiving zones to receive a weight of water, so that the weight of water causes the rotation mechanism to rotate in a given direction and thus drives the speed increaser to generate electrical power.
US08686577B2
An engine generator for driving an air motor to energize an engine is provided which reduces an installation space and facility and running costs. The engine generator (EG) is attached to a fire extinguishing facility (14). The fire extinguishing facility is designed to eject unburnable gas supplied from gas containers (11) and comprises an air motor (10) for driving an engine, and a valve unit (12) designed to drive in response to an instruction signal, control a pressure of the unburnable gas from the gas container and supply the pressure controlled unburnable gas to the air motor (10).
US08686574B2
A semiconductor device includes a wiring board that has a conductive pattern formed on at least one principal surface, and an IC chip that is mounted on the wiring board. The IC chip includes a plurality of electrodes to make conductor connection with the wiring board. The conductive pattern includes a lead line pattern and a heat dissipation pattern. The lead line pattern is connected with at least one of the plurality of electrodes through a conductor. The heat dissipation pattern is physically spaced from the IC chip and the lead line pattern and has a larger surface area than the lead line pattern. Further, the lead line pattern and the heat dissipation pattern are placed opposite to each other with a gap therebetween, and their opposite parts respectively have interdigitated shapes and are arranged with the respective interdigitated shapes engaging with each other with the gap therebetween.
US08686573B2
Technique capable of achieving reliability improvement of a semiconductor device even if temperature rising of an operation guarantee temperature of the semiconductor device is performed is provided. Gap portions are provided among a plurality of pads, and a glass coat composed of, for example, a silicon oxide film or a silicon nitride film is embedded in the gap portions. The glass coat is provided in order to secure electrical insulation among the pads, and coats outer edge portions of the pads. Trenches are formed so as to be adjacent to regions, which are coated with the glass coat, of the outer edge portions of the pads.
US08686572B2
A multi-chip stack module provides increased circuit density for a given surface chip footprint. Support structures are alternated with standard surface mount type chips to form a stack wherein the support structures electrically interconnect the chips. One aspect is a structure and method for interconnecting a plurality of generally planar chips in a vertical stack such that signals, which are common to the chips, are connected in the stack and signals, which are accessed individually, are separated within the stack.
US08686571B2
A structure comprises a first semiconductor substrate, a first bonding layer deposited on a bonding side the first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate stacked on top of the first semiconductor substrate and a second bonding layer deposited on a bonding side of the second semiconductor substrate, wherein the first bonding layer is of a horizontal length greater than a horizontal length of the second semiconductor substrate, and wherein there is a gap between an edge of the second bonding layer and a corresponding edge of the second semiconductor substrate.
US08686569B2
A die arrangement includes a carrier having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the carrier including an opening leading from the first side of the carrier to the second side of the carrier; a first die disposed over the first side of the carrier and electrically contacting the carrier; a second die disposed over the second side of the carrier and electrically contacting the carrier; and an electrical contact structure leading through the opening in the carrier and electrically contacting the second die.
US08686567B2
A semiconductor device includes a lower wiring layer, having signal lines and power supply lines extending in a Y-direction; an upper wiring layer having signal lines and power supply lines extending in an X-direction; via conductors provided in first overlap regions where corresponding signal lines overlap each other; and via conductors provided in second overlap regions where corresponding power supply lines overlap each other. The width in the X-direction of the first regions is wider than the widths in the X-direction of the second regions. Therefore, in the first regions, a plurality of via conductors can be provided. Moreover, the power supply lines are divided in the Y-direction to avoid interference with the first regions. On a plurality of lower-layer lines, two vias are placed at a minimum pitch containing one via.
US08686560B2
Wafer-level chip-scale package semiconductor devices are described that have bump assemblies configured to mitigate solder bump failures due to stresses, particularly stresses caused by CTE mismatch during thermal cycling tests, dynamic deformation during drop tests or cyclic bending tests, and so on. In an implementation, the wafer-level chip-scale package devices include an integrated circuit chip having two or more arrays of bump assemblies for mounting the device to a printed circuit board. At least one of the arrays includes bump assemblies that are configured to withstand higher levels of stress than the bump assemblies of the remaining arrays.
US08686557B2
An illumination device (1) having comprising at least one support element (4) and at least one light-emitting diode (5) arranged on the support element (4), characterized in that wherein at least one of the plurality of components (2, 3, 4, 7, 10) of the illumination device (1) intended for heat dissipation from the light-emitting diode (5), in particular the support element (4), is provided at least in part with an electrically insulating layer (6, 11) having a high thermal conductivity, formed at least in part from a carbon compound, in particular from amorphous carbon, in particular tetrahedral amorphous carbon.
US08686551B2
Substrates having molded dielectric layers and methods of fabricating such substrates are disclosed. The substrates may advantageously be used in microelectronic assemblies having high routing density.
US08686550B2
A pressure sensor package is provided that reduces the occurrence of micro gaps between molding material and metal contacts that can store high-pressure air. The present invention provides this capability by reducing or eliminating interfaces between package molding material and metal contacts. In one embodiment, a control die is electrically coupled to a lead frame and then encapsulated in molding material, using a technique that forms a cavity over a portion of the control die. The cavity exposes contacts on the free surface of the control die that can be electrically coupled to a pressure sensor device using, for example, wire bonding techniques. In another embodiment, a region of a substrate can be encapsulated in molding material, using a technique that forms a cavity over a sub-portion of the substrate that includes contacts. A pressure sensor device can be electrically coupled to the exposed contacts.
US08686549B2
A cell element field for data processing having function cells for execution of algebraic and/or logic functions and memory cells for receiving, storing and/or outputting information is described. A control connection may lead from the function cells to the memory cells.
US08686548B2
A wiring substrate includes a ceramic substrate including plural ceramic layers, an inner wiring, and an electrode electrically connected to the inner wiring, the electrode exposed on a first surface of the ceramic substrate, and a silicon substrate body having a front surface and a back surface situated on an opposite side of the front surface and including a wiring pattern formed on the front surface and a via filling material having one end electrically connected to the wiring pattern and another end exposed at the back surface. The back surface is bonded to the first surface of the ceramic substrate via a polymer layer. The via filling material penetrates through the polymer layer and is directly bonded to the electrode.
US08686539B1
A shielded inductor in an integrated circuit includes conductive loops disposed on a deep-well noise shield for isolating a noise coupling between the conductive loops and the substrate of the integrated circuit. The deep-well noise shield includes a first well disposed within a second well that is disposed within the substrate of the integrated circuit. The second well includes a peripheral well, a deep-well layer, and slot wells. The peripheral well surrounds a periphery of the first well. The peripheral well and the deep-well layer are coupled together to provide two p-n junctions that separate the first well and the substrate. The slot wells are distributed inside the periphery of the first well. Each slot well and the deep-well layer are coupled together. Each slot well has a width and a length that is at least three times the width.
US08686537B2
To reduce the radio frequency (RF) losses associated with high RF loss plating, such as, for example, Nickel/Palladium/Gold (Ni/Pd/Au) plating, an on-die passive device, such as a capacitor, resistor, or inductor, associated with a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) is placed in an RF upper signal path with respect to the RF signal output of the RFIC. By placing the on-die passive device in the RF upper signal path, the RF current does not directly pass through the high RF loss plating material of the passive device bonding pad.
US08686535B2
Embodiments of the disclosure include a shallow trench isolation structure having a dielectric material with energetic species implanted to a predetermined depth of the dielectric material. Embodiments further include methods of fabricating the trench structures with the implant of energetic species to the predetermined depth. In various embodiments the implant of energetic species is used to densify the dielectric material to provide a uniform wet etch rate across the surface of the dielectric material. Embodiments also include memory devices, integrated circuits, and electronic systems that include shallow trench isolation structures having the dielectric material with the high flux of energetic species implanted to the predetermined depth of the dielectric material.
US08686532B2
A semiconductor chip 100 includes a logic unit and an analog unit 153. Furthermore, the semiconductor chip 100 includes a silicon substrate 101; a first insulating film 123 to a sixth insulating film 143 formed on the silicon substrate 101; and an annular seal ring 105 consisting of a first conductive ring 125 to a sixth conductive ring 145 buried in the first insulating film 123 to the sixth insulating film 143, which surrounds the periphery of the logic unit and the analog unit 153. In the seal ring region 106, there is formed a pn junction acting as a nonconducting part 104, which blocks conduction in a path from the logic unit, through the seal ring 105 to the analog unit 153.
US08686526B2
The invention is directed to providing a semiconductor device receiving a blue-violet laser, of which the reliability and yield are enhanced. A device element converting a blue-violet laser into an electric signal is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate. An optically transparent substrate is attached to the front surface of the semiconductor substrate with an adhesive layer being interposed therebetween. The adhesive layer contains transparent silicone. Since the front surface of the device element is covered by the optically transparent substrate, foreign substances are prevented from adhering to the front surface of the device element. Furthermore, the adhesive layer is covered by the optically transparent substrate. This prevents the adhesive layer from being exposed to outside air, thereby preventing the degradation of the adhesive layer 6 due to a blue-violet laser.
US08686520B2
Magnetoresistive structures, devices, memories, and methods for forming the same are presented. For example, a magnetoresistive structure includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a first nonmagnetic spacer layer proximate to the first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer proximate to the first nonmagnetic spacer layer, and a first antiferromagnetic layer proximate to the second ferromagnetic layer. For example, the first ferromagnetic layer may comprise a first pinned ferromagnetic layer, the second ferromagnetic layer may comprise a free ferromagnetic layer, and the first antiferromagnetic layer may comprise a free antiferromagnetic layer.
US08686519B2
A MEMS accelerometer uses capacitive sensing between two electrode layers. One of the electrode layers has at least four independent electrodes arranged as two pairs of electrodes, with one pair aligned orthogonally to the other such that tilting of the membrane can be detected as well as normal-direction movement of the membrane. In this way, a three axis accelerometer can be formed from a single suspended mass, and by sensing using a set of capacitor electrodes which are all in the same plane. This means the fabrication is simple and is compatible with other MEMS manufacturing processes, such as MEMS microphones.
US08686516B2
Improved silicide formation and associated devices are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, a fin structure disposed over the semiconductor substrate and having spaced source and drain regions extending outwardly from a channel region, and a gate structure disposed on a portion of the fin structure, the gate structure engaging the fin structure adjacent to the channel region. The device also includes a first silicide layer disposed on the fin structure, the first silicide layer extending outwardly from the gate structure along a top portion of the source region and a second silicide layer disposed on the fin structure, the second silicide layer extending outwardly from the gate structure along a top portion of the drain region. Further, the device includes a source contact conductively coupled to the first silicide layer and a drain contact conductively coupled to the second silicide layer.
US08686511B2
A planar transistor with improved performance has a source and a drain on a semiconductor substrate that includes a substantially undoped channel extending between the source and the drain. A gate is positioned over the substantially undoped channel on the substrate. Implanted source/drain extensions contact the source and the drain, with the implanted source/drain extensions having a dopant concentration of less than about 1×1019 atoms/cm3′, or alternatively, less than one-quarter the dopant concentration of the source and the drain.
US08686504B2
The present invention discloses a double diffused drain metal oxide semiconductor (DDDMOS) device and a manufacturing method thereof. The DDDMOS device is formed in a substrate, and includes a first well, a gate, a diffusion region, a source, and a drain. A low voltage device is also formed in the substrate, which includes a second well and a lightly doped drain (LDD) region, wherein the first well and the diffusion region are formed by process steps which also form the second well and the LDD region in the low voltage device, respectively.
US08686494B2
The disclosed recessed thyristor-based memory cell comprises in one embodiment a conductive plug recessed into the bulk of the substrate, which is coupled to or comprises the enable gate of the cell. Vertically disposed around this recessed gate is a thyristor, whose anode is connected to the bit line and cathode is connected to the word line. The disclosed cell comprises no other gate, such as an access transistor, and hence is essentially a one-transistor device. As facilitated by the vertical disposition of the thyristor, the disclosed cell takes up a small amount of area on an integrated circuit when compared to a traditional DRAM cell. The disclosed cell is simple to manufacture in its various embodiments, and is easy to configure into an array of cells. Isolation underneath the cell assists in improving the data retention of the cell and extends the time needed between cell refresh.
US08686488B2
According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate, a floating gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film, made of polysilicon containing a p-type impurity as a group XIII element, and having a lower film and an upper film stacked on the lower film, an inter-electrode insulating film formed on the floating gate electrode, and a control gate electrode formed on the inter-electrode insulating film. One of a concentration and an activation concentration of the p-type impurity in the upper film is higher than one of a concentration and an activation concentration of the p-type impurity in the lower film.
US08686463B2
A capping system includes: a moving portion moving a stem, on which an optical semiconductor element is mounted, horizontally; a fixer fixing a cap having a window, on the stem; a camera taking an image of the cap and the stem from above the cap and the stem; a detector detecting whether the optical semiconductor element is present within a visual field of the camera; and a searching action controller controlling the moving portion to move the stem so the detector searches the optical semiconductor element. The searching action controller causes searching radially and outwardly from a search starting point.
US08686458B2
A light emitting diode device emitting at a wavelength of 390-415 nm has a bulk gallium and nitrogen containing substrate with an active region. The device has a current density of greater than about 175 Amps/cm2 and an external quantum efficiency with a roll off of less than about 5% absolute efficiency.
US08686457B2
A light emitting element having a recess-protrusion structure on a substrate is provided. A semiconductor light emitting element 100 has a light emitting structure of a semiconductor 20 on a first main surface of a substrate 10. The first main surface of the substrate 10 has substrate protrusion portion 11, the bottom surface 14 of each protrusion is wider than the top surface 13 thereof in a cross-section, or the top surface 13 is included in the bottom surface 14 in a top view of the substrate. The bottom surface 14 has an approximately polygonal shape, and the top surface 13 has an approximately circular or polygonal shape with more sides than that of the bottom surface 14.
US08686456B2
Provided are a light emitting device, a light emitting device package, and a light unit. The light emitting device includes a support substrate, a light emitting structure layer disposed on the support substrate, the light emitting structure layer including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and an active layer disposed between the first conductive type semiconductor layer and the second conductive type semiconductor layer, an electrode electrically connected to the first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a volume layer disposed on the light emitting structure layer, the volume layer having a thickness greater than a thickness of the electrode.
US08686449B2
A light emitting device comprises a substantially planar light transmissive substrate having a light emitting surface and an opposite surface. The substrate is configured as a light guiding medium. The light emitting device also comprises at least one phosphor material disposed as a layer on the light emitting surface with a plurality of window areas and at least one source of excitation radiation of a first wavelength positioned adjacent to at least one peripheral edge of the substrate. The source is configured to couple excitation radiation into the substrate such that it is waveguided within the substrate by total internal reflection. Additionally, the light emitted by the device from the light emitting surface comprises first wavelength radiation and second, longer wavelength photoluminescent light emitted by the phosphor layer as a result of excitation by the source.
US08686443B2
An organic light-emitting display device comprises a substrate including a plurality of light-emitting regions separated by a non-light-emitting region, an organic light-emitting element disposed on each of the light-emitting regions, and a photoactive element disposed on the non-light-emitting region.
US08686440B2
In at least one embodiment of the organic light-emitting component (10), the latter comprises a unipolar charge carrier balder layer (3), a first layer (1) and a second layer (2) which are applied to opposing sides of the charge carrier barrier layer (3) and are in each case formed of at least one organic material, and two ambipolar injection layers (4), which are applied to the sides of the first (1) and second layers (2) remote from the charge carrier barrier layer (3). Such an organic, light-emitting component (10) may be operated efficiently with alternating current.
US08686438B2
When viewed in a plan view, a termination region (TM) surrounds an element region (CL). A first side of a silicon carbide substrate (SB) is thermally etched to form a side wall (ST) and a bottom surface (BT) in the silicon carbide substrate (SB) at the termination region (TM). The side wall (ST) has a plane orientation of one of {0-33-8} and {0-11-4}. The bottom surface (BT) has a plane orientation of {000-1}. On the side wall (ST) and the bottom surface (BT), an insulating film (8T) is formed. A first electrode (12) is formed on the first side of the silicon carbide substrate (SB) at the element region (CL). A second electrode (14) is formed on a second side of the silicon carbide substrate (SB).
US08686433B2
A light emitting device includes a light emitting layer, a substrate that is transparent to an emission wavelength of the light emitting layer and positioned to receive an emission wavelength from the light emitting layer, a convex pattern including a collection of a plurality of convex portions discretely arranged on a front surface of the substrate with a first pitch, an n type nitride semiconductor layer located on the front surface of the substrate to cover the convex pattern and a p type nitride semiconductor layer located on the light emitting layer. The light emitting layer is located on the n type semiconductor layer. Each of the convex portions includes a sub convex pattern comprising a plurality of fine convex portions discretely formed at the top of the convex portion with a second pitch smaller than the first pitch, and a base supporting the sub convex pattern.
US08686431B2
Techniques for manufacturing optical devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) using a separation process of thick gallium and nitrogen containing substrate members, are described.
US08686429B2
Embodiments of the present invention are generally related to LED chips having improved overall emission by reducing the light-absorbing effects of barrier layers adjacent mirror contacts. In one embodiment, a LED chip comprises one or more LEDs, with each LED having an active region, a first contact under the active region having a highly reflective mirror, and a barrier layer adjacent the mirror. The barrier layer is smaller than the mirror such that it does not extend beyond the periphery of the mirror. In another possible embodiment, an insulator is further provided, with the insulator adjacent the barrier layer and adjacent portions of the mirror not contacted by the active region or by the barrier layer. In yet another embodiment, a second contact is provided on the active region. In a further embodiment, the barrier layer is smaller than the mirror such that the periphery of the mirror is at least 40% free of the barrier layer, and the second contact is below the first contact and accessible from the bottom of the chip.
US08686423B2
A thin film transistor array panel according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a substrate, a gate line formed on the substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer, and a data line formed on the semiconductor layer, wherein the data line comprises a lower data layer, an upper data layer, a data oxide layer, and a buffer layer, wherein the upper data layer and the buffer layer comprise a same material.
US08686422B2
A stem wiring (13a) having a broad line width is formed above branch wirings (13b) having a narrow line width. In a region where the stem wiring (13a) is connected to the branch wiring (13b), the stem wiring (13a) overlaps with the branch wiring (13b) via a gate insulating film when seen in a plan view, a contact hole is provided in the gate insulating film so as to uncover the branch wiring (13b), and the stem wiring (13a) is electrically connected to the branch wiring (13b) via a connecting conductor formed in the contact hole. Consequently, a TFT array substrate can be achieved, in which a disconnection failure or an abnormal line width is reduced without enlarging the dimension of a driving circuit region.
US08686419B2
A memory device in a 3-D read and write memory includes a resistance-changing layer, and a local contact resistance in series with, and local to, the resistance-changing layer. The local contact resistance is established by a junction between a semiconductor layer and a metal layer. Further, the local contact resistance has a specified level of resistance according to a doping concentration of the semiconductor and a barrier height of the junction. A method for fabricating such a memory device is also presented.
US08686417B2
An object is to manufacture a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor at low cost with high productivity in such a manner that a photolithography process is simplified by reducing the number of light-exposure masks. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a channel-etched inverted-staggered thin film transistor, an oxide semiconductor film and a conductive film are etched using a mask layer formed with the use of a multi-tone mask which is a light-exposure mask through which light is transmitted so as to have a plurality of intensities. In etching steps, a first etching step is performed by wet etching in which an etchant is used, and a second etching step is performed by dry etching in which an etching gas is used.
US08686415B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor memory device capable of shortening writing operation by concurrently determining potentials of memory cells on one word line. A plurality of transistors having switching characteristics are connected to one potential control circuit, whereby writing potentials are determined concurrently. A potential continues to be changed (raised or decreased) stepwise, a desired potential is determined while changing the potential, and whether data resulted from reading with respect to written data is correct or not is continuously checked, so that high-precision writing operation and high-precision reading operation can be achieved. In addition, favorable switching characteristics and holding characteristics of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor are utilized.
US08686409B2
A method of repairing a defective pixel in a display apparatus that includes forming an insulating layer to cover the plurality of second signal wires, cutting both sides of a region of the corresponding second signal wire of the defective pixel and the insulating layer to form both sides of a cut region, forming contact holes adjacent to the both sides of the cut region, respectively, such that an upper portion of the corresponding second signal wire is exposed, forming a repair metal layer on the insulating layer to contact the contact holes and the second signal wire, and forming a repair insulating layer to cover the repair metal layer.
US08686400B2
Disclosed herein is a light emitting device including a light emitting structure including a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer, a second conductivity-type semiconductor layer, and an active layer including at least one combination of a well layer of a first composition formed of a nitride-semiconductor material having first electronic energy and a barrier layer of a second composition formed of a nitride-semiconductor material having higher electronic energy than the first electronic energy, and an interface layer disposed between the second conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the active layer or between the first conductivity-type semiconductor layer and the active layer. The interface layer includes first, second and third layers having different energy bandgaps, the energy bandgaps of the first and second layers are greater than the energy bandgap of the barrier layer, and the energy bandgap of the third layer is less than the energy bandgap of the barrier layer.
US08686390B2
Provided is a nonvolatile memory element achieving a stable resistance change and miniaturization, and a method of manufacturing the same. The nonvolatile memory element includes: a first electrode formed above a substrate; an interlayer insulating layer formed above the substrate including the first electrode and having a memory cell hole reaching the first electrode; a barrier layer formed in the memory cell hole and composed of a semiconductor layer or an insulating layer connected to the first electrode; a second electrode formed in the memory cell hole and connected to the barrier layer; a variable resistance layer formed on the second electrode and having a stacked structure whose resistance value changes based on electric signals; and a third electrode connected to the variable resistance layer and formed on the interlayer insulating layer to cover the memory cell hole.
US08686385B2
The PCRAM device includes a semiconductor substrate including a switching device; an interlayer insulating layer having a heating electrode contact hole exposing the switching device, a heating electrode formed to be extended along a side of the interlayer insulating layer in the heating electrode contact hole, wherein the heating electrode has a width gradually increased toward a bottom of the heating electrode and is in contact with the switching device, first and second phase-change layers formed within the heating electrode contact hole that includes the heating electrode, and a phase-change separation layer formed in the heating electrode contact hole between the first and second phase-change layers.
US08686384B2
According to one embodiment, a memory device includes a nanomaterial assembly layer, a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer. The nanomaterial assembly layer is formed of an assembly of a plurality of micro conductors via gaps between the micro conductors. The first electrode layer is provided on the nanomaterial assembly layer. The second electrode layer is provided on the first electrode layer.
US08686379B1
Systems for preparing solid samples for microscopic examination in cross section or planametric orientation. The sample preparation systems include a sample support, an excitation beam to remove material from the surface of the sample, and a beam shield that protects the sample from the excitation beam, where sequential vertical adjustment of the beam shield permits the selective exposure of a series of substantially planar sample surfaces.
US08686378B2
A charged particle beam drawing apparatus includes an electrostatic lens including an electrode member and configured to project the plurality of charged particle beams onto the substrate via the electrode member. In the electrode member are formed a plurality of first openings via which the plurality of charged particle beams pass, and a plurality of second openings different from the plurality of first openings, a total area of the plurality of second openings being not smaller than a total area of the plurality of first openings.
US08686376B2
A system for detecting a plurality of analytes in a sample includes an aperture array and a lens array for generating and focusing a plurality of excitation sub-beams on different sub-regions of a substrate. These sub-regions can be provided with different binding sites for binding different analytes in the sample. By detecting the different luminescent responses in a detector, the presence or amount of different analytes can be determined simultaneously. Alternatively or in addition, collection of the luminescence radiation can be performed using the lens array for directly collecting the luminescence response and for guiding the collected luminescence response to corresponding apertures. The excitation sub-beams may be focused at the side of the substrate opposite of the lens array, and an immersion fluid is provided between the lens array and the substrate to increase the collection efficiency of the luminescence radiation.
US08686375B2
An active detector and methods for detecting molecules, including large molecules such as proteins and oligonucleotides, at or near room temperature based on the generation of electrons via field emission (FE) and/or secondary electron emission (SEE). The detector comprises a semiconductor membrane having an external surface that is contacted by one or more molecules, and an internal surface having a thin metallic layer or other type of electron emitting layer. The kinetic energy of molecules contacting the semiconductor membrane is transferred through the membrane and induces the emission of electrons from the emitting layer. An electron detector, which optionally includes means for electron amplification, is positioned to detect the emitted electrons.
US08686365B2
Optical imaging structures and methods are disclosed. One structure may be implemented as an imaging pixel having multiple photodetectors. The photodetectors may detect different wavelengths of incident radiation, and may be operated simultaneously or at separate times. An imager may include an imaging array of pixels of the type described. Methods of operating such structures are also described.
US08686363B1
A hyperspectral stimulated emission depletion (“STED”) microscope system for high-resolution imaging of samples labeled with multiple fluorophores (e.g., two to ten fluorophores). The hyperspectral STED microscope includes a light source, optical systems configured for generating an excitation light beam and a depletion light beam, optical systems configured for focusing the excitation and depletion light beams on a sample, and systems for collecting and processing data generated by interaction of the excitation and depletion light beams with the sample. Hyperspectral STED data may be analyzed using multivariate curve resolution analysis techniques to deconvolute emission from the multiple fluorophores. The hyperspectral STED microscope described herein can be used for multi-color, subdiffraction imaging of samples (e.g., materials and biological materials) and for analyzing a tissue by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (“FRET”).
US08686354B2
An apparatus, system and method for the continuous flow extraction, collection and analysis of small amounts of energetic substance/s and their reacted/unreacted residue/s in real time are provided. The apparatus includes an agitator that generates a particulate material from a surface. A vacuum gathers particulate material which is provided to a mixing module. The mixing module creates a supercritical matrix containing the particulate matter. A separator separates and removes waste in the supercritical matrix from the supercritical matrix. Concentrated particulate material from the supercritical matrix is provided to a mass spectrometer for analysis and detection of a target material in proximate real-time. In one embodiment, the separator provides the supercritical matrix to a tube arm. The tube arm is heated to reduce solvent in the supercritical matrix. A collector in the tube arm concentrates particulate material, which is volatilized by a laser. Volatilized particulate material is provided to the mass spectrometer. In another embodiment, the separator provides the supercritical matrix to an electrospray or APCI module whose output is provided direct to the mass spectrometer.
US08686351B2
The invention generally relates to systems and methods for transferring ions for analysis. In certain embodiments, the invention provides a system for analyzing a sample including an ionizing source for converting molecules of a sample into gas phase ions in a region at about atmospheric pressure, an ion analysis device, and an ion transfer member operably coupled to a gas flow generating device, in which the gas flow generating device produces a laminar gas flow that transfers the gas phase ions through the ion transfer member to an inlet of the ion analysis device.
US08686350B2
This invention relates to mass spectrometry that includes ion trapping in at least one of the stages of mass analysis. In particular, although not exclusively, this invention relates to tandem mass spectrometry where precursor ions and fragment ions are analyzed. A method of mass spectrometry is provided comprising the sequential steps of: accumulating in an ion store a sample of one type of ions to be analyzed; accumulating in the ion store a sample of another type of ions to be analyzed; and mass analyzing the combined samples of the ions; wherein the method comprises accumulating the sample of the one type of ions and/or the sample of another type of ions to achieve a target number of ions based on the results of a previous measurement of the respective type of ions.
US08686347B2
Example apparatus and methods for use in normalization of testing machines used to test samples in vessels are disclosed. An example apparatus includes verification source and a photon emitter positioned in the verification source. The example photon emitter includes a C14 source, a scintillator adjacent to the C14 source, and a filter adjacent to the scintillator. The example photon emitter is to emit photons through the filter for detection by a photon counter.
US08686346B2
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for a frequency selective imager. In particular, the frequency selective imager includes an array of pixels arranged in a focal plane array. Each pixel includes at least one nanoparticle-sized diameter thermoelectric junction that is formed between nanowires of different compositions. When a nanoparticle-sized diameter thermoelectric junction senses a photon, the nanoparticle-sized diameter thermoelectric junction emits an electrical pulse voltage that is proportional to an energy level of the sensed photon. In one or more embodiments, the frequency selective imager is a frequency selective optical imager that is used to sense photons having optical frequencies. In at least one embodiment, at least one of the nanowires in the frequency selective imager is manufactured from a compound material including Bismuth (Bi) and Tellurium (Te).
US08686340B2
According to one embodiment, a solid imaging device includes an imaging substrate, a light-shielding member and a AD conversion circuits. The imaging substrate is two-dimensionally arranged with a plurality of pixels. The plurality of pixels have a top face formed with an optoelectronic conversion element for converting incident light into an electric charge and storing it and a back face opposite to the top faces. The imaging substrate is formed with a top face by the top face of the plurality of pixels and formed with a back face by the back face of the plurality of pixels. The light-shielding member is provided on the top face side of the imaging substrate. The AD conversion circuits is formed on the back face of the pixels shielded from the light.
US08686338B2
A method and apparatus for imaging targets with an imaging reader. The method includes: (1) capturing return light from a target over a field of view of the solid-state imager and generating image data corresponding to the target; (2) transmitting the image data from the solid-state imager to the host when the gate circuit is set to the transmitting mode; and (3) preventing the image data from transmitting to the host when the gate circuit is set to the blocking mode.
US08686337B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: multiple micro lenses, which are disposed in each of a first direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, focus the incident light into the light-receiving surface; with the multiple micro lenses of which the planar shape is a shape including a portion divided by a side extending in the first direction and a side extending in the second direction being disposed arrayed mutually adjacent to each of the first direction and the second direction; and with the multiple micro lenses being formed so that the depth of a groove between micro lenses arrayed in a third direction is deeper than the depth of a groove between micro lenses arrayed in the first direction, and also the curvature of the lens surface in the third direction is higher than the curvature of the lens surface in the first direction.
US08686334B2
Terrestrial solar tracking photovoltaic arrays that may include a modular design that is sized and weighted to facilitate installation with a small amount of manpower. The array may further be adapted to be adjusted during or after installation to accommodate the necessary power requirements. The terrestrial solar tracking photovoltaic array may include a torque tube that may be constructed of discrete sections. A drive may be connected to the torque tube to rotate the torque tube. A number of solar cell modules may be connected to the torque tube. The modules may be positioned at offsetting angular orientations depending upon their distance away from the drive. This offset positioning compensates for twisting distortion of the torque tube caused by the drive rotating the torque tube. At one point of rotation, each of the solar cell modules may be substantially aligned in a common plane.
US08686327B2
A missile nose fairing system includes sections attached at an aft end thereof to a missile body, a restraint for normally preventing aftward displacement of the plurality of sections, and a drive unit for releasing the restraint in response to a received signal. Each of the sections has an outer surface that converges to a common forward pointed tip for enclosing and protecting a guidance head when in an extended position and is retractable into a corresponding recessed region formed within a missile nose when the drive unit is activated releasing the restraint.
US08686326B1
In certain aspects, this invention is a “control system” that detects and minimizes (or otherwise optimizes) an angle between vehicle centerline (or other reference axis) and vehicle velocity vector—as for JDAM penetration. Preferably detection is exclusively by optical flow (which herein encompasses sonic and other imaging), without data influence by navigation. In other aspects, the invention is a “guidance system”, with optical-flow subsystem to detect an angle between the vehicle velocity vector and line of sight to a destination—either a desired or an undesired destination. Here, vehicle trajectory is adjusted in response to detected angle, for optimum angle, e.g. to either home in on a desired destination or avoid an undesired destination (or rendezvous), and follow a path that's ideal for the particular mission—preferably by controlling an autopilot or applying information from navigation. Purposes include real-time angle optimization to improve autopilots or guidance, and vehicle development or testing.
US08686320B2
Flash lamps connected to short-pulse circuits and flash lamps connected to long-pulse circuits are alternately arranged in a line. The duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the long-pulse circuits is longer than the duration of light emission from the flash lamps connected to the short-pulse circuits. A superimposing of a flash of light with a high peak intensity from the flash lamps that emit light for a short time and a flash of light with a gentle peak from the flash lamps that emit light for a long time can increase the temperature of even a deep portion of a substrate to an activation temperature or more without heating a shallow portion near the substrate surface more than necessary. This achieves the activation of deep junctions without causing substrate warpage or cracking.
US08686310B2
A packaged chip detection and classification device includes a rotation unit for transporting a plurality of packaged chips, a packaged chip detection unit, and a packaged chip classification unit. The rotation unit includes a rotary turntable, a plurality of receiving portions formed on the rotary turntable, and a plurality of suction-exhaust openings respectively formed in the receiving portions. Each receiving portion is used to selectively receive at least one of the packaged chips. The packaged chip detection unit includes a packaged chip detection module adjacent to the rotation unit for detecting each packaged chip. The packaged chip classification unit includes a packaged chip classification module adjacent to the rotation unit for classifying the packaged chips. Therefore, the packaged chip detection and classification device can be used to detect and classify no-lead packaged chips by matching the rotation unit, the packaged chip detection unit, and the packaged chip classification unit.
US08686309B2
A touch panel includes an insulating substrate, a transparent conductive layer, a number of electrodes, a number of conductive wires, and at least one conductive zone. The transparent conductive layer corresponding to a touch area of the touch panel is fixed on the insulating substrate. The electrodes are electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer. The conductive wires are electrically connected to a controller and are respectively electrically connected to the electrodes. The at least one conductive zone has two ends. One of the two ends of the at least one conductive zone is electrically connected to the controller. The at least one conductive zone and the conductive wires are disposed in a trace area of the touch panel at a distance.
US08686307B2
An electrical contact (1) that comprises a core body (3) made from elasticmaterial and having outer, inner and side surfaces, a metal mesh layer (5) extending to the outer and sidesurfaces of the core body (3) and a bonding layer (7) covering the edge of the metal mesh layer (5) at the side surface of the core body (3). Since the metal mesh layer (5) is provided to the outer surface (contact surface) of the core body (3), the outer surface comes in contact with the other contact surface with a number of contact points. By providing the bonding layer (7), the edge (cut surface) of the metal mesh (5) is rarely exposed to air and the rusting which occurs easily at the edge can be prevented. And, the bonding layer (7) has a function for preventing the key top material from coming into around the outer surface of the electrical contact at the process for attaching the contact (1) to the key top. Accordingly, an electrical contact capable of having a number of contact points, such as a metal mesh, prevents rust of the metal mesh and further failure of a bonding operation to a key top of a key switch can be provided.
US08686297B2
An electronic device may have a housing in which an antenna and a proximity sensor formed from flex circuit structures are mounted. The flex circuit structures may include first and second flex circuit layers. The first and second flex circuit layers may include metal antenna structures and metal proximity sensor electrode structures. Solder may be used to attach electrical components to the flex circuit layers and may be used to electrically connect metal structures on the first and second flex circuit layers to each other. The first and second flex circuit layers may be laminated together using a compressive fixture. The compressive fixture may have a first fixture with a convex surface and a second fixture with a concave surface so that the laminated flex circuit layers are provided with a bend.
US08686293B2
A silane-crosslinked polyolefin insulated wire includes a conductor, and an insulating cover layer extruded on an outer periphery of the conductor. The insulating cover layer includes a silane-crosslinked polyolefin to be cross-linked by reacting water with a polyolefin having an alkoxysilyl group as a side chain. The insulating cover layer further includes a guanidine derivative having a boiling point of not less than 170° C. and a melting point of less than 190° C. in an environment at 760 mmHg as a crosslinking promoter to promote crosslinking of the polyolefin in an amount of not less than 0.05 parts by mass and not more than 0.5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the polyolefin.
US08686280B2
A see-through type solar battery module includes optically transparent first and second substrates and a plurality of annular clusters. Each cluster includes: a plurality of spherical solar cells; a conductive layer to which first electrodes of the plurality of solar cells are electrically connected in parallel; a conductive member to which second electrodes of the plurality of solar cells are electrically connected in parallel; a bypass diode connected to the conductive layer and the conductive member; and a conductive connection member that electrically connects the conductive layer to conductive member of the cluster that is adjacent in a predetermined direction. By providing the clusters in a snowflake configuration, or in a single rectilinear pattern, the scope is enlarged for selecting the ratio between sunlight transmission ratio and electrical generation capability, so that enhanced freedom of design for use as a window material is obtained.
US08686268B1
A system of associating sheet music notation with keyboard keys of a keyboard instrument and sight reading comprises a rectilinear colored strip adapted to be disposed upon the keyboard instrument. The colored strip includes first and second sets of markings corresponding to first and second octaves of the keyboard. Each of the sets includes wide markings corresponding to white keys of the keyboard and narrow markings corresponding to black keys thereof. Each of the wide markings of the first set is color-coded with a first color and each of the wide markings of the second set is color-coded with a second color different from the second color. The system further comprises a musical notation including musical notes color-coded with the same colors the first and second sets of markings on the colored rectilinear strip.
US08686257B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1M1K and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1M1K with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1M1K through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1M1K or a locus conversion of PH1M1K with another maize variety.
US08686256B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1DB1 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1DB1 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1DB1 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1DB1 or a locus conversion of PH1DB1 with another maize variety.
US08686252B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1KFW and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1KFW with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1KFW through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PH1KFW or a locus conversion of PH1KFW with another maize variety.
US08686248B1
A novel maize variety designated X05B912 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 X05B912 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X05B912 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X05B912, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X05B912. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X05B912.
US08686238B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP27007 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP27007, cells from soybean variety XBP27007, plants of soybean XBP27007, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP27007. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP27007 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP27007, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP27007, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP27007. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP27007 are further provided.
US08686235B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XB45E12 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XB45E12, cells from soybean variety XB45E12, plants of soybean XB45E12, and plant parts of soybean variety XB45E12. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XB45E12 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XB45E12, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XB45E12, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XB45E12. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XB45E12 are further provided.
US08686233B2
The present invention provides insecticidal polypeptides related to shuffled Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1 polypeptides. Nucleic acids encoding the polypeptides of the invention are also provided. Methods for using the polypeptides and nucleic acids of the invention to enhance resistance of plants to insect predation are encompassed.
US08686229B2
The invention provides seed and plants of spinach hybrid RX 06681651 and the parent lines thereof. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of spinach hybrid RX 06681651 and the parent lines thereof, and to methods for producing a spinach plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves or with another spinach 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 leaf and gametes of such plants.
US08686210B2
A process for obtaining gaseous hydrocarbons from a starting material which contains oxygen-containing hydrocarbons. The process includes providing the starting material and contacting the starting material with a porous catalyst at a temperature of 300-850° C. in the absence of oxygen in a converting reactor so as to form a hydrocarbon-containing product gas mixture in which a proportion by weight of gaseous hydrocarbons is greater than a proportion by weight of liquid hydrocarbons in the gas mixture. Additionally, the process includes collecting a hydrocarbon-containing product gas stream of the hydrocarbon-containing product gas mixture and introducing the product gas stream into a separation apparatus in which product fractionation is carried out.
US08686209B2
In an α-olefin manufacturing process by the oligomerization of ethylene using an iron complex of a diimine of a 2,6-diacylpyridine or a 2,6-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, in which certain substituted iminoaryl groups are present, less higher molecular weight unwanted products are produced when the diimine and/or its precursor arylamine does not have impurities with substitution on a second ortho position to the imino group. This leads to less fouling of the process apparatus and higher yields of desired α-olefins.
US08686208B2
A process for making styrene including providing a C1 source to a reactor containing a catalyst and reacting toluene with the C1 source in the presence of the catalyst to form a product stream comprising ethylbenzene and styrene. The C1 source can be selected from the group of methanol, formaldehyde, formalin, trioxane, methylformcel, paraformaldehyde, methylal, dimethyl ether, and combinations thereof, and wherein the catalyst contains a nitrogen-substituted zeolite.
US08686205B2
A process is disclosed for making styrene by converting methanol to formaldehyde in a reactor then reacting the formaldehyde with toluene to form styrene in a separate reactor.
US08686201B2
In one embodiment, the invention is to a process for producing ethanol, comprising the step of reacting carbon monoxide with at least one reactant in a reactor containing a reaction medium to produce a liquid reaction product comprising acetic acid. The process further comprises the step of separating the reaction product in a flasher into a liquid recycle stream and a vapor stream. The vapor stream is then distilled in a rectification tower and an overhead stream and an acetic acid stream are withdrawn therefrom, wherein the acetic acid is substantially free of halogen promoters. The process further comprises the step of hydrogenating acetic acid of the acetic acid stream in the presence of a second catalyst and under conditions effective to form a crude ethanol product comprising ethanol and water. Ethanol is recovered from the crude ethanol product.
US08686192B2
Methods of converting cellulose or related biorenewable carbohydrate materials into high-value chemical compounds. The methods provide a means of converting low-cost materials such as cellulose and biomass into high yields of compounds such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerin, methanol, hydroxyacetone, glycolaldehyde and dihydroxyacetone.
US08686191B2
The present invention relates to the technical field of radiation curing photopolymerization initiator, and particularly to an environmentally-friendly new oxidation process for converting several specific aryl-1,2-diol compounds to corresponding arylhydroxyketones.
US08686188B2
A method for refining an organic composition containing 4-aminodiphenylamine, aniline, azobenzene, and phenazine, having the steps of feeding the organic composition to a first rectification column, producing a first effluent composition containing aniline, azobenzene, phenazine, and a small amount of 4-aminodiphenylamine at the top of the first rectification column and a second effluent composition containing crude 4-aminodiphenylamine at the bottom of the first rectification column, feeding the second effluent composition to a second rectification column, and producing a 4-aminodiphenylamine composition at the top of the second rectification column and a residual composition at the bottom of the second rectification column.
US08686187B2
The invention discloses an ethoxydiphenylethane derivative and a synthetic method and uses thereof 4′ position of phenylethane B aromatic ring is chemically modified by ethoxy and hydroxy at position 3′ thereof is simultaneously modified to water soluble prodrug such as phosphate, and similarly, amino acid side chain is introduced to amino at position 3′ to form amino acid amide water soluble prodrug having the structure shown as formula (I) the ethoxydiphenylethane derivative and the prodrug thereof include strong tubulin aggregation inhibiting ability and obvious target damage effect for tumor vessels, selectively cause dysfunction and structural damage of tumor vessels and induce apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells in order to play the role of killing tumor cells or inhibiting tumor metastasis in case that the tumor cells are free from the support of nutrition and oxygen.
US08686186B2
Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods or processes for purifying CTA, systems for purifying CTA, methods or processes for cooling mother liquor streams, systems for cooling mother liquor streams, methods or processes for treating mother liquor solids, systems for treating mother liquor solids, and the like.
US08686184B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: where R1, R2, R3, a, R4, R5, and R6 are as defined in the specification, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. These compounds have neprilysin inhibition activity. In another aspect, the invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; methods of using such compounds; and process and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08686180B2
This disclosure relates to a process for preparing 5-aminobenzofuran derivatives of general formula (I): in which R1 and R2 are as defined in the description, by treating a 5-N-alkylamidobenzofuran derivative of general formula (II): in which R1, R2, and R3 are as defined in the description, with a strong acid, so as to form an acid addition salt of the compound of formula (I), which salt is itself treated, if necessary, with a basic agent so as to form this compound of formula (I) in free base form.
US08686179B2
A fluorinated bis(acyl)-containing compound of Formula (I), where R1, Ar, L, R2, R3, Rf, n, p and q are as defined in the claims, and a fluorinated polyester formed from the fluorinated bis(acyl) compound are described. More particularly, the fluorinated bis(acyl) has an aromatic ring bonded to two acyl groups plus at least one third group that contains a perfluoroalkylsulfonamido group. The fluorinated polyesters formed from the fluorinated bis(acyl)-containing compound can be used to provide a low energy surface with a relatively low refractive index compared to many other polyesters. A method of preparing a monosubstituted-arylene compound of formula Rf1-L2-CH2—Ar2—CH2—W, where Ar2, Rf1, L2, R6 and W are as defined in the claims by reaction of a compound of formula Rf1-L2-H with a compound of formula W—CH2—Ar2—CH2—W.
US08686177B2
Disclosed are compounds according to formula (I) as well as pharmaceutical compositions which include those compounds. Also disclosed are methods of using such compounds, which have activity as agonists or as antagonists of LPA receptors; such methods including treating cancer, producing radioprotection and/or radiomitigation, enhancing cell proliferation, treating a wound, treating apoptosis or preserving or restoring function in a cell, tissue, or organ, culturing cells, preserving organ or tissue function, and treating a dermato logical condition.
US08686165B2
The present disclosure relates to processes for the preparation of taxane derivatives with improved purity and enhanced stability. The taxane derivatives prepared according to the processes described herein are useful for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions.
US08686161B2
The present invention relates to novel and stable polymorphic forms of Perindopril (L)-Arginine designated as Form γ and amorphous form and processes for their preparation. The present invention also provides the novel polymorph Form γ with greater stability to heat and humidity and can be prepared on large scale by an efficient, economic and reproducible process.
US08686148B2
The invention relates to a process for preparing new tiotropium salts, these new tiotropium salts as such, pharmaceutical formulations containing them and their use for preparing a medicament for the treatment of respiratory complaints, particularly for the treatment of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and asthma.
US08686136B2
Disclosed are compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic protein family members, compositions containing the compounds and uses of the compounds for preparing medicaments for treating diseases during which occurs expression one or more than one of an anti-apoptotic protein family member.
US08686120B2
This invention features methods and compositions useful for treating and diagnosing diseases of the nervous system, retina, skin, muscle, joint, and cartilage using a Dragon family protein. Protein and nucleic acid sequences of human, murine, zebrafish, and C. elegans Dragon family members are also disclosed.
US08686119B2
The present invention relates to humanized monoclonal antibodies, pharmaceutical compositions that include the same, and use thereof for the treatment of a variety of indications, particularly cancer and immunodeficiency disorders. In particular, the present invention provides modified antibodies or fragments thereof having specific amino acid modifications compared to the humanized monoclonal immunomodulatory antibody termed hBAT-1.
US08686116B2
The present invention relates to a milk fraction obtainable by acidification of micellar casein and separation from precipitated casein named acid soluble protein from micellar casein. It was found that the milk fraction and especially certain sub-fractions thereof are bioactive and promote GLP-1 release in vitro. Based on these results, acid soluble protein from micellar casein may be useful in the treatment and the prevention of diabetes type II, obesity and may further be added to formulas directed at other purposes addressing the gastro-intestinal tract.
US08686106B2
The present invention provides a carbon black-dispersed polyamic acid solution composition having a high solids content and a high carbon black content. The invention further provides an intermediate transfer belt using the polyamic acid solution composition. The carbon black-dispersed polyamic acid solution composition is obtained by uniformly dispersing carbon black in a polyamic acid solution obtained by reacting biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and an aromatic diamine in an organic polar solvent. The biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride includes 2,3,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride. The aromatic diamine includes 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether and p-phenylenediamine. The polyamic acid solution has a solids content of 25 weight % or more.
US08686102B2
The present invention provides for textiles treated with a composition comprising the reaction product of e) an oxirane or oxetane compound comprising at least two oxirane or oxetane groups; and f) an amino silane having the formula: N(H)(R1)R2Si(OR3)3-a-b-c(OR4)a(R5Si(OR6)d(R7)e)bR8c with R1 is chosen from the group consisting of H or a monovalent hydrocarbon radical containing one to 20 carbon atoms; R2 and R5 are independently selected from a group consisting of oxygen or a divalent linear or branched hydrocarbon radical consisting of 1-60 carbons; R4 is a hydrocarbon radical that contains 3 to 200 carbon atoms; R3, R6, R7, and R8 and are each independently selected from the group of monovalent linear or branched hydrocarbon radicals having from 1 to 200 carbon atoms; the subscript b is zero or a positive number and has a value ranging from 0 to 3; the subscripts a, and c are zero or positive and have a value ranging from 0 to 3 subject to the limitation that (a+b+c)≦3; and the subscripts d and e are zero or positive and have a value ranging from 0 to 3 subject to the limitation that (d+e)≦3, wherein the treated textile has enhanced wet strength.
US08686101B2
A coating liquid for forming a low dielectric constant amorphous silica-based coating film with a dielectric constant of 3.0 or below and a film strength (Young's modulus) of 3.0 GPa or more, and also having a smooth surface with an excellent hydrophobicity. The coating liquid contains (1) a silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing bis(trialkoxysilyl)alkane (BTASA) and alkoxysilane (AS) in the presence of tetraalkylammoniumhydroxide (TAAOH), or (2) a silicon compound obtained by hydrolyzing bis(trialkoxysilyl)alkane (BTASA), alkoxysilane (AS) and tetraalkylorthosilicate (TAOS) in the presence of tetraalkylammoniumhydroxide (TAAOH).
US08686092B2
A series of resins were synthesized using a range of bio-based materials to control the molecular architecture, and therefore the properties, of the inventive resins. The utility of these resins was demonstrated in the formulation of powder coatings, such as β-hydroxy amide crosslinked and hybrid types. Generally, the bio-based resins flowed out on heating faster than conventional petrochemically-based resins, allowing the use of lower temperatures in the curing oven than is typically possible and a more active catalyst system, especially in the carboxylic acid-epoxy crosslinked hybrid coating formulations.
US08686090B2
The thermosetting, non-polymeric coating composition includes at least one monomeric material having a plurality of carbamate and/or urea groups, at least one crosslinker reactive with the at least one monomeric material, and a sag control agent that is a crystalline reaction product of an amine and an isocyanate.
US08686082B2
A nylon 11 composite has significantly improved flexural modulus while keeping or even increasing the impact strength. This composite system may comprise a nylon 11/filler/modifier. The “ball” portion of badminton shuttlecocks made by this type of composite more closely emulate the flight capabilities of natural feather shuttlecocks than neat nylon 11.
US08686071B2
The invention relates to a cured rubber composition, its preparation and a tire with a component of such rubber composition. A reinforcing resin is used to promote stiffness for the cured rubber composition. The elastomer for the rubber composition is primarily comprised of at least one isoprene-containing elastomer.
US08686068B2
A polymerizable composition which contains a cycloolefin monomer, metathesis polymerization catalyst, cross-linking agent, and carbon fiber which is brought into contact in advance with a sizing agent which includes a compound having an unsaturated terminal group and a polar group, a cross-linkable shaped article obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition, a cross-linked shaped article obtained by cross-linking the cross-linkable shaped article, and a cross-linked shaped article composite which contains the cross-linked shaped article and other members.
US08686061B2
The invention relates to a two-component or multicomponent system for producing a dental material, to the use of the system for producing a dental material.
US08686059B2
The present invention relates to an aminimide compound having a structure represented by the following general formula (I) in the molecule thereof, relates to a curable composition using the aminimide compound and relates to a method for curing the composition; in which R0 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group which may have an optional substituent, an aryl group which may have an optional substituent, or a heterocyclic residue which may have an optional substituent. R1, R2 and R3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, or an optional substituent. However, at least two of R1, R2 and R3 may bond to each other to form a cyclic structure.
US08686058B2
Embodiments of the present invention disclose viscoelastic foams having a renewable natural resource contents of between about 1 and about 25 wt % of the foam. The foams may have a ratio of elastic modulus (E′) at 20° C. to 25% compression force deflection (CFD) of 25 to 125.
US08686050B2
This invention provides compound having a structure of Formula I or Formula II Uses of such compounds for treatment of various indications, including prostate cancer as well as methods of treatment involving such compounds are also provided.
US08686046B2
Amidine analogs that can inhibit the activity of sphingosine kinase 1 and sphingosine kinase 2 (SphK1 & SphK2) are provided. The compounds can prevent angiogenesis in tumor cells.
US08686041B2
The invention relates to inhibition of ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) for suppression of tumor cells proliferation. More particularly, the invention relates to methods of treatment of proliferative disorders by the selective inhibition of OAT, and further provides the use of OAT inhibitors, specifically, 5-amino-1,3-hexadienyl-carboxylic acid (Gabaculine), and Gabaculine analogue 8, for compositions and methods for the treatment of proliferative disorders such as hepatocellular carcinoma. The invention further provides methods and kits for the diagnosis of a pathologic proliferative disorder in a mammalian subject, based on determining the level of OAT expressed in a biological sample obtained from a subject.
US08686040B2
The invention relates to methods and compositions for the treatment of pruritis ani and other perianal disorders. There are currently few treatments for these conditions, many of which have significant side effects. The methods of the invention involve the administration, in a cream or lotion of pregabalin, an anti-epileptic agent that has pain relieving properties. This topical form of pregabalin may also include the addition of other agents such as immunomodulators, antibiotics or agents that enhance wound healing. This method may be useful as a new and safe treatment for pruritis ani, skin conditions and other anorectal disorders. Previous positive clinical experience suggests that this new treatment is promising for these disorders.
US08686033B2
Phosphoric esters comprise A) one or more structural units derived from substances of component a), the substances of component a) being selected from orthophosphoric acid and one or more of its derivatives, B) one or more structural units derived from substances of component b), the substances of component b) being selected from one or more compounds of formula (I) R2—O—(CH2CH2O)u(C3H6O)v(DO)w—H (I) and C) one or more structural units derived from substances of component c), the substances of component c) being selected from one or more diols of formula (II) HO—(CH2CH2O)a(C3H6O)b(DO)c—H (II) where the sum total a+b+c is ≧1, and the phosphoric ester contains 2 or more phosphorus atoms per molecule which are bridged via a structural unit derived from the compounds of formula (II). The phosphoric esters of the invention are very useful in the manufacture of cosmetic, pharmaceutical and dermatological compositions.
US08686032B2
Compounds of formula (I) are inhibitors of histone deacetylase activity, and are useful in the treatment of, for example, cancers:
US08686015B2
The present invention is directed to inhibitors of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), pharmaceutical compositions comprising such GSNOR inhibitors, and methods of making and using the same.
US08686014B2
A compound of Formula (I): where A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, G1, L, R1, R2, R3, R4, Y1, Y2 and Y3 are as defined in claim 1; or a sail or N-oxide thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to processes and intermediates for preparing compounds of formula (I), to insecticidal, acaricidal, molluscicidal and nematicidal compositions comprising compounds of formula (I) and to methods of using compounds of formula (I) to combat and control insect, acarine, mollusc and nematode pests.
US08686013B2
Cosmetic compositions comprising substituted amino heterocyclic carbamoyl analogs and methods of using such compositions to impart anti-aging benefits to the skin are disclosed. The substituted amino heterocyclic carbamoyl analogs are believed to have modulatory activity against one or more biochemical pathways implicated in skin aging.
US08686012B2
The present invention relates to screens for compounds that can induce stem cell differentiation. In addition, isoxazoles and sulfonyl hydrazones are identified as general classes of compounds that can induce differentiation of stem cells into cells of neuronal and cardiac fate, respectively.
US08686002B2
The invention relates to compounds of general formula (I), corresponding enantiomeric, diastereomeric and/or tautomeric forms thereof as well as pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof and the prodrugs of said compounds. The invention also relates to the use of said compounds as binding partners for 5-HT5 receptors for treating diseases that are modulated by a 5-HT5 receptor activity, in particular, for treating neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders as well as signs, symptoms and dysfunctions.
US08685995B2
Embodiments of the invention provide methods of treating a disorder or disease characterized by cellular proliferation and migration by co-administering a synergistically effective amount of an mTOR inhibitor and a μ-opioid receptor antagonist.
US08685986B2
The present invention is to provide a medical composition for the treatment or prophylaxis of glaucoma which comprises a pyridylaminoacetic acid compound represented by the formula (1): wherein R1, R2, R3, Y, and Z are defined in the specification.
US08685967B2
The present invention relates to substituted triazolopyridines and analogs thereof, the use of the compounds as phosphodiesterase 10 (PDE10) inhibitors for the treatment of PDE10-modulated disorders, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds.
US08685965B2
Compounds of Formula (I), (wherein variables A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, L, J, Q, R4, Ea, Eb, Ec, R6, R7, Re, Rf, RPG, W, Y and Z are as described herein) useful as antagonists of CGRP receptors, and useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which CGRP receptors are involved, such as headache, and in particular migraine and cluster headache. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP receptors are involved.
US08685964B2
The present application relates to the use of heterocyclic compounds, some of which are known, for controlling animal pests including arthropods and in particular insects, furthermore to novel heterocyclic compounds and to processes for their preparation.
US08685962B2
Articles of manufacturing (such as tobacco products), methods, devices and compositions for preventing or reducing tobacco-associated damage and/or disorders associated with oxidative stress in a subject, and which utilize a TSPO receptor ligand (such as diazepam), are disclosed.
US08685956B2
The present disclosure relates generally to a pharmaceutical compositions and methods of reducing acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity. The disclosure includes pharmaceutical compositions including acetaminophen and one or more components selected from S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-methylmethionine (SMM), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The disclosure also relates to methods of reducing acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity in a subject by administering or co-administering one or more of S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), S-methylmethionine (SMM), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, with acetaminophen to a subject.
US08685954B2
The present invention relates to therapeutic compositions for treating cancer or preventing the growth of cancer cells, e.g., tumor growth, in a subject. The present invention also relates to methods for treating cancer, e.g., inhibiting tumor growth, in a subject who has become resistant to treatment, by administering to a subject an effective amount of a proteasome inhibitor and an effective amount of a therapeutic agent, e.g., a chemotherapeutic agent. The present invention further relates to methods for purging bone marrow, i.e., removing cancer cells from bone marrow, by exposing the bone marrow cells to a proteasome inhibitor and a therapeutic agent, e.g., a chemotherapeutic agent.
US08685936B2
The invention relates to prodrugs of hydroxyl-substituted adamantane compounds, pharmaceutical compositions thereof, and methods for inhibiting sphingosine kinase and for treating or preventing hyperproliferative disease, inflammatory disease, or angiogenic disease.
US08685919B2
The invention provides materials and methods for promoting weight loss or preventing weight gain, and in the treatment of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and associated disorders. In particular, the invention provides novel glucagon analogue peptides effective in such methods. The peptides may mediate their effect by having increased selectivity for the GLP-1 receptor as compared to human glucagon.
