US08693947B2
Various embodiments provide a satellite communication system including a first transceiver and a second transceiver geographically fixed on the earth, and a first satellite configured to communicate with the first transceiver through a first link. The system further includes a second satellite configured to communicate with the second transceiver through a second link and communicate with the first satellite through a laser communication crosslink. The first satellite and the second satellite are at a low earth orbit or medium earth orbit below the geostationary earth orbit of approximately 36000 km.
US08693946B2
A satellite broadcasting system for communication between a satellite hub and a range of ground stations in which a set having a predetermined number of modulation-codings (MODCODs) is available for data transmission from the satellite hub to the ground stations. Each MODCOD in use in the hub requires additional hub resources, and the system uses a MODCOD limiter for limiting the number of MODCODs in operation at a given time to a subset smaller than said predetermined number of MODCODS, thereby reducing overall resource usage.
US08693943B2
A learning system is adapted to provide a learning management system adapted to present an exercise environment to the user in which the user is able to practice skills through a combination of presented media and practice areas. The learning system is adapted to provide feedback to the user during the practice session to allow the user to improve performance while in the exercise environment. Additionally, the learning system is adapted to track the user's performance in terms of practice time and in terms of accuracy percentage to allow the student and the educator to monitor performance related to effort. Still additionally, the learning systems of the present disclosure may be adapted to track the types of errors committed by the users to enable the users and educators to provide more directed educational experiences and practice sessions to overcome recurring problems.
US08693940B2
A control method for a control apparatus includes obtaining an amount of a recording material applied on a first area of a sheet and an amount of a recording material applied on a second area of the sheet on the basis of image data recorded on the sheet stacked on a stacking unit; and performing control, in a case where a plurality of sheets are stacked on the stacking unit, so that a difference between a total amount of the recording material applied on the first area of the sheets and a total amount of the recording material applied on the second area of the sheets does not exceed a predetermined value on the basis of the obtained amount of the recording material. With this method, a limit of the number of stacked sheets is relieved while stability of the stacked sheets is maintained.
US08693938B2
A fusing apparatus includes a fusing roll and a backing roll that define a nip at which toner applied to marking material is fixed to paper under high pressure. A surface of the fusing roll includes a semi-conductive metal-oxide surface. Grounded conductive guides are arranged at the entrance and at the exit of the nip defined by the fusing roll and the backing roll.
US08693937B2
A fixing device includes a fixing roller including a heat generating part, an endless belt facing the fixing roller, a first supporter which supports the belt to cause the belt to face the fixing roller at a first position, a second supporter which supports the belt at a downstream side in the rotation direction of the belt to cause the belt to face the fixing roller at a second position, and a pressure applying member having a center position, configured to urge the belt toward the fixing roller to form a nip between the fixing roller and the belt, wherein a first distance between the center position and the first position is longer than a second distance between the center position and the second position.
US08693927B2
A developer case that contains developer and supplies the developer to another device in a specified replenishing position includes a main body and a rotating unit. The main body includes a bottom wall, a top wall, and first and second side walls. The rotating unit includes a rotation shaft, a transportation member, and a drive input member. The first and second side walls respectively have first and second linear inner surfaces. When the developer case is in the replenishing position, when a line perpendicular to a horizontal line that passes through an axis of the rotation shaft is defined as a reference line, a first angle θ1 formed between the reference line and the first linear inner surface is less than a second angle θ2 formed between the reference line and the second linear inner surface.
US08693922B2
A development system (10) for an electrophotographic printer with multiple augers containing a development roller (11) and a first channel contains a feed auger (13) and developer, with a plurality of paddles (12) attached to the feed auger, at least some the paddles increase in size with respect to a previous paddle along a direction of developer flow (18). This arrangement of paddles ensures that a uniform layer of developer is formed on the development roller despite the volume of developer in the first channel decreasing along the length of the first channel in the direction of developer flow.
US08693912B2
A fixing device of an embodiment is configured to fix an unfixed toner image formed of a decolorable toner on a sheet of paper. The fixing device includes: a fixing unit including a fixing member heated by a first heat source and a pressure member heated by a second heat source; a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor; and a temperature controller configured to control the first heat source and the second heat source separately for temperature control based on detected temperature information acquired by the temperature sensors, wherein the temperature controller controls the surface temperatures of the fixing member and the pressure member to set equal or above the temperature at which fixing is started fixing starting temperature and to set below the temperature at which decolorization is started, and such that the surface temperatures of the fixing member and the pressure member become substantially the same temperature.
US08693910B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a fixing unit, and a power control unit. The image forming unit forms an unfixed image on a recording material. The fixing unit includes an endless belt, a heater held in contact with the endless belt, a pressurization roller to form a fixing nip portion for pinching and conveying the recording material together with the heater via the endless belt, and a pressure changing mechanism to effect switching between a pressurization state and a pressure release state. The power control unit controls power to the heater. In response to transitioning from the pressure release state to the pressurization state, the power control unit starts power to the heater during a transition period before the pressurization state is attained and controls power to the heater such that a heater temperature does not exceed a predetermined upper limit temperature during the transition period.
US08693908B2
An image forming apparatus of the invention includes; a cleaning member that collects liquid developer by cleaning a developer carrier; a first transporting path that moves the liquid developer collected by the cleaning member; an oscillating member that applies vibration to the liquid developer transported from the first transporting path; a developer supply unit that stores the liquid developer transported from a first transporting mechanism; a second transporting mechanism that includes a second transporting path that transports the liquid developer stored in the developer supply unit to a developer storage in a developing unit; and a control unit that adjusts a toner charge current applied to the toner charging unit and controls vibration applied to the oscillating member on the basis of the adjusted toner charge current.
US08693907B2
Methods for printing are provided. In one aspect a primary imaging member having a pattern of engine pixel locations with image modulated differences of potential and with first toner having a first toner difference of potential is moved to a second development station. A second development difference of potential of the first polarity at the second development station forms a second net development difference of the second development difference of potential less any image modulated difference of potential at the individual engine pixel location and less any difference of potential relative to ground of any first toner at the individual engine pixel location. The second development difference of potential is greater than the first development difference of potential so that second toner that is different from the first toner, is developed onto the first toner using the second net development difference of potential.
US08693905B2
An image forming apparatus includes a sensor that detects a property of a developer material, a transport unit that contacts the developer material and moves the developer material toward a recording medium, and a controller that receives the data regarding the property of the developer material from the sensor unit and sets both a voltage and a velocity of the transport unit, wherein the voltage and the velocity is determined based on data regarding the detected property of the developer material received from the sensor.
US08693903B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; a first charging member for electrically charging the image bearing member by being supplied with an oscillating voltage in the form of a DC voltage biased with a common AC voltage during image formation; a second charging member, provided downstream of the first charging member with respect to a movement direction of the image bearing member, for electrically charging the image bearing member by being supplied with the DC voltage and the common AC voltage during the image formation; detecting portion for detecting an AC current passing through the second charging member; and a setting portion for setting, on the basis of a detection result of the detecting portion when a predetermined AC voltage is applied to the second charging member during non-image formation, the common AC voltage applied to the first charging member and the second charging member during the image formation so that a discharge current between the second charging member and the image bearing member is a predetermined value.
US08693901B2
A transfer device includes a transfer device, a facing member, and a prepressing member. The transfer member transfers a toner image, which is carried on an intermediate transfer member, to a recording medium. The facing member is disposed so as to be in pressed contact with the transfer member with the intermediate transfer member therebetween. The prepressing member is disposed so as to be in pressed contact with the transfer member with the intermediate transfer member therebetween at a position that is upstream of a contact section in which the facing member is in pressed contact with the transfer member and that is immediately behind a position at which the toner image starts to come into contact with the recording medium. A pressure applied by the prepressing member is lower than a pressure with which the facing member is in pressed contact with the transfer member.
US08693900B2
An image forming device includes a carrying part, an image forming part, a fuser, a fusion temperature controller, a winding part, a storage part and a controller. The controller stops a carrying of recording medium by the carrying part and heating by the fusion temperature controller, after the carrying part carries the recording medium by a predetermined length while the fusion temperature controller heats the fuser, when printing is started in a state where the recording medium is not wound on the winding part, and resumes the carrying of the recording medium by the carrying part and the heating by the fusion temperature controller upon detection that the time measured by the measurement part has reached the stop time for the recording medium stored in the storage part.
US08693897B2
Methods, systems, and devices are described for a digital demodulator device for processing received optical signals. The device may include a quadrature error filter that receives a digitized version of an optical signal, and removes quadrature errors to generate a filtered series of data samples. The device may also include a frequency offset removal module for performing frequency rotation on the filtered series of data samples. The device may include a chromatic dispersion compensation module which removes chromatic dispersion from horizontal and vertical polarization channels. The device may include a polarization mode dispersion (PMD)/polarization dependent loss (PDL) compensation module which compensates for interference caused by PMD and PDL. The device may also include a phase recovery module configured to track and correct phase.
US08693893B2
Optical phase modulators are disposed in separate arms of an optical interferometer for forming short optical pulses. The optical phase modulators are driven by signals from an electrical nonlinear transmission line (NLTL). A time delay (typically on the order of the NLTL fall time) is introduced between the NLTL signals in the two arms of the interferometer. With this arrangement, the interferometer provides short optical pulses at its output. In one experiment, 70 ps switching was demonstrated using discrete LiNbO3 traveling wave electro-optic modulators and commercially available NLTLs capable of delivering a 35 ps falling edge. A preferable approach is to integrate the NLTLs with the phase modulators, to further improve bandwidth. This fast switch can be used for various applications, such as implementing an Optical Time Division Multiplexing (OTDM) network architecture, and providing arbitrary waveform generation (AWG) capability.
US08693881B2
An optical heterodyne device includes an optical meta-material exhibiting non-linear behavior. The optical meta-material mixes an input signal and a local signal to produce a heterodyne signal.
US08693875B2
A system and method for optimizing an optical RF photonic link system is presented. The system comprises a modulator subsystem in which nonlinear response is compensated by an envelope precompensation method and employs an optical filter to suppress optical carriers and extract modulated sidebands, an optical amplifier, and an array of photodetectors, each having a plurality of pairs of diodes. The modulator subsystem performs optical filtering on the signal, the signal is amplified by the optical amplifier and sent to the array of photodetectors. The optical amplifier can be an erbium doped fiber amplifier, or a phase sensitive amplifier. The optical power can be delivered to each diode of the array of photodetectors via a photonic integrated circuit.
US08693873B2
The present disclosure describes a reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer. The reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer includes a first optical equalizer to precompensate a received optical signal for optical filtering effects to produce a first compensated optical signal. A first interleaver, coupled to the first optical equalizer, separates the first compensated optical signal into an odd optical signal and an even optical signal. A plurality of wavelength selective switches processes the odd optical signal and the even optical signal. A second interleaver, combines the odd optical signal and the even optical signal to produce a combined optical signal. A second optical equalizer, coupled to the second interleaver, postcompensates the combined optical signal for optical filtering effects to produce an output optical signal.
US08693869B2
In an embodiment of the invention, an optical transport apparatus comprises first wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing units each corresponding to each of transmission lines, an interface unit connected to a client apparatus and converting a client signal to and from a signal to be wavelength-division multiplexed, and a second wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing unit connected to the interface unit and receiving the signal to be wavelength-division multiplexed from the interface unit. Each of the first wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing units includes a wavelength selective switch including inputs, multiplexing signals selected from optical input signals received from the inputs and outputting the multiplex signal to a corresponding transmission line. The second wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing unit includes an optical splitter splitting an optical signal including the signal to be wavelength-division multiplexed and outputting the split signals to the wavelength selective switches in the first wavelength-division-multiplex optical signal processing units.
US08693867B2
A system and method for stabilizing a plurality of output frequencies (wavelengths) of a plurality of lasers (106). The laser beams are combined using optical multiplexer (110) and coupled into length-imbalanced (armlength-mismatched) Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) (114) having an optical modulator (e.g. AOM) (122) in one of its arms. The output of the MZI is divided into corresponding beams via optical demultiplexer (128) and each beam is detected by a respective photo-diode (PD) (134). The individual electric signals, so generated, are demodulated using a corresponding plurality of phase-responsive devices (138) and the resulting phase-signals are directed to a plurality of servo-controllers (148) to control the central frequency of the respective lasers (106) via a corresponding plurality of feedback loop circuits (150). The lasers (106) can have different central frequencies which can also be individually tunned using offset modules (141) in the phase-responsive devices (138).
US08693863B2
An exchangeable lens includes a camera lens mount unit having a mount center point, to which a camera body, with twelve body connector terminals disposed near a camera body mount unit at the camera body, is attached; a holding portion where a plurality of lens connector terminals, each including a contact area to come into contact with a body connector terminal, are disposed; an optical system that includes a drive target member which can be driven; a drive unit that drives the drive target member; and a control unit to be engaged in data communication with the camera body. The drive unit and the control unit include a common ground portion.
US08693862B2
An improved handheld electronic device and camera apparatus upon which can be executed an improved method enable a modular camera to be used in conjunction with a flash. In one implementation, compensation parameters that are intended for use in a non-flash situation are overwritten with compensation parameters that are configured to compensate for the combined effects of the camera and the flash and are used by an embedded compensation routine executed on the camera. In another implementation, an image signal is processed by the embedded compensation routine using the original compensation parameters, but if it is determined that the image signal is a flash image signal, the image signal is further processed by the embedded compensation routine employing an additional set of parameters which compensate the image signal for the effect of the flash.
US08693859B2
An imaging apparatus receives a signal regularly transmitted from a control apparatus, determines whether or not the imaging apparatus is disconnected from the network based on a status of the reception of the signal, transmits a request for participation in the network to the control apparatus according to a determination that the imaging apparatus is disconnected from the network to notify the control apparatus that the imaging apparatus is disconnected from the network, and participates in the network after the control apparatus receives the request for participation.
US08693856B2
One embodiment relates to an apparatus for vacuum-compatible substrate thermal management. The apparatus includes a load-lock chamber coupled to a vacuum chamber, a light-emitting diode array, and a substrate stage. The load-lock chamber is configured to hold a substrate prior to the substrate being transferred into the vacuum chamber, and a substrate stage is configured to hold the substrate in the vacuum chamber. The light-emitting diode array is configured to warm the substrate while the substrate is in the load-lock chamber. Other features, aspects and embodiments are also disclosed.
US08693845B2
A data recording and reproducing configuration capable of determining whether or not a three-dimensional image is included in data recorded in a recording medium and determining a coding state and the like in units of fine data is realized. In performing data recording processing on the recording medium, three-dimensional image information as image attribute information in units of data, which is obtained by further dividing management target data in a clip information file, is recorded in the clip information file which stores management information of a stream file storing image data. Specifically, the three-dimensional image information is recorded as unique information in units of program sequences set in the clip information file. With such a configuration, a reproduction apparatus can detect presence and a coding state of the three-dimensional image in data division units without performing analysis on reproduction target data.
US08693844B2
A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product provide the ability to bookmark a media program for subsequent viewing. A first interface is displayed and identifies a first media program. Via the first interface, a user requests that the first media program be recorded as a bookmark in a list of maintained bookmarks. The list of bookmarks is displayed. A user selects one of the bookmarks from the list and in response, the first media program is displayed to the first viewer.
US08693840B2
The disclosure discloses a method and a terminal for video processing. The method includes: when a real-time video image receiving terminal plays a real-time image picture, a shortcut for image pre-capture is set; if a user is interested in the picture, the user can click the shortcut for image pre-capture; when receiving an image pre-capture instruction, the terminal suspends the playing of the real-time picture but plays the pictures of a period before the moment of playing the real-time picture, then the user can perform image capture on the pictures played back. With the disclosure, when a user captures an image, the video pictures being played in the terminal are pre-stored, and the video pictures of a period before current time point are presented to the user by slow playback, thus the user can capture the image in easiness, so as not to miss the image that the user wants to capture due to a slow response.
US08693838B1
An exemplary method includes a digital video recording (“DVR”) data exchange system 1) maintaining first porting configuration data associated with a first DVR service system and second porting configuration data associated with a second DVR service system, 2) receiving a request to port DVR data from a first DVR system associated with the first DVR service system to a second DVR system associated with the second DVR service system, and 3) in response to the request, accessing a first DVR data set associated with the first DVR system, generating, in accordance with the first porting configuration data and the second porting configuration data, a second DVR data set based on the first DVR data set, and providing the second DVR data set as output. Corresponding methods and systems are also disclosed.
US08693836B2
A packaging apparatus for packaging a bundle of conductors, such as optical fibers, includes a housing having two U-shaped halves that attach to one another wherein at least one of the halves includes connecting portions that each retain a connector of the conductors. The method includes attaching the connectors of the conductors to the connecting portions of one half, gathering the conductors at a location beyond an end of the first half, and attaching the second half to the first half. The conductors extend through a conductor insertion hole formed in the housing when the two halves are attached to one another. A plurality of packaging apparatuses can be flexibly attached to one another in series.
US08693824B2
Apparatus and method for in-line cladding-light dissipation including forming a light-scattering surface on the optical fiber such that the light-scattering surface scatters cladding light away from the optical fiber. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an optical fiber having a core and a first cladding layer that surrounds the core, wherein a first portion of the optical fiber has a light-scattering exterior surface. Some embodiments further include a transparent enclosure, wherein the transparent enclosure includes an opening that extends from a first end of the transparent enclosure to a second end of the transparent enclosure, and wherein at least the first portion of the optical fiber is located within the opening of the transparent enclosure. Some embodiments include a light-absorbing housing that surrounds the optical fiber and the transparent enclosure and is configured to absorb the light scattered away from the optical fiber by the light-scattering exterior surface.
US08693815B2
A method of manufacturing an optoelectronic composite substrate, includes forming a first cladding layer in an area except the connection pad on a wiring substrate including a connection pad on an upper surface, forming a belt-like core layer on the first cladding layer, and obtaining an optical waveguide having a structure in which the core layer is surrounded by the first cladding layer and the second cladding layer, by forming a second cladding layer which covers the core layer. A thickness of the first cladding layer is set identically to a thickness of the connection pad, and thus a level difference caused by the connection pad is eliminated.
US08693812B2
Provided herein is a method for manufacturing a worked product comprising a fiber sensor therein. Also provided is a wrought product comprising a fiber sensor as well as structural elements and other products including fuselage skin and a wing panel.
US08693809B2
A video processing method enlarging and enhancing sharpness of input video data includes following steps. First, N sets of pixel row data of the input video data are respectively buffered in N linear buffers, N is a natural number. Next, I sets of enlarged pixel row data are generated by interpolation according to the buffered N sets of pixel row data in the N linear buffers and a currently inputted set of pixel row data, I is a natural number greater than N. Then, I sets of smoothed and enlarged pixel row data are generated according to the buffered N sets of pixel row data in the N linear buffers and the (N+1)th set of pixel row data. Thereafter, I sets of sharpness-enhanced pixel row data are obtained according to the I sets of enlarged pixel row data and the I sets of smoothed and enlarged pixel row data.
US08693807B1
A computer-implemented method may include receiving, over a network, an image from an image capture device, determining an image adjustment to the image, and communicating, over the network, the image adjustment to the image capture device.
US08693800B2
An image processing device is provided. The image processing device includes a weighted low-pass filter which performs weighted low-pass filtering on illumination of sub-sampled pixel signals, and an illumination interpolation circuit which compares illumination of the weighted low-pass filtered pixel signals with illumination of current pixel signals and performs interpolation while applying a weight to illumination of the weighted low-pass filtered pixel signals according to the comparison result.
US08693796B2
An image processing apparatus and method providing a high speed pipeline structure having a low level of complexity is described. The image processing apparatus includes a memory configured to store a plurality of data in a plurality of memory locations, where an ordinally specified data is in a corresponding ordinal memory location.
US08693772B2
In a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an automated, computerized method is provided for processing an image. According to a feature of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of providing an image file depicting an image, in a computer memory, generating an intrinsic image corresponding to the image, and compressing the intrinsic image to provide a compressed intrinsic image.
US08693770B2
Provided are an image processing apparatus and method for restoring a high resolution of an image based on acquired image data using color information. The image processing apparatus selects at least one pixel from among pixels corresponding to narrow-band color information of image data, and estimates wide-band color information of the selected pixel.
US08693768B1
A system for matching a cosmetic base to a user's skin tone using a mobile device application. The system analyzes the user's skin tone from a captured image and determines a shade that matches the skin tone and that inconspicuously conceals a flaw or a blemish. The system instructs the user in lighting and dress so that a captured image is useful for analyzing skin tone. The system uses an app allowing the user to capture the image at home or in another convenient, discreet private location. The system allows the user to procure a commercially available matching shade, selectively providing a coupon, or order a custom manufactured matching shade. The system tracks orders and coupon redemption for a plurality of providers of cosmetic bases associated with the app.
US08693759B2
Provided is an image processing device capable of effectively displaying the details of a plurality of different branches included in a structure that is divided into a plurality of branches. An image processing device 100 reads the entire image of a coronary artery region, extracts a coronary artery region A from the read image data, displays the coronary artery region A, calculates cores 41, 42, and 43 of three coronary arteries A1, A2, and A3, and calculates the lengths of blood vessels. In addition, when an operator uses a GUI 33 that is displayed in parallel to the entire image of the coronary artery region A to designate an arbitrary scale position on the GUI 33, a CPU 101 calculates positions on the blood vessels A1, A2, and A3 corresponding to the designated scale position. The CPU 101 displays vertical tomographic images 321, 322, and 323 at the calculated corresponding positions in a detailed image display region 32.
US08693753B2
A medical image processing device for extracting an endocardium of a left ventricle from 3D image data representing the left ventricle is provided. The device includes: a blood region extracting unit to extract a blood region in the left ventricle from the image data; a convex and concave points identifying unit to find a convex hull from sample points on a contour of the extracted blood region and identify convex points forming the convex hull and concave points, which are sample points other than the convex points; and an endocardium determining unit to deform the contour of the blood region by moving at least a part of the concave points outward from the blood region by an amount determined based on a positional relationship among each concave point and the convex points located around the concave point and determine a deformed contour of the blood region to be the endocardium.
US08693752B2
Systems for rendering images from a multi-dimensional data set include a sensitivity lens configured to electronically render a sequence of images showing features in a region of interest to interrogate and/or explore potential uncertainties in the rendered visualizations of images.
US08693749B2
An image processing apparatus processes a plurality of tomograms obtained by acquiring, along a direction crossing at a right angle a section along the thickness direction of a retina, a plurality of tomograms each including the section. The apparatus detects a layer structure in the retina from image information of respective lines of the tomograms along the thickness direction, and appends structure information to the respective lines based on the layer structures detected for the respective lines. The image processing apparatus maps the structure information of the respective lines of the plurality of tomograms onto a plane crossing the thickness direction at a right angle, thereby generating a two-dimensional image based on the structure information.
US08693738B2
An imaging processing system includes one or more image capturing apparatuses, a reading unit configured to read biometric information from an authentication object person, a similarity calculation unit configured to calculate similarity based on a result of comparing biometric information read by the reading unit with true biometric information of the authentication object person, an authentication unit configured to perform authentication based on a comparison between the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit and a preliminarily set threshold, and a control unit configured to control, if the authentication performed by the authentication unit is successful, imaging processing, which is performed by the image capturing apparatus, based on the similarity calculated by the similarity calculation unit.
US08693722B2
A magnetic sound box device comprising a sound box and an antimagnetic plate is disclosed, wherein the sound box has at least one speaker and the sound box is for receiving sound source signals from an electronic device and transmitting the sound source signals to the speaker to play the sound source signals, and the lateral side of the sound box is disposed with a coupling portion; a plurality of magnets is disposed on the coupling portion so that the sound box can be magnetically attracted to any objects capable of being attracted by the magnets; the antimagnetic plate is disposed on the sound box for covering the coupling portion for blocking the magnetism of the magnets on the coupling portion, thereby preventing other storage devices with magnetic materials from being affected and damaged by the magnetism of the magnets when the magnetic sound box device is carried.
US08693720B2
An improved wireless communications earplug for use with a magnetic field transmitter. The wireless earplug has a receiver made of a coil of wire on a magnetic bobbin, mounted in close proximity or in contact with a magnetic case of a speaker. The magnetic case of the speaker serves to increase the magnetic flux through the receiver and improves the efficiency of the earplug. The speaker is acoustically coupled to an eartip, and the earplug may be molded into a custom earplug body.
US08693717B2
A novel system prevents surrounding sound to enter through a hearing apparatus, for instance through a ventilation opening, and reach an eardrum of the wearer in the form of interference sound. Contrary to auditory accessories designed especially to protect against noise, it is not possible for many hearing apparatus to compensate for such an interference sound by means of active noise cancellation. The hearing apparatuses do not have the special components needed. No compensation sound signal can therefore form with a correct phase. In accordance with the invention, a compensation sound is only generated for a relatively narrow spectral band. This spectral band is determined as a function of a hearing ability of the wearer of the hearing apparatus and/or as a function of a spectral distribution of the energy of the interference sound or a sound producing the interference sound. The improvement is particularly suited to compensating for an interference sound in a hearing device.
US08693706B2
A pseudo bass generating apparatus includes a first 4th-order LPF, an absolute value circuit, a clip circuit, a multiplier, a first adder for subtracting an output signal of the multiplier from an output signal of the clip circuit, a second adder for adding an output signal of the first adder and an output signal of the absolute value circuit, a second 4th-order LPF, and a third adder for adding the input signal and an output signal of the second 4th-order LPF.
US08693705B2
Using frequency characteristics determined for individual ones of a plurality of analyzed bands of a predetermined audio frequency range with frequency resolution that becomes finer in order of lowering frequencies of the analyzed bands, a synthesized band is set for each one or for each plurality of the analyzed bands, and then a time-axial response waveform is determined for each of the synthesized bands. The response waveforms of the synthesized bands are then added together to thereby provide a response waveform for the whole of the audio frequency range.
US08693700B2
In an aspect, the invention features an active noise reduction device including an electronic signal processing circuit. The electronic signal processing circuit includes a first input for accepting a first signal, a second input for accepting a second signal, an output for providing a third signal, a feed-forward path from the first input to the output, and a feed-forward controller for determining the control parameter by calculating a control signal using the first signal and the second signal and then using the control signal to determine the control parameter. The feed-forward path includes a fixed compensation linear filter and a variable compensation filter having an input for receiving a control parameter that applies a selected linear filter from a family of linear filters that vary in both gain and spectral shape and are selectable by the control parameter.
US08693685B2
A timing and synchronization apparatus and method for a quantum cryptography system is disclosed. A gating pulse is generated by a clock and synchronized to the receipt of transmitted photons at the detector. The apparatus is arranged to only accept photon detection events occurring during the gating period.
US08693681B2
Logic circuitry and corresponding software instructions for performing functions within the FL function of a Kasumi cipher. An RLAX logic circuit includes a bit-wise AND function, a reorder bus, and a bit-wise exclusive-OR function for generating a destination word from corresponding logic functions of portions of first and second operands, in executing an RLAX program instruction. An RLOX logic circuit includes a bit-wise OR function, a reorder bus, and a bit-wise exclusive-OR function for generating a destination word from corresponding logic functions of portions of first and second operands, in executing an RLOX program instruction. Plural instances of the logic circuits can be implemented in parallel, to simultaneously operate upon plural data blocks.
US08693672B2
Information pertaining to selected events occurring during an information assistance call is recorded in a database. The database is maintained by a device in the information/call center referred to as a call tracker. For example, with respect to a given call, a record may be generated in the database when the call is received, which servers and/or applications interact with the user during the call, which services are provided to the user, etc. Upon the occurrence of a selected event during a call, an “event message” conveying information about the event is generated and transmitted to the call tracker. The event message comprises an identifier associated with the call and one or more values indicating a type of event that has occurred with respect to the call. The call tracker stores information from the event message in the database. The information stored in the database is accessible to various devices and applications within the information/call center—for example, in response to a query as to the current status of a particular call.
US08693669B2
A custom call flow is implemented by receiving a sequence of user inputs provided as part of an interactive call between a caller requesting a service and a service provider that provides the service. The sequence of user inputs includes data path inputs, security inputs, and a termination input. The custom call flow is further implemented by identifying placement of the security inputs in the sequence, removing the security inputs from the sequence, and creating a custom sequence that includes the data path inputs, a placeholder representing the placement of the security inputs, and the termination input. The custom sequence utilizes the placeholder to prompt the caller to enter the security inputs at a location specified in the placeholder of the custom sequence. The custom call flow is invoked from the custom sequence received from the caller each time the caller initiates a request for the service.
US08693663B2
A system and method for implementing do-not-disturb during media content. Do-not-disturb is implemented during playback of the media content in response to a selection of media content. An incoming communication is received. The incoming communications is sent directly to voice mail during the playback.
US08693655B1
Systems, methods, and computer program products for provisioning a temporary disposable number are described. A user can be provided with a pool of available temporary disposable numbers that have a limited shelf life. The user can select one of the available temporary disposable numbers while submitting a permanent phone number associated with a communications device (e.g., mobile phone, home phone, business phone, etc.). Prior to activating the selected temporary disposable number, the temporary disposable number is linked to the permanent phone number. After activation, when an incoming call to the temporary disposable number is received, the permanent phone number is identified to be associated with the temporary disposable number being called. The incoming call is then forwarded to the communications device on which the permanent phone number is established.
US08693652B2
A system and a method for processing calls. The system comprises a database including: a plurality of telephony identifiers; and for each telephony identifier, information regarding a group of persons that is associated with the telephony identifier, each person of the group of persons being reachable by placing a call to the telephony identifier, the information comprising, for each person of the group of persons, information related to processing of calls involving the person. The system also comprises a processing element having access to the database and being operative for: determining that a given call involves a particular person of the group of persons that is associated with a given one of the telephony identifiers; and processing the given call based on the information related to processing of calls involving the particular person. Also provided is a method for associating an additional telephony identifier wish one or more identities of a group of identities that is associated with a telephony identifier, and a method for associating an additional identity with a telephony identifier that is associated with a group of identifies.
US08693648B1
The present disclosure comprises systems and methods for broadcasting video communications including video conferences or hosted programs by providing a capability for easily moving participants in and out of the video communications, as necessary. Video communications may be “aired” or broadcast to viewers. The present systems and methods designate at least two stages in the video communication broadcasts, including a “front” stage and a “back” stage. Users who are immediate (e.g., current) participants in the video communication broadcast are provided access to the “front” stage of the video communication broadcast. Those users who are initially “guests” (e.g., will be, but are not yet, immediate or current participants in the video communication broadcast) are provided access first to a back “stage” of the video communication broadcast. A filter imposes restrictions on the back stage to prevent any broadcast of activities that may occur in the back stage to viewers.
US08693645B1
A system and method is provided for receiving a voice message, selecting from multiple destinations, transmitting the voice message to a destination and subsequently playing back the voice message after it has been received by the destination. The system has a plurality of access devices which are coupled to each other over a network such as the Internet. These access devices may include computers, workstations, and the like. Access devices may include a voice conversion board for converting a voice message received over a network into a voice signal for playback to a telephone device.
US08693636B2
In a method and x-ray device to determine the value of an x-ray tube voltage to generate at least one image of defined tissue to be examined, at least one provided parameter is used that establishes or describes the desired image quality; based on the dependency of the contrast of the defined tissue to be examined on the spectrum of the x-ray radiation or on the value of the tube voltage of the x-ray tube. The tube voltage is determined also based on a contrast-to-noise ratio that is constantly maintained under consideration of the aforementioned parameter such that the dose of x-ray radiation applied to the patient is optimally low upon setting the value of the tube voltage at the x-ray tube and the acquisition of at least one x-ray projection of the defined tissue.
US08693630B2
These various embodiments access target information regarding a radiation-therapy treatment volume for a given patient as well as non-target information regarding at least one structure other than the radiation-therapy treatment volume that also comprises a part of the given patient. These embodiments then provide for accessing uncertainties information regarding spatial uncertainties as pertain to at least one of the target information and the non-target information and using that uncertainties information to characterize at least one radiation-therapy treatment plan optimization consideration with respect to a preference of usage to thereby provide preference considerations. These preference considerations are then used to influence a follow-on radiation-therapy treatment plan optimization process when developing a treatment plan for the radiation-therapy treatment volume.
US08693628B2
To reduce X-ray exposure while improving image quality, an area of interest is selected in the image. The image of the selected area is updated frequently, comparable to a rate of updates used today for the whole image. The rest of the image is updated at a significantly lower rate. Since the area of interest normally is a small part of the overall area, the total exposure is reduced significantly. A fast X-ray shutter, placed near the X-ray source, blocks the radiation from areas outside the area of interest. The shutter automatically retracts when the complete image is updated. The area of interest can be selected by the user or automatically selected based on activity in the image. Since most of the exposures are taken at a reduced collimation angle, limited by the area of interest, the area of interest is imaged at reduced scatter and better quality.
US08693624B2
An extra-oral digital panoramic dental x-ray imaging system for multi-layer panoramic and transverse X-ray imaging providing with an X-ray source and a digital imaging device providing real time frame mode output and autofocusing. The X-ray source and imaging device are mounted in a mechanical manipulator defining the trajectory of a predetermined image layer. The imaging device communicates with a processor that generates a frames memory from which an image reconstruction mechanism composes the final images.
US08693622B2
X-ray method and X-ray system for merging X-ray images and determining three-dimensional volume data
Three-dimensional image information is generated of a body part that is larger than the visual field of an X-ray machine. An X-ray source and an X-ray detector are disposed at a first position such that the X-ray source and the X-ray detector can record a first projection image of at least a first section of a body part. Then the first projection image is recorded. The X-ray source and the X-ray detector are next disposed at a second position such that the X-ray source and the X-ray detector can record a second projection image of at least a second section of the body part. The second section partially overlaps the first section. The first and second projection images are merged to form a projected image. A three-dimensional volume of the body part is reconstructed from the plurality of projection images.
US08693618B2
A scanner device for computed tomography imaging of an object, includes a measurement device including a source device arranged for irradiating the object with at least one beam and a detector device arranged for detecting radiation transmitted through the object, wherein the source device has a fixed position relative the detector device, and a carrier device accommodating the object in a position between the source device and the detector device, wherein the measurement device and the carrier device are capable of a scanning movement relative to each other, and the measurement device and the carrier device have a fixed spatial orientation during the scanning movement. Furthermore, a scanning method for computed tomography imaging of an object is described.
US08693615B2
Methods and structures that implement an event counter in a RAM are provided. A method includes providing a count-RAM, a carry-RAM, and a pre-counter corresponding to an event source. A column in the count-RAM and a column in the carry-RAM represent a value of a value of the event counter. The method further includes storing a count of the event counter received via the pre-counter in the count-RAM and the carry-RAM in a transposed, bit-serial format, such that location zero of the count-RAM and the carry-RAM counts the least significant bit (LSB) of the event counter.
US08693611B2
A liquid-metal cooled fast reactor core having a nuclear fuel assembly constituted of nuclear fuel rods with varying cladding thicknesses in reactor core regions, in which: the nuclear fuel assembly (1) of a liquid-metal cooled fast reactor includes nuclear fuel assemblies (1a, 1b and 1c) in inner, middle and outer reactor core regions, respectively, and is installed in a hexagonal duct (3) with nuclear fuel materials (2-2a, 2-2b and 2-2c) surrounded by respective claddings (2-1a, 2-1b and 2-1c), and the claddings (2-1a, 2-1b and 2-1c) of a nuclear fuel rod (2a) in the inner reactor core region, a nuclear fuel rod (2b) in the middle reactor core region and a nuclear fuel rod (2c) in the outer reactor core region are formed at different thicknesses. The reactor core can flatten power distribution using a single-enrichment nuclear fuel in the liquid-metal cooled fast reactor.
US08693593B2
Methods and apparatus are provided for automatic gain control in a receiver using samples taken at a desired sampling phase and target voltage level. The gain of a received signal is adjusted by obtaining a plurality of samples of the received signal substantially at a desired sampling phase (such as a center of a given unit interval), wherein at least one of the samples is taken substantially at a target voltage level; comparing the plurality of samples to determine whether the received signal has an amplitude that is substantially equal to the target voltage level; and adjusting a receiver gain based on whether the received signal amplitude is substantially equal to the target voltage level. The comparison can comprise the evaluation of a logic function, such as an exclusive OR function. The comparison can be performed over a plurality of samples to obtain an average gain update decision. The receiver gain can be adjusted based on a histogram of the average gain update decision, relative to a predefined threshold.
US08693591B1
A novel frequency locked loop for tuning a bandpass filter to a small offset frequency around an RF center frequency is provided. The difference between the bandpass filter frequency and the RF center frequency is generated, a frequency locked loop is used to tune the frequency difference to a reference offset frequency.
US08693588B2
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a technique for two-step joint demapping based on sphere decoding for log-likelihood ratio (LLR) computation related to a received multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) signal. The first step of the proposed algorithm comprises a linear minimum mean square error (LMMSE) based detection to form soft symbol estimates of symbols being transmitted. Then, the LMMSE-based soft symbol estimates can be utilized to form a set of constellation points of a stream interfering to a stream of interest. These candidate constellation points can be then subtracted (canceled) from the received signal to improve the LLR computations of the stream of interest. After the cancellation, the maximum ratio combining (MRC) can be applied to each individual stream to form more refined soft symbol estimates as well as an effective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) estimate. The refined outputs of the MRC can be utilized to compute LLRs of transmitted bits based on the effective SNR and the refined soft symbol estimates associated with all the candidate constellation points from the set. The LLRs of transmitted bits may be employed by a channel decoder.
US08693578B2
A transmission device includes a pulse modulated signal generator that generates a pulse-modulated signal by changing the width of a pulse or the density of a pulse according to the magnitude of the amplitude component of an input signal while discretely changing the pulse height according to the magnitude of the amplitude, a modulated-signal generator that generates a modulated signal by integrating the pulse-modulated signal and the phase component of the input signal, a power amplifier that includes at least as many amplifiers as the number of the discrete amplitude levels of the modulated signal, changes the number of amplifies that amplify the modulated signal on the basis of the value of the amplitude level of the modulated signal, combines outputs of the amplifiers, and outputs a combined output, and an output filter that eliminates a square-wave component from the output of the power amplifier.
US08693575B2
Various wireless precoding systems and methods are presented. In some embodiments, a wireless transmitter comprises an antenna precoding block, a transform block, and multiple transmit antennas. The antenna precoding block receives frequency coefficients from multiple data streams and distributes the frequency coefficients across multiple transmit signals in accordance with frequency-dependent matrices. The transform block transforms the precoded frequency coefficients into multiple time domain transmit signals to be transmitted by the multiple antennas. The frequency coefficients from multiple data streams may be partitioned into tone groups, and all the frequency coefficients from a given tone group may be redistributed in accordance with a single matrix for that tone group. In some implementations, the frequency coefficients within a tone group for a given data stream may also be precoded. In some alternative embodiments, tone group precoding may be employed in a single channel system.
US08693566B2
In a transmitter or transceiver, signals can be precoded by multiplying symbol vectors with various matrices. For example, symbol vectors can be multiplied with a first column subset of unitary matrix which spreads symbols in the symbol vectors across virtual transmit antennas, a second diagonal matrix which changes a phase of the virtual transmit antennas, and a third precoding matrix which distributes the transmission across the transmit antennas.
US08693561B2
Apparatuses, methods and systems of receive signal detection of a multi-carrier signal are disclosed. One method includes receiving a multi-carrier signal, determining a characteristic of each sub-carrier of the multi-carrier signal, and selecting a one of a plurality of receive signal detection techniques for each sub-carrier of the multi-carrier signal based on the determined characteristic of the sub-carrier.
US08693557B1
A clock receiver includes a capacitive coupling circuit for filtering out direct-current voltages from a differential clock signal. In this way, the capacitive coupling circuit rejects common-mode noise in the differential clock signal. The clock receiver also includes a bias circuit for establishing a bias voltage in the differential clock signal and a differential amplifier for amplifying the differential clock signal. Further, the differential amplifier generate a feedback differential clock signal and provides the feedback differential clock signal to the bias circuit for further rejecting common-mode noise in the differential clock signal. The feedback differential clock signal functions as a negative feedback signal for rejecting common-mode noise in the differential clock signal and as a positive feedback signal for amplifying the differential clock signal. In some embodiments, the clock receiver includes a capacitive coupling circuit with a cut-off frequency above the frequency of the differential clock signal.
US08693548B2
Various approaches for motion search refinement in a processing element are discussed. A k/2+L+k/2 register stores an expanded row of an L×L macro block. A k-tap filter horizontally interpolates over the expanded row generating horizontal interpolation results. A transpose storage unit stores the interpolated results generated by the k-tap filter for k/2+L+k/2 entries, wherein rows or columns of data may be read out of the transpose storage unit in pipelined register stages. A k-tap filter vertically interpolates over the pipelined register stages generating vertical interpolation results.
US08693540B2
A method and apparatus of processing a multimedia frame comprising a first section received in error are disclosed. The method comprises obtaining temporal prediction data corresponding to a first reference frame. The method further comprises determining whether the first reference frame is reliable for estimating the first section. The method further comprises estimating the first section received in error based on one or more sections other than the first section of the multimedia frame and the first reference frame, if it is determined that the first reference frame is reliable.
US08693534B1
An apparatus including a graphics processing unit, a processor and a memory. The memory stores computer executable instructions. The computer executable instructions, when executed by the processor, configure the graphics processing unit to store a current frame, at least one reference frame, and a reconstructed frame in a globally shared memory of the graphics processing unit.
US08693533B2
Process for equalizing a signal received in a receiver of a Terminal Equipment in a wireless communication system, said process comprises the steps of:—receiving a signal r—applying an iterative algorithm based on a sequence of varying preconditionners in accordance with the following formula: based on a sequence of preconditioning matrices Pj, each matrix depending on H, the variance of the noise, and the precedent matrices Pj within said sequence.
US08693531B2
A method for equalizing a received signal is provided. The signal is filtered and transmitted over a channel using an encoding scheme, where the encoding scheme has transmit symbols. This transmitted signal is then shaped such that the filtering and equalization adjust a set of taps in an equalization window so that the taps from the set are substantially equal to one another. Inter-symbol interference is then compensated for in the equalized signal using a speculative DFE with significantly reduced comparator levels.
US08693529B2
Execution of a block test “retry” in a test environment with each block in the test sequence sent after the tester has determined that the previous block of data packets has met one or more prescribed test criterion. If a block sent by the DUT has not met the test criterion, a retry sequence is initiated to re-test the block. In another embodiment, a block test “retry” is executed where each block in the test sequence is sent and analysis of previously sent blocks is done in parallel with the sending of a subsequent block. If a previous block has not met the test criterion, a retry sequence is initiated whereby the tester and DUT step back to the block that failed to meet the test criterion and retry that block. If the retry meets test criterion, testing continues by resuming with the next untested block in the sequence.
US08693526B2
This invention teaches a way to multiplex and de-multiplex unipolar signals using spread spectrum methods. While bipolar spread spectrum signal multiplexing may be used in may applications, for example for systems using radio signals, when using unipolar signals there is a loss of orthogonally which makes the standard algorithms unworkable. This invention teaches a method to recover orthogonally and make spread spectrum multiplexing useful for unipolar signals. One example is in the measurement of optical absorbance along multiple paths simultaneously using light signals, as for functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
US08693519B2
A sensor system for monitoring and controlling the performance of the bottom electrode and the deflection of an electric arc in an electric steel making furnace includes an organized matrix of anode pins interspersed with refractory material and extending toward an electrically conductive plate secured to distal ends of the anode pins. A sensing device includes two temperature sensors at spaced apart locations along each of a distributed select group of anode pins for providing corresponding electrical signals and a current sensor responsive to electrical current flowing through the anode pins of the distributed select group of anode pins for providing a corresponding electrical signal. A controller responsive to the electrical signals derived at the anode pins of the select group operates the power supply and a display for monitoring the electrical performance of the elongated anode pins for heating by the electric arc in the furnace.
US08693507B2
Producing coherent symbols from a plurality of digital RF transmitters is achieved by selecting data bytes corresponding to mobile-handheld encapsulation (MHE) packets and setting trellis coders to a predetermined state when a predetermined number of bits of the data bytes enter a corresponding trellis coder.
US08693497B2
The present invention discloses a long-reach Ethernet system. The system includes a first Ethernet device and a second Ethernet device which communicate with each other, and a relay; wherein one of the first Ethernet device and the second Ethernet device is a conventional Ethernet device, and the other one of the first Ethernet device and the second Ethernet device is a conventional Ethernet device or a long-reach Ethernet device; the first Ethernet device and the second Ethernet device communicate with each other via the relay; and the relay is adapted to transform conventional Ethernet data into long-reach Ethernet data and transform long-reach Ethernet data into Ethernet data. The present invention can realize the communication of two Ethernet devices when at least one of the two Ethernet devices is a conventional Ethernet device and a working distance between them is longer than 100 meters.
US08693496B2
One embodiment of the present invention includes a communication network comprises a communication cable having a first wire pair and a second wire pair that both extend between a first end and a second end of the communication cable. The network also comprises at least one power source configured to provide a first supply current through the first wire pair and a second supply current through the second wire pair at the first end of the communication cable. The first supply current and the second supply current can be substantially equal. The network also comprises a first diode bridge and a second diode bridge coupled to the second end of the communication cable and configured to combine the first and second supply currents to provide a combined supply current. The network further comprises a powered device configured to receive the combined supply current.
US08693495B2
A method for a device to communicate in one operational mode over a wireless network uses any suitable media access control mechanism for periodically communicating scheduled data transmission information between nodes. Scheduled data is then periodically transmitted according to the scheduled data transmission information and neighbor scheduled data is periodically listened for according to the neighbor scheduled data transmission information. Finally, the device is otherwise allowed to enter in a different operational mode.
US08693486B2
A system and method is provided for managing access communications between the service edge of a communications service provider and a customer. Access communications are carried in the form of carrier-tagged flows, the communications traffic being appended with carrier tags having significance to handling of the traffic through access network elements. A building aggregation system is provided which couples to customer premise equipment and interfaces customer flows to carrier-tagged flows used in the access network.
US08693477B2
A system and method for load balancing session initiation protocol (SIP) traffic based on bridging and tracking transactions and connections between frontend and backend devices. The method includes receiving a SIP message and parsing a header of the SIP message. The parsing may include selecting a transaction identifier. The method further includes accessing a transaction table based on the transaction identifier and selecting a connection for forwarding the SIP message. The SIP message is then forwarded by the selected connection.
US08693475B2
A transport LAN segment service is provided over a transport network. Responsibilities for configuring, provisioning and forwarding over a transport LAN segment are divided between layer 2 and 3 service provider edge devices, where the layer 3 edge device handles discovery and tunneling responsibilities, the layer 2 edge device handles learning and flooding responsibilities, and information can be exchanged between the layer 2 and 3 edge devices. Configuration is simplified by advertising TLS-label information, layer 2 address learning, and flooding when the needed configuration information has not yet been learned or discovered.
US08693462B2
Combinational networks provide simultaneous connectivity via networks of different network type between user equipment. For communication sessions on different network types, belonging to the same user equipment, a correlation check is enabled by introduction of an identifier denoted as Combinational Call Indicator (CCI). This CCI identifier in combination with the known Calling Line Identity (CLI) identifier enables user equipment and other and network entities to perform a correlation check between ongoing, or to be established, CScalls and PS-sessions. A user equipment, setting up a related communication session, sets the CCI identifier and provides the CCI identifier during the communication session setup towards the receiving user equipment or network entity, which is enabled to check whether the last received communication session is correlated to the earlier established session due to the presence of the CCI identifier.
US08693456B2
A method, system, and device for radio network aggregation are applied in communication technologies. The method for radio network aggregation transmission includes: obtaining location information of a user equipment on at least two radio networks; obtaining, according to the location information, network load information of each radio network where the user equipment is currently located; determining, according to the network load information and a preset policy, a way in which data streams of the user equipment are transmitted by using the at least two radio access technologies; and transmitting the data streams of the user equipment in the determined way. Thereby, radio network aggregation is implemented.
US08693455B2
Embodiments of the present invention include a wireless access point that acquires and processes radio frequency identification (RFID) information. The wireless access point may be coupled to a network of RFID readers over a wireless network. The RFID readers may read a plurality of RFID tags and transmit information to one or more readers. The readers may, in turn, transmit the RFID information to a wireless access point. The wireless access point may include a middleware layer for performing a variety of RFID data processing functions. In one embodiment, the wireless RFID reader network may be used to improve positioning of readers and tags, and may include a GPS system or position assisted GPS system at the reader and/or tag level.
US08693454B2
A wireless connection between a mobile device and an IP-based wireless telecommunications network is established when the mobile device registers with a network controller (NC) through an access point (AP). When a geographical position is needed for the mobile device (e.g., a 911 call), messages are exchanged between the NC and a serving mobile location center (SMLC), where the SMLC retrieves information from a database that is used to identify the geographic position of the mobile device. The database can store a variety of information related to mobile devices such as: last known position, IP address, MAC address, a mobile or subscriber identifier (such as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI)), last CGI, etc. The geographical position is communicated back to the NC, which can then forward the position information to a switch for processing such as for 911 calls.
US08693450B2
In one embodiment, different physical layer standards are segregated into different frequency channels. In one implementation, 802.11b traffic and 802.11g traffic are segregated into different frequency channels. A network management tool allows the user to specify channels to either, e.g., 802.11b-only, 802.11g-only, 802.11b preferred and 802.11g discouraged, or 802.11g preferred and 802.11b discouraged. Access points are given the capability of preventing or discouraging client traffic of either given type.
US08693449B2
The present invention relates to a TDMA communication system using the position movement of a time slot. The TDMA communication system includes a TDMA network, a network central station, and terminals. The network central station includes a receiver for receiving transmission cycle information and time slot allocation requests from the terminals, a network central station controller for writing a degree of identification for the number of cases of time slot allocation according to the information transmission cycle, searching for an allocable optimum time slot, and withdrawing a time slot from a terminal which has finished communication, a time slot management unit for allocating a time slot to the terminal based on degree of identification for the number of cases of time slot allocation written by the network central station controller, and a transmitter for transmitting information about the allocated time slot to the terminal.
US08693447B2
Methods and apparatus for a user equipment (UE) of a communication system involve receiving a signal transmitted by a base station of the communication system; determining, based on the received signal, a timing advance, and a transport block size for a signal to be transmitted by the UE; and adjusting, based on the determined timing advance and the transport block size, at least one of the start of processing information for the signal to be transmitted by the UE and a size of a memory for storing processed information for the signal to be transmitted.
US08693443B2
A base station allocates, when receiving a first code included in a predetermined code group from a first mobile station, a wireless resource in a first communication region corresponding to the first code, to the first mobile station, and allocates, when receiving a second code not included in the predetermined code group from a second mobile station, a wireless resource in a second communication region corresponding to the second code, to the second mobile station.
US08693440B2
Packets are transmitted from an apparatus to another apparatus via a plurality of carrier waves. The apparatus calculates, for each of the plurality of carrier waves, a tolerance parameter indicating a tolerable margin of the current line-quality value for causing a change of a modulation method to be used, based on a line-quality value received from the another apparatus, and allocates packets to the plurality of carrier waves based on a service-quality level assigned to each of the packets and the tolerance parameter calculated for each of the plurality of carrier waves, such that a first packet having the service-quality level equal to or higher than a second packet is allocated, on a priority basis, to a first carrier wave having the tolerance parameter equal to or larger than a second carrier wave to which the second packet is allocated.
US08693434B2
A method for performing mode-agile communications during a communications session is disclosed. A communications terminal device supporting multiple modes of access is configured to determine when, during a session involving a first mode of access communications, a second mode of access is available and is to be used for subsequent communications for the session. The communications terminal device initiates or controls switchover from one mode of access to another.
US08693433B2
Method and apparatus are provided for mapping and detecting a control channel. For the same aggregation level, according to a signaling length of a control channel corresponding to a component carrier, a corresponding search space is determined for at least two control channels that have the same signaling length, so as to enable the at least two control channels that have the same signaling length to use the same search space. The at least two control channels having the same signaling length are mapped to the determined corresponding search space. Therefore, conflicts between the control channels are reduced, and the number of times of blind detection of the control channels is also reduced.
US08693432B2
The high quality PCS communications are enabled in environments where adjacent PCS service bands operate with out-of-band harmonics that would otherwise interfere with the system's operation. The highly bandwidth-efficient communications method combines a form of time division duplex (TDD), frequency division duplex (FDD), time division multiple access (TDMA), orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), spatial diversity, and polarization diversity in various unique combinations. The method provides excellent fade resistance. The method enables changing a user's available bandwidth on demand by assigning additional TDMA slots during the user's session.
US08693429B2
Apparatus and methods for generation and use of reference signals in a wireless communications system are described. A group-specific reference signal pattern may be generated for provision to a group of UEs or terminals in communication with an eNodeB or base station. The reference signal may be generated based on system parameters. Reference signals may be generated to span multiple contiguous physical resource blocks.
US08693428B2
A base station determines both a transmission interval between scheduling requests which a mobile station transmits before transmitting uplink data and information about radio resources used for transmitting the scheduling requests, based on the status of the mobile station and/or QoS information transmitted from the mobile station. The mobile station generates the scheduling requests. The mobile station controls the transmission of the scheduling requests based on the transmission interval and the radio resources. The mobile station transmits the scheduling requests. The base station detects correlation based on the scheduling requests which are transmitted from the mobile station based on the transmission interval and the radio resources, and feeds delay information back to the mobile station. The mobile station maintains synchronization based on the delay information transmitted from the base station.
US08693420B2
A system and method for signaling and transmitting uplink reference signals are provided. A method for communications controller operations includes signaling information about a set of sequence groups to a first communications device, where the first communications device uses a sequence in the set of sequence groups to modulate a reference signal. The method also includes selecting a sequence group from the set of sequence groups and signaling information about the selected sequence group to the first communications device.
US08693417B2
To suppress deterioration of retransmission efficiency and retransmit a transmission signal efficiently, provided are a base station apparatus which divides, in a retransmission block dividing section, a transmission signal into retransmission blocks according to a retransmission block table with which are registered the numbers of the retransmission blocks, each of the transmission blocks is a retransmission unit of a transmission signal, the numbers of the retransmission blocks are required numbers corresponding to the number of transmission antennas and the system bandwidth in case that the maximum value of the size of the retransmission block is fixed to a certain value, and retransmits in downlink transmission signals associated with the divided retransmission blocks, and a mobile terminal apparatus which receives the transmission signals associated with the retransmission blocks from the base station apparatus, and combines the retransmission blocks to restore the transmission signal prior to division.
US08693412B2
The present invention provides a method involving a configurable random access channel structure. One embodiment of the method includes generating a random access channel burst that includes a cyclic prefix and a selected number of repetitions of a preamble. The number of repetitions is selected based on at least one of a cell radius and a radio transmission frequency. This embodiment of the method also includes transmitting the random access channel burst over an air interface.
US08693406B2
Various embodiments are directed to multi-user resource allocation capable of significantly reducing MAC header overhead and scheduling delay for small payload applications, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and interactive gaming and to increase the capacity of such applications. In various implementations, multi-user resource allocation may be used in mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) systems designed to operate in accordance with the Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) standards such as the 802.16e-2005 standard and/or the evolving IEEE 802.16m standard as well as Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE), and/or 3GPP2 Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) standards.
US08693404B2
A system, method, and computer readable medium for transmit protection in a femtocell system are provided. A multi-stage transmit protection routine prohibits radio transmissions for unregistered femtocell systems and transmissions from femtocell systems in unauthorized areas. A femtocell system may request transmission authorization from a base station manager. The base station manager may provide an authorization failure if the femtocell system is not registered or if the source address of the femtocell system is not within a predefined distance of a registered location of the femtocell system. If the femtocell is provided a transmission authorization, the femtocell system may obtain a GPS location from a user equipment and provide the GPS location to the base station manager which evaluates the location. The base station manager may provide an authorization failure if the GPS location is not within a predefined distance of the registered location of the femtocell system.
US08693399B2
A gateway apparatus including: a route control packet generating unit that generates a route control packet for constructing routes between node apparatuses forming an ad hoc network and the gateway apparatus; a channel designation signal generating unit that generates channel designation signal for designating a second channel different from a first channel on which the ad hoc network transmits and receives packets; a time designation signal generating unit that generates time designation signal for designating switching time to the node apparatus for switching the channel used for transmission and reception of packets to the second channel; a radio communication unit that transmits the route control packet, the channel designation signal and the time designation signal on the first channel; and a channel switching unit that switches, when it is time to switch, the channel on which the radio communication unit transmits and receives a signal to the second channel.
US08693390B2
A mobile telephone having a relaying function, the relaying function being a function of wirelessly connecting to an external device and a base station and of relaying data between the external device and the base station, the mobile telephone comprising: a first wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the external device; and a second wireless communication unit configured to perform wireless communication with the base station, wherein during a relay period for relaying data between the external device and the base station, transmission power of the second wireless communication unit is controlled within a limit of a second maximum power that is smaller than a first maximum power, and when voice communication is started in a course of the control using the second maximum power, the transmission power is controlled within a limit of the first maximum power.
US08693387B2
A transceiver station is provided for forming a telecommunications network node. The station includes at least two transceiver radio modules and a control module. Each transceiver module is adapted to operate alternatingly as a subscriber station and as a base station, as a function of commands from the control module. The control module is adapted to determine a modification of the state of the network and to dynamically control at least one change in the operation of at least one transceiver module, from subscriber station to base station or vice versa, as a function of at least the determined modification. The control module is adapted so that the number of subscriber stations connected to a base station is at most equal to 1.
US08693385B2
Provided is a repeater for relaying communication by achieving synchronization with a base station and a mobile station without using GPS. The repeater includes a donor unit communicating with the base station and a remote unit communicating with the mobile station. Upon receipt of a signal from the base station, the donor unit specifies a preamble of the received signal to achieve synchronization with the base station. This determines start of each frame in the communication between the base station and the repeater. After the synchronization achievement, the remote unit starts performing procedures for achieving synchronization with the mobile station. Upon notification of the start timing of each frame from the donor unit, the remote unit determines the notified timing as start timing of each frame in the communication between the repeater and the mobile station, and transmits a preamble referred to by the mobile station when it achieves synchronization.
US08693380B2
A method and apparatus for improving power performance of a wireless adapter which adopts a time slicing scheme by dividing a beacon interval into multiple slices, and assigning these slices to the stations through the beacon frame. The stations wakeup at the appointed slices to receive their buffered frames from an access point, and may enter into sleep state once the transactions conclude. A further embodiment including formatting data into a control frame for use in a wireless local area network, the frame including an indication, for each station associated with the wireless local area network, whether frames are buffered awaiting transmission to each respective station, a number of time intervals between control frames, and at which time interval the transmission of the buffered frames will begin for each station having buffered frames awaiting transmission.
US08693377B1
A computer implemented method and system is provided for exchanging voice messages between a sender and a recipient. A client component that allows the sender to create, address, and render the voice messages to the recipient using a graphical user interface is provided. A messaging server that enables interaction between the sender and the recipient is also provided. The sender records one or more voice messages and addresses the recorded voice messages on the client component by entering a recipient address or an arbitrary address. The client component transmits the recorded voice messages, the recipient address or the arbitrary address, and a client identifier to the messaging server. The messaging server resolves a recipient delivery address based on the arbitrary address. The messaging server transmits a delivery message comprising the recorded voice messages to the resolved recipient delivery address. The recipient responds to the recorded voice messages with response messages.
US08693376B2
The present invention relates to a method for monitoring media flow in a telecommunication network. The network comprises a media-handling node (MHN) through which, sessions between subscribers are transported via first ports (PI1-PI5) and second ports (PO1-PO5). An extra port (XP1-XP5) is assigned to the media-handling node (MHN) for each new session that is transported through the node. The method comprises the following steps: storing in a database (LI-DB), identification of a first subscriber (A) for which monitoring is desired; a connection is set-up between the first subscriber (A) and second subscriber (B); an assigned extra port (XP1) that is adherent to the session between the first and second subscriber (A, B) is connected; the session between the first and second subscriber is monitored via the connected extra port (XP1).
US08693375B2
One embodiment relates to a method of automated multiple-instance spanning tree reconfiguration. Query packets are sent to switches within an multiple-instance spanning tree (MST) region, and response packets are received from the switches with traffic utilization data for ports of the switches. An MST reconfiguration is determined. The MST reconfiguration is propagated to the switches within the MST region. Other embodiments and features are also disclosed.
US08693371B2
Methods, apparatus, and products for inferred discovery of a data communications device connected to a router, unreachable by a management module, and characterized by a device address are disclosed that include querying, by the management module, the router for connection data and identifying, by the management module in dependence upon the connection data, the device address.
US08693368B2
A method for remote identification of a network node of a network is described herein. The network includes a plurality of network nodes and each network node of the plurality of network nodes corresponds to an identifier. An activation signal is received by the network node. In response to receiving the activation signal, a message including information identifying the network node is sent. The identifier corresponding to the network node is determined by a remote node of the network based on the message.
US08693363B2
Systems (100, 200) and methods for providing TDMA communication. The methods involve determining a channel quality of an uplink channel. A communication delay is set equal to an integer value “K”. “K” is selected based on the channel quality. “K”≦“N”. “N” is a total number of frames of a time slot of a TDMA signal (400). Thereafter, First Message Data (FMD) is communicated over the uplink channel in a first time slot (A1) of an uplink signal (1000, 1100, 1200, 1400, 1500, 1600). An Error Control Process (ECP) is performed using FMD to at least identify First Error Free Message Data (FEFMD). Filler data and/or at least a portion of FEFMD is communicated over a downlink channel in a last “N−K” frames of a time slot (A1) of a downlink signal (1050, 1150, 1250, 1450, 1550, 1650), when “K”<“N”.
US08693360B2
The present invention is related to a method and arrangement for performing handover decisions in a communication network, wherein the handover decisions are related to user equipment receiving packet data on a shared downlink traffic channel from a current serving cell. The method comprises the steps of providing (381, 382) a quality measure related to the shared downlink traffic channel of the serving cell and to at least one target cell, determining (383) a relation between the quality measure related to the shared downlink traffic channel of the serving cell and the target cell, and performing the handover decision based on said determined relation and based on the size of the provided quality measure related to the shared downlink traffic channel of the serving cell.
US08693346B2
An on-vehicle gateway device connected to an information system network and a control system network of a vehicle executes monitoring the status of an information system via an information system access circuit taking charge of message transmission and reception to and from the information system network, and an information system management step to manage information acquired by the information system monitoring, monitoring the status of a control system via a control system access circuit taking charge of message transmission and reception to and from the control system network, and a control system management step to manage information acquired by the control system monitoring, managing policies for access control by the access control circuit controlling data flows between the information system access circuit and the control system access circuit, and determining whether or not to update the policies managed by policy management and to update the policies.
US08693341B2
A stacked switch includes two or more individual network switches connected to each other in a ring or daisy chain topology over stacking links, and at least one port on two or more of the individual switches comprising the stacked switch is a member of a LAG configured on the stacked switch. Each of the individual switches comprising the stacked switch include control plane and data plane functionality that operates to maintain switching tables and to process network data ingressing to the switch to determine how to forward the network data through the switch to an egress point. The control functionality included in each of the switches comprising the stacked switch also includes an enhanced ECMP functionality that operates to optimize the use of stacking link bandwidth on the stacking links connecting the two or more individual switches to each other.
US08693336B2
Methods and apparatus for making communications decisions are described. In some embodiments, a method includes recovering a first quality of service level from a first transmission request signal directed to a second communications device, and making a decision whether or not to transmit traffic data to a third communications device based on the recovered first quality of service level. In other embodiments a method includes recovering a first quality of service level from a first transmission request signal, and making a decision whether or not to transmit a first transmission request response signal in response to a second transmission request signal based on the recovered first quality of service level. In some embodiments, the phase of the transmission request signal is used to communicate the quality of service level. The device transmitting the transmission request signal may also transmit pilots which can be used as phase reference signals.
US08693313B2
A packet is transmitted from a transmitting device to an active communication device which transmits a reception history identifying the received packets to the transmitting device. The transmitting device transmits an active-mode request message to a standby communication device when having failed to receive the reception history from the active communication device within a predetermined time period. Then, the standby communication device becomes a new active communication device, and the active communication device becomes an old active communication device. The new active communication device transmits to the transmitting device a switching request message for switching a destination of the packet from the old active communication device to the new active communication device. The transmitting device retransmits packets that have been transmitted from the transmitting device to the old active communication device and have failed to be received by the old active communication device, to the new active communication device.
US08693308B2
Rapid failure detection and recovery in wireless communication networks is needed in order to meet, among other things, carrier class Ethernet transport channel standards. Thus, resilient wireless packet communications is provided using a hardware-assisted rapid transport channel failure detection algorithm and a Gigabit Ethernet data access card with an engine configured accordingly. In networks with various topologies, this is provided in combination with their existing protocols, such as rapid spanning tree and link aggregation protocols, respectively.
US08693304B2
Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate generating and/or analyzing downlink transmission units in OFDM TDD environments. Beacon signals may be selectively inserted within downlink transmission units; for example, the position of Beacon signals may vary from cell to cell. Further, the position may be a function of a characteristic of a cell (e.g., cell identifier) and/or an expected drift. Moreover, a Beacon signal may be interjected at a location in a downlink transmission unit so as to mitigate alignment with disparate Beacon signals in downlink transmission units associated with differing cells. Additionally, an identity of a cell providing downlink transmission units may be determined by analyzing a position of the Beacon signal within the downlink transmission units.
US08693300B1
A system includes a position detection module configured to detect at least a first position indicator and a second position indicator corresponding to a label side of an optical disc. A write clock adjustment module is configured to determine a number of cycles of a write clock that occur between the first position indicator and the second position indicator, determine a difference between the number of cycles of the write clock and a desired number of cycles of the write clock, and adjust a frequency of the write clock based on the difference.
US08693298B2
A recording apparatus includes: a light illumination and light sensing unit configured to illuminate an optical disc recording medium including a reference surface having address information recorded and a recording layer, with recording light and light for position control; a recording unit which performs recording on the recording layer; and a control unit which controls, when data instructed to be recorded is to be recorded from an instructed recording start address, the recording unit to perform recording of dummy data on an area adjacent to a front side at least from the recording start address over a range of equal to or greater than the maximum spot deviation amount between an illumination spot of the light for position control and an illumination spot of the recording light and to perform recording of the data instructed to be recorded in succession to a recorded area of the dummy data.
US08693296B2
A digital loop filter receives a phase error output from a phase comparator to generate a digital frequency value. This digital frequency value is converted into an analog voltage by a D/A converter, and VCO outputs a synchronizing dock of frequency corresponding to the voltage output from the D/A converter. The phase error output from a phase comparator is gain-corrected by a product of an output from the digital loop filter and a specific coefficient “A”, and delivered to digital loop filter. The phase error input to the digital loop filter is changed in proportion to the output clock frequency, whereby the PLL loop as whole linearly controls the loop characteristic depending on the output clock frequency.
US08693291B2
In the conventional clock, it is difficult to instantly grasp the additional information upon looking at the time and the information is not efficiently utilized. The clock is not popular among people of all ages.In order to solve the above deficiencies, we provide a clock which comprises a clock face for indicating time, having a nearly full-screen display function and an outline appearing to be a face, a storage for facial expression information, storing a plurality of facial expression information displayable on the display, an acquisition unit for external information, acquiring external information, a storage for correspondence information, storing correspondence information for correlating the external information with the facial expression information, and a clock face controller, acquiring the facial expression information to be displayed on the display from the storage for facial expression information by utilizing the external information and the correspondence information, and displaying the information on the display.
US08693289B2
A timepiece device with multiple-hand includes: one or more hands driven to rotate by one or more driving motors; one or more gear train mechanisms include gears which transmit a rotation movement of the driving motors to the hands; and a support plate which supports the gears; wherein the gears include: a first gear which includes a pair of gear members provided on front and rear sides of the support plate; a second gear which meshes with a gear member provided on the rear side to transmit a rotation movement of one of the driving motors to the first gear; and a third gear which meshes with a gear member provided on the front side to transmit a rotation movement of one of the driving motors to the hands.
US08693285B2
Disclosed are a sound generation system, an ultrasonic wave emitting device, and an ultrasonic wave emitting method which utilize the principle of parametric speakers (which uses the difference between frequencies of two ultrasonic waves) and which are capable of allowing target persons in a prescribed area to hear a sound only when a mobile body approaches said prescribed area. An alert system (10) has an ultrasonic wave emitting device (100) mounted on a mobile body (200), and an ultrasonic wave emitting device (300) permanently installed near an area (A101). The ultrasonic wave emitting device (300) emits a first ultrasonic wave towards an area at least including the aforementioned area (A101), and meanwhile, the ultrasonic wave emitting device (100) emits a second ultrasonic wave. The ultrasonic emitting device (100) forms the second ultrasonic wave by means of modulating the ultrasonic wave of frequency f1 with an audible signal.
US08693282B2
A technique includes receiving seismic data acquired by seismic sensors; and processing the seismic data on a machine to deghost the data. The processing includes deghosting the seismic data using a first deghosting technique that relies on a ghost model; deghosting the seismic data using a second deghosting technique that is independent from any modeling of the ghost; and selectively combining the results of the deghosting using the first and second deghosting techniques.
US08693281B2
An elongate body for parenteral injection at low velocity from a device is described. The body has at least one pointed end and comprises at least one active material. In addition, the body has a compressive strength of greater than or equal to 5 Newton and the pointed end has an included angle of between about 10-50°. A solid vaccine formulation for needle-free parenteral delivery, methods for making the body, packaging of the body and use of the body, packaging and suitable delivery device are also described.
US08693277B2
Such a device is disclosed that includes a first chip outputting a bank address signal and an active signal, and a plurality of second chips stacked on the first chip. Each of the second chips includes a plurality of memory banks each selected based on the bank address signal. Selected one or ones of the memory banks is brought into an active state in response to the active signal. Each of the second chips activates a local bank active signal when at least one of the memory banks included therein is in the active state. The first chip activates a bank active signal when at least one of the local bank active signals is activated.
US08693276B2
The present invention discloses a power supply. The power supply may comprise an input power terminal, a capacitor module, a first converter module and a second converter module. The first converter module may have a first terminal and a second terminal, wherein the first terminal is coupled to the input power terminal and the second terminal is coupled to the capacitor module. The second converter module may comprise an input and an output, wherein the input of the second converter module is coupled to the input power terminal, and the output of the second converter module is configured to supply a load.
US08693272B2
A circuit includes a degeneration p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) transistor, a load PMOS transistor, and a clamp transistor configured to clamp a voltage applied to a resistance based memory element during a sensing operation. A gate of the load PMOS transistor is controlled by an output of an operational amplifier.
US08693267B2
A system and a method to improve signal synchronization in a plurality of signal paths traversing multiple voltage domains. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure a memory arrangement is preferred for signal synchronization. All read/write and clocks signals and other control signals are driven to periphery supply (Vp) levels, except wordline (WL[i]) signals which are driven at core supply (Vc) level. By doing so, lower average and peak current consumption associated with core supply (Vc) is achieved with constant delays and maintaining required signal synchronization in the signal paths traversing multiple voltage domains.
US08693254B2
A limiter circuit compares a voltage of a control gate line and a set voltage, thereby switching the logic of a flag signal. A booster circuit starts or stops its operation according to the logic of the flag signal. A leak reference circuit has a function of leaking a leak reference current from the control gate line. A counter generates a first count value by counting the number of times the flag signal logic changes in a condition that a word-line transfer transistor is rendered non-conductive and a leak reference circuit is driven, while the counter generates a second count value by counting the number of times the flag signal logic changes in a condition that the word-line transfer transistor is rendered conductive and the leak reference circuit is undriven. A comparator compares the first count value and the second count value.
US08693236B2
A hierarchical sectioned bit line of an SRAM memory device, an SRAM memory device having a sectioned bit line in hierarchy, and associated systems and methods are described. In one illustrative implementation, each sectioned bit line may comprise a local bit line, a memory cell connected to the local bit line, and a pass gate coupled to the local bit line, wherein the pass gate is configured to be coupled to a global bit line, and wherein the sectioned bit lines are arranged in hierarchical arrays. In other implementations, a hierarchical SRAM memory device may be configured involving sectioned bit lines and a global bit line wherein the pass gates are configured to connect and isolate the sectioned bit line and the global bit line.
US08693231B2
A memory device includes a first bit line coupled to a first source/drain region of a first multiplexer gate, a second bit line coupled to a first source/drain region of a second multiplexer gate, and a sensing device having an input coupled to a second source/drain region of the first multiplexer gate and a second source/drain region of the second multiplexer gate. The input of the sensing device is formed at a vertical level that is different than a vertical level at which at least one of the first and second bit lines is formed.
US08693229B2
A power regeneration apparatus includes a power conversion unit, an AC reactor, a voltage detecting unit, a phase detecting unit, a drive control unit for controlling the power conversion unit based on a phase detection value, and a reactive current component detecting unit. The phase detecting unit detects the phase of the AC power supply. The reactive current component detecting unit detects a reactive current component of a current. The drive control unit includes a phase correction section. The phase correction section corrects the phase detection value based on the reactive current component.
US08693226B2
An inverter comprising: a circuit including arms connected in parallel, each of the arms including a first switch and a second switch connected in series; and a gate drive circuit configured to control, by pulse-width modulation using synchronous rectification, each of the first switch and the second switch to switch to an on-state or an off-state, wherein each of the first switch and the second switch includes: a channel region that is conductive in both a forward direction and a reverse direction in the on-state, and that is not conductive in the forward direction in the off-state; and a diode region that is combined as one with the channel region, and that is conductive only in the reverse direction, the diode region being unipolar, and the gate drive circuit synchronizes a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the first switch to switch to the on-state with a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the second switch to switch to the off-state, and synchronizes a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the first switch to switch to the off-state with a timing at which the gate drive circuit outputs a signal for causing the second switch to switch to the on-state.
US08693219B2
A power factor improvement circuit includes a low frequency filter unit installed between two electrodes of an output terminal of a rectifier unit for adjusting voltage and current inputted to a PWM control IC in-phase, and first and second compensation circuits installed at a current compensation terminal and a voltage compensation terminal of the PWM control IC respectively, and the first and second compensation circuits are provided for reducing the current gain of the phase adjustment unit to avoid any unnecessary action of the PWM control IC, so as to achieve the effect of controlling a power factor to a level over 0.90 when a full voltage of 90-264V is inputted.
US08693215B2
A DC/DC converter may include a power stage circuit, a pulse generator circuit, a flux density monitor, and power control logic. The power stage circuit includes an input, an output, and a transformer with a core. The power stage circuit may be configured to operate in a power transfer phase during which power is transferred from the input to the output and a reset phase during which flux density in the core of the transformer is reduced. The pulse generator circuit may be configured to generate pulses that regulate the output of the power stage circuit. The flux density monitor circuit may be configured to generate flux density information indicative of the flux density of the core of the transformer during both the power transfer phase and the reset phase. The power stage control logic may be configured to regulate the output of the power stage circuit based on the pulses and to prevent the core of the transformer from saturating based on the flux density information.
US08693205B2
A control unit is provided and a method for assembling such a control unit for a personal protection device for a vehicle. A circuit board is installed between a plastic cover and a plastic floor. An interface is positioned on the circuit board, for an electrical connection to at least one additional vehicle component. At least one opening is provided in the plastic cover for the electrical connection.
US08693201B2
An intermediate member includes: a base section including a fixing portion provided on a circuit board along the outer periphery of a switch section, and a cylindrical held portion formed integrally with the upper end of the fixing portion; a operator portion operable to drive the switch section; and a resilient connection portion resiliently connecting the operator portion to the base section. A panel member and the circuit board are fixed in face-to-face pressed engagement with each other with the intermediate member sandwiched therebetween. The operator portion is partly exposed out of an opening portion formed in the panel member, the held portion is held fitted with a cylindrical holding portion provided on the lower surface of the panel member, and the fixing portion is sandwiched between the lower end of the holding portion and the upper surface of the circuit board.
US08693197B2
The present invention provides a heat sink device, suitable to the heat dissipation of a high-power medium-voltage drive power cell. The device comprises a heat dissipation substrate having a first surface, a second surface and an inner layer between the first surface and the second surface; a heat pipe having an evaporation section and a condensation section. The evaporation section is buried in the inner layer of the heat dissipation substrate, and the condensation section is used to dissipate the heat from the evaporation section to the air. The power elements of the high-power medium-voltage drive power cell are disposed on the first surface and the second surface, respectively.
US08693192B2
A portable electronic device includes a main body, a casing and a supporting unit. The casing is detachably connected to the main body. The supporting unit is connected to the casing and is rotatable relative to the casing. When the supporting unit rotates to a first position, the supporting unit supports the main body. When the supporting unit rotates to a second position, the casing and the main body are separated.
US08693191B2
A lock device includes a first magnetic component, an electromagnetic member, an electromagnetic lock module and a second magnetic component. The first magnetic component is disposed inside a first casing movably in a first direction. The electromagnetic member is disposed inside a second casing movably in a second direction. The electromagnetic lock module is disposed inside the second casing for magnetizing the electromagnetic member, such that the electromagnetic member is moved in the second direction to attract the first magnetic component when the second casing is closed to the first casing. The second magnetic component is disposed inside the first casing and for activating the electromagnetic member when moving to a first activating position in the first direction, such that the electromagnetic lock module stops magnetizing the electromagnetic member, so as to release attraction between the electromagnetic member and the first magnetic component.
US08693182B2
A fixing mechanism for storage device includes a frame, and a detent component. One sidewall of the frame has a latch member. The detent component is movably disposed on the sidewall of the frame, and has a pressing component and an operating component. The operating component is disposed with at least one stop block. When the operating component is moved relative to the frame to a press position, the pressing component pushes the latch member to engage with the storage device, the stop block is embedded in the frame, and the detent component is held in the press position. Accordingly, the storage device may be fixed to the frame rapidly without using any screw, the operating procedure is dramatically simplified, and the space occupied by the fixing mechanism and the manufacturing cost are reduced.
US08693176B2
A drainage system is provided for draining liquid accidentally spilled on a casing having a plurality of pushbuttons on a surface of the casing. The drainage system for a pushbutton casing may comprise a liquid collecting receptacle, a counter-bore, and a drainage exit. The counter-bore may have a sidewall. The liquid collecting receptacle may be operatively interfacing the casing. The drainage exit may be disposed on the sidewall of the counter-bore. An end opening of the counter-bore may be in connection with a drainage exit. The end opening of the counter-bore may be disposed to allow liquid entering the drainage exit out of the end opening of the counter-bore.
US08693159B2
A method and system for diagnostic coverage of safety components monitors the state of a safety chain and each of the safety devices in the chain. A fault condition is detected if one of the safety devices indicates that the safety chain should be open but the safety chain indicates that it is closed. In order to prevent an inadvertent reset of the fault condition by opening the safety chain via a second safety device, the fault condition is latched until the monitoring system verifies that the faulty safety device has been corrected.
US08693157B2
A substrate including an ESD protection function includes an insulating substrate, at least one of circuit elements or a wiring pattern and an ESD protection portion. In the ESD protection portion, facing portions of at least one pair of discharge electrodes are disposed in a cavity provided in the insulating substrate so that the ends face each other. The discharge electrodes are electrically connected to the circuit elements and or the wiring pattern.
US08693156B2
A protection apparatus for a load circuit is provided which can miniaturize electric wires and semiconductor switches by using a switch circuit simulating the current interruption time characteristics of fuses. A conductor resistance r and a heat resistance R used in each of a heat generation temperature calculation expression and a heat dissipation temperature calculation expression are respectively changed into a pseudo conductor resistance r* and a pseudo heat resistance R*, then the heat generation amount and the heat dissipation amount of the electric wire are calculated, and current temperature of the electric wire is estimated. When the estimation temperature reaches allowable temperature, an electronic switch S1 is turned off to thereby protect the load circuit. As a result, each of the electric wires and the semiconductor switches used in the load circuit can be protected from over heat.
US08693153B2
A device for interrupting the flow of electrical power in an electrical distribution system is provided. The device includes a sensor operably coupled to the electrical distribution system. A switching mechanism is coupled to the electrical distribution system, the switching mechanism movable between an open position and a closed position. A controller operably coupled to the sensor and the switching mechanism, the controller having a processor that is responsive to executable computer instructions when executed on the processor incrementing a first counter in a first mode of operation and a second counter in a second mode of operation. Wherein the processor is further responsive to executable computer instructions for switching from the first mode to the second mode in response to a signal from the sensor.
US08693152B2
A Power over Ethernet (PoE) Power Device (PD) circuit and a protection circuit of electrostatic discharge (ESD) thereof are provided. The protection circuit of ESD includes a transient voltage suppressor (TVS) and a high-voltage capacitor, wherein the TVS and the high-voltage capacitor are coupled in series between a negative power terminal and a grounding terminal to reduce system malfunctions or damages when ESD or transient voltage surge occurs.
US08693150B2
A semiconductor apparatus includes: first and second power-supply terminals; an internal circuit connected between the first and second power-supply terminals; and a protection circuit connected in parallel with the internal circuit between the first and second power-supply terminals, the protection circuit including: a series circuit that includes a resistor and a first capacitor, and is connected in parallel with the internal circuit between the first and second power-supply terminals; a first MOS transistor that is connected in parallel with the series circuit, and is controlled according to a voltage at a connection point between the resistor and the first capacitor; and a switch circuit that is connected in parallel with the resistor, is turned on in a delayed manner after a power-supply voltage is applied between the first and second power-supply terminals, and changes the voltage at the connection point so that the first MOS transistor is turned off.
US08693144B1
A head gimbal assembly (HGA) for a disk drive is disclosed. The HGA includes a load beam, a flexure, and a slider attached to the load beam by the flexure. The load beam comprises one or more apertures configured to pass a laser beam at each of at least three non collinear points to measure at least one slider parameter. The method for measuring at least one slider parameter includes positioning the slider over a rotating medium and projecting a laser beam through the one or more apertures in the load beam.
US08693131B1
A system includes a self-servo-write (SSW) module, a read module, and a write module. The SSW module writes servo spirals on a magnetic medium of a hard disk drive (HDD) via a write head of the HDD. The read module reads the servo spirals via a read head of the HDD and generates read signals. The write module writes non-servo data on the magnetic medium via the write head based on the read signals before the SSW module writes servo wedges on the magnetic medium.
US08693130B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk device is configured to read data from and write data to a magnetic disk using a magnetic head and provided with a control module that controls initial operation of the magnetic disk device according to initial firmware. The magnetic disk device includes a reader, a retainer, a blocker, and a switch. The reader reads control firmware stored in the magnetic disk. The retainer fixes a servo control amount for the magnetic head after the control firmware is read, and retains the magnetic head at a predetermined position above the magnetic disk. The blocker blocks input of an interrupt signal to the control module. The switch switches the initial firmware to the control firmware after the servo control amount is fixed and the input of an interrupt signal is blocked.
US08693128B2
In a controller of a tape drive, a command processing unit receives a request to write new data, an offset determination unit determines whether old data is not partially overwritten with new data, and if old data is not partially overwritten with new data, a head position management unit makes a write head offset toward the unoverwritten portion. Then, a channel input/output unit reads pattern data that disables old data from a pattern storage unit and outputs the data to the write head to thereby overwrite the old data with the pattern data. After that, a tape transport management unit rewinds a tape and the head position management unit returns the write head to the original position to overwrite the old data with the new data as usual.
US08693127B2
A method and apparatus for bipolar writing of servo marks to perpendicular and non-oriented magnetic recording medium. The method includes applying a varying current to a servo write head to alternately AC-erase and write sets of servo marks to regions of a servo track of a magnetic recording medium proximate to first and second write gaps, each servo mark of the sets of servo marks comprising first and second abutting magnetic domains of opposite magnetization directions, the magnetic recording medium moving with respect to the first and second write gaps in a recording direction, the magnetic recording medium being either (i) a perpendicular magnetic storage medium having magnetic particles with their easy axes oriented perpendicular to a top surface of the perpendicular storage medium or (ii) a non-oriented magnetic storage medium having magnetic particles with their easy axes randomly oriented relative to a top surface of the non-orientated storage medium.
US08693108B2
This invention provides an image capturing lens system comprising: a positive first lens element having a convex object-side surface; a negative second lens element having a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface; a third lens element with refractive power; a positive fourth lens element having a convex image-side surface, both of the object-side and image-side surfaces being aspheric; a fifth lens element with refractive power having a concave image-side surface, both of the object-side and image-side surfaces being aspheric, at least one inflection point is positioned on the image-side surface thereof. When some particular relations are satisfied, the light-focusing spots of various wavelengths can be favorably adjusted for extending the depth of field; therefore, the present image capturing lens system shall be suitable for compact electronic products with Extended Depth of Field (EDOF) function.
US08693104B2
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 combined with a segment of a torus convex to the optical axis. Embodiments may also include a lens of suitable size and shape for inclusion in a contact lens.
US08693096B2
A diffractive optical element includes multiple diffraction gratings laminated and made of at least three material types, wherein the multiple diffraction gratings include: a first combination part including two diffraction gratings of materials different from each other in which grating side surfaces of grating parts contact with each other or are disposed close to each other in a grating pitch direction; and a second combination part including two diffraction gratings of materials different from each other in which at least one material is different from the materials of the first combination part; and when N1Aw and N1Bw denote refractive indices of the first combination part at a wavelength (w), ν1A and ν1B denote Abbe numbers, N2Ad and N2Bd denote refractive indices of the second combination part on a d-line, ν2A and ν2B denote Abbe numbers, the wavelength (w) is 370
US08693088B2
An optical transmission and amplification system includes a multichannel transmission span with a length of a multicore transmission fiber having a plurality of individual transmission cores. A first tapered multicore coupler provides connectivity between the plurality of transmission cores of the multicore fiber and a respective plurality of individual transmission leads. A fiber amplifier is provided having a plurality of individual cores including at least one pump core and a plurality of amplifier core. A second tapered multicore coupler provides connectivity between the amplifier cores of the fiber amplifier and a respective plurality of amplifier leads, and between the at least one pump core and a respective pump lead.
US08693084B2
A transmissive micromechanical device includes a substrate, an optical stack over the substrate and a moveable membrane over the optical stack. The moveable membrane may include a partially reflective mirror and be configured to move from a first position to a second position. When the movable membrane is in the first position the transmissive micromechanical device is configured to pass light of a predetermined color and when the movable membrane is in the second position, the micromechanical device is configured to block substantially all of light incident on the substrate.
US08693075B2
Optical beams emitted by optical sources are incident on a mirror surface of a scan mirror in a substantially vertical direction and reflected in a substantially vertical direction by the scan mirror. The mirror surface of the scan mirror is driven to repeatedly rotate two-dimensionally by a predetermined scan angle by a scan mirror drive circuit. A polarized beam splitter causes the optical beam emitted by the optical source to be incident on the scan mirror through a quarter wave plate, and outputs the optical beam that has been reflected by the scan mirror and passed through the quarter wave plate toward the screen. A scan angle expander is arranged on the output side of the polarized beam splitter, whereby the scan angle of the optical beam is increased by N times.
US08693071B2
An image processing apparatus includes an acceptance unit that accepts an image of an original from an image reader having a conveying unit that conveys an original in sequence along a conveying path passing through a read position and an image read unit that reads the image of the original at the read position at read speed responsive to conveying speed of the original; an acquisition unit that acquires information concerning a stable read range in which the read speed in the conveying direction in the original becomes a stable state from storage in which the information is previously stored; and a registration unit that extracts feature information concerning a microscopic pattern that a surface of the original has from a registration area in the image of the original accepted by the acceptance unit and registers the feature information in association with position information concerning a position of the registration area.
US08693068B2
An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, an extraction unit and a generation unit. The reading unit outputs reference plate reading information. The extraction unit sets a pixel of the reference plate reading information as a notice pixel and repeatedly extracts one of the notice pixel as a target pixel until the number of the target pixels is more than a predetermined value when a ratio of a pixel value of the notice pixel to an initial value is more than a predetermined range. The generation unit generates correction information by substituting a pixel value of the target pixel with a correction value using the initial value when the extraction unit extracts all pixels of the reference plate reading information, and generates correction information by setting the pixel values of all the pixels as the initial value when the extraction unit does not extract all the pixels.
US08693065B2
A carry case includes a body, a cover, and a lock unit. The body houses an image scanner. The cover is supported with respect to the body such that the cover can rotate around a longitudinal direction of the body. The lock unit locks the cover to the body in a closing state in which the cover covers the body after being rotated with respect to the body in an approaching direction along which the cover approaches the body. The cover is rotated with respect to the body in a withdrawing direction opposite to the approaching direction while the lock held by the lock unit is being released, so that the cover is developed to form a discharge path of a read medium.
US08693056B2
Systems and methods for printing a 3D object on a three-dimensional (3D) printer are described. The methods semi-automatically or automatically delineate an item in an image, receive a 3D model of the item, matches said item to said 3D model, and send the matched 3D model to a 3D printer.
US08693053B2
An image forming apparatus includes a duplex conveyance path where a recording medium can be reversed and re-fed; and an output image detector to detect an image or a test pattern formed on a surface of the recording medium. The image forming apparatus is configured to: detect the test pattern formed on the first side of the recording medium by the output image detector; adjust and correct image forming conditions based on the detection result of the detector; convey the recording medium the first side of which the test pattern is formed on, to a duplex conveyance path; re-feed the recording medium and form a test pattern for verifying correction effect on a backside of the recording medium after correcting and updating the image forming conditions; and detect the test pattern formed on the backside of the recording medium again by the output image detector, thereby verifying the correction effect.
US08693052B2
An electronic document generating apparatus adds, if the same attribute as an attribute of a layer to be processed of an original electronic document is not stored in a layer attribute DB, the attribute to the layer attribute DB, and analyzes an OBJ of a layer of the page to be processed in the original electronic document, and if the OBJ is an OBJ whose size-reduction is not permitted, stores “reduction-inhibited OBJ: ON” in the layer attribute DB as one of the attributes of the layer, and if the OBJ is an OBJ that includes personal data, stores “personal data: ON” in the layer attribute DB as one of the attributes of the layer, and further performs imposition of the page to be processed in the original electronic document according to the content of the layer attribute DB and an imposition method designated by the user.
US08693045B2
A printing control device which includes a printing density determination unit which obtains attribute information of an object included in input document data, and determines a printing density for printing the object according to the line width of an image of the object for which attribute information is a line drawing attribute.
US08693036B2
Data output from an existing application to specific devices can be easily distributed to plural devices. A method of distributing device-specific data output from an application on a computer that executes a specific process according to an application and has two or more communication ports causes the computer to execute a step of acquiring device-specific data output by an executed program to one specific communication port at the operating system kernel layer before the device-specific data is received at the communication port; and a step of analyzing the device-specific data acquired at the application layer, determines the device to which the device-specific data, and outputs the device-specific data to the communication port to which the device is connected.
US08693033B2
An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image on a print medium. The control unit controls the image forming unit so as to divide an image larger than the print medium into pieces and to form the image pieces on a plurality of print media. The control unit forms an image formed on a different print medium in a margin where the image is not formed when the print medium contains the margin in case that the image forming unit divides the image into pieces and forms the image pieces on the plurality of print media.
US08693027B2
An image forming apparatus which makes it possible to provide restricted access thereto without requiring an information processing apparatus to have a special authentication function. The image forming apparatus receives authentication information input by a user using a user interface, and receives a connection request transmitted from the information processing apparatus. When receiving the connection request, the image forming apparatus determines whether or not the user has been authenticated based on the received authentication information. If the user has been authenticated, the image forming apparatus permits execution of processing from the information processing apparatus thereto, whereas if not, it refuses execution of processing from the information processing apparatus.
US08693018B2
A printing system includes a print service and an image forming apparatus having a web browser to display a screen provided from a web server. The web server includes a print instruction unit, a print status acquisition unit, a screen generation unit, and a screen transmission unit. The print instruction unit transmits, to the print, a print instruction according to a received print request. The print status acquisition unit acquires a print status of print data. The screen generation unit generates a job information screen that corresponds to the acquired print status. The screen transmission unit transmits the generated job information screen. The print status acquisition unit acquires the print status based on information that was notified, in response to a change in the print status, from an image forming apparatus that acquires the print data from the print service and executes printing based on the acquired print data.
US08693017B2
There is provided an image forming apparatus capable of realizing a trial printing function that minimizes unnecessary consumption of time and supplies. Images that are inputted are accumulated in a memory. An output mode is set and a setting is made as to whether trial printing is to be carried out in the output mode or not. A CPU provides control to read out a corresponding image from the memory according to the set output mode and form the readout image on a sheet. When it is determined that the trial printing is to be carried out during image formation according to the set output mode, the CPU provides control to set the number of trial print pages according to predetermined conditions and carry out the trial printing for the set number of trial print pages.
US08693016B2
Systems and methods are provided for error correction in a parallel RIP environment. The system comprises parallel RIPs and a serial RIP. The system receives a print job comprising logical pages, separates the print job into segments of logical pages, and distributes the segments to the parallel RIPs for interpretation and rasterization. The system further determines that a parallel RIP has encountered an error indicating that a segment includes multiple logical pages, and instructs the serial RIP to rasterize the segment responsive to detecting the error.
US08693008B2
A method includes using a scanner to scan a laser beam along a scan path, and detecting light intensities caused by laser light of the laser beam incident on a detection cross-section. The method also includes determining a position of the detection cross-section relative to the laser scanner based on the detected light intensities. The scan path includes, in a plane which includes the detection cross-section, a first partial path and a second partial path which extend adjacent to each other and at a distance from each other which is: a) smaller than a diameter of the detection cross-section plus a diameter of the laser beam in the plane which includes the detection cross-section; and b) greater than 0.3 times the diameter of the laser beam in the plane which includes the detection cross-section or greater than 0.3 times the diameter of the detection cross-section.
US08693006B2
A reflecting member has: a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a first direction component; a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface; and a third reflecting surface, which extends in a fourth direction, that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction.
US08693005B2
ProblemsTo provide a method for evaluating characteristics of MZ interferometers in an optical modulator having a plurality of MZ interferometers.Means for Solving ProblemsWhen an optical modulator includes a plurality of MZ interferometers, the 0-degree component contains a signal derived from an MZ interferometer other than the MZ interferometers for evaluating the characteristic. For this, it is impossible to accurately evaluate the characteristic of the MZ interferometers. The present invention does not use the 0-degree component normally having the highest intensity. That is, the characteristic of the MZ interferometers are evaluated by using a side band intensity of the component other than the 0-degree component.
US08692999B1
A method of minimizing fringe print-through in a phase-shifting interferometer, includes the steps of: (a) determining multiple transfer functions of pixels in the phase-shifting interferometer; (b) computing a crosstalk term for each transfer function; and (c) displaying, to a user, a phase-difference map using the crosstalk terms computed in step (b). Determining a transfer function in step (a) includes measuring intensities of a reference beam and a test beam at the pixels, and measuring an optical path difference between the reference beam and the test beam at the pixels. Computing crosstalk terms in step (b) includes computing an N-dimensional vector, where N corresponds to the number of transfer functions, and the N-dimensional vector is obtained by minimizing a variance of a modulation function in phase shifted images.
US08692998B2
An apparatus and method for in-depth fluorescence imaging using two-photon fluorescence imaging in turbid media. The apparatus includes a detector which can significantly enhance the use of a detection method that allows to efficiently collect scattered fluorescence photons from a wide area of the turbid sample. By using this detector it is possible to perform imaging of turbid samples, simulating brain tissue at depths up to 3 mm, where the two-photon induced fluorescence signal is too weak to be detected by previous means used in conventional two-photon microscopy. The detector separates the excitation and detection optics which allows a more efficient collection of fluorescence and enhancing the possible imaging depth.
US08692985B1
Methodology of determining refractive index and extinction coefficient of a prism shaped material, including simultaneously for a multiplicity of wavelengths using an easy to practice technique.
US08692983B1
Present novel and non-trivial optical, laser-based measuring systems and method are disclosed. An optical, laser-based, or LIDAR measuring apparatus is comprised of a radiation receiver/transmitter, a beam-forming optical element, a beam steering device comprised of a deviation optical element and at least one actuator used to steer the deviation optical element in response to drive signal(s) from a processor. A method employed by the system may be comprised of the receiver/transmitter receiving a transmitter signal from the processor and transmitting promulgated radiation; the beam-forming optical element receiving the promulgated radiation and forming a beam of radiation; the deviation optical element receiving the beam of radiation, diverting a beam of radiation, receiving a reflected signal, and diverting the reflected signal; the beam-forming optical element receiving the diverted signal, forming a converging reflected signal, and directing the converging reflected signal to the radiation receiver/transmitter which receives the converging reflected signal.
US08692980B2
A vehicular collision avoidance system comprising a system controller, pulsed laser transmitter, a number of independent ladar sensor units, a cabling infrastructure, internal memory, a scene processor, and a data communications port is presented herein. The described invention is capable of developing a 3-D scene, and object data for targets within the scene, from multiple ladar sensor units coupled to centralized LADAR-based Collision Avoidance System (CAS). Key LADAR elements are embedded within standard headlamp and taillight assemblies. Articulating LADAR sensors cover terrain coming into view around a curve, at the crest of a hill, or at the bottom of a dip. A central laser transmitter may be split into multiple optical outputs and guided through fibers to illuminate portions of the 360° field of view surrounding the vehicle. These fibers may also serve as amplifiers to increase the optical intensity provided by a single master laser.
US08692978B2
A method of determining a defect in a grid plate of an encoder-type position measurement system, the method including providing an encoder-type position measurement system to measure a position of a movable object with respect to another object, the encoder-type position measurement system including a grid plate and an encoder head, measuring a quantity of light reflected on each of the two or more detectors, using a combined light intensity of the reflected light on the two or more detectors to determine a reflectivity signal representative for the reflectivity of the grid plate at the measurement location, and determining a presence of a defect at the measurement location on the basis of the reflectivity signal of the grid plate.
US08692966B2
Provided is a liquid crystal display device including: a first substrate; a second substrate; a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the first and the second substrates; a first polarization plate placed on a side of the first substrate; a second polarization plate placed on a side of the second substrate; and a pixel electrode and a common electrode which are provided on the side of the second substrate on which the liquid crystal layer is placed, in which: at least one of the pixel electrode and the common electrode is interdigital; and the liquid crystal layer has flexoelectric coefficients e11 and e33, both absolute values of which are +7 pC/m or less. Accordingly, a flicker intensity in an IPS liquid crystal display device is suppressed to such a degree as not to influence display quality.
US08692959B2
Provided is an optical layered body that includes a polyester base, a primer layer formed thereon, and a hard coat layer formed on the primer. The polyester has a retardation of not less than 8000 nm, and a difference (nx−ny) of 0.07 to 0.20 between a refractive index (nx) in a slow axis direction that is a high refractive index direction and a refractive index (ny) of a fast axis direction that is orthogonal to the slow axis direction, a refractive index (np) of the primer, the refractive index (nx) in the slow axis direction of the polyester, and the refractive index (ny) in the fast axis direction of the polyester satisfy ny
US08692958B2
A polarization film comprising at least a polarization layer that is subject to a laminating treatment to be stretched along a predetermined laminating direction in the plane of the polarization layer to realize polarization, and an adhesive layer that is provided on a surface of the polarization layer and capable of being affixed onto a base. The adhesive layer has a maximal shrinkage resistance in the laminating direction of the polarization layer.
US08692953B2
This invention relates to an LED strip fixed structure and an LCD, wherein the LED strip fixed structure includes a back panel, an LED strip and a strip fixed element, a groove used for accommodating the LED strip is formed on the strip fixed element, and light holes used for accommodating LEDs on the LED strip are formed in the groove; the fixed element is used for containing the LED strip, and is fixedly connected with the back panel. In this invention, the fixed element for accommodating the LED strip is fixed on the side wall of the back panel, so as to increase the heat dissipation channel of the LED strip; instead of arranging heat dissipation aluminum extrusion between the LED strip and the back panel, and so as to reduce the quantity of connecting pieces such as connecting screws. This invention improves the effect of heat dissipation at the backlight part of the LCD, and meanwhile simplifies the installation structure of the LED strip and lowers the cost.
US08692944B2
A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, an isolating layer, and a conductor. The first electrode is disposed between the first substrate and the isolating layer, on which the conductor is disposed. Each of the second and third electrodes is disposed on the second substrate and includes a contact surface. The second and third electrodes are not in contact with each other and are separated by a gap. The conductor is disposed in accordance with the location of the gap.
US08692942B2
Provided is a data processing apparatus including a correction circuit. In at least one embodiment, the data correction circuit acquires pixel data of a first pixel for display of a first color component and pixel data of a second pixel for display of a second color component, the second pixel being driven by a scanning signal line which drives the first pixel and being driven by a data signal line which is adjacent to the first pixel, and corrects the pixel data of the second pixel in accordance with a relationship between a value of the pixel data of the first pixel and a value of the pixel data of the second pixel. Thus, it is possible to cause a liquid crystal driving panel to perform uniform display without causing display unevenness even in a case where a halftone of a specific color component is uniformly displayed.
US08692937B2
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to video frame synchronization. An embodiment of a method includes receiving a first video data stream from a first source at a first port of a multi-port device, a first video frame of the first video data stream arriving at the first port at a first arrival time, and receiving a second video data stream from a second source at a second port of the multi-port device, a second video frame of the second video data stream arriving at the second port at a second arrival time. The method further includes determining an offset between the first arrival time and the second arrival time, determining one or more correction factors based at least in part on the offset, the one or more correction factors including a first correction factor for the first source, and sending a first command to the first source to modify a time of transmission by the first source of a third video frame following the first frame using the correction factor.
US08692936B2
A captioning evaluation system. The system accepts captioning data and determines a number of errors in the captioning data, as well as the number of words per minute across the entirety of an event corresponding to the captioning data and time intervals of the event. The errors may be used to determine the accuracy of the captioning and the words per minute, both for the entire event and the time intervals, used to determine a cadence and/or rhythm for the captioning. The accuracy and cadence may be used to score the captioning data and captioner.
US08692935B1
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method that comprises, based at least on two frames of a plurality of frames of a video stream, performing interpolation according to an interpolation mode to generate one or more interpolation frames. The method also comprises determining a merit of the interpolation based on one or more of (i) a measure of errors of the interpolation, and (ii) a measure of accuracy of one or more occlusion or reveal regions of the one or more interpolation frames. The method further comprises dynamically changing the interpolation mode based at least on the determined merit of the interpolation.
US08692932B2
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to an imaging device including a laminated portion of an actuator or actuator support.
US08692926B2
A circuit for auto-focus adjustment includes a calculating unit configured to calculate an indicator of randomness of pixel values in a captured image, a direction determining unit configured to compare a first value of the indicator calculated by the calculating unit in a preceding focus adjustment process with a second value of the indicator calculated by the calculating unit after the calculation of the first value, thereby to determine a direction of focus shift in response to a result of the comparison, and a control unit configured to start a focus adjustment process by which a focus position is first moved in the direction of focus shift determined by the direction determining unit.
US08692924B2
An image sensing apparatus comprises an image sensing unit capturing an object image, a saving unit saving a captured image data, a development processing unit reading out the image data and execute development processing for the image data to generate new image data, a setting unit setting a parameter for the development processing, a display unit displaying a development processing result and an operation unit allowing a user to perform one of enlargement and reduction of the displayed image, wherein when a first parameter for which optical system correction processing is performed and a second parameter for which the correction processing is not performed are set, the development processing unit executes development processing, to which the first parameter is applied, when a change to enlarged display is not made, and executes development processing, to which the first and second parameters are applied, when a change to enlarged display is made.
US08692921B2
An imaging apparatus includes: a main body unit that includes an imaging lens; a display unit that displays an image picked up through the imaging lens; a hinge frame that includes a first side fixed to the main body unit so as to be rotatable around a first rotation axis, a second side facing the first side, and a combination unit, which has a notch between both end portions of the second side other than a center portion and both ends of the first side, disposed between the first side and the second side; and a rotary hinge unit that connects the second side of the hinge frame and one side of the display unit and rotates the display unit around a second rotation axis extending along the second side and a third rotation axis extending in a direction perpendicular to the second rotation axis.
US08692919B2
The present invention provides a photo-sensor with a stable current limiting function and pixel reset function. When the incident light quantity of the phototransistor is equal to or less than a predetermined quantity and the base potential of the phototransistor is in a first potential of an operation point in a stationary state, an MOSFET for discharging an electric charge is controlled so as to be turned OFF. In addition, when the incident light quantity of the phototransistor is equal to or more than the predetermined quantity, a MOSFET for detecting an electric current is controlled so as to operate in a saturation region. When the base potential of the phototransistor has changed to a second potential from the first potential, the MOSFET for discharging an electric charge is controlled so as to be turned ON.
US08692915B2
A correlated double sampling device (CDS device) of an image sensor is provided. The CDS device is coupled to a plurality of light-sensing pixels arranged along a first direction. The CDS device of the image sensor includes a regulator and a sampling circuit. The regulator provides the light-sensing pixels with a first voltage so that at least one of the light-sensing pixels provides a first linear current and a second linear current according to the first voltage. The sampling circuit is coupled between a second voltage and the regulator and includes a first sampling unit and a second sampling unit to respectively receive the first linear current for a first duration and the second linear current for a second duration and to respectively and correspondingly output a first sampling signal and a second sampling signal.
US08692914B2
An image sensor includes a solid-state image pickup device, an optical system, and a flash. The solid-state image pickup device has an electronic shutter function of outputting accumulated signal charges at a timing corresponding to a shutter speed. The optical system collects incident light to an image pickup area of the solid-state image pickup device. The flash irradiates light to an object to be photographed by the solid-state image pickup device. The solid-state image pickup device includes a pulse generator circuit for generating one or more of an electronic shutter pulse for controlling an accumulation time of signal charges by using the electronic shutter function, an optical system movement pulse for controlling movement of the optical system, and a flash pulse for controlling an emission timing of the flash.
US08692905B2
A communication device including an image capturing device having a RF-ID unit for performing proximity wireless communication with a RF-ID reader/writer connected via an infrared communication path to a TV. The image capturing device includes: an antenna for the proximity wireless communication; a data receiving unit receiving an input signal from the RF-ID reader/writer; a nonvolatile second memory storing at least UID and an execution program; and a data transmission unit transmitting the UID and the execution program to the RF-ID reader/writer via the antenna according to the input signal. The UID is used to identify the communication device, and the execution program is executed by the TV with reference to the UID. The transmitted UID and execution program are transferred to the TV via the RF-ID reader/writer.
US08692892B2
Communication apparatus and control method used for transmitting video data to an external apparatus
An image capture apparatus includes: a communication unit and a control unit. The communication unit communicates with an external apparatus via a first transmission line and a second transmission line. The control unit determines whether or not the communication unit is in a predetermined state, in a case where the operation mode of the image capture apparatus changed to either a playback mode or an image capture mode. The control unit does not execute a connecting process in a case where the communication unit is in the predetermined state.
US08692879B2
An image capturing system is provided which includes a detection section for detecting a position of an capturing section capable of performing a pan operation and a tilt operation, a determination section for determining which coordinate system is used, either a first coordinate system representing the position of the capturing section in the pan direction and the tilt direction or a second coordinate system representing a position of a subject image of the subject captured by the capturing section in a screen, and a coordinate calculator for calculating coordinates representing the position of the capturing section in the first coordinate system based on the detected position of the capturing section when using the first coordinate system, and calculating coordinates representing the position of the subject image in the second coordinate system based on the detected position of the capturing section when using the second coordinate system.
US08692872B2
Three-dimensional (3D) glasses, a method for driving 3D glasses, and a system for providing a 3D image are provided. The 3D glasses driving method includes detecting a first pattern corresponding to a left eye image and a second pattern corresponding to a right eye image from a 3D display apparatus, converting the first pattern into a first histogram and the second pattern into a second histogram, comparing the converted first and second histograms with first and second optimal histograms, and adjusting an opening or a closing of a left eye glasses part and a right eye glasses part of the 3D glasses based on the comparison.
US08692871B2
An autostereoscopic display apparatus includes a spatial light modulator in which alignment features such as bump features provide radially symmetric alignment of the molecules of the liquid crystal. A parallax element is arranged over the spatial light modulator to direct light from the pixels into different viewing windows. The apertures of the pixels are shaped such that, for each individual row of pixels, a notional line parallel to the geometric axes of the parallax elements has a total length of intersection with the pixels of the row, weighted for the intensity of light modulated by the alignment features, which is the same for all positions of the notional line. This improves angular intensity uniformity. The pixels may each include plural apertures, wherein the alignment features of the apertures of each individual pixel are offset from one another in a direction perpendicular to said geometric axes. This improves angular contrast uniformity.
US08692865B2
A visual-collaborative system including a display screen configured to display images and a camera configured to capture images. The system also includes a video cross-talk reducer configured to estimate video cross-talk that is to be displayed on the display screen and captured by the camera, and reducing the estimated video cross-talk from captured images by the camera. The estimation of the video cross-talk and reduction of the video cross-talk is signal based.
US08692860B2
A light emitting device includes light emitting chips, a mount board on which the light emitting chips are mounted, and a buffer amplifier. Each of the light emitting chips includes light emitting elements and transfer elements. The transfer element sequentially specify, by sequentially entering an on-state, the light emitting elements as targets for control of illumination or non-illumination. Each of the transfer elements is provided for a corresponding one of the light emitting elements. The buffer amplifier is provided on the mount board, and outputs a transfer signal on the basis of an input transfer signal. The transfer signal is used to sequentially set the transfer elements, which are included in each of the light emitting chips, to be in the on-state.
US08692852B2
Disclosed is an intelligent display method for a multimedia mobile terminal. The method includes the steps of determining a type of a camera shot existing in a sport game video; deciding a region of interest within an image frame of the sport game video when it has been determined that the camera shot is a long-distance shot, magnifying the region of interest, and displaying the region of interest on the mobile terminal, and displaying the entire image frame on the mobile terminal when it has been determined that the video shot is a non-long-distance shot. The method enables the user to watch images in a more understandable and comfortable manner.
US08692843B2
Accepts inputs via an input device and displays resulting power consumption for example in a color-coded format that enables a doctor or other programmer to observe how changes in one programming parameter affects power consumption. This enables the apparatus to accept input values and display the resulting power consumption that would occur if the input values were programmed into an implantable device in an intuitive graphical manner. In one or more embodiments programming parameters associated with power consumption may be set for electrical stimulation pulses, namely the voltage amplitude, the frequency of pulses per unit time and the pulse width of the pulses in units of time.
US08692839B2
The present invention relates to methods and systems for updating a buffer. In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for updating a buffer, which includes strategically writing to the buffer to enable concurrent read and write to the buffer. The method eliminates the need for double buffering, thereby resulting in implementation cost and space savings compared to conventional buffering approaches. The method also prevents image tearing when, used to update a frame buffer associated with a display, but is not limited to such applications. In another aspect, the present invention provides efficient mechanisms to enable buffer update across a communication link. In one example, the present invention provides a method for relaying timing information across a communication link.
US08692836B2
Computer systems and methods that utilize a GPU whose operation is able to switch between ECC and non-ECC memory operations on demand. The computer system includes a graphics processing unit and a memory controller and local memory that are functionally integrated with the graphics processing unit. The memory controller has at least two operating modes comprising a first memory access mode that uses error checking and correction when accessing the local memory, and a second memory access mode that does not use error checking and correction when accessing the local memory. The memory controller is further operable to switch the operation of the memory controller between the first and second memory access modes without rebooting the computer system.
US08692835B2
The present invention provides a computer implemented method and apparatus to project a projected avatar associated with an avatar in a virtual universe. A computer receives a command to project the avatar, the command having a projection point. The computer transmits a request to place a projected avatar at the projection point to a virtual universe host. The computer renders a tab associated with the projected avatar.
US08692832B2
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for providing asymmetric Graphical Processing Unit (“GPU”) processors in a para-virtualized environment. A virtual GPU (“vGPU”) within a child partition of the para-virtualized environment includes a kernel-mode driver (“KMD”) and a user-mode driver (“UMD”). The KMD includes a plurality of virtual nodes. Each virtual node performs a different type of operation in parallel with other types of operations. The KMD is declared as a multi-engine GPU. The UMD schedules operations for parallel execution on the virtual nodes. A render component within a root partition of the para-virtualized environment executes GPU commands received from the vGPU at the physical GPU. A plurality of memory access channels established between the KMD and the render component communicate GPU commands between a corresponding virtual node at the KMD and the render component.
US08692828B2
A three-dimensional (3D) image processor and processing method are described. The 3D image processor includes a space division unit to divide a virtual object space where a virtual 3D object is located into a plurality of sub-spaces, and a plurality of processors to correspond to each of the divided sub-spaces and to compute a trajectory of a ray within each of the corresponding sub-spaces, the ray being transmitted into each of the corresponding sub-spaces.
US08692825B2
A method includes receiving at a master processing element primitive data that includes properties of a primitive. The method includes partially traversing a spatial data structure that represents a three-dimensional image to identify an internal node of the spatial data structure. The internal node represents a portion of the three-dimensional image. The method also includes selecting a slave processing element from a plurality of slave processing elements. The selected processing element is associated with the internal node. The method further includes sending the primitive data to the selected slave processing element to traverse a portion of the spatial data structure to identify a leaf node of the spatial data structure.
US08692824B2
The invention discloses a driving apparatus for driving an LCD. The driving apparatus comprises a voltage control unit, an operating unit, a resistance unit, and a voltage selection unit. The operating unit comprises two sets of buffers formed by a plurality of operational amplifiers in negative feedback circuit. The two sets of buffers selectively receive positive polarity voltages and negative polarity voltages respectively. The voltage selection unit is provided with the positive polarity voltages and negative polarity voltages through the operating unit and the resistance unit. The voltage selection unit selectively provides the pixels of the LCD with the positive polarity voltage and the negative polarity voltage. Accordingly, each of the pixels is provided either with the positive polarity voltages or the negative polarity voltages by one of the two sets of buffers.
US08692816B2
Described is a technology by which the operation of an auxiliary computing device, comprising a display and/or actuator set, may be automatically modified based on detected state data. For example, user input may be routed from the actuator set to the host computer system when the host computer system is in an online state, or to the auxiliary computing device when the host computer system is offline. State may be determined based on one or more various criteria, such as online or offline, laptop lid position, display orientation, current communication and/or other criteria. The auxiliary display and/or actuator set may be embedded in the host computer system, or each may be separable from it or standalone, such as a remote control or cellular phone.
US08692812B2
Multi-layered paint on a border of a surface acoustic wave touch device may reduce attenuation. The touch substrate has a front surface and a back surface where the front surface has a touch region. Multi-layered paint is formed on the back surface to form a border along the touch substrate. The multi-layered paint includes a minor layer and a color layer. The surface acoustic waves propagate over at least a portion of the border region such that the surface acoustic waves propagate on the multi-layered paint without excessive wave attenuation.
US08692794B2
A processing system configured for capacitive sensing comprises transmitter circuitry, a first internal diagnostic mechanism, and a determination module. The transmitter circuitry is configured to transmit during a first time period with a first transmitter path of a plurality of transmitter paths in an input device. Each transmitter path of the plurality of transmitter paths is configured for capacitive sensing. The first internal diagnostic mechanism comprises a selectable leakage path. The selectable leakage path is configured to be coupled with the transmitter circuitry. The determination module is configured to determine if a discontinuity exists within the first transmitter path based on a discharge rate for the first transmitter path. The discharge rate is acquired during a second time period via the selectable leakage path of the first internal diagnostic mechanism, wherein the second time period occurs after the first time period.
US08692792B2
A method and apparatus for identifying user gestures to control an interactive display identifies gestures based on a bounding box enclosing points at which a user contacts a touch sensor corresponding with the display surface and permits use of inexpensive and highly reliable grid-based touch sensors that provide a bounding box to describe contact information. In identifying gestures, position, motion, shape, and deformation of the bounding box may be considered. Center, width, height, aspect ratio, length and orientation of the bounding box diagonal may be determined. A stretch factor, defined as the maximum of the ratio of the height of the bounding box to the width of the bounding box and the ratio of the width of the bounding box to the height of the bounding box, may also be computed. Gestures may be identified based on the changes in time of these characteristics and quantities.
US08692791B2
Disclosed herein is a touch panel. A touch panel according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: a base member; a transparent electrode formed in an active area of the base member; an insulator formed in a bezel area of the base member, and convexly protruded from the base member; and an electrode wiring formed on an exposed surface of the insulator. In addition, a touch panel according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: a base member having a groove portion formed such that an exposed surface thereof has a concave curved surface; a transparent electrode formed in an active area; and an electrode wire connected to one end or both ends of the transparent electrode and formed on the exposed surface of the groove portion.
US08692785B2
A method for detecting one or more objects is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: receiving one or more induction signals caused by at least one object along one or more directions; comparing each received induction signal with a reference to detect at least one upward trend and/or at least one downward trend in the induction signal; and determining the number of objects based on the number of upward trend and/or downward trend in each received induction signal. A device for detecting one or more objects on a touch device is also disclosed.
US08692784B2
A light-emitting touch keyboard includes a reflecting sheet, a touch element, a plurality of scattering/reflecting points, and at least one light emitting element. The touch element includes at least one transparent material layer. A light ray emitted by the light emitting element penetrates the transparent material layer, and then is reflected outside the touch element by the reflecting sheet and the plurality of scattering/reflecting points.
US08692777B2
The testing of a multi-touch sensor panel for opens and shorts on its drive and sense lines is disclosed by placing a substantially ungrounded conductor diagonally over the touch sensor panel so that at least a portion of every drive line and every sense line is covered by the substantially ungrounded conductor. Pixels under the substantially ungrounded conductor can have strongly positive pixels, while pixels outside the substantially ungrounded conductor can have negative pixels. With the substantially ungrounded conductor in place, a backdrop of negative pixels is formed, and an image of touch can be obtained. By analyzing the image of touch, any opens and shorts on the drive and sense lines, any shorts between a drive and a sense line, or any open drive and sense lines can be quickly identified against the backdrop of negative pixels.
US08692774B2
Certain examples provide systems and methods for mobile virtual colonoscopy. Certain examples provide a mobile device configured to view clinical content. The mobile device includes a data storage to store data including images for a virtual colonoscopy; a user interface to display the images for user viewing and manipulation; and a motion detector to capture movement of the mobile device with respect to a reference plane and to provide movement data. The mobile device includes a processor to receive input via the user interface and provide content, including the images, to the user interface. The processor is to provide a virtual colonoscopy using the images to a user via the user interface. The processor receives the movement data from the motion detector and translates the movement data to navigation commands in the virtual colonoscopy to allow the user to conduct a virtual colonoscopy using the mobile device.
US08692771B2
A system and method are disclosed for providing a modular user input device such as a computer mouse. A core module can house the sensor, microcontroller and RF modules (if any). It may or may not also house the microswitches and scroll wheel. The core module includes a case module connector that will allow it to accept mouse button inputs from an interchangeable case module, power from a battery pack (if required for wireless operation) and control lights or any other input/output features on the mouse itself. The core module can also accept the connection to the host computer, either through the case module connector or directly via USB or similar industry standard connector.
US08692762B2
In a display apparatus and a method of driving the same, microshutters are successively arranged and each microshutter includes a plurality of sub-microshutters that are opened to transmit light or closed to block light in response to a voltage. The sub-microshutters are opened or closed during predetermined different time periods to display various gray scales.
US08692761B2
An apparatus for displaying images. The apparatus comprises: an LCD panel comprising a plurality of pixels for displaying the images; and a backlight comprising a plurality of light sources. Each of the plurality of light sources is associated with one of a plurality of zones and each of the plurality of zones comprises a plurality of grid points. A controller coupled to the LCD panel and the backlight is configured to retrieve contour data associated with each of the plurality of light sources. The contour data is associated with a 3-D contour shape comprising a plurality of facets, each facet associated with at least one of the plurality of grids. The controller is configured to determine a brightness level of at least one pixel in a first grid based on a slope value associated with a first facet associated with the first grid.
US08692754B2
A LCD panel includes an invisible zone and a visible zone. The invisible zone includes a gate driver and a wiring zone, wherein the gate driver sequentially outputs six pulse signals. By the wiring zone, a first pulse signal is converted into a first gate driving signal of the visible zone, a second pulse signal is converted into a fourth gate driving signal of the visible zone, a third pulse signal is converted into a fifth gate driving signal of the visible zone, a fourth pulse signal is converted into a second gate driving signal of the visible zone, a fifth pulse signal is converted into a third gate driving signal of the visible zone, and a sixth pulse signal is converted into a sixth gate driving signal of the visible zone.
US08692750B2
A liquid crystal display device includes a display region having unit pixels arranged thereon in a matrix, and a driving circuit unit having at least a LDD (Lightly Doped Drain) type TFT and a GOLDD (Gate overlapped Lightly Doped Drain) type TFT.
US08692748B2
A display device comprises a pixel array unit including a plurality of pixels, and power supply lines and a power supply scanner for supplying a power supply voltage switching between first and second potentials to each of the power supply lines, wherein each of the pixels includes a light emitting element, a sampling transistor, a driver transistor, and a holding capacitor. The sampling transistor samples a signal potential to be held in the holding capacitor, the driver transistor receives a supply of a current from the power supply scanner through the power supply line at a first potential and flows a drive current to the light emitting element in accordance with the held signal potential, and the power supply scanner changes the power supply line from the first potential to the second potential before the sampling transistors samples the signal potential.
US08692740B2
In an EL display device which performs area grayscale display, image quality is improved and stabilized. A plurality of subpixels each having light emitting elements which emit light of approximately the same color and a plurality of monitor pixels each having the same number of subpixels as the pixel are provided. The light emitting element in the monitor pixel is manufactured at the same time as the light emitting element in the pixel, and the electrode of the light emitting element in the monitor pixel is connected to a different constant current source in each subpixel. A circuit for changing a potential of the electrode of the light emitting element in the pixel for each subpixel in accordance with a potential change of the electrode of the light emitting element of the monitor pixel, thereby the aforementioned purposes are achieved.
US08692739B2
A method to dynamically register a graphic representing essential vehicle information onto a driving scene of a subject vehicle utilizing a substantially transparent windscreen head up display includes monitoring subject vehicle information and identifying the essential vehicle information based on the monitored subject vehicle information. The graphic representing the essential vehicle information is determined and determining, and a preferred location for the graphic upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display is dynamically registering in accordance with minimizing an operator's head movement and eye saccades for viewing the graphic. The graphic is displayed upon the substantially transparent windscreen head up display based upon the preferred location.
US08692734B2
A dielectrically loaded quadrifilar helical antenna has four quarter turn helical elements centered on a common axis. Each helical element is metallized on the outer cylindrical surface of a solid dielectric core and each has a feed end and a linked end, the linked ends being connected together by a linking conductor encircling the core. At an operating frequency of the antenna the helical elements and the linking conductor together form two conductive loops each having an electrical length in the region of (2n−1)/2 times the wavelength, where n is an integer. Such an antenna tends to present a source impedance of at least 500 ohms to receiver circuitry to which it is connected. The invention includes an antenna assembly including a dielectrically antenna and a receiver having a radio frequency front-end stage with a differential input coupled to the feed ends of the helical elements.
US08692732B2
An example antenna includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and an intermediate portion between the first end portion and the second end portion. The intermediate portion includes multiple folds. The second end portion includes a first conductor to couple with a communication interface of a communication module, and a second conductor to couple with a ground.
US08692731B2
Disclosed herein is a dielectric waveguide antenna including: a dielectric waveguide transmitting a signal applied from a power feeder; a dielectric waveguide radiator radiating the signal transmitted from the dielectric waveguide to the air through a first aperture; and a matching unit formed in a portion of the dielectric waveguide and controlling a serial reactance and a parallel reactance to thereby perform impedance matching between the dielectric waveguide radiator and the air, in order to reduce reflection generated in the first aperture during the radiation of the signal through the first aperture. Reflection in the aperture is reduced through the matching unit having various structures, thereby making it possible to improve characteristics of the dielectric waveguide antenna.
US08692727B2
A glass antenna includes hot-side and earth-side feeding points provided near an intermediate portion of an inside vertical or vertically-oblique edge of flange of a fixed window glass; a hot-side element; and an earth-side element. The hot-side element includes at least one first horizontal line extending from the hot-side feeding point in a horizontal direction, and at least one first vertical line extending from the hot-side feeding point in a direction away from the earth-side feeding point. The earth-side element includes at least one second horizontal line extending from the earth-side feeding point in the horizontal direction, and a third horizontal line extending from a tip of at least one second vertical line in the horizontal direction. The at least one second vertical line extends from the earth-side feeding point in a direction away from the hot-side feeding point.
US08692726B2
To provide a sensitive antenna with simple pattern, there is provided an antenna comprising: a core-side element connected to a core-side feed point; and a ground-side element connected to a ground-side feed point, wherein: the core-side element extends from the core-side feed point in a predetermined direction; the ground-side element includes: a first element which is connected to the ground-side feed point and extends in parallel to the core-side element; and a second element which is connected to the ground-side feed point and extends in parallel to the first element; and the first element is located close to a body flange to capacitively couple with the body flange.
US08692704B1
A set of co-registered coherent change detection (CCD) products is produced from a set of temporally separated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of a target scene. A plurality of transformations are determined, which transformations are respectively for transforming a plurality of the SAR images to a predetermined image coordinate system. The transformations are used to create, from a set of CCD products produced from the set of SAR images, a corresponding set of co-registered CCD products.
US08692698B2
The invention relates to a method and a system for external, digital coding of a baseband or intermediate-frequency signal. Initially, a digital datastream is converted in a coding device into a digital-baseband signal in the time domain or into a digital intermediate-frequency signal in the time domain. The digitally generated signal is output via an asynchronous-serial interface of the coding device to another device. Such a device also provides an asynchronous-serial interface, which is connected to the asynchronous-serial interface of the coding device. The device reads in the output digital-baseband signal or intermediate-frequency signal for further processing.
US08692696B2
Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for generating a code alphabet for use by a deployed program to determine codewords for words. A first code alphabet is generated having a first number of symbols that provide variable length codings of the words. The symbols in the first code alphabet are merged into a second number of groups of the symbols in the first code alphabet, where the second number is less than the first number. A second code alphabet is generated having the second number of symbols, wherein a second average codeword length of the codewords produced using the symbols in the second code alphabet is smaller than the codeword length (b) of the words, and wherein the second code alphabet comprises the code alphabet used by the deployed program.
US08692689B2
Methods and apparatus for determining context of a mobile device are provided. In an example, provided is a method for identifying an environment of a mobile device. The method includes receiving a motion sensor signal. The motion sensor signal can be received from an accelerometer and/or a gyroscope. If a frequency characteristic of an engine is detected in the motion sensor signal, a control signal is output identifying that the mobile device is located in a motor vehicle. The control signal can enable a vehicle navigation mode. The control signal can also be used to alert a user to the identified environment and/or change a feature of the mobile device. The method can also include receiving an audio signal from a microphone, detecting the engine vibration from the audio signal, and using the audio signal to confirm the detecting the engine vibration from the motion sensor signal.
US08692678B2
An automated intravenous (IV) monitoring device is provided comprising a sensor for sensing drips passing through an IV drip chamber, a processing unit for calculating the total infused volume over a predetermined period of time, and a display for displaying the total infused volume. The IV monitoring device preferably also calculates and displays the flow rate of the drips. Additionally, an alarm can be activated if the flow rate drops below a predetermined value. A method of providing data pertaining to IV drips being infused into a body is also disclosed.
US08692675B2
Vibratory feedback systems and methods are disclosed. A vibratory feedback system includes a shoe adapted to be secured to a user's foot, a plurality of force sensors and vibration actuators mounted on the shoe, and a microprocessor affixed to the shoe. The force sensors are configured to sense forces exerted by the user's foot. The vibration actuators are configured to provide vibrations to the user's foot. The microprocessor is coupled to receive data from the plurality of force sensors, and is programmed to actuate the plurality of vibration actuators to provide a first characteristic vibration to the user's foot based on the sensed forces. A method of improving the gait of a user includes enabling the user to ambulate with the vibratory feedback system secured to the user's foot, and providing a first characteristic vibration to the user's foot based on the sensed forces using the vibratory feedback system.
US08692674B2
This disclosure discloses an RFID tag supplying apparatus that supplies a substantially sheet-like antenna base on which an RFID circuit element provided with an IC circuit part that stores information and an antenna that transmits and receives information is disposed between a first tape and a second tape that are fed to a predetermined bonding position to be mutually bonded, comprising: a tape processing device that makes a tape orderly on said antenna base to prevent the generation of parts out of order in a tag tape including said first tape and said second tape.
US08692671B2
An integrated charger and alarm unit. A plurality of alarm receptacles are in a housing, each for selectively receiving a sensor cord for sensing security status of one of a plurality of chargeable devices. A plurality of charging receptacles are in the housing, one for each alarm receptacle, each for selectively receiving a power cord for charging one of the chargeable devices. A power receptacle in the housing connects to an electrical power source. An electrical circuit is operatively connected to the alarm receptacles, the charging receptacles and the power receptacle. The electrical circuit comprises an alarm control powered by the electrical power source and connected to the alarm receptacles and generating an alarm signal if the security status of any of the plurality of chargeable devices is in an unsecured status. A power supply control regulates power from the electrical power source to each of the charging receptacles.
US08692670B2
A security system comprising: a controller; and a plurality of dispensing devices, wherein the controller is configured to receive signals from a plurality of remote detectors and transmit signals to the plurality of dispensing devices, the controller being adapted to determine which of the plurality of detectors has transmitted a signal and transmit a signal to a selected one or more dispensing devices to dispense a fluid based on said determination, wherein each dispensing device is configured to receive signals from the controller and dispense fluid when a signal is received.
US08692668B2
A wireless node for monitoring landslide conditions has at least one tubular probe body deployed in a borehole in a landslide prone area and anchored to rock below soil, multiple sensors carried by and deployed within and or outside of the tubular probe body for measuring geologic motion, hydrologic saturation and pressure at three or more levels of soil above the rock, a data acquisition board in communication with the sensors carried by and or deployed within or outside of the probe body, and a wireless transceiver in communication with the data acquisition board and accessible to a local area wireless network (LAWN). Geologic and hydrologic data of layers of soil above the anchor rock is from the sensors deployed on or near the probe body, the data qualified against threshold readings to provide graduating levels of alerts culminating in a warning of a landslide.
US08692660B2
An instrument cluster for the instrument panel of a motor vehicle has at least one display on which relevant operational data of the vehicle can be displayed. The at least one display is freely programmable with respect to the data displayed on it and can be switched between at least two different configurations.
US08692652B2
In an antitheft system for preventing an equipment comprising moving objects such as electric vehicles or operating machine such as lawnmower from theft, an electronic key is prepared to be carried by an operator of the equipment and stores authenticating data for identifying the operator who carries the electronic key. An authenticator is installed at the equipment and performs authentication check as to whether the electronic key is an authorized key using stored key-checking data, when the authenticating data is outputted from the electronic key, whereas an electronic key copier is provided separately from the equipment and copies the electronic key, thereby enabling to make a copy of the electronic key without activating equipment, while ensuring to prevent the equipment from theft.
US08692650B2
In an access control device including a lock (2) with a locking element, an actuating element (3) for the locking element, an electronic key (5), an electrical circuit including a receiver unit for receiving key identification data and an evaluation circuit for determining access authorization based on the received identification data, the evaluation circuit cooperates with the actuating element (3) and/or the locking element for selectively locking or unlocking the lock (2). The electronic key (5) comprises means for generating a capacitive near field via which the identification data is emitted. Furthermore, a device for coupling the capacitive near field to the person (4) carrying the key (5) is provided, wherein the receiver unit of the lock (2) comprises at least one capacitive coupling surface such that an alternating current circuit closes at a contact of the lock (2), or an approach of the lock (2), by said person (4) and an electric flux is created across the lock (2), which can be detected by the receiver unit.
US08692645B2
A disconnector for electric power equipment filled with dielectric liquid, especially transformers, applicable in protecting the operation of electric power equipment. The disconnector contains at least two cylindrical current-limiting fuses situated inside a tank, and each fuse is electrically connected with external phase power supply and through fixed contacts and moving contacts of the disconnector with the active part of the piece of electric power equipment. The disconnector is characterized in that the current-limiting fuses are placed in a common housing, in which a slide with a pilot is situated, and to the slide there are inseparably fixed moving contacts, which move together with the slide when the slide makes a to-and-fro motion. The to-and-fro motion takes place as a result of the operation of a tripping device situated in the current-limiting fuses and of the compression or stretching of springs fixed to the pilot and to a fixing disk.
US08692644B2
In one embodiment, the instant invention can provide an inductor that at least includes the following component(s): at least one FAP positioned along at least one magnetic flux path; where the at least one FAP is a high permeability core gap piece; and where the at least one FAP has an effective magnetic permeability that varies based on at least in part on one of the following factors: i) at least one magnetic flux through the at least one FAP, and ii) sufficient heating of the at least one FAP.
US08692640B2
This magnetic ring is formed by an upper U-shaped part and a lower U-shaped part, each upper and lower part comprising two vertical arms each introduced into a respective hole of the printed circuit board, each arm of the upper part being superimposed, within the respective hole and in a horizontal direction, on the corresponding arm of the lower part to set up magnetic continuity between these two parts of the magnetic ring.
US08692638B2
There is provided a transformer having a minimized leakage inductance. The transformer includes: a bobbin including at least one partition wall formed on an outer peripheral surface of a pipe shaped body part thereof; a plurality of coils wound and stacked on the body part; and a core electromagnetically coupled to the coils to thereby form a magnetic path, wherein the respective coils are disposed in a plurality of spaces partitioned by the at least one partition wall.
US08692636B2
Exemplary embodiments are directed to a bistable magnetic actuator for a medium voltage circuit breaker arrangement, including at least one electrical coil for switching a ferromagnetic armature between a first limit position and a second limit position effected by an electromagnetic field, at least one permanent magnet for holding the armature in one of the two limit positions corresponding to an open and a closed electrical switching position respectively of the mechanically connected circuit breaker. The armature includes an upper plunger resting on a ferromagnetic core element of the one electrical coil for static holding the armature in the first limit position, which is attached to a plunger rod extending through the ferromagnetic core element and through the permanent magnet for mechanically coupling the actuator to the circuit breaker arrangement.
US08692633B2
A switch is provided with a reset function including a heart cam portion which extends from a locked position to a side where a lock pin operation end biases, and a lock release passage IV which is blocked off by a lock pin retention protrusion during being retained. The lock pin retention protrusion is moved by biasing force of the lock pin operation end so that the locked state is released by opening the lock release passage IV. This embodiment can decrease wear between the lock pin and the member for retaining the lock pin.
US08692632B2
A resonator element includes a base portion in which a pair of notches is formed, a pair of resonating arms which is extended in parallel from one end side of a first portion of the base portion. The resonating arm is provided with a bottomed elongated groove which has an opening along at least one principal surface of both principal surfaces and a weight portion which is formed at the tip end side of the resonating arm on the opposite side of a root of the resonating arm attached to the base portion and which has a larger width than on the root side. The weight portion is formed so that the proportion of the length of the weight portion to the length from the root to the tip end side in a longitudinal direction of the resonating arm is within a range of 35% to 41%.
US08692623B2
A control circuit controls first and second clock generator subcircuits so that one subcircuit of the first and second clock generator subcircuits operates for a comparison voltage generating interval, then another subcircuit operates for a clock generating interval, and so that the first and second clock generator subcircuits alternately repeat processes of the comparison voltage generating interval and the clock generating interval. For the comparison voltage generating interval, each of the first and second clock generator subcircuits is controlled to generate a comparison voltage and output the same voltage to an inverted output terminal of a comparator. For the clock generating interval, each of the first and second clock generator subcircuits compares an output voltage from a current-voltage converter circuit with the comparison voltage.
US08692621B2
In one general aspect, an apparatus can include a phase frequency detector configured to produce a plurality of indicators of relative differences between a frequency of a target oscillator signal and a frequency of a reference oscillator signal. The apparatus can also include a pulse generator configured to produce a plurality of pulses based on the plurality of indicators. The plurality of pulses can include a first portion configured to trigger an increase in the frequency of the target oscillator signal and the plurality of pulses including a second portion configured to trigger a decrease in the frequency of the target oscillator signal.
US08692620B2
A power amplifier including a MOSFET including a source supplied with a first DC power, a gate connected to an RF input signal, and a drain connected to a power supply terminal of an RF power amplification unit; a supply voltage modulation control unit that determines a DC gate voltage of the MOSFET based on an envelope of the RF input signal; and a bypass circuit connected between the drain and the power supply terminal. The MOSFET outputs a second DC power via the drain and amplifies the RF input signal based on a third DC power substantially identical to a differential between the first and the second DC power, and also outputs an RF power via the drain. The bypass circuit receives and rectifies the RF power to supply a recycled DC power to the power supply terminal of the RF power amplification unit.
US08692618B2
A positive and negative voltage input operational amplifier includes a positive operational amplifier and a negative operational amplifier. Each of the positive operational amplifier and the negative operational amplifier has a reduced layout area and a lowered static current, so that the power consumption is effectively reduced.
US08692617B2
A current-sensing differential amplifier has a balanced input. Thus, a balanced-input current-sensing differential amplifier has a first signal input terminal, a second signal input terminal, a first signal output terminal and a second signal output terminal. The balanced-input current-sensing differential amplifier includes a first current mirror, the input terminal of the first current mirror being coupled to the first signal input terminal, a second current mirror, the input terminal of the second current mirror being coupled to the second signal input terminal, a third current mirror, one of the output terminals of the third current mirror being coupled to the common terminal of the first current mirror and to the common terminal of the second current mirror, three current sources and an output circuit.
US08692613B2
A power amplification circuit having three modes of operation and a single switch is disclosed. Only one switch is used to control three different load impedance levels, one load impedance level for each mode of operation. The remaining “switching” results from selectively biasing each power amplification path by turning ON or OFF amplifiers. A series L-C and a switch are used to control the load impedance. Additional modes of operation may also be created without requiring any additional switch. Further, multiple modes of operation may be implemented using no switches.
US08692605B2
A receiving circuit for a core circuit is provided and includes a first receiving-path unit. The first receiving-path unit is capable of receiving an input signal and outputting an output signal to the core circuit according to the input signal. The first receiving-path unit includes an input buffer which is capable of operating in a core power domain of the core circuit and receiving a first clamped signal. When a level of the input signal is substantially equal to or lower than a first predetermined voltage level, the input signal is passed to the input buffer to serve as the first clamped signal, and the input buffer is capable of outputting the output signal in the core power domain according to the first clamped signal. When the level of the input signal is higher than the first predetermined voltage level, the input signal is not passed to the input buffer.
US08692604B2
An impedance calibration circuit may include a first reference voltage generator configured to generate a first reference voltage in response to reference voltage calibration signals, a second reference voltage generator configured to provide a second reference voltage as a conversion voltage, an impedance calibration signal generator configured to compare the conversion voltage with the first reference voltage and generate impedance calibration signals when an enable signal is activated, and a register configured to store the impedance calibration signals finally calibrated and generate reference voltage calibration signals in response to the stored impedance calibration signals.
US08692596B1
This disclosure describes methods and techniques using Digital Phase Lock Loops (DPLLs) within a source chip to automatically phase align a plurality of clock signals at a plurality of clock pins on a plurality of target chips of varying distances and corresponding delays from the source chip by using each transmitted clock signal's reflected signal as a tuning reference.
US08692594B2
A method and a phase-locked loop (PLL) for generating output clock signals with desired frequencies are described. The PLL is equipped with a ramp generator that increments or decrements a feedback divider value before providing it to a modulator. The modulator modulates the feedback divider value and provides the modulated value to a feedback divider of the PLL for performing frequency division.
US08692584B2
A frequency-voltage converting circuit 13 is composed of a switch unit including switches SW1 and SW2, electrostatic capacitive elements C and C10 to C13, and switches CSW0 to CSW3. The electrostatic capacitive elements C10 to C13 are composed of elements having mutually different absolute values of capacitance and are provided so as to cover a frequency range intended by a designer. The electrostatic capacitance values are weighted by, for example, 2. The electrostatic capacitive elements C11 to C13 are selected by, for example, the switches CSW0 to CSW3 based on 4-bit frequency adjustment control signals SELC0 to SELC3, thereby carrying out frequency switching.
US08692583B2
An apparatus, system, and method are provided for a differential integrated input circuit. The apparatus includes n-type semiconductor devices and p-type semiconductor devices. The p-type semiconductor devices are cross-coupled with the n-type semiconductor devices. Each of the p-type semiconductor devices biases a corresponding n-type semiconductor device.
US08692580B2
An amplifying circuit comprises a bias circuit, a reference circuit, a first circuit, and an amplifying sub-circuit. The bias circuit is configured to provide a bias current. The reference circuit is configured to provide a first differential input based on a reference resistive device and a reference current derived from the bias current. The first circuit is configured to provide a second differential input based on a first current and a first resistance. The amplifying sub-circuit is configured to receive the first differential input and the second differential input and to generate a sense amplifying output indicative of a resistance relationship between the first resistance and a resistance of the reference resistive device.
US08692579B2
In order to reduce power consumption, an arithmetic circuit having a function of performing a logic operation processing based on an input signal, storing a potential set in accordance with the result of the logic operation processing as stored data, and outputting a signal with a value corresponding to the stored data as an output signal. The arithmetic circuit includes an arithmetic portion performing the logic operation processing, a first field-effect transistor controlling whether a first potential, which is the potential corresponding to the result of the logic operation processing is set, and a second field-effect transistor controlling whether the potential of the output signal data is set at a second potential which is a reference potential.
US08692573B2
Embodiments of a memory controller are described. This memory controller communicates signals to a memory device via a signal line, which can be a data signal line or a command/address signal line. Termination of the signal line is divided between an external impedance outside of the memory controller and an internal impedance within the memory controller. The memory controller does not activate the external impedance prior to communicating the signals and, therefore, does not deactivate the external impedance after communicating the signals. The internal impedance of the memory controller can be enabled or disabled in order to reduce interface power consumption. Moreover, the internal impedance may be implemented using a passive component, an active component or both. For example, the internal impedance may include either or both an on-die termination and at least one driver.
US08692571B2
The reliability of an integrated circuit is inferred from the operational characteristics of sample metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices switchably coupled to drain/source bias and gate input voltages that are nominal, versus voltage and current conditions that elevate stress and cause temporary or permanent degradation, e.g., hot carrier injection (HCI), bias temperature instability (BTI, NBTI, PBTI), time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB). The MOS devices under test (preferably both PMOS and NMOS devices tested concurrently or in turn) are configured as current sources in the supply of power to a ring oscillator having cascaded inverter stages, thereby varying the oscillator frequency as a measure of the effects of stress on the devices under test, but without elevating the stress applied to the inverter stages.
US08692567B2
A method and an apparatus for verifying or testing test substrates, i.e. wafers and other electronic semiconductor components, in a prober under defined thermal conditions. Such a verifying apparatus, known to the person skilled in the art as a prober, has a housing having at least two housing sections, in one housing section of which, designated hereinafter as test chamber, the test substrate to be verified is held by a chuck and is set to a defined temperature, and in the other housing section of which, designated hereinafter as probe chamber, probes are held. For verification purposes, the test substrate and the probes are positioned relative to one another by means of at least one positioning device and the probes subsequently make contact with the test substrate.
US08692565B2
A capacitive proximity sensor (100) comprises a sensor unit (10) and a sense circuit unit (20). The sensor unit (10) includes a sensor electrode (11), a shield electrode (12) and an auxiliary electrode (13). The sensor electrode (11) is connected to a C-V conversion circuit (21) and the shield electrode (12) is connected to a shield drive circuit (24). The auxiliary electrode (13) is connected via a change-over switch (30) to the C-V conversion circuit (21) or the shield drive circuit (24). The capacitance values (C1, C2) switched by the change-over switch (30) and detected at the C-V conversion circuit (21) are compared to arbitrarily set a range of a sense region on the sensor electrode (11).
US08692553B2
An antenna configuration for use in a magnetic resonance apparatus has at least two individual antennas which each include at least one conductor loop, one tuning network and one matching network, wherein the individual antennas are each combined into separate modules which are positioned on and mounted to a support body and can be removed therefrom in a non-destructive fashion, is characterized in that the individual antennas are connected to each other through decoupling elements, wherein the decoupling elements are mounted to the support body in an undetachable fashion. It is thereby possible to define individual antenna modules which can be arranged in a simple fashion around the measuring volume, are also electromagnetically decoupled from each other, and can be positioned close to the measuring volume in order to ensure that the received MRI image has a maximum, high signal-to-noise ratio.
US08692551B2
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) water-fat separation method includes acquiring in-phase image raw measurement data and out-of-phase image raw measurement data with an MRI device, reconstructing an in-phase image and an out-of-phase image according to a system matrix and the raw measurement data using the penalty function regularized iterative reconstruction method, and calculating water and fat images according to the in-phase image and the out-of-phase image. The use of the penalty function regularized iterative method eliminates the need for k-space raw measurement data with a 100% sampling rate, thereby reducing the MRI scan time, shortening the entire imaging time, and improving the efficiency of the MRI device.
US08692548B2
A high-pressure magic angle spinning (MAS) rotor is detailed that includes a high-pressure sample cell that maintains high pressures exceeding 150 bar. The sample cell design minimizes pressure losses due to penetration over an extended period of time.
US08692547B2
Nano-particles that possess either selective fluid phase blocks or modify the relative permeability of an earth formation to different fluids are used to inhibit the invasion of borehole mud into the formation. This makes it possible to make formation evaluation measurements using sensors with a shallow depth of investigation.
US08692541B2
A position sensing head combines a sensing element and a simplified electronic module to enable operation with one wire, in addition to a circuit common, for providing power and transmitting a signal, while separating the sensing head from signal conditioning circuits by over 10 meters. The simplicity of the electronic module allows the use of basic electronic components that operate at more than 225° C. The signal is a variable frequency impressed onto the one wire, which can be read by a frequency meter. Another signal, such as a position or temperature, can be impressed onto the one wire at the same time as the first signal. The second signal is of a different frequency range so that it will not interfere with the first. A demodulator circuit can separate the two signals. The sensing element construction allows for locating up to three active elements measuring the same target.
US08692538B2
Calibrating test equipment may include: aligning timing of a first group of channels in the test equipment; aligning timing of a second group of channels in the test equipment, with the second group of channels being different from the first group of channels; determining a misalignment in timing between a first channel and a second channel, with the first channel being from the first group of channels, and the second channel being from the second group of channels; and compensating, for the misalignment, channels in at least one of the first group or the second group.
US08692534B2
An embodiment of a current measuring device, defined by a gain, including an amplification module including an input for receiving a control signal, an input connected to an output node, brought to an output potential and traversed by an output current, a feedback node traversed by a mirror current associated with the output current by a proportionality coefficient equal to the gain, and an output traversed by the mirror current, and capable of bringing the feedback node to the output potential in response to the control signal. The measuring device also includes a gain modification module, mounted between the first potential and the feedback node, including at least one input for receiving an activation signal, and capable of modifying the value of the gain in response to an activation signal.
US08692529B1
A low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator includes a scaling amplifier for receiving a bandgap voltage, Vbg, and outputting a scaled Vbg. A reference MOSFET device is included for reducing the scaled Vbg by a first voltage Vgs formed across gate and source nodes of the reference MOSFET device. This forms a reduced level of the scaled Vbg. An RC network filters the reduced level of the scaled Vbg and outputs a filtered voltage. An output buffer is included for receiving and increasing the filtered voltage by a second voltage Vgs in order to recover the scaled Vbg. The scaled Vbg is used as the desired regulated voltage output. The second voltage Vgs, which is produced by the output buffer, is equal to the first voltage Vgs, which is produced by the reference MOSFET device.
US08692528B2
The present invention relates to a low dropout regulator, and more particularly to a low dropout regulator without load capacitor and ESR (equivalent series resistance) designed in response to the discharge curve of a Li-ion battery, includes an input terminal, a reference circuit, a power transfer element, a level regulating device, a regulating circuit, and a first N-type MOSFET. The regulating circuit detects a load change at an output terminal, amplifies the load change, and couples it to the level regulating device. The level regulating device receives and boosts a received signal and transmits the received signal to the power transfer element, so as to achieve the effect of controlling the power of a power supply.
US08692520B2
A method and system for optimizing the behavior of a charger connected to a portable device when the portable device current exceeds the charger current limit. The system includes a configuration module configured to set a maximum current limit and a register-based current limit values. The system further includes a port power switch configured to limit the portable device current, in the event that the portable device current exceeds the maximum current limit value. The port power switch is configures to modify the portable device current to a predetermined constant current value or reset the current to zero based on the relation between the maximum current limit and the register-based current limit value.
US08692517B2
Disclosed herein is an efficient and high capacity electrical energy storage device consisting of diaphragm-less anode and cathode cells charging and discharging an electrolyte containing suitable ions that store electrical energy during the charging cycle and release the electrical energy during the discharge cycle. The charge-discharge reactions are reversible so that the efficiency does not reduce with the number of cycles and efficiency is maintained until the last of the charged electrolyte passes through the cells.
US08692514B2
A charging station for portable electronic devices includes a base having a substantially vertical and forward facing wall and a plurality of suction cups secured to the wall to temporarily secure the portable electronic devices to the wall in a position that the portable electronic devices can be viewed and operated while recharging. The suction cups can be secured in a plurality of laterally spaced-apart positions so that multiple portable electronic devices can be secured side-by-side for recharging or more than one suction cup can secure a larger portable electronic device. The suction cups can also be secured in a plurality of vertically spaced apart positions so that the suction cup can engage the portable electronic device at a selected height or so that more than one suction cup can secure the portable electronic device. The charging station also organizes mail, keys, wallets, and the like.
US08692506B2
Charging apparatus 10 includes secondary battery 13 used for buffering, rectifier 11 that supplies direct current power to secondary battery 13 used for buffering, DC-DC converter 14 connected to driving battery 3 in electric vehicle 2 via charging cable 4, switching control circuit 12, and isothermal wind generator 16 that adjusts the temperature of secondary battery 13 used for buffering from outside of secondary battery 13 used for buffering. Switching control circuit 12 switches charging apparatus 10 between a first mode in which power supplied by rectifier 11 is accumulated in secondary battery 13 used for buffering and a second mode in which driving battery 3 is charged with the power supplied by secondary battery 13 used for buffering. Secondary battery 13 used for buffering includes at least one cell in which a battery element with a positive electrode plate and a negative electrode plate that are laminated therein is sealed with an outer cover film.
US08692502B2
An encoder having a function for detecting noise which may affect an internal signal of the encoder, without using a noise detecting circuit within the encoder, whereby the cost and size thereof may be reduced. The encoder has a detecting part adapted to detect the movement of an electric motor or a driven object; a signal processing circuit adapted to process a detection signal from the detecting part and obtain positional data of the motor or the object; and a transmitting part adapted to transmit the positional data from the signal processing circuit at regular time intervals and a fluctuation component calculated on the basis of the positional data, to external equipment. The signal processing circuit has a fluctuation component detecting circuit adapted to detect a fluctuation comment included in the calculated positional data, and the detected fluctuation component is transmitted to the external controller as an amount of noise.
US08692499B2
Disclosed is a method for controlling an electro-mechanical brake system including a cascade controller, in which a position controller, a speed controller and a current controller are integrated to control a motor. The method includes determining whether an actual speed of a motor exceeds a command speed of the motor in an early stage of a motor operation; and restricting speed reduction of the motor until a braking force is generated if the actual speed of the motor exceeds the command speed of the motor in the early stage of the motor operation. Speed reduction of the motor is restricted until braking force is generated even if a speed error (actual speed of the motor>command speed of the motor) occurs in the early stage of the motor operation in the EMB system, thereby improving the braking responsiveness.
US08692494B2
A driving circuit for a single-phase-brushless motor includes a driving-signal-generating circuit to generate a driving signal for supplying, to a driving coil of the single-phase-brushless motor, first- and second-driving currents alternately with a de-energized period therebetween, an output circuit, and a zero-cross-detecting circuit. While measuring a driving cycle from a start of an energized period, during which the output circuit supplies the first- or the second-driving current to the driving coil, to a time when the zero-cross-detecting circuit detects a zero cross of an induced voltage, generated across the driving coil, during the de-energized period, the driving-signal-generating circuit determines a length of a subsequent energized period based on the measured driving cycle, when the zero-cross-detecting circuit detects the zero-cross, and the driving-signal-generating circuit determines a length of an immediately previous energized period as a length of a subsequent energized period, when the zero-cross-detecting circuit does not detect the zero-cross.
US08692487B2
An aircraft cabin lighting kit includes: a driving/dimming module generating output signals for controlling illumination of at least one lighting unit according to command signals from a cabin management system; and at least one wire assembly interfacing the driving/dimming module with a power bus for receiving operational power, and a communication bus for receiving the command signals and for communicating the output signals to the at least one lighting unit. The present aircraft cabin lighting kit is certified by a governmental aviation-regulating body for installation in multiple aircraft. An aircraft cabin lighting system, which includes the kit, is also provided.
US08692477B1
A simple, cost-effective and efficient short circuit protection with simple routing of the ground on the PCB is achieved in an asynchronous DC-DC boost converter wherein a voltage sensing controller selectively isolates an input power supply to a load in the event of a short circuit. The controller alleviates need for additional components by utilizing the circuit for under voltage lockout protection and the circuit for overvoltage protection to generate signals for detecting short circuit. A predetermined offset voltage is added to a sensed output voltage to generate a reference voltage that is compared to a sensed input voltage and an output signal having a high state is generated in the event that the reference voltage is less than the sensed input voltage for selectively disabling the source of input power when the output signal is in the high state.
US08692469B2
An LED drive circuit connectable to a phase control type light adjuster includes a first reference voltage generation portion that generates a first reference voltage, a second reference voltage generation portion that generates a second reference voltage according to a phase angle of the light adjuster, an input voltage detection portion that detects a size relationship between an input voltage and a threshold value voltage, a current draw-out portion that draws out a current in accordance with the first reference voltage or the second reference voltage from an electricity supply line that supplies electricity to an LED drive portion, and a switch portion that in accordance with a detection result by the input voltage, detection portion, performs switching between an output from the first reference voltage generation portion to the current draw-out portion and an output from the second reference voltage generation portion to the current draw-out portion.
US08692461B2
An organic light emitting diode display includes a panel assembly for displaying an image and a first surface stress enhancing member arranged on a rear surface of the panel assembly. In one embodiment, the organic light emitting diode display includes a second surface stress enhancing member arranged on a front surface of the panel assembly. In anther embodiment, the organic light emitting diode display includes a lower bezel arranged on a rear surface of the first surface stress enhancing member and a shock absorption tape arranged between the first surface stress enhancing member and the lower bezel. The structure of the organic light emitting diode display efficiently prevents damages caused by an external impact.
US08692460B2
An electro-optically active organic diode has anode and cathode electrodes, an electro-optically active organic layer between the electrodes, and a charge carrier organic layer between the electro-optically active organic layer and the cathode electrode layer. The charge carrier organic layer is formed of a highly doped organic semiconductor material. A short protection layer is arranged between the cathode electrode layer and the charge carrier organic layer. The short protection layer is formed of an inorganic semiconductor material.
US08692456B2
An organic electro-luminescence diode comprises two electrodes and an organic electro-luminescence structure. The organic electro-luminescence structure is formed between the two electrodes, and includes a red light-generating unit, a green light-generating unit, a blue light-generating unit and a light-compensating unit stacked with each other. The light-compensating unit is selected from the group consisting of a white light-compensating unit, a red light-compensating unit, a green light-compensating unit, a blue light-compensating unit and a structure stacking together one light-compensating unit upon the other.
US08692451B2
Embodiments provide a light emitting device including a light emitting structure including a first conductive type semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer, and a protective layer disposed at a side of the light emitting structure, and a first electrode formed on an outside of the protective layer.
US08692450B2
A surface light source apparatus with dual-side emitting light includes at least a cathode wire structure, a transparent anode structure, a fluorescent layer and a low-pressure gas layer. The transparent anode structure is a surface structure, wherein the cathode wire structure and the transparent anode structure are parallel to each other. The fluorescent layer is located between the cathode wire structure and the transparent anode structure. The low-pressure gas layer fills the space between the cathode wire structure and the transparent anode structure and functions to induce the cathode evenly emitting electrons. The electron mean free path of the low-pressure gas layer allows at least a sufficient number of electrons to directly impact the fluorescent layer under an operation voltage.
US08692439B2
A surface acoustic wave resonator has a quartz crystal substrate having Euler angles of (φ=0°, 110°≦θ≦150°, 88°≦ψ≦92°) and an IDT having a plurality of electrode fingers disposed on the quartz crystal substrate, and using a surface acoustic wave as an excitation wave, a plurality of grooves arranged in a propagation direction of the surface acoustic wave to form stripes is disposed on the quartz crystal substrate, and the electrode fingers are disposed one of between the grooves and inside the grooves.
US08692438B2
A power generation device is disclosed, which includes a plurality of thermomagnetic generator and a flow controller. The thermomagnetic generators can acquire first fluids respectively. The flow controller can control flow rates of the second fluids flowing into the thermomagnetic generators respectively, wherein a fluid temperature of the first fluid is different from a fluid temperature of the second fluid.
US08692437B2
A method and apparatus for generating electricity by electromagnetic induction, using a magnetic field modulated by the formation, dissipation, and movement of vortices produced by a vortex material such as a type II superconductor. Magnetic field modulation occurs at the microscopic level, facilitating the production of high frequency electric power. Generator inductors are manufactured using microelectronic fabrication, in at least one dimension corresponding to the spacing of vortices. The vortex material fabrication method establishes the alignment of vortices and generator coils, permitting the electromagnetic induction of energy from many vortices into many coils simultaneously as a cumulative output of electricity. A thermoelectric cycle is used to convert heat energy into electricity.
US08692433B2
A rotor (or a stator) for a superconducting electrical machine includes a mounting that is maintained at substantially ambient temperature during operation of the electrical machine and a field coil support structure. A plurality of superconducting field coils are maintained at cryogenic temperatures during operation of the electrical machine and are supported by the field coil support structure. At least one coupling element is used to fix the field coil support structure to the mounting. The field coil support structure is preferably fixed to the mounting by a plurality of substantially circumferentially extending coupling elements at a first and second axial end of the field coil support structure and the mounting such that the mounting and field coil support structure are substantially separated over their axial lengths by a vacuum gap.
US08692432B2
A method for securing a permanent magnet within a rotor core is described. The rotor core includes a first end and a second end and at least one permanent magnet opening configured to receive the permanent magnet. The method includes coupling a first rotor end lamination to the first end of the rotor core. The first lamination includes at least one inner wall that defines an opening within the first lamination that corresponds to the permanent magnet opening in the rotor core. The first lamination includes a bridge portion positioned between the at least one inner wall and an outer edge of the first rotor end lamination. The method also includes positioning a permanent magnet at least partially within the permanent magnet opening and mechanically deforming the bridge portion of the first lamination to secure the permanent magnet within the permanent magnet opening.
US08692427B2
The circuit board includes: a first resin-molded body; a second resin-molded body; and a plurality of terminals each including: a positive electrode terminal portion to which is connected a lead of the positive-side rectifying element to be connected thereto; a negative electrode terminal portion to which is connected a lead of the negative-side rectifying element to be connected thereto; and a trunk portion that links the positive electrode terminal portion and the negative electrode terminal portion. The plurality of terminals are each held between the first resin-molded body and the second resin-molded body so as to be separated from each other such that the trunk portion is disposed between mating surfaces of the first resin-molded body and the second resin-molded body, the positive electrode terminal portion is inserted through the second resin-molded body, and the negative electrode terminal portion is inserted through the first resin-molded body.
US08692422B2
A spring-less buried magnet linear-resonant motor is provided. The motor includes a buried magnet system and a stator operable to produce an alternating magnetic field exerting alternating axial forces on the buried magnet system that has a self-centering force and a required stiffness to reciprocate at a frequency near an alternating current (AC) supply frequency.
US08692416B2
A system for reducing the voltage of an AC electrical supply to a load for the purpose of energy efficiency, comprising a transformer and power converter in circuit between an AC electrical supply and a load, and a bypass switch S to cause the transformer to be taken out of circuit and to connect the electrical supply to the load in the event of a sustained overload of the transformer. The system includes means (14) to measure the temperature of the transformer, means (17) to measure the electrical current in the circuit and control means (15) receiving signals from the sensors (14, 17) and to operate bypass switch S to bypass the transformer and allow it to cool. A fuse F2 and thermal cut out device (16) are in circuit with the secondary winding of the transformer as failsafe means to interrupt the supply to the transformer in the event that the bypass switch fails to operate.
US08692407B2
A power line transmission apparatus is not interfered by the noise of the public power for transmitting high quality video/audio signal. The power line transmission apparatus includes an isolating unit connected between an external power line and an internal power line for isolating a high frequency noise signal carried on the external power line and transmitting a first power signal of the external power line from the external power line to the internal power line, and a power line network interface. The power line network interface includes at least one digital signal input/output interface for inputting or outputting a digital signal, converting the digital signal, and modulating the converted signal into the first power signal to form a second power signal and transmit the second power signal to the internal power line. A home network system without noise signal interference is built by utilizing several power line transmission apparatuses.
US08692402B1
An electrical generator using ocean wave and current forces to spin a turbine mean and alternator connected together by a flexible shaft. An electrical generator that takes its inspiration from a giant kelp plant that bends in wave or current forces thus presenting its turbine blades at the right angle to the force. A resilient flexible turbine generator of small stature resembling an ocean surf zone macrocystus which (instead of float and fronds) has a turbine floating at its top-most end and an alternator anchored to the ocean floor, both connected by a force transmitting flexible shaft. Ecologically friendly, turbo generator designed to be “ganged” into a “forest” of similar devices to harness the forces inherent in ocean waves and currents.
US08692400B2
A rotating electrical machine abnormal state detection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes: a current signal acquisition unit, coupled to a rotating electrical machine, for acquiring a set of real-time current waveforms from the rotating electrical machine; a state characteristic database, pre-storing a plurality of abnormal state characteristics which respectively correspond to a plurality of abnormal states; and an abnormal state detection unit, coupled to the current signal acquisition unit and the state characteristic database, for performing signal analysis on the set of real-time current waveforms to produce a current state characteristic, and comparing the current state characteristic with the abnormal state characteristics pre-stored in the state characteristic database to determine the abnormal state of the rotating electrical machine.
US08692395B2
The present invention provides a gravity power generating apparatus comprising a set of a plurality of magnetic heavy objects; a generator for generating electrical power by rotating a rotor of the generator, wherein the rotation of the generator is accomplished by having each heavy object to pass through a gravity route; a delivery route for delivering each heavy object to drive each heavy object to pass through the gravity route; a delivery route motor for supplying power for the delivery route; and a plurality of magnetic elements provided around the gravity route, wherein each magnetic element is wound around with a coil on the surface so that an electrical current is generated in the coil to supply to the delivery route motor.
US08692392B2
A wafer is disclosed. The wafer comprises a plurality of chips and a plurality of kerfs. A kerf of the plurality of kerfs separates one chip from another chip. The kerf comprises a crack stop barrier.
US08692387B2
A semiconductor package and method of assembling a semiconductor package includes encapsulating a first pre-packaged semiconductor die stacked on top of and interconnected with a second semiconductor die. The first packaged semiconductor die is positioned and fixed relative to a lead frame with a temporary carrier such as tape. The second semiconductor die is attached and interconnected directly to the first packaged semiconductor die and lead frame. The interconnected first packaged die and second semiconductor die, and lead frame are encapsulated to form the semiconductor package. Different types of semiconductor packages such as quad flat no-lead (QFN) and ball grid array (BGA) may be formed, which provide increased input/output (I/O) count and functionality.
US08692380B2
A method of manufacture of an integrated circuit system includes: forming reticle data; detecting a sub-geometry, a singularity, or a combination thereof in the reticle data; applying a unit cell, a patch cell, or a combination thereof for removing the sub-geometry, the singularity, or the combination thereof from the reticle data; and fabricating an integrated circuit from the reticle data.
US08692374B2
The present invention proposes a circuit component structure, which comprises a semiconductor substrate, a fine-line metallization structure formed over the semiconductor substrate and having at least one metal pad, a passivation layer formed over the fine-line metallization structure with the metal pads exposed by the openings of the passivation layer, at least one carbon nanotube layer formed over the fine-line metallization structure and the passivation layer and connecting with the metal pads. The present invention is to provide a carbon nanotube circuit component structure and a method for fabricating the same, wherein the circuit of a semiconductor element is made of an electrically conductive carbon nanotube, and the circuit of the semiconductor element can thus be made finer and denser via the superior electric conductivity, flexibility and strength of the carbon nanotube.
US08692372B2
Provided are semiconductor devices including a semiconductor substrate, an insulating layer including a contact hole through which the semiconductor substrate is exposed, and a polysilicon layer filling the contact hole. The polysilicon layer is doped with impurities and includes an impurity-diffusion prevention layer. In the semiconductor devices, the impurities included in the polysilicon layer do not diffuse into the insulating layer and the semiconductor substrate due to the impurity-diffusion prevention layers.
US08692370B2
A semiconductor element (10) is secured to an island (7), and a plurality of through-holes (8) are formed in the portion of the island (7), which surrounds the area to which the semiconductor element (10) is secured. Further, the electrode pads of the semiconductor element (10) and leads (4) are electrically connected by copper wires (11). In this structure, the cost of materials is reduced by using the copper wires (11) in comparison with gold wires. Further, a part of a resin package (2) is embedded in through-holes (8), so that the island (7) can be easily supported within the resin package (2).
US08692368B2
A stacked integrated circuit (IC) device includes a semiconductor IC having an active face, and an interconnect structure. The active face receives a regulated voltage from a voltage regulator (MEG). An active portion of the VREG, which supplies the regulated voltage to the semiconductor IC is coupled to the interconnect structure. A packaging substrate includes one or more inductors including a first set of through vias. The first set of through vias are coupled to the interconnect structure and cooperate with the active portion to provide the regulated voltage for the semiconductor IC. The IC also includes a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to the packaging substrate. The PCB includes a second set of through vias coupled to the first set of through vias. The IC also includes one or more conducting paths on the PCB. The conducting path(s) couple together at least two through vias of the second set of through vias.
US08692364B2
A semiconductor device includes an embedding layer in which one or more semiconductor element(s) is embedded and one or more interconnect layers as well as one or more insulation layers on one or both sides of the embedding layer. The embedding layer includes a woven cloth formed by reinforcement fibers. The woven cloth has an opening on its site embedding the semiconductor element. The opening is arranged so that direction of the reinforcement fibers will have a preset angle with respect to a direction of a side of or a tangent to at least a portion of the opening, the preset angle being other than a square angle or a zero angle (parallelism).
US08692361B2
A system and method for manufacturing an electric device package are disclosed. An embodiment comprises comprising a first carrier contact, a first electric component, the first electric component having a first top surface and a first bottom surface, the first electric component comprising a first component contact disposed on the first top surface, the first bottom surface being connected to the carrier and an connection element comprising a second electric component and an interconnect element, the connection element having a connection element top surface and a connection element bottom surface, wherein the connection element bottom surface comprises a first connection element contact and a second connection element contact, and wherein the first connection element contact is connected to the first component contact and the second connection element contact is connected to the first carrier contact. The packaged device further comprises an encapsulant encapsulating the first electric component.
US08692353B2
An embodiment is a semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure comprises at least two gate structures on a substrate. The gate structures define a recess between the gate structures, and the recess is defined by a depth in a vertical direction. The depth is from a top surface of at least one of the gate structures to below a top surface of the substrate, and the depth extends in an isolation region in the substrate. The semiconductor structure further comprises a filler material in the recess. The filler material has a first thickness in the vertical direction. The semiconductor structure also comprises an inter-layer dielectric layer in the recess and over the filler material. The inter-layer dielectric layer has a second thickness in the vertical direction below the top surface of the at least one of the gate structures. The first thickness is greater than the second thickness.
US08692344B2
An image sensor device that includes a substrate and a plurality of color filters. The substrate includes a plurality of photo detectors (wherein a first portion of the plurality of photo detectors each has a lateral size that is smaller than that of each of a second portion of the plurality of photo detectors) and a plurality of contact pads which are electrically coupled to the photo detectors. The plurality of color filters are each disposed over one of the photo detectors. The plurality of photo detectors are configured to produce electronic signals in response to light incident through the color filters. A third portion of the plurality of photo detectors are laterally disposed between the first and second portions of the photo detectors, and each having a lateral size between those of the first and second portions of the photo detectors.
US08692339B2
In a method for manufacturing a micromechanical component, a cavity is produced in the substrate from an opening at the rear of a monocrystalline semiconductor substrate. The etching process used for this purpose and the monocrystalline semiconductor substrate used are controlled in such a way that a largely rectangular cavity is formed.
US08692322B2
A semiconductor power device comprises a plurality of power transistor cells each having a trenched gate disposed in a gate trench wherein the trenched gate comprising a shielding bottom electrode disposed in a bottom portion of the gate trench electrically insulated from a top gate electrode disposed in a top portion of the gate trench by an inter-electrode insulation layer. At least one of the transistor cells includes the shielding bottom electrode functioning as a source-connecting shielding bottom electrode electrically connected to a source electrode of the semiconductor power device and at least one of the transistor cells having the shielding bottom electrode functioning as a gate-connecting shielding bottom electrode electrically connected to a gate metal of the semiconductor power device.
US08692312B2
According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor memory device is provided. In the method, a laminated body in which a first silicon layer, a first sacrificial layer, a second silicon layer, and a second sacrificial layer are laminated in turn is formed. A first insulating film is formed on the laminated body. A trench is formed in the laminated body and the first insulating film. A third sacrificial layer is formed into the trench. The third sacrificial layer is etched by wet etching to be retreated from a top surface of the third sacrificial layer, thereby etching end faces of the first sacrificial layer and the second sacrificial layer.
US08692311B2
According to one embodiment, a method is disclosed for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method can include selectively implanting an impurity into a underlying layer containing silicon using a mask to form a boron-added region and an etched region. The boron-added region contains boron, and a boron concentration of the etched region is lower than a boron concentration in the boron added region. The method can include forming a pair of holes reaching the etched region in the stacked body including a plurality of layers of electrode layers. The method can include forming a depression part connected to a lower end of each of the pair of holes in the underlying layer by removing the etched region through the holes using an etching solution.
US08692301B2
The present invention provides a photodiode comprising a p-i-n or pn junction at least partly formed by first and second regions (2) made of semiconductor materials having opposite conductivity type, wherein the p-i-n or pn junction comprises a light absorption region (11) for generation of charge carriers from absorbed light. One section of the p-i-n or pn junction is comprises by one or more nanowires (7) that are spaced apart and arranged to collect charge carriers generated in the light absorption region (11). At least one low doped region (10) made of a low doped or intrinsic semiconductor material provided between the nanowires (7) and one of said first region (1) and said second region (2) enables custom made light absorption region and/or avalanche multiplication region of the active region (9).
US08692295B1
A double heterojunction bipolar transistor on a substrate comprises a collector formed of InGaAsP, a base in contact with the collector, an emitter in contact with the base, and electrodes forming separate electrical contacts with each of the collector, base, and emitter, respectively. A device incorporates this transistor and an opto-electronic device optically coupled with the collector of the transistor to interact with light transmitted therethrough.
US08692274B2
A light-emitting diode (LED) package structure including a carrier substrate, at least one LED chip, an optical element and a thermal-conductive transparent liquid is provided. The LED chip is disposed on the carrier substrate and has an active layer. The optical element is disposed on the substrate and forms a sealed space with the carrier substrate, and the LED chip is disposed in the sealed space. The thermal-conductive transparent liquid fills up the sealed space.
US08692250B2
A method for fabricating a TFT array substrate including the following steps is provided. A substrate having a pixel region and a photosensitive region is provided. A first patterned conductive layer is formed on the substrate, wherein the first patterned conductive layer includes a gate electrode disposed in the pixel region and a first electrode disposed in the photosensitive region, and a photosensitive dielectric layer is formed on the first electrode. A gate insulation layer is formed to cover the gate electrode, the photosensitive dielectric layer and the first electrode. A patterned semiconductor layer is formed on the gate insulation layer above the gate electrode. A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed on the patterned semiconductor layer at two sides of the gate electrode, wherein the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode constitute a TFT. A second electrode is formed on the photosensitive dielectric layer.
US08692242B1
The present invention relates to a candlelight-like light organic light-emitting device, comprising: a first conductive layer, a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, a first host light-emitting layer, a second host light-emitting layer, an electron transport layer, an electron injection layer, and a second conductive layer. Particularly, in the present invention, a plurality of candlelight complementary color dyes are doped in the first host light-emitting layer and the second host light-emitting layer for making the first host light-emitting layer and the second host light-emitting layer respectively emit a first light and a second light, such that the first light and the second light are mixed to a candlelight-like light with high color rendering index and low color temperature; therefore the candlelight-like light is suitable for being a reading light or a bedside light, and can facilitate users to read by their eyes under a comfortable condition.
US08692240B2
A blue color photoelectric conversion film includes: a p-type layer formed by depositing tetracene; a p,n-type layer formed by co-depositing tetracene and naphthalene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride (“NTCDA”) on the p-type layer; and an n-type layer formed by depositing NTCDA on the p,n-type layer.
US08692238B2
An organic film-forming polymer has a Tg of at least 70° C. and comprises a backbone comprising recurring units of Structure (A) shown in this application. These organic film-forming polymers can be used as dielectric materials in various devices with improved properties such as improved mobility.
US08692231B2
A functional molecular element exhibiting its function under the operation of an electrical field is provided. A compound is used in which a pendant molecule, formed by 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl, exhibiting positive dielectric constant anisotropy or a dipole moment along the direction of the long axis of the molecule, is covalently bonded to an electrically conductive linear or film-shaped principal-axis molecule having a conjugated system. The pendant molecule is changed in its orientation on application of an electrical field to change the conformation to switch the electrical conductivity of the electrically conductive principal-axis molecule.
US08692219B2
A method that includes implantation of dopants while a III-nitride body is being grown on a substrate, and an apparatus for the practice of the method.
US08692217B2
The present invention provides a plasma ion beam system that includes multiple gas sources and that can be used for performing multiple operations using different ion species to create or alter submicron features of a work piece. The system preferably uses an inductively coupled, magnetically enhanced ion beam source, suitable in conjunction with probe-forming optics sources to produce ion beams of a wide variety of ions without substantial kinetic energy oscillations induced by the source, thereby permitting formation of a high resolution beam.
US08692215B2
A workpiece scanning system is provided having a scan arm that rotates about a first axis and a chilled end effector rotatably coupled to the scan arm about a second axis for selectively securing a workpiece. The chilled end effector has a clamping plate and one or more cooling mechanisms for cooling the clamping plate. A bearing is positioned along the second axis and rotatably couples the end effector to the scan arm, and a seal is positioned along the second axis to provide a pressure barrier between an external environment and an internal environment. One or more of the bearing and seal can have a ferrofluid associated therewith. A heater assembly is positioned proximate to the bearing and seal, wherein the heater assembly selectively provides a predetermined amount of heat to the bearing and seal, therein increasing a propensity of the end effector to rotate about the second axis.
US08692203B1
The present disclosure discloses, in one arrangement, a single crystalline iodide scintillator material having a composition of the formula AM1−xEuxI3, A3M1−xEuxI5 and AM2(1−x)Eu2xI5, wherein A consists essentially of any alkali metal element (such as Li, Na K, Rb, Cs) or any combination thereof, M consists essentially of Sr, Ca, Ba or any combination thereof, and 0≦x≦1. In another arrangement, the above single crystalline iodide scintillator material can be made by first synthesizing a compound of the above composition and then forming a single crystal from the synthesized compound by, for example, the Vertical Gradient Freeze method. Applications of the iodide scintillator materials include radiation detectors and their use in medical and security imaging.
US08692200B2
Various embodiments of an optical proximity sensor and corresponding circuits and methods for measuring small AC signal currents arising from the detection of pulsed AC light signals emitted by a light emitter and reflected from an object to detected in the presence of larger ambient light DC current signals are disclosed. Circuits and corresponding methods are described that improve the dynamic range, sensitivity and detection range of an optical proximity sensor by cancelling the contributions of DC current signals arising from ambient light signals that otherwise would dominate the detected small AC signal currents. The DC signal cancellation occurs in a differential amplifier circuit before small AC signal currents are provided to an analog-to-digital converter. The circuits and methods may be implemented using conventional CMOS design and manufacturing techniques and processes.
US08692195B2
The present invention provides a scanning charged particle beam device including a sample chamber (8) and a detector. The detector has: a function of detecting light at least ranging from the vacuum ultraviolet region to the visible light region, of light (17) having image information which is obtained by a light emission phenomenon of gas scintillation when the sample chamber is controlled to a low vacuum (1 Pa to 3,000 Pa); and a function of detecting ion currents (11, 13) having image information which are obtained by cascade amplification of electrons and gas molecules. Accordingly, it becomes possible to realize a device which can deal with observation of various samples. Further, an optimal configuration of the detection unit is devised, to thereby make it possible to add value to an obtained image and provide users in wide-ranging fields with the observation image. In addition, the detector is made usable in combination with a detector for high vacuum, to thereby make it possible to provide wide-ranging users with the image, irrespective of the vacuum mode.
US08692193B2
A method of inspecting an EUV reticle is proposed, which uses an original design layout information to align the plurality of patterns on an image, which is got by scanning the surface of an EUV reticle, such that the defect can be identified and classified according to the aligned patterns. In the scanning process, a step of conditioning surface charge is followed by a step of inspecting surface of the EUV reticle wherein the step of conditioning surface can neutralize the surface charge and the step of inspecting can obtain an image of the EUV reticle. The method of inspecting an EUV reticle also tuning a retarding electrode to attract more secondary electrons such that the greylevels of different patterns may be shown and the defect can be identified and classified.
US08692192B2
The present invention relates generally to mass spectrometry. The present invention relates more particularly to methods and systems for use in mass spectrometric identification of a variety of analytes, including high molecular weight species such as proteins. One embodiment of the invention is a method for analyzing an analyte. The method includes nebulizing a suspension of the analyte in a solvent with a surface acoustic wave transducer; and performing mass spectrometry on the nebulized suspension. The surface acoustic wave transducer can be used, for example, to transfer non-volatile peptides and proteins (as well as other analyztes, such as oligonucleotides and polymers) to the gas phase at atmospheric pressure. Nebulization using surface acoustic waves can be conducted in a discontinuous or pulsed mode, similar to that used in MALDI, or in a continuous mode, as in ESI.
US08692184B1
The subject matter described herein includes methods, systems, and computer program products for measuring the density of a material. According to one aspect, a material property gauge includes a nuclear density gauge for measuring the density of a material. A radiation source adapted to emit radiation into a material and a radiation detector operable to produce a signal representing the detected radiation. A first material property calculation function may calculate a value associated with the density of the material based upon the signal produced by the radiation detector. The material property gauge includes an electromagnetic moisture property gauge that determines a moisture property of the material. An electromagnetic field generator may generate an electromagnetic field where the electromagnetic field sweeps through one or more frequencies and penetrates into the material. An electromagnetic sensor may determine a frequency response of the material to the electromagnetic field across the several frequencies.
US08692181B2
A medical imaging equipment has a conveying device that can be moved at least partially in at least one direction. A position-detecting device has at least one transmitting element which detects a position of the conveying device and emits position-measuring radiation. The position-detecting device has at least one detector element. The position-detecting device has at least one semi-transparent reflector element.
US08692178B2
A photosensitive control system includes a light source device configured to provide a directional light beam and a photosensitive device which includes at least one pre-arranged photosensitive unit. Also, the photosensitive control system has a light guide device configured between the light source device and the photosensitive device for guiding the light beam to the at least one photosensitive unit and therefore the photosensitive device produces a sensing signal. In addition, the photosensitive control system includes a controller configured to receive the sensing signal and provide control data in accordance with the sensing signal.
US08692177B2
A solid-state imaging device includes an imager including pixels arranged in a matrix, and analog to digital (AD) converters, each of which is provided in each pixel column and converts a signal voltage read from one of the pixels located in the column to a digital value. Each of the AD converters includes a comparator and a counter section including a counter circuit, which receives a comparison result of the comparator and includes a first D flip-flop (DFF) for n-bits, and a transfer circuit, which includes a second DFF for n-bits holding and outputting a count value of the counter circuit. The second DFFs provided in the columns are coupled in series to form a transfer section transferring the signal voltage which has been digitally converted.
US08692171B2
An unmanned aerial vehicle including a controller operating in a search mode of operation where a receiver of an acquisition sensor searches for a target and causes flight control surfaces to guide the vehicle in a downward spiral path, a terminal mode of operation where the acquisition sensor detects a target and causes flight control surfaces to direct the vehicle toward the target, and an activation mode of operation where a trigger sensor detects a target within a predetermined distance to the vehicle and the controller activates a responder.
US08692169B2
An electrical apparatus includes a casing, a circuit board, a top cover and an active heat-dissipating element. The casing includes a first entrance, a first receptacle, a first sidewall, and a first bottom surface. An air inlet hole is formed in the first bottom surface. A concave region is defined at a junction between the first sidewall and the first bottom surface. An air outlet hole is formed in the concave region. The circuit board is disposed within the first receptacle and has at least one electronic component mounted thereon. The top cover shelters the first entrance. The active heat-dissipating element is disposed within the first receptacle and arranged over the air inlet hole. Ambient air is inhaled into the first receptacle by the active heat-dissipating element and exhausted out of the casing through the air outlet hole, thereby removing heat generated from the electronic component.
US08692164B2
A cooking appliance for producing flatbreads or other foodstuffs is provided. The cooking appliance includes a base, lower heating assembly, and an upper heating assembly. The lower heating assembly includes a lower cooking surface, and the upper heating assembly includes an upper cooking surface. The upper cooking surface is translatable and rotatable relative to the lower cooking surface. The upper cooking surface is locatable in at least three operative positions relative to the lower cooking surface.
US08692163B2
An electrical sleeve heater for heating an elongated part has a metallic and tubular casing extending coaxially along an axis with the part and surrounding the part. The casing has a front end is with a radially inwardly open cutout. A electrical heating element set in the casing is energizeable to heat the casing and the part surrounded by the casing. A thermocouple has a sensing tip in the cutout. A retaining body of at most low thermal conductivity is fitted in the cutout, holds the tip out of contact with the metallic casing, and urges the tip radially inward into direct engagement with an outer surface of the part. The retaining body is a molded part, a plate, or a spring of a material with low or negligible thermal conductivity.
US08692155B2
A method and device for processing materials with laser pulses having a large spectral bandwidth and a device for carrying out said method. The aim of the invention is to create an easy, flexible method enabling universally applicable processing which can, however, be adapted to specific processing and methodological requirements. According to the invention, one or several spectral parameters of the laser pulses, i.e. the spectral amplitude and/or spectral phase and/or spectral polarization thereof, is/are specifically modified, preferably according to a measuring process variable, in order to process material or during the occurrence of said processing. The invention is used in order to process material with laser pulses having a large spectral bandwidth, particularly femto-second pulses and pico-second pulses.
US08692149B2
A switchgear assembly includes a vacuum interrupt chamber and a short-circuiting system arranged in the vacuum interrupt chamber. To enable rapid switching with physically simple means, a vacuum area of the vacuum interrupt chamber in which a fixed contact piece is placed is subdivided via a membrane, which is provided with a breaking line and which can be penetrated by a moving piston system to the contact piece during switching. The switchgear assembly can be utilized in a low-voltage, medium-voltage or high-voltage assembly.
US08692148B1
The present invention discloses a container sorting system capable of increased sorting efficiency. The present invention discloses a device in which the distance is shortened between detection and ejection of containers being sorted by reflective infrared radiation, transmission infrared radiation, or both. The present invention also includes a method of operating such device.
US08692144B2
A keyboard includes a membrane circuit board, a luminous key, a light-emitting element and a plastic film layer. The luminous key has a keycap with a light-transmissible part. The luminous key is configured for triggering a membrane switch of the membrane circuit board. The light-emitting element is disposed on the membrane circuit board and arranged under the light-transmissible part for emitting a light beam. The plastic film layer is disposed on the membrane circuit board, and includes a convex structure, which is integrally formed with the plastic film layer. The light-emitting element is enclosed by the convex structure. The convex structure has an opening aligned with the light-emitting element. The keyboard of the present invention has enhanced production yield and reduced light leakage.
US08692143B2
An assembly for mutual mechanical blocking of actuation of a plurality of electrical switches includes a first locking mechanism assigned to a first switch and actuatable by an actuation device of the first switch, the actuation device being configured to transmit via Bowden cables at least one of an OFF position and an ON position of the first switch to a locking device of at least one other locking mechanism assigned to at least one other switch, the locking device including a two-armed rocker having a center portion configured to lock the at least one other switch and having lever arms, each of the lever arms having a respective bore configured to receive: (a) a driving element for a respective Bowden cable so as to provide a mutual locking of three switches, and (b) a fastening pivot pin for rotatable fastening of the two-armed rocker to a mounting plate that accommodates the first locking mechanism, so as to provide a mutual locking of two switches.
US08692142B2
The invention provides a circuit for determining positions of contacts on a capacitive position detecting panel. The capacitive position detecting panel includes a plurality of sensing lines and driving lines. The circuit includes a plurality of first amplifiers and second amplifiers. The first amplifiers respectively connect to the sensing lines, and the second amplifiers respectively connect to the driving lines. Input nodes of the first amplifiers are connected to a first input signal source, and input nodes of the second amplifiers are selectively connected to the first input signal source or a second input signal source. When the circuit is operated under a first operation mode, the input nodes of the second amplifiers are connected to the first input signal source; and when the circuit is operated under a second operating mode, the input modes of a plurality of specific second amplifiers are connected to the second input signal source.
US08692133B2
Provided is a semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes an insulation substrate with top and bottom surfaces. The semiconductor package further includes a circuit pattern on the top surface. The circuit pattern includes a first signal conductive pattern and first and second ground conductive patterns. The semiconductor package includes a first insulation film covering the first signal conductive pattern and exposing a first portion of the first ground conductive pattern and a portion of the second ground conductive pattern. The semiconductor package further includes a first conductive member on the first signal conductive pattern and the first and second ground conductive patterns. The first conductive member electrically connects the first and second ground conductive patterns by covering a portion of the first insulation film and coming in contact with the first portion of the first ground conductive pattern and the portion of the second ground conductive pattern.
US08692130B2
A transparent thin plate including a transparent substrate in a sheet form, a mesh layer formed on a surface of the transparent substrate and made of an opaque material having a structure wherein an outline of meshes is made of bands that are very thin and have a substantially equal width, and having a light transmittance of 50% or more. The transparent thin plate also includes a colored layer that is arranged in a state in which the colored layer is laminated in a partial area of the mesh layer and on the surface of the mesh layer, and has a color different from that of the opaque material constituting the mesh layer.
US08692121B1
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus to engage and suspend an electrical contact of a cylindrical and elongated configuration. In accordance with the invention and described is a hollowed out, cylindrical and elongated device having two pair of spaced apart cantilever beams which extend forwardly from a base to a pin receiving end wherein the counter levered beams of each pair are opposing each other and are equally spaced along the entire circumference wherein a pin like cylindrical object engages through the hollowed out portion and urges against the cantilevered beams in a fashion to increase the distance between the opposing beams.
US08692117B2
Durable fine wire electrical conductors are robust, durable, small in profile, and light weight, yet capable of operating under extreme environmental conditions. Formed of a glass, silica, sapphire or crystalline quartz fiber core with a metal coating and one or more polymer layers, a unipolar electrical conductor can have an outer diameter as small as about 300 microns or even smaller. The metal buffer coating may be deposited directly on the glass/silica fiber, or upon an intermediate layer between the glass/silica fiber and metal, consisting of carbon and/or polymer. The resulting metallized glass/silica fibers are extremely durable, can be bent through small radii and will not fatigue even from millions of iterations of flexing. Bipolar electrical conductors can include several insulated metallized glass/silica fibers residing side by side, or can be coaxial with two or more insulated metal conductive paths. An outer protective sheath of a flexible polymer material can be included.
US08692109B2
The present invention provides a solar cell module including: a light transmitting plate having light transmittance; solar cells having bonding pads and conductive bumps bonded to the bonding pads; an adhesive film disposed between the light transmitting plate and the solar cells to bond the light transmitting plate and the solar cells; and a conductive pad disposed by being inserted in the adhesive film and surrounding and electrically connecting the conductive bumps of the adjacent solar cells.
US08692092B1
A novel maize variety designated PH1JYB and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PH1JYB with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PH1JYB 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 PH1JYB or a locus conversion of PH1JYB with another maize variety.
US08692091B1
A novel maize variety designated X13B580 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 X13B580 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X13B580 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X13B580, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X13B580. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X13B580.
US08692089B1
A novel maize variety designated X03C220 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 X03C220 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X03C220 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X03C220, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X03C220. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X03C220.
US08692088B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH747326. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH747326, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH747326 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH747326.
US08692083B1
A novel maize variety designated X18B731 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 X18B731 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X18B731 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X18B731, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X18B731. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X18B731.
US08692082B2
The invention provides seed and plants of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 and hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 and hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756, and to methods for producing a tomato plant produced by crossing a plant of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 or hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756 with itself or with another tomato plant, such as a plant of another line or variety. The invention further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. The invention further relates to parts of a plant of tomato line CHI 15-2113, tomato line CHD 15-2114 or hybrid tomato variety BX 0154 3756, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.
US08692079B1
A novel soybean variety, designated XBP34007 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP34007, cells from soybean variety XBP34007, plants of soybean XBP34007, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP34007. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP34007 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic trait, a mutant trait, and/or a native trait into soybean variety XBP34007, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP34007, and methods of characterizing soybean variety XBP34007. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP34007 are further provided.
US08692075B2
A lettuce cultivar, designated Borromini, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of lettuce cultivar Borromini, to the plants of lettuce cultivar Borromini and to methods for producing a lettuce plant by crossing the cultivar Borromini with itself or another lettuce cultivar. The invention further relates to methods for producing a lettuce plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic lettuce plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to lettuce cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Borromini, to methods for producing other lettuce cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from lettuce cultivar Borromini and to the lettuce plants, varieties, and their parts derived from the use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid lettuce seeds, plants, and plant parts produced by crossing cultivar Borromini with another lettuce cultivar.
US08692072B2
This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a transcription factor. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the transcription factor, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of accumulated oil in a transformed host cell.
US08692071B2
The present invention provides non-coding regulatory element polynucleotide molecules isolated from the At.PLDδ gene or the At.HVA22e gene of Arabidopsis thaliana and useful for expressing transgenes in plants. The invention further discloses compositions, polynucleotide constructs, transformed host cells, transgenic plants and seeds containing the Arabidopsis thaliana regulatory polynucleotide sequences, and methods for preparing and using the same.
US08692065B2
The invention provides nucleic acids, and variants and fragments thereof, obtained from strains of Bacillus thuringiensis encoding polypeptides having pesticidal activity against insect pests, including Lepidoptera. Particular embodiments of the invention provide isolated nucleic acids encoding pesticidal proteins, pesticidal compositions, DNA constructs, and transformed microorganisms and plants comprising a nucleic acid of the embodiments. These compositions find use in methods for controlling pests, especially plant pests.
US08692064B2
Several QTLs that are genetically linked to resistance to soybean cyst nematode (SCN) are disclosed. These QTLs have been mapped to genomic regions on Chrs. 4, 8, 10, 11, 18, and 20 of soybean, G. max. Candidate genes underlying these QTLs as defined by the flanking markers, as well as genetic markers associated with these QTLs are also disclosed. These markers can be utilized for introgressing SCN resistance into non-resistant soybean germplasm. The unique resistance genes can be introduced into a non-resistant plant by marker-assisted selection (MAS) or by transgenic methods.
US08692058B2
According to the invention, there is provided seed and plants of the hybrid corn variety designated CH900774. The invention thus relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of the variety CH900774, and to methods for producing a corn plant produced by crossing a corn plant of variety CH900774 with itself or with another corn plant, such as a plant of another variety. The invention further relates to genetic complements of plants of variety CH900774.
US08692048B2
The present invention provides a method for revamping an HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit to an ionic liquid alkylation unit, wherein the HF or sulphuric acid alkylation unit comprise at least: —a reactor unit for contacting catalyst and hydrocarbon reactants; —a separator unit for separating a reactor effluent into a catalyst phase and an alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase; —a fractionator unit for fractionating the alkylate-comprising hydrocarbon phase into at least one stream comprising alkylate; and which method includes: —providing a second separator unit suitable for the separation of solids from liquids downstream of the reactor unit suitable to reduce the solids content in at least part of the reactor effluent.
US08692046B2
One exemplary embodiment can be a process for isomerizing a feed stream including one or more C4-C6 hydrocarbons. The process may include contacting the feed stream in an isomerization reaction zone with an isomerization catalyst at isomerization conditions to produce an isomerization zone effluent; passing at least a portion of the isomerization zone effluent to a stabilizer zone and recovering a stabilizer overhead stream, a bottom stream, and a stripper feed stream; passing the stripper feed stream to a stripping zone and separating the stripper feed stream into a stripper overhead stream and a stripper bottom stream; and recycling at least a portion of the stripper bottom stream to a deisopentanizer zone and passing a stream from the deisopentanizer zone to the isomerization reaction zone. Usually, the stabilizer overhead stream includes one or more C5− hydrocarbons, the bottom stream includes at least about 85%, by weight, one or more C6+ hydrocarbons, and a stripper feed stream including at least about 10%, by weight, one or more C5+ hydrocarbons. Often, a stripper overhead stream includes at least about 5%, by weight, one or more C4− hydrocarbons and a stripper bottom stream includes at least about 90%, by weight, one or more C5+ hydrocarbons.
US08692045B2
A process for producing light olefins is provided. A feedstock enters a pre-reaction zone and contacts a catalyst comprising at least one silicon-aluminophosphate molecular sieve and produces a gas-phase stream; the gas-phase stream and the catalyst enter at least one riser, and the gas-phase stream and the catalyst pass from an outlet of the at least one riser and enter a gas-solid rapid separation zone; the separated gas-phase stream enters a separation section; a first portion of the separated catalyst returns to the pre-reaction zone, and a second portion is regenerated in a regenerator; wherein an inlet of the at least one riser extends into the pre-reaction zone, about 60% to about 90% of the height of the at least one riser passes through a heat exchange zone, and the outlet extends into the gas-solid rapid separation zone.
US08692041B2
A process for producing biofuels from biomass is provided by removing sulfur compounds and nitrogen compounds from the biomass by contacting the biomass with a digestive solvent to form a pretreated biomass containing soluble carbohydrates and having less than 35% of the sulfur content and less than 35% of the nitrogen content, based on untreated biomass on a dry mass basis, prior to carrying out aqueous phase reforming and further processing to form a liquid fuel.
US08692040B2
The invention describes a process for treatment of a feedstock that is obtained from a renewable source that comprises a hydrotreatment stage in the presence of at least one fixed-bed catalyst, whereby said catalyst comprises a hydro-dehydrogenating function and an amorphous substrate, at a temperature of between 50 and 450° C., at a pressure of between 1 MPa and 10 MPa, at an hourly volumetric flow rate of between 0.1 h−1 and 10 h−1, and in the presence of a total quantity of hydrogen that is mixed with the feedstock such that the hydrogen/feedstock ratio is between 50 and 1000 Nm3 of hydrogen/m3 of feedstock, followed by a separation from the hydrotreated effluent that is obtained from stage a) of hydrogen, gases, and at least one liquid hydrocarbon effluent that consists of at least 50% linear n-paraffins, and a steam-cracking of at least one portion of the liquid hydrocarbon effluent that is obtained from stage b).
US08692005B2
Provided are methods for decreasing the reaction time between an alkanolamine such as triethanolamine and a fatty acid alkyl ester such as, a triglyceride, a vegetable oil, a methyl ester, an ethyl ester, etc., a fatty acid, or a mixture thereof. The methods utilize a divalent zinc catalyst to facilitate and accelerate an esterification or transesterification reaction between the alkanolamine and the fatty acid, or fatty acid alkyl ester.
US08692004B2
Process for purification of vegetable oils upon withdrawal of solids by centrifugation in the miscella stage consists of the industrial extraction of vegetable oils, including the soybean oil by using a solvent, usually a mixture of hydrocarbons, in which the main constituent is hexane. The percolation extractors that operate continuously and in countercurrent provide an optimized extraction and a good performance. The replacement of the traditional miscella purification processes by a process of Centrifugation in the mixture of oil and solvent (miscella) within the process with the removal of solids contained therein, returning it to the extractor results in final products as oil and lecithin of a better quality, also providing a better functioning of the process by avoiding fouling in heat exchangers and distillation of solvent, reducing downtime and lower fuel consumption resulting in lower production costs.
US08692001B2
The invention relates to sulfonamide compounds and methods for activating PKM2. The compounds and methods are useful in treating or preventing a disease or disorder selected from cancer, cell proliferative disorder, inflammatory disorder, metabolic disorder, and immune system disorder.
US08691997B2
The present invention provides processes for producing 2-chloro-3-trifluoromethylpyridine which is useful as an intermediate for medicines and agrochemicals, at a high production rate in a high yield. Specifically, the present invention relates to a process for producing 2-chloro-3-trifluoromethylpyridine or a salt thereof comprising allowing 3-trifluoromethylpyridine N-oxide to react with a chlorinating agent; and also relates to a process for producing 2-chloro-3-trifluoromethylpyridine or a salt thereof comprising oxidizing 3-trifluoromethylpyridine to produce 3-trifluoromethylpyridine N-oxide and subsequently allowing the obtained 3-trifluoromethylpyridine N-oxide to react with a chlorinating agent.
US08691996B2
Disclosed is a compound containing a pyridine ring that can be synthesized in an industrially advantageous manner, and is useful as an intermediate for producing tetrazolyloxime derivatives that exhibit fungicidal activity (wherein R0 represents a C1-6 alkoxy group, C1-6 alkoxy-C1-6 alkoxy group or the like, R1 represents a C1-2 alkoxycarbonyl group, acetyl group or the like, Z represents a halogen atom, cyano group or the like, X represents a halogen atom, and n represents an integer of 0 to 3), and industrially advantageous production methods for producing 2-substituted amino-6-halomethylpyridine derivatives and tetrazolyloxime derivatives.
US08691993B2
The invention is concerned with the compounds of formula (I): and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R1, R2, R3 and X are defined in the detailed description and claims. In addition, the present invention relates to methods of manufacturing and using the compounds of formula I as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds. The compounds of formula I are antagonists or partial agonists at the CRTH2 receptor and may be useful in treating diseases and disorders associated with that receptor such as asthma.
US08691992B2
The present invention relates to an octahydro biquinoline compound. Provided is also a method of separating the octahydro biquinoline compound into enantiomers. The octahydro biquinoline compound is of the general formula (V): In formula (V) R1 is one of H, a protective group and an aliphatic group, with the aliphatic group having a main chain of a length of 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, comprising 0 to about 6 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, S, Se and Si. R2 and R3 are independent from one another selected from the group consisting of (i) H, (ii) one of an aliphatic, an alicyclic, an aromatic, an arylaliphatic, and an arylalicyclic group comprising 0 to about 6 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, S, Se and Si, an ester, a carbonate group, a carbamoyl group and a phosphate ester. R4 and R5 are independent from one another H, an aliphatic, an alicyclic, an aromatic, an arylaliphatic or an arylalicyclic group comprising 0 to about 6 heteroatoms selected from the group consisting of N, O, S, Se and Si.
US08691989B2
The disclosure describes morphinan compounds and methods for their synthesis. Preferred methods according to the disclosure allow for large-scale preparation of diastereomerically enriched morphinans. Preferred methods according to the disclosure may also allow for the preparation of diastereomerically enriched morphinans using less time, and/or using fewer reaction steps, and/or providing better yield than previously used methods for preparing morphinans. The methods disclosed herein find utility in synthetic organic chemistry as well as medicinal chemistry.
US08691984B2
The present invention provides a method of storing TAIC in which TAIC is prevented from suffering from freezing and solidification during storage thereof in the winter season. In the method of the present invention, the triallyl isocyanurate is mixed with a silane coupling agent to prepare a composition comprising both thereof, and the resulting composition is stored. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the silane coupling agent is used in an amount of 5 to 30% by weight based on the weight of the triallyl isocyanurate, and γ-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane is used as the silane coupling agent.
US08691976B2
A low-glycemic available carbohydrate composition of the invention contains the following components: (i) 5-60 wt. % of one or more monosaccharides selected from monosaccharides other than glucose and fructose, in particular galactose, ribose and mannose; (ii) 15-95 wt. % of oligosaccharides having a length of 2 to 20 anhydromonose units, at least half of which are anhydroglucose units linked by non-α-1,4 bonds; these oligosaccharides preferably comprising disaccharides such as palatinose, isomaltose and trehalose and/or non-α-1,4 linked higher glucose-containing oligosaccharides; (iii) 0-45 wt. % of other available carbohydrates, such as glucose and maltodextrins. This carbohydrate composition can be part of a food composition for the treatment of diabetes, obesitas, insulin resistance, or for postprandial glucose response.
US08691959B2
Recombinant plasmids usable for the transfection of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells are described; such plasmids have a length comprised between 7 and 12 kbases and comprise a sequence encoding the heavy chain of an immunoglobulin; in particular, they may be used: in a process of transfection of prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells (ex vivo) which can be inoculated into higher organisms in order to induce a prophylactic or therapeutic immune response; in a protocol of direct inoculation (in vivo) in higher organisms in genic immunization methodologies with the aim of evoking prophylactic or therapeutic immune responses.
US08691956B2
This invention relates to a monoclonal antibody against a human HIG-1 polypeptide, the antibody binding to at least one epitope included in the amino acid sequence at positions 1-19 of a human HIG-1 polypeptide; an antibody fragment derived from the antibody; a DNA comprising a base sequence encoding a variable region of the antibody; an expression vector comprising the DNA; a cell line producing the antibody; a reagent for detecting a human HIG-1 polypeptide comprising the antibody or the antibody fragment, and a method for detecting a human HIG-1 polypeptide using the antibody or the antibody fragment.
US08691953B2
Purified genes encoding a cytokine or composite cytokine from a mammal, reagents related thereto including purified proteins, specific antibodies, and nucleic acids encoding these molecules are provided. Methods of using said reagents and diagnostic kits are also provided.
US08691946B2
Compositions and methods for tissue repair are provided including cell binding peptides and growth factor binding peptides. The cell binding peptides bind to one or more of stem cells, fibroblasts, or endothelial cells. The growth factor binding peptides include platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) binding peptides and growth differentiation factor (GDF) binding peptides. The tissue for repair includes tendon, muscle, connective tissue, ligament, cardiac tissue, vascular tissue, or dermis. Implantable devices for tissue repair are provided to which the cell and growth factor binding peptides are attached, such as acellular extracellular matrix having attached binding peptide.
US08691943B2
NK-2 synthetic peptide derived from cationic core region of porcine NK-lysin has an antimicrobial and antitumor polypeptide that is considered to play a pivotal role in innate defense immunity. To evaluate the antimicrobial properties of synthetic chicken NK-lysin peptides, we investigated cytolytic activity against apicomplexan parasites like Eimeria sporozoites, Neospora tachyzoites and Cryptosporidum sporozoites. The chicken NK-2 (cNK-2) lytic peptide which corresponds to amino acid residues of porcine NK-2 peptide significantly disrupted Eimeria and Cryptosporidum sporozoites and Neospora tachyzoites. In contrast, no bactericidal activity was observed on E. coli BMH71-18. The cNK-2 lytic peptide is novel antimicrobial agent which can be used to intervene and treat economically costly infections in the animal industry.
US08691934B2
Disclosed are formaldehyde-free, thermally-curable, alkaline, aqueous binder compositions, curable to formaldehyde-free, water-insoluble thermoset polyester resins, and uses thereof as binders for non-woven fibers and fiber materials.
US08691932B2
A thermosetting monomer comprising at least two of an aryl-cyanato group and at least two of a phosphorus group.
US08691931B2
Polymers which can be used in p-type materials for organic electronic devices and photovoltaic cells. Compounds, monomers, dimers, trimers, and polymers comprising: wherein A1 and A2 each independently comprise a fused ring system comprising at least two fused rings directly covalently linked to the pyrrole rings. Good photovoltaic efficiency and lifetime can be achieved. The R group can provide solubility, environmental stability, and fine tuning of spectroscopic and/or electronic properties. Different polymer microstructures can be prepared which encourage multiple band gaps and broad and strong absorptions. The carbonyl can interact with adjacent thiophene rings to provide backbone with rigidity, induce planarity, and reduce and/or eliminate intramolecular chain twisting defects.
US08691924B2
The present invention provides an optical-use pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, which includes a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer containing a polymer formed of one or more monomer ingredients containing, as an indispensable monomer ingredient, a monomer of which homopolymer has a glass transition temperature of not lower than −10° C., said sheet having a moisture content of at least 0.65% by weight after stored in an environment at 60° C. and 95% RH for 120 hours. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer is preferably an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive layer.
US08691920B2
A half ester of an organic polyol made by reacting polyols with anhydrides; a thermosettable composition including (i) the half ester of an organic polyol, (ii) an anhydride, (iii) an epoxide, and (iv) a catalyst; and a thermoset product made from such thermosettable composition. The thermosettable compositions of the present invention are useful in various applications such as casting, potting, and encapsulation, such as electrical and electronics applications, and composites. The thermoset products made from the thermosettable compositions of the present invention have improved mechanical performances, especially toughness and mechanical strength, while maintaining high thermal resistance.
US08691918B2
The present invention provides novel and improved stimulus responsive polymers and methods of using the same for the purification of biomolecules.
US08691914B2
A high impact polystyrene (HIPS) is made from styrene monomer and 3 to 20 wt % of an elastomeric component phase including polybutadiene rubber and styrene butadiene copolymer. The HIPS has a 60 degree gloss of 90 or more, a Gardner drop of at least 10 in-lb, and an Izod impact strength of 1.8 ft-lb/in or more. The HIPS can have salami morphology with rubber particle size between 1 and 1.3 microns.
US08691910B2
A curable silicone composition comprising: an alkenyl-containing organopolysiloxane (A) that contains: a dialkylpolysiloxane (A-1) having on average at least 2 alkenyl groups in one molecule having a 25° C. viscosity in the range of 5,000 to 35,000 mPa·s, and a alkenyl-containing organopolysiloxane resin (A-2) consisting of SiO4/2 units, R12R2SiO1/2 units, and R13SiO1/2 units (where R1 designates alkyl groups with 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and R2 designates alkenyl groups) with the content of alkenyl groups ranging from 3.5 to 5.0 mass %, and with the ratio of the sum of the mole numbers of the R12R2SiO1/2 units and R13SiO1/2 units to 1 mole of the SiO4/2 units in the range from 0.5 to 1.4; an organopolysiloxane (B), wherein silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms are in an amount of at least 0.7 mass %; and a hydrosilylation catalyst (C). The composition is capable of forming a flex-resistant highly transparent cured silicone product with non-tacky surface.
US08691907B2
A water-borne stain blocking primer comprises a) from about 10 to about 30 wt % of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic alkyd resin having an acid number of less, than 40 KOH/g, b) from about 5 to about 30 wt % of a pigment, the pigment having an average aspect ratio of at least 3:3:1; c) from about 0.05 to about 3 wt % of a tannin chelation agent; d) from about 0 to about 20 wt % of a water-dispersible, hydrophobic free-radically polymerized copolymer; e) a hydrophobically modified associative rheology modifier in an amount effective to provide a water-borne primer having an ICI viscosity of from about 0.5 to about 3.0 poise; and a KU viscosity range of from about 80 to about 120 Krebs units; and f) water. The water-borne primer has a VOC content of less than 5%. Methods of preparing and using such water-borne stain blocking primers also are described.
US08691903B2
A film-forming composition including a coalescent aid comprising fatty acid esters of ethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol having the formula R1COO[(EO)x(PO)y]zH wherein R1CO is a linear saturated aliphatic acyl group, or a combination thereof, having from about 6 to about 22 carbon atoms, EO is —CH2CH2O—, PO is —CH2CH(CH3)O— or —CH(CH3)CH2O— or a combination thereof, where the acyl radical is bonded to a carbon atom of the EO or PO radical, and x=0 to about 5, y=about 0 to about 5, the sum of x and y is equal or greater than 0.5, z=1 to about 5, and (x+y)z is less than or equal to 6. It is to be understood that x, y, and z are average values for the composition.
US08691891B2
The present invention refers to a cement composition that contains dopamelanin, its precursors and/or its analogues as an additive in a maximum percentage of 30% of the cement. This additive substitutes water of the capillary nets. The mentioned cement mixture posses a water/cement relation of 0.2 to 0.4, optionally it can contain different sand and gravel proportions. This cement mixture generates strong chemical bonds, and increased scouring resistance, of at least 28% and a higher elastic resistance of the concrete, of at least 50%. Its cracking in early stages is very low or practically null. The present request also refers to the use of dopamelanin and/or its precursors and/or its analogues as an additive of the cement mixture that substitutes the capillary water proportion in the cementant mixture. Just as well the use of dopamelanin and/or its precursors and/or its analogues, in an aqueous solution, in less that 3%, as a concrete setting and curing agent, thus it significantly increases the ductility and scouring resistance of the cement mixture. This is, the novelty cement mixture improves the physicochemical and bacteriological properties of the usual concrete, being of special interest the notable increment related with compression resistance and ductility or relative displacements, suffering less damage in comparison with the mixture containing water. In a meaningful way, it also increases since early stages, the volumetric stability of the concrete, thus it intensifies its scouring resistance, which is inclusive transmitter to the metallic elements immersed in its interior, since certainly it significantly protects them from deterioration.
US08691890B2
Provided are a resin composition for general-purpose LED reflectors, which discolors little through thermal deterioration and is excellent in heat discoloration resistance, which can provide an LED lamp using it and having a long life, which is relatively inexpensive and has good storage stability, and which is excellent in handleability and workability, and an LED reflector and an LED luminaire using the resin composition.The resin composition is a dry-type unsaturated polyester resin composition containing at least an unsaturated polyester resin, a polymerization initiator, an inorganic filler, a white pigment, a release agent and a reinforcing material, wherein the unsaturated polyester resin is within a range of from 14 to 40% by mass relative to the entire amount of the composition, the total amount of the inorganic filler and the white pigment is within a range of from 44 to 74% by mass relative to the entire amount of the composition, and the proportion of the white pigment to the total amount of inorganic filler and the white pigment is at least 30% by mass.
US08691883B2
An aerogel-foam composite includes an open cell foam and an aerogel matrix polymer disposed in the open cell foam. The aerogel-foam composite has compression strength of about 15 megaPascals (MPa) or more. The open cell foam may be a polyurethane foam including a carbonate group (—OC(O)O—).
US08691882B2
Provided are an organic-inorganic hybrid scaffold with surface-immobilized nano-hydroxyapatite, and a method for the fabrication thereof. The scaffold is fabricated by reacting an acid group present on a surface of nano-hydroxyapatite with a primary amine present on a surface of a polymer support in the presence of EDC (1-ethyl-3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide) to immobilize nano-hydroxyapatite onto the surface of the polymer support. The surface of nano-hydroxyapatite is previously grafted with poly(ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate) (PolyEGMP) having phosphonic acid functionality or with a polymer having carboxylic acid functionality.
US08691880B2
A non-aqueous silicone emulsion is provided. It comprises a continuous phase of a polar organic liquid containing droplets of an organopolysiloxane dispersed therein. An organic wax, which has a melting point in the range 40 to 100° C. and is sparingly soluble in the polar organic liquid at 25° C., is dispersed in the polar organic liquid continuous phase as a network of interconnected particles which stabilizes the organopolysiloxane droplets in emulsion in the polar organic liquid. A process for the production of the emulsion is also disclosed.
US08691874B2
Methods for treating disorders of the eye and/or disorders of a nerve in a human or veterinary patient by delivering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a compound selected from the group of; urea, urea derivatives, thiourea, thiourea derivatives, guanidine, guanidine derivatives and compounds having General Formula I as set forth herein. For ophthalmic applications, the compound may be delivered by intravitreal injection such that the compound causes vitreal liquefaction, posterior vitreoretinal detachment and other affects.
US08691868B2
In one aspect, the invention relates to compounds having the formula: where R1-R6, a, b, and Z 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 processes and intermediates for preparing such compounds.
US08691863B2
The present invention relates to the use of active substance combinations which consist firstly of known cyclic ketoenols and secondly of further known insecticidal active substances, for controlling animal pests from the stink bug family (Pentatomidae).
US08691856B2
The present invention discloses novel compounds of Formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, which have glucagon receptor antagonist or inverse agonist activity, as well as methods for preparing such compounds. In another embodiment, the invention discloses pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of Formula (I) as well as methods of using them to treat diabetic and other glucagon related metabolic disorders, and the like.
US08691850B2
The present application relates to novel phenylaminothiazole derivatives, to processes for their preparation, to their use for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases and to their use for preparing medicaments for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases, preferably for the treatment and/or prevention of hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders.
US08691842B2
The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating rheumatoid arthritis comprising rebamipide as an active ingredient and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical composition may be for oral administration, for example an oral solid dosage form of a tablet or capsule form. The pharmaceutical composition may be formulated into a unit dosage form suitable for orally administering rebamipide in a dose ranging from 0.5 to 50 mg/kg, preferably from 0.6 to 6 mg/kg.
US08691840B2
The invention relates to N-biarylamides useful for the prophylaxis and/or treatment of impairments of perception, concentration, learning and/or memory, and to processes for preparing them, and pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
US08691834B2
The present invention relates to combinations of pyrimethanil, or a salt thereof, and a monoterpene, or a salt thereof, which provide an improved biocidal effect. More particularly, the present invention relates to compositions comprising a combination of pyrimethanil, or a salt thereof, together with a monoterpene selected from thymol and β-thujaplicin in respective proportions to provide a synergistic biocidal effect. Compositions comprising these combinations are useful for the protection of any living or non-living material, such as crops, plants, fruits, seeds, objects made of wood, thatch or the like, engineering material, biodegradable material and textiles against deterioration due to the action of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, virusses, and the like.
US08691831B2
Disclosed are compounds of the formula I or a stereoisomer, tautomer, or pharmaceutically acceptable salt or solvate thereof, wherein each variable in Formula I are as defined in the specification; and pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds of formula I. Also disclosed are methods of inhibiting aspartyl protease, and in particular, the methods of treating cardiovascular diseases, cognitive and neurodegenerative diseases, and the methods of inhibiting of Human Immunodeficiency Virus, plasmepins, cathepsin D and protozoal enzymes. Also disclosed are methods of treating cognitive or neurodegenerative diseases using the compounds of formula I in combination with a cholinesterase inhibitor or a muscarinic m1 agonist or m2 antagonist.
US08691822B2
Dihydroperidinone derivatives, preparation process and pharmaceutical use thereof are disclosed. Specially, new dihydroperidinone derivatives represented by general formula (I), wherein each substituent of the general formula (I) is defined as in the description, their preparation process, pharmaceutical compositions comprising said derivatives and their use as therapeutical agents, especially as Plk kinase inhibitors are disclosed.
US08691817B2
The present application relates to novel sulfonamide- or sulfoximine-substituted 1,4-diaryldihydropyrimidin-2-one derivatives, to processes for their preparation, to their use alone or in combination for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases and also to their use for preparing medicaments for the treatment and/or prevention of diseases, in particular for the treatment and/or prevention of disorders of the lung and the cardiovascular system.
US08691805B2
Disclosed are compounds, compositions and methods for treating various diseases, syndromes, conditions and disorders, including pain. Such compounds are represented by Formula (I) as follows: wherein Y, Z, R1, and s are defined herein.
US08691795B2
A process for preparing an oligosaccharide derivative from an oligosaccharide mixture, the process being characterized in that the process comprises the steps of (a) introducing a lipophilic group into oligosaccharides of the mixture to obtain a mixture of oligosaccharide derivatives, and (b) treating the oligosaccharide derivative mixture by serotonin affinity column chromatography.
US08691782B2
Provided is a novel nucleic acid molecule that can be produced easily and efficiently and can inhibit the expression of a gene. The nucleic acid molecule is a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule including an expression inhibitory sequence that inhibits expression of a target gene. The single-stranded nucleic acid molecule includes: a region (X); a linker region (Lx); and a region (Xc). The linker region (Lx) is linked between the regions (Xc) and (Xc). The region (Xc) is complementary to the region (X). At least one of the regions (X) and (Xc) includes the expression inhibitory sequence. The linker region (Lx) has a non-nucleotide structure including at least one of a pyrrolidine skeleton and a piperidine skeleton. According to this single-stranded nucleic acid molecule, it is possible to inhibit the expression of the target gene.
US08691775B2
The present invention encompasses compositions and methods that activate P2Y receptors for the increased production of new synapses in the central nervous system. The formulations of the invention may be administered to a healthy subject or to a subject in need thereof to restore synapses.
US08691771B2
Bi-specific fusion proteins with therapeutic uses are provided, as well as pharmaceutical compositions comprising such fusion proteins, and methods for using such fusion proteins to repair damaged tissue. The bi-specific fusion proteins generally comprise: (a) a targeting polypeptide domain that binds to an ischemia-associated molecule; and (b) an activator domain that that detectably modulates the activity of a cellular network.
US08691764B2
The present invention provides a method for inhibiting NF-κB activity in a subject, the method comprising providing an agent capable of inducing expression of annexin 1, whereby said agent induces expression of annexin 1 and whereby said induced expression of annexin 1 inhibits NF-κB activity. Also provided are annexin 1 mimetics capable of binding to NF-κB and pharmaceutical compositions of such inducing and mimetic agents.
US08691761B2
The invention is directed to somatostatin analogs which are receptor antagonists of the somatostatin receptor, including receptor-selective antagonists, especially sst2-selective antagonists. Related compounds and compositions are included, including antagonists complexed with or conjugated to radioactive nuclides. The antagonists of the invention are useful in diagnosing and treating neoplastic and non-neoplastic mammalian diseases; such methods, and kits, are encompassed.
US08691760B2
Use of an isolated peptide comprising an amino acid sequence being no more than 25 amino acids in length, the amino acid sequence comprising at least one aspartate or a homolog thereof, the peptide having an Insulin-Degrading Enzyme (IDE) inhibitory activity, for the manufacture of a medicament identified for treating a disease selected from the group consisting of diabetes, obesity, hyperglycemia, retinal damage, renal failure, nerve damage, microvascular damage and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) infection is disclosed.
US08691756B2
The present application describes a method of treating a bacterial infection comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a pharmaceutically acceptable amount of a defined macrocycle compound.
US08691752B2
The inventors have found that CD6, a member of the Scavenger Receptor Cysteine-Rich (SRSR) superfamily expressed on human lymphocytes binds to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as to other microbial structures. Thus, a CD6 product is useful for the manufacture of a medicament for therapeutic and/or preventive treatment of an infectious disease or of an inflammatory condition related to an infectious disease or to the presence of a product derived from an infectious agent in a mammal including a human. Examples of such inflammatory conditions are systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock.
US08691749B2
The present invention provides a peptide comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof effective for treating degenerative disc diseases, treating body organ fibrosis, treating cancer and/or treating glomerulosclerosis, and effective for the inhibition of TGF-beta 1 signaling.
US08691745B2
A fabric conditioner composition comprising a) a photo-bleach; b) a quaternary ammonium fabric conditioner; and c) an olefinic pro-fragrance.
US08691737B2
Disclosed are spacer fluids and methods of use in subterranean formations. Embodiments may include use of consolidating spacer fluids in displacement of drilling fluids from a well bore annulus.
US08691735B2
Fracturing fluid compositions and methods of fracturing subterranean formations using polyboronic compounds as crosslinking agents are provided. The compositions and methods of the present invention allow for lower polymer loadings because achieving higher fracturing fluid viscosities can be achieved using less polymer than in traditional crosslinked systems.
US08691730B2
The present invention overcomes the inadequacies inherent in the known methods for generating libraries of antibody-encoding polynucleotides by specifically designing the libraries with directed sequence and length diversity. The libraries are designed to reflect the preimmune repertoire naturally created by the human immune system and are based on rational design informed by examination of publicly available databases of human antibody sequences.
US08691716B2
The invention describes the preparation of electrocatalysts, both anodic (aimed at the oxidation of the fuel) and cathodic (aimed at the reduction of the oxygen), based on mono- and plurimetallic carbon nitrides to be used in PEFC (Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells), DMFC (Direct methanol fuel cells) and H2 electrogenerators. The target of the invention is to obtain materials featuring a controlled metal composition based on carbon nitride clusters or on carbon nitride clusters supported on oxide-based ceramic materials. The preparation protocol consists of three steps. In the first the precursor is obtained through reactions of the type: a) sol-gel; b) gel-plastic; c) coagulation-flocculation-precipitation.
US08691715B2
The present invention provides a polymerization process utilizing a dual ansa-metallocene catalyst system. Polymers produced from the polymerization process are also provided, and these polymers have a reverse comonomer distribution, a non-bimodal molecular weight distribution, a ratio of Mw/Mn from about 3 to about 8, and a ratio of Mz/Mw from about 3 to about 6.
US08691699B2
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device includes: forming an insulating layer above a substrate; forming a recessed section in the insulating layer; forming, on the insulating layer, a mask pattern having a first opening which exposes the recessed section, and a second opening which is arranged outside the first opening and does not expose the recessed section; forming a first conductive member and a second conductive member by respectively depositing a conductive material in the first opening and the second opening; and polishing and removing the first conductive member and the second conductive member on the upper side of the insulating layer so as to leave the first conductive member in the recessed section.
US08691698B2
A method for etching features in a silicon layer disposed below a mask in a plasma processing chamber a plurality of cycles is provided. A deposition phase forming a deposition on the silicon layer in the plasma processing chamber is provided comprising providing a deposition gas into the plasma processing chamber wherein the deposition gas comprises a halogen containing etchant component and a fluorocarbon deposition component, forming the deposition gas into a plasma, which provides a net deposition on the silicon layer, and stopping the flow of the deposition gas. A silicon etch phase is provided, comprising providing a silicon etch gas into the plasma processing chamber that is different than the deposition gas, forming the silicon etch gas into a plasma to etch the silicon layer, and stopping the flow of the silicon etch gas.
US08691694B2
In order to better and more efficiently assemble back contact solar cells into modules, the cell to cell soldering and other soldered connections are replaced by electro and/or electroless plating. Back contact solar cells, diodes and external leads can be first laminated to the module front glass for support and stability. Conductive materials are deposited selectively to create a plating seed pattern for the entire module circuit. Subsequent plating steps create an integrated cell and module metallization. This avoids stringing and tabbing and the associated soldering steps. This process is easier for mass manufacturing and is advantageous for handling fragile silicon solar cells. Additionally, since highly corrosion resistant metals can be plated, the moisture barrier requirements of the back side materials can be greatly relaxed. This can simplify and reduce the cost of the back side of the module.
US08691688B2
A method of processing a substrate is provided. The method includes: providing a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a silicon layer; etching the substrate to form a cavity; filling a first conductor in part of the cavity; performing a first thermal treatment on the first conductor; filling a second conductor in the cavity to fill-up the cavity; and performing a second thermal treatment on the first conductor and the second conductor.
US08691687B2
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method is provided for fabricating a semiconductor element having a contact via. In such method, a hole can be formed in a dielectric layer to at least partially expose a region including at least one of semiconductor or conductive material. A seed layer can be deposited over a major surface of the dielectric layer and over a surface within the hole. In one embodiment, the seed layer can include a metal selected from the group consisting of iridium, osmium, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and ruthenium. A layer consisting essentially of cobalt can be electroplated over the seed layer within the hole to form a contact via in electrically conductive communication with the region.
US08691682B2
Methods of forming a semiconductor device include forming an insulation layer on a semiconductor structure, forming an opening in the insulation layer, the opening having a sidewall defined by one side of the insulation layer, forming a first metal layer in the opening, at least partially exposing the sidewall of the opening by performing a wet-etching process on the first metal layer, and selectively forming a second metal layer on the etched first metal layer. An average grain size of the first metal layer is smaller than an average grain size of the second metal layer. Related semiconductor devices are also disclosed.
US08691679B2
A silicon carbide substrate has a substrate surface. A gate insulating film is provided to cover a part of the substrate surface. A gate electrode covers a part of the gate insulating film. A contact electrode is provided on the substrate surface, adjacent to and in contact with the gate insulating film, and it contains an alloy having Al atoms. Al atoms do not diffuse from the contact electrode into a portion of the gate insulating film lying between the substrate surface and the gate electrode. Thus, in a case where a contact electrode having Al atoms is employed, reliability of the gate insulating film of a semiconductor device can be improved.
US08691675B2
A process of doping a silicon layer with dopant atoms generally includes reacting a vapor of a dopant precursor with oxide and/or hydroxide reactive sites present on the silicon layer to form a self assembled monolayer of dopant precursor; hydrolyzing the self assembled monolayer of the dopant precursor with water vapor to form pendant hydroxyl groups on the dopant precursor; capping the self assembled monolayer with an oxide layer; and annealing the silicon layer at a temperature effective to diffuse dopant atoms from the dopant precursor into the silicon layer. Additional monolayers can be formed in a similar manner, thereby providing controlled layer-by-layer vapor phase deposition of the dopant precursor compounds for controlled doping of silicon.
US08691669B2
A vapor deposition reactor includes a chamber filled with a first material, and at least one reaction module in the chamber. The reaction module may be configured to make a substrate pass the reaction module through a relative motion between the substrate and the reaction module. The reaction module may include an injection unit for injecting a second material to the substrate. A method for forming thin film includes positioning a substrate in a chamber, filling a first material in the chamber, moving the substrate relative to a reaction module in the chamber, and injecting a second material to the substrate while the substrate passes the reaction module.
US08691664B2
A method of forming a semiconductor device is presented. A conductor is embedded within a substrate, wherein the substrate contains a non-conducting material. The backside of the substrate is ground to a thickness wherein at least 1 μm of the non-conducting material remains on the backside covering the conductor embedded within the substrate. Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) is employed with an undiscerning slurry to the backside of the substrate, thereby planarizing the substrate and exposing the conductive material. A spin wet-etch, with a protective formulation, is employed to remove a thickness y of the non-conducting material from the backside of the substrate, thereby causing the conductive material to uniformly protrude from the backside of the substrate.
US08691662B2
A method for fabricating a silicon-on-insulator structure includes forming a first oxide layer on a silicon donor substrate, forming a second oxide layer on a supporting substrate, and forming a weakened zone in the donor substrate. The donor substrate is bonded to the supporting substrate by establishing direct contact between the first oxide layer on the silicon donor substrate and the second oxide layer on the supporting substrate and establishing a direct oxide-to-oxide bond therebetween. The donor substrate is split along the weakened zone to form a silicon-on-insulator structure, and the silicon-on-insulator structure is subjected to two successive rapid thermal annealing processes at temperatures T1 and T2, respectively, wherein T1 is less than or equal to T2, T1 is between 1200° C. and 1300° C., T2 is between 1240° C. and 1300° C., and when T1 is below 1240° C., then T2 is above 1240° C.
US08691658B2
A method for aligning an electronic CMOS structure with respect to a buried structure in the case of a bonded and thinned back stack of semiconductor wafers. The method for aligning the electronic CMOS structure may include forming alignment marks in the process of fabricating the structure to be buried on a front side, which is used for bonding of the semiconductor wafer, which includes the structure to be buried. The alignment marks may be formed on the edge of the semiconductor wafer. The method for aligning the electronic CMOS structure may include providing a cover wafer with first thinned portions of the wafer thickness provided from the bonding side at positions corresponding to positions of the alignment marks. After the thinning of the cover wafer a plan view of the alignment mark is obtained after the wafer bonding that initially results in a burying of the structures, wherein subsequently the resulting wafer stack is thinned to a certain degree with respect to the cover wafer, thereby making visible the at least one alignment mark, and by means of the alignment mark masks of method steps for fabricating the electronic structure on the surface of the thinned cover wafer are aligned.
US08691650B2
MOSFETs and methods for making MOSFETs with a recessed channel and abrupt junctions are disclosed. The method includes creating source and drain extensions while a dummy gate is in place. The source/drain extensions create a diffuse junction with the silicon substrate. The method continues by removing the dummy gate and etching a recess in the silicon substrate. The recess intersects at least a portion of the source and drain junction. Then a channel is formed by growing a silicon film to at least partially fill the recess. The channel has sharp junctions with the source and drains, while the unetched silicon remaining below the channel has diffuse junctions with the source and drain. Thus, a MOSFET with two junction regions, sharp and diffuse, in the same transistor can be created.
US08691642B2
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming gate structures on PMOS and NMOS transistor regions of the semiconductor substrate, forming epitaxial blocking layers on source/drain regions of PMOS and NMOS transistor regions using a nitridation process, then selectively removing one of the epitaxial blocking layers, and using a SEG process to form an epitaxial layer on respective source/drain regions while shielding the other source/drain regions with a remaining epitaxial blocking layer.
US08691641B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided, in which after forming a gate stack and a first spacer thereof, a second spacer and a third spacer are formed; and then an opening is formed between the first spacer and the third spacer by removing the second spacer. The range of the formation for the raised active area 220 is limited by forming an opening 214 between the first spacer 208 and the third spacer 212. The raised active area 220 is formed in the opening 214 in a self-aligned manner, so that a better profile of the raised active area 220 may be achieved and the possible shorts between adjacent devices caused by an unlimited manner may be avoided. Moreover, based on such a manufacturing method, it is easy to make the gate electrode 204 to be flushed with the raised active area 220, and is also easy to implement the dual stress nitride process so as to increase the mobility of the device.
US08691623B2
An object is to provide a semiconductor device of which a manufacturing process is not complicated and by which cost can be suppressed, by forming a thin film transistor using an oxide semiconductor film typified by zinc oxide, and a manufacturing method thereof. For the semiconductor device, a gate electrode is formed over a substrate; a gate insulating film is formed covering the gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the gate insulating film; and a first conductive film and a second conductive film are formed over the oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor film has at least a crystallized region in a channel region.
US08691621B1
A method is provided for preparing a printed metal surface for the deposition of an organic semiconductor material. The method provides a substrate with a top surface, and a metal layer is formed overlying the substrate top surface. Simultaneous with a thermal treatment of the metal layer, the metal layer is exposed to a gaseous atmosphere with thiol molecules. In response to exposing the metal layer to the gaseous atmosphere with thiol molecules, the work function of the metal layer is increased. Subsequent to the thermal treatment, an organic semiconductor material is deposited overlying the metal layer. In one aspect, the metal layer is exposed to the gaseous atmosphere with thiol molecules by evaporating a liquid containing thiol molecules in an ambient air atmosphere. Alternatively, a delivery gas is passed through a liquid containing thiol molecules. An organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) and OTFT fabrication process are also provided.
US08691617B2
A method of manufacturing an image sensor having a backside illumination (BSI) structure includes forming a wiring unit on a front side of a semiconductor substrate, forming an anti-reflective layer in an active pixel sensor (APS) region on a back side of the semiconductor substrate, a photodiode being between the back and front sides of the semiconductor substrate, forming an etch stopping layer on the anti-reflective layer, forming an interlayer insulating layer on the etch stopping layer, the interlayer insulating layer having an etch selectivity with respect to the etch stopping layer, and etching the interlayer insulating layer in the APS region using the etch stopping layer as an etch stopping point.
US08691613B2
A crystalline-based silicon photoelectric conversion device comprises: an intrinsic silicon-based layer and a silicon-based layer of a first conductivity type, on one surface of a single-crystal silicon substrate of the first conductivity type; and an intrinsic silicon-based and a silicon-based layer of an opposite conductivity type, in this order on the other surface of the silicon substrate. At least one of forming the intrinsic silicon-based layer of the first conductivity type layer-side forming the intrinsic silicon-based layer of the opposite conductivity type layer-side includes: forming a first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film layer having a thickness of 1-10 nm on the silicon substrate; plasma-treating the silicon substrate in a gas containing mainly hydrogen; and forming a second intrinsic silicon-based thin-film layer on the first intrinsic silicon-based thin-film.
US08691611B2
In a method for manufacturing a micromechanical membrane structure, a doped area is created in the front side of a silicon substrate, the depth of which doped area corresponds to the intended membrane thickness, and the lateral extent of which doped area covers at least the intended membrane surface area. In addition, in a DRIE (deep reactive ion etching) process applied to the back side of the silicon substrate, a cavity is created beneath the doped area, which DRIE process is aborted before the cavity reaches the doped area. The cavity is then deepened in a KOH etching process in which the doped substrate area functions as an etch stop, so that the doped substrate area remains as a basic membrane over the cavity.
US08691601B2
Disclosed herein is a semiconductor device, including: a semiconductor substrate; an integrated circuit formed on a first main surface of the semiconductor substrate; a penetrating electrode that penetrates the semiconductor substrate in the thickness direction and has its one end electrically connected to the integrated circuit; a bump electrode formed on a second main surface of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to another end of the penetrating electrode; and a test pad electrode formed on the second main surface of the semiconductor substrate and electrically connected to the bump electrode.
US08691597B2
An automatic analyzer detects voltage applied across electrodes, and judges whether voltage value falls within set voltage range. When the detected voltage value is lower than minimum value of set voltage range, the analyzer calculates the deficient amount of base solution based on the detected voltage value, controls a valve to supply the deficient amount of base solution, then, performs operation control of the valve so as to keep the prescribed amount of plating solution in plating solution tank, and discharges plating solution. When the detected voltage value is higher than maximum value of set voltage range, the analyzer calculates the excess amount of base solution based on the detected voltage value, controls a valve, and supplies pure water into the tank so that the base solution concentration falls within prescribed range to dilute plating solution, then controls a valve, and discharges plating solution so as to keep prescribed amount.
US08691596B2
According to one embodiment, a magnetoresistive element manufacturing method is provided. In this magnetoresistive element manufacturing method, a first ferromagnetic layer, tunnel barrier layer, and second ferromagnetic layer are sequentially formed on a substrate. A conductive hard mask is formed on the second ferromagnetic layer. The hard mask is patterned. A hard layer is formed on the side surface of the hard mask. The second ferromagnetic layer, tunnel barrier layer, and first ferromagnetic layer are processed by IBE in an oblique direction by using the hard mask and hard layer as masks. The IBE etching rate of the hard layer is lower than that of the hard mask.
US08691587B2
Disclosed is a method for assessing heart failure in vitro including the steps of measuring in a sample the concentration of the marker SFRP-3, of optionally measuring in the sample the concentration of one or more other marker(s) of heart failure, and of assessing heart failure by comparing the concentration determined in for SFRP-3 and the concentration(s) determined for the optionally one or more other marker to the concentration of this marker or these markers as established in a reference population. Also disclosed are the use of SFRP-3 as a marker protein in the assessment of heart failure, a marker combination comprising SFRP-3 and a kit for measuring SFRP-3.
US08691586B2
A method of forming bilayers of amphipathic molecules uses droplets of aqueous solution in a hydrophobic medium such as oil. A layer of amphipathic molecules such as a lipid is formed around the surfaces of the droplets. This may be achieved by providing the lipid in the oil and leaving the droplets for a time sufficient to form the layer. The droplets are brought into contact with one another so that a bilayer of the amphipathic molecules is formed as an interface between the contacting droplets. The bilayers may be used for a wide range of studies. The technique has numerous advantages including providing a long lifetime for the bilayers, allowing study of small volumes and allowing the construction of chains and networks of droplets with bilayers in between to study complex systems.
US08691585B2
The present invention provides a method of predicting pregnancy outcome in a subject by determining the amount of an early pregnancy associated molecular isoform of hCG in a sample. The present invention further provides a method for determining the amount of early pregnancy associated molecular isoforms of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in a sample. The present invention also provides a diagnostic kit for determining the amount of early pregnancy associated hCG in a sample. The present invention additionally provides an antibody which specifically binds to an early pregnancy associated molecular isoform of human chorionic gonadotropin. Finally, the present invention provides methods for detecting trophoblast or non-trophoblast malignancy in a sample.
US08691582B2
A method for in situ monitoring within a specified environment. The method includes locating a housing in a well, wherein a set of pumps and a plurality of test beds are inserted. Each of the set of pumps are controlled by signals from the control system to push water from each pump into one of the plurality of separate test beds where, after flowing through each of the test beds, effluent flows into an effluent storage device.
US08691581B2
Provided is a method of determining a DNA tag which is a base sequence to be introduced into a genomic DNA sequence of an organism and an introduction site of the DNA tag into the genomic DNA sequence. The method includes: a step (S1) of obtaining a protein coding sequence of the genomic DNA sequence; a step (S2) of determining a region to be treated in the protein coding sequence; a step (S3) of fragmenting the coding sequence in the region to be treated; a step (S4) of subjecting the fragmented coding sequences to a silent mutation; a step (S5) of determining sequences suitable as primers from polynucleotides including the fragmented coding sequences or complementary base sequences thereof; a step (S6) of performing a homology search for the coding sequences thus determined; and a step (S8) of determining the determined coding sequence corresponding to a minimum value of an NMS as the DNA tag, and determining the site of the fragmented coding sequence corresponding to the determined coding sequence in the protein coding sequence as the introduction site.
US08691570B2
The present invention discloses novel dendritic cell maturation-inducing cytokine cocktails, and methods for inducting type-1 polarized dendritic cells in serum-free conditions which enhance the desirable properties of DC1s generated in serum-supplemented cultures. The invention further discloses methods and systems using IFNγ and other ligands of the IFNγ receptor, in combination with IFNα (or other type I interferons), poly I:C, and other IFNα (and IFNβ) inducers to enhance the IL-12-producing properties of dendritic cells. More specifically, the present invention discloses type-1 polarized dendritic cells that have a unique combination of a fully-mature status and an elevated, instead of “exhausted”, ability to produce IL-12p70. allows for the generation of fully-mature DC1s in serum-free AIM-V medium. The invention discloses systems that use the foregoing products and methods to facilitate the clinical application of DC1-based vaccines and the identification of novel factors involved in the induction of Th1 and CTL responses by DC1.
US08691563B2
Described herein are iDNA vectors and vaccines and methods for using the same. The iDNA generates live attenuated vaccines in eukaryotic cells in vitro or in vivo for pathogenic RNA viruses, particularly yellow fever virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. When iDNA is injected into the vaccine recipient, RNA of live attenuated virus is generated by in vivo transcription in the recipient's tissues. This initiates production of progeny attenuated viruses in the tissues of the vaccine recipient, as well as elicitation of an effective immune response protecting against wild-type, non-attenuated virus.
US08691561B2
A thermal treatment apparatus includes a fluidic device including at least one channel, a first temperature-changing unit that changes the temperature of a fluid in part of the channel, and a second temperature-changing unit that changes the temperature of the fluid in another part of the channel. The temperature changes by the first and second temperature-changing units cause at least any one of the expansion and contraction of the fluid in the respective parts of the channel, and the at least any one of the expansion and contraction of the fluid due to the first temperature-changing unit is offset by the at least any one of the expansion and contraction of the fluid due to the second temperature-changing unit.
US08691556B2
The leading cause of graft failure is the subsequent development of intimal hyperplasia, which represents a response to injury that is thought to involve smooth muscle proliferation, migration, phenotypic modulation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition. Surgical techniques typically employed for vein harvest—stretching the vein, placing the vein in low pH, solutions, and the use of toxic surgical skin markers—are shown here to cause injury. The invention therefore provides for non-toxic surgical markers than also protect against stretch-induced loss of functional viability, along with other additives. Devices and compositions for reducing physical stress or protecting from the effects flowing therefrom, also are provided.
US08691554B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing a L-arabinose utilizing yeast strain for the production of ethanol, whereby a yeast strain is modified by introducing and expressing araA gene (L-arabinose isomerase), araB gene (L-ribulokinase D121-N) and araD gene (L-ribulose-5-P 4-epimerase) and carrying additional mutations in its genome or overexpressing a TAL1 (transaldolase) gene, enabling it to consume L-arabinose, to use it as the only carbon source, and to produce ethanol, as well as a method for producing ethanol using such a modified strain.
US08691549B2
Compositions and methods are provided for enzymes with altered properties that involve a systematic approach to mutagenesis and a screening assay that permits selection of the desired proteins. Embodiments of the method are particularly suited for modifying specific properties of restriction endonucleases such as star activity. The compositions includes restriction endonucleases with reduced star activity as defined by an overall fidelity index improvement factor.
US08691547B2
The present invention provides members that produce on a large scale a coenzyme-linked glucose dehydrogenase which has excellent substrate-recognizing ability toward glucose while providing low action on maltose. The present invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding a soluble coenzyme-linked glucose dehydrogenase that catalyzes the oxidation of glucose in the presence of an electron acceptor and has an activity toward maltose of 5% or lower; a polypeptide encoded by the nucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide; a recombinant vector carrying the polynucleotide; a transformed cell produced using the recombinant vector; a method for producing a polypeptide comprising culturing the transformed cell and collecting from the cultivated products a polypeptide that links to FAD to exert the glucose dehydration activity; a method for determination of glucose using the polypeptide; a reagent composition for determination of glucose; and a biosensor.
US08691542B2
The presently disclosed subject matter generally relates to methods and systems for facilitating the growth and differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells for laboratory and therapeutic applications. The cells can be employed alone or in conjunction with unique biologically-compatible scaffold structures to generate differentiated tissues and structures, both in vitro and in vivo. The presently disclosed subject matter further relates to methods of forming and using improved tissue engineered scaffolds that can be used as substrates to facilitate the growth and differentiation of cells.
US08691541B2
The invention provides, inter alia, compositions and methods for the biological production of pentose sugars, such as 2-methylerythritol (2-ME), 1-deoxyxylulose (1-DX), and monoacetylated-2-C-methylerythritols, using recombinant cells.
US08691540B2
From a bacterial strain isolated from an environmental sample, after enrichment in medium containing 1-butanol as the carbon source, a new enzyme with butanol dehydrogenase activity was identified. The enzyme can convert butyraldehyde to 1-butanol, isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol, as well as 2-butanone to 2-butanol and thus is useful for biosynthesis of butanol in recombinant microbial hosts producing these substrates. The encoding gene, named sadB, was isolated from the strain identified as an isolate of Achromobacter xylosoxidans.
US08691534B2
The invention provides an improved process for preparing romidepsin. The process involves producing, purifying, or storing romidepsin under conditions that prevent the formation of undesired adducts. Purifying romidepsin at an apparent pH lower than approximately 6.0 (e.g., between an apparent pH of 4.0 and 6.0) has been discovered to prevent the reduction of the disulfide bond of romidepsin and the subsequent formation of dimerized, oligomerized, or polymerized adducts. The invention also provides compositions of monomeric romidepsin free of dimerized, oligomerized, or polymerized adducts.
US08691529B2
The disclosure provides methods and materials for increasing the expression of a protein of interest such as an antibody by a cell ABC50 expression or activity is increased which increases expression of the protein or antibody of interest. The disclosure also provides methods and materials for increasing the sensitivity of a cell to an endoplasmic reticulum stress agent such as Econazole by decreasing the level of ABC50.
US08691523B2
Hepatic progenitors comprise two populations of human hepatic stem cells, primitive and proximal hepatic stem cells, and two populations of committed progenitors, one for biliary cells and one for hepatocytes. Human primitive hepatic stem cells are a very small fraction of the liver cell population and give rise to proximal hepatic stem cells constituting a much larger fraction of the liver. Human proximal hepatic stem cells give rise to biliary and hepatocyte committed progenitors. Primitive and proximal stem cells are the primary stem cells for the human liver. Human primitive hepatic stem cells may be isolated by immunoselection from human livers or culturing human liver cells under conditions which select for a human primitive hepatic stem cell. Proximal hepatic stem cells may be isolated by immunoselection, or by culturing human liver cells under conditions which include a developmental factor. Proximal hepatic stem cells may also be isolated by culturing colonies comprising a primitive hepatic stem cell under conditions which include a developmental factor. Resulting compositions may be used for treating liver disorders and for producing bioartificial organs.
US08691517B2
A sensor for the detection or measurement of a carbohydrate analyte in fluid comprises components of a competitive binding assay the readout of which is a detectable or measurable optical signal retained by a material that permits diffusion of the analyte but not the assay components, the assay components comprising: a carbohydrate binding molecule labelled with one of a proximity based signal generating/modulating moiety pair; and a carbohydrate analogue capable of competing with the analyte for binding to the carbohydrate binding molecule, the carbohydrate analogue being a flexible water-soluble polymer comprising: polymerized or co-polymerised residues of monomer units, the monomer unit residues bearing pendant carbohydrate or carbohydrate mimetic moieties and pendant moieties which are the other of the proximity based signal generating/modulating moiety pair.
US08691516B2
The present invention relates to a succinic acid-producing mutant microorganism that is able to utilize sucrose and glycerol simultaneously as carbon sources. More particularly, the present invention relates to a succinic acid-producing mutant microorganism that is able to utilize sucrose and glycerol simultaneously for succinic acid production, the mutant organism being obtained by relieving the mechanism of sucrose-mediated catabolite repression of glycerol in a succinic acid-producing microorganism. As described above, when the succinic acid-producing mutant microorganism is cultured, it utilizes sucrose and glycerol simultaneously so that succinic acid can be produced with high productivity in a maximum yield approaching the theoretical yield while the production of byproducts is minimized. In addition, according to the present invention, various reduced chemicals which have been produced in low yields in conventional methods can be more effectively produced.
US08691513B2
Methods, compositions and kits for detecting the complement Factor B cleavage product Ba in a biological sample are described. These methods, compositions and kits are useful in convenient, reliable and early diagnosis of or ruling out pre-eclampsia in a pregnant human subject.
US08691509B2
In certain embodiments, the invention provides amplification methods in which nucleotide tag(s) and a barcode nucleotide sequence are added to target nucleotide sequences. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a microfluidic device that includes a plurality of first input lines and a plurality of second input lines. The microfluidic device also includes a plurality of sets of first chambers and a plurality of sets of second chambers. Each set of first chambers is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of first input lines. Each set of second chambers is in fluid communication with one of the plurality of second input lines. The microfluidic device further includes a plurality of first pump elements in fluid communication with a first portion of the plurality of second input lines and a plurality of second pump elements in fluid communication with a second portion of the plurality of second input lines.
US08691508B2
Contemplated systems and methods allow analysis of multiple and distinct patient samples using a labeling scheme that entirely avoids carry-over of a label or reagent to the analytic platform, typically an addressable solid phase. In preferred aspects, a hybridization portion, a fluorophore, and/or a quencher are removed by a 5′-3′-exonuclease activity of a polymerase from a reporter oligonucleotide to so remove the oligonucleotide from the pool of molecules that bind to the solid phase and/or or to provide signal differentiation by removal of a fluorophore or quencher.
US08691506B2
The present invention relates to a method for providing a gene expression profile being predictive for the specific response of an individual tumor to a pharmaceutically effective compound, the use thereof, a microarray wherein the nucleotide sequences attached to the substrate consist of nucleotide sequences corresponding to the predictive genes of said gene expression profile, and a diagnostic kit containing said microarray.
US08691501B2
Although it can be farnesylated, mutant lamin A expressed in Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome cannot be defarnesylated; the characteristic mutation causes deletion of a cleavage site necessary for binding the protease ZMPSTE24 and effecting defarnesylation. The result is an aberrant farnesylated protein (“progerin”) that alters normal lamin A function as a dominant negative, and assumes its own aberrant function through its association with the nuclear membrane. Retention of farnesylation, and potentially other abnormal properties of progerin and other abnormal lamin gene protein products, produces disease. Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) will inhibit formation of progerin, cause a decrease in lamin A protein, and/or an increase prelamin A protein. Decreasing the amount of aberrant protein improves cellular effects caused by and progerin expression. Similarly, treatment with FTIs should improve disease status in progeria and other laminopathies. In addition, elements of atherosclerosis and aging in non-laminopathy individuals will improve after treatment with FTIs.
US08691497B2
A developing treatment method includes: a treatment solution supplying step of supplying a treatment solution made by diluting a hydrophobizing agent hydrophobizing a resist pattern with hydrofluoroether onto a substrate on which a rinse solution has been supplied after development of the resist pattern; a hydrophobic treatment stabilizing step of stabilizing a hydrophobic treatment of the resist pattern with the supply of the treatment solution stopped and rotation of the substrate almost stopped; and a treatment solution removing step of removing the treatment solution from a top of the substrate on which the treatment solution has been supplied. The hydrophobizing agent is trimethylsilyldimethyl-amine.
US08691492B2
The present application relates to a new silane-based compound, a photosensitive resin composition including the same, and a photosensitive material including the same. The photosensitive resin composition including the silane-based compound according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application increases adhesion strength to a substrate, such that a developing property is excellent and there are no surface stains or defects during a subsequent process. Accordingly, a photosensitive material, a color filter and the like having excellent quality may be manufactured by using the photosensitive resin composition according to the exemplary embodiment of the present application.
US08691489B2
A thermal image receiver element dry image receiving layer has a Tg of at least 25° C. as the outermost layer. The dry image receiving layer has a dry thickness of at least 0.5 μm and up to and including 5 μm. It comprises a polymer binder matrix that consists essentially of: (1) a water-dispersible acrylic polymer comprising chemically reacted or chemically non-reacted hydroxyl, phospho, phosphonate, sulfo, sulfonate, carboxy, or carboxylate groups, and (2) a water-dispersible polyester that has a Tg of 30° C. or less. The water-dispersible acrylic polymer is present in an amount of at least 55 weight % of the total dry image receiving layer weight and at a dry ratio to the water-dispersible polyester of at least 1:1. The thermal image receiver element can be used to prepare thermal dye images after thermal transfer from a thermal donor element.
