Document	Document Title
US07729050B2	Diffusion sheet, rear projection screen provided with diffusion sheet, method of manufacturing mold for diffusion sheet, and method of manufacturing diffusion sheet In a diffusion sheet, a plurality of approximately trapezoidal columnar unit lens portions are disposed such that the long-axis directions thereof are in parallel with each other, and all the surfaces of the unit lens portions, which correspond to the long bottom segments of the approximately trapezoidal sections of the unit lens portions are disposed on a light-incident-side flat surface. Further, light absorbing portions are disposed in the grooves between adjacent unit lens portions to absorb and/or shield external light incident from a light outgoing side. In the diffusion sheet arranged as described above, light incident on the unit lens portions from a light incident side is totally reflected on the surfaces corresponding to the side segments of the approximately trapezoidal sections vertical to the long-axis direction of the unit lens portions and outgoes from the light outgoing side.
US07729042B2	Light source device, lighting device, and image display apparatus A light source device includes: a light source unit configured to emit light; a wavelength conversion element configured to convert the wavelength of light emitted from the light source unit; a light source housing configured to accommodate at least the light source unit and the wavelength conversion element; and a temperature control unit configured to control temperature of the wavelength conversion element. The temperature control unit is disposed outside the light source housing.
US07729039B2	Components and methods for use in electro-optic displays A front plane laminate useful in the manufacture of electro-optic displays comprises, in order, a light-transmissive electrically-conductive layer, a layer of an electro-optic medium in electrical contact with the electrically-conductive layer, an adhesive layer and a release sheet. This front plane laminate can be prepared as a continuous web, cut to size, the release sheet removed and the laminate laminated to a backplane to form a display. Methods for providing conductive vias through the electro-optic medium and for testing the front plane laminate are also described.
US07729035B2	Acousto-optic modulators for modulating light signals Devices for modulating light signals. A modulator includes a rolled optical fiber cable having a preset tensile stress along the longitudinal axis thereof, a coating layer applied to the rolled optical cable, and at least one piezo acoustic transducer secured to the coating layer. The piezo acoustic transducer is operative to generate a sound wave that modulates a frequency of a light signal passing through the rolled optical fiber cable.
US07729034B2	Ionic colored liquid and image display apparatus using the same An ionic colored liquid according to the present invention moves with a voltage application, and contains as principal components at least a coloring material whose base material is a pigment, and an ambient temperature molten salt combining a cation and an anion. The coloring material has a mean volume particle diameter of equal to or smaller than 5 μm and a coefficient of variation in a volume particle size distribution of equal to or smaller than 50. In an image display apparatus according to the present invention, a surface energy of the ionic colored liquid (21) is varied according to whether or not a voltage is applied to the ionic colored liquid (21), thereby moving the ionic colored liquid (21) or increasing/decreasing a surface area of the liquid on a display surface side, so that an image is displayed. In this manner, the ionic colored liquid can be dispersed stably in a dispersion medium and applied to an electric-field induction type electronic paper display or the like.
US07729031B2	Light-source device, optical scanning device, and image forming apparatus A line-imaging lens condenses a light beam from a light-source unit in one direction to form a line image. An optical deflecting unit deflects the light beam passing through the line-imaging lens. An imaging optical unit images the light beam deflected by the optical deflecting unit in a spot shape on a scanning surface to be scanned. An adjusting unit adjusts a position of irradiation of the light beam from the light-source unit on the optical deflecting unit.
US07729030B2	Optical retro-reflective apparatus with modulation capability An optical MEMS retro-reflective apparatus with modulation capability having a retro-reflecting structure including a pair of reflective surfaces; and a MEMS device for moving at least one of the reflective surfaces of said pair of reflective surfaces relative to another one of the reflective surfaces of said pair of reflective surfaces a distance which causes the pair of reflective surfaces to switch between a reflective mode of operation and a transmissive mode of operation. A substrate and a moveable grating structure may be substituted for the reflective surfaces.
US07729027B2	Image-formed object and method for producing the same The present invention provides an image-formed object having security property improved, in which, even in the case where the image-formed object comprises a plurality of optical diffraction structures, the presence of each optical diffraction structure is hardly recognized.An image-formed object comprises a background region where an optical diffraction structure for background focusing a predetermined design as a hologram image at a predetermined image-formation distance, and at least one inset region provided so as to be inset in the background region, wherein, in the inset region, an optical diffraction structure for inset focusing a hologram image of the same design and color as the hologram image of the optical diffraction structure for background is formed at an image-formation distance different from the image-formation distance of the optical diffraction structure for background.
US07729026B2	Security device with metameric features using diffractive pigment flakes A metameric optical structure is disclosed having first optical structures comprising diffractive flakes having diffractive structures thereon, and a second optical structures having non-diffractive flakes which may have other special effect properties, such as color shifting. At one angle of incidence or one viewing angle, near normal. The hues match and at other angles they do not match. The diffractive flakes are preferably magnetically aligned so that the grating structures are parallel. Disclosed is also an image formed of at least a first region of diffractive flakes and a second region of non-diffractive flakes wherein the regions are adjacent one another and wherein one of the regions forms a logo, symbol or indicia that appears or disappears in dependence upon the angle of viewing.
US07729021B2	Image processing apparatus and method thereof, and image forming apparatus using the image processiing apparatus An image processing apparatus is disclosed. The image processing apparatus includes a detector, a parameter calculating section, a storing section, a correction section, and a pseudo continuous tone processing section. The detector detects an amount of an out of color registration of a color laser printer. The parameter calculating section calculates a correction parameter based on the amount of the out of color registration detected by the detector. The storing section stores the calculated correction parameter. The correction section corrects input image data based on the calculated correction parameter by reading from the storing section. The pseudo continuous tone processing section applies a pseudo continuous tone process to the corrected input image data.
US07729017B2	Scanning device and method for scanning A scanning device including a controller and a light source operatively coupled to the controller. The light source is shaped and located such that at least part of the light emitted from the light source is reflected off of a document to be scanned, and the light source has a maximum output when the light source is fully warmed up. The scanning device further includes a receptor operatively coupled to the controller, the receptor being located to receive the light reflected from the document to be scanned such that the at least part of the visual properties of the document to be scanned are transmitted to the receptor in a scanning process. The controller is configured to selectively allow the scanning process to proceed when an output of the light source is less than about 80% of the maximum output.
US07729012B2	Image processing apparatus, method of controlling image processing apparatus, image recognition method, image forming apparatus, information processing apparatus, and data processing method An image processing apparatus is disclosed that controls a user interface according to image properties. The image processing apparatus includes a document data acquiring unit to acquire document data, an image recognizing unit to determine the image properties of the document data including a color and a gray level of the document data so as to generate recognition data, and a user interface providing unit to receive the recognition data so as to provide the user interface. Operations that can be performed on the document data by the image processing apparatus through the user interface vary according to the recognition data.
US07729011B2	Color adjustment apparatus, color adjustment method, color-conversion-parameter generating apparatus, color conversion parameter generation method, color converting apparatus, color conversion method, computer readable medium and data signal A color adjustment apparatus includes a pair generating section, a vector generating section, a weight calculating section, a synthesized-vector generating section and a color converting section. The pair generating section generates pairs of colors in a first color gamut and corresponding colors in a second color gamut. One of the pairs includes white in the first color gamut. The vector generating section generates plural vectors each connecting the color in the first color gamut and the color in the second color gamut, which belong to each generated pair. The weight calculating section calculates weights in accordance with distances between a color, which is to be processed and is in the first color gamut, and origins of the generated vectors. The synthesized-vector generating section applies each calculated weight to the corresponding vector to generate a synthesized vector. The color converting section converts the color to be processed using the synthesized vector.
US07729004B2	Print job manifest A method for providing a print job manifest includes querying a press database containing data corresponding to print jobs recorded on a web. A print job manifest is generated according to the press database. The print job manifest is recorded on the web so that at least a portion of the manifest is located generally adjacent to a loose end of the web when the web is wound to form a roll.
US07729000B2	Image forming apparatus performing image formation on print data, image processing system including plurality of image forming apparatuses, print data output method executed on image forming apparatus, and print data output program product In order to prevent leakage of confidential information, MFP includes a communication I/F to receive print data, an image forming portion to perform image formation on print data, and a CPU to prohibit the image forming portion from performing image formation on the print data before the print data is subjected to image formation by the image forming portion, when a prescribed time has passed since the print data was received or when an input of an instruction to protect the print data is accepted, and to store the print data in a storage device, and to allow the image forming portion to perform image formation on the print data in response to accepting a log-in instruction.
US07728994B2	Image forming apparatus, control method therefor, control program and image forming system An image forming apparatus which enables easy management of proofs in a printing process. An image forming apparatus 299 is provided with a reader unit 50, a transfer charger 220, color sensors 274-1 to 274-4, a printer controlling unit 21. The reader unit 50 inputs image data for forming an image on a sheet having an RFID tag 701. The transfer charger 220 generates a transfer image for forming the image on the sheet based on the inputted image data. The color sensors 274-1 to 274-4 measure image formation conditions of the transfer image. The printer controlling unit 21 writes the measured image formation conditions into the RFID tag 701.
US07728992B2	Data processing apparatus, print control method, computer-readable storage medium, and program stored therein Even a simple media sensor obtains a print result of the best print quality by applying a user-set printing condition and the determined media group by performing a print processing using the optimum print profile for any supplied paper. To solve the above-mentioned problem, a print data generating process unit sets a printing condition for print data by selecting a print profile for printing corresponding to any group stored in a print profile storage unit based on a media group determined by a paper type determining process unit and a printing condition set by a print setting process unit in an operation performed by a user according to information obtained from a printer.
US07728986B2	Systems and methods for digital detection of a tomographic signal Systems and methods for digital detection of an analog tomographic signal are described. The methods include receiving an amplitude-modulated analog signal containing tomographic information, the analog signal having a modulation frequency, fλi; and converting the analog signal into a digital signal at a sampling frequency, fs, to produce a number of samples, K. The digital signal is multiplied by an in-phase reference signal to obtain an in-phase signal component, the in-phase reference signal having the frequency, fλi; and the digital signal is multiplied by a quadrature reference signal to obtain a quadrature signal component, the quadrature reference signal having the frequency, fλi. The in-phase signal component and the quadrature signal component are passed through the K-point averaging filter. A signal amplitude is computed based on the filtered in-phase signal component and the filtered quadrature signal component, the signal amplitude being representative of the tomographic information.
US07728981B2	Device for measuring the profile of very short single pulses A device for measuring the profile of single optical pulses includes an optical fiber loop (1, F) for creating a series of replica pulses (Ri) of the initial optical pulse, starting from the initial optical pulse (I), an automatic gain control (2, 3, 4, AMP) for adjusting the amplitudes of replica pulses (Ri) to values substantially the same as each other, an optical sampler (7, Ech) for forming optical samples (Ei) starting from replica pulses (Ri), and a detector (D) for forming an electrical signal from the optical samples (Ei). The device is applicable to measurement of single optical or electrical pulses or pulses with a low repetition rate.
US07728962B2	Device for visualizing a mark on a spectacle lense A method and an apparatus for making visible a mark on a spectacle lens are disclosed. An illumination light beam is directed to the spectacle lens. The illumination light beam runs through the spectacle lens and, after having run through the spectacle lens, is reflected on a reflector configured as a retroreflector, then runs again through the spectacle lens, and is finally fed to a camera as an observation light beam. The reflector is moved. Further, a measurement light beam is directed to said spectacle lens and fed to a sensor for measuring a physical property of the spectacle lens. The measurement light beam is generated by a first light source and the illumination light beam is generated by a second light source. The first and the second light sources are physically distinct units.
US07728960B2	Machine aided combination of an NIR material concentration measurement with a temperature profile measurement based on fiber Bragg gratings in optical fibers The invention relates to a spectroscopic arrangement and a method for combining devices for measuring material concentrations NIR associated with a spectroscopic evaluation of glass fiber and fitted with fibers Bragg gratings (FBG) for measuring temperature profiles.
US07728948B2	Liquid crystal display device and manufacturing method In a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display device in which a liquid crystal layer is formed by dropping liquid crystal by a dropping method, a surface of a sealant which is formed over a first substrate is cured by a first cure treatment before dropping the liquid crystal, and then the liquid crystal is dropped. A second substrate has a plurality of projections in a sealant adhesive region. The first substrate and the second substrate are attached to each other with the liquid crystal interposed therebetween so that the plurality of projections is in contact with an uncured region in the sealant formed over the first substrate.
US07728946B2	Liquid crystal panel with high cell gap uniformity and method for controlling cell gap thereof A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer, and a black matrix layer. A sealant is put between the first and the second substrates and connecting them to define an enclosed space, and the liquid crystal layer is provided in the enclosed space. An overlap region is formed between the sealant and the first substrate or between the sealant and the second substrate, and only part of the overlap region is spread with the black matrix layer.
US07728940B2	Liquid crystal display device Disclosed is an active matrix liquid crystal display device including substrates and a liquid crystal layer. The substrate includes: scan signal wiring lines; common signal wiring lines; video signal wiring lines intersecting these wiring lines; and pixels surrounded with the scan signal wiring lines and the video signal wiring lines. Each of pixels includes: a thin film transistor; source electrodes in a layer with the video signal wiring lines; pixel electrodes connected to the source electrodes; and common electrodes connected to the common signal wiring lines. The source electrodes include first parts overlapping the scan signal wiring lines and second parts connecting with the pixel electrodes, which are positioned around central parts between the video signal wiring lines. Molecular axes in the liquid crystal layer rotate under an electric field applied between the pixel electrodes and the common electrodes.
US07728931B2	Security element and method for producing same The present invention relates to a security element (30) for securing valuable articles, having a first optically active layer (32) that is present at least in some areas and comprises a cholesteric liquid crystal material. According to the present invention, a second optically active layer (34) that is present at least in some areas is provided, the first and the second layer (32, 34) being stacked in an overlap area. Here, the first optically active layer (32) selectively reflects light in a first wavelength range having a first circular polarization direction, and the second optically active layer (34), either itself or, in the overlap area, in coaction with the first optically active layer (32), selectively reflects light in a second wavelength range having a second direction of circular polarization.
US07728925B2	Light source, display device, portable terminal device, and ray direction switching element A planar light source includes a large variable width of an irradiation angle of illumination light, a display device having a large variable width of an angle of field that uses the planar light source, a portable terminal device that uses the display device, and a ray direction switching element that is incorporated in the planar light source. A beam direction regulating element (a louver), which controls a direction of light, and a transparent and scattering switching element, which can switch the transparent state and the scattering state according to ON and OFF of an applied voltage, are provided between a backlight and a liquid crystal panel, whereby it is possible to increase a variable width of an irradiation angle of light in the planar light source and increase a variable width of an angle of field of the liquid crystal display device that uses the planar light source.
US07728923B2	Backlight unit and display device having the same A backlight unit and method of use are provided having a first light guide plate, a linear light source disposed along at least one side edge of the first light guide plate, a plurality of second light guide plates facing the first light guide plate, and a point light source disposed along at least one side edge of each second light guide plate. Accordingly, the present invention can provide a backlight unit using both a point light source and a linear light source at substantially the same time, and having superior color reproducibility and low power consumption.
US07728916B2	Liquid crystal display device having bent source electrode and bent drain electrode A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display panel. A drive circuit part is formed in the display panel. The drive circuit has a switching device with thin film transistors. The transistors commonly use one gate electrode and are connected in parallel. The switching device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film covering the gate electrode, a semiconductor pattern which overlaps the gate electrode with the gate insulating film therebetween, and source and drain electrodes which are formed on the semiconductor pattern and face each other. The source and drain electrodes, as well as a channel between the source and drain electrodes, are bent in the same direction.
US07728910B2	2D YC separation device and YC separation system The invention relates to a 2D YC separation device and YC separation system for separating a composite signal into a luma signal (Y) and a chroma signal (C). Firstly, the 2D YC separation device utilizes a low-pass filter to separate the composite signal into a low-frequency composite signal and a high-frequency composite signal. The low-frequency composite signal is a low-frequency luma signal. A 2D comb filter is utilized to separate the high-frequency composite signal into a high-frequency luma signal and the chroma signal. The luma signal is equal to the low-frequency luma signal plus the high-frequency luma signal. Therefore, the 2D YC separation device of the present invention can perfectly separate the composite signal so as to obtain a better luma signal and chroma signal. The YC separation system of the present invention further comprises a 3D YC separation device and a motion detection device, so as to obtain a precise luma signal and chroma signal.
US07728906B2	Embedded camera with privacy filter An apparatus includes a housing having an integrated camera. A panel is positioned in front of at least a portion of the camera and is operable to selectively switch between at least a substantially transparent state and at least a substantially opaque state.
US07728898B2	Semiconductor device having temporary signal storage unit A semiconductor device having a unit capable of temporarily storing electrical signals, may include an electrical signal generation unit, a first signal transmission unit electrically connected to the electrical signal generation unit, a first signal storage unit electrically connected to the first signal transmission unit, a second signal transmission unit electrically connected to the first signal storage unit, a second signal storage unit electrically connected to the second signal transmission unit, a reset unit electrically connected to the second signal storage unit, an amplification unit electrically connected to the second signal storage unit, a selection unit electrically connected to the amplification unit, and an output unit electrically connected to the selection unit, for stable signal processing.
US07728895B2	Solid-state image sensing device having shared floating diffusion portions A solid-state image sensing device includes: a plurality of unit pixels 21 arranged in rows and columns each of which outputs a pixel signal according to incident light; and a plurality of floating diffusion portions 22 each of which receives the pixel signals. Each of the floating diffusion portions 22 is shared by two unit pixels 21 which are respectively arranged in adjacent rows and which are respectively adjacent columns.
US07728894B2	High-speed CMOS image sensor A CMOS image sensor having two ASPs can reduce increasing design difficulty as arising from a pixel array becoming larger and larger. The image sensor includes a selection circuit for transmitting outputs of CDS circuits through four divided buses to reduce parasitic loading and achieve high-speed operation. Then, the selecting circuit transmits red and blue pixels to a first ASP, and transmits green pixels to a second ASP, so as to relax the specification requirements of the ASP.
US07728884B2	Method for white balance adjustment and digital image capturing device using the same The present invention provides a white balance adjustment method and a digital image capturing device using the same. The method according to the present invention comprises the following steps: capturing an image; partitioning the image into one or more blocks; obtaining a first brightness value of each block; obtaining a second brightness value, a R value, a G value and a B value of each block; determining whether each block is a gray block according to the difference value between the first brightness and the second brightness values, the R value, the G value and the B value; and determining whether to proceed with a first white balance procedure or a second white balance procedure according to the quantity of the gray block(s).
US07728883B2	Method for enabling output device to emulate colors of target camera A method for enabling an output device to emulate colors of a target camera includes the following steps: (a) utilizing the target camera to shoot a color chart to obtain a first plurality of output values respectively corresponding to a plurality of color patches of the color chart, (b) utilizing the output device to shoot the color chart to obtain a second plurality of output values respectively corresponding to the plurality of color patches of the color chart, (c) comparing the first plurality of output values with the second plurality of output values to deduce a color transform matrix, and (d) applying the color transform matrix in an image processing pipeline of the output device to enable the output device to emulate colors of the target camera.
US07728878B2	Method and system for processing multiview videos for view synthesis using side information A method processes a multiview videos of a scene, in which each video is acquired by a corresponding camera arranged at a particular pose, and in which a view of each camera overlaps with the view of at least one other camera. Side information for synthesizing a particular view of the multiview video is obtained in either an encoder or decoder. A synthesized multiview video is synthesized from the of multiview videos and the side information. A reference picture list is maintained for each current frame of each of the multiview videos, the reference picture indexes temporal reference pictures and spatial reference pictures of the acquired multiview videos and the synthesized reference pictures of the synthesized multiview video. Each current frame of the multiview videos is predicted according to reference pictures indexed by the associated reference picture list.
US07728875B2	Image processing apparatus and operation condition setting method thereof An external I/F gives numerical information on an imaging device, input from PC or PLC, to a memory. The memory outputs the numerical information to CPU as well as retaining the numerical information. CPU transmits the numerical information through a camera to an operation control unit. The operation control unit performs correction using a correction value from a correction table. In order to correct a variation individually possessed by a lens unit or an illumination unit, the correction table is previously produced for each lens unit or illumination unit based on the numerical information from the camera. The post-correction control signals are output to a lens unit 62 and an illumination unit.
US07728874B2	Video camera apparatus A video camera apparatus provided with image capturing means, which includes: audio communication means for receiving an audio signal from a wireless microphone of a subject through short-range wireless data communication means; and recording means for recording image information of the subject captured by the image capturing means and an audio signal received by the audio communication means.
US07728873B2	Apparatus for obtaining and electronically interpreting digital images of liquids, solids and combinations on liquids and solids An apparatus for electronically obtaining and interpreting the closely focused digital image of a substance has a housing, a light generation source, an optical sensor, an electronic control/input/processing/storage/output unit a display, an optional printer and optional data output ports. The electronic control/input/processing/storage/output unit controls the light generation source, which generates light, which light diffused through and over the substance and is sensed and converted to electrical impulses by the optical sensor array, which collective electrical impulses represent the closely-focused digital image of the substance, which digital image can be interpreted to report the relative quality of the substance.
US07728860B2	Method for image processing and image processing apparatus It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for image processing and an image processing apparatus which are capable of performing repetitive forming and erasing of high-contrast images at high speeds by forming high-density, uniform images and uniformly erasing images in a short period of time, and in addition, suppressing the degradation of the thermoreversible recording medium due to repetitive forming and erasing is possible. The method for image processing of the present invention contains at least any one of image forming step wherein an image is formed on a thermoreversible recording medium in which any one of transparency and color tone is changed reversibly depending on temperatures by heating due to laser beam irradiation, and image erasing step wherein an image formed on the thermoreversible recording medium is erased by heating due to laser beam irradiation to the thermoreversible recording medium, and a light irradiation intensity of the center is equal to or less than the light irradiation intensity of the periphery in the light intensity distribution of cross-section in a direction approximately perpendicular to the traveling direction of the laser beam irradiated at least in any one of the image forming step and the image erasing step.
US07728846B2	Method and apparatus for converting from source color space to RGBW target color space Systems and methods are disclosed to effect conversion of a three color primary image data set to a multiple color primary set in which one of the primaries is white. One method converts a three-color image data set comprising C1, C2, and C3 colors into a four-color image data set comprising C1, C2, C3 and W colors.
US07728833B2	Method for generating a three-dimensional model of a roof structure A method and apparatus for automatically generating a three-dimensional computer model from a “point cloud” of a scene produced by a laser radar (LIDAR) system. Given a point cloud of an indoor or outdoor scene, the method extracts certain structures from the imaged scene, i.e., ceiling, floor, furniture, rooftops, ground, and the like, and models these structures with planes and/or prismatic structures to achieve a three-dimensional computer model of the scene. The method may then add photographic and/or synthetic texturing to the model to achieve a realistic model.
US07728830B2	Method and apparatus for controlling nano-scale particulate circuitry Method and system for controlling nano-scale circuitry. Specifically, the present approach employs inverse GPS-like and multihop methodologies to provide individualized control of nano-scale particulate circuitry.
US07728821B2	Touch detecting interactive display The invention provides an interactive display that is controlled by user gestures identified on a touch detecting display surface. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, imagery is projected onto a horizontal projection surface from a projector located above the projection surface. The locations where a user contacts the projection surface are detected using a set of infrared emitters and receivers arrayed around the perimeter of the projection surface. For each contact location, a computer software application stores a history of contact position information and, from the position history, determines a velocity for each contact location. Based upon the position history and the velocity information, gestures are identified. The identified gestures are associated with display commands that are executed to update the displayed imagery accordingly. Thus, the invention enables users to control the display through direct physical interaction with the imagery.
US07728819B2	Input device, information processing device, remote control device, and input device control method An input apparatus including a sensor section that confirms whether a pressing or touching operation is performed on a panel's front surface with a detected data value that varies depending on which operation is performed, a position determination process section that generates a control signal corresponding to the detected data value, and a control section that generates a signal waveform of a drive voltage supplied to a drive section to deform the panel with the control signal. When an operator performs a pressing or touching operation, the panel is deformed corresponding to a signal waveform having a first amplitude. If the pressing operation is confirmed, the panel is deformed with a signal waveform having a second amplitude larger than the first amplitude. Thus, an operator feels a stroke sense from the weak vibration after the touching operation and a click sense from the strong vibration after the pressing operation.
US07728810B2	Display device and method for driving the same A display device includes a plurality of pixel cells divided into at least a first pixel cell group and a second pixel cell group; a first data line electrically connected to the pixel cells in the first pixel cell group, and a second data line electrically connected to the pixel cells in the second pixel cell group; and a gate driver driving at least one of the pixel cells in the first pixel cell group concurrently with at least one of the pixel cells in the second pixel cell group.
US07728797B2	Organic electroluminescence display apparatus, method of producing the same, and method of repairing a defect Provided is an organic EL display apparatus capable of opening and breaking a defective portion without degrading a normal portion of a pixel, and a method of producing the same. The method of producing an organic EL display apparatus in which a plurality of pixels including organic EL devices are arranged includes the steps of: forming an organic EL device formed of a light emitting layer made of an organic compound between a cathode electrode and an anode electrode (Step S1); detecting a defective pixel in which a cathode electrode and an anode electrode are short-circuited (Step 2); and repairing the defective pixel to be opened by selectively applying a voltage between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode with respect to the defective pixel (Step S3).
US07728793B2	Plasma display panel driving method and plasma display panel apparatus capable of displaying high-quality images with high luminous efficiency Set-up, write, sustain and erase pulses are variously applied to a plasma display panel using a staircase waveform in which the rising or falling portion is in at least two steps. These staircase waveforms can be realized by adding at least two pulses. Use of such waveforms for the set-up, write and erase pulses improves contrast, and use for the sustain pulses reduces screen flicker and improves luminous efficiency. This is of particular use in driving high definition plasma display panels to achieve high image quality and high luminance.
US07728792B2	Mesh-pattern partitioned plasma display panel A plasma display panel is provided in which discharge connection in the column direction is prevented without increasing the number of man-hours in a formation process of a partition and without deteriorating ventilation for an exhaust process. A pattern in a plan view of a partition is made a mesh pattern in which vertical patterns are included at inter-row positions in each column. Each of first vertical walls is positioned at a boundary between columns, each of second vertical walls is arranged at a position away from a boundary between columns for each boundary between rows and each of horizontal walls is positioned at a boundary between rows. In the partition, a height of portions where the first vertical wall crosses the horizontal wall and a height of portions where the second vertical wall crosses the horizontal wall are smaller than a height of the other portions of the partition.
US07728791B2	Plasma display panel display device and driving method therefor A PDP display apparatus driving method for performing multi-level gradation display by constituting one frame of a plurality of subfields assigned different weights, wherein in a subfield in which a relative luminance ratio corresponds to a lowest weight, display is performed according to discharges in two periods only, the periods being an initialization period and a write period.
US07728790B2	Plasma display device A plasma display device including a plasma display panel that displays images, an integrated circuit chip that controls potentials to be applied to a discharge electrode, a protection film that covers the integrated circuit chip, a thermally conductive material disposed on a portion of a surface of the protection film, and a cover plate that covers the integrated circuit chip.
US07728787B2	3D display device and an electronic device with the same A 3D display device includes two display portions (200, 201) each having a display for generating a particular image thereon. The two display portions are substantially symmetrically arranged. Images associated with the two display portions are slightly different from each other. An electronic device includes a main body (10) and an above-described display device (20). The display device is rotatably connected to the main body. The 3D display device and the electronic device with the 3D display device can provide 3D images directly and also provide 2D images to with a person via a naked eye. In addition, the 3D display device and the electronic device are very simple in construction and easily manufactured.
US07728786B2	External antenna for RFID remote interrogation A system to capture a remote RFID electro magnetic interrogation of a warehouse or distribution center environment through the propitious use of an external directional antenna. The system comprises a directional external yagi antenna affixed to the exterior of the distribution center or warehouse distribution center; an electric motor attached to a boom of the external yagi antenna to enable the antenna to change direction; a directional finding equipment spliced to the circuit of the external yagi antenna, and multiple transformers, the antenna and interrogation units mounted to a ceiling of the warehouse or distribution center to modulate and reradiate signals of the remote microwave or ultra high frequency interrogation to interrogate transponders attached to articles at the articles' resonant frequency and re-radiate responses to the external yagi antenna for capture by the cellular transmission tower.
US07728776B2	Dual-band antenna A dual-band antenna has a first meandering portion, a second meandering portion and a connection portion defining two ends. The first meandering portion and the second meandering portion have different length. One end of the first meandering portion connects one end of the second meandering portion. The other end of the first meandering portion connects one end of the connection portion. The other end of the second meandering portion connects a feeding portion. The other end of the connection portion connects a ground portion. The feeding portion, the second meandering portion, the first meandering portion and the connection portion obtain an electrical resonance corresponding to a first frequency range. The second meandering portion obtains an electrical resonance corresponding to a second frequency range.
US07728773B2	Multi-band antenna The present invention relates to a multi-band antenna and, more particularly, to a sub multi-band antenna, in which a planer conducting part, which has a plurality of protruding portions, is inserted into a depression, which is formed on the surface of a body part formed through injection molding using a mold having a specific shape to surround first and second wire members, and the fitting depression of a fastening part, which is formed through the cutting or die casting of a metal material, and to a sub-band built-in chip antenna, in which sub radiation patterns having a predetermined length are formed on the interior surface of a body part, which is formed through injection molding using a dielectric material or is formed of a layered substrate a dielectric material.
US07728764B2	Sidelobe blanking characterizer system and method According to a particular embodiment, a method for evaluating different antenna designs includes receiving different sets of antenna patterns representative of the different antenna designs from a corresponding number of data sources. The different sets of antenna patterns are applied to a characterizer component for generating a sidelobe banking (SLB) characteristic map for each set of antenna patterns received. A SLB effectiveness chart is generated from the SLB characteristic map. A best antenna weighting set is selected based on which auxiliary antenna pattern exhibits the best performance. The best of antenna weighting factors are used for designating the antenna design having superior SLB performance characteristics.
US07728756B2	Wide area high resolution SAR from a moving and hovering helicopter A hovering helicopter has a radar transmitter/receiver for transmitting radar pulses for illuminating a target for SAR imaging, and rotor blades for generating lift. Radar reflectors are on the rotor blades. The radar reflectors are oriented to reflect the radar pulses from the transmitter to the target as the rotor blades rotate. The radar pulses reflected by the moving reflector from the transmitter are timed to generate the synthetic aperture image using radar returns from the target. The receiver also receives blade returns directly reflected from the moving reflectors attached to the lift rotor blades. The receiver analyzes the blade returns to extract motion details of the reflectors and uses the motion details for motion compensation of target returns for SAR imaging.
US07728736B2	Combustion instability detection Combustion instability in combustion appliances may be recognized before excessive carbon monoxide may be produced. In some instances, combustion instability may be manifested in flame oscillation, or rather, in oscillations in flame intensity as measured, for example, by a flame sensor. If flame instability is detected, appliance operation may be corrected or terminated.
US07728733B2	RFID tag and RFID tag production method The RFID tag includes: a main unit consisting of a base, a communication antenna that is wired on the base, a circuit chip that is electrically connected to the antenna and performs radio communication via the antenna, a chip reinforcing member covering the periphery of the circuit chip, an underside reinforcing member that is disposed at a position that sandwiches the base with respect to the chip reinforcing member, and a rubber cover member that covers these components; and protective layers that sandwich the main unit from the front and rear sides and have greater slipperiness than the slipperiness between the main unit and a contactant.
US07728730B2	Systems and methods for measuring the purity of bales of recyclable materials In one embodiment of the present invention, a system includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader that is configured to obtain identification information from a plurality of RFID tags respectively attached to the plurality of items. A computer is configured to receive the identification information, and use the identification information to identify the items having a RFID tag attached thereto, and determine a percentage of a desired type of item with respect to the plurality of items.
US07728727B2	Dynamic inventory during transit A method of dynamically keeping inventory of items in a vehicle in transit is provided. The method includes detecting an event during transit and conducting interrogations of inventory based on the detected event. The method can compare these inventories to determine disposition of inventory items by location.
US07728722B2	Vehicle display device The object of the invention is to provide an improved vehicle display device that can avoid transmitting noise generated by vibration of a power source, as well as, can prevent the vibration of the power source from being transmitted into the other members or areas.The afore-mentioned object can be achieved by a vehicle display device comprising a circular dial member positioned in front of a display field of a display, at least partly surrounding the display field, and traveling linearly across the display field in cases where a movable member connected thereto is driven by a power source, the power source being coupled to a support member through a damper.
US07728721B2	Accessory system suitable for use in a vehicle An accessory system suitable for use in an interior cabin of a vehicle includes an attachment element adhesively attached to an interior surface of a windshield of a vehicle, and an accessory module. The accessory module includes structure adapted to attach to the attachment element. The accessory module encompasses an antenna and a forward facing camera. The forward facing camera has a forward field of view through the windshield of the vehicle and in the direction of forward travel of the vehicle. The accessory system may include an image processor for processing image data captured by the forward facing camera. The forward facing camera may capture images for at least one of a collision avoidance system and an automatic headlamp control system.
US07728716B2	Piezoelectric buzzer A piezoelectric buzzer includes a housing unit, a buzzer unit, and first and second terminals. The housing unit includes first and second housings coupled together. The second housing includes a base plate and a pair of spaced apart insert seats, each of which protrudes inwardly from the base plate toward the first housing and is formed with an insert hole. The buzzer unit is disposed in the resonant chamber and includes a vibrating plate and a piezoelectric plate attached to the vibrating plate. The first and second terminals are inserted respectively into the insert holes of the insert seats, and have a respective connection section extending outwardly of the housing unit, and a respective extending section abutting against a respective one of the vibrating plate and the piezoelectric plate.
US07728708B2	Transformer apparatus, inverter transformer, and drive circuit The present invention provides a transformer apparatus configured by integrating an inverter transformer and balance transformer to be a downsized form, and a drive circuit using the transformer apparatus. The transformer apparatus comprises an inverter transformer having a core potion on which a primary coil and a secondary coil are wound, and a balance transformer having a core portion on which a primary coil and a secondary coil are wound, wherein the inverter transformer and the balance transformer are integrally formed by sharing a part of the core portions.
US07728702B2	Shielding of integrated circuit package with high-permeability magnetic material A device includes at least one ultra-small resonant structure; and shielding constructed and adapted to shield at least a portion of said ultra-small resonant structure with a high-permeability magnetic material. The magnetic material is formed from a substance selected from a non-conductive magnetic oxide such as a ferrite; a cobaltite, a chromite, and a manganite. The magnetic material may be mumetal, permalloy, Hipernom, HyMu-80, supermalloy, supermumetal, nilomag, sanbold, Mo-Permalloy, Ultraperm, or M-1040.
US07728700B2	High frequency filter in a coaxial construction, in particular in the manner of a high frequency separating filter (for example a duplex separating filter) or a bandpass filter or band-stop filter An improved high frequency filter in a coaxial construction with one or a plurality of resonators has a thread pitch or thread pitch angle of an external thread of a thread-like tuning element which differs from the thread pitch or the thread pitch angle of the internal thread of the thread receiver at least in a partial portion of the length of the internal thread and/or of the external thread. The difference between the thread pitches or the thread pitch angles between the external thread of the thread-like tuning element and the internal thread of the thread receiver is more than 0.5%, and preferably 1% to 5%.
US07728699B2	Acoustic wave filter A longitudinally coupled resonator acoustic wave filter device that utilizes an inter-IDT resonance mode with a reduced insertion loss has a structure in which apodization weights are assigned in first to third IDTs having narrow pitch electrode finger portions in portions other than the narrow pitch electrode finger portions, such that the electrode finger overlap width sequentially varies in an acoustic wave propagating direction in which an acoustic wave propagates, and portions of the IDTs located at ends adjacent to the narrow pitch electrode finger portions have a maximum electrode finger overlap width.
US07728698B2	Surface acoustic wave resonator filter with longitudinally coupled transducers A surface acoustic wave filter includes an acoustic track bounded by reflectors, at least a first input transducer and at least a second input transducer acoustically coupled to the acoustic track that are connected in parallel and connected to an asymmetric input port, at least two first output transducers acoustically coupled to the acoustic track that are connected in parallel and connected, to a first terminal of a symmetric output port and at least two second output transducers acoustically coupled to the acoustic track that are connected in parallel and connected to a second terminal of a symmetric output port. Each first output transducer in the acoustic track and corresponding second output transducers are side-by-side and are electrically connected in series via a first bus bar.
US07728693B2	Tunable microwave devices with auto-adjusting matching circuit An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus, comprising a filter; and a matching network coupled to the filter, the matching network including a plurality of voltage tunable dielectric varactors.
US07728691B2	Modulator for radio-frequency signals A modulator for radio-frequency signals designed an entirely digital modulator has two mixer stages connected in series. The first mixer stage implements with a relatively low first sample rate a frequency mixing with a first oscillator frequency that is adjustable with high precision. The second mixer stage implements a frequency mixing with a significantly higher second sample rate and with a relatively coarsely adjustable second oscillator frequency. The downstream second mixer stage, in the case of a single mixer stage, the mixer stage, has at least two phase accumulators that are incremented with the higher second sample rate but with different incremental values. The output signal of at maximum one of the phase accumulators is evaluated at any point in time.
US07728687B2	Negative resistance oscillator with additional bias current injection An oscillation circuit and the method for operating the same. The circuit includes (a) an LC oscillator including an inductor and a variable capacitor; (b) first and second differentially-coupled transistors (i) electrically coupled to the LC oscillator and (ii) configured to provide negative resistance to the LC oscillator; and (c) a first current-injecting circuit (i) electrically coupled to the first differentially-coupled transistor and (ii) configured to inject a first additional electric current into the first differentially-coupled transistor so as to cause the first differentially-coupled transistor to create a first additional negative resistance to the LC oscillator; and (d) a second current-injecting circuit (i) electrically coupled to the second differentially-coupled transistor and (ii) configured to inject a second additional electric current into the second differentially-coupled transistor so as to cause the second differentially-coupled transistor to create a second additional negative resistance to the LC oscillator.
US07728680B2	Method and circuit configuration for transmitting a two-valued signal The present invention relates to a method for transmitting a two-valued signal via a channel, a pulse train being output after the change of a signal level of the two-valued signal, and subsequently to the pulse train, a backswing is output. The present invention also relates to a circuit configuration for transmitting a two-valued signal having a magnetically coupled coil pair which includes an input coil and an output coil, at least two driver stages which are each connected to a terminal of the input coil, and an evaluation circuit which is connected to the terminals of the output coil, a capacitance being provided between a driver stage and a terminal of the input stage, and the input coil and the output coil each include two coil sections having windings in the opposite direction, the coil sections having the same winding direction of the input coil and the output coil being magnetically coupled.
US07728671B2	Semiconductor power device with bias circuit An RF power circuit comprises a power transistor having a gate and drain, an output matching network coupled to the drain and an input matching network coupled to the gate. A closed-loop bias circuit is integrated with the power transistor on the same die and coupled to the gate for biasing the RF power transistor based on a reference voltage applied to the bias circuit.
US07728664B2	Low noise amplifier with multiple inputs and multiple outputs Satellite set-top boxes (STB) are increasingly being designed with multiple tuners, making them capable of receiving more than one program at a time. In addition, satellite STBs are increasingly being designed with multiple inputs, to permit reception of additional channels that will not fit within the conventional satellite intermediate frequency (IF) band (950-2150 MHz). Often, the STB must route these multiple inputs to the multiple tuners with some form of switching function, to allow each tuner to receive all channel bands. Accordingly, the invention includes an RFIC with two RF inputs and three RF outputs, and a crossbar switch that can route any input to any output. The two inputs are amplified by low-noise amplifier stages.
US07728662B2	Saturated power amplifier with selectable and variable output power levels A power amplifier circuit includes two amplifier subsections and delay elements coupled in parallel. An input received by the second amplifier subsection is a delayed version of the input received by the first amplifier subsection. The output of the first amplifier subsection is delayed such that the delayed output of the first amplifier subsection is in phase with the output of the second amplifier subsection. For low output power operation, only the first amplifier subsection is enabled. For high output power operation, both the first and the second amplifier subsections are enabled. The first and the second amplifier subsections operate as saturated amplifiers. A first variable output power control signal controls the output power of the first amplifier subsection, and a second variable output power control signal controls the output power of the second amplifier subsection.
US07728654B2	Current generator A current generator, including a chopper stabilization operational amplifier, a transistor, and an impedance unit is provided. The chopper stabilization operational amplifier includes a first input terminal, a second input terminal, and an output terminal. The transistor includes a gate coupled to the output terminal of the chopper stabilization operational amplifier, a first source/drain coupled to the first input terminal of the chopper stabilization operational amplifier, and a second source/drain serving as a current output terminal of the current generator. The impedance unit includes a first terminal coupled to the first source/drain of the transistor, and a second terminal coupled to a first voltage.
US07728653B2	Display and method of driving the same A transistor causes fluctuation in the threshold and mobility due to the factor such as fluctuation of the gate length, the gate width, and the gate insulating film thickness generated by the difference of the manufacturing steps and the substrate to be used. As a result, there is caused fluctuation in the current value supplied to the pixel due to the influence of the characteristic fluctuation of the transistor, resulting in generating streaks in the display image. A light emitting device is provided which reduces influence of characteristics of transistors in a current source circuit constituting a signal line driving circuit until the transistor characteristics do not affect the device and which can display a clear image with no irregularities. A signal line driving circuit of the present invention can prevent streaks in a displayed image and uneven luminance. Also, the present invention makes it possible to form elements of a pixel portion and driving circuit portion from polysilicon on the same substrate integrally. In this way, a display device with reduced size and current consumption is provided as well as electronic equipment using the display device.
US07728650B2	Switches with passive bootstrap of control signal Switches with passive bootstrap that can achieve good sampling performance are described. In one design, a sampling circuit with passive bootstrap includes first and second filters and a switch. The first filter filters an input signal and provides a filtered input signal. The second filter filters a clock signal and provides a filtered clock signal. The switch receives a control signal formed based on the filtered input signal and the filtered clock signal and either passes or blocks the input signal based on the control signal. The first filter may be a lowpass filter having a first corner frequency that is higher than the bandwidth of the input signal. The second filter may be a highpass filter having a second corner frequency that is lower than the fundamental frequency of the clock signal. The first and second filters may both be implemented with one resistor and one capacitor.
US07728636B2	Clock signal synchronizing device with inherent duty-cycle correction capability One aspect relates to a clock signal synchronizing device, in particular to a delayed locked loop (DLL) with capability to correct static duty-cycle offset and to filter clock-jitter. One aspect relates to a clock signal synchronizing method with capability to correct static duty-cycle offset and to filter clock-jitter. In accordance one aspect, there is provided a clock signal synchronizing device including a delay circuit having a variable delay time and delaying an incoming clock signal or a signal generated therefrom to output a delayed clock signal. Also included is a negator for inverting the delayed clock signal to output an inverted delayed clock signal. Also included is a delay control circuit for controlling the delay circuit to adjust the phase relation between the incoming clock signal and the inverted delayed clock signal and a phase interpolator. The phase interpolator is activated when the incoming clock signal and the inverted delayed clock signal are substantially in phase and adds the incoming clock signal multiplied with a factor of substantially (1−p) to the inverted delayed clock signal multiplied with a factor of substantially p to output a compound signal to the delay circuit, p being a real number greater than or equal to 0 and smaller than or equal to 1.
US07728621B2	Block-by-block leakage control and interface In one embodiment, a method of leakage control for a memory having an array of memory cells arranged into a plurality of sub-arrays is provided wherein each sub-array has a sleep mode of operation controlled by a sleep signal in which stored data is lost, and wherein each sub-array asserts a local clock if the sub-array is addressed. The method includes the act of asserting a sleep signal while addressing a given one of the sub-arrays such that only the given one of the sub-arrays is placed into the sleep mode.
US07728619B1	Circuit and method for cascading programmable impedance matching in a multi-chip system An improved circuit and method for programmable cascading of impedance matching in a multi-chip configuration are disclosed. Handshaking is implemented in cascaded chips by defining a master-slave configuration, and impedance is evaluated in cascaded chips in a non-overlapping manner. The circuit includes a plurality of chips arranged in a cascading configuration. A cascade output pin of a chip is coupled to a cascade input pin of a cascaded chip to enable handshaking between the plurality of chips. The plurality of chips are coupled to a common precision resistor via a common impedance line to enable each chip to calibrate impedance of the chip. Each of the plurality of chips includes a control circuit. Each control circuit includes a state machine circuit. The control circuit is configured to control a non-overlapping clock cycle of each chip during which the impedance of the chip is evaluated.
US07728612B2	Probe card assembly and method of forming same A probe card assembly has a probe contactor substrate having a plurality of probe contactor tips thereon and a probe card wiring board with an interposer disposed between the two. Support posts contacting the probe contactor substrate are vertically adjustable until secured by a locking mechanism which is coupled to the probe card wiring board. When the posts are secured in a fixed position, the position is one in which the plane of the plurality of probe contactor substrates is substantially parallel to a predetermined reference plane.
US07728610B2	Test instrument probe with MEMS attenuator circuit One or more micromachined (MEMS) switches switch attenuators, such as resistors, into or out of a signal path, such as of a test instrument. The MEMS switches can be fabricated on the same substrate as the attenuators, or the switches or attenuators can be mounted on the same substrate as the others are fabricated. An instrument probe includes attenuators and MEMS switches that are controlled by the instrument and/or by a control circuit in the probe. Optionally, the probe includes reactive elements, such as capacitors, and MEMS switches to compensate for electrical characteristics of the probe and/or probe lead, and the probe or a test instrument automatically sets the MEMS switches to connect appropriate ones of the reactive elements to a signal path within the probe.
US07728606B2	Measurement instrument In a measurement instrument for measuring pollutants in a liquid, such as oil in water, the measurement instrument includes a main unit disposed in a first housing and a sensor unit disposed in a second housing. The housing, manufactured from an electrically insulating material, and an associated electric connection, are sealed against the passage of gas and liquid. The sensor unit has connections which are connected to a conduit system in which flows the liquid which is to be inspection measured. Sensors are further disposed in the sensor unit for emitting a measurement signal. The sensor unit and its electronics lack galvanic connection with electrically conductive components in the main unit, transfer of measurement signals between both of the units taking place by optical energy transfer, capacitative or inductive transfer. The housings have apertures for the transfer of measurement signals which are closed by non-electrically conductive foils which, when the main unit and the sensor unit are mounted together, abut against one another so they are protected against outer damage.
US07728605B2	Wireless portable automated harness scanner system and method therefor The present document describes a system for offline testing of an installed wiring harness, comprising: at least a first and a second testing module, having: a communication module for receiving test specifications and for sending test measurements; testing equipment for generating the test measurements from the test specifications; each of the first and second testing modules being adapted for connection at a connection point in the wiring harness; a central network management module, having: a communication module for providing the test specifications to the testing modules and for receiving the test measurements; and a test management module for controlling the testing modules.
US07728595B2	Multi-frequency in-ground locating signal frequency code identification and apparatus In a system in which a transmitter is moved through the ground in a region, the system including a locator for tracking the position of and/or guiding the transmitter as the transmitter moves through the ground, a locating signal is transmitted from the transmitter that is selectively operable at a current one of at least two frequencies for use in tracking the transmitter by receiving the locating signal at the frequency using the locator. A selected one of the frequencies of the locating signal is indicated to the locator using a frequency code that is produced by a locating signal frequency control arrangement which forms part of the transmitter, which frequency code can individually identify each of the frequencies. An associated transmitter is also described.
US07728593B2	NMR sample tube size adapter An adapter of the invention for fitting an NMR sample tube having an outside diameter into an NMR spectrometer sample tube holder designed for a larger outside diameter sample tube includes a one-piece elongate cylinder having an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion has an outside diameter sized to fit within a preselected size NMR spectrometer sample tube holder. The cylinder has a hollow bore axially extending through the upper portion and the lower portion, the hollow bore having a preselected inside diameter sized to accept an NMR sample tube smaller than the preselected size NMR spectrometer sample tube holder.
US07728584B2	Rotation sensor and bearing assembly using the same A rotation sensor includes a magnetic sensor array including magnetic sensor elements in line, a rotatable magnet confronting the magnetic sensor array, a signal readout circuit to read out a signal from the magnetic sensor array, a repeating section to cause the signal readout circuit to repeat reading out the signal from the magnetic sensor array several number of times, and to calculate a summation or an average of several readout signals, and an angle calculating circuit to detect an angle of rotation of the magnet from the summation or the average of the signals calculated by the repeating section.
US07728581B2	Method of using oscilloscope to test rotation speed of fan An exemplary method for testing rotating speed of a fan, includes the following steps: coupling a fan and a resistor in series to a power supply; coupling an oscilloscope in parallel with the resistor; plotting voltage across the resistor on a screen of the oscilloscope, and obtaining the period of the voltage according to the image; and obtaining the rotating speed of the fan.
US07728579B2	Test head positioning system and method An apparatus for supporting a load includes pneumatic units and couplers coupled to opposite sides of the load. The couplers move the load parallel to a first axis responsive to actuation of the pneumatic units. At least one of the couplers rotate the load about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis. The load is compliant along the first axis and about the second axis At least one of the pneumatic units provides compliance along the first axis and about the second axis.
US07728574B2	Reference circuit with start-up control, generator, device, system and method including same A reference generator circuit generates a reference signal for use by a regulator in generating operational power for circuits and devices. A start-up circuit includes a self-biased voltage reference and a differential amplifier configured to generate a start-up signal to induce current flow in response to the voltage independent reference during the start-up phase of the circuit and cease inducing the current flow following the start-up phase of the circuit. The reference signal is generated by receiving a supply voltage and inducing current flow into a node of a bandgap reference circuit during a start-up phase of the bandgap reference circuit and ceasing inducing the current flow following the start-up phase of the bandgap reference circuit.
US07728573B2	DC-DC converter controller having optimized load transient response and method thereof A power supply controller (25) is configured to accurately adjust the value of an output voltage of a power supply system (10) responsively to the output voltage increasing to an undesirable value. The controller (25) accurately limits an upper value of the output voltage during a light load condition, and rapidly reduces the value of the output voltage during a light load condition, and different control signals to control the switching of the output transistors facilitates rapidly reducing the output voltage.
US07728565B2	Non-invasive load current sensing in low dropout (LDO) regulators A low dropout (LDO) voltage regulator includes an output terminal for providing a regulated voltage output to a load, and a plurality of PFETs connected in parallel. Each PFET drains a level of current and the sum of the levels of current are provided as a current output at the output terminal. The LDO voltage regulator also includes a feedback network coupled to the output terminal for providing a voltage feedback signal, and an error amplifier coupled between the plurality of PFETs and the feedback network for sensing a differential voltage. The error amplifier includes an output voltage which is provided to the plurality of PFETs for adjusting the drain of current from each PFET. A summation of the drains of current from each PFET is provided as the current output to regulate the voltage output at the output terminal. Each PFET drains a current level of I0/n and the summation of the drains of current is the current output I0.
US07728564B2	Power supply for a load control device A load control device is adapted to be disposed in series with an AC voltage source and an electrical load and is operable to provide substantially all voltage provided by the AC voltage source to the load. The load control device comprises a controllably conductive device, a controller, a zero-crossing detector, and a power supply for generating a substantially DC voltage for powering the controller. The power supply is operable to charge an energy storage device to a predetermined amount of energy each half-cycle. The controller is operable to determine when the power supply has stopped charging from the zero-crossing detector each half-cycle, and to immediately render the controllably conductive device conductive to conduct the full load current. Before the controllably conductive device begins to conduct each half-cycle, only a minimal voltage develops across the power supply to allow the energy storage device to charge.
US07728562B2	Voltage link control of a DC-AC boost converter system Systems and methods are disclosed for a DC boost converter. The systems and methods combine operation of an inductor with the input capacitor of a DC/AC inverter via a switch configuration to power the DC/AC inverter. The switch configuration is controlled by a plurality of control signals generated by a controller based on a variety of control modes, and feedback signals.
US07728560B2	Power system for producing low power DC voltage at a level above a peak value of an AC input to the system DC power for low power loads is provided for vehicles such as snowmobiles where the electrical system includes primarily AC power. DC voltage is provided for gauges and similar loads even though the peak value of the AC is below a desired level. Rectification and regulation of some energy from the alternator is used for supplying the DC power at a desired DC voltage that is above an alternator zero to peak value. A capacitor and a diode are connected in parallel from the alternator with rectifying circuit portions for supplying power to the DC load. A DC voltage monitor senses the DC voltage supplied to the DC load and prevents the DC voltage from rising above the desired voltage by controlling the first rectification, the second rectification, or both.
US07728559B2	Charging apparatus having a switching element for controlling charging power A charging device that may perform charging with larger current is provided. The charging device comprises a switching element for increasing or decreasing charging power, a PWM controlling circuit for intermittently turning the switching element on and off, a current detecting circuit for detecting current flowing through the switching element, and a correcting circuit for correcting output voltage of the current detecting circuit depending on the temperature of the switching element. The PWM controlling circuit has a limiter terminal for turning off the switching element when voltage equal to or above a predetermined value is input, and corrected voltage from the correcting circuit is input to the limiter terminal.
US07728557B2	Electric discharge controller, electric discharge control method and its program The electric charge of a capacitor can be reliably discharged. Therefore, an electric discharge controller has an electrically operated machine, an inverter, a capacitor, a voltage command value generating processor for generating a voltage command value for driving, an electric discharge control processor for generating a voltage command value for electric discharge, and a driving signal generating processor. When an electric current is supplied from a direct electric current source to the inverter, the driving signal generating processor generates a driving signal on the basis of the voltage command value for driving. When the supply of the electric current from the direct electric current source to the inverter is interrupted, the driving signal generating processor generates the driving signal on the basis of the voltage command value for electric discharge, and supplies the driving signal to the inverter. The electric discharge control processor generates the voltage command value for electric discharge on the basis of the difference between a target direct current voltage and the direct current voltage. When the supply of the electric current from the direct electric current source to the inverter is interrupted, the driving signal is generated on the basis of the voltage command value for electric discharge and is supplied to the inverter.
US07728546B2	Multiple power supply apparatus with improved installability In a multiple power supply apparatus installed in a vehicle, a first power supply system includes a generator and a first battery. The generator is driven by an operation of the engine. The first battery is chargeable by an electrical output of the generator. A second power supply system includes a second battery. The second battery works to supply electrical power to an electrical load installed in the vehicle. A power transfer module is operative to transfer electrical power supplied from the first power supply system based on at least one of the electrical output of the generator and a charged level of the first battery to the second power supply system. The power transfer module is integrally joined to the first battery to constitute a battery module.
US07728544B2	System and method for controlling input line harmonics in a motor drive A motor drive system is disclosed that includes a power input configured to receive alternating current (AC) power and a rectifier having a switching frequency selected to convert the AC power to direct current (DC) power. The motor drive unit also includes an input filter circuit connected between the power input and the rectifier and configured to suppress frequency harmonics across a range of harmonics. Additionally, the motor drive unit includes a block filter circuit connected between the power input and the rectifier and configured to substantially block frequency harmonics associated with the switching frequency of the rectifier. Furthermore, the motor drive unit includes an inverter configured to receive the DC power from the rectifier and convert the DC power to a series of pulses configured to drive a motor.
US07728542B2	Control method and awning installation controlled by this method This method for controlling a motorized awning installation comprises: during the deployment of a cloth, a step of supervising the tension of the cloth, and a step of rolling up the cloth on a tube initiated automatically in response to a drop in the supervised tension, and stopped automatically before a perceptible folding of the arms for guidance of the cloth.
US07728538B2	Method and related device for estimating the currents flowing in windings of a poly-phase electrical load at a certain instant There is a method of estimating values of winding currents, at an instant of a period, in a winding of a load, controlled in space vector modulation mode through symmetrical control phases. The winding is cyclically coupled between two supply lines through respective switches. A measuring device is alternately coupled to the supply lines. A current of one supply line, with anticipation smaller than or equal to half of the period with respect to the instant and chosen so the current is equal in amplitude to the winding current, and a current of the supply line with delay equal to the anticipation with respect to the instant, is measured. The winding current is estimated at the instant based upon the supply line currents. A threshold interval is fixed between consecutive switching edges of control phases of the winding and another control phase of the switching period wherein current is measured.
US07728535B2	Chopper circuit topologies for adapting an electrical braking system in a traction vehicle An adaptable electrical braking system for an electrical propulsion system of a traction vehicle is provided. The electrical braking system is configured to dissipate electrical energy in a plurality of resistor grids. The braking system includes a braking system assembly including a baseline chopper circuit topology. The baseline chopper circuit topology includes a first semiconductor-based circuitry in an enclosure for accommodating the first semiconductor-based circuitry. The braking system further includes a second semiconductor-based circuitry electrically coupled to the first semiconductor-based circuitry to produce a chopper including a chopper circuit topology fully contained in the enclosure. The second semiconductor-based circuitry includes a circuit topology selectable to adapt the baseline chopper circuit topology to meet distinct operational requirements to be fulfilled by the braking system.
US07728527B2	Energy saving power supply circuit A power supply circuit includes a power supply input for receiving power from a power supply, a power supply output for supplying power to a load, a voltage reference circuit, and a switch circuit. The voltage reference circuit is connected between the power supply input and the power supply output for regulating voltage of the power supply circuit. The switch circuit is connected to the voltage reference circuit and the power supply output. The voltage reference circuit supplies regulated voltage to the switch circuit. The switch circuit controls current between the power supply input and the power supply output to be changed alternately at a certain frequency, thereby changing power output to the load to save electricity.
US07728525B2	Relamping circuit for battery powered ballast A ballast (e.g. a fluorescent light ballast) includes a primary ballast for powering the lamp from a power supply (e.g., utility line power) and an battery powered ballast for powering the lamp from a battery when the primary power supply is not energized by the power supply. When power supply power is restored to the ballast, the ballast shuts down the battery powered ballast and a switch circuit operably connects the lamp to the primary ballast. The ballast toggles the switch circuit such that the primary ballast detects replacement of a lamp and resets any fault detection or protection circuits (e.g., an end of lamp life circuit) that may have been triggered during the transition from battery power to power from the power supply.
US07728523B2	Plasma display panel with stabilized address discharge and low discharge start voltage A plasma display panel in which a front panel (1) including at least display electrodes (6) and a dielectric layer (7), and a rear panel (2) are faced to each other, to form a discharge space (14) therebetween, and a discharge gas is filled into the discharge space (14). A protective layer (8) made of magnesium oxide containing at least one element of silicon and aluminum added thereto is provided over the dielectric layer (7). The discharge gas contains at least xenon and hydrogen. The concentration of one of the silicon and the aluminum in the protective layer (8) ranges from 30 to 50,000 ppm inclusive. The concentration of the hydrogen is up to 10,000 ppm.
US07728521B2	Green phosphor for plasma display panel and plasma display panel including a phosphor layer formed of the same Provided is a green phosphor for a plasma display panel (PDP) represented by Formula 1. (Cax,Mgy,Zn2-x-y)SiO4:Mn Formula 1 Here, 0
US07728510B2	Organic light emitting display with auxiliary electrode line and method of fabricating the same Provided are an organic light emitting display (OLED) and a method of fabricating the same capable of improving product reliability by forming an auxiliary electrode line to be in contact with a second electrode power supply line to remove an organic layer on the auxiliary electrode line and minimize the organic layer on a pixel region, thereby preventing pixel shrinkage resulting from degradation of an organic emission layer caused by out-gassing from the organic layer.
US07728508B2	Light emitting diode with fluorescent material A light-emitting device can be configured to have little variation in light emission characteristics even at increased temperatures. A light-emitting device can include a light-emitting section for emitting light with a predetermined wavelength, and a fluorescent material for absorbing a part of light emitted from the light-emitting section and emitting light with a longer wavelength. The light-emitting device can mix the light with the predetermined wavelength from the light-emitting section and the light with the longer wavelength from the fluorescent material, and thereby emit a mixed light. The fluorescent material can include single crystal grains in which primary grains have a diameter of 1 μm or less. Crystal defects, such as a grain boundary, do not often and sometimes never occur in the single crystal grain having a diameter of 1 μm or less. Thus, it is possible to restrain a phenomenon in which a crystal defect non-radially emits absorbed energy (as heat) which then reduces light emission efficiency.
US07728506B2	Low voltage phosphor with film electron emitters display device A flat panel display including: a film electron emitting cathode; and, an anode including: a plurality of pixels, a plurality of TFT circuits, each being associated with a corresponding one of the circuits; and a conductive frame laterally separating the pixels and substantially isolating their respective electric fields.
US07728500B2	Electrodeless discharge lamp In an electrodeless discharge lamp suitable for use at a place with unfavorable environmental conditions or at a place where lamp replacement is difficult, the replacement of a lamp unit is facilitated and the lamp unit is prevented from falling off from a power coupler unit even if there is component deterioration caused by long-term use. A metallic elastic member is provided near a position on a metallic heat conduction member of the power coupler unit that is farthest from an electromagnetic field generating portion. In addition to an ordinary coupling structure between the power coupler unit and a coupling member, the elastic member is engaged with the coupling member of the lamp unit. When the lamp unit is mounted on or removed from the power coupler unit, a bulb of the lamp unit is turned relative to the power coupler unit about the axis and moved forward/backward in the direction of the axis. This causes the elastic member to be elastically deformed by the coupling member and engaged to or separated from a coupling portion provided at the coupling member.
US07728493B2	Piezoelectric/electrostrictive material, piezoelectric/electrostrictive body, and piezoelectric/electrostrictive element A piezoelectric/electrostrictive material having a nonstoichiometric composition represented by a general formula (1): (1−x)(BiaNabTiO3+δ)−x(KcNbO3+ζ) (1) wherein 0.01≦x<0.08, a<0.5, 1.01≦(a/b)≦1.08, 0.92≦(a+b)/c<0.99, and 0.9≦c≦1.1, and ζ≠0 when δ=0 and δ≠0 when ζ=0.
US07728487B2	Ultrasound transducer manufactured by using micromachining process, its device, endoscopic ultrasound diagnosis system thereof, and method for controlling the same An ultrasound transducer manufactured by using a micromachining process comprises: a first electrode into which a control signal for transmitting ultrasound is input; a substrate on which the first electrode is formed; a second electrode that is a ground electrode facing the first electrode with a prescribed space between the first and second electrodes; a membrane on which the second electrode is formed and which vibrates and generates the ultrasound when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrodes; a piezoelectric film contacting the membrane; and a third electrode electrically continuous to the piezoelectric film.
US07728485B2	Bulk acoustic wave device and a method of its manufacturing A BAW device includes a semiconductor substrate with a surface region, an insulating layer formed on the surface region and a piezoelectric layer sandwiched by a first and second electrode, wherein the second electrode is formed on the insulating layer. The surface region is performed such that a voltage dependence of a capacitance between the substrate and the second electrode is substantially suppressed.
US07728471B2	Method of manufacturing terminal assembly of alternator for vehicles and terminal assembly manufactured by the method A method of manufacturing a terminal assembly of an alternator for vehicles and the terminal assembly manufactured by the method. The terminal assembly manufacturing method of the present invention includes a first step of notching and piercing a blank plate, a second step of deep-drawing notched portions of the plate to form a plurality of assembly protrusions, each of which has a pierced cylindrical shape protruding from the plate, a third step of trimming and piercing the plate to give it a predetermined shape, and a fourth step of coining and bending the plate, thus forming the terminal assembly.
US07728466B2	Machine based on superconducting technology with part support elements The machine contains a rotor with a hot rotor housing in which a cold part with a superconductive rotor winding is located. A part which acts as a baffle screen is provided on the outside of the rotor housing, facing a stator. Supporting elements are intended to be provided at predetermined points between the hot housing and the cold part, extending in the radial direction to such an extent that, during normal operation of the machine, a short separation is in each case formed between the supporting elements and the hot housing or the cold part, and such that a force fit is produced between the hot housing and the cold part via the supporting elements only in the event of a defect which leads to deformation of the hot housing of the machine.
US07728450B2	Generator output circuitry for twin turbine wind power generating system Improved generator output circuitry for twin turbine includes boost DC converters for each of a pair of generators with their output introduced to a single inverter, which serves both generators and converters in common. The inverter output then proceeds in conventional AC form through a disconnect switch to a power grid.
US07728442B2	Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device manufacturing technique which allows reduction of semiconductor chip size. First, a pad and other wires are formed over an insulating film. A surface protective film is formed over the insulating film including the pad and wires, and an opening is made in the surface protective film. The opening lies over the pad and exposes a surface of the pad. A bump electrode is formed over the surface protective film including the opening. Here, the pad is smaller than the bump electrode. Consequently, the wires are arranged just beneath the bump electrode in the same layer as the pad 10. In other words, the wires are arranged in space which becomes available because the pad is small enough.
US07728437B2	Semiconductor package form within an encapsulation Provided are a semiconductor package which is small in size but includes a large number of terminals disposed at intervals equal to or greater than a minimum pitch, and a method of fabricating the semiconductor package. The semiconductor package includes a semiconductor chip having a bottom surface on which a plurality of bumps are formed, redistribution layer patterns formed under the semiconductor chip and each including a first part electrically connected to at least one of the bumps and a second part electrically connected to the first part, an encapsulation layer surrounding at least a top surface of the semiconductor chip, and a patterned insulating layer formed below the redistribution layer patterns and exposing at least parts of the second parts of the redistribution layer patterns.
US07728433B2	Dielectric barrier layer for increasing electromigration lifetimes in copper interconnect structures Embodiments of the invention include a copper interconnect structure having increased electromigration lifetime. Such structures can include a semiconductor substrate having a copper layer formed thereon. A dielectric barrier stack is formed on the copper layer. The dielectric barrier stack includes a first portion formed adjacent to the copper layer and a second portion formed on the first portion, the first portion having improved adhesion to copper relative to the second portion and both portions are formed having resistance to copper diffusion. The invention also includes several embodiments for constructing such structures. Adhesion of the dielectric barrier stack to copper can be increased by plasma treating or ion implanting selected portions of the dielectric barrier stack with adhesion enhancing materials to increase the concentration of such materials in the stack.
US07728430B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof A polygonal semiconductor device includes a substrate and a wiring layer. The substrate includes semiconductor circuit elements. The wiring layer includes a dielectric sealing layer, a plurality of first electrodes, and a plurality of second electrodes. The first and second electrodes both extend through the dielectric sealing layer in its thickness direction. The first electrodes are electrically connected to the semiconductor circuit elements. Each of the corners of the polygonal device is formed, throughout the thickness of the wiring layer, by one of the second electrodes. The corners of the device are thereby reinforced, as the electrode material is tougher than the dielectric sealing material.
US07728428B2	Multilayer printed circuit board A multilayer PCB includes a plurality of signal layers, a ground layer and a power layer disposed between the plurality of signal layers, a signal via extending through the plurality of signal layers to allow a signal current to flow therethrough, at least one stitching capacitor provided in one of the plurality of signal layers to allow a return current that corresponds to the signal current to flow between the power layer and the ground layer. Thus, the multiplayer PCB can form a path of a return current that minimizes generation of EMI when a signal current is generated.
US07728426B2	Semiconductor device A semiconductor device 10 includes a silicon substrate 20 having a first interconnection layer 24, a second interconnection layer 26, and grooves 22 provided at the second main surface 20b. Mounted on the substrate 20 are one or more semiconductor chips 30 having chip external terminals 32 electrically connected to the first interconnection layer; and one or more peripheral chips 40 electrically connected to the first interconnection layer on the silicon substrate. By the provision of the grooves 22, the heat radiating property is improved.
US07728424B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same A semiconductor device including: a semiconductor substrate having an electrode; a resin protrusion formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate on which the electrode is formed, the resin protrusion extending along a straight line and having a sloping region of which a height decreases along the straight line as a distance from a center of the resin protrusion increases; and an interconnect electrically connected to the electrode and extending over the sloping region of the resin protrusion.
US07728423B2	Semiconductor device having step-wise connection structures for thin film elements A plurality of IC regions are formed on a semiconductor wafer, which is cut into individual chips incorporating ICs, wherein wiring layers and insulating layers are sequentially formed on a silicon substrate. In order to reduce height differences between ICs and scribing lines, a planar insulating layer is formed to cover the overall surface with respect to ICs, seal rings, and scribing lines. In order to avoid occurrence of breaks and failures in ICs, openings are formed to partially etch insulating layers in a step-like manner so that walls thereof are each slanted by prescribed angles ranging from 20° to 80°. For example, a first opening is formed with respect to a thin-film element section, and a second opening is formed with respect to an external-terminal connection pad.
US07728421B2	Semiconductor device Plural via portions formed on a package substrate of a BGA include a first through-hole portion extended in the plane direction by an extension wiring connected to a land portion and a second through-hole portion that is arranged on the land portion serving as pad-on-via, whereby high-density wiring and multi-function of the BGA can be realized by using the package substrate having a two-layer wiring structure. Accordingly, cost for the package substrate can be reduced, and hence, cost for the BGA can be reduced, compared to a multi-layer wiring structure having four or six wiring layers.
US07728412B2	Semiconductor device having plurality of leads A method of making a semiconductor device including a semiconductor chip having a plurality of pads, and a lead frame having a plurality of leads. Each of the plurality of leads has a mounting surface for mounting the semiconductor device, a wire connection surface having a thick portion, and a thin portion whose thickness is thinner than the thick portion. The length of each wire connection surface was furthermore formed shorter than the mounting surface, by arranging so that the thin portion of each lead dives below the semiconductor chip, securing the length of the mounting surface of each lead, a distance from the side face of the semiconductor chip to the side face of a molded body of the semiconductor device being shortened as much as possible, and the package size is brought close to chip size, with miniaturization of QFN.
US07728405B2	Carbon memory An integrated circuit including a memory cell and methods of manufacturing the integrated circuit are described. The memory cell includes a resistive memory element including a top contact, a bottom contact, and a carbon storage layer disposed between the top contact and the bottom contact. The memory cell operates at a voltage in a range of approximately 0.5V to approximately 3V, and at a current in a range of approximately 1 μA to approximately 150 μA.
US07728404B2	Punchthrough diode and method of manufacturing thereof A semiconductor device includes a substrate of a first conductivity type, and a first semiconductor region that includes a plurality of sub-regions of the first conductivity type that have a first doping concentration and a further semiconductor region of a second conductivity type opposite to the first conductivity type. The further semiconductor region separates the sub-regions from each other and the first semiconductor region is located on the substrate. The semiconductor device further includes a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type located on the first semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region of the second conductivity type located on the second semiconductor region, and a fourth semiconductor region of the first conductivity type located on the third semiconductor region. The sub regions extend from the second semiconductor region into the substrate, and the thickness and the doping concentration of the second and the third semiconductor region are such that these regions are completely depleted during operation of the device.
US07728399B2	Molded optical package with fiber coupling feature Apparatuses and methods directed to an integrated circuit package having an optical component are disclosed. The package may include an integrated circuit die having at least one light sensitive region disposed on a first surface thereof. By way of example, the die may be a laser diode that emits light through the light sensitive region, or a photodetector that receives and detects light through the light sensitive region. An optical concentrator may be positioned adjacent the first surface of the first die. The optical concentrator includes a lens portion positioned adjacent the light sensitive region and adapted to focus light.
US07728397B2	Coupled nano-resonating energy emitting structures A nano-resonating structure constructed and adapted to couple energy from a beam of charged particles into said nano-resonating structure and to transmit coupled energy outside the nano-resonating structure. A plurality of the nano-resonant substructures may be formed adjacent one another in a stacked array, and each may have various shapes, including segmented portions of shaped structures, circular, semi-circular, oval, square, rectangular, semi-rectangular, C-shaped, U-shaped and other shapes as well as designs having a segmented outer surface or area, and arranged in a vertically stacked array comprised of one or more ultra-small resonant structures. The vertically stacked arrays may be symmetric or asymmetric, tilted, and/or staggered.
US07728395B2	Micro-mechanical structure and method for manufacturing the same Provided is a micro-mechanical structure and method for manufacturing the same, including a hydrophilic surface on at least a part of a surface of the micro-mechanical structure, so as to prevent generation of an adhesion phenomenon in the process of removing a sacrificial layer to release the micro-mechanical, wherein the sacrificial layer comes into contact with the surface of the micro-mechanical structure.
US07728387B1	Semiconductor device with high on current and low leakage Various semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture are employed. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a MOS-compatible semiconductor device exhibits high channel mobility and low leakage. The device includes a channel region having a high-mobility strained material layer and a tunneling mitigation layer on the strained material layer to mitigate tunnel leakage. The strained material has a lattice structure that is strained to match the lattice structure of the tunneling mitigation layer. An insulator layer is on the tunneling mitigation layer, and an electrode is over the insulator and adapted to apply a voltage bias to the channel region to switch the device between conductive and nonconductive states. Current is transported in the conductive state as predominantly facilitated via the mobility of the strained material layer, and wherein tunneling current in the nonconductive state is mitigated by the tunneling mitigation layer.
US07728385B2	Trench MOSFET with an ONO insulating layer sandwiched between an ESD protection module atop and a semiconductor substrate A device structure is disclosed for preventing gate oxide damage of a trench MOSFET during wafer processing while adding an ESD protection module atop the trench MOSFET. The ESD protection module has a low temperature oxide (LTO) bottom layer whose patterning process was found to cause the gate oxide damage before. The present invention structure includes a semiconductor substrate having an active area and a termination area; numerous trench MOSFET cells disposed in the active area; numerous electrostatic discharge (ESD) diodes disposed above the semiconductor substrate in the termination area; and an insulation layer comprising Oxide/Nitride/Oxide (ONO) sandwiched between the ESD diodes and the semiconductor substrate. In one embodiment, the active area does not contain the ONO insulation layer.
US07728377B2	Varactor design using area to perimeter ratio for improved tuning range Parallel plate tunable varactors having a bulk capacitance contribution to a total capacitance increased compared to a fringing capacitance contribution are disclosed. The contribution of the bulk capacitance to the total capacitance of an exemplary BST varactor is increased by increasing the area/perimeter ratio of the active region, thereby improving the tunability and other properties of the varactor. In an exemplary embodiment, an active region of the varactor has a lateral shape with a perimeter that is less than a perimeter of an equivalent area square. In various exemplary embodiments, the shape of the active region may be substantially circular or substantially octagonal. Methods for fabricating and designing such varactors are also disclosed.
US07728373B2	DRAM device with cell epitaxial layers partially overlap buried cell gate electrode A semiconductor device may include a substrate having a cell active region. A cell gate electrode may be formed in the cell active region. A cell gate capping layer may be formed on the cell gate electrode. At least two cell epitaxial layers may be formed on the cell active region. One of the at least two cell epitaxial layers may extend to one end of the cell gate capping layer and another one of the at least two cell epitaxial layers may extend to an opposite end of the cell gate capping layer. Cell impurity regions may be disposed in the cell active region. The cell impurity regions may correspond to a respective one of the at least two cell epitaxial layers.
US07728372B2	Method and structure for creation of a metal insulator metal capacitor The invention is directed to an improved capacitor that reduces edge defects and prevents yield failures. A first embodiment of the invention comprises a protective layer adjacent an interface of a conductive layer with the insulator, while the second embodiment of the invention comprises a protective layer on an insulator which is on a conductive layer.
US07728370B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same A stacked film of a first insulation film being a silicon oxide film with an extremely low moisture content, and a second insulation film being a silicon oxide film with a higher moisture content than the first insulation film, therefore, with a low in-plane film thickness distribution rate is formed, and this is polished by CMP. Polishing is performed until the second insulation film is wholly removed directly above a ferroelectric capacitor structure and a surface of the first insulation film is exposed to some extent. At this time, surface flattening is performed for a top surface of a first portion in the first insulation film and a top surface of the second insulation film, and an interlayer insulation film constituted of the first insulation film and the second insulation film remaining on a second portion of the first insulation film is formed.
US07728364B2	Enhanced mobility CMOS transistors with a V-shaped channel with self-alignment to shallow trench isolation The present invention provides structures and methods for a transistor formed on a V-shaped groove. The V-shaped groove contains two crystallographic facets joined by a ridge. The facets have different crystallographic orientations than what a semiconductor substrate normally provides such as the substrate orientation or orientations orthogonal to the substrate orientation. Unlike the prior art, the V-shaped groove is formed self-aligned to the shallow trench isolation, eliminating the need to precisely align the V-shaped grooves with lithographic means. The electrical properties of the new facets, specifically, the enhanced carrier mobility, are utilized to enhance the performance of transistors. In a transistor with a channel on the facets that are joined to form a V-shaped profile, the current flows in the direction of the ridge joining the facets avoiding any inflection in the direction of the current.
US07728363B2	Protective structure for semiconductor sensors A protective structure for a semiconductor sensor integrated in a semiconductor substrate for use in a state that is in direct contact with a measuring medium has a semiconducting layer that is applied to the semiconductor substrate, a metal layer and an insulating layer. The insulating layer is disposed between the semiconducting layer and the metal layer and electrically insulates same.
US07728362B2	Creating integrated circuit capacitance from gate array structures Using gate arrays to create capacitive structures within an integrated circuit are disclosed. Embodiments comprise having a gate array of P-type field effect transistors (P-fets) and N-type field effect transistors (N-fets) in an integrated circuit design, coupling drains and sources for one or more P-fets and gates for one or more N-fets to a power supply ground, and coupling gates for the one or more P-fets and the drains and sources for one or more N-fets to a positive voltage of the power supply. In some embodiments, source-to-drain leakage current for capacitive apparatuses of P-fets and N-fets are minimized by biasing one or more P-fets and one or more N-fets to the positive voltage and the ground, respectively. In other embodiments, the capacitive structures may be implemented using fusible elements to isolate the capacitive structures in case of shorts.
US07728358B2	Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same The semiconductor device, which provides reduced electric current leakage and parasitic resistance to achieve stable current gain, is provided. A first polycrystalline semiconductor layer is grown on a p-type polycrystalline silicon film exposed in a lower surface of a visor section composed of a multiple-layered film containing a p-type polycrystalline silicon film and a silicon nitride film, while growing the first semiconductor layer on a n-type collector layer, and then the first polycrystalline semiconductor layer is selectively removed. Further, a second growing operation for selectively growing the second polycrystalline semiconductor layer and the third polycrystalline semiconductor layer on the exposed portion of the p-type polycrystalline semiconductor film exposed in the lower surface of the visor section without contacting the silicon nitride film, while growing the second semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer, so that the third semiconductor layer is in contact with the third polycrystalline semiconductor layer.
US07728357B2	Heterojunction bipolar transistor and manufacturing method thereof The object of the present invention is to provide a heterojunction bipolar transistor with high breakdown tolerance which can be manufactured at a high reproducibility and a high yield, the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes: a sub-collector layer; a collector layer formed on the sub-collector layer; a base layer formed on the collector layer; and an emitter layer, which is formed on the base layer and is made of a semiconductor that has a larger bandgap than a semiconductor of the base layer, in which the collector layer includes: a first collector layer formed on the sub-collector layer; a second collector layer formed on the first collector layer; and a third collector layer formed between the second collector layer and the base layer, a semiconductor of the first collector layer differs from semiconductors of the third collector layer and the second collector layer, and an impurity concentration of the second collector layer is lower than an impurity concentration of the sub-collector layer and higher than an impurity concentration of the third collector layer.
US07728350B2	Memory cell with negative differential resistance One aspect of this disclosure relates to a memory cell. In various embodiments, the memory cell includes an access transistor having a floating node, and a diode connected between the floating node and a diode reference potential line. The diode includes an anode, a cathode, and an intrinsic region between the anode and the cathode. A charge representative of a memory state of the memory cell is held across the intrinsic region of the diode. In various embodiments, the memory cell is implemented in bulk semiconductor technology. In various embodiments, the memory cell is implemented in semiconductor-on-insulator technology. In various embodiments, the diode is gate-controlled. In various embodiments, the diode is charge enhanced by an intentionally generated charge in a floating body of an SOI access transistor. Various embodiments include laterally-oriented diodes (stacked and planar configurations), and various embodiments include vertically-oriented diodes. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US07728343B2	Light source apparatus and display apparatus and white resist layer A light source apparatus is configured to generate light efficiently from a light-emitting device. The light source apparatus includes a substrate having a pair of electrodes, a light-emitting device and a transparent resin for sealing the light-emitting device. A white resist layer is formed on the substrate. The white resist layer is formed to cover apart of the electrodes. The white resist layer 6 includes an opening corresponding to the light-emitting device. A white member for controlling a shape of the transparent resin is formed on the white resist layer.
US07728338B2	Nitride semiconductor light emitting device and fabricating method thereof A nitride semiconductor light emitting device including: a first nitride semiconductor layer, an active layer formed on the first nitride semiconductor layer and including at least one barrier layer grown under hydrogen atmosphere of a high temperature; and a second nitride semi conductor layer formed on the active layer, and a method of fabricating the same are provided. According to the light emitting device and method of fabricating the same, the light power of the light emitting device is increased and the operation reliability is enhanced.
US07728334B2	Semiconductor device and manufacturing method thereof A TFT is manufactured using at least five photomasks in a conventional liquid crystal display device, and therefore the manufacturing cost is high.By performing the formation of the pixel electrode 127, the source region 123 and the drain region 124 by using three photomasks in three photolithography steps, a liquid crystal display device prepared with a pixel TFT portion, having a reverse stagger type n-channel TFT, and a storage capacitor can be realized.
US07728331B2	Thin film transistor panel and manufacturing method thereof A thin film transistor array panel including a substrate, a gate line and a gate-layer signal transmitting line of a gate driving circuit portion formed on the substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line and the gate-layer signal transmitting line and having a first contact hole exposing a portion of the gate-layer signal transmitting line, a semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer, a data line including a source electrode, and a drain electrode formed on the gate insulating layer and the semiconductor layer, a data-layer signal transmitting line of the gate driving circuit portion formed on the gate insulating layer and connected to the gate-layer signal transmitting line through the first contact hole, a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode, and a passivation layer formed on the data line, the drain electrode, and the data-layer signal transmitting line of the driving circuit portion. The data line, the drain electrode, and the data-layer signal transmitting line have a triple-layered structure including a lower layer, an intermediate layer, and an upper layer. The lower layer is made of a same layer as the pixel electrode.
US07728330B2	CMOS imager with nitrided gate oxide and method of fabrication A CMOS imager having reduced dark current and methods of forming the same. A nitrided gate oxide layer having approximately twice the thickness of a typical nitrided gate oxide is provided over the photosensor region of a CMOS imager. The gate oxide layer provides an improved contaminant barrier to protect the photosensor, contains the p+ implant distribution in the surface of the p+ pinned region of the photosensor, and reduces photon reflection at the photosensor surface, thereby decreasing dark current.
US07728320B2	Semiconductor memory device and phase change memory device A phase change memory (PCM) device includes a substrate, bottom electrodes disposed in the substrate, a first dielectric layer disposed on the substrate, second dielectric layers, third dielectric layers, cup-shaped thermal electrodes, top electrodes, and PC material spacers. In the PCM device, each cup-shaped thermal electrode contacts with each bottom electrode. Second and third dielectric layers are disposed over the substrate in different directions, wherein each of the second and third dielectric layers covers a portion of the area surrounded by each cup-shaped thermal electrode, and the third dielectric layers overlay the second dielectric layers. The top electrodes are disposed on the third dielectric layers, wherein a plurality of stacked structure composed of the third dielectric layers and the top electrodes are formed thereon. The PC material spacers are formed on the sidewalls of each stacked structure and physically and electrically contact the cup-shaped thermal electrodes and the top electrodes.
US07728316B2	Integrated proximity sensor and light sensor Apparatuses and methods to sense proximity and to detect light. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an emitter of electromagnetic radiation and a detector of electromagnetic radiation; the detector is configured to detect electromagnetic radiation from the emitter when the apparatus is configured to sense proximity, and the emitter is disabled at least temporarily to allow the detector to detect electromagnetic radiation from a source other than the emitter, such as ambient light. In one implementation of this embodiment, the ambient light is measured by measuring infrared wavelengths. Other apparatuses and methods and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.
US07728312B2	Apparatus and method for partial ion implantation An apparatus and method for partial ion implantation, which desirably provide control over the energy of the implanted dopants, generally includes an ion beam generator, and first and second deceleration units. The first deceleration unit decelerates the energy of an ion beam generated by the ion beam generator; and a subsequent, second deceleration unit further decelerates the energy into different energy levels according to regions of a wafer into which the ions are to be implanted.
US07728302B2	Scintillation element, scintillation array and method for producing the same A scintillation element comprises a scintillation material, and a reflective layer, wherein the reflective layer is formed as an intrinsic part of the scintillation material. Preferably, a plurality of scintillation elements may be arranged to form a scintillation array. A method for producing a scintillation element comprises providing a scintillation material, and producing a reflective layer at the scintillation material by exposing the scintillation material to physical and/or chemical conditions in such a way that the reflective layer is formed out of a part of the scintillation material.
US07728297B2	Infrared array sensor There is provided an infrared array sensor, which is capable of positional specification and flow tracking of an object to be detected without performing image processing, and whose cost is low. An infrared array sensor 100 where pixels 101, each having a thermal infrared detector 102 whose electric properties change in accordance with incidence of infrared rays, are arrayed in two-dimensional matrix form, the infrared array sensor 100 including: a row output take-out means 103 configured so as to take out an electric signal to the outside as an output, the electric signal being in accordance with electric properties as a sum of electric properties respectively shown by the thermal infrared detectors 102 on each row; and a column output take-out means 104 configured so as to take out an electric signal to the outside as an output, the electric signal being in accordance with electric properties as a sum of electric properties respectively shown by the thermal infrared detectors 102 on each column.
US07728294B2	Semiconductor wafer inspection tool and semiconductor wafer inspection method A semiconductor wafer inspection tool and a semiconductor wafer inspection method capable of conducting an inspection under appropriate conditions in any one of an NVC (Negative Voltage Contrast) mode and a PVC (Positive Voltage Contrast) mode is provided. Primary electrons 2 are irradiated onto a wafer to be inspected 6 and the irradiation position thereof is scanned in an XY direction. Secondary electrons (or reflected electrons) 10 from the wafer to be inspected 6 are controlled by a charge control electrode 5 and detected by a sensor 11. An image processor converts a detection signal from the sensor 11 to a detected image, compares the detected image with a predetermined reference image, judges defects, an overall control section 14 selects inspection conditions from recipe information for each wafer to be inspected 6 and sets a voltage to be applied to the charge control electrode 5. A Z stage 8 sets the distance between the wafer to be inspected 6 and the charge control electrode 5 according to this voltage.
US07728293B2	Structures and methods for measuring beam angle in an ion implanter The present invention involves an ion beam angular measurement apparatus for providing feedback for a predetermined set ion beam angle comprising an arrangement of composite pillars formed on an insulating material and wherein the composite pillars selectively allow ion beams to penetrate a first layer of a pillar, wherein resistivity measurements are taken for each of the composite pillars before and after test ion beam implantation and wherein the resistivity measurements yield information relating to an angle of the ion beam during test.
US07728287B2	Imaging mass spectrometer with mass tags A method of analyzing biological material by exposing the biological material to a recognition element, that is coupled to a mass tag element, directing an ion beam of a mass spectrometer to the biological material, interrogating at least one region of interest area from the biological material and producing data, and distributing the data in plots.
US07728280B2	Multi-band tracking and calibration system A camera system includes at least two camera units, wherein each camera unit comprises at least one detection element for detecting an optical signal. At least one of the at least two camera units includes at least one element operative to enable detection of light in at least two different spectral ranges.
US07728275B2	Wireless remote detector systems and methods A device for associating a circuit breaker with a circuit may have one or more sensors for remotely sensing that a circuit is active. When a sensor senses that a circuit is active, a transmitter may transmit a signal to a receiver that alerts a user. In this manner, the user may determine which of a plurality of different circuit breakers is associated with a particular circuit. This device mitigates the contemporary need to repeatedly turn off circuit breakers, go to the room in which the circuit is being monitored, and check to see if the circuit is active.
US07728272B2	Method for operating of a photoelectric sensor array having exposure interruption time periods A method for operating a sensor array of pixels which each generate a content corresponding to light incident thereon over an exposure period includes the following operations. The pixels are arranged into first and second regions and are reset such that the contents are cleared. The pixels are then exposed to receive light for a first exposure period. The exposure is then interrupted during which the content of each pixel in the first region is read. The pixels are then exposed to receive light for a second exposure period. The exposure is then interrupted during which the content of each pixel in the second region is read. The exposing and interrupting are performed without resetting the pixels such that the read content of each first region pixel depends on the first exposure period and the read content of each second region pixel depends on the first and second exposure periods.
US07728271B2	Pixel with spatially varying sensor positions An image sensor including a substrate, at least one metal layer, and a plurality of pixels arranged in array. Each pixel includes a sense element disposed in the substrate and at least one metal interconnect segment disposed in the at least one metal layer. The array includes a pair of perpendicular axes extending from an optical center, wherein for a line of pixels extending perpendicularly from one of the axes to a peripheral edge of the array a spacing between the sense elements of consecutive pairs of pixels of the line is at least equal to a spacing between the associated at least one metal interconnect segments, and wherein for at least one consecutive pair of pixels of the line the spacing between the sense elements is greater by an incremental amount than the spacing between the corresponding at least one metal interconnect segments.
US07728265B1	MEMS type flow actuated out-of-plane flap A MEMS type flow actuated out-of-plane flap apparatus includes a substrate defining a plane; a duct attached to the substrate, the duct and the substrate defining a fluid flow channel; and a rotatable flap having a flow receiving portion and an extension portion. The flow receiving portion being disposed in the fluid flow channel where, in an actuated position of the flap, a fluid flow against the flow receiving portion causes rotation of the flap and movement of the extension portion out of the plane of the substrate.
US07728255B2	Spinning-type pattern-fabrication system and a method thereof A spinning-type pattern-fabrication system comprises at least one carry table used to carry objects, an object-fixing device used to fix the objects onto the carry table, and a control system controlling carry table or at least one laser device. The control system controls the laser device to move linearly back and forth to enable the laser device to fabricate patterns on the objects with the laser beam emitted via the laser device.
US07728253B2	Nano-particle trap using a microplasma A system and method employing a microplasma to electrically charge nano- or micro-particles in a gas phase and, subsequently, trap the charged particles within the microplasma using the microplasma's built-in electric fields are disclosed. Confinement of the particles allows their density to be increased over time such that very low concentrations of particles can be detected, e.g., by methods such as laser scattering and/or detection of the plasma-induced charge on the particles. Preferably, charge detection methods are employed when nano-particles are to be trapped and detected.
US07728251B2	Plasma processing apparatus with dielectric plates and fixing member wavelength dependent spacing In a plasma processing apparatus, electromagnetic waves are radiated from slots of waveguides into a processing chamber via dielectric windows that are supported on beams, thereby generating a plasma. A substrate, which is an object of processing, is processed by the generated plasma. Dielectric plates are attached to those surfaces of the beams, which are opposed to the processing chamber. The thickness of each dielectric plate is set at ½ or more of the intra-dielectric wavelength of the electromagnetic waves. Using the plasma processing apparatus, a large-area processing can uniformly be performed.
US07728247B2	Switching device A switching device is disclosed which includes a frame, a first connector and a second connector, the first connector and the second connector extending from inside the frame outside the frame. The first and the second connector are electrically connected to one another, and one or more gas flow openings are provided in the frame and arranged for a gas flow produced by a switching event. In its portion remaining inside the frame, the first connector includes a hole provided for said gas flow.
US07728245B2	Multi-machine mail sorting system A sorting system using multiple sorters operating as part of a single, multi-sorting machine unified system. The system according to the invention includes a plurality of input sections capable of operating in parallel, each including a feeder that takes in mail pieces one at a time and a scanner that scans each mail piece for destination indicia, a plurality of stackers each comprising at least one row of pockets, a control system that determines a destination pocket in the stacker for each mail piece based on a predetermined sort scheme and the destination indicia, and a routing system effective to route mail in accordance with the sort scheme from any input section to any pocket of a stacker.
US07728244B2	Mail sorting and sequencing system A mail sorting and sequencing system having a number of DPP units cooperating with one another to sort and sequence mail items of three different types of mail. Each DPP unit having: a conveyor system wherein a number of trucks travel along a path; at least three truck feed units communicating with the conveyor system and receiving mail items of a respective type of mail; at least one accumulating device cooperating with the conveyor system to receive mail items released individually by the trucks; and a buffer unit for housing groups of mail items from the accumulating device.
US07728243B2	Keyboard with wobble prevention structure A keyboard with a wobble prevention structure, which is substantially a substrate having at least one press key arranged thereon while enabling each press key to be driven to move in a reciprocating manner following a specific direction, and having a plurality of position limit devices disposed on the substrate and beneath the periphery of a corresponding press key. In a preferred aspect, each position device is integrally formed with the substrate, or can be formed on the substrate by stamp forming technique, that each is used to confine the corresponding press key to move following only the specific direction, such that the wobbling of the press keys is prevented.
US07728239B2	Buckle switching device for safety belts Buckle switching device for a buckle for safety belts for the purpose of electrically detecting whether a belt tongue is locked in the buckle, where the buckle switching device is at least partly enveloped by a housing, and the buckle switching device has a conductor arrangement and a first detection device which can be influenced by means of the belt tongue for electrically detecting whether the belt tongue is locked, where the conductor arrangement has first contact regions for an electrical connection to the first detection device and second contact regions for an electrical connection to a second detection device which can be influenced by means of the belt tongue.
US07728236B2	Keypad and keypad assembly A keypad includes an elastic layer for providing a restoring force to the keypad and an electric paper on the elastic layer, in which a plurality of key button regions for providing symbols in the form of images are defined. A keypad assembly includes a keypad, which has an elastic layer for providing a restoring force to the keypad and an electric paper on the elastic layer, in which a plurality of key button regions for providing symbols in the form of images are defined, and a switch board under the keypad for converting a pressure applied by a user to the key button region into an electric contact.
US07728231B2	Light emitting module, lighting device, and display device A lighting device includes a heatsink 70, a socket 10 and an LED module 60. The LED module 60 has a light emitting unit 62 in a central part of a top side of a metal base substrate 63 composed of an insulating plate and a metal plate. The LED module 60 is warped such that the central part protrudes on a heatsink 70 side, which is the side opposite to the light emitting unit 62 side. The LED module 60 is mounted on the heatsink 70 in a state of the surrounds of the light emitting unit 62 being pressed according to pressing units 14T, 14L, and 14D of the socket 10. Pressing the surrounds of the light emitting unit 62 against the heatsink 70 ensures that a central part of the warping of the LED module 60 contacts the heatsink 70.
US07728224B2	Field convertible telecommunications distribution pedestal A cable mounting structure for a telecommunications cable distribution pedestal is provided. The structure has back to back compartments and a universal mounting plate. The structure also includes protection and organization features. The structure is field convertible, reconfigurable and upgradeable. A method for field converting a telecommunications cable distribution pedestal is also given.
US07728219B2	Photovoltaic cells, modules and methods of making same A photovoltaic cell has electrodes, p- and n-junctions, and a heat sink. The heat sink is on a side of the cell opposite to the light-receiving side of the photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell may also have heat-conducting channels within an interior of the photovoltaic cell that conduct heat from the interior of the photovoltaic cell to the heat sink. The heat sink can remove heat caused by light absorbed by the photovoltaic cell but not converted to electricity as well as heat generated by resistance to high current passing through electrodes of the photovoltaic cell. A module formed of such cells can exhibit greater energy conversion efficiency as a result of the ability to dissipate the heat. A method of making a solar cell or module involves e.g. laminating a heat sink to a photovoltaic cell as described above.
US07728216B2	Controller for multiple circuits of display lighting A method for controlling a plurality of light sources. Control signals corresponding to notes of a music file are generated to enable selected ones of a plurality of receptacles to be powered. The plurality of receptacles comprises a first plurality of receptacles and a second plurality of receptacles, and the first plurality of receptacles are powered more frequently than the second plurality of receptacles. The plurality of receptacles is adapted to supply power to the plurality of light sources. A pleasing twinkling effect can be created even if light sources are not coupled to one of the plurality of receptacles.
US07728212B2	Music piece creation apparatus and method Music piece data composed of audio waveform data are stored in a memory. Analysis section analyzes the music piece data stored in the memory to determine sudden change points of sound condition in the music piece data. Display device displays individual sound fragment data, obtained by dividing the music piece data at the sudden change points, in a menu format having the sound fragment data arranged therein in order of their complexity. Through user's operation via an operation section, desired sound fragment data is selected from the menu displayed on the display device, and a time-axial position where the selected sound fragment data is to be positioned is designated. New music piece data set is created by each user-selected sound fragment data being positioned at a user-designated time-axial position.
US07728205B1	Soybean cultivar 04RM822242 The present invention is in the field of soybean cultivar 04RM822242 breeding and development. The present invention particularly relates to the soybean cultivar 04RM822242 and its progeny, and methods of making 04RM822242.
US07728193B2	Phytochrome-interacting protein and a use thereof The present invention relates to a novel protein interacting with phytochromes and use thereof, and more particularly, to a polypeptide having either an amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 4 or an amino acid sequence having at least 70% with said amino acid sequence, and use thereof. The polypeptide interacts with phytochromes A and B, and the TPR domain present at the N-terminal region of the polypeptide is involved in the interaction. Also, a PP2A catalytic domain (PP2Ac) having phosphatase activity is present at the C-terminal region of the polypeptide. The polypeptide can be used as a phosphatase, and is useful in the production of plants sensitive to light signal transduction. Furthermore, the TPR domain present in the polypeptide is useful in the production of dwarf plants.
US07728183B2	Selectively reacting olefins having a terminal CF2 group in a mixture A process is disclosed for reducing the mole ratio of (1) compounds of the formula Y1Y2C═CF2 wherein Y1 and Y2 are each independently H, F, Cl, Br, C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 haloalkyl containing no more than 3 chlorine substituents, 2 bromine substituents and 1 iodo substituent to (2) saturated compounds of the formula CdHeFfClgBrhIk wherein d is an integer from 1 to 10, and e+f+g+h+k is equal to 2d+2, provided that g is 0, 1, 2 or 3, h is 0, 1 or 2 and k is 0 or 1 and/or unsaturated compounds of the formula Y3Y4C═CY5Y6, wherein Y3, Y5 and Y6 are each independently H, F, Cl, Br, C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 haloalkyl containing no more than 3 chlorine substituents, 2 bromine substituents and 1 iodo substituent, provided that Y5 and Y6 are not both F, and Y4 is C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 haloalkyl containing no more than 3 chlorine substituents, 2 bromine substituents and 1 iodo substituent, in a mixture. The process involves contacting the mixture with at least one selective removal agent selected from the group consisting of SO3 and RSO3H, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, OH, C1-C8 alkyl, C1-C8 fluoroalkyl, and C1-C8 fluoroalkoxyalkyl containing no more than two ether oxygens to selectively react the formula Y1Y2C═CF2 compounds.
US07728179B2	Method for producing optically active alcohol compound A method for producing an optically active alcohol compound comprising reacting a cyclic ether compound with a phenol compound in the presence of an asymmetric complex obtained by reacting an optically active metal complex represented by the formula (1): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are the same or different and each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or the like; one of R9 and R10 is a hydrogen group and the other is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or the like; Q represents a single bond, a C1-C4 alkylene group or the like; M represents a metal ion; and when an ionic valency of the metal ion is same as a coordination number of a ligand, A is nonexistent, and when the above-mentioned ionic valency is different from the coordination number, and A represents a counter ion or a ligand, with a zirconium alkoxide or a hafnium alkoxide.
US07728173B2	Processes for preparing venlafaxine and venlafaxine hydrochloride of form I A process for preparing venlafaxine in a high yield as well as processes for producing venlafaxine hydrochloride of form I having a very hight polymorphic purity are described.
US07728169B2	Pharmaceutical compositions of isolated orthorhombic crystalline 4-[6-acetyl-3-[3-(4-acetyl-3-hydroxy-2-propylphenylthio)propoxy]-2-propylphenoxy]butyric acid and methods of use A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of formula (1) in polymorphic crystalline Form A: together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient, wherein the compound of formula (1) is present in polymorphic Form A (see, e.g., FIG. 6) substantially free of other polymorphic forms.
US07728164B2	Process for the preparation of propylene carbonate The invention relates to a process for the preparation of propylene carbonate, which process involves contacting propylene oxide with carbon dioxide at a temperature of from 150° C. to 250° C. in the presence of a recycled tetraalkylphosphonium bromide catalyst.
US07728163B2	Mixed fluoroalkyl-alkyl surfactants A surfactant of formula 1 (Rf-A)a-Q-([B]k—R)b Formula 1 wherein a and b are each independently 1 or 2; Rf is a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl radical having from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, optionally interrupted with at least one oxygen; R is a C1 to C20 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl, or a C6 to C10 aryl; B is —(CH2CHR1O)x—, k is 0 or 1, x is 1 to about 20, A is —(CH2)m[(CHR1CH2O)]s—[(CH2)m(CH)tCHOH(CH2)m]e—, wherein each m is independently 0 to 3, s is 0 to about 30, t is 0 or 1, and e is 0 or 1, R1 is H or CH3, Q is: —OP(O)(O−M+)(O)—, —O—, —S—(CH2)m—C(O)—O—, —SO2—O— —CH2CH2O—C(O)CH2C(OH)(V)CH2C(O)O—; —(CH2CH2O)xCH2CH(OH)—(CH2CH2O)x—(CH2)m—Si[OSi(R2)3]2—, —SO2NR2—, —(CH2CH2O)zC(O)CH(SO3−M+)CH2C(O)(OCH2CH2)z— wherein z is 1 to about 15, or a bond when s is a positive integer, V is —C(O)OR3 and R3 is H, CH3 or Rf; R2 is C1 to C4 alkyl, and M+ is a Group 1 metal or an ammonium (NHxR2y)+ cation wherein x+y=4, and R2 is C1 to C4 alkyl, provided that when Q is —OP(O)(O−M+)(O)— or when Q is —(CH2CH2O)z—C(O)CH(SO3−M+)CH2C(O)(OCH2CH2)z—, then at least one of s or e is a positive integer.
US07728162B2	Process for preparing phosphorus compounds having phosphate-phosphonate bond A novel process for preparing in a high purity and in a high yield phosphorus compounds having a phosphate-phosphonate bond within one molecule, along with only a small amount of a by-product, without being restricted by the kind of a phosphonate having an alcoholic hydroxyl group which is a raw material, without using a catalyst such as magnesium chloride, but only using a nitrogen-containing basic compound.
US07728160B2	Diimine metal complexes, methods of synthesis, and methods of using in oligomerization and polymerization Novel α-diimine metal complexes, particularly iron complexes are disclosed. The α-diimine metal complexes are produced by forming one of the α-diimine metal complex imine bonds in the presence of a metal salt or an α-acylimine metal complex. α-diimine metal complexes having two different α-diimine nitrogen groups may be produced. The α-diimine metal complexes are useful for polymerizing or oligomerizing olefins.
US07728154B2	Process for the preparation of 1-aryl-3,4-dihydro-1H-naphthalene-2-one 1-aryl-3,4-dihydro-1H-naphthalene-2-one is prepared by isomerizing an epoxy compound represented by the following general formula, wherein a is an integer of 0 to 5, b is an integer of 0 to 4, and R1 to R6 are hydrogen atoms or substituents such as alkyl groups, in an organic solvent in the presence of magnesium sulfate. This process makes it possible to prepare the 1-aryl-3,4-dihydro-1H-naphthalene-2-one safely and in a high yield without using highly explosive compounds such as lithium perchlorate.
US07728151B2	Process for the purification of perindopril A dicyclohexyamine salt of compound of formula I, namely perindopril, having an X-ray powder diffraction pattern with characteristic peaks (2θ): 8.462, 10.624, 18.693, 9.424, 17.272, 14.177, 19.499, 20.765, 21.409, and 14.540. A process for preparation of the said salt of perindopril and its use in the purification of an impure perindopril and a process for purification of perindropril comprising formation of its salt with dicyclohexylamine. The present invention also relates to preparation of Perindopril tert-butyl amine salt directly from Perindopril dicyclohexylamine salt without isolating the free base.
US07728150B2	Bicyclic substituted indole-derivative steroid hormone nuclear receptor modulators The present invention provides a compound of the formula: Formula (I); or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of a compound of Formula I in combination with a suitable carrier, diluent, or excipient, and methods for treating physiological disorders, particularly congestive heart disease, hypertension, and atherosclerosis, comprising administering to a patient in thereof an effective amount of a compound of Formula I. X-16125
US07728146B2	Enzyme inhibitors There is disclosed herein compounds of formula (I), wherein: R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are defined throughout the description and the claims. The compounds of formula (I) are useful for the treatment of neurological diseases and neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. anxiety, depression, Alzheimer's disease etc.
US07728133B2	Stable pharmaceutical compositions Pharmaceutical compounds having the general formula: or compounds having the formula: where R1 and R2 are independently H, branched or straight chain alkyl having from 1 to about 7 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkylcycloalkyl, lower alkenyl or R1 and R2 together form part of a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl having from about 4 of about 7 carbon atoms; where R3 is a branched or straight chain alkyl having from 1 to about 7 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted aryl, substituted or unsubstituted aralkyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, aralkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkylcycloalkyl or a group having the formula (CH2)nCOOH where n is from 1 to about 7.
US07728125B2	Reduced malto-oligosaccharides Disclosed are a method for the reduction of an oligosaccharide mixture and an oligosaccharide mixture prepared thereby. In accordance with the disclosed invention, a mixture of oligosaccharides having a given DP profile is reduced to a DE of essentially zero by catalytically hydrogenating the mixture under reaction conditions sufficient to preserve the DP profile of the mixture, which reaction conditions typically include a reaction temperature ranging from about 50° C. to about 150° C. and a reaction pressure ranging up to about 1500 psi. Surprisingly, when the mixture is a malto-oligosaccharide mixture, the reduced mixture will have a superior color-fastness and thermal stability as compared to a similar unreduced mixture of malto-oligosaccharides, and also low reactivity towards nitrogen-containing species.
US07728123B2	Internal control nucleic acid molecule for nucleic acid amplification systems The invention provides an internal control nucleic acid molecule including at least one forward primer binding site, at least one reverse primer binding site, and at least one amplifiable region, wherein the forward primer binding site, the reverse primer binding site, and the amplifiable region are all randomly generated. The invention also provides a kit that includes at least one internal control nucleic acid molecule of the invention, at least one forward primer, configured to be complementary to the forward primer binding site of the internal control nucleic acid molecule, and at least one reverse primer, configured to be complementary to the reverse primer binding site of the internal control nucleic acid molecule. The invention also provides methods of using the internal control nucleic acid molecules and kits of the invention.
US07728117B2	Heterobifunctional pan-selectin inhibitors Compounds and methods are provided for modulating in vitro and in vivo processes mediated by selectin binding. More specifically, selectin modulators and their use are described, wherein the selectin modulators that modulate (e.g., inhibit or enhance) a selectin-mediated function comprise particular glycomimetics alone or linked to a member of a class of compounds termed BASAs (Benzyl Amino Sulfonic Acids) or a member of a class of compounds termed BACAs (Benzyl Amino Carboxylic Acids).
US07728108B2	PRO1550 polypeptides The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention.
US07728099B2	Preparation and use of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polycarbonates The present invention relates to a process for preparation of polycarbonates with weight-average molar mass MW≧230,000 g/mol and with ≦2% by weight content of cyclic compounds, including the following steps: (a) reaction of at least one oxirane with carbon dioxide in the presence of a metal-polycarboxylic acid compound in an aprotic, non-water-miscible solvent at a temperature of from 40 to 120° C. and at a pressure of from 1 to 100 bar, where the molar ratio of monomer to metal-polycarboxylic acid compound is ≧75, (b) addition of an aqueous solution of an inorganic acid to the reaction mixture once the reaction has ended, (c) removal of the aqueous phase, (d) if appropriate, washing of the remaining organic phase with water, and (e) devolatilization and drying of the resultant slurry of the polycarbonate in the aprotic, non-water-miscible solvent, and to the polycarbonate prepared via the process, and also to the use of the polycarbonate.
US07728097B2	Method of making a diisocyanate terminated macromer A novel macromer or mixture thereof is described herein, comprising benzoyl isocyanate terminal moieties and at least two residues of a water-soluble polymer having a molecular weight ranging from 80 to 10,000 adjacent to the carbonyl group of the benzoyl isocyanate moieties, thereby forming at least two ester linkages in the macromer or mixture thereof. A method for making a diisocyanate macromer is also described herein.
US07728093B2	Copolymers as dewaxing additives The invention relates to copolymers which are suitable for producing additives for solvent deparaffination of paraffin-containing mineral oil distillates and which consist of radically polymerized monomers of formulas A and B, wherein the radicals have the meaning cited in the description. The invention also relates to the use of said copolymers for the production of dewaxing additives.
US07728090B2	Norbornene compounds with cross-linkable groups and their derivatives The present invention provided a norbornene compound with cross-linkable groups and their derivative polymers, wherein said cross-linkable groups were olefin or epoxy groups. Norbornene polymers with cross-linkable side chain and their block copolymers as well as modified derivatives were prepared via living ring-open metathesis polymerization method. The resulting polymers with excellent solubility and optic properties had narrow molecular weight distribution, well-controlled molecular weight, small refraction ration and high transparency. They were also suitable for preparing hybrid materials with high thermal stability and chemical resistance.
US07728081B2	Apparatus for continuous polymerization and method for continuous polymerizing using the same An apparatus for continuous polymerization with a simple constitution to produce a polymer having a high quality, as well as a method for producing the polymer using the apparatus, are provided. The apparatus comprises a vessel; a means for supplying a monomer to the vessel; a means for supplying a polymerization initiator to the vessel; a means for detecting a temperature in the vessel; a means for regulating a temperature of an outer wall surface of the vessel so as to have a preset temperature; and a means for controlling a supply flow rate of the monomer and/or the polymerization initiator to the vessel by the monomer supply means and/or the initiator supply means so that the temperature in the vessel becomes substantially the same temperature as the preset temperature.
US07728072B2	Epichlorohydrin amine polymers used for treating the surface of leather An epichlorohydrinamine polymer has a ratio of amine units to epichlorohydrin units of from 0.8:1.2 to 1.0:1.0, dimethylaminopropylamine and benzylamine preferably being used as amine and/or ammonium units. The novel epichlorohydrinamine polymer is used, for example, for the surface treatment of semifinished leather products and textile materials.
US07728068B2	Coating compositions containing reactive diluents and methods The present invention provides coating compositions that include reactive diluents and have high performance, low VOC levels, and low irritation levels.
US07728059B2	Polycarbonate compositions and articles formed therefrom A composition is disclosed having minimum halogen content, fire-retardance and/or drip-resistant characteristics. The composition comprises an effective amount of a polycarbonate, a glass fiber, a polysiloxane-polycarbonate copolymer, and a synergistic combination of an aromatic sulfone sulfonate such as potassium diphenylsulfone sulfonate with an aromatic sulfonate such as sodium salt of toluene sulfonic acid, optionally in the presence of an anti-drip agent. The polycarbonate composition is useful for manufacture of electronic and mechanical articles, among others.
US07728057B2	Use of polymer powder containing UV absorber for the stabilisation of polymers against the effects of UV radiation The present invention relates to the use, for stabilizing polymers, in particular polyolefins, with respect to exposure to UV radiation, of fine-particle polymer powders comprising at least one UV absorber. The present invention further relates to stabilizer mixtures for stabilizing polymers with respect to exposure to UV radiation, oxygen and heat, which, inter alia, comprise these polymer powders, and to a process for stabilizing polymers, in particular polyolefins, with respect to exposure to UV radiation, oxygen and heat, which comprises adding, to the polymers, in particular to the polyolefins, an effective amount of these stabilizers. The present invention further relates to polymers, in particular polyolefins, which have been stabilized with respect to exposure to UV radiation or with respect to exposure to UV radiation, oxygen and heat, which comprise an effective amount of these polymer powders or, respectively, stabilizer mixtures, and to articles produced from these stabilized polymers, in particular polyolefins.
US07728054B2	Binding agents for radiation-cured aqueous paints The invention relates to binding agents for radiation-cured aqueous paints, said agents containing reaction products ABCDE composed of A epoxy compounds with at least two epoxy groups per molecule, B unsaturated fatty acids, C olefinically unsaturated monomers, D compounds containing unsaturated aliphatic hydroxyl groups and E multi-functional isocyanates, whereby the compounds C are always directly bonded to the compounds B, the compounds D are always directly bonded to the compounds E and the compounds A are always directly bonded to the compounds B. The invention also relates to methods for producing said binding agents and to the use thereof.
US07728050B2	Curable composition, ink composition, inkjet recording method, printed matter, method for producing planographic printing plate, planographic printing plate and oxetane compound According to the present invention, provided are a curable composition containing a (A) compound which has a structure having two or more cyclic ether groups, in the molecule and a linking group linking the cyclic ether groups, which contains an alkylene group having 4 or more carbon atoms, or a curable composition containing a compound which has, in the molecule, two or more moiety structures containing 4-membered or more cyclic ether and a moiety structure represented by the following formula (Y-I), and an ink composition comprising the curable composition and a compound represented by the following formula (i).
US07728049B2	Irradiation conversion of thermoplastic to thermoset polymers Disclosed is a radiation-crosslinkable thermoplastic polymer composition, a process for the preparation thereof, an angioplasty balloon and a medical catheter made using such a composition. The composition contains a reactive monomer cross-linker facilitates cross-linking of the reaction product upon contact of the cross-linker-containing composition with energy from a radiation source.
US07728042B2	Transdermal pharmaceutical composition The invention relates to a liquid crystal gel containing polyoxyethylene-glyceryl-trioleate, propylene-glycol, isopropyl myristate and a hyaluronic acid salt or complex for use in the manufacture of transdermal pharmaceutical compositions and healing cosmetics. The invention also relates to transdermal pharmaceutical composition consists of an estrogen and a progestin component as well as a liquid crystal gel containing polyoxyethylene-glyceryl-trioleate, propylene-glycol, isopropyl myristate and a hyaluronic acid salt or complex. The invention can be applied for transdermal hormone replacement therapy and for other transdermal depending on the active principles included.
US07728038B2	Methods for chelation therapy The invention relates to compositions and methods of treatment using an iron chelator, an antioxidant, estrogen, and/or combinations thereof, optionally, linked to a nanoparticle, to treat a subject in need thereof. The compositions and methods may be used to restore or protect the normal functions of osteoblast and osteoclast by depleting iron and inhibiting oxidative damage. The compositions and methods may also be used to increase the bone formation rate in a subject.
US07728037B2	Alpha-ketoglutarates of active ingredients and compositions containing same Novel stable and pharmacologically acceptable salts of L-carnitine and lower alkanoyl L-carnitines with alpha-ketoglutaric acid are disclosed as well as the compositions useful as dietary and dietetic supplements, nutraceuticals or drugs containing same.
US07728036B2	Methods for delivery of catecholic butanes for treatment of tumors The present invention provides kits, methods and compositions for the treatment of tumor and other proliferative diseases such as tumors. The compositions herein contain a substantially pure preparation of at least one catecholic butane, including, for example, NDGA compounds in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient. The catecholic butane such as NDGA or its derivatives are administered to one or more subjects in need of treatment by a route other than direct injection into the affected tissues or topical application on affected tissues.
US07728018B2	Sulfonylpyrazole and sulfonylpyrazoline carboxamidine derivatives as 5-HT6 antagonists This invention concerns compounds of the general formula (1): and derivatives thereof, which are antagonists of 5-HT6 receptors, wherein the symbols have the meanings given in the description. The invention also concerns methods for the preparation of these compounds, to novel intermediates useful for their synthesis, and to uses of such compounds and compositions, particularly their use in administering them to patients to achieve a therapeutic effect in treating at least on disease or condition chosen from Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, manic depression, psychoses, epilepsy, obsessive compulsive disorders, mood disorders, migraine, Alzheimer's disease, age related cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment, sleep disorders, eating disorders, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorders, panic attacks, akathisia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, attention deficit disorder, withdrawal from abuse of cocaine, ethanol, nicotine or benzodiazepines, pain, disorders associated with spinal trauma or head injury, hydrocephalus, functional bowel disorder, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, obesity and type-2 diabetes.
US07728015B2	Compositions for weight management Pharmaceutical compositions are disclosed comprising betahistine, or a salt thereof, and olanzapine in amounts effective to reduce the weight gain associated with olanzapine administration.
US07728013B2	Method of modulating stress-activated protein kinase system Disclosed are methods of modulating a stress activated protein kinase (SAPK) system with an active compound, wherein the active compound exhibits low potency for inhibition of at least one p38 MAPK; and wherein the contacting is conducted at a SAPK-modulating concentration that is at a low percentage inhibitory concentration for inhibition of the at least one p38 MAPK by the compound. Also disclosed are derivatives of pirfenidone. These derivatives can modulate a stress activated protein kinase (SAPK) system.
US07728009B1	Thiazole amides, imidazole amides and related analogues Thiazole amides, imidazole amides and related analogues of the Formula: are provided, in which variables are as described herein. Such compounds may be used to modulate ligand binding to histamine H3 receptors in vivo or in vitro, and are particularly useful in the treatment of a variety of central nervous system (CNS) and other disorders in humans, domesticated companion animals and livestock animals. Compounds provided herein may be administered alone or in combination with one or more other CNS agents to potentiate the effects of the other CNS agent(s). Pharmaceutical compositions and methods for treating such disorders are provided, as are methods for using such ligands for detecting histamine H3 receptors (e.g., receptor localization studies).
US07728007B2	Therapeutic amides The invention provides compounds of the formula: wherein X, Y, and Z are as defined in the specification. The compounds are effective anti-tumor agents. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions comprising a compound of the above formula or a salt thereof, intermediates useful for preparing a compound of the above formula, and therapeutic methods comprising administering a compound of the above formula or a salt thereof to a mammal in need thereof.
US07727999B2	Spiroazacyclic compounds as monoamine receptor modulators The present invention relates to optionally substituted 1,3,8-triaza-spiro[4.5]decan-2-one compounds as monoamine receptor modulators; compositions comprising the same; methods of inhibiting an activity of a monoamine receptor with said compounds; methods of treating a disease condition associated with a monoamine receptor using said compounds; and methods for identifying a subject suitable for treatment using said compounds.
US07727989B2	4-benzimidazol-2-yl-pyridazine-3-one-derivatives, production and use thereof in medicaments The present invention relates to kinase inhibitor compounds and derivatives thereof as well as compositions comprising them consisting of the structure of formula I: Wherein R1, R2, A, B, D and E are defined herein. These 4-benzimidazol-2-ylpyridazin-3-ones and their derivatives and compositions comprising them are useful in the treatment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimers' disease, Parkinsons' disease, obesity, hypertension and the like. These pyridazinone derivatives particularly inhibit the metabolic activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3 β (GSK-3β) which is believed to cause the neurodegeneration that results in these diseases.
US07727981B2	Benzamides and related inhibitors of factor Xa Novel benzamide compounds including their pharmaceutically acceptable isomers, salts, hydrates, solvates and prodrug derivatives having activity against mammalian factor Xa are described. Compositions containing such compounds are also described. The compounds and compositions are useful in vitro or in vivo for preventing or treating coagulation disorders.
US07727977B2	Kynurenine 3-hydroxylase inhibitors for the treatment of diabetes The present invention relates to the use of at least one compound with inhibitory activity on kynurenine 3-hydroxylase for the preparation of a medicament for the prevention and/or treatment of diabetes.
US07727961B2	Antioxidant constituents An object of the present invention is to provide an antioxidant composition that is effective in the living body against active oxygen species produced in the body. The present invention provides an antioxidant composition having the effect of suppressing three active oxygen species, i.e. hypochlorite radicals, hydroxyl radicals, and peroxynitrite radicals, with respect to active oxygen species produced in the body, the antioxidant composition comprising a mixture in which at least 20 mg of vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid or sodium L-ascorbate) as an agent to scavenge peroxynitrite active oxygen, and at least 2 mg of caffeic acid analogue compound(s), at least 10 mg of polyphenyol compound(s) or at least 1.5 mg of carotenoid compound(s) as an agent to scavenge hydroxyl radical active oxygen are combined with 100 mg of histidine-containing dipeptide, or sulfur-containing amino acids or analogues thereof obtained from animal extract as an agent for scavenging hypochlorite active oxygen.
US07727959B2	Use of substances with oxytocin activity against climacteric disorders The present invention relates to the use of substances with oxytocin activity against climacteric disorders or similar symptoms due to dysfunction in the ovaries. It also relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one substance with oxytocin activity against climacteric disorders.
US07727947B2	Process for the preparation of a solid laundry detergent composition comprising light density silicate salt The present invention relates to a process for preparing a solid laundry detergent composition comprising: (a) from 1 wt % to 40 wt % light density silicate salt having a bulk density of less than 200 g/l and a weight average particle size of less than 300 micrometers; (b) from 5 wt % to 60 wt % detersive surfactant; (c) from 0 wt % to 50 wt % carbonate salt; (d) from 0 wt % to 40 wt % sulphate salt; (e) from 0 wt % to 30 wt % phosphate builder; (f) from 0 wt % to 5 wt %% zeolite builder; and (g) from 0 wt % to 15 wt % water; wherein the composition has a bulk density of 600 g/l or less.
US07727932B2	Activated carbon fibers and engineered forms from renewable resources A method of producing activated carbon fibers (ACFs) includes the steps of providing a natural carbonaceous precursor fiber material, blending the carbonaceous precursor material with a chemical activation agent to form chemical agent-impregnated precursor fibers, spinning the chemical agent-impregnated precursor material into fibers, and thermally treating the chemical agent-impregnated precursor fibers. The carbonaceous precursor material is both carbonized and activated to form ACFs in a single step. The method produces ACFs exclusive of a step to isolate an intermediate carbon fiber.
US07727929B2	Process and catalyst for the selective hydrogenation of diolefins contained in an olefin containing stream and for the removal of arsenic therefrom and a method of making such catalyst A catalyst having dual functionality for the removal of arsenic and the selective hydrogenation of diolefins from monoolefin-containing hydrocarbon streams that have an arsenic concentration and a diolefin concentration, and processes for making and using such catalyst. The catalyst is a heat treated shaped mixture of a refractory oxide and a Group VIII metal that is overlaid with additional Group VIII metal.
US07727920B2	Process for production of ceramic porcelains, ceramic procelains and electronic components 0.5 to 30 parts by weight of a hexagonal celsian powder is added to 100 parts by weight of a ceramic raw material powder to give a mixture. The mixture is sintered to give a ceramic porcelain so as to precipitate monoclinic celsian in the ceramic porcelain.
US07727919B2	High resistivity silicon carbide A recrystallized silicon carbide body is provided that has a resistivity of not less than about 1E5 Ω cm and a nitrogen content comprising nitrogen atoms bonded within the body, wherein the nitrogen content is not greater than about 200 ppm.
US07727916B2	Alkali-free aluminoborosilicate glass, and uses thereof The invention relates to an aluminoborosilicate glass devoid of alkali, which has the following composition (in wt. % relative to the oxide content): SiO2>58-70; B2O3 0.5-<9; Al2O3 10-25; MgO>8-15; CaO 0-<10; SrO 0-<3; BaO 0-<2; with MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO>8-18; ZnO 0-<2. Said glass is eminently suitable for use as substrate glass, both in display technology and in thin-film photovoltaic technology.
US07727915B2	Tacky allergen trap and filter medium, and method for containing allergens An allergen trap is provided. The allergen trap includes a woven or nonwoven substrate having at least one strata. The trap is impregnated with or otherwise treated with a tacky adhesive by which allergens may be trapped. An example of an allergen is a dust mite. The tacky adhesive, in turn, may be treated with a miticide or activated carbon.
US07727914B2	Flexible penetration resistant article The invention relates to a flexible, penetration resistant article comprising a plurality of fibrous layers including continuous filament yarns, and having an areal density of less than about 4.4 kilograms per square meter. At least one of the plurality of fibrous layers has a fiber with a tenacity of at least about 30 grams per decitex and a continuous filament yarn having a linear density of less than about 1100 decitex.
US07727913B2	Method of crystallizing semiconductor film A method of crystallizing a semiconductor film including splitting a pulse laser beam oscillated from a laser oscillator, and synthesizing the split pulse laser beams after the split pulse laser beams have propagated through optical paths different in optical path length, modulating the synthesized pulse laser beam into a pulse laser beam by a phase modulating element, and irradiating a non-single-crystal film formed on a substrate with the laser beam to crystallize the non-single-crystal film. Splitting the pulse laser beam and synthesizing the split pulse laser beams are performed using at least three optical splitting/synthesizing units arranged in order, and include sequentially splitting one pulse laser beam split by one optical splitting/synthesizing unit by succeeding splitting/synthesizing unit, and synthesizing the other pulse laser beam split by one optical splitting/synthesizing unit with the other pulse laser beam split by preceding splitting/synthesizing unit.
US07727908B2	Deposition of ZrA1ON films Atomic layer deposition (ALD) can be used to form a dielectric layer of zirconium aluminum oxynitride (ZrAlON) for use in a variety of electronic devices. Forming the dielectric layer may include depositing zirconium oxide using atomic layer deposition and precursor chemicals, followed by depositing aluminum nitride using precursor chemicals, and repeating. The dielectric layer may be used as the gate insulator of a MOSFET, a capacitor dielectric, and a tunnel gate insulator in flash memories.
US07727898B2	Semiconductor device and method of fabricating same A semiconductor device having reliable electrode contacts. First, an interlayer dielectric film is formed from a resinous material. Then, window holes are formed. The interlayer dielectric film is recessed by oxygen plasma. This gives rise to tapering window holes. This makes it easy to make contacts even if the circuit pattern is complex.
US07727867B2	Method for manufacturing SIMOX wafer A MLD-SIMOX wafer is obtained by forming a first ion-implanted layer in a silicon wafer; forming a second ion-implanted layer that is in an amorphous state; and subjecting the wafer to a high-temperature heat treatment to maintain the wafer in an atmosphere containing oxygen at a temperature that is not lower than 1300° C. but lower than a silicon melting point to change the first and the second ion-implanted layers into a BOX layer, wherein the dose amount for the first ion-implanted layer is 1.25 to 1.5×1017 atoms/cm2, the dose amount for the second ion-implanted layer is 1.0×1014 to 1×1016 atoms/cm2, the wafer is preheated to a temperature of 50° C. to 200° C. before forming the second ion-implanted layer, and the second ion-implanted layer is formed in a state where it is continuously heated to a preheating temperature.
US07727865B2	Method for controlling conductivity of Ga2O3single crystal To provide a method of controlling a conductivity of a Ga2O3 system single crystal with which a conductive property of a β-Ga2O3 system single crystal can be efficiently controlled.The light emitting element includes an n-type β-Ga2O3 substrate, and an n-type β-AlGaO3 cladding layer, an active layer, a p-type β-AlGaO3 cladding layer and a p-type β-Ga2O3 contact layer which are formed in order on the n-type β-Ga2O3 substrate. A resistivity is controlled to fall within the range of 2.0×10−3 to 8×102 Ωcm and a carrier concentration is controlled to fall within the range of 5.5×1015 to 2.0×1019/cm3 by changing a Si concentration within the range of 1×10−5 to 1 mol %.
US07727858B2	Method for fabricating a chip scale package using wafer level processing Channels are formed that pass through an active surface of a semiconductor substrate to provide isolation between adjacent active surface regions defining individual die locations. Bond pads on the substrate are bumped with intermediate conductive elements, after which a material used to encapsulate the active surface is applied, filling the channels and covering exposed peripheral edges of the active surface integrated circuitry. The encapsulant is then planarized to expose the ends of the bumps. External conductive elements such as solder balls are then formed on the exposed bump ends. The semiconductor wafer is diced in alignment with the channels to singulate the semiconductor devices, the encapsulant in the channels keeping the edges of the integrated circuitry substantially hermetically sealed.
US07727851B2	Method of measuring shifted epitaxy layer by buried layer A method of measuring a shifted extent of a shifted epitaxy layer by an N+ buried layer using difference between contact resistances is described. An N-type buried layer comprising a stepped portion is formed at a P-type substrate. An epitaxy layer is formed, comprising a stepped portion, on the N-type buried layer. A plug is formed in the epitaxy layer. An insulating layer is formed on the epitaxy layer. A plurality of contacts are formed in the insulating layer. Resistances of the plurality of contacts are measured and a shifting extent of the stepped portion of the epitaxy layer is calculated using the plurality of contact resistances.
US07727850B2	Method for forming capacitor of semiconductor device A method for forming a capacitor of a semiconductor device includes forming a first capacitor in a storage node contact region to form a two-stage structured capacitor, thereby increasing the height and the capacitance of the capacitor.
US07727848B2	Methods and semiconductor structures for latch-up suppression using a conductive region Semiconductor structures and methods for suppressing latch-up in bulk CMOS devices. The semiconductor structure comprises first and second adjacent doped wells formed in the semiconductor material of a substrate. A trench, which includes a base and first sidewalls between the base and the top surface, is defined in the substrate between the first and second doped wells. The trench is partially filled with a conductor material that is electrically coupled with the first and second doped wells. Highly-doped conductive regions may be provided in the semiconductor material bordering the trench at a location adjacent to the conductive material in the trench.
US07727847B2	Method for manufacturing display device A light-absorbing layer is selectively formed over an insulating surface, an insulating layer is formed over the insulating surface and the light-absorbing layer, the insulating surface, the light-absorbing layer, and the insulating layer are irradiated with laser light to selectively remove only the insulating layer above the light-absorbing layer in an irradiated region of the insulating layer so that an opening reaching the light-absorbing layer is formed in the insulating layer, and a conductive film is formed in the opening so as to be in contact with the light-absorbing layer. By forming the conductive film in the opening so as to be in contact with the exposed light-absorbing layer, the conductive film can be electrically connected to the light-absorbing layer with the insulating layer interposed therebetween.
US07727840B2	Forming integrated circuit devices Methods of forming integrated circuit devices are provided. A first mask layer is formed overlying a first portion of a semiconductor substrate. The first mask layer further overlies a second mask layer overlying a second portion of the semiconductor substrate. The first mask layer overlying the first portion of the semiconductor substrate is patterned to define areas for removal of one or more layers of material interposed between the semiconductor substrate and the first mask layer. Portions of the one or more layers of material exposed by the patterned first mask layer are removed to define elements of the integrated circuit device overlying the first portion of the semiconductor substrate.
US07727827B2	Method of forming a semiconductor structure A method of forming a semiconductor structure comprises providing a semiconductor substrate. A feature is formed over the substrate. The feature is substantially homogeneous in a lateral direction. A first ion implantation process adapted to introduce first dopant ions into at least one portion of the substrate adjacent the feature is performed. The length of the feature in the lateral direction is reduced. After the reduction of the length of the feature, a second ion implantation process adapted to introduce second dopant ions into at least one portion of the substrate adjacent the feature is performed. The feature may be a gate electrode of a field effect transistor to be formed over the semiconductor substrate.
US07727824B2	Liquid crystal display device and fabricating method thereof A liquid crystal display device may comprise a semiconductor layer on a substrate and including a channel portion and ohmic contact portions at both sides of the channel portion, wherein an edge portion of the semiconductor layer has a side surface of a substantially tapered shape; a gate insulating layer covering the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer and substantially corresponding to the channel portion; source and drain electrodes contacting the semiconductor layer; and a pixel electrode contacting the drain electrode.
US07727819B2	Process for producing a functional device-mounted module The present disclosure provides an optical functional device-mounted module which needs no expensive or special members, can be reduced in size, and provide a producing process thereof. A bank to dam a liquid sealing resin is provided on a substrate around an optical functional device, the substrate being formed with a predetermined wiring pattern and having the optical functional device mounted thereon. The liquid sealing resin is filled between the functional device and the bank by dropping the liquid sealing resin therebetween. A package component member having a light transmission hole corresponding to an optical function part of the optical functional device is brought into contact with the bank such that the light transmission hole is opposed to the function part of the optical functional device, thereby causing the package component member to contact with the liquid sealing resin. The package component member is fixed onto the substrate by curing the liquid sealing resin and the bank is finally cut off and removed.
US07727810B2	Wafer dividing method A method of dividing a wafer having a plurality of areas, which are sectioned by the streets formed on the front surface in a lattice pattern and a plurality of devices, which are formed in the sectioned areas, along streets, the method comprising a first cutting step for holding the front surface of the wafer on a chuck table of a cutting machine and forming a first groove having a depth that is about half of the thickness of the wafer, along the streets from the rear surface of the wafer; a second cutting step for holding the rear surface of the wafer on a chuck table and forming a second groove which does not reach the first groove, along the streets from the front surface of the wafer; and a dividing step for breaking an uncut portion between the first groove and the second groove by exerting external force along the streets of the wafer, on which the first grooves and the second grooves have been formed.
US07727806B2	Systems and methods for high density multi-component modules A method for forming a device, comprising providing a first substrate carrying a first set of components disposed in a first encapsulating layer over the first set of components, providing a second substrate carrying a second set of components disposed in a second encapsulating layer over the second set of components, bonding the first and second substrates and functionally interconnecting at least one of the predefined components in the first set of components with at least one of the components in the second set of components.
US07727804B2	Method and apparatus for fabricating self-assembling microstructures A method and apparatus for assembling microstructures onto a substrate through fluid transport. The microstructures being shaped blocks self-align into recessed regions located on a substrate such that the microstructure becomes integral with the substrate. The improved method includes a step of transferring the shaped blocks into a fluid to create a slurry. Such slurry is then dispensed evenly or circulated over the top surface of a substrate having recessed regions thereon. The microstructure via the shape and fluid tumbles onto the surface of the substrate, self-aligns, and engages into a recessed region.
US07727802B2	Method for fabricating an electronic component embedded substrate A method for fabricating an electronic component embedded substrate including an electronic component that is embedded within a buildup layer is disclosed. The method includes a first buildup layer lamination step of laminating plural first buildup layers on a core substrate such that the total thickness of the first buildup layers corresponds to the thickness of the electronic component; a cavity formation step of forming a cavity for accommodating the electronic component at the laminated first buildup layers; an accommodating step of accommodating the electronic component within the cavity; and a second buildup layer lamination step of laminating a second buildup layer on the first buildup layers and the electronic component.
US07727797B2	Method for manufacturing organic thin film transistor substrate A method for manufacturing an organic thin film transistor substrate comprising forming a gate electrode on a substrate, forming a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode, defining a channel region on the gate insulating layer between a source electrode and a drain electrode, neutralizing the channel region, forming a bank insulating layer on the source electrode and the drain electrode, and forming an organic semiconductor layer in a region prepared by the bank insulating layer.
US07727796B2	Method for patterning detector crystal using Q-switched laser A semiconductor radiation detector crystal is patterned by using a Q-switched laser to selectively remove material from a surface of said semiconductor radiation detector crystal, thus producing a groove in said surface that penetrates deeper than the thickness of a diffused layer on said surface.
US07727795B2	Exponentially doped layers in inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cells A method of forming a multijunction solar cell including an upper subcell, a middle subcell, and a lower subcell, including providing first substrate for the epitaxial growth of semiconductor material; forming a first solar subcell on the substrate having a first band gap; forming a second solar subcell over the first solar subcell having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; forming a grading interlayer over the second subcell, the grading interlayer having a third band gap greater than the second band gap; and forming a third solar subcell over the grading interlayer having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mis-matched with respect to the second subcell, wherein at least one of the bases of a solar subcell has an exponentially doped profile.
US07727794B2	Photodiode array, method for manufacturing same, and radiation detector A theme is to prevent the generation of noise due to damage in a photodetecting portion in a mounting process in a photodiode array, a method of manufacturing the same, and a radiation detector. In a photodiode array, wherein a plurality of photodiodes (4) are formed in array form on a surface at a side of an n-type silicon substrate (3) onto which light to be detected is made incident and penetrating wirings (8), which pass through from the incidence surface side to the back surface side, are formed for the photodiodes (4), the photodiode array (1) is arranged with a transparent resin film (6), which covers the formed regions of the photodiodes (4) and transmits the light to be detected, provided at the incidence surface side.
US07727789B2	Array substrate for liquid crystal display and method for fabricating the same A method for fabricating an array substrate for a liquid crystal display (LCD) is provided. A semiconductor layer and a transparent lower electrode formed on a substrate is provided and covered by a first dielectric layer serving as a gate dielectric layer and a capacitor dielectric layer. A gate electrode and an upper electrode comprising a transparent electrode portion and a metal electrode portion are formed on the first dielectric layer and covered by a second dielectric layer. A source/drain electrode, a planarization layer, and a pixel electrode are sequentially formed on the second dielectric layer, in which the source/drain electrode is electrically connected to the semiconductor layer through the first and second dielectric layers and the pixel electrode is electrically connected to the source/drain electrode through the planarization layer. An array substrate for an LCD is also disclosed.
US07727774B2	Method and apparatus for automated coverslipping An apparatus and method for selecting and dispensing coverglasses over specimens on slides for the purpose of viewing specimens through a microscope. The selecting device contains a suctioning mechanism for picking up a coverglass from a stack of coverglasses. It also contains the ability to bend the coverglass to assist in separating the coverglasses. The apparatus further contains a matched barrier to eliminate any coverglasses that may stick to the selected coverglass. The selecting device also contains spring members which aid in the dispensing of the coverglass. After the suctioning mechanism releases the coverglass, the spring members exert a force onto the coverglass to insure that it is released from the selecting device and placed onto the slide. After placement of the coverglass onto the slide, capillary action pushes air bubbles out from underneath the coverglass.
US07727769B2	Measurement result correction method, urine analysis system, and urine analyzer A urine analysis system includes a urinary particle analyzer and a computer. The urinary particle analyzer has a measuring unit that measures a cast concentration from the urine and an electric conductivity sensor that measures the electric conductivity of the urine. The computer has a function of correcting the cast concentration measured by the measuring unit on the basis of the electric conductivity of the urine measured by the electric conductivity sensor and a function of outputting the corrected cast concentration.
US07727745B2	Synthesis of single-stranded DNA A method of producing single-stranded DNA. In one form, the method involves providing a uracil-containing oligonucleotide template molecule having a sequence that is complementary to a part of a target single-stranded DNA molecule of length greater than the template molecule; providing one or more parts of the target molecule including a base sequence complementary to a part of the template molecule; annealing the part(s) of the target molecule to the template molecule and forming the complete target molecule by ligating together at least two adjacent parts of the target molecule while annealed to the template molecule, and/or extending at least one part of the target molecule to form a sequence complementary to a remainder of the template molecule by nucleotide polymerization, and then separating the template molecule from the target molecule. In another form, an intermediate molecule is annealed to the template and then enzymatically cut, and one part is then extended by DNA polymerization using monomers of increased molecular weight or ionic charge compared to the monomers used to form the intermediate molecule.
US07727719B2	Methods for diagnosing episodic movement disorders and related conditions The present invention provides compositions and methods for research, diagnostic, drug screening, and therapeutic applications related to paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis and related conditions. In particular, the present invention provides mutations in the myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 (MR-1) gene associated with such conditions.
US07727716B2	Detection of immobilized nucleic acid The present invention provides methods for determining the presence of immobilized nucleic acid employing unsymmetrical cyanine dyes that are derivatives of thiazole orange, a staining solution and select fluorogenic compounds that are characterized as being essentially non-genotoxic. The methods comprise immobilizing nucleic acid, single or double stranded DNA, RNA or a combination thereof, on a solid or semi solid support, contacting the immobilized nucleic acid with an unsymmetrical cyanine dye compound and then illuminating the immobilized nucleic acid with an appropriate wavelength whereby the presence of the nucleic acid is determined. The cyanine dye compounds are typically present in an aqueous staining solution comprising the dye compound and a tris acetate or tris borate buffer wherein the solution facilitates the contact of the dye compound and the immobilized nucleic acid. Typically the solid or semi-solid support is selected from the group consisting of a polymeric gel, a membrane, an array, a glass bead, a glass slide, and a polymeric microparticle. Preferably, the polymeric gel is agarose or polyacrylamide. The methods employing the non-genotoxic compounds represent an improvement over commonly used methods employing ethidium bromide wherein the present methods retain the advantages of ethidium bromide, ease of use and low cost, but without the disadvantageous, known mutagen requiring special handling and waste procedures.
US07727715B2	Global gene expression analysis of human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to cigarette smoke, smoke condensates, or components thereof Aspects of the present invention concern the identification of several methods to analyze the genes that are modulated in normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells after exposure to cigarette smoke condensates (CSC) or cigarette smoke (CS). Embodiments described herein include methods to identify a gene that is modulated in response to exposure to CSC or CS, methods to identify tobacco products that have a reduced potential to contribute to tobacco-related disease, methods to make tobacco products that have a reduced potential to contribute to a tobacco-related disease, methods to identify a subject's predilection to acquire a tobacco related disease, the use of particular genes as biomarkers for tobacco-related disease, and patterns of gene expression or genetic signatures that are unique to each particular tobacco product.
US07727712B2	Methods of suppressing hepatitis virus infection using immunomodulatory polynucleotide sequences Methods are provided for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. A polynucleotide comprising an immunostimulatory sequence is administered to a individual who has been exposed to or infected by HBV and/or HCV. The polynucleotide is not administered with a HCV or HBV antigen. Administration of the polynucleotide results in amelioration of symptoms of HBV and/or HCV infection.
US07727709B2	Method of forming resist pattern and method of manufacturing semiconductor device The present invention improves the OPE characteristic generated by the difference between sparse and dense mask patterns and promotes fidelity in the design of the pattern. Because of this, the present invention includes a step of forming a resist having an acid dissociative dissolution suppression group on a substrate, a step of coating the resist with an acid polymer dissolved in an alcohol based solvent and forming an upper layer film, a step of exposing through a mask, a step of performing a baking process, and a step of processing with an alkali developer, and wherein in the step of performing a baking process, a mixing layer is formed on the resist by the upper layer film and in which a thicker mixing layer is formed in an unexposed part of a region where the pattern density of the mask pattern is high compared to a region where the pattern density is low.
US07727705B2	High etch resistant underlayer compositions for multilayer lithographic processes An etch resistant thermally curable Underlayer for use in a multiplayer liyhographic process to produce a photolithographic bilayer coated substrate, the composition having: (a) at least one cycloolefin polymer comprising at least one repeating unit of Structure (I), and at least one repeating unit of Structure (II), and optionally at least one repeating unit of Structure (III) with the proviso that neither Structure (I) nor Structure (II) nor Structure (III) contains acid sensitive groups. b) at least one cross-linking agent selected from the group consisting of an amino or phenolic cross-linking agent; c) a least one thermal acid generator (TAG); d) at lest one solvent; and e) optionally, at least one surfactant.
US07727700B2	Toner for developing electrostatic image, method for producing the same, developer, image forming apparatus, process cartridge, and image forming method A toner is disclosed, for developing electrostatic images by means of image forming apparatuses, that comprises toner particles, and an external additive, wherein the toner particles comprise a binder resin and a colorant, the external additive is introduced onto the surface of the toner particles, the external additive liberates from the surface of the toner particles in a rate of 7% to 50% under the condition that the toner is dispersed within a surfactant-containing electrolyte at 20 W output power and 20 kHz frequency for one minute by means of an ultrasonic homogenizer.
US07727695B2	Electrophotographic toner An electrophotographic toner is disclosed, comprising a binding resin, a colorant and a releasing agent, wherein the releasing agent comprises a first releasing agent component and a second releasing agent component, the first releasing agent component is a straight chain hydrocarbon compound exhibiting a melting point of 50 to 100° C. and the second releasing agent component is a branched hydrocarbon compound exhibiting a melting point of 50 to 100° C., and the second releasing agent component accounting for 5% to 90% by mass of the total amount of the first and second releasing agent components.
US07727692B2	Electrophotographic photoreceptor, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprises: an electroconductive support; and a photosensitive layer on the electroconductive support, wherein the photosensitive layer comprises a functional layer, the functional layer comprising: a compound having a triple bond and a hydroxyl group in a molecule; and a cured product of a curable resin.
US07727691B2	Electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge and electrophotographic apparatus An electrophotographic photosensitive member includes a conductive layer, an intermediate layer and a photosensitive layer in this order on a substrate, in which the conductive layer contains a binder resin and conductive particles. The conductive particles are TiO2 particles coated with oxygen-deficient SnO2, the conductive particles have an average particle size of 0.2 to 0.6 μm and the conductive layer has a volume resistivity of 5×105 to 8×108 Ω·cm. Also this invention provides a process cartridge and an electrophotographic apparatus equipped with such electrophotographic photosensitive member.
US07727688B2	Electrophotographic photoreceptor and manufacturing method thereof, process cartridge, and image forming device There is provided: an electrophotographic photoreceptor including a photosensitive layer and a surface layer laminated on a conductive substrate in this order, the photosensitive layer including an organic substance, the surface layer including a group 13 element and nitrogen, a thickness of the surface layer being from about 0.01 μm to less than about 1 μm, and a center line average roughness (Ra) of a surface of the surface layer being about 0.01 μm or less; a manufacturing method thereof; a process cartridge; and an image forming device.
US07727682B2	System and method for providing phase shift mask passivation layer System and method for providing a passivation layer for a phase shift mask (“PSM”) are described. In one embodiment, a PSM comprises a transparent substrate; a phase shift pattern disposed on the transparent substrate; and a passivation layer disposed to substantially cover exposed surfaces of at least a portion of the phase shift pattern.
US07727680B2	Hologram recording sheet, holographic optical element using said sheet, and its production process The hologram recording sheet according to the invention is made up of a base film and hologram sensitive materials sensitive to different wavelength regions formed therein in a desired pattern, or a film and at least two hologram recording sensitive materials sensitive to different wavelength regions laminated on the film with a transparent plastic spacer layer located therebetween, thereby enabling the required diffraction light wavelengths to be recorded on the required sites without producing unnecessary interference fringes. At least two hologram recording sensitive materials sensitive to different wavelength regions are formed on different sites on a film in dotted or striped configuration, the size of which is up to 200 mm or at least twice as large as the thickness of the sensitive material layers, thereby enabling regions diffracting light of different wavelengths to be formed in the form of independent sets of interference fringes.
US07727673B2	Cathode active material, method of manufacturing the same, and battery A cathode active material capable of further improving chemical stability, a method of manufacturing the cathode active material, and a battery using the cathode active material are provided. The cathode includes a cathode active material in which a coating layer made of a compound including Li, at least one selected from Ni and Mg, and O is arranged on complex oxide particles represented by Li1+xCo1−yMyO2−z, where M is at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Mg, Al, B, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Mo, Sn, W, Zr, Y, Nb, Ca and Sr, and the values of x, y and z are within a range of −0.10≦x≦0.10, 0≦y<0.50 and −0.10≦z≦0.20, respectively. A surface layer made of an oxide including at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Ti, Si, Mg and Zr is formed on the coating layer.
US07727671B2	Electrode tab for spiral wound battery A closed battery, according to the invention, comprises a substantially flat box-type outer case 60 having electrical conductivity, provided with an opening on one side in the longitudinal direction thereof and other peripheral sides that are closed, a spiral electrode body 21 housed in the outer case, comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator interposed therebetween, an electrode current collector tab 21a larger in thickness than a core body, welded to a cut and raised piece that is cut and raised from an exposed part of the core body of one of the electrodes of the spiral electrode body, and a sealing plate 50 for covering and sealing the opening of the outer case, wherein the outer case is sealed by laser-welding with the electrode current collector tab being clamped between the rim of the opening and the sealing plate when sealing the opening of the outer case.Under the construction described above, since the mechanical strength of the electrode current collector tab is enhanced, improvements in the performance and reliability of the closed battery can be obtained.
US07727669B2	Triazine compounds for removing acids and water from nonaqueous electrolytes for electrochemical cells A process is provided to produce non-aqueous electrolytic solution for use in batteries having low acid content and low water content. The invention involves removing acids and water from non-aqueous electrolytic solutions typically found in lithium or lithium-ion batteries by using nitrogen-containing compounds such as triazines. After treatment by a triazine such as melamine, the concentrations of acids and water in the electrolytic solutions are substantially decreased. The present invention provides a process to prepare extremely pure electrolytic solutions having low (<20 ppm) concentrations of both water and acids.
US07727659B2	Fuel cell unit and composite block of fuel cells In order to provide a fuel cell unit, comprising a housing which limits at least one gas chamber and has a gas opening in a first housing wall and a gas opening in a second housing wall located opposite the first housing wall, the housing of which has an adequate deformation stability in relation to the sealing surface pressure required for a flat seal even at high temperatures, it is suggested that the fuel cell unit comprise at least one supporting element which is arranged between the first housing wall and the second housing wall and keeps the two housing walls at a distance from one another.
US07727654B2	Membrane-electrode assembly for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell and method of producing the same Membrane-electrode assemblies are provided having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane that exhibits higher proton conductivity over a wide temperature range, and exhibits superior hot water resistance, chemical stability, toughness and mechanical strength. The membrane-electrode assemblies utilized for solid polymer electrolyte fuel cells include an anode electrode, a cathode electrode and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, the anode electrode and the cathode electrode disposed on opposite sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane. The solid polymer electrolyte membrane contains a polyarylene copolymer with a specific constitutional unit having a fluorine atom and nitrile group introduced in their principal chains.
US07727649B2	Polymer electrolyte fuel cell system A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprises a fuel cell stack and a humidifier. The fuel cell stack includes plural cells in which each cell has a pair of electrodes and a proton-conductive electrolyte membrane arranged between the pair of electrodes, wherein an oxidant gas or a fuel gas passes through the humidifier before being fed to the fuel cell stack, and wherein a wet gas containing water or water vapor also passes through the humidifier. In the fuel cell, the humidifier includes a porous separating layer and a hydrophilic water-releasing layer, wherein the separating layer is configured to separate the wet gas from the oxidant gas or the fuel gas in the humidifier, and wherein the hydrophilic water-releasing layer is disposed in a side of the oxidant gas or the fuel gas to the separating layer in the humidifier.
US07727646B2	Fuel cell and method for depleting carbon dioxide The invention concerns a fuel cell comprising an anode chamber, a cathode chamber and a cavity for the electrolytic space, as well as combustion gas supply conduits and carbon dioxide and water discharge conduits for the anode chamber, and, for the cathode chamber, oxygen and carbon dioxide supply conduits and discharge conduits for residual oxygen and residual carbon dioxide. The anode chamber and the cathode chamber receive a metal sponge, the cathode chamber housing a metal or ceramic sponge. Said fuel cell is subdivided into an anode chamber, an outer cathode chamber and a median cathode chamber, separate cavities for electrolytic space located between the anode chamber and the median cathode chamber and the median cathode chamber and the outer cathode chamber. An electrolyte conduit enters the median cathode chamber, the oxygen supply conduits and the oxygen discharge conduits are arranged on the median cathode chamber, and the CO2 supply conduits and the CO2 discharge conduits are located on the outer cathode chamber.
US07727644B2	Grain-oriented electrical steel sheet and method for manufacturing grain-oriented electrical steel sheet In a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet having phosphate-based coatings, which contain no chromium and which impart a tension, on the surfaces of a steel sheet with ceramic underlying films therebetween, the coating amount of oxygen in the underlying film is 2.0 g/m2 or more and 3.5 g/m2 or less relative to both surfaces of the steel sheet. Consequently, a grain-oriented electrical steel sheet with a chromium-less coating is provided. The resulting steel sheet has coating properties at the same level as those of a steel sheet with chromium-containing coatings and realizes high hygroscopicity resistance and a low iron loss without variations.
US07727643B2	Tunable negative refractive index composite A composite having a stack of a repeating pattern of layers of: a layer of a nonconductive magnetic material, a first layer of a dielectric material; a layer of a semiconducting material; and a second layer of the dielectric material. The composite has a magnetic resonance frequency and a magnetic anti-resonance frequency and a plasma frequency at higher frequencies than the magnetic resonance frequency.
US07727642B2	Compound for organic electroluminescence and organic electroluminescent device A compound for organic electroluminescence includes a polymer molecule having molecules shown in Formulae 1 to 5 as constituent units: wherein R is an alkyl group, an aryl group, or an alkylaryl group, wherein R′ is hydrogen, an alkyl group, or an alkylaryl group.
US07727640B2	Organic electroluminescent element The present invention provides an organic electroluminescent element including, between an anode and a cathode, at least a luminescent layer and an adjacent layer that is adjacent to the cathode side of the luminescent layer, wherein the luminescent layer contains a phosphorescent material and a host material, the adjacent layer contains an electron transport material and a hole transport material, and the electron affinity Ea (HT) of the hole transport material and the electron affinity Ea (ET) of the electron transport material satisfy the relation of 1 eV≦Ea (ET)−Ea (HT)≦2.8 eV.
US07727638B2	Films of propylene copolymers The invention provides for a film including a layer made from a composition, the composition produced from 30 percent by weight or more of a first polymer component (FPC), wherein said FPC includes a copolymer of propylene and from 6 to 30 percent by weight of another alpha-olefin, and having a melting point derived from stereoregular polypropylene sequences, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of 105° C. or less, and a heat of fusion of 45 J/g or less; and a second polymer component (SPC); wherein the SPC includes a thermoplastic polymer other than the FPC.
US07727636B2	Coating material composition for chromium plating and article comprising coating film made of the same According to the present invention, there are provided a coating material composition for chromium plating, which can maintain high adhesion to the chromium plated surface of a chromium plated material having reduced adhesion for a long period and also can form a coating film having excellent chemical resistance, and an article comprising a coating film made of the same. The coating material composition for chromium plating, comprises a vinyl-based polymer (A) obtained by polymerizing a vinyl-based monomer mixture containing a vinyl-based monomer having an amino group, and a compound (B) having an epoxy group and a hydrolyzable silyl group in a molecule, wherein the vinyl-based polymer (A) has a glass transition temperature of lower than 30° C., and the content of the vinyl-based monomer having an amino group is 5% by weight or more and less than 20% by weight in the vinyl-based monomer mixture (100% by weight).
US07727631B2	System and method of manufacture of multi-resin composite articles A method for manufacturing a multi-resin composite article is provided. The method comprises providing at least one fiber preform in a mold; injecting a plurality of resins into the at least one fiber preform at a plurality of locations on the at least one fiber preform; and forming at least one transition region along a mutual contact surface between the resins. Each of the at least one transition regions is defined by a gradual transition in composition from one of the resins to another of the resins. A multi-resin composite article is also provided. The article comprises: at least one fiber preform; a plurality of resins, wherein the at least one fiber preform is infused with the resins; and at least one transition region extending along a mutual contact surface between respective ones of the resins. A system for manufacturing such a multi-resin composite article is also provided.
US07727624B2	Super-compressible carbon nanotube films and micro-bundles An open-cell carbon nanotube foam is made of a plurality of separated carbon nanotubes. The foam exhibits a Poisson's ratio substantially equal to zero, a compressibility of at least 85%, a recovery rate of at least 120 mm/min, a compressive strength of at least 12 MPa, a sag factor of at least 4, a fatigue resistance to no more than 15% permanent deformation when subjected to at least 1,000 compressive cycles at a strain of 85%, and/or a resilience of between 25% and 30%. The carbon nanotubes may be multiwalled carbon nanotubes that are aligned parallel to a thickness of a film comprising the foam.
US07727623B2	Method and apparatus for making plate-like fiber-reinforced products A method for making a plate-like fiber-reinforced product to be used as building or packing material, the method comprising: placing fibers on a lower laminate; applying a binding agent on the fibers so that the fibers are surrounded by the binding agent; transferring the fibers with binding agent between the lower laminate and an upper laminate between lower and upper rotating pressing plates; allowing the binding agent to foam up, expand and harden between the upper and lower pressing plates. A manufacturing apparatus and a plate-like product are also indicated.
US07727622B2	Apparatus for calibrating optical scanner, method of manufacturing the same, and method of calibrating optical scanner using the same Provided is a calibration apparatus for an optical scanner, including a substrate on which a molecule capable of forming an excimer is immobilized. A method of manufacturing the calibration apparatus and a method of calibrating an optical scanner using the calibration apparatus are also provided.
US07727621B2	Insert for milling of steel The present invention relates to a cutting tool, e.g. carbide insert, solid carbide drill or mill or carbide tip, particularly for milling of steels, stainless steel, HRSA, titanium or any alloyed material from any of these groups, comprising a cemented carbide substrate and an aperiodic multilayer coating with: a substrate of cemented carbide having a composition of from about 8 to about 11 wt-% Co, from about 0.1 to about 0.5 wt-% Cr and balance essentially tungsten carbide and a coating which is essentially an aperiodic multilayer consisting of layers A+B+A+B+A . . . where the sublayers A and B consist of AlxTi1-xN and TiyAl1-yN respectively. The typical average thickness of each A+B sequence is in the range from about 30 to about 300 nm and the total thickness of the coating in the range from about 0.5 to about 20 μm. The total chemical composition averaged over the whole coating consists of TizAl1-zN where z lies in the range from about 0.40 to about 0.70.
US07727618B2	Decorative molded body, key top for a pushbutton switch, and key sheet for the pushbutton switch A decorative molded body can be structured such that an inside thereof looks three-dimensional from a surface thereof, the decorative molded body being a substituted for a decorative molded body of the related art. An example of a decorative molded body can include a three-dimensional base pattern layer having, on a bottom surface of a transparent molded body, a transparent printing layer and a brilliant layer containing brilliant particles, in which the brilliant layer is raised brightly and three-dimensionally on the transparent printing layer as a background. The decorative molded body is excellent in design, and structured so that irregular shapes formed of portions where the transparent printing layer is provided and other portions can look three-dimensional from a surface of the molded body.
US07727614B2	Edge protector with cushion insert An edge protector is provided for protecting an edge or corner of an article. The edge protector includes a cushion insert having an inner surface adapted to engage the corner of the article, and an outer surface provided with a pair of spaced apart retaining elements. A reinforcing body has an inner surface engaged against the outer surface of the cushion insert and a pair of spaced apart outer edges retained by the retaining elements of the cushion insert.
US07727606B2	Polylactic acid resin foamed molding and process for manufacturing the same A polylactic acid resin foamed molding obtained by placing in a mold a cylindrical body having a foamed layer, which is formed by extruding a foamable molten resin composition prepared by kneading together a polylactic acid resin and a physical blowing agent from a die into a low-pressure zone, and molding it, wherein the molding's foamed layer constituting the foamed molding has a difference (ΔHendo:2° C./min−ΔHexo:2° C./min) between the endothermic calorific value (ΔHendo:2° C./min) and the exothermic calorific value (ΔHexo:2° C./min) obtained by heat flux differential scanning calorimetry (heating rate of 2° C./min) of 10 J/g or more and a melt tension at 190° C. of 2 cN or more.
US07727605B2	Plastic container A plastic container having a base portion adapted to support the container, a cylindrical sidewall projecting upwardly from the base, and a neck finish projecting upwardly from the sidewall and having an opening to the inside of the container. The container has a molded outer layer with inner and outer surfaces and an inner layer extending over the inner surface of the sidewall and base, with the neck finish free from the inner layer. The outer layer contains at least one oxygen scavenger material that reacts with oxygen, and the inner layer includes at least one oxygen barrier material.
US07727600B2	Liquid crystal display device A liquid crystal display device comprises a color filter substrate and an array substrate. An optical compensation film is disposed on the color filter substrate and/or the array substrate, wherein the optical compensation film comprises a polyimide, comprising the following formula: wherein n is an integer greater than 1, and wherein when A is cyclo-aliphatic compound, B is aromatic compound or cyclo-aliphatic compound, and when A is aromatic compound, B is cyclo-aliphatic compound.
US07727599B2	Use of particulate emulsifiers in abhesive siloxane-containing coating materials The invention relates to a durably homogeneous, low-viscosity, radiation-curable coating material comprising a) x (meth)acrylated polysiloxanes and if desired b) y (meth)acrylated organic compounds and c) at least one particulate emulsifier having an average particle size of <1000 nm in at least one dimension, with the proviso that x≧1, y≧0, the sum of x+y≧2 and the mixture of components a) and b) alone is not durably homogeneous.
US07727598B2	Partially roll coated workpiece and methods and systems for making the same The present invention is directed to methods, processes, and systems for roll coating portions of a workpiece as well as to workpieces that have themselves been roll coated in accord with the invention. Under these methods and processes of the invention, one of a roller and/or the workpiece may be moved longitudinally to apply coating to a target surface of a workpiece. In some embodiments, a plurality of rollers may be used and supported by arms. Still further, in accord with the embodiments of the present invention, a dispensing member may be provided to fluidly connect the roller with a reservoir. In still other embodiments, the workpiece may be an implantable medical device and the coating may include a therapeutic.
US07727591B2	Controlling or modeling a chemical vapor infiltration process for densifying porous substrates with carbon A load comprising one or more porous substrates (10) for densification is heated in an oven into which a reaction gas containing at least one carbon-precursor hydrocarbon is admitted, the effluent gas being extracted from the oven via an extraction pipe (26) connected to an outlet from the oven. The content in the effluent gas of at least one compound selected from allene, propine, and benzene is measured, and as a function of the measured content, the process is controlled by adjusting at least one parameter selected from the rate at which the reaction gas is admitted into the oven, the rate at least one component of the reaction gas is admitted into the oven, the transit time of the gas through the oven, the temperature to which the substrate(s) is/are heated, and the pressure that exists inside the oven. The at least one parameter is adjusted in such a manner as to maintain the measured content at a value which is substantially constant. A densification process can thus be controlled in real time or modelled.
US07727584B2	Dielectric device and its manufacturing method A manufacturing method of a dielectric device includes steps described below. (1) Mixing step: Powders serving as a matrix and additive powders for sintering the matrix are mixed. (2) Mixture heat-treating step: The mixture of the matrix and the additive that has been subject to the mixing step is heat-treated. (3) Deposition layer formation step: The material powders obtained through the mixture heat-treating step are injected toward a substrate so as to form a deposition layer on the substrate. (4) Deposition layer heat-treating step: The deposition layer formed on the substrate through the deposition layer formation step is heat-treated so as to form the dielectric layer on the substrate.
US07727578B2	Transparent conductors and methods for fabricating transparent conductors Transparent conductors and methods for fabricating transparent conductors are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method for fabricating a transparent conductor comprises forming a dispersion comprising a plurality of conductive components and a solvent, applying the dispersion to a substrate in an environment having a predetermined atmospheric humidity that is based on a selected surface resistivity of the transparent conductor, and causing the solvent to at least partially evaporate such that the plurality of conductive components remains overlying the substrate.
US07727576B2	System and a method for producing layered oral dosage forms A method for producing an oral medication includes dispensing a structural material, the structural material including one of a polymer or a gelatin, curing the structural material, and dispensing a jettable pharmaceutical solution onto the cured structural material.
US07727574B1	Method of producing water-containing chocolates The present invention provides a method of producing water-containing chocolates in which an aqueous component and a fat and oil composition containing tri-saturated fatty acid glyceride crystals dispersed in a fat or oil whose melting point is at or below body temperature are added to and emulsified with a chocolate mass.
US07727560B2	Treating cancer, liver, kidney, platelet and hemopoietic disorder or complication The present invention relates to a method of suppressing malignant conditions, including cancer with complications such like hepatitis and platelet disorder in bleeding, by administering a composition of an extract of Canavalia ensiformis. Also, the invention is nontoxic to the individual and for improving functions of kidney as well as of liver, especially when involved in cancer.
US07727559B2	Inhibition of reactive oxygen species and protection of mammalian cells Methods and compositions useful for neuronal protection in retinal cells in vitro and the protection of mammalian cells from reactive oxygen species in vivo are provided. Ultrafine nano-size cerium oxide particles, less than 10 nanometers in diameter, have been provided to decrease reactive oxygen species (ROS) in retina tissue that generates large amounts of ROS. These reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in light-induced retina degeneration and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Cerium oxide nanoparticles have been used to promote the lifespan of retinal neurons and protect the neurons from apoptosis induced by hydrogen peroxide in vitro and in vivo. The neuronal protection in retinal cells is achieved by decreasing generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, cerium oxide particles are used to promote the longevity of retinal neurons in vitro and mammalian cells in vivo.
US07727549B2	Pharmaceutical compositions for otic use Otic compositions are disclosed. The compositions contain an otic drug and a carrier comprising a low molecular weight compound. The compositions do not drain out of the ear after administration.
US07727547B2	Tissue-adhesive formulations A tissue-adhesive formulation consists of a naturally occurring or synthetic polymerisable and/or cross-linkable material in particulate form, the polymerisable and/or cross-linkable material being in admixture with particulate material comprising tissue-reactive functional groups. The formulation may be used in the preparation of a tissue-adhesive sheet, by applying the formulation to at least one side of a core of a naturally occurring or synthetic polymeric material.
US07727546B2	Nutrient system for individualized responsive dosing regimens Individualized responsive dosing dietary supplement systems, compositions, methods of dosing, and processes of producing the same, which allow a consumer to generate individualistic biological responses/effects. More specifically, a dietary supplement system for generating individualized biological conditions/responses which utilizes ultra-low dosage amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, co-enzymes, and/or other nutrients in a bio-active delivery system which preferably avoids first pass metabolism, such that an individual may take multiple doses of the same or different dietary supplement based on varying desired biological response within each 24 hour period is also disclosed.
US07727543B2	Biodegradable carrier and method for preparation thereof A biodegradable carrier is produced for preservation and/or controlled delivery of biologically active agents where said biodegradable carrier is a silica xerogel which is made from water and silane by using acid or base as a catalyst, and biologically active agents in said biodegradable carrier are infecting and/or transfecting viruses. Silica xerogel material can be pharmaceutically acceptable and it can be used as a medicine.
US07727541B2	Medical devices having polymeric regions based on vinyl ether block copolymers According to an aspect of the present invention, implantable or insertable medical devices are provided, which contain one or more polymeric regions, which in turn contain at least one block copolymer. The block copolymer includes (a) at least one high Tg (glass transition temperature) polymer block that contains at least one high Tg vinyl ether monomer and (b) at least one low Tg polymer block that contains at least one low Tg vinyl ether monomer.
US07727540B2	Endosseous implant Endosseous implant to be applied to a human or animal bone, wherein the surface of the implant is made from titanium or a titanium alloy, said implant having a smooth or rough surface texture, which is characterized in that said surface has been treated with at least one selected organic phosphonate compound or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester or an amide thereof; process for producing said implants.
US07727536B2	EG-VEGF nucleic acids and polypeptides and methods of use The present invention is directed to novel polypeptides designated herein as EG-VEGF and to nucleic acid molecules encoding those polypeptides. Also provided herein are vectors and host cells comprising those nucleic acid sequences, chimeric polypeptide molecules comprising the polypeptides of the present invention fused to heterologous polypeptide sequences, antibodies which bind to the polypeptides of the present invention and to methods for producing the polypeptides of the present invention. Also provided herein are methods of screening for modulators of EG-VEGF. Furthermore, methods and related methods of treatment are described herein which pertain to regulating cellular proliferation and chemotaxis.
US07727528B2	Methods for diagnosis using anti-cytokine receptor antibodies Labeled antibodies, antibody fragments or peptides binding to soluble cytokines or cytokine receptors are used to diagnose whether a patient has cancer or an autoimmune disease. In a preferred embodiment, a radiolabelled tag that is chemically bound to a peptide, antibody, or antibody fragment specific for sTNFR-1 and/or sTNFR2 is injected into a patient with a tumor, or suspected tumor, or with any disease associated with STNF-1/STNF-2. The patient is then imaged using standard nuclear imaging equipment to detect areas or sites of concentration of the radiolabel and/or receptor/inhibitor and/or antigen. By screening for cancer by the substances it produces, using an injected antibody to that substance with a tracer attached to it, one can detect cancer at a very early stage, potentially even microscopically.
US07727527B2	Anti-NGF antibodies for the therapeutic treatments The present invention relates generally to methods of using anti-NGF antibodies in the treatment of various NGF-related disorders, including asthma, arthritis and psoriasis. The methods are effective in treating these disorders in a patient without having a significant adverse effect on the immune system of the patient.
US07727526B2	Use of PTHrP antagonists for treating renal cell carcinoma The present invention concerns the use of a PTHrP antagonist for preparing a pharmaceutical composition for treating renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in a mammal and in particular in a human subject. Advantageously, the invention is of particular interest for inhibiting or reducing tumour growth and/or metastasis formation in kidney cancer and its metastatic developments, in particular in the lung and the liver.
US07727515B2	Deodorant compositions and method A method for preventing the formation and/or for the removal of body odors, comprising priming the skin with a deodorant composition comprising an oil, for a period of time sufficient to allow binding of skin microorganisms and dissolution of odor into said composition, and thereafter washing off said composition with conventional detergents.
US07727505B2	Methods for separating carbon nanotubes by enhancing the density differential A method for separating carbon nanotubes comprises: providing a mixture of carbon nanotubes; introducing an organic molecule having an end group capable of being chelated by a metal ion to the mixture of carbon nanotubes to covalently bond the organic molecule to at least one of the mixture of carbon nanotubes; and introducing a metal salt to the mixture of carbon nanotubes to chelate the end group of the organic molecule with the metal ion of the metal salt; and centrifuging the mixture of carbon nanotubes to cause the separation of the carbon nanotubes based on a density differential of the carbon nanotubes.
US07727504B2	Fibers comprised of epitaxially grown single-wall carbon nanotubes, and a method for added catalyst and continuous growth at the tip The present invention is directed to fibers of epitaxially grown single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and methods of making same. Such methods generally comprise the steps of: (a) providing a spun SWNT fiber; (b) cutting the fiber substantially perpendicular to the fiber axis to yield a cut fiber; (c) etching the cut fiber at its end with a plasma to yield an etched cut fiber; (d) depositing metal catalyst on the etched cut fiber end to form a continuous SWNT fiber precursor; and (e) introducing feedstock gases under SWNT growth conditions to grow the continuous SWNT fiber precursor into a continuous SWNT fiber.
US07727502B2	Process for the production of medium and high purity silicon from metallurgical grade silicon A process for purifying low-purity metallurgical grade silicon, contains at least one contaminant and obtains a higher-purity solid polycrystalline silicon. The process includes containing a melt of low-purity metallurgical grade silicon in a mold having insulated bottom and side walls, and an open top; solidifying the melt by unidirectional solidification from the open top towards the bottom wall while electromagnetically stirring the melt; controlling a rate of the unidirectional solidification; stopping the unidirectional solidification when the melt has partially solidified to produce an ingot having an exterior shell including the higher-purity solid polycrystalline silicon and a center including an impurity-enriched liquid silicon; and creating an opening in the exterior shell of the ingot to outflow the impurity-enriched liquid silicon and leave the exterior shell which has the higher-purity solid polycrystalline silicon.
US07727480B2	Reaction vessel, reaction vessel liquid introducing device, liquid introducing and reaction measuring device, and liquid introducing device The invention relates to a reaction vessel, a reaction vessel liquid introducing device, a liquid introducing and reaction measuring device, and a liquid introducing device, and is directed to being able to perform temperature control of a liquid stored within the reaction vessel with a high accuracy and faithful responsiveness. The reaction vessel comprises: a storage chamber in which a liquid is storable, that has an opening part; a reaction chamber that is formed thinner or narrower than the storage chamber; and at least one flow passage that communicates between the storage chamber or the exterior and the reaction chamber. The reaction vessel is formed such that it is connectable to a liquid introducing section provided externally, and the liquid can be introduced into the reaction chamber by connecting to the liquid introducing section.
US07727471B2	Rare cell detection using flat-panel imager and chemiluminescent or radioisotopic tags Disclosed is a system using a large area flat panel imager which is specifically adapted for rare cell detection methods. The system generally includes an imager having a sample receiving surface which can provide a digital or electronic image of a sample deposited on the surface. The system also includes a selectively positionable microscope and/or camera which are used to obtain high resolution images of the deposited samples. An electronic controller can also be used in conjunction with the imager, microscope, and/or camera to selectively position at least one of those components to focus on desired regions of the deposited sample. The noted system is particularly adapted for use with chemiluminescence or other tagging technologies.
US07727462B2	Method for meltless manufacturing of rod, and its use as a welding rod An article made of a metallic material having its constituent elements is made by furnishing at least one nonmetallic precursor compound, wherein all of the nonmetallic precursor compounds collectively include the constituent elements of the metallic material in their respective constituent-element proportions. The precursor compounds are chemically reduced to produce particles comprising the metallic material, without melting the precursor compounds and without melting the metallic material. The particles may be consolidated into a rod, which may be used as a welding rod in a welding operation. Alternatively, the nonmetallic precursor compounds may be consolidated prior to the chemical reduction.
US07727461B2	Furnace filtration system for molten metal A furnace filtration system for improving the speed and efficiency of a molten metal centrifugal impeller pump contained within a non-ferrous molten metal furnace. The system includes a filtration well located upstream of the pump well. The filtration well includes a filter having a plurality of through filter passages that are sized to prevent any solid contaminants that are larger than the pump's impeller openings from passing therethrough. By preventing any contaminants that cannot pass through the pump, the pump can be run at a higher speed. A furnaces efficiency increases with the centrifugal pump's efficiency increases with its centrifugal pump's speed along with the flow and pressure. Increased flow and pressure increases a furnace's efficiency by a) increasing the melting rate; b) decreasing the energy lost by reducing the metal temperature stratification; and c) reducing the contaminants increases the quality of the metal produced while reducing the amount of nitrogen and chlorine needed to clean the metal.
US07727459B2	Method of manufacturing ceramic honeycomb structure There is disclosed a method of manufacturing a ceramic honeycomb structure, which is capable of controlling a length of slurry pressed into each cell of the honeycomb structure when predetermined cells are plugged at an end surface of the honeycomb structure. A film 4 is attached to an end surface of the honeycomb structure 1. Holes 3a, 3b through the film 4 are made at a position corresponding to openings of predetermined cells 2a, 2b. The end surface is immersed into slurry 6 stored in a container 5 and the end surface is pressed so that the slurry 6 is pressed into the openings of the predetermined cells 2a, 2b. When the holes are made, two or more types of holes 3a, 3b having different diameters are made.
US07727449B2	Method and device for producing fiber-reinforced plastic components Production device and method for producing fiber-reinforced plastic components comprising a semi-finished prepreg product and a dry semi-finished textile product with an aeration and deaeration chamber and an exhaust line opening into the same for producing a vacuum and a semi-finished textile product chamber to receive a dry semi-finished textile product. Into the semi-finished textile product chamber an injection line for inserting resin opens, whereby a prepreg chamber for receiving a semi-finished prepreg product is provided. The prepreg chamber is located against the aeration and deaeration chamber in an air-permeable manner and the semi-finished textile product chamber is located against it at least in areas in an air-impermeable and resin-permeable manner. Due to the air-permeable membranes, a vacuum in the aeration and deaeration chamber generates a vacuum both in the prepreg chamber and in the semi-finished textile product chamber. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
US07727445B2	Method for manufacturing optical film A method for manufacturing an optical film comprising the steps of: 1) casting a dope (a solution), prepared by dissolving thermoplastic resin film raw materials in a solvent, from a casting die onto an at least 1.8 m wide belt support, and 2) drying a cast web (a cast film) peeled from the belt support, wherein the belt support has a thickness (Te) at both right and left end portions, of 5-20% less than a thickness (T) of the remaining portion including the transverse center portion of the belt support, provided that the Te indicates a thickness at both right and left end portions, each having a width (We) of 2-25% of a total width (W) of the belt support when viewed from both right and left side edges thereof.
US07727442B2	Medical device tubing with discrete orientation regions Medical device polymeric tubing segments suitable for forming catheter shafts or as balloon parisons are formed with discrete regions having different orientation relative to each other. Wall thickness may also be varied of the length of the segment.
US07727441B2	Method for producing tissue scaffold having aligned fibrils A tubular tissue scaffold is described which comprises a tube having a wall, wherein the wall includes biopolymer fibrils that are aligned in a helical pattern around the longitudinal axis of the tube where the pitch of the helical pattern changes with the radial position in the tube wall. The scaffold is capable of directing the morphological pattern of attached and growing cells to form a helical pattern around the tube walls. Additionally, an apparatus for producing such a tubular tissue scaffold is disclosed, the apparatus comprising a biopolymer gel dispersion feed pump that is operably connected to a tube-forming device having an exit port, where the tube-forming device is capable of producing a tube from the gel dispersion while providing an angular shear force across the wall of the tube, and a liquid bath located to receive the tubular tissue scaffold from the tube-forming device. A method for producing the tubular tissue scaffolds is also disclosed. Also, artificial tissue comprising living cells attached to a tubular tissue scaffold as described herein is disclosed. Methods for using the artificial tissue are also disclosed.
US07727439B2	Method for making a printing blanket comprising a back layer made of a polymer material and resulting blanket A method for making a printing blanket having an outer lithographic layer and at the back, on the side opposite to the lithographic layer, a layer made of polymer material, entails providing polymer material that can be rectified, and then rectifying the polymer material to help control a thickness of the blanket. The invention is useful in the field of printing machines.
US07727429B2	Core for molding a ceramic discharge vessel A method of molding a ceramic vessel includes compressing a water-soluble powder, suspending the compressed powder shape in a mold, injecting a ceramic molding mixture into the mold, and dissolving the compressed powder by flushing the vessel with water. A core for making an arc discharge vessel that has a discharge chamber and two capillaries includes a molded core of the water-soluble powder having a shape of the discharge chamber, and preferably two capillary-forming pins extending from the molded core. An apparatus for removing the molded core that includes a water reservoir that preferably flushes water through the vessel and dissolves molded core.
US07727421B2	Electrically conductive polymer compositions There is provided an electrically conductive polymer composition, comprising a first electrically conductive polymer doped with an organic solvent wettable fluorinated acid polymer in admixture with a second electrically conductive polymer doped with an organic solvent non-wettable fluorinated acid polymer.
US07727420B2	Corrosion inhibiting compositions Corrosion inhibiting composition for use in aqueous or semi-aqueous stripping, cleaning, abrasive lapping and abrasive slurry compositions that form 5, 6, 7, or 8-membered chelating rings with a base metal together with a film forming polymeric chelation agent. Optionally there is included an oxygen scavenger.
US07727419B2	Reformer and reforming process for production of hydrogen from hydrocarbon fuel The invention provides methods and systems for catalytic reforming of a hydrocarbon fuel to produce hydrogen, which may be used as a power source for a fuel cell. In some embodiments, hydrogen is produced by partial oxidation or autothermal reforming of fuel in an oxygen containing gas stream that is rich the majority of the time, with periodic conversion to a lean gas stream for short periods of time to maintain catalytic activity. In one embodiment, hydrogen peroxide is used as the oxidant in an autothermal reforming process. In some embodiments, hydrogen is produced by steam reforming at a low steam to carbon ratio, with a periodic increase in the steam to carbon ratio for short periods of time to maintain catalytic activity.
US07727416B2	Optical device, method of fabricating the same, and liquid crystal display An optical device is disclosed. The optical device includes: a polymerizable liquid crystal monomer hybrid-aligned in the optical device; and a first polymerizable liquid crystal monomer aligned at a given angle to an alignment processed surface; and a second polymerizable liquid crystal monomer hybrid-aligned relative to the alignment processed surface; wherein viewing-angle dependence of a phase difference of the optical device is controlled by a ratio of the amount of the first polymerizable liquid crystal monomer to the amount of the second polymerizable liquid crystal monomer.
US07727415B2	Fine treatment agent and fine treatment method using same A fine treatment agent according to the present invention is a fine treatment agent for the fine treatment of a multilayer film, including a tungsten film and a silicon oxide film comprising at least one from among hydrogen fluoride, nitric acid, ammonium fluoride and ammonium chloride. Thus, a fine treatment agent which makes fine treatment on a multilayer film, including a tungsten film and a silicon oxide film, possible by controlling the etching rate and a fine treatment method using the same can be provided.
US07727412B2	Dry etching method A dry etching method and the like that can process a layer to be processed in a fine pattern to have a peripheral portion of an angular shape, are described. This dry etching method forms a step portion 21 along a peripheral portion of a first mask layer 20 that corresponds to an outline of an etching pattern in such a manner that the step portion 21 projects toward an opposite side to a magnetic thin layer 18 (layer to be processed).
US07727406B2	Ultraviolet water sterilizer There is provided a water sterilizer. The water sterilizer includes an ultraviolet light source electrically connected to an electrical power source, a light-protective housing encasing the lamp and having an inlet and an outlet, and a pump to draw the water into the housing to expose the water to ultraviolet light. Electric power supplied to the ultraviolet light source has an operating potential of not greater than 24 Volts. There is also provided a method for water sterilization.
US07727403B2	Automated simultaneous separation system for radionuclides in multiple samples and a method for automatically separating uranium (U) using the same Disclosed herein are an automated simultaneous separation system for radionuclides in multiple samples and a method for automatically separating uranium (U) using the same, which can automatically and simultaneously separate multiple samples. The automated simultaneous separation system includes: a solution distributor (30) for distributing a separation solution in seven directions; independent columns (80) of the same number as that of the samples, the columns (80) containing resin for chemical separation; a 8-channel tubing pump (60) for separately injecting the samples into the columns (80); first and second 3-way solenoid valves (50, 90) mounted at the front end and the rear end of the columns (80), and a digital pump speed controller (70) for freely controlling injection speed of the samples and solutions according to separation steps.
US07727402B2	Dual-chamber chromatographic cartridge A chromatography cartridge with a packed bed is manufactured from an inner and outer chamber, the inner chamber being in an insert that is slidable into the outer chamber with openings in each such that a slurry that is originally placed in the interior of the outer chamber flows into the inner chamber as the parts are being pressed into each other. During the assembly, the particles in the slurry are compressed to fill the smaller volume of the inner chamber and excess liquid is discharged through ports in both chambers. The construction allows for a highly precise and reproducible column filling process with a minimum of steps and operator intervention and thereby low cost and reduced error.
US07727396B1	Anaerobic reactor with auger in the effluent line An upflow anaerobic reactor includes an effluent outlet configured to direct effluent out of the reactor and a fluid-filled gas trap configured to prevent loss of biogas from the vessel. An auger assembly is operably coupled to the effluent outlet to prevent clogging of the effluent outlet by solid matter that tends to collect in the effluent outlet. The auger assembly includes at least one helical screw conveyor that rotates so as to remove solid material that collects in the effluent outlet. auger assembly can be operated on a continuous or semi-continuous basis so as to allow for continuous operation of the reactor. The auger assembly can be operated on a continuous or semi-continuous basis so as to allow for continuous operation of the reactor.
US07727392B2	System for converting kinetic energy from Brownian motion of gases or liquids to useful energy, force and work A system for producing energy includes a solvent chamber, a pressure chamber and a semi-permeable barrier separating the solvent chamber from the pressure chamber. The solvent chamber for holds a solvent, and the pressure chamber hold a solute solution comprising a solute dissolved in a solvent. The semi-permeable barrier is permeable to solvent molecules and impermeable to solute molecules. Solvent molecules effuse across the semi-permeable barrier into the solute solution of the closed pressure chamber to increase the pressure of the pressure chamber, thereby generating energy in the form of hydrostatic pressure. A conversion device may convert the increased pressure in the pressure chamber to energy. The solute solution may be expelled and recycled after use.
US07727380B2	Process for heating regeneration gas Disclosed is a process for combusting dry gas to heat the air supplied to an FCC regenerator to increase its temperature and minimize production of undesirable combustion products. Preferably, the dry gas is a selected FCC product gas. Alternatively or additionally, dry gas from an FCC product stream is separated and delivered to an expander to recover power before combustion.
US07727379B2	Process to continuously prepare two or more base oil grades and middle distillates Process to prepare simultaneously two or more base oil grades and middle distillates from a mineral crude derived feed, in particular a de-asphalted oil or a vacuum distillate feed or their mixtures, by performing the following steps: (a) hydrocracking the mineral crude derived feed, thereby obtaining an effluent; (b) distillation of the effluent as obtained in step (a) into one or more middle distillates and a full range residue boiling substantially above 340° C., (c) catalytically dewaxing the full range residue by contacting the residue with a dewaxing catalyst comprising a zeolite of the MTW type and a Group VIII metal, thereby obtaining a dewaxed oil; (d) isolating by means of distillation two or more base oil grades from the dewaxed oil obtained in step (c); and (e) isolating a dewaxed gas oil from the dewaxed-oil obtained in step (c); wherein the dewaxed oil as obtained in step (c) comprises between 10 and 40 wt % of a dewaxed heavy gas oil boiling for more than 70 wt % between 370 and 400° C.
US07727372B2	Anodizing valve metals by self-adjusted current and power A method for anodizing valve metal structures to a target formation voltage is described. The valve metal structures are placed in an anodizing electrolyte and connected to a power supply that generates a source voltage to at least one current limiting device. If at least two current limiting devices are used, they are in series with the valve metal structures with the one current limiting device connected to at least one structure. The valve metal structures are then subjected to a current that decreases over time, a formation voltage that increases over time to a level below the voltage from the power supply and a power level that is self-adjusted to a level that decreases excessive heating in the structure. The invention also includes the components for the method.
US07727370B2	Reference pH sensor, preparation and application thereof A reference pH sensor, the preparation and application thereof. The reference pH sensor is an extended gate field effect transistor (EGFET) structure and comprises a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) on a semiconductor substrate, a sensing unit comprising a substrate, a solid-state conductive sensing layer on the substrate, and a polypyrrole layer on the solid-state conductive sensing layer, and a metal wire connecting the MOSFET and the sensing unit.
US07727365B2	Suction pad and substrate treatment apparatus A suction pad used for use in a substrate treatment apparatus which treats a substrate by immersing the substrate in a solution while the pad attaches to the substrate, including: a main face for attaching to the substrate; an outer face disposed along the outer periphery of the substrate; and a suction opening formed in the main face. In a cross-sectional shape including the main face and the outer face, the angle formed between a line corresponding to the main face and a line corresponding to the outer face is an acute angle.
US07727364B2	Auxiliary electrode encased in cation exchange membrane tube for electroplating cell A method and apparatus for plating a metal onto a substrate. One embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus for electrochemically plating a substrate. The apparatus comprises a fluid basin configured to retain a plating solution therein, an anode assembly disposed in the fluid basin, a substrate support member configured to support the substrate and contact the substrate electrically, and an encased auxiliary electrode assembly disposed in the fluid basin. The encased auxiliary electrode assembly generally comprises an auxiliary electrode disposed in a protective tube.
US07727360B2	Forming sieve for the wet end section of a paper machine A sieve for the wet-end section of a paper machine is described, in which the sieve has been compressed by at least one of increased temperature, pressure and/or moisture. Such a treatment leads to a sieve which has at least one side wherein the thread floats and knuckles are reshaped and the sieve presents at least one substantially flatter surface for the production of paper. This process does not cause any physical damage to the surface of the sieve, as current techniques of abrasively polishing the surface do, and therefore leads to cloths with improved properties and lifetimes.
US07727358B2	Pulp comprising polypyridobisimidazole and other polymers and methods of making same The present invention relates to fibrous pulp comprising a combination of polypyridobisimidazole fibrous structures and fibrous structures derived from another polymer. The invention further relates to processes for making such pulp and articles comprising the pulp.
US07727352B2	Method of producing a polarizing optical element A polarizing optical element is produced by firstly forming a polarizing multilayer structure (30) on a support (31). The structure comprises an orienting layer and a polarizing layer having dichroic compounds, the dichroic compounds being oriented by the orienting layer. The multilayer structure is then pressed against one surface of the optical element (40) through the support, with a portion of adhesive placed between the structure and the optical element. The support (31) for the structure is then removed, leaving the structure (30) bonded to the optical element (40).
US07727347B1	Thermobaric explosives and compositions, and articles of manufacture and methods regarding the same A pressable explosive composition is provided. The composition includes at least 40 weight percent of substantially uncoated fuel particles, a nitramine mechanically blended with the substantially uncoated fuel particles, and a binder coating the nitramine. The binder constitutes about 1 to about 6 weight percent of the pressable explosive composition. Also provided are a pressed thermobaric explosive, weapons containing the pressed thermobaric explosive, and methods for making the composition and thermobaric explosive.
US07727345B2	Copper alloy and method of manufacturing the same Raw materials for a copper alloy are melted in a high frequency smelter and cast, and milling, rolling, and annealing are carried out. Then, rolling is again carried out. Thereafter, the materials are heated at a temperature of 900° C. for one minute and are quenched in water, to be solution treated. Subsequently, the materials are heated at a temperature of 500° C. for five hours for aging, and then are cooled at a cooling rate in a range of 10 to 50° C. per hour until the materials are cooled to a temperature of 380° C.
US07727344B2	Copper alloy suitable for an IC lead pin for a pin grid array provided on a plastic substrate A copper alloy suitable for an IC lead pin for a pin grid array provided on a plastic substrate, which copper alloy is a Cu—Zn—Mg alloy, a Cu—Sn alloy, a Cu—SN—Ag alloy, a Cu—Fe—Zn—P alloy, or a Cu—Cr alloy, each having a given alloy composition, in which the copper alloy has conductivity of 50% IACS or more and tensile stress of 400 MPa to 650 MPa.
US07727343B2	Controlled warm-rolling method The invention presents a new warm control rolling method, in consideration of processing heat generation, as a method of stably manufacturing ultrafine crystal steel of 3 microns to 1 micron or less, without any limitation in pass interval or strain speed, being a rolling method of manufacturing steel mainly composed of fine ferrite particle texture with average ferrite grain size of 3 μm or less, in which, in the rolling process of one pass or more wherein the rolling temperature range is a temperature region of 350° C. to 800° C., the material temperature upon start of rolling of each rolling process does not exceed the maximum temperature of 800° C., and the material temperature during rolling and right after final rolling (within 1 second) is not lower than 350° C., temperature Tx-out right after rolling in each rolling process (within 1 second) is not higher than the temperature that is higher than rolling entry temperature Tx-in by 100° C. and the material temperature right after rolling (within 1 second) is not lower than the temperature that is lower than the temperature right before rolling by 100° C.
US07727338B2	Dishwasher machine with door and handle element A hinged door for a dishwashing machine comprising a handle element for unlocking and actuating the door, the handle element being arranged on an upper side of the door.
US07727333B1	HVPE apparatus and methods for growth of indium containing materials and materials and structures grown thereby Hydride phase vapor epitaxy (HVPE) growth apparatus, methods and materials and structures grown thereby. A HVPE growth apparatus includes generation, accumulation and growth zones. A first reactive gas reacts with an indium source inside the generation zone to produce a first gas product having an indium-containing compound. The first gas product is transported to the accumulation zone where it cools and condenses into a source material having an indium-containing compound. The source material is collected in the accumulation zone and evaporated. Vapor or gas resulting from evaporation of the source material forms reacts with a second reactive gas in the growth zone for growth of ternary and quaternary materials including indium gallium nitride, indium aluminum nitride, and indium gallium aluminum nitride.
US07727330B2	Universal hydraulic binder based on fly ash type F The present invention concerns the development of a simple, multipurpose, low cost, environmental friendly and safe binder formulation and related process, based on high volumes of alkaline activated class F fly ash residue (>760%) without ordinary Portland cement and related products, offering a wide scope of applications. More specifically, the universal binder is based on a very limited number of components (fly ash type F, Blast Furnace Slag and a mixture of alkali silicates and carbonates). The binder allows developing considerable strength at the early stage (at room temperature) and very high resistances at 28 days. The binder applies to pastes, mortars concretes and pre-cast with the same flexibility of an Ordinary Portland Cement.
US07727329B2	Fiber cement building materials with low density additives This invention relates to a formulation with the addition of low density additives of volcanic ash, hollow ceramic microspheres or a combination of microspheres and volcanic ash or other low density additives into cementitious cellulose fiber reinforced building materials. This formulation is advantageously lightweight or low density compared as compared to current fiber cement products without the increased moisture expansion and freeze-thaw degradation usually associated with the addition of lightweight inorganic materials to fiber cement mixes. The low density additives also give the material improved thermal dimensional stability.
US07727325B2	Method for manufacturing pigment dispersion A method for manufacturing a pigment dispersion includes mixing a solution in which a pigment is dissolved in an acid, and a reaction liquid that decreases a solubility of the pigment in the solution, in the presence of a dispersant for the pigment, and causing the pigment to precipitate. The solution and reaction liquid are mixed in the presence of the dispersant and a cyclic carbonate.
US07727321B2	Magenta ink for ink-jet recording A magenta ink for ink-jet recording contains a coloring agent, water and a water soluble organic solvent. Different types of dyes are employed as the coloring agent. In particular, a dye (1) represented by the general formula (1) is used together with at least one dye selected from the group consisting of a dye (2) represented by the general formula (2) in a free acid form, C. I. Acid Red 289 and C. I. Acid Red 52.
US07727320B2	Anthrapyridone compound, magenta ink composition and colored matter The present invention relates to an anthrapyridone compound represented by the following Formula (1) wherein, R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxy lower alkyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a mono- or dialkylaminoalkyl group or a cyano lower alkyl group, X represents a cross linking group, Y represents a phenoxy group having 1 or 2 carboxyl groups in free acid form and a magenta ink composition comprising the same, and provides magenta coloring matter and a magenta ink composition which have hue with high vividness suitable for inkjet recording, gives good fastness to a recorded article and are excellent in storage stability.
US07727318B2	Metal alloy compositions and articles comprising the same Improved compositions are described for the protection of gas turbine parts at elevated temperatures. The compositions are of the MCrAlY type, wherein M is selected from nickel, or a combination of nickel with cobalt, iron, or combinations thereof. The compositions further comprise palladium, platinum, rhodium, or combinations thereof, hafnium, titanium, zirconium, or combinations thereof; and can further include silicon, germanium, or combinations thereof, wherein the composition results in improved Al retention properties. Also disclosed herein are articles comprising the coatings.
US07727313B2	Air dryer The present invention relates to an air dryer (10) for a vehicle air system. The air dryer (10) includes a body (12) and a desiccant canister (14), the body (12) having an inlet (16) to receive air from an air source, an outlet (18) to supply air to a vehicle air system, a purge outlet and a regeneration inlet (24) to receive regenerative airflow from the vehicle air system. The body (12) is further provided with a chamber (28) containing a coalescer (38)positioned between the inlet (16) and the desiccant canister (14), and a bypass valve (34) positioned between the chamber (28) and the purge outlet. The coalescer (38) and bypass valve (34) are arranged such that during normal operation air entering through the inlet (16) passes through the coalescer (38) before reaching the desiccant canister (14) and during regeneration of the desiccant a portion of the regeneration flow passes through the coalescer (38) and the remainder of the regeneration flow bypasses the coalescer (38) through the bypass valve (34). The chamber (28) and coalescer (38) are fully provided within the air dryer body (12).
US07727312B2	Device for drying compressed gas Device for drying a compressed gas in a non-dissipative manner, which mainly consists of a compressed gas supply (2), at least two pressure vessels (31, 32) with an input (33, 34) and an output (35, 36), and a take-off point (26), whereby the device (1) is additionally provided with a first distribution device (3) and a second distribution device (13) which is provided with one or several coolers (30) and whereby the device (1) can be controlled by means of nine or ten cut-off valves (7-12, 21, 22, 29, 38 and 40).
US07727308B2	Non-evaporable getter alloys for hydrogen sorption Non-evaporable getter alloys are provided which can be activated at relatively low temperatures and are capable of efficiently sorbing hydrogen.
US07727306B2	Systems and methods for flow-through treatment of contaminated fluids A system for use in the treatment of contaminated fluid is provided. The system includes a source from which contaminated fluid may be introduced into the system, and a reservoir for an adsorbent material designed to remove contaminants from the fluid. The system also includes a reactor within which the adsorbent material and the contaminated fluid may be accommodated for treatment. A separation device may further be included for removing spent adsorbent materials from the system. A method for treating contaminated fluid is also provided.
US07727304B2	Smelting process for the production of iron A process for producing iron metal and slag by smelting iron-containing source material, having iron present as oxide and/or a partially metalized state, in a reactor containing a molten bath comprising or having a slag phase, utilises injection of fuel/reductant and oxygen-containing gas into the slag, by at least one top-submerged lance, to generate heating and reducing conditions in at least one reducing region in the bath. The source material is fed to the reactor, together with additional reductant and with flux, at or adjacent to the at least one reducing region, to subject the source material to smelting reduction which generates combustion gases comprising CO and H2. The rates of injection of the oxygen-containing gas and fuel/reductant by said at least one lance are controlled to achieve required, sufficient reducing conditions; and, in the reactor above the bath, the combustion gases generated by the smelting are post-combusted. The controlling of step (c) is conducted to result in the injected oxygen-containing gas having an oxygen content of from about 40 volume % to about 100 volume % and sufficient for a degree of combustion in excess of 60 wt % of the fuel/reductant injected by the at least one lance.
US07727303B2	Non-magnetic nickel powders and method for preparing the same Provided are non-magnetic nickel powders and a method for preparing the same. The nickel powders are non-magnetic and have a HCP crystal structure. An exemplary method includes (a) dispersing nickel powders with a FCC crystal structure in an organic solvent to prepare a starting material dispersion, and (b) heating the starting material dispersion to transform the nickel powders with the FCC crystal structure to the nickel powders with the HCP crystal structure. The nickel powders do not exhibit magnetic agglomeration or aggregation phenomenon. Therefore, exemplary pastes for inner electrode formation in various electronic devices, which contain the nickel powders of the present disclosure, can be provided in a relatively uniform, well-dispersed state because of the reduced aggregation and agglomeration of the nickel powder. Also, inner electrodes made of the nickel powders can have a low impedance value even at high frequency band.
US07727300B1	Polymeric structures with patterned reactivity Disclosed are polymeric constructs that can advantageously be utilized in a wide variety of fluid contact devices. The constructs include two or more polymeric materials, at least one of which includes reactive functionality so as to preferentially interact with an analyte of interest. The polymeric constructs include the reactive materials in discrete areas of the devices, so as to provide the reactive functionality in a patterned array across a fluid contacting surface of the device. The reactive functionality can be provided in a macro-, a micro-, or a nano-patterned array, depending upon the specific parameters of the formation process. The devices can be utilized in separation protocols as well as other applications involving controlled fluid flow across a reactive surface.
US07727296B2	Collecting unit for semiconductor process A collecting unit is disposed on an exhaust passage of a semiconductor processing apparatus to collect by-products contained in an exhaust gas. The collecting unit includes a trap body detachably disposed inside a casing and configured to collect a part of the by-products. The trap body includes fins arrayed in a flow direction of the exhaust gas and having a surface on which a part of the by-products is deposited and trapped. The collecting unit further includes a receiving mechanism disposed inside the casing and configured to receive a part of the by-products that peels off from the trap body or an inner surface of the casing to prevent this part from being deposited on a bottom of the casing. The receiving mechanism is configured to allow a part of the by-products held thereon to be in contact with a cleaning gas from above and from below.
US07727293B2	Hydrogen generating fuel cell cartridges A gas-generating apparatus includes a cartridge including a reservoir having a first reactant and a reaction chamber, and a receiver that can include a flow control device. The receiver is adapted to receive the cartridge and to transport the first reactant to the reaction chamber after connection with the cartridge. The flow control device is adapted to stop the transport of reactant when the pressure in the reaction chamber reaches a predetermined pressure.
US07727282B2	Method and apparatus for implanting a prosthesis A method and apparatus for implanting various portions of a prosthesis into an anatomy. The instruments can include portions that allow for positive and rigid engagement with a selected prosthesis member to allow for positioning it relative to the anatomy. Further, various instruments can include portions that allow it to engage or match with marking portions or alignment portions on a first prosthesis member to align a second prosthesis member with the first one. Further, methods of using the various instruments are taught and providing for a less or minimally invasive procedure.
US07727280B2	Bone fusion device A bone fusion device provides stability to bones during a bone fusion period. The bones include, for example, the vertebrae of a spinal column. The bone fusion device comprises one or more extendable tabs attached to the bone fusion device by associated rotating means. The bone fusion device is preferably inserted by using an arthroscopic surgical procedure. During arthroscopic insertion of the device, the tabs are pre-configured for compactness. In this compact configuration, the tabs are preferably deposed along and/or within an exterior surface of the bone fusion device. After the bone fusion device has been positioned between the bones, one or more tab(s) are extended. In the preferred embodiment, the position of each tab is related to a positioning element and an extending block. Typically, the tabs advantageously position and brace the bone fusion device in the confined space between the bones until the bones have fused.
US07727279B2	Minimally invasive apparatus to manipulate and revitalize spinal column disc A method and apparatus are provided to manipulate and revitalize a spinal column disc while minimizing or preventing the removal of material comprising the disc. The method allows a device to be inserted in the disc either through a pre-existing rupture or through an opening formed in the front, back, or sides of the disc. Increasing the space between the vertebra bounding the disc or removing disc material often is not necessary to insert the device in the disc. The device generates internal traction or other forces acting on the disc to alter the shape of the disc. The shape of the disc is altered to relieve pressure on nerves adjacent the disc. The shape of the disc is also altered to draw nuclear hernias back into the interior of the disc and to produce a disc shape that improves functioning of the disc.
US07727273B2	Medical devices and methods of making the same Medical devices, such as stents, and methods of making the devices are disclosed. In some embodiments, a medical device includes an alloy having tantalum, tungsten, zirconium and niobium. For example, the alloy can include from about 20% to about 40% by weight of tantalum, from about 0.5% to about 9% by weight of tungsten, and from about 0.5% to about 10% by weight of zirconium.
US07727265B2	Bone support plate assembly A sliding bone support plate assembly comprises at least first and second plates which slide with respect to each other, varying the length of the plate assembly by plate-on-plate sliding after bone screws mount the plate assembly to vertebrae in a recipient. The plates comprise cooperating sliding structures which cooperate with each other to interconnect the plates to each other and to facilitate sliding movement of the plates with respect to each other. Such sliding accommodates varying the length of the plate assembly, and relieving stress which would otherwise be imposed on the plate assembly by post-procedural settling of respective vertebrae to which the plates are mounted without requiring any movement of a plate with respect to a bone to which that plate is mounted. The plate assembly is fabricated using bio-compatible, bio-stable materials which are safe for extended use in a living human, and which are not generally assimilated.
US07727263B2	Articulating spinal implant Disclosed are methods and devices for accessing and treating the spine, while minimizing trauma to surrounding tissue. A device is introduced through tissue, to an access point on the spine. The device is thereafter advanced axially within the spine, from the access point across a treatment zone. In one embodiment, the device comprises an articulating spinal implant comprising a first elongate segment, a second elongate segment, and an articulating joint between the first and second segments.
US07727255B2	Access sealing apparatus and method A surgical access device includes a seal housing and a roller disposed in the housing and defining a working channel. The roller may be stationary or moveable within the seal housing to form both a zero seal in the absence of an instrument, and an instrument seal in the presence of an instrument. Rotation of the roller is contemplated and low-friction surfaces are discussed to reduce instrument insertion forces. Multiple rollers, wiper elements, low-friction braid, pivoting elements and idler rollers are contemplated. The rollers will typically be formed of a gel material in order to facilitate the desired compliance, stretchability and elongation desired.
US07727247B2	Living tissue ligation device This invention includes a clip having arms which grip living tissue, a press tube serving as a clamping member which is fitted and mounted on the clip to close the arms of the clip, a coupling member which can be inserted into the press tube and engages with the clip, and projections serving as lock portions which hold the arms of the clip in a closed state when the clip engages with the press tube.
US07727242B2	Systems, methods and devices for removing obstructions from a blood vessel Devices and methods for removing an obstruction from a blood vessel are described. The devices are deployed in a collapsed condition and are then expanded within the body. The devices are then manipulated to engage and remove the obstruction.
US07727239B2	Milling system with guide paths and related methods for resecting a joint articulation surface A milling system for use in resecting at least a portion of a joint articulation surface of a bone includes an alignment guide having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface with an opening extending therebetween. Fasteners are used to secure the alignment guide to the bone so that the alignment guide is suspended above the bone. A template is removably mounted to the alignment guide so that a plurality of guide paths extending through the template are aligned with the opening in the alignment guide. A mill extends down through the guide path and has a burr on the end thereof for resecting the bone.
US07727236B2	Instrumentation for fixation devices An instrument assembly for bone drilling. The instrument assembly can include a soft tissue sleeve defining an internal channel, and an irrigation cap removably coupled to the sleeve. The irrigation cap can include a delivery port connectable to an irrigation source for delivering irrigation to the internal channel, the port in fluid communication with the internal channel.
US07727233B2	Spinous process stabilization devices and methods Devices and methods for supporting adjacent spinous processes include opposing plates movable toward one another along a cross post to contact opposite sides of each of the spinous processes, and a spacer member about the cross post contacting the adjacent surfaces of the spinous processes to resist movement of the spinous processes toward one another under spinal extension motion.
US07727229B2	Method and apparatus for altering conduction properties in the heart and in adjacent vessels Method and apparatus for treating conductive irregularities in the heart, particularly atrial fibrillation and accessory path arrythmias. An ablative catheter is positioned relative to an inter-atrial electrical pathway, or a vicinity of accessory paths such as the coronary sinus or fossa ovalis, and actuated to form a lesion that partially or completely blocks electrical conduction in at least one direction along the pathway.
US07727225B2	Coaxial catheter systems for transference of medium A method, technique and system is disclosed for the delivery of therapeutic agents and/or into the bulk brain tissues and other parts, tissues and organs of the body, including vasculature. A novel form of coaxial catheter provides a means for implanting an outer tube into the brain, then inserting an inner tube into the outer tube and aligning them such that port holes on both of the tubes will overlap and permit a flux of the therapeutic agent to flow into the brain in such a way as to minimize the effects of trapped air, virtually eliminate backflow of the agent, and avoid the potential for additional damage to the brain since only one surgical placement of the outer tube is needed. Similarly, the method, technique system may be utilized to remove fluids or other medium from the brain, tissues, and organs to minimize the effects of escaped air or negative pressure.
US07727222B2	Patient hydration system with taper down feature A patient hydration system with an infusion subsystem which infuses fluid into a patient and a urine output measurement subsystem for measuring the amount of urine output by the patient. A controller is configured to control the infusion subsystem and is responsive to the urine output measurement subsystem. The controller includes a balancing function which controls the infusion subsystem to administer fluid infused into the patient to balance the urine output with the fluid infusion. The controller also includes a taper down function which controls the infusion subsystem to administer fluid infused into the patient at a rate less than the rate of urine output by the patient.
US07727220B2	Connecting device, a medical system, and a method of connecting medical subsystems The invention refers to a medical system comprising a first subsystem with a first connection portion (7), and a second subsystem with a second connection portion (12). The invention also refers to a device and a method for connecting the subsystems to each other. One of the subsystems contains a fluid. The connecting device is adapted to connect the subsystems to each other to permit transport of the fluid from one of the subsystems to the other subsystem. The device comprises a container (21) enclosing an inner space. A substantially sterile atmosphere is provided in the inner space. The container receives the first connection portion and the second connection portion in the inner space. A mechanism is provided for connecting, from outside the container, the first connection portion and the second connection portion to each other in the inner space.
US07727211B2	Absorbent article having a replaceable absorbent core component having an insertion pocket Absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinent briefs, training pants, diaper holders and liners, and the like, designed to provide improved fit and comfort for the wearer while adequately containing body exudates. The absorbent article includes an absorbent core designed so as to retain low levels of fluid in the crotch region, relative to the other core regions, even when the core absorbs significant amounts of fluid during use. To achieve this, the absorbent core is designed such that fluid is moved substantially from the crotch region to the front and/or rear ends of the article. The absorbent core has a non-removable absorbent core component in the crotch region and removable absorbent core components in the front or rear regions of the article.
US07727197B2	Duodenoscope needle A surgical device for injecting a chemical agent within a subject for use in endoscopic injection therapies is disclosed. The device includes a support body, a motion transmitting unit, an agent delivery system and a guide housing. The motion transmitting unit is movable relative to the support body. The agent delivery system includes a needle for extending into a subject and structure defining a conduit between the support body and the needle. The guide housing has a flexible elongated body, an internal elongated passage and friction reducing material lining the passage. At least a portion of the motion transmitting unit adjacent the needle is slideably housed within the guide housing. The device offers a surgeon improved ease of needle extension and retraction when the distal end of the endoscope is bent at acute angles.
US07727187B2	Scored catheter device A catheter device including an elongate tubular shaft having a consistent material composition for a substantial proportion of its length. The device includes a proximal shaft portion having a first flexibility and a distal shaft portion having a second flexibility, wherein the second flexibility is greater than the first flexibility and wherein at least the distal shaft portion comprises at least one score in a surface thereof.
US07727180B2	Method and apparatus for presetting device operating levels with display Techniques for control of fluid delivery from a fluid reservoir by a medical infusion pump are described. Setting of at least one electronically-controllable pumping parameter is determined by the use of one or more mechanical keys. The mechanical key actuates one or more electronic switches of a mechanical key receptacle coupled to the medical infusion pump. The electronic switches are coupled to the medical infusion pump to control the at least one electronically-controllable pumping parameter. Keys can be differently configured to actuate different switches corresponding to particular settings and can include display indicia showing the particular parameter value set by the key.
US07727178B2	Catheter with multiple ultrasound radiating members A catheter for delivering ultrasonic energy and therapeutic compounds to a treatment site within a patient's vasculature comprises a tubular body. The tubular body has a proximal region and a distal region opposite the proximal region. The catheter further comprises a plurality of fluid delivery lumens formed into the tubular body. The catheter further comprises an inner core configured for insertion into the tubular body. The inner core comprises an elongate electrical conductor having a plurality of flattened regions, each flattened region having a first flat side and a second flat side opposite the first flat side. The inner core further comprises a plurality of ultrasound radiating members mounted in pairs to the flattened regions of the elongate electrical conductor. A first ultrasound radiating member is mounted to the first flat side of the elongate electrical conductor, and a second ultrasound radiating member is mounted to the second flat side of the elongate electrical conductor. The catheter further comprises control electronics configured to apply a driving signal to at least two, but fewer than all, of the ultrasound radiating members.
US07727154B2	Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus For the purpose of acquiring three-dimensional data for a contrast-enhanced image at an appropriate scan plane distance even for a different moving rate of an ultrasonic probe or for a different subject or imaged region, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises: an image producing section for producing an image based on received data obtained from one scan plane; a correlation value calculating section for calculating a correlation value between images; a low-MI scan control section for repeatedly conducting a scan with such a low MI value as not break contrast agent until a correlation value between an initial image and a current image becomes smaller than a threshold; and a high-MI scan control section for, when the correlation value becomes smaller than the threshold, capturing one image with such a high MR value as to break contrast agent and returning control to the low-MI scan control section.
US07727153B2	Ultrasonic blood vessel measurement apparatus and method Disclosed are systems and methods for identifying various tissue structure aspects, such as boundaries of arterial walls, within an image, such as an ultrasound image. Various measurements may be made using information with respect to the identified aspects of tissue structure. For example, intima-media thickness measurements may be made. Additionally or alternatively, tissue structure aspects, such as plaque within an artery, may be characterized, such as by determining a density thereof. Various information, such as measurement datums, used in identification of aspects of tissue structure in one image may be stored and applied to subsequent images, such as images of a video sequence.
US07727152B2	Method and apparatus for scanning confocal acoustic diagnostic for bone quality The invention comprises a system and method for determining at least one material property of a material sample (such as a bone sample) at at least one point. The system includes a transmitting ultrasonic transducer and a receiving ultrasonic transducer, both transducers being confocal transducers. The transducers are configured to receive the material sample therebetween such that the confocal point of the transducers are located at the at least one point in the material sample. A processor initiates an ultrasonic signal from the transmitting transducers that is transmitted trough the at least one point of the material sample when positioned between the transducers. The ultrasonic signal is received by the receiving transducing and the processor in turn receives a signal reflecting one or more measures of the received ultrasonic signal. The processor determines at least one ultrasonic parameter for the at least one point of the material sample based upon the transmitted and received ultrasonic signals. The processor further determines the at least one material property at the point of the sample based upon the at least one ultrasonic parameter.
US07727143B2	Locator system for implanted access port with RFID tag An access port locator system for adjustable gastric bands. The system includes an access port with an RFID tag with its antenna adjacent to the receiving portion of the port. The system includes a locator with radio frequency transmitter/receiver circuitry for sending read or interrogation signals to the RFID tag and for sending write signals to the tag to write treatment data to memory of the RFID tag. The locator also includes an antenna array with four patch antenna arranged in pairs to model two monopulse radar antenna systems. The locator also includes processor(s) and logic modules/circuitry for processing the tag response signals received by the antenna array to determine location information for the RFID tag and associated port, i.e., to identify the center of the port relative to the antennae array or array face such as with strength and direction information relative to the array face.
US07727134B2	Developing roller, process for its production, developing assembly and image forming apparatus A developing roller having a surface layer which contains a urethane resin composed of a reaction product of an isocyanate with a group of specific alcohols and has a surface having a contact angle to ethylene glycol of from 60.0 degrees or more to 90.0 degrees or less and a contact angle to diiodomethane of from 30.0 degrees or more to 38.0 degrees or less. The developing roller is highly reliable as having controlled banding which is an image difficulty caused at the part of contact between the developing roller and a developer feed roller.
US07727130B2	Weight-lifting apparatus and method of assembling same A fixed weight/permanent weight-lifting apparatus including dumbbells and barbells is provided that have an elongated shaft with a centrally located handle and ends having a smaller diameter than the handle, a pre-coated head welded to each of these ends with a centrally located channel connecting its inner face and its outer face and a counter bore machined into its outer face of the head forming an inner collar. The channel has a diameter sufficient to receive the portion of the end of said shaft that extends beyond the inner collar. Each of the inner collars are joined to that portion of the end that extends beyond the collar.
US07727127B1	Multi-station/ multi-functional martial arts device A board support assembly has a vertical axis. A plurality of training stations is attached to and extends radially from the board support assembly. One of the training stations includes interior and exterior plates. A pair of projections extends radially outwardly from the exterior plate. The projections have parallel exterior surfaces and an associated strap. In this manner a martial arts training board may be received and supported. The martial arts training board has edges positionable between the exterior surfaces of the projections and the straps. A rotation assembly includes a pivot pin. The pivot pin couples the interior and exterior plates for rotation about a horizontal axis.
US07727114B2	Agricultural machine with PTO torque limiting feature A drive assembly for an agricultural machine. A power take off (PTO) output shaft is connected to a driving motor for driving an attachment. A drive transmission is positioned between and interconnects the driving motor and the support wheels of the agricultural machine. An input device is connected to an electronic control unit. A sensor senses the torque transferred between an attachment and the PTO output shaft, and an actuator is configured to change the transmission ratio of the drive transmission, thereby setting the propulsion speed of the agricultural machine such that the torque transferred between the PTO output shaft and an attachment does not exceed a pre-determined value. The electronic control unit further receives data from the input device and calculates a pre-determined value based on the data received, and thereafter controls the actuator accordingly.
US07727113B2	Controller and control method of vehicle An ECU executes a program sets a driver requested torque based on the accelerator operation amount, and sets a torque-boost amount so that the torque-boost amount increases as the driver requested torque increases, until the driver requested torque exceeds a predetermined torque T(0). When the driver requested torque exceeds the predetermined torque T(0), the torque-boost amount decreases as the driver requested torque increases. However, the torque obtained by adding the torque-boost amount to the driver requested torque increases as the accelerator operation amount increases.
US07727112B2	Control system for power transmission unit of vehicle A control system for a power transmission unit of a vehicle transmitting power outputted from a prime mover is disclosed. The control system includes a resonance detecting/predicting device which detects or predicts a generation of a resonance of the power transmission unit resulting from a power transmission; a driving condition detecting device which detects a driving condition of a vehicle in case the generation of a resonance is detected or predicted by the resonance detecting/predicting device; and a resonance dampening control selecting device which selects a control for dampening the detected or predicted resonance on the basis of the driving condition of the vehicle detected by the driving condition detecting device.
US07727110B2	Continuously variable planetary gear set A continuously variable planetary gear set is described having a generally tubular idler, a plurality of balls distributed radially about the idler, each ball having a tiltable axis about which it rotates, a rotatable input disc positioned adjacent to the balls and in contact with each of the balls, a rotatable output disc positioned adjacent to the balls opposite the input disc and in contact with each of the balls such that each of the balls makes three-point contact with the input disc, the output disc and the idler, and a rotatable cage adapted to maintain the axial and radial position of each of the balls, wherein the axes of the balls are oriented by the axial position of the idler.
US07727109B2	Vehicular drive control apparatus and control method of vehicular drive system A rotation speed of a transmitting member is controlled such that a predetermined rotation speed difference or predetermined rotation speed ratio is obtained between the rotation speed of the transmitting member and an eighth rotating element or a fourth rotating element. By detecting a change in the rotation speed of a second motor that is connected to the transmitting member when an apply device is applied, it is possible to determine the time at which a first clutch or a second clutch starts to be applied and the time at which the first clutch or the second clutch is completely applied. As a result, it is possible to control the apply pressure of the first clutch or the second clutch and thus rapidly execute a shift.
US07727107B2	Continuously variable transmission A continuously variable transmission is disclosed for use in rotationally or linearly powered machines and vehicles. The single axle transmission provides a simple manual shifting method for the user. An additional embodiment is disclosed which shifts automatically dependent upon the rotational speed of the wheel. Further, the practical commercialization of traction roller transmissions requires improvements in the reliability, ease of shifting, function and simplicity of the transmission. The disclosed transmission may be used in vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles, and bicycles. The transmission may, for example, be driven by a power transfer mechanism such as a sprocket, gear, pulley or lever, optionally driving a one way clutch attached at one end of the main shaft.
US07727106B2	Continuously variable transmission A variable ratio transmission for mechanically coupling an input member to an output member, the variable ratio transmission allowing the conversion of an input rotational motion of the input member into an output rotational motion of the output member, the input rotational motion having an input speed and an input torque and the output rotational motion having an output speed and an output torque. The variable ratio transmission includes a variable ratio transmission assembly mechanically coupled to the input member and to the output member for rotating the output member at the output speed in response to the input member being rotated at the input speed, the variable ratio transmission assembly defining a transmission ratio between the output speed and the input speed, the transmission ratio being variable; and a ratio controller mechanically coupled to the variable ratio transmission assembly and to the input member for automatically adjusting the transmission ratio as a function of the input torque.
US07727089B2	Athletic training sled apparatus A weight sled apparatus useful for strength training and simulating the resistance of an opponent during a blocking event has a tubular construction forming a U-shaped member having a pair of parallel legs which serve as runners. A weight bearing member affixed to and extending between the pair of runners allows mounting of removable mount weights on a horn projecting therefrom. A crossbar extending between the runner ends presents a rearward facing surface at least 8 inches above the plane of the runners against which force may applied. An optional handlebar attachment presents a rearward facing surface against which force may applied in a range from 8 inches to 40 inches above the plane of the runners and normal thereto. The weight sled affords a trainee multiple force application surfaces near the center of gravity of the sled and at differing vertical heights, enabling a more realistic simulation of the resistance presented during a blocking event.
US07727080B1	Golf driver impact analyzer A golf swing analyzer providing a learning tool for golfers to help improve golf backswing and club face angle consistency. To gage the club angle relative to swing path, a fence is placed and held on the shaft perpendicular to the club face. During a golf swing, an air flow along this fence is created by the swinging motion of the club. For a perfect square shot, the pressures are equal on both sides of the fence; otherwise, as the fence angle changes relative to air flow, one side compacts the air, creating a high-pressure area while at the same time the opposite side dams the air flow and creates a low-pressure area. A differential pressure transducer detects this pressure difference on each side of the fence. When the ball is struck, a microphone in the device detects the ball impact and a microprocessor interprets the fence position relative to air flow based on the pressure transducer output. A microprocessor-driven speaker outputs a unique audio tone at the moment of ball impact which indicates whether the club face angle was open, closed or square, relative to the swing path.
US07727076B2	Free-standing jumping device An apparatus includes a support frame, a resilient member, a seat, and a retainer. The resilient member has a first end portion configured to be coupled to the support frame and a second end portion, opposite from the first end portion. The seat is configured to be coupled to the second end portion such that the seat is suspended from the support frame by the resilient member. At least one of the first end portion and the second end portion includes multiple sleeves, each defining an opening therein. A portion of the retainer is configured to be disposed within a first one of the sleeves and coupled to at least one of the seat and the support frame such that a position of the seat relative to the support frame is adjustable by disposing the portion of the retainer within a second one of the sleeves.
US07727073B2	Coupling plate for engine-driven generator A coupling plate for an engine-driven generator on which a balance weight can be mounted and which is simple in structure and is constituted by a same hole making pattern. In a coupling plate for an engine-driven generator driving a generator by an engine, a plurality of elastic disks overlapped integrally are provided, and the elastic disks have one of the inner circumference side and the outer circumference side in the radial direction connected to the engine and the generator as the input side and the other as the output side, and in each of the elastic disks, a plurality of holes including small-diameter weight mounting holes and large-diameter weight escape holes distributed/arranged with a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction are drilled so that the holes of the respective disks are positionally overlapped with each other.
US07727068B2	Gaming system having a common display, a first bonus game or a first bonus game paytable and an option to purchase a second bonus game or a second bonus game paytable with relatively expected higher values A gaming system including a plurality of gaming devices and a shared or a common secondary display associated with the gaming devices. In one embodiment, the shared display is adjacent to one or more of the gaming devices of the gaming system. The gaming system includes at least one primary game and at least one secondary or bonus game. The bonus game is associated with a plurality of average expected payouts or values. In one embodiment, the bonus game that is played on the secondary display is associated with a higher average expected payout or higher values than the average expected payouts or values of the bonus game played on the individual gaming devices. When the player places a designated wager, they qualify to play the game on the secondary display and thus qualify for a chance to win the higher awards.
US07727066B2	Game machine, game machine system, and method of controlling a game machine reel spin time A game machine includes a monitor, a comparator and an adjuster. The monitor monitors a difference between the amount of game value inserted and the amount of game value paid. The comparator compares the difference with a preset reference value. The adjuster extends a game time of a game performed on the monitor when a result of the comparison that the difference is greater than the reference value is determined by the comparator.
US07727064B1	Interactive bingo gaming system and method A system and method of playing an interactive bingo game. Each game session comprises a plurality of game events in which the bingo game draws at least one bingo number from a set of bingo numbers. The player is provided with one or more bingo cards. The game drawn bingo numbers are matched to the bingo cards and the player is awarded a prize according to a dynamic paytable. The dynamic paytable depends on a plurality of dynamic variables that are modified during the game session. The dynamic paytable further comprises a plurality of triggering events that are associated with a plurality of bingo patterns, and a threshold event that is engaged after one or more triggering events. The threshold event is configured to determine a plurality of prize credits awarded for each subsequent bingo pattern. For the chargeable action embodiment, the player is charged one or more credits for each of the game events and the credits that are charged are determined by said player. For the average bet embodiment, the player is only charged at the beginning of the game session.
US07727062B2	Game of chance and system and method for playing games of chance A game of chance is provided in which a wagering game of skill and chance is played electronically automatically according to a predetermined set of rules. Such games of chance may include card games, such as poker and blackjack, or other games, such as dominoes, craps or backgammon. Such games may be reduced to games of chance, removing the element of player skill, and allowing such games to be played outside legal gaming jurisdictions.
US07727059B2	Method and apparatus for acoustic noise reduction in a computer system having a vented door including a pivotable vented base and a pivotable outer door A vented door for a computer system includes a vented base and an outer door. The vented base and the outer door are separately pivotable. The vented base is pivotably attached to the computer system's enclosure for movement between a closed configuration where the vented base abuts against a panel of the enclosure and an open configuration where the vented base is swung away from the panel. The outer door is pivotably attached to the vented base to avoid interfering with a neighboring computer system's vented door as the vented base is pivoted to the open configuration. An acoustic noise reduction lining is provided on the outer door and in the air flow apertures of the vented base. The outer door is preferably removable from the vented base so that the combined weight of the vented base and the outer door need not be lifted when removal is necessary.
US07727055B2	Flexible membrane for carrier head A carrier head that has a base assembly, a retaining ring assembly, a carrier ring, and a flexible membrane is described. The flexible membrane has a main portion and an outer annular portion, wherein a junction between the main portion and the outer annular portion comprises a peripheral edge hinge and an annular recess above the hinge along the outer wall of the outer annular portion.
US07727043B2	Curling structure for a simulated aquatic creature and the like A curling structure for use in mechanical swimming creatures and the like includes a series of jointed segments pivotally connected together, with cross members pivotally connected between non-adjacent segments. Each cross member has its first end pivotally connected to a given segment above the pivot point connecting that segment to an adjacent segment, and its second end connected to a non-adjacent segment below the pivot point which connects that non-adjacent segment to the next segment. The result is that as one segment pivots about the joint connecting it to an adjacent segment, the cross members cause all of the segments to curl in a single direction.
US07727036B1	System and method for controlling movement of a marine vessel A system and method are provided for controlling movement of a marine vessel. An operator controllable device outputs a signal that is representative of an operator-desired rate of position change of the vessel about or along an axis. A sensor outputs a signal that is representative of a sensed actual rate of position change of the vessel about or along the axis. A rate of position change controller outputs a rate of position change command based upon the difference between the desired rate of position change and the sensed rate of position change. A vessel coordination controller controls movement of the vessel based upon the rate of position change command.
US07727029B2	Connector arrangement having multiple independent connectors A connector arrangement comprising an elongate member with electrically conducting areas forming a first connector and a second connector being arranged inside said elongate member ? The second connector is usable independently of the first connector.
US07727028B1	Electrical connector with contact terminals designed to improve impedance An electrical connector includes a row of terminals (20) having a pair of differential signal terminals (21) mounted on a mating tongue (11). Each of the signal contact terminals has a rear end (211) on a back outer face of the connector and a free mounting end (213) away from the back outer face. The free mounting ends are located on a first end row and bent from the rear ends and away from each other in opposite transverse directions so as to widen a pitch therebetween to improve impendence for decreasing interference.
US07727023B2	Electrical card connector An electrical card connector (100) includes an insulating housing (30), a metal shield (10) shielding over the insulating housing for defining a card receiving space, a plurality of contacts (32) received in the insulating housing and a base (20) assembled at a side of the metal shield. The insulating housing has a body portion (31) and first and second assembling boards (301, 302) formed at two ends of the body portion. The first assembling board defines a first retaining hole (35) and the second assembling board defines a second retaining hole (37). The base includes a guiding portion (21), an extending portion (22) at a front part of the guiding portion and a protruding portion (23) bending laterally from a distal end of the extending portion. The metal shield forms a first fastening element (15) received in the first retaining hole. A second fastening element (27) is retained by the protruding portion and is received in the second retaining hole.
US07727022B2	On harness PCB electrical center An electrical center is mounted on a wiring harness. The electrical center comprises an upper insulator housing having a plurality of upper terminal receiving cavities, a circuit board assembly disposed in the upper housing below the upper terminal receiving cavities, a plurality of terminals mounted on the circuit board contact portions above the circuit board disposed in the upper terminal receiving cavities for engaging mating terminals plugged into the upper terminal receiving cavities, and a lower insulator housing having a plurality of lower terminal receiving cavities. The terminals mounted on the circuit board have contact portions below the circuit board disposed in the lower terminal receiving cavities for engaging mating terminals that are attached to wires of the wiring harness and that are plugged in the lower terminal receiving cavities. The upper housing may be mated to the lower housing in a prestaged condition to facilitate loading of the mating terminals that are attached to the wires of the wiring harness. The housings are adapted for use with a press holder to move from the prestaged condition to the fully seated condition.
US07727012B2	Radial and thrust snap bearing retainer The invention provides a connector for coax cable with a snap bearing providing the interface between the inner body and the outer body. A concave surface below the snap bearing, which is retained by a pair of shoulders, allows the snap bearing to elastically deform during assembly of the connector to thereby reduce the risk of plastic deformation of the components while allowing significant improvements in overlap at the interface of the components.
US07727009B2	Panel mount light emitting element assembly A light emitting element assembly for mounting to a panel. The assembly includes a housing configured to receive a light emitting element therein. In addition, the assembly includes a bezel having at least one latch arm extending from a surface of the bezel, wherein the bezel is configured to detachably engage a surface within the housing. The bezel is further configured to retain the assembly in a position relative to the panel. The assembly also includes a mounting structure having the light emitting element operably mounted therein.
US07727002B2	Electrical disconnect with adjacent wire receptacle boxes An electrical disconnect has a pair of selectably engageable enclosures each including a housing and one or more terminals supported therein. The terminals each have a spring finger at an outer end opposite wire ports in the cap to receive a stripped end of a wire in a push-in engagement. The terminals are releasably engageable in overlapping relation in an engagement zone. The housings have wire receiving receptacles therein which reside in the engagement zone when the enclosures are joined.
US07726998B2	Locking pin A high voltage electrical connector that includes a male interconnect, a female interconnect and a locking pin assembly. The male interconnect includes a contact pin with a locking groove and the female interconnect includes a socket with an axial bore, a transverse passage and an opening connecting the bore to the passage. The locking pin assembly is installed in the passage and has a recessed section and a cylindrical section. The locking pin assembly is movable between a first position, wherein the bore is unobstructed and the contact pin can be freely inserted and removed, and a second position, wherein the cylindrical section of the locking pin extends into the bore. After the contact pin is inserted in the bore and the locking groove aligned with the opening, the locking pin assembly is moved from the first position to the second position and secures the contact pin in the socket.
US07726994B1	Electrical connector for a helmet-mounted night vision system An electrical connector for a helmet-mounted night vision system including a receptacle assembly and a mating plug assembly. The receptacle assembly is configured to be mechanically coupled either directly or indirectly to a helmet and electrically coupled to a night vision device that is mounted to the helmet. The plug assembly is configured to be mechanically and electrically coupled to a battery pack. The plug assembly and the receptacle assembly are configured to be releasably mated together in at least two different orientations for releasably mounting the battery pack to the helmet and supplying power from the battery pack to a night vision device that is mounted to the helmet.
US07726991B2	Electrical card connector with a wedge-shaped block A card connector, comprising: an insulative housing having a base, a first passageway and a second passageway defined adjacently in the base; a plurality of contacts held within the base, the contacts having contact sections extending beyond the base; a pair of detecting switches including a stationary switch and a movable switch respectively located in the first passageway and the second passageway communicating with each other; the movable switch including a planar section abutting against a bottom wall of the second passageway, and a slanted spring arm attached to planar section, the slanted spring arm defining a contact end; a wedge-shaped block extending into the second passageway with a wedgy surface defined thereon, the slanted spring arm constantly contacting with said wedgy surface such that there is no portion of said spring arm electrically engages with the stationary switch when said contact end is pushed by an external force.
US07726985B2	Shielded electric cable assembly and method A shielded electric cable assembly comprises a shielded electric cable and a shield terminal. The shield terminal comprises a ferrule of one-piece construction having an inner ferrule portion and an outer ferrule portion that is radially spaced from the inner ferrule portion and attached to the inner ferrule portion by an end wall. The inner ferrule portion is disposed between an inner insulation jacket of the shielded electric cable and an exposed end portion of an intermediate conductive layer surrounding the inner insulation jacket. The outer ferrule portion is crimped about the exposed end portion of the intermediate conductive layer to crimp the inner ferrule portion tightly around the inner insulation jacket and to clamp exposed end portion of the intermediate conductive layer between the inner ferrule portion and the outer ferrule portion of the one piece ferrule. A conductive cylindrical shell is attached to the one-piece ferrule. An inner terminal which is attached to the cable is disposed in the conductive shell.
US07726979B2	Low profile board-to-board electrical connector having terminal tails arranged in middle of side wall An electrical connector includes an insulating housing having sidewalls and end walls for defining a receiving groove, a number of contacts retained in the insulating housing, the contact including a mating beam extending into the receiving groove and a retaining beam retained in the sidewall. The contact further includes a tail portion extending out of the insulating housing from the retaining beam and a soldering portion formed on a tip end of the tail portion. The soldering portion is located between a highest point and a lowest point of the contact so that the height of the electrical connector upon a PCB can be reduced, which can also reduce the mating-height of the electrical connector after mating with a mating connector.
US07726972B1	Liquid metal rotary connector apparatus for a vehicle steering wheel and column A liquid metal rotary connector for a vehicle steering mechanism utilizes a conductive alloy comprising Gallium, Indium, Tin and Zinc to electrically couple stationary and rotary terminals of the connector. The alloy is a liquid at ambient temperatures, and has a melting point of −36° C., though testing has shown that it operates satisfactorily at temperatures as low as −40° C. In a preferred arrangement, the rotary connector provides a two-wire connection through which power is supplied from the steering column to the steering wheel, and electronic modules located in the steering column and the steering wheel support bi-directional data communication through voltage and current modulation of the supplied power.
US07726971B2	Colored dental post A dental post includes a composite material such as long fibers embedded in a resin matrix, and is able to transmit visible radiation when it is lit by a dental lamp to ensure polymerization of a product for setting in a tooth's root canal. The post, which has a specific color determined at ambient temperature before insertion into said canal, and which contains at least one thermochromic substance able to provide said specific color, loses its color when in place in the canal. A method for forming the dental post and a kit including a plurality of dental posts and drills are also disclosed.
US07726968B2	Methods and assemblies for making an orthodontic bonding tray using rapid prototyping Indirect bonding trays for orthodontic treatment are made from a model of the patient's dental arch that is manufactured using digital data and rapid prototyping processes. The model includes one or more guides for orienting an orthodontic appliance in a desired position on a model tooth of the dental arch model. A holder is connected to the archwire slot of the appliance and is brought into contact with the guide in order to move the appliance to its intended position for subsequent manufacture of the indirect bonding tray.
US07726967B2	Radiant burner A gas-fired burner unit for providing combustion and infrared radiation includes at least one plenum for receiving at least the gas, and at least one perforated metal plate mounted for receiving at least the gas from the plenum and supplying at least the gas to the combustion so that the combustion is proximate the perforated metal plate.
US07726957B2	Rotating piston machine with dual suspension The invention relates to a rotating piston machine, especially a compressor, a pump or a motor, comprising a rotating piston which defines working chambers with variable volumes and is located in a cylinder (1) provided with two lateral walls and a curved jacket. Said piston can be rotated about two parallel rotational axes (7, 8), vertically in relation to the lateral walls of the cylinder, and can be displaced in two directions both vertically in relation to each other and in relation to the parallel rotational axes. To this end, the piston (2) is provided with two guiding shafts (71, 81) having parallel rotational axes, said guiding shafts (71, 81) being provided with guiding elements (5, 6), preferably slides or journals, in a vertical direction in relation to the rotational axes (7, 8), on which the piston (2) is displaceably positioned by means of sliding elements (3, 4), preferably grooves or liners.
US07726951B2	Fuel control module A fuel control system is provided in a single compact modular unit. The unit includes a motor driving a highly accurate cam-operated double-acting piston metering pump, both of which are contained in a liquid fuel environment. As the liquid fuel is pumped it works to cool internal components including the motor. An electronic motor drive is contained in a dry chamber of the unit for controlling operation of the motor and pump and is cooled indirectly by the fuel as well. A pressure sensitive flow divider is also included for selectively providing one or multiple output fuel flow paths depending upon whether a pressure threshold is reached, for example to send fuel to primary and secondary burner nozzles. Filter, filter bypass, pressure relief, and fuel shut-off components are also integrated into the single modular unit.
US07726945B2	Industrial ceiling fan A large industrial ceiling fan includes exceptionally long fan blades with blade tips that can be tilted upward to more broadly distribute the air. Such broad distribution might be particularly beneficial in cases where the fan is installed relatively low to avoid obstacles such as hanging lights, sprinkler heads and rafters. A low mounting position is possible, because the fan is suspended from a hanger of adjustable length. The fan includes several joints that are redundantly bolted and welded for safety. A continuous retaining ring provides additional safety. A resilient bushing enhances the flexibility of the fan blades and reduces strain where the fan blades connect to a central mounting hub. To more broadly distribute the airflow underneath the fan, each fan blade has a twisted geometry to provide an angle of attack that decreases from the root to the tip of the blade.
US07726926B2	Self-drilling and slotting fastener system A flat nut is provided with a threadlike retainer cord and structure for self-drilling and slotting a wall to provide a suitable hole for insertion of the nut, and a screw to be threaded into the nut. The retainer cord provides for positioning the nut on the back side of the wall. The nut has an elongated drilling point for making a hole and serrated teeth along an elongated side for making horizontal slots on each side of the hole to accommodate the full width of the nut. The arrangement provides a simple way to fasten objects onto a wall without access to both sides.
US07726923B2	Anchor bar with a support block A post anchor for anchoring a member to a post is disclosed. The post anchor comprises two segments: a drill end and a second end. The drill end is adapted to drill a hole in a post. A member is anchored to the post by attaching the member to the second end of the post anchor. The drill end is adapted to drill a hole in a post so that the post anchor is arranged in the hole without any axial play. An adhesive may be added to the hole to fill the spaces between the post and the drill end.
US07726922B2	Quick release support post and associated method A quick release support post and associated method are provided to attach a cable to a structure and later move the cable location without the need for many small parts and tools. Thus, cables and wires may be installed in hard-to-reach areas quicker and easier than with conventional clamps because no tools are required and an installer generally does not have to use both hands. Because the quick release support posts and associated method require only a hole in the structure for installation, there is no need for extra materials, and minimal weight is added to the structure during installation or movement. In addition, the quick release support posts and associated method of the present invention create efficient cable management systems because the support posts may be various lengths and cables may be grouped and secured to the support posts together, which makes trouble shooting and later moves much easier.
US07726919B1	Resurfacing machine tool A machine tool includes a driver, a tool holder, and a locking device in the form of, for example, an alignment collar. In use, the machine tool carries a tool, such as a surface refinishing bit, which may be lowered into a workpiece bore, such as a cylinder head valve seat, and subsequently rotated by a machine spindle for resurfacing the bore. The machine tool receives a pilot shaft placed in a reference bore associated with the workpiece bore. The pilot shaft functions to ensure general alignment of the machine tool cutting axis and the refinishing surface.
US07726916B2	Dowelling jig A dowelling jig (10) comprising a pair of spaced apart rail members which comprise an upper rail member (11) and a lower rail member (12), at least one drill guide member (13) which is slidable between the spaced apart rail members and which is releasably lockable relative to at least one of said spaced apart rail members.
US07726913B1	Method and apparatus for forming in ground piles The present invention is an apparatus and a method for casting a cementitious or stone pile into the ground. The present invention comprises an exterior driving casing and an interior mandrel acting in cooperation to hold and deliver the pile forming material. A retrievable driving driving shoe is also disclose.
US07726910B2	Interactive leg guide for offshore self-elevating unit A leg guide for use in a leg of a jack up unit adapted to provide sliding guidance of the leg during vertical movement of the leg. The leg guide has a first portion contacting an edge of a leg chord and a second portion contacting a face of the leg chord along a longitudinal plane opposite the contact plane of the first portion. The edge contacting guide has a deflecting guide unit, which uses a compressible member sandwiched between two rigid plates. As the leg moves, the teeth of the leg chord contact the edge guide unit, with the compressible member absorbing compressible loads acting on the leg chord. The second portion provides for a face plate mounted transversely to the edge contacting guide for reducing the build-up of horizontal moment acting on the leg chord during the vertical movement of the leg and for reducing bending moments acting on the leg.
US07726901B2	Connecting structure for panel lift device A connecting structure detachably connects the upright post of a floor support to the upright frame supporting a panel lift device. The upright post has a pair of upright panels diverging forward to form a V shaped flange that has its lower portion open in front and a rounded knob mounted at the bottom of the post and spaced forward from the forward diverging V shaped flange. The post also has a pair of upright panels converging forward with upper portions of the panels tapering toward one another to form a pointed V shaped upper end. The frame has a forward diverging V shaped flange with an upper portion having dual pair of forward converging flanges in spaced relation to one another to form a forward converging V shaped slot. The upright frame has lower edges formed of a pair of upright rearward converging flanges to be detachably received in the rearward converging space between the rounded knob and V shaped flange of the post with the pointed upper end of the post detachably received in the V shaped slot of the frame for detachably mounting the post of the floor support to the upright frame of the panel lift device.
US07726896B2	Colouring apparatus An apparatus for enabling a liquid or dye to be conveyed from a nib of a source of liquid or dye to a fluid absorbent nib of a marker pen. The apparatus includes a tubular docking member having the source and the nib of the source at a first end and an open portion at a second end configured to receive and engage an end of the marker pen including the nib of the marker pen, the length of the docking member being such as to enable the nib of the marker pen selectively to be placed in contact with the nib of the source to cause liquid or dye to pass between the nib of the source and the nib of the marker pen. The liquid may comprise a translucent liquid such as water and the dye may comprise an indicator such as a water-based ink containing colored dyes, dispersed pigments or other coloring media.
US07726892B2	Donor cartridge for thermal printer A cartridge is provided with a supply housing having at least one exterior surface defining a supply area adapted to receive a donor ribbon of predetermined width and a take-up housing having a main wall that defines a take-up area for receiving donor ribbon of predetermined width. A take-up projection on the take-up housing and the main wall jointly define a take-up window therebetween through which donor ribbon passes into the take-up area. The take-up projection includes at least one tensioning feature so as to pre-load the take-up projection such that the take-up projection is inhibited from warping toward towards the main wall.
US07726887B2	Case for accommodating a camera A case for accommodating a camera includes a wrist cuff, a connector secured to the wrist cuff, and a strap having opposite ends coupled to the connector. The wrist cuff includes two elastic members, and a through hole with two openings at opposite ends of the through hole. The elastic members are arranged at opposite end portions of the wrist cuff for closing the openings when the elastic members are in normal state, and the elastic members are deformable so as to open the openings.
US07726884B2	Support structure for rotation body A differential device includes a differential case which is supported in a housing so as to be rotatable around an axis of the housing by a conical roller bearing including plural conical rollers provided between an outer race and an inner race. In the differential device, a wave spring having a predetermined elastic force is provided between the outer race and the housing. Also, the differential device includes a stopper mechanism which stops movement of the outer race before the wave spring is completely contracted due to movement of the outer race in an axial direction.
US07726877B1	Method and apparatus of measuring temperature The disclosure provides methods and apparatuses of measuring a temperature. A method of measuring a temperature can include generating a time varying signal that varies with time in a known manner, such as having a repeating sawtooth waveform. Further, the method can include generating a first intersecting signal that intersects with the time varying signal at a first time, and generating a second intersecting signal that varies with temperature and intersects with the time varying signal at a second time. Subsequently, the method can construct a pulse signal having a first edge corresponding to the first time and a second edge corresponding to the second time, with the pulse signal having a width corresponding to the temperature.
US07726876B2	System and method for non-intrusive thermal monitor Embodiments disclosed herein provide a non-intrusive thermal (NIT) monitor for sensing temperatures useful for semiconductor manufacturing applications. In some embodiments, a NIT monitor comprises a thermopile, a fluid housing with a fluid window, and an elongated member positioned between the thermopile and the fluid window for transmitting or reflecting infrared signals corresponding to a temperature of a fluid in the fluid housing. The fluid housing may have a cross-sectional profile to enable the manipulation of the fluid flow under the fluid window, enhancing the speed and accuracy of the temperature sampling. The elongated member, which may be hollow and coated with gold, may an extended piece of the fluid housing or a part of an optics housing. In some embodiments, the NIT monitor is connected to a main conditioning circuit board via a cable for processing the temperature measurements at a remote location.
US07726873B2	Apparatus and method for analyzing heat-transferring fluid An exemplary apparatus (10) is for analyzing a heat-transferring nano-fluid (20) with a view to obtaining information on heat-transferring properties of the nano-fluid. Typically, the nano-fluid is used for heat pipes. The apparatus includes an evaporating device (100) and a detecting device (200). The evaporating device is configured for preparing a gaseous sample (20′) of the nano-fluid for analyzing. The evaporating device includes a container (110) configured for containing the nano-fluid, and a temperature controller (120). The container has a first opening (112) allowing vaporized nano-fluid to exit therethrough. The temperature controller is configured for heating the nano-fluid in the container up to a predetermined temperature, and maintaining the nano-fluid at the predetermined temperature. The detecting device is configured for generating a laser light and receiving an optical emission from the gaseous sample, thus enabling heat-transferring properties of the nano-fluid to be analyzed. A related method is also provided.
US07726865B2	Backlight unit and liquid crystal display device A backlight unit includes a prism sheet (an optical path changing portion and a light gathering portion) having lenses and being disposed to face an output surface of a light guide member, and a plurality of second prism inclined surfaces that are inclined at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the output surface. Further, a lens surface that gathers light from the second prism inclined surfaces toward a normal line direction of the output surface according to the second prism inclined surfaces is provided, and a central position of the lens surface in a transmitting direction of the light guide member is matched with a central position of its corresponding second prism inclined surface.
US07726859B2	Lamp unit of vehicular headlamp A lamp unit of a vehicular headlamp includes a projection lens with an optical axis; a light source formed from a semiconductor light-emitting element; a first reflector that reflects light from the light source so as to condense such light on or near the optical axis; and a shade positioned between the light source and the projection lens so as to extend along the optical axis direction. The shade shields part of the light reflected by the first reflector. In the lamp unit of the vehicular headlamp, a shielding surface extends rearward from a front end of the shade, where the shade is positioned near a rearward focal point Rf of the projection lens. The shielding surfaces serve as a second reflector that reflects light from the first reflector toward the projection lens. In addition, a transparent portion is formed on part of the second reflector such that part of the light reflected by the first reflector passes downward of the rearward focal point of the projection lens and is then incident to the projection lens.
US07726854B2	Lighting or signal device with an optical guide for a motor vehicle A lighting and/or signaling device for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one light source emitting a light beam and at least one optical guide in which the light beam propagates, the optical guide comprising: a first face forming an exit face for the light beam, and a second face, opposite to the exit face, forming a reflection face for the light beam, such that the light guide is associated with a diffusing screen disposed opposite the reflection face of the light guide.
US07726850B2	Light-reflecting and light-shielding apparatus of computer panel A panel assembly for reflecting and shielding rays of a light source (20), includes a panel (10) and a light-reflecting member (30) pivotably mounted to the panel. The panel includes a base (11) and a bent plate (13) perpendicular to the base. A light-pervious board (131) is disposed on the panel. The light-reflecting member defines an opening (32) facing the light pervious area, for reflecting light rays to be incident on the light-pervious area through the opening, wherein the light-reflecting member is rotatable to change position of the opening of the light-reflecting member relative to the light-pervious area, thereby adjusting the brightness of the light-previous area.
US07726840B2	Modular LED lighting fixtures Concatenatable lighting fixtures, each comprising a unitary cover member having a circuit board mounting platform integrally formed with suitable heat sinking and which mounts onto a cooperating base chassis. In one embodiment, the circuit board mounting platform extends farther from one end of the cover member than the other so as to facilitate placement of LEDs in a fashion which enhances lighting uniformity and minimizes dark spots. In one embodiment, first and second guide members may be positioned in respective opposite ends of adjacent fixtures, each guide member having a plurality of extending fingers with a flexible electrical conductor-carrying conduit disposed between the respective opposite ends and retained in position by the fingers.
US07726835B2	LED array In an LED array comprising a plurality of radiation-emitting semiconductor chips each of which has a radiation outcoupling surface, the radiation emitted by the semiconductor chips being outcoupled substantially through said radiation outcoupling surface, and a cover body that is transparent to the emitted radiation, the transparent cover body comprises, on a surface facing toward the radiation outcoupling surfaces of the semiconductor chips, one or more conductive traces made of a conductive material that is transparent to the emitted radiation, and the semiconductor chips each comprise, on the radiation outcoupling surface, at least one electrical contact that is connected to the conductive trace or to at least one of the plurality of conductive traces. At least one luminescence conversion material is contained in the transparent cover body and/or applied in a layer to the cover body and/or the semiconductor chips.
US07726826B2	Direct-type backlight device A thin direct-type backlight capable of realizing high brightness uniformity is provided by a specific configuration of the direct-type backlight whereby high light beam utilization ratio is maintained while periodical unevenness of the light emitting surface is suppressed. In a direct-type backlight device having a plurality of linear light sources in parallel, a reflection plate and a light diffusion plate, at least one of main surfaces of the light diffusion plate is provided with a prismatic ridges having a sawtooth-shaped cross-section. The apex angle “y” (degree) of the prismatic ridge of the light diffusion plate, the distance “a” (mm) between centers of the adjacent linear light sources, and the distance “b” (mm) from a center of the linear light sources to a surface of the light diffusion plate facing the light source satisfy the relationship of 80×(b/a)+15
US07726825B2	Lighted power outlet system and method A lighted power outlet system having a plurality of outlets includes light emitters, such as light emitting diodes or other light emitting devices. The light emitters are internally positioned within the interior of the outlet system so that light is projected through terminal apertures of the outlets. The projected light is visible from locations exterior to the outlet system to assist in guiding alignment of plug prongs with the terminal apertures for engagement of electrical plugs with the outlets of the outlet system.
US07726824B2	Chemiluminescent tactical illumination baton A light stick for providing chemiluminescent light to provide general illumination of an otherwise darkened area. The device is thrown into position causing the chemiluminescent components to mix upon impact with a rigid object thereby generating chemiluminescent light after a predetermined delay. The device will provide illumination to an area of possible criminal activity and can be used tactically by law enforcement officials to help avoid danger to themselves and possibly others.
US07726818B2	Image forming apparatus and method An image forming apparatus which forms a whole image including a first part image and a second part image on a front side of an image forming target unit formed by overlapping portions of the first and second part images is disclosed. The image forming apparatus includes: the image forming target unit; a first projector; a second projector; a first planoconvex lens; and a second planoconvex lens.
US07726817B2	Projector with lamp unit having a U-shaped insertion frame This projector includes a lamp unit and a lamp unit housing unit. The lamp unit housing unit includes a substantially U-shaped insertion frame. And the lamp unit includes a lamp and a frame. Furthermore, the lamp unit includes an edge and a plate on the outside of the frame. The edge is a member which contacts against the end portion of the insertion frame in the exhaust direction, in the installed state in which the lamp unit is installed to the lamp unit housing unit. And the plate is a member which, in the installed state, contacts in the exhaust direction with its end edge portion against an installation surface formed upon the insertion frame. Moreover, in the installed state, the plate contacts in the engagement direction with its end edge portion against the aperture line which connects the two ends of the insertion frame.
US07726816B2	Stereoscopic display device and method In a one-dimensional IP (vertical disparity discarding system), it is made possible to obtain a perspective projection image with no distortion or reduced distortion. A stereoscopic display device is provided with a display device including a display plane in which pixels are arranged flatly in a matrix shape; and a parallax barrier including a plurality of apertures or a plurality of lenses and being configured to control directions of rays from the pixels such that a horizontal disparity is included but a vertical disparity is not included. A horizontal direction pitch of the parallax barrier is integer times a horizontal pitch of the pixels, the display plane of the display device is divided so as to correspond to elemental images for respective apertures or the lenses of the parallax barrier, and an image whose vertical direction corresponds to a perspective projection in a fixed viewing distance and whose horizontal direction corresponds to an orthographic projection is divided and arranged for respective columns of the pixels.
US07726813B2	Transformation methods of wavefront maps from one vertex distance to another The present invention provides methods, systems and software for scaling optical aberration measurements of optical systems. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of reconstructing optical tissues of an eye. The method comprises transmitting an image through the optical tissues of the eye. Aberration data from the transmitted image is measured across the optical tissues of the eye at a first plane. A conversion algorithm is applied to the data, converting it to corrective optical power data that can be used as a basis for constructing a treatment for the eye at a second plane.
US07726808B1	Rimless spectacle lens bore polishing method and apparatus A method and apparatus for improving the performance of rimless spectacle lenses. An abrasive wire is provided for polishing bore holes which are drilled in lenses. The abrasive wire includes a wire substrate with abrasive particles embedded along its length. The wire and particles are dimensioned for threading through the bore hole and allowing space to perform a soft-filing operation. By polishing the micro cracks formed during drilling, propagation leading to lens failure which arises from spectacle use can be reduced.
US07726802B2	Ink set for inkjet recording, and image recording method and image recording apparatus The ink set for inkjet recording includes: a first liquid which contains at least a water-soluble solvent, water, and pigment particles dispersed and retained in a medium including the water-soluble solvent and the water; and a second liquid which does not contain coloring material but contains at least a water-soluble solvent, water, and a liquid composition which enhances printing characteristics, wherein: an image is formed by making the first liquid and the second liquid come into contact with each other on a recording medium; and a ratio of pigment particles having a particle diameter of not less than 150 nm is not greater than 2 volume percent with respect to a whole of the pigment particles contained in the first liquid.
US07726801B2	Method of ink-jet textile printing A method for ink-jet textile printing including the steps of: (a) ejecting a pigment ink from a recording head onto a fabric, wherein the pigment ink contains at least water, a pigment and a polymer, wherein the polymer has a plurality of said chains in a hydrophilic main chain and is capable of cross-linking between the side chains by irradiation of active energy rays, and (b) forming an image by irradiation of active energy rays onto the ink ejected areas.
US07726787B2	Ink jet recording apparatus The present invention realizes the miniaturization of an ink jet recording apparatus by improving the tube arrangement (pull-around) structure. A flow passage of ink supplied from an ink cartridge is turned by approximately 90° using an elbow member, and ink tubes which are connected to the elbow member are arranged (pulled around) to extend toward an image recording part through gaps defined between a plurality of atmospheric-pressure introducing sleeves along an outer wall of the cartridge casing. Due to such an arrangement, compared to a case in which the ink flow passage is turned by approximately 90° using the flexibility of the ink tubes, it is possible to turn the ink tubes with a remarkably large radius of curvature and, at the same time, it is possible to decrease a size of a gap defined between the outer wall of the cartridge casing and other equipment such as a waste ink box. Accordingly, the present invention can realize the further miniaturization of a multi-functional device.
US07726782B2	Image generating apparatus This image generating apparatus comprises a control portion printing a print image by predicting an ambient temperature in an apparatus body substantially reaching a constant level after continuously printing the same print image from the data quantity of the print image and adding a heat quantity corresponding to the difference between the predicted ambient temperature in the apparatus body and a printing-time ambient temperature in the apparatus body detected by a second temperature sensor to a heat quantity of a thermal head decided in response to a printing-time temperature of the thermal head detected by a first temperature sensor.
US07726753B2	Drawer container device for an electric household appliance, in particular for the fresh food compartment of a refrigerator or freezer A drawer container device that can be inserted in a refrigerated cell to define a separate compartment, including at least a shelf provided with mating elements with the respective side walls of the refrigerated cell in a first position such as to define, immediately below the shelf, a first predetermined volume and at least one cup-shaped drawer delimited by at least one side wall placed transversely to the shelf and located in a position beneath the shelf with its concavity facing the latter, the shelf being selectively moveable between the first position and a second position located at a different height from the first and in which the shelf delimits a second predetermined volume beneath itself; the side wall of the drawer being defined by a pair of adjacent elements sliding relative to each other and placed parallel to and at least partially facing each other; regulating elements of the pin-and-groove type being interposed between the relatively sliding elements to selectively position them such that the side wall substantially occupies the entire height of the first and second predetermined volumes; in this way, the volume of the compartment can be varied by simply lifting the side wall of the drawer and the above shelf.
US07726749B2	Track assembly with bogie wheel structure A tread assembly has front and rear main idler wheels supported by a frame. An assembly is provided to permit the front idler wheels to pivot laterally as the cart encounters uneven ground, in order to improve weight distribution across the tread and the idler wheels. The rear idler wheel also has an assembly to permit the rear idler wheel to pivot laterally. An alignment feature is incorporated into the front idler wheel assembly to permit adjustment of the alignment of the front idler wheel relative to the rear idler wheel. A tensioning mechanism is provided at the rear idler wheel to maintain the tread in tension. A bogie wheel structure is pivotally connected to the frame and positioned between the front and rear idler wheels.
US07726747B2	Locking hydraulic brake system A locking mechanism for installing between a master cylinder and a brake line includes a housing having an internal bore, an inlet port, a passage, and an outlet port. A reciprocating piston is movable within the bore. A locking lever is coupled to the reciprocating piston for actuating the reciprocating piston. A fastener having an internal fluid passage for providing fluid communication between the passage and the master cylinder secures the housing to the master cylinder. The locking lever is moveable between a first position, wherein the hydraulic fluid can flow freely between the master cylinder and the brake line for engaging and disengaging the vehicle brake and a second position, wherein the hydraulic fluid is prevented from returning to the master cylinder for maintaining the vehicle brake in an engaged state.
US07726743B2	Fitting for a vehicle seat A fitting (10) for a vehicle seat comprises a first fitting part (11) and a second fitting part (12), which may rotate relative to each other in a circumferential direction, and which form a disc-shaped unit; a clamping ring (13) that holds the disc-shaped unit together by engaging radially outwardly over the first fitting part (11) and by being fixed to the second fitting part (12); and a group of internal stopper elements (51, 53) which limit the relative rotation between the first fitting part (11) and the second fitting part (12). Each of the first fitting part (11) and the clamping ring (13) has at least one internal stopper element of the group of internal stopper elements (51, 53).
US07726740B2	Backrest-tilting device A back rest tilting device in a reclining chair formed of fewer parts. A force promoting unit energizes a back rest in an upright direction. A rotating force promoting unit with rubber torsion springs includes a laterally extending pivot shaft rotated integrally with the back rest and an elastic body filled between an outer tube locked to a support body coaxially with the core and the pivot shaft so that the elastic body is elastically deformed when the pivot shaft is rotated about the center axis of the outer tube to impart a returning rotating force to the pivot shaft.
US07726739B2	Seat structure A seat structure comprises a base (1), a back and a bolster (2) located on at least one edge of the base or back. The bolster (2) includes an upholstered cover (3) and a support structure (4) for controlling the position of the upholstered cover (3). The support structure (4) comprises: a support member (11) pivotally mounted for pivotal movement between a raised position in which the support member (11) supports the upholstered cover (3) in a raised state, and a lowered position in which the upholstered cover (3) is no longer supported in the raised state, a first strut member (14) pivotally connected to the support member (11) and a second strut member (16) pivotally connected to the first strut member (14) to form with the first strut member (14) an over-centre strut (13) which, when in its over-centre configuration, holds the support member in its raised state. Inflatable bladders (19, 20) are provided on opposing sides of the over-centre strut (13) and can be inflated in order to engage against the over-centre strut (13) and move it passed it trip position, thereby moving the support member (11) between its raised and lowered positions.
US07726738B1	Child car seat device A child car seat device for facilitating insertion of a child into the infant car seat in a vehicle includes a base being positioned on a seat of the vehicle. The base includes a top wall, a bottom wall and a perimeter wall that extends between the top wall and the bottom wall to define an interior space of the base. Each of a pair of side walls of the perimeter wall has a seat belt aperture that extends therethrough to permit a seat belt to be extended through the base to secure the base to the seat. A seat assembly is rotatably coupled to the base. The seat assembly receives and supports the child. The seat assembly is rotatable through approximately 180 degrees to facilitate the child being inserted into and removed from the seat assembly.
US07726733B2	Reversible safety padding or plate The invention relates to a safety apparatus in a motor vehicle having a sensor device in communication with an evaluation unit within which sensor data are evaluated. The evaluation unit is in communication with at least one drive device that can move at least one energy-absorbing element from a rest position to a working position next to the seat or next to an occupant and back again.
US07726728B2	Headliner having a sunroof opening A headliner assembly covers an inner surface of a motor vehicle roof having a sunroof opening. The headliner assembly includes a dimensionally stable substrate having a first edge extending along the sunroof opening. The substrate has an upper surface facing the inner surface of the motor vehicle roof. The substrate further has a bottom surface opposite the upper surface. A molded reinforcement is fixedly secured to the upper surface of the substrate. The reinforcement has a second edge extending along the sunroof opening. The second edge of the reinforcement has a contoured portion that extends further inwardly toward a center of the sunroof opening relative to the first edge of the substrate. A trim cover has a third edge extending along the sunroof opening. The trim cover is disposed along the bottom surface of the substrate and extends around the contoured portion of the reinforcement so that the third edge of the trim cover is disposed between the upper surface of the substrate and the inner surface of the motor vehicle roof.
US07726727B2	Leg pusher device for side impact tests An energy absorbing vehicle door is disclosed comprised of an inner panel, an outer panel joined to the inner panel, door trim panel material on the inner panel, and at least one energy absorbing member mounted on the inner panel. The energy absorbing member has a first surface adjacent the outer member and a second surface adjacent the door trim panel. The energy absorbing member is mounted at a position corresponding to the vicinity of the vehicle operator's lower leg to reduce dynamic motion between the occupant's femur and lower leg, thereby reducing femur distal movement response during a vehicle impact event.
US07726726B2	Energy-absorbing system for vehicle door assembly An energy-absorbing system for vehicle door assemblies is provided, including first and second brackets and a reaction plate. Each bracket attaches to an inner support panel of the door assembly via a mounting portion having leg members extending inward from opposing ends thereof. The reaction plate includes a generally planar portion with a flange portion extending from an upper edge thereof. One side of the reaction plate is attached to an inner surface of a trim panel, whereas the other side is attached to the leg members of the first and second brackets. One section of the flange portion abuts against an underside surface of an armrest assembly, and another section abuts against a b-side surface of a pull-handle. Both brackets are configured to sustain a minimum vertical loading condition (limit vertical deflection), and controllably deform under a threshold lateral loading condition to absorb and attenuate kinetic energy resulting therefrom.
US07726722B2	Motor vehicle door system A user-operated system for interactive vehicle door opening and closing. The system detects vehicle position (gravity) and external force (such as wind) and provides an assistive force in effortlessly opening or closing the door. In some embodiments, the system provides a fail safe mode of operation in case of power failure and/or limit stops to minimize or prevent damage to external objects in the event the door is inadvertently brought into contact with the external object.
US07726721B2	Displaceable roof A displaceable roof in a vehicle, in particular a folding top in a motor vehicle, with a front first roof section for connecting to the frame of the windshield of the vehicle, a second roof section disposed after it, and two link configurations which are mounted on both sides of the center of the vehicle, connect the roof sections to each other. The link configurations contain at least two links which couple the two roof sections to each other in such a manner that the first roof section moves over the second roof section during closing or opening of the roof. The roof link configurations are mounted on both sides of the center of the vehicle in bearings fixed on the vehicle body and are articulated on the second roof section. Each roof link configuration is coupled to a link of the link configuration disposed on the same side of the vehicle, for the purpose of displacing the roof sections. Each roof link configuration for coupling to the associated link configuration of the roof sections has a coupling link which is articulated on it and is coupled at least to one of the links of the link configuration.
US07726719B1	Portable tool storage container for use in pickup trucks and associated method A tool storage container includes a body with top, middle, and bottom sections that is elevated above a bottom surface of a pickup truck bed during transport. The top section includes a base with a lid pivotally attached thereto, and a hollow cavity therein. The middle section is disposed below the top section, and is monolithically formed therewith. The bottom section is disposed below the middle section, and is monolithically formed with the middle section. Each of the sections includes isolated compartments for housing objects therein. A mechanism independently locks the compartments, and another mechanism transports and supports the body along a ground surface when the body is removed from the pickup truck bed. The transporting and supporting mechanism is attached to a bottom surface of the body.
US07726713B2	Multi-use tool for firefighters A multi-use tool having a generally “J” shaped hook structure which has a top portion, a middle shank portion attached to the top portion, and a curved bottom portion attached to the middle shank portion. The top portion has a loop portion to which a rope, life-line or escape line can be fastened. The curved bottom portion extends to a beveled tip. The multi-use tool also has a protruding member that extends from the curved bottom portion and has a substantially flat top surface and a substantially flat bottom surface.
US07726701B2	Connecting mechanism for thin stainless steel pipe and joint A connecting mechanism for a thin stainless steel pipe and a joint includes a thin stainless steel pipe in which a chevron type projection portion is formed in an outer periphery of an end portion, a joint having an inner diameter inserting the thin stainless steel pipe and forming a male thread portion in an outer peripheral surface of an end portion, a nut having a fitting portion outwardly fitted to the thin stainless steel pipe so as to oppose to the joint on the boundary of the chevron type projection portion and having a female thread portion screwed to the male thread portion of the joint, and a packing provided between the joint and the thin stainless steel pipe wherein, a release groove is formed in a packing outer peripheral contact surface from the packing pressing surface constructing the inner side surface of the packing fitting portion of the joint to an opening end portion.
US07726690B1	Vehicle for deploying a mobile surveillance module A surveillance module may be deployed from a vehicle. The vehicle to deploy the surveillance module includes a first portion configured to accommodate a user to operate the vehicle. A second portion includes a module configured to accommodate the user and comprising a roof and an entrance accessible through an interior of the vehicle from the first portion. The second portion also includes a lifting mechanism coupled to the module and operable to move the module vertically from a retracted position to an extended position. A third portion defines an opening to accommodate the module, wherein the roof of the module couples to a periphery of the opening in the retracted position.
US07726687B2	Inflator second stage combustion control A new type of airbag inflator that may be used in an airbag system is disclosed. The inflator will generally include a housing and two initiators. Accordingly, the inflator is a “dual-stage” inflator. The two stages are disposed within the housing. The second initiator is disposed within a second stage generant cup. A cap is also used to engage the second stage cup. The cap maintains seated engagement with the second stage cup, even during deployment of the second stage. The second stage will also include one or more perforations, which constitute openings through which gas may flow. When the second initiator is in the unactuated state, these perforations will be isolated from the generant by the cap. Actuation of the second initiator unseals the one or more perforations but does not unseat the cap from the cup, due to constraints put in place to prevent such unseating.
US07726685B2	Airbag and airbag apparatus An airbag and airbag apparatus in which a venthole is closed or opened by a small amount until an occupant hits the airbag, and the venthole is opened or opened by a large amount when the occupant hits the airbag. Inner panels 22A and 22B are provided inside of an airbag 10. Ventholes 18 and 18A allowing an inside and an outside of the airbag 10 to communicate with each other are provided in a rear panel 14. A lid member 60 for covering the venthole is provided on an outer surface side of the rear panel 14. The venthole 18A is a constantly-open type venthole that is not covered by means of the lid member 60. A tether 70 couples the lid member 60 with the inner panels 22A and 22B through the constantly-open type venthole 18A.
US07726683B2	Stroller A lightweight stroller 10 is provided. The stroller 10 includes front legs 12, rear legs 14, a seat support frame 70 connected to the front legs 12, a backrest support frame 34 connected to the seat support frame 70, a headrest plate 52 connected to an upper part of the backrest support frame, and a pair of side plates 50 disposed on the opposite sides, respectively, of the backrest support frame 34. A base sheet can be stably hold by the backrest support frame 34, the headrest plate 52 and the side plates 50 without increasing the length of connecting rods.
US07726670B2	Collapsible golf trolley, and a wheel structure for a mobile appliance A collapsible golf trolley comprises a frame (176, 276) defined by at least two, preferably four, frame members (171,172,173,174, 203), and a wheel structure (122,222). The frame members are pivotally interconnected at hinges (106; 177, 205), whereby in a first configuration, the frame members define a casing (100,200) for the wheel structure parts, the casing having a length which is shorter than the sum of the lengths of each of the frame members. In a second configuration, the frame members coextend in a longitudinal direction to define the frame (176, 276). There is further provided a collapsible wheel structure having arms (150,152,258,252) defining pivotally interconnected arm sections (154,156,158,160; 254,256,258,260) which, in a first, folded configuration define a partial cylindrical shape, and which in a second, unfolded configuration form an S-shape.
US07726666B2	Actuator for a divided stabilizer of a motor vehicle An actuator is provided for a two-part stabilizer, which builds up a spring rate in its opened position. A hydraulic absorbing unit (9) is arranged on the axle of the switchable coupling unit (8). The absorbing unit is connected to one stabilizer part (4), on the one hand, and to the other stabilizer part (5), on the other hand. The absorbing unit forms at least one pressure chamber (32) and a suction chamber (33) and assumes a blocked position in the locked position of the switchable coupling (8) and counteracts the relative twisting motion between the two stabilizer parts (4, 5) at a hydraulic spring rate in the opened position of the switchable coupling (8).
US07726662B2	Stopped-active type cylinder head gasket An embodiment provides a MLS gasket that includes a metal body portion having an external periphery, an upper body surface generally defining a first plane. At least one cylinder aperture formed in the metal body portion and defined by an inner aperture surface. The gasket also includes a combustion seal insert including a first insert layer having an outer first periphery, a top first insert surface and a bottom first insert surface. The outer first periphery is circumscribed by the inner aperture surface. The first insert layer includes a first insert bead portion. The gasket further includes a first sealing layer having a top first sealing surface and a bottom first sealing surface. Portions of the bottom first sealing surface are selectively in contact with each of the upper body surface and the top first insert surface. Compression of the first insert bead portion is selectively limited by the body portion.
US07726659B2	Static pressure type non-contact gas seal The present invention provides a static pressure type non-contact gas seal which, even when supply of seal gas 6 to the space between sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a has stopped unexpectedly, can be safely used with no possibility that the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a collide severely against each other and consequently the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a are damaged or destructed. In this static pressure type non-contact gas seal, the seal gas 6 is supplied to the space between the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a from a seal gas passage 5, thereby generating an opening force that acts on the stationary sealing ring 4 in a direction that the space between the sealing end surfaces 3a and 4a is opened. An annular-spaced back pressure chamber 25 blocked by two O-rings 12 and 13 is formed between the facing peripheral surfaces of a seal case 1 and the stationary sealing ring 4, to introduce the seal gas 6 to be supplied to the seal gas passage 5 into the back pressure chamber 25, thereby generating a closing force that maintain the balance with the opening force, as a back pressure acting on the stationary sealing ring 4. A spring is not used as a means for generating the closing force.
US07726658B2	Driven seal assembly for rotary drive shaft of motor A driven seal assembly is provided for a shaft rotated by a motor disposed in a motor housing and having a seal housing adjacent to the motor housing through which the shaft extends. A first rotary seal is frictionally fit on the shaft adjacent the first stationary seal seat. A second rotary seal is frictionally fit on the shaft adjacent a second stationary seal seat. A spring surrounds the shaft and provides bi-directional axial forces on the first and second rotary seals against the first and second stationary seal seats. A positive drive mechanism is mounted on the shaft between the first and second rotary seals in a driving, mating relationship therewith and includes a first driving element in driving engagement with the first rotary seal and a second driving element in driving engagement with the second rotary seal.
US07726653B2	Method of playing a card game The present invention preferably relates to a casino card game played with a standard fifty-two card deck. The game is divided into a bonus round, progressive bonus round, and a challenge round. Each player places an ante and a bonus wager and, if desired, an optional progressive bonus wager at the start of the game and must place an additional wager to continue into the challenge round. The dealer pays winning hands at three points in the game, at the end of the bonus round, at the end of the progressive bonus round, and at the end of the challenge round. The bonus round is paid according to each player's two card hand plus a third (bonus) community card. The progressive bonus round is paid according to each player's two card hand plus a third (bonus) and fourth (progressive bonus) community card. The challenge round is played one-on-one with each player two card hand versus the dealer's. The player has the option to buy a new card and surrender a card of his choice during the challenge round for a predetermined price.
US07726644B2	Paper sheet conveyance apparatus and image forming apparatus There is described a paper sheet conveyance apparatus and an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible not only to achieve the minimization and the cost reduction of the apparatus; but also to achieve the high-speed conveyance operation of the paper sheet without generating any step out of the stepping motor. The paper sheet conveyance apparatus, includes: a pair of conveyance rollers to convey a paper sheet; and a stepping motor to drive one of the pair of conveyance rollers. At least one of the conveyance rollers is a roller made of aluminum alloy metal. Further, the roller made of the aluminum alloy metal is shaped in a hallow cylinder. Still further, a surface hardening treatment is applied to a circumferential surface of the roller made of the aluminum alloy metal.
US07726642B2	Large capacity bottom feed dispenser A dispenser for dispensing flat media comprises a media storage bin at a first end and a discharge chute at a second end, with a coarse media separator located adjacent the media storage bin and a rear conveyor which is intermittently driven to convey the media towards a singulation separator, having a front conveyor which delivers media to a transport conveyor and to a discharge chute. A sensor senses media at a location just before the singulation separator. Media from the bottom of the storage bin are pass through the coarse media separator and lie on the rear conveyor in shingled arrangement, and are pulled into the singulation separator one at a time. The rear conveyor works only when the sensor senses the absence of media.
US07726625B2	Device, method for producing the device, chamber device and transfer device A transfer device for transferring an actuator displacement, has a housing with a first recess having a first and second plunger displaceably mounted. These plungers are actively connected via at least one transfer chamber by a fluid. The active connection causes the second plunger to be displaced when the first plunger is moved and vice versa. The transfer chamber is hydraulically coupled via a sealing gap to a compensating chamber compensating the pressure differences, in a delayed manner. The transfer device also has a chamber device with a compensating chamber, a chamber housing, and a first plunger. The chamber device has a device with a first body with a recess including a second body, and with an elastomer placed in the recess between the first and second body. The elastomer has a first groove extending at least partially along the recess.
US07726620B1	Vertical fuel tank support system A vertical fuel tank support system for efficiently supporting a vertical propane tank above the ground. The vertical fuel tank support system generally includes a support pad including an internal cavity, wherein the internal cavity extends throughout the support pad, an inner platform defining a first portion of an upper surface of the elongated support pad, wherein the inner platform is comprised of circular configuration, an outer platform defining a second portion of an upper surface of the elongated support pad, wherein the outer platform is comprised of circular configuration and an internal ribbing structure extending within the internal cavity and beneath the inner platform and the outer platform. The internal ribbing structure includes a first ribbing portion and a second ribbing portion, wherein the first ribbing portion interconnects with the second ribbing portion. The first ribbing portion extends across the inner platform and the outer platform and wherein the second ribbing portion extends solely around the outer platform.
US07726619B2	Wall hook A wall hook includes an inserting head defining a rotational axis, and a levering handle. The inserting head has a front penetrating tip adapted for rotatably inserting into a wall surface of the wall and a rear fulcrum end rearwardly extended from the penetrating tip along the rotational axis. The levering handle has a transverse arm integrally and transversely extended from the fulcrum end of the inserting head to substantially prolong a torque distance along the transverse arm with respect to the rotational axis, and a controlling arm integrally extended from the transverse arm in such a manner that when the levering handle is rotated, the inserting head is driven to rotate for rotatably penetrating into the wall so as to minimize a torque required to directly apply at the inserting head.
US07726612B1	Control expansion for conventionally powered model railroads A method and apparatus is shown to allow an integrated expanded control capability of digital locomotives on model railroad layouts that also permit compatible speed and direction operation simultaneously for non-digital or conventional locomotives alongside. The improvements employ mixed-mode control encoding and decoding algorithms and methods that are expanded beyond the prior art for control mode changes used on model railroad layouts.
US07726608B2	Device to reduce the lateral force generated by aerial refueling boom cross-section Device to reduce the lateral force generated by an aerial refueling boom (11) of an aircraft characterized in that it has at least one plate (31), the plate (31) has two cantilevered wings (32, 33), the wings (32, 33) have perforations (34), so that the wake produced in the boom (11) has a lower dynamic pressure than that of the free stream.

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