Document Document Title
US07752202B2 Information processing and, content distribution apparatus method, and program with conversion identification information
Content that is appropriate according to a specification of client equipment is distributed without having to prepare content of a plurality of formats. When a data list request is received from a client, a server sets a content URL and conversion identification information indicating that the content is original content for content that does not require data conversion. In the case of content for which data conversion is necessary, a virtual URL embedded with data conversion specifying information and conversion identification information indicating the necessity of conversion are set the URL and returned to the client. The server then receives the URL from the client for analysis. If there is no data conversion specifying information, the content is transmitted as it. If data conversion specifying information is embedded, the content is sent to the client after data conversion in accordance with the data conversion specifying information.
US07752201B2 Recommendation of related electronic assets based on user search behavior
Recommendation of related assets based on user search behavior is provided. Relevance classifications assigned to search results in association with search strings that produced the search results may be used for providing a list of one or more searchable assets that may be relevant to a given search query. All pairings of two acceptable assets contained in a given search session may be marked as “See Also” candidates. If a given pairing appears in a search session more than a configurable threshold, the assets in the pairing may be established as “See Also” relationships. Subsequently, when a user conducts a search that produces a search result that is a member of a pairing established as a “See Also” relationship, the other asset in the pairing may be recommended to the searching user within the destination search result page after the user selects the search result for viewing.
US07752200B2 Method and system for identifying keywords for use in placing keyword-targeted advertisements
A method and system for identifying search terms for placing advertisements along with search results is provided. The advertisement system selects a description of an item that is to be advertised. The advertisement system then retrieves documents that match the selected description. The advertisement system generates a score for each word of the retrieved documents that indicates relatedness of the word to the item to be advertised. After generating the scores for the words, the advertisement system identifies phrases of the words within the documents that are related to the item. The advertisement system then generates search terms for the item to be advertised from the identified phrases. The advertisement system submits the search terms and an advertisement to a search engines service for placement of a paid-for advertisement for the item.
US07752194B2 LDAP revision history
A method and apparatus for maintaining a revision history in a Light Weight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) repository. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a query for a version of an attribute associated with an LDAP entry. The method further includes returning a value for the version of the attribute in response to the query.
US07752180B1 File system group consistency point
A network storage filer implements a four-phase commit protocol to coordinate consistency points among a group of volumes (a “group consistency point”) such that, upon recovery, all volumes of the group reflect consistency points taken at the same time. The filer records progress at each phase while creating the consistency points of the volumes. Upon recovery, the same or a different filer uses the last recorded progress indicator to ascertain whether the consistency points were completed on all of the volumes in the group. If all the volume consistency points of the group consistency point were completed, the filer users the volume consistency points to mount the volumes. Otherwise, the filer uses an earlier group consistency point to mount the volumes. In either ease, the volumes are consistent with each other.
US07752174B2 Computer server system including a database pool module providing database connectivity recovery features and related methods
A computer server system may include a plurality of database modules for storing user data for a plurality of users, and at least one processing module comprising a plurality of processing threads for processing jobs for users based upon respective user data. The computer server system may further include a database pool module connected between the plurality of database modules and the at least one processing module. The database pool module may be for selectively connecting the processing threads to corresponding database modules including respective user data for jobs to be processed, and determining when a database module becomes unresponsive and terminating processing thread connections to the unresponsive database module based thereon. The database pool module may also be for determining when the unresponsive database module becomes responsive and restoring processing thread connectivity thereto based thereon.
US07752164B2 Pre-defined hardware and software bundle ready for database applications
A database system that incorporates numerous features that reduce the total cost of maintaining the database system is provided. The database system includes a database appliance that executes a database server on a platform that includes a special purpose operating system specifically tailored to the services required by the database server. The hardware may also be specially tailored to the services required by the database server. The database sever may be generated from another database server by modifying the code of the other database server optimize the code for execution on said database appliance. According to another aspect, the database appliance includes an operating system and a database server generated from another database server by modifying the code of the other database server optimize the code for execution on said database appliance.
US07752161B2 Access management system, access administration apparatus, access administration program, access administration method, and recording medium
An access management system includes an access administration apparatus which permits access to a database when the access request satisfies an access permission condition, and a policy determination apparatus which determines whether the access permission condition is satisfied by the access request; in which the access administration apparatus stores decision information containing a decision as to whether the access permission condition is satisfied, determines that the access request satisfies the access permission condition if the decision information has a predetermined inclusion relation with the access request, receives a decision as to whether the access permission condition is satisfied by the access request from the policy determination apparatus if it is determined that the decision information does not have the inclusion relation with the access request, and permits access to the database if it is determined that the access request satisfies the access permission condition.
US07752157B2 Healthcare workflow management system and method with continuous status management and state-based instruction generation
A workflow management system with continuous status management includes an apparatus for detecting fuzzy process definitions, an apparatus which controls activity stages in a workflow for the purpose of processing the process definitions, and a device for evaluating the process definitions for each process instance. A method is for implementing a workflow with continuous status management through fuzzy process definitions using continuous instructions and states and logic combinations or continuous mapping operations operating thereon.
US07752155B2 System and computer program for compressing multi-field classification rules
The present invention relates to a system and computer-readable medium for storing a plurality of multi-field classification rules in a computer system. Each multi-field classification rule includes a rule specification that itself includes a plurality of fields and a plurality of field definitions corresponding to the fields. The method of the present invention includes providing a virtual rule table, where the table stores a plurality of field definitions, and for each of the plurality of multi-field classification rules, compressing the rule specification by replacing at least one field definition with an associated index into the virtual rule table. The method also includes storing each of the compressed rule specifications and the virtual rule table in a shared segment of memory.
US07752152B2 Using predictive user models for language modeling on a personal device with user behavior models based on statistical modeling
A system and method for prediction of a user goal for command/control of a personal device (e.g., mobile phone) is provided. The system employs statistical model(s) that can predict a command based, at least in part, on past user behavior (e.g., probability distribution over a set of predicates, and, optionally arguments). Further, the system can be employed with a speech recognition component to facilitate language modeling for predicting the user goal.The system can include predictive user models (e.g., predicate model and argument model) that receive a user input (e.g., utterance) and employ statistical modeling to determine the likely command without regard to the actual content of the input (e.g., utterance). The system employs features for predicting the next user goal which can be stored in a user data store. Features can capture personal idiosyncrasies or systematic patterns of usage (e.g., device-related, time-related, predicate-related, contact-specific and/or periodic features).
US07752146B2 Service-queue-management and production-management system and method
System and method for integrating multiple customer ordering channels into a single service queue to obtain goods or services from a provider includes enabling customers to request service for goods or services from the provider using multiple ordering channels, and arranging the service requests placed using the ordering channels in a single service queue based on the time at which each is placed regardless of the ordering channel used. The ordering channels may include one or more ticket dispensers which dispenses tickets having the next number in the service queue to waiting customers, one or more computerized ordering systems which enable ordering of goods or services from the provider via a computer or other processing device, and combinations thereof.
US07752134B2 Hybrid credit card transaction system
A hybrid credit card transaction system that processes transactions as either virtual standard transactions directed through a clearinghouse or as virtual closed loop transactions bypassing the clearinghouse, is disclosed. The system includes a logic enabled merchant that detects virtual closed loop transactions and directs them to an affiliated acquiring entity which acquires the virtual closed loop transactions and routes them directly to an affiliated card issuing entity so as to bypass the clearinghouse. The affiliated card issuing entity debits virtual standard transactions to a credit card account and virtual closed loop transactions to a private label account. The logic enabled merchant, associated acquiring entity and the associated card entity may be affiliated by participation in an Internet site that promotes transactions between small businesses and merchants selling wholesale goods. A reduction in processing fees accrued when bypassing the clearinghouse promotes issuance and use of the hybrid credit cards.
US07752130B2 Methods and systems for delivery of information upon enrollment in an internet bill presentment and payment environment
Methods and systems consistent with the present invention provide real-time customer profile and billing information in an IBPP environment. Specifically, in a bill presentment and payment system with a scheduled time to communicate billing information with a set of billers, customer registration information, including identification information, is received. A request, including the customer identification information, is provided to a biller, outside of the scheduled time for communication. The customer is thus permitted access to the billing information at an unscheduled time.
US07752128B2 Charging network, charging agent apparatus and charging method
The present invention discloses a charging network, including: a service unit, a charging system and a charging agent apparatus; the charging agent apparatus is responsible for connecting the service unit and the charging system, receiving a charging event sent from a service unit, determining a corresponding charging system and generating a charging request according to the information carried in the charging event, and sending the generated charging request to the corresponding charging system. Also, a charging agent apparatus and a charging method are provided by this invention. The charging agent apparatus is added into the charging network, responsible for interacting with service units and charging systems, thus reducing the complexity of the service units as well as the charging network.
US07752124B2 System and method for automated loan compliance assessment
An automated system and method for reviewing and assessing compliance with legal compliance requirements for loan applications. Loan application data is extracted from client loan origination systems and transmitted as a loan information file over a secure communication network to an automated compliance assessment system server where the loan information file is audited for compliance with Federal, state, and local legal compliance requirements. The loan information file is reviewed for legal compliance requirements imposed by Federal, State, and local jurisdictions, as well as licensing requirements that the client loan company and related personnel must satisfy. The results of the audit process are transmitted over a secure communication network to the client loan company, with areas of noncompliance indicated. The automated compliance assessment system server also stores rules data derived from legal compliance requirements, license data derived from regulatory requirements, system setup data and supplemental system application data.
US07752111B2 Exposure based on capacity
This invention relates to hedge fund indexing in general and methods and systems for constructing and maintaining investable hedge fund indices in particular.
US07752107B1 System and method for managing aggregated accounts
A method, program product and system for managing a group of aggregated accounts, each aggregated account held in a different one of a plurality of deposit institutions, each of the aggregated accounts associated with at least one financial entity and holding funds of a plurality of clients of the at least one financial entity, each of the clients having a client asset balance in a respective client account associated with the at least one financial entity, the method comprising: (1) allocating fund deposits to and fund withdrawals from the aggregated accounts, the step of allocating comprising: (a) calculating an aggregated transaction amount based on a total net transaction from among the plurality of the client accounts during a period of time; (b) selecting at least one aggregated account from among the group of aggregated accounts associated with the at least one of the financial entities in the different deposit institutions to which to deposit or to withdraw funds based, at least in part, on determining a relationship between a respective amount of net assets in the at least one of the aggregated accounts and a minimum cap or a maximum cap; and (2) withdrawing funds from or depositing funds to the at least one of the aggregated accounts based on the allocation.
US07752106B1 System, method, and computer program product for predicting a weather-based financial index value
A weather-based financial index is based at least in part on weather. The index may take into account any of a variety of weather factors, such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, number of sunny or overcast days in a period of time, number of freeze days in a period of time, etc. Weather factor value(s) are combined with one or more financial components to provide the weather-based financial index. The index may be traded on an exchange, such as the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX). The value of the index may be calculated based on any period or on any geography (or combination of geographies). Historical values of the index or component(s) thereof may be used to predict future values of the index. Values of the index may provide insight into the direction of a component of the index, a market or industry corresponding to the component, or the index itself.
US07752104B2 Financial instruments and methods of use
Financial instruments are disclosed. The financial instruments include one or more securities and one or more rights for investors to purchase credit. Methods and other applications are also disclosed.
US07752102B2 Pay yourself first system
The system encourages users to not only pay themselves first, but to pay themselves first in the largest amounts possible, even if they are not able to fully pay outstanding debts. In general, the system obtains information related to the user's income, income sources, user's debts (e.g., bills) and user's goals. The system then provides recommendations related to the prioritization of paying certain bills and the amount to pay for each bill based upon, for example, savings goals, minimum amounts due, due dates and available income. The system and/or the user may then determine a payment hierarchy which includes transferring funds to the user's savings account prior to paying all or a portion of certain bills.
US07752100B1 Selector function for life-time value financial processing in a relational database management system
A Life-Time Value system is a data-driven computer-facilitated financial model that provides accurate and consistent profitability projections using current period account level profitability data stored in a Relational Database Management System. The Life-Time Value system performs Net Present Value and Future Value calculations using accounts, amounts and rates retrieved from the Relational Database Management System by a Selector function using selection criteria specified by one or more rules. The results from the Net Present Value and Future Value calculations are integrated to provide a Life-Time Value of one or more customers.
US07752099B2 Factor risk model based system, method, and computer program product for generating risk forecasts
A factor risk model based method for generating risk forecasts. In one embodiment, the method includes: selecting a set of securities; selecting a set of risk factors; determining the risk factor returns; constructing a risk factor covariance matrix; constructing an idiosyncratic variance matrix; determining, for each risk factor, a factor loading coefficient for each selected security; projecting the risk factor covariance matrix into a future forecast; and projecting the idiosyncratic variance matrix into a future forecast. The factor loading coefficients, the future forecast of the risk factor covariance matrix, and the future forecast of the idiosyncratic variance matrix can be used to determine a forecast of the variance-covariance matrix for the selected securities. In some embodiments, the step of estimating factor loadings includes performing a time series regression to obtain the sensitivity of each stocks' return to variations in the factor's return.
US07752094B2 Tax scorecard reporting system
A data processing system provides a tax scorecard that displays one or more scorecard windows dedicated to a specific tax perspective. Each tax perspective may have at least one corresponding tax objective, and each tax objective may have at least one corresponding tax key performance indicator. The tax perspectives may be directed toward gathering, monitoring, and analyzing tax data, financial data, and employee opinion data and monitoring business processes. Each scorecard may include drill down capability from a top level analysis to more detailed information related to a tax perspective, objective, or key performance indicator. The key performance indicators may be directed toward monitoring effective tax rates, tax budgets, income before taxes, rating agency liquidity ratios, active or completed business processes, documents contributed or accessed, cross-functional collaboration, allocation of time, communication, performance feedback, professional growth, or other data.
US07752092B1 System and method for indicating previous document source information for current document fields
System and method for accessing and displaying previous financial return information in financial return preparation programs. For example, historical tax return information for a taxable entity may be used in the preparation of a current tax return, and some of this information or data may be transferred into a current tax return electronic document, or used in the calculation of a value for a field in a current tax return document. Embodiments may provide a mechanism that enables the preparer to “jump” from a current financial return electronic document, or field on a current electronic document, that is being prepared using a current program to an electronic document prepared using a previous program, and that thus allows the preparer to directly view the source of transferred information or data. Embodiments may thus allow the preparer to identify the specific sources of transferred data or information.
US07752082B2 Social-network enabled review system with subject-owner controlled reviews
The embodiments of the present system include a review engine that is connected to support modules and databases that receive, store, and retrieve reviews, based upon the subject and the users' relationship to the authors of the reviews. The review engine comprises a social network engine, a rate and rank engine, a credentials engine and a privacy engine. These engines allow reviews to be sorted, filtered and ordered in terms of relevance when presented to the user. Numerous methods are also provided by the system that receive, store and retrieve reviews.
US07752081B2 Social-network enabled review system with subject-owner controlled syndication
The embodiments of the present system include a review engine that is connected to support modules and databases that receive, store, and retrieve reviews, based upon the subject and the users' relationship to the authors of the reviews. The review engine comprises a social network engine, a rate and rank engine, a credentials engine and a privacy engine. These engines allow reviews to be sorted, filtered and ordered in terms of relevance when presented to the user. Numerous methods are also provided by the system that receive, store and retrieve reviews.
US07752078B2 Communication service method and communication apparatus thereof
Each user terminal apparatus is connected with a service business enterprise system by a connection business enterprise system in a state that a live image can mutually be transmitted through the service business enterprise system. An user beforehand sets its live image to be appropriately utilized as an advertisement medium, and chooses selling goods to be advertised. A live image transmitted from the user terminal apparatus of the user who performed the aforesaid setting receives a superposed image, for example, by the superposing the T shirt of the user or the like with the image signal of the selling goods as the advertisement object in the service business enterprise system, and then the processed live image signal is transmitted to the user terminal apparatus of a communication companion. When the communication companion clicks this image signal, the user terminal apparatus of the communication companion is further connected with the sponsor system of the selling goods, and can receive a further explanation of the selling goods and can perform the transactions of the selling goods.
US07752077B2 Method and system for automated comparison of items
An automated method and system for providing an item comparison includes identifying a first item and a set of one or more other items for comparison with the first item, prioritizing attributes of the first item and the other items, and providing the item comparison with prioritized attributes to a user. Identifying comparable items may involve a multiple step process in which a candidate set of items is first selected for possible comparison with the first item, and thereafter selecting one or more items from the candidate set for comparison. Prioritizing the attributes of the items may include measuring like attributes of the items against each other and arranging the attributes to appear in an order according to the degree the like attributes distinguish the items from each other. A modified item comparison may be prepared and provided in accordance with user feedback.
US07752072B2 Method and system for providing advertising through content specific nodes over the internet
Methods and systems for providing advertising content over the Internet through a hierarchical content-specific node structure and pricing advertising delivery over each node independently. Independent delivery and pricing allows an advertiser to pay more for advertisements delivered to a narrowly targeted audience likely to be interested in the goods or services offered by the advertising entity and to pay less for advertisements directed at a more general audience who may or may not have an interest in the goods or services offered. The less content specific the node is, the less targeted the advertisement will be, and therefore, the less valuable the advertisement will be to the advertising entity. Targeted advertising to multiple levels of content specific nodes is enabled.
US07752066B2 Intelligent free-time search
Techniques are disclosed for scheduling meetings by exploiting information of the type used with electronic calendars. By leveraging advanced calendaring system information and using location, other context information such as corporate policy, legal constraints, and technology constraints, and/or user-specific preferences to provide a complete picture of a person's availability, the functionality (and therefore the value) of scheduling systems in increased, resulting in an ability to schedule meetings with more accuracy and less rework. Various allowable participation types for meeting invitees may be specified, and each invitee's availability is determined accordingly. Location-sensitive travel times (including optional user-specific travel time adjustments) are used in preferred embodiments when in-person participation is required.
US07752060B2 Internet system for connecting healthcare providers and patients
An Internet-based system involves a database and search capabilities for connecting patients with healthcare providers, e.g., physicians, hospitals, nursing homes, treatment facilities, etc., and further enables such providers to reach patients with whom they may not otherwise come into contact. A patient may access the healthcare provider information through a search conducted using a search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, etc. Alternatively, a patient may access the company Web site's predetermined Web page that provides search capabilities on its database. A patient may research a healthcare provider based on criteria specified by the patient. Information provided to the patient may be in the form of a report, profile, ratings, etc., including patient-provided information, physician-verified information, and information verified by an independent third party. The verified information and ratings provided by the Web site enable patients to differentiate among healthcare providers and thereby select the provider that best meets their individual needs.
US07752058B2 Portable terminal and health management method and system using portable terminal
A portable terminal carried and owned by each user is provided with a display screen, a communication unit, a memory storing personal information about each user, and an input/output device such as an inhaler. A database that communicates with each portable terminal is provided with a personal information storage unit storing the personal information about each user carrying the portable terminal, a medical information storage unit storing information about a medical facility, a drugstore, a medicine, and the input/output device, and a communication unit for communicating with each portable terminal. In the database, the user of the portable terminal is identified by collating the part of the information transmitted from the communication unit with information stored in the personal information storage unit. When a specific signal is transmitted from the communication unit, communication is performed with a medical facility while information, of the information stored in the medicine information storage unit, which is necessary for the user is provided for the portable terminal as an emergency measure. This makes it possible to properly and quickly handle an emergency.
US07752051B2 Dialog supporting apparatus that selects similar dialog histories for utterance prediction
A dialog supporting apparatus is provided which can support an on-going dialog so that the dialog is smoothly completed irrespective of the other party in the dialog. The dialog supporting apparatus includes utterance receiving units which receive the utterances of the dialog participants and output utterance information for identifying an utterance. Moreover, the dialog supporting apparatus includes utterance outputting units which output the utterance information from the other participant in the dialog as an utterance, and an utterance processing unit which transforms the utterance identified by the utterance information into an other utterance form. Furthermore, the dialog supporting apparatus includes a dialog history selection unit which selects an optimum dialog history in a dialog history database and an utterance prediction unit which predicts utterances in the dialog based on the selected dialog history.
US07752046B2 System and method for using meta-data dependent language modeling for automatic speech recognition
Disclosed are systems and methods for providing a spoken dialog system using meta-data to build language models to improve speech processing. Meta-data is generally defined as data outside received speech; for example, meta-data may be a customer profile having a name, address and purchase history of a caller to a spoken dialog system. The method comprises building tree clusters from meta-data and estimating a language model using the built tree clusters. The language model may be used by various modules in the spoken dialog system, such as the automatic speech recognition module and/or the dialog management module. Building the tree clusters from the meta-data may involve generating projections from the meta-data and further may comprise computing counts as a result of unigram tree clustering and then building both unigram trees and higher-order trees from the meta-data as well as computing node distances within the built trees that are used for estimating the language model.
US07752044B2 Method for recognizing speech
To increase the robustness and/or the recognition rate of methods for recognizing speech it is proposed to include phone boundary verification measure features in the process of obtaining and/or generating confidence measures obtained recognition results.
US07752038B2 Pitch lag estimation
Autocorrelation values are determined as a basis for an estimation of a pitch lag in a segment of an audio signal. A first considered delay range for the autocorrelation computations is divided into a first set of sections, and first autocorrelation values are determined for delays in a plurality of sections of this first set of sections. A second considered delay range for the autocorrelation computations is divided into a second set of sections such that sections of the first set and sections of the second set are overlapping. Second autocorrelation values are determined for delays in a plurality of sections of this second set of sections.
US07752032B2 Apparatus and method for translating Japanese into Chinese using a thesaurus and similarity measurements, and computer program therefor
A Japanese-to-Chinese machine translation apparatus includes, a translation dictionary memory that stores a Japanese-to-Chinese translation dictionary; a thesaurus memory that stores a Japanese thesaurus; a translation dictionary searching unit that searches the Japanese-to-Chinese translation dictionary for a Chinese word associated with an input Japanese word; a thesaurus searching unit that searches the Japanese thesaurus for the synonym associated the input Japanese word when plural Chinese words are hit as a result of search, a similarity calculating unit that calculates a degree of similarity between the synonym and the plural Chinese words for each Chinese word, and a translation selecting unit that selects a Chinese word with a highest degree of similarity as a translation of the input Japanese word.
US07752017B1 System and method for simulating resource allocation
A system and method for simulating resource allocation, where the allocation strategies which can be simulated include those of prior art but also include a large class of important allocation strategies that are not possible or not easy to simulate using prior art techniques and systems is described. A location limiting allocation strategy is also described. This strategy supports resource capacity schedules and request priorities as supported by prior art, but simultaneously supports the enforcement of allocation limits applied to a property expressed in the allocation request, namely the location of the work to be performed, or a location, resource pair to perform the work.
US07752016B2 System and method for data analysis
A system includes a monitoring system that provides at least one signal as a function of at least some data provided on a bus. A measure of performance for the at least some data is adjusted based on the at least one signal. An analysis system is operative to perform logic analysis of the data on the bus as a function of the at least one signal.
US07752010B2 Distance measuring apparatus capable of controlling range and resolution
There is provided a distance measuring apparatus having system flexibility by varying a distance measuring range and a distance measuring resolution according to an environment and circumstance. The apparatus includes a reference pulse generator and a delay pulse generator capable of controlling frequencies of a reference pulse and a delay pulse and duty ratios of the reference pulse and the delay pulse. The reference pulse generator and the delay pulse generator include a programmable clock generation unit generating a clock of a frequency determined by a frequency control signal and a duty ratio control unit controlling a duty ratio of the clock generated by the programmable clock generation unit.
US07752006B2 Device, system and method of generating a hardware-verification test case
Some demonstrative embodiments of the invention may include, for example, devices, systems and methods of performing functional verification of a hardware design. In some demonstrative embodiments, a test generator may include a transaction generator to automatically generate a plurality of manipulated transactions by manipulating one or more test case transactions resulting from a constraint-satisfaction-problem.
US07752004B1 Method and apparatus for configuring plurality of devices on printed circuit board into desired test port configuration
A system on a circuit board includes a plurality of devices designed to access an electronic system on the circuit board, and a programmable logic device (PLD) connected to the plurality of devices. Each of the plurality of devices complies with a test port architecture. The PLD interfaces the plurality of devices with a test port. The PLD is capable of configuring different connectivity among the plurality of devices based on the program implemented and the assertion of input control signals. A method and apparatus configures a plurality of devices on a circuit board into a desired configuration using the PLD. The configuration includes (a) receiving a control signal at the PLD, (b) configuring at least one of the plurality of devices into a chain based on the control signal, and (c) coupling the configured chain to the test port via the PLD.
US07752003B2 Hysteresis compensation in a coordinate measurement machine
A coordinate measuring machine compensates for hysteresis error caused by friction at the non-driven end of the bridge. The bridge may have a single drive and/or a single scale. The methods, systems, and apparatuses compensate for errors in the x-direction and/or errors in the y-direction caused by rotation of the bridge. Some embodiments compensate for hysteresis errors in the x-direction caused by a vertically-movable ram.
US07751985B2 Process for preparing silk polypeptide in a controllable particle size
The present invention relates to a process for controllably producing silk particles including the steps of designing a particle size, setting parameters to create the particle size except one unknown parameter, calculating the unknown parameter using algorithm, dissolving a silk peptide in a solvent, adding a cleavage agent, and hydrolyzing the peptide to produce the particle in the desired size.
US07751982B2 TM leveling methods
Methods for designing an oligonucleotide sequence having a selected duplex stability are provided wherein the oligonucleotide portion comprises at least one modified base selected from universal bases, unsubstituted and 3-substituted pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines and 5-substituted pyrimidines, and optionally having attached minor groove binders and reporter groups.
US07751981B2 Articles of manufacture and methods for modeling Saccharomyces cerevisiae metabolism
The invention provides an in silico model for determining a S. cerevisiae physiological function. The model includes a data structure relating a plurality of S. cerevisiae reactants to a plurality of S. cerevisiae reactions, a constraint set for the plurality of S. cerevisiae reactions, and commands for determining a distribution of flux through the reactions that is predictive of a S. cerevisiae physiological function. A model of the invention can further include a gene database containing information characterizing the associated gene or genes. The invention further provides methods for making an in silico S. cerevisiae model and methods for determining a S. cerevisiae physiological function using a model of the invention.
US07751970B2 Information providing apparatus, information providing method, and computer product
To safely and easily provide information that an operator needs, when a mobile body has started to move, a first acquiring unit and a second acquiring unit respectively acquire corresponding image information. Using the acquired image information and map information, an extracting unit extracts map information identical to the image information of the scenery around the mobile body. A selecting unit selects, from the extracted map information, an object that coincides with the position of the point viewed by the operator in the image information of the scenery around the mobile body. An output unit outputs information concerning the selected object.
US07751966B2 Abnormality diagnostic device and abnormality diagnostic method for air-fuel ratio sensor
In an abnormality diagnostic device and an abnormality diagnostic device for an air-fuel ratio sensor that detects the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine, a system extending from a fuel injection valve to the air-fuel ratio sensor is model by a first order response delay, and a parameter in the first order response delay is identified based on an input air-fuel ratio that is given to the air-fuel ratio sensor and an output air-fuel ratio that is output from the air-fuel ratio sensor. Then, the presence/absence of abnormality regarding a predetermined characteristic of the air-fuel ratio sensor is determined based on the parameter identified. Thus, abnormality is diagnosed regarding individual characteristics of the air-fuel ratio sensor.
US07751951B2 Method for checking takeoff or landing parameters, and associated device
A method for checking takeoff or landing parameters of an aircraft including a step of determining takeoff or landing parameters on the basis of a series of input conditions. The method includes steps of calculating regulatory data on the basis of determined takeoff or landing parameters; and of comparing the calculated regulatory data with predefined threshold values, with a view to establishing whether the determined takeoff or landing parameters are valid or invalid.
US07751946B2 Remote control system and remote control method
In a remote control system, the remote control of a vehicle function is executed. The remote control system includes a control terminal and a cancellation device. The control terminal transmits a request for the remote control of the vehicle function to a vehicle. The cancellation device cancels the remote control of the vehicle function if the local control of the vehicle function is requested before the remote control of the vehicle function is executed according to the request for the remote control.
US07751945B2 Vehicle-to-vehicle communication apparatus, vehicle-to-vehicle communication system, and method of determining applicability of moving image information to an application program
In a vehicle-to-vehicle communication system, when moving image information is transmitted between vehicles, a delay time acquisition unit determines a delay time that occurs when the moving image information is transmitted from a first vehicle to a second vehicle, and an applicability determination unit determines whether the moving image information transmitted with such a delay time is applicable to an application program running on an in-vehicle apparatus installed in the second vehicle. This makes it possible to transmit only moving image information which is usable by the in-vehicle apparatus.
US07751944B2 Context-aware and location-aware systems, methods, and vehicles, and method of operating the same
Context-aware systems and methods, location-aware systems and methods, context-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same, and location-aware vehicles and methods of operating the same are described. In various embodiments, a context or location service module, implemented in software, determines a vehicle context or a vehicle location based upon information that it receives from various context providers or location providers respectively. Software executing on a vehicle's computer can then cause one or more applications that are associated with a vehicle computer to be modified in a manner that changes their behavior. The behavior modification is based on the current context or location of the vehicle and thus provides a context-specific or location-specific user experience. The context or location can be ascertained through the use of one or more hierarchical tree structures that comprises individual nodes. Each node is associated with a context or location. The nodes are traversable by the vehicle's software to ascertain a more complete context or location.
US07751940B2 Robot cleaner and control method thereof
A control method for a robot cleaner that includes: driving a driving part to move the robot cleaner by a predetermined distance in an opposite direction to a proceeding direction thereof when a bumper sensor detects a collision with an obstacle, measuring the number of times in which the robot cleaner repeats moving in real-time, comparing the measured number with a predetermined reference number, and stopping the robot cleaner when the measured number is more than the reference number. With this method, the robot cleaner can diagnose a breakdown of the bumper sensor to stop the cleaner, and inform a user of the breakdown.
US07751928B1 Method and system for agent exchange-based materials handling
A method and system for agent exchange-based materials handling. According to one embodiment, a method of agent exchange-based order fulfillment may include a number of agents moving along respective paths through an inventory storage area of a materials handling facility. While moving through the inventory storage area, a portion of the number of agents may respectively select one or more of a number of items stored within the inventory storage area, where each one of the selected items is specified in a corresponding customer order or materials request. The method may also include conveying the selected items to one or more corresponding processing areas of the materials handling facility in order to fulfill the corresponding customer orders. Further, at least some of the selected items may be exchanged one or more times among the agents in the course of being conveyed to corresponding processing areas.
US07751915B2 Device for level correction in a wave field synthesis system
For a level correction in a wave field synthesis system having a wave field synthesis module and an array of loudspeakers for providing sound to a presentation region, a correction value which is based on a set amplitude state in a presentation region is determined, the set amplitude state depending on a position of the virtual source or a type of the virtual source, and the actual amplitude state in the presentation region depending on the component signals for the loudspeakers due to the virtual source. The correction value determined is fed to a manipulator manipulating the audio signal associated to the virtual source before feeding to the wave field synthesis module, or the component signals for the individual loudspeakers due to the virtual source are manipulated to reduce a deviation between a set amplitude state and an actual amplitude state at one point or several in the presentation region.
US07751913B2 Method and system for reducing power consumption of a sound processor
The present invention provides a method and system for reducing power consumption of a sound processor. Aspects of the invention include providing a sound processor access to at least one register having a plurality of bits corresponding to sound operations capable of being performed by the sound processor; and allowing a host processor to write a value to at least a portion of the plurality of bits in the register during sound processing to selectively disable individual operations performed by the sound processor.
US07751909B2 Trend groups and running profiles in real time analytics
A system. method and program product that utilizes running profiles and trend groups to analyze streams of event data in real time. A system is provided having a group profile processing system for generating a running group profile from a plurality of data event values, wherein each of the plurality of data event values is obtained from an associated one of the plurality of data streams; an event normalization system for normalizing each of the plurality of data event values based on the running group profile to generate a normalized data event value for the data event values obtained from each of the plurality of data streams; an event profile processing system for generating a running event profile for each normalized data event value; and an analysis system that evaluates each data stream by comparing a normalized data event value with an associated running event profile.
US07751903B2 Frequency selective passive component networks for implantable leads of active implantable medical devices utilizing an energy dissipating surface
Decoupling circuits are provided which transfer energy induced from an MRI pulsed RF field to an energy dissipating surface. This is accomplished through broadband filtering or by resonant filtering. In a passive component network for an implantable leadwire of an active implantable medical device, a frequency selective energy diversion circuit is provided for diverting high-frequency energy away from a leadwire electrode to a point or an area spaced from the electrode, for dissipation of high-frequency energy.
US07751899B1 Methods and systems for providing a power signal to an implantable device
A push-pull amplifier efficiency provides a 4:1 (12 dB) course adjustment of power output by using a single digital control input. The amplifier is provided with an input voltage (VDD) having sixteen steps ranging from 1.25 volts to 3.00 volts. Based on the digital control, an integrated circuit switches between a high power mode and a low power mode. In the low power mode, the output voltage is equivalent to the input voltage. In the high power mode, the amplifier provides an output of twice the input voltage (or four times the power).
US07751897B2 Temperature regulated implant
One disclosed embodiment of the present invention is a medical device having an electronic assembly and battery contained within a housing. Sealed in the housing is a heat absorption medium for regulating the temperature of the medial device, wherein said heat absorption medium undergoes a state change at a state change temperature of 36° Celsius or greater.
US07751896B2 Active retina implant with a multiplicity of pixel elements
An active retina implant has a multiplicity of pixel elements that convert incident light into electric stimulation signals for cells of the retina with which stimulation electrodes are to make contact. Each pixel element is provided with at least one image cell that converts incident light into electric signals, there being provided at least one amplifier whose input is connected to the image cell and whose output is connected to at least one stimulation electrode to which it supplies a stimulation signal. Also provided is an energy supply which provides externally coupled external energy as supply voltage for the image cells and the amplifiers. The image cell has a logarithmic characteristic according to which incident light of specific intensity is converted into electric signals of specific amplitude. The stimulation signal is supplied in the form of analog voltage pulses of specific pulse length and pulse spacings, the pulse amplitude being a function of the intensity of the incident light.
US07751885B2 Bradycardia pacing in a subcutaneous device
Methods of medically treating a patient by the use of anti-bradycardia pacing using a totally subcutaneous, non-transvenous system. Some examples include the application of pacing pulses to a patient at a pacing rate that is above a predetermined level. One example of a totally subcutaneous, non-transvenous system includes a capacitor subsystem for storing the anti-bradycardia pacing energy for delivery to the patient's heart; and a battery subsystem electrically coupled to the capacitor subsystem for providing the anti-bradycardia pacing energy to the capacitor subsystem.
US07751880B1 Shielded electrode assembly for effective nerve sensing and stimulation
A shielded electrode assembly for sensing electrical signals within a nerve is disclosed. The assembly comprises a generally tubular, electrically insulating shield body, which may be reversibly secured to the nerve. An electrically conducting mesh is positioned on at least a portion of an outer surface of the shield body, defining a region of the assembly within which external electromagnetic radiation is significantly attenuated. The conducting mesh is formed by photolithography, providing substantially precise control over the mesh aperture and thus the frequency of radiation which is shielded. A plurality of electrodes are placed within the shielded region and configured so as to contact the nerve. This design allows the electrodes to sense nerve signals within an environment which is at least partially shielded from electromagnetic radiation, facilitating nerve sensing with reduced need for filtering or signal processing.
US07751870B2 Surgical imaging device
A surgical imaging device and method configured to be inserted into a surgical site. The surgical imaging device includes a plurality of prongs. Each one of the prongs has an image sensor mounted thereon. The image sensors provide different image data corresponding to the surgical site, thus enabling a surgeon to view a surgical site from several different angles. The prongs may be moveable between a first position, suitable for insertion though a small surgical incision, and a second position, in which the prongs are separated from each other. In addition, the prongs may be bendable.
US07751868B2 Integrated skin-mounted multifunction device for use in image-guided surgery
The invention comprises an integrated skin-mountable multifunction device for use with a computer assisted or image guided surgical system and methods of using the same, wherein the multifunction device includes a patient mountable portion that has at least one position indicating element and at least one imageable pattern whose geometry is known in a coordinate system of the at least one position indicating element, wherein the imageable pattern is visible on an imaging modality. The multifunction device may also include a monitoring device capable of measuring a physiological parameter of a patient for use in gating image or position signals or for other purposes.
US07751865B2 Method and apparatus for surgical navigation
A surgical navigation system for navigating a region of a patient that may include a non-invasive dynamic reference frame and/or fiducial marker, sensor tipped instruments, and isolator circuits. The dynamic reference frame may be placed on the patient in a precise location for guiding the instruments. The dynamic reference frames may be fixedly placed on the patient. Also the dynamic reference frames may be placed to allow generally natural movements of soft tissue relative to the dynamic reference frames. Also methods are provided to determine positions of the dynamic reference frames. Anatomical landmarks may be determined intra-operatively and without access to the anatomical structure.
US07751864B2 System and method for operating an electrochemical analyte sensor
A method of operating an electrochemical analyte sensor having one or more electrodes may comprise applying a time-varying input signal to at least one of the one or more electrodes, monitoring a time-varying output signal produced by the sensor in response to application of the time-varying input signal, determining a complex impedance of the sensor based on the time-varying input and output signals, and determining from the complex impedance information relating to operation of the sensor.
US07751861B2 Portable telephone and electronic equipment with optical signal transmission between housing sections for high speed signal noise elimination
The portable telephone has an optical signal transmission section 100 for performing signal transmission between a first casing 101 and a second casing 102 by optical signals. A need for any complex electromagnetic shield structure can be eliminated. There is no occurrence of electromagnetic-wave noise from an optical signal transmission section 100. Thus, electromagnetic-wave noise of the whole portable telephone can be extremely reduced.
US07751859B2 Cellular phone
A plurality of operation portions are arranged at a surface on a sub-display side of a cellular phone with a camera so that various kinds of setting, selection and control can be performed without opening the cellular phone in its folded state, and the cellular phone can achieve improved operability and convenience. Cellular phone includes a first display portion at a surface of a first body opposed to a second body in the folded state, and includes a second display portion, an image taking portion and a plurality of operation portions arranged at a rear surface of the first body remote from the first display portion.
US07751857B2 Radio-frequency amplifier system
A device for measuring voltage levels includes a root mean square (RMS) detector. The RMS detector includes a linear multiplier, a log converter, a low-pass filter and a temperature compensator. The linear multiplier multiplies a voltage of an input signal by the voltage of the input signal. The low-pass filter couples to an output of the linear multiplier. The log converter generates a logarithmic signal having a voltage that is logarithmically related to a voltage of an output of the low-pass filter. The temperature compensator adjusts the logarithmic signal based on a temperature of the RMS detector. The RMS detector is capable of determine an RMS voltage level of the input signal.
US07751845B2 Wireless communication method and wireless communication device
An AA communication method using an AA communication device including a plurality of AA communication units includes: receiving a signal transmitted from a receiving terminal in each AA communication unit of UN-A and UN-BF, and measuring a receive level of the signal transmitted from the receiving terminal for each communication unit; calculating a transmit weight vector based on received signals corresponding to the signal transmitted from the receiving terminal for each AA communication unit; calculating a received power based on a measured value of the receive level and the transmit weight vector for each AA communication unit; comparing the received powers of the AA communication units, and, to match the received powers to the received power of the unit having a lowest received power, making a downward correction of an amplitude of the transmit weight vector for each of the other communication units; and transmitting a signal using the transmit weight vector after the correction by each communication unit.
US07751844B2 Mobile communication system, radio base station, transmission power control method used therein, and program thereof
A radio transmission rate determining part (21) of a radio base station (2), when receiving transmission data transmitted from a base station control apparatus (1), determines a radio transmission rate in accordance with transmission data size and produces rate information. A transmission power changing part (22) decides the change amount of transmission power from the transmission data size received by the radio transmission rate determining part (21) and from an error correction gain difference determined in accordance with the transmission data size. A transmission frame producing part (23) encodes the transmission data into a transmission frame. A transmission part (249 transmits the transmission frame and rate information in accordance with the transmission power decided by the transmission power changing part (22).
US07751843B2 Reducing interference with a multiple format channel in a communication system
Techniques for reducing interference with a multiple format channel in a communication system are disclosed. In one aspect, a minimum power level is determined for each format transmitted during a transmission interval. The minumum power level for formats that will experience the interference are increased to compensate. The power level selected for transmission during the transmission interval is the most stringent of the minimum power levels. Various other aspects are also presented. These aspects have the benefit of mitigating the effects of a known interfering signal, while avoiding unnecessarily increasing transmit power, thus reducing the interference to other users and increasing system capacity.
US07751838B2 Method and mobile station for synchronizing to a common synchronization channel and obtaining a channel estimate
A mobile station for operating in a broadcast-centric cellular communication system. The system improves broadcast channel performance by exploiting the benefits of macro-diversity in a cellular communication system having a plurality of base stations that transmit signals within a plurality of associated cells. System-specific control information common to all cells is synchronously and simultaneously broadcast from multiple base stations using a broadcast channel that is identical across the entire system. Cell-specific control information is transmitted individually from each base station. The mobile station uses the broadcast information for initial synchronization to the system, and to obtain most relevant system information. After system synchronization, the mobile station identifies the connected cell through a physical layer characteristic, and performs initial access to the system.
US07751823B2 Systems and methods for controlling a level of interference to a wireless receiver responsive to an activity factor associated with a wireless transmitter
A level of interference to a wireless receiver may be controlled by determining a set of frequencies to be assigned to a wireless transmitter, responsive to an activity factor associated with the wireless transmitter, other than a transmission power level of the wireless transmitter. The set of frequencies is then assigned to the wireless transmitter. Related systems, methods and devices are also described.
US07751821B2 Method and apparatus to initiate point-to-point call during shared-channel delivery of broadcast content in a wireless telephone network
A method for managing a point-to-point call initiated (702) between a wireless mobile station (114, 400) and a remote party while the mobile is receiving broadcast content via one or more multi-user forward-link broadcast channels (508). The mobile station notifies (704) the network (110) of preferences as to prescribed categories of operating conditions, such as whether to continue receiving the broadcast content, and election between the point-to-point call and the broadcast content should network resources be unable to conduct the point-to-point call and broadcast content concurrently. In accordance with the preferences, communications are conducted (706) in one of the following operating modes: (1) conducting the point-to-point call and discontinuing reception of the broadcast, (2) conducting the point-to-point call and continuing reception of the broadcast, (3) aborting completion of the point-to-point call and continuing reception of the broadcast.
US07751817B2 Scanning neighboring base stations in wireless access system
Scanning neighboring base stations in a wireless access system is provided. In one embodiment, a method of scanning neighboring base stations for assessing channel quality includes receiving from a serving base station information associated with at least one neighboring base station, and transmitting a scanning request message from a mobile subscriber station to the serving base station, wherein the scanning request message comprises a requested scan duration and a requested scan iteration, the requested scan iteration being associated with a requested number of iterations of the scanning of the at least one neighboring base station. The method also includes receiving a scanning response message from the serving base station, wherein the scanning response message comprises an allowed scan duration and an allowed scan iteration, the allowed scan iteration being associated with an allowed number of iterations of the scanning of the at least one neighboring base station.
US07751814B2 System for managing call handoffs between an aircraft and multiple cell sites
The handoff management system maximizes the communications capacity available from terrestrial air-to-ground cellular networks, while also integrating communications capabilities from satellite air-to-ground cellular networks and terrestrial cellular communications networks. The communications capacity is maximized by dynamically allocating communications from the aircraft over multiple communications channels to multiple cells of the terrestrial air-to-ground cellular network, and to satellite air-to-ground cellular networks and terrestrial mobile networks. This approach effectively provides an increase in the call handling capacity available to any aircraft and permits a gradual transition of communications from one cell to the next cell, rather than requiring an abrupt handover of all traffic from the aircraft from one cell to the next cell.
US07751807B2 Method and system for a hosted mobile management service architecture
A hosted mobile management service is provided for enabling a user to access a centralized account through a web browser on a terminal in order to manage the user's media information, such as digital music and photos. Any modifications made by user through the web browser are transparently sent to the user's mobile device where a thin client application receives such modification information and interacts with the mobile device's file system to reconcile such modifications.
US07751806B1 System and method for monitoring dispatch communications
Systems and methods for monitoring dispatch communications are provided. A console receives signaling and/or media streams for two or more dispatch talk groups. The console alternatively outputs the two or more media streams. In response to a suspension command, the console will continue to output the current media stream, until a suspension cancel command has been received. The console will skip to a next media stream, out of a group of media streams, in response to receipt of a next media stream command.
US07751799B2 Method and apparatus for security in a wireless network
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for preventing unauthorized users from gaining access to a wireless network. A processor allows only data transmissions from the directions of the authorized users to access the network. Data transmissions from other directions are not allowed to access the network. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus fore transmitting information only in selected directions, while in directions not selected, information cannot be inferred from the transmitted signal or signals.
US07751798B2 Method and computer-readable medium having a program for managing billing for a telecommunications campus by assigning different billing rates inside the campus
Method and computer-readable medium for managing billing for calls within a user's telecommunications campus. According to the method and computer-readable medium for managing billing for calls within a user's campus, users can make unlimited calls within the campus by determining whether a call from a user begins in a predetermined area of use; determining whether the user is on a predetermined list of users, if the call began in the predetermined area of use; assigning a first billing rate to the call, if the predetermined list of users includes the user; and assigning a second billing rate to the call, if the predetermined list of users does not include the user.
US07751796B2 In-vehicle emergency report device
An in-vehicle emergency report device starts an operation for an emergency report to transmit an emergency report signal to a service center. The operation is interrupted when a battery voltage decreases less than a given voltage. The operation is thereafter re-started when the battery voltage returns to the given voltage or more. This allows all procedures of the emergency report operation to be completed.
US07751787B2 Timing generator and methods thereof
A timing generator and methods thereof are provided. In a first example method, a timing control signal may be produced by generating a base clock signal and a higher delay resolution clock signal, a clock cycle of the higher delay resolution signal being less than a clock cycle of the base clock signal. A first control word output signal may be generated by synchronizing a control word with the base clock signal. A second control word output signal may be generated by synchronizing the first control word output signal with the higher delay resolution clock signal and generating at least one additional control word output signal based on the second control word output signal and the higher delay resolution clock signal, the first, second and at least one additional control word output signal each having different delay resolutions. In a second example method, a timing control signal may be produced by generating a plurality of control word output signals, each of the plurality of control word output signals having a different delay resolution and selecting one of the plurality of control word output signals based on a delay resolution of the selected control word output signal, the delay resolution of the selected control word output signal better suited for interaction with an external device than delay resolutions of other of the plurality of control word output signals. A timing generator may be configured to perform either of the above-described first and second example methods.
US07751776B2 Wireless communication device and method for communication using frame
Wireless communication device and method whereby, even in cases where relay stations that transmit control information to terminals and relay stations that do not transmit control information coexist in the same system, the terminals are prevented from interfering with one another's communications. A non-controlling relay station transmits only data, and not control information, to a terminal, and a controlling relay station transmits both data and control information to a terminal. The wireless communication device includes a transmission interval setter for setting, in a downlink subframe of a frame for communicating by wireless with terminals, the non-controlling relay station and the controlling relay station, an interval for transmitting data from the controlling relay station to the terminal communicating therewith.
US07751766B2 Fixing device and image forming apparatus having the same
A fixing device includes a fixing member for heating a recording medium and fixing an image formed on the recording medium; a pressing member pressed against the fixing member for pressing the recording medium against the fixing member; a frame member for supporting the fixing member and the pressing member; a cover member for covering the frame member; and a discharging member for discharging static electricity accumulated on the recording medium. The discharging member is sandwiched and held between the cover member and the frame member.
US07751761B2 Image forming apparatus
An image forming apparatus includes a belt disposed diagonally with respect to a horizontal direction of the image forming apparatus, and plural image forming units disposed along the belt. Each of the plural image forming units includes a photosensitive drum that faces at least the belt and an exposing device that forms a latent image on the photosensitive drum.
US07751754B2 Image forming apparatus provided with an electrophotographic photosensitive member
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including an electrophotographic photosensitive member provided with a substantially cylindrical body having outer circumference on which a photosensitive layer with a latent image forming area is formed, and a contact electrification means positioned substantially parallel to the axial direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. A nip width of a contact area between the photosensitive layer and the electrification means is larger at a middle portion than at end portions of the latent image forming area. Preferably, the nip width becomes larger gradually or stepwise as proceeding from the end portions to the middle portion of the latent image forming area.
US07751749B2 Image forming apparatus
When a lever is pulled upwards, an engaging member comes into contact with a retracted contacting member. An optical writing device rotates with a hooking member at a center and is lifted. As a result, positions of a first reference position component and a second reference position component switches from a contacting position to a retracted position. When the lever is pulled downward, the engaging member separates from the retracted contacting member. The optical writing device rotates in a counter-clockwise direction with the hooking member as the center. As a result, the positions of the reference position components switch from the retracted position to the contacting position. The reference position components come into contact with positioning members.
US07751744B2 Development apparatus, process cartridge and image formation apparatus, including dust prevention sheet
A development apparatus has a casing, a regulation plate, a smoky dust prevention sheet and a backup member which are fixed together onto the casing with a screw. The backup member sandwiches a fixed end portion of the smoky dust prevention sheet with the regulation plate. Therefore, the backup member suppresses detachment of the smoky dust prevention sheet from the regulation plate. Thus, the smoky dust prevention sheet is prevented from being detached from the regulation plate when the smoky dust prevention sheet is used in contact with a development roller in the state of being bended.
US07751743B2 Developer cartridge, process cartridge and image-forming device
A developer cartridge includes a developer roller, a support member and a first seal member. The developer roller has a rotational axis and a peripheral surface. The peripheral surface includes a center zone and an end zone at one end portion in an axial direction. The support member supports the developer roller to be rotatable about the rotational axis. The support member has an opposing surface opposed to the end zone. A protrusion protrudes from the opposing surface, and extends in a direction crossing with the axial direction. The first seal member is disposed between the end zone and the opposing surface in order to prevent developer from leaking out of a space formed between the end zone and the opposing surface.
US07751742B2 Image forming apparatus and image forming system
An image forming apparatus having a main body unit for forming an image on a recording medium, connectable to at least one post-processing unit for performing post-processing for the recording medium on which the image is formed, the image forming apparatus includes, a current value acquiring portion for acquiring at least one of a calculated value of a current and a measured value of the current as a value of the current flowing through the main body unit, and a control portion for selecting an operation mode from a plurality of operation modes each having a distinct value of current flowing through the main body unit.
US07751732B2 Image forming apparatus and control method
This invention has an object to process color balance adjustment at high speed in an image forming apparatus without depending on different feeding speeds for different printing materials. To accomplish this, an image forming apparatus of the invention detects color balances while a printing material on which toner patches are formed is fed on a second feeding path. Since images are formed on different types of printing materials at different feeding speeds, the image forming apparatus of the invention processes color balance adjustment at high speed without depending on the feeding speed at the time of image formation by switching the feeding speed on the feeding path.
US07751730B2 Developing device, process unit, and image forming apparatus developer
A black developer is conveyed in a first conveyance chamber in a rotation axis direction while agitating with rotation of a first screw member. A black-toner-concentration detecting sensor detects a toner concentration of the black developer by having contact with the black developer conveyed inside the first conveyance chamber. An average of peak amounts of a pressing force on the black developer, which is conveyed inside the first conveyance chamber by the first screw member, with respect to the black toner-concentration detecting sensor is set within a range of 9.8 15 [N/m2] to 9.8 100 [N/m2].
US07751729B2 Image forming apparatus and apparatus for receiving consumable supplying member
An image forming apparatus is provided with an apparatus main body having a casing structure and adapted to perform an image forming operation, a window provided on a casing of the apparatus main body for enabling the interior of the apparatus main body to be seen, and an indicator provided in the apparatus main body for displaying specified indication information. The indicator is arranged at such a position as to face the window.
US07751719B2 Electrical generation of return-to-zero (RZ) data pattern with flexible duty cycle adjustment for optical transmission
An electrical return to zero (RZ) encoder converts non-return to zero (NRZ) data, into of RZ data patterns with a flexibility for duty cycle adjustment so that any RZ data pattern may be provided for a specific application's need. A duty cycle of>50% or<50% may be achieved by selecting between a clock signal or its complement and adjusting its delay.
US07751715B2 Optical transmission system, optical receiver, and its gain adjustment method
An optical transmission system comprises master unit and remote unit, the master unit includes optical transmitter transmits the optical signal to the optical fiber at a fixed averaged output level, the remote unit includes optical receiver receives optical signal via optical fiber, and optical receiver includes light receiving element converts optical signal into electric signal, variable gain amplifier amplifies the electric signal at a gain corresponding to a value of a given adjustment voltage, gain controller supplied power for, a defined control period, controls the adjustment voltage to stabilize an averaged level of the electric signal to a defined value, and feed-forward-controls a gain of variable gain amplifier, a shut off unit shuts off supply of power to the gain control circuit when the control period ends, and a keeping unit keeps a value of an adjustment voltage applied to the variable gain amplifier.
US07751693B2 Method and apparatus for recording/reproducing image information on/from removable medium
In an image recording/reproduction method for recording image information on a recording medium by using a computer, a verify mode is set into the OFF state when recording image information on said recording medium. In addition, use as a write or read region a specified region of the recording medium which is greater than or equal to a unitary data size being handled during error correction processing to be performed when writing or reading image information on or out of said recording medium. Additionally, upon reading of image information from the recording medium, any image information that has experienced read errors will never be read again.
US07751677B2 Optical fiber feedthrough using axial seals for bi-directional sealing
An optical waveguide feedthrough assembly passes at least one optical waveguide through a bulk head, a sensor wall, or other feedthrough member. The optical waveguide feedthrough assembly comprises a cane-based optical waveguide that forms a glass plug sealingly disposed in a feedthrough housing. A seal fills an annular space between the glass plug and the housing. The seal may be energized by a fluid pressure in the housing to establish sealing engagement. Further, the seal may provide bidirectional sealing. The feedthrough assembly is operable in high temperature and high pressure environments.
US07751676B2 Cable entry seal
A seal assembly is provided to seal the area between a cable, containing optic fibers for example, and the terminal end of a conduit through which the cable runs. The seal assembly comprises an area of a resilient material and a supporting structure. The seal assembly, encompassing a cable, fits into and seals a standard conduit opening/hole in a cabinet or enclosure.
US07751658B2 Monolithic transmitter photonic integrated circuit (TxPIC) having tunable modulated sources with feedback system for source power level or wavelength tuning
A photonic integrated circuit (PIC) chip comprising an array of modulated sources, each providing a modulated signal output at a channel wavelength different from the channel wavelength of other modulated sources and a wavelength selective combiner having an input optically coupled to received all the signal outputs from the modulated sources and provide a combined output signal on an output waveguide from the chip. The modulated sources, combiner and output waveguide are all integrated on the same chip.
US07751656B2 Optical modulator
An optical modulator comprising; an optical waveguide in which input light propagates; a signal electrode having an end portion in which signal microwave is input and having an interaction area in which the signal microwave interacts with the light propagating in the optical waveguide; and, a ground electrode forming a coaxial structure with the signal electrode, wherein, width of the end portion is greater than width of the interaction area and thickness of the end portion is less than thickness of the interaction area.Also disclosed is an optical modulator, further comprising a substrate having an electro-optic effect; and, a buffer layer on the substrate, wherein, the signal electrode and ground electrode are formed on the buffer layer, and thickness of the buffer layer near the end portion of the signal electrode is greater than thickness of the buffer layer near the interaction area.
US07751652B2 Digital image drop zones and transformation interaction
A portion of a digital image is displayed. A change associated with a mask is received, where the mask is associated with a displayed portion of the digital image. A transformation to be applied is determined based at least in part on the received change. A new portion of the digital image is displayed based at least in part on the received change and the transformation, where the new portion that is displayed has the same center point as the previously displayed portion.
US07751651B2 Processing architecture for automatic image registration
An image registration method and apparatus for automatically registering images of different perspectives, and where a sensor image is registered with a more precise reference image such that the geocoding of the reference image can be transferred to the sensor image.
US07751638B1 Adaptive quantizer
A quantizer can be used to adjust the number of bits representing each sample value in a signal. Then, each received sample is allocated to one of a number of bins, with each bin corresponding to one of the possible quantizer output values. The quantizer can be used for providing a digital signal with a required number of bits, and the quantization interval can be adjusted. The quantization is performed in multiple stages. In a first stage, a received signal is compared with a first threshold value. In subsequent stages, the received signal is compared with respective threshold values, with the threshold value for each stage being calculated on the basis of the comparison result of the previous stage, and on the basis of an adjustable quantization interval. The quantized value is formed from the one-bit results from the comparison operations.
US07751637B2 Method and apparatus for synthesizing data
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for synthesizing a plurality of data that is in compressed format. According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of creating a synthesized data by synthesizing a plurality of source data that is in compressed format, the method including the steps of: extracting a portion of one of the plurality of source data; decompressing the extracted portion to create a decompressed data portion; and synthesizing two or more of the decompressed data portions derived from different ones of the source data to create a part of the synthesized data. The extracting, decompressing and synthesizing step will be repeated until the creation of the synthesized data is completed.
US07751631B2 Bypass using sum of absolute transformed differences value (SATD) in a video coding process
In one embodiment, a method for bypassing transform and quantization steps in a video compression is provided. The method determines one or more threshold values that are computed for a bypass of the transform and quantization steps. A sum of absolute transformed differences (SATD) value from a motion estimation of a signal being compressed using H.26x is received. The SATD value is compared to at least one of the one or more threshold values. It is then determined if the transform and quantization can be bypassed based on the comparison. For example, if the SATD value is less than the at least one of the one or more threshold values, then it may be determined that the coefficients of the transform are expected to be quantized to zero. Accordingly, the transform and quantization steps may be bypassed.
US07751624B2 System and method for automating document search and report generation
A method for processing a customer request comprises receiving a request, sending the requests to a data provider; receiving a document image from the data provider, performing pattern data extraction on the document image, and preparing a customized report. Additionally, a system for processing customer requests comprises a receiving module for receiving customer requests, a data acquisition module for receiving data from plural sources, an image distribution module for distributing data to appropriate entities, a pattern data extraction module for performing pattern detection and extraction, and a data output module for formatting data.
US07751622B2 Method and system for detection of undesirable images
A method for detecting undesirable images within an image sequence, comprising the steps of receiving the image sequence; computing one or more associated image characteristics for a group of images, wherein the group of images includes at least one image from the image sequence; identifying any undesirable group of images based on the computed image characteristics; collecting undesirable groups of images into at least one collection; receiving a threshold value of a minimum number of undesirable images; and flagging as undesirable only images that belong to one or more collections that have at least the threshold value of undesirable images.
US07751617B2 Image compression and decompression method capable of encoding and decoding pixel data based on a color conversion method
An image compression and decompression method encodes and decodes pixel data based on a color conversion method. Based on the relationships of corresponding color components of two adjacent pixels, the corresponding color components are encoded either by a white and black modification, a down-sampling or an edge modification. Based on the relationships of encoded color components of the two adjacent pixels, the corresponding encoded color components are decoded either by an inverse white and black modification, an up-sampling or an inverse edge modification.
US07751616B2 Coding apparatus and method and storage medium storing program
A coding apparatus includes a color space conversion unit that converts input image data into image data which is represented in another color space, a gradation changing unit that changes gradation of the input image data, based on the converted image data, and a predictive coding unit that performs predictive coding on the image data subjected to the gradation change.
US07751608B2 Model-based synthesis of band moire images for authenticating security documents and valuable products
The present invention relies on a band moiré image layout model capable of predicting the band moiré image layer layout produced when superposing a base band grating layer of a given layout and revealing line grating layer of a given layout. The base band grating layer, the revealing line grating layer and the resulting band moiré image layout may have a rectilinear or a curvilinear layout. Thanks to the band moiré image layout model, one can choose the layout of two layers selected from the set of base band grating layer, revealing line grating layer and band moiré image layer and obtain the layout of the third layer by computation, i.e. automatically. The presented methods may be used for creating an individualized protection for various categories of documents (banknotes, identity documents, checks, diploma, travel documents, tickets) and valuable products (optical disks, medical drugs, products with affixed labels, watches).
US07751606B2 Tooth locating within dental images
In a method, computer program, and system a dental target, such as a tooth, is located within a digital dental image. A reference object that was placed in the patient's mouth is segmented within a digital dental image to provide a segmented reference. The reference object has a predetermined size dimension. A window is segmented in the dental image at the position of the dental target. The segmented reference defines the relative size and location of the window, prior to the segmenting of the window.
US07751602B2 Systems and methods of classification utilizing intensity and spatial data
A method of classifying a test subject comprises collecting imaging data for a plurality of training subjects, control subjects and a test subject. An intensity volume of interest (VOI) and a morphological VOI are selected from said imaging data. Training intensity data and morphological data are calculated for the intensity and spatial VOI. A statistical model can then be created based on the training intensity data and training spatial data to provide a universe of subjects. Control intensity data and spatial data are also calculated for the intensity and spatial VOI. A classifier can then be built dividing the universe into at least two regions. The test subject data can then be applied to the classifier to provide a determination of whether the test subject falls within the first region or the second region. The condition can be a neurological disease state such as temporal lobe epilepsy or Alzheimer's dementia.
US07751601B2 Fingerprint sensing assemblies and methods of making
A fingerprint sensing module includes a sensor substrate having a sensing side and a circuit side, an image sensor including conductive traces on the circuit side of the sensor substrate, and a sensor circuit including at least one integrated circuit mounted on the circuit side of the sensor substrate and electrically connected to the image sensor. The sensor substrate may be a flexible substrate. The module may include a velocity sensor on the sensor substrate or on a separate substrate. The module may further include a rigid substrate, and the sensor substrate may be affixed to the rigid substrate.
US07751600B2 System and method for identifying an individual
The present invention provides a system for identifying an individual provided with a portable communication device. In a system for identifying an individual using a portable communication device with a display, the display is a sensor-incorporated display, the sensor-incorporated display reads the biological information of a user, and, based on the read information, identifies an individual.
US07751598B2 Methods and systems for biometric identification
A method for identifying an iris image can include obtaining an iris image of an eye, segmenting the iris image, generating, from the segmented iris image, a normalized iris image, and generating, from the normalized iris image, an iris template. The method can also include generating a modified iris template by extracting a portion of the iris template, comparing the modified iris template with a plurality of previously stored other modified iris templates and matching the modified iris template with one of the plurality of previously stored other modified iris templates. The method can also include generating a modified iris template by extracting a portion of the iris template, comparing the modified iris template with a plurality of previously stored other modified iris templates, and matching the modified iris template with one of the plurality of previously stored other modified iris templates.
US07751597B2 Apparatus and method for identifying a name corresponding to a face or voice using a database
The basic invention uses biometric signals to help identify the name of a family member, acquaintance or newly met individual. The biometric signals include facial and voice recognition. In addition, the invention can interactively produce the name of an individual met for the first time just after that individual shakes your hand and introduces themselves. Most people forget this name since they are concentrating on maintaining a conversation. By touching the portable unit which is inserted into the ear canal, the name is whispered into the canal. All these identification procedures can be used to help eliminate an embarrassing moment which may occur if the user is unable to recall an individual's name.
US07751592B1 Scoring items
A system identifies an image and determines whether the image contains inappropriate content based on first data associated with the image, second data associated with a document that contains the image or refers to the image, and/or third data associated with a group of documents with which the image is associated.
US07751585B2 System and method for encoding high density geometric symbol set
A system and related techniques provide a platform for encoding high density geometric symbol sets, for example a triangular barcode-type of encoding which may be used to encode drivers' licenses, biometric IDs, passports, or other transaction or identification media. According to embodiments of the invention in one regard, an inkjet, laser or other printer or output device may imprint a paper, plastic or other media with geometric symbols such as triangles in a defined array, to represent, for instance, name, address, or other identifying information, for instance such as digital facial photographs, iris or retinal scans, fingerprints, signatures, or other information. The geometric symbols may in one regard be arranged in a staggered format, separated in embodiments by a white space that may serve to reduce aliasing effects and other distortions. Because triangular symbols may in general be packed more closely together, and the number of distinct individual symbols may scale according to the range of color space employed for the symbol set, information densities high enough to satisfactorily encode biometric iris or retinal scans, digital facial photographs, or other identification or other information may be achieved. In embodiments, error correcting processing such as Reed-Solomon techniques may be employed to enhance scanning accuracy. In further embodiments, a reference palette may be embedded within the imprinted media, to provide a scale against which color fading or other distortion may be measured.
US07751575B1 Microphone system for communication devices
The microphone system for communication devices that comprises an electric circuit comprising two microphone elements connected to a signal flow processor. This processor uses a digital signal processor or comparable analog circuitry to provide a particular electrical time delay (τ) to one of the microphone elements (nearest the ear or loudspeaker) and a compatible amplitude gain (Gm1) to the other microphone element (nearest the user's mouth) in order to substantially reduce the external acoustic coupling and echo of communication devices in the receive and doubletalk state. Further, this processing system allows the microphone system to reduce the pickup of ambient noise in the send and idle state, while still being sensitive to the user's speech.
US07751574B2 Reverberation apparatus controllable by positional information of sound source
In a reverberation apparatus, a storage section stores a directional characteristic representing a directivity of generated sound at a sound generating point. A position determining section determines a position of the sound generating point within an acoustic space on the basis of an instruction from the user. An orientation determining section determines an orientation of the sound generating point based on the determined position thereof. An impulse response determining section determines an impulse response for each of sound ray paths along which the sound emitted from the sound generating point travels to reach a sound receiving point, in accordance with the directional characteristic of the generated sound and the orientation of the sound generating point. A calculation section performs a convolution operation between the impulse response and an input audio signal so as to apply thereto the acoustic effect.
US07751565B2 Secure encryption system, device and method
A system, device and method for encrypting plaintext information securely. The system includes a transmitting agent to generate and synchronize a first cipher stream using the plaintext information and a first key, to generate and synchronize a second cipher stream using a second key and a randomizing function to randomize and synchronize a controllable plaintext stream to form a second synchronized cipher stream, and to operate on the plurality of first and second cipher streams using an exclusive disjunction operator to obtain a ciphertext stream; and a receiving agent to decrypt the ciphertext stream.
US07751556B2 Apparatus and method of generating falsification detecting data of encrypted data in the course of process
Data to be encrypted (301) is partially extracted successively. A result of encrypting a previously extracted portion of the data is used to successively calculate that of encrypting the currently extracted portion of the data successively. Successively calculated results of the encryption are used to generate encrypted data (305). In generating the encrypted data, a finally calculated result of the encryption (PF(z+1)) is attached to the generated encrypted data. The finally calculated result is used as falsification detecting data (308) for detecting whether the data to be encrypted is falsified data.
US07751548B1 System and method for facilitating targeted marketing over a telecommunications network
A method and system for facilitating targeted marketing over a telecommunications network that includes a central controller which receives a data request from an originating party to a terminating party. The identity of the terminating party is established and targeted marketing material, for example, a coupon for the terminating party or a competitor of the terminating party, is offered to the originating party.
US07751544B2 Method and system for driving an indicating element on a terminal
A terminal operated at a switching facility has at least one indicating element which indicates operating modes of another terminal allocated to the indicating element. The other terminal is operated at another switching facility. Calls to the other terminal may be picked up by operating a function element, e.g., pressing a key, associated with the indicating element that indicates the operating modes of the other terminal, when an incoming call to the other terminal is indicated.
US07751540B2 “Always-on” telemetry system and method
A telemetry system includes at least one telemetry communication device for handling security event information available to the telemetry communication device. The system also includes a central host device, and an “always on” network, such as the Internet, communicatively connected to the telemetry communication device and the central host device, for communications between the telemetry communication device and the central host device. Encryption key information is exchanged between the central host device and the telemetry communication device, via a secure path, such as a cellular telephone call between the devices wherein identity and authentication can be ensured by Calling Line Identity information, or other secure exchange. Telemetry information is communicated by the telemetry communication device and the central host device over the “always on” network, in encrypted format according to the particular encryption keys exchanged. The central host device also communicates the telemetry information to a monitor service, over the “always on” network and in encrypted format after secure exchange of encryption keys between the central host device and the monitor service. The system can also include a back-up path for communications of telemetry information in the event that the “always on” network is unavailable for the communications.
US07751538B2 Policy based information lifecycle management
A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for managing a lifecycle of an auditory communication is disclosed. In an embodiment, this comprises receiving an auditory communication with associated data representing identified keywords in the communication and call transport information. A data for a disposition of the communication is determined from a portion of the identified keywords, a portion of the call transport information, or a portion of the policies invoked. The communication is associated with the date(s).
US07751527B2 Measurement method of layer thickness for thin film stacks
Provided is a thin film stack inspection method capable of accurately measuring and inspecting layer thicknesses of thin film stacks. An X-ray having a long coherence length is used as an incident X-ray and the X-ray specular-reflected from a sample placed on a goniometer is partially bent by a prism. The X-ray bent by the prism and the X-ray going straight are made to interfere with each other to obtain interference patterns. Though being thin film stacks, the sample has a portion having no thin film and thus an exposed substrate. The X-ray not bent by the prism includes an X-ray specular-reflected from the exposed substrate. By changing the incident angle from 0.01° to 1°, the interference patterns of the specular-reflected X-ray are measured. Thus, layer thicknesses are measured using a change in a phase of the X-ray reflected from a film stack interface.
US07751509B1 Method for multiple-access interference suppression for MC-CDMA by frequency domain oversampling
A technique for interference suppression in MC-CDMA systems is proposed which exploits the structural differences in signals that arrive at the receiver with Doppler shifts or carrier offsets. Oversampling the received signal in the frequency domain and properly combining the samples provides the interference suppression. Frequency domain oversampling is accomplished by using a time extension of the conventional MC-CDMA signal. Furthermore, a receiver structure is introduced that despreads and combines groups of samples so that a linear minimum mean-squared error solution for combining the groups is easily found. This combining scheme increases the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR) experienced by the desired user in the MC-CDMA system. In addition, the receiver performs well in severe near-far scenarios when there is sufficient Doppler separation between the signals of the desired user and an interferer. Numerical results show that the proposed receiver significantly outperforms the conventional MC-CDMA receiver.
US07751495B1 Equal power output spatial spreading matrix for use in a wireless MIMO communication system
A wireless communication system uses a spatial spreading matrix to simultaneously transmit various different streams of encoded symbol data simultaneously via multiple transmission antennas, wherein the spatial spreading matrix is designed to assure that the different transmission antennas provide equal power output in the presence of both correlated and uncorrelated data within the different encoded symbol streams. The use of this spatial spreading matrix reduces or eliminates the condition in which a particular one of the transmission antennas needs to operate at an output power that is significantly higher than the others of the transmission antennas, which might lead to saturation of, or to the non-linear or abnormal operation of a power amplifier associated with the particular transmission antenna, resulting in improper amplification for that particular transmission antenna.
US07751494B2 Reduced search space technique for codeword selection
A method of determining indicators for matrix codewords in a matrix codeword codebook, where the matrix codewords are adapted for communicating information between a transmitter and a receiver. The method includes providing a lookup table that is associated with multiple codewords that are associated with a codebook. The lookup table has m rows, and each row in the lookup table has a one-to-one correspondence with a codeword in the multiple codewords. Each row has p entries and each of the p entries holds a codeword indicator that identifies a codeword in the multiple codewords. The (i,j)th entry in the lookup table holds the codeword indicator identifying the jth most similar codeword to the codeword associated with the ith row according to a similarity metric, where 1≦i≦m and 1≦j≦p, and the m rows include a row k. The method includes identifying a first indicator in the row k by testing each of the indicators in the first p entries of row k to determine which of the indicators in the first n entries identifies a reduced search codeword that best satisfies a selection criterion, wherein, n has a predetermined value and 1≦n≦p, and, in relation to the other remaining indicators in the first n entries of the first row, the first indicator identifies the reduced search codeword that best satisfies the selection criterion.
US07751484B2 Method for composite video artifacts reduction
A method for composite noise filtering is disclosed. The method generally includes the steps of (A) generating a selection value in response to a stationary check identifying one of a plurality of blendings for a current item of a current field, (B) generating a filtered item in response to one of (i) a first of the blendings between the current item and a first previous item co-located in a first previous field having an opposite phase of composite artifacts from the current field and (ii) a second of the blendings between the current item and a first motion compensated item from the first previous field and (C) switching between the first blending and the second blending in response to the selection value.
US07751476B2 Moving picture coding method and moving picture coding apparatus
In an embodiment of the invention, a method for coding a moving picture comprises: dividing an inputted picture signal into fractionized signals respectively corresponding a plurality of pixel blocks; generating a prediction signal and coding mode information from each of said fractionized signals, for each coding mode; generating a prediction residual signal, from the prediction signal and said each of fractionized signals; estimating a first-estimate coding cost that is for coding the prediction residual signals for said each coding mode, from the prediction residual signals and the coding mode information; determining a candidates' number in accordance with step width of quantizing; selecting the coding modes having smallest ones of the first-estimate coding costs as candidates; estimating a second-estimate coding cost by coding the inputted signal and thereby finding a coding distortion and a code amount; and employing one coding mode from the candidates on basis of the second-estimate coding cost.
US07751472B2 Wireless communication apparatus, wireless communication method and computer program therefor
In one embodiment a wireless communication device is provided that: acquires a phase rotation angle in the propagation channel which phase rotation angle is contained in a received symbol and that performs rotation compensation of the acquired phase rotation angle for the received symbol; generates a coordinate value of the respective I, Q axis in the signal constellation on which the information of the respective reference signal point is set; for the respective transmission bit, obtains respective probabilities that the transmission bit is 0 and 1 by making a distance determination of the distance between the received symbol after the rotation compensation and the respective reference signal level on only one of the I and Q axes; and makes a likelihood determination of the bit value of the respective transmission bit in accordance with a probability value obtained.
US07751466B2 Channel estimation for a high-speed data packet access rake receiver
An HSDPA rake receiver has a plurality of rake fingers. Different channels may experience different spreading factors. The channel estimate (CE) and the CE delay may be affected and depend on the spreading factor. The CE delay is related to the individual rake finger output buffer size. According to the structure of the present invention, an adaptive channel estimate delay that depends on the spreading factor may result in improved performance.
US07751465B2 Cancellation of pilot and traffic signals
A method for removing selected signals from a received signal prior to decoding begins by receiving communication signals from a transmitter over a CDMA air interface. The received communication signals are input to a traffic signal cancellation system for canceling unwanted traffic signals, thereby producing an output (O). The received communication signals are input to a pilot signal cancellation system for removing a global pilot signal, thereby producing an output (Oadd). The output (Oadd) of the pilot signal cancellation system is subtracted from the output (O) of the traffic signal cancellation system to provide a cancellation system output.
US07751459B2 Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser, module, optical transmission device, free space optical communication device, optical transmission system, and free space optical communication system
Provided is a VCSEL that includes: a first semiconductor multilayer film reflective mirror of a first conductivity type formed on a substrate; an active region formed thereon; a current confining layer of a second conductivity type formed thereon; a second semiconductor multilayer film reflective mirror of the second conductivity type formed thereon; and a third semiconductor multilayer film reflective mirror of the second conductivity type formed thereon. The reflective mirrors include a pair of a high refractive index layer and a low refractive index layer. The impurity concentration of the second reflective mirror is higher than that of the third reflective mirror. The band gap energy of the high refractive index layer in the second reflective mirror is greater than the energy of the wavelength of a resonator formed of the first reflective mirror, the active region, the current confining layer, the second reflective mirror, and the third reflective mirror.
US07751458B2 High power laser diode array comprising at least one high power diode laser and laser light source comprising the same
Array comprising high power laser diode comprising laser light emitters, each defining, in a direction perpendicular to direction of propagation of an output laser beam, a fast axis and a slow axis; fast axis collimating means for collimating output laser beams in fast axis direction; and slow axis beam shaping means for collimating or focussing output laser beams in slow axis direction, said slow axis beam shaping means disposed external to said high power laser diode; wherein said laser light emitters are displaced relative to each other in fast axis direction or in fast and slow axis direction by equidistant spacings, respectively; and including optical means for forming output laser beam profile in far field of all laser light emitters consisting of said fast and slow axis collimated or focussed output laser beams arranged adjacently in seamless manner in one or two dimensions with optical fill factor of about 100%.
US07751457B2 Laser-diode pumped solid-state laser apparatus, optical scanning apparatus, image forming apparatus and display apparatus
A laser-diode pumped solid-state laser apparatus comprises at least one laser diode producing a pumping laser light, and at least one laser light generator including a monocrystalline substance doped with a dopant element and pumped with the pumping laser light from at least one laser diode, the monocrystalline substance containing the dopant element with a concentration profile such that the dopant element increases a concentration thereof in a direction perpendicular to a laser oscillation direction gently in the form of a slope from a near zero concentration.
US07751455B2 Blue and green laser diodes with gallium nitride or indium gallium nitride cladding laser structure
A novel indium gallium nitride laser diode is described. The laser uses indium in either the waveguide layers and/or the cladding layers. It has been found that InGaN waveguide or cladding layers enhance optical confinement with very small losses. Furthermore, the use of InGaN waveguide or cladding layers can improve the structural integrity of active region epilayers because of reduced lattice mismatch between waveguide layers and the active region.
US07751449B2 Method and system for simulation multimedia packet loss and jitter
A Packet Loss and Jitter Simulator processes RTP packets coming through the MTA. Based on user input commands, the simulator drops or delays insertion of packets into the DSP portion of the MTA. Various modes that may be programmed include, but are not limited to, manual packet loss, fixed packet loss, random packet loss, manual jitter, fixed jitter, shift jitter, burst jitter, random jitter, and rolling jitter. All of these modes can be modified to simulate many real world conditions. The simulator typically operates on downstream packets, but can be used to provide similar functionality in the upstream direction.
US07751438B2 Communication system bandwidth reservation management
Communication system bandwidth reservation management techniques are disclosed. If actual usage of a reserved amount of bandwidth in a communication system reflects a reduced usage state, a determination is made as to whether the reserved amount of bandwidth is to be adjusted. A portion of the bandwidth that has been reserved for a Video-on-Demand session, for example, may be released when playback of a video is paused. A time-based series of reduced usage states may be defined such that reserved bandwidth is gradually released if the reserved bandwidth is not actually used for a period of time. Embodiments of the invention may be implemented in various forms of apparatus, methods, data structures, and Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).
US07751436B2 System and method for dynamically establishing PLL speed based on receive buffer data accumulation for streaming video
The decode rate of an MPEG decoder of streaming video is set to a relatively slow value at the start of a stream to permit playing, albeit at relatively low speeds, of the video until an appropriate number of packets are in a receive buffer, at which time the decode rate is speeded up to normal.
US07751434B2 Unified distributed architecture for a multi-point video conference and interactive broadcast systems
A unified architecture for a multipoint VC session and interactive broadcasting system is provided that includes a server, one or more video accessing points, reflectors and client machines. The server sets up the video communication sessions (VC sessions), each of which is hosted by one video accessing point. The server downloads the A/V client software to client machines. Reflectors direct audio/visual signals to client machines. The reflectors are coupled to the video accessing point and receive a control signal from the video accessing point in order to direct the A/V signals from the client machines participating in the VC session. The client machines process all of the A/V signals. This system for distributing the VC session tasks across these components reduces any bottleneck effect from using a single, central control point to direct the VC session and route the A/V signals. The server, also, serves as a ticket agent, and is configured to issue and redeem tickets for specific VC sessions and broadcasts through the use of a session booking module. Finally, the downloading process of the A/V client software prevents software incompatibility among participants and enables low storage devices such as handheld devices to participate.
US07751433B2 Switching apparatus having universal transport of data packet frames
Apparatus is dedicated to switching data packet frames of different types coming from at least two transport networks that use different transport protocol layers. Said apparatus includes a switching module and at least two access cards, each of which is connected to a respective one of said networks and to said switching module, each access card including processing means that, when they receive a frame coming from a source network to which they are connected and for a destination network, have the tasks of removing from said frame the transport protocol layers that it contains, and then of adding an internal header to the payload data of at least one packet of said frame, prior to transmitting it to said switching module, said internal header comprising at least: a channel identifier field containing a value representative of a channel assigned to the connection used by said frame on being set up; a length field containing a value representative of the number of bytes contained in the packet in question; and a type field containing values representative of characteristics of the payload data of the packet in question.
US07751430B2 Self optimization of time division duplex (TDD) timing and adaptive modulation thresholds
A wireless broadband communication system that operates with high efficiency and reduced latency in long range point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications. The system includes multiple transceivers and multiple antennas for transmitting and receiving wireless signals using TDD techniques over multiple channels, which include a control channel for setting both the size of the transmit bursts and the modulation threshold level. By determining the size of the transmit bursts for a subsequent data transmission based upon the number of filler packets detected in a specified number of previously received bursts, and adjusting the modulation threshold level for the subsequent transmission based upon the transmit burst size, the system provides increased data throughput, while maintaining the packet error rate at an acceptable level. As the throughput requirements of the system are relaxed, the modulation threshold levels can be adjusted to provide reduced packet error rates.
US07751428B2 System and method for accessing SMASH-CLP commands as a web service
Systems and methods for accessing Systems Management Architecture for Server Hardware (SMASH)-command line protocol (CLP) commands as a web service are provided. In one form, an information handling system having access to CLP commands within a SMASH includes an application program interface operable to provide access to CLP commands using a universal resource locator (URL) address. The system further includes a translator operable to convert the URL address into a CLP command and a command parser operable to parse the CLP command to execute the command. Responses to URL encoded CLP commands are communicated via the web service to a client and presented within the client's web browser.
US07751427B2 Packet switching equipment and switching control method
A packet switching equipment and a switch control system employing the same performs operation of the switch core portion independent of content of decision of an arbiter portion and overall equipment can be constructed with simple control structure. The packet switching equipment includes input buffer portions temporarily storing packets arriving to the input ports and outputting packets with adding labels indicative of destination port numbers, a switch core portion for switching the packets on the basis of labels added to the input buffer portions, and an arbiter portion adjusting input buffer portions to provide output permissions for outputting to the output ports. A sorting network autonomously sorting and concentrating the packets on the basis of the labels added to the packets is employed in the switch core portion.
US07751425B2 Management device, management method, computer readable medium and computer data signal
A management device comprises: a receiving section that receives, from at least one information processor via a fire wall, a polling signal to inquire if there is a request to send to the information processor or not; and a sending section that sends a response for the polling signal that is received by the receiving section, the response including an instruction to change a sending interval of the polling signal to the information processor.
US07751413B2 Communication system and communication node
A technique is disclosed, by which it is possible to identify a communication node having special function under the condition that a certain communication node knows only the address of a communication node having no special function. According to this technique, a first communication node 10 having a first function (e.g. the mounting of IPv6 and ICMPv6) and a second function (e.g. the mounting of NSIS) transmits a search packet by an echo request packet of ICMPv6 with the purpose of searching a communication node having the first function and the second function to a second communication node 20 having only the first function. The second communication node sends back a response packet to this by an echo response packet of ICMPv6. A communication node 15 having the first function and the second function and being the first receiver of this response packet grasps that own communication node is the search object of the first communication node. Also, by the search packet, desired information can be offered from the first communication node to the communication node of the search object.
US07751403B2 Selective combining method and apparatus in a mobile communication system
An apparatus and method for selectively combining broadcast data packets from a plurality of cells in a user equipment (UE). A selective combiner stores a received broadcast data packet in a buffer if a sequence number of the broadcast data packet received from the plurality of cells does not fall within a reception window, and stores the received broadcast data packet in the buffer if a sequence number of the received broadcast data packet falls within the reception window but has not been stored in the buffer. The selective combiner updates the reception window if a sequence number of the received broadcast data packet does not fall within the reception window, and discards the received broadcast data packet if a sequence number of the received broadcast data packet falls within the reception window but has been stored in the buffer.
US07751402B2 Method and apparatus for gigabit packet assignment for multithreaded packet processing
A network processor that has multiple processing elements, each supporting multiple simultaneous program threads with access to shared resources in an interface. Packet data is received from high-speed ports in segments and each segment is assigned to one of the program threads. Each packet may be assigned to a single program thread, two program threads—one for header segment processing and the other for handling payload segment(s)—or a different program thread for segment of data in a packet. Dedicated inputs for ready status and sequence numbers provide assistance needed for receiving the packet data over a high speed port. The dedicated inputs are used to monitor ready flags from the high speed ports on a cycle-by-cycle basis. The sequence numbers are used by the assigned threads to maintain ordering of segments within a packet, as well as to order the writes of the complete packets to transmit queues.
US07751398B1 Techniques for prioritization of messaging traffic
Described are techniques for prioritizing messaging traffic. A first message having a second message encapsulated in a payload of the first message is received. It is determined whether the first message meets one or more prioritization criteria in accordance with one or more portions of a payload of the second message.
US07751397B2 Switching network employing a user challenge mechanism to counter denial of service attacks
A communication infrastructure includes an intermediate routing node that routes a plurality of packets between a source device and a plurality of destination devices, a plurality of templates stored on the intermediate routing node and a service function. The intermediate routing node, e.g., a switch, router, access point, bridge, or gateway, identifies packets containing requests for a webpage, the requests being a service attack attempt by comparing the packet with the plurality of templates. Then, the intermediate routing node denies service attack by interacting with the server and client devices. That is, the intermediate routing node sends messages with challenge mechanism to the server, based on the response or otherwise, sends messages and anti-service attack downloads to the client devices and receives response.
US07751393B2 Method and system for detecting wireless access devices operably coupled to computer local area networks and related methods
A system and method is provided for detecting wireless access devices coupled to local area network of computers. The method includes coupling a sniffer device to a local area network. The method includes transferring one or more packets to be directed to a selected device over the local area network. The selected device is preferably coupled to the local area network. The method includes intercepting the one or more packets to be directed to the selected device at the sniffer device. Moreover, the method includes deriving information from the intercepted one or more packets using the sniffer device. The method can generate one or more marker packets in a selected format using the sniffer device. The marker packets are provided based upon at least a portion of the information derived from the intercepted packets. The method includes transferring the one or more marker packets from the sniffer device over the local area network to the selected device and monitoring an airspace within a vicinity of the selected device using one or more sniffer devices.
US07751387B2 Modified NAT firewall traversal method for SIP communication
A modified NAT firewall traversal method for SIP communication is based on the common SIP network phone communication protocol, and is aided by Interactive NAT Traversal (INT) and pre-established media session ideas to accomplish the object of transversing NAT firewall. Users of private IP located within different NAT firewalls can therefore directly transmit voice packets by means of peer-to-peer transmission without the need of any proxy server of voice packets.
US07751384B1 Method and system for identifying calls
A call is established between a circuit-switched network element and a packet-switched network element. A first call record is generated to record the circuit switched network element's involvement in the call, and a second call record is generated to record the packet-switched network element's involvement in the call. The first and second call records include the same internetwork call identifier to identify the call. The first and second call records are stored, e.g., in a centralized call record repository. Call records for a given call can be retrieved based on the internetwork call identifier for the given call.
US07751378B2 Method, apparatus and system for client-based distributed PBX for enterprise telephony
A system and associated processes to provide interactive public branch exchange (PBX) processes. The PBX processes including: session initiation protocol (SIP) processes, application processes, and an interface with signaling process. The media processes cause the machine to: perform an audio/video play process, perform a record process, and perform a mixing process.
US07751371B2 Method and apparatus for providing variable rate data in a communications system using non-orthogonal overflow channels
A variable rate transmission system where a packet of variable rate data is transmitted on a traffic channel if the capacity of the traffic channel is greater than or equal to the data rate of the packet. When the rate of the packet of variable rate data exceeds the capacity of the traffic channel, the packet is transmitted on a traffic channel and at least one overflow channel. Also described is a receiving system for receiving and reassembling the data transmitted on the traffic channel and at least one additional overflow channel.
US07751356B2 Notification of channel descriptor transmission for a mobile station in idle or sleep mode in a wireless access system
A method for controlling an idle mode in a mobile station comprises transmitting an idle mode request to a serving base station to enter the idle mode, and receiving a decode information transmission frame value and a decode information change status from at least one base station. The method also comprises, if the decode information change status indicates a change in the decode information, maintaining the idle mode, and receiving the decode information from the at least one base station when the transmission frame value is reached. The decode information may comprise at least one of downlink channel descriptor (DCD) information, uplink channel descriptor (UCD) information, and forward error correction (FEC) code type information. The transmission frame value may comprise a frame number or a frame offset. The at least one base station may be in a same paging group.
US07751352B2 Control signal transmitting method in multi-antenna system
A method of communication in a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system having multiple transmitters including transmitting independent parallel downlink control signals including control information for each data stream, and transmitting the data streams.
US07751349B2 Signalling exchange method for guaranteeing internet protocol quality of service
A signalling exchange method for guaranteeing Internet Protocol (IP) Quality of Service (QoS), including: after a Call Agent (CA) receives a request from a source User Agent (UA) for transferring a user service stream, sending a QoS resource request from the CA to the bearer control layer; allocating resources for the user service stream on the bearer control layer, and carrying out flow mapping for an Edge Router (ER) according to the resource allocation result; after receiving a flow mapping command, the ER allocating a bearer path for the user service stream based on the allocated resources, and transferring an execution result to the CA via the bearer control layer.
US07751346B2 Apparatus for searching TCP and UDP sockets
An apparatus for searching a socket ID of a received packet in a transmission control protocol (TCP) and a user datagram protocol (UDP) is provided. The apparatus includes: a master module, a branch table module and a tree table module. The master module analyzes command information from a processor, transfers commands to the branch table module and to the tree table module, receives results from the branch table module and from the tree table module, and reports the received results to the processor. The branch table module receives commands from the master module and manages a branch table by using only the lower 10 bits of a simple internet protocol (IP) address of the commands. The tree table module is coupled to the master module and to the branch table module, in which the tree table module manages a binary tree.
US07751329B2 Providing an abstraction layer in a cluster switch that includes plural switches
In a communications network, a cluster switch is provided, where the cluster switch has plural individual switches. An abstraction layer is provided in the cluster switch, such that an interface having a set of ports is provided to upper layer logic in the cluster switch. The set of ports includes a collection of ports of the individual switches. Control traffic and data traffic are communicated over virtual tunnels between individual switches of the cluster switch, where each virtual tunnel has an active channel and at least one standby channel.
US07751323B2 Method and apparatus for adjusting uplink data rate in a mobile communication system
A method and UE apparatus are provided for adjusting an uplink data rate by a User Equipment (UE) in a mobile communication system. The method includes determining if a current state of a buffer is an empty state or a non-empty state; when the current buffer state is the non-empty state, comparing a ratio of a total of transmission data currently stored in the buffer to a total of Transport Formats (TFs) allocated during a predetermined number n of subframes, with a predetermined threshold; setting indication information indicating satisfaction/non-satisfaction (‘happy bit(s)’) of an uplink data rate according to the comparison result; and transmitting the set indication information to a Node B. The UE apparatus comprises a multiplexing/demultiplexing device, a HARQ processor, a controller to set information indicating satisfaction/non-satisfaction in accordance with pre-set rules, an exemplary set of which is also provided.
US07751316B2 Relay Server for SIP/RTP messages with buffer management
A system, method, and apparatus are directed towards managing a Voice over IP (VOIP) messages over a network, employing the Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) over the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). The VOIP messages are sent by a source device to a destination device through a relay server. The relay server may throttle the VOIP messages employing buffer management. When the buffer is substantially full, the relay server will drop packets from the source device. Indication of the lost packets may be provided to the source device through a Real-time Transport Control Protocol (RTCP) report. The source device may then employ the RTCP report to modify a type of codec employed, and thereby adjust a rate of flow of VOIP packets sent towards the destination device. Additionally, the relay server may provide port translation services for RTP/RTCP packets between the source and destination devices.
US07751312B2 System and method for packet switch cards re-synchronization
The disclosed invention relates to a re-synchronization system that operates in a switching arrangement receiving a plurality of incoming data packets. The switching arrangement is made of an active switch card that transmits the incoming data packets and a backup switch card that may be re-activated by an operator after replacement. The re-synchronization system is implemented in each switch card. When the backup switch card is re-activated, both switch cards receive the incoming data packets and the system of the invention allows to re-synchronized both switch cards by controlling the transmission of the incoming data packets out of each switch card until the same data packets are transmitted. The re-synchronization system further comprise storage for storing the incoming data packets and detector for detecting a re-synchronization information among the incoming data packets.
US07751311B2 High availability transport protocol method and apparatus
A system and method supporting efficient, scalable stateful switchover of transport layer connections in a telecommunications network element. One method involves receiving, at a network element comprising an active transport protocol process coupled to a standby protocol process, a request to configure a first transport layer connection maintained at the active transport protocol process for stateful switchover; receiving an event associated with the first transport layer connection; creating a message containing replicated event information based on the received event; sending the message to the standby transport protocol process; and processing the message at the standby transport protocol process, wherein the standby transport protocol process replicates state information for the first connection.
US07751310B2 Fault tolerant duplex computer system and its control method
There is disclosed a fault tolerant duplex computer system capable of increasing accuracy of processing to be continued by collecting trouble information without stopping duplex running. CPU's (112, 122), memories (113, 123), and IO processors (114, 124) of systems (110, 120) announce a reparable trouble to fault diagnosis processors (116, 126) when the generated trouble can be repaired, and an irreparable trouble when the generated trouble cannot be repaired. When an out-of-sync situation is confirmed, the out-of-sync situation is announced. A fault monitoring section (130) updates reparable trouble information (131) of a relevant system when the reparable trouble is received, and irreparable trouble information (132) of a relevant system when the irreparable trouble is received. Upon reception of the out-of-sync situation, a synchronous processing instruction is made by setting the system of a smaller amount of trouble information as an active system and the system of a larger number of trouble information as a standby system.
US07751309B2 WIC and LIC estimation in MediaFLO systems
An apparatus and method for WIC/LIC estimation without channel mode construction in a MediaFLO™ system comprising a receiver, a transmitter and transmission channel, wherein the method comprises receiving a signal comprising a MediaFLO™ mobile multimedia multicast system superframe comprising WIC/LIC symbols; setting a first sparseness index value of the digital signal to zero; setting a local copy WIC/LIC number of the digital signal to one; generating a local copy of all possible values of the WIC/LIC symbols corresponding to a WID/LID value from zero to fifteen; dividing the received WIC/LIC symbol values by a local copy WIC/LIC value corresponding to WIC/LIC number one; performing an IFFT of all the possible values of the WIC and LIC symbols; calculating a second sparseness index value of the IFFT of sixteen possible values of the WIC/LIC symbols; and extracting a WIC/LIC symbol from the digital signal corresponding to the second sparseness index.
US07751287B2 Recording medium, recording method, recording apparatus, reproducing method, and reproducing apparatus
A recording medium is disclosed. In the recording medium, address information is recorded in advance, one bit of the address information recorded is represented by a modulated wobble signal obtained by modulating each of a predetermined number of modulation unit sections of a wobble waveform, and a groove is formed in association with the modulated wobble signal, wherein, in converting the one bit of the address information into a chip sequence in which a predetermined number of chips continue, the modulated wobble signal is adapted such that a code sequence is inverted when the one bit is a first value and is not inverted when the one bit is a second value, and the modulated wobble signal is generated by modulating a wobble waveform in a modulation unit section according to a value of each of the chips of the chip sequence.
US07751282B2 System and method for precision acoustic event detection
A system and method for providing precision locations for sensors which make up an array of sensors in a gunshot detection system. In a preferred embodiment sensors employ a commercial GPS which reports a sensor position or a group of pseudoranges to GPS satellites. A server collects differential information from a differential node and, in one preferred embodiment, calculates a precision position for each sensor by adjusting the reported position or pseudoranges with the differential information. In another preferred embodiment differential information is sent from the host to individual sensors which calculate their own precision positions. Differential information may be latitude and longitude corrections, pseudorange corrections, ionospheric delay, GPS satellite clock drift, or other corrective term which will improve the accuracy of a sensor position.
US07751267B2 Half-select compliant memory cell precharge circuit
A programmable precharge circuit includes a plurality of transistors. Each transistor has a different threshold voltage from other transistors of the plurality of transistors. Each transistor is configured to connect a supply voltage to a node, and the node is selectively coupled to bitlines in accordance with a memory operation. Control logic is configured to enable at least one of the plurality of transistors to provide a programmable precharge voltage to the node in accordance with a respective threshold voltage drop from the supply voltage of one of the plurality of transistors.
US07751266B2 High performance read bypass test for SRAM circuits
A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process and an integrated circuit for high performance SRAM (Static Random Access Memory) read bypass for BIST (built-in self-test). The design structure and integrated structure includes a dynamic to static conversion unit for a read output of an SRAM array, and a test bypass unit integrated into the dynamic to static conversion unit, so as to allow the read output of the SRAM array to pass through in a non-test mode without impacting performance, and bypass the read output of the SRAM array and allow a test signal to pass though in a test mode.
US07751256B2 Method and apparatus to prevent high voltage supply degradation for high-voltage latches of a non-volatile memory
An improved cross-coupled CMOS high-voltage latch that is used for storing data bits to be written to memory cells of a non-volatile memory is provided with a switching circuit that, during writing of data bits into the memory cells of the latch, provides a high series impedance between one leg of the latch and ground to limit leakage current. A large number of latches are connected in parallel and their accumulated leakage currents are limited by the switching circuit to prevent overload of a high-voltage generator, such as a charge pump circuit, for the high-voltage latch, so that data can be properly written in the memory cells of the non-volatile memory.
US07751250B2 Memory device with power noise minimization during sensing
Accuracy of sensing operations, such as read or verify, in a memory device is improved by avoiding fluctuations in a sense amp supply voltage which can occur when different sense amps are strobed at different times. First and second sets of sense amps perform a sensing operation on respective storage elements, such as in an all bit line configuration. The first set of sense amps is strobed at a first time point. In response, a sensed analog level is converted to digital data. The A/D conversion relies on the sense amp supply voltage being accurate. To avoid a fluctuation in the sense amp supply voltage, a bypass path allows the storage elements associated with the first set of sense amps to continue to draw power from the sense amp supply voltage. The second set of sense amps is strobed at a later, second time point.
US07751249B2 Minimizing power noise during sensing in memory device
In a sensing method, accuracy of sensing operations, such as read or verify, in a memory device is improved by avoiding fluctuations in a sense amp supply voltage which can occur when different sense amps are strobed at different times. First and second sets of sense amps perform a sensing operation on respective storage elements, such as in an all bit line configuration. The first set of sense amps is strobed at a first time point. In response, a sensed analog level is converted to digital data. The A/D conversion relies on the sense amp supply voltage being accurate. To avoid a fluctuation in the sense amp supply voltage, a bypass path allows the storage elements associated with the first set of sense amps to continue to draw power from the sense amp supply voltage. The second set of sense amps is strobed at a later, second time point.
US07751246B2 Charge loss compensation during programming of a memory device
A selected memory cell on a selected word line is programmed through a plurality of programming pulses that are incremented by a step voltage. After a successful program verify operation, programming of the selected memory cell is inhibited while other memory cells of the selected word line are being programmed. Another program verify operation is performed on the selected memory cell. If the program verify operation fails, a bit line coupled to the selected cell is biased at the step voltage and a final programming pulse is issued to the selected word line. The selected memory cell is then locked from further programming without evaluating the final program verify operation.
US07751244B2 Applying adaptive body bias to non-volatile storage based on number of programming cycles
Body bias can be applied to optimize performance in a non-volatile storage system. Body bias can be set in an adaptive manner to reduce an error count of an error correcting and/or detecting code when reading data from non-volatile storage elements. Also, a body bias level can be increased or decreased as a number of programming cycles increases. Also, body bias levels can be set and applied separately for a chip, plane, block and/or page. A body bias can be applied to a first set of NAND strings for which operations are being performed by controlling a first voltage provided to a source side of the first set of NAND strings and a second voltage provided to a p-well. A source side of a second set of NAND strings for which operations are not being performed is floated or receives a fixed voltage.
US07751242B2 NAND memory device and programming methods
A NAND Flash memory device is described that can reduce bit line coupling and floating gate coupling during program and verify operations. Consecutive bit lines of an array row are concurrently programmed as a common page. Floating gate coupling during programming can therefore be reduced. Multiple verify operations are performed on separate bit lines of the page. Bit line coupling can therefore be reduced.
US07751241B2 Read method of memory device
A read method of a memory device including a MLC includes the steps of performing a data read operation according to a first read command; determining whether error correction of the read data is possible; if, as a result of the determination, error correction is difficult, performing a data read operation according to a second read command; determining whether error correction of read data is possible according to the second read command; and if, as a result of the determination, error correction is difficult, performing a data read operation according to a Nth (N≧3, N is an integer) read command.
US07751231B2 Method and integrated circuit for determining the state of a resistivity changing memory cell
A method and an integrated circuit for determining the state of a resistivity changing memory cell. In one embodiment the method includes detecting a first resistance of the resistivity changing memory cell, determining whether the first resistance value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value thereby determining a first result value, initializing the resistivity changing memory cell into one of at least four resistivity changing memory states, detecting a second resistance value of the resistivity changing memory cell, determining whether the second resistance value is smaller than the predetermined threshold value determining a second result value, and determining the state of the resistivity changing memory cell state using the first and the second result values.
US07751221B2 Media player with non-volatile memory
A media player is provided that includes a processor configured to execute a media player program, a non-volatile memory electrically coupled with the processor, the non-volatile memory being vertically configured, an input/output module electrically coupled with the processor and the non-volatile memory and configured to communicate with an input/output device, and an analog/digital module electrically coupled with the processor and the non-volatile memory, the analog/digital module configured to output a media signal. The input/output module may be in electrical communication with the input/output device (e.g., electrically coupled) and/or signal communication with the input/output device (e.g., wireless and/or optical communication).
US07751216B2 Voltage transformer with mechanically actuated voltage-selected switches
A voltage transformer with mechanically actuated voltage-selected switch provides an input voltage pass through a voltage transformation unit, wherein the unit is disposed in the casing and its both ends are electrically connected to the input port and output port respectively, and transforms this input voltage into the predetermined output voltages corresponding to the selective switches according to selection of the mechanically actuated voltage-selected switch.
US07751210B2 Inverter device with improved 3-phase pulse width modulation and vehicle air conditioner using the same
The inverter device contains three sets of series circuit formed by connecting two switching elements (2) in series between a positive terminal and a negative terminal of DC power supply (1). Connecting points of the two switching elements are connected to motor (11). DC voltage of DC power supply (1) is switched by PWM 3-phase modulation so that a sinusoidal wave-shaped AC current is fed to the motor. Upper-arm switching elements connected to the positive terminal of the DC power supply increase or decrease an ON period equally in all phases for a carrier cycle in the PWM 3-phase modulation so as to provide two conducting period in the carrier cycle.
US07751205B2 Package board integrated with power supply
This invention provides a small package board integrated with power supply capable of supplying a low level of voltage and high level of current to an IC while achieving a low height of its power supply. It becomes hard to saturate an inductor magnetically when the surface of a copper wire is coated with a magnetic layer, and the inductor can accordingly be provided with a sufficient degree of inductance. A multiplicity of inductors can be provided within a confined space by arranging a multiplicity of inductors in parallel, and by fixing them with resin so as to form an inductor array, thereby making it possible to divide a power supply. The number of power supply lines is increased by dividing the power supply so as to reduce the level of current in an individual power supply line, so that a high level of current can be supplied to an IC chip. Further, a distance between a power supply and the IC chip can be decreased by incorporating a power supply module into the package board so as to reduce generation of heat and curb a drop in voltage in the power supply line, thereby making it possible to supply a high level of current to the IC chip.
US07751203B2 Image display apparatus
An image display apparatus is provided. At least one heat radiating frame is stacked in a heat radiating frame coupled between a circuit board and a panel, a heat radiating frame to which the circuit board is fixed can secure a space by a height of a protruded part as the protruded part is formed by drawing the frame itself, and thus fastening means for fixing the circuit board without a PEM nut can be fastened, and as a sound absorbing material is filled within a protruded part formed in a heat radiating frame opposite to the panel, vibration noise generating when driving the panel can be reduced.
US07751194B2 Circuit device, circuit module, and outdoor unit
Provided is a circuit device capable of increasing the packaging density and also suppressing the thermal interference between incorporated circuit elements. In a hybrid integrated circuit device, a first circuit board and a second circuit board are incorporated into a case member being arranged in a way that the first circuit board is overlaid with the second circuit board. A first circuit element is arranged on the upper face of the first circuit board and a second circuit element is arranged on the upper face of the second circuit board. In addition, inside the case member, a hollow portion (internal space) which is not filled with a sealing resin is provided, and this hollow portion communicates with the outside through a communicating opening, which is provided by partially opening the case member.
US07751190B2 Electronic device
An electronic device includes a cabinet, a first heat generating member, a second heat generating member, a fan unit, a first heat pipe and a second heat pipe. The first and second heat pipes are each formed by sealing an operation fluid which shifts its phase between gas and liquid into a pipe-like main body. In the second position, the first end portion of the first heat pipe is located at a position lower than that of the second end portion and the one end portion of the second heat pipe is located at a position higher than that of the other end portion. The second heat pipe includes a conveying mechanism that conveys the operation fluid in liquid phase from the other end portion to the one end portion.
US07751178B2 Dielectric ceramic and multilayer ceramic capacitor using the same
A dielectric ceramic is provided which is can be stably used for a multilayer ceramic capacitor even at a high temperature of approximately 175° C. The dielectric ceramic includes a perovskite type compound represented by the composition formula (Ba1-x-yCaxSny)m(Ti1-zZrz)O3 (where x, y, z, and m satisfy 0≦x≦0.20, 0.02≦y≦0.20, 0≦z≦0.05, and 0.990≦m≦1.015, respectively) as a primary component; and RE as an accessory component (where RE is at least one selected from the group consisting of Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu), wherein 0.5 to 20 molar parts of RE is contained with respect to 100 molar parts of the primary component.
US07751177B2 Thin-film capacitor with a field modification layer
A method for forming a capacitor includes providing a metal-containing bottom electrode, forming a capacitor insulator over the metal-containing bottom electrode, forming a metal-containing top electrode over the capacitor insulator, and forming a dielectric-containing field modification layer over the capacitor insulator and at least partially surrounding the metal-containing top electrode. Forming the dielectric-containing field modification layer may include oxidizing a sidewall of the metal-containing field modification layer. A barrier layer may be formed over the capacitor insulator prior to forming the metal-containing top electrode.
US07751176B2 Ceramic electronic component
A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body and an internal electrode layers disposed within the ceramic body. The ceramic body is covered with a diffusion layer, wherein said diffusion layer is an oxide layer into which at least a part of elements contained in the ceramic body are diffused and is located closer to a surface of the ceramic body than an outermost internal electrode layer.
US07751171B2 Nanoscale grasping device, method for fabricating the same, and method for operating the same
A nanoscale grasping device comprising at least three electrostatically actuated grasping elements, wherein the nanoscale grasping device may be used to more accurately grasp an object, more easily hold an object in a defined location or orientation and more readily manipulate an object.
US07751159B2 Pump controller system and method
A method and apparatus for a pump control system. One or more embodiments of the invention include a pump controller that can perform a self-calibrating procedure, can provide precise motor speed control, can provide a limp mode before shutting down the motor when system parameters are exceeded and/or fault conditions occur, can detect fault conditions, and can store fault conditions for later retrieval.
US07751154B2 Magnetic recording heads with bearing surface protections and methods of manufacture
In one aspect described herein, a read head having one or more magnetoresistive (MR) sensors (or devices) is provided. In one example, the read head includes an MR sensor and an insulator layer disposed at the same level as the MR sensor. The read head further includes a bearing surface, wherein the insulator layer forms a portion of the bearing surface and is disposed between a surface of the MR sensor and the bearing surface to provide protection for the MR sensor from exposure to the bearing surface. The MR sensor may include a stack of thin-film layers to form an AMR, GMR, or TGMR sensor element. The stack may further include a slanted surface portion, wherein the insulator layer is disposed on the slanted surface portion, thereby recessing the MR sensor from the bearing surface.
US07751146B2 Abs through aggressive stitching
Aggressive (i.e. tight tolerance) stitching offers several advantages for magnetic write heads but at the cost of some losses during pole trimming. This problem has been overcome by replacing the alumina filler layer, that is used to protect the stitched pole during trimming, with a layer of electro-plated material. Because of the superior step coverage associated with the plating method of deposition, pole trimming can then proceed without the introduction of stresses to the stitched pole while it is being trimmed.
US07751144B1 Self-servo-write using ramp-tracks
Systems and techniques relating to writing servo information on a machine-readable medium. A method includes writing a band of ramp-tracks, including an embedded timing reference, to a machine-readable medium such that each ramp track in the band of ramp-tracks spans less than half a distance from an inner diameter to an outer diameter of the machine-readable medium; and writing servo information to the machine-readable medium using the band of ramp-tracks, including the embedded timing reference. An apparatus can include a self-servo-write controller configured to direct writing of at least two bands of ramp-tracks to different surfaces of at least one machine-readable medium based on a given rotational relationship between the at least one machine-readable medium and at least two collectively controlled transducers, the controller including a self-servo-write clock generator, an angular position generator, a ramp-track pattern generator, and a servo wedge window period generator.
US07751142B2 Portable device with freefall detection or audio processing subsystem and freefall detection or audio processing method
In a class of embodiments, a method and apparatus for detecting freefall of a disk device (thereby predicting that the disk device will likely suffer imminent physical impact) and typically also preventing damage that a disk drive of the device would otherwise suffer if and when a predicted impact occurs. In some embodiments, a disk device includes a freefall detection processor and a CPU. The freefall detection processor is configured to monitor acceleration data to determine whether the disk device is in freefall and to perform at least one other operation (e.g., decoding of MP3-encoded audio data to generate decoded audio data) while the CPU performs at least one other task. Other embodiments pertain to a portable device including a digital audio processing subsystem and an accelerometer. The digital audio processing subsystem is configured to monitor acceleration data to identify any rhythm associated with motion of the portable device and to modify the playback of audio data in response to any such identified rhythm.
US07751138B1 Correcting errors in disk drive read back signals by iterating with the Reed-Solomon decoder
A signal detector is provided to detect symbols in a read back signal. The signal detector includes a first detector to generate raw decisions as a function of the read back signal and to generate at least one next best decision. A list-aided decoder generates the final decision based on both the raw decisions and the at least one next best decision from the first decoder.
US07751137B2 Method for improving sequence detection performance by removing excess paths
A method leverages knowledge of the actual or ideal bit sequence to improve the performance of any sequence detector. This improved performance results by constraining the sequence detector when the sequence detector has knowledge of known patterns within the sample sequence. Embodiments may control or limit the effects of ISI on a readback signal in order to allow higher storage within physical media such as that of a HDD. This method involves reading an analog waveform from the physical media. The phase of this analog waveform is determined and it is sampled at regular intervals using a timing recovery scheme. This sample sequence is equalized (filtered) and sent to a sequence detector which will compare the received sequence to all possible transmitted sequences, generating a path through a trellis that represents the estimated sequence. That trellis path may pass through known states at certain times. This knowledge makes it possible to remove some of the paths under consideration. Then the sample sequence may be compared to a reduced set of possible bit sequences to select a decoded bit sequence.
US07751129B2 Refractive projection objective for immersion lithography
A purely refractive projection objective suitable for immersion microlithography is designed as a single-waist system with five lens groups in the case of which a first lens group of negative refractive power, a second lens group of positive refractive power, a third lens group of negative refractive power, a fourth lens group of positive refractive power and a fifth lens group of positive refractive power are provided. The fourth lens group has an entrance surface (E) that lies in the vicinity of a point of inflection of a marginal ray height between the third lens group (LG3) and the fourth lens group (LG4). No negative lens of substantial refractive power is arranged between the entrance surface and the system diaphragm (5). Embodiments of inventive projection objectives achieve a very high numerical aperture NA>1 in conjunction with a large image field and are distinguished by a compact design size. For working wavelengths below 200 nm, structural widths of substantially under 100 nm can be resolved when use is made of immersion fluids between the projection objective and substrate.
US07751127B2 Projection objective and method for optimizing a system aperture stop of a projection objective
In certain aspects, the disclosure relates to a projection objective, in particular for a microlithography exposure apparatus, serving to project an image of an object field in an object plane onto an image field in an image plane. The projection objective includes a system aperture stop and refractive and/or reflective optical elements that are arranged relative to an optical system axis. The centroid of the image field is arranged at a lateral distance from the optical system axis). The system aperture stop has an inner aperture stop border which encloses an aperture stop opening and whose shape is defined by a border contour curve. The border contour curve runs at least in part outside of a plane that spreads orthogonally to the optical system axis.
US07751126B2 Lens barrel and image pickup apparatus
An addendum of a gear portion and a tip end of a first cam follower are located on similar-diameter cylindrical planes centering at a center axis of a cam ring. A gear housing recess is provided in an inner peripheral surface of a fixed ring. A bottom surface of a first-cam-ring-movement cam groove engaging with the first cam follower, and a bottom surface of the recess are located on similar-diameter cylindrical planes centering at a center axis of the fixed ring. A release portion is provided at the inner peripheral surface of the fixed ring to provide communication between a protruding position cam groove portion of the first-cam-ring-movement cam groove and the recess. At the protruding position of the cam ring, a portion of the gear portion near the first cam follower passes through the release portion and is located inside the protruding position cam groove portion.
US07751119B2 Optical surge suppressive type optical amplifier
According to an optical surge suppressive type optical amplifier in the present invention, for a WDM optical amplifier having a multi-stages amplification configuration in which a plurality of optical amplifying means is connected in series, an optical amplifying medium capable of causing a homogeneous up-conversion (HUC) phenomenon is applied to the optical amplifying means on the signal light output side, so that an optical surge is suppressed utilizing the degradation of gain efficiency by the HUC caused at the time when the input power is decreased. Further, for a one wave optical amplifier, an optical amplifying medium capable of causing a pair induced quenching (PIQ) phenomenon is applied to the optical amplifying means on the signal light input side, so that the optical surge is suppressed utilizing the degradation of output power efficiency by the PIQ caused at the time when the input power is increased. As a result, it is possible to provide a low cost optical amplifier capable of effectively suppressing the optical surge without leading the complexity of control circuit or optical circuit configuration.
US07751118B1 Method and apparatus for ultra-violet-wavelength laser-induced fluorescence (UV-LIF) using optical output from a photonic-crystal rod
A method and apparatus use a photonic-crystal fiber having a very large core while maintaining a single transverse mode. In some fiber lasers and amplifiers having large cores problems exist related to energy being generated at multiple-modes (i.e., polygamy), and of mode hopping (i.e., promiscuity) due to limited control of energy levels and fluctuations. The problems of multiple-modes and mode hopping result from the use of large-diameter waveguides, and are addressed by the invention. This is especially true in lasers using large amounts of energy (i.e., lasers in the one-megawatt or more range). By using multiple small waveguides in parallel, large amounts of energy can be passed through a laser, but with better control such that the aforementioned problems can be reduced. An additional advantage is that the polarization of the light can be maintained better than by using a single fiber core.
US07751107B2 Light scanning device and image forming apparatus
A light scanning device includes: a light source; an aperture stop regulating a width of a light beam emitted from the light source; a deflector deflecting and scanning the light beam emitted from the light source; at least one scanning lens forming an image on a scanned surface with the light beam deflected and scanned; and a phase-type optical element. In the light scanning device, a phase modulation portion is provided to at least a portion of the phase-type optical element, and a phase difference between the phase modulation portion and a region other than the phase modulation portion is not π [radian]. Thus, asymmetry in a curve representing the relationship between a beam spot diameter and defocus can be corrected to reduce variation of the beam spot diameter with respect to the defocus. Consequently, highly-accurate light scanning can be performed.
US07751101B2 Optical device with movable optical module
An optical module with movable reflective mirrors is provided in the invention. The optical module, which is set in a scanner for the scanning of documents, comprises the following elements: a first carriage comprising a first reflective mirror, a lens and a photoelectric sensing device, wherein the first carriage moves along the scanning direction to scan the document to be scanned; a second carriage comprising a second reflective mirror, a lens and a photoelectric sensing device, wherein the second carriage can make relative movement corresponding to the first carriage along the scanning direction; and a third carriage comprising a third reflective mirror, a lens and an photoelectric sensing device, wherein the third carriage can make relative movement corresponding to the first carriage along the scanning direction. Of which, the first carriage is situated between the second carriage and the third carriage with the distance between the second carriage and the third carriage being fixed at a constant value during the course of scanning, while the image light of the document to be scanned forms an image on the photoelectric sensing device via the focusing of the lens after having been reflected via the first reflective mirror, the second reflective mirror, and the third reflective mirror sequentially.
US07751088B2 High-image-quality halftone process
This invention provides a method for generating a dither matrix includes: setting an evaluation function for calculating an evaluation value of the dither matrix; providing a dither matrix as an initial state which stores in respective elements each of a plurality of threshold values for deciding presence or absence of dot formation for each pixel according to an input tone value; fixing an element for storing a threshold value in an increasing order from a smaller threshold value while transposing at least one of the plurality of threshold values stored in a part of the elements and a threshold value stored in another part of the elements; and outputting a dither matrix in which elements for storing are fixed with regard to at least part of the plurality of threshold values. The step of fixing an element for storing a threshold value includes: transposing mutually part of the threshold values whose elements for storing have not been fixed, among the plurality of threshold values; calculating an evaluation value of the dither matrix in which the threshold values have been transposed, using the evaluation function; fixing an element for storing a smallest evaluation threshold value among the threshold values whose elements for storing have not been fixed, according to a compliance of the evaluation value to a predetermined criterion; and repeating the steps from the transposing step to the fixing step until elements for storing at least part of the plurality of threshold values are fixed.
US07751085B2 Image forming apparatus and its control method, and computer program
Input print data can assume one of a RGB color space, CMYK color space, and Gray color space. When graphic arts are principally to be printed, data of these color spaces is converted into CIE Color Space XYZ as a standard color space, and data of the standard color space is converted into a CMYK color space according to the Output Profile of a printer, which then prints the converted data. On the other hand, when office documents are principally to be printed, conversion into the standard color space is skipped, and input color space data is directly converted into a print color space CMYK, and the converted data is then printed.
US07751079B2 Method and system for managing print job files for a shared printer
A system and method enable a user to generate a single batch job ticket for a plurality of print job tickets. The system includes a print driver, a print job manager, and a print engine. The print driver enables a user to request generation of a collective job queue and to provide a plurality of job tickets for the job queue. The print job manager includes a collective job queue manager and a print job scheduler. The collective job queue manager collects job tickets for a job queue and generates a single batch job ticket for the print job scheduling table when the job queue is closed. The print job scheduler selects single batch job tickets in accordance with various criteria and releases the job segments to a print engine for contiguous printing of the job segments.
US07751077B2 Image recording system and program
An image recording system includes two image recording apparatuses each capable of recording images independently. A color image recording apparatus is disposed with a bypass transporting path apparatus. A transporting path connecting apparatus is disposed between the front of a monochrome image recording apparatus and the back of the color image recording apparatus. A final processing apparatus that is common to the color and monochrome image recording apparatuses is disposed in the front of the color image recording apparatus. This system includes a process switching portion that switches an image recording process executed by one image recording apparatus to a substitute image recording process of the other image recording apparatus and a switching determining portion that determines whether the switching is executed by the process switching portion, depending on whether a predetermined condition is satisfied.
US07751075B2 Method and system for managing a digital photo database
Method and system for storing and managing digital images in a database is provided. The method includes, acquiring plural digital images based on digital image requirements for product assemblies; uploading the plural digital images to the database; making the digital images available to plural users via a user interface that allows the plural users to electronically accept or reject a digital image, based on authority of the user; and notifying plural users if an authorized user rejects a digital image, wherein the users are notified via electronic mail. The system includes a database for storing plural digital images; and a user interface that allows plural users to view the plural digital images, approve or reject a digital image based on user authority, and view a status of whether users have approved or rejected any of the plural digital images.
US07751074B2 Image formation system control method, image formation system, and storage medium
In case of outputting data mixedly including plural different-type images, productivity and cost performance are improved without an operator's complicated assistive operation. To do so, a color printer, a black and white printer and a finisher are electrically connected with others through a data communication path such that these devices can perform data communication with others, and also these devices are mechanically connected with others such that the sheets discharged from the respective printers can be carried to a sheet carrying path of the finisher without any operator's manual working. Further, it is controlled that, in the series of images, pages corresponding to the color images are subjected to image formation by the color printer and pages corresponding to the black and white images are subjected to image formation by the black and white printer, and in the finisher it is selectively set the image formation operation in the color printer and the image formation operation in the black and white printer to be on standby so as to compile the sheets from these printers as one sheet sheaf with the continuous page order maintained.
US07751057B2 Magnetomotive optical coherence tomography
A spectral-domain magnetomotive optical coherence tomography apparatus, includes (a) a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography device, and (b) a magnet. The magnet is coupled with the optical coherence tomography device so that changes in the magnetic field are coordinated with collection of data by the optical coherence tomography device. This device may be used to examine a sample by spectral-domain magnetomotive optical coherence tomography, which includes examining the sample with a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography device, to collect optical coherence tomography data. The sample contains magnetic particles, and the magnetic particles are subjected to a changing magnetic field during the examining.
US07751056B2 Optical coherence tomographic imaging apparatus
An optical tomographic imaging apparatus capable of obtaining a high resolution tomographic image rapidly. In the apparatus, light beams having different wavelength ranges with portions of the ranges overlapping with each other are outputted from light source units, each of which is split into measuring and reference beams in each of the beam splitting units. A reflected beam reflected from a measuring object when the measuring beams are irradiated onto the measuring object is combined with the respective reference beams in the respective beam combining units, and a plurality of interference beams generated when the reflected beam is combined with the respective reference beams is detected in the respective interference light detection units, thereby interference signals are generated and a tomographic image is generated using the generated interference signals.
US07751052B2 Surface plasmon resonance sensor capable of performing absolute calibration
There is provided a surface plasmon resonance imaging sensor capable of performing absolute calibration comprising: a transparent substrate; a first prism and a second prism formed at one surface of the substrate and symmetrically positioned with reference to the center axis of the substrate; an optical system for providing light to the first and second prisms; and a light receiving part for detecting the light reflected from the substrate, wherein a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) angle change of an object to be measured by the first prism is measured, and a refractive index change on each pixel of the object is obtained as a two-dimensional difference image by the second prism.
US07751038B2 Apparatus and method for obtaining images of a borehole
Apparatus for obtaining images of the wall of a borehole, comprises a tool body; a light source mounted on the tool body and arranged to illuminate the borehole wall; a camera mounted in the tool body; and a mirror moveably mounted on the tool body and spaced axially from the camera and arranged to reflect an image of the borehole wall at the camera, wherein the movement of the mirror allows images of different parts of the borehole wall to be reflected at the camera.
US07751026B2 Apparatus and method for recovering fluid for immersion lithography
A apparatus and methods recover a fluid from an immersion area formed in a gap between a projection system and an object of exposure in an immersion lithography system. A porous member is disposed adjacent to the immersion area. A pressure control system provides a first low pressure to a first portion of the porous member to remove immersion fluid that escapes from the immersion area, and provides a second low pressure to a second portion of the porous member to remove immersion fluid that escapes from the immersion area. The second low pressure is different from the first low pressure.
US07751025B2 Scatterometric method of monitoring hot plate temperature and facilitating critical dimension control
A method of determining temperatures at localized regions of a substrate during processing of the substrate in a photolithography process includes the following steps: independently illuminating a photoresist layer including a photoresist pattern at a plurality of locations on the substrate with a light source, so that light is diffracted off the plurality of locations of the photoresist pattern; measuring the diffracted light from the plurality of locations to determine measured diffracted values associated with respective locations from the plurality of locations; and comparing the measured diffracted values against a library to determine a pre-illumination process temperature of the photoresist layer at the plurality of locations.
US07751007B2 Display device and manufacturing method thereof
A liquid crystal display device includes an orientation film on a liquid-crystal-side surface of at least one substrate out of respective substrates which are arranged to face each other with liquid crystal therebetween. The orientation film forms a pattern which is constituted of either a plurality of notches or holes which are spaced from one another on an edge of the orientation film which is beyond a periphery of a display region, and the pattern is formed along an entirety of the edge of the orientation film. The edge of the orientation film is formed along a periphery of the substrate.
US07751000B2 Liquid crystal display having a plurality of retardation films in reflective areas and method for manufacturing the same
A liquid crystal display includes a pair of substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the substrates and has a reflective area and a transmissive area. At least one of the substrates is provided with a retardation film whose phase difference differs between the reflective area and the transmissive area. Alternatively, at least one of the substrates is provided with a retardation film whose slow axis differs between the reflective area and the transmissive area.
US07750990B2 Liquid crystal display device
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device in which a movement of a light guide plate received in a mold frame can be minimized. A light guide plate has catching jaws and projections. The catching jaws are formed by cutting at least one corner of an end portion of the light guide plate receiving the light from the lamp unit. The projections extend outwardly from sidewalls of the catching jaws, which respectively have a thinner thickness than the catching jaws. A mold frame receives the light guide plate and the lamp unit and has catching bosses and recesses. The catching bosses are formed at positions corresponding to the catching jaws on a bottom surface of the mold frame to engage the catching jaws to fix the light guide plate in the mold frame. The recesses are formed at positions corresponding to the projections at sidewalls of the mold frame to receive the projections.
US07750987B2 Substrate for a display device, liquid crystal display device having the same and method of manufacturing the same
A substrate for a display device includes an insulating substrate, a data line, an insulating layer and a pixel electrode. The insulating substrate has a switching element. The data line is formed on the insulating substrate to be electrically connected to a first electrode of the switching element. The insulating layer is formed on the insulating substrate having the switching element and the data line. The insulating layer has a contact hole through which a second electrode of the switching element is partially exposed and a groove adjacent to the data line. The pixel electrode is formed on the insulating layer to be electrically connected to the second electrode through the contact hole. Therefore, an image display quality may be improved, and a manufacturing cost of the LCD device may be reduced.
US07750981B2 High-resolution autostereoscopic display
A high-resolution autostereoscopic display is provided. The autostereoscopic display includes a controller; a display panel receiving an image signal from the controller, forming an image, and including pixels and an inactive area between the pixels; a polarizer polarizing light emitted from the display panel to have a first polarization; a polarization switching controller; a polarization switch selectively converting the light with the first polarization into light with a second polarization in response to the electrical control of the polarization switching controller; a selection controller; a first electro-optical birefringent layer having an optical axis that direction is changed by an electrical control of the selection controller and including a plurality of first lenticular lenses separated by a predetermined pitch; and a second electro-optical birefringent layer having an optical axis that direction is changed by the electrical control of the selection controller, includes a plurality of second lenticular lenses that are arranged with the same pitch as the first lenticular lenses are and shifted by half the pitch from the first lenticular lenses.
US07750980B2 Reception system for multiple-tuner television enabling to automatically connect each tuner to at least an antenna, whatever the number of antennae it comprises
A system comprising a first converter linked to a first tuner and optionally, to a second tuner via switching means, optionally a second converter linked to the second tuner means for detecting whether the second converter is in service and means suitable for actuating the switching means in such a way as to link the second tuner to the second converter when one detects that the latter is in service and, in the converse case, to link it to the first converter.
US07750977B2 Automatic signal error display and user guided signal recovery in a digital television signal receiver
In a digital television signal receiver, upon a signal disturbance of a digital television signal, system state information, with regard to the nature of the signal disturbance of the particular digital television channel is preferably automatically provided to a user as on-screen display representation or graphic thereof. The digital television signal receiver may further provide intervention options for user-guided recovery of the digital television signal that are preferably automatically provided as on-screen menu options.
US07750964B2 Method and apparatus for driving a semiconductor device including driving of signal charges within and outside an effective transfer period
When a signal is read from a CCD solid-state image pickup element, the CCD solid-state image pickup element is driven with at least two driving voltages so that high-speed reading is performed with generation of noise due to interference between the driving voltages reduced. The CCD solid-state image includes a charge storage section between a vertical transfer register and a horizontal transfer register. By performing the transfer of charge in the direction of columns during an effective transfer period of the transfer in the direction of rows, signal charge of one row generated by a light receiving sensor is transferred to the charge storage section, and by performing the transfer outside the effective transfer period in the transfer in the direction of the row, the signal charge of one row transferred to the charge storage section is transferred to the horizontal transfer register.
US07750962B2 Device for subtracting or adding charge in a charge-coupled device
The present invention provides an apparatus for adding or subtracting an amount charge to or from a charge packet in a CCD as the packet traverses the CCD. The apparatus uses a “wire transfer” device structure to perform the addition or subtraction of charge during the charge packets traversal across the device. A pair of electrically interconnected diffusions are incorporated within the charge couple path to provide an amount of charge which can be added or subtracted from packets as the packets traverse the CCD.
US07750950B2 Image pickup apparatus and image processing method
An image combined high sensitivity image and low sensitivity image is provided with well-adjusted white balance and broad dynamic range. The image is obtained by multiplying the combined data by total gain that depends on scene. A white balance is adjusted with gain value calculated from of high output image data. Lv value representing luminance is calculated and compared with a threshold to decide whether or not the high sensitivity image and the low sensitivity image should be combined. First gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the high sensitivity signal with first gamma character, second gamma correction unit performs gamma-correction for the image signal derived from the low sensitivity signal with second gamma character that is different from the first gamma character, and addition unit combines the image signal from the first gamma correction unit and the image signal from the second gamma correction unit.
US07750946B2 Signal processing apparatus allowing an increase in pixels without an increase in driving frequency and circuit area
A signal processing apparatus for carrying out signal processing on an input image signal and to output the result includes first correction processing means for carrying out correction processing dependent on pixels on the input image signal, second correction processing means for carrying out correction processing independent from pixels on a supplied image signal, synchronization processing means for generating RGB signals that represent a captured image and has matching spatial phases based on a supplied image signal, conversion means for carrying out at least processing for generating a luminance signal and a color signal based on a supplied image signal, and first resolution conversion means for converting a captured image into an image having the same resolution as an output image. The first resolution conversion means is provided downstream of the first correction processing means and upstream of the conversion means.
US07750937B2 Surveillance camera system
A surveillance camera system is disclosed in which an image obtained by a surveillance camera controlled to be panned/tilted is displayed on a monitor. The system includes a tilt angle detector which detects a tilt angle of the surveillance camera, an inversion tilt angle storage which stores data of a plurality of the predetermined inversion tilt angles, an inversion tilt angle setting unit which selects and sets either or any one of the inversion tilt angles stored on the inversion tilt angle storage, a tilt angle comparing unit which compares the tilt angle detected by the tilt angle detector with the inversion tilt angle set by the inversion tilt angle setting unit, and an image inversion processing unit which carries out a process of inverting the image obtained by the surveillance camera upside down and symmetrizing the image bilaterally when the tilt angle is equal to or larger than the inversion tilt angle as a result of comparison by the tilt angle comparing unit.
US07750927B2 Image processing apparatus, image processing method, and computer program
An image processing apparatus includes an image input section configured to input still image data; a number-of-pixel converter configured to perform number-of-pixel conversion on the still image data; a display image generator configured to generate a scroll display image as output image data to be output to an image display section on the basis of the image data whose number of pixels has been converted, the image data being generated by the number-of-pixel converter; and a controller configured to control the number-of-pixel conversion process and the display image generation process. The number-of-pixel converter includes a spatial thinning processor for performing a spatial thinning process in accordance with the amount of spatial thinning. The display image generator generates a scroll display image on the basis of a frame image.
US07750923B2 Implementing limited function mode in a display device
A display device for use with a computer adapted for operation in an unrestricted use mode and a limited function mode and a method for enforcing a limited function mode display is disclosed. The display device enters a limited function mode when a condition of non-compliance with an operating policy is discovered by the computer. Additionally, the display device may also enter a limited function mode upon powering up or when connections to the computer and/or selected components of the display are disabled or disconnected. When in the limited function mode, the display may support a limited function interface for use in correcting the condition of non-compliance.
US07750922B2 Transparency group computation on a graphics processing unit
A new transparency group may be rendered and blended with other, previously rendered, transparency groups, by using the Porter-Duff algebra available on the GPU even though the transparency groups include pre-multiplied color and alpha information. Additionally, the number of copies of the back buffer (the image information for the previously rendered transparency groups) required to properly render, blend and combine the new transparency group into the image information of previously rendered transparency groups may be minimized.
US07750919B2 Apparatus and method for enhancing device-adaptive color
An apparatus and method for enhancing device-adaptive color is disclosed. The apparatus includes an auxiliary-gamut-setting unit which sets a boundary of a device-adaptive auxiliary gamut using information on a color gamut of a source device and information on a color gamut of a desired reference color space; a gamut-conversion unit which converts the color in the gamut of the source device into the color of the set auxiliary gamut; and a gamut-mapping unit which carries out gamut mapping of the color of the auxiliary gamut to a destination gamut of an image output device.
US07750918B1 Shapes comprising repeated graphic elements
Briefly, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a shape may comprise one or more repeated graphic elements.
US07750913B1 System and method for implementing graphics processing unit shader programs using snippets
Shader programs that execute on graphics processing units (GPUs), such as vertex and pixel shaders may be generated by defining individual shader snippets. Each snippet may represent and/or specifies a particular shader operation. In one embodiment, each snippet may indicate a particular vertex shader operation, a particular pixel (or fragment) shader operation, or both. Various combinations of these snippets may then be combined to create more complex shader programs. A shader snippet framework may be configured to receive information specifying individual snippets, as well as the combinations of snippets representing various shader programs. The framework may define such shader programs using only the identifiers for the various snippets and thus a shader program, as described herein, may not include any actual code, but instead may refer to an ordered list of snippets. At runtime, the snippets are then instantiated and executed to execute the shader program.
US07750909B2 Ordering artists by overall degree of influence
A graph of nodes and edges is used to represent artist influence between different artists. Each node of the graph represents an artist. An edge between two nodes represents an influence relationship between two artists. The relative influence between artists is computed for the artists represented in the graph. Furthermore, the artists are ordered based on the computed influence.
US07750896B2 Display device having intermediate films paired with light emitting elements for displaying a location specified by a user with a pointer
The display apparatus (1) is provided with: a plurality of intermediate films (120), each of which reflects light including at least a corresponding light component with a predetermined wavelength from among incoming light; and a plurality of light receiving elements (130), each of which receives the incoming light through the intermediate films.
US07750892B2 Portable interactive communication systems
The present invention includes interactive communication systems that incorporate several beneficial embodiments including an interactive tray system, an electronic presentation messaging system, an interactive podium, and a key drive system. The interactive tray system enables a single, transferable interactive unit to be fastened to a communication medium, turning into a fully interactive medium. The electronic presentation messaging system enables the e-mailing of presentations and notes to and from components of the interactive communication system. The interactive podium increases conventional podium mobility, enabling both the presenter, and podium, to move and be moved about the room without attention to wired connections. The key drive system replaces the conventional Y-connector of the key drive technology by effectively integrating the key drive in the device, thus only having one connector, and eliminating the need to change connectors from the key drive, to the USB connector, upon software driver loading.
US07750889B2 Input device
An input device, which detects a position of a movable object moving on a given plane and inputs an instruction, includes a first detection portion and a second detection portion. The first detection portion detects the position of the movable object in a first direction. The second detection portion detects the position of the movable object in a second direction crossed at right angle to the first direction. The first detection portion and the second detection portion detect movement amounts of the movable object in the first direction and in the second direction, based on a change of either a light quantity or a magnetic flux.
US07750885B2 Liquid crystal display device and driving method
A liquid crystal display device and driving method is provided. The liquid crystal display device includes a first data line to which a data voltage is supplied and a second data line separated from the first data line with a pixel row therebetween and connected to the first data line in top and bottom ends. A first gate line crosses the first and second data lines. A second gate line crosses the first and second data lines. A first switch device is operable to supply the data voltage from the first data line to a pixel electrode of an odd-numbered pixel row in response to the first scan pulse. A second switch device is operable to supply the data voltage from the second data line to a pixel electrode of an even-numbered pixel row in response to the second scan pulse.
US07750873B2 Electroluminescent display device
An electroluminescent display (EL) where a signal distortion is reduced or prevented by introducing appropriate distortion to a scan waveform to equalize a variation of a kickback voltage. An EL display includes an organic EL panel that includes a plurality of scan lines, a plurality of data lines, and pixel circuits arranged at the intersections between the scan lines and the data lines; and a scan driver that sequentially selects the scan lines to drive a selection signal. A signal delay is introduced on at least one of an input side and an output side of the scan driver, and may be provided by a signal delay device. Alternatively, the signal delay device may be included in the scan driver, either at an input side or an output side of the shift register or the level shifter.
US07750854B2 Combined speaker and antenna component
A combined speaker and antenna arrangement for a communication terminal, includes a support structure carrying a first antenna element, and a second antenna element arranged at a predetermined distance from said first antenna element. The second antenna element is a conductive first portion of a sheet of flexible film. An elongated second portion of the flexible film, carrying a conductive lead, extends from adjacent to the first portion to a speaker connected to an outer end of the elongated second portion. The second, elongated portion, is bent such that the speaker is positioned between the film and the support structure, adjacent to an aperture in the first portion.
US07750850B2 Printed antenna
A printed antenna (10) disposed on a substrate (90) includes a feeding portion (12), a first radiation portion (16), a second radiation portion (18), a matching portion (14), and a grounded portion. The feeding portion feeds electromagnetic signals. One end of the first radiation portion is electronically connected to the feeding portion, and the other end of the first radiation portion is a free end. One end of the second radiation portion is electronically connected to the feeding portion and the first radiation portion, and the other end of the second radiation portion is a free end. The second radiation portion includes a plurality of radiation segments forming at least one space, and the first radiation portion is accommodated in the space formed by the radiation segments. The matching portion is electronically connected to the feeding portion, for impedance matching. The grounded portion is located adjacent to the feeding portion.
US07750843B2 Weak signal acquisition
A method for acquisition of a weak signal from a satellite in the presence of a strong interfering signal from another satellite is disclosed. The method encompasses identifying the auto-correlation peak due to the weak satellite signal from the cross correlation peaks due to the strong satellite signal. This invention presents a method and apparatus of acquiring a weak satellite signal in the presence of a strong interfering satellite signal in a receiver by two techniques, namely, the millisecond boundary correlation histogram method, and the frequency response correlation histogram method. Both the techniques distinguish between the correlation characteristics for auto-correlation and cross-correlation. The apparatus presented in the invention implements the methods of weak satellite signal acquisition in presence of a strong interfering satellite signal in a pseudorandom noise (PRN) receiver.
US07750840B2 Method and apparatus for assessing contact clusters
Methods and apparatus for identifying a plurality of contacts from a signal return, defining a zone containing a number of contacts from the plurality of contacts, determining a centroid for the contacts in the zone, and tracking the contacts in the zone as a single contact based on the centroid.
US07750836B2 Solid-state imaging device, method of driving solid-state imaging device and camera
A solid-state imaging device including: an analog-digital converter unit in column parallel arrangement, the analog-digital converter unit having a plurality of pixels arranged to convert an incident light quantity to an electric signal, in which an analog signal obtained from the pixel is converted into a digital signal, wherein the analog-digital converter unit is configured of: a comparator operable to compare a value of a column signal line from which an analog signal obtained by the pixel is outputted with a value of a reference line, and a counter operable to measure a time period by the time when comparison done by the comparator is finished and to store the comparison result, wherein the solid-state imaging device further includes: a module for controlling an output of the comparator operable to control the output of the comparator depending on the output of the comparator.
US07750825B2 System and method for navigation of display data
Navigating display data (e.g., large documents) on an electronic display is described in which a first set of visual indicators are layered over the portion of the portion of data displayed on the electronic display. The user selects a particular navigation task, which selection signal is received by the navigation application. The navigation application determines a section of interest based on the particular navigation task selected and layers a second set of visual indicators over the portion of the display data defined by all of the sections other than the section of interest. The navigation application then animates movement of the display data and both sets of visual indicators on the electronic display according to the particular navigation task selected.
US07750816B2 Surge current alarm circuit
An exemplary surge current alarm circuit includes a detecting circuit to detect a surge current and convert the surge current into a digital signal with a pulse width corresponding to a duration of an over value part of the surge current when the surge current is over a limitative current value; a processing circuit connected to the detecting circuit to receive the digital signal and generate an alarm signal when the pulse width of the digital signal is over a limitative time; and an alarm circuit connected to the processing circuit to give an alarm upon receiving the alarm signal from the processing circuit.
US07750814B2 Highly portable system for acoustic event detection
A man wearable acoustic sensor for use with a gunshot detection system. In a preferred embodiment the inventive sensor includes: a housing configured to be man wearable, a microphone; a processor housed within the housing and in communication with the microphone to detect an acoustic event and determine a time of arrival for the acoustic event; a GPS receiver for providing position information to said processor; a network; and a display for displaying information concerning acoustic events to a user. Man wearable describes a sensor which is either integrated into a piece of equipment normally carried by a soldier or integrated into an article of clothing or configured to securely attach to such equipment or clothing.
US07750808B2 Data retrieval tags
Data retrieval tags, drillstring communications systems and methods, and computer programs are disclosed. The data retrieval tag includes an insulator substrate, at least one analog memory cell disposed on the insulator substrate and an antenna coupled to the analog memory.
US07750805B2 Apparatus for retrofitting automatic irrigation systems for animal and human deterrent control
An apparatus for retrofitting automatic irrigation systems for animal and human deterrent control comprises at least one motion detector for placement within a bordered zone monitored for trespassers. The motion detector is adapted to detect a body entering said bordered zone and generate a trespasser signal having a unique ID. A programmable control receiver module receives the signal and activates a solenoid control valve to spray the trespasser with water.
US07750791B2 Method of and apparatus for long distance reading of passive tags in radio frequency identification systems
A method and an apparatus for reading passive tags affixed to objects to be identified and tracked by a radio frequency identification system are disclosed. An interrogating station sends radio-frequency inquiry signals toward the passive tags through an antenna array and receives the response signals from the tags through the same array. Electronic circuitry for processing such response signals has a phase conjugator submitting each received signal to phase conjugation, and the phase-conjugated signals are back transmitted to the passive tags. Retrodirectivity of the antenna array obtained through the phase conjugation allows a precise object identification and tracking also at relatively long distances.
US07750790B2 Fabric-based strain gauge
The invention provides a strain gauge which includes a fabric base and at least one conductive yarn. In addition, the fabric base is weaved with a plurality of non-conductive yarns, and the fabric base thereon defines a sensing direction. Moreover, each of the conductive yarn is gimped by a textile process with one of the non-conductive yarns and is woven through the fabric base along the sensing direction. Furthermore, the at least one conductive yarn is capable of being applied by an electric power; when an external force acts on the fabric base, the geometrical property of the at least one conductive yarn alters so that a change of an electric property associated with the applied electric power is sensed to indicate an elongation of said strain gauge applied by the external force along the sensing direction.
US07750784B2 Inductor structure
An inductor structure includes a winding turn layer, a shielding layer, and a number of vias. The winding turn layer disposed above a substrate is formed by a number of turns connected in series and t has a first end and a second end. The first end is grounded. The shielding layer disposed between the winding turn layer and the substrate has a third end and a fourth end. At least two turns starting from the first end of the winding turn layer are projected onto the shielding layer. The vias are disposed between the winding turn layer and the shielding layer to at least electrically connect the third end and the fourth end of the shielding layer to a first turn of the winding turn layer. The first turn starts from the first end, and the winding turn layer and the shielding layer are electrically coupled in parallel.
US07750774B2 Method for defining field emission structures using non-regular patterns
An improved field emission system and method is provided that involves field emission structures having electric or magnetic field sources. The magnitudes, polarities, and positions of the magnetic or electric field sources are configured to have desirable correlation properties, which may be in accordance with a code. The correlation properties correspond to a desired spatial force function where spatial forces between field emission structures correspond to relative alignment, separation distance, and the spatial force function.
US07750772B2 Electromagnetic drive device
An electromagnetic drive system contains an armature that can be displaced along an axis. The armature contains a piston-shaped section. The piston-shaped section is guided in a cylindrical section of the stator. A recess extends through the piston-shaped section substantially in the direction of the axis. The incorporation of the recess results in that a fluid cushion that builds up in front of the piston-shaped section during rapid movement can be relieved through the piston-shaped section.
US07750748B2 Method and apparatus for distributing clock signal using standing waves
A Method and an apparatus for distributing a clock signal are disclosed. The apparatus for distributing a clock signal includes a pair of flat plates, a variable inductor and a connection channel. The pair of flat plates includes a clock flat plate having at least one of clock signal extraction points and a reference flat plate arranged in parallel to the clock flat plate. The inductor is connected between the pair of flat plates, and the connection channel is configured to connect electrically the at least one of clock signal extraction points to an external circuit. The inductor may be adjusted to have an inductance for generating a resonance signal of a target frequency from the pair of flat plates.
US07750746B2 Oscillator device and optical deflection device
An oscillator device includes an oscillation system including an oscillator and a resilient supporting member, a driving member configured to supply a driving force to the oscillation system based on a driving signal, and a driving frequency control unit configured to control a driving frequency of a driving signal to be outputted to the driving member, wherein, when an oscillation frequency of the oscillator is to be changed from a current oscillation frequency to a target oscillation frequency, the driving frequency control unit temporarily outputs, to the driving member, a driving signal having a driving frequency which is made different from the target oscillation frequency, being changed from the current driving frequency and beyond the target oscillation frequency, thereby to cause the driving member to drive the oscillation system.
US07750744B2 Single-ended to differential translator to control current starved delay cell bias
A method, system, and circuit device for interfacing single-ended charge pump output to differential voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) inputs to yield low duty cycle distortion from a VCO. A single-ended charge pump output is utilized to create a compliment differential voltage leg, while optimally centering the common-mode voltage level to interface to a current starved ring VCO. A replica of the VCO's current starved delay cell is implemented along with negative feedback to generate the compliment differential voltage leg. The single-ended charge pump output is coupled to a first transistor, while a second transistor is coupled to the output of an error amplifier. The error amplifier utilizes negative feedback to bias the second transistor, forcing the output of the replica circuit to equal a reference voltage.
US07750741B2 PLL circuit and semiconductor device
A PLL circuit has a phase comparator to receive an input signal and a feedback signal, a charge pump controlled by an output of the phase comparator, a lowpass filter part to receive an output of the charge pump, a current controlled oscillator controlled by an output of the lowpass filter part, and a frequency divider to frequency-divide an output of the current controlled oscillator and to output the feedback signal. The lowpass filter part has an amplifier to receive the output of the charge pump and a reference voltage, and a circuit part including capacitors and resistors to receive the output of the charge pump and an output of the amplifier.
US07750734B2 Apparatus and methods for amplifiers
Circuits and methods for reducing distortion in an amplified signal are disclosed. The circuits and methods may use multiple single-ended gain stages to produce multiple amplified signals. The amplified signals may be processed in combination to produce a resulting output signal having little, or no, distortion. The circuits may be implemented on a single chip as integrated circuits.
US07750732B1 Adaptive rail amplifier (ARA) technology
An efficient class-G amplifier having multiple rails is configured with parallel class AB amplifiers powered by at least one rail supplying a voltage that can be varied in response to signal characteristics, typically as sensed at an output across a load. In a specific embodiment, an analog-to-digital converter is coupled to a digital signal processor that converts signals into a programmed voltage level for setting the voltage rail.
US07750729B2 Internal voltage generator
An internal voltage generator is disclosed. The internal voltage generator may include a comparator for controlling a voltage of a first node in response to a voltage difference between a reference voltage and an internal voltage, an internal voltage driving portion connected between a driving node and an internal voltage node to apply the internal voltage to the internal voltage node in response to a voltage level of the first node, and/or a leakage current interrupting portion to apply an external voltage to the first node to deactivate the internal voltage driving portion and to interrupt the external voltage applied to the driving node to interrupt a leakage current.
US07750727B2 Voltage generating circuit
A voltage generating circuit for outputting a voltage from an output terminal, has a first voltage dividing circuit which is connected between the output terminal and ground; a switch circuit connected between the output terminal and the first voltage dividing circuit; a first voltage detecting circuit which outputs a first pumping signal corresponding to a comparison result; a second voltage dividing circuit which is connected between the output terminal and the ground; a second voltage detecting circuit which outputs a second pumping signal corresponding to a comparison result; a pump circuit that outputs a voltage boosted from a power supply voltage; and a boost circuit which has a capacitive element having one end connected to the voltage dividing resistor of the first voltage dividing circuit.
US07750723B2 Voltage generation circuit provided in a semiconductor integrated device
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a voltage generation circuit including: first and second reference terminals to output first and second reference voltages, respectively; first PMOS and first NMOS transistors connected between high and low level power supply lines in series; an output terminal connected between the first PMOS and first NMOS transistors; a first operational amplifier including: first input terminals each including a gate of a PMOS transistor to be connected to one of the second reference terminal and the output terminal, and a first output terminal connected to the first PMOS transistor; and a second operational amplifier including: second input terminals each including a gate of an NMOS transistor to be connected to one of the first reference terminal and the output terminal, and a second output terminal connected to the first NMOS transistor.
US07750720B2 Circuit arrangement and a method for galvanically separate triggering of a semiconductor switch
A circuit arrangement and a method for the DC-isolated driving of a semiconductor switch, wherein the circuit arrangement has a control circuit, a driver, a transformer for the DC-isolated transfer of a drive signal from the controller as switching signal into the driver and means for rectifying the switching signal, wherein the driver contains the semiconductor switch having a gate, a source and a drain, wherein the semiconductor switch can be switched by a predetermined first voltage between the gate and the source with the result that a predetermined current flows between the drain and the source, wherein the switching signal can be applied to the gate in order to switch the semiconductor switch, wherein the driver contains a control transistor having a base, an emitter and a collector, wherein the control transistor can be switched by a predetermined second voltage between the base and the emitter, with the result that the gate of the semiconductor switch can be connected to the source of the semiconductor switch via the emitter and the collector in order to change over the semiconductor switch, wherein voltage generating means are provided for generating a third voltage, rectified with respect to the second voltage, between the base and the collector of the control transistor.
US07750715B2 Charge-sharing method and device for clock signal generation
A clock generation circuit has two output ends to provide a first clock signal and a second clock signal, in response to first and second input signals, respectively. A charge storage component is used to transfer some charge from the first output end to the charge storage component when the first clock signal is high for a period of time, and to transfer the charge from the charge storage component to the second output end when the second clock signal is low. At a different period of time in the clock cycle, the charge storage component is used to transfer some charge from the second output end to the charge storage component when the second clock signal is high for a period of time, and to transfer the charge from the charge storage component to the first output end when the first clock signal is low.
US07750707B2 High-resolution low-interconnect phase rotator
High-resolution low-interconnect phase rotator. A signal may be generated having any desired phase (as determined by the step size employed). First and second control signals select a sector (e.g., the range from 0° to 360° is divided into a number of sectors) and a particular phase within that sector. Generally, this range from 0° to 360° is uniformly divided so that each sector is the same. However, if desired, there can alternatively be differences in the sizes of each of the sectors. The use of these two sets of controls signals (one for selecting the sector and one for selecting the particular phase within the sector) allows for very few control signals. N-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (N-MOSFET) based switches and differential pairs of transistors or alternatively p-channel metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (P-MOSFET) based switches and differential pairs of transistors can be employed.
US07750704B2 Providing a low phase noise reference signal
A reference clock generator includes an oscillator to generate a periodic signal, a shaping circuit and a filter. The shaping circuit shapes the periodic signal to generate a clock signal. The filter is located between the oscillator and the shaping circuit.
US07750693B2 Frequency divider including latch circuits
A frequency divider is disclosed herein. The frequency divider includes a first latch circuit and a second latch circuit coupled to the first latch circuit. Each of the first latch circuit and the second latch circuit includes a first level for generating a source current, a second level for receiving a pair of input signals and for generating a pair of output signals, and a third level for receiving the source current and a pair of clock signals. The second level is coupled between the first level and the third level. The first level includes a first transistor having a source terminal and a substrate both coupled to a source voltage. The third level includes a plurality of transistors controlled by the pair of clock signals. Each transistor in the third level has a source terminal and a substrate both coupled to ground.
US07750687B2 Circuit arrangement comprising a level shifter and method
A circuit arrangement includes a first level shifter, an output stage, and a feedback circuit. The first level shifter is coupled to receive an input signal having a first voltage level from an input terminal, and is configured to provide a level-shifted signal having a second voltage level higher than the first voltage level. The output stage includes a first transistor that has a control terminal operably coupled to an output of the first level shifter. The output stage is configured to provide at an output terminal of the output stage an output signal based on the level-shifted signal. The feedback circuit is configured to feed back the output signal to the output of the first level shifter.
US07750685B1 Frequency measurement based frequency locked loop synthesizer
A first embodiment of the present invention relates to a frequency and phase locked loop (FPLL) synthesizer having a frequency-locked loop (FLL) operating mode and a phase-locked loop (PLL) operating mode. The FLL operating mode is used for rapid coarse tuning of the FPLL synthesizer and is followed by the PLL operating mode for fine tuning and stabilization of the frequency of an output signal from the FPLL synthesizer. A second embodiment of the present invention relates to a high resolution frequency measurement circuit that is capable of directly measuring the frequency of a high frequency signal to provide a high resolution frequency measurement using a lower frequency reference signal, and may include linear feedback shift register (LFSR) circuitry and LFSR-to-binary conversion circuitry. A third embodiment of the present invention relates to an FPLL having an FLL that includes the high resolution frequency measurement circuit.
US07750665B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes an internal circuit executing a predetermined processing based on signal input from an external device, an output buffer driving line connected to an output terminal based on signal output from the internal circuit, a feedback line branched off from signal line in buffer transmitting data signal to an output stage circuit of the output buffer, and a delay test circuit connected to the feedback line.
US07750663B2 Method and apparatus for testing an electronic motor
An apparatus for testing an electric motor is described. The motor comprises stator windings and a rotor arranged along a rotation axis. The apparatus is adapted to measure a physical quantity of the stator winding while the rotor is being rotated about the rotation axis, whereby periodic measuring data concerning the physical quantity are obtained. The apparatus is adapted to collect measuring data concerning at least two periods of the periodic measuring data, to compare the symmetry between at least the fundamentals of two or more half-cycles of the collected data and to generate a signal that indicates the symmetrical relation between at least the fundamentals of two or more half-cycles of the collected measuring data.
US07750658B2 Integrated circuit and testing circuit therein for testing and failure analysis
A testing circuit includes at least two contact terminals and a plurality of first resistors. The contact terminals are located on a substrate and respectively connected to two ends of an original circuit on the substrate. The first resistors are embedded in the substrate and respectively connected to a plurality of devices of the original circuit in parallel or in series.
US07750638B2 Measuring device
A measuring device (1) for detecting signals, particularly signals in an ignition system of an internal combustion engine, has a signal line (2); and a measuring electrode (3) connected to the signal line (2) for coupling a signal to be detected into the signal line (2), wherein the measuring electrode has a flexible tip (4) , wherein the tip (4) includes tubular segments (4′); wherein one end of a segment (4′) is pivotably inserted into another end of another segment (4′); and wherein the tip (4) including the tubular segments (4′) is lockable into position in a bent state.
US07750637B2 Transmission line for use in RF fields
An electrically conductive link (connection lead) or transmission line (13) including at least one transformer (41, 42; 83) for coupling at least two lead segments (51, 52; 81, 82) of the line (13) and for providing safety of the line when guided through a RF field. These lines are especially provided for use with a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system and for connecting an electrical device (10), especially a catheter or another invasive device for the examination of a human body, to a connection unit (12) such as, for example, a power supply or control unit outside the examination zone (1) without imposing the risk of disturbances and/or destruction of the electrical device and/or the connection unit and of burning a patient (P) by a heating of the line when guided through RF fields.
US07750634B1 Methods and apparatus for detecting elements and compounds
A method is disclosed for detecting a target substance comprises sensing one or more physical properties that affect a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) frequency of a substance, calculating an output frequency by using the one or more physical properties and an NMR frequency associated with the target substance, generating and sending an electrical signal to a detection module, the electrical signal having the calculated output frequency; receiving an indication of the location of the target substance at the detection module.
US07750624B2 Electronic shift lever assembly
An electronic shift lever assembly can select a gear position by sensing the movement of a shift lever in forward, backward, fight and left directions. The electronic shift lever assembly includes: a shift lever movable to select a gear position; a first sensor unit comprising a plurality of linear hall sensors for sensing vertical movement of the shift lever; and a second sensor unit comprising a plurality of switch hall sensors for sensing horizontal movement of the shift lever.
US07750623B2 Method and device for locating the right or left position of a wheel of a vehicle
Method and device for locating the right or left position of a wheel of a vehicle. The wheel has a magnetic measuring component including a core of ferromagnetic material on which are arranged, crosswise, two windings presenting maximum sensitivity axes extending in a plane intersecting the rotational axis of the wheel, and offset from each other, in this intersecting plane, by an angle θ, and on movements of the vehicle, a measurement is taken of a signal generated by the variation of a magnetic field at the terminals of each of the windings so as to deliver two periodic signals phase-shifted from each other by (+ or −) θ, the direction of rotation of the wheel is determined from this phase difference and, from this direction of rotation and from the direction of movement of the vehicle, the location of the right or left position of the wheel is deduced.
US07750622B2 Method of applying the analysis of scrub mark morphology and location to the evaluation and correction of semiconductor testing, analysis and manufacture
By examining scrub mark properties (such as position and size) directly, the performance of a wafer probing process may be evaluated. Scrub mark images are captured, image data measured, and detailed information about the process is extracted through analysis. The information may then be used to troubleshoot, improve, and monitor the probing process.
US07750619B2 Method and apparatus for measuring the frequency of a received signal
A method of measuring the frequency of a received signal comprising the steps of: generating a first phase signal by digitising the phase of the received signal; delaying the first phase signal by a predetermined amount to generate a second phase signal; calculating a phase difference between the first and the second phase signals; and calculating the frequency of the input signal from the phase difference.
US07750606B2 Method of charging and discharging of supercapacitors without the use of converters or chargers
An electrical power system may be provided with temporary power from a bank of supercapacitors connected to a bus of the power system. The supercapacitors may be charged from an output from a primary power source of the system during start-up of the power source. Output voltage of the primary power source may progressively increase and capacitor charging may occur at this progressively increasing voltage. Dedicated current-limiting devices are not required during charging. When temporary power is required the supercapacitors may be discharged sequentially in a series combination so that a high internal voltage of each capacitor is maintained and so that virtually all of the stored energy of the capacitor may be discharged to the bus at a usable voltage.
US07750601B2 Charging apparatus of portable devices
The present invention relates to a charging apparatus of portable device, which charges a battery module of the portable devices. The charging apparatus includes a sensing circuit, a control unit, and a linear charging circuit. The sensing circuit detects the voltage of a power adapter when the power adapter is plug to the portable devices, and then produces a sensing signal and transmits it to the control unit. The control unit produces a control signal according to the sensing signal and the remaining capacity of the battery module. The present invention features that the linear charging circuit receives an output power of the sensing circuit and charges the battery module according the control signal.
US07750599B2 Battery charger
A charger configured to charge a battery includes a battery storage chamber configured to accommodate the battery; an opening formed on a first end of the battery chamber in a depth direction, the battery being attached to and detached from the battery storage chamber through the opening; a charger-side terminal provided on the battery storage chamber, the charger-side terminal being connect to and disconnect from a battery-side terminal of the battery stored in the battery storage chamber; and an attaching and detaching mechanism configured to prevent the battery from moving toward the opening while the battery is stored in the battery storage chamber and the battery-side terminal and the charger-side terminal are connected and to eject a second end of the battery in the depth direction from the opening by disconnecting the battery-side terminal and the charger-side terminal.
US07750598B2 Battery charger user interface
A battery charger (100) includes a plurality of battery receiving bays (108) for receiving batteries to be charged. A user interface (120) includes a display which displays information indicative of batteries received in the various bays (108) in graphical and textual form. The displayed information includes the number of batteries received in the charger, as well as their size, good/bad state, and state of charge.
US07750589B2 Method for controlling the angular position of a stepper motor
The invention relates to a method for controlling the angular position [STP_POS] of a stopless rotatably movable member [1] of a stepper motor, the said movable member [1] being designed to interact with at least one fixed member [2] whose state is capable of being modified during the rotation of the movable member [1] according to parameters [CAM_POS] previously defined according to the angular position [STP_POS] of the movable member [1]. The method comprises a step of testing the correspondence [18] of the state of the fixed member [2] with the parameters [CAM_POS] of the predefined modifications, in a mode in which the position of the motor [STP_POS] is considered to be defined.
US07750587B2 Method of controlling a motor of a battery-operated power tool
The method of controlling a motor which drives a tool of a power tool, includes initializing an electronic device and switching the motor on in a first step (31), continuously monitoring of the motor current (IM) and a battery voltage (UB) in a second step (32) which alternates with a third step (33) in which a continuous comparison of the battery voltage (UB) to a threshold value (GW) stored in a memory of the electronic device is carried out.
US07750586B2 Drive control device of motor and a method of start-up
A drive control device of motor capable of starting up even a motor of such a type that the polarity of induced voltage does not switch every 180° of electrical angle or the polarity, positive or negative, does not occur with accuracy without causing a reverse rotation is provided. In a start-up control of motor, the following operation is performed: a current is passed through any coils in two phases, and the polarity of voltage induced in the non-conducting phase is detected. A conducting phase at start-up is determined based on the detected polarity of induced voltage. The average value of induced voltages in non-conducting phase detected with respect to the coils in respective phases is determined. The average value and the detected induced voltages are compared with each other, and relative polarities are determined from the magnitude relation with the average value to determine a conducting phase at start-up.
US07750582B2 Liquid crystal display device
When the temperature value detected by a temperature detecting circuit is lower than a previously designated set temperature value, cathode fluorescent lamps (CFLs) are operated to illuminate with a duty ratio of 100% so as to enhance the brightness. When the detected temperature value has become equal to or higher than the previously designated set temperature value, CFLs are operated to illuminate by changing the duty ratio into a user set value.
US07750581B2 Driver system and method for multiple cold-cathode fluorescent lamps and/or external-electrode fluorescent lamps
Driver system and method for multiple cold-cathode fluorescent lamps and/or external-electrode fluorescent lamps. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a system for driving a plurality of cold-cathode fluorescent lamps. The system includes a subsystem configured to receive at least a DC voltage and generate a first AC voltage in response to at least the DC voltage. The system also includes a power converter configured to receive the first AC voltage and convert the first AC voltage to at least a second AC voltage. The system further includes a plurality of current balancing devices. Each of the plurality of current balancing devices is configured to receive two currents and balance the two currents. The plurality of current balancing devices includes at least a first current balancing device, a second current balancing device, and a third current balancing device. In addition, the system includes a plurality of lamp pairs.
US07750569B2 High-frequency discharge lamp incorporating an auxiliary starting electrode and lamp attachment to a coaxial waveguide
A high-frequency discharge lamp includes a coaxial waveguide including an internal conductor and a pipe-shaped external conductor surrounding said internal conductor, and a discharge tube including a ceramic or glass tube having an approximately ellipse spherical bulged part formed in a middle of a longitudinal direction, and both ends pinched and sealed; a conductor assembly sealed and attached to an end of the ceramic or glass tube; and an auxiliary electrode for starting disposed near the approximately ellipse spherical bulged part. A rare gas for starting with 1 atmospheric pressure or more at room temperature together with a light emission substance is enclosed inside of the approximately ellipse spherical bulged part. The discharge tube is inserted conductor assembly end first and held in a top opening of the coaxial waveguide. A high-voltage pulse generated by a high-voltage pulse generator is applied to the auxiliary electrode through a pulse transmission line.
US07750566B2 Plasma display panel having reflective layer
A plasma display panel is constructed with a first substrate on which images are displayed, a second substrate disposed facing and spaced apart from the first substrate by a certain distance, a plurality of barrier ribs disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate to define a plurality of discharge cells, a plurality of discharge electrodes extending along lines of the discharge cells, a plurality of phosphor layers formed on interior walls of the discharge cells, an optical reflective layer disposed between the phosphor layers and the second substrate, and a discharge gas filling the discharge cells. The optical reflective layer reflects the visible light that is radiated toward the second substrate, along the image display direction, i.e., towards the first substrate. In addition, the barrier ribs are made from a material having a high optical transmittance that does not absorb the visible light.
US07750565B2 Plasma display panel with a reduced number of electrodes
A plasma display panel having an enhanced arrangement of pixels and electrodes enabling higher integration of pixels. A front substrate and a rear substrate are formed having opposing surfaces and a plurality of discharge cells are partitioned in a space therebetween. A plurality of address electrodes are formed along a first direction between the front and rear substrates. A plurality of display electrodes are formed along a second direction between the front and rear substrates and are electrically separated from the plurality of address electrodes. At least two discharge cells among a plurality of discharge cells included in respective pixels correspond to and are driven by a same address electrode.
US07750560B2 Light-emitting-element
The present invention provides a light-emitting element sandwiching a composite layer in which an organic compound and an inorganic compound are mixed between a first electrode and a second electrode, where the composite layer includes a first layer including a first organic compound and a first inorganic compound that exhibits an electron accepting property to the first organic compound (serves as an electron acceptor), a second layer including a second organic compound and a second inorganic compound, and a third layer including a third organic compound and a third inorganic compound that exhibits an electron donating property to the third organic compound (serves as an electron acceptor).
US07750556B2 Triazole derivatives and use thereof in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)
The present invention relates to the use of triazole derivatives selected from the group consisting of triazolopyrimidine derivatives and triazolouracil derivatives in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), an OLED comprising at least one of the organic triazole derivatives mentioned, a light-emitting layer comprising at least one of the triazole derivatives mentioned, an OLED comprising the light-emitting layer of the invention, a device comprising an OLED according to the invention and also specific novel triazole derivatives.
US07750554B2 Multilayered electrode and organic light emitting diode having the same
An organic light emitting diode, which has a pixel electrode, the pixel electrode constructed with a first layer comprising metal oxide on the substrate; a second layer comprising silver alloyed with at least one metal selected from a group consisting of lanthanide series elements and actinide series elements on the first layer; and a third layer comprising metal oxide on the second layer. As such, there are provided the second layer comprising the silver alloy, and the first and third layer comprising the metal oxide and formed above and below the second layer so that adhesion of a silver alloy (e.g., ATD alloy) may be enhanced, and an anode having enhanced reflectance may also be provided by using silver with increased reflectance.
US07750553B2 Organic EL element provided with an electrode in a liquid state and method for producing the same
The present invention provides an organic functional element such as an organic EL element, an organic TFT element or the like, wherein the organic functional element does not require vapor deposition in formation of an electrode on an organic material layer, and does not cause an electrode breaking even when bended, and a method for producing the same. An organic functional element of the present invention at least comprises more than one electrode and an organic material layer, wherein at least one electrode is made of a liquid metal.
US07750546B2 Discharge lamp and electrode for use in the same
It is possible to enhance the luminance of a cold-cathode type discharge lamp and to contribute to a prolongation of service life thereof. A discharge lamp 1 is provided with an electrode 3 having a cup 4 with such a shape that a bottom is provided at each of both opposed ends of the glass tube 2. The cup 4 is connected to a lead-in wire 8 which is inserted through the end of the glass tube 2 and held thereby. The collision-preventing ring 5 covering an end surface of the cup 4 is provided to the open end 4a of the cup 4. The porous tungsten disk 6 impregnated with a ternary metal oxide composed of barium (Ba), aluminum (Al), and calcium (Ca) as an electron emission material is provided at a bottom in an inside of the cup 4.
US07750542B2 Lamp with a clipped-on contact
A lamp includes a reflector having a passageway opening to a heel of the reflector, a lamp capsule having a lead that extends rearward through the passageway, a conductive clip that spans a diameter of the heel and that has tabs that extend forward at opposite sides of the heel and an arm that extends rearward, the arm being attached to a portion of the lead that projects out of the passageway, and a base that is attached to the heel and that engages the tabs at the opposite sides of the heel. The arm holds the lamp capsule in place and electrically connects the lamp capsule to the base. The arm may be a semi-detached central portion of the clip that is bent to be substantially parallel to an axis of the lead.
US07750540B2 Piezoelectric actuator and electronic device
There is provided a piezoelectric actuator and the like capable of efficiently transmitting vibration between an object (e.g., a housing of an electronic device) and a piezoelectric ceramic vibrator. The piezoelectric actuator 50A includes a piezoelectric ceramic vibrator 15 and a holder 12 to hold an edge section thereof and functions as, for example, a vibrator by propagating deflective vibration of the vibrator 15 via the holder 12 to an elastic body 14 as the object. A subsidiary holder 13 is disposed between the vibrator 15 and the elastic body 14, and part of the deflective vibration of the vibrator 15 is propagated via the elastic body 14.
US07750537B2 Hybrid dual layer diagnostic ultrasound transducer array
An ultrasound transducer array having a transmit transducer element comprising a transmit transducer material interposed between a transmit electrode and a reference electrode, wherein voltages applied across the transmit electrode and reference electrode induce an acoustic wave to emanate from the transmit transducer material; and a plurality of receive transducer elements positioned in an array on the transmit transducer element, each of the plurality of the receive transducer elements comprising a receive electrode and a receive transducer material interposed between the receive electrode and the reference electrode, and wherein acoustic waves applied to the plurality of receive transducer elements induces receive voltage signals on the receive electrodes with respect to the reference electrode.
US07750525B2 Electric rotating machine
An electric rotating machine comprising a stator core having a plurality of slots that are equally spaced on the inner surface of the stator core in the peripheral direction, a rotor that rotates inside the stator core, and an armature winding that is applied to each of the slots, wherein the armature winding is made up with a plurality of serially-connected single-turn coils that are respectively applied to the slots and the serially-connected coils of respective phases are connected in parallel.
US07750521B2 Double-sided starter/generator for aircrafts
An electromagnetic machine for extracting power from a turbine engine includes an outer rotor and an inner rotor rotatably supported adjacent to a stator. The stator is disposed between the inner and outer rotors. The stator has an inner set of windings disposed on an inner surface adjacent to the inner rotor, and an outer set of windings on an outer surface of the stator adjacent to the outer rotor. A plurality of permanent magnets are disposed on an inner surface of the outer rotor element and on an outer surface of the inner rotor element. Air gaps are defined between the outer surface of the stator and the outer permanent magnets, and between the inner surface of the stator portion and the inner permanent magnets. The inner stator windings form a set of multiple-phase windings, and the outer stator windings form a set of multiple-phase windings.
US07750506B2 Load and system
A load, including an electric motor and electronic circuit for powering the electric motor, the load being inductively powered.
US07750497B2 Power feed control circuit for on-vehicle electronic control apparatuses
First and second on-vehicle electronic control apparatuses which communicate with each other through serial communication interface circuits are fed with powers through an output contact of a power source relay from an on-vehicle battery, an electromagnetic coil of the power source relay is energized through a transistor when a power source switch has been closed, first and second microprocessors are activated upon closure of the output contact, a first watchdog timer generates a self-holding command signal and keeps an operating state of the power source relay when intervals of a watchdog signal which is generated by the first microprocessor are normal, and the self-holding command signal is stopped to deenergize the power source relay, when the first and second on-vehicle electronic control apparatuses have completed their save processing steps in accordance with opening of the power source switch.
US07750490B2 Method and system for extracting inertial energy from a wind turbine
A system for operating a wind turbine during a curtailment operation is described. The wind turbine includes a generator and a wind turbine rotor having at least one rotor blade. The wind turbine also includes a drive train that includes at least one shaft coupled to the wind turbine rotor and configured to drive the generator. The system includes a control system configured to increase a speed of rotation of the rotor beyond an optimum rated speed during the curtailment operation of the wind turbine, and an extraction device configured to extract inertial energy stored in the drive train upon release of the curtailment operation.
US07750483B1 Semiconductor chip assembly with welded metal pillar and enlarged plated contact terminal
A semiconductor chip assembly includes a semiconductor chip that includes a conductive pad, a conductive trace that includes a routing line, a metal pillar and an enlarged plated contact terminal, a connection joint that electrically connects the routing line and the pad, and an encapsulant. The chip and the metal pillar are embedded in the encapsulant, the routing line extends laterally beyond the metal pillar towards the chip, the metal pillar is welded to the routing line and includes a ball bond and a stem, and the plated contact terminal is plated on the stem.
US07750476B2 Semiconductor device having a reliable contact
A film containing such an element as germanium or tin is formed on a wiring electrode mainly made of aluminum. A wiring film to take contact to the wiring electrode is further formed thereon. The film containing the above element is rendered flowable by performing a heat treatment. This process allows formation of a reliable contact.
US07750475B2 Lead-free solder ball
A Sn—Ag—Cu based lead-free solder ball which does not undergo yellowing of its surface when formed into a solder bump on an electrode of an electronic part such as a BGA package. The solder ball has excellent wettability and does not form voids at the time of soldering, even when it has a minute diameter such as 0.04-0.5 mm. It has a composition comprising 1.0-4.0 mass % of Ag, 0.05-2.0 mass % of Cu, 0.0005-0.005 mass % of P, and a remainder of Sn.
US07750471B2 Metal and alloy silicides on a single silicon wafer
Methods and apparatus relating to a single silicon wafer having metal and alloy silicides are described. In one embodiment, two different silicides may be provided on the same wafer. Other embodiments are also disclosed.
US07750470B2 Methods for planarization of dielectric layer around metal patterns for optical efficiency enhancement
A method and system for improving planarization and uniformity of dielectric layers for providing improved optical efficiency in CCD and CMOS image sensor devices. In various embodiments, a dielectric planarization method for achieving better optical efficiency includes first depositing a first dielectric having an optically transparent property on and around a metal pattern. Optical sensors are formed in or on the substrate in areas between metal features. The metal pattern protects a sensor situated therebetween and thereunder from electromagnetic radiation. After the first dielectric layer is polished using CMP, a slanted or inclined surface is produced but this non-uniformity is eliminated using further planarization processes that produce a uniform total dielectric thickness for the proper functioning of the sensor.
US07750468B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate that has an integrated circuit, a passivation film formed above the integrated circuit, and an electrode electrically connected to the integrated circuit, the passivation film having an uneven surface, the electrode having at least a portion exposed through the passivation film; a first resin layer that is disposed on the passivation film; a second resin layer that covers the passivation film and the first resin layer; and a wiring that extends from the electrode to a first part of the second resin layer above the first resin layer, the electrode passing on a second part of the second resin layer above the passivation film.
US07750465B2 Packaged integrated circuit
A packaged integrated circuit has an integrated circuit over a support structure. A plurality of bond wires connected between active terminals of the integrated circuit and the support structure. An encapsulant overlies the support structure, the integrated circuit, and the bond wires. The encapsulant has a first open location in the encapsulant so that a first bond wire is exposed and a second open location in the encapsulant so that a second bond wire is exposed. First and second conductive structures are exposed outside the packaged integrated circuit and are located at the first and second open locations, respectively, and electrically connected to the first and second bond wires, respectively.
US07750463B2 Bidirectional switch module
A first semiconductor element having a junction electrode to be connected to a first node of a bidirectional switch circuit is mounted on a first metal base plate to be a heat dissipation plate, and a second semiconductor element having a junction electrode to be connected to a second node of the bidirectional switch circuit is mounted on a second metal base plate to be a heat dissipation plate. The junction electrode of the first semiconductor element has the same potential as that of the first metal base plate, and the junction electrode of the second semiconductor element has the same potential as that of the second metal base plate. Also, the respective metal base plates and non-junction electrodes of the respective semiconductor elements are connected by metal thin wires, respectively, thereby configuring the bidirectional switch circuit.
US07750462B1 Microelectromechanical systems using thermocompression bonding
Improved microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), processes and apparatus using thermocompression bonding are disclosed. For example, process embodiments are disclosed in which wafer-scale as well as die-scale thermocompression bonding is utilized to encapsulate MEMS and/or to provide electrical interconnections with MEMS. Apparatus embodiments include apparatus for performing thermocompression bonding and bonded hybrid structures manufactured in accordance with the process embodiments. Devices having various substrate bonding and/or sealing configurations variously offer the advantage of reduced size, higher manufacturing yields, reduced costs, improved reliability, improved compatibility with existing semiconductor manufacturing process and/or greater versatility of applications.
US07750461B2 Metal-ceramic substrate for electric circuits or modules, method for producing one such substrate and module comprising one such substrate
The invention relates to a metal-ceramic substrate for electric circuits or modules, said substrate including a ceramic layer which is provided with at least one metallic layer of a first type applied to a surface of said ceramic layer in a plane manner. An insulating layer made up of a glass-containing material is applied to at least one partial region of a surface of the metallic layer of the first type, said surface opposing the ceramic layer, and a metallic layer of a second type is applied to the insulating layer, the insulating layer and the metallic layer of a second type respectively being thinner then the ceramic layer and the metallic layer of the first type.
US07750458B2 Light source module and lighting device for a vehicle
A light source module includes a ceramic circuit board having a predetermined conductive pattern, a semiconductor light emitting element arranged on said ceramic circuit board and connected to the conductive pattern, and an attachment for power feeding bonded to the ceramic circuit board. The attachment for power feeding is provided with a power feeding part connected to an external power source, a plate-shaped part adjacent to a position opposed to an outer circumferential surface of the ceramic circuit board, and a power feeding terminal formed in plate shape and protruded from the plate-shaped part to a side of the ceramic circuit board. The top of the power feeding terminal is connected to a part of the conductive pattern with the top overlapped from a thickness direction. The power feeding terminal of the attachment for power feeding is fixed and connected to the conductive pattern of the ceramic circuit board.
US07750456B2 Printed circuit board and method of manufacturing semiconductor package using the same
Provided is a printed circuit board having a structure that can prevent the generation of cracks around a rectangular hole and a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board for a semiconductor package. The printed circuit board includes a base substrate in which at least one window slit is formed, a plurality of circuit patterns formed at least on a side surface of the base substrate, a protective layer formed on the base substrate and the circuit patterns, and a crack preventive layer that is formed along at least a portion of edges of the window slit and is not formed at least on the circuit patterns.
US07750443B2 Semiconductor device package
A surface of a lead frame of a semiconductor device package, on which a semiconductor chip is mounted, is formed to have a mesh structure, whereby a connecting area between the lead frame and a molding resin can be increased to have strong bonding. Further, only filler particles having a small diameter than the mesh are taken into the vicinity of the lead frame, suppressing the effect of stresses to reduce deformation of the lead frame.
US07750442B2 High-frequency switch
A high-frequency switch includes a semiconductor body made of a semiconductor material having a first surface and a second surface, and two direct current terminals and two high-frequency terminals.
US07750440B2 Semiconductor film and manufacturing method thereof, light receiving element using semiconductor film, electrophotographic photoreceptor, process cartridge, and image forming device
There is provided: a semiconductor film formed on a base material, containing a group 13 element, nitrogen, and oxygen in an amount of about 15 atomic % or more; a manufacturing method thereof; a light receiving element using the semiconductor film; an electrophotographic photoreceptor; a process cartridge; and an image forming device.
US07750438B2 Semiconductor device
An n-type buffer region 6 is arranged between an n− drift region 1 and a p-type collector region 7, and has a higher impurity concentration than n− drift region 1 Assuming that α represents the ratio (WTA/WTB) between WTA expressed as: WTA = 2 ⁢ ɛ s ⁢ ɛ 0 ⁢ V qNd and the thickness WTB of the drift region held between the base region and the buffer region, the ratio (DC/DB) of the net dose DC of the collector region with respect to the net dose DB of the buffer region is at least α. Thus, a semiconductor device capable of ensuring a proper margin of SCSOA resistance can be obtained.
US07750435B2 Inductively coupled integrated circuit and methods for use therewith
A circuit includes a first integrated circuit or die having a first circuit and a first inductive interface. A second integrated circuit or die has a second circuit and a second inductive interface. The first inductive interface and the second inductive interface are aligned to magnetically communicate signals between the first circuit and the second circuit.
US07750433B2 Probe-based memory
Apparatuses, a method, and a system for a non-volatile, probe-based memory device are disclosed herein. In various embodiments, probe-based memory may be one-time programmable or rewritable nonvolatile probe-based memory.
US07750421B2 High performance MTJ element for STT-RAM and method for making the same
A STT-MTJ MRAM cell that utilizes transfer of spin angular momentum as a mechanism for changing the magnetic moment direction of a free layer includes an IrMn pinning layer, a SyAP pinned layer, a naturally oxidized, crystalline MgO tunneling barrier layer that is formed on an Ar-ion plasma smoothed surface of the pinned layer and, in one embodiment, a free layer that comprises an amorphous layer of Co60Fe20B20 of approximately 20 angstroms thickness formed between two crystalline layers of Fe of 3 and 6 angstroms thickness respectively or on a single such layer. The free layer is characterized by a low Gilbert damping factor and by very strong polarizing action on conduction electrons. The resulting cell has a low critical current, a high dR/R and a plurality of such cells will exhibit a low variation of both resistance and pinned layer magnetization angular dispersion.
US07750417B2 Non-volatile semiconductor memory and method for fabricating a non-volatile semiconductor memory
A non-volatile semiconductor memory includes memory cell transistors arranged in a matrix, wherein each of the memory cell transistors is a depletion mode MIS transistor.
US07750413B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing same
An object of the present invention is to mount both a RF circuit including an inductor formed therein and a digital circuit on a single chip.MOSFETs are formed on a semiconductor substrate 1 in regions isolated by an element isolation film 2. A plurality of low-permittivity insulator rods including a low-permittivity insulator embedded therein and penetrating a first interlevel dielectric film 4 to reach the internal of the silicon substrate are disposed in the RF circuit area 100. An inductor 40 is formed on the interlevel dielectric film in the RF circuit area by using multi-layered interconnects. A high-permeability isolation region in which a composite material including a mixture of high-permeability material and a low-permittivity material is formed in the region of the core of the inductor and periphery thereof.
US07750397B2 Semiconductor component including compensation zones and discharge structures for the compensation zones
A semiconductor component including compensation zones and discharge structures for the compensation zones. One embodiment provides a drift zone of a first conduction type, at least one compensation zone of a second conduction type, complementary to the first conduction type, the at least one compensation zone being arranged in the drift zone, at least one discharge structure which is arranged between the at least one compensation zone and a section of the drift zone that surrounds the compensation zone or in the compensation zone and designed to enable a charge carrier exchange between the compensation zone and the drift zone if a potential difference between an electrical potential of the compensation zone and an electrical potential of the section of the drift zone that surrounds the compensation zone is greater than a threshold value predetermined by the construction and/or the positioning of the discharge structure.
US07750392B2 Embedded cache memory in image sensors
An embodiment of an embedded cache memory in an image sensor comprises a memory cell array wherein the memory cells are substantially isolated from laterally adjacent memory. The memory cell array includes a plurality of memory cells. Each of the memory cells is formed in a standard CMOS image sensor process without the need for SOI processes. Each cell includes first and second n-type and p-type regions arranged around a vertically integrated gate. Data is written to a cell by causing carriers to accumulate in the body of the device through carrier generation mechanisms that may include impact ionization, band-to-band tunneling and/or channel-initiated secondary hot electrons.
US07750385B2 Semiconductor interconnection structures and capacitors including poly-SiGe layers and metal contact plugs
A semiconductor device includes a lower electrode of a capacitor, a dielectric layer disposed on the lower electrode, and an upper electrode of the capacitor disposed on the dielectric layer. The upper electrode includes a doped poly-Si1-xGex layer. An interlayer insulating layer is disposed on the doped poly-Si1-xGex layer and has a contact hole partially exposing the doped poly-Si1-xGex layer. A metal contact plug is in the contact hole and an interconnection layer is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer and connected to the metal contact plug. Related interconnection structures and fabrication methods are also disclosed.
US07750384B2 Flash memory device having intergated plug
A non-volatile memory device includes first and second cell gates formed in a cell region; first and second peripheral gates are formed in a peri-region; and an inter-gate plug is provided between the first and second cell gates. The inter-gate plug includes a first insulating layer, a second conductive layer formed over the first insulating layer, and a third insulating layer formed over the second conductive layer.
US07750380B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a first gate electrode, a second gate electrode, a first channel region positioned between the substrate and the first gate electrode, a second channel region positioned between the substrate and the second gate electrode, a gate insulation film positioned at least between the first channel region and the first gate electrode, and between the second channel region and the second gate electrode, a first conducting section, a second conducting section, and a third conducting section each positioned between the substrate and the gate insulation film, and an intermediate electrode electrically connected to the second gate electrode, and overlapping a part of the first gate electrode, wherein the first channel region is positioned between the first conducting section and the second conducting section, and the second channel region is positioned between the second conducting section and the third conducting section.
US07750373B2 Semiconductor integrated circuit
In a semiconductor integrated circuit device, a plurality of electrode pads for external connection are arranged in a zigzag pattern. Some electrode pads of the electrode pads of the plurality of I/O cells which are closer to a side of the semiconductor chip, each have an end portion closer to the side of the semiconductor chip, the end portion being set at the same position as that of an end portion of the corresponding I/O cell. A power source-side protective circuit and a ground-side protective circuit against discharge of static electricity are provided with the power source-side protective circuit being closer to the scribe region. A distance between a center position of one of the electrode pads and the ground-side protective circuit of the corresponding I/O cell and a distance between a center position of the other one electrode pad and the ground-side protective circuit of the corresponding I/O cell are both short and are substantially equal between each I/O cell.
US07750366B2 Solid-state imaging element and method for manufacturing the same
A solid-state imaging element includes a layered substrate made of silicon and composed of, for example, an N-type substrate, a P-type layer, and an N-type layer. In the layered substrate, an imaging region in which a plurality of pixels are arranged and a peripheral circuit region are formed. A recess reaching the reverse face of the P-type layer is formed in a reverse face portion of the layered substrate in the imaging region, and a reflective film is formed on at least the inner face of the recess. Light is reflected on the reverse face and the obverse face of the layered substrate.
US07750364B2 Light-emitting device
A light-emitting device includes an active region, an n-type region, a p-type region, an n-electrode and a p-electrode. The active region is formed from a semiconductor material. The semiconductor material has a tetrahedral structure and includes an impurity. The impurity creates at least two energy levels connected with the allowed transition within a band gap of the semiconductor material. The n-type and p-type regions in contact with the active region are disposed between the n-type and p-type regions. An excitation element is configured to inject an electron from the n-type region and inject a hole from the p-type region so as to generate an electron-hole pair in the active region. The active region has a thickness no less than an atomic distance of the semiconductor and no more than 5 nm.
US07750361B2 Surface mount light emitting apparatus
A surface mount LED apparatus is provided which can prevent separation of the surface of an LED chip from a sealing resin portion. Patterned circuits on a substrate are provided with a device mounting region and a wire bond region, and an increased-thickness portion having a thickness 1.6 times or more than the greater of the thickness of the device mounting region and the thickness of the wire bond region. When the apparatus is heated, this configuration allows for inducing interfacial separation between the increased-thickness portion and the sealing resin portion earlier than interfacial separation is induced between the LED chip and the sealing resin portion. This configuration can prevent interfacial separation between the LED chip and the sealing resin portion.
US07750359B2 Package design for producing white light with short-wavelength LEDS and down-conversion materials
A broad bandwidth light source including: a solid state light emitting device that generates short wavelength light; and quantum dot material and phosphor material that are each irradiated by some of the short wavelength light. The short wavelength light has a spectrum with a first peak wavelength shorter than about 500 nm. The quantum dot material absorbs some of the short wavelength light and reemits it as long wavelength light having a spectrum with a second peak wavelength longer than about 600 nm. The phosphor material absorbs some of the short wavelength light and reemits it as mid wavelength light having a spectrum with a peak wavelength between the first and second peak wavelength. The light source is configured such that some of each light (short, mid, and long wavelength) is emitted coincidentally as a light having a chromaticity value near the blackbody locus and a color rendering index greater than 80.
US07750353B2 Method of manufacturing silicon optoelectronic device, silicon optoelectronic device manufactured by the method, and image input and/or output apparatus using the silicon optoelectronic device
A method of manufacturing a silicon optoelectronic device, a silicon optoelectronic device manufactured by the method, and an image input and/or output apparatus including the silicon optoelectronic device are provided. The method includes preparing an n- or p-type silicon-based substrate, forming a microdefect pattern along a surface of the substrate by etching, forming a control film with an opening on the microdefect pattern, and forming a doping region on the surface of the substrate having the microdefect pattern in such a way that a predetermined dopant of the opposite type to the substrate is injected onto the substrate through the opening of the control film to be doped to a depth so that a photoelectric conversion effect leading to light emission and/or reception by quantum confinement effect in the p-n junction occurs. The silicon optoelectronic device has superior light-emitting efficiency, can be used as at least one of a light-emitting device and a light-receiving device, and has high wavelength selectivity. In addition, the silicon optoelectronic device panel having the two-dimensional array of the silicon optoelectronic devices can be applied in the image input and/or output apparatus capable of directly displaying an image and/or inputting optical information in a screen.
US07750347B2 Semiconductor device and semiconductor display device
A semiconductor device includes a control circuit for carrying out gamma correction of a supplied signal, and a memory for storing data used in the gamma correction. The control circuit and the memory are constituted by TFTs, and are integrally formed on the same insulating substrate. A semiconductor display device includes a pixel region in which a plurality of TFTs are arranged in matrix; a driver for switching the plurality of TFTs; a picture signal supply source for supplying a picture signal; a control circuit for carrying out gamma correction of the picture signal; and a memory for storing data used in the gamma correction of the picture signal. The plurality of TFTs, the driver, the control circuit, and the memory are integrally formed on the same insulating substrate.
US07750341B2 Bistable nanoparticle-polymer composite for use in memory devices
An electrically bistable body for use in electronic devices wherein the bistable body is converted from a low conductivity state to a high conductivity state. The bistable body includes a polymer matrix in which a sufficient amount of capped nanoparticles are dispersed so that the bistable body is converted from a low conductivity state to a high conductivity state upon application of an electrical field. The capped nanoparticles are metal nanoparticles that have been coated with an aromatic thiol.
US07750333B2 Bit-erasing architecture for seek-scan probe (SSP) memory storage
An apparatus comprising a substrate, a heater formed on the substrate, and a phase-change layer formed on the heater. The heater comprises a heater layer and first and second electrodes electrically coupled to the heater layer. A process comprising forming a heater on a substrate and forming a phase-change layer on the heater. The heater comprises a heater layer and first and second electrodes electrically coupled to the heater layer.
US07750332B2 Solid electrolyte switching device, FPGA using same, memory device, and method for manufacturing solid electrolyte switching device
The present invention provides a solid electrolyte switching device, which can maintain an on or off state when the power source is removed, the resistance of which in on the state is low, and which is capable of integration and re-programming, and FPGA and a memory device using the same, and a method of manufacturing the same.A solid electrolyte switching device (10, 10′, 20, 20′) comprises a substrate (11) in which surface is coated with an insulation layer, a first interconnection layer (13) set on said substrate (11), an ion supplying layer (17) set on said first interconnection layer (13), a solid electrolyte layer (16) set on said ion supplying layer (17), an interlevel insulating layer (12) having a via hole set to cover said first interconnection layer (13), said ion supplying layer (17), and said solid electrolyte layer (16), a counter electrode layer (15) set to contact said solid electrolyte layer (16) through the via hole of said interlevel insulating layer (12), and a second interconnection layer (14) set to cover said counter electrode layer (15). The switching device can be provided in which the on state, or the off state can be arbitrarily set by the threshold voltage applied between the ion supplying layer (17) and the counter electrode layer (15), which is non-volatile, and the resistance of which in the on state is low. The switching device of the present invention is also simple and fine in structure, and hence makes it possible to provide smaller switching devices than are currently available. Further, using the switching device of the present invention as the switching device of an FPGA (30) makes it possible to provide re-programmable and fast operation FPGA (30). Using the switching device of the present invention as a memory cell of a memory device makes it possible to provide a non-volatile memory device with high programming and reading speed.
US07750330B2 Device and method for identifying recording medium and image forming apparatus
An identification device operable to identify a type of a recording medium includes an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the recording medium with light, a reading unit configured to read the light that is irradiated from the irradiation unit and that is reflected from the recording medium to obtain an image, a processing unit configured to process the image obtained by the reading unit to output a plurality of pixel data items each having a light intensity value, a calculation unit configured to calculate a value representing amounts of change by which the light intensity values of the plurality of pixel data items continuously increase and decrease, and an identification unit configured to identify the type of the recording medium on the basis of the value representing the amounts of change calculated by the calculation unit.
US07750319B2 Method and system for measuring contamination of a lithographical element
A method and system for measuring contamination of a lithographic element is disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises providing a first lithographical element in a process chamber. The method further comprises providing a second lithographical element in the process chamber. The method further comprises covering part of the first lithographical element providing a reference region. The method further comprises providing a contaminant in the process chamber. The method further comprises redirecting an exposure beam via the test region of the first lithographical element towards the second lithographical element whereby at least one of the lithographical elements gets contaminated by the contaminant. The method further comprises measuring the level of contamination of the at least one contaminated lithographical element in the process chamber.
US07750316B2 Polymer biochip for detecting fluorescence
This present disclosure provides an optical chip for fluorescence detection. The optical chip has one or more parabolic optical elements that capture and collimate the fluorescent light and direct it onto a detector. The optical chip may be constructed of a polymer and made using injection molding techniques.
US07750312B2 Method and apparatus for generating ions for mass analysis
An apparatus and method is disclosed for reducing contamination in a mass spectrometer instrument system. The system includes an ion source at a first pressure for generating ions by laser desorption/ionization and an inlet aperture to a vacuum chamber at a second, lower pressure than the first pressure of the ion source. A sample plate within the ion source supports a sample deposited thereon and a laser can be configured to generate laser pulses striking at least a portion of the sample at an angle of incidence from about 0 to about 80 degrees to the center line of a first ion optical axis of a mass analyzer, producing a plume. A combination of the angle of incidence of the laser pulses and the distance between the sample plate and the inlet region aperture can reduce neutral contaminants in the plume from being drawn into the inlet aperture.
US07750311B2 Positron emission detectors and configurations
A three-dimensional detector module for use in detecting annihilation photons generated by positrons emitted from radio-labeled sites within a body is formed from multiple solid state photo-detectors attached to one or more scintillators. Each photo-detector can be attached to a scintillator to form a photo-detector/scintillator combination and multiple photo-detector/scintillator combinations can be arranged in an array. Alternatively, multiple photo-detectors can be attached to the surface of a single scintillator to form an array. Multiple arrays are then stacked to form a photo-detector module. The modules can then be assembled to form a sheet of photo-detector modules. Multiple sheets or multiple modules can then be arranged around a body to detect emissions from radio-labeled sites in the body. Multiple position sensors attached to the photo-detectors, arrays or modules provide the ability to locate the source of the positron emissions from the labeled sites in the body and generate an image of the emission site. A series of novel PET configurations can be constructed from these detector modules, making PET scanners portable, more sensitive and flexible to be used in numerous different operational configurations, such as operating room, emergency rooms, critical care units, or battlefield.
US07750309B2 Radiation imaging apparatus, apparatus control method, and computer-readable storage medium storing program for executing control
To provide a radiation imaging apparatus which is capable of both connecting state radiographing for radiographing with a C arm connected and non-connecting state radiographing for radiographing with the C arm disconnected, and is convenient and obtains high quality images, the apparatus includes: a flat panel detector; a holding unit for holding at least the flat panel detector; and a control unit for controlling the flat panel detector. With the configuration, the flat panel detector can be connected to and disconnected from the holding unit; connecting state radiographing can be performed with the flat panel detector connected to the holding unit, and non-connecting state radiographing can be performed with the flat panel detector disconnected from the holding unit; the control unit controls the flat panel detector such that a heat generation quantity of the flat panel detector during the non-connecting state radiographing can be lower than a heat generation quantity of the flat panel detector during the connecting state radiographing.
US07750308B2 Compton camera device
A Compton camera device according to the invention includes first means for reading coordinate data of a scattering point of a quantum ray detected by a pre-stage detector for each Compton scattering event, second means for reading coordinate data of a reaching point of the Compton-scattered quantum ray detected by a post-stage detector for each Compton scattering event, and third means for calculating a measurement accuracy of the scattered quantum ray by the first and second means for each Compton scattering event, calculating a statistical quantity of the quantum ray for each calculated measurement accuracy, and outputting the calculated statistical quantity to image reconstruction means.
US07750303B2 Radiological imaging apparatus and positron emission tomographic apparatus
A positron emission tomography apparatus installs a plurality of detector units in the circumference of a bed. The detector unit installs a plurality of combined substrates including detectors, analogue ASICs, and a digital ASIC and a voltage adjustment device inside a housing. A partition plate installed inside the housing separates the region inside the housing into a first region installed with the combined substrates and a second region installed with the voltage adjustment device. The partition plate blocks noise generated in the voltage adjustment device so as not to affect γ-ray detection signals outputted from the detectors, thereby preventing the effect of the noise generated in the voltage adjustment device toward γ-ray detection signals and shortening the examination time.
US07750302B2 Method and apparatus for detecting naphthenic acids
A method and apparatus for determining the concentration of organic acids in formation fluids is provided including pumps for pumping fluids from a subterranean formation into the body of a downhole tool and sources for illuminating the flow with infrared radiation to obtain the infrared absorption or a related parameter at one or more wavelengths, and processors for converting the measured absorption into the concentration of the organic acids, using for example a multi-value calibration matrix which relates IR absorption spectral values to concentration measurement under downhole conditions.
US07750297B1 Carbon nanotube collimator fabrication and application
Apparatus, methods, systems and devices for fabricating individual CNT collimators. Micron size fiber coated CNT samples are synthesized with chemical vapor deposition method and then the individual CNT collimators are fabricated with focused ion beam technique. Unfocused electron beams are successfully propagated through the CNT collimators. The CNT nano-collimators are used for applications including single ion implantation and in high-energy physics, and allow rapid, reliable testing of the transmission of CNT arrays for transport of molecules.
US07750294B2 Photonic sensors, xerogel-based sensors and nanosensors
A photonic sensor system is provided. The system generally includes a beta emission source, optionally, a scintillation layer, and a luminophore-containing sensory layer. The system can be embodied in a particle. Also provided are photonic sensor strategies which are highly accurate and photonic sensors which are highly stable.
US07750289B2 Integrated optical device including an optoelectronic element and a sealing substrate with an optical element having optical power thereon
An optical transceiver includes at least one light source and at least one detector mounted on the same surface of the same substrate. The detector is to receive light from other than a light source on the surface. At least one of the light source and the detector is mounted on the surface. An optics block having optical elements for each light source and detectors is attached via a vertical spacer to the substrate. Electrical interconnections for the light source and the detector are accessible from the same surface of the substrate with the optics block attached thereto. One of the light source and the detector may be monolithically integrated into the substrate.
US07750286B2 Compact image projector having a mirror for reflecting a beam received from a polarization beam splitter back to the polarization beam splitter
A representative embodiment of the invention provides a compact image projector having a light source coupled to a spatial light modulator (SLM). The light source has a substantially planar structure. The overall size of the SLM is dominated by its length and/or width. The projector has an optical arrangement that enables the SLM to be oriented so that the SLM's dominant dimensions are parallel to the plane of the light source. Due to this relative orientation of the SLM and light source, one of the dimensions of the image projector can be smaller than 12 mm, which advantageously enables incorporation of the projector into a hand-held electronic device, such as a cell phone, PDA, or media player.
US07750284B2 Mesotube with header insulator
A mesotube apparatus is disclosed which includes a header insulator in order to avoid premature breakdown at lower voltage that occurs between a cathode and an anode in a discharge assembly. A chamber can be mounted on a header base and can be located away from plasma surrounded with dielectric so that breakdown occurs outside the normal voltage operating range. A number of feed-through pins associated with the header base can be electrically isolated from the header base by a dielectric insulator. The dielectric insulator can also be placed over the header base and topside of the chamber in order to passivate from stray electrons and plasma. The header base can be thin which allows welding of the anode and the cathode to the feed-through pins with a weld tool attached to the side of the feed-through pins. The chamber can be located on the header base by tightly fitting to the feed-through pins.
US07750282B2 Dual purpose ambient light sensor
A dual purpose ambient light sensor. More particularly, an ambient light sensor may be provided on an electronic device to aid in controlling the brightness of the illuminators of the device. The ambient light sensor may be mounted in such a way as to detect ambient light when the electronic device is opened or closed so that the device may control the brightness of the illuminators of the device, whether the illuminators are mounted on the outer or inner shell of the device. Further, when the display is closed, the sensitivity of the ambient light sensor may be adjusted appropriately to account for the lesser amount of light that may reach the sensor. Finally, a spacer or light pipe may be provided to allow ambient light to reach the sensor to provide an accurate ambient light reading when the device is in the closed position.
US07750271B2 Systems and methods for controlling oven cooking
A control system for an oven includes a temperature sensor configured to detect a cavity temperature within the cavity, and a controller operatively coupled with the sensor. The oven includes a body having a cavity defined therein and at least one heater positioned within the cavity. The controller is also configured to receive a signal from the sensor, to calculate a rate of temperature change of the cavity temperature, and to adjust a power level of the heater based on the cavity temperature and the calculated rate of temperature change.
US07750264B2 High voltage switch configuration
A high-voltage switch configuration having a subdivision housing, which is supported on a frame by an insulating supporting housing, and having a switch which is fitted to this subdivision housing and has an insulator, a switching chamber surrounded by the insulator, and disconnectible contacts which are accommodated in the switching chamber. The switch can be switched via a switching linkage that can be operated by a drive and is arranged within the supporting housing and the subdivision housing. At least three switches are attached to the subdivision housing, and each switch has a separate associated switching linkage with a separate drive.
US07750233B2 Thin film solar cell and manufacturing method thereof
A thin film solar cell includes: a transparent conductive film arranged on a translucent insulating substrate; first and second separation trenches orthogonal to each other on the translucent insulating substrate and separating the transparent conductive film; and a first opening trench parallel to the first separation trench and second opening trenches parallel to said second separation trench, orthogonal to each other on the translucent insulating substrate; wherein solar cells formed on the translucent insulating substrate are arranged at adjacent positions with said first opening trench positioned therebetween and at adjacent positions with said second opening trench positioned therebetween; pairs of said solar cells adjacent to each other with said first opening trench positioned therebetween are electrically connected, and among pairs of solar cells positioned adjacent to each other with the second opening trench in between, some are electrically connected to each other, and others are electrically insulated from each other. Method of manufacturing the thin film solar cell is also provided.
US07750231B2 Keyboard apparatus of electronic musical instrument
A keyboard apparatus of this electronic musical instrument is provided with touch curves TW1 through TWp, TB1 through TBq each defining a velocity value Vc varying with a key-depression velocity Kv (TD). Each of keys K1 through Kn of a keyboard 14k is associated with one of the touch curves TW1 through Twp, TB1 through TBq by touch selecting tables SW, SB in accordance with an equalization rule and a weighting rule. Upon a key-depression, in accordance with the velocity curve TWr, TBs selected on the basis of an actual depressed key position Ki (M2), an actual key-depression velocity Kva is converted into a velocity Vca for controlling emission of a tone (M3).
US07750228B2 Tone processing apparatus and method
For at least one music piece, a storage section stores tone data of each of a plurality of fragments segmented from the music piece and stores a first descriptor indicative of a musical character of each of the fragments in association with the fragment. Descriptor generation section receives input data based on operation by a user and generates a second descriptor, indicative of a musical character, on the basis of the received input data. Determination section determines similarity between the second descriptor and the first descriptor of each of the fragments. Selection section selects the tone data of at least one fragment on the basis of a result of the similarity determination by the determination section. On the basis of the tone data of the selected at least one fragment, a data generation section generates tone data to be outputted.
US07750225B2 Music notation system
The invention relates to a music notation system that obviates the need for one to have any knowledge of conventional music notation in order to play a keyboard, including those that are a component of a conventional musical instrument, those that are a component of an electronic musical instrument and those that are configured as a user interface with a computer system and/or video game.
US07750223B2 Musical interaction assisting apparatus
A musical interaction assisting apparatus is to enhance friendliness between an electronic musical instrument and the player. The player's actions are detected acoustically, visually or physically, and the interaction assisting apparatus interprets the detected player's actions and generates interactive responses thereto. The interactive responses are outputted acoustically, visually or physically for the player, and electronically to control the electronic musical instrument. The interaction assisting apparatus also has a learning function to provide proper responses to the player.
US07750211B2 Methods and compositions for production of flavonoid and isoflavonoid nutraceuticals
The invention provides method and compositions for the modulation of flavanone and/or isoflavone production in plants. The methods of the invention allow creation of plants having novel phenotypes. Increased expression of isoflavones in particular in plants may be used to increase the nutritional value of food plants for both human and animal consumption. The invention overcomes limitations of the prior art which prevented accumulation of high levels of isoflavones in plants.
US07750205B2 Generation of plants with altered oil content
The present invention is directed to plants that display an altered oil content phenotype due to altered expression of a HIO102 nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an altered oil content phenotype.
US07750189B2 Method for producing an amine
Processes comprising: (i) providing a reactant selected from the group consisting of primary alcohols, secondary alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and mixtures thereof; and (ii) reacting the reactant with hydrogen and a nitrogen compound selected from the group consisting of ammonia, primary amines, secondary amines and mixtures thereof, in the presence of a catalyst comprising a zirconium dioxide- and nickel-containing catalytically active composition, to form an amine; wherein the catalytically active composition, prior to reduction with hydrogen, comprises oxygen compounds of zirconium, copper, and nickel, and one or more oxygen compounds of silver in an amount of 0.5 to 6% by weight, calculated as AgO.
US07750187B2 Crystallization method for benzphetamine
There is disclosed a method for the crystallization of benzphetamine hydrochloride from an organic medium by the steps of removing water from the system to a very low level and then reducing the temperature of the organic medium to provide crystallization of the acid salt. In the event that crystallization does not occur upon lowering the temperature of the medium, it has been discovered that gentle heating of the organic medium results in crystallization of the acid salt. It has also been discovered that higher temperature crystallization has been provided by removal of methamphetamine from the composition. The crystalline benzphetamine hydrochloride can then be isolated by typical liquid/solid separation means such as filtration or centrifugation.
US07750178B2 Polymerizable acrylate compound containing hexafluorocarbinol group and polymer made therefrom
The present invention relates to a polymerizable acrylate compound represented by the general formula (1): (in the formula, R1 represents a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, hydrocarbon group or fluorine-containing alkyl group, R2 and R3 may be different or identical, and each of them independently is a hydrogen atom, fluorine atom, hydrocarbon group optionally branched, fluorine-containing alkyl group, aromatic group, or cyclic structure containing an aliphatic group and may contain oxygen or carbonyl bond) and a polymer compound obtained by using the same.
US07750175B2 Organic light-emitting diodes and related hole transport compounds
New organic light-emitting diodes and related hole transport compounds and methods for fabrication, using siloxane self-assembly techniques.
US07750169B2 Process for the preparation of stiripentol particles having a defined particle size distribution
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of stiripentol particles having a defined particle size distribution.
US07750159B2 Phenanthroline derivative and light emitting element and light emitting device using the same
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel material that can be used for an electron injecting material. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a light-emitting element that is able to broaden choices for an electrode material.An aspect of the present invention is an electron injecting material represented by a general formula (2). In the general formula (2), R6 is selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and an aryl group having 6 to 10 carbon atoms, where the alkenyl group and the aryl group may have a substituent.
US07750158B2 Cannabinoid receptor ligands
Compounds of Formula I: and/or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates or prodrugs thereof, or pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity, and can be effective in treating cancer and inflammatory, immunomodulatory or respiratory diseases or conditions.
US07750157B2 Luminescent compounds having a functionalized linker arm used in the bioconjugation and labeling of biomolecules
The present invention relates to luminescent compounds having a functionalised linker arm, their synthesis and use in bioconjugation and labelling of biomolecules, such as for example nucleosides, nucleotides, nucleic acids (DNA, RNA or PNA) and proteins, as well as their use in the execution of in vitro and in vivo analytic and diagnostic assays.
US07750154B2 Amide derivatives
The invention concerns a compound of the Formula (I) wherein m is 0-2 and each R1 is a group such as hydroxy, halogeno, trifluoromethyl heterocyclyl and heterocyclyloxy; R2 is halogeno, trifluoromethyl or (1-6C)alkyl; R3 is hydrogen, halogeno or (1-6C)alkyl; and R4 is (3-6C)cycloalkyl; or pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof; processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing them and their use in the treatment of diseases or medical conditions mediated by cytokines.
US07750146B2 Granular sucralose
Granular sucralose-containing particles are produced by the methods of the invention, which involve coating sucralose from solution to form granules with this coated sucralose on an outer region thereof. The granules may incorporate agglomerated sucralose particles, with the solution-coated sucralose adding mass and generally resulting in a granule having a relatively smoothed and rounded. The granules have good flow properties, are low dusting, and resist caking. Methods of making the granules involve spraying an aqueous sucralose solution onto a fluidized bed of sucralose particles, followed by drying to form the granules.
US07750138B2 Angiogenesis-inhibiting chimeric protein and the use
The present invention is directed to DNA sequence encoding angiogenesis-inhibiting recombinant chimeric protein, the chimeric protein per se, the pharmaceutical use of the chimeric protein, and to the pharmaceutical composition containing the recombinant protein and the formulation thereof.
US07750137B2 Mucosal vascular addressins
The present invention relates to isolated and/or recombinant nucleic acids which encode naturally occurring primate MAdCAMs, wherein said nucleic acid encodes the polypeptide shown in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2), the polypeptide shown in FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:4), or the polypeptide shown in FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO:6). The invention further relates to recombinant nucleic acid constructs, comprising a nucleic acid which encodes a naturally occurring primate MAdCAM, wherein said nucleic acid encodes a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence as set forth in FIG. 1 (SEQ ID NO:2), FIG. 2 (SEQ ID NO:4), or FIG. 3 (SEQ ID NO:6); to host cells comprising such constructs, useful for the production of recombinant proteins; the use of nucleic acids and/or proteins in assays to identify inhibitors (e.g., antagonists) of primate MAdCAM function; and to antibodies reactive with primate MAdCAM, which are useful in in vitro methods, diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications.
US07750118B2 Apo-2 receptor polypeptides
Novel polypeptides, designated Apo-2, which are capable of modulating apoptosis are provided. Compositions including Apo-2 chimeras, nucleic acid encoding Apo-2, and antibodies to Apo-2 are also provided.
US07750116B1 Antibody drug conjugate metabolites
Methods of treating a refractory or drug resistant cancer, cell proliferative disorder and tumor cells are provided. Also provided are antibody drug conjugate metabolites.
US07750113B2 Supramolecular polymers
The invention relates to a supramolecular polymer containing units which are linked by hydrogen bonds, said units being monomers of prepolymers comprising at least one functional group selected from the functional groups (1) and (3) and a second functional group (5) wherein A denotes oxygen, sulphur or NH and X is any unit; the hydrogen bonds in the supramolecular polymer being formed between two identical or different functional groups chosen from the functional groups (1) to (5). The inventive polymers can be used alone, i.e. in the form of a composition which is essentially made from said polymers and, optionally, stabilizers, antioxidants, etc. or in the form of a mixture with other polymers or other products.
US07750111B2 Polyarylene sulfide and its production method
A polyarylene sulfide has a narrow molecular weight distribution and a high molecular weight and high purity which is industrially useful, wherein the polyarylene sulfide has a weight average molecular weight of 10,000 or more, and weight loss when heated, ΔWr=(W1−W2)/W1 × 100≦0.18(%) (wherein ΔWr is weight loss ratio (%), W1 is sample weight when arrived at 100° C. and W2 is sample weight when arrived at 330° C.). Its production method includes a polyarylene sulfide prepolymer which contains a cyclic polyarylene sulfide at least 50 wt % or more, and of which weight average molecular weight is less than 10,000 is heated to be converted to a high polymer of which weight average molecular weight is 10,000 or more.
US07750110B2 Flexible semicrystalline polyamides
The invention relates to a composition, and structures having a layer made of said composition, in which the composition is, by weight, the total being 100%: 50 to 100% of at least one polyamide A1 of formula X.Y/Z or 6.Y2/Z in which: X denotes the residues of an aliphatic diamine having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, Y denotes the residues of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having from 10 to 14 carbon atoms, Y2 denotes the residues of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid having from 15 to 20 carbon atoms and Z denotes at least one unit chosen from the residues of a lactam, the residues of an α,ω-aminocarboxylic acid, the unit X1, Y1 in which X1 denotes the residues of an aliphatic diamine and Y1 denotes the residues of an aliphatic dicarboxylic acid, the weight ratios Z/(X+Y+Z) and Z/(6+Y2+Z) being between 0 and 15%; 0 to 40% of a plasticizer; 0 to 50% of an impact modifier; and 0 to 50% of a polyamide A2.
US07750109B2 Use of a residual oligomer recyclate in the production of macrocyclic polyester oligomer
The invention relates to methods and systems for the use of an oligomer recyclate from a depolymerization product stream. The oligomer byproduct of a polyester depolymerization reaction can be used as a reactant in the formation of a polyester. For example, linear oligomer byproduct can be used as a reactant in a solution polymerization to form a low-acid polyalkylene terephthalate.
US07750108B2 Polyester polyols containing secondary alcohol groups and their use in making polyurethanes such as flexible polyurethane foams
Copolyesters containing secondary hydroxyl groups are useful polyols for manufacturing polyurethanes. These can be prepared by reacting a secondary hydroxyl-containing fatty acid or ester thereof with an initiator containing hydroxyl and/or primary or secondary amino groups. A copolyester of particular interest includes a poly(ethylene oxide) segment derived from a poly(ethylene oxide) initiator.
US07750106B2 Cosmetic compositions having in-situ hydrosilylation cross-linking
Compositions and methods for the in situ formation of hydrosilylation (addition) cross-linked organosiloxane films are disclosed. The disclosed films are long-lasting, flexible, transfer-resistant, and water-proof. The film-forming compositions generally comprise alkoxy-terminated organosiloxane polymers and a catalyst and are useful for formulating cosmetics and personal care products.
US07750103B2 Cyclooctene monomers and polymers, and water purification articles and methods utilizing them
Azidoaryl-substituted cyclooctene monomers and synthesized and used in the preparation of various copolymers. Among these copolymers are those prepared from ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cyclooctene, polyethylene glycol-substituted cyclooctene, and azidoaryl-substituted cyclooctene. These copolymers are useful in the formation of crosslinked films that reduce fouling of water purification membranes.
US07750099B2 Method for producing an aqueous dispersion containing a complex of poly(3,4-dialkoxythiophene) and a polyanion
The method for producing an aqueous dispersion containing a complex of poly(3,4-dialkoxythiophene) and a polyanion comprises: a process of polymerizing 3,4-dialkoxythiophene in the presence of a polyanion by using an oxidizing agent in an aqueous solvent, in which polystyrene-sulfonic acid having a specific molecular weight and a sulfonation degree or polystyrenesulfonic acid having another specific sulfonation degree is used as the polyanion, or in which pH of the reaction mixture during the reaction is set to a specific value.
US07750093B2 Polyurethanes derived from oligomeric fluoroacrylates
The present invention relates to fluorochemical polyurethane compounds, a method for their preparation, a method of application, and compositions comprising that fluorochemical polyurethane compound. The compound and the composition comprising that compound are suitable to impart durable oil- and water-repellency to substrates.
US07750088B2 Cure system for chlorinated elastomer compositions and a method of curing chlorinated elastomer compositions
The instant invention is an improved cure system composition and a method for curing chlorinated elastomer compositions. The cure system composition includes a polymercapto crosslinking agent, an inorganic base, and a quaternary ammonium salt. The quaternary ammonium salt has a formula selected from the group consisting of wherein R1 is an alkyl or aryl group containing between 4 and 12 carbon atoms; wherein R2 and R3 are independently alkyl or aryl groups containing between 1 and 8 carbon atoms; wherein the total number of carbon atoms on R2 and R3 are between 3 and 9; wherein R4 and R5 are methyl groups, and R6 is an alkyl group containing between 2 and 8 carbon atoms; and wherein X is an anion. The method for curing a chlorinated elastomer, composition according to instant invention includes the following steps: (1) providing a chlorinated elastomer composition; (2) providing a cure system composition as described above; (3) contacting said chlorinated elastomer composition with said cure system composition; and (4) thereby curing said chlorinated elastomer composition.
US07750086B2 Solid state modification of propylene polymers
A process for improving the melt characteristics of propylene-ethylene random block and impact copolymers is provided. The process involves contacting a powder of the copolymer with a low level of free radical initiator followed by heating at a temperature below the melting point of the copolymer and above the free radical initiation temperature.
US07750084B2 Photoresponsive polymer, built-up type diacetylene polymer, crystal of ammonium carboxylate, and method for manufacturing them
A crystal of carboxyl acid and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of amine and ammonia are mixed in an absence of a liquid medium. The carboxyl acid is conjugated diene such as (Z,Z)-muconic acid, the conjugated diene including a carboxyl group. The at least one nitrogen-containing compound selected from the group consisting of amine and ammonia is primary amine represented by RCH2NH2, where R is an aryl group, or is a normal alkyl group that contains five or more carbon atoms. Moreover, such amine that is a bivalent group and that is represented by —Ar—N═N—Ar′—, where Ar and Ar′ are independently aromatic hydrocarbon bivalent groups, is intercalated in a layered crystal of a polymer such as polymuconic acid, the layered crystal including a carboxyl group. In this way, a novel photoresponsive polymer is obtained. Also obtained is a crystal of ammonium carboxylate including at least one kind of carboxyl acid and at least one kind of amine, at least one kind of compound selected from (i) the at least one kind of carboxyl acid and (ii) the at least one kind of amine being a diacetylene derivative. The crystal of ammonium carboxylate is subjected to light or heat, to obtain a built-up type diacetylene polymer.
US07750082B2 Screw cap composition
A screw cap is disclosed comprising a composition based on a multimodal ethylene polymer having a standard density (SD) greater than 950 kg/m3 and a melt flow index MI2 of less than 10 g/10 min, said multimodal ethylene polymer comprising from 35 to 65 wt %, based on the total weight of the multimodal ethylene polymer, of a fraction of ethylene polymer (A) having an SD(A) of more than 965 kg/m3 and a melt flow index MI2(A) of at least 10 g/10 min, and from 65 to 35 wt % based on the total weight of the multimodal ethylene polymer, of a fraction of a copolymer (B) of ethylene and at least one alpha-olefin containing from 3 to 12 carbon atoms, and having a melt flow index MI2(B) of less than 10 g/10 min and a content of said alpha-olefin(s) of from 0.1 to 5 mol %. This composition is said to demonstrate an excellent balance between ESCR, injectability and impact resistance, together with excellent organoleptic properties.
US07750078B2 Systems and methods used for functionalization of polymeric material and polymeric materials prepared therefrom
Disclosed herein is the preparation of reaction products which contain carboxylic acid-grafted functionalized propylene homopolymers and copolymers that can be used as additives for polyolefin-based plastic products such as hot melt adhesives. Such reaction product additives may be prepared by: a) providing a first reactant comprising a selected type of relatively low molecular weight, low melt viscosity, molten propylene-based homopolymer or copolymer; b) forming a reaction mixture by adding to this first reactant a second reactant comprising an unsaturated carboxylic acid-based functionalizing agent, and an initiator comprising a certain type of organic peroxide; and c) maintaining the resulting reaction mixture at a relatively low temperature between about 130° C. and about 165° C. for a period of time and under conditions sufficient to form a reaction product which comprises acid-grafted propylene-based polymeric material, and which has a relatively high Grafting Efficiency.
US07750076B2 Polymer comprising silicone and at least one metal trace
A polymer layer comprising silicone contains oxide particles of SiO2, TiO2, Sb2O3, SnO2, Al2O3, ZnO, Fe2O3, Fe3O4, talc, hydroxyapatite or mixtures thereof and one or more metal traces embedded in the polymer layer, where the metal trace is bonded to the polymer silicon metal bond.
US07750070B2 Process for production of clay nanocomposite
A process of preparing a nanocomposite comprised of an elastomer and at least partially exfoliated, intercalated water-swellable clay.
US07750058B2 Process for preparing closed-cell water-blown rigid polyurethane foams having improved mechanical properties
The present invention is directed to a process for preparing water-blown rigid polyurethane foams having at least an 80% closed-cell content which involves reacting a) at least one polyol mixture which is composed of (i) at least one polymer polyol; (ii) at least one polyol having a hydroxyl value within the range of from about 200 to about 800; and (iii) optionally, at least one polyol having a hydroxyl value within the range of from about 25 to about 115; with b) at least one polymeric isocyanate and/or a prepolymer thereof; in the presence of c) optionally, at least one catalyst; d) water; and e) optionally, at least one additive or auxiliary agent. The present invention is also directed to the closed-cell water blown rigid polyurethane foams produced by the process of the present invention. The invention is further directed to a polyurethane-foam forming mixture which is used to produce the water-blown rigid polyurethane foams of the present invention. Foams produced according to the present invention have reduced friability and acceptable adhesion to substrates as well as acceptable compressive strength.
US07750052B2 Method for producing a water-alcohol solution and products based thereon
The present invention relates to the field of food industry, where it may be used for producing alcoholic products, to pharmacology for producing infusions tinctures and extracts or preparations containing aqueous-alcoholic solutions as pharmaceutically acceptable media and also to cosmetology for producing cosmetic products containing aqueous-alcoholic solutions as cosmetically acceptable media. In the proposed process for preparing an aqueous-alcoholic solution, separation of harmful admixtures takes place due to the preliminary protonation separately of water and alcohol prior to the formation of the aqueous-alcoholic solution, this leading to improvements in the physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics of the final product. The process not only provides the possibility of preparing alcoholic beverages of improved quality, but also to shorten the production cycle in the case of preparing some of them (by as much as two times and more) and, as a consequence, to cut down the product costs.
US07750050B2 Chaperone-based therapy for Niemann-Pick disease
The present invention provides a method for treating individuals affected with the acid sphingomyelinase-deficient forms of Niemann-Pick disease (i.e., Type A or Type B Niemann-Pick) by administering small molecules as specific molecular “chaperones” for the deficient acid sphingomyelinase (ASM) enzyme associated with the disease. The molecules are ceramide, sphingomyelin, or phosphonucleotide analogues.
US07750049B2 O-substituted-dibenzyl urea-derivatives as TRPV1 receptor antagonists
The invention relates to compounds of formula (I) in which R is selected from halogen, alkyl, alkoxy, aryl and heteroaryl; R1 is selected from 2-hydroxyethyl, 2,3-dihydroxypropyl, 3-hydroxypropyl, 2,2-dihydroxyethyl, 3,3-dihydroxypropyl, 1,3-dioxolane-ethyl, 1,3-dioxane-methyl, 1,3-dioxolane-methyl, 1,3-dioxane-ethyl, 3-fluoro-2-hydroxypropyl, 3-carboxy-2-hydroxy-propyl, 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl, 2-hydroxypropyl, 2-hydroxy-propen-2-yl, morpholinoethyl, piperazinoethyl, hydroxymethyl, benzyl, 4-(hydroxymethyl)benzyl, 4-chlorobenzyl, 4-fluorobenzyl, and 4-hydroxybenzyl. R2 is te/t-butyl or trifluoromethyl; R3 is independently selected from hydrogen, carboxy, cyano, alkyl or hydroxyalkyl, The compounds of formula (I) can be used for the preparation of pharmaceutical compositions for the therapy of inflammatory states, such as chronic neuropathic pain, over-active bladder syndrome, tumor pain, hemorrhoids, inflammatory hyperalgesia, post-intervention pain, dental extraction, airway and gastro-intestinal diseases.
US07750037B2 Antidepressant
A PKB (Akt) activating agent comprising a compound represented by the formula (I): wherein R1 and R2: H, a hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group or R1 and R2 form a ring in cooperation with the adjacent carbon atom; R3: H, a hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group; W: represents a group represented by the formulas: wherein ring A: an optionally substituted benzene ring; ring B: an optionally substituted 5- to 7-membered nitrogen-containing heterocycle; R4: an aliphatic hydrocarbon group substituted with an aromatic group and further optionally substituted, or an acyl group containing an aromatic group; R5: H, C1-6 alkyl or acyl; R4c: an aromatic group, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or acyl; and X: O or S; Y: O, S or NH; and ring C: an optionally substituted benzene ring, or a salt or a prodrug thereof, and use of the activating agent in prevention or treatment of depression, anxiety, manic-depressive psychosis or PTSD are provided.
US07750036B2 Carvedilol salts, corresponding compositions, methods of delivery and/or treatment
The present invention relates to a salt of carvedilol and/or corresponding solvates thereof, compositions containing such carvedilol and/or corresponding solvates thereof, and/or methods of using the aforementioned compound(s) in the treatment of certain disease states in mammals, in particular man.The present invention further relates to carvedilol phosphate salts, and/or solvates thereof, which include a novel crystalline form of carvedilol dihydrogen phosphate (i.e., which is the dihydrogen phosphate salt of 1-(carbazol-4-yloxy-3-[[2-(o-methoxyphenoxy)ethyl]amino]-2-propanol) and/or carvedilol hydrogen phosphate, etc.) and/or other corresponding solvates thereof, compositions containing these carvedilol phosphate salts and/or solvates, and methods of using the aforementioned salts and/or solvates to treat hypertension, congestive heart failure and angina, etc.
US07750034B2 Aminocyclohexanes as dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitors for the treatment or prevention of diabetes
The present invention is directed to novel substituted aminocyclohexanes of structural formula (I) which are inhibitors of the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved, such as diabetes and particularly Type 2 diabetes. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which the dipeptidyl peptidase-IV enzyme is involved.
US07750031B2 Caffeic acid derivative and composition containing the same
A caffeic acid derivative can be denoted by the chemical formula 1 below. The present invention provides a caffeic acid derivative denoted by a chemical formula 1 as below and a composition containing the same. The preferable composition according to the present invention containing a caffeic acid derivative denoted as below contains a vitamins C further. And the composition can be the formulation for cosmetic material (cosmetics), medical material (medicine), foods (groceries), etc. The caffeic acid derivative according to the present invention as denoted by a chemical formula 1 is water-soluble and superior in antioxidant power so that it can stabilize the vitamins C effectively. The composition containing the caffeic acid derivative according to the present can increase whitening effect and further can prevent the skin from aging through effective activity of the vitamin C.
US07750027B2 Compounds having CRTH2 antagonist activity
Compounds of general formula (I) wherein W is chloro or fluoro; R1 is phenyl optionally substituted with one or more substituents, selected from halo, —CN, —C1-C6 alkyl, —SOR3, —SO2R3, —SO2N(R2)2, —N(R2)2, —NR2C(O)R3, —CO2R2, —CONR2R3, —NO2, —OR2, —SR2, —O(CH2)pOR2, or —O(CH2)pO(CH2)qOR2 wherein each R2 is independently hydrogen, —C1-C6 alkyl, —C3-C8 cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; each R3 is independently, —C1-C6 alkyl, —C3-C8 cycloalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl; p and q are each independently an integer from 1 to 3; and R4 is hydrogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkyl substituted with aryl, aryl, (CH2)mOC(═O)C1-C6alkyl, ((CH2)mO)nCH2CH2X, (CH2)mN(R5)2 or CH((CH2)mO(C═O)R6)2; m is 1 or 2; n is 1-4; X is OR5 or N(R5)2; R5 is hydrogen or methyl; and R6 is C1-C18 alkyl; and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, hydrates, solvates, complexes or prodrugs are useful in orally administrable compositions for the treatment of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis.
US07750025B2 Derivatives of N-phenyl (piperidine-2-yl) methyl benzamide, preparation method thereof and applications of same in therapeutics
Compounds of formula (I) as defined herein: are useful for treating behavioral disorders associated with dementia, psychoses, in particular schizophrenia (deficient form and productive form) and acute or chronic extrapyramidal symptoms induced by neuroleptics; for the treatment of various forms of anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, and compulsive obsessive disorders; for treating various forms of depression, including psychotic depression; for treating disorders caused by alcohol abuse or weaning from alcohol, sexual behavior disorders, eating disorders and for treating migraine. Moreover, the compounds of the invention may be used for treating painful muscle contracture in rheumatology and in acute spinal pathology; for treating spastic contractures of medullary or cerebral origin; for the symptomatic treatment of acute and subacute pain of light to moderate intensity; for treating intense and/or chronic pain, neurogenic pain and intractable pain; for treating Parkinson's disease and Parkinson-like symptoms of neurodegenerative origin or induced by neuroleptics; for treating partial primary and secondary generalized epilepsy of simple or complex symptomology, mixed forms and other epileptic syndromes in addition to another antiepileptic treatment, or in monotherapy, for the treatment of sleep apnea, and for neuroprotection.
US07750016B2 Hydroxyalkyl substituted pyrido-7-pyrimidin-7-ones
Compounds of the Formula: where X1, Ar1, R1, and R2 are as defined herein, and compositions comprising the same. Also provided are methods for using compounds of Formula I in treating p38 mediated disorders in a patient.
US07749999B2 Alpha-ketoamides and derivatives thereof
The present invention provides low molecular weight compounds useful as cytokine inhibitors, and compositions thereof. In particular, compounds of the invention are useful as anti-inflammatory agents. There are further provided methods for the preparation of such agents and their use in preventing or treating conditions mediated by cytokines such as arthritis.
US07749996B2 Heterotricyclic metalloprotease inhibitors
The present invention relates generally to azatriocyclic containing pharmaceutical agents, and in particular, to azatricyclic metalloprotease inhibiting compounds. More particularly, the present invention provides a new class of azatricyclic MMP-3, MMP-8 and/or MMP-13 inhibiting compounds, that exhibit an increased potency and selectivity in relation to currently known MMP-13, MMP-8 and MMP-3 inhibitors.
US07749992B2 Compounds and methods for treating dislipidemia
Compounds of formula I wherein n, m, p, q, y, R1 R2, R3, R4, R5, and R6 are as defined herein and their pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are disclosed as useful for treating artherosclerosis and its sequelae.
US07749990B2 Compositions for the treatment of metabolic disorders
Agents useful for the treatment of various metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance syndrome, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, fatty liver disease, cachexia, obesity, atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are disclosed. wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 0 to 4; q is 0 or 1; t is 0 or 1; R2 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R3 is hydrogen, halo, alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms; A is phenyl, unsubstituted or substituted by 1 or 2 groups selected from: halo, alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, perfluoromethyl, alkoxy having 1 or 2 carbon atoms, and perfluoromethoxy; or cycloalkyl having from 3 to 6 ring carbon atoms wherein the cycloalkyl is unsubstituted or one or two ring carbons are independently mono-substituted by methyl or ethyl; or a 5 or 6 membered heteroaromatic ring having 1 or 2 ring heteroatoms selected from N, S and O and the heteroaromatic ring is covalently bound to the remainder of the compound of formula I by a ring carbon; and R1 is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 or 2 carbon atoms. Alternatively, when R1 is hydrogen, the biologically active agent can be a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the compound of Formula I.
US07749989B2 Estrogenic compounds, methods of using and methods of administering the same
Novel estrogenic compounds of Formula I are provided. wherein the bond represented by the wavy line may be a single or double bond such that when the wavy line is a single bond, R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sulfate and glucoronate or other esters, and when the wavy line is a double bond, R1 does not exist; R2 is lower alkyl; R3 may be selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sulfate, or glucuronide or other esters; and R4 through R13 may independently be selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxy, ketone, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, and carbonyl groups and R14 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, sulfate and glucoronide and other esters. When R1 is hydroxy, the hydroxy or ester substituent may have either an α or a β orientation. Compositions of matter including compounds of the present invention are also provided as are methods of treating mammals in need of treatment using compounds of the present invention.
US07749988B2 Triterpenoid derivatives
The present invention relates to the use of a compound of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in therapy. Prefereably, the compound may be used for treating a patient suffering from leukaemia, cancer or other proliferative disorder. A further embodiment relates to the use of a compound of formula (I) in an assay for detecting the phosphorylation and acetylation state of cellular substrates. The present invention also relates to novel compounds of formula (Ia).
US07749984B2 Computer-based model for identification and characterization of non-competitive inhibitors of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and related ligand-gated ion channel receptors
A computer readable medium holding data of a molecular model of a ligand-gated ion channel receptor and/or a computer system for modeling said receptor are provided by the instant invention. The molecular model can be used to design novel compounds having activity as non-competitive inhibitors of the ion channel. A preferred embodiment of the invention relates to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Compounds having activity as non-competitive inhibitors of ligand-gated ion channel receptors and methods for inhibiting the receptor and treating diseases or disorders mediated by function of the receptor are also disclosed.
US07749982B2 Complex containing mequitazine, a cyclodextrin and an interaction agent
The present invention relates to a complex that includes mequitazine, a cyclodextrin, and an interaction agent wherein the rate of solubilization in water of complexed mequitazine, measured for a 2 g/l mixture of mequitazine in water at 35° C. after 15 minutes of stirring, is greater than 50% at pH 9. The present invention also relates to a method of preparing the aforementioned complex and a pharmaceutical composition of which the complex is a part.
US07749975B2 Modulation of immunostimulatory properties of oligonucleotide-based compounds by optimal presentation of 5′ ends
The invention relates to the therapeutic use of oligonucleotides as immunostimulatory agents in immunotherapy applications. More particularly, the invention provides immunomers for use in methods for generating an immune response or for treating a patient in need of immunostimulation. The immunomers of the invention comprise at least two oligonucleotides linked at their 3′ ends, internucleoside linkages or functionalized nucleobase or sugar to a non-nucleotidic linker, at least one of the oligonucleotides being an immunostimulatory oligonucleotide and having an accessible 5′ end.
US07749964B2 Methods and compositions for healing and repair of articular cartilage
Methods and compositions are provided for the treatment of articular cartilage defects and disease involving the combination of tissue, such as osteochondral grafts, with active growth factor. The active growth factor is preferably a composition containing at least one bone morphogenetic protein and a suitable carrier. The method results in the regeneration and/or functional repair of articular cartilage tissue.
US07749962B2 Alpha 5 beta 1 and its ability to regulate the cell survival pathway
The present invention provides for identification of agents that induce growth arrest and survival of cancer cells, which remain dormant in bone marrow, thus preventing their eradication through use of standard chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2), a mammary differentiation factor abundant in the bone marrow stroma, induces growth arrest of relatively differentiated breast cancer cells and restricts their survival to fibronectin by upregulating integrin α5β 1. Most of the FGF-2-arrested cells fail to establish optimal ligation to fibronectin and undergo cell death. Cells that do attach to fibronectin, another major constituent of the bone marrow microenvironment, stay alive and growth-arrested for many weeks. Using function-blocking antibodies and peptides, a specific contribution of α5β1-fibronectin interaction in maintaining survival of growth-arrested cells was demonstrated. The present invention thus allows for methods, agents and pharmaceutical compositions that can be used to potentiate the activity of chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
US07749961B2 Macrocyclic peptides active against the hepatitis C virus
Compounds of formula (I): wherein R1, R2, X, R3, D, and the dotted line b are as defined herein; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof, are useful as inhibitors of the HCV NS3 protease.
US07749957B2 Clay-binding peptides and methods of use
Combinatorially generated peptides are provided that have binding affinity for clay. The peptides may be used to deliver benefit agents to various clay surfaces.
US07749948B2 Nitrogen-containing dispersant as an ashless TBN booster for lubricants
Lubricant compositions comprising (a) an oil of lubricating viscosity; and (b) at least one non-metal-containing additive, comprising a nitrogen-containing dispersant having a total base number of at least about 90 are useful for lubricating an internal combustion engine. The lubricants have less than 1.0% sulfated ash and a total base number of at least about 8.5, and at least 30% of the total base number of the composition is provided by non-metal-containing additives. The lubricants exhibit a high TBN without deterioration of elastomeric seals.
US07749947B2 High performance rock bit grease
A lubricant for a drill bit that includes from about 0.1 to about 10 weight percent of at least one nanomaterial, from about 5 to 40 weight percent of a thickener, and a basestock is disclosed.
US07749945B2 Invert emulsion drilling fluid systems comprising an emulsified aqueous phase comprising dispersed integral latex particles
An invert emulsion fluid system and a method of performing petroleum recovery operations using an invert emulsion fluid system.
US07749942B2 Variable density fluids and methods of use in subterranean formations
Herein provided are variable density fluid compositions and methods for using such compositions in a subterranean formation. One exemplary embodiment of the variable density fluid compositions of the present invention comprises a variable density fluid comprising: a base fluid; and a portion of elastic particles, the elastic particles having an isothermal compressibility factor in the range of from about 1.5×10−3 (1/psi) to about 1.5×10−9 (1/psi). Also provided are cement compositions comprising elastic particles, processes for preparing such cement compositions, and methods of cementing in subterranean formations using such cement compositions. One or more elastic particles are mixed with the cement before pumping the cement into a well bore. The elastic particles are preferably composed of an elastomeric material such as a copolymer of methylmethacrylate and acrylonitrile; a terpolymer of methylmethacrylate, acrylonitrile, and dichloroethane; a styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer; and polystyrene.
US07749941B2 Method and composition for improving performance of aqueous and polymer based fluids at high temperatures
The invention provides aqueous based well drilling and servicing fluids containing a polymer viscosifier with enhanced thermal stability provided by a diacid or diacid salt preferably having about two to about eight carbon atoms, such as, for example, sodium oxalate. The invention also provides a method of enhancing the thermal stability of aqueous based well drilling and servicing fluids containing a polymer viscosifer by adding diacid or diacid salt to the fluids.
US07749938B2 Catalyst for nitrogen oxide removal and exhaust gas treatment method
A catalyst for nitrogen oxide removal, which catalytically reduces nitrogen oxides in an exhaust gas in the presence of ammonia, comprises: a first component comprising an oxide of titanium, an oxide of tungsten, and an oxide of vanadium; and a second component comprising an oxide of manganese, or an oxide of manganese and an oxide of copper.
US07749935B2 Catalyst carrier and fuel cell using the same
A catalyst carrier, being characterized in that a catalyst metal for promoting an oxidation-reduction reaction is carried on a vapor-grown carbon fiber having an average outer diameter of from 2 nm to 500 nm, which has been subjected to a crushing treatment so as to have a BET specific surface area of from 4 m2/g to 100 m2/g and an aspect ratio of from 1 to 200, and exhibiting high activity per unit amount of a catalyst metal, a low reaction resistance and an improved output density, and is useful for a fuel cell; a production method thereof and a fuel cell using the catalyst carrier.
US07749926B2 Wet type friction member
A friction plate 22 is formed by pasting a friction member 25 to a core plate 23 of a metal. Numeral 24 designates a spline teeth fitted to a torque transmitting member. The friction member has a nonwoven cloth including aramide fiber and at least one of carbon fiber, carbonized fiber, cellulose fiber and rayon. A thermo-hardening resin includes a friction conditioner, and is impregnated to the friction member. Further, a distribution rate of the friction conditioner is made to be high at a friction surface and is gradually lowered toward a bottom surface. Further, in manufacturing the wet type friction member, a roll, an ultrasonic wave transmitter, a vacuuming apparatus on the like is used.
US07749923B2 Facing and faced insulation products
A facing laminate for insulation products includes: a foil or metallized polymeric film sheet layer forming an inner layer of the laminate that is adapted be bonded directly to a surface of an insulation product; a paper composite sheet layer, which may include synthetic and/or inorganic fibers, forming an outer exposed layer of the laminate; and a scrim intermediate and bonded to the foil or metallized polymeric film sheet and paper composite sheet layers. The facing laminate may include a humectant and/or a water, oil, and/or grease repellant component. The paper composite sheet layer of the laminate exhibits greater dimensional stability and reduced wrinkling when the laminate is exposed to conditions of high humidity. Insulation products to be faced with this facing laminate include pipe insulation, duct board, duct wrap insulation, metal building insulation, and other building insulation products.
US07749919B2 Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor substrate; a source region and a drain region formed at a distance from each other in the semiconductor substrate; a first insulating film formed on a portion of the semiconductor substrate, the portion being located between the source region and the drain region; a charge storage film formed on the first insulating film; a second insulating film formed above the charge storage film and made of a high-permittivity material; a control gate electrode formed above the second insulating film; and a silicon nitride layer including nitrogen atoms having three-coordinate nitrogen bonds, at least one of second-nearest neighbor atoms of the nitrogen atoms being a nitrogen atom. At least one of the charge storage film and the control gate electrode contains silicon, the silicon nitride layer is located between the second insulating film and the at least one of the charge storage film and the control gate electrode.
US07749899B2 Microelectronic workpieces and methods and systems for forming interconnects in microelectronic workpieces
Methods and systems for forming electrical interconnects through microelectronic workpieces are disclosed herein. One aspect of the invention is directed to a method of manufacturing an electrical interconnect in a microelectronic workpiece having a plurality of dies. Each die can include at least one terminal electrically coupled to an integrated circuit. The method can include forming a blind hole in a first side of the workpiece, and forming a vent in a second side of the workpiece in fluid communication with the blind hole. The method can further include moving, e.g., by sucking and/or wetting, electrically conductive material into at least a portion of the blind hole by drawing at least a partial vacuum in the vent. In one embodiment, the blind hole can extend through one of the terminals on the workpiece. In this embodiment, the electrically conductive material forms an interconnect that extends through the workpiece and is electrically coupled to the terminal.
US07749897B2 Method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising a wiring structure that includes a vertical wiring section is disclosed. The method comprises a step of forming an interlayer insulation film made of a low dielectric constant material on a wiring layer, a step of forming a silicon oxide film by CVD using SiH4 gas and CO2 gas on the interlayer insulation film, a step of forming a chemically amplified resist film to cover the silicon oxide film, and a step of forming a first opening in a position on the chemically amplified resist film where the vertical wiring section is to be formed.
US07749891B2 Method and fabricating semiconductor device and semiconductor device
A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a plurality of lower interconnections at intervals in a first insulating film; removing a portion of the first insulating film located between the lower interconnections, thereby forming an interconnection-to-interconnection gap; forming a second insulating film over the first insulating film in which the lower interconnections and the interconnection-to-interconnection gap are formed such that an air gap is formed out of the interconnection-to-interconnection gap; and forming, in the second insulating film, a connection portion connected to one of the lower interconnections and an upper interconnection connected to the connection portion. The connection portion is formed to be connected to one of the lower interconnections not adjacent to the air gap.
US07749885B2 Semiconductor processing methods, methods of forming contact pads, and methods of forming electrical connections between metal-containing layers
Some embodiments include semiconductor processing methods in which a copper barrier is formed to be laterally offset from a copper component, and in which nickel is formed to extend across both the barrier and the component. The barrier may extend around an entire lateral periphery of the component, and may be spaced from the component by an intervening ring of electrically insulative material. The copper component may be a bond pad or an interconnect between two levels of metal layers. Some embodiments include semiconductor constructions in which nickel extends across a copper component, a copper barrier is laterally offset from the copper component, and an insulative material is between the copper barrier and the copper component.
US07749884B2 Method of forming an electronic device using a separation-enhancing species
A method of forming an electronic device can include forming a metallic layer by an electrochemical process over a side of a substrate that includes a semiconductor material. The method can also include introducing a separation-enhancing species into the substrate at a distance from the side, and separating a semiconductor layer and the metallic layer from the substrate, wherein the semiconductor layer is a portion of the substrate. In a particular embodiment, the separation-enhancing species can be incorporated into a metallic layer and moved into the substrate, and in particular embodiment, the separation-enhancing species can be implanted into the substrate. In still another embodiment, both the techniques can be used. In a further embodiment, a dual-sided process can be performed.
US07749876B2 Method for the production of a buried stop zone in a semiconductor component and semiconductor component comprising a buried stop zone
According to one embodiment, a method for the production of a stop zone in a doped zone of a semiconductor body comprises irradiating the semiconductor body with particle radiation in order to produce defects in a crystal lattice of the semiconductor body. The semiconductor body is exposed to an environment containing dopant atoms, during which dopant atoms are indiffused into the semiconductor body at an elevated temperature.
US07749873B2 Polycrystalline silicon layer, flat panel display using the same, and methods of fabricating the same
A polycrystalline silicon layer, a flat panel display using the polycrystalline silicon layer, and methods of fabricating the same are provided. An amorphous silicon layer is formed on a substrate. A first pattern layer, a second pattern layer, and a metal catalyst layer are formed on the amorphous silicon layer. The first pattern layer and the second pattern layer are formed to define a region of at least 400 μm2 within which a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer is diffused into the amorphous silicon layer. A seed region is crystallized by the diffused metal catalyst. After a crystallization region is grown from the seed region, a semiconductor layer is formed on the crystallization region, so as to fabricate a thin film transistor with excellent characteristics. Using this, a flat panel display is fabricated.
US07749860B2 Method for forming a self-aligned T-shaped isolation trench
The present invention relates to a method for forming an isolation trench structure in a semiconductor substrate without causing deleterious topographical depressions in the upper surface thereof which cause current and charge leakage to an adjacent active area. The inventive method forms a pad oxide upon a semiconductor substrate, and then forms a nitride layer on the pad oxide. The nitride layer is patterned with a mask and etched to expose a portion of the pad oxide layer and to protect an active area in the semiconductor substrate that remains covered with the nitride layer. A second dielectric layer is formed substantially conformably over the pad oxide layer and the remaining portions of the first dielectric layer. A spacer etch is then carried out to form a spacer from the second dielectric layer. The spacer is in contact with the remaining portion of the first dielectric layer. An isolation trench etch follows the spacer etch. An optional thermal oxidation of the surfaces in the isolation trench may be performed, which may optionally be followed by doping of the bottom of the isolation trench to further isolate neighboring active regions on either side of the isolation trench. A conformal layer is formed substantially conformably over the spacer, over the remaining portions of the first dielectric layer, and substantially filling the isolation trench. Planarization of the conformal layer follows, either by CMP or by etchback or by a combination thereof. An isolation trench filled with a structure results. The resulting structure has a flange and shaft, the cross-section of which has a nail shape in cross-section.
US07749858B2 Process for producing an MOS transistor and corresponding integrated circuit
A silicon substrate (SOI) is placed on a buried oxide layer (BOX). An MOS transistor is produced in an active zone of the substrate which is defined by an isolating region. A gate region and source and drain regions, which between them define a channel, are produced so that the gate region extends above the channel. The isolating region is produced by localized formation of a zone of material that can be selectively etched with respect to silicon. That material is selectively etched, and a dielectric material is deposited in the etched feature. The etching is carried out after the gate region has been produced.
US07749856B2 Method of fabricating storage node with supported structure of stacked capacitor
A method of fabricating a storage node with a supported structure is provided. A dielectric stacked comprising an etch stop layer, a first dielectric layer, a support layer and a second dielectric layer is formed on a substrate. An opening is etched into the dielectric stacked. A conductive layer is formed on the second dielectric layer and inside the opening. The conductive layer directly above the second dielectric layer is removed to form columnar node structure. The second dielectric layer is then removed. A spacer layer is deposited on the support layer and the columnar node structure. A tilt-angle implant is performed to implant dopants into the spacer layer. The undoped spacer layer is removed to form a hard mask. The support layer not covered by the hard mask is etched away to expose the first dielectric layer. The first dielectric layer and the hard mask are removed.
US07749851B2 Semiconductor device and method for fabricating semiconductor device
According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device including a first conductive type semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode formed over the semiconductor substrate via a gate insulator, a first conductive impurity region buried in the semiconductor substrate, the first conductive impurity region being both sides of an extend plane, the extend plane being extended from side-walls of the gate electrode into the semiconductor substrate and a second conductive type source/drain region partially overlapping with the first conductive impurity region and extending from an end of the gate electrode at the semiconductor substrate to an outer region in the semiconductor substrate, wherein a first conductive impurity concentration at a prescribed depth in the overlapping portion between the first conductive impurity region and the source/drain region is lower than the first conductive impurity concentration in the first conductive impurity region except the overlapping portion corresponding to the prescribed depth.
US07749849B2 Methods of selectively oxidizing semiconductor structures, and structures resulting therefrom
Methods for selectively oxidizing a semiconductor structure include generating a gas cluster ion beam comprising an oxidizing source gas, directing the gas cluster ion beam to a region of a substrate adjacent a conductive line and exposing the region to the gas cluster ion beam including an oxidizing matter. Utilizing the gas cluster ion beam enables selective oxidation of a targeted region at temperatures substantially lower than those of typical oxidation processes thus, reducing or eliminating oxidation of the conductive line. Semiconductor devices including transistors formed using such methods are also disclosed.
US07749848B2 Band-engineered multi-gated non-volatile memory device with enhanced attributes
Non-volatile memory devices and arrays are described that facilitate the use of band-gap engineered gate stacks with asymmetric tunnel barriers in floating gate memory cells in NOR or NAND memory architectures that allow for direct tunneling programming and erase with electrons and holes, while maintaining high charge blocking barriers and deep carrier trapping sites for good charge retention. The direct tunneling program and erase capability reduces damage to the gate stack and the crystal lattice from high energy carriers, reducing write fatigue and leakage issues and enhancing device lifespan. Memory cells of the present invention also allow multiple bit storage in a single memory cell, and allow for programming and erase with reduced voltages. A positive voltage erase process via hole tunneling is also provided.
US07749845B2 Semiconductor device manufacturing method
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a polycrystalline silicon layer (5) includes; a step of forming a mask layer (7) on the polycrystalline silicon layer (5); a step of forming a side wall (8) that is provided on a side face of the mask layer (7) and covers part of the polycrystalline silicon layer (6); a step of doping an impurity (52) into the polycrystalline silicon layer (5) by using at least one of the mask layer (7) and the side wall (8) as a mask; and a step of etching the polycrystalline silicon layer (5, 6) by using at least one of the mask layer (7) and the side wall (8) as a mask.
US07749844B2 Method for fabricating semiconductor device having vertical-type channel
A semiconductor device includes an active region including a surface region and a first recess formed below the surface region, the active region extending along a first direction; a device isolation structure provided on an edge of the active region; a gate line traversing over the surface region of the active region along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; a second recess formed in the device isolation structure to receive a given portion of the gate line into the second recess; a first junction region formed in the active region beneath the first recess and on a first side of the gate line; and a second junction region formed on a second side of the gate line and above the first junction region, wherein the first and second junction regions define a vertical-type channel that extends along lateral and vertical directions.
US07749841B2 Method of fabricating nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A method of fabricating a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes the steps of: (a) forming a layered dielectric film on the semiconductor substrate; (b) forming a first conductive film on the layered dielectric film; (c) forming a first dielectric film on the first conductive film; (d) patterning the first dielectric film and the first conductive film to form a layered pattern composed of first dielectric films and first conductive films; and (e) implanting a first impurity along a direction having an inclination angle to a normal direction to a principal plane of the semiconductor substrate by using the layered pattern as a mask to form a first impurity diffusion layer being the same in conductivity type as the semiconductor substrate, wherein, step (d) includes patterning the first dielectric film to form the first dielectric films having a shape with a width narrower in an upper surface than in a lower surface.
US07749840B2 Methods of forming a semiconductor device including buried bit line
A method of forming a buried interconnection includes removing a semiconductor substrate to form a groove in the semiconductor substrate. A metal layer is formed on inner walls of the groove using an electroless deposition technique. A silicidation process is applied to the substrate having the metal layer, thereby forming a metal silicide layer on the inner walls of the groove.
US07749836B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and manufacturing method thereof
A method for manufacturing a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device including: forming a first and a second stacked gate structures, each of which including a first polysilicon layer formed on a silicon substrate via a gate insulator, an inter-gate insulator formed on the first polysilicon layer, a second polysilicon layer formed on the inter-gate insulator, and a cap layer formed on the second polysilicon layer, respectively; forming a interlayer insulator between the first and the second stacked gate structures, the interlayer insulator covering upper surfaces of the cap layer; planarizing the interlayer insulator by using the cap layers as a stopper; removing the cap layers so that the second polysilicon layers are exposed; masking the exposed second polysilicon layer of the first stacked gate structure by a photoresist film; removing the second polysilicon layer and the inter-gate insulator of the second stacked gate structure so that the first polysilicon layer of the second stacked gate structure is exposed; removing the photoresist film so that the second polysilicon of the first stacked gate structure is exposed; and forming conductive material layers, including a metal, on the exposed first polysilicon layer of the second stacked gate structure and the exposed second polysilicon layer of the first stacked gate structure.
US07749832B2 Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof
Methods of forming transistors and structures thereof are disclosed. A preferred embodiment comprises a semiconductor device including a workpiece, a gate dielectric disposed over the workpiece, and a thin layer of conductive material disposed over the gate dielectric. A layer of semiconductive material is disposed over the thin layer of conductive material. The layer of semiconductive material and the thin layer of conductive material comprise a gate electrode of a transistor. A source region and a drain region are formed in the workpiece proximate the gate dielectric. The thin layer of conductive material comprises a thickness of about 50 Angstroms or less.
US07749831B2 Methods for fabricating solid state image sensor devices having non-planar transistors
Methods for fabricating CMOS image sensor devices are provided, wherein active pixel sensors are constructed with non-planar transistors having vertical gate electrodes and channels, which minimize the effects of image lag and dark current.
US07749815B2 Methods for depositing tungsten after surface treatment
In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten-containing material on a substrate is provided which includes positioning a substrate containing a metal nitride barrier layer within a process chamber and exposing the substrate to a reagent gas containing diborane to form a reagent layer on the metal nitride barrier layer. The method further provides exposing the substrate sequentially to a tungsten precursor and a reductant to form a nucleation layer during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process and subsequently depositing a bulk layer over the nucleation layer. The bulk layer may contain copper, but generally contains tungsten deposited by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. In some examples, the bulk layer may be used to fill apertures within the substrate.
US07749812B2 Heat sink with thermally compliant beams
A heat dissipating structure includes: a heat spreader; and a plurality of compliant beams attached to the heat spreader. The beams are formed of a high-conductive material such that a maximum stress of each beam is less than a fatigue stress of the high-conductive material; said beams are placed at an angle relative to a chip surface such that the beams are able to exert bending compliance in response to x, y, and z forces exerted upon them. The structure also includes a thermal material interface for bonding said structure to the chip surface. Both the heat spreader and the compliant beams can be machined from a copper block. An alternative heat dissipating structure includes compliant beams soldered to the chip surface.
US07749809B2 Methods and systems for packaging integrated circuits
Panel level methods and systems for packaging integrated circuits are described. In a method aspect of the invention, a substrate formed from a sacrificial semiconductor wafer is provided having a plurality of metallized device areas patterned thereon. Each device area includes an array of metallized contacts. Dice are mounted onto each device area and electrically connected to the array of contacts. The surface of the substrate including the dice, contacts and electrical connections is then encapsulated. The semiconductor wafer is then sacrificed leaving portions of the contacts exposed allowing the contacts to be used as external contacts in an IC package. In various embodiments, other structures, including saw street structures, may be incorporated into the device areas as desired. By way of example, structures having thicknesses in the range of 10 to 20 microns are readily attainable.
US07749804B2 Organic semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an inexpensive organic TFT which does not depend on an expensive dedicated device and does not expose an organic semiconductor to atmospheric air. Moreover, it is another object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing an organic TFT at low temperature so as not to cause a problem of pyrolyzing a material. In view of the foregoing problems, one feature of the present invention is that a film-like protector which serves as a protective film is provided over an organic semiconductor film. The film-like protector can be formed by being fixed to a film-like support body with an adhesive agent or the like.
US07749803B2 Organic light-emitting device including transparent conducting oxide layer as cathode and method of manufacturing the same
An organic light-emitting device including a transparent conducting oxide layer as a cathode and a method of manufacturing the organic light-emitting device. The organic light-emitting device includes an anode disposed on a substrate. An organic functional layer including at least an organic light-emitting layer is disposed on the anode. The transparent conducting oxide layer used as the cathode is disposed on the organic functional layer. The transparent conducting oxide layer cathode is formed by plasma-assisted thermal evaporation. A microcavity structure is not formed in the organic light-emitting device, thereby avoiding a luminance change and a color shift as a function of viewing angle.
US07749802B2 Process for chemical vapor deposition of materials with via filling capability and structure formed thereby
A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method for depositing materials including germanium (Ge) and antimony (Sb) which, in some embodiments, has the ability to fill high aspect ratio openings is provided. The CVD method of the instant invention permits for the control of GeSb stoichiometry over a wide range of values and the inventive method is performed at a substrate temperature of less than 400° C., which makes the inventive method compatible with existing interconnect processes and materials. In addition to the above, the inventive method is a non-selective CVD process, which means that the GeSb materials are deposited equally well on insulating and non-insulating materials.
US07749801B2 Phase change memory device using carbon nanotube and method for fabricating the same
Provided are a phase change memory device that can operate at low power and improve the scale of integration by reducing a contact area between a phase change material and a bottom electrode, and a method for fabricating the same. The phase change memory comprises a current source electrode, a phase change material layer, a plurality of carbon nanotube electrodes, and an insulation layer. The current source electrode supplies external current to a target. The phase change material layer is disposed to face the current source electrode in side direction. The carbon nanotube electrodes are disposed between the current source electrode and the phase change material layer. The insulation layer is formed outside the carbon nanotube electrodes and functions to reduce the loss of heat generated at the carbon nanotube electrodes.
US07749797B2 Semiconductor device having a sensor chip, and method for producing the same
A semiconductor device and method is disclosed. In one embodiment, the semiconductor device includes a cavity housing and a sensor chip. In one embodiment, the cavity housing has an opening to the surroundings. The sensor region of the sensor chip faces said opening. The sensor chip is mechanically decoupled from the cavity housing. In one embodiment, the sensor chip is embedded into a rubber-elastic composition on all sides in the cavity of the cavity housing.
US07749795B2 Solar cell and method and apparatus for manufacturing solar cell
A thin solar cell is provided, a decreased amount of an Al paste used for the solar cell without occurrence of a problem of ball-up which is a defect in appearance. A method of manufacturing such a solar cell as well as a manufacturing apparatus used therefor are provided. This manufacturing method is applicable with substantially no change in the conventional material and process. The solar cell has an Al paste electrode on the back surface and at least a part of an outer edge of the Al paste is thicker than any remaining part.
US07749788B2 Manufacturing method of photoelectric conversion device
A noise generated by a constitution of widening an incident aperture of light of a photoelectric conversion element is reduced. In a manufacturing method of a photoelectric conversion device, first electroconductor arranged in a first hole arranged in the first interlayer insulation layer electrically connects a first semiconductor region to a gate electrode of an amplifying MOS transistor not through wirings included in a wiring layer. Moreover, a second electroconductor electrically connects a second semiconductor region different from the first semiconductor region to a wiring. In a constitution of that second electroconductor, a third electroconductor arranged in a second hole arranged in the first interlayer insulation layer and a fourth electroconductor arranged in a third hole arranged in the second interlayer insulation layer are stacked and electrically connected to each other. And the step of forming the first electroconductor, and the step of forming the third electroconductor are performed simultaneously.
US07749785B2 Manufacturing method of group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device
The present invention provides a manufacturing method of a group III nitride semiconductor light-emitting device, including a lamination step of forming a plurality of lamination films including a group III nitride semiconductor on a substrate, in which a substrate on which is formed a foundation layer including a monocrystalline group III nitride semiconductor is used as the substrate, and lamination films are formed on the foundation layer by a sputtering method, with the substrate including the foundation layer and a target made from a group III metal or an alloy including a group III metal being placed in a sputtering chamber.
US07749784B2 Fabricating method of single electron transistor (SET) by employing nano-lithographical technology in the semiconductor process
A fabricating method of Single Electron Transistor includes processing steps as follows: first, deposit the sealing material of gas molecule or atom state on the top-opening of the nano cylindrical pore, which having formed on the substrate, so that the diameter of said top-opening gradually reduce to become a reduced nano-aperture, whose opening diameter is smaller than that of said top-opening; then, keep the substrate in horizontal direction and tilt or rotate said substrate into tilt angle or rotation angle in coordination with tilt angle with the reduced nano-aperture as center respectively, and pass the deposit material of gas molecular or atom state through the reduced nano-aperture respectively. Thereby a Single Electron Transistor including island electrode, drain electrode, source electrode and gate electrode of nano-quantum dot with nano-scale is directly fabricated on the surface of said substrate.
US07749783B2 Method of forming a display panel
A method of forming a display panel includes providing a first substrate having a transparent electrode, and a second substrate having a pixel electrode. Subsequently, an alignment material is provided and covers on the transparent electrode and/or the pixel electrode, and a photoelectric twisting layer is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate. The alignment material is first in a non-aligned state, and is radiation-polymerizable. The photoelectric twisting layer does not include any radiation-polymerizable material. Thereafter, a voltage difference is applied to drive molecules of the photoelectric twisting layer, and a radiating process is performed on the alignment material. The twisted molecules of the photoelectric twisting layer induce the surface molecules of the alignment material to arrange in an ordered state, and the alignment material is polymerized according to the ordered state as a first alignment film.
US07749782B1 Laser roughening to improve LED emissions
An improved method of forming a LED with a roughened surface is described. Traditional methods of roughening a LED surface utilizes strong etchants that require sealing or protecting exposed areas of the LED. The described method uses a focused laser to separate the LED from the substrate, and a second laser to roughen the LED surface thereby avoiding the use of strong etchants. A mild etchant may be used on the laser roughened LED surface to remove unwanted metals.
US07749780B2 Polymer optoelectronic device and methods for making the same
The invention relates to a polymer optoelectronic device comprising at least a transparent conductive oxide layer, an active polymer layer, a back electrode layer and a substrate layer, wherein the transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer has a controlled surface structure which is characterized by having an X-value in the range of from 10 nm to 500 nm, and a Y-value in the range of from 15 nm to 1000 nm, wherein the ratio between the X-value and the Y-value (X/Y) is at most 1, whereby the X-value is defined as the average value of the height of the peaks on the surface, the Y-value is defined as the average peak to peak distance on the surface, and both the X and Y values are measured by means of SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) or Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
US07749774B2 Arrays formed of encoded beads having ligands attached
A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particles and biomolecules at the interface between an insulating electrode such as silicon oxide and an electrolyte solution. Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces relies on the combination of three functional elements: the AC electric field-induced assembly of planar aggregates; the patterning of the electrolyte/silicon oxide/silicon interface to exert spatial control over the assembly process; and the real-time control of the assembly process via external illumination. The present invention provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations. In addition, the present invention provides a procedure for the creation of material surfaces with desired properties and for the fabrication of surface-mounted optical components.
US07749772B1 Antibody and immunoassays for determining the presence of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol
Antibodies having specific binding for the parent THC (Δ9-THC) and its major metabolites are provided which present a significant increase in sensitivity of immunoassays such as lateral flow immunoassays and ELISA for THC. The present invention also provides a rabbit hybridoma producing the antibody as a monoclonal antibody, a recombinant antibody, further molecularly engineered recombinant antibodies against parent Δ9-THC and its metabolites and cell lines producing the recombinant antibodies. The invention also provides applications of the antibody in immunoassays, particularly lateral flow immunoassays, specifically applications in detecting THC in body fluids, particularly saliva, and kits for determining the presence of THC.
US07749763B2 Kits and methods for evaluating hair
The invention relates to kits and methods for analyzing hair, particularly for determining the amount of damage to hair, including placing hair into a solution containing at least one metal ion so that an amount of the metal ion is attached to the hair, removing the hair from the solution, determining the amount of metal ion attached to the hair, and determining the amount of damage to the hair based upon the amount of metal ion attached to the hair.
US07749762B2 Test methods for simulating FCC regenerator catalysis and catalyst deactivation
A method for testing the performance of catalysts used for conversion of FCC regenerator gases comprises subjecting the catalyst simultaneously to a mixture of gases including an oxidizing gas and a reducing gas in more than one cycle in which the ratio of the oxidizing gas to the reducing gas varies over the time of the cycle. Test gases comprising O2, CO, CO2, steam, nitrogen-containing gases and sulfur-containing gases in which the ratio of O2 to CO varies over time for each cycle and in which the products of combustion formed during each cycle can be measured periodically over the cycle yields important data on the usefulness of the catalysts for treatment of regenerator flue gas.
US07749752B2 Compositions and methods for identifying antigens which elicit an immune response
This invention relates to an expression vector wherein said expression vector comprises a polynucleotide promoter sequence, a polynucleotide encoding a signal sequence, a polynucleotide encoding an antigen protein or peptide, a polynucleotide encoding a cell binding element, and a polynucleotide polyadenylation sequence all operatively linked. More particularly, it relates to the method of eliciting an immune response directed against an antigen in a mammal comprising the steps of introducing the expression vector into a cell, expressing the vector to produce an antigen under conditions wherein the antigen is secreted from the cell, endocytosing the secreted antigen into the cell, processing the antigen, and presenting fragments to a receptor to elicit a T-cell response. In addition, this invention relates to a vaccine and a method of use. The invention also relates to the method of identifying MHC-II restricted epitopes.
US07749749B2 Bioreactor for generating uniform shear stress distribution
The present invention relates to a bioreactor for generating uniform distribution of shear stress, comprising: a cone, having a cone surface with an outline of modified catenary; a container, having a fixed plate at the bottom inside the accommodating space of said container, and said fixed plate comprises a plurality of reservoirs; wherein the cone tip located above the center of said fixed plate is capable of loading culture media into the accommodating space of said container, that is, into the space between the cone surface and the fixed plate. More uniform shear stress can be generated in the culture media to act on the sample in the reservoirs of the fixed plate when the cone rotates and makes the culture media run. The bioreactor of the present invention can be applied to generate uniform shear stress acting on the fixed plate despite the distance between the cone tip and the fixed plate.
US07749740B2 Microbial production of pyruvate and pyruvate derivatives
Microbial production of pyruvate and metabolites derived from pyruvate in cells exhibiting reduced pyruvate dehydrogenase activity compared to wild-type cells. Acetate and glucose are supplied as a carbon sources.
US07749730B2 High throughput screening assay for the TRPM5 ion channel
There exists a need in the art for high throughput screening assays that can identify compounds that specifically modulate the activity of fast-acting ion channels, such as TRPM5. Current methods suffer from a lack of sensitivity, low throughput, and are labor intensive. The claimed methods provide fluorescent assays with an optical readout that gives rapid readout of the results, has a high signal to noise background ratio, are easy to use, can be modified for automation and miniaturization, and provide verification that a compound specifically modulates TRPM5.
US07749704B2 Promoter polymorphisms of the BLyS gene and use in diagnostic methods
The present invention provides an isolated polynucleotide comprising at least one polymorphic nucleotide sequence, for example, at position −871 from the promoter region of the BLyS gene, and diagnostic assays for detecting the presence of this polymorphism associated with a condition associated with BLyS activity, such as hematological malignancy including B cell malignancies. The diagnostic assays are useful in predicting an individual's likelihood of developing a condition associated with BLyS activity, such as hematological malignancies, and for methods for treating an individual clinically diagnosed with a condition associated with BLyS activity, such as prediction of a patient's likelihood to respond to a specific drug treatment. The invention also provides an array of nucleic acid molecules immobilized on a solid surface, where at least one of the nucleic acid molecules comprises a BLyS polymorphic nucleic acid molecule. The nucleic acid arrays of the invention allow rapid detection of hybridizing nucleic acid-molecules, in a nucleic acid sample from an individual, of a BLyS polymorphism associated with hematological malignancy.
US07749703B2 Δ12 desaturase gene suitable for altering levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids in oleaginous yeasts
The present invention relates to a Δ12 fatty acid desaturase able to catalyze the conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid (LA; 18:2). Nucleic acid sequences encoding the desaturase, nucleic acid sequences that hybridize thereto, DNA constructs comprising the desaturase gene, and recombinant host microorganisms expressing increased levels of the desaturase are described. Methods of increasing production of specific ω-3 and/or ω-6 fatty acids are described by overexpression of the Δ12 fatty acid desaturase or by disruption of the native gene.
US07749700B2 Differential expression of molecules associated with acute stroke
Methods are provided for evaluating a stroke, for example for determining whether a subject has had an ischemic stroke, determining the severity or likely neurological recovery of a subject who has had an ischemic stroke, and determining a treatment regimen for a subject who has had an ischemic stroke, as are arrays and kits that can be used to practice the methods. In particular examples, the method includes screening for expression in ischemic stroke related genes (or proteins), such as white blood cell activation and differentiation genes (or proteins), genes (or proteins) related to hypoxia, genes (or proteins) involved in vascular repair, and genes (or proteins) related to a specific peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) response to the altered cerebral microenvironment. Also provided are methods of identifying one or more agents that alter the activity (such as the expression) of an ischemic stroke-related molecule.
US07749696B2 Method and kit for the specific detection of M. tuberculosis
The invention relates to a method and system for the specific detection of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) in a biological sample, a difference being made, in particular between M. tuberculosis and other elements of M. tuberculosis complex, i.e., Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), Mycobacterium bovis BCG (M. bovis BCG), Mycobacterium africanum (M. africanum) and Mycobacterium microti (M. microti) based on a SNP in a narGHJI promoter.
US07749688B2 Transverse electric-field type liquid crystal display device, process of manufacturing the same, and scan-exposing device
A process of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device of transverse electric-field type, wherein a halftone photomask which is used to form a photoresist pattern has a fully light-shielding area preventing UV irradiation of a portion of an active matrix substrate in which a thin-film transistor element is to be formed, so that the photoresist pattern includes a positive resist portion which has a first thickness and which is formed on the above-indicated portion of the substrate. The halftone mask further has a fully light-transmitting area which permits fully UV transmission therethrough to provide the photoresist pattern with a resist-free area which corresponds to a portion of the substrate in which a contact hole serving as a third connection portion connecting an external scanning-line driver circuit and a scanning-line terminal portion through a junction electrode is to be formed. The photoresist pattern also has a positive resist portion which is formed in the other portion of the substrate and which has a second thickness smaller than the first thickness. Also disclosed in a scan-exposing device used in the process is also disclosed.
US07749677B2 Negative resist composition
The negative resist composition of the present invention comprises a silsesguioxane resin (A) comprising a constituent unit (a1) represented by the following general formula (I) and a constituent unit (a2) represented by the following general formula (II), an acid generator component (B) which generates an acid upon exposure, and a crosslinking agent component (C): wherein R1 represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and
US07749676B2 Positive type dry film photoresist and composition for preparing the same
A positive type photoresist resin film contains a support film and a positive photoresist resin layer laminated over the support film. The peak height (Rp) of the support film is less than about 300 nm to eliminate fish eye defects. The positive photoresist resin layer may contain alkali soluble resin, a diazide based photosensitive compound, a plasticizer and, optionally, a sensitivity enhancer and a releasing agent.
US07749665B2 Method of generating writing pattern, method of forming resist pattern, method of controlling exposure tool, and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
A method of generating a writing pattern is disclosed, which generates, from pattern data, writing pattern data to write a mask pattern in a photomask used in an exposure tool comprising a projection optical system to transfer the mask pattern to a resist film formed on a substrate, an immersion mechanism which forms a liquid film in a local region, and a movement mechanism which moves the substrate with respect to the projection optical system and the immersion mechanism, the method comprising obtaining a typical distribution of contact history values between the resist film and the liquid film in the unit exposure region, dividing a pattern which corresponds to the pattern data into a plurality of regions according to the typical distribution of the contact history values, and carrying out correction of a pattern included in each of the divided regions under a rule according to the contact history values.
US07749661B2 High performance, compact and low pressure drop spiral-wound fuel cell humidifier design
A WVT unit for a fuel cell system that employs a spiral-wound design to reduce its size and increase its performance. The WVT unit includes a center tube having a plurality of openings through which the cathode exhaust gas flows. The WVT unit also includes a cylindrical portion wound around the center tube that includes a plurality of enclosures and a plurality of dry spacer layers separating the enclosures. Each enclosure includes a pair of membranes separated by a wet spacer layer. The dry cathode inlet air flows down the dry spacer layers between the enclosures and the cathode exhaust gas flows into the plurality of enclosures through the openings in the center tube along the wet spacer layers to allow the membranes to absorb humidification that is transferred to the cathode inlet air.
US07749660B2 Electrolyte for improving life characteristics at high temperature and lithium secondary battery comprising the same
Provided is a battery electrolyte comprising an electrolyte salt, an electrolyte solvent and a compound producing chemical reaction products with the exception of water through a chemical reaction with an acid (H+), and a secondary battery comprising the same. The battery electrolyte according to the present invention can achieve improved high-temperature storage characteristics and the life characteristics of the battery, by using a compound decreasing a concentration of HX (X=F, Cl, Br or I) through a chemical reaction with HX (X=F, Cl, Br or I) which is present in the battery and therefore causes deterioration of the battery performance.
US07749645B2 Electrochemical cell structure and method of fabrication
An electrochemical cell and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The electrochemical cell comprises: a first conductive layer; a metal oxide layer provided on the first conductive layer, the metal oxide layer comprising a plurality of adjacent metal oxide cells, spaced from one another; a functional dye layer provided on the metal oxide layer; a second conductive layer; an electrolyte layer provided between the functional dye layer and the second conductive layer, wherein at least one of the first and second conductive layers is transparent; and wherein the functional dye layer is formed from an organic solvent ink. In another embodiment, the electrochemical cell comprises: a first conductive layer; a metal oxide layer provided on the first conductive layer; a functional dye layer provided on the metal oxide layer; a second conductive layer; and an electrolyte provided between the functional dye layer and the second conductive layer, wherein at least one of the first and second conductive layers is transparent; and wherein the functional dye layer is formed from a binary solvent ink, comprising a first solvent and a second solvent.
US07749644B2 Structure for mounting batteries onto electric vehicles
A structure for mounting a battery onto an electric vehicle comprises: a high-voltage cable, which is disposed between at least one of first body members of the vehicle and a battery case containing a battery, connecting the battery and an external device disposed outside of the battery case; and a dent portion being formed on a side surface of the battery case faces to the first body member. The dent portion includes a concave side wall, which faces the first body member, having a cable hole portion through which the high-voltage cable is installed. The concave side wall is kept at a distance from the first body member defined based on a diameter of the high-voltage cable.
US07749628B2 Thermally integrated SOFC system
A thermally integrated fuel cell system includes a stack zone, a burner zone and a low temperature zone. The fuel is combined with steam and passed sequentially through a primary reformer and a secondary reformer. Air is split into two parallel streams and preheated in a low temperature heat exchanger. One air stream passes to a high temperature heat exchanger while the other passes to a radiative heat exchanger. The air and fuel streams are equalized in an equalization heat exchanger before entering the fuel cell stacks. The stack exhaust is combusted in an afterburner. Afterburner exhaust heats the primary reformer, the high temperature heat exchanger, the low temperature heat exchanger and steam generator. The stack zone includes the stacks, the secondary reformer, the radiative heat exchanger and the equalization heat exchanger. The burner zone includes the afterburner, the primary reformer and the high temperature heat exchanger. The low temperature zone includes the low temperature heat exchanger and the steam generator.
US07749625B2 Fuel for fuel cell, fuel cell and application thereof
A fuel cell fuel contains an organic fuel used as a fuel for a fuel cell. The organic fuel is in a form of a solid molecular compound, such as an inclusion compound. The molecular compound can be prepared by contact catalytic reaction of a compound for forming the molecular compound and the organic fuel, and allows a liquid organic fuel to be in a solid compound to store the organic fuel stably in a relatively lightweight form. The molecular compound easily releases the organic fuel by, for example, heating, and the organic fuel is supplied to the fuel electrode of a fuel cell. Thus, the handleability of the fuel cell fuel containing the organic fuel can be improved, and the problems of corrosion, freezing of the fuel, crossover, and so forth can be solved.
US07749616B2 Organic electroluminescent element and display device using the same
The present invention provides an organic electroluminescent element including an anode, a cathode, and a plurality of organic compound layers including at least one organic luminescent layer between the anode and the cathode, in which the organic luminescent layer contains a host material and two or more phosphorescent materials; the organic luminescent layer is adjacent to the organic compound layers at both an anode side and a cathode side thereof; the organic compound layer disposed adjacent to the organic luminescent layer at the anode side thereby has a thickness of 50 nm or less in thickness; and the organic compound layer disposed adjacent to organic luminescent layer at the cathode side thereby contains a compound having an ionization potential of 6.0 eV or less. The present invention also provides a display device using the organic electroluminescent element.
US07749614B2 Method of brazing a Ti-Al alloy
The invention relates to a method of brazing a Ti—Al alloy. According to the invention, a layer of nickel (2) is disposed between a part (1) which is made from titanium aluminide and a brazing sheet (3), such as to enable: the aforementioned part (1) to be brazed to another metallic material (4) without the aluminium diffusing from one to the other; and a stable link with good mechanical strength to be produced. The invention can be used for the assembly of aircraft engine parts which are made from titanium aluminide and nickel-based superalloy.
US07749612B2 Resin coated metal foil, metal clad laminate, printed wiring board using them, and manufacturing method thereof
The present invention provides a metal clad laminate or a resin coated metal foil having a metal foil whose both surfaces are not substantially roughening-treated and an insulating resin composition layer using generally used insulating resin, and a printed wiring board and a manufacturing method thereof, in which the metal clad laminate or the resin coated metal foil is used, the reliability and circuit formability are high, and the conductor loss is extremely low.
US07749607B2 Conductive emulsion for preparing surface for powder coating
An emulsion for preparing a low-conductivity surface for powder coating, the emulsion including an emulsified organofunctional silane solution. A pre-powder coating emulsion provides a surface with conductivity. A non-conductive object having applied to an exterior surface of the object the emulsion including an emulsified organofunctional silane solution.
US07749606B2 Article with organic-inorganic composite film and process for producing the same
An article with an organic-inorganic composite film that contains silica as its main component and does not separate from the substrate after the Taber abrasion test prescribed in Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) R 3212. This composite film is formed of a coating solution containing a hydrophilic organic polymer by a sol-gel process. In this solution, for example, the amount of silicon alkoxide exceeds 3 mass % in terms of a SiO2 concentration. When the coating solution contains a phosphorus source, the molality of protons is 0.0001 to 0.2 mol/kg while the number of moles of water is at least four times the total number of moles of silicon atoms contained in the silicon alkoxide. This sol-gel process allows a film with excellent mechanical strength to be obtained even when the substrate is not heated up to a temperature exceeding 400° C. and the film thickness exceeds 250 nm.
US07749597B2 Carbon fiber Ti-Al composite material and process for producing the same
To provide a carbon fiber Ti—Al composite material having hardness, heat resistance and abrasion resistance, having reduced weight, improved strength, elastic modulus and thermal conductivity and being excellent in the uniformity of the quality.A carbon fiber Ti—Al composite material which is prepared by pressure impregnating a molded product containing fine carbon fibers having a fiber diameter of from 0.5 to 500 nm and a carbon length of at most 1,000 μm and having a hollow-structured central axis, carbon long fibers having a fiber diameter of from 5 to 15 μm and a titanium powder or a titanium oxide powder, with aluminum or an aluminum alloy by molten metal forging.
US07749588B2 Protective coverings
Protective covering for cabinets, appliances, and residential construction components of multi-layer sheeted materials capable of being die-cut into shapes and configurations suitable for protecting kitchen and bath countertops and appliances, home construction components, and desirable multi-layer configurations for various embodiments of the invention. Corrugated materials including paper and plastic are provided in sheets and may be combined with other layers of complementary materials, including plastic sheets, for extending downwardly to protect kitchen and bath cabinets and countertops from paint splashes and for covering air duct openings.
US07749587B2 Optical disk
An optical disk comprising a first substrate, a first reflective layer for reflecting laser beams for information reading formed on the first substrate, and a resin layer made of a cured film of an ultraviolet curable composition formed on the first reflective layer, wherein the first reflective layer is a reflective layer made of silver or an alloy containing silver as a main component, and the ultraviolet curable composition contains (a) a radical polymerizable compound, (b) a compound represented by the following formula (1) and (c) a radical photopolymerization initiator.