Document Document Title
US07760926B2 Method and device for marking three-dimensional structures on two-dimensional projection images
The invention relates to a method and a device for marking three-dimensional structures on two-dimensional projection images of an object, with which a position marker is determined on two projection images of the object recorded from different projection directions, from which the position of the position marker in the three-dimensional space is calculated so that further, subsequently recorded projection images can be displayed superimposed by the position marker.
US07760924B2 System and method for generating a 2D image from a tomosynthesis data set
A 2D mammogram image is synthesized from at least one of tomosynthesis projection images and/or the tomosynthesis reconstructed image data. In a simplest form, the mammogram may be synthesized by selecting one of the tomosynthesis projection images for display as a synthesized mammogram. Other methods of synthesizing a mammogram include re-projecting and filtering projection data and/or reconstructed data. The synthesized mammogram is advantageously displayed together with at least a portion of the reconstructed data to aid in review of the reconstructed data. The present invention thus provides a familiar image which may be used to facilitate review of a tomosynthesis data set.
US07760908B2 Event packaged video sequence
Methods and systems for packaging video sequences based on user-specified events are described herein. An illustrative method of event-packaging a video sequence may include the steps of acquiring a video stream containing an event of interest, extracting various event information from the video stream and storing one or more event parameters within an event database, extracting a video clip from the video stream containing the event of interest, associating metadata representing the event parameters to the video clip, and exporting the video clip containing the event of interest and associated metadata to an external agent. In certain embodiments, a video image-processing appliance manager and/or one or more appliance modules can be provided to automatically extract event information from the acquired video stream, and to manage the indexing and storage of event parameters within the event database. A graphical user interface may also be provided to permit the event information extracted from the video stream to be compared against a set of user-specified event parameters.
US07760904B2 Proprietary watermark system for secure digital media and content distribution
A method of generating a protected digital media content, is provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method includes generating a protected digital media content, comprising: generating a first control signal for use in an authorization signature of digital media content, generating a second control signal for use in a certification of the content owner's right, and generating information about the digital media content; and adding the first control signal, the second control signal, and the information to the digital media content to provide a protected content.
US07760896B2 Microphone mount
A mount assembly for a personal microphone is described. The mount assembly includes a spring-biased clip and a cage. The clip connects the assembly to an article of clothing. The cage is formed from an elongated bar made of rigid material. The bar is formed into a helix to define an enclosure that receives a microphone. The spirals of the helix may form a conical structure formed of spirals with increasing diameters. The cage may further include a base that secures the transmission cable of the microphone. The assembly protects the microphone from contact with objects, thus minimizes ambient and mechanical interference.
US07760895B1 Virtual sound imaging loudspeaker system
A loudspeaker system positioned to one side of a listener includes a closed-back tweeter supported in front of a concave reflective surface. The curvature of the surface is formed by vertical and parallel first and second sides of a rectangle wherein the first side is rotated around the second side as axis. The tweeter projects sound with hemispherical directionality away from the listener and toward the surface. Some of the sound projected by the tweeter is reflected off of the surface toward the listener at an angle of less than about 10° relative to a principal plane of the concavity. A low frequency range loudspeaker projects sound towards the listener generally at an azimuth nearly equal to that of a virtual center of radiation of the sound projected by the tweeter off of the concavity. Thereby, the listener localizes a well-defined sound image at a few meters behind the system.
US07760891B2 Focused hypersonic communication
This invention provides methods and apparatus for focusing a hypersonic beam to control both a direction and depth of audible information delivery. Signals that are delivered to each of a plurality of hypersonic transducer elements are adjusted in phase so that transmitted hypersonic signals are focused at a focal point anywhere in space. The focal point of a focused hypersonic beam may be used to scan a space of interest when used in a receive mode in a pinging process. When objects are detected, a focused hypersonic beam may be used to deliver audible information substantially only to a neighborhood of the detected object.
US07760888B2 Howling suppression device, program, integrated circuit, and howling suppression method
Howling, which occurs when amplifying a target sound collected by a first microphone through an amplification section and outputting the amplified sound as an intensified sound from a loudspeaker, is suppressed using a first and second acoustic signal. A first power spectrum is produced according to the first acoustic signal output from the first microphone collecting a sound. A second power spectrum is produced according to the second acoustic signal of a sound including at least the intensified sound and not including the target sound. Then, the first acoustic signal is filtered based on the first power spectrum, and the second power spectrum to output only an acoustic signal of the target sound to the amplification section.
US07760886B2 Apparatus and method for synthesizing three output channels using two input channels
For synthesizing at least three output channels using two stereo input channels, the stereo input channels are analyzed to detect signal components occurring in both input channels. A signal generator is operative to introduce at least a part of the detected signal components into the second channel associated with a second speaker in an intended speaker scheme, which is positioned between a first and a third speaker in the speaker scheme. When, however, feeding of the complete detected signal components would result in a clipping situation, then only a part of the detected signal components is fed into the second channel as a real center channel and the remainder is located in the first and third channels as a phantom center channel.
US07760873B2 Method and a system for a quick verification rabin signature scheme
A method and a system to perform a Quick Verification of a Rabin Signature (QVRS) is provided. In one embodiment, the signing party generates a Rabin signature S of an original message M using a public key N in the Rabin signature generating formula M=S2 mod N. In one embodiment, the signing party also generates a value q according to the formula q=floor(S2/N). In one embodiment, the signing party sends the original message M, the signature S, the public key N and the value q to the verifying party. In one embodiment, the verifying party verifies the integrity of the message M using the signature S, the public key N and the value q and the test equation M=S2−qN.
US07760870B2 Block cipher apparatus using auxiliary transformation
It is desired to share one circuit by an encryption unit 200 and a decryption unit 500. A normal data transformation unit (FL) 251 and an inverse data transformation unit (FL−1) 273 are located at point symmetry on a non-linear data transformation unit 220, and a normal data transformation unit (FL) 253 and an inverse data transformation unit (FL−1) 271 are located at point symmetry on the non-linear data transformation unit 220. Therefore, the encryption unit 200 and the decryption unit 500 can be configured using the same circuits.
US07760869B2 Method and apparatus for controlling the transmit volume level of a speakerphone
A method and apparatus for controlling the transmit volume level of a speakerphone includes receiving a transmit audio signal. If the speakerphone is in a speakerphone mode, the method further includes measuring a send output level of the transmit audio signal, comparing the send output level of the transmit audio signal with a send output level threshold value, and controlling the send output level of the transmit audio signal based upon the comparison of the send output level of the transmit audio signal and the send output level threshold value using automatic gain control. Some embodiments further include determining the send output level threshold value based upon a send loudness rating (SLR) target difference value between a speakerphone SLR target value and a handset SLR target value. In some embodiments, if the speakerphone is in a handset mode, the send output level of the transmit audio signal remains substantially the same.
US07760856B2 Radiographic apparatus and radiation detection signal processing method
A radiographic apparatus according to this invention, when a predetermined operation relating to radiographic imaging is interposed during an emission of radiation, stops the emission temporarily, and also stops a recursive computation temporarily. With start of the predetermined operation, the emission is started again and also the recursive computation is started again. Radiation detection signals at the time of non-emission due to the temporary stop are acquired, and the recursive computation is carried out based on initial values derived from the radiation detection signals at the time of non-emission. The lag-behind parts are removed from the radiation detection signals with increased accuracy while reducing the trouble of radiographic images caused by the predetermined operation relating to radiographic imaging being interposed during an emission of radiation.
US07760849B2 Tetrahedron beam computed tomography
A method of imaging an object that includes directing a plurality of x-ray beams in a fan-shaped form towards an object, detecting x-rays that pass through the object due to the directing a plurality of x-ray beams and generating a plurality of imaging data regarding the object from the detected x-rays. The method further includes forming either a three-dimensional cone-beam computed tomography, digital tomosynthesis or Megavoltage image from the plurality of imaging data and displaying the image.
US07760837B2 Synchronization determination method and apparatus
A synchronization determination method includes: a synchronization determining step of determining whether or not synchronization has been successfully performed by detecting a synchronous pattern from the demodulated data input as a data stream; a synchronization probability determining step of determining whether or not there is a probability that synchronization is successfully performed using the progress of detecting a synchronous pattern in the synchronization determining step; and a synchronization determination discard step of discarding a determination in the synchronization determining step when it is determined in the synchronization probability determining step that there is no probability that synchronization is successfully performed, and passing control to the process performed when it is determined in the synchronization determining step that synchronization has not been successfully performed.
US07760836B2 Skew-correcting apparatus using external communications element
An apparatus for determining the amount of skew to be injected into a high-speed data communications system of including a plurality of lanes having a data bus per lane, relative to a reference lane, for system skew compensation. By knowing the relative amount of skew that each lane requires for alignment, an appropriate amount of skew can be injected on each lane to provide alignment and thus compliancy with the SFI-5 and SxI-5 standards, in terms of data skew specifications. The relative skew amounts for each transmitting lane are determined using a methodology involving internal loopback and characteristics from a connected communications element to the chip receive path.
US07760832B2 Arrangement and method for synchronizing a signal processing device with an incoming signal
An arrangement and a method for synchronizing a signal processing apparatus with a received signal which has a characteristic signal content are disclosed. The arrangement has a first control loop which readjusts the signal processing apparatus with respect to the characteristic signal content on a content basis, and a second control loop which readjusts a flow control device in the signal processing apparatus with respect to the times at which the characteristic signal content appears, the first control loop and the second control loop being coupled such that a unique association is achieved between the position of the characteristic signal content in the received signal and the associated appearance time.
US07760820B2 Receiver having a signal reconstructing section for noise reduction, system and method thereof
A signal reconstructing section (50), a receiver having the signal reconstructing section (50), a communication system having the receiver, and a method for reducing noise in a transformed signal having a plurality of signal components and using the signal reconstructing section (50) are described. The signal reconstructing section (50) of the receiver has a detector (52) for detecting the transformed signal, decision modules (54) each having an input (58) coupled to output (60) of the detector, and a reconstructing module (56) having inputs (62) respectively coupled to output (64) of the decision modules (54). The reconstructing module (56) is adapted to reconstruct one or more subcarriers of the plurality of subcarriers a predetermined number of times to thereby form a noise-reduced transformed signal. Reconstruction of the one or more subcarriers is performed one at a time or two or more simultaneously.
US07760818B2 Data modulator based on Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) modulation and data transmitter including the same
A data modular based on Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) modulation and a data transmitter including the same in which the data modulator includes a read-only memory (ROM) table storing GMSK modulation data with respect to information bits; a low-pass filter filtering first GMSK modulation data, which is output from the ROM table based on a predetermined input bitstream, and outputting second GMSK modulation data; and a multiplexer selecting and outputting the first GMSK modulation data or the second GMSK modulation data based on a predetermined control signal. The data modulator selectively filters a GMSK modulation signal according to a channel state, thereby effectively controlling trade-off between inter-symbol interference and adjacent channel interference according the channel state.
US07760816B2 Automatic gain control using multiple equalized estimates dynamic hysteresis
At least one adjustable gain analog amplifier (120, 124 and 128) in an analog line-up (102) amplifies by a gain an analog signal at an input of the analog line-up (102). The at least one adjustable gain analog amplifier (120, 124 and 128) is operable at one or more gains. At least one digital estimation device (134, 140 and 146) receives signal via an output (108) of the analog line-up (10) and provides a digital signal estimate representative of an analog signal at an input of a respective one of the at least one adjustable gain analog amplifier (120, 124 and 128) in the analog line-up (102). An AGC controller (152) monitors the digital signal estimate. The AGC controller (152) adjusts the gain of the at least one analog amplifier (120, 124 and 128). An RF receiver and an integrated circuit utilizing the novel features are also disclosed.
US07760812B2 HARQ method and system
Embodiments of the present invention include one HARQ method and system in which the data is transmitted/received with N transmit antennas and M receive antennas, wherein each transmit antenna transmits data by using L subcarriers, M and N are natural numbers and L is the multiple of 2. The method comprises: converting the transmission data into N data streams, then converting each data stream into L substreams, allocating NL subcarriers to the NL substreams according to the same subcarrier allocation table prestored in the transmitter and the receiver, and transmitting the NL substreams by the transmit antennas; recovering the received data to the original N data streams according to the subcarrier allocation table prestored in the receiver and checking if each data stream is received correctly and feeding back the feedback information to the transmitter; and the transmitter transmitting new data or re-transmitting data according to the feedback information.
US07760809B2 Deblocking filter apparatus and methods using sub-macro-block-shifting register arrays
A register array of a deblocking filter includes a first register configured to store an amount of image data corresponding to a sub-macro block of a macro block to be filtered, a second register configured to store an amount of image data corresponding to a portion of a sub-macro block adjacent a first edge of the macro block to be filtered, and a third register configured to store an amount of image data corresponding to an entire sub-macro block adjacent a second edge of the macro block to be filtered. The first, second and third registers are further configured to support sequential horizontal and vertical component filtering of portions of sub-macro blocks of the macro block to be filtered by sequentially shifting portions of the sub-macro blocks through the first, second and third registers.
US07760801B2 Transmission of video
Compressed recorded video is to be transmitted over a variable bit-rate link, using bandwidth reservation. In order to determining the transmission rate that is to be used (and reserved) at any given time, in such a way as to make the two match so as to minimize wasted bandwidth, the data stream is split into chunks chosen such that the average bit rate for the chunk as a whole is no less that the average bit rate for any shorter chunk starting at the same point. The chunk can then be transmitted using this average rate without any buffering problems. Preferably one chooses chunks so that the average bit rate for the chunk is no less than that for any shorter or longer chunk starting at the same point. This has the benefit that a request for bandwidth never has to ask for an allocation that is higher than that specified in any previous such request. In systems that switch between streams of different degrees compression. the switching points can with advantage be chosen to coincide with the inter-chunk boundaries.
US07760800B2 Apparatus and method for estimating carrier-to-interference and noise ratio in a broadband wireless communication system
An apparatus and method for estimating the CINR of an uplink channel in a broadband wireless communication system are provided, in which tiles being subcarrier sets are separated from a feedback signal received on the uplink channel. All symbols included in the tiles of the feedback signal are correlated with each of codewords, the absolute values of the correlations are squared for the each codeword and summed, a codeword with a maximum sum from among the codewords is selected. Received power level and noise power level are calculated using all the symbols included in the tiles of the feedback signal correlated with the codeword with the maximum sum, and the CINR of the uplink channel is estimated using the received power and the noise power levels.
US07760798B2 System and method for adjusting compensation applied to a signal
In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for adjusting a signal includes applying compensation for distortion to a signal to generate an output signal. The method also includes, using a clock signal, sampling the output signal to generate a plurality of data values and boundary values, each value comprising either a high value or a low value based on the sampling of the output signal. The method further includes detecting a transition in value between two successive data values and determining a sampled boundary value between the two successive data values. The method also includes, based only on the high or low values of the boundary value and one or more data values before or after the boundary value, adjusting the compensation applied to the signal.
US07760787B2 Surface emitting laser device and production method
A surface emitting laser device is disclosed that is able to selectively add a sufficiently large loss to a high order transverse mode so as to efficiently suppress a high order transverse mode oscillation and to oscillate at high output in a single fundamental transverse mode. The surface emitting laser device includes a first resonance region that includes an active layer and spacer layers, two distributed Bragg reflectors that sandwich the resonance region, and a current confinement structure that defines a current injection region for the active layer. At least one of the distributed Bragg reflectors includes a second resonance region arranged in the current injection region excluding a predetermined region surrounding a center of the current injection region.
US07760782B2 Distributed bragg reflector type directly modulated laser and distributed feed back type directly modulated laser
The invention aims at realizing a 1300-nm-band direct modulation laser, having a single lateral mode, in which a chip light power of several milliwatts and a low current operation are simultaneously realized. Also, the invention aims at realizing a laser light source excellent in economy as well by realizing output characteristics of a vertical cavity surface light emitting laser. A distributed Bragg reflector laser is constructed in the form of a semiconductor laser having a multilayer structure formed on a predetermined semiconductor substrate. The multilayer structure includes an active region for emitting a laser beam, and a distributed Bragg reflector layer. A length of the active region falls within the range of 10 to 100 μm, and a laser light beam is generated in accordance with ON/OFF of current injection to the active region.
US07760774B2 Intracavity frequency conversion of laser radiation
A laser device with frequency conversion, the device comprising a complex optical cavity comprising two cavity parts with two different levels of circulating intracavity power wherein there is placed at least one non-linear crystal (30) is placed within the cavity part of higher circulating power and an active medium (21) in the cavity part of lower circulating power, the power enhancement achieved in two steps and the total enhancement being the product of the enhancement factors in each step, providing additional freedom in design allowing both the condition for high enhancement of the interacting laser power inside the intracavity non-linear crystal and the condition for maximum power output from the laser to be satisfied simultaneously and wherein said complex optical cavity the first cavity part provides the initial step of power enhancement and comprises at least a laser cavity back mirror (20), highly reflective about a laser radiation fundamental frequency ω, and an active (gain) medium.
US07760772B2 Cavity-dumped pulsed solid-state laser with variable pulse-duration
In a cavity-dumped, repetitively-pulsed, solid-state laser cavity dumping is protracted over a predetermined time longer than a round-trip time of the resonator of the laser. The cavity dumping is effected by a Pockels cell optical switch. During a dumping period a voltage applied to the Pockels cell falls in a predetermined time. Varying the voltage fall-time varies the duration of pulses provided by the laser, independent of the pulse-repetition frequency.
US07760771B2 Optical fiber gain medium with modal discrimination of amplification
An active multimode optical fiber consisting of a first core section (11), a thin barrier layer (12) material having a thickness (d2) and a lower refractive index than that of the first core section by an index difference (Δn), a second core section (13) having a refractive index equal or higher than that of the first core section, and a cladding (14) having an index lower than that of the first core section. Said index difference and said thickness are selected so that a fundamental core mode couples less strongly with said cladding modes than higher order core modes. A scheme of changing the symmetry of the fiber for reduced sensitivity of the fundamental mode of the first core section to resonance effects.
US07760754B2 Priority access for real-time traffic in contention-based networks
A contention-based network which allows real-time traffic to exist as multiple independent linked-list chains or under certain conditions to be assembled into multiple linked-list chains. A time separation is enforced between the various multiple chains, which are limited to a predetermined maximum number of stations that each can have in order to allow non-real-time stations to obtain timely access to the medium. Ones of the multiple chains may also be joined into a single chain. Blackburst contention is used to enable a chain to be reconstituted robustly from non-anticipated interruptions, such as the failure of one of its stations.
US07760751B2 System for supporting consecutive and distributed subcarrier channels in OFDMA networks
A system and method of downlink resource allocation to both Distributed Resource Channel (DRCH) and Localized Resource Channel (LRCH) users in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) network. A utility function is provided for each LRCH and DRCH user, wherein the utility function is concave and non-decreasing; a resource allocation objective is provided using the utility function of each LRCH and DRCH user; and resources are allocated to the LRCH and DRCH users such that the resource allocation objective is met.
US07760749B2 Apparatus and method for deskewing 1000 BASE-T Ethernet physical layer signals
The invention provides an Ethernet physical layer (PHY) receiver. Ethernet PHY signals are simultaneously transmitted through first, second, third, and fourth duplex channels. The Ethernet physical layer receiver comprises a deskew first-in first-out (FIFO) module and a deskew control module. The deskew FIFO module includes four deskew FIFO buffers for respectively holding the Ethernet PHY signals of the duplex channels, wherein the Ethernet PHY signals of the duplex channels are respectively retrieved from the deskew FIFO buffers for further processing through read points of the deskew FIFO buffers. The deskew control module derives a scrambler seed signal from an idle period data of the Ethernet PHY signals transmitted through a first one of the duplex channels, determines expected values of the idle period data of the Ethernet PHY signals of the second one and the third one according to the scrambler seed signal of the first one, and compares the expected values with the true idle period data of the second one and the third one to determine location adjustments of the read points of the FIFO buffers of the second one and the third one. The read points of the deskew FIFO buffers of the second one and the third one in the deskew FIFO module are then changed according to the location adjustments until the Ethernet PHY signals of the duplex channels read from the deskew FIFO buffers through the read points are successfully deskewed.
US07760741B2 Network acceleration architecture
A network acceleration architecture for use with TCP, iSCSI and/or RDMA over TCP, including a hardware acceleration engine adapted for communication with and processing data from a consumer application in a system that supports TCP, iSCSI and RDMA over TCP, a software protocol processor adapted for carrying out TCP implementation, and an asynchronous dual-queue interface for exchanging information between the hardware acceleration engine and the software protocol processor, wherein the hardware acceleration engine and the software protocol processor are adapted to operate asynchronously and independently of one another.
US07760731B2 Host unit in a passive optical network
A communication device capable of restraining the packet transmission efficiency from lowering. An address storing unit extracts, from uplink packets, the addresses of terminals connected to sub-units and registers the addresses in an address management table. An address extracting unit extracts the address of a destination terminal included in a downlink packet output from a layer 2 switch, and an address determining unit determines whether or not the address of the destination terminal is registered in the address management table. In accordance with the result of the determination, a packet output unit outputs the downlink packet to a corresponding coupler.
US07760730B2 Rule set verification
A flow manager may receive prioritized packet flow rules from one or more network services where each rule may include a packet filter and prioritized actions. Each action of a packet flow rule may be either terminating or non-terminating. A flow manager may generate a unified rule set according to the received packet flow rules and may additionally validate the unified rule set to identity errors. When validating the unified rule set, a flow manager may compare the unified rule set against one or more defined policies. Alternatively, a flow manager may apply the unified rule set to either captured or manually specified simulated network packets. A flow manager may also identity extraneous rules or actions. Further, a flow manager may present the unified rule set for manual verification and may receive input identifying errors and specifying modification to correct the errors.
US07760725B1 Reduced pin gigabit media independent interface
A medium access control (MAC) device includes M transmit pins that receive first transmit data signals, first transmit enable signals, and first transmit error signals from a host. N transmit pins output the first transmit data signals and the first transmit control signals to a physical layer (PHY) device. M and N are integers greater than two and M is greater than N. A first encoder encodes the first transmit enable signals and the first transmit error signals received on at least two of the M transmit pins to generate the first transmit control signals output on one of the N transmit pins.
US07760724B2 Method for stamping any ethernet frames in conjunction with standard ethernet
There is provided a method and apparatus for stamping any Ethernet frames. Any Ethernet frame is provided with a time stamp, it being possible to use standard Ethernet controllers defined according to IEEE 802.X. This is achieved by the method in such a way that the stamp is applied between an Ethernet controller operated in RAW mode and a “Physical Layer” to an area of the Media Access Control (MAC) destination address, while the original MAC destination address is advantageously encoded in the remaining area.
US07760723B1 Relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel
This document describes tools useful in relaying a data stream from a data device to a network tunnel. These tools may utilize an encapsulation scheme to convert data packets from a user format to a tunnel format required by a network tunnel. Similarly, the tools may utilize a de-encapsulation scheme to convert data packets from the tunnel format to the user format required by the user. The tools may also forward the data packets from a user network to the network tunnel and vice versa, through a conventional switch module. In some embodiments, the tools do so by modifying the data packets to add a provisional identifier recognized by the switch module to map a particular data stream into a particular network tunnel.
US07760706B2 Methods and systems for message transfer part (MTP) load sharing using MTP load sharing groups
Methods and systems for load sharing signaling messages at the MTP level are disclosed. When a signaling message is received, it is determined whether the signaling message includes a routing indication indicating route-on-point-code-subsystem-number. If the routing indicator indicates route-on-point-code-subsystem-number, it is determined whether the signaling message belongs to an MTP level 3 load sharing group. If the signaling message belongs to an MTP level 3 load sharing group, the signaling message may be routed to any of the point codes in the MTP level 3 load sharing group. Routing the signaling message to a point code in the MTP level 3 load sharing group may include replacing the destination point code in the signaling message with the destination point code of the node to which the signaling message is to be routed. Once the point code has been replaced, the signaling message is routed to the destination associated with the point code.
US07760698B2 Shared channel structure, ARQ systems and methods
A forward link design is provided employing CDMA (code division multiple access) technologies in which time division multiplexing is employed between data and control information on the forward link to service multiple users per slot. Another forward link design employing CDMA (code division multiple access) technologies is provided in which code division multiplexing between data and control information is employed on the forward link to service multiple users per slot, which is preferably backwards compatible with legacy standards such as IS2000A. A reverse link design is also provided.
US07760697B1 Fast and long range node discovery in spread spectrum networks
A first node seeking entry into a secure spread spectrum communications network sends a discovery burst at a low rate, and sends traffic bursts at a higher rate to exchange data rate for range. A receiving node receives discovery bursts via an omni-directional link and transmits and receives traffic bursts via directional links. As a node within the network detects a fading signal, it transmits a discovery burst at low rate on both its uplink and downlink channels. Other nodes may reply via the original uplink channel, and the fading node updates a list of candidate nodes through which it can relay through the network to its intended recipient by reversing the link direction of its original uplink and original downlink channels.
US07760692B2 Performance optimization for wireless networks with mixed modulation types
Significant improvements in throughput of networks employing disparate physical layer standards are provided. Different physical layer standards are segregated into different frequency channels. In one implementation, 802.11b traffic and 802.11g traffic are segregated into different frequency channels. A network management tool allows the user to specify channels to either, e.g., 802.11b-only, 802.11g-only, 802.11b preferred and 802.11g discouraged, or 802.11g preferred and 802.11b discouraged. Access points are given the capability of preventing or discouraging client traffic of either given type.
US07760689B2 Method and apparatus for generating link quality indicator information in MB-OFDM UWB system
It is possible to intuitively determine whether to control transmission power of a current data transmission rate mode or to change the data transmission rate mode by extracting an automatic gain controller (AGC) index after driving algorithm of an AGC, recognizing a channel clear assessment (CCA) status by using the extracted AGC index, and generating link quality indicator (LQI) information to be transmitted from a physical layer to a media access control (MAC) layer by using the AGC index, when the CCA status is high, in order to embody effective piconets in a multi-band orthogonal frequency division multiplexing ultra-wide band system (MB-OFDM UWB system) including a receiver having a dynamic gain controller(DGC) and the AGC.
US07760687B2 Method for retransmitting data in the multi-carrier system
A method for modifying a synchronous non-adaptive retransmission scheme to solve the limitation of the synchronous non-adaptive retransmission scheme is disclosed. A method for indicating not only the new data transmission but also the retransmission using a data scheduling message is disclosed. A method for determining whether there is an error in the ACK signal transmitted from a data reception end using another message to -be received later is disclosed. The retransmission method for a multi-carrier system includes: receiving a grant message including scheduling information for transmitting uplink data wherein a retransmission scheme for the uplink data is predetermined by a first retransmission scheduling, transmitting the uplink data according to the scheduling information and retransmitting the uplink data according to second retransmission scheduling by receiving the second retransmission scheduling information associated with the uplink data with retransmission request.
US07760682B2 Base station, control station and radio communication control method
To provide a base station, a control station, and a radio communication control method which can prevent occurrence of breakage of data sending toward a mobile station or data loss at a cell change. An inflow amount controlling function 4021 of a source base station 40a controls the amount of inflow data from a control station 50 to the source base station 40a by sending an inflow amount control signal indicating “inflow amount zero” to the control station 50 at a timing earlier than a cell change timing Tc by a cell change waiting time tw.
US07760680B2 Prioritized communication between base station and mobile unit
In packet communications between a mobile terminal and a base station, the mobile terminal checks a priority level of a traffic and judges a type of the traffic, and transmits a reservation signal for a transmission request to the base station when the type of the traffic is a high priority level or realtime type, and does not transmits it when the type of the traffic is a low priority level or non-realtime type, while the base station determines a resource amount to be reserved for packet transmission according to a resource utilization state and the reservation signal for the traffic of the high priority level or realtime type, or an average transmission interval or transmission rate for the traffic of the low priority level or non-realtime type according to margins in remaining resources, and notifies the resource amount or the average transmission interval or transmission rate to the mobile terminal.
US07760677B2 Method of addressing messages and communications system
In one among many embodiments, the invention provides a system including an interrogator communicating to a selected one or more of a number of communications devices. A plurality of communications devices select random values independently of random values selected by other devices. The interrogator transmits a first signal requesting devices within a specified group of devices to respond, the specified group being less than or equal to all of the devices within a field of the interrogator. Devices receiving the first signal respectively determine if the respective device falls within the specified group and, if so, send a reply including a respective random value to the interrogator within a randomly selected time slot of a number of slots; and, if not, do not send a reply. The interrogator determines if a collision occurred between devices that sent a reply. The interrogator also creates a new, different specified group.
US07760673B2 Selectively adaptable far-end echo cancellation in a packet voice system
A packet voice transceiver adapted to reside at a first end of a communication network and to send an ingress communication signal comprising voice packets to, and receive an egress communication signal comprising voice packets from, a second packet voice transceiver residing at a second end of the communication network. The packet voice transceiver includes a far-end echo canceller that reduces echo that is present in the egress communication signal. The far-end communicates with other functional components of the transceiver system and cancels echo or refrains from canceling echo based on the activity of the other functional components.
US07760670B2 Communication apparatus
A communication system transmits data in a control system for an underwater fluid well. A communications link is located between first and second facilities of the well. A data transmitter for transmitting data from one of the facilities to the other via the communications link has both a relatively high speed modem and a relatively low speed modem.
US07760666B2 Method of generating and managing connection identifiers for supporting multicast for each group in IPv6-based wireless network and network interface using the method
Provided is a method of generating and managing a connection identifier (CID) for supporting an IPv6 multicast in a wireless network based on IEEE 802.16 and a network interface using the method. Further provided is a network interface included in a node of IPv6-based wireless network, the network interface includes a MAC driver for storing at least one multicast CID and a MAC address of the node which is mapped in the at least one multicast CID, and a control unit for receiving a multicast message which is transmitted from a base station, and transferring the multicast message to an IP layer, when the multicast message includes the multicast CID which is stored in the MAC driver.
US07760665B2 Selective node tracking
A list of nodes is segmented into one or more segments, each segment having a node limit and a segment criteria, attributes associated with a first node are identified, a determination is made whether to add the first node to a particular segment of the node list based on the node limit and the attributes of the first node, nodes are ranked nodes in the particular segment, and a determination is made whether to remove a candidate node from the particular segment based on the node limit.
US07760662B2 Data transfer system and method
A transmission source bridge collects packets sent from nodes connected to a serial bus in accordance the IEEE1394 Standards, into one packet in an order they are to be transmitted and then sends them onto an ATM network, so that a transmission destination bridge receives this packet and divides it into a plurality of smaller packets and transfers them, in the order they were sent, to nodes connected to the serial bus in accordance with the IEEE1394 Standards.
US07760658B2 Automated installation of network service in a telecommunications network
A communication line is installed in a network by automating a design phase and a configuration phase for the service and by automating failure recovery in either of the phases. In the design phase, an optimal route for the communication line is found, and the network components are provisioned and assigned. If the assigned network components are not available or can not be validated, the components causing the failure are marked, and the design phase is retried without the marked components. After the design phase, the configuration phase begins. The circuit design is tested against actual network components. If the test is passed, the actual network is configured according to the circuit design and the circuit is activated. If there is a network component failure during the configuration phase, the good route elements in the design are released while the failed network components are marked. The design phase is retried.
US07760655B2 Method and device for transfer of data over a data connection from a sender to a receiver by means of packets
In a method and device for transfer of data over a data connection from a transmitter to a receiver by means of packets, repetition packets with respect to predetermined packets are transmitted given free transfer capacity The packets and their corresponding repetition packets comprise an identifier by use of which the receiver can identify the packets. Given a faulty transfer of a packet, the receiver can identify this quickly via the provision of the repetition packets and can introduce corresponding countermeasures This method is in particular provided for serial high-capacity data connections in which a faulty transfer of individual packets cannot be precluded in principle.
US07760649B2 Opportunistic wireless mesh network methods
The invention relates to opportunistic wireless mesh networks which operate under random networking conditions. Such random network conditions typically limit the effectiveness of prior art wireless mesh networks, and more particularly to those supporting low power devices within the wireless network. Random network conditions include: random power supply, random node distribution, random node mobility, high mobility of nodes, random wireless link fluctuations, and random application traffic. The opportunistic wireless mesh network utilizes a two-layer architecture Embedded Wireless Interconnect (EWI) framework, which is adopted as the architecture reference model. A mesh network according to the invention supports opportunistically determining both mesh interconnections and network transmission routes by providing nodes with broadcast modules and unicast modules. The methods provide novel low power opportunistic wireless mesh networks that support interconnection with existing network infrastructures such as Open System Interconnect (OSI) based wired or wireless networks. Network embodiments provide protocol translation at network borders to allow micro- and macro-mobility management for wireless devices and their associated users. Additionally embodiments of the opportunistic wireless mesh networks address reduction in power consumption.
US07760641B2 Distributed traffic shaping across a cluster
A network is provided herein comprising a plurality of network resources, and at least one network cluster having a plurality of cluster members. Each member of the cluster may be configured for utilizing one or more of the network resources and for tracking usage thereof. For example, each member of the cluster may include one or more token buckets for tracking that member's usage of the network resources. At least one member of the cluster (i.e., a “reservation coordinator”) may include a first set of computer-executable instructions for receiving network traffic destined for a particular network resource at a first rate (i.e., a maximum average sustained rate). In addition, the reservation coordinator may include a second set of computer-executable instructions for distributing the first rate among at least a subset of the cluster members. In some cases, each member of the cluster may include a third set of computer-executable instructions for changing how the first rate is distributed among members of the subset. For example, the third set of computer-executable instructions may include instructions for attempting to reserve a substantially larger or smaller portion of the first rate.
US07760634B2 Radio communication system and method having a radio link control layer
Disclosed are a radio link control (RLC) entity and a data processing method for the RLC entity. The RLC entity includes a transmission data storing module that stores PDUs corresponding to SDUs transmitted from a first upper layer and outputs the stored PDUs by SDU units, a ciphering module that ciphers the PDUs stored in the transmission data storing module and transmitting the ciphered PDUs to a first RLC entity, a deciphering module that deciphers the ciphered PDUs transmitted from a second RLC entity, and a received data storing module that stores the deciphered PDUs and outputs the PDUs toward a second upper layer in the form of SDU units.
US07760614B2 Optical article having an electrically responsive layer as an anti-theft feature and a system and method for inhibiting theft
An optical article comprising at least one data side and configured for transformation from a pre-activated state of functionality to an activated state of functionality is provided. The optical article includes an optical data layer for storing data. Furthermore, the optical article includes an electrically responsive layer having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the electrically responsive layer is characterized by an optical absorbance in the range of about 200 nm to about 800 nm. The electrically responsive layer being configured to transform from a first optical state to a second optical state upon exposure to an external stimulus, and being capable of irreversibly transforming the optical article from the pre-activated state of functionality to the activated state of functionality. The electrically responsive layer includes a binder polymeric material, an electrically responsive material, and an electrolyte. Also provided is a method of changing the functionality of the optical article, and an activation system for transforming the optical article from the pre-activated state of functionality to the activated state of functionality.
US07760610B2 Recording medium including first and second areas, the second area including a written multiply block, and recording and reproducing methods and apparatus thereof
A recording medium for recording information, a recording apparatus and a recording method, and a reproduction apparatus and a reproduction method. The recording medium includes: a first area for recording contents data of the recording medium by a predetermined code; a second area other than the first area; wherein the second area includes a block with added 16-byte parity into medium ID information, wherein the block is written multiply.
US07760606B2 Recording apparatus and recording method, and computer program
A recording apparatus for recording record data onto a recording medium on which a plurality of recording layers are formed in a thickness direction, is provided with: a recording device for recording the record data into each of the plurality of recording layers by emitting each of a plurality of recording light beams to be focused on a corresponding one of the plurality of recording layers; a calculating device for calculating a leaked beam feature of another recording light beam, which is emitted to be focused on another recording layer other than one recording layer of the plurality of recording layers, leaking to the one recording layer; and an adjusting device for adjusting an emission condition of at least one of the plurality of recording light beams, on the basis of the calculated leaked beam feature.
US07760600B2 Method for testing a burner and a rewriter disk
A method for testing a burner includes the steps of: providing a rewriter (RW) disk (4) in good burning condition, and inserting the RW disk into a test burner (3) connected to a computer (1); selecting a burner type for the burner; designating a source file to be burned, and setting a counter J=0, a loop time N and a maximum time of fail test M; erasing all data on the RW disk; burning the source file onto the RW disk; determining whether the source file is successfully burned to the RW disk; executing J=J+1 if the source file is successfully burned to the RW disk; repeating the erasing step, the burning step and the determining step, and counting a time of successfully burned process by the counter J, until J=N−M+1 which denotes that the burner is in good burning condition. A related method for testing a RW disk is also provided.
US07760592B2 Optical disk apparatus with an improved track jump performance
An optical disk device for recording or reproducing an optical disk has: an objective lens for irradiating a laser beam to the optical disk; an actuator for moving the objective lens in the radial direction of the optical disk; and a spindle motor for rotating the optical disk. After the laser beam irradiated to the optical disk passed through a PID portion of the optical disk, the actuator moves the objective lens in the radial direction of the optical disk at a timing corresponding to a rotational speed. Between signals to drive the actuator, an output time of a deceleration signal is set to a predetermined ratio of a time during which an acceleration signal is outputted. While the deceleration signal is outputted, a light spot passes through the PID portion.
US07760590B2 Data recording method, data recording apparatus, and data recording program
A data recording method is disclosed which includes the steps of: firstly recording audio data onto a temporary storage medium following retrieval of the audio data from an external storage medium in response to an audio data import request; detecting whether a leading frame of the audio data held on the temporary storage medium references a preceding frame; and secondly recording the audio data held on the temporary storage medium to a storage medium in accordance with an outcome of the detecting step.
US07760582B2 Apparatus for memory device wordline
A method and apparatus for improving the speed of a wordline in a memory device. A wordline structure includes a main wordline for selectively distributing a main wordline signal and a plurality of wordlines selectively coupled to the main wordline. Each of the plurality of wordlines is selectively coupled to a lower resistivity shared interconnection line by way of a selected one of a plurality of switching elements each commonly coupled on one end to the shared interconnection line and individually coupled on an opposing end to the plurality of wordlines. Each of the plurality of switching elements is selectively activated to couple one of the plurality of wordlines to the shared interconnection line when the main wordline signal is selectively coupled to one of the plurality of wordlines.
US07760573B2 Semiconductor memory device and stress testing method thereof
A semiconductor memory device includes a core chip having at least memory cells formed in the core chip, an interface chip having at least peripheral circuits of the memory cells formed in the interface chip, and an external terminal group. The external terminal group includes at least a core power supply terminal that is connected to an internal circuit of the core chip without being connected to an internal circuit of the interface chip, and an interface power supply terminal that is connected to an internal circuit of the interface chip without being connected to the internal circuit of the core chip. With this arrangement, mutually different operation voltages that are optimum for both chips can be given to these chips.
US07760569B2 Semiconductor memory device with temperature control
A memory device in a semiconductor substrate includes at least one temperature sensor to provide a temperature dependent signal and at least one circuit to dissipate heat in response to a control signal. A control circuit is coupled to the at least one circuit and is operable to generate the control signal in response to the temperature dependent signal.
US07760565B2 Wordline-to-bitline output timing ring oscillator circuit for evaluating storage array performance
A wordline-to-bitline timing ring oscillator circuit for evaluating storage cell access time provides data on internal bitline access timing, and in particular the total wordline select-to-bitline read output timing. Columns of a storage array are connected in a ring, forming a ring oscillator. The bitline read circuit output of each column is connected to a wordline select input of a next column, with a net inversion around the ring, so that a ring oscillator is formed. The period of oscillation of the ring oscillator is determined by the total wordline select-to-bitline read circuit output timing for a first phase and the pre-charge interval time for the other phase, with the bitline read timing dominating. The circuit may be applied both to small-signal storage arrays, with the sense amplifier timing included within the ring oscillator period, or to large-signal storage arrays, with the read evaluate circuit timing included.
US07760562B2 Address multiplexing in pseudo-dual port memory
A pseudo-dual port memory address multiplexing system includes a control circuit operative to identify a read request and a write request to be accomplished during a single clock cycle. A self time tracking circuit monitors a read operation and generates a switching signal when the read operation is determined to be complete. A multiplexer is responsive to the switching signal for selectively providing a read address and a write address to a memory address unit at the proper time.
US07760558B2 Voltage booster by isolation and delayed sequential discharge
Systems and methods for improving efficiency of a voltage booster for read mode operations of memory cells and discharging a boosted supply voltage safely are disclosed. The system contains a plurality of boosting stages coupled in series including a plurality of boosting capacitors, a plurality of isolators. The isolator can be used to prevent boosting of one capacitor from negatively affecting a charge of the other adjacent capacitor to improve the efficiency of the voltage booster. A voltage booster circuit can accurately boost a supply voltage with a suitable number of boosting stages depending on a level of the supply voltage being provided. Since boosters contain a suitable number of boosting stages, the boosters can discharge a boosted voltage sequentially. With this sequential discharge method, memory cells can not have a hot switching problem.
US07760556B2 Data path circuit in a flash memory device
A data output circuit in an NAND flash memory device is disclosed. The data path circuit in a flash memory includes at least one switching means configured to output one or more internal address signals in accordance with a data output control signal, and one or more data output circuit configured to output data when a specific internal address signal is outputted through the switching means.
US07760549B2 Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device
A memory device includes a control circuit which controls a semiconductor region, a first bit line, a second bit line and a source line. The control circuit is comprised of means for making the first bit line floating, after pre-charging the first bit line to a first potential, means for varying the first bit line from the first potential to a third potential by providing a second potential to the second bit line, the semiconductor region and the source line with the first bit line in the floating state, and means for reading data of the first cell transistor to the first bit line, after setting the first bit line to the third potential.
US07760548B2 Semiconductor memory having both volatile and non-volatile functionality and method of operating
Semiconductor memory having both volatile and non-volatile modes and methods of operation. A semiconductor memory cell includes a substrate having a first conductivity type; a first region embedded in the substrate at a first location of the substrate and having a second conductivity type; a second region embedded in the substrate at a second location the substrate and have the second conductivity type, such that at least a portion of the substrate having the first conductivity type is located between the first and second locations and functions as a floating body to store data in volatile memory; a floating gate or trapping layer positioned in between the first and second locations and above a surface of the substrate and insulated from the surface by an insulating layer; the floating gate or trapping layer being configured to receive transfer of data stored by the volatile memory and store the data as nonvolatile memory in the floating gate or trapping layer upon interruption of power to the memory cell; and a control gate positioned above the floating gate or trapping layer and a second insulating layer between the floating gate or trapping layer and the control gate.
US07760542B2 Spin-torque memory with unidirectional write scheme
Spin torque magnetic memory elements that have a pinned layer, two free layers, and a current-blocking insulating layer proximate to at least one of the free layers. The resistive state (e.g., low resistance or high resistance) of the memory elements is altered by passing electric current through the element in one direction. In other words, to change from a low resistance to a high resistance, the direction of electric current is the same as to change from a high resistance to a low resistance. The elements have a unidirectional write scheme.
US07760538B1 Non-volatile SRAM cell
A non-volatile static random access memory (“SRAM”) cell using variable resistance random access memory (“RAM”) cells is described. A memory tri-cell includes an SRAM cell with a first charge node and a second charge node. A first variable resistance random access memory cell is coupled between the first charge node and a supply voltage bus. A second variable resistance random access memory cell is coupled between the first charge node and a ground bus. A first control gate is coupled between the supply voltage bus and the first variable resistance random access memory cell. A second control gate is coupled between the ground bus and the second variable resistance random access memory cell.
US07760536B2 Non-volatile memory cell
A non-volatile memory cell and method for reading it are disclosed. In one embodiment, the non-volatile memory cell includes a fuse with a first terminal coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal, and a second terminal, a first transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the programmable fuse, a second current electrode, and a control electrode, and a second transistor having a first current electrode connected to the first power supply voltage terminal, a control electrode coupled to the control electrode of the first transistor, and a second current electrode coupled to the control electrode. By applying a read signal to the control electrode of the first transistor, the state of the cell (blown or unblown) is read.
US07760535B2 Sequence of current pulses for depinning magnetic domain walls
A method and structure for depinning a domain wall that is in spatial confinement by a pinning potential to within a local region of a magnetic device. At least one current pulse applied to the domain has a pulse length sufficiently close to a precession period of the domain wall motion and the current pulses are separated by a pulse interval sufficiently close to the precession period such that: the at least one current pulse causes a depinning of the domain wall such that the domain wall escapes the spatial confinement; and each current pulse has an amplitude less than the minimum amplitude of a direct current that would cause the depinning if the direct current were applied to the domain wall instead of the at least one current pulse. The pulse length and pulse interval may be in a range of 25% to 75% of the precession period.
US07760527B2 Device and method for controlling an electric power converter
The control device of an electric power converter comprises a control circuit controlling turn-on of power semi-conductor arms. The control circuit comprises a module for determining possible turn-offs of an arm, and a module for selecting turn-offs enabling double switching from among the possible turn-offs. Selection of turn-offs enabling an arm of said converter to be turned off according to the turn-offs enabling double switching in other arms. The electric converter comprises one such control device. The method comprises determination of turn-offs enabling double switching from among the possible turn-offs, and selection of turn-offs to turn an arm of said converter off according to the turn-offs enabling double switching.
US07760524B2 Method and apparatus to reduce the volume required for bulk capacitance in a power supply
A driver circuit included in a power supply having a rectifier coupled to a single phase AC input voltage is disclosed. An example driver circuit includes a drive signal generator to generate a drive signal to be coupled to a variable impedance element. A voltage sensor is coupled to the drive signal generator and is to be coupled to sense a voltage across a high voltage capacitance. The driver circuit is to be coupled to control the variable impedance element in response to the voltage sensor. A low voltage capacitance is allowed to receive current from the input if the sensed voltage is less than a second threshold value. The low voltage capacitance is prevented from receiving current from the input if the sensed voltage is greater than a first threshold value.
US07760519B2 Primary only control quasi resonant convertor
A power supply apparatus and method of regulating is provided. A converter circuit includes a primary switching element and an auxiliary switching element. The auxiliary switching element is for transferring a reflected voltage signal. A transformer includes a primary and a secondary, the primary is coupled with the converter circuit. The primary and secondary each include a single winding. An output rectifier circuit is coupled with the secondary of the transformer. A resonant circuit is included in the converter circuit and is coupled with the primary. The resonant circuit includes one or more resonance capacitors that are configured for providing a transformer resonance. The transformer resonance comprises the reflected voltage signal, the capacitance of the one or more resonance capacitors and a parasitic capacitance of the transformer. The reflected voltage signal is reflected from the secondary to the primary. A virtual output voltage feedback loop provides an output voltage reference signal to the converter circuit via the resonant circuit. The converter circuit is responsive to the output voltage reference signal in regulating an output voltage.
US07760514B2 Fastening support assembly
Embodiments of the present invention provide a fastening support assembly configured to securely connect a first panel above a second panel. The fastening support assembly includes a shaft having a cap at a first end and a distal tip at a second end. The shaft defines an internal chamber. The distal tip is configured to secure to the first panel. A pin is positioned within the internal chamber, wherein movement of the pin into the internal chamber radially expands the shaft. A portion of the shaft and the pin proximate the cap are configured to substantially fill a hole formed through the second panel when the second panel is secured to the fastening support assembly.
US07760508B2 Thermal management device for multiple heat producing devices
A thermal management device for a circuit substrate having at least a first heat generating component and at least a second heat generating component, the thermal management device includes a first thermal spreader and a second thermal spreader. The second thermal spreader is mountable to the circuit substrate to thermally couple with the second heat generating component. Additionally, the second thermal spreader is adapted to couple to the first thermal spreader to thermally couple the first thermal spreader to the first heat generating component when the second thermal spreader is mounted to the circuit substrate. The thermal management device also includes a bias device that is coupled to the first thermal spreader and the second thermal spreader and is adapted to maintain the thermal coupling between the first thermal spreader and the first heat generating component when the second thermal spreader is mounted to the circuit substrate.
US07760507B2 Thermally and electrically conductive interconnect structures
An interconnect structure for operable placement between a first body and a second body, wherein the interconnect structure includes a first surface for operable juxtaposition with the first body, a second surface for operable juxtaposition with the second body, and a thickness dimension defined between the first and second surfaces. The interconnect structure includes a first thermally conductive material and a second electrically conductive material, wherein the second electrically conductive material is formed in one or more distinct structures, with the structures forming at least one substantially continuous pathway of the second material through the thickness dimension. The interconnect structure exhibits a compressive modulus along a thickness axis of less than about 100 psi.
US07760505B2 Power semiconductor module
A power semiconductor module is disclosed, including a plate-type substrate fitted with at least one component, and a base plate provided for dissipating heat from the component via the substrate. In at least one embodiment, a supporting apparatus, which keeps the substrate in thermal contact with the base plate, has a central pressure bolt adjoined by a plurality of stamps which extend in different directions and are intended to contact-connect the substrate, the individual stamps being at non-uniform distances from the substrate in the mechanically unloaded state of the pressure bolt.
US07760500B2 Liquid cooling system
In some embodiments, a cooling device may be mounted to a portion of a chassis of an electronic system, wherein the cooling device may be releasably and pivotably attached to the chassis in at least an open position to permit access to components within the electronic system and a closed position to permit installation of a cover on the chassis. Other embodiments are disclosed and claimed.
US07760495B2 Mounting apparatus for data storage device
A mounting apparatus for a data storage device (50) includes a bracket (10) for receiving the data storage device therein, a sliding member (20) resiliently attached to the bracket via a spring (40), and a latch member (30) rotatably attached to the bracket for preventing disengagement of the sliding member from the bracket. The data storage device has at least a stud (54) protruding out of a sidewall thereof. The sliding member is movable between a first position in which the spring is at an original state and the sliding member locks the stud of the data storage device, and a second position in which the spring is at a depressed state and the sliding member unlocks the stud of the data storage device.
US07760489B2 Solid electrolytic capacitor and method of manufacturing the same
The solid electrolytic capacitor includes an anode body formed of a sintered body consisting of metal particles; a dielectric layer provided on the top surface of the anode body; and a conducting polymer layer provided on the top surface of the dielectric layer. The anode body includes a first anode portion and a second anode portion which is provided in a way that the second anode portion covers the first anode portion, and in that the particle diameter of metal particles for the second anode portion is smaller than that of metal particles for the first anode portion.
US07760488B2 Sintered anode pellet treated with a surfactant for use in an electrolytic capacitor
An electrolytic capacitor anode treated with a surfactant during anodic oxidation is provided. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that the surfactant may lower the surface tension of an electrolyte, which inhibits the clustering of grown oxides and allows the dielectric layer to become more homogeneous and uniformly spread over the anode body. The resulting dielectric layer may thus have a substantially homogeneous thickness, smooth surface, and improved leakage current stability.
US07760487B2 Doped ceramic powder for use in forming capacitor anodes
An electrolytic capacitor that includes an anode body formed from a powder comprising electrically conductive ceramic particles and a non-metallic element in an amount of about 100 parts per million or more is provided in one embodiment of the invention. The non-metallic element has a ground state electron configuration that includes five valence electrons at an energy level of three or more. Examples of such elements include, for instance, phosphorous, arsenic, antimony, and so forth. The capacitor also comprises a dielectric layer overlying the anode body and an electrolyte layer overlying the dielectric layer.
US07760486B2 Aluminum electrolytic capacitors utilizing fine fiber spacers
The present invention provides an aluminum electrolytic capacitor having a cathode, an anode and an improved spacer comprised of polymeric nanofibers. The nanofiber spacer offers low ionic resistance, desirable barrier properties and high electrolyte absorption. The use of the improved spacer results in devices having higher capacitance, lower ESR, less heat generation and improved capacitor manufacturing efficiency.
US07760483B2 Method and device of compound active and passive plasma for lightning protection
A lightning protection method and device with compound actively generated plasma and passively produced plasma provide lightning protection without the need for grounding of the protected object. The device has lightning rods with a plasma piping inside. The high density plasma generated by an active plasma generator is blown through the piping, spread out at the tips of the rods and compounded with the plasma passively produced by the corona discharge on the tips under the action of lightning cloud electric field. The compound plasma dissipates the electric charges, on the tips of the rods, inducted by the lightning cloud electric field, and neutralizes the electric charges of the lightning, preventing a thunderstruck to a protected object related to the rods.
US07760478B2 Control circuit with short-circuit protection for current sense terminal of power converters
A control circuit includes a detection circuit to detect the short-circuited of a current sense terminal of the power converter. It includes a comparator, a verification circuit and a timer circuit. The comparator receives an input signal for generating a sense signal. The input signal represents the switching current of a power switch. The sense signal is enabled when the input signal is lower than a threshold. The verification circuit generates a protection signal in response to the sense signal or/and -a delay signal. The protection signal is generated when the current sense terminal is short-circuited, in which the power switch and the sense signal are enabled after the time delay of the delay signal. The protection signal turns off the power switch for the protection.
US07760477B1 CDM performance of high speed CLK inputs
A conventional ESD protection circuit connects a diode and main clamp between a pad or node to be protected and ground. To preserve high speed operation while improving charge device model (CDM) performance, the invention also connects between pad and ground a small diode in series with a secondary clamp and a small isolation resistance. The isolation resistance is approximately 20 ohms. The secondary clamp can be as small as 30 nm wide. Parallel diodes on the main clamp can be replaced with an N+/p-substrate (native) diode 290 to further reduce capacitance.
US07760473B2 Magnetoresistance element employing Heusler alloy as magnetic layer
An advantage of the application is to provide a magnetoresistance element capable of increasing a plateau magnetic field Hp1 while maintaining high ΔRA. A magnetic layer 4c1 adjacent to a non-magnetic material layer 5 in a second fixed magnetic layer 4c constituting the fixed magnetic layer 4 is formed of a first Heusler-alloy layer represented by Co2x(Mn(1-z)Fez)xαy (where the element α is any one element of 3B group, 4B group, and 5B group, x and y all are in the unit of at %, 3x+y=100 at %). Additionally, the content y is in the range of 20 to 30 at % and a Fe ratio z in MnFe is in the range of 0.2 to 0.8. Accordingly, the plateau magnetic field Hp1 may increase while maintaining high ΔRA.
US07760472B2 Magnetic sensor and magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus
A magnetic sensor includes a magnetic oscillation element whose oscillation frequency changes depending on the magnitude of an external magnetic field, and an oscillation element provided in the vicinity of the magnetic oscillation element and oscillating at an oscillation frequency close to that of the magnetic oscillation element. The magnetic oscillation element includes a first fixed magnetization layer whose magnetization is fixed, a first magnetization oscillation layer, a first non-magnetic layer provided between the first fixed magnetization layer and the first magnetization oscillation layer, and a pair of electrodes for passing current perpendicularly to the film surfaces of the first fixed magnetization layer, the first magnetization oscillation layer, and the first non-magnetic layer. These two elements are used in combination with the passed current to acquire a high frequency oscillation signal generated from the magnetic oscillation element and the oscillation element.
US07760466B2 Thin film magnetic head with a metal lamination part having concave connection surface
A thin film magnetic head with a metal lamination part and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The thin film magnetic head including a metal lamination part in which an upper metal layer is laminated on a lower metal layer. The metal lamination part is formed in the laminated structure. An interlayer connection surface between the lower metal layer and the upper metal layer of the metal lamination part is formed in a concave shape that is curved toward the lower metal layer.
US07760458B1 Disk drive adjusting head bias during servo synchronization to compensate for over/under sensitivity
A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk including a plurality of servo sectors, a head actuated over the disk, the head for generating a read signal, and a gain control circuit for adjusting a gain of the read signal in response to a gain setting. A bias setting is initialized for the head, and the gain setting for the read signal is initialized. The read signal is processed to detect at least one of the servo sectors, and when at least one of the servo sectors is not detected, the gain setting is adjusted. The read signal is processed with the adjusted gain setting to detect at least one of the servo sectors, and when at least one of the servo sectors is not detected with the adjusted gain setting, the bias setting is adjusted in response to the adjusted gain setting.
US07760447B2 Optical member and method for manufacturing the same
A method, for producing an optical member, includes attaching a holding member, which is used integrally with a lens, to the lens so that the holding member is brought into contact with a periphery of the lens to hold the lens, and then forming an optical thin film on a surface of the lens by a spin coating to obtain the optical member.
US07760446B2 Method of fixing optical member and optical unit
A method of fixing an optical member for fixing the optical member to a supporting member, wherein an intermediate member that is fused upon irradiation light is disposed between the optical member and the supporting member. By irradiating the light that is transmitted through the optical member onto the intermediate member, the intermediate member is fused, and the optical member is fixed to the supporting member.
US07760442B2 Voice coil motor control device and method of driving the same, image pickup device
The present invention provides a control device capable of improving hysteresis characteristics of a voice coil motor (31) and attaining a suitable lens position without complicating the structure of the control device. As solving means of the invention, a voice coil motor control device (30) includes a driving current control part (34) that controls a driving current supplied to the voice coil motor (31) in accordance with a driving pulse subjected to pulse width modulation, and a driving pulse control part (32) that divides a drive period of the voice coil motor (31) into a movement period and a holding period, and controls the driving pulse by changing the duty ratio of the driving pulse during the movement period in accordance with a duty setting value and fixing the duty ratio of the driving pulse during the holding period to the duty setting value.
US07760439B2 Variable power optical system, imaging lens device and digital apparatus
There is provided a zoom optical system having lens elements produced with less difficulty i.e. with substantially the same skill level as the conventional arrangement, with sufficient miniaturization. The zoom optical system includes a first lens group having a negative optical power, and a second lens group having a positive optical power in the order from the object side, the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group being decreased in zooming from a wide angle end to a telephoto end. The first lens group is constituted of a negative lens element and a positive meniscus lens element. The second lens group is constituted of a biconvex positive lens element and a negative meniscus lens element. Assuming that D1 represents a thickness of the first lens group on the optical axis AX from a forwardmost lens surface to a rearmost lens surface, fw represents a composite focal length of the entirety of the optical system at the wide angle end, and f2 represents a composite focal length of the second lens group, the zoom optical system satisfies the following relation: 0.5
US07760438B1 Air-to-water de-anamorphoser and method of air-to-water de-anamorphosis
A full or partial air-to-water de-anamorphoser and method of air-to-water de-anamorphosis is provided. A housing has a planar transparent window in one end thereof adjacent to a defined air space. The housing is placed under the water's surface with an acute angle being formed between the window and the water's surface to thereby define a virtual prism whose center leads its apex. An optical prism having an apex and a center is positioned in the housing's air space and is spaced apart from the housing's window such that the prism's apex leads its center as measured along a line parallel to light exiting the prism. The light exiting the prism was originally incident on the water's surface, subsequently traveled through the water, and then was passed sequentially through the housing's window, the housing's air space and the prism.
US07760433B2 Laser irradiation apparatus
There are disposed two homogenizers for controlling an irradiation energy density in the longitudinal direction of a laser light transformed into a linear one which is inputtted into the surface to be irradiated. Also, there is disposed one homogenizer for controlling an irradiation energy density in a width direction of the linear laser light. According to this, the uniformity of laser annealing can be improved by the minimum number of homogenizers.
US07760429B2 Multiple mode display device
An apparatus including a selection device and a multiple mode display device is disclosed. The multiple mode display device has a lens sheet including a plurality of individual lenticules forming a lenticular surface, an electro-optical modulator positioned adjacent the lens sheet, and a display device comprising a display surface. Alternatively, a multiple mode display arrangement is disclosed, having a lens sheet including a plurality of individual lenticules forming a lenticular surface and a display device comprising a display surface. The display device is positioned behind the lens sheet, thereby enabling viewing images transmitted in at least a planar mode and a stereoscopic mode.
US07760425B2 Chromatically corrected catadioptric objective and projection exposure apparatus including the same
A catadioptric objective includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical axis to image a pattern from an object field in an object surface of the objective to an image field in an image surface region of the objective at an image-side numerical aperture NA with electromagnetic radiation from a wavelength band around a central wavelength λ. The optical elements include a concave mirror and a plurality of lenses. The projection objective forms an image of the pattern in a respective Petzval surface for each wavelength λ of a wavelength band, the Petzval surfaces deviating from each other for different wavelengths. In embodiments, a longitudinal departure p of the Petzval surface at a given wavelength from a planar reference surface at an edge field point of the image field (at maximum image height y′), measured parallel to the optical axis in the image surface region, varies with the wavelength λ according to dp/dλ<(0.2λ/NA2)/nm.
US07760423B2 Optical amplifier
The present invention relates to an optical amplifier with a structure for more effectively suppressing the over/undershoot in transient responses in high-speed AGC. This optical amplifier is an optical device for amplifying signal light inputted therein, and comprises a rare-earth-element-doped optical fiber, an optical coupler, a light-receiving section, a pumping light source, and a control section. In particular, as a typical structure of the optical amplifier, the rare-earth-element-doped optical fiber has a cutoff wavelength λc set longer than the pumping light wavelength λp but shorter than the signal light wavelength λs, and mainly allows a pumping light component in a fundamental mode to propagate therethrough. The pumping light and signal light are made incident on the first rare-earth-element-doped optical fiber such that only the pumping light component in the fundamental mode and a signal light component in the fundamental mode propagate through the first rare-earth-element-doped optical fiber in a state where the first rare-earth-element-doped optical fiber extends straight.
US07760412B2 Mechanically-active anti-reflection switch (MARS) modulator with wide angle tolerance
A modulator for modulating an optical signal is disclosed having a substrate, a support mounted to the substrate, and membrane attached to the support and defining an airgap between the substrate and the membrane. The membrane has at least three layers including a central layer having an index of refraction which is the square root of the index of refraction of the substrate. The thickness of the layers and the size of the airgap are optimized to maximize differential reflectivity of light incident on the membrane at a non-normal angle of incidence to the membrane when the membrane is either in an unbiased state or biased state. In one embodiment, the first, central, and third layers have corresponding thicknesses approximately equal to one-quarter, one-quarter, and on-half of a wavelength of the optical signal, respectively. In another embodiment, the thickness of the layers and the airgap are designed according to formulas such that the modulator can operate over wider angles of incidence up to about 55 degrees. In a third embodiment, the modulator can operate at an angle of incidence-up to about 85 degree with TE-only polarization of the incident light.
US07760406B2 Color conversion definition creating apparatus, color conversion definition program storage medium and color conversion definition creating method
The apparatus is provided with an area conversion section that creates two or more conversion areas by executing more than one type of adaptive conversion of approximating a gray area in a first color expression area to a gray area in a second color expression area while causing other areas to move following the gray area, and an intermediate area creating section that creates an intermediate area by combining a first conversion area which is closest to the chroma range of the first color expression area and a second conversion area closest to the brightness range of the second color expression area out of the plurality of conversion areas created by the area conversion section.
US07760405B2 Apparatus and method for integrating print preview with data modeling document editing
A computer readable storage medium includes executable instructions to supply, in an editor mode, a first set of data modeling objects in a document. A user request to enter a print preview mode is accepted. The print preview mode is entered while the editor mode remains active. The document is applied to a page layout with a set of pages. A set of pages to print are specified, where individual pages in the set of pages to print contain a subset of data modeling objects in the first set of data modeling objects.
US07760403B2 Optical irradiation apparatus, image reading apparatus using the same, and image forming apparatus using the same
A novel optical irradiation apparatus includes a light source and a light guide. The light source is configured to radially irradiate a light beam. The light guide is configured to include a transparent material configured to lead the light beam irradiated from the light source in a specific direction and to emit the light beam. The light guide also includes an incidence plane, an exit plane, and plural connecting planes. The incidence plane is configured to receive the light beam. The exit plane is configured to emit the light beam to so as to irradiate an object. The plural connecting planes are configured to connect the incidence plane to the exit plane. A part of at least one of the plural connecting planes is inclined with respect to an axis of the light beam.
US07760399B2 Method and system for encoding color images to black-and-white bitmaps and decoding color images
A method and system for encoding a color image into a monochrome halftoned image for printing, includes the use of a decoding mechanism to recover color information from the monochrome halftone image. A luminance channel associated with the color image can be utilized as the grayscale input to a half-toning process, while chrominance channels are utilized to determine displacements of the halftone dots. The color information can then be restored utilizing a template to measure the displacements of the halftone dots and hence the color information. Thus, the color information can be preserved without visual impact.
US07760397B2 Calibration sheet and method of calibrating a digital printer
A method of controlling a color printing apparatus takes into account variations in color quality across a sheet, perpendicular to the process direction. The apparatus outputs a print sheet forming a test print, the test print including at least one primary strip extending along a cross-process direction of the printer, and a set of test patches. The test print is read, the reading including measuring actual colors of each of a plurality of portions of the primary strip along the cross-process direction. An in-line spectrophotometer, with an array of photosensors extending across the sheet path, can be used to make measurements across the primary strip.
US07760394B2 Shading compensation circuit and control method thereof
A shading compensation circuit is provided which is capable of storing correction coefficients for shading compensation having optimal bit lengths, so that the data size of the correction coefficients can be reduced. The shading compensation circuit 10 for correcting the shading properties with respect to a horizontal direction and a vertical direction, has horizontal correction coefficient HHK and vertical correction coefficient VHK each having a bit length optimized according to a horizontal direction counter value HCT or a vertical direction counter value VCT. The horizontal and vertical correction coefficients HHK, VHK for the periphery of the image data are longer in bit length than the correction coefficients HHK, VHK for the center of the image data.
US07760392B2 Variation of synchronization gain based upon laser power
A synchronization system for an electrographic device comprises a laser driver that drives a laser source to emit a beam having an intensity that corresponds to a laser power control signal. The beam is swept across a light detector, which generates a detection signal based upon measured intensity, and a comparing device outputs a synchronization signal based upon a comparison of the detection signal with a control signal that corresponds to the laser power control signal. Alternatively, the detection signal may be compared with a reference signal where a programmable device scales at least one of the detection signal and the reference signal based upon the laser power control signal. The synchronization signal goes active in response to the laser beam in a sufficiently consistent manner regardless of the laser beam intensity by calibrating the sensitivity of the synchronization system based upon the control signal, which corresponds to the laser power control signal.
US07760390B2 Binary resolution conversion aparatus and method
A binary resolution conversion apparatus and method is provided. According to one exemplary embodiment, a binary resolution conversion method includes an image processing method comprising a data processing process comprising a first video data input process receiving a first video data group associated with one or more horizontal and vertical edges of an image, and one or more horizontal and vertical thin lines of the image; a second video data input process receiving a second video data group associated with one or more slanted edges and one or more slanted lines of the image, and one or more objects of the image; a tag data input process receiving tag data associated with image edge and image thin line detection data; and a first video data input providing the video data output to a first video data output if the tag data input indicates an image edge or image thin line, otherwise a second video data input providing the video data output.
US07760389B2 Image forming device having resolution compensation function and method thereof
An image forming device having a resolution compensation function comprises a storage for storing scaling information and resolution information with respect to printing data, a controller for setting a resolution of scaled printing data to a specific resolution based on the scaling information, and a print engine for forming an image of the received printing data according to the resolution set by the controller. The image forming device (such as a printer, a facsimile machine, or a copier) minimizes the degradation of the image quality when scaling an image to be printed or copied. Furthermore, the degradation of the scaled image quality is reduced when the image forming device is directly connected to a USB compatible storage medium or an image capturing device such as a digital camera, or a digital camcorder, and the image forming device receives and prints an image from the connected storage medium or the image capturing device. The present invention is especially suitable for a printer (which is an image forming device), and can be used with a photo printer which is used to print photographs or images. Alternatively, it can be connected to a network so that a plurality of host computers can share the image forming device.
US07760376B2 Printing method, printing system, print server, and computer readable recording medium on which printing program is recorded
A printing method for a printing system having a plurality of image forming devices and a plurality of data transfer devices, includes a judgment step of judging whether image deficiency will occur in printing data transferred from the first data transfer device to the plurality of image forming devices, and a control step of providing control for transferring the data from the second data transfer device to the image forming device when it is judged in the judgment step that image deficiency will occur.
US07760368B2 Method and system for measuring patterned structures
A method and system are presented for determining a line profile in a patterned structure, aimed at controlling a process of manufacture of the structure. The patterned structure comprises a plurality of different layers, the pattern in the structure being formed by patterned regions and un-patterned regions. At least first and second measurements are carried out, each utilizing illumination of the structure with a broad wavelengths band of incident light directed on the structure at a certain angle of incidence, detection of spectral characteristics of light returned from the structure, and generation of measured data representative thereof. The measured data obtained with the first measurement is analyzed, and at least one parameter of the structure is thereby determined. Then, this determined parameter is utilized, while analyzing the measured data obtained with the second measurements enabling the determination of the profile of the structure.
US07760362B1 Telescope interferometric maintenance evaluation tool
A system and method for testing telescope optics are disclosed. The telescope optics can be testing in-situ, thus more accurately revealing the as-used optical conditions. The optical conditions are input to a test system which, by objective analysis, reveals a condition of the optics and an indication of the need for corrective action. A test bench for testing optics and for validating the test system using modeled telescope optics is also disclosed.
US07760360B2 Monitoring a photolithographic process using a scatterometry target
A method is provided for monitoring a photolithographic process in which a substrate is patterned to form (i) a scatterometry target having a plurality of parallel elongated features, and desirably, (ii) other features each having at least one of a microelectronic function or a micro-electromechanical function. Desirably, each elongated feature of the scatterometry target has a length in a lengthwise direction and a plurality of stress-relief features disposed at a plurality of positions along the length of each elongated feature. A return signal is detected in response to illumination of the scatterometry target. The return signal can be used to determine a result of the photolithographic process.
US07760353B2 Spectral imaging of biofilms
A spectroscopic method and system to identify a biofilm of a microorganism. A sample containing a sample microorganism is irradiated with substantially monochromatic radiation. A Raman data set is obtained based on radiation scattered from the irradiated sample. A database is searched in accordance with the Raman data set in order to identify a known Raman data set from the database. The database contains a plurality of known Raman data sets where each known Raman data set is associated with a known sessile form of a corresponding known microorganism. A sessile form of the sample microorganism is identified based on the known Raman data set identified by the searching.
US07760330B2 Illumination optical system and exposure apparatus
An illumination optical system that is used for an exposure apparatus that includes a mirror and exposes an object, illuminates a surface to be illuminated using light from a light source, and includes a filter member arranged at a position that substantially has a Fourier transform relationship with the surface to be illuminated, the filter member including a transmittance distribution preset to correct a non-uniformity of a transmittance distribution of the illumination optical system caused by the mirror.
US07760329B2 Optimized optical lithography illumination source for use during the manufacture of a semiconductor device
A method and structure for optimizing an optical lithography illumination source may include a shaped diffractive optical element (DOE) interposed between the illuminator and a lens during the exposure of a photoresist layer over a semiconductor wafer. The DOE may, in some instances, increase depth of focus, improve the normalized image log-slope, and improve pattern fidelity. The DOE is customized for the particular pattern to be exposed. Description and depiction of a specific DOE for a specific pattern is provided. Additionally, a pupilgram having a particular pattern, and methods for providing a light output which forms the pupilgram, are disclosed.
US07760320B2 Liquid crystal display device including step-compensating pattern and fabricating method thereof
A liquid crystal display device includes first substrate having an active region and a non-active region along a peripheral portion of the active region, a second substrate facing and spaced apart from the first substrate, and having an active region and a non-active region along a peripheral portion of the active region, a seal pattern between the first and second substrates disposed along a border of the active and non-active regions, a gate line on an interior surface of the first substrate and crossing the seal pattern, a data line crossing the gate line and the seal pattern, a thin film transistor connected to the gate line and the data line, a pixel electrode connected to the thin film transistor, a common electrode on an interior surface of the second surface, a first step-compensating pattern adjacent to the seal pattern and the gate line, a second step-compensating pattern adjacent to the seal pattern and the data line, and a liquid crystal material layer between the pixel electrode and the common electrode.
US07760298B2 System for displaying images including a transflective liquid crystal display panel
A system for displaying images including a transflective liquid crystal display panel. The transflective liquid crystal display panel comprises a plurality of sub-pixels, each defined between two adjacent data lines and two adjacent scan lines. The sub-pixel comprises a transparent photoresistant layer on a color filter substrate, a reflective layer on an array substrate opposite and corresponding to the transparent photoresistant layer, a plurality of TFTs on the array substrate driving a plurality of sub-pixel areas sharing the reflective layer, and a liquid crystal layer between the color filter substrate and the array substrate.
US07760283B2 Display device using external light
A display device including: a main body through which external light is transmitted, the main body having a display panel on which an image is formed; and a cover slidably coupled to the main body, wherein external light is supplied to the main body when the cover is slid to expose the main body. Accordingly, the display device can display an image by selectively using external light such as sunlight or illumination light, or a backlight unit.
US07760281B2 Liquid crystal display device
To take measures against defects in the conduction by preventing shavings of the orientation film from getting into the terminal portion for liquid crystal display devices using an organic passivation film on a TFT substrate.Image signal lines 107 extend to a terminal portion. The image signal lines 107, excluding the terminal portion, are covered with an inorganic passivation film 108 and an organic passivation film 109. In the terminal portion, terminal portion through holes are created in the organic passivation film 109 and the inorganic passivation film 108, in order to make electrical connection possible. The terminal portion is covered with an ITO film 120 in order to protect the video signal lines 107. The taper angle θ in the organic passivation film 109 in the terminal portion through holes is 35 degrees or less, and the thickness of the organic passivation film 109 in the periphery of the terminal portion through holes is 300 nm to 600 nm, so that shavings of the orientation film can be prevented from getting into the terminal portion, and thus, defects in the conduction can be prevented.
US07760279B2 Display panel and method of forming thereof
A panel a gate line on a first substrate, a gate insulating layer covering the gate line, a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer, a data line intersecting the gate line and including a source electrode and a drain electrode facing the source electrode on the semiconductor layer, a connection assistant separated from the data line, a passivation layer covering the semiconductor layer and including contact holes exposing the connection assistant and a pixel electrode including a plurality of sub-pixel electrodes and formed on the passivation layer. The sub-pixel electrodes are connected to the connection assistant through the contact holes, are electrically connected to each other through the connection assistant and at least one of the sub-pixel electrodes is electrically connected to the drain electrode.
US07760276B2 Liquid crystal display device and fabricating method thereof
Disclosed is a thin film transistor substrate for a fringe filed switching type liquid crystal display device, and a fabrication method thereof, that reduces the number of required mask processes, and thus improves fabrication efficiency. The fabrication method involves three mask processes, wherein the masks are partial transmitting masks, and the resulting photo-resist patterns have varying thicknesses. By having photo-resist layers of varying thicknesses, structures can be formed in multiple etching steps using the same photo-resist pattern by incrementally removing the photo-resist according to its thickness. The thin film transistor substrate has a common line, a common electrode, a gate line and a gate electrode formed directly on the substrate. The common electrode overlaps the pixel electrode in the pixel area.
US07760257B2 Image capturing apparatus, control method and program thereof, and storage medium
This invention has as its object to reduce the number of pixels to be read from an image sensor in accordance with a required image size and to shorten the time required to capture an image upon capturing a still image in an image capturing apparatus. To this end, this apparatus has an image sensor which comprises a plurality of photoelectric conversion pixels arranged in a two-dimensional matrix in the vertical and horizontal directions, and a common output unit which is commonly provided to the plurality of photoelectric conversion pixels to sequentially output signals from the plurality of photoelectric conversion pixels; and a read drive unit which can switch a first read mode for dividing signals of photoelectric conversion pixels from the image sensor into m fields (m is a natural number not less than 3) by interlaced scan, and reading signals for the m fields, and a second read mode for reading signals for n fields (n is a natural number that meets 2≦n
US07760245B2 Imaging method and imaging apparatus
An imaging method and an imaging apparatus are provided in which information about white points determined is stored and operation is performed only between the stored white points.The imaging method includes the steps of: automatically or manually determining at least two white points (Steps S1-2, S1-3 and S1-4); storing the above described at least two white points determined (Steps S5, S8 and S13); and manually or automatically adjusting a white point with the range between the above described at least two white points stored as a white point adjustment range (Step S23).
US07760242B2 Information processing method and information processing apparatus
An information processing method includes steps of: acquiring arrangement information indicating the position or the position and orientation of an index arranged in a physical space; capturing an image in the physical space; detecting the index from the captured image; and calculating the position and/or orientation of a viewpoint of the captured image based on the arrangement information and the detected index.
US07760229B2 Reflected backdrop for communications systems
A video conferencing system has a two-way mirror, which is between the observer and the display device, positioned at an angle to reflect a backdrop surface. The backdrop surface, which is further away from the two-way mirror than the image plane of the image display device, appears superimposed in a position behind the image of a person from the remote location. A camera is located in the backdrop at a position along the line of sight of the transmitted image so that a perceived eye contact is achieved. A system is disclosed wherein telepresence systems that are compatible with a pre-defined standard are connected via a network connecting, either directly or via a telepresence operations center, to provide interaction with substantially life-sized images of the remote participant displayed with three-dimensional depth cues in the room setting.
US07760220B2 Drawing control method for producing label pattern
A drawing control method is used for producing a label pattern on a label side of an optical disc. The optical disc is first loaded into an optical disc drive with the label side facing to an optical pickup head of the optical disc drive. The optical pickup head is controlled to move along a seeking direction from a first track to a second track in a long seeking operation; and then controlled to move along another seeking direction opposite to the seeking direction from the second track to a preset track range between lower track and an upper track. The optical pickup head then draws a label pattern on the label side of the optical disc in the preset track range.
US07760214B2 Inserting transitions into a waveform that drives a display
In one embodiment, the present invention includes a method of driving a first display element with a first pixel waveform that is a function of a desired color for the first display element and a second waveform; and inserting an added transition into the first pixel waveform to maintain a bias between the first pixel waveform and the second waveform.
US07760211B2 System and method for light control
An exemplary system for light control is disclosed. The system includes a computer (1), a chip (3) which is connected with the computer via a level converting circuit (2), and a plurality of light luminance control circuits. Each light luminance control circuit controls a corresponding light circuit. A related method is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of: initializing parameters for a communication serial port of a computer and a chip; receiving light luminance information, and outputting the light luminance information to the chip; processing the received light luminance information, and sending a light luminance control signal to each light luminance control circuit; converting the received light luminance control signal; and controlling light of each light circuit.
US07760199B2 Source driver controlling slew rate
A source driver employed in a liquid crystal display device uses a slew-rate control signal to regulate a slew rate of its output buffers, which makes an output voltage selectively operable at a low slew rate. Such a source driver can reduce (if not prevent) distortion of a common voltage.
US07760192B2 Cadence controlled actuator
Signals in a proper cadence are recognized as meeting criteria. Such signals are received from a touch plate coupled to a touch circuit. A controller discriminates against spurious signals if such signals are outside an initial tolerance, that is, are faster or slower than a device operator would enter such signals. Providing the criteria for an initial tolerance and a match tolerance are met, the controller actuates a device, such as a light emitting diode.
US07760189B2 Touchpad diagonal scrolling
A method and system for providing diagonal scrolling on a touchpad of a device is disclosed. The method and system comprises determining if at least one finger is in contact with the touchpad, and entering a diagonal scroll mode if more than one finger is in contact with the touchpad. A system and method in accordance with the present invention allows the user to initiate a diagonal scroll at any location on a touchpad by using two fingers, thereby greatly enhancing the functions of the touchpad and allowing the user to manipulate computer programs from the touchpad much more efficiently and easily. The present invention supports diagonal scrolling on a touchpad and does not require a precise location for vertical or horizontal scrolling, since the entire touchpad area/surface can be used.
US07760186B2 Optical mouse that automatically adapts to glass surfaces and method of using the same
A pointing device and method for using the same are disclosed. The pointing device includes an illumination system, an imaging system, and a controller. The illumination system illuminates a portion of a surface over which the pointing device travels with coherent light. The imaging system includes a first window for receiving light from the illuminated portion of the surface and transmitting that light to a first imaging array such that a speckle pattern is generated on the first imaging array and a second window includes an imaging optical system for forming an image of part of the illuminated portion of the surface on a second imaging array. The controller selects either the first imaging array or the second imaging array and compares the output of the selected imaging array at first and second times to determine a displacement indicative of the direction and distance the pointing device moved.
US07760184B2 Dual mode input device
When the user depresses a freely rotating input device, it engages a spring-cantering mechanism and enables the user to move the pointer quickly with a velocity control pointing method. The spring-centering provides the user haptic feedback of the pointer speed. When the pointer is near the target, the user can switch rapidly to the more accurate position control pointing method of the freely rotating mode by letting the input device back to the up-position.
US07760180B2 Drive circuit, operation state detection circuit, and display device
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a drive circuit for driving a capacitive load. The drive circuit comprises an amplification circuit for amplifying an input signal and outputting the amplified signal to the capacitive load and an operation state detection circuit for detecting an operation state of output operation to the capacitive load in the amplification circuit. A variable resistor is connected between the amplification circuit and the capacitive load and changes the resistance value according to the detected operation state.
US07760178B2 Display driver
A liquid crystal display is provided with: a tap adjustment register for adjusting a gray scale level to a gray scale voltage in intermediate portions close to the end portions of the gamma characteristic; and a partial-voltage-ratio adjustment register for adjusting a ratio of a gray scale voltage among a plurality of gray scale levels in the intermediate portions close to the end portions of the gamma characteristic, in addition to an amplitude adjustment register for adjusting an amplitude of a gamma characteristic which determines a relation between gray scale levels and gray scale voltages or brightness levels on a display panel; a gradient adjustment register for adjusting a gradient of intermediate portions of the gamma characteristic while fixing end portions of the gamma characteristic; and a fine adjustment register for finely adjusting the intermediate portions of the gamma characteristic for each gray scale level.
US07760175B2 Multi-light driving device, LCD with multi-light driving device and method for driving LCD
A method for driving an LCD includes a first brightness adjusting step and a second brightness adjusting step. In the first brightness adjusting step, the relative brightness of a plurality of light-emitting units is adjusted, so that the screen of the LCD presents a dark zone. The dark zone is caused by the brightness distribution of the light-emitting units and includes a scan line being activated. In the second brightness adjusting step, the relative brightness of the light-emitting units is readjusted after a specific scan timing. Therefore, the dark zone is shifted such that another scan line, which is being activated, is located in the shifted dark zone. Furthermore, a multi-light driving device and an LCD with the multi-light driving device and driven by the method are disclosed.
US07760174B2 Apparatus and method for driving small-sized LCD device
An apparatus and method for driving a small-sized or low-powered liquid crystal display (LCD) device are provided to reduce the amount of energy consumed in driving the LCD device while displaying a high-quality moving image on a small-sized LCD panel without distortion such as tailing or blurriness, where the apparatus includes a compensation unit, a storage unit, an output unit, and a control unit.
US07760172B2 Method of driving a transistor, a driving element using the same, and a display panel and a display apparatus having the driving element
A method of driving a transistor, a driving element using the same, and a display panel and a display apparatus having the driving element are provided. The method for driving a transistor comprises: receiving a bias voltage at a first electrode of a driving transistor; outputting a first signal having a first polarity from a first electrode of a switching transistor to a capacitor and a control electrode of the driving transistor when a select line is activated for driving an organic display element; and outputting a second signal having a second polarity from the first electrode of the switching transistor to the capacitor and the control electrode of the driving transistor when the select line is activated for dissipating a charge in the driving transistor and for deactivating the organic display element.
US07760165B2 Control circuit for stacked OLED device
A plurality of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) control circuits, each circuit comprising three electrodes, a first electrode, a second electrode independently controlled from the first electrode, and a third electrode is connected in common with the third electrode from another OLED control circuit and independently controlled from the first and second electrode. Given a first and second OLED, the first electrode is connected to a first terminal of the first OLED, the second electrode is connected to a second terminal of the first OLED and to a first terminal of the second OLED, and the third electrode is connected to a second terminal of the second OLED. At least one bypass transistor, responsive to a bypass signal, connects the second electrode and third electrode.
US07760164B2 Organic light emitting diode display device and driving method thereof
An organic light emitting diode display device. A first capacitor is coupled between a gate of a first transistor and a first voltage source, and a second transistor is coupled between the gate of the first transistor and a second voltage source. A third transistor is coupled between the first voltage source and the gate of the first transistor, and a fourth transistor is coupled to a data line. A second capacitor stores the data voltage from the fourth transistor, and is for determining a gate-source voltage of the first transistor. The threshold voltage compensator compensates a threshold voltage of the third transistor together with the second capacitor, and the fifth transistor transmits a current of a drain of the first transistor to the organic light emitting diode. A photoelectric transformation element transmits a current corresponding to a light emitted by the organic light emitting diode to the second capacitor.
US07760161B2 Current generation supply circuit and display device
A current generation supply circuit which supplies drive currents corresponding to digital signals for a plurality of loads comprising a signal holding circuit which takes in and holds the digital signals, a current generation circuit which generates the drive currents having a ratio of current values corresponding to the values of the digital signals held in the signal holding circuit relative to the reference current supplied from a constant current source and supplied to the loads, and an operational state setting circuit which overlaps in terms of time and sets the operating state in the signal holding circuit and the current generation circuit in order to execute at least a take-in and hold operation of the digital signals in the signal holding circuit and a generation supply operation of the drive currents in the current generation circuit; as well as raises the operating speed of the current generation supply circuit.
US07760160B2 Plasma display apparatus and driving method thereof
Embodiments of the present invention may relate to a plasma display apparatus and a driving method thereof, to reduce the magnitude of noise. The driving method may include applying a ramp-down waveform decreasing to a first voltage to a plurality of scan electrodes, applying a ramp-up waveform increasing from the first voltage to a second voltage gradually with a gradient to the scan electrodes, and applying a scan pulse decreasing from the second voltage to a third voltage to the scan electrodes.
US07760157B2 Enhanced ZScreen modulator techniques
A method and system for use in conjunction with a push-pull liquid crystal modulator system for creating circularly polarized light of alternating handedness is provided. The method and system comprise a pair of surface mode liquid crystal cells and a driver electrically coupled to the cells. The driver is configured to move an electrical charge using a quenching pulse comprising a relatively brief voltage spike at a beginning of a waveform period. Multiple additional improvements are provided, including reducing the thickness of the LC gap (the distance between cell electrode plates), creating a charge connection or wiring connection to the cell electrodes, employing anti-reflection coating technology, thinner ITO and ITO index matched to the LC material, bonding all possible air to material surfaces, using superior glass, employing more efficient polarizers, and reducing projector blanking time.
US07760156B2 Transmitting apparatus, transmitting method, receiving apparatus, receiving method, transmitting and receiving apparatus, transmitting and receiving method, record medium, and signal
On the transmission side, a background picture and objects #1 to #3 are transmitted at a transmission rate R/4 each. On the reception side, a picture composed of the objects #1 to #3 and the background picture is displayed with a particular spatial resolution and a particular temporal resolution. Thus, on the reception side, when the object #1 is dragged at particular time t1, on the transmission side, the transmission of the background picture and the objects #2 and #3 is stopped. Only the object #1 is transmitted at the transmission rate R of the transmission path. Therefore, a picture of which the spatial resolution of the object #1 dragged is improved is displayed at the sacrifice of the temporal resolution of the picture.
US07760155B2 Integrated coupler
A non-directional coupler including a semiconductor junction in series with a capacitor, the semiconductor junction being formed so that the threshold frequency short of which it behaves as a rectifier is smaller than the coupler's operating frequency.
US07760154B2 Antenna apparatus
There is provided with an antenna apparatus, including: a finite ground plate; a plurality of conductor plates arranged along and on both sides of a first gap line or a second gap line that intersect with the first gap line; a plurality of first linear conductive elements configured to connect the finite ground plate with each of the conductor plates; and an antenna element configured to have second and third linear conductive elements arranged in the first gap line and a feeding point that is placed between adjacent ends of the second and third linear conductive elements for supplying electric power from the ends, wherein the feeding point is positioned in an intersection area of the first gap line and the second gap line.
US07760152B2 Antenna system and a method in connection with an antenna
The invention relates to an antenna system that includes transmitter component (1, 2, 3, 4), a reception component (4, 3, 10, 11, 12), and an antenna (5) connected to the transmitter and reception components. According to the invention, the antenna (5) is arranged to connect to different connection points (6, 7, 8) of the transmitter (1, 2, 3, 4) or the reception component (4, 3, 10, 11, 12). The invention is also related to a method in connection with the antenna.
US07760150B2 Antenna assembly and wireless unit employing it
An object of the invention is to provide an antenna apparatus whose directional characteristic can be switched 90 degrees conforming to the communication mode at the same time as the frequency band can be switched in response to the communication mode for application to a multiband radio for covering different communication modes such as voice communications and data communications, and a radio using the antenna apparatus.An antenna apparatus 1 of the invention includes linear radiator 2, 3; a first linear director 4; and first and second linear conductors 5 and 6 connected at one end to the radiator 2, 3and at an opposite end to the first director 4 through switches 7. The first and second conductors 5 and 6 are disposed symmetrically with respect to an orthogonal plane in the length direction of the radiator, and the radiator 2, 3, the first director 4, the first conductor 5, and the second conductor 6 are switched between a loop state in which they are connected like a loop and a separate state in which they are separate by switching the switches 7.
US07760138B2 GNSS receiver with enhanced accuracy using two signal carriers
A satellite positioning receiver is disclosed having at least one receive channel. Each receive channel is intended to perform a combined processing of a first S1 and a second S2 radiofrequency signals separated in frequency. The signals are received by analogue paths of the receive channel then digitized to be processed in digital receive paths. Each receive channel has a first (160) and a second (162) correlation circuits, respectively receiving the first and the second received digitized signals. Carrier and code phase discriminators are common to both correlation circuits. A local code generator is provided for each code correlation path. The local codes are offset by a positive differential delay correction +Δτcal for one of the correlation circuits and a negative differential delay correction −Δτcal for the other. These corrections tend to compensate for the relative delay difference between the two signals in the analogue paths of the receive channel. A phase differential correction device Δφcal tends to compensate for the phase differential deviation between the two signals occurring in the analogue paths of the receive channel.
US07760129B1 Simultaneous dual polarization radar system with optical communications link
A simultaneous dual polarization radar system is disclosed repositioning critical processing components below the elevation rotary coupler to avoid radar emission pulse train corruption due to waveguide phase error introductions and to fully capitalize on the simultaneous transmission of polarized signals. A fiber optic rotational coupler is introduced to allow an improved alternate data path for data transmission from the receivers to the signal processors and to allow for transmitting reflected signal returns from the receiver subsystem located above the elevation rotary coupler to the radar system processor located below the elevation rotary coupler.
US07760127B2 Flash ADC
An analog to digital converter (ADC) includes a resistance ladder including N resistances arranged in series. Connection nodes are arranged between adjacent ones of the N resistances and at each end of the resistance ladder. An input signal is received at a selected connection node of the connection nodes. N is an integer greater than one. A plurality of delay elements receive signals from corresponding ones of the connection nodes and apply predetermined delays to the signals to produce delayed signals. The predetermined delays are based on an electrical distance between the corresponding ones of the connection nodes and the selected connection node, respectively. A plurality of comparators include corresponding first input terminals that receive the delayed signals from respective ones of the plurality of delay elements.
US07760118B2 Multiplexing aware sigma-delta analag-to-digital converter
The present invention relates to an electronic device for analog-to-digital conversion including a sigma-delta modulator (SD), a digital filter (FIL) for digital post processing of the output signal of the sigma-delta modulator (SD), a multiplexer (MUX) for switching the input (INSD) of the sigma-delta modulator between a first input signal (IN1) and a second input signal (IN2), a memory (MEM) adapted to hold the register content of the digital filter relating to the first input signal while the second input signal (IN2) is processed in the digital filter, and a controller (CNTL) to retrieve the register contents from the memory (MEM) when processing of the first input signal (IN1) in the digital filter is resumed.
US07760117B1 Flip-flop and pipelined analog-to-digital converter utilizing the same
A flip-flop includes a sense amplifier stage and a latch stage. The sense amplifier includes a first P type transistor and generates a first sensed signal and a second sensed signal in a first node and a second node, respectively. When the first P type transistor is turned on, the first node is connected to the second node. The latch stage generates a first output signal and a second output signal according to the first and the second sensed signals.
US07760111B2 Vehicle exterior mirror assembly with blind spot indicator
An exterior rearview mirror system for a vehicle includes an exterior mirror assembly that is mountable at an exterior side of a vehicle and has an inboard portion that is viewable by a driver of the vehicle when the mirror assembly is mounted at the exterior side of the vehicle. A blind spot indicator is disposed at the inboard portion of the mirror casing of the mirror assembly. The blind spot indicator comprises an illumination source comprising at least one light emitting diode. The illumination source is disposed behind an at least partially light transmitting element, and light emitted by the illumination source passes through the at least partially light transmitting element for viewing by a driver of the vehicle.
US07760107B1 Method for programming a network of control points
A system and method for variably programming a plurality of utilitarian devices such as, but not limited to, LED light assemblies, motions detectors, etc. which may be associated with each of a plurality of control points. The control points are electrically interconnected to one another and to a power source to define a network, wherein an identifying code is assigned to each of the control points. One or more control facilities in the form of touch pads are cooperatively structured with a master control for programmed operations of separate predetermined numbers or arrays of said plurality of control points and the one or more utilitarian devices associated with each control point.
US07760106B2 Power cell monitoring
The invention relates to a signaling system for use in a system for monitoring and/or controlling a stack of power cells. The stack of power cells is series connected, i.e. the negative terminal of one power cell is connected to the positive electrode of the adjacent power cell. A monitoring device is associated with each power cell to monitor characteristics of the power cell (temperature, voltage). Every monitoring device is powered by the power cell it is associated. The monitoring device monitors the status of the cell (e.g. it measures the difference of potential between the positive terminal and the negative terminal of that cell but it may also measure the temperature of the power cell, the pH of the electrolyte if the power cell Ci is a battery, etc. and communicates information on the status of the cell to other monitoring devices. The monitoring devices are daisy chained. Data cannot be exchanged between a monitoring device from one cell and a monitoring device from another cell without that the data sent by the one device transits by the other devices in the chain.
US07760103B2 Multi-stage system for verification of container contents
A multi-stage process utilizing one or more radiation sensors on a distributed network for the detection and identification of radiation, explosives, and special materials within a shipping container. The sensors are configured as nodes on the network. The system collects radiation data from one or more nodes and compares the collected data to one or more stored spectral images representing one or more isotopes to identify one or more isotopes present. The identified one or more isotopes present are corresponded to possible materials or goods that they represent. The possible materials or goods are compared with the manifest relating to the container to confirm the identity of materials or goods contained in the container or to detect and/or identify unauthorized materials or goods in the container. For shielded materials, explosives and other types of material detection, a neutron pulse device could be incorporated into the system.
US07760099B2 Radio frequency verification system and device
The present invention provides a tracking device for communicating information regarding an object, the tracking device comprising a housing including a disk having a central axis and an outer circumference, and a plurality of arms attached to the outer circumference of the disk forming a cavity. The tracking device further comprises a transponder disposed within the cavity and configured to transmit an electromagnetic signal in response to an electromagnetic wave, the transponder including an integrated circuit having a memory and an antenna electrically coupled to the integrated circuit.
US07760092B1 Discreet information system
A pioneering information system providing improved acquisition, communication, and management of mobile element-related information, preferably through embedded manufacturing. Information modules, utilizing communications elements and information operations elements, are positioned proximate to the mobile element. The communications elements utilize discreet sensors and receivers; as well as discreet transmitters for transmitting the mobile element-related information. The information operations elements utilize discreet processors and data storage elements to process and manage the mobile element-related information. Carriers may be used to more effectively position the information modules proximate to the mobile elements.
US07760090B2 Access control apparatus
An apparatus for monitoring an access portal through an enclosure around a hazard comprises a line-scan camera mounted above the portal so that its linear field of view extends along a generally opposite threshold of the portal and can detect electromagnetic radiation reflected from an object passing through the portal. The apparatus distinguishes signals from the camera corresponding to items that are intended to pass through the portal for example on a conveyor from signals corresponding to items, particularly intruders that are not intended to pass through the portal. The apparatus preferably comprise an elongate sodium discharge lamp mounted above the portal and provided with a reflector so that monochromatic light therefrom is concentrated in a narrow strip extending along the threshold and the camera is sensitive only to this monochromatic light.
US07760089B2 Microwave direction of travel detector by parallel sampling
A microwave direction of travel detector and method of detecting the direction of an intruder in a protected region. The microwave direction of travel detector transmits and receives, by a microwave transceiver a microwave signal directed toward a protected area. The microwave return signal is modulated by a moving target to produce a Doppler signal. The received Doppler signal is amplified by a chain of amplifiers having two or more amplifiers coupled to the microwave transceiver. A controller monitors the output of each chain of the amplifiers. The microwave sensor is configured for parallel sampling an amplified Doppler signal output from each amplifiers having a low signal output and each successive chain of the amplifiers a successively higher signal output. The controller determines if there is a direction of travel motion from the intruder and sends an alarm.
US07760081B2 Implicit data backup and restoral system in a peer-to-peer fire detection network
A fire detection network employs an implicit data backup and recovery system. The implicit data backup system allows fire detection units within a network to be automatically reprogrammed with configuration data. The detection units can store backup data and can access the stored backup data when necessary.
US07760080B2 Tire monitoring with passive and active modes
Movable vehicular assembly including an electricity generating system includes a movable substrate such as a tire, a power generating system arranged on, in connection with or within the substrate and to generate energy from movement of the substrate, and a circuit coupled to the power generating system and including an energy storage device. The circuit is operable in an active mode when the substrate moves and the power generating system generates energy or the energy storage device contains energy for powering the circuit and in a passive mode when the substrate is not moving and the energy storage device does not contain sufficient energy to power the circuit. The circuit receives power to operate in the passive mode from a signal received by the circuit. Components which may be part of the circuit include a surface-acoustic-wave device and a radio-frequency identification device.
US07760075B2 Traceability system
An individual article management arrangements for managing an individual article distributed through a plurality of sites with a form thereof changed at least one of said plurality of sites, including: information processing apparatuses installed at said plurality of sites; and a data center apparatus connected to each of said information processing apparatuses through a network. The data center apparatus and the information processing apparatuses are configured to effect predetermined operations.
US07760073B2 RFID tag modification for full depth backscatter modulation
A modulated backscatter radio frequency identification device includes a diode detector configured to selectively modulate a reply signal onto an incoming continuous wave; communications circuitry configured to provide a modulation control signal to the diode detector, the diode detector being configured to modulate the reply signal in response to be modulation control signal; and circuitry configured to increase impedance change at the diode detector which would otherwise not occur because the diode detector rectifies the incoming continuous wave while modulating the reply signal, whereby reducing the rectified signal increases modulation depth by removing the reverse bias effects on impedance changes. Methods of improving depth of modulation in a modulated backscatter radio frequency identification device are also provided.
US07760070B2 Vehicle security device and system
A vehicle security device for providing a vehicle with improved security. The security device includes a camera for generating a facial image of a vehicle occupant. A security controller, which is connected to the camera, restricts driving of the vehicle. If the facial image includes the necessary facial features, the security controller enables the driving of the vehicle.
US07760069B2 Methods of using an intelligent locking system
A method of using an electronic locking system to access one of a plurality of lockers includes programming the electronic locking system by recording at least one biometric characteristic of a user when the user is located at the plurality of lockers, and associating the recorded at least one biometric characteristic of the user with the one of a plurality of lockers so that the user is authorized to access the one of a plurality of lockers. The method includes re-recording the at least one biometric characteristic of the user and comparing the re-recorded at least one biometric characteristic of the user with the recorded at least one biometric characteristic of the user, and unlocking the one of a plurality of lockers if the re-recorded at least one biometric characteristic of the user matches the recorded at least one biometric characteristic of the user.
US07760064B2 Apparatus for providing windings in an electromagnetic device and method for making the apparatus
An apparatus includes an electrically conductive generally planar strip having a thickness, having a width greater than the thickness and having a length greater than the width. The strip is arranged in alternating length segments. Each adjacent pair of length segments are oriented about divergent axes and are joined by a respective transition arrangement. Each respective transition arrangement presents the strip foldingly lapped upon itself in a laminate structure.
US07760060B2 Vehicle transformer
In a vehicle transformer including a core 1, a winding 2, a rectangular tank 3 holding them, a cooling unit 7 for cooling a cooling medium 6 filling the tank 3, and a circulating pump 8 for forcibly circulating the cooling medium 6, a partition member 9 is provided for dividing an interior of the tank 3 into two and the partition member 9 divides a channel of the cooling medium 6 flowing within the winding 2 into a first cooling medium channel 10 and a second cooling medium channel 11, and both of the cooling medium channels 10, 11 are communicated at one end side of the tank 3 and the cooling unit 7 connected to both of the cooling medium channels 10, 11 is provided at the other end for the cooling medium 6 to flow and circulate in the first cooling medium channel 10 and the second cooling medium channel 11. Thereby, the connection between the tank and the cooling unit is simplified and a vehicle transformer reduced in size and weight is obtained.
US07760050B2 Dielectric filter having tapered input/output electrodes
A dielectric filter having inner-conductor holes penetrating through a dielectric block from a first surface to a second surface thereof. An outer conductor and input/output electrodes are formed on an outer surface of the dielectric block. A side of each of the input/output electrodes facing the first surface is substantially in parallel to the first surface, and an intersection of a side facing the second surface and a side facing a sixth surface is tapered. With such a configuration, an attenuation characteristic at an attenuation band is improved by making the attenuation characteristic less likely to receive an influence of a TE mode.
US07760045B2 Semiconductor device interconnecting unit, semiconductor device, high-frequency module, and semiconductor device interconnecting method
A semiconductor device interconnecting unit for inputting/outputting a high-frequency signal having a millimeter wave band to/from a semiconductor device includes a part of a band pass filter and a remainder is provided. The part of a band pass filter is configured to pass therethrough the high-frequency signal having a millimeter wave band by using an LC resonance circuit. The part and the remainder are separated from each other by a capacitive portion, the part is provided inside the semiconductor device, and the remainder is provided outside the semiconductor device.
US07760043B2 Polar modulation apparatus
Provided is a polar modulation apparatus capable of performing power limit with a simple configuration even when controlling a transmission power and increasing the transmission signal output power control range. A polar modulation device (1) includes an amplitude limit unit (6) for limiting an amplitude component of an amplitude signal, a D/A converter (7) for converting an inputted digital signal into an analog signal, a power control unit (8) for performing power control so that the inputted signal is an output signal based on the power control signal, a voltage control circuit (9) for supplying voltage to an amplitude modulator (11) according to the output signal from the power control unit (8), an angle modulator (10) for performing angle modulation according to a phase signal, and an amplitude modulator (11) for performing amplitude modulation on the signal subjected to angle modulation, according to the voltage supplied from the voltage control circuit (9).
US07760040B2 Method of eliminating temperature induced band switching in ultra wideband voltage controlled oscillator
A method and a voltage-controlled oscillator provide an output signal with a frequency within one of a plurality of frequency bands, while reducing or eliminating temperature-induced band-switching or other drifts in operating frequency. The band-switching is reduced or eliminated by providing a circuit that adjusts a tuning sensitivity according to a calibration performed under test conditions. For example, such a voltage-controlled oscillator may include (a) a digitally controlled variable current source for providing a first control current to select one of the frequency bands for the voltage-controlled oscillator; (b) a variable transconductance circuit providing a second control current to compensate a variation in operating frequency; and (c) a control circuit for varying the frequency of the output signal in accordance with the first and second control signals. The variable transconductance circuit may be programmable by selectively activating elements of an array of varactor circuits, according to a capacitance associated with each varactor circuit. The capacitance associated with each varactor circuit is binary weighted.
US07760039B2 Crystal oscillator emulator
A crystal oscillator emulator integrated circuit comprises a first temperature sensor that senses a first temperature of the integrated circuit. Memory stores calibration parameters and selects at least one of the calibration parameters based on the first temperature. A semiconductor oscillator generates an output signal having a frequency that is based on the calibration parameters. A heater adjusts the first temperature to a predetermined temperature. A disabling circuit disables the heater after the calibration parameters are stored in the memory.
US07760038B2 Voltage controlled oscillator capable of tuning negative resistance
Provided is a voltage controlled oscillator having a new type of a resonator and a negative resistance part capable of finely tuning negative resistance. Thus, the voltage controlled oscillator has an excellent quality factor characteristic and can finely tune the negative resistance even after its fabrication is completed. The voltage controlled oscillator having an active element includes: a resonating unit for generating an oscillation frequency according to a resonance capacitance; a frequency tuning unit, connected to a source terminal of the active element, for tuning the oscillation frequency; and a negative resistance adjusting unit, connected to the frequency tuning unit, for generating a negative resistance to adjust the oscillation frequency, the negative resistance adjusting unit including a varactor diode for finely adjusting the negative resistance.
US07760035B2 Noise-generating device and method
The invention relates to the field of devices intended to generate a noise of high amplitude having specific spectral characteristics. It concerns a transmission device mainly comprising a transducer, means for synthesizing a digital noise sequence x′(n) and power sources. According to the invention, the device also comprises means such that according to the value, at each time t, of the synthesized noise sequence, the transducer is supplied by one or more noise sources placed in series, the overall voltage reflecting the value of the digital noise sequence. The transition times between two supply values are synchronous with the basic clock of means which synthesize x′(n). The invention also relates to a method for iteratively synthesizing, under spectral constraint, a noise having a power spectral density corresponding to a given template. The invention applies in particular to the submarine acoustic noise generators on board small-size autonomous craft. It can also apply to the production of scramblers in mobile telephony.
US07760034B2 Surface-mount type crystal oscillator
A surface-mount type crystal oscillator has: a container body having a bottom wall and a frame wall having an opening and provided on one principal surface of the bottom wall; a quartz crystal blank hermetically encapsulated in a recess of the container body, which is formed by the opening of the frame wall; and an IC chip on which an oscillating circuit using the crystal blank is integrated. A region which is a region on the one principal surface of the bottom wall and other than formation regions of the frame wall and the recess is made a flat part, and the IC chip is fixed to the one principal surface of the bottom wall by flip-chip bonding, in the flat part. A crystal inspection terminal electrically connected to the crystal blank is provided on a surface of the flat part.
US07760027B2 Power amplifier output voltage reduction method
An apparatus and method are provided for reducing the output voltage in a power amplifier. The power amplifier contains a power supply, an amplifier stage, an impedance matching circuit, and a voltage reduction unit connected between the power supply and the amplifier stage. A power amplifier device within the amplifier stage has a gain bandwidth that covers multiple frequency bands. The output voltage of the power amplifier device is a composite voltage that contains fundamental and harmonic components that lie within the gain bandwidth. The voltage reduction unit reduces the supply voltage of the power amplifier device such that the composite output voltage is less than the breakdown voltage in the power amplifier device. The impedance matching circuit is coupled to the power amplifier device output and provides impedance matching for output signals of the fundamental and harmonic frequencies.
US07760024B2 System and method for increasing accuracy of transmitter power detection over a larger range of output power levels
A system and method for increasing accuracy of transmitter power detection over a larger range of output power levels wherein a diode detector is followed by a series cascade of 2 op amps. The first op amp functions as a differential/buffer amplifier, which improves temperature performance. The second op amp has two selectable gain factors. The output of the second op amp is routed to the ADC. A single control line is connected to a controllable switching device that configures the second op amp for high gain or low gain.
US07760020B2 Amplifier device
An electronic circuit arrangement is provided which comprises an input terminal configured to input an input signal to be amplified and an output terminal configured to output the amplified input signal as an output signal. A signal path is defined between the input terminal and the output terminal. An amplifier unit having an amplifier gain is provided and being configured to amplify the input signal and for generating the output signal. A variation of an operational current of the amplifier unit is configured to provide a variation of the amplifier gain. The amplifier unit is arranged within the signal path. Furthermore a gain control unit is configured to control the gain of the amplifier unit by adjusting the operational current of the amplifier unit. The gain control unit is arranged outside the signal path.
US07760017B2 Integrated circuit having on die structure providing capacitance in amplifier feedback path
An amplifier structure includes shield conductors that are provided spatially adjacent to elongated feedback signal lines that couple a feedback circuit to an amplifier input. The shield conductors are provided between the feedback signal lines and a ground plane, which interrupts a parasitic capacitance that otherwise would be established between the feedback signal line and ground. The shield conductors are electrically coupled to the amplifier's outputs which create a capacitance between the output terminal and the feedback signal line. In some embodiments, the capacitance generated between the output terminal and the feedback signal line can suffice as a capacitor in a feedback path of the amplifier and be contained in an integrated circuit die on which the amplifier is manufactured. Optionally, a structure may be provided that eliminates common mode signals on the feedback lines while simultaneously preserving the common mode signals on the amplifier output terminals. In this option, a second amplifier is provided that, in response to common mode variations at the output terminal, generates counterbalancing voltage variations on a second circuit that is coupled to the feedback lines at their source. The two variations cancel each other out at nodes from which the feedback lines originate, which substantially reduces feedback common mode variation even when there is common mode variation at the output terminals.
US07760016B2 Anti-pop circuits and methods for audio amplifiers using variable resistors
Anti-pop circuits are provided for an audio amplifier that uses a power supply voltage and a ground voltage to drive a load with an audio signal that is centered about a virtual analog ground. These anti-pop circuits include a variable resistor and a capacitor that are connected to the audio amplifier to provide a low pass filter. The variable resistor has resistance that varies in response to a voltage level of the virtual analog ground, such as a difference between a voltage level of the power supply voltage and the voltage level of the virtual analog ground. The variable resistor may be a field effect transistor having a gate that is responsive to the differences between the voltage level of the power supply voltage and the voltage level of the virtual analog ground. The capacitor may be a field effect transistor, as well. Related methods are also described.
US07760012B1 High linearity gmC filter
A second order analog filter based on transconductance amplifiers and capacitors (gmC) has good linearity at low operating voltage by using linear active transconductance amplifiers with gains determined by physical resistors and output current mirrors in a positive feedback configuration to allow the implementation of complex poles in the transfer function.
US07759994B2 Skew signal generation circuit and semiconductor memory device having the same
In a skew signal generation circuit, a pad is connected to an external resistor and a code generator compares a voltage of the pad with a reference voltage to generate a plurality of codes. A skew signal extractor extracts a skew signal from the codes, the skew signal containing information about a current characteristic of a MOS transistor. A driver calibrates a drivability in response to the skew signal.
US07759988B2 Frequency multiplier
A frequency multiplier is provided that includes a switching component having a plurality of differential pairs of transistors. The frequency multiplier further includes a gain stage. A common mode feedback generated by the switching component is also provided to the gain stage.
US07759987B2 Multi-channel semiconductor integrated circuit
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a high-side transistor, a low-side transistor, a level shift circuit for driving the high-side transistor, and a pre-driver circuit for driving the low-side transistor. A connection point of the high-side transistor and the low-side transistor serves as an output terminal. The level shift circuit has first and second N-type MOS transistors whose gates are driven by the pre-driver circuit. The semiconductor integrated circuit further includes a diode whose anode is connected to the drain of the first or second N-type MOS transistor to which the gate of the high-side transistor is not connected, and whose cathode is connected to the output terminal.
US07759985B2 Driver circuit and semiconductor device using the same
A driver circuit of the present invention includes: a pair of switch elements (P1, N1) connected in series between a ground terminal and a stepped-up voltage VCP application terminal to which a stepped-up voltage VCP is applied; and a clamp element ZD1 connected between a node A between the pair of switch elements and an output terminal T2, the driver circuit driving, according to a voltage signal derived from the node A, an N-channel output transistor Q1 connected between the output terminal T2 and a power supply voltage VCC application terminal to which a power supply voltage VCC is applied. Here, a current control section (IL1, IL2) formed of a resistor and a capacitor that are connected in parallel with each other is inserted in at least one of a current path that connects the node A and the stepped-up voltage VCP application terminal and a current path that connects the node A and the ground terminal.
US07759983B2 Device for comparing the peak value of at least one voltage signal with a reference voltage
A device for comparing the peak value of a periodic voltage signal or a linear combination of periodic voltage signals with a reference voltage includes a reference transconductor element for converting the reference voltage into a reference current, respective transconductor elements for converting each of the periodic voltage signals into respective periodic current signals, a current-comparison node for comparing the respective periodic current signals with the reference current, generating a comparison current as a difference between the sum of the aforesaid periodic current signals and the reference current, a current rectifier supplied with the comparison current, a hold capacitor charged with the output current of the current rectifier, and a discharge-current generator in parallel to the hold capacitor. The voltage across the capacitor indicates of the outcome of the comparison between the peak value of the periodic voltage signal or the linear combination of periodic voltage signals and the reference voltage.
US07759980B2 Circular edge detector for measuring timing of data signals
A circular edge detector on an integrated circuit including a plurality of edge detector cells, each of the plurality of edge detector cells having an input select block operable to receive a data signal and a previous cell signal and to generate a present cell signal, and a state capture block operably connected to receive the present cell signal. The present cell signal of each of the plurality of edge detector cells is provided to a next of the plurality of edge detector cells as the previous cell signal for the next of the plurality of edge detector cells, and the present cell signal from a last edge detector cell is provided to a first edge detector cell as the previous cell signal for the first edge detector cell.
US07759979B2 Gate driving circuit
A gate driving circuit includes a first output buffer unit region, a level shifter region and a low voltage circuit region. The first output buffer unit region is formed on a plane and is utilized for setting a first output buffer unit. The level shifter region is formed on the plane for setting a level shifter, and includes a vertical region and a horizontal region connected to the vertical region. The vertical region and the first output buffer unit region are aligned in a horizontal direction of the plane. The horizontal region is beneath the vertical region and the first output buffer unit region. The low voltage circuit region is formed on the plane for setting a low voltage circuit, and is beneath the horizontal region. The low voltage circuit region and the horizontal region are aligned in a vertical direction of the plane.
US07759973B1 Integrated circuit having embedded differential clock tree
A clock distribution network having: a backbone clock signal line configured to provide a differential clock signal; multiple branches coupled to the backbone clock signal line for distributing the differential clock signal to multiple programmable function elements; a first leaf node coupled to a first branch, where the first leaf node is configured to provide the differential clock signal to a first programmable function element; and a second leaf node coupled to a second branch, where the second leaf node is configured to provide a single ended clock signal derived from the differential clock signal to a second programmable function element.
US07759966B2 Methods and systems for evaluating permanent magnet motors
A method for evaluating a permanent magnet motor, which includes a rotor with a plurality of magnets mounted thereon, and a stator with a plurality of windings in proximity to the rotor and coupled to an inverter, includes spinning the motor such that a voltage is induced in the windings of the stator and the inverter; measuring the voltage on the inverter; calculating the voltage constant from the motor from the measured voltage; comparing the voltage constant to accepted voltage constants; and identifying the motor as not acceptable if the voltage constant is outside of a range of the accepted voltage constants.
US07759958B2 Apparatus, system, and method for integrated component testing
An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for integrating component testing. A voltage module modifies a reference voltage integral to an electronic device to a plurality of reference voltage values. A test module tests a component of the electronic device at each of the plurality of reference voltage values. In addition, the test module determines a voltage range for the component, wherein the voltage range comprises voltage values between a high voltage failure and a low voltage failure. An optimization module sets the reference voltage value to within the voltage range.
US07759946B2 Waveguide, and device and detection method using the same
A waveguide includes a single line formed by a conductive material for propagating an electromagnetic wave including at least a part of a frequency band of 30 GHz or more and 30 THz or less, a first dielectric member covering the single line, and a second dielectric member covering the single line. A gap is provided between the first dielectric member and the second dielectric member. The electromagnetic wave which propagates from the single line covered by the first dielectric member to the single line covered by the second dielectric member, when propagating through the single line at the gap, is interactable with a specimen to be disposed at the gap.
US07759944B2 Method for verifying the calibration of a multiport network analyzer and corresponding calibration unit
The described method and calibration unit are used to verify the calibration of a multiport network analyzer which uses a calibration unit for calibration, the unit having a plurality of calibration ports corresponding to the number of measuring ports of the network analyzer, whereby different calibration standards, especially idle, short-circuit, adaptation or through-connection stands can be connected to the calibration ports. According to the inventive method, the calibration ports of the calibration unit art interchanged with the measuring ports of the network analyzer in such a manner that one calibration standard of the calibration unit each which is different from the one used in the previous calibration process is connected to every measuring port of the network analyzer.
US07759941B2 Ground conductivity meter with automatic calibration
A ground conductivity meter that includes a transmitter coil and a receiver coil that are horizontally spaced apart from each other, and a conductivity meter controller connected to the transmitter and receiver coils and including an electronic storage element and at least one processor, the conductivity meter controller being operative to: determine a first conductivity reading in dependence on signals from the receiver coil when the transmitter coil and receiver coil are positioned a predetermined distance above a ground surface in one of a vertical dipole orientation or a horizontal dipole orientation; determine a second conductivity reading in dependence on signals from the receiver coil when the transmitter coil and receiver coil are positioned the predetermined distance above the ground surface in the other of the vertical dipole orientation or horizontal dipole orientation; calculate a correction factor in dependence on the first and second conductivity readings and store the correction factor in the storage element; and determine a plurality of further conductivity readings in dependence on signals from the receiver coil during a site survey, and apply the stored correction factor to the further conductivity readings to produce corrected conductivity readings for the site survey.
US07759940B2 Mutual shielding of collocated induction coils in multi-component induction logging instruments
In a multicomponent logging tool, a coil is electrically isolated by open circuiting another, substantially orthogonal coil.
US07759938B2 Apparatus and method for varying magnetic field strength in magnetic resonance measurements
Apparatus and method for varying field strength in a magnetic resonance system while keeping a relatively uniform magnetic field distribution. In an embodiment, a two-pole, generally u-shaped magnet assembly generates a static and uniform magnetic field. The magnet assembly includes two facing magnet poles separated by an air gap. Holes may be formed with the magnet poles. The field control rods may be placed at a pre-determined distance into these holes and symmetrically or asymmetrically moved across each magnet poles in a controlled manner to change the magnetic field strength while keeping the uniform magnetic field distribution. Maximum magnetic field strength may occur when the rods are removed. Minimum magnetic field strength may occur when the rods are fully inserted.
US07759935B2 Apparatus and method for cryogenically cooling a coil on a magnetic resonance imaging system
A magnetic resonance imaging system (10) includes a primary magnet and a secondary magnet operable to produce magnetic fields within a sample being imaged. The MRI system further includes at least one RF coil (50) that is operable to receive electromagnetic frequencies from the sample. The RF coil is formed from tubing (221) that serves as a cooling conduit through which flows a cooling fluid provided by a cooling source. The cooling fluid cools the RF coils to improve imaging of the sample.
US07759928B2 Semiconductor device including an internal voltage generation circuit and a first test circuit
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided, a semiconductor device, including an internal voltage generation circuit generating a prescribed voltage, a first test circuit connecting to a voltage-supplying wiring, one end of the voltage-supplying wiring being connected to a source wiring and the other end of the voltage-supplying wiring being connected to the internal voltage generation circuit, the first test circuit being supplied an outer voltage from the source wiring and a voltage of the internal voltage generation circuit through the voltage-supplying wiring, the first test circuit generating a prescribed resistance value on a basis of a control input from an outer portion in a test mode.
US07759926B2 Dynamic phase offset measurement
In one embodiment, a method is provided for measuring a dynamic phase offset between a PLL's input clock and the PLL's feedback input clock, wherein the input clock is spread spectrum modulated in a spread spectrum mode and is not modulated in a static mode. The method includes: in the spread spectrum mode, measuring phase jitter between the input clock and the feedback input clock to form a spread spectrum phase jitter measurement; in the static mode, measuring phase jitter between the input clock and the feedback input clock to form a static phase jitter measurement; and comparing the spread spectrum phase jitter measurement to the static phase jitter measurement to determine the dynamic phase offset.
US07759921B2 Digital controller for DC-DC switching converters for operation at ultra-high constant switching frequencies
A digital controller for low-power DC-DC switch mode power supplies (SMPS) suitable for on-chip implementation and use in portable battery-powered systems is provided. The digital controller allows operation at ultra high constant switching frequencies and can be implemented with a simple low-power digital hardware. The digital controller includes a digital pulse width modulator (DPWM), based on a multibit 2nd orders sigma-delta (Σ-Δ) principle, and a dual-sampling mode PID compensator. The output voltage is either sampled at a frequency lower than the switching frequency (undersampled) or sampled at the switching rate. In steady-state, undersampling results in reduced power consumption, while during transients, sampling at the switching rate provides fast transient response. Another aspect of the present invention is a dual sampling/clocking scheme, which is relied on by the DPWM described. A method is also provided for controlling low power DC-DC switch mode power supplies operating at high constant switching frequencies.
US07759912B2 Adaptive compensation scheme for LC circuits in feedback loops
A method for providing adaptive compensation for an electrical circuit where the electrical circuit includes an inductor-capacitor network connected in a feedback loop being compensated by a first compensation capacitance value and a second compensation capacitance value defining the frequency locations of two compensation zeros includes: measuring the inductance value of the inductor; when the inductance value is greater than a first threshold value, increasing the first and second compensation capacitance values so that the frequency locations of the two compensation zeros are adjusted for compensating the poles introduced by the first inductor and the first capacitor; and when the inductance value is less than the first threshold value, decreasing the first and second compensation capacitance values so that the frequency locations of the two compensation zeros are adjusted for compensating the poles introduced by the first inductor and the first capacitor.
US07759907B2 Battery charging and discharging by using a bi-directional transistor
A battery charger for an electronic device receives current limited power from an external power source, such as a Universal Serial Bus power interface. The battery charger can linearly regulate a charging current to an internal battery and limit the charging current so as not to demand current in excess of what the external power source can provide. A bi-directional pass element coupled between a system power terminal and the internal battery controls the charging current and effectively isolates the internal battery from a system load during charging of the battery while providing a low impedance path from the internal battery to the system load during discharging of the battery.
US07759898B2 Battery pack lockout arrangement for cordless power tools
A cordless power tool system includes a power tool including with a motor disposed in the tool housing, and a variable speed circuit for controlling the speed of the motor. A power tool battery pack is electrically connectable to the power tool. The battery pack has an electric/electronic component connectable to the variable speed circuit. The variable speed circuit and/or the power tool are disabled if the variable speed circuit fails to detect the electric/electronic component.
US07759894B2 Cogless motor driven active user interface haptic feedback system
An aircraft user interface haptic feedback system includes a user interface, a position sensor, a cogless motor, and a control circuit. The user interface is movable to a position. The position sensor senses the position of the user interface and supplies a user interface position signal. The cogless motor is coupled to the user interface, and receives motor drive signals. The cogless motor, in response to the motor drive signals, supplies feedback force to the user interface. The control circuit receives at least the user interface position signal and a signal representative of the motor current and is operable, in response to at least these signals, to control the motor current supplied to the cogless motor using a non-trapezoidal motor commutation scheme.
US07759887B2 Motor driving device, image forming apparatus, and motor driving method
A motor driving device includes an amplifying unit, a noise removing unit, an analog-to-digital converter, a calculating unit, and a motor driving unit. The amplifying unit amplifies an analog frequency signal corresponding to a rotation speed of a direct-current brushless motor. The noise removing unit removes noise from the analog frequency signal after amplification. The analog-to-digital converter converts the analog frequency signal from which noise is removed to a digital frequency signal. The calculating unit calculates a current control amount with respect to each phase of the direct-current brushless motor based on the digital frequency signal. The motor driving unit drives the direct-current brushless motor at a specified speed based on the current control amount.
US07759884B2 Method and arrangement for commutating an electronically commutated motor
An electronically commutated motor has a permanent-magnet rotor (124) having: at least two rotor poles (183, 186, 188, 189); at least one phase (126); a power stage (122); and a rotor position sensor (140). Associated therewith is a control circuit implemented to carry out the following steps in order to even out the motor current (320): A) after a change of the rotor position signal (182), referred to as a first pole change, a first value (I_MEAS(HCnt−1)) of the current through the at least one phase (126) is ascertained; B) after a predetermined time span (T_Default+T_Offset(HCnt−1)), a new commutation is carried out; C) after a change of the rotor position signal (182), referred to as a second pole change, a second value for the motor current (I_MEAS(HCnt)) is ascertained; D) as a function of the difference between the first value (I_MEAS(HCnt−1)) and second value (I_MEAS(HCnt)), the value for the predetermined time span is modified.
US07759883B2 Dual-rotary-coupling, internal-waveguide linac for IORT
Electromedical apparatus for intraoperative radiotherapy via a linac. It includes an arm in which, at an extremity thereof, an oscillator is assembled which generates electromagnetic waves, and which supports, at an opposite extremity thereof, a radiating head in which a linac is assembled, emitting at its output an electron beam, supplied by the oscillator through a guiding structure. The apparatus includes a first and a second rotary couplings, respectively including a fixed portion and a mobile portion, endowed with sensors of the angular position of the mobile portions, which support the radiating head on the arm in roll and pitch motion. The guiding structure includes three separate rigid waveguides, of which one at the output of the oscillator and one of input to the linac, and an intermediate one therebetween, which connects them, with the heads of which they are respectively connected through the first and the second rotary couplings.
US07759882B2 Color control for scanning backlight
A backlighting system comprising: a color manager; a plurality of luminaires, each of the luminaires comprising a LED string and arranged to illuminate a particular portion of a display associated therewith; a color sensor arrange to receive light from one of the luminaires; and a plurality of thermal sensors each associated with a particular luminaire and in communication with the color manager, the plurality of thermal sensors being less than the plurality of luminaires, the color manager, responsive to the plurality of thermal sensors and the color sensor, being operable to calculate color coordinates for each of the plurality of luminaires.
US07759877B2 Driving system for electronic device and current balancing circuit thereof
A driving system, includes: a power supply unit for providing a first current and a second current; a first transformer having a primary side coupled to the power supply unit and a secondary side coupled to a first current balancing circuit for driving a plurality of first lamps; a second transformer having a primary side coupled to the power supply unit and a secondary side coupled to a second current balancing circuit for driving a plurality of second lamps; a balancing control circuit coupled to the power supply unit for balancing the first and the second current so that the first current and the second current are substantially equal.
US07759872B2 Discharge lamp
A discharge lamp in which fluctuation of the arc when the lamp starts and in which devitrification and damage of the arc tube are prevented, so that light intensity can be kept uniform over a long time is achieved by the cathode having a tapering part with a diameter which decreases in the direction to the tip that is formed with an area with different diameters extending around the tapering part in the peripheral direction which has concave-convex parts with groups of convex parts which are located next to one another in the axial direction of the cathode, the concave-convex parts in longitudinal cross section being arranged such that corner points of each convex part are located inside of an edge line of the tapering part, and an envelope curve which connects the corner points is convex with respect to the center line of the cathode.
US07759851B2 Cathode structure for emissive screen
This invention relates to a triode type cathode structure comprising, in superposition, an electrode forming a cathode (13) and supporting means made of an electron emitting material in the form of a layer (14), an electrical insulation layer (11) and a grid electrode (15), an opening (12) formed in the grid electrode and in the electrical insulation layer exposing the means made of an electron emitting material. The means made of an electron emitting material (14) are located in the central part of the opening of the grid electrode (15), this opening being in the form of a slit and the means made of an electron emitting material exposed by the slit being composed of elements aligned along the longitudinal axis of the slit.
US07759847B2 Multi-layer piezoelectric device
To provide a multi-layer piezoelectric device having excellent durability in which the amount of displacement does not change even when the piezoelectric actuator is subjected to continuous operation over a long period of time under a high voltage and a high pressure, the multi-layer piezoelectric device comprises a stack formed by stacking piezoelectric layers and internal electrodes alternately one on another and external electrodes formed on a first side face and on a second side face of the stack, wherein one of the adjacent internal electrodes is connected to the external electrode formed on the first side face and the other internal electrode is connected to the external electrode formed on the second side face, while content of alkali metal in a range from 5 ppm to 300 ppm is contained.
US07759834B2 Electromagnetic device
An electromagnetic device includes a plurality of coils formed by winding conductors. At least some of the conductors are constructed by stacking conductor constructional elements so that an eddy current generated by a leakage flux linked to the conductor is divided. An outer insulating member is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the conductor stack for electrically insulating the conductor stack from another member. An inner insulating member whose thickness is smaller than a thickness of the outer insulating member is disposed between the conductor constructional elements adjoining to each other in the same conductor stack.
US07759832B2 Fan
A fan includes a frame, a stator, a rotor and a magnetic member. The frame comprises a base. The stator is connected to the frame. The rotor has a shaft. The magnetic member, corresponding to the shaft, is disposed on the base to attract the shaft. The magnetic member and the shaft are spaced apart with the base disposed therebetween. The magnetic member may be disposed outside or inside the frame or on the stator.
US07759828B2 Integrated electric motor driven compressor
A motor driven compressor assembly includes a motor housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. A motor is disposed within the motor housing and includes a rotor that is coupled to a rotatable shaft and a stator. Several passages fluidly connect the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. One passage is located radially outward of the stator and another passage extends through the rotatable shaft. A compressor is in fluid communication with the fluid outlet of the motor housing. Operation of the compressor produces a fluid stream through the motor housing. The fluid stream transfers heat away from the motor to cool the motor.
US07759823B2 Switching device
To provide a switching device capable of a switch-controlling a voltage source regardless of voltage changes in the voltage source to be switched and the voltage source employed for switch control.A switching path 61 includes, between the input terminal 1 and output terminal 4 for a voltage source, a series connection of the source or drain electrodes of PMOS transistors 10a and 10b connected to their back-gate electrode. A driving circuit has an NMOS transistor 11a having a load resistor 12a at its drain electrode and NMOS transistor 11b having a load resistor 12b at its drain electrode, which are connected to the gate electrodes of the PMOS transistors, respectively and receives the output from the logic inverter 14 for the switching control.
US07759819B2 Illumination control device for vehicle
An illumination control unit includes an automatic control function for automatically controlling the turning on and off of vehicle head lights depending on brightness of an environment around a vehicle. A sensitivity adjuster is installed on a lever extending from a steering column in a vehicle compartment. The sensitivity to the brightness of the environment around the vehicle at the time when the auto-on and auto-off state of the vehicle lights is changed can be adjusted with the sensitivity adjuster.
US07759813B2 Gravity wave power generation apparatus
A power generation apparatus that will not exhaust carbon dioxide is provided where a strong rotating motion is created by the combination of solar heat energy, gravitational energy, and ocean current or tidal current energy. In the sea area having stream current such as ocean current and tidal current, the power generation apparatus is constructed by a weight mass provided with a rotation axis (shaft) on the top part thereof, a floating body provided with a bearing for fitting in the rotation axis where it moves up and down according to the swell on the ocean surface, a normal rotation conversion generator for converting the reverse motion produced on the rotation axis to a normal rotating motion by using a one-way clutch or a ratchet mechanism, and a mooring member for fastening the wire rope between the anchor and the connecting point of the floating body and weight mass.
US07759812B2 Integrated power plant that utilizes renewable and alternative energy sources
A large pressure differential is created between the leading face of the rotor blade and the trailing face of the rotor blade during the power cycle which creates a large amount of force that rotates the rotor blade about the central shaft. In some embodiments, gaps are provided between the inside edge of the rotor blade and a stationary shaft which vents wind collected by the rotor blade during certain portions of the rotation cycle. The vented wind increases the pressure on the trailing face of the rotor blades during the return cycle to further assist in the efficiency of this system. In addition, an integrated power plant is disclosed that provides a source of renewable energy in the form of a cross-flow wind turbine that includes solar cells mounted on south facing surfaces of the stators. The stators can be used to store liquids and fuels generated by the renewable energy sources. Electrical power generated by the renewable energy sources can be used in a desalination process to generate pure drinking water that can be stored in the stator devices. Electrical energy generated by the renewable energy sources can be used in an electrolysis device to generate oxygen and hydrogen gases. The oxygen and hydrogen gases can be used to operate a fuel cell to generate electricity when needed. The hydrogen can also be used to operate a hydrogen engine that runs an auxiliary generator to supply auxiliary electrical power when needed. A biofuel engine, propane gas engine, natural gas engine, or diesel engine can also be used to run the auxiliary generator. Mechanical power from the wind turbine can be used to run mechanical pumps to pump water to a reservoir at a higher elevation, which can then be used to run a water turbine that is connected to the auxiliary generator to generate electrical power when needed.
US07759811B2 Electronic control for a hydraulically driven generator
Hydraulic system for driving an auxiliary power source is provided, which is specifically adapted for use with a system for controlling hydraulically driven AC generator. The system includes a hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor that are connected by a fluid circuit. The hydraulic motor drivably connected to an AC generator and is operated in a manner to generate a stable AC power output. The system may include a valve which bypasses fluid around the motor or a variable displacement pump so that the fluid flow rate through the hydraulic motor is controlled in a manner to maintain the desired AC generator output level. Sensors are further provided measuring operating parameters of the system so that the controller can maintain desired operating condition limits.
US07759810B2 System and method for emergency shutdown of an internal combustion engine
A method and system for rapidly shutting down an engine uses a rotating machine coupled to the engine as a dynamometer for stopping the engine. The rotating machine is controlled adaptively to maximize the power absorbed from the engine, thereby minimizing the amount of time needed to stop the engine.
US07759800B2 Microelectronics devices, having vias, and packaged microelectronic devices having vias
Microelectronic devices, methods for packaging microelectronic devices, and methods for forming vias and conductive interconnects in microfeature workpieces and dies are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a bond-pad on a die having an integrated circuit, the bond-pad being electrically coupled to the integrated circuit. A conductive line is then formed on the die, the conductive line having a first end portion attached to the bond-pad and a second end portion spaced apart from the bond-pad. The method can further include forming a via or passage through the die, the bond-pad, and the first end portion of the conductive line, and depositing an electrically conductive material in at least a portion of the passage to form a conductive interconnect extending at least generally through the microelectronic device.
US07759796B2 Semiconductor device with two barrier layers formed between copper-containing line layer and aluminum-containing conductive layer
A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a line layer containing Cu (copper), an inter layer dielectric formed on the line layer, a via hole formed in the inter layer dielectric on the line layer, a first barrier layer formed on the line layer in the via hole, a second barrier layer formed on the first barrier layer and on a sidewall of the via hole, and a conductive layer formed on the second barrier layer and containing Al (aluminum).
US07759792B2 Integrated circuit including parylene material layer
An integrated circuit includes a substrate including a contact pad, a redistribution line coupled to the contact pad, and a dielectric material layer between the substrate and the redistribution line. The integrated circuit includes a solder ball coupled to the redistribution line and a parylene material layer sealing the dielectric material layer and the redistribution line.
US07759789B2 Local area semiconductor cooling system
A system and method in which a semiconductor chip has electrically inactive metal-filled vias adjacent to a semiconductor device or devices to be cooled and the semiconductor device or devices are preferably surrounded by thermally insulating vias. The metal-filled vias are contacted with a thermoelectric cooler to remove excess heat from the semiconductor device or devices.
US07759786B2 Electronic circuit chip, and electronic circuit device and method for manufacturing the same
An insulating layer 12 is formed as a surface layer of electronic circuit chip 10. A conductor interconnect 14 is formed in the insulating layer 12. The conductor interconnect 14 is exposed in the surface of the insulating layer 12. A solder wetting metallic film 16 (a metallic film) is formed on a portion of the conductor interconnect 14 to be exposed in the surface of the insulating layer 12. Typical metallic material (second metallic material) available for composing the solder wetting metallic film 16 includes a material that requires higher free energy for forming an oxide thereof, as compared with a free energy required for forming an oxide of the metallic material composing the conductor interconnect 14.
US07759783B2 Integrated circuit package system employing thin profile techniques
An integrated circuit package system that includes: providing an electrical interconnect system including a first lead-finger system and a second lead-finger system; stacking a second device over a first device between the first lead-finger system and the second lead-finger system; connecting the second device to the second lead-finger system with a bump bond; stacking a dummy device over the second device; and connecting the first device to the first lead-finger system with a wire bond.
US07759781B2 LSI package provided with interface module
A LSI package encompasses: an interposer having board-connecting joints, which facilitate connection with a printed wiring board, and module-connecting terminals, part of the module-connecting terminals are assigned as interposer-site monitoring terminals; a signal processing LSI mounted on the interposer; and an I/F module having a plurality of interposer-connecting terminals, which are arranged to correspond to arrangement of the module-connecting terminals, and a transmission line to establish an external interconnection of signal, which is transmitted from the signal processing LSI, part of the interposer-connecting terminals are assigned as module-site monitoring terminals. The interposer-site and module-site monitoring terminals are configured to flow a monitoring current to confirm electric contact between the signal processing LSI and the I/F module.
US07759780B2 Microelectronic package with wear resistant coating
A microelectronic package is provided. The microelectronic package includes a semiconductor substrate and a die having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the bottom surface of the die is coupled to the semiconductor substrate. The microelectronic package also includes a nanomaterial layer disposed on the top surface of the die.
US07759776B2 Space transformer having multi-layer pad structures
Pad structures and methods for forming such pad structures are provided. For the pad structure, the first conductive material layer has a first hardness over about 200 kg/mm2. The second conductive material layer is over the first conductive material layer and has a second hardness over about 80 kg/mm2. For the method of forming the pad structure, a plurality of first conductive material layers is formed within each of a plurality of openings of a substrate. The substrate has a plurality of openings therein. The first conductive material layers are formed within each of the openings of the substrate. The first conductive material layers substantially have a round top surface. The second conductive material layers are formed and substantially conformal over the first conductive material layers. The second conductive material layers cover a major portion of the round top surface of the first conductive material layers.
US07759775B2 High current semiconductor power device SOIC package
A high current semiconductor power SOIC package is disclosed. The package includes a relatively thick lead frame formed of a single gauge material having a thickness greater than 8 mils, the lead frame having a plurality of leads and a first lead frame pad, the first lead frame pad including a die soldered thereto; a pair of lead bonding areas being disposed in a same plane of a top surface of the die; large diameter bonding wires connecting the die to the plurality of leads, the bonding wires being aluminum; and a resin body encapsulating the die, bonding wires and at least a portion of the lead frame.
US07759772B2 Method to form Si-containing SOI and underlying substrate with different orientations
A method of forming a hybrid SOI substrate comprising an upper Si-containing layer and a lower Si-containing layer, wherein the upper Si-containing layer and the lower Si-containing layer have different crystallographic orientations. In accordance with the present invention, the buried insulating region may be located within one of the Si-containing layers or through an interface located between the two Si-containing layers.
US07759770B2 Integrated circuit including memory element with high speed low current phase change material
An integrated circuit includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a memory element coupled to the first electrode and to the second electrode, the memory element includes fast-operation resistance changing material doped with dielectric material.
US07759763B2 Semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device which, in spite of the existence of a dummy active region, eliminates the need for a larger chip area and improves the surface flatness of the semiconductor substrate. In the process of manufacturing it, a thick gate insulating film for a high voltage MISFET is formed over an n-type buried layer as an active region and a resistance element IR of an internal circuit is formed over the gate insulating film. Since the thick gate insulating film lies between the n-type buried layer and the resistance element IR, the coupling capacitance produced between the substrate (n-type buried layer) and the resistance element IR is reduced.
US07759757B2 Electro-optical device and electronic apparatus
An electro-optical device includes an insulating substrate, a switching element, at least one PIN diode, and at least one reflector. The switching element includes a first polysilicon semiconductor layer formed on the insulating substrate, and a gate electrode formed between the insulating substrate and the first semiconductor layer. Each of the at least one PIN diode includes a second polysilicon semiconductor layer formed on the insulating substrate. The at least one reflector is formed in the same layer as the gate electrode and opposite the second semiconductor layer or layers of the at least one PIN diode.
US07759756B2 Dual-pixel full color CMOS imager
A dual-pixel full color complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) imager is provided, along with an associated fabrication process. Two stand-alone pixels are used for three-color detection. The first pixel is a single photodiode, and the second pixel has two photodiodes built in a stacked structure. The two photodiode stack includes an n doped substrate, a bottom photodiode, and a top photodiode. The bottom photodiode has a bottom p doped layer overlying the substrate and a bottom n doped layer cathode overlying the bottom p doped layer. The top photodiode has a top p doped layer overlying the bottom n doped layer and a top n doped layer cathode overlying the top p doped layer. The single photodiode includes the n doped substrate, a p doped layer overlying the substrate, and an n doped layer cathode overlying the p doped layer.
US07759753B2 Integrated circuit die, integrated circuit package, and packaging method
An integrated circuit package includes an integrated circuit die 1 having a plurality of optical elements 5 sensitive to and/or capable of generating light, whereby data communication to circuitry of the integrated circuit die can be effected using a data channels implemented using the plurality of elements. The data channels are along optical pathways provided by an adapter unit 17 mounted on a PCB 19. The adapter unit 17 forms the optical pathways between optical fibers 23 and the respective optical element 5. Thus, there is no requirement to implement expensive wire-bonding as part of the packaging process.
US07759739B2 Transistor with dielectric stressor elements
A chip is provided which includes an active semiconductor region and a field effect transistor (“FET”) having a channel region, a source region and a drain region all disposed within the active semiconductor region. The FET has a longitudinal direction in a direction of a length of the channel region, and a transverse direction in a direction of a width of the channel region. A dielectric stressor element having a horizontally extending upper surface extends below a portion of the active semiconductor region. The dielectric stressor element shares an edge with the active semiconductor region, the edge extending in a direction away from the upper surface. In particular structures, two or more dielectric stressor elements are provided at locations opposite from each other in the longitudinal and/or transverse directions of the FET.
US07759737B2 Dual structure FinFET and method of manufacturing the same
Provided are a dual structure FinFET and a method of fabricating the same. The FinFET includes: a lower device including a lower silicon layer formed on a substrate and a gate electrode vertically formed on the substrate; an upper device including an upper silicon layer formed on the lower device and the vertically formed gate electrode; and a first solid source material layer, a solid source material interlayer insulating layer, and a second solid source material layer sequentially formed between the lower silicon layer and the upper silicon layer. Therefore, the FinFET can be provided which enhances the density of integration of a circuit, suppresses thin film damages due to ion implantation using solid phase material layers, and has a stabilized characteristic by a simple and low-cost process. Also, mobility of an upper device can be improved to enhance current drivability of the upper device, isolation can be implemented through a buried oxide layer to reduce an effect due to a field oxide layer, and raised source and drain can be implemented to reduce serial resistance components of the source and drain to increase current drivability.
US07759736B2 Oxide interface with improved oxygen bonding
A deposition oxide interface with improved oxygen bonding and a method for bonding oxygen in an oxide layer are provided. The method includes depositing an M oxide layer where M is a first element selected from a group including elements chemically defined as a solid and having an oxidation state in a range of +2 to +5, plasma oxidizing the M oxide layer at a temperature of less than 400° C. using a high density plasma source, and in response to plasma oxidizing the M oxide layer, improving M-oxygen bonding in the M oxide layer. The plasma oxidation process diffuses excited oxygen radicals into the oxide layer. The plasma oxidation is performed at specified parameters including temperature, power density, pressure, process gas composition, and process gas flow. In some aspects of the method, M is silicon, and the oxide interface is incorporated into a thin film transistor.
US07759734B2 Semiconductor device
A semiconductor device including a plurality of doped regions, a metal layer and a polysilicon layer is provided. The doped regions are disposed in a substrate. The metal layer includes a plurality of metal line patterns. The polysilicon layer disposed between the substrate and the metal layer includes a gate pattern and at least one guard ring pattern. The at least one guard ring pattern connects to the gate pattern and surrounds at least one of the metal line patterns. One of the metal line patterns connects to the gate pattern. The others of the metal line patterns connect to one of the doped regions in the substrate.
US07759731B2 Lateral trench MOSFET with direct trench polysilicon contact and method of forming the same
A lateral trench MOSFET includes a trench containing a device segment and a gate bus segment. The gate bus segment of the trench is contacted by a conductive plug formed in a dielectric layer overlying the substrate, thereby avoiding the need for the conventional surface polysilicon bridge layer. The conductive plug is formed in a substantially vertical hole in the dielectric layer. The gate bus segment may be wider than the device segment of the trench. A method includes forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) while the conductive material in the trench is etched.
US07759727B2 Method and apparatus for shielding tunneling circuit and floating gate for integration of a floating gate voltage reference in a general purpose CMOS technology
A method and corresponding structure for shielding a floating gate tunneling element. The method comprises disposing a floating gate over a gate oxide using standard CMOS processing in two active areas defined by first and second doped well regions formed in a substrate surrounded by field oxide, and forming a floating gate shield layer so as to enclose the floating gate. The floating gate includes a first floating gate portion over an active area in the first doped well region and a second floating gate portion over the active area in the second doped well region. The first floating gate portion is substantially smaller than the second floating gate portion so as to enable adequate voltage coupling for Fowler-Nordheim tunneling to occur between the first doped well region and the first floating gate portion. The direction of tunneling is determined by high voltage application to one of the doped well regions.
US07759726B2 Non-volatile memory device, non-volatile memory cell thereof and method of fabricating the same
The present invention disclosed a non-volatile memory device and fabricating method thereof. The structure of non-volatile memory device at least comprises a substrate, several dielectric strips, several bit lines, a dielectrically stacking multi-layer, and several word lines. The substrate has several recesses. The dielectric strips are formed on the substrate, and each of the recess is interposed between two adjacent dielectric strips. The bit lines are respectively formed on the dielectric strips. The dielectrically stacking multi-layer comprising a charge-trapping layer is disposed on the bit lines and the recesses. The word lines are formed on the dielectrically stacking multi-layer and intersecting to the bit lines. When a voltage is applied to the bit lines, a plurality of inversion regions are respectively generated on the substrate.
US07759722B2 Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same
When microfabrication is done, a reliable semiconductor device is offered.A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate which has a main front surface, a plurality of convex patterns formed on the main front surface of a semiconductor substrate so that each might have a floating gate and a control gate, a first insulating film formed so that the upper surface and the side surface of each of a plurality of convex patterns might be covered, and so that width might become large rather than the portion which covers the lower part side surface of a convex pattern in the portion which covers an upper part side surface, and a second insulating film that covers the upper surface and the side surface of the first insulating film so that the cavity between the adjacent convex patterns may be occluded. The position occluded by the second insulating film of a cavity is a position higher than the upper surface of a floating gate, and is a position lower than the upper surface of a control gate.
US07759716B2 Semiconductor device, method of fabricating the same, stacked module including the same, card including the same, and system including the stacked module
A semiconductor device in which a plurality of chips can be reliably stacked without reducing integration thereof. The semiconductor device includes a substrate on which a circuit is provided. Pads are disposed on the substrate for testing the circuit. At least one terminal is provided on the substrate. First conductors are used to electrically couple the pads and the circuit. Second conductors are used to electrically couple the at least one terminal and the circuit. A switching element is disposed in the middle of the first conductors to control the electrical connection between the pads and the circuit. A plurality of semiconductor devices may be stacked on top of one another to form a stacked module, wherein chip selection lines are formed, which extend to the bottom of each of the semiconductor devices to electrically couple chip selection terminals from among the at least one terminal of the semiconductor devices.
US07759708B2 Solid-state imaging apparatus
A solid-state imaging apparatus is provided. The solid-state imaging apparatus includes a solid-state imaging device, an α-ray shielding layer formed so as to cover at least an imaging area of the solid-state imaging device and a cover glass provided above the α-ray shielding layer.
US07759707B2 Semiconductor substrate, semiconductor device, method of producing semiconductor substrate, and method of producing semiconductor device
A semiconductor substrate includes: a first semiconductor layer; an oxide layer that is formed on the first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer that is formed on the oxide layer; a first recess that is formed in the second semiconductor layer with extending from an upper face of the second semiconductor layer toward the first semiconductor layer, the first recess being formed at a position where an alignment mark for determining a forming position of an element which is to be built in the semiconductor substrate is to be formed; and an etching prevention layer that is inwardly formed from a position of an upper face of the first semiconductor layer, the position corresponding to the recess, the layer comprising a material that is prevented from being etched during etching of the first semiconductor layer.
US07759696B2 High-breakdown voltage semiconductor switching device and switched mode power supply apparatus using the same
A high-breakdown voltage semiconductor switching device includes a resurf region of a second conductivity type; a base region of a first conductivity type formed to be adjacent to the resurf region; an emitter/source region of the second conductivity type formed in the base region to be spaced from the resurf region; a gate electrode formed to cover a portion of the emitter/source region and a portion of the resurf region; a drain region of the second conductivity type formed in the resurf region to be spaced from the base region; and a collector region of the first conductivity type formed in the resurf region to be spaced from the base region. Furthermore, it includes an electrode connected to the collector region and the drain region and an electrode connected to the base region and the emitter/source region.
US07759681B2 Thin film circuit
A practical operational amplifier circuit is formed using thing film transisters. An operational amplifier circuit is formed by thin film transistors formed on a quartz substrate wherein cumulative distribution of mobilities of the n-channel type thin film transistors becomes 90% or more at 260 cm2/Vs and wherein cumulative distribution of mobilities of the p-channel type thin film transistors becomes 90% or more at 150 cm2/Vs. The thin film transistors have active layers formed using a crystalline silicon film fabricated using a metal element that selected to promote crystallization of silicon. The crystalline silicon film is a collection of a multiplicity of elongate crystal structures extending in a certain direction, and the above-described characteristics can be achieved by matching the extending direction and the moving direction of carriers.
US07759662B2 Field electron emission element, a method of manufacturing the same and a field electron emission method using such an element as well as an emission/display device employing such a field electron emission element and a method of manufacturing the same
In an electron emission method, a voltage is applied to a field electron emission element that has a boron nitride material containing crystal, formed on an element substrate to show a conical projection of the boron nitride material and shows a stable electron emitting property in an atmosphere when a voltage is applied thereto to emit electrons. An electron emission threshold of the field electron emission element falls due to formation of a surface electric dipolar layer by bringing it into contact with an operating atmosphere containing polar solvent gas when applying a voltage to the field electron emission element so as to emit electrons.
US07759661B2 Electron beam emitter for sterilizing containers
An electron beam emitter including a vacuum chamber having a width. An electron generator can be positioned within the vacuum chamber for generating electrons. An elongate nozzle can extend from the vacuum chamber along a longitudinal axis and have an exit window at a distal end of the nozzle. The nozzle can have a width that is less than the width of the vacuum chamber. The electron generator can be shaped and dimensioned, and positioned with the vacuum chamber to form and direct a narrow electron beam that enters and travels through the nozzle, and exits out the exit window.
US07759656B1 Dual air particle sample cassette and methods for using same
An assembly for holding a microscopy sample for storage, observation, manipulation, characterization and/or study of the sample using a microscopy instrument is provided. The assembly includes mating first and second parts having faces between which a microscopy sample, including a TEM grid mounted sample, is secured. A spring is used to provide compression between the faces. A rotatable member such as a threaded screw is operable to draw the parts apart from one another. An annular wall functions to protect microscopy samples held in the assembly from damage.
US07759653B2 Electron beam apparatus
The present invention includes an electron beam device for examining defects on semiconductor devices. The device includes an electron source for generating a primary electron beam, wherein the total acceleration potential is divided and is provided across the ground potential. Also included is at least one condenser lens for pre-focusing the primary electron beam, an aperture for confining the primary electron beam to ameliorate electron-electron interaction, wherein the aperture is positioned right underneath the last condenser lens, and a SORIL objective lens system for forming immersion magnetic field and electrostatic field to focus the primary beam onto the specimen in the electron beam path. A pair of grounding rings for providing virtual ground voltage potential to those components within the electron beam apparatus installed below a source anode and above a last polepiece of the SORIL objective lens.
US07759639B2 Electrospray depositing system for biological materials
An electrospray (ES)-based deposition system enabling the coating an impervious substrate, such as a glass slide, with biological materials in a vacuum. Distilled water or a buffer is used as the solvent; no other solvents are used thereby eliminating hazardous waste from the process. Movement across differential pumping stages causes evaporation of the solvent occurs resulting in shrinkage of the remaining constituents with an increase of the charge density. The resulting ion beam enters a vacuum chamber and the beam impinges on the substrate, whereby a thin layer is deposited thereon. The spray can be focused to a specific area allowing patterning of the substrate if desired. The amount of coating can be controlled and a specified number of coats of the same or different molecules can be added to the surface.
US07759631B2 Raster scanning microscope having transparent optical element with inner curved surface
The optical detection system typically used in micromechanical cantilever-based instruments, e.g. scanning probe microscopes, chemical or biological sensing probes like “artificial noses”, or molecular force probe instruments, can hardly cope when measuring samples immersed in a fluid, i.e. a gas, gel, or liquid having another refractive index than the environment. Optical readout or detection becomes problematic as soon as the refractive index of the fluid changes, because signals can shift significantly. The invention provides an improved optical means at the interface between the fluid and the environment, avoiding signal shifts, and thus avoiding time-consuming and difficult re-calibration or re-adjustment of the microscope or other cantilever-based instrument.
US07759630B2 Method and apparatus for the generation and control of multiple near-field light sources at subwavelength resolution
Methods and devices for generating multiple, closely spaced, independently controlled near-field light sources are disclosed. By providing an aperture having at least two, orthogonally oriented ridge structures, two or more closely spaced near-field light sources can be generated by controlling the polarization direction of the illuminating radiation. Control of the shape of the aperture, and relative dimensions of the ridge structures allows optimization of the relative intensities of the near-field sources.
US07759628B2 Detection device and electronic apparatus having plural scanning lines, detection lines, power supply lines and plural unit circuits arranged on a substrate
A unit circuit includes a first transistor, a detection element, a second transistor, and a first capacitive element. The first transistor supplies a detection line with a detection signal corresponding to the electric potential of a gate electrode thereof. The detection element is connected to the gate electrode of the first transistor and varies the electric potential of the gate electrode of the first transistor in accordance with an external factor. The second transistor has a first terminal that is connected to the gate electrode of the first transistor and a second terminal that is connected to a second power supply line. The second transistor has a gate electrode that is connected to a scanning line. The first capacitive element holds the electric potential of the gate electrode of the first transistor.
US07759626B2 Sensor device for generating ambient light information
A process circuit sets a plurality of light emitting elements in a state in which light is not emitted through a process circuit, and receives a signal S1 corresponding to received ambient light from each of a plurality of light receiving elements. The process circuit generates light receiving information (data DT) showing the light receiving state of the ambient light with respect to each predetermined number of light receiving elements among the plurality of light receiving elements. The process circuit transmits the data DT to the outside. The personal computer receives the data DT through a communication unit and displays it. In a sensor SNS, the amount of light received can be displayed with respect to each optical axis by the personal computer. Thus, an operator can find the light receiving state of the ambient light in more detail than the conventional sensor.
US07759624B2 Image data generating device and light receiving device
An image data generating device has a photoelectric sensor including an array of pixel generating units, each of which has one photoelectric conversion element and one floating diffusion. The photoelectric sensor includes a matrix of pixel sets, each of which includes a matrix of pixel generating units on two rows and two columns. To generate plane image data, the image data generating device finds a pixel value on a pixel basis from an output value for each pixel generating unit. To generate distance image data, the image data generating device finds a distance to a subject for each pixel set from an output value for each pixel generating unit belonging to the pixel set and calculates a pixel value per pixel set.
US07759616B2 Method for heating a container placed on a cooktop by heating means associated to inductors
Method for heating a container (Ri) placed on a cooktop including heating elements which are associated respectively with inductors which form elements for detecting the presence of the container and are distributed along a frame which is embodied such that it is two-dimensional in a cooking area. The method includes searching (E20) a heating area (Zi) consisting of the heating elements arrangement which are at least partially covered by the container and computing (E60) a power supplied by each heating element of the heating area (Zi) according to a total specified power (Pi) associated thereto and the degree of coverage of each detection element associated to heating element by the container (Ri). The invention can be used, in particular for an inductive cooktop.
US07759615B2 Steam cooking apparatus
Midway along an outer circulation passage provided outside a heating chamber, a steam generating device is arranged, and, through the outer circulation passage, steam is fed to the heating chamber. A control device controls a steam generating heater arranged inside the steam generating device and a vapor heating heater provided in a space through which an air stream flowing through the outer circulation passage is returned to the heating chamber, and forms a cooking sequence by using, singly or in combination, a first heating mode that uses superheated steam obtained as a result of the steam being heated with the vapor heating heater and a second heating mode that uses hot air or radiation heat obtained by making the vapor heating heater produce heat without supply of steam.
US07759608B2 Slat for laser-cutting machine table
The invention relates to the general field of cutting machines using a laser beam; it relates more particularly to a system of slats for a laser-cutting machine table. These slats (8) each consist of a trough (9) containing a plurality of juxtaposed inserts (10) arranged parallel or substantially parallel to one another, each insert (10) taking the form of a folded thin sheet-metal plate comprising at least two parts connected along a fold line, a first part arranged substantially parallel to the direction of incidence of the laser beam and constituting a support strip whose free upper edge forms a support element for the product (4) to be cut, and a second part which is inclined with respect to the direction of incidence of the laser beam and constitutes an oblique strip for deflecting the laser beam (3).
US07759599B2 Interchangeable plasma nozzle interface
The present invention provides a standard interface for providing mechanical location, mechanical orientation, electrical connections, and water chamber seals for the exchange of a variety of plasma forming nozzles each associated with a specific plasma plume characteristic. The flexibility of the nozzle attachment is improved over prior designs by providing a standard exterior nozzle configuration and nozzle clamping assembly on the plasma gun so that multiple nozzles configurations (giving different plasma flow properties) can easily be used with the same devices. The joining of the nozzle to the receptacle forms a channel for cooling liquid to flow from the plasma gun through the nozzle to a return path in the plasma gun and creates an electrical contact between the plasma gun and the nozzle.
US07759595B2 Gas insulating switchgear equipped with grounding switchgear
A gas insulating switchgear equipped with a grounding switchgear of the invention includes a sealing vessel that fills an insulation gas, a main circuit-switching fixed electrode that is fixed to the sealing vessel, a movable electrode that comes in contact with the main circuit-switching fixed electrode, a grounding-switching fixed electrode capable of conducting current, and a driving device that drives the movable electrode, thereby driving the movable electrode. The main circuit-switching fixed electrode and the grounding-switching fixed electrode are linearly arranged in a longitudinal direction of the movable electrode, and the driving device drives linearly the movable electrode to three positions of a closed-circuit position, an open-circuit position, and a grounding position, and holds the movable electrode.
US07759594B2 Thin key sheet and production method thereof
Preparing a resin film having a transparency and a thickness of 0.2 mm or less such as PC, PET, PU or the like; drawing the resin film in such a manner to form concave portions at positions corresponding to a plurality of the key tops of the resin film by pinching the resin film between heating drawing dies; forming a pressing element on the undersurface of the film by filling a filler (resin) into the concave portion formed by means of the drawing; and disposing the key tops by means of adhesion, the key tops formed on the top surface of the resin film by means of the resin formation, the mold printing or the like after the formation of the pressing elements, which achieves further thinner configuration of the key sheet with the configuration that the key tops and the pressing elements are disposed, respectively on the top surface and the undersurface of the resin film.
US07759592B2 Seal for electrical switch pad
Methods and apparatus are provided for an electrical assembly. The apparatus comprises a base member comprising a recessed portion and a circumferential flange, the recessed portion adapted to receive an electrical device and the flange having a channel on a first side and a sealing member comprising a retention portion and a protruding portion disposed on the retention portion, the retention portion adapted to at least partially enclose the circumferential flange with at least part of the sealing member disposed at least partially across the channel, and the protruding portion extending away from the channel.
US07759590B2 Method and apparatus to improve tactile feel for keyboards and button assemblies
A keyboard for an electronic device that incorporates a flexible carrier for the keys. The flexible carrier has cutouts or slots that aid in decoupling the actions of one from its neighbors. Moreover, in addition to or instead of cutouts or slots, the flexible carrier optionally has cutouts around its outer perimeter. In some embodiments, the keys are molded as part of the flexible carrier. In other embodiments, the keys are attached to or inserted in the flexible carrier during manufacture. Various embodiments of the invention employ various key shapes to aid the user's tactile experience while typing.
US07759588B2 Thin keypad assembly
A thin keypad assembly with a keypad panel of a smooth surface, a mist surface or a lines layer includes an elastic layer, a carrier and a keypad layer. The elastic layer includes a plurality of support portions, and each support portion has a protrusion. The carrier is installed on a surface of the elastic layer, and the joint surface of the carrier and the elastic layer sequentially includes a ground color layer, a function color layer and a font color layer. The keypad layer has a holder disposed on a surface of the carrier, and a plurality of protruding or flat keycaps are disposed on the holder, and a smooth surface is formed on the surface of the keycap, and the surface of the holder is a mist surface, or the surfaces of both keycap and holder are a lines layer.
US07759587B2 Two-way key of portable terminal
A two-way key of a portable terminal is provided. The two-way terminal includes a fixed member mounted on the portable terminal, a driving member rotatably assembled with the fixed member, and an operating member pivotably assembled with the fixed member, wherein, as the driving member rotates, the driving member comes into contact with the operating member and causes the operating member to pivot. The two-way key as configured above can construct a key capable of operating in two ways while taking a small space so that it contributes to the compact size of the terminal. Further, if the two-way key is employed in the watch-type portable terminal, the operating scheme is identical to that of a spring of a common analog wrist watch or a time control lever, so that it is familiar to a user and thus it is convenient for a user to use.
US07759585B2 Distribution unit with pushing unit and a weighing apparatus including said distribution unit
Distribution unit (21, 23) for distributing material into a number of delimited openings (23) arranged next to each other in such a manner that a transition (27) is provided between the individual openings; and wherein, in connection with the individual transition, a pushing unit (25) is arranged, wherein said pushing unit is arranged such that it is able to actively push material in a direction away from the transition. The distribution unit may partake in a weighing apparatus. Material settling in the transition is pushed down into one of the openings by the pushing unit.
US07759581B2 Circuit board and method for manufacturing semiconductor modules and circuit boards
A circuit board is provided with a metal plate, having openings, as core material. The opening gradually increases from a lower surface side toward an upper surface side of the metal plate. On both surface sides of the metal plate there are provided wiring patterns, respectively, via insulating layers. The insulating layer on an upper region of the opening and the corresponding wiring pattern are provided have a recess on the upper surface. To electrically connect each wiring pattern, the circuit board includes a conductor that penetrates the metal plate via the opening and which connects the wiring patterns with each other. An LSI chip is directly coupled to the upper surface side of the metal plate via a solder ball.
US07759574B2 Sheet metal housing
A sheet metal housing is disclosed for housing measurement and control devices. The sheet metal housing comprises a cover plate, a baseplate, two lateral walls and a back wall, to accommodate rail-mounted, plug-in modules, the front panels of which are embodied to together form a closed front. The housing can be made up of two identical, essentially C-shaped housing shells and the back wall. The cover plate and the baseplate are both of double-wall construction and can form an inner and an outer plate, separated from each other, whereby the inner plates comprise means for accommodating guide rails. Each inner plate and each outer plate of opposing walls can be components of the same housing shell.
US07759555B1 Soybean variety XB09U08
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated XB09U08. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety XB09U08, to the plants of soybean XB09U08 to plant parts of soybean variety XB09U08 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety XB09U08 with another soybean plant, using XB09U08 as either the male or the female parent.
US07759553B2 Soybean cultivar S070152
A soybean cultivar designated S070152 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar S070152, to the plants of soybean S070152, to plant parts of soybean cultivar S070152 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar S070152 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety S070152, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar S070152 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar S070152 with another soybean cultivar.
US07759552B2 Soybean cultivar 26034631
A soybean cultivar designated 26034631 is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 26034631, to the plants of soybean 26034631, to plant parts of soybean cultivar 26034631 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing soybean cultivar 26034631 with itself or with another soybean variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a soybean plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic soybean plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to soybean cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from soybean variety 26034631, to methods for producing other soybean cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from soybean cultivar 26034631 and to the soybean plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing the cultivar 26034631 with another soybean cultivar.
US07759545B2 Methods and compositions for production of maize lines with increased transformability
The current invention provides methods and compositions for producing an elite line of Zea mays enhanced for transformability. Compositions comprising an elite germplasm exhibiting increased transformability are disclosed. Further provided are methods for breeding maize such that enhanced transformability traits may be transferred to a desired germplasm. The plants and methods of the invention represent a valuable new tool for the creation of elite transgenic plants, preferably having one or more added beneficial characteristics.
US07759538B2 Process and device for application of active substances to a wound surface
For application of active substances to a wound surface a porous padding (12) is provided upon the wound (10), which is sealingly covered over with a foil (14). A fluid active substance is introduced into the padding (12) via a supply line (22) and is then suctioned out of the padding (12) via a removal line (26). Closure mechanisms (32, 34) control the introduction of the active substance and the suctioning off of the active substance in the manner, that the active substance after being introduced remains for a predetermined dwell time in the padding (12), before it is suctioned off. After the suctioning off the vacuum in the padding (12) is maintained for a certain time period, before renewed introduction of the active substance. The opening of the closure mechanisms (32, 34) are temporally controlled to occur slowly.
US07759526B2 Pharmaceutical compositions comprising cannabidiol derivatives
The present invention relates to cannabidiol derivatives and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising cannabidiol derivatives being antiinflammatory agents having analgesic, antianxiety, anticonvulsive, neuroprotective, antipsychotic and anticancer activity.The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of cannabidiol derivatives.It also relates to the use of cannabidiol derivatives and of pharmaceutical compositions comprising same in the preparation of a medicament, in a method of the treatment of human beings with cannabidiol derivatives or with a pharmaceutical preparations comprising same.
US07759522B2 Process for purification of phosphate esters
A crude phosphate ester product can be purified by first washing it with chelating agent composition (such as a dilute acidic solution) and then, preferably, water, drying the resulting product, and then treating the resulting product with an acid scavenger, as exemplified by an epoxy-containing compound, such as 3,4-epoxy cyclohexyl methyl-3,4-epoxy cyclohexyl carboxylate.
US07759521B2 Device for producing polyether alcohols
The present invention relates to a process for preparing autocatalytic polyether alcohols by reacting H-functional starter substances containing at least one amino group which is catalytically active in the urethane reaction, in particular a tertiary amino group, and at least one group which is reactive toward alkylene oxides, in particular a primary and/or secondary amino group and/or hydroxyl group, with alkylene oxides, which comprises a) dissolving the starter substance in a solvent, b) reacting the solution with alkylene oxides.
US07759519B2 Amide and peptide derivatives of dialkylenetriamines and their use as transfection agents
This invention relates to newly identified spermidine based surfactant compounds, to the use of such compounds and to their production. The invention also relates to the use of the spermidine based compounds to facilitate the transfer of polynucleotides into cells.
US07759511B2 Liquid crystal composition comprising novel silicon containing compounds and liquid crystal display device using the same
Disclosed are a silicon-containing compound, a liquid crystal composition comprising the same compound, and a liquid crystal display device comprising a liquid crystal layer prepared from the liquid crystal composition. The silicon-containing compound, which forms the liquid crystal composition, has low viscosity and high positive dielectric anisotropy. Therefore, it is possible to provide a liquid crystal display device, which has a fast response time and can be driven at a low voltage.
US07759508B2 Volatile copper(1) complexes and processes for deposition of copper films by atomic layer deposition
Provided are novel 1,3-diimine copper complexes, and processes for using 1,3-diimine copper complexes in the deposition of copper on substrates, or in or on porous solids, by atomic layer deposition.
US07759503B2 Trisoxetane compound, process for producing the same, and optical waveguide using the same
The present invention relates to a trisoxetane compound represented by the following formula (1): wherein each of R1 and R3's represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atom(s); R2 represents a divalent aliphatic chained organic group having 0 to 16 carbon atom(s); and A represents a carbon atom or a trivalent organic group derived from a cycloalkane having 3 to 12 carbon atoms; a process for producing the same; and an optical waveguide including the same.
US07759497B2 Synthesis of diaryl pyrazoles
A process for the qualitative preparation of 3-haloalkyl-1H-pyrazoles suitable for efficient, high payload commercial application.
US07759492B2 Enantioselective synthesis of 13-oxotricyclo[8.2.1.0.3,8] trideca-3(8),4,6-triene-5-carboxylates
An enantioselective route to compounds of formula I is disclosed: The compounds of formula I are key intermediates in the synthesis of compounds useful in treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
US07759491B2 Method for producing indazol-3-ylmethyl phosphonium salt
The present invention provides a method for producing an indazol-3-ylmethyl phosphonium salt represented by Formula (IV): [wherein X represents halogen, OSO2Ra (wherein Ra represents substituted or unsubstituted lower alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted aryl or the like), or OC(═O)Rb (wherein Rb has the same meaning as the above Ra), or the like, and R1, R2 and R3 may be the same or different and each represents substituted or unsubstituted aryl or the like] or a salt thereof, which comprises reacting a compound represented by Formula (I): a compound represented by Formula (II): H—X  (II) (wherein X has the same meaning as defined above), and a compound represented by Formula (III): (wherein R1, R2 and R3 have the same meanings as defined above, respectively), and the like.
US07759486B2 2,4,5-Trisubstituted pyrimidine compounds
Novel substituted 2,4,8-trisubstituted-8H-pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidin-7-one compounds and compositions for use in therapy as CSBP/p38 kinase inhibitors.
US07759481B2 Solid state forms of 5-azacytidine and processes for preparation thereof
The present invention provides novel crystalline forms of 5-deazacytidine, and pharmaceutical compositions comprising these novel forms. The invention also provides methods for the preparation of the novel forms and compositions.
US07759479B1 Compositions and their uses directed to Gemin Genes
Disclosed herein are compounds, compositions and methods for modulating the expression of a Gemin Gene. Also provided are methods of target validation. Also provided are uses of disclosed compounds and compositions in the manufacture of a medicament for treatment of diseases and disorders.
US07759478B1 Bioinformatically detectable viral regulatory genes
The present invention relates to a group of novel viral RNA regulatory genes, here identified as “viral genomic address messenger genes” or “VGAM genes”, and as “genomic record” or “GR” genes. VGAM genes selectively inhibit translation of known host target genes, and are believed to represent a novel pervasive viral attack mechanism. GR genes encode an operon-like cluster of VGAM genes. VGAM and viral GR genes may therefore be useful in diagnosing, preventing and treating viral disease. Several nucleic acid molecules are provided respectively encoding several VGAM genes, as are vectors and probes, both comprising the nucleic acid molecules, and methods and systems for detecting VGAM genes, and for counteracting their activity.
US07759477B2 HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV pol nucleotide fragments
The invention relates to polypeptide fragments of HIV-1, HIV-2, and SIV, antibodies that bind to the polypeptides of the invention, methods of using the antibodies, and kits containing the antibodies. The invention also relates to polynucleotides that encode the polypeptide fragments of the invention.
US07759473B2 Nucleotide oligomer, nucleotide polymer, method for determining structure of functional substance and method for manufacturing functional substance
A modified nucleotide n-mer (where n is an integer of 2 or more) is used which comprises a nucleoside unit with a substituent group introduced into the base, wherein the substituent group is bound to the base via a triple bond. Novel nucleotide oligomers, nucleotide polymers, and nucleosides which can be used as raw materials or intermediates in the synthesis of this nucleotide oligomer and nucleotide polymer, as well as novel techniques for structural determination and manufacture of a functional substance having high affinity for a target, are provided.
US07759468B1 Bioactive peptide-based probes
A method for preparing a site-specific peptide probe, wherein the peptide is specific to a receptor, includes modifying a marker to include a tether molecule and covalently binding the tether molecule to the peptide. The present invention also provides a labeled probe, comprising a peptide specific for a receptor and a marker. The marker is modified to include a tether molecule capable of covalently binding to the peptide. The peptide is typically derived from a bacteriophage or is a synthetic analog or derivative of the peptide. The receptor will typically be found on a surface of a bacterial cell. The method and probe of the invention are suitable for a rapid assay for a bacteria in a complex mixture.
US07759464B2 N-glycosylated antibody
The invention relates to a monoclonal antibody, or fragment of the antibody, that is derived from a parental monoclonal antibody, that recognizes the Lewis Y antigen, characterized in that the Fc region of the antibody, or fragment of the antibody, carries a bi-sected hybrid type N-glycosylation pattern and that the antibody shows at least 10 fold increased ADCC and at least 10% reduced CDC activity.
US07759463B2 RNA interference pathway genes as tools for targeted genetic interference
Genes involved in double-stranded RNA interference (RNAi pathway genes) are identified and used to investigate the RNAi pathway. The genes and their products are also useful for modulating RNAi pathway activity.
US07759461B2 Expression system for enhancing solubility and immunogeneicity of recombinant proteins
Expression system for enhancing solubility and immunogenicity of recombinant proteins. The expression system includes a protein expression vector that contains a chimeric gene encoding a chimeric protein comprising: (a) a first polypeptidyl fragment at the N-terminal end of the chimeric protein, containing a protein transduction domain (PTD), or a fragment thereof, having HIV Tat PTD activity; (b) a second polypeptidyl fragment at the C-terminal end of the first polypeptidyl fragment, containing a J-domain, or a fragment thereof, having heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70)-interacting activity; and (c) a third polypeptidyl fragment at the C-terminal end of the second polypeptidyl fragment, containing a target protein or polypeptide.
US07759446B2 Multistage process for preparing organopolysiloxanes comprising aminoalkyl groups
Organopolysiloxanes having aminoalkyl groups are prepared by (i) reacting (A) linear, cyclic or branched organopolysiloxanes with (B) aminoalkyl silanes having an SiC-bonded hydrocarbon radical comprising basic nitrogen and 2 or 3 hydrolyzable groups, or partial or full hydrolyzates thereof, in the presence of (C) basic catalysts and optionally (D) chain-terminating reagents, at a temperature of at least 60° C., then, after the reaction (i), (ii) deactivating the catalysts (C) and (iii) cooling the product to a temperature below 60° C. before, during or after the deactivation (ii) of the catalysts, with the proviso that the process is performed in at least two successive stirred tanks, the reaction (i) and the cooling (iii) proceeding separately in different stirred tanks.
US07759444B1 Compositions comprising a polyfarnesene
Provided herein are compositions comprising a polyfarnesene. The polyfarnesene can be a farnesene homopolymer derived from a farnesene (e.g., α-farnesene or β-farnesene) or a farnesene interpolymer derived from a farnesene and at least a vinyl monomer. In some embodiments, the at least one vinyl monomer is ethylene, an α-olefin such as styrene, or a substituted or unsubstituted vinyl halide, vinyl ether, acrylonitrile, acrylic ester, methacrylic ester, acrylamide or methacrylamide, or a combination thereof.
US07759441B2 Radically coupled PTFE polymer compounds and method for the production thereof
Radically coupled PTFE polymer compounds useful, for example, as tribo materials, and a method for the production thereof. Radically coupled PTFE polymer compounds are provided which exhibit improved wear resistances with comparable gliding properties, and furthermore there is provided a simple and efficient method for the production of such compounds. Radically coupled PTFE polymer compounds are provided comprising radiation-chemically and/or plasma-chemically modified PTFE powders, on the particle surface of which olefinically unsaturated polymers are chemically radically coupled by a reactive conversion into a melt. There is also provided a method for producing radically coupled PTFE polymer compounds, in which PTFE powders are reactively converted with reactive perfluoroalkyl-(peroxy) radical centers after a radiation-chemical and/or plasma-chemical modification into a melt with the addition of olefinically unsaturated polymers.
US07759440B2 Fluorine-containing polymerisable monomer and polymer prepared by using same
The present invention relates to a polymerizable monomer represented by the general formula (1), wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydrocarbon group or a fluorine-containing alkyl group; R2 is a straight-chain or branched alkyl group, a cyclic alkyl group, an aromatic group, or a substituent having at least two of these groups, the R2 being optionally partially fluorinated; R3 is a hydrogen atom, a hydrocarbon group that is optionally branched, a fluorine-containing alkyl group, or a cyclic group having an aromatic or alicyclic structure, the R3 optionally containing a bond of an oxygen atom or carbonyl group; and n is an integer of 1-2.
US07759439B2 Use of a combination chain transfer and activating agent to control molecular weight and optical density of Pd catalyzed norbornene polymers
A method of controlling the molecular weight of poly(cyclic)olefin (norbornene-type) polymers and activating the polymerization thereof with a single material is provided. Such method include adding a chain transfer/activating agent to a mixture of monomer(s), catalyst, solvent and an optional cocatalyst and polymerizing the mixture to form a polymer. It is shown that the amount of chain transfer/activating agent in the mixture can serve to control the molecular weight of the resulting polymer, its percent conversion or both, and in some embodiments the optical density of the resulting polymer.
US07759433B2 High adhesion acrylate coating for a photochromic ophthalmic lens
A method and coating used to prepare a photochromically-enabled bifocal ophthalmic lens. The coating is a high adhesive strength acrylate-based coating that contains a small quantity of a polycarbonate-based TPU. The coating is applied to produce an intermediate imbibable bifocal surface. A photochromic solution is subsequently imbibed by contact with the bifocal surface.
US07759426B2 Polyaniline-containing composition and process for its production
A polyaniline-containing composition containing a polyaniline component and an emulsion polymer, wherein the emulsion polymer is obtained by caring out emulsion polymerization of a monomer mixture containing a monomer of formula (1): wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and R2 and R3 each independently is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms; or R2 and R3 are combined to form an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an oxyalkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, in an amount of not smaller than 15% by mass, relative to a total amount of monomers; and a process for its production.
US07759418B2 Flame retardant resin composition
A flame retardant composition comprising a specific phenolic-based resin (A) and a specific phosphor compound (B) can be suitably used for a resin and can provide a resin composition which is excellent in flame retardancy, thermal resistance, moisture resistance, extrusion workability, demolding availability, thermal stability, impact resistance, mechanical properties and the like.
US07759414B2 Nanoparticulate solar control compositions
Provided are compositions comprising infrared absorptive inorganic nanoparticles and an ethylene copolymer, and methods to produce the compositions. The infrared absorptive inorganic nanoparticles preferably include antimony tin oxide (ATO), indium tin oxide (ITO), lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6), or mixtures thereof. Also provided are polymer blends, polymeric films and sheets, solar control laminates, and processes to produce the polymer blends, polymeric films and sheets and solar control laminates.
US07759412B2 Tire puncture sealant
A tire puncture sealant including a urethane emulsion, an acrylic emulsion or a polyolefin emulsion, and an antifreezing agent has a comparatively low viscosity and an excellent storage stability while showing sealing properties equivalent to those of a conventional tire puncture sealant. A tire puncture sealant including a synthetic resin emulsion and an antifreezing agent, and having a hydrogen ion exponent of 5.5 to 8.5 has a less pungent odor and hardly causes corrosion of steel cord. A tire puncture sealant including a chloroprene emulsion and an antifreezing agent and having a hydrogen ion exponent of less than 9.0 has a comparatively low viscosity and a less odor while showing sealing properties equivalent to those of a conventional tire puncture sealant.
US07759408B2 Silicon-containing monomers end-capped with polymerizable cationic hydrophilic groups
The present invention relates to polymeric compositions useful in the manufacture of biocompatible medical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to certain cationic monomers capable of polymerization to form polymeric compositions having desirable physical characteristics useful in the manufacture of ophthalmic devices. Such properties include the ability to extract the polymerized medical devices with water. This avoids the use of organic solvents as is typical in the art. The polymer compositions comprise polymerized silicon-containing monomers end-capped with polymerizable cationic hydrophilic groups.
US07759406B2 Process for producing polysilsesquioxane graft polymer, pressure-sensitive adhesive, and pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet
The present invention provides a process for producing a polysilsesquioxane graft polymer (1) which includes applying ionizing radiation or heat to a mixture including a polysilsesquioxane compound (2) and a vinyl compound (3), a polysilsesquioxane compound including an iniferter group, and a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet using the polymer. According to the present invention, a process for producing a polysilsesquioxane graft polymer which may be used as a pressure-sensitive adhesive exhibiting excellent heat resistance and cohesive force, and the like are provided. In the formula, A represents a linking group, R1 represents a hydrocarbon group which may have a substituent, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, R3 represents a polar group or the like, R4 represents a hydrogen atom or the like, k1 to k3 represent arbitrary positive integers, 1 to n represent zero or an arbitrary positive integer (excluding the case where “m=n=0”), and Q represents an iniferter group.
US07759405B2 Low viscosity multi-functional urethane acrylate oligomer-containing high solid UV curable coating composition
A high-solid UV-curable coating composition of the present invention, comprising a low viscosity multifunctional urethane acrylate oligomer, a UV-curable monomer, 10% by weight or less of an organic solvent and a photoinitiator has good workability and environmental characteristics and provides a coating film having improved properties including thermal shock resistance.
US07759400B2 Pressure-sensitive adhesive composition and skin patch
It is intended to provide a composition which has well-balanced pressure-sensitive adhesiveness and cohesive force as well as favorable application properties to the skin, and a patch which has the above-described characteristics and hardly peels off. This object can be achieved by providing a composition comprising an acrylic copolymer containing from 3 to 25% by weight of hydroxyethyl (meth)acrylate as a constituent, a plasticizer and a pseudo-crosslinking compound, wherein the ratio of the content of the plasticizer to the content of the pseudo-crosslinking compound ranges from 30:1 to 250:1, and a patch.
US07759393B2 Bio-derived 1,3-propanediol and its conjugate esters as natural and non irritating solvents for biomass-derived extracts, fragrance concentrates, and oils
Compositions containing 1,3-propanediol and an extraction product are provided, and the 1,3-propanediol in the composition is biologically derived. Also provided are processes for extracting an extract from a source. These processes include providing an ester of 1,3-propanediol and mixing the 1,3-propanediol ester with the source. This serves to extract the extract from the source into the ester. The processes also include separating the source from the ester and extract. Also provided are compositions containing an ester of 1,3-propanediol and an extraction product. In these compositions, the ester can have at least 3% biobased carbon.
US07759384B2 Carvedilol phosphate salts and/or solvates thereof, corresponding compositions, and/or methods of treatment
The present invention relates to carvedilol phosphate salts, which include novel crystalline forms of carvedilol dihydrogen phosphate (i.e., dihydrogen phosphate salt of 1-(carbazol-4-yloxy-3-[[2-(o-methoxyphenoxy) ethyl]amino]-2-propanol) and/or carvedilol hydrogen phosphate, etc.), and/or solvates thereof, compositions containing the aforementioned salts and/or solvates, and methods of using the aforementioned salts and/or solvates to treat hypertension, congestive heart failure and angina, etc.
US07759380B2 Substituted pyrrolines as kinase inhibitors
The present invention is directed to novel substituted pyrroline compounds useful as kinase or dual-kinase inhibitors, methods for producing such compounds and methods for treating or ameliorating a kinase or dual-kinase mediated disorder.
US07759379B2 Cyclic urea derivatives, preparation thereof and pharmaceutical use thereof as kinase inhibitors
The invention relates to compounds of formula (I): in which R1, R2, L1, X, R3, A, R4, R4′, R4″, R4″′, R5, Y and L2 are as herein defined, salts and prodrugs thereof, to their use as protein kinase inhibitors, and to methods of treating diseases comprising adminstration thereof.
US07759378B2 Polyamino acid derivatives and use thereof in compositions for treating keratin fibers
The invention concerns the use in a cosmetic composition of at least a poly-aminoacid of general formula (1) in which X is —O—, —S— or —NR3; R1 represents in particular a hydrogen atom or a C1-C40 alkyl radical; R2 represents in particular a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl radical; R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl radical; R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a radical such as NH2, OH, SH, —CHOHCH3, —CONH2; n is a number greater than 1 such that the poly-aminoacid derivative molecular weight ranges between 200 and 200000. The invention also concerns the use of said derivatives for keratinous fiber strengthening and care.
US07759365B2 Piperidine-substituted indoles
Disclosed are novel piperidine-substituted indoles- or heteroderivatives thereof of the formula 1: wherein R1, R5, R6, R7, A, B, D-E, Y, i, j, n and m are defined as below. The compounds of formula 1 are useful as agonists or antagonists of CCR-3. The present invention is also directed to pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, more particularly to provide pharmaceutical compositions comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of the compounds of the present invention or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
US07759358B2 Oral bioavailable prodrugs
The invention is directed to forming duplex prodrugs that provide significant increase in the transdermal flux of drugs across human skin. The prodrugs are prepared by reacting a drug that can form an ester moiety with phosgene to form a carbonate. The drug can be an opiate or an opiate antagonist. When in contact with human skin, the duplex drug is biotransformed by enzymes or by hydrolysis into two drug molecules.
US07759335B2 Cannabinoid receptor antagonists/inverse agonists useful for treating metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes
The present invention provides novel substituted amino-azetidines that are useful as cannabinoid receptor antagonists/inverse agonists and pharmaceutical compositions thereof and methods of using the same for treating obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemias, cardiovascular disorders, hepatic disorders, and a combination thereof.
US07759329B2 Method of treating human preeclampsia employing resibufagenin
A method of treating preeclampsia including administering a therapeutically effective dose of resibufagenin to a patient having preeclampsia. Effecting the determination of the presence of preeclampsia may be by determining whether there has been a substantial elevation in marinobufagenin which may be blood-derived or urine-derived and if such elevation does exist, concluding that preeclampsia does exist. The method may advantageously be practiced by employing urine, blood serum or blood plasma as the body specimen containing the protein in determining whether a patient has preeclampsia. In another embodiment, bufodienolide derivatives other than resibufagenin may be employed in lieu of thereof or in combination therewith. In another embodiment, resibufagenin analogues may be employed in the treatment of preeclampsia.
US07759326B2 Aminophosphonic acid derivative, salt thereof, and modulator of S1P receptor
Aminophosphonic acid derivatives (e.g., 2-amino-5-[4-(3-benzyloxyphenylthio)-2-chlorophenyl]-2-methylpentylphosphonate monoester) are represented by the following general formula (1): and act as effective S1P receptor modulators while posing less side effects.
US07759319B2 Oligomeric compounds and compositions for use in modulation of pri-mirnas
Compounds, compositions and methods are provided for modulating the levels expression, processing and function of pri-miRNAs. In particular, methods and compounds are provided for the modulation of the levels, expression, processing or function of polycistronic pri-miRNAs. The compositions comprise oligomeric compounds targeted to small non-coding RNAs and pri-miRNAs. Further provided are methods for selectively modulating pri-miRNA levels in a cell. Also provided are methods for identifying oligomeric compounds that result in increase pri-miRNA levels when contacted with a cell.
US07759311B2 Small peptides for the treatment of alzheimer's disease and other beta-amyloid protein fibrillogenesis disorders
A pharmaceutical composition comprising a peptide consisting of Arg-Val-Ala-Val-Ile-Met-Gly-amide-having at least one D-amino acid.
US07759299B2 Warewashing composition for use in automatic dishwashing machines
A warewashing detergent composition is provided according to the invention. The warewashing detergent composition includes a cleaning agent, an alkaline source, and a corrosion inhibitor. The cleaning agent comprises a detersive amount of a surfactant. The alkaline source is provided in an amount effective to provide a use composition having a pH of at least about 8. The corrosion inhibitor includes a source of aluminum ion and at least one of a source of calcium ion or a source of magnesium ion. The amounts of calcium ion or magnesium ion can be selected depending upon the hardness of the water of dilution. Methods for using a warewashing detergent composition are provided.
US07759293B2 Hydraulic oil composition for shock absorbers
Hydraulic oil compositions for shock absorbers comprises a lubricating base oil and at least one type of silicone oil selected from the group consisting of silicone oils with a kinematic viscosity at 25° C. of 10,000 to 350,000 mm2/s and fluorine-modified silicone oils with a kinematic viscosity at 25° C. of less than 10,000 mm2/s. The compositions may further comprise a viscosity index improver. The compositions can enhance the damping force and initial damping properties of a shock absorber and thus improve the ride comfort of an automobile equipped with such a shock absorber.
US07759287B2 Composition and method for fuel gas storage and release
A composition and method of storing and releasing fuel gas such as hydrogen, methane or natural gas is provided which utilizes lightly crosslinked high density polyethylene pellets. Fuel gas is stored by placing the pellets in a reaction chamber which is heated to a temperature slightly above the crystalline melting point of the pellets, followed by the introduction of fuel gas into the chamber. The fuel gas permeates the pellets and becomes contained therein upon cooling of the pellets under pressure. The fuel gas may be stored indefinitely in the pellets at ambient temperature. When release of the fuel gas is desired, the pellets are incrementally metered into a discharge chamber and are heated to a temperature above the crystalline melting point of the pellets under a pressure from about 5 to 200 psi such that the fuel gas is released from the pellets for use. The expended pellets may then be recycled for further fuel gas storage.
US07759278B2 Exhaust gas-purifying catalyst
An exhaust gas-purifying catalyst includes a rare-earth element, an alkaline-earth element, and a precious metal. A part of the rare-earth element and a part of the alkaline-earth element form a composite oxide. The composite oxide and a part of the precious metal form a solid solution.
US07759276B2 Adsorptive formed body having an inorganic amorphous supporting structure, and process for the production thereof
The invention relates to a formed body comprising an at least partially amorphous inorganic supporting structure and an adsorption agent, which adsorption agent is disposed on and/or in the amorphous inorganic supporting structure. The invention further relates to a process for the production of same and to the use of said formed body in a filtering system, preferably in a motor vehicle.
US07759275B2 Sorbent system for water removal from air
A sorbent system includes a porous polymer support and a sorbent within the porous polymer support. For example, the sorbent includes a tertiary amine, such as triethanolamine.
US07759266B2 Dual crimped warp fabric for conveyor belt applications
A conveyor belt reinforcing fabric weave is disclosed, having a plurality of center tension warps crimped about a plurality of middle wefts. Upper and lower wefts lie above and below the middle wefts. The upper and lower wefts are in opposition to each other and in non-opposition with the center wefts. Binder warps are interlaced above and below the central tension warps in alternating sequence, with at least one of the binder warps interlacing upper and lower wefts other than those interlaced by an adjacent binder warp. Interlacing of the middle wefts by the central tension warps locks the wefts in place, providing enhanced resistance to faster pullout. The lack of straight tension warps provides a highly flexible fabric that can be used in multi-ply applications. A conveyor belt incorporating one or more plies of the inventive fabric is disclosed, as is a method for manufacturing the belt.
US07759265B2 Protective cover system including a corrosion inhibitor and method of inhibiting corrosion of a metallic object
A protective cover system for inhibiting corrosion of a metallic object. The protective cover system includes a cover for defining a microenvironment adjacent a metallic object and a corrosion inhibitor source for releasing one or more corrosion inhibitors into the microenvironment.
US07759256B2 Micro-electro-mechanical system device and method for making same
According to the present invention, a method for making a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device comprises: providing a substrate with devices and interconnection formed thereon, the substrate having a to-be-etched region; depositing and patterning an etch stop layer; depositing and patterning metal and via layers to form an MEMS structure, the MEMS structure including an isolation region between MEMS parts, an isolation region exposed upwardly, and an isolation region exposed downwardly, wherein the isolation region exposed downwardly is in contact with the etch stop layer; masking the isolation region exposed upwardly, and removing the isolation region between MEMS parts; and removing the etch stop layer.
US07759247B2 Manufacturing method of semiconductor device with a barrier layer and a metal layer
This invention provides a semiconductor device and a manufacturing method thereof which can minimize deterioration of electric characteristics of the semiconductor device without increasing an etching process. In the semiconductor device of the invention, a pad electrode layer formed of a first barrier layer and an aluminum layer laminated thereon is formed on a top surface of a semiconductor substrate. A supporting substrate is further attached on the top surface of the semiconductor substrate. A second barrier layer is formed on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate and in a via hole formed from the back surface of the semiconductor substrate to the first barrier layer. Furthermore, a re-distribution layer is formed in the via hole so as to completely fill the via hole or so as not to completely fill the via hole. A ball-shaped terminal is formed on the re-distribution layer.
US07759243B2 Method for forming an on-chip high frequency electro-static discharge device
A method for forming an on-chip high frequency electro-static discharge device on an integrated circuit is described. In one embodiment of the method, a capped first dielectric layer with more than one electrode formed therein is provided. A second dielectric layer is deposited over the capped first dielectric layer. A first hard mask dielectric layer is deposited over the second dielectric layer. A cavity trench is formed through the first hard mask dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer to the first dielectric layer, wherein the cavity trench is formed in the first dielectric layer between two adjacent electrodes. At least one via is formed through the second dielectric layer about the cavity trench. A metal trench is formed around each of the at least one via. A release opening is formed over the cavity trench. A third dielectric layer is deposited over the second dielectric layer, wherein the third dielectric layer hermetically seals the release opening to provide electro-static discharge protection.
US07759240B2 Use of palladium in IC manufacturing with conductive polymer bump
An apparatus and a method for forming a substrate having a palladium metal layer over at least one contact point of the substrate and having a flexible conductive polymer bump, preferably a two-stage epoxy, on the palladium plated contact point, are provided. The present invention also relates to assemblies comprising one or more of these substrates.
US07759232B2 Method of forming damascene patterns of semiconductor devices
A method of forming damascene patterns of semiconductor devices comprise forming a first insulating layer and contact plugs, formed in the first insulating layer, over a semiconductor substrate, forming an etch barrier layer and a second insulating layer over the first insulating layer, forming damascene patterns in the second insulating layer, forming a mask layer over the second insulating layer of other region except a region in which the contact plugs are formed so that the damascene patterns are exposed through the region in which the contact plugs are formed, removing the etch barrier layer under the exposed damascene patterns using an etching process employing the mask layer, and removing the mask layer.
US07759226B1 Electrical fuse with sacrificial contact
The electrical fuse includes a cathode pad, an anode pad and a fuse link connecting the cathode pad to the anode pad. The cathode pad includes a group of multiple electrical contacts and a solitary electrical contact disposed a predetermined distance from the group and near the fuse link, i.e., between the group of multiple electrical contacts and the fuse link. The cathode and anode pads as well as the fuse link include a polysilicon layer and a silicide layer.
US07759222B2 Solid-state imaging device and method for fabricating the same
A method for fabricating a solid-state imaging device comprises: a step of forming a photodiode protection insulation film 6a; a step of forming a dummy protection insulation film 6c corresponding to the photodiode protection insulation film 6a both in the peripheral circuit region 1b and the scribe lane region 1c; and a step of forming an interlayer insulation film 9 for covering all three regions of a pixel region 1a in which pixels and the photodiode protection insulation film 6a are formed, a peripheral circuit region 1b in which a driving circuit and the dummy protection insulation film 6c are formed, and a scribe lane region 1c in which the dummy protection insulation film 6c is formed, wherein the dummy protection insulation film 6c causes an average height of a surface of the interlayer insulation film 9 included in each of the peripheral circuit region 1b and the scribe lane region 1c to be close to an average height of a surface of the interlayer insulation film 9 included in the pixel region 1a, before a CMP is performed on an entirety of the surface thereof.
US07759221B2 Methods for packaging microelectronic devices and microelectronic devices formed using such methods
Methods for packaging microelectronic devices and microelectronic devices formed using such methods are disclosed herein. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method for packaging a microelectronic device that includes coupling an active side of a microelectronic die to a surface of a support member. The microelectronic die can have a backside opposite the active side, a peripheral side extending at least part way between the active side and the backside, and at least one through-wafer interconnect. The method can further include applying an encapsulant to cover a portion of the surface of the support member so that a portion of the encapsulant is laterally adjacent to the peripheral side, removing material from a backside of the microelectronic die to expose a portion of at least one through-wafer interconnect, and applying a redistribution structure to the backside of the microelectronic die.
US07759210B2 Method for forming a MOS device with reduced transient enhanced diffusion
A method for forming a MOS device on a semiconductor substrate includes steps of: forming a gate structure on the semiconductor substrate; implanting ions into the semiconductor substrate for forming one or more lightly doped drain structures adjacent to the gate structure; thermally treating the semiconductor substrate at a first temperature lower than a threshold temperature, below which no substantial transient enhanced diffusion of the lightly doped drain structures occurs, for repairing damage to the semiconductor substrate caused by the ion implantation; forming sidewall spacers to sidewalls of the gate structure on the semiconductor substrate; and forming source and drain regions adjacent to the gate structure in the semiconductor substrate.
US07759206B2 Methods of forming semiconductor devices using embedded L-shape spacers
A method of forming a semiconductor device that embeds an L-shaped spacer is provided. The method includes defining an L-shaped spacer on each side of a gate region of a substrate and embedding the L-shaped spacers in an oxide layer so that the oxide layer extends over a portion of the substrate a predetermined distance from a lateral edge of the L-shaped spacer. And removing oxide layers to expose the L-shape spacers.
US07759199B2 Stressor for engineered strain on channel
A semiconductor substrate having recesses filled with heteroepitaxial silicon-containing material with different portions having different impurity concentrations. Strained layers can fill recessed source/drain regions in a graded, bottom-up fashion. Layers can also line recess sidewalls with one concentration of strain-inducing impurity and fill the remainder to the recess with a lower concentration of the impurity. In the latter case, the sidewall liner can be tapered.
US07759197B2 Method of forming isolated features using pitch multiplication
Crisscrossing spacers formed by pitch multiplication are used as a mask to form isolated features, such as contacts vias. A first plurality of mandrels are formed on a first level and a first plurality of spacers are formed around each of the mandrels. A second plurality of mandrels is formed on a second level above the first level. The second plurality of mandrels is formed so that they cross, e.g., are orthogonal to, the first plurality of mandrels, when viewed in a top down view. A second plurality of spacers is formed around each of the second plurality of mandrels. The first and the second mandrels are selectively removed to leave a pattern of voids defined by the crisscrossing first and second pluralities of spacers. These spacers can be used as a mask to transfer the pattern of voids to a substrate. The voids can be filled with material, e.g., conductive material, to form conductive contacts.
US07759195B2 Semiconductor device including transistor with composite gate structure and transistor with single gate structure, and method for manufacturing the same
A semiconductor device comprises a first transistor having a composite gate structure containing a lamination of a first polycrystalline silicon film, an interlayer insulating film, and a second polycrystalline silicon film; and a second transistor having a single gate structure containing a lamination of a third polycrystalline silicon film and a fourth polycrystalline silicon film, wherein the first polycrystalline silicon film and the third polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same thickness; the first polycrystalline silicon film and the third polycrystalline silicon film have different impurity concentrations controlled independently of each other; the second polycrystalline silicon film and the fourth polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same thickness, and the second polycrystalline silicon film, the fourth polycrystalline silicon film, and the third polycrystalline silicon film have substantially the same impurity concentration. Also, a method for manufacturing the above-described semiconductor device is described.
US07759177B2 Manufacturing method of semiconductor device
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of the present invention is provided including the steps of forming a first conductive layer over a substrate; forming a second conductive layer containing a conductive particle and resin over the first conductive layer; and increasing an area where the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are in contact with each other by irradiating the second conductive layer with a laser beam. By including the step of laser beam irradiation, the portion where the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are in contact with each other can be increased and defective electrical connection between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer can be improved.
US07759176B2 Thin film transistor array panel and methods for manufacturing the same
Disclosed is a simplified method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display. A gate wire including a gate line, a gate pad, and a gate electrode are formed on a substrate. A gate insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, and an ohmic contact layer are sequentially deposited, and a photoresist layer is coated thereon. The photoresist layer is exposed to light through a mask and developed to form a photoresist pattern. At this time, a first portion of the photoresist pattern which is located between the source electrode and the drain electrode is thinner than a second portion which is located on the data wire, and the photoresist layer is totally removed on other parts. The thin portion is made by controlling the amount of irradiating light or by a reflow process to form a thin portion, and the amount of light is controlled by using a mask that has a slit, a small pattern smaller than the resolution of the exposure device, or a partially transparent layer. Next, the exposed portions of conductor layer are removed by wet etch or dry etch, and thereby the underlying ohmic contact layer is exposed. Then the exposed ohmic contact layer and the underlying semiconductor layer are removed by dry etching along with the first portion of the photoresist layer. The residue of the photoresist layer is removed by ashing. Source/drain electrodes are separated by removing the portion of the conductor layer at the channel and the underlying ohmic contact layer pattern. Then, the second portion of the photoresist layer is removed, and red, green, and blue color filters, a pixel electrode, a redundant gate pad, and a redundant data pad are formed.
US07759171B2 Method and structure of minimizing mold bleeding on a substrate surface of a semiconductor package
A method and structure of minimizing mold bleeding on a substrate surface of a semiconductor package is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes forming a dam structure on an outer area of a substrate surface of a semiconductor package and blocking a flow of a mold material from a mold cavity of the semiconductor package to the outer area of the substrate surface using the dam structure. In another embodiment, a substrate surface of a semiconductor package includes product forming areas to provide mounting spaces of semiconductor chips and staggered offset mesh block areas surrounding the product forming areas to act as dam structures to minimize mold bleeding from a mold cavity of the semiconductor package to outer areas of the substrate surface.
US07759143B2 System and method for separating and packaging integrated circuits
A system for separating ICs, including a controller, a fixture and a support material supply. The fixture is coupled to a stretchable substrate and the stretchable substrate has a diced semiconductor wafer secured thereto. The diced semiconductor wafer including the plurality of ICs. The fixture being capable of stretching the stretchable substrate so as to form a corresponding plurality of spaces between each of the plurality of ICs.
US07759129B2 Optical sensor for detecting chemical reaction activity
The invention provides an optical sensor for detecting chemical reaction activity, including, e.g., enzyme activity and catalytic or reactive molecule activity. An optical sensor of the invention includes a porous photonic film that produces a predetermined spectral reflectance response. In preferred embodiments, the film has a chemical coating (such as a hydrophobic layer) within its pores with an affinity for the reaction product(s) of the catalytic or otherwise reactive analyte A coating can also act as a protective layer in preferred embodiment. A thin substrate susceptible to reaction by at least one analyte of interest is on the surface of the thin film to block pores of the thin film. A method of detecting chemical reaction activity of the invention exposes the optical sensor to an analyte of interest, such as an enzyme or otherwise catalytic or reactive molecule. The optical sensor is subjected to light and the reflectivity spectrum of the optical sensor is monitored for a change indicative of reaction activity. Monitoring can include observation for a visible change or data acquisition via instruments such as a spectrometer for monitoring for a change in interferometric reflectance spectra.
US07759125B2 Photoelectrochemical determination of chemical oxygen demand
A photoelectrochemical assay apparatus and method for determining chemical oxygen demand (COD) of a water sample is described. The photoelectrochemical assay comprises: a) a measuring cell for holding a sample to be analysed b) a titanium dioxide nanoparticle photoelectric working electrode and a counter electrode disposed in said cell, c) a UV light source adapted to illuminate the photoelectric working electrode d) control means to control the illumination of the working electrode e) potential measuring means to measure the electrical potential at the working and counter electrodes f) analysis means to derive a measure of oxygen demand from the measurements made by the potential measuring means.
US07759122B2 Method of testing denitration catalyst
The present invention provides a method of testing an NOx removal catalyst, which method enables assessment of actual catalytic performance in consideration of gas flow condition in the gas conduits of the NOx removal catalyst. The method of testing a honeycomb-form NOx removal catalyst for use in a flue gas NOx removal apparatus, the catalyst having gas conduits for feeding a discharge gas from an inlet to an outlet of each conduit and performing NOx removal on the sidewalls of the conduit, wherein the method includes providing a first test piece, which is a portion of the catalyst having a length covering the entirety of a turbulent flow zone in which a gas to be treated that has been fed into the gas conduits through the inlet of the NOx removal catalyst forms a turbulent flow and further covering at least a portion of a laminar flow zone in which the turbulent flow is rectified to form a laminar flow; performing a first NOx removal test of the provided first test piece; subsequently, performing a second NOx removal test of a second test piece, which is obtained through cutting out a catalyst portion of a length covering the turbulent flow zone; and assessing, on the basis of the test results, catalytic performance of the turbulent flow zone and that of the laminar flow zone, whereby catalytic performance of the NOx removal catalyst is assessed.
US07759121B2 Methods for generating hypermutable yeast
Yeast cells are mutagenized to obtain desirable mutants. Mutagenesis is mediated by a defective mismatch repair system which can be enhanced using conventional exogenously applied mutagens. Yeast cells with the defective mismatch repair system are hypermutable, but after selection of desired mutant yeast strains, they can be rendered genetically stable by restoring the mismatch repair system to proper functionality.
US07759118B2 Proliferation of hepatocyte precursors
A composition which comprises an animal cell population which contains immature animal cells. The immature animal cells are characterized by expression of alpha-fetoprotein or lack of essential expression of alpha-fetoprotein and albumin, and at least a portion of said immature animal cells or at least a portion of the progeny of said immature animal cells is capable of differentiating into cells which express albumin. The cell population is cultured under conditions which result in expansion of the cells. Expansion of the cells may be achieved by culturing the cells in the presence of an extracellular matrix and liver stromal cells; and preferably in the presence of growth factors. Such cells may be used for liver transplantation, artificial livers, and for toxicology and pharmacology studies. Such cells may also be genetically engineered to express proteins or polypepetides of interest.
US07759113B2 Fabrication of tissue lamina using microfabricated two-dimensional molds
Methods and materials for making complex, living, vascularized tissues for organ and tissue replacement, especially complex and/or thick structures, such as liver tissue is provided. Tissue lamina is made in a system comprising an apparatus having (a) a first mold or polymer scaffold, a semi-permeable membrane, and a second mold or polymer scaffold, wherein the semi-permeable membrane is disposed between the first and second molds or polymer scaffolds, wherein the first and second molds or polymer scaffolds have means defining microchannels positioned toward the semi-permeable membrane, wherein the first and second molds or polymer scaffolds are fastened together; and (b) animal cells. Methods for producing complex, three-dimensional tissues or organs from tissue lamina are also provided.
US07759112B2 Apparatus, system, and method for purifying nucleic acids
Methods and devices for isolating nucleic acids from a mixture containing such nucleic acids and extraneous matter are provided. In one embodiment, the method of the invention comprises passing the mixture through a glass frit under conditions effective to separate the nucleic acids from the extraneous matter. In a more specific embodiment, the glass frit is a sintered glass frit.
US07759107B2 Thermostable nucleic acid polymerase from Thermococcus gorgonarius
A purified thermostable enzyme is derived form the thermophilic archaebacterium Thermococcus gorgonarius. The enzyme can be native or recombinant, retains approximately 90% of its activity after incubation for two hours at 95° C. in the presence of stabilizing agents and possesses 3′-5′ proofreading exonuclease activity. Thermostable DNA polymerases are useful in many recombinant DNA techniques, especially nucleic acid amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
US07759098B2 Process for immobilized nano-sized metal particles
The present invention provides a new process using biological method for the preparation of immobilized nano-particles of metals. Fungi are used to efficiently prepare immobilized nano-particles of various metals ions such as Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Ni, Rh and Ru from their aqueous solutions.
US07759094B2 Method for the production of L-amino acids using strains from the Enterobacteriaceae family which contain an enhanced lamb gene
The invention relates to a method for the production of L-amino acids by fermentation of recombinant microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family, characterized in that a) the microorganisms producing the desired L-amino acid and wherein the lamB-gene or nucleotide sequence coding for the gene product maltoporin is amplified, particularly overexpressed, are cultivated in a medium in conditions enabling the desired L-amino acid to be enriched in the medium or in cells, and b) the desired L-amino acid is isolated, wherein constituents of the fermentation broth and/or biomass remain in the entirety thereof or in parts thereof (=0 bis 100%) in the isolated product or are fully removed.
US07759091B2 Therapeutic agents comprising pro-apoptotic proteins
The present invention relates to targeted killing of a cell utilizing a chimeric polypeptide comprising a cell-specific targeting moiety and a signal transduction pathway factor. In a preferred embodiment, the signal transduction pathway factor is an apoptosis-inducing factor, such as granzyme B, granzyme A, or Bax.
US07759085B2 14189, a novel human kinase and uses thereof
A novel human kinase protein and nucleic acid molecule is disclosed. In addition to the isolated kinase protein, the invention further provides isolated kinase fusion proteins, antigenic peptides, and anti-kinase antibodies. The invention also provides kinase nucleic acid molecules, recombinant expression vectors containing a nucleic acid molecule of the invention, host cells into which the expression vectors have been introduced, and nonhuman transgenic animals in which a kinase gene has been introduced or disrupted. Diagnostic, screening, and therapeutic methods utilizing compositions of the invention are also provided.
US07759084B2 Transformed cell with enhanced sensitivity to antifungal compound and use thereof
The present invention provides a transformed cell in which a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence encoding an amino acid sequence of an osmosensing histidine kinase having no transmembrane region is introduced in a functional form into a cell deficient in at least one hybrid-sensor kinase, a method of assaying the antifungal activity of a test substance using the transformed cell, and a method of searching an antifungal compound using the method, and the like.
US07759083B2 Screening method for a growth inhibitor or promoter of a vascular smooth muscle cell
It was found that TAT which has not been known biological activity has a role as a new blood vessel smooth muscle proliferation factor, and then a screening method vascular of an inhibitor or promoter of a smooth muscle cell growth with TAT is established.
US07759081B2 Annexin proteins and autoantibodies as serum markers for cancer
The present invention relates to screening methods for diagnosis, prognosis, or susceptibility to cancer in a subject by means of detecting the presence of serum autoantibodies to specific annexin protein antigens in sera from subjects. The present invention also provides screening methods for diagnosis and prognosis of cancer in a subject by means of detecting increased expression levels of annexin proteins in biological samples of the subject. The method of the invention can also be used to identify subjects at risk for developing cancer. The method of the invention involves the use of subject derived biological samples to determine the occurrence and level of expression of annexin proteins or expression of annexin derived peptides or antigens, and/or the occurrence and level of circulating autoantibodies to specific annexin protein antigens. The present invention further provides for kits for carrying out the above described screening methods. Such kits can be used to screen subjects for increased levels of annexin proteins, or for the detection of autoantibodies to annexin proteins, as a diagnostic, predictive or prognostic indicator of cancer.
US07759075B2 Molecules for the treatment of lung disease involving an immune reaction to connective tissue found in the lung
Various embodiments include methods for diagnosing and treating medical conditions that involve an autoimmune response to connective tissue such as collagen found in organs such as the lung. In one method pulmonary disease and disorders such as Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) are diagnosed by analyzing fluid or tissue samples obtained from a patient for evidence of an autoimmune response to various types of collagen including, for example, Type V. One type of assay for evidence of an autoimmune response to Type V collagen comprises the steps of obtaining a fluid or tissue sample from a patient, contacting at least a portion of the sample with antigen to anti-Type V collagen antibody and monitoring the mixture of sample and antigen for changes indicative of the presence of anti-Type V collagen in the sample. Another embodiment includes treating pulmonary diseases such as IPF by administering a therapeutically effective dose of epitopes of various collagens including Type V collagen.
US07759074B2 Immunological latex turbidimetry method and reagent therefor
An immunological latex turbidimetry method for analyzing an antigen or antibody in a sample, comprising the steps of: (1) bringing a sample which may contain the antigen or antibody to be analyzed into contact with a protease-treated albumin; and (2) bringing a mixture obtained in the above step (1) into contact with latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with the antigen or antibody to be assayed, and analyzing a turbidity caused by a latex agglutination reaction, is disclosed. Further, an immunological latex turbidimetry reagent comprising (1) a first component containing a protease-treated albumin, and (2) a second component containing latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with an antigen or antibody to be assayed is also disclosed.
US07759071B2 Determination of apoptotic products in tumor patients undergoing therapy
The present invention concerns a method for the determination of apoptotic products in samples taken from patients in which apoptosis is induced as a result of disease or therapy, which is characterized in that the concentration of the apoptotic products in samples taken from patients is correlated with the effectiveness of the therapy and thus serves as a follow-up for the therapy. The present invention in particular concerns a method in which the concentration of nucleosomes is determined in serum samples of tumour patients in order to assess the effectiveness of tumour therapy. Furthermore the present invention also concerns the use of a method according to the invention to determine the effectiveness of therapy in tumour patients who are subjected to a radiotherapy or chemotherapy treatment as well as in patients after an acute ischaemic event or after hypothermia treatment.
US07759070B2 Conserved inner core lipopolysaccharide epitopes as multi-species vaccine candidates
A conserved inner-core oligosaccharide epitope expressed on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of a range of disease causing pathogenic bacterial isolates, including Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (Ap), Mannheimia haemolytica (Mh) and Pasteurella multocida (Pm), is disclosed. Construction of a mutant bacterial strain exclusively expressing the conserved inner core OS epitope as a terminally exposed structure has allowed the identification, production and isolation of an inner core LPS which is common to all three organisms. Further provided are associated vaccines, antibodies raised against the conserved LPS inner core and glycoconjugates comprising the LPS inner core linked to an immunogenic carrier.
US07759069B1 Compositions and methods for measuring nuclear receptor ligands
Disclosed herein are compositions and methods used for detecting and measuring ligands for nuclear receptors and intracellular lipid binding proteins in both in vitro and in vivo samples.
US07759068B2 Use of substances for treating tumors
The present invention relates to the use of an active ingredient and to a method for the prevention or treatment of tumors, the diagnostic detection of disorders associated with these tumors, and pharmaceutical compositions and kits related thereto.
US07759067B2 Method for determining the amount of an analyte with a disc-shaped microfluidic device
A microscale method for the characterization of one or more reaction variables that influence the formation or dissociation of an affinity complex comprising a ligand and a binder, which have mutual affinity for each other. The method is characterized in comprising the steps of: (i) providing a microfluidic device comprising a microchannel structures that are under a common flow control, each microchannel structure comprising a reaction microactivity; (ii) performing essentially in parallel an experiment in each of two or more of the plurality of microchannel structures, the experiment in these two or more microchannel structures comprising either a) formation of an immobilized form of the complex and retaining under flow conditions said form within the reaction microactivity, or b) dissociating, preferably under flow condition, an immobilized form of the complex which has been included in the microfluidic device provided in step (i), at least one reaction variable varies or is uncharacterized for said two or more microchannel structures while the remaining reaction variables are kept essentially constant; (iii) measuring the presentation of the complex in said reaction microactivity in said two or more microchannel structures; and (iv) characterizing said one or more reaction variables based on the values for presentation obtained in step (iii).
US07759065B2 Mass spectrometric methods for detecting mutations in a target nucleic acid
Fast and highly accurate mass spectrometry-based processes for detecting particular nucleic acid molecules and mutations in the molecules are provided. In some embodiments, a process comprises: amplifying one or more target nucleic acid molecules from a biological sample; ionizing and volatilizing the amplified product; and analyzing a product by mass spectrometry to determine an observed molecular mass of the product.
US07759064B2 Development of PCR primers and primer mixtures for amplification of cnp60 target sequences
We have developed the primer pair H1511 and H1261 as a replacement for primer pair H279/H280 for specific amplification of cpn60 universal target sequences in genomic DNA or in complex DNA mixtures, including those with high G+C content.
US07759063B2 DNA-based functionalization of single walled carbon nanotubes for directed assembly
Disclosed herein is an article comprising a nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite in selective communication with at least one of a plurality of material phases; the selective communication being the result of an affinity of functional groups present in the nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite for the at least one of the plurality of material phases; the material phases being at least a part of a substrate; the nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite comprising at least one of i) a nucleic acid disposed on a functionalized carbon nanotube; ii) a functionalized nucleic acid disposed on a carbon nanotube; and iii) a functionalized nucleic acid disposed on a functionalized carbon nanotube to form a nucleic acid-carbon nanotube molecular composite.
US07759060B2 Molecular method for diagnosis of prostate cancer
Methods for diagnosing or detecting cancerous prostate tissue. A panel of 8 specific marker genes are provided. The overexpression of some of these marker genes compared to their expression in normal prostate tissue and the underexpression of the rest of these marker genes are indicative of cancerous prostate tissue. By using these 8 marker genes as a diagnostic tool, smaller tissue samples, such as those obtained by core needle biopsies can be used.
US07759057B2 Method for analyzing microbial communities
The present invention provides a method for quantitatively analyzing microbial genes, species, or strains in a sample that contains at least two species or strains of microorganisms. The method involves using an isothermal DNA polymerase to randomly and representatively amplify genomic DNA of the microorganisms in the sample, hybridizing the resultant polynucleotide amplification product to a polynucleotide microarray that can differentiate different genes, species, or strains of microorganisms of interest, and measuring hybridization signals on the microarray to quantify the genes, species, or strains of interest.
US07759056B2 Nucleotide sequence encoding the dapC gene and process for the production of L-lysine
The invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide from coryneform bacteria containing at least one polynucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of a) polynucleotide which is at least 70% identical to a polynucleotide which encodes a polypeptide containing the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID no. 2, b) polynucleotide which encodes a polypeptide which contains an amino acid sequence which is at least 70% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID no. 2, c) polynucleotide which is complementary to the polynucleotides of a) or b), and d) polynucleotide containing at least 15 successive nucleotides of the polynucleotide sequences of a), b) or c), and to a process for the fermentative production of L-amino acids, in particular L-lysine.
US07759051B2 Laser mask and method of crystallization using the same
A laser mask and method of crystallization using the same that can produce a polycrystalline silicon thin film having uniform crystallization characteristics. According to the present invention, a method of crystallization using a laser mask having a reference pattern in a first block and the reverse pattern of the reference pattern in a second block includes providing a substrate having a silicon thin film; positioning the first block of the laser mask over a portion of the silicon film and irradiating a first laser beam through the first block; and moving either the laser mask or the substrate to position the second block of the laser mask over the portion of the silicon film and irradiating a second laser beam through the second block.
US07759048B2 Photosensitive resin composition and microlens formed with use thereof
A photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention includes: a copolymer having a repeating unit having a thermal crosslinking group; and a photosensitive agent. As such, the photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention can form a resin with improved heat resistance. Further, a microlens-forming photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention includes: a copolymer having a repeating unit having a thermal crosslinking group; and a photosensitive agent, the copolymer having a mass-average molecular weight of 10,000 to 30,000. As such, the microlens-forming photosensitive resin composition according to the present invention can form a resin with improved heat resistance.
US07759046B2 Antireflective coating compositions
The present invention discloses novel bottom anti-reflective coating compositions where a coating from the composition has an etch rate that can be regulated by the etch plate temperature.
US07759043B2 Oxime ester photoinitiators
Compounds of the formula (I), wherein R1, R2 and R10 independently of one another are C1-C20alkyl, phenyl, C1-C12alkylphenyl or phenyl-C1-C6alkyl; R3 and R4 independently of one another are hydrogen, C1-C20alkyl, NR6R7 or SR8, provided that at least one of R3 or R4 is NR6R7 or SR8; R5 is hydrogen or C1-C20alkyl; R6 and R7 independently of one another are C1-C20alkyl, or R6 and R7 together with the N-atom to which they are attached form a 5 or 6 membered ring, which optionally is interrupted by O, S or NR9 and which optionally additionally is substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl; R8 is phenyl, biphenylyl, naphthyl, anthryl or phenanthryl, all of which optionally are substituted by one or more C1-C4alkyl; and R9 is hydrogen, C1-C20alkyl, C2-C4hydroxyalkyl or phenyl; exhibit an unexpectedly good performance in photopolymerization reactions.
US07759038B2 Toner, development unit and image forming apparatus using the same
Disclosed is a toner containing resin mother particles and oil, in which the volume-average particle diameter of the resin mother particles is not less than 2 μm but less than 4 μm, (volume-average particle diameter of the resin mother particles)/(number-average particle diameter of the resin mother particles) is more than 1 but less than 1.1, the oil is silicone oil or fluorine oil, and the content of the silicone oil or fluorine oil is not less than 0.05% by mass but less than 2% by mass relative to the resin mother particles.
US07759036B2 Toner and production method thereof, image forming apparatus and image forming method, and process cartridge
The object of the invention is to provide a toner enabling excellent transferring properties, cleanability, and fixability and forming a high-precision image without substantially degraded image quality even after printed on a number of sheets of paper. The invention also provides the toner-production method, an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and a process cartridge. To this end, the present invention provides a toner which comprises toner-base particles containing a binder resin and a filler, and inorganic fine particles, in which the filler is included in a filler-layer in the vicinity of surfaces of the toner-base particles, the number average particle diameter of the primary particles of the inorganic fine particles is 90 nm to 300 nm, and the average circularity of the toner is 0.95.
US07759030B2 P-terphenyl compound and photosensitive body for electrophotography using such compound
The present invention provides p-terphenyl compounds represented by the following general formula (1) and (2): and an electrophotographic photoconductor containing the compound. According to the invention, a charge transporting agent having improved solubility in an organic solvent and an electrophotographic photoconductor excellent in drift mobility and having high sensitivity and high durability are provided.
US07759029B2 Substrate provided with an alignment mark in a substantially transmissive process layer, mask for exposing said mark, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby
A substrate provided with an alignment mark in a substantially transmissive process layer overlying the substrate, said mark comprising high reflectance areas for reflecting radiation of an alignment beam of radiation, and low reflectance areas for reflecting less radiation of the alignment beam, wherein the high reflectance areas comprise at least one substantially linear sub-grating. In one example, a substantially linear sub-grating comprises a plurality of spaced square regions.
US07759028B2 Sub-resolution assist features
Systems and techniques relating to the layout and use of sub-resolution assist features. In one implementation, a mask includes a first feature and a second feature separated from each other by a gap and a sub-resolution assist feature bridging the gap between the first feature and the second feature.
US07759013B2 Fuel delivery apparatus of direct liquid feed fuel cell
A fuel delivery apparatus for a direct liquid feed fuel cell is provided. The fuel delivery apparatus includes a plate stack formed by a one or more double-sided plates positioned between opposing end plates. Both sides of the one or more double-sided plates, and the interior side of each end plate, may include one or more microchannels that extend between, and link, an inlet port with an outlet port. The length of the microchannels is chosen to be less than the height of a predetermined meniscus so that liquid fuel propelled by capillary force forms a meniscus that stands proximate the interface between the ends of the microchannels and the outlet port. A heater may be located at the upper ends of the microchannels around the plate stack, to vaporize the liquid fuel at the meniscus.
US07759011B2 Safety system for reducing the explosion risk of a fuel tank
A safety system for reducing the explosion risk of a fuel tank comprises a protective gas generating device and a delivery device for delivering the protective gas generated by the protective gas generating device into the fuel tank. The protective gas generating device (24) comprises a fuel cell system (26) having a fuel cell (28) and is configured so as to provide the delivery device (14) with a protective gas generated by the fuel cell (28) during operation of the fuel cell system (26).
US07759006B2 Electrode active material for lithium secondary battery
Disclosed is a compound represented by the following formula 1. A lithium secondary battery using the same compound as electrode active material, preferably as cathode active material, is also disclosed. LiMP1-xAxO4  [Formula 1] wherein M is a transition metal, A is an element having an oxidation number of +4 or less and 0
US07759004B2 Electrode for lithium ion secondary batteries, lithium ion secondary battery using the same, and method for manufacturing the battery
Disclosed is an electrode for lithium ion secondary batteries which includes an active material layer containing active material particles and a porous insulating layer formed on the surface of the active material layer. The porous insulating layer includes an inorganic filler and a resin binder, and the surface of the active material layer has a first region on which the porous insulating layer is formed, and a second region on which the porous insulating layer is not formed. By using such an electrode, a lithium ion secondary battery can have a high capacity, excellent characteristics and improved safety.
US07759003B2 Polymerizable boric compounds, methods of producing the same, polymerizable compositions and ionic-conductive polymeric electrolytes
A polymerizable boric compound for electrochemical devices represented by the formula (1), wherein, B represents a boron atom, Z represents a polymerizable functional group, X represents a divalent C1-12 hydrocarbon group or in the absence of X, Z and B form a direct bond, AO represents a C2-4 oxyalkylene group, m and n are each the number of moles of the oxyalkylene group added and each independently stands for 2 or greater but less than 6, and R1 and R2 each represents a C1-12 hydrocarbon group.
US07759002B2 Low cost electrical terminals manufactured from conductive loaded resin-based materials
Electrical terminals are formed of a conductive loaded resin-based material. The conductive loaded resin-based material comprises micron conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination of conductive powder and conductive fibers in a base resin host. The percentage by weight of the conductive powder(s), conductive fiber(s), or a combination thereof is between about 20% and 50% of the weight of the conductive loaded resin-based material. The micron conductive powders are formed from non-metals, such as carbon, graphite, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from metals such as stainless steel, nickel, copper, silver, that may also be metallic plated, or the like, or from a combination of non-metal, plated, or in combination with, metal powders. The micron conductor fibers preferably are of nickel plated carbon fiber, stainless steel fiber, copper fiber, silver fiber, aluminum fiber, or the like.
US07758999B2 Secondary battery module
A secondary battery module comprises at least two battery cells laminated to a designated depth, in which an air guide block is interposed between leveled surfaces of the neighboring battery cells and a fixing block is interposed between protruded surfaces of the neighboring battery cells, the air guide blocks and the fixing blocks are fixed to each other using fasteners, and corresponding electrode terminals of the neighboring battery cells are interconnected in series by conductive and insulating connection members serving as bolts and nuts, thereby being conveniently installed in various industrial facilities and electric vehicles.
US07758997B2 Secondary battery
A secondary battery can prevent microscopic short circuit due to shedding of active material from an electrode and secure electric connection between the electrode and an electrode terminal. According to an example of means for preventing shedding of active material from a positive electrode 1 constituting a wound type electrode unit 7, a negative electrode side of a separator 3 is bent toward a center of the electrode unit 7. The negative electrode 2 having a flex substrate is provided with an electrode end portion 4′ with almost no active material. At least a part of the electrode end portion 4′ is exposed from the bent separator 3, and the exposed electrode end portion 4′ is electrically connected to a battery terminal or a battery case 8 directly or via a negative electrode collector plate 6.
US07758994B2 Nickel metal hydride storage battery with a safety valve for relieving excess gas pressure in the battery when the safety valve is open, the safety valve having a hydrogen-permeable valve member for allowing hydrogen-gas leakage therethrough when the safety valve is closed
A nickel-metal hydride storage battery is provided capable of suppressing changes in discharge reserve and charge reserve of a negative electrode to prevent lowering of battery characteristics for a long term. A nickel-metal hydride storage battery 100 of the present invention comprises a battery main part (an electrode plate group 150, an electrolyte, and others), a case 102 housing this battery main part, and a safety valve device 101. The safety valve device 101 includes a valve member 110 of a closed-end substantially cylindrical shape. This nickel-metal hydride storage battery 100 is arranged such that a hydrogen leak rate V1(μl/h/Ah) of the battery having been charged and discharged and then charged to 60% SOC satisfies a relationship: 2≦V1≦4, the hydrogen leak rate being per unit of battery capacity under an atmosphere at a battery temperature of 45° C., and a reduced pressure of 10 kPa.
US07758986B2 Proton conductor, polymer electrolyte comprising the same and fuel cell employing the polymer electrolyte
A proton conductor includes a molecule with a hydroxy group arranged at a terminal end and an ether-based functional group arranged at an α-carbon position. The proton conductor may be used to impregnate a polymer matrix to form a polymer electrolyte.
US07758983B2 Fuel cell disassembly method and fuel cell
A process of disassembling a fuel cell 10 supplies a fluid to both a fuel gas conduit 6g and an oxidizing gas conduit 7g. Since outlets of the respective gas conduits 6g and 7g are shielded, the internal pressure or in-passage pressure of the respective gas conduits 6g and 7g gradually rises and eventually exceeds a specific in-passage pressure level for power generation of the fuel cell 10. The high in-passage pressure expands a gas diffusion electrode 4b of a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 2 and a separator 6, which define the fuel gas conduit 6g, in opposite directions to make a clearance between the gas diffusion electrode 4b and the separator 6. Similarly the high in-passage pressure expands a gas diffusion electrode 5b of the MEA 2 and a separator 7, which define the oxidizing gas conduit 7g, in opposite directions to make a clearance between the gas diffusion electrode 5b and the separator 7. The supplied fluid then flows out through these clearances into seals between the separators 6 and 7 and the MEA 2. These flows raise the in-passage pressure and release the seals.
US07758978B2 Conductive coating for reduced reflectivity on electronic displays
In an optical thin-film arrangement on a transparent optical substrate, such as a display screen, two or more conductive layers are stacked in an alternating fashion with one or more dielectric layers. The conductive layer can include, for example, indium-tin oxide (ITO), and the dielectric layer can include an index-matching material. The conductive layers can be in electrical contact with one another at their peripheries to provide EMI/RFI shielding. A structure having more than one conductive layer can be made to have the same net sheet resistance and thus provide the same degree of shielding as a conventional single-layer conductive coating but with lower reflectivity.
US07758976B2 cBN sintered body for high surface integrity machining and cBN sintered body cutting tool
In high efficiency cutting of very hard and hard-to-cut ferrous materials, compared with conventional cBN sintered body tools, the fatigue life of the machined part is improved and a longer lasting tool is provided by controlling the production of the affected layer by machining formed on the machined surface of the workpiece to be cut and by promoting residual of compression stress.The cBN sintered body related to the present invention has not less than 60% and not more than 95% of cBN components in volume, and has a thermal conductivity of 70 W/m·K or more; and the outermost surface thereof is coated with a heat resistant film comprising a compound of at least one element selected from 4a, 5a, 6a group elements and Al, and at least one element selected from C, N and O.
US07758966B2 Mirror
A mirror with no copper layer comprises a glass substrate; a silver coating layer provided at a surface of the glass substrate; at least one material selected from the group consisting of Pd, Ni, Eu, Pt, Ru, Na, Zr, Y and Rh, provided at a surface of the silver coating layer which is adjacent to a paint layer; and at least one paint layer covering the silver coating layer.
US07758964B2 Flame resistant covercoat for flexible circuit
A flame-resistant electrical circuit covercoat composition includes a phosphinate and a urethane solder mask. The composition can be used as a covercoat for flexible circuits.
US07758961B2 Functionalized nanoparticles and their use in particle/bulk material systems
A process for creating readily or highly dispersible nanoparticles on which chemically reactive functional groups or ligands have been placed. An ultra-high shear fluidic processor is used to change the size distribution of nanoparticle agglomerations and facilitate the formation of stable dispersions of such nanoparticles, as well as the placement of various chemically reactive functional groups or ligands on exposed surface areas of such nanoparticles. Such functionalized nanoparticle agglomerations have a broader size distribution (with a substantial increase in the proportion of smaller agglomerations), can exhibit enhanced dispersion characteristics and, when dispersed in various bulk materials, can impart to such bulk materials the desirable physical or chemical properties associated with the selected chemically active functional groups that have been attached to the surface areas of such agglomerations.
US07758960B2 Composite materials comprising PPTA and nanotubes
Disclosed is a composite material comprising PPTA (poly-p-phenyleneterephthalamide) and nanotubes having an aspect ratio of at least 100 and a cross-sectional diameter of 5 nm or less, the composite material containing up to 12 wt. % of nanotubes, obtainable by adding the nanotubes to sulfuric acid, decreasing the temperature to solidify the mixture, adding PPTA to the solid mixture, heating to above the solidifying point and mixing the mixture, and spinning, casting, or molding the mixture to the composite material.
US07758958B2 Pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet
A pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet has a high adhesiveness and an excellent terminal peeling resistance as well as exhibits extremely small diffusing amounts of formaldehyde and toluene. The pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet contains at least a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer of a water-dispersion type acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive containing a water-dispersion type acrylic polymer and a tackifying resin-containing emulsion, wherein a diffusing amount of formaldehyde is less than 3 μg/m3 and a diffusing amount of toluene is 10 μg/g or less. As the tackifying resin-containing emulsion, a tackifying resin-containing emulsion prepared using substantially no organic solvents or a tackifying resin-containing emulsion prepared using a material other than aromatic hydrocarbon-based organic solvents can be suitably employed.
US07758956B2 Antireflection film and polarizing plate and image display device using same
An antireflection film comprises: at least one layer containing fine pores; and an antistatic layer, wherein the antistatic layer and one of said at least one layer containing fine pores are the same or different; and wherein, when a surface of the antireflection film is brought into contact with water for 15 minutes, a wiped portion of the surface shows a chromaticity change, ΔE, of 0.45 or less in the CIE 1976 L*a*b* color space measured under a standard illuminant D65.
US07758954B2 Coated substrate having one or more cross-linked interfacial zones
A coated substrate is configured with one or more cross-linked interfacial zones provided to improve the adhesion between the coating and substrate of the article or between adjacent coating layers. The coating composition contains molecules having at least two reactive functional groups capable of reacting with cross-linking molecules in the substrate and/or molecules in adjacent coating layers. The cross-linked interfacial zones improve the adhesion between coatings and the substrate and between adjacent coating layers.
US07758950B2 Surface-coated cutting tool with coated film having strength distribution of compressive stress
A surface-coated cutting tool according to the present invention includes a base material and a coated film formed on the base material. The coated film serves as an outermost layer on the base material and has compressive stress. The compressive stress is varied so as to have strength distribution in a direction of thickness of the coated film. The strength distribution is characterized in that the compressive stress at a surface of the coated film continuously increases from the surface of the coated film toward a first intermediate point located between the surface of the coated film and a bottom surface of the coated film and the compressive stress attains a relative maximum point at the first intermediate point.
US07758944B1 Optical medium and method for making the same
Improved structures of optical medium are disclosed. According to one embodiment, multiple reflective layers are used. These reflective layers are in different materials. At least one of the reflective layers allowing a significant amount of a laser beam to transmit is used to protect another reflective layer with superior reflectivity from moisture on one side. An additional reflective layer may also be used to protect the high reflective layer from moisture on the other side.
US07758942B2 Ag base alloy thin film and sputtering target for forming Ag base alloy thin film
The present invention relates to an Ag alloy film. Particularly, it is preferably used as a reflective film or semi-transmissive reflective film for an optical information recording medium having high thermal conductivity/high reflectance/high durability in the field of optical information recording media, an electromagnetic-shielding film excellent in Ag aggregation resistance, and an optical reflective film on the back of a reflection type liquid crystal display device, or the like. The Ag alloy film of the present invention comprises an Ag base alloy containing Bi and/or Sb in a total amount of 0.005 to 10% (in terms of at %). Further, the present invention relates to a sputtering target used for the deposition of such an Ag alloy film.
US07758941B2 Optical data storage medium with super resolution layer
An optical data storage medium comprises a super-resolution (SR) layer consisting of thermoelectric material, said SR layer having light absorption, transmittance and reflectance at the wavelength of an incident light and maintaining a crystalline single phase without a structural or chemical change below the melting temperature of the material. SR readout of data from and/or SR writing of data onto the medium is carried out by way of thermoelectrically induced optical changes within a local area of the SR layer under laser irradiation.
US07758939B2 Adhesive laminates for rapid wound occlusion
Provided herein are protective laminate devices comprising a biocompatible non-adherent substance and a fast-setting adhesive and methods of use. Also provided is a dispenser for an adhesive tape. The protective laminate devices and methods may be used for wound closure.
US07758932B2 Liquid crystal display device and display apparatus
A disclosed liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal composition contained in a cell having a liquid crystal alignment film. The liquid crystal alignment film has a lamellar structure and includes at least one type of a triphenylene compound (I) represented by general formula (1): In general formula (1), L represents —O— or —S—; R1, R2, R3, R4, and R5 represent the same or different hydrocarbon radicals with 4 or more carbon atoms; R6 represents a divalent hydrocarbon radical with 4 or more carbon atoms; and R7 represents —SiR8R9R10 or —P(═O)(OH)2 where R8, R9, and R10 each individually represents —Cl, —OH, —OCH3, or —OC2H5.
US07758928B2 Functionalisation of particles
This invention relates to a method of functionalizing a powdered substrate. The method comprises the following steps, which method comprises passing a gas into a means for forming excited and/or unstable gas species, typically an atmospheric pressure plasma or the like and treating the gas such that, upon leaving said means, the gas comprises excited and/or unstable gas species which are substantially free of electric charge. The gas comprising the excited and/or unstable gas species which are substantially free of electric charge is then used to treat a powdered substrate and a functionalizing precursor in a downstream region external to the means for forming excited and/or unstable gas, wherein neither the powdered substrate nor the functionalizing precursor have been subjected to steps (i) and (ii) and wherein said functionalizing precursor is introduced simultaneously with or subsequent to introduction of the powdered substrate. Preferably the method takes place in a fluidized bed.
US07758923B2 Method of producing a metallized molded article utilizing a pressurized fluid containing a metal complex
The present invention provides a method of producing a molded article, which can be perform the continuous processes and effectively impregnate a modifying material such as metal complexes in the thermoplastic resin for short period of time. The above object is achieved by providing the method of producing the thermoplastic resin molded article which includes impregnating the high-pressure fluid having a modifying material dissolved therein, in thermoplastic resin, and continuously molding the thermoplastic resin in which the modifying material has been impregnated, into the form of a film.
US07758919B2 Method of self-assembly and optical applications of crystalline colloidal patterns on substrates
This invention describes methods of synthesis and applications of a composite material of a colloidal crystal and a substrate. The method includes steps of (a) providing a substrate having a surface with a surface relief pattern; and (b) applying a liquid dispersion containing colloidal particles onto the surface and spinning the substrate whereby colloidal particles are swept across the surface and self-assemble in void spaces on the surface defined by the relief pattern. The resulting composite material (substrate with colloidal crystal) may be used in various applications such as chromatography, for use in lab-on-chip based devices, micro-reactors and the like. The material may be infiltrated by a material and the composite inverted to remove the colloidal particles to produce an inverted colloidal crystal pattern on the substrate. The material may be selected such that the inverted colloidal crystal pattern is a photonic crystal.
US07758914B2 Method of manufacturing or repairing a coating on a metallic substrate
The invention provides a method of manufacturing or repairing a coating on a metallic substrate. Production of said coating comprises forming a pre-layer on the substrate or on a sub-layer of the coating placed on the substrate by applying one or more layers of a paint containing at least one metal selected from the group constituted by platinum class metals (platinoids) and chromium. Application to the formation or localized repair of a thermal barrier on a superalloy turbo engine part.
US07758886B2 Pharmaceutical aerosol composition
Sterile compositions for administration as aerosols are described. They contain an active agent which is poorly water-soluble, a non-ionic surfactant acomponent and a phospholipid component. The compositions are suitable for oral or nasal inhalation, but also for topical or oromucosal administration. They are particulary useful for the efficient pulmonary administration of poorly soluble corticosteroids and can be aerosolized with common nebulizers.
US07758884B2 Formulation for increasing the deposition of dietary carotenoids in eggs
The absorption and deposition of carotenoids added to poultry diets into the yolk of eggs produced by the poultry is improved by adding a carotenoid formulation comprising a carotenoid, a vegetable oil, a surfactant, a chelating agent, an antioxidant, an alkali and a solvent. The carotenoid formulation can reduce the crystalline nature of lutein for its better dissolution in the formulation and the diet. This new formulation is capable of making more micelles for an effective transfer of lutein from the formulations to the aqueous layer. The new formulation can increase the bioavailability of lutein in chicken biological system and leads to more deposition in the blood and the egg. The lutein deposition in the egg was consistent for an extended period of time when this new formulation was added to the diet. Addition of this carotenoid formulation to the diet increased the antioxidant power of the blood. Eggs produced by poultry fed diets supplemented by the formulation have in excess of 0.80 mg carotenoids per 100 grams of edible portion and thus serve as an important source of carotenoids in the human diet.
US07758875B2 Vaccine
The invention provides a vaccine comprising secreted protein derived from Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (M. ptb) substantially free of whole organisms of that species either dead or alive. The secreted protein may be obtained from a culture of M. ptb with the microorganisms being removed by centrifugation and subsequent filtration. The vaccine may be used for vaccination against Johne's disease.
US07758872B1 Method of treating depression
Methods are disclosed herein for treating depression in the subject. A method includes the use of Botulinum toxin to cause paralysis of a facial muscle, such as the depressor anguli oris, procerus, frontalis, orbicularis oculi, or corrugator supercilii muscle to treat depression in the subject.
US07758870B2 Lawsonia intracellularis of european origin and vaccines, diagnostic agents and methods of use thereof
The present invention relates to Lawsonia intracellularis vaccines and methods for protecting against and diagnosing L. intracellularis infection. The products and processes of the invention are attainable, in part, as the result of an improved method for cultivating large scale supplies of L. intracellularis, including both a novel isolate of L. intracellularis of European origin and a method of preparing a lyophilized product containing the attenuated European isolate as vaccine product.
US07758864B2 Compositions of marine botanicals to provide nutrition to aging and environmentally damaged skin
The present invention relates to methods and compositions comprising marine botanicals for treating aged, mature, nutritionally-compromised, or environmentally-damaged skin. These methods and compositions provide improvements in the skin's visual appearance, physiological functions, clinical properties, and biophysical properties.
US07758862B2 Hepatocyte growth factor receptor splice variants and methods of using same
Novel polypeptides that are splice variants of c-Met, the receptor for hepatocyte growth factor and polynucleotides encoding same are provided. Methods and pharmaceutical compositions which can be used to treat various disorders such as cancer, immunological-related, blood-related and skin-related disorders using the polypeptides and polynucleotides of the present invention, are also provided.
US07758860B2 Protein formulations with reduced viscosity and uses thereof
Protein formulations and methods for reducing the viscosity of a protein formulation are provided. The method for reducing the viscosity of a protein formulation comprises adding a viscosity reducing agent, such as calcium chloride or magnesium chloride to the protein formulation.
US07758859B2 Anti-VEGF antibodies
Anti-VEGF antibodies and variants thereof, including those having high affinity for binding to VEGF, are disclosed. Also provided are methods of using phage display technology with naïve libraries to generate and select the anti-VEGF antibodies with desired binding and other biological activities. Further contemplated are uses of the antibodies in research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
US07758855B2 DNA promoters and anthrax vaccines
The invention is related to intracellularly induced bacterial DNA promoters and vaccines against Bacillus anthracis.
US07758853B2 IFN-γ production inducing protein (IGIF, IL-18)
A protein which induces the IFN-γ production by immunocompetent cells and has a molecular weight of 19,000±5,000 daltons on SDS-PAGE or gel filtration method and a pI of 4.8±1.0 on chromatofocusing. The protein is isolated from mouse liver and can be purified by a monoclonal antibody specific to it. The monoclonal antibody can be also used for assaying the protein.
US07758852B2 OX40R binding agents
The present invention discloses peptides isolated from the extracellular domain of OX40 Ligand (OX40L) capable of binding OX40 Receptor (OX40R) and inhibiting OX40R-OX40L interaction. Such peptides, fusion proteins comprising them, as well as peptides and other molecules designed on their sequences, can be used as OX40R binding agents competing with natural OX40L for blocking OX40R-mediated cell signaling in the prophylaxis and/or treatment of diseases related to activated T cells.
US07758848B2 Cosmetic composition containing a polyorganosiloxane polymer
The invention relates to a physiologically acceptable composition, especially a cosmetic composition, containing: at least one structuring agent selected from the group consisting of a polyorganosiloxane-containing polymer, a non-silicone-polyamide copolymer, a wax, and mixtures thereof; (b) a hydrocarbyl-functional silicone polymer; (c) optionally, at least one silicone film former; (d) optionally, at least one volatile oil; and (e) optionally, at least one pigment.
US07758846B2 Methods of producing hydrogen via the water-gas shift reaction over a Pd-Zn catalyst
Methods for producing hydrogen via the water-gas shift reaction utilizing a palladium-zinc on alumina catalyst are described.
US07758842B2 Filmy graphite and process for producing the same
A process for producing a filmy graphite includes the steps of forming a polyimide film having a birefringence of 0.12 or more and heat-treating the polyimide film at 2,400° C. or higher.
US07758840B2 Method for producing compound
A method for producing a compound, in which carrier particles are made to adsorb and carry carried fine particles having a diameter smaller than that of the carrier particles. The method is characterized by comprising: a first step of charging the carrier particles or their precursors to a potential inverse to that of the carried fine particles or their precursors to adsorb the carrier particles or their precursors; and a second step of synthesizing the carried fine particles hardly soluble or their precursors, and causing the carrier particles or their precursors immediately after or during the synthesization to adsorb the hardly soluble carried fine particles or their precursors.
US07758837B2 Scavengers for removal of acid gases from fluid streams
A composite sorbent is formed which is the reaction product of a solid alkali metal carbonate, rehydratable alumina and water or an aqueous solution of a metal salt. The reaction between the components occurs while forming particulates followed by curing and activation. In one embodiment, the composite contains an appreciable amount of a Dawsonite-type hydroxycarbonate as a final product or as an intermediate in at least one of the production stages. The alkali metal in the sorbent exhibits a highly reactive and accessible state that is very favorable for various sorption applications. The sorbent is especially useful for removal of HCl and other acid contaminants from gas and liquid hydrocarbon streams. It combines a high capacity for the contaminants with a low reactivity towards the hydrocarbon components of the main stream.
US07758831B2 Systems and methods for removing materials from flue gas via regenerative selective catalytic reduction
Regenerative selective catalytic reduction (RSCR) systems and processes are provided whereby NOx and CO levels in gases are reduced by mixing the gas with a reactant and then introducing the gas into an RSCR apparatus for treatment that entails heating the gas, causing the gas to undergo one or more catalytic reactions, and then directing the gas through a heat transfer area, to which the gas provides heat for use in connection with successive cycles of the RSCR process.
US07758829B2 Process for promoting mercury retention in wet flue gas desulfurization systems
A system and method is proposed for removing mercury from a process gas stream containing mercury. The proposed invention provides for contacting an aqueous desulphurization liquor with a flue gas stream to capture mercury that may be contained in the flue gas stream. A promoter is mixed with the liquor to prevent oxidized mercury in the liquor from reducing into elemental mercury.
US07758821B2 Modular photocatalytic air purifier
A photocatalytic air purifier is disclosed. The photocatalytic purifier includes filter structures coated with a catalytic material such as titanium dioxide. One or more UV lamps are interposed between the filter structures. The catalytic layer reacts with airborne VOCs and bioaerosols when activated by the UV lamps to thereby oxidize the VOCs and destroy the bioaerosols. The photocatalytic air purifier does not need to be replaced or regenerated after a period of continuous usage. The photocatalytic purifier of the present invention substantially eliminates odors, VOCs, and bioaerosols from air directed through the fan coil. The photocatalytic air purifier includes a control system that optimizes operating costs. Because of these features, service, maintenance, and filter replacement are reduced to a minimum. At the same time, the well being of persons living in the space conditioned by the photocatalytic air purifier is improved.
US07758818B2 Scrubber for processing semiconductor waste gas
Disclosed is a scrubber for processing semiconductor waste gas produced in a semiconductor fabricating process, wherein the scrubber burns the waste gas with a flame of a high temperature, filters and captures particles produced after the waste gas is burnt, and discharges particle-filtered waste gas to the atmosphere. The semiconductor waste gas processing scrubber includes: a supply section for supplying semiconductor waste gas, fuel and oxygen; a burner connected to the supply section so as to burn the semiconductor waste gas by flame; a burning chamber joined to the burner so as to cause particles, which are produced as the semiconductor waste gas is burnt, to drop; a wet tower installed at a side of the burning chamber so as to cause the particles, which are transferred from the burning chamber after adsorbing the particles using water, to drop; and a water reservoir tank connected to the burning chamber and the wet tower so as to capture the particles which have dropped from the burning chamber and the wet tower.
US07758817B2 Device for contacting high contaminated feedstocks with catalyst in an FCC unit
An FCC process and apparatus comprising an enlarged riser section and a distributor in an elevated position and with an opening in its tip away from riser walls may reduce coke build-up along the interior walls of a riser. Catalytic mixing may be improved, which could reduce riser coking by increasing hydrocarbon contact with catalyst before contacting the riser wall. Increasing the distance between the introduction of the hydrocarbon and the riser wall may increase this likelihood for hydrocarbon-catalyst contact. Highly contaminated hydrocarbons cause greater coking than do normal hydrocarbons and this FCC process and apparatus may be effective in decreasing riser coking on such heavy hydrocarbons.
US07758808B2 Manual device for examining a body fluid
The present invention provides a portable blood sugar measuring device comprising a tape unit for winding a test tape forward in sections, a detection unit for detecting measured values on the sections of tape to which body fluid has been applied, and a housing to hold the tape unit and detection unit. The tape unit and/or the detection unit can be deflected relative to the housing (10) from an operating position against a flexible restoring element (18) when subjected to a shock load. Also disclosed is a novel cover having open and closed positions. The cover is positioned at an opening of the housing through which the receiving site of the tape unit protrudes. The cover thus protects the receiving site from external effects when the cover is in the closed position. Similarly, the receiving site is accessible to apply body fluid thereto when the cover is in the open position.
US07758799B2 Edge smoothness with low resolution projected images for use in solid imaging
A solid imaging apparatus and method employing sub-pixel shifting in multiple exposures of the digitally light projected image of a cross-section of a three-dimensional object on a solidifiable liquid medium. The multiple exposures provide increased resolution, preserving image features in a three-dimensional object and smoothing out rough or uneven edges that would otherwise be occur using digital light projectors that are limited by the number of pixels in an image projected over the size of the image. Algorithms are used to select pixels to be illuminated within the boundary of each image projected in the cross-section being exposed.
US07758795B2 Method of making a polluction control device and a self-supporting insulating end cone
The invention provides a preform insulating end cone suitable for forming the end cone of a pollution control device. The preform insulating end cone includes a cone shaped intumescent or non-intumescent sheet material. The sheet material has a plurality of slits enabling the sheet material to be cone shaped. A shape retaining element is in intimate contact with the intumescent sheet material. The shape retaining element enables the intumescent sheet material to maintain a cone shape. The invention also provides methods of making preform insulating end cones of the invention.
US07758792B2 Artificial bone forming method by powder lamination method
An artificial bone forming method, comprising a) a powder layer forming step (32) for forming, into a flat powder layer (6), a powder bone material (5) having biocompatibility and hardening by hydration, b) a partial hardening step (34) for jetting an aqueous solution (7) with biocompatibility to a part of the powder layer to harden a jetted portion (6a) by hydration, and c) an artificial bone forming step (36) for repeating the steps a) and b) for lamination to form a specified artificial bone (9) of a predetermined three-dimensional structure in which the hardened portions (6a) are connected to each other.
US07758785B2 Fiber reinforced composite and methods of forming the same
A fiber reinforced composite is formed using a shrinkable die. A composite of fiber and resin is placed in the die and is compressed by shrinking the die to form a desired transverse cross-section. Optionally, the die is bent along its lengthwise extent to shape the composite in the die. After shrinking and optional shaping, the composite is cured to form the fiber reinforced composite.
US07758783B2 Continious production of exfoliated graphite composite compositions and flow field plates
A process of continuously producing a more isotropic, electrically conductive composite composition is provided. The process comprises: (a) continuously supplying a compressible mixture comprising exfoliated graphite worms and a binder or matrix material, wherein the binder or matrix material is in an amount of between 3% and 60% by weight based on the total weight of the mixture; (b) continuously compressing the compressible mixture at a pressure within the range of from about 5 psi or 0.035 MPa to about 50,000 psi or 350 MPa in at least a first direction into a cohered graphite composite compact; and (c) continuously compressing the composite compact in a second direction, different from the first direction, to form the composite composition in a sheet or plate form. The process leads to composite plates with exceptionally high thickness-direction electrical conductivity.
US07758780B2 Method of sensing melt-front position and velocity
A method of sensing melt-front position and velocity is applicable for injection-molding systems. Firstly, at least one actuation signal value of the melt-injection device of the injection-molding system is retrieved, and at least one state variable value of the injection-molding system is measured. Then, the retrieved actuation signal values and the measured state variable values are substituted into a plurality of simultaneous equations to calculate the melt-front position and velocity of the injection-molding system.
US07758773B2 Non-synthetic method for modifying properties of liquid crystals
This disclosure outlines a new method of modifying the properties of existing liquid crystals by doping them with ferroelectric micro- and nanoparticles. We show that this approach, in contrast to the traditional time consuming and expensive chemical synthetic methods, enriches and enhances the electro-optical performance of many liquid crystal materials. We demonstrate that by changing the concentration and type of ferroelectric particles the physical properties of the nematic, smectic, and cholesteric liquid crystal materials can be changed, including the dielectric constants, the birefringence, the phase transition temperatures, and even the order parameter. We also demonstrate the performance of these new materials in various devices, including displays, light modulators, and beam steering devices.
US07758760B2 Thin film transistor array panel and method of manufacturing the same
A thin film transistor (TFT) array panel and method of manufacturing the same are provided. The method includes forming a semiconductor layer and an ohmic contact layer over a gate line, forming a conductive layer on the ohmic contact layer, forming a first photosensitive layer pattern on the conductive layer, etching the conductive layer using the first photosensitive layer pattern as an etching mask, etching the ohmic contact layer and the semiconductor layer by a fluorine-containing gas, a chloride-containing gas, and an oxygen (O2) gas using the first photosensitive layer pattern as an etching mask, removing the first photosensitive layer pattern to a predetermined thickness to form a second photosensitive layer pattern, and etching the conductive layer using the second photosensitive layer pattern as an etching mask to expose a part of the ohmic contact layer.
US07758756B2 Lignocellulose-based anion-adsorbing medium (LAM) and process for making and using same for the selective removal of phosphate and arsenic anionic contaminants from aqueous solutions
A lignocellulose-based anion-adsorbing medium (LAM) and process for making and using same for selectively removing phosphates and arsenic contaminants from aqueous solutions is disclosed. Making the LAM comprises (a) dissociating cations such as Fe and Al, from their counterions by adding a chemical compound containing said cations to water and acidifying; (b) pelletizing a lignocellulose; (c) adsorbing the cations to the lignocellulose by bringing the lignocellulose into contact with the solution of step (a) and incubating; and, (d) exposing the lignocellulose of step (c) to an alkaline fixing agent to replace hydrogens (H) of the hydroxyl groups of the lignocellulose with the adsorbed cations to produce the LAM with a positive charge. The LAM may be used to selectively and cost-effectively remove phosphate and arsenic contaminants from aqueous solutions by retaining them at the Fe or Al on the LAM.
US07758748B2 Surface skimmer with flotation support
A handheld surface skimmer with flotation support to lighten the load on the operator. Other improvements include a hinge or swivel for ease of positioning the skimmer, and optional brushes to allow cleaning the sides of a swimming pool. If desired, a drawstring may be added to raise the skimmer's screen element for movement around the pool and for stowage.
US07758746B2 Separating compositions and methods of use
Compositions and methods are provided for separating bitumen from oil sands in an efficient and environmentally acceptable manner, and for recovering residual bitumen from existing tailings ponds.
US07758736B2 Gas sensor
A detecting element (10) of a gas sensor (1) is held with a detecting portion (11) projecting from a front-end engaging-portion (56) of a metallic shell (50) and is accommodated for protection in an inner protector (120) in a gas detection chamber (129). Exhaust gas introduced into the gas detection chamber (129) is exhausted through an exhaust hole (160). The exhaust hole is formed by cutting off a portion of a side wall (127) of a recess portion (125), which is formed by pressing inward a portion between two slits formed in a front end wall (124). A bottom wall (126) of the recess portion (125) is located frontward of the detecting element (10) with respect to the direction of an axis O, thereby preventing a water droplet which comes flying from the outside from directly contacting the detecting element (10).
US07758735B2 Open electrochemical sensor
An electrochemical sensor with at least one ionic liquid (4) as the electrolyte, contains at least one electrode (1), whose active surface is substantially larger than the geometric area covered by said electrode (1). The electrolyte and at least one of the electrodes (1, 2, 3) are in direct contact with the ambient atmosphere.
US07758730B2 Method for improving a piperazine colour stability
The present invention relates to a process for improving the color stability by postpurifying piperazine, the steps comprising preparing an aqueous piperazine solution by introducing solid or liquid piperazine having a degree of purity of at least 90% by weight in water; removing the water by distillation; isolating the piperazine with a predefined maximum residual content of water. The invention further provides a rapid test of aging for checking the improvement in the color stability.
US07758726B2 Disc refiner with increased gap between fiberizing and fibrillating bands
Plate elements, a plate configuration, and associated system for thermomechanical refining of wood chips wherein destructured and partially defibrated chips are fed to a rotating disc primary refiner, where opposed discs each have an inner band pattern of bars and grooves and outer band pattern of bars and grooves, such that substantially complete fiberization (defibration) of the chips is achieved in the inner band and the resulting fibers are fibrillated in the outer band. One embodiment is directed to a pair of opposed co-operating refining plate elements for a flat disc refiner wherein the bars and grooves on each of the inner bands form an inner feed region followed by an outer working region, the bars and groove on each of the outer bands form an inner feed region followed by an outer working region, and the gap and/or material flow area formed when the plates are placed in front of each other increases between the inner working region and the outer feed region.
US07758719B2 Wet pulping system and method for producing cellulosic insulation with low ash content
Apparatus and method for recovering organic cellulosic fibers from landfill materials (such as post consumer, municipal and industrial waste materials). The apparatus and method selectively introduces waste materials containing organic cellulosic fibers into a size reduction machine. The pre-cleaned waste materials are conveyed to a tank, drum, or tunnel type fiber recovery apparatus. The waste materials are subjected to mechanical and fluid fiberization for a selected period of time to produce useful products, such as cellulosic insulation with a total ash content equal to or less than 10%, as well animal and fowl bedding products that is substantially devoid of moisture content, among other products.
US07758708B2 Nanocomposite films
A thin-film composition of nanocrystal molybdenum in an amorphous metallic matrix may be formed by co-sputtering Mo with aluminum or nickel. NEMS cantilevers may be formed from the film. The films exhibit high nanoindentation hardness and a reduction in roughness and intrinsic stress, while maintaining resistivity in the metallic range.
US07758698B2 Dual top gas feed through distributor for high density plasma chamber
A gas distributor for use in a semiconductor process chamber comprises a body. The body includes a first channel formed within the body and adapted to pass a first fluid from a first fluid supply line through the first channel to a first opening. A second channel is formed within the body and adapted to pass a second fluid from a second fluid supply line through the second channel to a second opening. The first and second openings are arranged to mix the fluids outside the body after the fluids pass through the openings.
US07758697B2 Silicon-containing layer deposition with silicon compounds
Methods for depositing a silicon-containing film are described. The methods may include delivering a silicon compound to a surface or a substrate, and reacting the silicon compound to grow the silicon-containing film. The silicon compound may be one or more compounds having a formula selected from the group Si4X8, Si4X10, Si5X10, and Si5X12, where X is independently a hydrogen or halogen.
US07758694B2 Fiber reinforced cement composition and products and manufacturing process
A fiber reinforced cement composition comprising the following raw materials: not less than 25% by mass and not more than 45% by mass of a hydraulic inorganic material; not less than 50% by mass and not more than 65% by mass of a siliceous material; not less than 5% by mass and not more than 12% by mass of woody reinforcement; not less than 0.25% by mass and not more than 1.5% by mass of a water soluble resin, wherein the hydraulic inorganic material is a Portland cement, the siliceous material is an amorphous material selected from the group consisting of fly ash, silica fume, blast furnace slag, perlite powder, glass powder, and mixtures thereof; the woody reinforcement is needle-leaves-tree unbleached kraft pulp and/or needle-leaves-tree bleached kraft pulp and used newspaper, and the water soluble resin is a polyvinyl alcohol resin.
US07758693B2 Strontium-apatite cement preparations, cements formed therefrom, and uses thereof
Calcium-strontium-hydroxyphosphate (strontium-apatite-) cement preparations are described, comprising a powder mixture, which contains molar quantities of the components calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr) and phosphate (P) in the mixture in the ranges 1.00
US07758691B2 Intercalated clays
The invention relates to interspersed clay, comprising clay and a seaweed extract used as an interspacing component, particularly an ulva extract. The invention also relates to a method for the preparation thereof and to foodstuffs and nanocomposites comprising said interspersed clay.
US07758690B2 Paper coating pigments
A coating composition for paper and other substrates, particularly mechanical papers such as lightweight coated (LWC) paper, comprises an aqueous suspension of a particulate pigment together with a binder, wherein the particulate pigment comprises: (a) a first component which is a precipitated calcium carbonate consisting predominantly of aragonitic or rhombohedral particle shapes or of aragonitic and rhombohedral particle shapes in a weight ratio of between around 40:60 and about 60:40 (e.g. about 50:50) aragonitic:rhombohedral, and a second component which is a processed particulate hydrous kaolin clay having a shape factor greater than or equal to about 25 and a steepness greater than or equal to about 20; or (b) a first component which is a fine particulate calcium carbonate consisting predominantly of particles having a generally spherical particle shape, and a second component which is a processed particulate hydrous kaolin clay having a shape factor greater than or equal to about 45 and a mean equivalent particle diameter (d50) less than about 0.5 μm; or (c) a first component which is a precipitated calcium carbonate consisting predominantly of aragonitic and rhombohedral particle shapes in a weight ratio of between about 40:60 and about 60:40 (e.g. about 50:50) aragonitic:rhombohedral, and a second component which is a processed particulate hydrous kaolin clay having a shape factor less than about 25.
US07758686B2 Binder of vegetable nature for the production of materials for building and/or civil engineering
A binder for the production of a layer for road works or civil engineering comprises, with respect to the total weight of the binder: (a) 2 to 98% in weight of at least one purely natural or modified natural resin, of vegetable origin, having a softening point measured of 30 to 200° C.; (b) 98 to 2% in weight of at least one oil of vegetable origin having a viscosity at 25° C. of 50 mPa·s to 1000 Pa·s, (c) the binder having: (c1) either a penetrability at 25° C., of 20 to 300 1/10 mm and a softening point of 30 to 75° C., (c2) or a penetrability at 15° C., of 300 to 900 and a viscosity at 60° C., and (d) the binder being exempt of any natural or synthetic elastomer and of any thermoplastic polymer.
US07758672B2 Apparatus of oxygen concentration system and method thereof
The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for oxygen concentration that makes possible the production of highly purified concentrated oxygen by modifying the structure of the adsorption bed and with various valves coupled thereto, and which can increase purity of the oxygen produced and reduce mechanical energy and consumption of electricity of the air compressor.
US07758671B2 Versatile dehumidification process and apparatus
A process and apparatus for dehumidifying a gas stream is provided. The apparatus includes a single semi-permeable osmotic membrane, at least one gas stream compartment formed in part by the osmotic membrane, and at least one osmotic fluid compartment formed in part by the osmotic membrane. The semi-permeable osmotic membrane has randomly arranged pores disposed across a thickness extending between a first side and a second side, and wherein some of the pores are small enough to permit capillary condensation within the membrane, leading to condensate travel across the thickness of the single membrane without requiring a separate capillary condenser, and which single membrane restricts transport of the osmotic fluid across the thickness of the membrane. The first side of the osmotic membrane is exposed to the gas stream compartment, and the second side of the osmotic membrane is exposed to the osmotic fluid compartment.
US07758670B2 Four-port gas separation membrane module assembly
A gas-separation membrane assembly, and a gas-separation process using the assembly. The assembly incorporates multiple gas-separation membranes in an array within a single vessel or housing, and is equipped with two permeate ports, enabling permeate gas to be withdrawn from both ends of the membrane module permeate pipes.
US07758667B2 Flexible size adjustable filter element
An air filter element partially-fabricated on site wherein one or more wire frames are fastened to one another to form a structure substantially conforming to the dimensions of the original equipment manufacturer's filter housing. One or more of the wire frames are flexibly attached to each other end-to-end by flexible attachment means, allowing the assembled filter unit to be inserted into the filter housing one frame at a time, with the frame sections yet to be inserted folded or directed off to one side, thus bypassing space restrictions. Flexible attachment means may comprise spring connectors. Also disclosed is an end-cap affixed to or formed at one or both ends of the filter element. The end-caps may also contain printed material, such as text or pictures, which may include instructions for use, identifying labels or symbols, or the like.
US07758664B2 Integrated containment system
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a containment system having integrated bubble tight-dampers. In another embodiment, the containment system includes an integral auto-scan mechanism disposed in the housing of the containment system so that a filter element, disposed in the housing, may be leak tested without accessing the interior of the housing. In yet another embodiment, a method for testing a filter disposed in a containment system includes challenging an upstream side of a filter element disposed in a housing of the containment system with a test aerosol, and automatically moving a probe disposed within the housing to obtain samples for leak testing.
US07758649B2 Reversibly deformable implant
The present invention provides an implant for positioning within a particularly dimensioned body cavity. The implant is reversibly deformable between an expanded state and a compressed state. The implant is constructed and arranged for insertion within the body cavity when in its compressed state, and pressurelessly conforms to the cavity dimensions in its expanded state. Particularly, the implant is characterized by spontaneous deformation to the expanded state in situ within the body cavity while retaining and/or absorbing at least one flowable constituent as a function of its degree of deformation.
US07758639B2 Mitral valve device using conditioned shape memory alloy
A mitral valve annulus reshaping device includes at least a portion that is formed of a biocompatible shape memory alloy SMA having a characteristic temperature, Af, that is preferably below body temperature. The device is constrained in an unstable martensite (UM) state while being introduced through a catheter that passes through the venous system and into the coronary sinus of the heart. The reshaping device is deployed adjacent to the mitral valve annulus of the heart as it is forced from the catheter. When released from the constraint of the catheter, the SMA of the device at least partially converts from the UM state to an austenitic state and attempts to change to a programmed shape that exerts a force on the adjacent tissue and modifies the shape of the annulus. The strain of the SMA can be varied when the device is within the coronary sinus.
US07758626B2 Device and method for delivering an endovascular stent-graft having a longitudinally unsupported portion
An endoluminal prosthesis having an unsupported or flexible region and a delivery system for delivering the endoluminal prosthesis is provided. The delivery system includes a prosthesis delivery catheter with stiffening elements that provide longitudinally rigid support to a flexible or unsupported portion of an endoluminal prosthesis as the prosthesis is being deployed. A prosthesis is removably coupled to the stiffening elements. The endoluminal prosthesis can be a stent or a stent graft or graft.
US07758624B2 Implant delivery device
Disclosed is a system for delivering self-expanding stents to stenting sites within the body, which minimizes trauma to the affected tissue of the patient yet, at the same time, offers the medical practitioner a robust and simple system for stent placement. These technical effects are achieved by providing a catheter which receives the stent at its proximal end and guides it to the stenting site. The catheter serves as a guide catheter and has a tapered distal tip from which the stent emerges at the site of stenting. A stent pusher can be used which abuts the proximal end of the stent inside the guide catheter. The tapered tip can be molded and can be integral with the catheter shaft or bonded to it. The guide catheter can include a figurated portion towards its distal tip. The system has particular application to stenting the carotid artery.
US07758620B2 Device for connecting a screw to a support plate
The invention relates to a device which is used for solidly connecting a part such as a plate to an underlying support using at least one fixing element such as a screw. According to the invention, said fixing element takes the form of a threaded rod a screw which passes through a hole housing a ring belonging to the part, such that it is screwed into the support material. The inventive device is characterized in that the above-mentioned ring is a constriction ring comprising a non-circular outer profile which co-operates with the non-circular inner profile of the hole, which is in the part. In this way, when the ring is rotated in the hole and wedged in place therein, it is constricted, thereby blocking the threaded rod against movement with respect to the plate.
US07758618B2 Pedicle screw for intervertebral support elements
The pedicle screw (1) for intervertebral support elements (3) consists of a shaft (10) and a head (2) comprising at least two parts (20, 22). The head is formed as a securing means for at least one support element (3). Each support element consists of a piece of a cable-like band (31) and a cylindrical support body (30) with an axial lumen (31″ containing the band. The band is securable outside end surfaces (32) of the support body in the head. The head is formed with a contact surface (23) via which a pressure stress can be exerted on the support body in the band direction, and indeed using the band and in cooperation with a further pedicle screw. A part (20) of the head (2), which is firmly connected to the shaft (10) at the one end of the latter, contains a base groove (21) which is oriented transversally to the shaft and into which the part of the band (31) to be secured or a connecting piece (292) which contains the band can be introduced during the securing of the support element (3) by means of a translatory movement in the direction of the shaft and fixed there.
US07758612B2 Surgery delivery device and mesh anchor
A delivery device for delivering a plurality of individual surgical anchors is disclosed. The delivery device includes a housing, a delivery tube, having a distal and a proximal end, an actuator, flexible anchor reaction members, a reciprocating anchor carrier, having a distal and a proximal end, the distal end terminating in a tissue penetrator. The device further includes at least one surgical anchor located in juxtaposition with the anchor carrier. Each of the surgical anchors has a penetration section and a head section. The surgical anchors are preferably made from an absorbable polymer. The actuator is connected to the anchor carrier and has at least two states. The first, or home state, is a position such that the surgical anchor is proximal the distal end of the tube. The second state is such that the penetrating section of the surgical anchor is exposed beyond the distal end of the delivery tube.
US07758607B2 Low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems
A low-cost contour cuff for surgical tourniquet systems comprises: a sheath containing an inflatable bladder, the sheath having an arcuate shape, an outer surface and a centerline equidistant between first and second side edges; a securing strap non-releasably attached to the outer surface and formed of substantially inextensible material having a shape that is predetermined and substantially flat, wherein the strap includes a bending portion near a first strap end and a fastening portion near a second strap end, and wherein the bending portion is adapted to allow twisting of the bending portion out of the substantially flat shape to facilitate positioning of the fastening portion into any of a plurality of positions in the substantially flat shape; and fastening means for releasably attaching the fastening portion of the securing strap to the outer surface whenever the sheath is curved into a position for surrounding a limb.
US07758606B2 Intravascular filter with debris entrapment mechanism
Apparatus for filtering and entrapping debris in the vascular system of a patient, the apparatus including a filter to allow blood to flow therethrough and to restrict passage of debris, wherein the filter captures debris carried in a first direction of blood flow. The apparatus further includes an entrapment mechanism which allows passage of debris and blood therethrough, in the first direction of blood flow and prevents debris passage in a second direction. The entrapment mechanism and filter allow blood and debris therethrough in the first direction of blood flow. The entrapment mechanism prevents debris flow in the second direction of blood flow. A method for filtering and entrapping debris in the vascular system includes inserting the apparatus into the vascular system, allowing blood and debris carried therein to flow through the entrapment mechanism, and removing the apparatus and accumulated debris from the vascular system.
US07758599B2 Atherectomy catheter with aligned imager
An atherectomy catheter is provided for excising and imaging material in a body lumen. In one embodiment, the catheter comprises a catheter body, a cutting blade, and an imaging device. The cutting blade is mounted on the catheter body and configured to move between a first position and a second position relative to an aperture or cutting window. When the cutting blade is in the second position, the blade substantially closes the aperture on the catheter body. The imaging device which is mounted on or otherwise coupled to the cutting blade is configured to be in an imaging position when the cutting blade substantially closes the aperture or cutter window. This allows the imaging device to survey material within the cutting zone of the atherectomy catheter. By allowing the imaging device to view materials within this cutting zone, material may be imaged and then removed from the body lumen without having to reposition the catheter between each step.
US07758590B2 Cuffed-catheter removal device
A cuffed-catheter removal device includes a handle and a shaft extending from the handle. The shaft extends from the handle to a distal end of the cuffed-catheter removal device. At the distal end of the cuffed-catheter removal device the shaft includes a C-shaped shaft member with a concave recess shaped and dimensioned for attachment and tracking along an exposed catheter shaft.
US07758589B2 Surgical instrument for extracting an anastomotic ring device
A surgical instrument comprises a handle and an elongate shaft, and is operable to remove an anastomotic ring device from a patient. The elongate shaft houses a plurality of ring engaging fingers. Each of the fingers comprises sheath housing a wire having a hook at its distal end. Each hook may be advanced beyond the distal end of a respective sheath to engage petals on an anastomotic ring device. Subsequent proximal retraction of the hooks secures the anastomotic ring device to the ring engaging fingers. With the anastomotic ring device secured to the ring engaging fingers, the fingers may be drawn together to collapse the anastomotic ring device from an actuated, hollow rivet-shaped configuration to an unactuated, cylindrically-shaped configuration. The surgical instrument may then contain the collapsed anastomotic ring device, thereby facilitating removal of the anastomotic ring device from the patient.
US07758578B2 Methods of coagulating tissue
An embodiment of the invention includes a surgical device for coagulating soft tissue such as atrial tissue in the treatment of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and atrial tachycardia; tendon or ligament shrinkage; or articular cartilage removal. The surgical device integrates a suction mechanism with the coagulation mechanism improving the lesion creation capabilities of the device. The surgical device comprises an elongate member having an insulative covering attached about conductive elements capable of coagulating soft tissue when radiofrequency or direct current energy is transmitted to the conductive elements. Openings through the insulative covering expose regions of the conductive elements and are coupled to lumens in the elongate member which are routed to a vacuum source. Suction causes the soft tissue to actively engage the opening thus the integrated, exposed conductive elements to facilitate the coagulation process and ensure the lesions created are consistent, continuous, and transmural. The embodiments of the invention can also incorporate cooling mechanisms associated with the conductive elements and coupled to a fluid source to passively transport fluid along the contacted soft tissue surface to cool thus pushing the maximum temperature deeper into tissue.
US07758576B2 Clamping ablation tool and method
Method and apparatus for ablating target tissue adjacent pulmonary veins of a patient. A clamping ablation tool can include an upper arm having an upper neck, a link assembly, and an upper actuator. The link assembly can include a distal electrode and a proximal electrode. The clamping ablation tool can include a lower arm that mates with the upper arm. The lower arm can include a lower neck, a distal jaw, and a lower actuator. The distal jaw can include a jaw electrode, and the lower actuator can control movement of the distal jaw.
US07758574B2 Electric surgery apparatus for supplying electric power suitable for subject tissue
A high frequency cauterizing power supply unit includes a control circuit for controlling a power supply circuit and waveform generating circuit. The control circuit includes a timer for measuring an output period and pause period, and a counter for measuring the number of times of output. The control circuit detects a setting power and the number of times of output according to the diameter of a blood vessel with a simple method in a short period of time, and controls the output period so as to be shortened, and also controls a setting power and the number of times of output depending on the diameter of the blood vessel.
US07758573B2 Blood vessel treatment method using multi-degree-of-freedom forceps
A blood treatment method using high-degree-of-freedom forceps. The forceps main body includes a joint portion and a tip working portion provided on a distal end portion, a handle provided on a proximal end, which is held and manipulated, and an input portion provided on the handle. The controller drives the joint portion and the tip working portion with at least 2 degrees of freedom and in response to an input to the input portion. In the blood vessel treatment method, a membranous tissue covering a blood vessel is incised, the blood vessel is detached from the tissue, a branch is cut off from the blood vessel, or a peripheral side of the blood vessel is cut off, by respective inputs to the input portion, in the state where a distal side of the forceps main body is inserted into the body cavity.
US07758570B2 Laser beam homogenisers in medical applications
A device is disclosed usable for low level laser therapy to induce a photochemical reaction (non-heating) which is used in the treatment of conditions like tendonitis and other soft tissue injuries, wound healing and pain relief. The arrangement proposed will allow the device to be a Class I laser device thus providing long term minimization of the running costs of the device. The device includes a laser generating means (10) for generating a laser beam (14), the laser generating means (10) having an apparent source size and homogenising means (12) for modifying the laser beam (14) for modifying the apparent source size of the laser beam (14).
US07758559B2 Disposable wearing article
A disposable wearing article has longitudinally extending side edges of a front waist region. The side edges are defined by a pair of hydrophobic fibrous nonwoven fabric layers having mutually opposed surfaces tightly bonded to each other. Fastening zones are formed by an adhesive applied on longitudinally extending side edges of the rear waist region. Landing zones are formed from plastic film strip tightly bonded to the side edges of the front waist region.
US07758556B2 Device for collecting bone material during a surgical procedure
A collection device for collecting bone material during a spinal fusion surgical procedure so that the bone material can later be used as a graft material for the fusion procedure. The device includes a container that collects the bone and other material that is removed from the patient during the surgical procedure through a suction hose. The device includes a plunger having a filter plate sealed to the inside of the container. The plunger is pushed down into the collected material in the container so that blood and other liquids are forced through the plate to be separated from the bone material. A cover at the bottom of the container can be removed to remove the collected bone material.
US07758552B2 Tube clamp, and tube clamp set for use with an infusion pump
A tube clamp is disclosed for optional opening and closing of tubes such as infusion tubes, an infusion pump, an infusion tube set and the combination thereof, the tube clamp comprising means for opening or closing the tube clamp which interacts with a part of the infusion pump which is a lever for locking and unlocking a door in the pump, wherein an automatic opening and closing of the tube clamp can be realized without a relative movement of the tube clamp and the tube.
US07758549B2 Injection needle assembly comprising an injection needle and a needle guide
An injection needle assembly including an injection needle, which can pierce body tissue, and a needle guide, which can be placed on the body tissue and axially stabilizes the injection needle against flexure and cracking.
US07758548B2 Coupling for an auto-injection device
A coupling for selectively securing a spring to a plunger is provided. The coupling has a first end defining a spring rest for receiving the spring and a second end defining a shoulder. The shoulder is moveable to a first position into contact with the plunger and to a second position out of contact with the plunger. The shoulder is normally in the second position and is resiliently moveable to the first position.