Document	Document Title
US08238369B2	Coexistence of data streams A system for transmitting data from two or more data streams on a communication channel between two or more devices. Roughly described, the data from each data stream is transmitted on the channel in the form of data packets, at least one data packet of one or more of the data streams being transmitted in between the data packets of the other data streams. The system is characterized in that the system comprises means to generate or process data packets for at least one of the data streams for transmission, the generated or processed data packets having a size below a certain value. Collisions between data packets of different data streams are thereby reduced.
US08238367B1	Slot allocation, user grouping, and frame partition method for H-FDD systems Communication between a base station and remote stations is partitioned into frames, each including subframes having a number of slots that are allocated based on data rates for each remote station. For communication in a half-duplex mode, multiple subframes are used, each separated by a frame partition, such that a first user group of remote stations can receive down-link data in a first subframe while another user group of remote stations can transmit up-link data during that same subframe. For the next subframe, the converse happens. Slot allocation is achieved in such a half-duplex system based on weighted down-link and up-link data rates and without first or simultaneously determining user group allocation or frame partition, which are instead determined in response to the determined slot allocations for each remote station, e.g., using a linear programming technique.
US08238365B2	Method and device for supporting optical transmission network service dispatch in optical synchronization network A method and device for supporting optical transmission network service dispatch in an optical synchronization network, said device comprises service cards (401, 407), backplane interface (404) and a plurality of dispatch units (405, 406), wherein, the service cards (401, 407) process the service signals and distribute them to the backplane structure frame according to the bandwith of the service signals, and connect with the corresponding dispatch units (405, 406) through the backplane structure frame, and then the dispatch units (405, 406) execute the service dispatch. Said dispatch units (405, 406) can work independently from each other, and the dispatch units can be added linearly according to the bandwidth of the signal. The present invention can compatibly implement the uniform dispatch of the ODU and SDH service on the basis of the existing optical synchronization device without changing the backplane frame structure or increasing the backplane speed.
US08238359B2	Communication module and communication apparatus A communication module mounted on a communication apparatus includes a communication apparatus main body including a plurality of slots, and being insertable into or removable from the slots, a plurality of apparatus side signal processing circuits for processing a communication signal which is transmitted to or received from the communication module, and a switch LSI for changing a destination of the communication signal. The communication module includes a switching portion for performing dividing the communication signal transmitted or received at a communication speed of the communication module, and combining the communication signals transmitted or received at a communication speed of an external apparatus, a connector including a plurality of input-output ports, each of the plurality of the input-output ports being connected to the external apparatus respectively, and a plurality of connecting terminals being connected to the communication apparatus main body when the communication module is inserted into the slots.
US08238356B2	Communication system and access gateway apparatus A communication system comprising a home server, an access gateway, and a policy server, wherein the policy server transmits, to the first access gateway, a link creation request for associating a communication path of the first terminal and a communication path of the second terminal; and the access gateway sets a fifth communication path which connects the first communication path and the third communication path upon receiving the link creation request, records information on the set fifth communication path in the communication path management information, and transmits the data from the first terminal via the first communication path to the second terminal via the fifth communication path and the third communication path based on the communication path management information.
US08238353B2	Method and apparatus for providing disaster recovery using network peering arrangements The present invention enables network providers to create peering arrangements with other providers that allow them to fail over to other networks in the event of a site failure. This invention would lower the cost to provide site diversity within a provider's network by allowing cost sharing between the provider's network and other networks. For example, when an Application Server (AS) in a network fails, the network provider can send a call to a partner's network and uses an AS in the partner's network to process the call request.
US08238352B2	System and apparatus for rogue VoIP phone detection and managing VoIP phone mobility A method and a system track network access information for authorized network devices. The access information facilitates tracking movement of the device throughout the network. In addition the access information can be used to detect when an unauthorized device attempts to access the network, posing as an authorized device.
US08238341B2	Apparatus and method for processing voice over internet protocol packets A method for processing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) packets is provided. The method includes: determining if the arrived VoIP packet arrives out of order according to a sequence number of the arrived VoIP packet and a sequence number of a preceding VoIP packet of the arrived VoIP packet; determining whether the buffer has a packet having a same sequence number as the arrived VoIP packet if the arrived VoIP packet arrives out of order; calculating the difference between the sequence number of the arrived VoIP packet and that of the preceding VoIP packet if the buffer has no such packet having the same sequence number as the arrived VoIP packet; and counting a number of pseudo packets needed to be inserted into the buffer according to the calculated difference and generating and inserting the number of pseudo packets into the buffer.
US08238330B2	System and method for transmitting a telephone call over the internet A method and system for transmitting a call in a client/server architecture. A client device initiates a telephone call and converts first analog voice signals associated with the telephone call to digital signals. The digital signals are then transmitted over the Internet to a first gateway server. The first gateway server processes the digital signals using a codec algorithm and transmits the processed digital signals over the Internet to a second gateway server. The second gateway server converts the processed digital signals to second analog voice signals and transmits the second analog voice signals over a public switched telephone network.
US08238327B2	Apparatus and methods for subscriber and enterprise assignments and resource sharing Methods and apparatus for subscriber and enterprise assignments and resource sharing are disclosed. A disclosed method includes managing resources for a communication service having a communication location. The disclosed method comprising associating a group identifier with a sub-group type, and associating a subscriber with the group identifier, wherein the sub-group type is used to determine at least one super-group usable to route an outdial call from the communication location if the outdial call is associated with the subscriber, and wherein the super-group comprises at least one of a circuit group or a voice over internet protocol communication path.
US08238321B2	Techniques for accessing a wireless communication system with tune-away capability To access a first communication system, a terminal determines a transmission time for an access probe, an expected response time from the system, and a protected time interval based on the transmission time and/or expected response time. The terminal determines a starting time for sending the access probe such that the protected time interval does not overlap a tune-away interval in which the terminal is to monitor anther frequency/air-interface. This starting time may be set initially to the end of a prior access probe plus a pseudo-random wait duration and may be advanced forward or moved backward in time, if needed, by a time duration selected such that the protected time interval does not overlap the tune-away interval.
US08238311B2	Method and apparatus for handover and session continuity using pre-registration tunneling procedure A method and apparatus for session continuity using pre-registration tunneling procedure are disclosed. For session continuity, a tunnel is established between a multi-mode wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a core network of a target system via a source system while the WTRU is still connected with the source system. An access procedure is performed toward the target system using the tunnel. A handover is the performed from the source system to the target system once the access procedure is complete. The access procedure includes session initiation protocol (SIP) registration, authentication of the WTRU at the target system, and internet protocol (IP) configuration. The handover may be from a third generation partnership project (3GPP) system to a non-3GPP system, or vice versa.
US08238310B2	System and method for relaying multicast broadcast service A system and method for relaying Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) are provided. The system for relaying MBS includes a base station; and a plurality of relay stations, wherein the relay stations forms multi-hop relay network, and wherein the base station selects a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level among a plurality of MCS levels based on channel condition between the base station and the respective relay stations. The MBS relay system of the present invention provides improved data throughput and stable broadcast services.
US08238307B2	Method and device for canceling the interference among signals received by multiple mobile stations A Macro-Diversity HandOver (MDHO) solution based on multi-User MIMO is provided. Multiple base stations (BSs) serve the MDHO zone. By jointly precoding the modulated signals to be sent, the multiple BSs send the precoded signals to the multiple mobile stations (MSs) over the same time-frequency resources. The signal to be sent is transmitted to the multiple MSs in the MDHO zone. Due to the adoption of the precoding technique, each MS makes no or small interference to other MSs. Since the multiple BSs that serve one MDHO zone serve multiple MSs over the same time-frequency resources, the system capacity in the MDHO zone is greatly improved.
US08238305B2	Transmission restarting method and radio base station In a transmission restarting method of restarting transmission of downlink user data to a mobile station (UE) in a discontinuous reception state; a radio base station (eNB) allocates a radio resource for downlink data transmission to the mobile station (UE), and notifies, to the mobile station (UE), the allocated radio resource for downlink data transmission; the radio base station (eNB) restarts transmission of downlink user data to the mobile station (UE) by using the allocated radio resource for downlink data transmission; and the radio base station (eNB) stops transmission of the downlink user data when a predetermined condition is detected.
US08238298B2	Picking an optimal channel for an access point in a wireless network A novel technique involves evaluating a real-time environment of a channel based on a nonlinear function of the number of neighbor radios and channel utilization requirements. The technique can be used to pick a channel for an AP that is added to a wireless network or to tune a channel for an existing AP. The technique can be applied to, for example, a relatively new wideband option in the 802.11n standard.
US08238295B2	Demodulation of a subset of available link assignment blocks Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate assigning indices to link assignment blocks (LABs) communicated via a downlink. Indices in a first subset are allocated to shared LABs, which are decoded by a plurality of access terminals. Indices in a second subset are assigned to unshared LABs, which are each intended for a particular recipient access terminal. Assignment of an index for each unshared LAB can be based upon a hash of an identifier corresponding to an intended recipient access terminal and/or access terminal capabilities. Moreover, an access terminal can decode LABs based upon corresponding indices. LABs with indices in a first range can be identified as shared LABs and decoded. Further, the access terminal can determine a second range of indices corresponding to unshared LABs to decode; the second range of indices includes fewer than all indices corresponding to unshared LABs in a frame sent by a base station.
US08238292B2	Cooperative transceiving between wireless interface devices of a host device with shared modules A circuit includes a first wireless interface circuit that transceives packetized data between a host module and a first external device in accordance with a first wireless communication protocol, wherein the first wireless protocol carries wireless telephony data for communication with a wireless telephony network. A second wireless interface circuit transceives packetized data between the host module and a second external device in accordance with a second wireless communication protocol. The second wireless interface circuit includes at least one module that is shared with first wireless interface circuit. The first wireless interface circuit and the second wireless interface circuit operate in accordance with a wireless interface schedule that includes a first time interval where the first wireless interface device and the second wireless interface device contemporaneously use the at least one module.
US08238289B2	Method and apparatus for requesting selected interlace mode in wireless communication systems A method and apparatus for requesting selected interlace mode with a particular sector is provided, comprising generating a SelectedInterlaceRequest message comprising an 8 bit MessageID field, a 12 bit PilotPN field wherein the PilotPN field indicates a value of PilotPN of the sector to which the message is directed and a 4 bit InterlacesRequested field wherein the InterlacesRequested field indicates a value of requested number of interlaces and transmitting the SelectedInterlaceRequest message over a communication link. A method and apparatus for receiving and processing the SelectedInterlaceRequest message is further provided.
US08238285B2	Method and system for minimizing power consumption in a communication system A method for regulating power in a front-end circuit, the method includes determining, along a first communication path, an envelope of a baseband signal; generating at least one voltage control signal based on the determined envelope of the baseband signal; and adjusting one or both of power and/or gain of the front-end circuit using the generated at least one voltage control signal. The baseband signal is communicated to the front-end circuit using a second communication path. Signal delay along the second communication path is matched with signal delay along the first communication path. The at least one voltage control signal comprises a supply voltage signal and a bias voltage signal. The power of the front-end circuit may be adjusted using the supply voltage signal. The gain of the front-end circuit may be adjusted using the bias voltage signal.
US08238272B2	Frequency division multiplex transmission signal receiving apparatus A frequency division multiplex transmission signal receiving apparatus for receiving a frequency division multiplex transmission signal using a plurality of carries includes: an estimation section estimating a transfer function of a received signal after the received signal has been transformed into a frequency domain signal; a demodulation section demodulating the received signal according to the transfer function estimated by the estimation section; a plurality of variation detecting sections performing variation detection using a plurality of different variation detection methods, based on the transfer function estimated by the estimation section; a reliability determining section determining reliability based on a result of a combination of variation detection results of the plurality of variation detecting sections; and a correction section performing error correction of the demodulated signal from the demodulation section, the demodulated signal being subjected to an application of a reliability determination result of the reliability determining section.
US08238270B2	Communication system, communication control device, communication method, communication control method and recording medium A communication control device executes a call-out process of calling out a recipient telephone device while specifying an importance level via a telephone network in response to a request from a transmitter telephone device. A recipient received a call operates a mobile communication terminal after a telephone call ends, accesses an information providing server via a wireless LAN access point and the Internet, and inputs information evaluating whether or not an importance level specified for the received call is appropriate. The information providing server provides the input evaluation information to a storage device. The communication control device determines whether or not to execute a call-out process based on the evaluation information stored in the storage device when there is a call-out request from a transmitter.
US08238261B2	Method and apparatus for identifying mobile network protocol capabilities A method and apparatus for improving handover in an IEEE 802.21 compliant communication network. A query is transmitted from a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) to a media independent handover (MIH) server (MIHS). The WTRU includes a target point of attachment (PoA) and/or a preferred mobile inter protocol (MIP) method. The WTRU receives a response from the MIHS indicating the MIP method supported by the target PoA. Based on the received response, the WTRU may make an informed decision regarding handover.
US08238253B2	System and method for monitoring interlayer devices and optimizing network performance A method for monitoring and optimizing interlayer network performance including generating network performance information data indicative of network transmission characteristics from one of a data link layer device, physical layer device, network layer device, transport layer device, session layer device, presentation layer device, and application layer device; including the network performance information data in a data packet; communicating the network performance information data in the data packet from one of the data link layer device, physical layer device, network layer device, transport layer device, session layer device, presentation layer device, and application layer device to a data link layer device; and in response to receiving the network performance information data, optimizing network performance by performing a function by the data link layer device. A system for monitoring and optimizing interlayer network performance is also included.
US08238251B2	Designing minimum total cost networks using iterative rounding approximation methods Minimum cost networks, such as fiber optic networks used in telecommunications, are obtained by defining available network elements having cost, required pairs, connectivity and penalty cost values and selecting from these available elements using an iterative rounding approximation method that constructs an LP relaxation incorporating the element parameters, finds an optimal basic solution, applies a selection criterion to pairs and edges in the optimal basic solution, and constructs a residual LP relaxation with selected pairs and edges. By fixing selected pairs and edges values to 1 in the residual LP, successive iterations of the method provide a design which is a 3-approximation solution to the minimum cost design problem.
US08238249B2	Method for generating a congestion flag based on measured system load A radio base station generates a congestion status flag, based on measured resource usage in its cell, and based on performance of sessions in the cell. The flag may be a one bit, or a small number of bits, indicating whether the base station is congested. The flag can be sent to neighboring radio base stations, for use in determining whether to perform handovers to that radio base station. The flag generated in a radio base station, and the flags generated in neighboring radio base stations, can also be sent to user equipment in a cell.
US08238240B2	System and method for routing internet traffic over internet links An apparatus and method for Internet Protocol (IP) transit including a platform for routing IP traffic in real time from at least one network user to a plurality of internet links. Embodiments further include assigning different ranks to different internet links based on network monitoring. In one embodiment, a system for routing internet traffic includes an internet route optimizer to generate routing instructions for incoming data packets using a ranked list of the internet links, wherein the internet route optimizer generates the ranked list of the internet links using: (a) financial costs of routing data packets over the internet links, (b) a delay associated with routing packets over the internet links and (c) a type of data of the incoming data packets.
US08238235B2	Admission control for contention-based access to a wireless communication medium An access point station responds to a request from a user station for contention-based access of a new traffic flow to a wireless transmission medium by applying a model of the wireless local area network to estimate delay that data packets will experience when delivered through the wireless network, in order to admit the new flow upon determining that admission will not violate quality of service requirements of neither the new flow nor of already admitted flows. For example, the access point station applies the model by determining an average packet inter-arrival rate, solving a system of nonlinear equations to determine probabilities of successful transmission, applying network stability conditions, computing an upper bound on queuing delay for the packets, computing a service delay budget for the packets, and computing an expected fraction of missed packets from the service delay budget.
US08238233B2	Maintaining network services across multiple physical interfaces In one embodiment, the present invention includes an apparatus having a first processor to execute instructions, a subordinate processor coupled to the first processor, and multiple physical devices coupled to the subordinate processor. The physical devices may each correspond to a different network communication protocol, and may each include a physical unit to forward packets to the subordinate processor while the system is in a low power mode. The subordinate processor may remain enabled during the low power mode and may include media access control functionality for handling incoming packets of different physical devices. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08238227B2	Systems and methods for providing a MoCA improved performance for short burst packets Systems and methods for reducing the latency and for increasing throughput for MoCA devices that are connected via a coax network are provided. One method according to the invention includes, in a network having a plurality of network modules, each of the plurality of network modules being connected to a coax backbone, communicating over the coax backbone between the plurality of network modules. The method further includes a requesting the use of short burst messages. The method further includes responding to the requesting by constructing a short burst message with a single channel equalization section and reducing the number of bits per hertz in the transmission constellation. The resulting messages can be received with an acceptable error rate while making more efficient use of the MoCA network.
US08238224B2	Optical recording medium for writing data using multiple pulses An optical recording medium including a plurality of recording layers to record/reproduce information using light with a predetermined wavelength, the information being recorded on one of the recording layers using a mark and a space, wherein a channel clock period T is provided for recording the mark on one of the recording layers. A plurality of pulses, including a last pulse arranged at an end of the pulses, are used to record the mark with length 3T, the mark being recorded with a condition that a width of the last pulse is minimum OT and maximum 1.10T, in which a first subsequent level lower than a peak power level of the last pulse is arranged next to the last pulse, and a second subsequent level lower than the peak power level but higher than the first subsequent level is arranged next to the first subsequent level.
US08238217B2	Method and system for detection enhancement for optical data storage The present techniques provide methods and systems for enhancing a data signal in reading optical discs, such as holographic data discs. The techniques involve adjusting the position of a detector, or multi-pixel detector, such that the reflection corresponding to a micro-hologram or micro-reflector is enhanced. For example, the detector position may be adjusted to a position where the surface reflection and the micro-hologram reflection constructively interfere, resulting in an amplified micro-hologram reflection signal. Other parameters such as disc reflectivity and detector pinhole size may be adjusted to increase signal enhancement. Furthermore, the detector position may be adjusted to a position where the phases of the surface reflection and the micro-hologram reflection result in a weaker cross term.
US08238216B2	Holographic recording/reproducing apparatus having aperture of variable size Provided is a holographic recording/reproducing apparatus including an aperture device having aperture of variable size. The holographic recording/reproducing apparatus includes a light source, an optical system to divide light emitted from the light source into a recording reference beam and a recording signal beam, and direct the recording reference beam and the recording signal beam to a same location of a holographic recording medium, a spatial light modulator (SLM) to modulate the recording signal beam into a two-dimensional signal pattern, a two-dimensional photodetector to detect a reproducing signal beam that is refracted via the holographic recording medium, and the aperture to limit a size of a spot of the reproducing signal beam, wherein the size of the aperture is variable.
US08238215B2	Recording medium, and recording and reproducing apparatus A recording medium includes: at least one recording layer on which information is recorded by multi-photon absorption; and a servo layer disposed in a laminated direction with respect to the recording layer and having a track for guiding a beam spot of laser light having a first wavelength and a beam spot of laser light having a second wavelength along a scanning trajectory, wherein the servo layer and the at least one recording layer constitute a set of layers, and a plurality of sets of layers is formed in the laminated direction.
US08238213B2	Optical disc drive An optical disc drive according to the present invention can write information on an optical disc, which includes a substrate on which a number of pre-pits 2 have been formed on its tracks and a recording film that is supported on the substrate. The drive includes an optical pickup and a writing control section for controlling the optical pickup so that marks 3 are recorded so as to overlap with some of the pre-pits 2 on the tracks and for making the optical pickup irradiate the recording film with a writing light beam. The writing control section changes the interval of each pair of recorded marks that are adjacent to each other along the radius of the optical disc according to the optical power of the writing light beam. Thus, the optical disc drive of the present invention can record a mark on an optical disc on which pre-pits have already been formed even if the optical disc has a simplified structure.
US08238199B2	Wireless exploration seismic system Systems and methods for seismic data acquisition employing a dynamic multiplexing technique. The dynamic multiplexing technique may include advancing one or more modules in a seismic array through a multiplexing signature sequence in successive transmission periods. The multiplexing signature sequence may be random or pseudo-random. A shared multiplexing signature sequence may be used at all the modules in the seismic array. As such, modules belonging to a common collision domain may operate out of phase with respect to the shared multiplexing signature sequence.
US08238194B2	Methods and systems for compressing sonic log data Methods for compression of sonic log data include STC processing, sorting peak components in the sonic data; filtering the sorted peak components to remove high-frequency portions in the peak components; and decimating the filtered peak components according to a selected ratio to produce compressed data. One method for telemetry transmission of downhole sonic log data includes sorting peak components in the sonic log data; compressing the sorted peak components to produce compressed data; packing the compressed data to produce data packets for telemetry transmission; and sending the data packets using telemetry.
US08238179B2	Device and method for generating test mode signal A test mode signal generation device includes a pulse address generation unit configured to convert test address signals into pulse signals and generate pulse address signals, a pulse address split unit configured to generate converted test address signals in response to the pulse address signals, and a test mode signal generation unit configured to generate a test mode signal in response to the converted test address signals.
US08238176B2	I/O circuit with phase mixer for slew rate control An apparatus includes a terminal, a first plurality of driver lines, and a first phase mixer. The driver lines drive the terminal to a first logic state responsive to a first enable signal. The first phase mixer is coupled to a first one of the first plurality of driver lines. The first phase mixer is operable to receive the first enable signal and a first delayed enable signal derived from the first enable signal and generate a first signal on the first driver line having a first configurable delay with respect to the first enable signal by mixing the first enable signal and the first delayed enable signal.
US08238175B2	Semiconductor memory device, memory module including the same, and data processing system To provide a semiconductor device including a skew detecting circuit activated in a write leveling mode, and an ODT control circuit that activates a terminating resistance circuit connected to a data strobe terminal by using an ODT signal. The ODT control circuit includes counters that delay the ODT signal, activates the terminating resistance circuit by using the ODT signal having passed the counters in a normal operation mode, and activates the terminating resistance circuit by using the ODT signal having bypassed the counters in the write leveling mode. With this configuration, in the write leveling mode, a write leveling operation can be performed quickly without waiting for latency of the ODT signal.
US08238173B2	Using storage cells to perform computation An in-memory processor includes a memory array which stores data and an activation unit to activate at least two cells in a column of the memory array at generally the same time thereby to generate a Boolean function output of the data of the at least two cells. Another embodiment shows a content addressable memory (CAM) unit without any in-cell comparator circuitry.
US08238171B2	Apparatus and methods for a physical layout of simultaneously sub-accessible memory modules A layout for simultaneously sub-accessible memory modules is disclosed. In one embodiment, a memory module includes a printed circuit board having a plurality of sectors, each sector being electrically isolated from the other sectors and having a multi-layer structure. At least one memory device is attached to each sector, the memory devices being organized into a plurality of memory ranks. A driver is attached to the printed circuit board and is operatively coupled to the memory ranks. The driver is adapted to be coupled to a memory interface of the computer system. Because the sectors are electrically-isolated from adjacent sectors, the memory ranks are either individually or simultaneously, or both individually and simultaneously accessible by the driver so that one or more memory devices on a particular sector may be accessed at one time. In an alternate embodiment, the printed circuit board includes a driver sector electrically isolated from the other sectors and having a multi-layer structure, the driver being attached to the driver sector.
US08238168B2	VDD pre-set of direct sense DRAM A direct sense memory array architecture and method of operation includes a plurality of memory cells where a bit-line restore voltage level is optimized to reduce memory cell leakage during a first inactive period, and a bit-line preset voltage level is optimized for signal sensing during a second active period. The architecture includes a sense head having of a pair of cross coupled gated inverters. Each of the gated inverters is responsive to a first and second gate control signal which can independently gate a power supply to the inverter circuit within each gated inverter. During the second active period, a first gated inverter senses the data state on the first bit-line, and a second gated inverter performs a preset and write-back function on the first bit-line.
US08238158B2	Programming of memory cells in a nonvolatile memory using an active transition control An electrically programmable non-volatile memory array and associated circuitry, including programming circuitry that adaptively senses completed programming of a selected memory cell. A programming bit line driver is connected to the bit line, and a first transistor has its source/drain path connected in series with the memory cell, and its gate connected to the output of the current comparator. As the MOS transistor in the selected cell becomes programmed, its drain current drawn from the bit line driver decays, and a remainder current into the current comparator increases. Upon the remainder current exceeding the reference current, the comparator turns off the first transistor; a second transistor connected between the source and drain of the cell transistor is turned on. In another approach, a summed current controls the gates of the first and second transistors. Programming terminates, and over-programming is avoided.
US08238151B2	Transient heat assisted STTRAM cell for lower programming current A memory cell including magnetic materials and heating materials, and methods of programming the memory cell are provided. The memory cell includes a free region, a pinned region, and a heating region configured to generate and transfer heat to the free region when a programming current is directed to the cell. The heat transferred from the heating region increases the temperature of the free region, which decreases the magnetization and the critical switching current density of the free region. In some embodiments, the heating region may also provide a current path to the free region, and the magnetization of the free region may be switched according to the spin polarity of the programming current, programming the memory cell to a high resistance state or a low resistance state.
US08238148B2	Semiconductor device having architecture for reducing area and semiconductor system including the same A semiconductor device having an architecture for reducing an area is provided. The semiconductor device includes a memory cell array including a plurality of non-volatile memory cells, a plurality of registers each configured to store pre-fetch unit data, and a write driver circuit configured to write pre-fetch unit data sequentially output from the plurality of registers to the memory cell array during a write operation. The semiconductor device also includes a sense amplifier circuit configured to sense and amplify pre-fetch unit data sequentially output from the memory cell array and to sequentially store the amplified pre-fetch unit data in the plurality of registers, respectively, during a read operation.
US08238145B2	Shared transistor in a spin-torque transfer magnetic random access memory (STTMRAM) cell A spin-torque transfer memory random access memory (STTMRAM) cell is disclosed comprising a selected magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) identified to be programmed; a first transistor having a first port, a second port and a gate, the first port of the first transistor coupled to the selected MTJ; a first neighboring MTJ coupled to the selected MTJ through the second port of the first transistor; a second transistor having a first port, a second port, and a gate, the first port of the second transistor coupled to the selected MTJ; a second neighboring MTJ coupled to the selected MTJ through the second port of the second transistor; a first bit/source line coupled to the second end of the selected MTJ; and a second bit/source line coupled to the second end of the first neighboring MTJ and the second end of the second neighboring MTJ.
US08238144B2	Magnetic memory A spin-transfer magnetic memory includes a magnetoresistive element having a pinned layer, a free layer and a tunnel insulating layer provided between the pinned layer and the free layer, a bit line connected to one terminal of the magnetoresistive element, a select transistor having a current path whose one terminal is connected to the other terminal of the magnetoresistive element, a source line connected to the other terminal of the current path of the select transistor, and a pulse generation circuit passing a microwave pulse current through the magnetoresistive element, and assisting a magnetization switching of the free layer in a write operation.
US08238142B2	Semiconductor memory device In a multipart SRAM memory cell of the present invention, an access transistor of a first port is disposed in a p-type well, and an access transistor of a second port is disposed in a p-type well. The gates of all of transistors disposed in a memory cell extend in the same direction. With the configuration, a semiconductor memory device having a low-power consumption type SRAM memory cell with an increased margin of variations in manufacturing, by which a bit line can be shortened in a multiport SRAM memory cell or an associative memory, can be obtained.
US08238127B1	Method and apparatus for supplying and switching power A dimming power supply includes a power source, a full bridge rectifier with four nodes, a control switch and a controller. The first node is connected to the power source, the second is connected to a load output, and the third is connected to a reference voltage node. The control switch is connected between the fourth node and the reference voltage node. The controller is connected to a control input of the control switch. The controller is adapted to adjust a voltage or current through the load output.
US08238126B2	Current regulator A current regulator includes a first switch, a second switch, a first current detecting circuit, a second current detecting circuit and a control circuit. Both of the first and second current detecting circuits detect the current of corresponding power route. The control circuit controls the first and the second switches on the route to be turned on or turned off according to detecting signals, and regulates to keep the wiring current in balance.
US08238120B2	Electronic device with a mobile switch According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes: a main body; a switch; and a movement support portion. A component is detachably installed in a component installation portion of the main body. The switch includes a base and a movable portion. The switch becomes an ON state when the movable portion is moved relatively closer to the base. The movement support portion supports the switch so as to permit reciprocal movement of the switch along a direction in which the movable portion is moved closer to the base, and is moved to one of directions of the reciprocal movement by a predetermined ON operation. While the component is installed in the component installation portion, the switch becomes the ON state when the switch is sandwiched between the component and the movement support portion, and when the movable portion is moved relatively closer to the base.
US08238115B2	Computer motherboard A computer motherboard includes a printed circuit board which includes a central processing unit (CPU) socket and a group of memory slots. The group of memory slots includes an in-line type memory slot and a surface mounted device (SMD) type memory slot. The in-line type memory slot includes a number of plated through holes. The SMD type memory slot is set between the in-line type memory slot and the CPU socket. The through holes of the in-line type memory slot are connected to the CPU socket through traces, pads of the SMD type memory slot are connected to corresponding through holes of the in-line type memory slot having the same pin definition.
US08238112B2	Sub-mount, light emitting device including sub-mount and methods of manufacturing such sub-mount and/or light emitting device A sub-mount adapted for AC and DC operation of devices mountable thereon, light emitting devices including such a sub-mount, and methods of manufacturing such a sub-mount are provided. The sub-mount including a base substrate including a first surface and a second surface different from the first surface, a conductive pattern on the first surface, a first pair and a second pair of first and second electrodes on the second surface, and vias extending through the base substrate between the first and second surfaces, wherein the conductive pattern includes a first set of mounting portions and two via portions along a first electrical path between the first pair of first and second electrodes, and a second set of mounting portions and two via portions along a second electrical path between the second pair of first and second electrodes, the via portions connecting respective portions of the conductive pattern to respective electrodes of the first and second pair of first and second electrodes through the vias.
US08238109B2	Flex-rigid wiring board and electronic device A flex-rigid wiring board including a flexible printed wiring board, a rigid printed wiring board, a first connection terminal formed over the rigid printed wiring board and positioned to be mounted onto a motherboard, and a second connection terminal formed over the rigid printed wiring board and positioned to mount an electronic component. The flexible printed wiring board has a first conductive layer, the rigid printed wiring board has a rigid base material, an insulation layer over the rigid base material and a second conductive layer formed over the insulation layer. The insulation layer covers at least a portion of the flexible printed wiring board and at least a portion of the rigid base material while exposing at least a portion of the flexible printed wiring board, and the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer are connected through a plated metallic layer penetrating through the insulation layer.
US08238105B2	Heat sink and electronic device using the same An electronic device includes a chassis, a circuit board installed in the chassis, a memory card coupled to the circuit board, and a heat sink for cooling the memory card. The heat sink includes a first cooling plate, a second cooling plate, and a connection member connected between corresponding sides of the first cooling plate and the second cooling plate. A conducting member extends from the connection member, and contacts the chassis.
US08238102B2	Heat dissipation apparatus for electronic device A heat dissipation apparatus adapted for cooling an electronic component received in a metal housing includes a heat sink thermally attached to the electronic component and a plurality of resilient tabs arranged between the heat sink and the metal housing. The resilient tabs are elastically deformed by the metal housing and thermally contact an inner face of the metal housing.
US08238099B2	Enclosed operating area for disk drive testing systems A disk drive testing system includes one or more test racks, and one or more test slots housed by the one or more test racks, each test slot being configured to receive and support a disk drive transporter carrying a disk drive for testing. The disk drive testing system also includes a transfer station for supplying disk drives to be tested. The one or more test racks and the transfer station at least partially define an operating area. The disk drive testing system can also include automated machinery that is disposed within the operating area and is configured to transfer disk drives between the transfer station and the one or more test slots, and a cover at least partially enclosing the operating area, thereby at least partially inhibiting air exchange between the operating area and an environment surrounding the test racks.
US08238088B2	Electronic apparatus According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a main housing, a keyboard attached to the main housing, a hinge attached to a display housing, and a reinforcing member in the main housing. The reinforcing member includes a fixing portion to which the hinge is attached and a supporting portion including a surface facing the keyboard. The keyboard is placed on the supporting portion.
US08238087B2	Display module A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take many forms such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and so on. The portable computing device can include a single piece housing and a display module. The display module can include a protective top glass cover that is bonded to a plastic display frame and surrounded by a seal frame. The display module can also include a display panel and its associated circuitry suspended from the display frame below the protective glass cover. The display module is coupled to the single piece housing mounting clips in a manner that allows the display module to move relative to the single piece housing during an impact event. The plastic display frame can include inserts that provide structural support near openings in the single piece housing.
US08238072B2	Bipolar electrostatic chuck A bipolar electrostatic chuck which has excellent dielectric breakdown strength and provides excellent attracting performance. The bipolar electrostatic chuck eliminates difficulty in dismounting a sample from a sample attracting plane as much as possible after application of a voltage to electrodes is finished. The bipolar electrostatic chuck is provided with a first electrode and a second electrode in an insulator and permits a surface of the insulator to be the sample attracting plane. The insulator has the first electrode, an interelectrode insulating layer and the second electrode in this order from the sample attracting plane in the depth direction. The second electrode has a region not overlapping with the first electrode in a normal line direction of the sample attracting plane.
US08238071B2	Elastic sheet structure and electronic device employing the same An elastic sheet structure includes an elastic body and a conductive body. The elastic body is capable of elastic deformation, and the conductive body includes a main body, a first elastic arm, and a second elastic arm. The main body is installed into the elastic body; the first elastic arm and the second elastic arm are connected at opposite sides of the main body and extend out from two opposite ends of the elastic body. The first elastic arm is capable of electrically connecting to ground to conduct away static electricity through the second elastic arm, the main body, and the first elastic arm. An electronic device employing the elastic sheet structure is also described.
US08238068B2	Electrical over-stress detection circuit In an embodiment, an electrical over-stress (EOS) circuit includes a detection circuit coupled between first and second supply terminals and configured to detect a perturbation in a supply voltage potential between the first and second supply terminals or between a supply voltage potential and a pad voltage of a bond pad. The EOS circuit further includes an alert generation circuit configured to store data indicating an EOS event in response to detecting the perturbation.
US08238058B2	Magnetic recording head, magnetic head assembly, and magnetic recording apparatus According to one embodiment, a magnetic recording head includes a main magnetic pole, a shield, and a stacked structure body. The shield is provided to oppose the main magnetic pole. The stacked structure body is provided between the main magnetic pole and the shield. The stacked structure body includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and an intermediate layer. The first magnetic layer has coercivity lower than a magnetic field applied from the main magnetic pole. A size of a film surface of the second magnetic layer is larger than a size of a film surface of the first magnetic layer. The intermediate layer is provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer and is made of a nonmagnetic material. A current is configured to pass between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer.
US08238056B2	Perpendicular shield pole writer with tapered main pole and tapered non-magnetic top shaping layer A PMR writer with a tapered main pole layer and tapered non-magnetic top-shaping layer is disclosed that minimizes trailing shield saturation. A second non-magnetic top shaping layer may be employed to reduce the effective TH size while the bulk of the trailing shield is thicker to allow a larger process window for back end processing. A sloped surface with one end at the ABS and a second end 0.05 to 0.3 microns from the ABS is formed at a 10 to 80 degree angle to the ABS and includes a sloped surface on the upper portion of the main pole layer and on the non-magnetic top shaping layer. An end is formed on the second non-magnetic top shaping layer at the second end of the sloped surface followed by forming a conformal write gap layer and then depositing the trailing shield on the write gap layer and along the ABS.
US08238048B2	Camera module An exemplary camera module includes a barrel, a holder, and an resilient member. The holder is loosely threadedly coupled to the barrel. The holder has a central axis. The resilient member is positioned between the barrel and the holder. The resilient member is configured for exerting a first elastic force to the barrel and a second elastic force to the holder so that the barrel is fixed with the holder. The first and second elastic forces are in a direction parallel to the central axis of the holder.
US08238043B2	Imaging lens system and imaging apparatus An imaging lens system includes three lens groups having four lenses including a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, and a fourth lens arranged in order from an object side, and an aperture stop arranged between the first lens and the second lens. The second lens and the third lens are joined each other. The first lens is a negative meniscus lens having a convex surface at an object side. The second lens is a positive lens having a convex surface having a large curvature at an image side. The third lens is a negative lens having a concave surface having a large curvature at an object side. The fourth lens is a positive lens having a convex surface having a large curvature at an image side. The following conditions are satisfied: 1.4<\|f1/F\|<2.2 0.4<\|f1/f23\|<1.6 where F is a focal length of the entire imaging lens system, f1 is a focal length of the first lens, and f23 is a combined focal length of the second lens and the third lens which are joined each other. The following condition is satisfied: 1.80
US08238041B2	Lens barrel The present invention provides a lens barrel that has a first barrel member and a second barrel member, and arranges the first barrel member on an outer circumference of the second barrel member to enable the first barrel member to move in an optical axis direction. The lens barrel includes a plurality of engaging members configured to be held by the first barrel member and engaged with an engagement groove formed in the second barrel member, and to move in the optical axis direction along the engagement groove when the second barrel member rotates, and an annular urging member provided in an outer circumferential portion of the first barrel member and configured to urge the plurality of engaging members to the engagement groove formed in the second barrel member.
US08238032B2	Variable focus point lens A variable focal point lens includes a transparent tank, which comprises a transparent enclosure containing a transparent flexible membrane separating the inner volume of the transparent tank into an upper tank portion and a lower tank portion. The upper tank portion and the lower tank portion contain liquids having different indices of refraction. The transparent flexible membrane is electrostatically displaced to change the thicknesses of the first tank portion and the second tank portion in the path of the light, thereby shifting the focal point of the lens axially and/or laterally. The electrostatic displacement of the membrane may be effected by a fixed charge in the membrane and an array of enclosure-side conductive structures on the transparent enclosure, or an array of membrane-side conductive structures on the transparent membrane and an array of enclosure-side conductive structures.
US08238029B2	Dichroic filter laser beam combining Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a dichroic optic having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, wherein the second side has an optical filter, wherein each of a light beam having a first wavelength, a second wavelength and a third wavelength enter, exit or reflect from the dichroic optic only from at least one of the first or second sides, wherein prior to incidence on the dichroic optic each of the light beams having the first, second and third wavelengths are non-collinear with each other, wherein the light beam having the first wavelength and the light beam having the second wavelength are substantially collinear within the dichroic optic, wherein the optical filter has a response capable of transmitting at least one of the light beam having the first wavelength and the light beam having the second wavelength, while reflecting the light beam having the third wavelength, and wherein the light beam having the first wavelength, the second wavelength, and the third wavelength are combined in a substantially collinear manner.
US08238023B2	Tensioned projection screen A projection screen apparatus having a perimeter frame and a substantially blank screen is provided.
US08238021B2	Display devices having micro-reflectors and color filters The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a brightness enhancement structure comprising micro-reflectors. The process comprises forming an array of micro-structures by embossing; and depositing a metal layer over the surface of the micro-structures. The present invention also relates to a process for manufacturing a display device comprising micro-reflectors. The present invention further relates to a display device comprising micro-reflectors and color filters.
US08238014B2	Method and circuit for encoding multi-level pulse amplitude modulated signals using integrated optoelectronic devices Methods and systems for encoding multi-level pulse amplitude modulated signals using integrated optoelectronics are disclosed and may include generating a multi-level, amplitude-modulated optical signal utilizing an optical modulator driven by two or more electrical input signals. The optical modulator may include optical modulator elements coupled in series and configured into groups. The number of optical modular elements and groups may configure the number of levels in the multi-level amplitude modulated optical signal. Unit drivers may be coupled to each of the groups. The electrical input signals may be synchronized before communicating them to the unit drivers utilizing flip-flops. Phase addition may be synchronized utilizing one or more electrical delay lines. The optical modulator may be integrated on a single substrate, which may include one of: silicon, gallium arsenide, germanium, indium gallium arsenide, polymers, or indium phosphide. The optical modulator may include a Mach-Zehnder interferometer or one or more ring modulators.
US08238003B2	Image input apparatus and an image output apparatus configured for transferring at least one image file of an input image and a conversion file in different transfer steps A transfer method for transferring data between a digital still camera and a printer in direct communication with each other. The digital still camera stores an image file of an input image and a conversion file including conversion information for carrying out color conversion in a preset color space common to both the digital still camera and the printer. The method includes a first transfer step of transferring from the digital still camera to the printer the conversion file and a second transfer step of transferring the image file from the digital still camera to the printer. The printer carries out color conversion of and outputs the image of the image file transferred in the second transfer step using the conversion information included in the conversion file transferred in the first transfer step.
US08237997B2	Image reader and image forming device An image reader includes: an average calculation unit which calculates an average DAV of pixel values of pixels existing in an area corresponding to a striped image in a document image read by a scanning unit; a judgment unit which judges whether the average DAV is a value between judgment reference values DL and DH where (DL
US08237993B2	Apparatus and method for image processing of ground pattern In order to prevent illegal copying more effectively in an image forming apparatus, when a specified ground pattern for preventing copying is detected in input image data, the detected ground pattern is emphasized in the image data. Alternatively, information for detecting the specified ground pattern is stored in a storage device, in order to detect the ground pattern with the stored information. When the ground pattern is not detected, a ground region in the image data is analyzed further to determine whether a different ground pattern exits or not. When a ground pattern is detected, information for detecting the ground pattern is stored in the storing device.
US08237986B2	Image reading apparatus, multifunction printer apparatus, and image processing method This invention is directed to a method capable of performing appropriate under color removal in image original reading. According to this method, under color removal of the original is performed as follows. A printing medium without any printed image is read by primary and complementary color readings. A brightness signal distribution is generated by converting, using a provisional table, each of image data generated by the reading methods. The lowest one of signal levels is selected from each of the distributions. In correspondence with each of the primary and complementary color readings, a conversion table is formed, which converts the image data to make a pixel value corresponding to the selected lowest one of the signal levels to a value representing white. Under color removal of the image data is performed using a corresponding conversion table in accordance with the reading method of the image original.
US08237981B2	High-resolution photographic plotting process In a partial image, certain image dots are deflected optically in x direction with reference to imaginary undeflected image dots, and the x deflection of an image dot is less than the length of the side of an image dot. The image is traced by a light-controlling unit (preferably a semiconductor chip with tilting-mirror elements) with light-controlling elements arranged similar to a matrix. A computer program loads the light-controlling unit with a control pattern for tracing each partial image.
US08237976B2	Image processing device and system, and computer readable medium therefor An image processing device is configured to detect allocation areas from template data, specify a position of each detected allocation area on the template data with respect to a first standard, provide an area identification to each allocation area based on the specified position of each allocation area, acquire image data based on document sheets set thereon, extract document images from the acquired image data, specify a location of each extracted document image on the acquired image data with respect to a second standard, provide an image identification to each document image based on the specified location of each document image, identify an allocation area corresponding to each document image based on the image identifications and the area identifications, edit each document image to be allocated in the corresponding allocation area, generate composite data with the edited document images allocated in the respective allocation areas, and output the composite data.
US08237972B1	Print preview in a tab Methods and systems for printing of a document using tabs. An indication of a print command is received to print a first instance of a document displayed in a first tab on a browser. A second tab is displayed with a second instance of the document upon receiving the indication of the print command, wherein the second tab with the second instance of the document is visible, and the first instance of the document displayed in the first tab is hidden by the second tab displaying the second instance of the document. A print option area is displayed relative to the second instance of the document in the second tab. A final print indication is received from the print option area.
US08237969B2	Finisher and image forming system Disclosed is a finisher to perform finishing processing on a paper ejected from an image forming apparatus, including: a control section to switch an adjustment amount to be used in the finishing processing based on information of paper grain of the paper.
US08237967B2	Image processing apparatus, image processing method and computer readable medium An image processing apparatus is provided which determines a printing position of an identification code in accordance with a print setting designated for printing target data. For example, it makes a decision as to which one of the cutting printing, poster printing, job-based printing (such as bookbinding printing or staple printing), 2-sided printing, and other printing (such as normal layout printing and reduction layout (Nup) printing) is designated, and decides the printing position of a two-dimensional code. In page layout printing, the two-dimensional code is output in a mode suitable for source document data after page layout.
US08237963B2	Communication apparatus A communication apparatus includes: a reading unit which reads original document data from a read target original document having plural pages, on a page-by-page basis; a transmission unit which transmits original document data read by the reading unit; an acquisition unit which wirelessly acquires identification information capable of identifying a set of pages to be transmitted by the transmission unit in one communication, from a wireless tag attached to each page of the read target original document; an identification unit which identifies whether a combination of pages of the read target original document corresponds to a combination of pages of a specific set original document based on the identification information; and a transmission controller which controls the transmission unit to transmit the original document data from the read target original document based on a result of the identification unit.
US08237962B2	Throughput estimate based upon document complexity analysis A method receives a print job and analyzes the complexity of the print job to generate complexity factors. The method performs raster image processing (RIP) on the print job and records the time taken to perform the raster image processing of each page of the print job. This generates “RIP times.” In addition, the method records the size of each page of the print job to generate “page sizes.” Then the method prints the print job and records the time it took to process the print job. Then the method determines how each of the complexity factors, the RIP times, and the page sizes contributed to the time it took to process the print job. This generates “complexity factor time values.” The method prints a report of the complexity factor time values detailing how each of the complexity factors contributed to the time it took to process the print job.
US08237954B2	Print system, print apparatus, print processing method, and program A print system includes: a print instruction unit that outputs a print instruction for the electronic document and print instruction specification information for specifying the print instruction; a print unit that prints the electronic document pertinent to the print instruction outputted from the print instruction unit, together with specification information specifying the electronic document or a print medium; and an output unit that outputs the specification information printed by the print unit, in association with the print instruction specification information.
US08237952B2	Method of setting default printer in a host device A method and apparatus to set printer driver information. The method includes detecting identification information to identify printer setup information selected in an application program, detecting a printer driver information corresponding to the detected identification information, and setting and storing the selected printer setup information as printer setup information of the detected printer driver information. When the user selects the printer setup information in a specific application program, the printer setup information setup in a printer folder is set as the printer setup information selected by the user. Specifically, when the user selects the default printer in the specific application program, the default printer of the printer driver information is set as the default printer selected by the user, so that the setup information selected in the application program is maintained as the printer driver information even after the application program is terminated.
US08237948B2	Document monitor device, recording medium storing document monitor program, document monitor system, and document monitor method A document monitor device, which includes: a confidential information storage section that stores confidentiality level information of documents managed in a document management device associated with identification information of each of the documents; a feature storage section that stores features of the documents associated with the identification information; a selection section that selects a target document from the managed documents based on the confidentiality level information; an acquisition section that acquires a target image to be processed by an image processing device; an extraction section that extracts features of the target image; a similarity level calculation section that calculates a similarity level between the features stored in association with the identification information of the selected target document and the extracted features; and a detection information output section that, when the similarity level is a prescribed value or over, outputs information indicating that a similar image is detected.
US08237936B2	Data processing apparatus, data processing method and image forming apparatus A data processing apparatus includes an input portion, an output portion, a plurality of compressing/expanding devices which compress data-to-be-outputted inputted from the input portion and expand compressed data-to-be-outputted, a file memory which stores the data-to-be-outputted compressed by some or all of the plurality of compressing/expanding devices, a data discrimination portion which discriminates whether the data-to-be-outputted inputted from the input portion is data including a small amount of information or a large amount of information, and a transfer controller. In cases where it is discriminated by the data discrimination portion that the data-to-be-outputted is data including a small amount of information, the transfer controller transfers the data-to-be-outputted to the output portion through the plurality of compressing/expanding devices operating in parallel. In cases where it is discriminated by the data discrimination portion that the data-to-be-outputted is data including a large amount of information, the transfer controller transfers the data-to-be-outputted to some or all of the plurality of compressing/expanding devices while transferring the data-to-be-outputted to the output portion.
US08237935B2	Method and system for automatically inspecting parts and for automatically generating calibration data for use in inspecting parts A method and system for automatically inspecting parts and for automatically generating calibration data for use in inspecting parts are provided. The system includes a support for supporting a part to be inspected and/or a calibration device along a measurement axis. The system further includes a head apparatus including a plurality of radiation plane generators for directing an array of planes of radiation at the part and/or device so that the part and/or device occludes each of the planes of radiation to create a corresponding array of unobstructed planar portions of the planes of radiation. Each of the unobstructed planar portions contains an amount of radiation which is representative of a respective geometric dimension of the part and/or device. The head apparatus further includes a plurality of radiation plane receivers or cameras such as line scan cameras. Each of the cameras measures the amount of radiation present in an adjacent pair of unobstructed planar portions created from the same plane of radiation to obtain at least one measurement signal. The system still further includes a stage subsystem including a stage movable along a stage axis substantially parallel to the measurement axis and coupled to the head apparatus to move therewith for translating the head apparatus relative to the part and/or device along the stage axis so that the planes of radiation scan the part and/or device supported by the support substantially perpendicular to the stage and measurement axes. The system may further include one or more mechanisms for reducing radiation cross talk between neighboring cameras.
US08237930B2	Oxygen sensor using principle of surface plasmon resonance and oxygen transmission rate measurement system including the same Provided is an oxygen sensor using surface plasmon resonance, including: a laser diode emitting light; a polarizer converting the emitted light into polarized light; a prism receiving the polarized light from the polarizer and having a sensor substrate on one surface thereof so that the polarized light is reflected, the sensor substrate coated with oxygen-sensitive organic material; an oxygen concentration measurement chamber provided to enclose the sensor substrate so that oxygen whose concentration is to be measured is contained therein; a photodiode measuring an amount of light reflected from the prism; and a microcontroller unit controlling operation of the oxygen sensor and calculating the oxygen concentration. Further, the oxygen concentration is determined using the microcontroller unit having absolute concentrations corresponding to the amount of light measured using the photodiode, and the oxygen concentration is measured where an incidence angle of the polarized light incident on the sensor substrate is fixed.
US08237924B2	Long optical path gas monitor A long optical path gas monitor is open-typed or close-typed. The monitor includes an optical generation part and a signal processing part. Said optical generation part comprises an emitter, a receiver and multi-group concave mirrors or prisms used to form enough optical path between the emitter and the receiver. Said signal processing part includes an optical fiber (21), a spectrometer (22), a scanner (23), an optoelectronic detector (24) and a computer (25), which are connected sequentially. The input end of the optical fiber (21) is connected to the receiver.
US08237918B2	Optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus An optical system, such as an illumination device or a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, is disclosed. The optical system can include a polarization compensator which has at least one polarization-modifying partial element. The optical system can also include a manipulator by which the position of the at least one partial element can be altered. At least one operating mode of the optical system can be set in which the intensity, over a region which belongs to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and which can be illuminated with light from the light source, does not exceed 20% of the maximum intensity in the plane, and the manipulator is arranged in the region.
US08237914B2	Process, apparatus, and device for determining intra-field correction to correct overlay errors between overlapping patterns A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support for a patterning device, a substrate table for a substrate, a projection system, and a control system. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The projection system is configured to project the patterned radiation beam as an image onto a target portion of the substrate along a scan path. The scan path is defined by a trajectory in a scanning direction of an exposure field of the lithographic apparatus. The control system is coupled to the support, the substrate table and the projection system for controlling an action of the support, the substrate table and the projection system, respectively. The control system is configured to correct a local distortion of the image in a region along the scan path by a temporal adjustment of the image in that region, hereby reducing the intra-field overlay errors.
US08237907B2	Liquid crystal display device and method of manufacturing the same A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of manufacturing the same that can improve the picture quality are provided. A liquid crystal display device includes: a first substrate; a black matrix formed in a matrix configuration on the first substrate; a compensation layer disposed above the black matrix and including a plurality of compensation patterns separated a predetermined region from each other where the compensation layer has been removed; and a column spacer disposed in a region including at least the predetermined region.
US08237900B2	Method for producing long obliquely stretched film A long obliquely stretched film is obtained having an orientation axis in a direction with an angle θs of 10° or more and 85° or less from a width direction by grasping both side ends in the width direction of a longitudinally stretched film with an average retardation Re1 by grasping means; stretching the film under a condition that a long obliquely stretched film sample with an average retardation Re2 (Re2 is smaller than Re1) can be obtained and traveling speeds of the grasping means are substantially equal at the film both side ends through a preheating zone, a stretching zone and a fixing zone; releasing the both side ends of the film from the grasping means; and taking it up around a winding core.
US08237898B2	Bi-axial retardation compensation film and vertically aligned liquid crystal display using the same The present invention relates to a vertically aligned LCD (VA-LCD) employing a bi-axial retardation compensation film, in which an in-plain refractive index (nx, ny) and a thickness refractive index (nz) of the film is nx>ny>nz. The film has a reversed wavelength dispersion in which retardation is increased in proportion to the increase of a wavelength in the range of visible rays and has a normal wavelength dispersion in which an absolute value of the thickness retardation is decreased in proportion to the increase of a wavelength in the range of visible rays. The VA-LCD cell having a retardation compensation characteristic is comprised by arranging a bi-axial retardation compensation film between the vertically aligned panel and a upper and lower polarizing plate. The VA-LCD of the present invention improves contrast characteristics on a front surface and at a tilt angle and minimizes coloring in a black state according to the tilt angle.
US08237891B2	Liquid crystal display, and projection type display using liquid crystal display layer There is provided a micro lens array (11) in which a plurality of micro lenses (21) is disposed two-dimensionally on a substrate, wherein the focal distance f of the micro lens (21) and distance Ts from the main surface of the micro lens (21) to the substrate surface upon which light is incident meet the following X=Ts/√{square root over (2)}P, Y=f/√{square root over (2)}P where P is a pitch of the micro lenses (21) and (X, Y) is within an X-Y coordinate system surrounded by the following point sets (0.75, 1.00), (0.75, 1.25), (1.00, 1.75), (1.75, 2.50), (2.25, 2.50), (2.25, 2.00), (1.50, 1.25), (1.00, 1.00). The micro lens array can be used to improve the contrast of a liquid crystal display having an optical compensation element provided therein.
US08237887B2	Illumination device and liquid crystal display device An illumination device includes a plurality of light source blocks defined by a first partition wall and a second partition wall, the light source blocks being provided with LEDs. The illumination device is capable of adjusting a luminance of each of the plurality of light source blocks. A projection section to diffuse the light is provided on a vertex of the first partition wall. As a result, it is possible to prevent a luminance irregularity and a color irregularity from occurring between illumination areas when adjusting the respective luminance in each of the plurality of illumination areas.
US08237883B2	Liquid crystal display device Provided is a liquid crystal display device including a frame for accommodating light emitting diode substrates, the frame including: a first surface opposed to the light emitting diode substrates; a second surface that erects from the first surface around the light emitting diode substrates; and a third surface on an opposite side to the first surface; a connector attached to each of the light emitting diode substrates; a circuit board disposed on the third surface of the frame; and at least one cable for electrically connecting the connector with the circuit board. The at least one cable extends from the connector in a direction approaching the circuit board on the first surface so as to detour around the light emitting diode substrates, passes through the frame from the first surface to the third surface, and is electrically connected to the circuit board on the third surface.
US08237881B2	Display panel, array substrate and manufacturing method thereof An array substrate comprises data lines, gate lines, thin film transistors and pixel electrodes formed on a base substrate. Pixel units are defined by intersecting the data lines and the gate lines, the thin film transistors are formed at the intersections of the data lines and the gate lines, and the data lines extend across each of the pixel units in the middle of the pixel units. At least two thin film transistors for controlling a same pixel electrode are respectively formed on both sides of the data line in each pixel unit.
US08237875B2	Television frame and mounting system A flat panel television mounting device includes a picture-type frame having a notch back surrounding an open central area along with a glass pane sized for reception by the notch back and supported by the frame. A linen is provided and adhered to one side of the glass pane with a central portion of the linen removable from the glass pane leaving a border around the removed central portion for exposing a television screen when the glass pane is disposed thereagainst.
US08237872B2	Projection type display apparatus A projection type display apparatus is capable of significantly reducing operational noise of a color wheel. The projection type display apparatus includes a color wheel, a color wheel assembly in which the color wheel is installed, and a noise damping section which changes air flow caused by a rotation of the color wheel so as to reduce the noise.
US08237871B2	System and method for an internet television remote control A handheld electronic apparatus for communicatively coupling a user and a display device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the handheld electronic apparatus includes a user interface configured to accept an user input, the user interface further includes a first interface configured to accept the user input via a keypad, and a second interface configured to accept the user input via a touchpad. The handheld electronic apparatus also includes a processor configured to generate a signal by processing the user input, and a transmitter adapted to transmit the signal generated by the processor to the display device.
US08237859B2	Method for video conversion of video stream and apparatus thereof A method for video conversion of a video stream includes: interpolating a first interpolated frame according a first frame and a second frame of the video stream; and interpolating a second interpolated frame according to the first frame and the first interpolated frame. In addition, the method further includes interpolating a third interpolated frame according to the second frame and the first interpolated frame.
US08237852B2	Camera body and camera system A camera body includes an imaging unit operable to generate image data by capturing an object image, an acquisition unit operable to acquire optical data of the interchangeable lens from the interchangeable lens, a correction unit operable to correct the image data generated by the imaging unit based on the optical data acquired by the acquisition unit, a detection unit operable to detect state of mounting/demounting the interchangeable lens to/from the camera body, and a display unit operable to display an image based on the image data. After detecting that the interchangeable lens is completely mounted to the camera body, when the detection unit detects that the interchangeable lens is being demounted from the camera body, the display unit stops displaying the image based on the image data. When the detection unit subsequently detects that the interchangeable lens is completely demounted from the camera body, the correction unit stops correcting the image data and the display unit displays the image based on the image data.
US08237848B2	Image sensing apparatus and method for sensing target that has a defective portion region This invention is directed to easily set the image sensing conditions of an image sensing apparatus. The image sensing apparatus includes a first control means for controlling to change the image sensing conditions, an image sensing means to sense an image sensing target at every first time interval, and to calculate the evaluation value of the sensed image, and a second control means for controlling to change the image sensing conditions within the range where the evaluation value obtained by the first control means changes from increase to decrease, the image sensing means to sense the image sensing target at every second time interval smaller than the first time interval, and to calculate the evaluation value of the sensed image.
US08237843B2	Imaging device Disclosed herein is an imaging device, including: an imaging lens having an aperture stop; an imaging element adapted to obtain image data based on received light; and a microlens array provided in the focal plane of the imaging lens between the imaging lens and imaging element, the microlens array including a plurality of microlenses arranged in such a manner that each microlens is associated with a plurality of imaging pixels of the imaging element, wherein the arrangement of the microlenses of the microlens array is corrected from an equidistant arrangement to a non-linear arrangement according to the height of the image from the imaging lens on the imaging element.
US08237835B1	Confocal imaging device using spatially modulated illumination with electronic rolling shutter detection A digital imaging device comprising a light source, a pixel array detector having a rolling shutter functionality, a spatial light modulator configured to produce one or more modulation patterns during a frame exposure of the pixel array detector, and at least one timing signal configured to control a spatial-temporal relationship between a rolling shutter of the pixel array detector and the one or more modulation patterns provided by the spatial light modulator.
US08237834B2	Solid-state imaging device and imaging apparatus having light-preventing partitions A solid-state imaging device includes a substrate and a plurality of pixel portions arranged over the substrate, each of the pixel portions includes a photoelectric conversion portion provided over the substrate and a color filter provided over the photoelectric conversion portion, and the solid-state imaging device includes partitions for preventing light that is incident on the color filter of each pixel portion from entering adjacent pixel portions.
US08237833B2	Image sensor and method for manufacturing the same Provided are an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same. The image sensor comprises: a readout circuitry, an interconnection, a contact plug, and an image sensing device. The readout circuitry is formed in a first substrate. The interconnection is electrically connected to the readout circuitry over the first substrate. The contact plug is formed over the interconnection, and includes an insulating layer at regions in an upper side thereof. The image sensing device is formed over the contact plug.
US08237831B2	Four-channel color filter array interpolation A method of forming a full-color output image from a color filter array image having a plurality of color pixels having at least two different color responses and panchromatic pixels, comprising capturing a color filter array image using an image sensor including panchromatic pixels and color pixels having at least two different color responses, the pixels being arranged in a repeating pattern having a square minimal repeating unit having at least three rows and three columns, the color pixels being arranged along one of the diagonals of the minimal repeating unit, and all other pixels being panchromatic pixels; computing an interpolated panchromatic image from the color filter array image; computing an interpolated color image from the color filter array image; and forming the full color output image from the interpolated panchromatic image and the interpolated color image.
US08237827B2	Digital photographing apparatus for correcting smear taking into consideration acquired location relationship Provided are a digital photographing apparatus, and associated method and recording medium with method instructions, by which smear generation during moving picture photographing or moving picture display is effectively reduced. The digital photographing apparatus includes an imaging device having an effective area that generates first image data from incident light and an optical black area that is disposed outside the effective area and extends horizontally; a first smear correction unit that corrects the first image data generated by the effective area by using smear data generated by the optical black area, thereby acquiring second image data corresponding to a second frame image comprising less smear than a first frame image corresponding to the first image data; a unit corrects the second image data thereby acquiring third image data.
US08237823B2	Method and apparatus for canceling chromatic aberration Provided are a method and apparatus for canceling chromatic aberration. In the method, only chrominance signals are filtered using an asymmetrical mask according to the characteristics of chromatic aberration occurring from among a luminance/chrominance coordinates system. Accordingly, it is possible to cancel chromatic aberration regardless of the characteristics of a lens and prevent the resolution of the original image from degrading.
US08237822B2	Image processing method and apparatus for reducing noise in an image An image processing method and apparatus may effectively reduce noise in an image which represents an object photographed by a photographing apparatus. The method may include extracting a first low-frequency component and a first high-frequency component from first image data, and applying a noise reduction filter to the first low-frequency component and to the first high-frequency component to obtain a second low-frequency component and a second high-frequency component, respectively. The method may also include obtaining edge data from the second low-frequency component, and amplifying a portion of the second high-frequency component that corresponds to the edge data to obtain a third high-frequency component. The method may further include combining the second low-frequency component with the third high-frequency component to obtain second image data, and controlling the second image data representing the photographed object to be output to at least one of a storage medium and a display unit.
US08237820B2	Image synthesis device for generating a composite image using a plurality of continuously shot images The frame interpolation unit generates an interpolation image for interpolating in a non-photographic section that is between one exposure section in which exposure occurs and a next exposure section, with use of photographed images in both exposure sections temporally adjacent to the non-photographing section. The frame compositing circuit generates a composite image corresponding to a predetermined time section with use of a photographed image photographed in the predetermined time section and the interpolation image generated by the frame interpolation circuit.
US08237806B2	Photographic system A camera device capable of taking a commemorative image of an operator serving as a subject which includes a background image by a remote operation from an operation terminal held by the operator through a communication network, includes: a section that calculates a photographic target area based on position information of a camera section and state information of the camera section which includes at least one of a pan angle, a tilt angle, and a zoom magnification; a section that determines whether or not the operation terminal is located within the photographic target area based on terminal position information received from the operation terminal through the communication network and information indicating the calculated photographic target area; and a section that permits high-image quality photographing and enabling transmission of a video image subjected to high-image quality processing to the operation terminal through the communication network when it is determined that the operation terminal is located within the photographic target area.
US08237805B2	Image processing device that executes an image process of matching two images with each other, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a program that causes a computer to operate as the image processing device An image processing device includes an image receiving section that receives two medical images, which are imaged at different imaging times, of a same examination object; a time difference acquiring section that acquires a difference between the imaging times of the two images; a global matching section and a local matching section that execute a matching process for the two medical images upon setting of a parameter value. The matching process causes the two images to match each other by moving and deforming one of the two images. The amount of the movement or the deformation necessary for matching is in an application range that is dependant on the parameter value. Also provided is a parameter setting section that sets a value corresponding to the difference between the imaging times acquired in the time difference acquiring section to the processing section as the parameter value.
US08237798B2	Image sensor, apparatus and method for detecting movement direction of object An image sensor includes a base, at least a plurality of first sensing elements and second sensing elements formed on the base. The first sensing elements and the second sensing elements are arranged in an alternate fashion. The first sensing elements cooperatively form a first noncontinuous planar sensing surface facing toward an object, and the second sensing elements cooperatively form a second noncontinuous planar sensing surface facing toward the object. The first noncontinuous planar sensing surface is lower than the second noncontinuous planar sensing surface.
US08237786B2	System and method for dense-stochastic-sampling imaging Embodiments of the present invention are directed to imaging technologies, and, in particular, to an imaging system that detects relatively weak signals, over time, and that uses the detected signals to determine the positions of signal emitters. Particular embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for imaging fluorophore-labeled samples in order to produce images of the sample at resolutions significantly greater than the diffraction-limited resolution associated with optical microscopy. Embodiments of the present invention employ overlapping-emitter-image disambiguation to allow data to be collected from densely arranged emitters, which significantly decreases the data-collection time for producing intermediate images as well as the number of intermediate images needed to computationally construct high-resolution final images. Additional embodiments of the present invention employ hierarchical image-processing techniques to further resolve and interpret disambiguated images.
US08237776B2	Method and apparatus for generating stereoscopic images from a DVD disc A system and method described herein provide stereoscopic video using standard DVD video data combined with enhancement data. In various embodiments, the enhancement data may be stored on the same DVD as the standard video, or provided via downloading and/or streaming to a stereoscopic DVD player. When stored on the DVD, the enhancement data is provided in various forms, including MPEG (-1 or -2) program Stream level; or the MPEG elementary stream level. In one embodiment, the enhancement data consists of a difference signal between left- and right-eye images taken on a pixel-by-pixel basis.
US08237770B2	Audio based on speaker position and/or conference location In various embodiments, a system may include a first conferencing system with a first speaker and a second speaker. The first conferencing system may be coupled to a second conferencing system and a third conferencing system. In some embodiments, audio from the second conferencing system may be reproduced through the first speaker, and audio from the third conferencing system may be reproduced through the second speaker. In some embodiments, audio from various participants at various conferencing systems may be reproduced on audio system components relative to the location of participants at the conferencing system. For example, audio from a first participant on the left side of a camera at a second conferencing system may be reproduced through left side speakers at the first conferencing system.
US08237765B2	Video conferencing device which performs multi-way conferencing In various embodiments, a video conferencing device (e.g., an endpoint) may generate a video frame that includes video images of two or more video conferencing endpoints. The video frame may then be sent to a video conferencing device that may receive the video frame and separate the two or more video images into separate video images. In some embodiments, coordinate information sent along with the video frame (e.g., in metadata) may be used by the video conferencing endpoint to determine the locations of the video images in the video frame to facilitate separation of the video images. By transmitting and receiving video frames with multiple video images (from different video conferencing endpoints), multiple video conferencing endpoints can implement a multi-way video conference call without using an MCU.
US08237762B2	Exposure device for controlling light emitting elements An exposure device includes a reference current generating unit generating a reference current for each image of respective colors, a photoelectric current generating unit generating a photoelectric current in response to a light amount of the light emitting element, a driving unit driving the light emitting element, a first controller, a drive voltage holding unit holding a drive voltage given to the driving unit, a second controller controlling the driving unit based on the drive voltage held, a comparison current generating unit generates a comparison current, a difference current generating unit generating a difference current, of each color, corresponding to a difference between the reference current of each color and the comparison current. The first controller compares a value obtained by adding the difference current of each color to the photoelectric current with the comparison current to control the driving unit so that the photoelectric current becomes the reference current.
US08237761B2	Semiconductor member, semiconductor article manufacturing method, and LED array using the manufacturing method A novel semiconductor article manufacturing method and the like are provided. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor article having a compound semiconductor multilayer film formed on a semiconductor substrate includes: preparing a member including an etching sacrificial layer (1010), a compound semiconductor multilayer film (1020), an insulating film (2010), and a semiconductor substrate (2000) on a compound semiconductor substrate (1000), and having a first groove (2005) which passes through the semiconductor substrate and the insulating film, and a semiconductor substrate groove (1025) which is a second groove provided in the compound semiconductor multilayer film so as to be connected to the first groove, and bringing an etchant into contact with the etching sacrificial layer through the first groove and then the second groove and etching the etching sacrificial layer to separate the compound semiconductor substrate from the member.
US08237755B2	Apparatus and method for driving a liquid crystal display device An apparatus and method for driving a liquid crystal display device, which can selectively provide a wide viewing angle and a narrow viewing angle and improve the narrow viewing angle characteristics. The driving apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel having quad type unit pixels each including red, green and blue (RGB) sub-pixels and an electrical controlled birefringence (ECB) sub-pixel, a data driver for driving data lines of the liquid crystal panel, a gate driver for driving gate lines of the liquid crystal panel, and a timing controller for generating ECB data based on externally inputted RGB video data such that each of the unit pixels maintains a brightness of a constant level to form a narrow viewing angle, arranging the generated ECB data together with the video data and supplying the arranged data to the data driver.
US08237752B2	Color calibrator of display device A color calibrator of a display apparatus is disclosed. The color calibrator includes a color estimator for receiving a plurality of digital counts of initial colors of an image signal. The color estimator includes a first operator, a gray value electrical-optical converter, a mixed-color electrical-optical converter, an initial color electrical-optical converter, a plurality of linear transformers and a weighting operator. The gray value electrical-optical converter, the mixed-color electrical-optical converter and the initial color electrical-optical converter convert a gray value digital count, a mixed color digital count and an initial color digital count for generating a plurality conversion outputs according to a plurality of gray conversion curves, a plurality of mixed color conversion curves and a plurality of initial color converting curve. The weighting operator receives the conversion outputs and a plurality of weighting values to generate an analysis output signal.
US08237737B2	Method for clearing blur images of a monitor A method for clearing blur images of a monitor is disclosed. An original image data is provided. The original image data is transformed from an RGB encoded format to a YUV encoded format. The transformation is compressed as the original image data with the YUV encoded format. The compressed original image data is written in a random access memory (RAM) using a predefined method. The compressed original image data is decompressed. The original image data is transformed from the YUV encoded format to the RGB encoded format. The original image data is outputted to a display device using a driving unit.
US08237732B2	Color reproduction system, color reproduction device, color reproduction method, and computer-readable recording medium recorded with color reproduction program In a color reproduction system for displaying an image subjected to color conversion processing by a server side system on a monitor device of a user side system, the server side system comprises a first storage unit for storing a multi-spectrum image, a second storage unit for storing color reproduction characteristic information, which is information relating to a color reproduction characteristic when the image is displayed on the monitor device, a server side communication unit for receiving the color reproduction requirement information transmitted from the user side communication unit via the network, and a color conversion processing unit for obtaining, from the second storage unit, color reproduction characteristic information corresponding to the color reproduction requirement information, and performing color conversion processing on the multi-spectrum image on the basis of the obtained color reproduction characteristic information.
US08237725B1	Vertex cache map mode for per-vertex state changes A vertex cache within a graphics processor is configured to operate as a conventional round-robin streaming cache when per-vertex state changes are not used and is configured to operate as a random access storage buffer when per-vertex state changes are used. Batches of vertices that define primitives and state changes are output to parallel processing units for processing according to vertex shader program. In addition to allowing per-vertex state changes, the vertex cache is configured to store vertices for primitive topologies that use anchor points, such as triangle strips, line loops, and polygons.
US08237723B2	Deferred deletion and cleanup for graphics resources A method and an apparatus for maintaining separate information for graphics commands that have been sent to a graphics processing unit (GPU) and for graphics commands that have been processed by the GPU are described. The graphics commands may be associated with graphics resources. A manner to respond to a request for updating the graphics resources may be determined based on examining the separate information maintained for the graphics commands. The request may be received from a graphics API (application programming interface). Responding to the request may include at least one of notifying the graphics API regarding a status of the graphics resources and updating the graphics resources identified by the request.
US08237718B2	Apparatus and methods to achieve a variable color pixel border on a negative mode screen with a passive matrix drive A display unit is constituted by a passive matrix of independently controllable pixels characterized by an active area of n rows and m columns of discrete pixels and a pixel border. The pixel border has a predetermined width, in one embodiment two pixels. The border pixel color state is controlled herein by the frame buffer memory. The pixel border color state is controlled to correspond to information contained in a frame buffer memory locus. This locus may be, in various embodiments herein, a single pixel, a row of pixels, or a number of rows of pixels of frame buffer memory. Each row of pixels may be equal to m and/or n. In one embodiment, the frame buffer controls the border pixels directly via a liquid crystal display controller and drivers, without a timing generation mechanism, such as a timing ASIC.
US08237704B1	Method of manufacturing a three-dimensional viewing disk A method of manufacturing a three-dimensional viewing disk of the type that can viewed using a stereoscopic viewing device, such as the devices sold under the trademark VIEW-MASTER. The method enables the manufacturing of disks in small lots using conventional two-dimensional digital images with the addition of text that is viewed with a three-dimensional effect.
US08237703B2	Split-scene rendering of a three-dimensional model A method for generating 3D visualization of a large-scale environment comprising the steps of: acquiring a 3D model of the large-scale environment; dividing the 3D model into a near-field part and a far-field part; rendering an array of images of the far-field part; creating a 3D visualization of the near-field part combined with the array of rendered images of the far-field part and displaying the combined rendered images.
US08237702B2	Radio frequency identification (RFID) systems and methods A radio frequency identification (RFID) system comprises a reader, a memory, and a processor. When initiated, the reader receives an identification code of a first tag within a wireless communication range. The memory stores a time setting and an identification code of a second tag. The processor initiates the reader at a predetermined time indicated by the time setting, thus to determine whether the second tag exists in the wireless communication range.
US08237698B2	Panel and driving controlling method The present invention provides a panel, including: a plurality of pixel circuits disposed in rows and columns and each including a light emitting element for emitting light in response to driving current, a sampling transistor for sampling an image signal, a driving transistor for supplying the driving current to the light emitting element, and a storage capacitor for storing a predetermined potential; a power supplying section configured to supply a predetermined power supply voltage to the pixel circuits disposed in rows and columns; and a power supply line for connecting all of the pixel circuits disposed in rows and columns and the power supply section to each other.
US08237692B2	Flat panel display and driving method with DC level voltage generated by shift register circuit A flat panel display including a glass substrate, a source driving unit and a gate driving unit is provided. An nth shift register of the gate driving unit includes a pull-up unit, a driving unit, a pull-down unit and a driving control unit. When the driving unit turns on the pull-up unit according to a trigger signal and the pull-up unit enables an output terminal to output an nth output signal according to a first clock signal, the driving control unit turns off the pull-down unit. The trigger signal is an (n−1)th output signal or a start signal. Afterwards, the driving control unit provides a DC level voltage according to a second clock signal to drive the pull-down unit, and the pull-down unit enables the output terminal to output a low level voltage. The DC level voltage is between a high level voltage of the nth output signal and the low level voltage.
US08237688B2	Contrast control apparatus and contrast control method and image display A contrast control apparatus includes a statistic distribution unit and a characteristic judging unit. The statistic distribution unit receives an image data to have a brightness histogram distribution in statistic. The brightness histogram distribution has a plurality of statistic nodes, respectively corresponding to a plurality of gray levels in statistic. The characteristic judging unit at least receives the brightness histogram distribution to determine a brightness adjusting signal for the image data, so as to proportionally adjust a brightness of a display light source. In addition, the characteristic judging unit also outputs a contrast curve, and the contrast curve represents a plurality of adjusted nodes, respectively corresponding to the statistic nodes. As a result, the brightness of the statistic nodes is changed.
US08237686B2	Manipulator A selecting operation and a setting operation for setup items shown on a display are performed with using a selection change switch that can in steps rotate to three positions indicated by marks and a dial switch that is stacked on the selection change switch. The display shows three setup items at three locations. In a case that the selection change switch is rotated and a tip portion of the selection change switch indicates a position, it is thought that the selection operation is performed to select a setup item shown at a location corresponding to the indicated position. Then, the setting operation for the selected setup item is performed by rotating the dial switch. When the selection change switch has pivoted toward near side or far side, a window to be shown at the foreground is changed on the display.
US08237683B2	Touch panel interface system used on touch panel, touch device, and method thereof For solving the defect that a hardware clock of a serial peripheral interface bus has to cooperate with slower software-simulated clocks used by a microprocessor while applying serial peripheral interface buses on a large-scale touch panel, a programmable logic device is used as a bridge of communicating information between the micro processor and sensors. Therefore, the microprocessor no longer has to take execution time to simulate serial peripheral interface buses by software, and is able to program hardware clocks of each of the serial peripheral interface buses according to speed requirements of different sensors, so that sensing signals of a plurality of sensors may be integrated on a touch device having the large-scale touch panel, and a processing speed of the touch device in processing the sensing signals may be optimized as a result.
US08237677B2	Liquid crystal display screen A liquid crystal display screen includes an upper component, a bottom component and a liquid crystal layer. The upper component includes a touch panel. The touch panel includes a first conductive layer. The conductive layer includes a transparent carbon nanotube structure, and the transparent carbon nanotube structure includes a plurality of metallic carbon nanotubes. The bottom component includes a thin film transistor panel. The liquid crystal layer is located between the upper component and the lower component.
US08237676B2	Method for determining the locations of at least two impacts A method for determining the locations of at least two impacts F1 and F2 on a surface using one or more sensors Si, i=1 to n, with n being the number of sensors, and the impacts F1 and F2 generating a signal being sensed by the one or more sensors, wherein each sensor provides a sensed signal si(t), i=1 to n, with n being the number of sensors. To be able to determine simultaneous impacts of different amplitudes the method includes identifying the location x of one impact, and determining a modified sensed signal si′(t) for each sensor in which the contribution due to the identified impact is reduced and which is based on a comparison, in particular a correlation, of each of the sensed signals si(t) and a predetermined reference signal rij(t) corresponding to a reference impact Rj at location j. The method can also be based on couples of sensed signals.
US08237672B2	Touch panel and display device using the same An exemplary touch panel includes a substrate, transparent conductive layers, a capacitive sensing circuit, and conductive wires. The transparent conductive layers are disposed on a surface of the substrate and spaced apart from each other. Each transparent conductive layer includes a carbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube layer includes carbon nanotubes. The conductive wires respectively electrically connect the transparent conductive layers to the capacitive sensing circuit. A display device using the touch panel is also provided.
US08237656B2	Multi-axis motion-based remote control Motion-based control of an electronic device uses an array of at least three reference elements forming a triangle. An image sensor (e.g., a video camera), which may be located on a user-manipulated device, captures an image of the array. The array image has a pattern formed by a nonparallel projection of the reference triangle onto the image sensor. The pattern carries information of the relative position between the image sensor and the reference element array, and changes as the relative position changes. The pattern is identified and used for generating position information, which may express a multidimensional position of the user-manipulated device with respect to three axes describing a translational position, and three rotational axes describing pitch, roll and yaw motions. The control system and method are particularly suitable for videogames.
US08237652B2	Liquid crystal display apparatus and control method thereof A liquid crystal display (LCD) apparatus includes: an LCD panel which displays an image; a backlight unit which is formed of a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and emits light to the LCD panel; a cooling fan which radiates heat generated from the backlight unit; a fan driver which drives the cooling fan; and a controller which selectively controls either the fan driver or the backlight unit to set a rotation speed of the cooling fan to be corresponded with a luminance value of the backlight unit.
US08237648B2	Liquid crystal display device having a single source printed circuit board A liquid crystal display (LCD) device having a simplified printed circuit board (PCB) is disclosed. The LCD device includes a first integrated circuit (IC) group operating in accordance with timing control signals to convert digital video data into data voltage and to supply the data voltage to a first data line group, and a second IC group receiving the timing control signals and the digital video data via a first source PCB and LOG wirings and operating in accordance with the timing control signals to convert the digital video data into the data voltage and to supply the data voltage to a second data line group Each IC of the first and second IC groups includes a polarity control signal (POL) generator for generating a polarity control signal to control a polarity of the data voltage, using a part of the timing control signals.
US08237646B2	Display apparatus and method of driving the same In a display apparatus having a plurality of pixel parts, each pixel part receives a data signal in response to a present gate signal and charges first and second pixel voltages having the same voltage level. A plurality of voltage controllers includes a level-down part to lower a voltage level of the second pixel voltage using a previous pixel voltage charged in a previous frame in response to a next gate signal and a level-up part to receive the lowered second pixel voltage in response to the next gate signal to boost up a voltage level of the first pixel voltage.
US08237640B2	LED driver circuit having a bias current drawn from a load current A LED driver circuit, including a LED module, a bias circuit, a first switch, an inductor, a regulator, a controller, a second switch, and a current-to-voltage converter, is used to provide a load current for the LED module, wherein the bias circuit is biased by a first bias current and the regulator is biased by a second bias current, and the first bias current and the second bias current are drawn from the load current. Besides, the controller can be implemented with a low voltage controller.
US08237639B2	Image display device Herein disclosed is an image display device including a pixel circuit array portion, a scanner portion, and a signal portion.
US08237630B2	Plasma display, controller and driving method thereof with simultaneous driving when maximum grayscale is higher than reference level A plasma display according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention applies different driving methods according to a maximum grayscale level of image data input for one field. When the maximum grayscale level of the field is higher than a reference level, an address period for selecting a light emitting cell and a non-light emitting cell from a plurality of discharge cells and a sustain period for sustain-discharging light emitting cells among the plurality of discharge cells are simultaneously driven in a plurality of sequential subfields after a first subfield. When the maximum grayscale level of the field is less than the reference level, the address period and the sustain period are time-separately driven in the plurality of subfields.
US08237625B2	Multimedia control and distribution architecture In one embodiment, a multimedia control and distribution architecture is provided. A media server/controller generates a plurality of graphics signals, each graphics signal including a separate user interface to be displayed on a particular device, such as a touch screen unit. A universal extender (UVX) coupled to the media server/controller converts and extends the graphics signals for transmission on a plurality of universal transmission pathways. Each of the plurality of devices receives a graphic signal passed thereto, displays graphics embodied in the graphics signals, and accept user input in response to the graphics signal. For example, the one or more touch screen units may accept a user touch and pass a location of the user touch back on a universal transmission pathway to the UVX, for transmission to the media server/controller. The media server/controller generates control commands and provides the control commands.
US08237615B2	Antennaless wireless device capable of operation in multiple frequency regions The present invention refers to an antennaless wireless handheld or portable device comprising: a user interface module, a processing module, a memory module, a communication module and a power management module. The communication module including a radiating system capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic wave signals in a first frequency region and in a second frequency region, wherein the highest frequency of the first frequency region is lower than the lowest frequency of the second frequency region. The radiating system comprising a radiating structure comprising or consisting of at least one ground plane layer capable of supporting at least one radiation mode, the at least one ground plane layer including at least one connection point; at least one radiation booster to couple electromagnetic energy from/to the at least one ground plane layer, the/each radiation booster including a connection point and at least one internal port, wherein the/each internal port is defined between the connection point of the/each radiation booster and one of the at least one connection point of the at least one ground plane layer.
US08237613B2	Apparatus and method for identifying subscriber position in portable terminal An apparatus and method for calculating a current position of a portable terminal not supporting a function of obtaining position information, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS) function, by receiving position information from neighbor terminals of the portable terminal are disclosed. The apparatus includes a controller for calculating the current position of the portable terminal from received position information from neighbor terminals and processing the received position to determine the current position.
US08237603B2	Receiver test circuits, systems and methods Embodiments relate to apparatuses, systems and methods for testing high-frequency receivers. In an embodiment, a method includes integrating a pulse train generator and a receiver in an integrated circuit; generating a pulse train by the pulse train generator and applying the pulse train to an input of the receiver; measuring at least one property of the pulse train; and determining at least one characteristic of the receiver using the at least one property of the pulse train. In an embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a receiver, and a pulse train generator configured to generate a pulse train and apply the pulse train to an input of the receiver, wherein at least one characteristic of the receiver can be determined using at least one measured property of the pulse train.
US08237602B2	Distributed and coordinated electronic warfare system A distributed and coordinated electronic warfare system is disclosed, which comprises a plurality of autonomous, geographically-distributed, mobile units (e.g., soldiers, vehicles, etc.), each of which carries an electronic warfare module. Each electronic warfare module comprises: a telecommunications transceiver for enabling the electronic warfare modules and their users to communicate with each other, and a threat-detection receiver for detecting potentially hostile radio signals, such as those that are used to detonate IEDs; and a jamming transmitter for transmitting sequences of electromagnetic pulses to interfere with potentially hostile radio signals, and an electronic warfare controller for coordinating the efforts of the electronic warfare modules.
US08237601B2	Remote control device The present invention is directed to a system and method which allows a device user who is within a sterile environment to interact remotely with a device physically located outside of the sterile zone. In one embodiment, the remote link is wireless and allows the operator to adjust critical controls without breaking the sterile environment. The remote device is designed to be sheathed in sterile sheaths and further designed, in one embodiment, to keep the remote control element from physically interacting with the patient and in some cases with the device operator. In one embodiment, the remote device operator interacts with the remote device verbally.
US08237600B2	Telephonic device including intuitive based control elements A telephonic device includes at least one control element in the form of, or positioned in a configuration on the control device corresponding to, a part of a face. The control element performs a function of the device associated with the part of the face. In certain embodiments, the at least one control element is in the shape and/or position of a mouth for answering an incoming telephone call, placing an outgoing telephone call, activating a microphone, and/or performing mute/unmute functions. In additional embodiments, the at least one control element is in the shape and/or position of an eye for display of one or more stored numbers. In additional embodiments, the at least one control element is in the shape and/or position of an ear for adjusting volume.
US08237595B2	Method and apparatus for bandpass digital to analog converter Systems and methods for providing a mechanism by which digital signals can be converted to analog signals with an efficient structure that reduces the number of filters required by providing a mechanism for cancelling images that would otherwise be generated. By adjusting three parameters in the system, a selection can be made as to whether to generate upper sidebands, lower sidebands and in which direction the envelope of the output from the system will be skewed.
US08237593B2	Data input device A character input device and its method are disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes: i) a base, ii) an input unit positioned at the base to allow each of first direction input and second direction input to be independently performed, the first direction input being performed by moving the input unit from a reference position to any one of a plurality of first direction indication positions spaced and arranged radially from the reference position within a predetermined input area and the second direction input being performed by selecting any one of a plurality of second direction indication positions spaced and arranged radially in the input unit itself; a first sensing unit for sensing the movement of the input unit, iii) a second sensing unit for sensing the second direction input and iv) a control unit for extracting and running a first character or a second character from a memory unit, the first character being assigned to the first direction indication position in which the movement of the input unit is sensed, and the second character being assigned to the second direction indication position in which the second direction input is sensed, thereby making it possible to minimize a necessary space for inputting characters and accurately input each character according to a user's intention.
US08237592B2	System and method for providing policy based radio frequency identification service Disclosed is a system and method for providing a policy based radio frequency identification service. The system for providing the policy based radio frequency identification service includes a policy vocabulary managing device for generating and managing policy vocabulary based on a policy vocabulary writer's control input, a policy performing resource managing device for generating and managing resource information for performing a radio frequency identification service policy based on a resource designator's control input, a policy rule managing device for generating and managing a policy rule sentence based on a policy user's control input, and a policy rule performing device for performing a radio frequency identification service policy by using a policy rule sentence input based on a policy user's control input.
US08237591B2	Car finder by cell phone A system for locating a vehicle may include a hand-held device and a communication device on-board the vehicle. The hand-held device may include a screen, and may be adapted to import a map and display a present location of the hand-held device on the map. The communication device on-board the vehicle may be adapted to communicate a present location of the vehicle to the hand-held device. The hand-held device may be capable of displaying the location of the vehicle and the location of the hand-held device on the map at the same time.
US08237589B2	Adjusting system and method for traffic light An adjusting system for traffic lights includes a number of image capture units, a processing unit, and a storage system. The number image capture units capture a number of car images. The storage system examines the number of car images to find license plates in each car image, counts the number of the cars, obtains the status of the traffic lights according to the number of the cars, and manages status of the traffic lights correspondingly.
US08237588B1	Ammunition stowage magazine A stowage magazine is provided for securing a can of ammunition rounds. The magazine includes a frame having lateral sides that define a space for the can; a hinge mechanism connecting to the lateral sides; and a door connecting to the mechanism. The door provides and restricts access to the space in respective open and closed positions. The door is openable along an axial direction to provide an operational surface. The mechanism avoids lateral obstruction beyond the door's surface.
US08237585B2	Wireless communication system and method A wireless communication system for use in well, subsea, and oilfield-related environments employs one or more wireless network devices that offer short-range wireless communication between devices without the need for a central network which may have a device using a BLUETOOTH protocol. The system may be used for telemetry, depth correlation, guidance systems, actuating tools, among other uses.
US08237583B2	Method and system for vital display systems A method and system for a display system is provided. The system includes a screen surface that includes a plurality of luminous units, a controller communicatively coupled to the screen surface wherein the controller is configured to address at least one of the plurality of luminous units, and a luminous unit sensor having a field of view including at least a portion of the screen surface wherein the luminous unit sensor configured to receive an image of the luminous units in the field of view.
US08237579B2	Reference signal synchronized to clock signal A system comprising a clock board comprising a clock generator, a first board comprising an indicator and coupled to said clock board. The clock generator generates a clock signal, and the first board is configured to receive said clock signal. The first board further comprises a clock synchronizing unit that synchronizes a reference signal with said clock signal and generates a blink cadence signal based on said reference signal. The blink cadence signal is configured to drive the indicator of said first board. A failure by said first board to receive said clock signal causes the clock synchronizing unit of said first board to maintain the reference signal and generate said blink cadence signal based on said reference signal.
US08237575B2	Method, apparatus, and systems for remotely monitoring the location and usage history of radioactive materials stored with a shielded container or overpack A radioactive source information tracking and reporting system and method is disclosed. The system and method include a device operable to detect a presence of a radioactive source contained within a shielded container. The device is further operable to detect a location of the shielded container. A message is generated and transmitted to a central facility. The message includes a shielded container identifier, a location of the shielded container, and an indication of the presence of the radioactive source.
US08237574B2	Above-water monitoring of swimming pools An above-water system provides automatic alerting for possible drowning victims in swimming pools or the like. One or more electro-optical sensors are placed above the pool surface. Sequences of images are digitized and analyzed electronically to determine whether there are humans within the image, and whether such humans are moving in a manner that would suggest drowning. Effects due to glint, refraction, and variations in light, are offset automatically by the system. If a potential drowning incident is detected, the system produces an alarm sound, and/or a warning display, so that an operator can determine whether action must be taken.
US08237572B2	Self-powered RFID tag activated by a fluid and method for using such RFID tags The present invention describes a RFID tag and a system and method involving a plurality of RFID tags. Each RFID tag is attached to an object (or to a structure or a person) on which the presence of a predefined fluid is monitored. In a first state, (absence of the monitored fluid), the tag is acting as a passive RFID tag, and the information it holds, (at least its identifier—ID), can be read with a proximity reader (a hand held or stationary/fixed reader). This operation is performed when the RFID tag is attached to the object (or person) to be monitored. At this stage a table associating tag ID, object name (or person name) and location (or any other information), may be built, and may be recorded so that information it contains is accessible by a control center. In a second state, whenever the monitored fluid appears on the tagged object, a fluid activated battery generates the electrical power which is used to power the RFID tag. The RFID tag then acts as an active RFID tag and starts to emit messages (an alert for instance) which can be received by a distant RFID reader. Alert messages include at least the tag ID but may comprise additional information like a name or a location.
US08237571B2	Alarm method and system based on voice events, and building method on behavior trajectory thereof Disclosed are an alarm method and system based on voice events, and a building method on behavior trajectory thereof. The system comprises a signal sensor, a voice-event detector and notice and alarm element. In the method, voice signals are captured from a remote unit in an environment. The captured voice signals are classified into at least a voice event. As such, an emergent-event notice is automatically transmitted out if one of predefined emergent events is detected. In the building method on behavior trajectory, messages on voice events are continuously recorded. When the number of the recorded voice events reaches a threshold, a behavior trajectory is constructed, in which a behavior consists of two or more voice events or a single voice event.
US08237566B2	Multi-mode RFID tag architecture A multi-mode RFID tag includes a power generating and signal detection module, a baseband processing module, a transmit section, a configurable coupling circuit, and an antenna section. In near field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to a coil or inductor in the configurable coupling circuit to transmit an outbound transmit signal using electromagnetic or inductive coupling to an RFID reader. In far field mode, the configurable coupling circuit is operable to couple the transmit section to the antenna section, and the multi-mode RFID tag then utilizes a back-scattering RF technology to transmit the outbound transmit signal to RFID readers.
US08237558B2	Hand hygiene compliance system A system and method of encouraging compliance of hand hygiene in an environment where users move from zone to zone and are required to perform hand hygiene between the zones. Users carry a wearable zone sensor which detects zones, detects hand hygiene actions, logs time of changing zones, and hand hygiene actions. The wearable sensor can be integral with a wearable hand hygiene product dispenser and/or can operate in cooperation with a fixed dispenser configured to transmit hand hygiene actions to the wearable zone sensor. The wearable zone sensors are configured to be useable anonymously or to be associated with a user identifier, and to interface with a central computer via a docking station or communication interface to transfer data for later analysis.
US08237553B2	Method for mounting electronic device and antenna in tire The invention provides a monitoring device and tire combination wherein an antenna is mounted to the tire in a location spaced from the monitoring device. In one embodiment, the antenna may be mounted to the tire sidewall outside the body cords of the tire. The antenna may be mounted on the outer surface of the sidewall or embedded within the body of the sidewall. The antenna is connected to the monitoring device with a connector. The connector may be electrically coupled to the monitoring device or may be connected to the monitoring device with a plug and socket connection. When the antenna is outside the body cord, the connector may extend from the antenna through the bead filler, over the top of the turn up, or under the bead ring.
US08237551B2	System and method for in-patient telephony A system and method for tracking patients to enable communications. A presence of a patient is detected in a room. Communications intended for the patient are associated with the room. The communications are routed to the patient in the room.
US08237549B2	RFID protection system, device, combination, and related methods Embodiments of systems, combinations, devices and methods of enhanced Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) protection are provided. An embodiment of a combination of a separate RFID device and a separate RFID blocking device each adapted to be positioned separately into a container includes a separate RFID device adapted to be positioned in the container a separate RFID blocking device adapted to be positioned adjacent the separate RFID device and in the container so that when an unauthorized RFID interrogation device attempts to read the separate RFID device from within the container the separate RFID blocking device positioned adjacent the separate RFID device blocks the attempted read and so that when an authorized user desires to use the separate RFID device for an authorized read the authorized user selectively removes either the separate RFID device or the separate RFID blocking device and presents the separate RFID device for the authorized read.
US08237548B2	Structural health management device and associated system and method A structural health management device, system and method are provided for facilitating the inspection of a structure, such as in accordance with a condition-based maintenance strategy. A structural health management device may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag and at least one sense line communicably coupled to the RFID tag and configured to extend at least partially along a workpiece. The sense line may be formed of different materials depending upon the objective of the inspection. The RFID tag may include processing circuitry and an antenna configured to facilitate offboard communication. The processing circuitry may be configured to interrogate the at least one sense line to determine a change in continuity which is indicative of a change in the structural health of the workpiece. The structural health management device may therefore detect the onset of structural issues in a timely manner.
US08237543B2	Motorcycle An electronic authentication system includes a vehicle-side control unit that judges whether ID information of an electronic key is identical to vehicle-side ID information, an ignition switch unit that permits engine starting operation and handle unlocking operation on the basis of the identity of the ID information of the electronic key to the vehicle-side ID information, and an actuator that unlocks an opening and closing lid such as a accommodation box lid. These component members are attached and fixed to a leg shield (an inner leg shield) and modularized. These members are preassembled into the inner leg shield and modularized like this, whereby the assembling work into the vehicle becomes very easy and it is possible to make the assembling work efficient to a great extent.
US08237542B2	Key system A key system includes a first authentication part configured to perform first authentication for determining whether or not a unique key code of a key is registered in the operation subject and to permit an operation subject to operate in a state in which a first group of functions is operative when the first authentication generates an affirmative result. A wireless signal receiver is configured to receive a medium code unique to a portable communicable data medium through wireless communication. A second authentication part is configured to perform second authentication for determining whether or not the medium code received by the wireless signal receiver is registered in the operation subject. A condition-imposing part is configured to limit operative functions of the operation subject to a second group of functions that is more limited than the first group of functions when at least either one of the first authentication and the second authentication generates a negative result.
US08237541B2	Bottle cap with lock A bottle cap includes a reservoir; a screw cap; a magnetic lock comprising a magnetically actuated spring bolt on the reservoir, and a hole on the cap; a fingerprint scanner on the reservoir; and a battery powered controller on bottom of the reservoir for fingerprint identification and fingerprint storing. In response to placing a finger on the fingerprint scanner, the fingerprint scanner and the controller are activated, the fingerprint scanner captures a fingerprint from the finger and converts the fingerprint into digital signals which are sent to the controller, the controller compares the digital signals with the fingerprint record(s), if matching the bolt will be compressed to clear the hole with the clearing being kept for a time to disengage the cap from the reservoir, and thereafter the controller and the fingerprint scanner will be deactivated and the bolt will bounce back to its locked position.
US08237539B2	Thermistor A thermistor includes a multi-layer graphite structure having a basal plane resistivity that increases with increasing temperature; a substrate upon which the graphite structure is mounted; current and voltage electrodes attached to the graphite structure; current and voltage wiring; and a voltage measuring device to measure voltage out when current is applied to the thermistor.
US08237538B2	Porous battery electrode for a rechargeable battery and method of making the electrode A porous battery electrode for a rechargeable battery includes a monolithic porous structure having a porosity in the range of from about 74% to about 99% and comprising a conductive material. An active material layer is deposited on the monolithic porous structure. The pores of the monolithic porous structure have a size in the range of from about 0.2 micron to about 10 microns. A method of making the porous battery electrode is also described.
US08237536B2	Thermal protector Various embodiments include a thermal protector, including the rear end of a movable plate fixed to one end of a resin base and a pair of terminals for connection with an external circuit fixed to the other end thereof. Fixed contacts are formed on the fixed portions of the terminals, and the movable contact of the movable plate is disposed opposed to the fixed contacts. A bimetal element engaged with the center of the movable plate is set to project upward at normal temperature, thus bringing the movable contact into pressure contact with the fixed contacts with prescribed contact pressure. The bimetal element consists of an inversion area wherein the inversion area has no portion overlapping the conduction path area of load current.
US08237529B2	Low-loss ferrite and electronic device formed by such ferrite Low-loss ferrite comprising 100% by mass of main components comprising 47.1-49.3% by mol of Fe2O3, 20-26% by mol of ZnO, and 6-14% by mol of CuO, the balance being NiO, and 0.1-2% by mass (as SnO2) of Sn and 0.05-2% by mass (as Mn3O4) of Mn, and having an average crystal grain size of 0.5-3 μm.
US08237526B2	Nondestructive capture of projectiles Apparatus for inductive braking of a projectile are disclosed. Embodiments include a receiver that has a unidirectional conductor having a closed conductive pathway that encircles a passageway for a moving projectile. The unidirectional conductor permits current to flow through it in substantially only one direction around the passageway. As the projectile and its associated magnetic field move past the unidirectional conductor, the moving magnetic field induces a current flow through the closed conductive pathway, which in turn generates a magnetic field behind the projectile having the same polarity as the projectile's field. The two fields attract one another, which both exerts a braking force on the projectile and tends to align the two fields. Alignment of these fields centers the projectile away from the passageway wall. Because the unidirectional conductor permits current to flow in substantially only the direction that produces a field having the same polarity as the moving field, the opposite-polarity repulsive magnetic field that would otherwise be generated ahead of the projectile, which would otherwise deflect the projectile from its path, is suppressed. Methods of inductive braking are also disclosed.
US08237524B2	Electromagnetic switching device A first coil constitutes a first coil unit by placing an iron core plate between the first coil and an auxiliary yokes and engaging stopping parts provided in two holding members to an end surface in an axial direction of the auxiliary yoke. A second coil constitutes a second coil unit by forming magnetic path members by insertion to a resin member provided in a second bobbin unitarily, and fixing two terminals to the resin member. The first and the second coil units are united by connecting one terminal lead line of the first coil taken out from holding members to the first terminal, and connecting another terminal lead line to a surface of the magnetic path member.
US08237520B2	Capacitor devices with a filter structure A capacitor device is provided. The capacitor device includes at least one capacitor. The capacitor device also includes a first capacitor and a first filter coupling the first capacitor and a conductive region, wherein the first capacitor has a first resonance frequency and the first filter is configured to operate at a first frequency band covering the first resonance frequency.
US08237512B2	Digitally controlled oscillator and oscillation method for the same According to an embodiment, a digitally controlled oscillator outputs an oscillation signal having an oscillation frequency according to an oscillator tuning word. The digitally controlled oscillator includes a control unit and an oscillator. The control unit divides the oscillator tuning word of N bits into upper (N−A) (A≧1 and N>A) bits and lower A bits, converts the upper (N−A) bits into a first code to perform Binary control of (N−A) bits and converts the lower A bits into a second code to perform Unary control of (2^(A+1)−2) bits, and outputs the conversion results, and the oscillator outputs oscillation signals having oscillation frequencies according to the first and second codes output from the control unit.
US08237509B2	Amplifier with integrated filter An amplifier with integrated filter (e.g., an LNA) is described. In one design, the amplifier may include a gain stage, a filter stage, and a buffer stage. The gain stage may provide signal amplification for an input signal. The filter stage may provide filtering for the input signal. The buffer stage may buffer a filtered signal from the filter stage. The amplifier may further include a second filter stage and a second buffer stage. The second filter stage may provide additional filtering for the input signal. The second buffer stage may buffer a second filtered signal from the second filter stage. All of the stages may be stacked and coupled between a supply voltage and circuit ground. The filter stage(s) may implement an elliptical lowpass filter. Each filter stage may include an inductor and a capacitor coupled in parallel and forming a resonator tank to attenuate interfering signals.
US08237505B2	Signal amplification circuit This invention provides a low-current consumption type signal amplification circuit, which limits the output voltage to fix a lower-limit (upper-limit) saturation voltage of the amplification circuit at a predetermined lower-limit (upper-limit) limiting voltage. The signal amplification circuit comprises a negative feedback amplification circuit, a lower-limit voltage limiting circuit and an upper-limit voltage limiting circuit. The lower-limit voltage limiting circuit increases a resistance between an output terminal of the negative feedback amplification circuit and a ground terminal when the output voltage of the negative feedback amplification circuit falls below the lower-limit limiting voltage. The upper-limit voltage limiting circuit increases a resistance between the output terminal of the negative feedback amplification circuit and a high-potential side of a power supply when the output voltage of the negative feedback amplification circuit rises above the upper-limit limiting voltage.
US08237504B1	Microwave variable power solid state power amplifier (SSPA) with constant efficiency and linearity A method of fabricating a solid state power amplifier (SSPA) having variable output power is provided. The method includes coupling a first transistor device to a second transistor device and biasing a drain input of each of the first and second transistor device. Further, the method includes biasing a gate input of each of the first and second transistor device varying a drain to source current of each of the first and second transistor device to enable the SSPA to maintain high power added efficiency (PAE) and consistent linearity over a range of output power levels.
US08237501B2	Power amplifier with transistor input mismatching A power amplifier includes an input module. The input module includes a transformer and is configured to receive a radio frequency signal and generate output signals. Impedance transformation modules each of which having an output impedance and configured to receive a respective one of the output signals from the transformer. Switch modules each of which comprising a transistor and connected to an output of one of the impedance transformation modules. The transistor has an input impedance and outputs an amplified signal. Each of the output impedances is mismatched relative to a respective one of the input impedances.
US08237500B1	Signal correction circuit for reducing errors and distortions and its associated method of operation A correction circuit and method that is used in a system that produces an initial signal and has downstream components that adds a distortion error to that initial signal. The distortion error is added to the initial signal by the downstream components in the system. This creates a distorted output signal. The distorted output signal is then subtracted from the initial signal to obtain an initial negative distortion error. The initial negative distortion error is subtracted from the initial signal to create an initial conditioned signal. The initial conditioned signal is supplied to the electronic component of the system in place of the initial signal. The result is a reduction in distortion and noise that loops and adapts to changing signal patterns.
US08237492B2	Method and system for a process sensor to compensate SOC parameters in the presence of IC process manufacturing variations Certain aspects of a method and system for a process sensor to compensate SoC parameters in the presence of IC process manufacturing variations are disclosed. Aspects of one method may include determining an amount of process variation associated with at least one transistor within a single integrated circuit. The determined amount of process variation may be compensated by utilizing a process dependent current, a bandgap current, and a current associated with a present temperature of the transistor. The process dependent current, the bandgap current and the current associated with the present temperature of the transistor may be combined to generate an output current. A voltage generated across a variable resistor may be determined based on the generated output current.
US08237490B1	Continuous-time circuit and method for capacitance equalization based on electrically tunable voltage pre-distortion of a C-V characteristic A capacitance compensation circuit includes a plurality of switches having a first node coupled to an input terminal, a plurality of capacitors each coupled to a respective second node of the plurality of switches, and an adjustment circuit for providing a plurality of adjustable bias levels to a plurality of switch control nodes to precisely compensate for linear and parabolic voltage dependent components of an input or other capacitor. Two such circuits can be used with a single input terminal to compensate for both increasing and decreasing voltage dependent characteristics of a target capacitor.
US08237489B2	Capacitance interface circuit A capacitance interface circuit is provided. An external inductive capacitor is divided into a variable portion and an invariable portion. The capacitance of an internal adjustable capacitor is designed to be equal or close to the fixed capacitance of the external inductive capacitor. The internal adjustable capacitor is used for storing charges having a polarity opposite to that of the invariable portion of the external inductive capacitor in order to neutralize the effect of the invariable portion of the external inductive capacitor. Thus, a charge converter composed of a fully-differential amplifier and feedback capacitors needs only work on the variable portion of the external inductive capacitor, and accordingly the accuracy in subsequent data processing is increased.
US08237487B2	Level shift circuit and display device having the same A level shift circuit includes a level shifter, the level shifter configured to receive input signals and generate level-shifted signals by level-shifting the input signals, an output buffer that includes a first sourcing circuit and a first sinking circuit, the first sourcing circuit and the first sinking circuit being connected in series between a first power and a second power, a first buffer coupled between the level shifter and the output buffer, the first buffer configured to buffer the level-shifted signals and provide a first driving signal to the first sourcing circuit, and a second buffer coupled between the level shifter and the output buffer, the second buffer configured to buffer the level-shifted signals and provide a second driving signal to the first sinking circuit.
US08237481B2	Low power programmable clock delay generator with integrated decode function A programmable Local Clock Buffer has a single inverter between the clock input and the delayed clock output. A transistor switch modulates the single inverter stage between a clock signal transmit state and a non-transmitting state. A combination of delay select bits control the timing of the beginning and ending of the transmit state of the inverter relative to the clock input via the transistor switch.
US08237477B1	Programmable clock generator used in dynamic-voltage-and-frequency-scaling (DVFS) operated in sub- and near- threshold region A programmable clock generator, which is used in dynamic-voltage-and-frequency-scaling (DVFS) operated in Sub- and Near-Threshold region. The programmable clock generator includes first pulse generating unit and a pulse multiplier. A first counter is configured to generate a first counting signal, so as to control the phase detector comparing the phase difference between a first pulse signal and a second pulse signal. A first control signal is transmitted by a control unit in accordance with a phase difference signal, and the phase of the second pulse signal is adjusted by a lock-in delay unit, so that a predetermined phase is generated between the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal. The PVT variation may be compensated by the programmable clock generator during the sub threshold region. Therefore, the period of reference clock is in the locking range of lock-in delay line.
US08237472B2	Frequency multiplier device and method thereof The present invention provides a method for identifying a specific number of communicating points having relatively smallest accumulated path values from a plurality of transmitting points for a receiving point in a communication system. The method includes steps of: (a) defining a first coordination of each of the plurality of transmitting points and the receiving point on a complex plane; (b) transferring the first coordination of the receiving point to a second coordination thereof, in which the second coordination of the receiving point is near an origin of the complex plane; and (c) identifying the specific number of transmitting points having relatively smallest accumulated path values based on the second coordination of the receiving point.
US08237471B2	Circuit with stacked structure and use thereof An NAND circuit has a stacked structure having at least one symmetric NFET at a bottom of the stack. More particularly, the circuit has a stacked structure which includes an asymmetric FET and a symmetric FET. The symmetric FET is placed at the bottom of the stacked structure closer to ground than the asymmetric FET.
US08237470B2	Universal IO unit, associated apparatus and method A universal IO unit applied to a chip or an integrated circuit is provided. The universal IO unit includes a power pad and a plurality of signal pads for providing different functions. According to functional requirements of the universal IO unit, the pad power is selectively connected to an electric wire to couple to a predetermined voltage, and each of the signal pads is also selectively connected to a signal wire to transceive signals.
US08237466B2	Device and method for enabling multi-value digital computation and control Hardware and processes are provided for efficient interpretation of multi-value signals. The multi-value signals have a first voltage range with is used to indicate multiple numerical or logical values, and a second voltage range that is used to provide control functions. In one example, the multi-value circuitry is arranged as a set of rows and columns, which may be cascaded together. The control function can be implemented to cause portions of rows, columns, or cascaded connections to be powered off, thereby saving power and enabling more efficient operation.
US08237455B2	Occupant detection system with environmental compensation An occupant detection system includes an electrode in communication with a detector circuit that detects the impedance of the electrode and compensates for environmental conditions, such as humidity or moisture, based on the impedance measurement. Such environmental conditions may interfere with the occupant detection system's ability to detect the presence and/or size of an occupant. Typically, environmental conditions change the impedance of the electrode. The impedance is determined by measuring a frequency response of the electrode. The measured frequency response is compared to predetermined frequency response values that correspond to known environmental conditions. The environmental condition may be detected by matching the peak frequency response or average frequency response to in a lookup table.
US08237451B2	Communicating with an implanted wireless sensor The present invention determines the resonant frequency of a sensor by adjusting the phase and frequency of an energizing signal until the frequency of the energizing signal matches the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system energizes the sensor with a low duty cycle, gated burst of RF energy having a predetermined frequency or set of frequencies and a predetermined amplitude. The energizing signal is coupled to the sensor via magnetic coupling and induces a current in the sensor which oscillates at the resonant frequency of the sensor. The system receives the ring down response of the sensor via magnetic coupling and determines the resonant frequency of the sensor, which is used to calculate the measured physical parameter. The system uses a pair of phase locked loops to adjust the phase and the frequency of the energizing signal.
US08237450B2	Method of testing insulation property of wafer-level chip scale package and TEG pattern used in the method A test element group (TEG) pattern formed of two wiring patterns alternately disposed in a swirl configuration is used for testing an insulation property of a wafer-level chip scale package (WL-CSP) having a micro wiring such as an inductor element. The insulation property of the WL-CSP can be monitored with enhanced accuracy by measuring a resistance value between solder terminals electrically connected to the swirl-shaped TEG pattern.
US08237449B2	Bi-directional high side current sense measurement A system for measuring a voltage drop between two nodes in an electrical circuit, comprising a switched capacitor integrator (SCI), a comparator and a counter. The SCI alternately (a) captures charge onto a set of sampling capacitors and (b) selectively accumulates/transfers the charge onto a pair of integration capacitors, where the charge includes a first portion that is based on the voltage drop and a second portion that depends on a digital indicator signal. The comparator generates the digital indicator signal based on whether an analog output of the SCI is positive or negative. The counter counts a number of ones occurring in the digital indicator signal during a measurement interval. At the end of the measurement interval, the count value represents a measure of the voltage drop. Knowing the resistance between the two nodes, the voltage drop may be converted into a current measurement.
US08237447B2	Apparatus for detecting state of storage device An apparatus for detecting the state of a storage device prevents occurrence of a leakage current. A low-level detection unit is provided for each of blocks of a battery pack. Control units are connected to the blocks of the battery pack by way of first switches and are started upon receipt of power supply. The control units and measurement units are connected to the blocks by way of second switches. The control units activate the second switches after being started as a result of activation of the first switches, to thus receive power supply, and commence measurement of block voltages by means of the measurement units. The high-level detection unit supplies a read signal and a synchronous signal to the low-level detection units by way of the first switches.
US08237441B2	Method and apparatus for processing combined MR/emission tomography recordings A method and an apparatus are disclosed for determining the effective count rate of photons in a combined MR/emission tomography recording. In at least one embodiment, the method includes capturing MR signals with an MR apparatus in an MR/emission tomography device for producing an MR recording of an examination object with a number of tissue types, each having a specific MR parameter; associating a number of emission tomography attenuation coefficients with the number of tissue types as a function of the MR parameter by way of an association unit, so that one emission tomography attenuation coefficient corresponds in each instance to at least one of the tissue types in the examination object; capturing photons in the examination object with an emission tomography apparatus in the MR/emission tomography device for producing an emission tomography recording; and weighting the emission tomography recording with the emission tomography attenuation coefficients by way of a correction apparatus for determining the effective count rate in the number of tissue types and for producing a corrected emission tomography recording.
US08237438B2	Very low noise magnetometer Disclosed herein is a very low noise fundamental mode orthogonal fluxgate magnetometer. Also disclosed is a method of measuring a magnetic field, and an integrated magnetotelluric station that can measure X, Y, and Z components of a magnetic field.
US08237434B2	Electromagnetic system for biosensors An electromagnetic system for biosensors including two independent electromagnetic units separated in the region of pole shoes of the electromagnetic units positioned under a gap, a cartridge positioned in the gap providing a sample volume and a biosensor having a sensor surface located at one or more inner surfaces of the cartridge proximate to the pole shoes.
US08237429B2	Method and device for measuring the pole orientation angle of a magnetic levitation vehicle on a magnetic levitation track A method for measuring the pole position of a magnetic levitation vehicle on a magnetic levitation track. The pole orientation angle between the stator magnetic field of a track side stator and the magnetic reference axis of the magnetic levitation vehicle is determined by way of measured values from magnetic field sensors. The measured values for the stator magnetic field are measured using at least three magnetic field sensors, arranged along the vehicle longitudinal direction, a field strength value is determined for each measured value from the magnetic field sensors for each magnetic field sensor position and the pole orientation angle determined from at least a subset of the measured values from the magnetic field sensors when the determined field strength values meet given minimum requirements and, if not, an error signal is generated.
US08237418B1	Voltage regulator using front and back gate biasing voltages to output stage transistor A replica biased voltage regulator circuit and method of load regulation are provided herein. According to one embodiment, the replica biased voltage regulator circuit includes an operational amplifier and a comparator, wherein outputs of the operational amplifier and comparator are respectively and simultaneously supplied to a front gate and a back gate of an output stage transistor included for regulating an output voltage generated by the replica biased voltage regulator circuit.
US08237401B2	Recharging system and electronic device A recharging system for a rechargeable battery in an electronic device includes a receiver and a power supply. The receiver is fixed to a surface of a casing of the electronic device. The receiver includes a receiving coil connected to the rechargeable battery. The receiving coil is a planar spiral coil substantially parallel to the surface of the casing of the electronic device. The power supply includes a base and a source coil attached to a surface of the base corresponding to the receiving coil, and the source coil is a planar spiral coil and capable of magnetically coupling to the receiving coil of the receiver.
US08237395B2	Dual-speed single-phase AC motor A dual-speed single-phase AC motor, including: a stator, including a stator core, and a coil winding, including a starting winding, a first main winding, and a second main winding, a rotor, and a starting circuit, including a rectifying and voltage-stabilizing circuit, a detecting circuit, a voltage comparison circuit, a first switching circuit, a second switching circuit, and a third switching circuit. The number of poles of the starting winding is the same as that of the first main winding. The number of poles of the first main winding is less than that of the second main winding.
US08237393B2	System for measuring fan rotational speed A system is used to measure a fan rotational speed. The system includes a main controller, a first socket coupled to the linear fan, a second socket connected to the main controller, and an optical fiber amplifier connected to the main controller. A PWM (pulse width module) fan is coupled to the second socket, the PWM fan sends a first rotational speed signal, which represent a rotation speed of the PWM fan, to the main controller via the second socket. The optical fiber amplifier is capable of radiating light on fan blades of the linear fan, and sensing light reflected by the fan blades to count a rotational speed of the linear fan, and generating a second rotational speed signal which represents a rotational speed of the linear fan. The optical fiber amplifier sends the second rotational speed signal to the main controller.
US08237384B2	Dynamic braking circuit for a hybrid locomotive Methods of dynamic braking include two embodiments with braking circuits for vehicles such as, for example, locomotives which are operable down to very low speeds. These circuits can provide a braking force even at zero locomotive speed.
US08237383B2	Wireless communication system for a roll-up door A door system includes a support connected to a structure, and a door mounted on the support and movable relative to the support between an opened position and a closed position. The door includes a detection device and a remote module coupled to the detection device. The remote module includes a battery and an RF module for supporting two-way communication and sending signals indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The door system also includes a motor to drive the door, and a controller to control the motor. The controller includes a user interface and a memory. The door system also includes a base module coupled to the controller for receiving signals from the remote module. The received signals are indicative of the status of the detection device and the battery. The base module also sends signals related to successful transmission acknowledgements to the remote module.
US08237382B2	LED module and method for operating at least one LED An LED module (10) for operating at least one LED (18) comprising an input (E1, E2) adapted for coupling to a DC voltage source (UE); an output (A1, A2) adapted for coupling to the at least one LED (18); a filter device (14); and a DC-DC converter (16); wherein the filter device (14) and the DC-DC converter (16) are coupled in series between the input (E1, E2) and the output (A1, A2), and wherein the output (DCA1, DCA2) of the DC-DC converter (16) is coupled to the output (A1, A2) of the LED module (10); wherein the LED module further comprises an electronic switch (Q1), which is configured to couple the DC-DC converter (16) to the input (E1, E2) of the LED module (10) and to decouple it therefrom.
US08237379B2	Circuits and methods for powering light sources A controller for regulating a current through a light-emitting diode (LED) light source includes a first reference pin for receiving a first reference signal indicative of a target average level, and a dimming control pin for receiving a dimming signal. The controller regulates an average level of the current to the target average level. The current is regulated according to the first reference signal and a ramp signal if the dimming signal has a first level. The ramp signal is synchronized with the dimming signal. The current is cut off if the dimming signal has a second level.
US08237378B2	Driving device for discharge lamp, light source device, projector, and driving method for discharge lamp A driving device adapted to drive a discharge lamp including first and second electrodes adapted to generate discharge light, a primary reflecting mirror disposed on a side of the second electrode and adapted to reflect the discharge light, a secondary reflecting mirror disposed on a side of the first electrode and adapted to reflect the discharge light. The driving device includes: a deterioration detection section adapted to detect a degree of progression of deterioration in the first and the second electrodes; and a deterioration handling section adapted to increase first anode power energy, which is supplied while the first electrode acts as an anode, in accordance with the degree of progression of the deterioration detected by the deterioration detection section.
US08237376B2	Fast switching, overshoot-free, current source and method A method and a circuit may have an ability to provide constant currents of a certain set value, the rising and falling edges of which may be shorter than the design minimum on-phase. Essentially, these results may be obtained by keeping an operational amplifier that controls the output power switch in an active state during off-phases of an impulsive drive signal received by the current source circuit in order to maintain the output voltage of the operational amplifier at or just below the voltage to be applied to the control terminal of the output power switch during a successive on-phase of a received drive pulse signal.
US08237364B2	Dielectric barrier discharge lamp configured as a double tube The invention relates to a dielectric barrier discharge lamp in a coaxial double-tube arrangement, comprising an exterior electrode (6), and interior electrode (7), and an auxiliary electrode (8). The interior electrode (7) is designed as an electrically conductive layer placed inside the interior tube (3) of the double-tube arrangement. The auxiliary electrode (8) is designed, for example, as a metal tube or pipe and is also disposed inside the interior tube (3), specifically in direct contact with the layer. In this manner, the conductivity of the interior electrode (S) is improved.
US08237361B2	Display device with protective film having a low density silicon nitride film between high density silicon nitride films There is provided a display capable of protecting a light-emitting device by a protective film having good sealing characteristics and sidewall step coverage and preventing deterioration of the light-emitting device, thereby maintaining good display characteristics. A display device 1 including an organic electroluminescence device 3 provided on a substrate 2 and protected by a protective film 4 is characterized in that the protective film 4 is composed of silicon nitride films 4a, 4b, and 4c formed in layers by a chemical vapor deposition method using an ammonia gas, the high-density silicon nitride film 4c is provided in a surface layer of the protective film 4, and the low-density silicon nitride film 4b having a lower density than that of the high-density silicon nitride film 4c is provided below it.
US08237358B2	Top emission type organic electroluminescent display device including X-ray shield layer and method of fabricating the same A top emission type organic electroluminescent display device includes a first substrate including a pixel region, a switching thin film transistor and a driving thin film transistor in the pixel region on the first substrate, a passivation layer covering the switching thin film transistor and the driving thin film transistor and exposing a drain electrode of the driving thin film transistor, a connection electrode on the passivation layer and contacting the drain electrode of the driving thin film transistor, a partition wall corresponding to a border between adjacent pixel regions and overlapping an edge portion of the connection electrode, an x-ray shield layer on the connection electrode between adjacent partition walls, the x-ray shield layer automatically patterned in the pixel region due to the partition wall, a first electrode on the x-ray shield layer, a bank covering the partition wall and contacting an edge portion of the first electrode, an organic emission layer on the first electrode between adjacent banks, a second electrode on the organic emission layer, and a second substrate facing the first substrate and being transparent.
US08237356B2	Organic light emitting display device An organic light emitting display device including: a substrate; a sealing member; an organic light emitting device between the substrate and the sealing member and for displaying images; a selective light absorbing layer on a surface of the sealing member facing the organic light emitting device and including pigments for selectively absorbing light; and a black matrix layer on the selective light absorbing layer corresponding to non-emission areas of the organic light emitting device.
US08237354B2	Organic light emitting diode display An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is provided. The OLED display includes: a substrate member; an OLED that includes a pixel electrode that is formed on the substrate member, an organic light emitting layer that is formed on the pixel electrode, and a transflective common electrode that is formed on the organic light emitting layer; an encapsulation thin film that is formed on the transflective common electrode; and a touch panel that includes a first touch conductive layer that is formed on the encapsulation thin film and that is formed with a transflective metal film, a glass substrate that is formed on the first touch conductive layer, and a second touch conductive layer that is formed on the glass substrate. In some embodiments, the transflective common electrode has reflectivity of less than 50%. Some of the external light is thus reflected again to the first touch conductive layer and back to the transflective common electrode and so on. During this cycling, destructive interference occurs and the cycled light eventually dissipates. Thus, unwanted reflected light is suppressed.
US08237353B2	Organic EL display device In a top emission type organic EL display device, brightness gradient in a screen is reduced while keeping a screen brightness. A reflection film is formed under a lower electrode and the light from an organic EL layer is emitted through an upper electrode. Light absorption of the upper electrode is larger on the side of a shorter wavelength. When a film thickness of the upper electrode is enlarged in order to reduce the brightness gradient in a screen, the film thicknesses of the upper electrodes for a red pixel and a green pixel are enlarged without enlarging the film thickness of the upper electrode for a blue pixel. This makes it possible to reduce the brightness gradient as well as to suppress the light absorption of the upper electrode.
US08237348B2	Light-emitting device Disclosed is a light-emitting device including a light-emitting element emitting primary light, and a light converter absorbing a part of the primary light emitted from the light-emitting element and emitting secondary light having a longer wavelength than the primary light. The light converter contains a green light-emitting phosphor and a red light-emitting phosphor. The green light-emitting phosphor is composed of at least one phosphor selected from a divalent europium-activated oxynitride phosphor substantially represented by the following formula: EuaSibAlcOdNe and a divalent europium-activated silicate phosphor substantially represented by the following formula: 2 (Ba1-f-gMIfEug)O.SiO2, while the red light-emitting phosphor is composed of at least one phosphor selected from tetravalent manganese-activated fluoro-tetravalent metalate phosphors substantially represented by the following formulae: MII2(MIII1-hMnh)F6 and/or MIV(MIII1-hMnh)F6. Consequently, the light-emitting device has excellent color gamut (NTSC ratio).
US08237333B2	Piezoelectric actuator and method for producing a piezoelectric actuator A fully active piezoelectric stack has alternately successive piezoelectric layers and inner electrodes which pass through to the outer side of the stack and each have a first region, which does not adhere or adheres poorly and a second region which adheres well to the coating. The inner electrodes are provided for the purpose of using their first regions to alternately contact-connect a first outer electrode and a second outer electrode. The outer side of the fully active piezoelectric stack is coated with the coating at least in regions which are assigned the outer electrodes. The coating is then removed in regions which border the first regions of the inner electrodes and the two outer electrodes are applied to the remaining coating, with the result that the outer electrodes contact-connect the first regions of the inner electrodes and the coating is otherwise arranged between the inner electrodes and the outer electrodes.
US08237329B2	Elastic wave device and electronic component To provide an elastic wave device that is small sized and in which a frequency fluctuation due to a change with time hardly occurs, and an electronic component using the above elastic wave device. A trapping energy mode portion 2 provided in an elastic wave waveguide 10 made of an elastic body material excites a second elastic wave being an elastic wave in an energy trapping mode by a specific frequency component included in a first elastic wave being an elastic wave in a first or higher-order propagation mode propagated from a first propagation mode portion 4, and a cutoff portion 3 provided in a peripheral region of the trapping energy mode portion 2 has a cutoff frequency being a frequency higher than that of the second elastic wave. A second propagation mode portion mode-converts the second elastic wave leaked through the cutoff portion to a third elastic wave being the elastic wave in the propagation mode to propagate the third elastic wave.
US08237320B2	Thermally matched composite sleeve A sleeve about an electric machine rotor core and the plurality of permanent magnets has a fiber-reinforced composite layer about the rotor core and the plurality of permanent magnets. At least a portion of the sleeve about the rotor core and the permanent magnets has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is substantially equal to the aggregate coefficient of thermal expansion of the rotor core and the plurality of permanent magnets.
US08237309B2	Arrangement having parallel-connected DC power supply units An arrangement having DC power supply units connection parallel, wherein, the power supplies of the DC power supply units each generate a partial output current for supplying a load with a total output current. In accordance with the invention, an overload of power supply units when the power supply units are switched on and/or during their restart is largely avoided.
US08237301B2	Power generation stabilization control systems and methods A stabilization system for a power generation system including non-conventional energy source coupled to a utility grid, the stabilization system comprising: a deadband limiter configured for detecting when a signal of the power generation system is outside of a signal range; a power shaper configured for providing a transient power generation adjustment signal in response to the signal being outside of the signal range; and a limit controller to configured to prevent the adjustment signal from causing the energy source of the power generation system to operate outside of at least one operating constraint.
US08237300B2	Genset power system having multiple modes of operation A power system is disclosed. The power system may have an engine, a generator, a monitoring device configured to monitor the generator and to generate a signal, and a performance module configured to provide an alarm and a shutdown command to the engine based on the signal. The power system may further have a switching device with a first condition and a second condition. When the first condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may be overridden, the engine may be operated at a reduced speed and load output, and the generator may be inhibited from producing electrical power. When the second condition of the switching device is active, the performance module may affect operation of the power system, the engine may be operated at an elevated speed and load output, and the generator may be allowed to produce electrical power directed to the external load.
US08237298B2	Generator coupling for use with gas turbine engine A generator coupling assembly includes an output housing, an output member rotationally supported by the output housing, a generator powered by the output member, and a clutch adapter. The generator includes a generator stator, a generator rotor rotatably supported within the generator stator, a shaft coupled to the generator rotor, and a clutch member arranged on the shaft. The clutch adapter is coupled to and radially retained by the output member, and includes a clutching structure configured for selective engagement with the clutch member to engage the clutch member and the clutch adapter for co-rotation.
US08237290B2	Assemblies and multi-chip modules including stacked semiconductor dice having centrally located, wire bonded bond pads An assembly method that includes providing a first semiconductor device and positioning a second semiconductor device at least partially over the first semiconductor device is disclosed. Spacers space the active surface of the first semiconductor device substantially a predetermined distance apart from the back side of the second semiconductor device. Discrete conductive elements are extended between the active surface of the first semiconductor device and the substrate prior to positioning of the second semiconductor device. Intermediate portions of the discrete conductive elements pass through an aperture formed between the active surface of the first semiconductor device, the back side of the second semiconductor device, and two of the spacers positioned therebetween. Assemblies and packaged semiconductor devices that are formed in accordance with the method are also disclosed.
US08237289B2	System in package device A system in package device according to an example of the present invention includes a package substrate, an external terminal which is arranged on one face side or the other face side of the package substrate, a first chip which is arranged on the other face side of the package substrate, a second chip which is arranged on the first chip, and bumps which are arranged between the first chip and the second chip. A signal to be input into the external terminal is input into the first chip via the second chip.
US08237288B1	Enhanced electromigration resistance in TSV structure and design The embodiments provide a method for reducing electromigration in a circuit containing a through-silicon via (TSV) and the resulting novel structure for the TSV. A TSV is formed through a semiconductor substrate. A first end of the TSV connects to a first metallization layer on a device side of the semiconductor substrate. A second end of the TSV connects to a second metallization layer on a grind side of the semiconductor substrate. A first flat edge is created on the first end of the TSV at the intersection of the first end of the TSV and the first metallization layer. A second flat edge is created on the second end of the TSV at the intersection of the second end of the TSV and the second metallization layer. On top of the first end a metal contact grid is placed, having less than eighty percent metal coverage.
US08237286B2	Integrated circuit interconnect structure An integrated circuit (IC) interconnect structure that includes a first via positioned in a dielectric and coupled to a high current device at one end, and a buffer metal segment positioned in a dielectric and coupled to the first via at an opposite end thereof. The buffer metal segment includes a plurality of electrically insulating inter-dielectric (ILD) pads forming an ILD cheesing pattern thereon, to direct current. The IC interconnect structure further includes a second via positioned in a dielectric formed over the buffer metal segment and coupled to the buffer metal segment at one end and a metal power line formed in a dielectric and coupled to the second via at an opposite end thereof. The use of the ILD pads on the buffer metal segment enables a more even distribution of current along the metal power line.
US08237277B2	Semiconductor device provided with tin diffusion inhibiting layer, and manufacturing method of the same A semiconductor device is disclosed wherein a tin diffusion inhibiting layer is provided above the land of a wiring line, and a solder ball is provided above the tin diffusion inhibiting layer. Thus, even when this semiconductor device is, for example, a power supply IC which deals with a high current, the presence of the tin diffusion inhibiting layer makes it possible to more inhibit the diffusion of tin in the solder ball into the wiring line.
US08237271B2	Direct edge connection for multi-chip integrated circuits The present invention allows for direct chip-to-chip connections using the shortest possible signal path.
US08237270B2	Wiring board manufacturing method, semiconductor device manufacturing method and wiring board A semiconductor device 100 has such a structure that a semiconductor chip 110 is flip-chip mounted on a wiring board 120. The wiring board 120 has a multilayer structure in which a plurality of wiring layers and a plurality of insulating layers are arranged, and has a structure in which insulating layers of a first layer 122, a second layer 124, a third layer 126 and a fourth layer 128 are provided. The first layer 122 has a first insulating layer 121 and a second insulating layer 123. A protruded portion 132 which is protruded in a radial direction (a circumferential direction) from an outer periphery at one surface side of a first electrode pad 130 is formed on a whole periphery over a boundary surface between the first insulating layer 121 and the second insulating layer 123.
US08237263B2	Method and apparatus for cooling an integrated circuit An integrated circuit, a method of operating the integrated circuit, and a method of fabricating the integrated circuit are disclosed. According to one of the broader forms of the invention, a method and apparatus involve an integrated circuit that includes a heat transfer structure having a chamber that has a fluid disposed therein and that extends between a heat generating portion and a heat absorbing portion. Heat is absorbed into the fluid from the heat generating portion, and the fluid changes from a first phase to a second phase different from the first phase when the heat is absorbed. Heat is released from the fluid to the heat absorbing portion, and the fluid changes from the second phase to the first phase when the heat is released.
US08237260B2	Power semiconductor module with segmented base plate A power semiconductor module with segmented base plate. One embodiment provides a semiconductor module including a base plate and at least two circuit carriers. The base plate includes at least two base plate segments spaced distant from one another. Each of the circuit carriers includes a ceramic substrate provided with at least a first metallization layer. Each of the circuit carriers is arranged on exactly one of the base plate segments. At least two of the circuit carriers are spaced distant from one another.
US08237250B2	Advanced quad flat non-leaded package structure and manufacturing method thereof The advanced quad flat non-leaded package structure includes a carrier, a chip, a plurality of wires, and a molding compound. The carrier includes a die pad and a plurality of leads. The leads include first leads disposed around the die pad, second leads disposed around the first leads and at least an embedded lead portion between the first leads and the second leads. The wires are disposed between the chip, the first leads and the embedded lead portion. The advanced quad flat non-leaded package structures designed with the embedded lead portion can provide better electrical connection.
US08237244B2	Semiconductor device including a transistor and a capacitor having multiple insulating films A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a lower electrode on a semiconductor substrate, applying a photoresist on the lower electrode, forming an opening in the photoresist spaced from the periphery of the lower electrode, forming a high-dielectric constant film of a high-k material having a dielectric constant of 10 or more, performing liftoff so that the high-dielectric-constant film remains on the lower electrode, and forming an upper electrode on the high-dielectric-constant film remaining after the liftoff.
US08237240B2	Isolation layer structure, method of forming the same and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including the same An isolation layer structure includes first to fourth oxide layer patterns. The first and third oxide layer patterns are sequentially formed in a first trench defined by a first recessed top surface of a substrate and sidewalls of gate structures on the substrate in a first region. The first trench has a first width, and the first and third oxide layer patterns have no void therein. The second and fourth oxide layer patterns are sequentially formed in a second trench defined by a second recessed top surface of the substrate and sidewalls of gate structures on the substrate in a second region. The second trench has a second width larger than the first width, and the fourth oxide layer pattern has a void therein.
US08237221B2	Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device The semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a semiconductor layer, a trench formed by digging the semiconductor layer from the surface thereof, a gate insulating film formed on the inner surface of the trench, and a gate electrode made of silicon embedded in the trench through the gate insulating film. The gate electrode has a high-conductivity portion formed to cover the gate insulating film with a relatively high conductivity and a low-conductivity portion formed on a region inside the high-conductivity portion with a relatively low conductivity.
US08237212B2	Nonvolatile memory with a unified cell structure A novel FLASH-based EEPROM cell, decoder, and layout scheme are disclosed to eliminate the area-consuming divided triple-well in cell array and allows byte-erase and byte-program for high P/E cycles. Furthermore, the process-compatible FLASH cell for EEPROM part can be integrated with FLASH and ROM parts so that a superior combo, monolithic, nonvolatile memory is achieved. Unlike all previous arts, the novel combo nonvolatile memory of the present invention of ROM, EEPROM and FLASH or combination of any two is made of one unified, fully compatible, highly-scalable BN+cell and unified process. In addition, its cell operation schemes have zero array overhead and zero disturbance during P/E operations. The novel combo nonvolatile memory is designed to meet the need in those markets requiring flexible write size in units of bytes, pages and blocks at a lower cost.
US08237209B2	Capacitors integrated with metal gate formation A semiconductor structure including a capacitor having increased capacitance and improved electrical performance is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a MIM capacitor over the substrate. The MIM capacitor includes a bottom plate, an insulating layer over the bottom plate, and a top plate over the insulating layer. The semiconductor structure further includes a MOS device including a gate dielectric over the substrate and a metal-containing gate electrode free from polysilicon on the gate dielectric, wherein the metal-containing gate electrode is formed of a same material and has a same thickness as the bottom plate.
US08237207B2	Back side illumination image sensor and a process thereof A process and structure of a back side illumination (BSI) image sensor are disclosed. An n-type doped region is formed in a substrate, and a transfer gate is formed on top of the semiconductor substrate. A p-type doped region is formed in the n-type doped region either using the transfer gate as a mask or is non-self aligned formed.
US08237198B2	Semiconductor heterostructure diodes Planar Schottky diodes for which the semiconductor material includes a heterojunction which induces a 2DEG in at least one of the semiconductor layers. A metal anode contact is on top of the upper semiconductor layer and forms a Schottky contact with that layer. A metal cathode contact is connected to the 2DEG, forming an ohmic contact with the layer containing the 2DEG.
US08237187B2	Package structure for chip and method for forming the same An embodiment of the invention provides a package structure for chip. The package structure for chip includes: a carrier substrate having an upper surface and an opposite lower surface; a chip overlying the carrier substrate and having a first surface and an opposite second surface facing the upper surface, wherein the chip includes a first electrode and a second electrode; a first conducting structure overlying the carrier substrate and electrically connecting the first electrode; a second conducting structure overlying the carrier substrate and electrically connecting the second electrode; a first through-hole penetrating the upper surface and the lower surface of the carrier substrate and disposed next to the chip without overlapping the chip; a first conducting layer overlying a sidewall of the first through-hole and electrically connecting the first conducting electrode; and a third conducting structure overlying the carrier substrate and electrically connecting the second conducting structure.
US08237185B2	Semiconductor light emitting device with integrated ESD protection Embodiments provide a semiconductor light emitting device which comprises a light emitting structure comprising a plurality of compound semiconductor layers, an insulation layer on an outer surface of the light emitting structure, an ohmic layer under the light emitting structure and on an outer surface of the insulation layer, a first electrode layer on the light emitting structure, and a tunnel barrier layer between the first electrode layer and the ohmic layer.
US08237182B2	Organic adhesive light-emitting device with ohmic metal bulge Organic adhesive light-emitting device with ohmic metal bulge. The organic adhesive light-emitting device includes a conductive substrate, a light-emitting stack layer, a metal layer formed over the conductive substrate, a reflective layer formed over the light-emitting stack layer, and an organic adhesive layer having an ohmic metal bulge and an adhesive material around the ohmic metal bulge. The adhesive material bonds the metal layer and the reflective layer together, while the ohmic metal bulge forms ohmic contacts with the metal layer and the reflective layer. The configuration can simplify a light-emitting diode.
US08237180B2	Light emitting element including center electrode and thin wire electrode extending from periphery of the center electrode A light emitting element includes a semiconductor laminated structure including a first semiconductor layer of first conductivity type, a second semiconductor layer of second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, and an active layer sandwiched between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer, a surface electrode including a center electrode disposed on one surface of the semiconductor laminated structure and a thin wire electrode extending from a periphery of the center electrode, and a contact part disposed on a part of another surface of the semiconductor laminated structure extruding a part located directly below the surface electrode, in parallel along the thin wire electrode, and including a plurality of first regions forming the shortest current pathway between the thin wire electrode and a second region allowing the plural first regions to be connected. The surface electrode has an arrangement that the shortest current pathway between the center electrode and the contact part is longer than the shortest current pathway between the thin wire electrode and the first region, and the shortest current pathway between an end part of the thin wire electrode and the contact part is not shorter than the shortest current pathway between the thin wire electrode and the first region.
US08237172B2	Semiconductor device having a silicon carbide substrate with an ohmic electrode layer in which a reaction layer is arranged in contact with the silicon carbide substrate A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a silicon carbide substrate (11) that has a principal surface and a back surface; a semiconductor layer (12), which has been formed on the principal surface of the silicon carbide substrate; and a back surface ohmic electrode layer (1d), which has been formed on the back surface of the silicon carbide substrate. The back surface ohmic electrode layer (1d) includes: a reaction layer (1da), which is located closer to the back surface of the silicon carbide substrate and which includes titanium, silicon and carbon; and a titanium nitride layer (1db), which is located more distant from the back surface of the silicon carbide substrate.
US08237165B2	Organic light emitting diode display and method of manufacturing the same An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display and a method of manufacturing the same, the OLED display including a flexible substrate, a driving circuit unit on the flexible substrate, the driving circuit unit including a thin film transistor (TFT), an organic light emission element on the flexible substrate, the organic light emission element being connected to the driving circuit unit, an encapsulating thin film on the flexible substrate, the encapsulating thin film covering the organic light emission element and the driving circuit unit, a first protection film facing the encapsulating thin film, a second protection film facing the flexible substrate, a first sealant disposed between the encapsulating thin film and the first protection film, and a second sealant disposed between the flexible substrate and the second protection film.
US08237152B2	White light emitting device based on polariton laser A high-efficiency white-light-emitting device that includes a polariton light emitter that emits UV or blue light to a down-converting material that converts the polariton emissions to white light. The polariton light emitter includes an active region situated within a resonant optical cavity formed on a substrate. The down-converting material can comprise a luminophoric phosphor or other material. The polariton light and down-converting material can be arranged in a single apparatus to provide a white-light-emitting device that can be used for lighting and instrumentation. The device can also be configured for high-frequency modulation to provide optical signals for communications and control systems.
US08237151B2	Diode-based devices and methods for making the same In accordance with an embodiment, a diode comprises a substrate, a dielectric material including an opening that exposes a portion of the substrate, the opening having an aspect ratio of at least 1, a bottom diode material including a lower region disposed at least partly in the opening and an upper region extending above the opening, the bottom diode material comprising a semiconductor material that is lattice mismatched to the substrate, a top diode material proximate the upper region of the bottom diode material, and an active diode region between the top and bottom diode materials, the active diode region including a surface extending away from the top surface of the substrate.
US08237149B2	Non-volatile memory device having bottom electrode Provided is a non-volatile memory device including a bottom electrode disposed on a substrate and having a lower part and an upper part. A conductive spacer is disposed on a sidewall of the lower part of the bottom electrode. A nitride spacer is disposed on a top surface of the conductive spacer and a sidewall of the upper part of the bottom electrode. A resistance changeable element is disposed on the upper part of the bottom electrode and the nitride spacer. The upper part of the bottom electrode contains nitrogen (N).
US08237141B2	Non-volatile memory device including phase-change material A non-volatile memory device including a phase-change material, which has a low operating voltage and low power consumption, includes a lower electrode; a phase-change material layer formed on the lower electrode so as to be electrically connected to the lower electrode, wherein the phase-change material layer includes a phase-change material having a composition represented by InXSbYTeZ or, alternatively, with substitutions of silicon and/or tin for indium, arsenic and/or bismuth for antimony, and selenium for tellurium; and an upper electrode formed on the phase-change material layer so as to be electrically connected to the phase-change material layer.
US08237135B2	Enhanced low energy ion beam transport in ion implantation An ion implantation method and system that incorporate beam neutralization to mitigate beam blowup, which can be particularly problematic in low-energy, high-current ion beams. The beam neutralization component can be located in the system where blowup is likely to occur. The neutralization component includes a varying energizing field generating component that generates plasma that neutralizes the ion beam and thereby mitigates beam blowup. The energizing field is generated with varying frequency and/or field strength in order to maintain the neutralizing plasma while mitigating the creation of plasma sheaths that reduce the effects of the neutralizing plasma.
US08237132B2	Method and apparatus for reducing down time of a lithography system An apparatus includes a radiation source that emits a radiation beam that causes substantially all of a quantity of material to evaporate; and structure having first and second surface portions, a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion, and a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion. A different aspect involves emitting a radiation beam toward a quantity of material, the radiation beam causing substantially all of the quantity of material to evaporate; operating a structure having first and second surface portions in a first operational mode wherein a greater quantity of a byproduct of the evaporation impinges on the first surface portion; and thereafter operating the structure in a second operational mode wherein a greater quantity of the byproduct impinges on the second surface portion.
US08237116B2	GC-MS analysis apparatus GC-MS analysis apparatus has an interface section between GC and MS sections, which is located with respect to the direction of an analyte flow downstream of the GC section and upstream of the MS section. The interface section comprises at least one membrane with at least one orifice capable of establishing a molecular flow condition in the analyte passing between the GC and MS sections through the membrane. The membrane is subjected to a pressure differential such that the pressure pa in a region located upstream of the membrane is higher than the pressure pb in a region located downstream of the membrane.
US08237106B2	Mass spectrometer A mass spectrometer comprising a collision, fragmentation or reaction cell (4) is disclosed. The collision, fragmentation or reaction cell (4) is repeatedly switched back and forth between a high fragmentation mode of operation and a low fragmentation mode of operation. Mass spectral data sets are obtained in both modes of operation. A decimal mass filter is applied to one or both sets of data. In particular, fragment ions or metabolites related to a parent or precursor ion of interest are identified on the basis of having a decimal mass which is similar to that of the parent or precursor ion of interest.
US08237105B1	Magneto-optical trap for cold atom beam source One embodiment of the invention includes a magneto-optical trap (MOT) housing substantially surrounding atoms in an atom trapping region. The housing includes a first end that is substantially open to receive light that is substantially collimated and a second end opposite the first end that includes an aperture that emits a cold atom beam from the atom trapping region. The housing also includes a housing section surrounding and extending along a substantially central axis having a substantially reflective interior peripheral surface that reflects the light to generate an optical force on the atoms. The housing further includes an optical mask located substantially at the first end and along the substantially central axis that is configured to occlude the atom trapping region from the light to substantially prevent direct illumination of the atoms by unreflected light.
US08237100B2	Image sensor including two image sensing devices in a pixel and method for manufacturing the same An image sensor is provided. The image sensor comprises a readout circuitry, a first image sensing device, an interconnection, and a second image sensing device. The readout circuitry is disposed in a first substrate. The first image sensing device is disposed at one side of the readout circuitry of the first substrate. The interconnection is disposed over the first substrate and electrically connected to the readout circuitry. The second image sensing device is disposed over the interconnection.
US08237097B2	Focus detecting apparatus and imaging apparatus having center position detection of micro lenses in micro lens array A focus detecting apparatus includes: a micro lens array having plural micro lenses; a photo-detector having detecting elements corresponding with the micro lenses and receiving light flux from an optical system via the micro lenses; a center detector detecting a center position of each micro lens; an image generator generating an image from the center position of each micro lens and photo-detector output; a contrast detector detecting contrast values of an image signal of the image; a calculator calculating an integrated value by accumulating contrast values for each of plural partial images from the image; and a focus detector detecting focus adjustment status by calculating an image shift amount caused from light fluxes passed through different pupil areas of the optical system based on output of the detecting elements corresponding to the partial images from which a maximum value is obtained among the integrated values calculated by the calculator.
US08237089B2	Hairdressing apparatus Hairstyling appliance comprising a grasping means (2), a body (3) for winding a lock of hair around its longitudinal axis, the winding body containing an electric heating element and comprising an external hair-winding surface (5) extending along substantially its entire length, a clip (7) for hooking the lock of hair onto the winding body (3) and an electric motor for driving the winding body in rotation around its longitudinal axis. According to the invention, it includes at least one heating plate (9, 10) disposed facing the external surface (5) of the winding body (3), which plate is movably mounted with respect to the winding body so as to exert pressure on the lock of hair.
US08237087B2	Welding system with torque motor wire drive A welding system for welding with wire is disclosed that includes a torque motor in a wire feeder and a pull motor in a welding torch. A wire feed speed may be set by an operator at a power supply or on a wire feeder. Based upon calibration of the pull motor in the torch, upon startup of the welding operation, signals are provided to a pull motor and the torch in an open loop manner with respect to the speed of the pull motor, while the torque motor is driven to maintain a feed force on the welding wire to ensure that the pull motor has welding wire available for feeding. No other coordination is required between the torque motor and the pull motor.
US08237086B2	Removing material from defective opening in glass mold Methods of removing material from a defective opening in a glass mold using a laser pulse, repairing a glass mold and a related glass mold for injection molded solder (IMS) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a glass mold including a plurality of solder filled openings; identifying a defective opening in the glass mold; removing material from the defective opening by applying a laser pulse to the defective opening; and repairing the defective opening by filling the defective opening with an amount of solder by: removing a redundant, non-defective solder portion from an opening in the glass mold by applying a laser pulse to the opening, and placing the redundant, non-defective solder portion in the defective opening.
US08237082B2	Method for producing a hole There is described a method for producing a hole using e.g. a lasers, wherein short laser pulse durations are used. The laser pulse durations are varied, short laser pulse durations being utilized only in the area to be removed in which an influence on the penetration behavior and discharge behavior is noticeable while longer pulse durations of >0.4 ms are used. This is the case for the inner surface of a diffuser of a hole, for example, which can be produced very accurately by means of short laser pulse durations.
US08237081B2	Manufacturing system having delivery media and GRIN lens A manufacturing system is disclosed. The manufacturing system may have a laser source configured to generate a laser beam, and a delivery media operatively connected to the laser source. The manufacturing system may also have a gradient index lens located at a tip end of the delivery media to refract and focus the laser beam exiting the delivery media.
US08237067B2	Checkweigher with independent scales A checkweigher for the in-motion weighing of objects being transported along a conveyor line. A checkweigher of the present invention employs a plurality of scales each having its own set of weighing conveyor elements. For example, a first scale may be associated with a set of lighter weight chains to convey and weigh smaller objects, while a second scale may be associated with a set of heavier weight chains to convey and weigh larger objects. This design essentially allows the incorporation of a lightweight and heavyweight checkweigher within one common checkweigher frame. The problem of noise caused by one set of conveyor elements associated with one scale affecting the accuracy of the other scale(s) is eliminated by locating the conveying surfaces of the conveyor elements associated with the individual scales in different planes. Thus, objects transported by one weighing conveyor exert no load on the conveyor elements of the other weighing conveyor(s).
US08237065B2	Twin-chip-mounting type diode The present invention provides a diode that does not deteriorate its function even if it is used in an environment where the temperature change is considerable, such as in a terminal box for solar cell panel that is placed outdoors. A diode of twin-chip-mounting type in which each chip has a lead foot for being joined to a common terminal plate, wherein said lead feet are electrically connected with each other in a region of each lead foot from each chip to a portion wherein each lead foot is joined. The electrical connection of the lead feet is preferably formed by integral molding with each lead foot.
US08237063B2	Shielding assembly with removable shielding cover A shielding assembly includes a hollow frame and a cover mounted to the hollow frame. The hollow frame comprises a plurality of sidewalls, where one of the sidewalls defines a first groove and another one of the sidewall opposite to the one of sidewalls includes a first fixing portion. The cover includes a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, a first latch located on the first end and engaged with the first groove, and a second fixing portion located on the second end and engaged with the first fixing portion, so as to retain the cover on the frame. The first latch includes a resilient bent portion extending from the first end of the cover, and a hook protruding from the resilient bent portion and received in the groove.
US08237056B2	Printed wiring board having a stiffener To provide a novel multilayer printed wiring board in which a conductor on the outermost resin layer is positioned properly. Furthermore, to provide a novel multilayer printed wiring board in which productivity is enhanced when forming solder bumps on the pads for mounting a semiconductor element. In multilayer printed wiring board, multiple pads for connection with a semiconductor chip are formed on one surface, and on its opposite surface, external connection terminals for connection with another substrate are formed. The pads for connection with a semiconductor chip are formed in the central region of one surface, stiffener is formed in the peripheral region surrounding the pads for connection with a semiconductor chip, pads for connection with a semiconductor chip and stiffener are formed with the same material and are set to be the same height, and the actual area of the stiffener is determined according to the total area of the multiple pads for connection with a semiconductor chip.
US08237053B2	Power supply apparatus for slidable structure A power supply apparatus for a slidable structure which extends longitudinally, including: a pivotably-supported ring arm; a wiring harness having one end portion fixed to a tip portion of the ring arm and the other end portion fixed to a stationary structure; and an elastic member configured to bias the ring arm in a forward and upward direction. The ring arm is moved or rotated in a backward and downward direction while elastically deforming the elastic member due to tensile force of the wiring harness, when the slidable structure is moved forward toward its fully closed state. Also, the ring arm is moved or rotated in a forward and upward direction due to restoring force of the elastic member, when the slidable structure is moved backward toward its fully open state.
US08237050B2	Solar cell with organic material in the photovoltaic layer and method for the production thereof Disclosed is a solar cell having at least one photovoltaic layer made of an organic material, in particular a polymer material, which absorbs light and in which electron-hole pairs can be produced, said solar cell having two opposite layer surfaces of which one is connected with at least one hole-receiving layer produced inside said photovoltaic layer and the other is connected with at least one electron-receiving layer produced inside said photovoltaic layer, as well as having electrode areas En and Ep, of which one said electrode area is electrically contacted to said hole-receiving layer and the other said electrode area is electrically connected to said electron receiving layer.
US08237044B2	Concentrating solar power generation unit, concentrating solar power generation apparatus, concetrating lens, concentrating lens structure, and method of manufacturing concentrating lens structure A concentrating solar power generation unit (10) comprises a solar cell element (1), a mounting plate (3) on which is mounted the solar cell element (1), which is bonded to a receiver (2), a light shield (4) that covers the mounting plate (3), a frame (5) disposed perpendicularly from the ends on two facing sides of a light shield (4), a concentrating lens (7) that is disposed corresponding to the upper end of the frame (5) across from the light shield (4) and that concentrates sunlight (Ls) on a light receiving region of the solar cell element (1), and a translucent substrate (6) that fixes (fastens) the concentrating lens (7) and is mounted to the upper end of the frame (5).
US08237041B1	Systems and methods for a voice activated music controller with integrated controls for audio effects A voice activated music controller system, useful in association with a game system and a player is provided. The voice activated music controller system includes a voice activated controller, and a base station. The voice activated controller includes a transducer for receiving an audio signal, one or more sound effect controls, and a transmitter. The sound effect controls may be any of buttons, touch pads, roller balls, accelerometers and pressure sensors. The transmitter sends the audio signal and the control inputs to a receiver of the base station via a radio signal. A signal processor in the base station applies one or more sound effects to the audio signal according to the control inputs. These sound effects include one or more of a chorus effect, a pitch modulation, a pitch correction, a harmonizing effect, and a sound bite. This results in the generation of a processed audio signal which is outputted to the gaming system via a coupler.
US08237036B2	Weighted guitar strap One example embodiment includes a guitar strap for helping to align a guitar in a correct playing position. The guitar strap includes a strip of material, where the strip of material includes a first end and a second end, and a first attachment, where the first attachment is connected to the first end of the strip of material and where the first attachment is configured to connect to the bottom (side furthest from the guitar neck) of a guitar. The guitar strap also includes a weight pocket, where the weight pocket is located near the first end of the strip of material.
US08237033B1	Maize variety hybrid X8H565 A novel maize variety designated X8H565 and seed, plants and plant parts thereof, produced by crossing Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. proprietary inbred maize varieties. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprises crossing hybrid maize variety X8H565 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X8H565 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X8H565, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X8H565. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X8H565.
US08237026B1	Soybean variety XBP17001 A novel soybean variety, designated XBP17001 is provided. Also provided are the seeds of soybean variety XBP17001, cells from soybean variety XBP17001, plants of soybean XBP17001, and plant parts of soybean variety XBP17001. Methods provided include producing a soybean plant by crossing soybean variety XBP17001 with another soybean plant, methods for introgressing a transgenic, mutant trait, and/or native trait into soybean variety XBP17001, methods for producing other soybean varieties or plant parts derived from soybean variety XBP17001. Soybean seed, cells, plants, germplasm, breeding lines, varieties, and plant parts produced by these methods and/or derived from soybean variety XBP17001 are further provided.
US08237015B2	Methods and compositions for an integrated dual site-specific recombination system for producing environmentally safe and clean transgenic plants The present invention is directed to the use of multiple site-specific recombination systems for use in transgene containment in plants. More specifically, the present invention describes coordinated excisional DNA recombination by multiple (e.g., dual) recombinases to achieve excision of unwanted transgenic DNA as well as recombinase-coding sequences themselves by self-excision. Further, the simultaneous use of multiple site-specific recombination systems in combination with controllable total sterility technology (i.e., no or reduced sexual reproduction), provides the production of environmentally safe, clean transgenic plants, enhancing the capability and public acceptance of transgenic technology for plant trait modification.
US08237008B1	Partially rigid bandage apparatus The partially rigid bandage apparatus has a band having a first end spaced apart from a second end, a pair of identical spaced apart sides, a top and a bottom, a fastening device releasably fastening the first end to the second end, an opening disposed within about a center of the band, a rigid bubble disposed atop and extended above the opening, the rigid bubble affixed to a border of the opening via an accordion membrane that allows distal and proximal movement of the bubble with regard to the band, such that a selected body sight is protected from abrasion and impact, the apparatus repeatedly reusable.
US08237002B2	Method for producing unsaturated organic compound A method for producing an unsaturated organic compound represented by the formula (3): (Y1)m-1—R1—R2—(Y2)n-1 (3) wherein Y1 represents R2 or X1, and Y2 represents R1 or B(X2)2, which comprises reacting a compound represented by the formula (1): R1(X1)m (1) wherein R1 represents an aromatic group or the like, X1 represents a leaving group and m represents 1 or 2, with a compound represented by the formula (2): R2{B(X2)2}n (2) wherein R2 represents an aromatic group or the like, X2 represents a hydroxyl group or the like, and n represents 1 or 2, in the presence of (a) a nickel compound selected from a nickel carboxylate, nickel nitrate and a nickel halide, (b) a phosphine compound such as 1,4-bis(dicyclohexylphosphino) butane, (c) an amine selected from a primary amine and a diamine such as N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,2-ethanediamine, and (d) an inorganic base.
US08236993B2	Process and apparatus for the production of hydroxytyrosol containing extract from olives and solids containing residues of olive oil extraction Hydroxytyrosol is extracted from olives and/or from the solid residues of olives after the extraction of olive oil, by carrying out acid hydrolysis at a temperature within the range of 110° C. to 140° C. and at a pH within the range of 1.0 to 6.0, and by purifying the obtained solution on a column containing acid activated anion exchange resins, and a column containing an adsorbent non-ionic resin; both columns being eluted with water to recover the hydroxytyrosol.
US08236992B2	Preparation of purified hydroquinone Hydroquinone devoid of impurities is prepared from a crude hydroquinone essentially containing hydroquinone and small amounts of impurities including at least resorcinol, pyrogallol and traces of pyrocatechol and comprises at least the following steps: dissolving the crude hydroquinone in water, crystallizing the hydroquinone, separating the purified hydroquinone, and, optionally, drying the purified hydroquinone.
US08236990B2	Triarylamine compounds, compositions and uses therefor The present invention relates to triarylamine compounds, compositions comprising such compounds, and electronic devices and applications comprising at least one layer containing at least one of the new compounds. The compounds can be used as monomers to create homopolymers or copolymers.
US08236984B2	Compound and use thereof in the treatment of amyloidosis The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) for stabilizing the tetrameric form of transthyretin, compounds for use in the treatment or prevention of amyloidosis, and agents and medicaments comprising such compounds. wherein X, Y, R1, R2, R3, R4, m, n, p, q, and the linker are as defined herein.
US08236981B2	Method for manufacturing dialkylzinc and dialkylaluminum monohalide A method for manufacturing dialkylzinc and dialkylaluminum monohalide that makes it possible to efficiently manufacture both dialkylzinc and dialkylaluminum monohalide of high purity and at a high yield on an industrial scale with a single reaction from zinc halide and trialkylaluminum as raw materials, while suppressing the production of precipitants in the reaction process and suppressing the adhesion of precipitates to the equipment and the admixture thereof into the product. The method for manufacturing dialkylzinc and dialkylaluminum monohalide by reacting zinc halide with trialkylaluminum, includes using trialkylaluminum with a hydride concentration of 0.01% by mass to 0.10% by mass, and separating dialkylzinc essentially not containing aluminum from reactants and then separating dialkylaluminum monohalide essentially not containing zinc.
US08236979B2	Methods for synthesis of heteroleptic cyclopentadienyl transition metal precursors Methods for forming heteroleptic amidinate or guanidinate cyclopentadienyl containing transition metal precursors through synthesis reactions.
US08236978B2	Process for producing sphingomyelin and plasmalogen-form glycerophospholipid Disclosed is a process for producing sphingomyelin and plasmalogen-form glycerophospholipid, which comprises the step (A) of extracting a total lipids from a chicken skin powder and drying the extract, the step (B) of subjecting the dried total lipids obtained in said step (A), to extraction treatment with a solvent mixture of an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent and a water-soluble ketone solvent to separate an insoluble portion composed mainly of sphingomyelin and a soluble portion, the step (C) subjecting the insoluble portion composed mainly of sphingomyelin, obtained in said step (B), to extraction treatment with a solvent mixture of water and a water-soluble ketone solvent to remove a non-lipid component contained in the soluble portion, and the step (D) of drying the soluble portion obtained in said step (B), and subjecting the thus-obtained dried product to extraction treatment with a water-soluble ketone solvent to separate and recover an insoluble portion composed mainly of plasmalogen-form giycerophospholiuld.According to the above production process, high-purity sphingomyelin, in particular, human-form sphingomyelin and plasmalogen-form sphingomyelin can be produced from chicken skin at high yields with simple procedures.
US08236977B2	Recovery of desired co-products from fermentation stillage streams Processes and methods of recovering desired products from fermentation stillage are presented, including processes and methods of recovering lipids and aqueous materials.
US08236976B2	Processes for highly enantio- and diastereoselective synthesis of acyclic epoxy alcohols and allylic epoxy alcohols The inventive subject matter relates to novel processes for making an epoxy alcohol from an aldehyde, comprising the steps of: (a) adding (i) an organozinc compound or (ii) divinylzinc compound and an diorganozinc compound to said aldehyde in the presence of a first catalyst to form an allylic alkoxide compound; and (b) epoxidizing said allylic alkoxide compound in the presence of an oxidant and a second catalyst.
US08236974B2	Process for preparing glycidyl esters Process for preparing glycidyl esters, wherein carbonate esters of the formula I are reacted in the presence of a homogeneous catalyst with elimination of carbon dioxide to form glycidyl esters of the formula II where R in the above formulae is an organic radical having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.
US08236969B2	Method for preparing prostaglandin derivative Disclosed is a method for preparing a prostaglandin derivative of formula (A): which comprises reacting an aldehyde represented by formula (1): with a 2-oxoalkyl phosphonate in a reaction solvent under the presence of alkali hydroxide as sole base. By carrying out the reaction using an alkali hydroxide as sole base in the reaction system, the desired prostaglandin derivative can be obtained by simple procedures and with high yield.
US08236967B2	Diindenothiophene derivatives and use thereof A diindenothiophene derivative of the following formula (1) is disclosed: wherein each of G1, G2, G3 and G4 is independently an unsubstituted or substituted C6-C40-aromatic group or a C1-C40-aliphatic group; A is an electron-withdrawing group; and D is an electron-donating group. The inventive diindenothiophene derivatives can be used in a dye-sensitized solar cell.
US08236960B2	Synthesis of N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N′-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy) phenylmethyl)carbamide and its tartrate salt and crystalline forms Disclosed herein are methods for synthesizing N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl) -N′-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)-phenylmethyl)carbamide. Also disclosed herein is the hemi-tartrate salt of N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N′-(4-(2 -methylpropyloxy)-phenylmethyl)carbamide and methods for obtaining the salt. Further disclosed are various crystalline forms of N-(4-fluorobenzyl)-N-(1-methylpiperidin-4-yl)-N′-(4-(2-methylpropyloxy)-phenylmethyl)carbamide and its hemi-tartrate salt including various polymorphs and solvates.
US08236952B2	Preparations containing amino acids and orotic acid The present invention describes compounds produced from an orotic acid molecule and an amino acid molecule. The compounds being in the form of amino acid orotate compounds bound by an amide linkage and produced by one of two disclosed methods; 1) reacting orotic acid or derivatives thereof with a thionyl halide, and then combining the acyl halide with an amino acid in the presence of dichloromethane and a DMAP catalyst; or 2) protecting the carboxylic acid of an amino acid and then combining the amino acid with a DCC activated orotic acid, followed by removal of the carboxylic acid protecting group. The resulting amino acid orotate amide has an enhanced stability in solution as compared to a related ester. In addition, specific benefits are conferred by the particular amino acid used to form the compounds in addition to, and separate from, the orotate substituent.
US08236951B2	Thioxanthine derivatives as myeloperoxidase inhibitors There is disclosed the use of a compound of formula (Ia) or (Ib) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, X and Y are as defined in the specification, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, in the manufacture of a medicament, for the treatment or prophylaxis of diseases or conditions in which inhibition of the enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO) is beneficial. Certain novel compounds of formula (Ia) or (Ib) and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof are disclosed, together with processes for their preparation. The compounds of formulae (Ia) and (Ib) are MPO inhibitors and are thereby particularly useful in the treatment or prophylaxis of neuroinflammatory disorders.
US08236945B2	Process for preparing disulfides and thiosulphinates and compounds prepared Process for preparing a compound of the formula (I) R1-S(O)x—S(O)yR2 in which R1 represents a molecular hydrocarbon radical which can be substituted and/or interrupted by one or more atoms and/or by one or more groups containing one or more atoms, said atoms being selected from N, O, P, S, Si and X, where X represents a halogen; R2, independently of R1, represents a carbon-containing group or a molecular hydrocarbon radical which can be substituted and/or interrupted by one or more atoms and/or by one or more groups containing one or more atoms, said atoms being selected from N, O, P, S, Si and X, where X represents a halogen, and x and y are selected from 0 and 1 in such a way that the sum of x and y is not more than 1, characterized in that a compound of formula (II) R1-S(O)x—R3-Si(R4)(R5)(R6) in which R3 represents a hydrocarbon chain of two carbon atoms, which is optionally unsaturated and/or substituted, and R4, R5 and R6, which are identical or different, each represent, independently of one another, a hydrocarbon group, is reacted with a compound of formula (VII) R2-S(O)y—X in which X represents a halogen, intermediate compounds, and compounds prepared.
US08236938B2	High lysine maize compositions and methods for detection thereof Disclosed herein are assays for detecting the presence of a lysine-increasing transgenic event based on the DNA sequence of the exogenous DNA construct inserted into the maize genome and of genomic sequences flanking the insertion site. Also provided are transgenic plants having a novel exogenous DNA construct that expresses a dihydrodipicolinic acid synthase, the activity of which results in increased lysine in a plant or plant product.
US08236933B2	Modified animal lacking functional PYY gene, monoclonal antibodies that bind PYY isoforms and uses therefor The present invention provides transgenic animals having a reduced level of expression of peptide YY (PYY) and drug screening platforms using the transgenic animals for identifying agonists and antagonists of PYY. The present invention further provides monoclonal antibodies that bind specifically to full-length PYY[1-36] or the processed form thereof i.e., PYY[3-36] and to diagnostic and drug screening platforms using the monoclonal antibodies. The invention has particular utility for the diagnosis of a predisposition or risk of a subject becoming obese, developing one or more pathologies associated with obesity, or developing a disease/disorder of bone tissue.
US08236931B2	Prevention of aggregation of immunoglobulin light or heavy chains An inhibitor of the aggregation of immunoglobulin chains is provided. The inhibitor may comprise or consist of a polypeptide which comprises or consists of (a) an amino acid sequence corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the FR1 region of an immunoglobulin light chain variable domain, or part thereof which includes amino acid residue 12, (b) an amino acid sequence corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the immunoglobulin-binding domain of bacterial superantigen Protein L, or part thereof, and/or (c) an amino acid sequence corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the immunoglobulin-binding domain of streptococcal protein G, or part thereof, or a variant, fusion or derivative thereof, or a fusion of a variant or derivative thereof which retains the ability of the parent polypeptide to inhibit aggregation of immunoglobulin chains, or domains thereof. Other versions of the inhibitor are also provided.
US08236927B2	Stabilizer molecule-depleted albumin solution The invention concerns a method for producing an aqueous albumin solution from a starting albumin solution which contains stabilizer molecules which are capable of occupying binding sites of the albumin, wherein in a method for increasing the albumin binding capacity (ABiC) for other molecules, at least a portion of the stabilizer molecules is removed from the albumin of the starting albumin solution and separated from the starting albumin solution. To carry out such a method, by means of which a stabilized commercial starting albumin solution can be prepared in a manner which is simpler, faster, cheaper and in a manner which is gently on the albumin by removing the majority of the stabilizers and increasing the albumin binding capacity, the method comprises steps in which the starting albumin solution is brought into contact with a solid adsorption material the affinity of which for at least a portion, preferably all of the stabilizer molecules is higher than the affinity of the albumin for the corresponding stabilizer molecules, and the albumin is separated from the adsorption material; wherein the method is carried out at a pH of >3.
US08236924B2	Cell-permeable peptide inhibitors of the JNK signal transduction pathway The invention provides cell-permeable peptides that bind to JNK proteins and inhibit JNK-mediated effects in JNK-expressing cells.
US08236923B2	Fluorine-containing polymer and method of producing fluorine-containing polymer A method of producing a fluorine-containing polymer, containing conducting an addition polymerization of a fluorine-containing compound having 2 or more terminal fluorine-containing vinyl groups each directly bonded to an oxygen atom per molecule, and a compound having 2 or more groups represented by —XH, where X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; and a fluorine-containing polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by formula (i): wherein Rf1 represents a perfluoroalkylene group; each of Rf2 and Rf3 independently represents a fluorine atom, a perfluoroalkyl group or a perfluoroalkoxy group; at least two among Rf1, Rf2 and Rf3 may bond to each other to form a ring structure; X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom; and L represents a divalent organic group.
US08236922B2	Polyamide polymer The instant invention provides polyamides, processes for making the polyamides, and articles comprising the polyamides.
US08236920B2	Polyarylene and process for producing the same A dihalobiphenyl compound represented by the formula (1): wherein A represents an amino group substituted with one or two C1-C20 hydrocarbon groups or a C1-C20 alkoxy group, R1 represents a fluorine atom, a C1-C20 alkyl group, etc., X1 represents a chlorine atom, a bromine atom or an iodine atom, an k represents an integer of 0 to 3, and a polyarylene comprising a repeating unit represented by the formula (2): wherein A, R1 and k represent the same meanings as defined above.
US08236918B2	Polyether-functional siloxanes, polyether siloxane-containing compositions, methods for the production thereof and use thereof The present invention provides a linear, cyclic or branched polyether-functional siloxane or a mixture of polyether-functional siloxanes of the general formula (I) R[—O(3-h)/2Si(R1)(OR)h]x[—O(3-i-j)/2Si(R2)(R3)i(OR)j]y, (II) in which groups R are identical or different and R is essentially H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, t-butyl, 2-methoxyethyl or 2-hydroxyethyl or, in the case of cyclic siloxanes, may be a silyl radical of the silyl units of the formula (I), groups R1 are identical or different and R1 is a terminally blocked polyether group of the formula (II), R4—O[—R5—O]n[(—R6)m]— (II) and groups R2 are identical or different and R2 is a linear, branched or cyclic, optionally substituted alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or a mercaptoalkyl group or an alkenyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms or an aminoalkyl group or the general formula (III) H2N(CH2)d[(NH)e(CH2)f]g—(CH2)3— (III) The present invention further provides aqueous and/or alcoholic compositions which comprise a polyether siloxane according to formula (I), to methods for the production of said systems, and to the use thereof.
US08236917B2	Compound having silsesquioxane skeleton and its polymer A compound represented by Formula (1) and a polymer obtained using the compound: wherein R1 is phenyl which may have substituents, Q1 is hydrogen, halogen, alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cyclohexenyl or phenyl in which optional hydrogen may be replaced by halogen or alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, Q2 is a group represented by Formula (2): <—Z0A1-Z1lA2-Z2mA3-Z3nA4p—Z4— (2) wherein the code < represents a bonding point with silicon, l, m, n and p are independently 0, 1, 2 or 3, and A1 to A4, Z0 to Z4 and Y1 are defined in the specification.
US08236911B2	Water-soluble resin, hair cosmetic material containing the same, and silicone oil adsorption assistant Provided is a water-soluble resin which gives a conditioning effect when it is used in a hair cosmetic material containing an anionic surfactant, or the like. A water-soluble resin having a structure corresponding to a copolymer of a monomer mixture containing a vinylic monomer (A) having a hydroxyl group and an amido bond, and a vinylic monomer (B) having a cationic group.
US08236910B2	Cycloolefin copolymers, a process for their preparation and the use thereof and catalysts Cycloolefin copolymers which are distinguished by the presence of racemic diads of repeating polycyclic units and additionally by racemic triads of repeating polycyclic units are described. These copolymers can be prepared by copolymerization of polycyclic olefins with linear olefins in the presence of metallocene catalysts which have no Cs symmetry in relation to the centroid-M-centroid plane. The novel copolymers can be used for the production of shaped articles, in particular of films.
US08236902B2	Fluorocarbon mediated polymer blends and methods for making thereof The present invention discloses a method for making blended polymers by utilizing fluorophilic inter-polymer associative interactions between perfluorocarbon functional groups attached on the constituent polymers. The method of the present invention is capable of forming blended polymers from otherwise incompatible polymers. Also disclosed are blended polymers obtained by the method thereof. Methods and devices utilizing novel blended polymer of the present invention including chromatography, catalysis, photonic and sensor applications are also provided.
US08236896B2	Powdery processing aid for polyolefin resins, method for producing the same, resin composition and shaped article Disclosed are a powdery processing aid for polyolefin resins, containing an alkyl methacrylate polymer which has alkyl methacrylate units having an alkyl group with 2 to 6 carbon atoms as a main component and has a mass average molecular weight of 150,000 to 20,000,000, having good handling properties as a powder, having good dispersibility in polyolefin resins, and being able to improve shaping processability of polyolefin resins; and a polyolefin resin composition having improved shaping processability, which contains a powdery processing aid for polyolefin resins and a polyolefin resin.
US08236887B2	Fluorine-containing polymer having heteroaromatic ring There is provided a fluorine-containing polymer having an ionic group which has a heteroaromatic ring and is useful as a material comprising various heteroaromatic ring compounds having a stable fluorine-containing heteroaromatic ring, and further a fluorine-containing polymer having a heteroaromatic ring which is useful as a starting material of the above-mentioned polymer or a curing agent. Also, there is provided a fluorine-containing polymer having a heteroaromatic ring such as imidazole in its side chain, a polymer salt thereof, and a polymer composition comprising such a polymer and a polymer salt and a nano filler.
US08236885B2	Exterior paint formulation The present invention provides increased stain resistance, tannin blocking, adhesion, and various other properties. A composition in accordance with the principles of the present invention comprises at least two binders, nanoparticle pigment, and pigmentary titanium dioxide. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a coating on a substrate wherein the coating has two binders, nanoparticle metal oxide pigment, and pigmentary titanium dioxide. Various additives may be included to formulate paint as known in the art.
US08236876B2	Superabsorbent polymer compositions having color stability The invention relates to absorptive, crosslinked polymeric compositions that are based on partly neutralized, monoethylenically unsaturated monomer carrying acid groups wherein the absorptive, crosslinked polymeric composition further includes an antioxidant and is color stable.
US08236871B2	Polymerizable compositions containing salts of barbituric acid derivatives This invention relates to polymerizable compositions comprising a salt of a barbituric acid derivative. The compositions are typically shelf-life stable and may be polymerized through mixing of an acidic component with the salt of a barbituric acid derivative.
US08236869B2	Polyether polyol, rigid polyurethane foam and processes for production thereof Highly-functionalized, low-viscosity polyether polyols are obtained by dehydration condensation reaction of alcohols.The polyether polyols are obtained by dehydration condensation of glycerin and monohydric and/or dihydric alcohol with the glycerin percentage being more than 50 mol % relative to 100 mol % of the total of the glycerin and alcohol. The glycerin may be crude glycerin obtained by hydrolysis or alcoholysis of natural fat and oils.
US08236857B2	Extended-release formulation for reducing the frequency of urination and method of use thereof Methods and compositions for reducing the frequency of urination are disclosed. One method comprises administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an analgesic agent formulated in an extended-release formulation. Another method comprises administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising multiple active ingredients formulated for extended-release. Yet another method comprises administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of a diuretic followed with another administration of an pharmaceutical composition comprising an analgesic agent formulated for extended-release.
US08236841B2	Fused heterocycle derivative A fused heterocycle derivative represented by the general formula (I): (wherein R1 represents optionally substituted lower alkyl, or the like; R2 represents an optionally substituted aliphatic heterocyclic group, or the like; R3 represents —C(═Z)NR5R6 (wherein R5 and R6 represent optionally substituted lower alkyl, or the like, and Z represents an oxygen atom or the like), or the like; n represents an integer of 1 to 3; and W represents C—R5 (wherein R5 represents a hydrogen atom or the like)) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and the like are provided.
US08236840B2	Thiopene containing analogues of fluconazole as antifungal agents and process for their preparation The present invention discloses novel compounds of the Formula (1), containing thiophene moieties and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, methods for preparing these compounds, the use of these compounds in prevention and treatment of fungal infections, and pharmaceutical preparations containing these novel compounds.
US08236835B2	Heterocyclic inhibitors of stearoyl-CoA desaturase The present invention provides heterocyclic derivatives that modulate the activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturase. Methods of using such derivatives to modulate the activity of stearoyl-CoA desaturase and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such derivatives are also encompassed.
US08236830B2	Pesticide composition comprising propamocarb-fosetylate and an insecticidally active substance The present invention relates to a pesticide composition intended for protecting plants, crops or seeds against phyto-pathogenic fungi or damaging insects, and the corresponding methods of treatment using the said composition. More precisely, the subject of the present invention is a pesticide composition based on propamocarb-fosetylate, an insecticide active substance and optionally a further fungicide active substance.
US08236826B2	Diarylether derivatives as antitumor agents An object of the present invention is to provide a medicinal drug much improved in anti tumor activity and excellent in safety. According to the present invention, there is provided a medicinal drug containing a compound represented by the following general formula (1) or a salt thereof as an active ingredient: [Formula 1] wherein X1 represents a nitrogen atom or a group —CH═, R1 represents a group —Z—R6, in which Z represents a group —CO—, a group —CH(OH)— or the like, R6 represents a 5- to 15-membered monocyclic, dicyclic or tricyclic saturated or unsaturated heterocyclic group having 1 to 4 nitrogen atoms, oxygen atoms or sulfur atoms, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, Y represents a group —O—, a group —CO—, a group —CH(OH)— or a lower alkylene group, and A represents [Formula 2] wherein R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a lower alkoxy group or the like, p represents 1 or 2, R4 represents an imidazolyl lower alkyl group or the like.
US08236819B2	Dihydro-[1H]-quinolin-2-one derivatives as RXR agonists for the treatment of dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes The present invention relates to compounds of Formula (I), methods for preparing these compounds, compositions, intermediates and derivatives thereof and for treating RXR mediated disorders. More particularly, the compounds of the present invention are RXR agonists useful for treating RXR mediated disorders.
US08236818B2	Substituted imidazopyridine derivatives as melanocortin-4 receptor antagonists The present invention relates to substituted imidazopyridine derivatives as melanocortin-4 receptor (MC-4R) modulators, in particular as melanocortin-4 receptor antagonists. The antagonists are useful for the treatment of disorders and diseases such as cancer cachexia, muscle wasting, anorexia, amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), anxiety and depression.
US08236807B2	Quinoxalinyl macrocyclic hepatitis C serine protease inhibitors The present invention relates to compounds of Formula I or II, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester, or prodrug, thereof: which inhibit serine protease activity, particularly the activity of hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3-NS4A protease. Consequently, the compounds of the present invention interfere with the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus and are also useful as antiviral agents. The present invention further relates to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the aforementioned compounds for administration to a subject suffering from HCV infection. The invention also relates to methods of treating an HCV infection in a subject by administering a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compounds of the present invention.
US08236806B2	Piperazinyl-propyl-pyrazole derivatives as dopamine D4 receptor antagonists, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the same The present invention relates to a novel piperazinyl-propyl-pyrazole derivative, a method of its preparation and a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising the same. The novel piperazinyl-propyl-pyrazole derivative of the present invention has superior selective affinity for dopamine D4 receptor, can effectively inhibit psychotic behavior (cage climbing) induced by apomorphine, and has relatively low adverse effects in mouse rotarod test. Therefore, it can be developed as a therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of central nervous system (CNS) disorders, in particular, schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, stress diseases, panic disorder, phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, cognitive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, anxiety, paraphrenia, mania, seizure disorder, personality disorder, migraine, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, obesity, eating disorder, and sleeping disorder.
US08236802B2	PARP inhibitor compounds, compositions and methods of use The present invention relates to tetraaza phenalen-3-one compounds which inhibit poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and are useful in the chemosensitization of cancer therapeutics. The induction of peripheral neuropathy is a common side-effect of many of the conventional and newer chemotherapies. The present invention further provides means to reliably prevent or cure chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. The invention also relates to the use of the disclosed PARP inhibitor compounds in enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents such as temozolomide. The invention also relates to the use of the disclosed PARP inhibitor compounds to radiosensitize tumor cells to ionizing radiation. The invention also relates to the use of the disclosed PARP inhibitor compounds for treatment of cancers with DNA repair defects.
US08236796B2	Aryl- and heteroaryl-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines and use thereof to block reuptake of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin The compounds of the present invention are represented by the chemical structure found in Formula (I): wherein: the carbon atom designated * is in the R or S configuration; and X is a fused bicyclic carbocycle or heterocycle selected from the group consisting of benzofuranyl, benzo[b]thiophenyl, benzoisothiazolyl, benzoisoxazolyl, indazolyl, indolyl, isoindolyl, indolizinyl, benzoimidazolyl, benzooxazolyl, benzothiazolyl, benzotriazolyl, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridinyl, pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridinyl, [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3 -a]pyridinyl, thieno[2,3-b]pyridinyl, thieno[3,2-b]pyridinyl, 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridinyl, indenyl, indanyl, dihydrobenzocycloheptenyl, tetrahydrobenzocycloheptenyl, dihydrobenzothiophenyl, dihydrobenzofuranyl, indolinyl, naphthyl, tetrahydronaphthyl, quinolinyl, isoquinolinyl, 4H-quinolizinyl, 9aH-quinolizinyl, quinazolinyl, cinnolinyl, phthalazinyl, quinoxalinyl, benzo[1,2,3]triazinyl, benzo[1,2,4]triazinyl, 2H-chromenyl, 4H-chromenyl, and a fused bicyclic carbocycle or fused bicyclic heterocycle optionally substituted with substituents (1 to 4 in number) as defined in R14; with R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, and R14 defined herein.
US08236795B2	IL-12 modulatory compounds The invention relates to heterocyclic compounds, compositions including the compounds and methods of using and methods of making thereof. The compounds (and compositions) are useful, inter alia, in modulating IL-12 production and processes mediated by IL-12.
US08236794B2	Treatment of mesothelioma A method of treating mesothelioma in a mammal, whereby a methylol-containing compound is administered to the mammal intrapleurally.
US08236788B2	Azolylmethyloxiranes, use thereof for controlling plant pathogenic fungi, and agents containing the same The present invention relates to azolylmethyloxiranes of the general formula I in which A or B is phenyl which is substituted by one CN and optionally by one to three of the following substituents: halogen, NO2, amino, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, thio or C1-C4-alkylthio, and the respective other substituent A or B is phenyl or 5-membered or 6-membered heteroaryl, these substituents optionally being substituted by one to three of the following substituents: halogen, CN, NO2, amino, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, thio or C1-C4-alkylthio, and to the plant-compatible acid addition salts or metal salts thereof, to the use of the compounds of the formula I for controlling phytopathogenic fungi and to compositions comprising these compounds.
US08236786B2	Respiratory disease treatment There is provided a pharmaceutical composition that is adapted for pulmonary administration by inhalation, which composition comprises a glitazone, such as pioglitazone or rosiglitazone, and one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or excipients, and wherein the glitazone content of the composition consists of at least 95% by weight of the 5R enantiomer and less than 5% by weight of the 5S enantiomer. There is also provided a use and kit.
US08236779B2	Antiviral nucleosides Compounds having the formula I wherein R1, R2 and R3 are as defined herein are Hepatitis C virus NS5b polymerase inhibitors. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for treating an HCV infection and inhibiting HCV replication.
US08236777B2	MicroRNA (miRNA) and downstream targets for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes The present invention relates to a promoter region of a microRNA, the use of a microRNA, in particular miR-21, and related elements for the diagnosis and for the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment and/or prevention of fibrosis and/or fibrosis related diseases. Additionally, the invention concerns antisense oligonucleotides against targets of miR-21. A cell deficient for miR-21, the promoter region and targets of miR-21 and a knock-out organism thereof are also encompassed. Finally, the invention is directed to a method for diagnosing fibrosis and/or fibrosis related diseases and to a method for screening a pharmaceutically active compound for the treatment of fibrosis and/or fibrosis related diseases. The present invention further relates to compositions for use in the treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of fibrosis. In certain embodiments, the compositions modulate the activity of a miRNA for the treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of fibrosis. In certain embodiments, the compositions inhibit the activity of miR-21 for the treatment, amelioration, and/or prevention of fibrosis.
US08236774B2	Human telomerase catalytic subunit The invention provides compositions and methods related to human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT), the catalytic protein subunit of human telomerase. The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention are useful for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of human diseases, for changing the proliferative capacity of cells and organisms, and for identification and screening of compounds and treatments useful for treatment of diseases such as cancers.
US08236772B2	Methods of modulating angiogenesis and screening compounds for activity in modulating angiogenesis The present invention provides methods of modulating angiogenesis in an individual, as well as methods of identifying a candidate agent that modulates angiogenesis, where such methods involve modulating and identifying agents that modulate expression of gene products of a subset of genes concordantly-regulated by agonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), bFGF receptor, and VEGF receptor.
US08236767B2	Methods for treating inflammation using B7-H4 polypeptides and fragments thereof The invention provides novel B7-H3 and B7-H4 polypeptides useful for co-stimulating T cells, isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding them, vectors containing the nucleic acid molecules, and cells containing the vectors. Also included are methods of making and using these co-stimulatory polypeptides.
US08236764B2	Methods for treating a hemostasis related disorder using activated forms of Factor V Methods for the treatment of coagulation disorders using Factor V/Va variants are provided.
US08236761B2	C-Met receptor regulation by angiotensin IV (AT4) receptor ligands The cell surface c-Met receptor, through which hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) signals are mediated, has now been identified as the Angiotensin-IV receptor (AT(4)R) in processes that include HGF-regulated cell motility, angiogenesis, cancer metastasis, adipogenesis and others. Disclosed are angiotensin-like factor compositions and methods for using them to diagnose, prevent and/or treat conditions associated with c-Met dysregulation, including cancer, obesity and conditions associated with obesity, and other disorders, for example, by altering hepatocyte growth factor activity or c-Met receptor activity by administering an angiotensin-like factor that specifically binds to a cell surface c-Met receptor.
US08236753B2	RAP variants for drug delivery and methods of use thereof The present invention relates to stabilized RAP variants and methods of use thereof. Conjugates of stabilized RAP variants to therapeutic compounds and stabilized RAP fusion proteins comprising therapeutic polypeptides are also presented.
US08236748B2	pH tuneable amido-gellant for use in consumer product compositions The invention is to pH tunable amido-gellant that are suitable for use in consumer product compositions.
US08236747B2	Consumer product packets with enhanced performance The present invention includes a consumer product packet comprising a capsule and a fill composition within the capsule. The capsule has a tack temperature of about 110° F. or higher and substantially dissolves in water within a predetermined time period at a temperature of about 70° F. or lower. In one example, the capsule comprises a film having at least one polymer, at least one plasticizer, and at least one temperature adjusting agent. Dependent on the fill composition, the consumer product packet may be used for any household or personal use. In one example, the fill composition is a detergent concentrate comprises one or more surfactants, one or more humectants, and a coalescing solvent which has hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value from about 7 to about 9, wherein the ratio of the one or more humectants to the coalescing solvent is more than 1.
US08236736B2	Oil-based insulating packer fluid A packer or annular fluid includes a hydrocarbon fluid; and a gelling agent; wherein the packer fluid is a yield power law fluid. A method for preparing a packer fluid includes preparing a mixture of a hydrocarbon fluid, and a gelling agent; heating the mixture to a selected temperature; and shearing the mixture. A method for emplacing a packer fluid into an annulus includes preparing the packer fluid that includes a hydrocarbon fluid and a gelling agent, wherein the packer fluid is a yield power law fluid; and pumping the packer fluid into the annulus.
US08236725B2	Gold carbon monoxide oxidation catalysts with etched substrate Applicant discloses multifunctional, highly active oxidation catalysts and methods of making such catalysts. Such methods include providing nanoparticles comprising titanium-oxo and zinc-oxo compositions, such as crystalline anatase titania nanoparticles with zinc-oxo domains on their surfaces, and etching the nanoparticles. The method also includes depositing catalytically active gold onto the nanoparticles, by, for example, physical vapor deposition.
US08236717B2	Glass plate for substrate Provided is a glass plate for a substrate, which comprises, as a glass matrix composition as represented by mass % based on oxide: SiO2: 70 to 80, Al2O3: 0.1 to 5, B2O3: 0 to 3, MgO: 9.5 to 12, where the amount of CaO+SrO+BaO is 0 to 2, and the amount of Na2O+K2O is 12.5 to 15.5, which has a density of at most 2.5 g/cm3, has an average coefficient of thermal expansion from 50 to 350° C. of more than 75×10−7/° C. and at most 87×10−7/° C., has a glass transition point of at least 560° C., has a brittleness of at most 6.5 μm−1/2, and has a heat shrinkage (C)of at most 20 ppm.
US08236711B1	Flexible spike and knife resistant composite A flexible spike and knife resistant composite incorporating a stack of at least ten consolidated layer groupings. Each layer grouping has a normalized stiffness of less than about 5 g/g/m2 as tested by a modified ASTM Test Method D6828-02 and contains one or two spike resistant textile layers, an adhesive layer, and one or two knife resistant textile layers. The spike resistant textile layers contain a plurality of interlocked yarns or fibers, where the yarns or fibers have a tenacity of about 8 or more grams per denier and the fiber size is less than ten denier per filament. The knife resistant textile layers contain monoaxially drawn fiber elements, where the fiber elements have an aspect ratio of greater than one and have a size greater than 100 denier per filament. The fiber elements of the knife resistant textile layer are bonded to each other or to the spike resistant layer.
US08236707B2	Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention includes the steps of: (a) introducing hydrogen and oxygen on a SiC substrate; and (b) subjecting the hydrogen and the oxygen to a combustion reaction on the SiC substrate to form a gate oxide film being a silicon oxide film on a surface of the SiC substrate by the combustion reaction.
US08236700B2	Method for patterning an ARC layer using SF6 and a hydrocarbon gas A method of pattern etching a Si-containing anti-reflective coating (ARC) layer is described. The method comprises etching a feature pattern into the silicon-containing ARC layer using plasma formed from a process gas containing SF6 and a hydrocarbon gas. The method further comprises adjusting a flow rate of the hydrocarbon gas relative to a flow rate of the SF6 to reduce a CD bias between a final CD for nested structures in the feature pattern and a final CD for isolated structures in the feature pattern.
US08236693B2	Methods of forming silicides of different thicknesses on different structures The gate and active regions of a device are formed and alternating steps of applying and removing nitride and oxide layers allows exposing silicon in different areas while keeping silicon or polysilicon in other area covered with nitride. Metal layers are deposited over the exposed silicon or polysilicon and annealing forms a silicide layer in the selected exposed areas. The oxide and/or nitride layers are removed from the covered areas and another metal layer is deposited. The anneal process is repeated with silicide of one thickness formed over the second exposed areas with additional thickness of silicide formed over the previous silicide thickness.
US08236679B2	Manufacturing method of semiconductor memory device using insulating film as charge storage layer A manufacturing method of a semiconductor memory device includes forming a first gate electrode having a charge storage layer, a block layer, and a control gate electrode on a first region of a semiconductor substrate, forming a second gate electrode on a second region of the semiconductor substrate, forming a protective insulating film on a side surface of the block layer, exposing the first region while covering the second region on the semiconductor substrate with a photoresist, using the photoresist, the first gate electrode, and the protective insulating film as masks to implant an impurity into the first region of the semiconductor substrate, and removing the photoresist by wet etching which uses a mixed solution containing H2SO4 and H2O2. The protective insulating film having an etching selective ratio of 1:100 or above with respect to the photoresist under wet etching conditions using the mixed solution.
US08236676B2	Integrated circuit having doped semiconductor body and method An integrated circuit and method for making an integrated circuit including doping a semiconductor body is disclosed. One embodiment provides defect-correlated donors and/or acceptors. The defects required for this are produced by electron irradiation of the semiconductor body. Form defect-correlated donors and/or acceptors with elements or element compounds are introduced into the semiconductor body.
US08236675B2	Semiconductor device and method of fabricating a semiconductor device A method is proposed for the fabrication of the gate electrode of a semiconductor device such that the effects of gate depletion are minimized. The method is comprised of a dual deposition process wherein the first step is a very thin layer that is doped very heavily by ion implantation. The second deposition, with an associated ion implant for doping, completes the gate electrode. With the two-deposition process, it is possible to maximize the doping at the gate electrode/gate dielectric interface while minimizing risk of boron penetration of the gate dielectric. A further development of this method includes the patterning of both gate electrode layers with the advantage of utilizing the drain extension and source/drain implants as the gate doping implants and the option of offsetting the two patterns to create an asymmetric device. A method is also provided for the formation of shallow junctions in a semiconductor substrate by diffusion of dopant from an implanted layer contained within a dielectric layer into the semiconductor surface. Further, the ion implanted layer is provided with a second implanted species, such as hydrogen, in addition to the intended dopant species, wherein said species enhances the diffusivity of the dopant in the dielectric layer.
US08236669B2	High-temperature spin-on temporary bonding compositions New compositions and methods of using those compositions as bonding compositions are provided. The compositions are preferably thermoplastic and comprise imides, amideimides, and/or amideimide-siloxanes (either in polymeric or oligomeric form) dispersed or dissolved in a solvent system, and can be used to bond an active wafer to a carrier wafer or substrate to assist in protecting the active wafer and its active sites during subsequent processing and handling. The compositions form bonding layers that are chemically and thermally resistant, but that can also be softened to allow the wafers to slide apart at the appropriate stage in the fabrication process.
US08236667B2	Silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer and process for producing same Ion injection is performed to a single crystal silicon wafer to form an ion injection layer, with the ion injection surface of the single crystal silicon wafer and/or the surface of the transparent insulation substrate are/is processed using plasma and/or ozone. The ion injection surface of the single crystal silicon wafer and the surface of the transparent insulation substrate are bonded to each other by bringing them into close contact with each other at room temperature. A silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer is obtained by mechanically peeling the single crystal silicon wafer by giving an impact to the ion injection layer, to form an SOI layer on the transparent insulation substrate, and thermal processing for flattening the SOI layer surface is performed to the SOI wafer, under an atmosphere of an inert gas, a hydrogen gas, and a mixture gas of them.
US08236664B2	Phase change memory device accounting for volume change of phase change material and method for manufacturing the same A phase change memory device includes a silicon substrate including a plurality of active regions which extend in a first direction and are arranged at regular intervals in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Switching elements are formed in each active region of the silicon substrate and are spaced apart from one another. Phase change patterns are formed in the second direction and have the shape of lines in such that the phase change patterns connect side surfaces of pairs of switching elements which are placed adjacent to each other in a direction diagonal to the first direction.
US08236663B2	Dual-damascene process to fabricate thick wire structure A method and semiconductor device. In the method, at least one partial via is etched in a stacked structure and a border is formed about the at least one partial via. The method further includes performing thick wiring using selective etching while continuing via etching to at least one etch stop layer.
US08236657B2	Replacing symmetric transistors with asymmetric transistors A semiconductor structure includes a symmetric metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor comprising a first and a second asymmetric MOS transistor. The first asymmetric MOS transistor includes a first gate electrode, and a first source and a first drain adjacent the first gate electrode. The second asymmetric MOS transistor includes a second gate electrode, and a second source and a second drain adjacent the second gate electrode. The first gate electrode is connected to the second gate electrode, wherein only one of the first source and the first drain is connected to only one of the respective second source and the second drain.
US08236646B2	Non-volatile memory manufacturing method using STI trench implantation A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit structure includes providing a semiconductor substrate and forming two trenches in the semiconductor substrate to define an active region therebetween. An implanted source region is formed in one of the trenches on one side of the active region. An implanted drain region is formed in the other trench on the other side of the active region. Shallow trench isolations are then formed in the trenches. One or more gates are formed over the active region, and contacts to the implanted source region and the implanted drain region are formed.
US08236630B2	Manufacturing method of semiconductor device, semiconductor device, and electronic device An embrittlement layer is formed in a single crystal semiconductor substrate having a (110) plane as a main surface by irradiation of the main surface with ions, and an insulating layer is formed over the main surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate. The insulating layer and a substrate having an insulating surface are bonded, and the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated along the embrittlement layer to provide a single crystal semiconductor layer having the (110) plane as a main surface over the substrate having the insulating surface. Then, an n-channel transistor and a p-channel transistor are formed so as to each have a <110> axis of the single crystal semiconductor layer in a channel length direction.
US08236629B2	Method for manufacturing thin film integrated circuit, and element substrate Application form of and demand for an IC chip formed with a silicon wafer are expected to increase, and further reduction in cost is required. An object of the invention is to provide a structure of an IC chip and a process capable of producing at a lower cost. A feature of the invention is to use a metal film and a reactant having the metal film as a separation layer. An etching rate of the metal film or the reactant having metal is high, and a physical means in addition to a chemical means of etching the metal film or the reactant having metal can be used in the invention. Thus, the IDF chip can be manufactured more simply and easily in a short time.
US08236622B2	Method for cutting electric fuse A semiconductor device includes an electric fuse formed on a semiconductor substrate and composed of an electric conductor. The electric fuse includes an upper layer interconnect, a via coupled to the upper interconnect and a lower layer interconnect coupled to the via, which are formed in different layers, respectively, in a condition before cutting the electric fuse, and wherein the electric fuse includes a flowing-out region formed of the electric conductor being flowed toward outside from the second interconnect and a void region formed between the first interconnect and the via or in the via, in a condition after cutting the electric fuse.
US08236613B2	Wafer level chip scale package method using clip array A method for wafer level chip scale package comprises providing a wafer with semiconductor chips formed thereon, forming a groove alongside each chip, providing a wafer size clip array with a plurality of clip contact areas each extending to a down set connecting bar, connecting the plurality of clip contact areas to a plurality of the electrodes disposed on a top surface of the chips with down set connecting bars disposed inside the grooves, encapsulating top of wafer in molding compound, thinning the bottom portion of the wafer and dicing the thin wafer into single chip packages. The chip has source and gate electrodes on a top surface connected to a first and second clip contact areas extending to a first a second down set connecting bars respectively, with the bottom surfaces of the down set connecting bars substantially coplanar to a drain electrode located at the chip bottom surface.
US08236609B2	Packaging an integrated circuit die with backside metallization A method (32) of packaging integrated circuit (IC) dies (48) includes applying (36) a laminating material (44) to a wafer (40), and separating (46) the wafer (40) into multiple IC dies (48) such that the laminating material (44) is applied to back surfaces (52) of the IC dies (48). Each of the IC dies (48) is positioned (62) with an active surface (50) facing a support substrate (56). An encapsulant layer (72) is formed (64) overlying the laminating material (44) and the back surfaces (52) of the IC dies (48) from a molding compound (66). The molding compound (66) and the laminating material (44) are removed from the back surfaces (52) of the IC dies (48) to form (76) openings (78) exposing the back surfaces (52). Conductive material (84, 88) is placed in the openings (78) and functions as a heat sink and/or a ground for the IC dies (48).
US08236607B2	Integrated circuit packaging system with stacked integrated circuit and method of manufacture thereof A method of manufacture an integrated circuit packaging system includes: providing a substrate; attaching a base component to the substrate by a first interconnect; attaching a stack component connected by a second interconnect to the substrate and partially over the base component, the second interconnect different from the first interconnect; molding an encapsulation over the base component, the first interconnect, the stack component, and the second interconnect; and removing the substrate to partially expose the first interconnect and the second interconnect from the encapsulation.
US08236602B2	Phase change memory device resistant to stack pattern collapse and a method for manufacturing the same A phase change memory device resistant to stack pattern collapse is presented. The phase change memory device includes a silicon substrate, switching elements, heaters, stack patterns, bit lines and word lines. The silicon substrate has a plurality of active areas. The switching elements are connected to the active areas. The heaters are connected to the switching elements. The stack patterns are connected to the heaters. The bit lines are connected to the stack patterns. The word lines are connected to the active areas of the silicon substrate.
US08236599B2	Solution-based process for making inorganic materials Disclosed embodiments provide a solution-based process for producing useful materials, such as semiconductor materials. One disclosed embodiment comprises providing at least a first reactant and a second reactant in solution and applying the solution to a substrate. The as-deposited material is thermally annealed to form desired compounds. Thermal annealing may be conducted under vacuum; under an inert atmosphere; or under a reducing environment. The method may involve using metal and chalcogen precursor compounds. One example of a metal precursor compound is a metal halide. Examples of suitable chalcogen precursor compounds include a chalcogen powder, a chalcogen halide, a chalcogen oxide, a chalcogen urea, a chalcogen or dichalcogen comprising organic ligands, or combinations thereof. Certain disclosed embodiments concern a method for making a solar cell from I-III-VI semiconductors.
US08236596B2	Diffusion furnaces employing ultra low mass transport systems and methods of wafer rapid diffusion processing Multi-zone, solar cell diffusion furnaces having a plurality of radiant element (SiC) or/and high intensity IR lamp heated process zones, including baffle, ramp-up, firing, soaking and cooling zone(s). The transport of solar cell wafers, e.g., silicon, selenium, germanium or gallium-based solar cell wafers, through the furnace is implemented by use of an ultra low-mass, wafer transport system comprising laterally spaced shielded metal bands or chains carrying non-rotating alumina tubes suspended on wires between them. The wafers rest on raised circumferential standoffs spaced laterally along the alumina tubes, which reduces contamination. The bands or chains are driven synchronously at ultra-low tension by a pin drive roller or sprocket at either the inlet or outlet end of the furnace, with appropriate tensioning systems disposed in the return path. The high intensity IR flux rapidly photo-radiation conditions the wafers so that diffusion occurs >3× faster than conventional high-mass thermal furnaces.
US08236594B2	Semiconductor-on-diamond devices and associated methods Semiconductor-on-diamond devices and methods for making such devices are provided. One such method may include depositing a semiconductor layer on a semiconductor substrate, depositing an adynamic diamond layer on the semiconductor layer opposite the semiconductor substrate, and coupling a support substrate to the adynamic diamond layer opposite the semiconductor layer to support the adynamic layer.
US08236592B2	Method of forming semiconductor device A method for forming a semiconductor device is provided including processing a wafer having a target material; forming a first pattern over the target material; forming a protection layer over the first pattern; and forming a second pattern, over the target material and not over the protection layer, without an etching step between the forming the first pattern and the forming the second pattern.
US08236590B2	DBR laser with improved thermal tuning efficiency A distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) includes a base substrate and a gain medium formed on the base substrate. A waveguide positioned above the base substrate in optical communication with the gain medium and defines a gap extending between the base substrate and the waveguide along a substantial portion of the length thereof. The waveguide may have a grating formed therein. A heating element is in thermal contact with the waveguide and electrically coupled to a controller configured to adjust optical properties of the waveguide by controlling power supplied to the heating element.
US08236581B2	Method of manufacturing semiconductor light emitting device Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor light emitting device. The method includes forming a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer on a substrate, forming an electrode layer on the light emitting structure, forming a conductive support member on the electrode layer, and planarizing a top surface of the conductive support member.
US08236580B2	Copper contamination detection method and system for monitoring copper contamination A method of monitoring copper contamination. The method includes method, comprising: (a) ion-implanting an N-type dopant into a region of single-crystal silicon substrate, the region abutting a top surface of the substrate; (c) activating the N-type dopant by annealing the substrate at a temperature of 500° C. or higher in an inert atmosphere; (c) submerging, for a present duration of time, the substrate into an aqueous solution, the aqueous solution to be monitored for copper contamination; and (d) determining an amount of copper adsorbed from the aqueous solution by the region of the substrate.
US08236576B2	Magnetic logic element with toroidal multiple magnetic films and a method of logic treatment using the same A magnetic logic element with toroidal magnetic multilayers (5,6,8,9). The magnetic logic element comprises a toroidal closed section which is fabricated by etching a unit of magnetic multilayers (5,6,8,9) deposited on a substrate. Optionally, the magnetic logic element may also comprise a metal core (10) in the closed toroidal section. Said magnetic multilayers (5,6,8,9) unit is arranged on the input signal lines A, B, C and an output signal line O, and then is made into a closed toroidal. Subsequently, on the toroidal magnetic multilayered unit (5,6,8,9), the input signal lines A′, B′, C′ and an output signal line O′ are fabricated by etching. This magnetic logic element can reduce the demagnetization field and the shape anisotropy effectively, leading to the decrease of the reversal field of magnetic free layer. Furthermore, this magnetic logic element has stable working performance and long operation life of the device.
US08236568B2	Method for analyzing hemostasis A method and device for blood hemostasis analysis is disclosed. A blood sample is displaced to reach a resonant state. The resonant frequency of the blood sample is determined before, during and after a hemostasis process. The changes in the resonant frequency of the blood sample are indicative of the hemostasis characteristics of the blood sample.
US08236564B2	Automated titration method for use on blended asphalts A system for determining parameters and compatibility of a substance such as an asphalt or other petroleum substance uses titration to highly accurately determine one or more flocculation occurrences and is especially applicable to the determination or use of Heithaus parameters and optimal mixing of various asphalt stocks. In a preferred embodiment, automated titration in an oxygen gas exclusive system and further using spectrophotometric analysis (2-8) of solution turbidity is presented. A reversible titration technique enabling in-situ titration measurement of various solution concentrations is also presented.
US08236559B2	Therapeutic human anti-IL-1R1 monoclonal antibody Antibodies that interact with interleukin-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1) are described. Methods of treating IL-1 mediated diseases by administering a pharmaceutically effective amount of antibodies to IL-1R1 are described. Methods of detecting the amount of IL-1R1 in a sample using antibodies to IL-1R1 are described.
US08236558B2	Bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) based vectors BIV packaging constructs, BIV packaging cell lines, methods of making BIV packaging cells and methods of making BIV producer cells are described.
US08236550B2	Genetic cluster of strains of Streptococcus thermophilus having appropriate acidifying and texturizing properties for dairy fermentations The invention relates to a genetic cluster of strains of Streptococcus thermophilus, which have a lysotype distinct from that of the strains currently used. Within this cluster novel acidifying and texturizing strains have been identified.
US08236548B2	Minicircle DNA vector preparations and methods of making and using the same The present invention provides minicircle nucleic acid vector formulations for use in administering to a subject, wherein the minicircle nucleic acid vectors include a polynucleotide of interest, a product hybrid sequence of a unidirectional site-specific recombinase, and are devoid of plasmid backbone bacterial DNA sequences. Also provided are methods of producing the subject formulations as well as methods for administering the minicircle nucleic acid vector formulations to a subject. The subject methods and compositions find use in a variety of different applications, including both research and therapeutic applications.
US08236547B2	Increased ethanol production in recombinant bacteria The invention pertains to a recombinant bacterium with enhanced ethanol production characteristics when cultivated in a growth medium comprising glycerol. The recombinant bacterium comprises an inserted heterologous gene encoding glycerol dehydrogenase, and/or an up-regulated native gene encoding glycerol dehydrogenase. Particularly there is provided the recombinant bacterium BG1G1 of the Thermoanaerobacter mathranii species with an inserted heterologous gene encoding the E.C. 1.1.1.6 type, a NAD dependent glycerol dehydrogenase obtained from Thermotoga maritima.
US08236546B2	Variant Humicola grisea CBH1.1 Disclosed are variants of Humicola grisea Cel7A (CBH1.1), H. jecorina CBH1 variant or S. thermophilium CBH1, nucleic acids encoding the same and methods for producing the same. The variant cellulases have the amino acid sequence of a glycosyl hydrolase of family 7A wherein one or more amino acid residues are substituted.
US08236537B2	Ferulate esterase producing strains for the enhancement of biogas production Compositions of ferulate esterase producing bacterial strains or functional mutants thereof and methods of using ferulate esterase producing bacterial strains as silage inoculants for the enhancement of biogas production are disclosed. Ferulate esterase producing bacterial strains of Lactobacillus, including Lactobacillus buchneri, or functional mutants thereof are used as silage inoculants to improve the degradation of plant biomass for enhanced production of biogas.
US08236532B2	Multibase delivery for long reads in sequencing by synthesis protocols Methods for obtaining nucleic acid sequence information including the steps of (a) providing a first sequencing reagent to a target nucleic acid in the presence of a polymerase, wherein the first sequencing reagent includes at least two different nucleotide monomers and no more than three nucleotide monomers, wherein the nucleotide monomers are simultaneously in the presence of the target nucleic acid, (b) providing a second sequencing reagent to the target nucleic acid, wherein the second sequencing reagent comprises one or more nucleotide monomers, at least one of the one or more nucleotide monomers being different from the nucleotide monomers present in the first sequencing reagent, and wherein the second sequencing reagent is provided subsequent to providing the first sequencing reagent, and optionally (c) repeating (a) and (b) for said target nucleic acid, whereby sequence information for at least a portion of the target nucleic acid is obtained.
US08236521B2	Methods for isolating cells based on product secretion The invention provides methods for purifying one or more cells based on the level of one or more products secreted by the cells. In one embodiment, the method involves (a) contacting a plurality of cells immobilized in proximity to a capture matrix, the capture matrix capable of localizing a product secreted by one or more of the cells, with an agent that selectively binds to the product, the agent capable of generating a signal detectable as a property of light; (b) illuminating a population of the cells, the population contained in a frame; (c) detecting two or more properties of light directed from the frame, wherein a first property of light identifies substantially all cells of the population, and the second property of light identifies product localized to the capture matrix; (d) locating (i) substantially all cells of the population with reference to the detected first property of light, and (ii) one or more selected cells with reference to the detected second property of light, and (e) irradiating the non-selected cells, wherein each non-selected cell receives a substantially lethal dose of radiation, whereby one or more selected cells having a desired product secretion profile are purified.
US08236509B2	Method for preparing antibody monolayers which have controlled orientation using peptide hybrid The present invention relates to a method for preparing an protein monolayer using a peptide hybrid for protein immobilization, more precisely a peptide hybrid for protein immobilization which has improved solubility by introducing a PEG linker and a proper reaction group to the oligopeptide having specific affinity to selected types of proteins and is designed to provide enough space between solid substrates and proteins immobilized, whereby various solid substrates treated by the hybrid catch specific proteins effectively on. The peptide hybrid for protein immobilization of the present invention facilitates the control of orientation of an antibody on various solid surfaces and immobilization of various antibodies of different origins or having different isotypes with different affinity. Therefore, the surface treatment technique using the peptide hybrid of the invention can be effectively used for the production of various immunosensors and immune chips.
US08236505B2	Method for pairwise sequencing of target polynucleotides The invention relates to methods for pairwise sequencing of a double-stranded polynucleotide template, which methods result in the sequential determination of nucleotide sequences in two distinct and separate regions of the polynucleotide template. Using the methods of the invention it is possible to obtain two linked or paired reads of sequence information from each double-stranded template on a clustered array, rather than just a single sequencing read from one strand of the template.
US08236493B2	Methods of enzymatic discrimination enhancement and surface-bound double-stranded DNA Methods for discriminating between fully complementary hybrids and those that differ by one or more base pairs and libraries of unimolecular, double-stranded oligonucleotides on a solid support. In one embodiment, the present invention provides methods of using nuclease treatment to improve the quality of hybridization signals on high density oligonucleotide arrays. In another embodiment, the present invention provides methods of using ligation reactions to improve the quality of hybridization signals on high density oligonucleotide arrays. In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides libraries of unimolecular or intermolecular, double-stranded oligonucleotides on a solid support. These libraries are useful in pharmaceutical discovery for the screening of numerous biological samples for specific interactions between the double-stranded oligonucleotides, and peptides, proteins, drugs and RNA. In a related aspect, the present invention provides libraries of conformationally restricted probes on a solid support. The probes are restricted in their movement and flexibility using double-stranded oligonucleotides as scaffolding. The probes are also useful in various screening procedures associated with drug discovery and diagnosis. The present invention further provides methods for the preparation and screening of the above libraries.
US08236488B2	Method of screening for therapeutic compounds for vascular disorders and hypertension based on URAT1 activity modulation It is intended to clarify a transportation system participating in the uric acid uptake in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and provide a novel remedy, a preventive or a treating agent for vascular disorders, hypertension and renal disorders with the use of a drug participating in this transportation system. It is also intended to provide a novel screening system for a remedy, a preventive or a treating agent for vascular disorders, hypertension and renal disorders with the use of such a transportation system. Namely, a medicinal composition for healing, preventing or treating vascular disorders, hypertension and renal disorders which comprises a drug having an effect of inhibiting the uric acid uptake by a uric acid transporter URAT1 and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier; and a method of screening a substance efficacious for healing, preventing or treating vascular disorders, hypertension and renal disorders which comprises using a cell line expressing URAT1 in the presence or absence of a test compound and assaying the uric acid uptake level, cell proliferation ability or the amount of a monocyte chemotactic factor produced by the cells.
US08236486B2	Flush preservation solution Flush preservation solution for the preservation of cells in the absence of a blood supply comprising: v) water for injection; and vi) at least one saccharide such as a monosaccharide, disaccharide, trisaccharide, or polysaccharide and vii) at least one component with pH buffer properties; and viii) at least one component with calcium transport blocking properties or an anti-calcium action activity; method for the preparation thereof; use thereof in transplantation including organs from heart beating or non heart beating donors, in surgery including any situation of warm or cold ischaemia, cardioplegia or open heart surgery, whole limb or whole body preservation in experimentation on living tissues or in culturing and preserving engineered cells, tissues and organs, limbs or the whole body; method for flushing, preserving or flush preservation of cells; and a kit of parts comprising the solution components.
US08236483B2	Method of forming resist pattern A method of forming a resist pattern including: forming a resist film on a substrate using a chemically amplified negative resist composition; forming a latent image of a first line and space pattern by subjecting the resist film to first exposure through a photomask; forming a latent image of a second line and space pattern so as to intersect with the latent image of the first line and space pattern by subjecting the resist film to second exposure through a photomask; and subjecting the resist film to developing to form a hole pattern in the resist film.
US08236482B2	Photoresist compositions and methods of use in high index immersion lithography The present invention relates to a composition comprising a photoresist polymer and a fluoropolymer. In one embodiment, the fluoropolymer comprises a first monomer having a pendant group selected from alicyclic bis-hexafluoroisopropanol and aryl bis-hexafluoroisopropanol and preferably a second monomer selected from fluorinated styrene and fluorinated vinyl ether. The invention composition has improved receding contact angles with high refractive index hydrocarbon fluids used in immersion lithography and, thereby, provides improved performance in immersion lithography.
US08236471B2	Toner for developing electrostatic charge image, developer for developing an electrostatic charge image, toner cartridge, process cartridge, and image forming apparatus A toner for developing an electrostatic charge image, the toner including a binder resin containing a crystalline polyester resin and a noncrystalline polyester resin, a colorant, a releasing agent, a ketone solvent, and an alcoholic solvent, the total concentration of the ketone solvent and the alcoholic solvent in the toner dispersion liquid being less than about 10 ppm when 0.5 g of the toner is dispersed in 2 g of deionized water to form a toner dispersion liquid, and the total concentration of the ketone solvent and the alcoholic solvent in the toner dispersion liquid being from about 2 ppm to about 50 ppm when 0.5 g of the toner is dispersed in 2 g of N,N-dimethylformamide to form a toner dispersion liquid.
US08236469B2	Single layer photoreceptor comprising high mobility transport mixtures The presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to layers that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrophotographic, including digital, apparatuses. In particular, the present embodiments pertain to an improved imaging member comprising a single layer in which the single layer further comprises a combination of one or more high mobility hole (charge) transport molecules and electron transport molecules.
US08236468B2	Organic photoreceptor, image forming apparatus, and process cartridge In the present invention, an objective is to provide an organic photoreceptor exhibiting extremely high moire resistance, but also to provide an organic photoreceptor capable of acquiring a high quality image to realize no generation of image defects such as black spots or the like. Also disclosed is an organic photoreceptor possessing a conductive support and layered thereon, an intermediate layer, a charge generation layer and a charge transport layer in this order, wherein the intermediate layer possesses porous silica in which metal oxide is encapsulated.
US08236464B1	Method for fabricating a mask A method for making a mask, in which, an imprinting lithography process is employed to form a pattern in a first region of a mask substrate, and an E-beam writing process is employed to form another pattern in a second region of the mask substrate. Furthermore, these two patterns may be well stitched through an optical alignment process in an E-beam writing chamber.
US08236461B2	Type of fuel cell bipolar plates constructed with multiple pass flow channels that contract, expand, deflect and split reactant flows for improving reactant flow distribution, diffusion and water management A type of fuel cell bipolar plates is constructed with multiple splitting and deflecting flow channels through which reactant flows are constantly contracted, expanded, split into more than one flow streams, and deflected in flow directions for improving reactant flow distribution, diffusion and water management.
US08236460B2	Fuel cell system A fuel cell system includes: an AC impedance measuring unit which measures an AC impedance of a fuel cell at a scavenging start and measures an AC impedance of the fuel cell when a predetermined time has elapsed from the scavenging start; a scavenging execution time estimation unit which estimates a scavenging execution time based on the AC impedance measured at the scavenging start, the AC impedance measured at the time when the predetermined time has elapsed from the scavenging start and the predetermined time; and a limit unit which limits the scavenging execution time to a predetermined maximum scavenging time if the scavenging execution time exceeds the maximum scavenging time.
US08236456B2	Bidirectional water separator A flow shifting fuel cell with water separator. The water separator is used to control the amount of moisture that passes through the anode flowpath of one or more fuel cells in one or more fuel cell stacks. The water separator is made up of a housing to direct the flow of a moisture-bearing fluid as well as act as a collection and container for separated moisture. Fluid that is cyclically passing through the fuel cell stack as part of its flow shifting mode of operation oscillates back and forth across a separation chamber formed within the water separator, thereby allowing bidirectional control of the moisture content within the fluid. A drain is formed in the separation chamber to allow removal of condensed water.
US08236454B2	Negative electrode for lithium ion secondary battery and lithium ion secondary battery including the same A negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery of the present invention includes a sheet-like current collector and an active material layer carried on the current collector. The current collector includes a substrate and a surface portion that undergoes plastic deformation more easily than the substrate. The surface portion has protrusions and recesses. The active material layer includes a plurality of columnar particles containing silicon. The columnar particles are carried on the surface portion.
US08236450B2	Lithium insertion electrode materials based on orthosilicates derivatives A lithium insertion-type positive electrode material based on an orthosilicate structure and electrical generators and variable optical transmission devices of this material are provided.
US08236440B2	Partial flow cell A partial flow cell may include a cathode chamber, an anode chamber, and a separator arrangement sandwiched between the cathode and anode chambers. The separator arrangement may be configured to permit ionic flow between electroactive materials disposed within the cathode and anode chambers. One of the cathode and anode chambers may be configured to permit an electroactive material to flow through the chamber during operation. The other of the cathode and anode chambers may be configured to hold an electroactive material fixed within the chamber during operation.
US08236438B2	Nonaqueous electrolyte battery A nonaqueous electrolyte battery includes an outer case having one open end portion, a battery element held in the outer case, and a battery lid which is disposed on the one open end portion and which is provided with a protrusion portion protruded toward the outside of the battery, at least two opening portions disposed in the protrusion portion, and release portions disposed adjoining the respective opening portions so as to deform in accordance with an increase in internal pressure of the battery.
US08236435B2	Board assembly for rechargeable battery and battery pack using the same A board assembly for a rechargeable battery includes a cover case including a cover plate, and side walls disposed on a circumference of the cover plate and including respective openings that are offset from each other; and a circuit board mounted between the side walls of the cover case.
US08236427B2	Moistureproof cellulose ester film, polarizer-protective film, and polarizer A moistureproof cellulose ester film which has satisfactory optical performances, excellent moisture permeability, and excellent dimensional stability; and a protective film for polarizers which comprises the film. This moistureproof cellulose ester film comprises: a cellulose ester film and, deposited on at least one side thereof in the following order, one or more adhesion layers each having a carbon content in terms of atom number concentration of 1-40% and comprising an inorganic compound as the main component, one or more barrier layers each having a carbon content in terms of atom number concentration of 0.1% or lower, comprising silicon oxide as the main component, and having a film density of 2.16-2.60, and one or more protective layers each having a carbon content in terms of atom number concentration of 1-40% and comprising an inorganic compound as the main component. The total thickness of these deposit layers on one side is 1-100 nm. It is characterized in that the barrier layers on one side have a thickness of 0.1-30 nm.
US08236426B2	Inorganic substrates with hydrophobic surface layers Inorganic substrates with a hydrophobic surface layer of a fluorinated material having the following structure are disclosed: where A is an oxygen radical or a chemical bond; n is 1 to 20; Y is H, F, CnH2n+1 or CnF2n+1; X is H or F; b is at least 1, m is 0 to 50, and p is 1 to 20. The fluorinated material can be directly adhered to the inorganic substrate or can be indirectly adhered to the inorganic substrate through an intermediate organometallic coating.
US08236422B2	Diazonium functionalized nanoparticles and methods for binding nanoparticles to metallic surfaces In one embodiment, a functionalized particle includes a n inorganic particle with diazonium functional group attached. In some embodiments, the largest dimension of the inorganic particle ranges between about 10 nm and 1000 μm. In another embodiment, a substrate with a hydrophobic surface includes a substrate, and a first plurality of inorganic particles with at least one diazonium functional group attached to the substrate. The largest dimension of the first plurality of inorganic particles ranges between about 10 nm and 1000 μm. One embodiment includes a second plurality of particles with at least one phenol functional group attached to the inorganic particle. In a further embodiment, a fluorinated functional group is attached to the second plurality of particles. In some embodiments, the material has a hydrophobic surface with a water contact angle greater than about 150°.
US08236419B2	Amorphous silicon-containing material with hierarchical and organized porosity Material with hierarchical porosity consisting of at least two elementary spherical particles, each one of said particles comprising a matrix based on silicon oxide, mesostructured, having a mesopore diameter ranging between 1.5 and 30 nm and exhibiting amorphous and microporous walls of thickness ranging between 1.5 and 50 nm, said elementary spherical particles having a maximum diameter of 200 microns. The matrix based on silicon oxide can contain aluminium. The preparation of said material is also described.
US08236413B2	Combination structural support and thermal protection system A combination structural support and thermal protection system is provided. A cured preceramic polymer matrix reinforced with carbon fibers can be used alone or in a multiple component system.
US08236405B2	Waterproof seal for portable electronic devices A waterproof seal includes a first body and a second body. The first body is formed by inserting molding, and includes a first metal plate inside. The first body further includes a first flat surface, and defines a first groove in the first flat surface. The second body is formed by inserting molding, and includes a second metal plate inside. The second body further includes a second flat surface matching the first flat surface, and defines a second groove in the second flat surface. When the first flat surface clings to the second flat surface, a gap is formed between the first body and the second body for allowing a flexible printed circuit board to extend through.
US08236389B2	Method for making carbon nanotube films A method for making a carbon nanotube film, the method comprising the following steps of: (a) supplying a substrate; (b) forming at least one strip-shaped catalyst film on the substrate, a width of the strip-shaped catalyst films ranging from approximately 1 micrometer to 20 micrometers; (c) growing at least one strip-shaped carbon nanotube array on the substrate using a chemical vapor deposition method; and (d) causing the at least one strip-shaped carbon nanotube array to fold along a direction parallel to a surface of the substrate, thus forming at least one carbon nanotube film.
US08236372B2	Methods of forming capacitors having dielectric regions that include multiple metal oxide-comprising materials Capacitors and methods of forming capacitors are disclosed, and which include an inner conductive metal capacitor electrode and an outer conductive metal capacitor electrode. A capacitor dielectric region is received between the inner and the outer conductive metal capacitor electrodes and has a thickness no greater than 150 Angstroms. Various combinations of materials of thicknesses and relationships relative one another are disclosed which enables and results in the dielectric region having a dielectric constant k of at least 35 yet leakage current no greater than 1×10−7 amps/cm2 at from −1.1V to +1.1V.
US08236366B2	Flavorful waterless coffee Traditionally, coffee would be prepared in one of the four basic recipes; black, with sugar, with cream, or with both sugar and cream to be enjoyed as a beverage drink. It is the object of this invention to bring coffee consumption to a new solid foundation so that one can have his/her coffee and eat it too in a delicious and chewy recipe that contains all the ingredients and flavorings that coffee drinkers love but without the hot water.
US08236363B2	Method for producing instant noodles The present invention provides a method for producing instant noodles having fresh noodle-like texture and flavor and having an excellent reconstitution property even if the noodles are thick. In the present invention, superheated steam flow is directly sprayed to raw noodle strings for 5 to 50 seconds such that a temperature of superheated steam to which surfaces of the noodle strings are exposed becomes 125 to 220° C., the noodle strings are supplied with moisture using water or hot water, the noodle strings are further steamed by directly spraying the superheated steam flow to the noodle strings for 5 to 50 seconds and/or steamed by using non-superheated steam, and the noodle strings are dried to produce the instant noodles.
US08236359B2	Use of phytoecdysones in the preparation of a composition for acting on the metabolic syndrome For reducing the negative effects of the metabolic syndrome on mammal organisms, it is proposed to use phytoecdysones for diminishing the fat body mass in individuals, notably with a weight excess. Phytoecdysones are advantageously incorporated into a food composition. The phytoecdysones can come from food plants, such as quinoa.
US08236354B1	Use of immunomodulators for the treatment of cancer A method for treating a cancer, by determining a patient to have an ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) score of 0 or 1 and selecting that patient for treatment, and administering to the patient an effective amount of an immunomodulating composition comprising small molecular weight components of less than 3000 daltons, and having the following properties: (i) is extracted from bile of animals; (ii) is capable of stimulating monocytes and/or macrophages; (iii) is capable of modulating tumor necrosis factor production and/or release; (iv) contains no measurable level of IL-1α, IL-1β, TNF, IL-6, IL-8, IL-4, GM-CSF or IFN-γ; (v) is not cytotoxic to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells; and (vi) is not an endotoxin.
US08236352B2	Glipizide compositions The present invention is directed to nanoparticulate compositions comprising glipizide. The glipizide particles of the composition preferably have an effective average particle size of less than about 2 microns.
US08236345B2	Composition and use A pharmaceutical composition, comprising a thiazolidinedione, such as Compound (I), metformin hydrochloride and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, wherein the thiazolidinedione and metformin hydrochloride are each dispersed within its own pharmaceutically acceptable carrier in the pharmaceutical composition and the use of such a composition in medicine.
US08236343B2	Method and apparatus for in situ drug delivery during distraction osteogenesis A device and technique for the performance of distraction osteogenesis of bone with controlled drug delivery using a bead chain consisting of two bands and a series of drug delivery capsules placed in a precise manner such that the relative motion of the bone segments brings the wires, pins, or screws into contact with the capsules and divides them. This action sequentially delivers the drug to the distraction zone throughout the distraction osteogenesis process.
US08236338B2	Adhesive composition for carrying therapeutic agents as delivery vehicle on coatings applied to vascular grafts Water-soluble polymeric adhesive compositions and their use as delivery vehicles for carrying therapeutic agents on implantable devices, such as vascular grafts, are disclosed. Use of drug-coated vascular grafts is demonstrated for delivery of the therapeutic agents in vivo, thereby inhibiting restenosis or neointimal hyperplasia of the vascular graft and inhibiting infection at the vascular graft site. Methods of forming the adhesive and making the coated vascular grafts are also disclosed.
US08236323B2	Method to treat inflammation The present invention relates generally to the fields of pharmacology, and particularly to a method for treating inflammation, particularly inflammation of the respiratory system. The invention provides a method to reduce or ameliorate inflammation, by administering an effective amount of a protein factor originally isolated from thymic tissue, and referred to as T4 immune stimulating factor (TISF).
US08236310B2	Antibodies and related molecules that bind to 161P2F10B proteins Antibodies and molecules derived therefrom that bind to 161P2F10B protein and variants thereof, are described wherein 161P2F10B exhibits tissue specific expression in normal adult tissue, and is aberrantly expressed in the cancers listed in Table I. Consequently, 161P2F10B provides a diagnostic, prognostic, prophylactic and/or therapeutic target for cancer. The 161P2F10B gene or fragment thereof, or its encoded protein, or variants thereof, or a fragment thereof, can be used to elicit a humoral or cellular immune response; antibodies or T cells reactive with 161P2F10B can be used in active or passive immunization.
US08236306B2	Methods to facilitate transmission of large molecules across the blood-brain, blood-eye, and blood-nerve barriers A method for delivering a biologic to a human, comprising administering said biologic parenterally into the perispinal space of said human without direct intrathecal injection and positioning said human in a Trendelenburg position.
US08236299B2	Transplantation of human neural cells for treatment of neurodegenerative conditions A method of treating neurodegenerative conditions is provided. Neural stem cells may be implanted at and/or remote from a region of neuron degeneration. The methods can include isolating neural stem cells from regions where specific types of neurons corresponding to the neurons to be replaced are generated. The methods can include isolating neural stem cells secreting growth factors affecting the growth and/or regeneration of specific types of neuron. In this invention, we disclose a method of treating such disorders, including several neurodegenerative disorders arising from the lack of cells that produce particular neurotransmitters in neural circuitry by transplanting exogenously cultured and expanded neural progenitors which, upon transplantation into a neural tissue, differentiate into neurons capable of integrating and producing neurotransmitters in sufficient quantities and in a sufficient manner to overcome the symptoms associated with the neurodegeneration.
US08236291B2	Antibacterial and deodorant fiber, fiber formed article, and fiber product There is provided an antibacterial and deodorant fiber that exhibits excellent inhibition of bacterial growth, is capable of responding to a wide variety of odorants, does not discolor easily, and can maintain stable performance. An antibacterial and deodorant fiber characterized in that a fiber treatment agent comprising at least a component (A), and a component (B) and/or a component (C) below are attached thereto at 0.2 to 5 wt % of the total weight of the fiber, the fiber treatment agent containing 20 to 80 wt % of the component (A), and 80 to 20 wt % of the component (B) and/or the component (C): (A) at least one plant extract, said plant being at least one selected from the group consisting of tea leaves, aloe, bamboo, bamboo grass, Japanese butterbur (Petasites japonica), loofa (Luffa cylindrica), horsetail (Equisetum arvense), Japanese mugwort (Artemisia princeps), geranium (Geranium nepalense var. thunbergii), persimmon, and grapefruit; (B) at least one nonionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of an alkylene oxide adduct type nonionic surfactant and a polyhydric alcohol type nonionic surfactant; (C) at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid salt, sulfonic acid salt, sulfuric acid ester salt, and phosphoric acid ester salt.
US08236290B2	Hair care compositions comprising a dendritic polymer A method of treating hair comprising the step of applying to the hair a composition comprising a hydrophobically functionalized polyhydric dendritic macromolecule built up from polyester or polyether units or mixtures thereof. The method has been found to be useful in providing hair that is well aligned.
US08236269B2	Rigid random coils and composition comprising the same Disclosed are rigid random coils, having a contour length larger than a diameter thereof, an average bending ratio Db of 0.1˜0.8, and a weight average molecular weight of 1×108˜9×108 g/mole, and a resin composition or organic solvent composition including the same. The rigid random coils have the properties intermediate between those of polymers and rigid rod particles, and thus may be used as filler of various resins, aqueous solutions or organic solvents.
US08236268B2	Process for producing sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles having low caking property A process for producing sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles having a low caking property, which entails subjecting sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles having an average particle size of from 50 to 500 μm based on the mass to heat treatment at a temperature of from 70 to 95° C. by a heating gas having a carbon dioxide gas concentration of at most the concentration calculated by the formula: Carbon dioxide gas concentration=0.071×e(0.1×T)×R(−0.0005×T−0.9574), where T (° C.) is the temperature of sodium hydrogencarbonate crystals, and R (%) is the relative humidity around the crystals at the temperature of the crystals, provided that the upper limit of the carbon dioxide gas concentration is 100 vol % to form anhydrous sodium carbonate on the surface of the sodium hydrogencarbonate crystal particles with a content of anhydrous sodium carbonate of from 0.03 to 0.4 mass % in the sodium hydrogencarbonate crystals.
US08236251B2	Nanoparticle-dispersed high-performance liquid fluid, production method and apparatus for the fluid, and leak detection method for the fluid Suppression or enhancement of various properties of a liquid fluid is aimed by improving uniform dispersion of nanoparticles by means of making a state in which no oxidized film exists on the surfaces of the nanoparticles to be dispersed in the liquid fluid. The location of the liquid fluid is confirmed with ease by enhancing the brightness of light emission of the fluid through uniform dispersion of the nanoparticles in the liquid fluid containing a material having a flame reaction. In this way, as to liquid fluids utilized in various industries, it is possible to offer a technology to desirably enhance or suppress a property desired to be enhanced and a property desired to be suppressed among various properties that its constituents have.
US08236250B2	Gas treatment device Exhaust gas treatment is based on metal foams using catalytic coatings. A catalytic converter for diesel and gasoline engines includes oxidation catalysts, 3-way catalysts, de-NOx catalysts, NH3 slip catalysts. Foam high surface areas and high mixing rates enhance catalytic performance. Particulate filtration in both diesel and direct injection gasoline engines uses deep bed filtration. A multiple-pass radial flow uses more than one foam segments, separated by a diaphragm. Filtration, pressure drop and catalytic performance are enhanced using variable foam porosities in axial and radial flow directions and non-uniform catalyst coatings. More than one catalytic functionalities may be incorporated in a single shell. Secondary foam segments are placed within main foam segments. Diaphragms at the entrance and exit of the external shell allow the flow to be divided between the main and the secondary foam segments according to the respective flow resistances.
US08236248B2	Sulfur-resistant exhaust gas aftertreatment system for the reduction of nitrogen oxides An arrangement for aftertreatment of exhaust gas for lean-burn internal combustion engines such as diesel engines and Otto engines with direct injection has a NOx storage catalyzer installed in the exhaust gas train for reducing nitrogen oxides and at which nitrogen oxides are stored in lean operating phases and these stored nitrogen oxides are reduced in rich operating phases. At least one molecular sieve which keeps sulfur dioxide away from the at least one NOx storage catalyzer is arranged upstream of the NOx storage catalyzer.
US08236238B2	Drug deactivation system A drug deactivation system according to some embodiments includes at least one drug-retaining region of a drug delivery device and at least one energy source coupled to the at least one drug-retaining region. The at least one drug-retaining region may be configured to retain a drug. The at least one energy source may be configured to transmit energy to the drug. The drug is capable of being rendered ineffective in the presence of the transmitted energy.
US08236232B2	Methods for making reinforced refractory crucibles for melting titanium alloys Methods for making a reinforced refractory crucible for melting titanium alloys including providing a form, applying a facecoat to the form, the facecoat having at least one facecoat layer, applying a backing about the facecoat, the backing having at least one backing layer, applying at least one reinforcing element to at least a portion of the facecoat layer, the backing layer, or a combination thereof where the reinforcing element includes at least one composition selected from ceramic compositions, metallic compositions, and combinations thereof.
US08236227B2	Method for building three-dimensional models in extrusion-based digital manufacturing systems using tracked filaments A consumable material for use in an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, the consumable material comprising a topographical surface pattern that is configured to engage with a drive mechanism of the extrusion-based digital manufacturing system.
US08236216B2	System and method for forming a custom medical mask using an orientation device According to one embodiment, forming a custom medical mask includes, while an oral appliance is positioned in a user's mouth to receive the user's teeth and is coupled to an orientation device, applying an impression material over the device and the user's face, such that the impression material conforms to the device and to the user's unique facial features. The impression material may be removed together with the device and a cast may be created using the impression material together with the device as a mold, such that the cast conforms to the impression material and the device. A deformable material may be applied to the cast to form a custom medical mask for the user, such that the deformable material conforms to the cast. The custom medical mask is custom-fitted to the user's unique facial features and custom-oriented to the user's teeth.
US08236203B2	Corrosion protection coatings and methods of making the same A corrosion protection composition includes a mixture of three different silanes selected to interact and form a coating on metal substrates that has improved adhesion and durability as well as UV protection properties. Methods of manufacturing the corrosion protection composition include mixing the silanes together and further combining the silane mixture with other mixtures to arrive at the corrosion protection composition. Sonication may be a preferred manner of mixing together the various components of the mixtures.
US08236190B2	Recast removal method A method of removing recast from a substrate is disclosed. The method includes chemically removing the recast using an etchant, which provides a visual indication of the presence of the recast when the part has been removed from the etchant. One example chemical etchant is comprised of a sulfuric acid solution that includes sodium chloride, sodium fluoride and ammonium persulfate. After chemical removal of the recast from the substrate, the recast is physically removed from the substrate, for example, by media blasting. The chemical and physical recast removal process can be repeated as desired. To ensure that all the recast has been removed, the substrate is wiped, for example, using a cloth. If all the recast has been removed, the cloth will not change in appearance or color.
US08236187B2	Ink-jet printhead manufacturing process A process for manufacturing an inkjet print head comprising the steps of providing a print head wafer comprising a plurality of print head dice coated with a barrier layer, each print head die comprising a plurality of actuators and interconnections, the barrier layer comprising a plurality of openings in correspondence with the plurality of actuators and interconnections, providing a debondable SOI wafer comprising a handle layer, a buried layer, and a device layer, forming a protective layer on the surface of the device layer, bonding the device layer to the barrier layer, debonding the handle layer from the SOI wafer, etching the device layer so as to realize a plurality of openings in correspondence with the plurality of actuators and interconnections, and removing the protective layer in correspondence of the plurality of openings.
US08236184B2	Method for separating a composite liquid into at least two components A method related to using a squeezing or transfer fluid to transfer fluid or components between bags in a centrifuge wherein the squeezing fluid can be reversed to reduce squeezing and such fluid an also be used to build up a over-pressure for rapid movement.
US08236181B2	Purification of water from cooling towers and other heat exchange systems The amount of silica in cooling tower water is reduced by passing cooling tower water through a column of silica gel.
US08236175B2	Liquid chromatograph system A channel-switching valve into which a high-pressure liquid and a low-pressure liquid flow is provided. The channel-switching valve includes a stator and a rotor which has a surface in contact with one surface of the stator and rotates while sliding on the contact surface. The stator has a plurality of liquid flow ports open to the contact surface, and the rotor has a plurality of channel grooves for connecting the liquid flow ports. One of the channel grooves is a straight groove passing through the rotational center of the rotor, and the other channel grooves are line-symmetrically arranged with respect to the straight channel groove. Alternatively, among the channel grooves, the channel grooves into which the high-pressure liquid flows are configured to be located on both sides of the rotational center of the rotor. As a result, a local load acting on the rotor during a high-pressure liquid-feeding process is reduced, so that the contact surface is prevented from being scraped off by the edge of the opening of a port during the rotation of the rotor.
US08236166B2	No calibration analyte sensors and methods A meter and sensors, for use in combination, where no calibration code has to be entered by the user or is read by the meter. The meter is configured with a predetermined slope and y-intercept built into the meter. If the slope and y-intercept of the sensor are within a predetermined area or grid, or otherwise close to the slope and y-intercept of the meter, the batch of sensors is acceptable for use with that meter for providing accurate analyte concentration results.
US08236165B2	Method for operating measuring meter and measuring meter A method for operating a measuring meter for an electrochemical test strip is provided. The method comprises steps of applying a voltage to electrodes of the test strip at least during one of a sample presence detection period and an incubation period; and repeatedly increasing and decreasing the voltage during at least one of the sample presence detection period and the incubation period.
US08236164B2	Moisture sensor A moisture sensor, for measuring moisture in a building without leaving visible scars to the building surface, is provided. The moisture sensor includes a flexible carrier carrying an antenna for receiving EM-radiation between 9 kHz and 11 MHz and a resonant circuit including a moisture reactive element. The moisture reactive element includes a hygroscopic electrolyte arranged between a first and a second electrode, wherein the electrolyte in the presence of moisture forms mobile ions and provides a complex impedance at least in response to the alternating voltage, which complex impedance varies with the moisture content of the electrolyte.
US08236161B2	Apparatus for electrolyzing sulfuric acid, method of performing electrolysis, and apparatus for processing a substrate An apparatus for electrolyzing sulfuric acid, the apparatus comprising an electrolytic cell comprising a cathode chamber having a cathode and an anode chamber having an anode, the cathode chamber and the anode chamber being separated by a diaphragm, a sulfuric acid tank configured to store the sulfuric acid, a supply pipe connecting the sulfuric acid tank to an inlet port of the anode chamber, a connection pipe connecting an outlet port of the cathode chamber to the inlet port of the anode chamber, a first supply pump provided on the supply pipe and configured to supply the sulfuric acid from the sulfuric acid tank to the cathode chamber through the supply pipe, and a drain pipe connected to an outlet port of the anode chamber and configured to supply to a solution tank a solution containing an oxidizing agent generated by electrolysis in the anode chamber.
US08236157B2	Organic solvent free pigment dispersant for waterborne electrocoating A pigment dispersing resin is disclosed along with pigment dispersion, electrodepositable coating compositions using the pigment dispersing resin, and methods for applying the electrodepositable coating composition. The pigment dispersing resin consists essentially of the carboxylic acid salt of an aminated bisphenol epoxy resin and an alkoxylated styrenated phenol. Pigment dispersions made from the dispersing resin are especially useful for forming low or no volatile organic content electrocoating baths.
US08236156B2	Microfluidic method and device for transferring mass between two immiscible phases A method of transferring mass of at least one solute between a liquid first phase and a fluid second phase that is immiscible with the first phase, the method comprising moving at least one droplet of said liquid first phase in a microfluidic device by using electric-type forces (electrowetting or dielectrophoresis) within a space that is filled with said fluid second phase. Said droplet is preferably moved by said electric-type forces along a path between a point for injecting said droplet into said microfluidic device, and an extraction and/or analysis zone, said path being defined in such a manner that said droplet sweeps through a significant fraction of said space filled with said fluid second phase. The method may include a step of transferring said droplet using said electric-type forces to a chemical analysis device integrated in said microfluidic device, and a step of chemically analyzing said droplet. The invention also provides a device for implementing such a method.
US08236149B2	Electrolysis type electrolyzer for production of hydrogen and oxygen for the enhancement of ignition in a hydrocarbon fuel and/or gas combustion device A multi-cell or single-cell electrolysis type electrolyzer for the production of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas with a delivery system through tubes, bubbler and check valve to internal combustion engine, generator, turbine or similar combustion device for the enhancement of hydrocarbon fuels and/or gas combustion device is disclosed. This device comprises at least one or more chambers of sealed containers, distilled water, a variety of electrolytes, multi or single strand stainless steel, nickel or platinum wire, a plastic, glass, or ceramic insulator within a stainless steel, nickel, or platinum tube and an ultrasonic piezo crystal allowing water and or a weak electrolyte solution to decompose into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas.
US08236147B2	Tubular electrolysis cell and corresponding method An electrolysis cell is provided, which includes an inlet, an outlet, and coaxial, cylindrical inner and outer electrodes. A cylindrical ion-selective membrane is located between the inner and outer electrodes and forms respective first and second electrolysis reaction chambers on opposing sides of the membrane. Fluid flow paths along the first and second chambers join together as a combined inlet flow path through the inlet and a combined outlet flow path through the outlet.
US08236142B2	Process for transporting and quenching coke A method and apparatus for transporting and quenching coke, useful in quenching a batch of coke produced in one of a plurality of coke ovens forming a coke oven battery, is disclosed. A hot car defining a substantially planar receiving surface is positioned adjacent a coke oven of the coke oven battery, and a unitary cake of unquenched coke is placed onto the hot car receiving surface. The hot car and unquenched coke are transported to a transfer station having a dust collection system. A quenching car is positioned at the transfer station adjacent the hot car, under the dust collection system. The unitary cake of unquenched coke is dumped into the quenching car receptacle, thereby separating the unitary cake. At least a portion of the dust generated by separation is collected. The quench car is then transported to a quenching station, where the separated coke is quenched.
US08236134B2	Gas distributor and apparatus using the same A gas distributor for a plasma apparatus includes: a body having a plurality of injection holes, the body being divided into a lower portion and an upper portion with respect to a center surface; and a body supporting unit connected to the lower portion.
US08236133B2	Plasma reactor with center-fed multiple zone gas distribution for improved uniformity of critical dimension bias A gas distribution assembly for the ceiling of a plasma reactor includes a center fed hub and an equal path length distribution gas manifold underlying the center fed hub.
US08236125B2	Method for manufacturing thin film multilayer device, method for manufacturing display device, and thin film multilayer device A method for manufacturing a thin film multilayer device includes bonding a plastic substrate to a support substrate using an adhesive so that an upper film and a lower film constituting a weak adhesive inorganic film are sandwiched between the plastic substrate and the support substrate, and the plastic substrate is supported by the support substrate with an adhesive force stronger than an adhesive force between the upper and lower films, stacking a plurality of thin films on the plastic substrate supported by the support substrate, and separating the upper film from the lower film to separate the plastic substrate on which the plurality of thin films are stacked, from the support substrate.
US08236114B2	Method and system for placing a corner reinforcement insert in a gypsum board corner assembly A gypsum board corner assembly is formed with an integrated reinforcement strip. The strip may be a folded sheet-metal strip or a thin rod. First, a gypsum board is formed with a groove that extends substantially through the entire gypsum core, but leaves the laminate paper of one side. Then a reinforcement insert is placed in the groove. Here, the insert is formed of or includes ferromagnetic material. The insert is subjected to a magnetic field to pull the insert into the groove, by action of the magnet. After an amount of adhesive is applied in the groove, the gypsum board is folded along the groove while the insert is being pulled into the groove by the magnet. The resulting gypsum board corner assembly has a very accurately placed insert that defines a straight corner edge thereof.
US08236111B2	Product for enameling and enameled product The present invention provides a product for enameling and an enameled product that achieve adhesion, bubble/black spot defect resistance and fishscale resistance, even when preprocessing and ground coating are omitted, which product comprise a steel sheet having on the surface thereof an oxide film of 0.10 μm to 400 μm thickness comprising oxides of components of the steel sheet, which steel sheet comprises, in mass %, C: 0.0001% to 0.040%, Si: 0.0001% to 0.50%, Mn: 0.001% to 2.00%, P: 0.0001% to 0.10%, S: 0.0001% to 0.060%, Al: 0.0001% to 0.10%, N: 0.0001% to 0.015%, and O: 0.0001% to 0.070%, further comprises one or more of Ni: 0.01% to 2.00%, Co: 0.0005% to 2.00%, Cr: 0.001% to 2.00%, Cu: 0.01% to 2.00%, Mo: 0.0001% to 2.00%, and Ti: 0.0005% to 0.50%, where Ni+Co+Cr/2+Cu+Mo+Ti: 0.010% to 8.0%, the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities.
US08236099B2	Cement slurry with low water to cement ratio A cement slurry comprising a mixture of a cement blend and water, wherein the cement blend comprises at least about 70% by volume of blend of cementitious particulate material and water is present in the mixture in an amount of not more than 50% by volume of the slurry.
US08236094B2	Exhaust gas purifying device The present invention provides an exhaust gas purifying device including an electrically insulated hollow cylindrical case, a cylindrical outer circumferential electrode arranged on an inner wall of the hollow cylindrical case, a bar-shaped center electrode held on a center axis of the outer circumferential electrode, and a metallic hollow cylindrical body arranged between the outer circumferential electrode and the center electrode, wherein the metallic hollow cylindrical body is electrically insulated and has a plurality of holes to permit particulate matter to pass therethrough without being accumulated.
US08236088B2	Metal mold repair method and metal mold repair paste agent Providing a metal mold repair method and a metal mold repair paste agent which are capable of repairing cracks with simple work. A repair paste agent containing components that become an alloy is directly applied to a surface of a metal mold having a crack so as to cover the crack part, subsequently a surface of the repair paste agent is coated with an oxidation inhibitor and the repair paste agent is made to penetrate the inside of the crack by heating and becomes an alloy, thereby filling up the crack.
US08236087B2	Powder core and iron-base powder for powder core The present invention relates to an iron-base powder for a powder core, wherein when cross-sections of at least 50 iron-base powders are observed and a crystal grain size distribution containing at least a maximum crystal grain size is determined by measuring a crystal grain size of each iron-base powder, 70% or more of the measured crystal grains are a crystal grain having a crystal grain size of 50 μm or more. According to the iron-base powder of the invention, a coercivity of the powder core can be made small and a hysteresis loss can be reduced.
US08236085B1	Method for enhancing soil growth using bio-char A method is described for rendering char from a biomass fractionator apparatus (BMF char) suitable for addition to soil in high concentrations, the method relying on multiple processes comprising removing detrimental hydrocarbons from BMF char, removing adsorbed gases from BMF char, introducing microorganisms to the BMF char, and adjusting soil pH.
US08236077B2	Handheld cleaning appliance A handheld cleaning appliance includes a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet and separating apparatus for separating dirt and dust from an airflow in an airflow path leading from the air inlet to the air outlet. The separating apparatus includes a cyclonic separator having at least one first cyclone and a plurality of second cyclones arranged in parallel with one another and located downstream of the first cyclone. By providing a cyclonic separator having a plurality of second cyclones in parallel, the handheld cleaning appliance is capable of separating fine dirt and dust particles without using barriers such as filters or bags which need maintenance to ensure that performance remains high over a period of time.
US08236073B2	Hydrogen supplying apparatus and method for controlling hydrogen supplying apparatus A hydrogen supply apparatus includes a hydrogen supply path by which hydrogen released from a hydrogen tank reaches a hydrogen supply target, a branching path from the hydrogen supply path, in which a part of hydrogen released from the hydrogen tank flows, addition means for adding an odorizing agent to the hydrogen flowing in the branching path, a buffer tank storing the hydrogen to which the odorizing agent is added by the addition means, and supplying means for supplying the odorizing agent treated hydrogen in the buffer tank to the hydrogen supply path.
US08236063B2	Coloring agent with surfactant/emulsifier combination Agent for oxidative coloring of keratinic fibers comprising a specific combination of non-ionic emulsifiers with a differing degree of ethoxylation and a specific combination of interfacially active substances comprising at least one anionic, at least one zwitterionic and at least one amphoteric surfactant. The agents provide good coloring characteristics while simultaneously protecting against damage to human hair. In particular the agents allow for colors with high color intensity and an improved gray coverage. The agents also provide significant advantages with regard to viscosity stability during storage and use and an improvement in shear sensitivity.
US08236062B2	Prosthetic foot with tunable performance A prosthetic foot and lower part of leg has a semi-rigid, resilient foot keel extending in a longitudinal direction and a semi-rigid, resilient leg portion attached at a lower end to the foot keel. The leg portion includes a plurality of resilient leaf spring type members which are spaced apart in the sagittal plane intermediate their upper and lower ends and which are coupled together at their upper and lower end portions. The members are anterior facing convexly curved at their lower ends forming an ankle joint area and extend upwardly above in a substantially anterior facing convexly curve to a substantially vertically oriented upper end which is displaced substantially in the longitudinal direction in amputee gait for improved dynamic response.
US08236048B2	Drug/drug delivery systems for the prevention and treatment of vascular disease A drug and drug delivery system may be utilized in the treatment of vascular disease. A local delivery system is coated with rapamycin or other suitable drug, agent or compound and delivered intraluminally for the treatment and prevention of neointimal hyperplasia following percutaneous transluminal coronary angiography. The local delivery of the drugs or agents provides for increased effectiveness and lower systemic toxicity.
US08236047B2	Stent with enhanced friction A stent for placement in a body lumen is fabricated by forming a tube having an un-deployed diameter sized for the tube to be placed on a deployment balloon and advanced through a body lumen to a deployment site. The tube is expandable upon inflation of the balloon to an enlarged diameter sized for the tube to be retained within the lumen at the site upon deflation and withdrawal of the balloon. The tube has a stent axis extending between first and second axial ends of the tube. The tube has an exterior surface and an interior surface. The tube is polished to polish the exterior surface to a smooth surface finish and with at least a portion of the interior surface having a rough surface finish rougher than the surface finish of the exterior surface.
US08236038B2	Method and apparatus of noninvasive, regional brain thermal stimuli for the treatment of neurological disorders A method and device for treating neurological disorders involving the application of noninvasive, regional brain thermal stimulation to a region of a patient's head associated with a subject neurological disorder. The brain thermal stimulation method and device alters the brain function in the region of the brain underlying the region of the patient's head to which the brain cooling is applied. The method can also include the steps of adjusting the temperature and timing of the thermal stimulation process to optimize the impact on the subject disorder. The brain thermal stimulation device is comprised of a localized means for cooling or warming a desired region of a patient's brain.
US08236030B2	Advanced intra-spinal decompression implant A new Intra-spinal decompression implant is introduced that comprises of two plate attachments to a titanium metal implant that fits between the spinous processes of the vertebrae in the lower back, decompressing the neuro elements. The invention has a number of new design features including: double axis adjustable side plates, stepped conical tipped body and piercing tips on side plates, among many mentioned in this disclosure, that improves the quality of the surgery and the result for the patient. More examples are given in this application.
US08236025B2	Silicone insulated electrosurgical forceps An electrosurgical forceps includes a shaft having a pair of jaw members at a distal end thereof that are movable about a pivot from a first position wherein the jaw members are disposed in spaced relation relative to one another to a second position wherein the jaw members are closer to one another for grasping tissue. A movable handle is included that actuates a drive assembly to move the jaw members relative to one another. One or both of the jaw members is adapted to connect to a source of electrical energy to conduct energy to tissue held therebetween. A flexible insulating boot is disposed on at least a portion of an exterior surface of one or both jaw members and about the pivot. The flexible insulating boot includes an internal cavity defined therein that retains a free-flowing material therein configured to disperse from the internal cavity when ruptured.
US08236019B2	Ultrasonic surgical instrument and cartilage and bone shaping blades therefor An ultrasonic surgical blade that includes a blade body that has a treatment region. At least one indentation can be formed in the treatment region of the blade body wherein each indentation forms a tissue cutting edge with an outer surface of the blade body. The indentation may comprise one or more holes, lumens, grooves or dimples or a combination of such structures. In various embodiments, one or more aspiration lumens are provided in the surgical blade which may ultimately communicate with an aspiration lumen or passage in an ultrasonic surgical instrument.
US08236017B2	Ultrasonic therapeutic apparatus A surgical operating apparatus includes rod-shaped probe main body which is inserted into a sheath and has a distal end and which is configured to transmit ultrasonic vibration, a jaw pivoted to a distal end of the sheath, a probe distal end which is provided at the distal end of the probe main body and a driving member including a tubular main body portion configured to be inserted into the sheath slidably along an axial direction of the sheath and an acting portion which is provided at a distal end of the main body portion and has a connection portion connected to the jaw, the connection portion positioned. The sheath includes a notched portion positioned and configured to prevent the sheath from contacting the proximal portion of the jaw.
US08236014B2	Methods for arterio-venous fistula creation Methods are disclosed for the formation of arterio-venous fistula creation. Embodiments include a femoral access approach to the creation of an Aorta-caval fistula at the bifurcation of the Aorta and the Inferior Vena Cava; an apparatus for the creation, modification and maintenance of a fistula; and a method of supplying oxygenated blood to the venous circulation of a patient. The devices, systems and methods can be used to treat patients with one or more numerous ailments including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, hypotension, respiratory failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, lung fibrosis and adult respiratory distress syndrome.
US08236008B2	Microdermabrasion treatment heads An abrasive tip is used to exfoliate skin and tissue through abrasive materials integrated in the tip. The tip also delivers fluid to the skin and vacuums the fluid and abraded tissue during treatment. Treated skin will look younger and healthier in appearance. In an implementation, the tip is replaceable and disposable.
US08236007B2	Voice prosthesis, insertion tool and method An insertion tool for inserting a tracheostoma voice prosthesis member into a fistula between oesophagus and trachea. The insertion tool includes an engagement portion for engaging and retaining said tracheostoma voice prosthesis member to be inserted into the fistula, a gripping portion for gripping a safety strap of said member in a firm grip, a shaft portion adapted to be held by one hand of a user, and a release lever arrangement adjacent said shaft portion for operation by a finger of the same hand as is holding said shaft portion, whereby said release lever, after said member being positioned in place in said fistula by operation of said insertion tool by means of said shaft, is adapted to be operated for releasing said member by one-hand operation. A tracheostoma voice prosthesis member and a method for applying said tracheostoma voice prosthesis member are also provided.
US08236006B2	One step entry pedicular preparation device and disc access system A one step entry pedicular preparation device works well with Minimal Invasive Spine Surgery (MISS) to facilitating such approach. A related intervertebral disc access system and pedicle screw compatible with the systems is also illustrated. The systems include a manipulator having a bar handle and main body with main barrel bore a pedicle dart having a proximal tip end and a second distal open end selectably attachable to the manipulator using a variety of interconnect configurations, both of which work in conjunction with a guide pin. The pedicle darts can be made of any material, disposable or re-usable and can be utilized for a variety of purposes, including bone structure formation for faster conventional pedicle screw insertion with precision and vertebra fixation.
US08236003B2	Prosthesis component holder attachable to an inserter handle An adaptor/holder (40) is described which attaches to the front (18) of an existing orthopedic inserter/impactor handle (10) via the handle's existing threaded interface mechanism (22). The adaptor/holder (40) has an annular housing (42) that snaps onto the front (18) of the existing inserter (10), and has an internal yoke and pin assembly (70) that attached to the handle's interface mechanism (22). The holder (40) adapts the inserter (10) to much more easily and quickly release from a prosthetic component (12) after the component (12) is surgically implanted in a patient, and with less mechanical manipulation than could otherwise be accomplished using the inserter (10) alone. The adaptor/holder utilizes the inserter's existing mount tensioning (draw piston) mechanism (30) to quickly engage and disengage the prosthetic component (12). Upon activation of the inserter's tensioning mechanism (30), the holder (10) receives and fixes a prosthetic component (12) to the end (18) of the inserter (10). Deactivation of the inserter handle's tensioning mechanism (30) quickly accomplishes release of the prosthetic component (12) with minimal manipulation.
US08236000B2	Method and apparatus for performing an open wedge, high tibial osteotomy The present invention comprises a novel method and apparatus for performing an open wedge, high tibial osteotomy. More particularly, the present invention comprises the provision and use of a novel method and apparatus for forming an appropriate osteotomy cut into the upper portion of the tibia, manipulating the tibia so as to open an appropriate wedge-like opening in the tibia, and then mounting an appropriately-shaped implant at the wedge-like opening in the tibia, so as to stabilize the tibia with the desired orientation, whereby to reorient the lower portion of the tibia relative to the tibial plateau and hence adjust the manner in which load is transferred from the femur to the tibia.
US08235997B2	Rod locking instrument Instruments and methods are provided for securing a spinal rod in one or more coupling devices secured to the spine by one or more anchor members. The instruments include members for grasping the coupling device and members for shifting one or more elements along a linear path to fix the position of an anchor member and/or fix the position of the rod with respect to the vertebra.
US08235996B2	Acetabular reamer A method of reaming an acetabulum includes the steps of: providing an acetabular reamer including a partially hemispherical shell having a shell radius, and a base including a first circumferential base segment and a second circumferential base segment, the shell including a first part on one side of the first circumferential base segment and the second circumferential base segment, and a second part on another side of the first circumferential base segment and the second circumferential base segment, the acetabular reamer further including a first non-planar surface connected to the first part, the first non-planar surface having a first curvature not equal to the shell radius, and a second non-planar surface connected to the second part, the second non-planar surface having a second curvature not equal to the shell radius; connecting the acetabular reamer to a driver; and reaming the acetabulum.
US08235995B2	Bone staple with compressible deformation region A bone staple (10) for securing a first bone region (12A) to a second bone region (12B) includes a staple body (16) having a first leg section (18), a second leg section (20), and a connector section (22). The first leg section (18) is insertable into the first bone region (12A). The second leg section (20) is insertable into the second bone region (12B). The connector section (22) connects the first leg section (18) to the second leg section (20). The connector section (22) includes a deformable region (22A) that is movable from a first configuration (14A) in which the leg sections (18) (20) are spaced apart a first distance (24) and a second configuration (14B) in which the leg sections (18) (20) are spaced apart a second distance (26) that is less than the first distance (24). In one embodiment, compression of the deformable region (22A) causes the deformable region (22A) to move from the first configuration (14A) to the second configuration (14B). As a result of this design, the bone staple (10) can easily be moved from the first configuration (14A) to the second configuration (14B). The deformable region (22A) can be substantially square ring shaped and can define a region aperture (22D) that is substantially square in the first configuration (14A). Further, the deformable region (22A) can be substantially oval ring shaped and the region aperture (22D) can be generally rectangular shaped in the second configuration (14B).
US08235987B2	Thermal penetration and arc length controllable electrosurgical pencil An electrosurgical pencil is provided, which includes an elongated housing, an electrocautery electrode supported within the housing and extending distally from the housing. The electrocautery electrode is connected to a source of electrosurgical energy. The pencil also includes at least one voltage divider network supported on the housing and electrically connected to the source of electrosurgical energy for controlling intensity, frequency, and/or mode of electrosurgical energy being delivered to the electrocautery electrode.
US08235979B2	Interfacing media manipulation with non-ablation radiofrequency energy system and method The effects produced by surgical devices that deploy an electrical circuit between electrodes are dependent on the nature of electrical work perform upon the conductive media in an around biologic tissues. Non-ablation radiofrequency surgical devices utilize a protective housing that provides, based upon procedure-specific needs, the ability to 1. move, manipulate, and segregate near-field effects both tangentially and perpendicularly to the tissue surface, 2. deliver far-field electromagnetic effects to tissue unencumbered by current deposition, and 3. serve as a 20 mechanical adjunct to and a selective throttling vent/plenum for energy delivery. Because the electrodes are non-tissue-contacting, this study characterizes the effects that non-ablation radiofrequency energy exerts upon interfacing media typically encountered during surgical applications. These devices create a Repetitive Molecular Energy Conversion Loop for surgical work; and, non-ionizing electromagnetic forces are deployed in strength levels that can produce thermal and non-thermal biologic tissue effects. A differential between current density dispersion and electromagnetic field strength is exploited to allow normal tissue healing responses to the near-field effects of tissue modification and preconditioning while permitting far-field effects, which are useful for inducing therapeutic biologic responses, to manifest in treated tissues that have been protected from electrical current generated collateral damage.
US08235968B2	Atraumatic ureteral access sheath A ureteral access sheath having nonuniform axial-stiffness adapted for proximal pushability needed for placement while also having distal flexibility to minimize trauma to the body lumen and ureter. Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a nonuniform axial-stiffness ureteral access sheath comprising a nonuniform axial-stiffness jacket encapsulating the reinforcement layer with the inner liner. Other embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a nonuniform axial-stiffness ureteral access sheath comprising a nonuniform axial-stiffness reinforcement layer encapsulated between a single axial-stiffness jacket and the inner liner. Other embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a nonuniform axial-stiffness ureteral access sheath comprising a nonuniform axial-stiffness jacket encapsulating a nonuniform axial-stiffness reinforcement layer with the inner liner.
US08235967B2	Safety assembly for a syringe A safety support device for a syringe comprises a support sheath (16) for the body (10) of the syringe and an inner sheath (18) suitable for sliding relative to the support sheath between a waiting, retracted position and the extended position for protecting the needle (14) of the syringe. The device has means for holding the syringe body (10) relative to the support sheath (16) and retaining means (30, 32, 22) suitable for being activated to retain the inner sheath in the waiting, retracted position inside the support sheath and for being deactivated by the piston (12) of the syringe to allow the inner sheath (18) to extend into its protective, extended position.
US08235965B2	Embedded access dual chamber bag A multiple chamber medical fluid bag includes: (i) a flexible enclosure; (ii) a first fluid chamber formed in the enclosure; (iii) a second fluid chamber formed in the enclosure; (iv) the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber separated by a frangible seal; and (v) an access port connected to the enclosure, the port imbedded into the enclosure so as to completely surround the access port, the enclosure further configured such that the frangible seal is broken to uncover the access port.
US08235956B2	Packaging and kit for a female urine voiding apparatus Packaging for an extra-labial fluid voiding apparatus includes a tube having a cylindrical wall, a closed end, and an open end. The cylindrical wall and closed end define a cavity that can contain the voiding apparatus. The cylindrical wall is pliable and has an inner diameter. A cap is adapted to respectively close and open the tube at the open end. The cap has an end plate with an annular flange extending therefrom. The annular flange is rigid and has an outer diameter. The annular flange is insertable into the cavity at the open end of the tube and within the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall. The outer diameter of the flange is larger than the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall to a degree such that the outer diameter and the inner diameter are engageable in a press-fit arrangement, when the cap is connected to the tube.
US08235955B2	Wound treatment apparatus and method An apparatus for cleansing wounds in which irrigant fluid from a reservoir connected to a conformable wound dressing and wound exudate from the dressing are moved by a device (which may be a single pump or two pumps) for moving fluid through a flow path which passes through the dressing and a means for providing simultaneous aspiration and irrigation of the wound, and means for stressing the wound bed and optionally tissue surrounding the wound. The former removes materials deleterious to wound healing, while distributing materials that are beneficial in promoting wound healing over the wound bed. The latter promotes wound healing. The dressing and a method of treatment using the apparatus.
US08235950B2	Safety needle A safety needle pack to prevent needle stick injuries includes a hollow needle, a needle hub, a slidable sleeve mounted on the needle hub and a pack surrounding the needle, hub and sleeve. The slidable sleeve is adapted to slide between an extended position in which the injection end of the needle is located inside the slidable sleeve and a retracted position in which the injection end of the needle projects from the slidable sleeve. The pack is releasably mounted on the needle hub and slidable sleeve such that the injection end of the pack covers the tip of needle.
US08235937B2	Device and method for delivering micronized therapeutic agents in the body The present invention provides a catheter and catheter assembly for delivering micronized therapeutic agents to a target site in the body and, in particular, to a target site in the heart. The micronized therapeutic agents are delivered in aerosol form or dry powder form. The present invention also provides a method of delivering micronized therapeutic agents to a target site in the body by placing the therapeutic agents in a catheter, positioning the catheter in the target site, and exposing the therapeutic agents to an energizing mechanism sufficient to create supersonic flow to carry the therapeutic agents from a stationary state in the catheter to a mobile state towards the target site.
US08235933B2	Methods and apparatus for reducing localized circulatory system pressure The present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for decreasing pressure in the left atrium of a patient by implanting a valved shunt through the atrial septum, whereby a volume of blood sufficient to reduce pressure in said left atrium is released to the right atrium.
US08235932B2	Side-by-side lacrimal intubation threader and method A device to facilitate insertion or threading of a flexible silicone intubation stent into the lacrimal drainage system of a patient. The device has an oblong hollow semi-rigid probe having the flexible stent releasably secured to its blunted distal end. The probe and stent are oriented in a side-by-side configuration and inserted endwise through the punctal opening, down through the nasolacrimal duct and into the nasal cavity. The flexible stent is detached from the distal end of the probe, and the probe withdrawn, leaving the stent in place. The flexible stent can be temporarily secured to the distal end of the probe through a number of means. One preferred way is to friction fit a resilient distal aperture of the stent upon the distal end of the probe and occlude the probe's distal opening. The stent is detached by injecting a pressurized fluid through the channel of the probe thereby forcing the distal end of the stent to pop off. The proximal extremity of the stent is secured in the patient by an integrated or separate punctal anchor.
US08235925B2	Back brace An application for a back brace for supporting both the abdomen and lower back of the user includes an abdominal support member and a lumbar support member having a convex dome facing inwardly towards the lumbar region of a wearer; the support members joined by two belts. The belts are positioned though a slot on each side of a member and are used to adjust the biasing force between the members. The device further includes sleeves over a central region of the members providing additional comfort.
US08235923B2	Compression device with removable portion A device for applying compression treatment to a part of a wearer's body comprises first and second inflatable bladders spaced apart from one another along an axis of the device. A line of weakness in a connecting section between the first and second bladders extends generally transverse to the axis of the device for selectively separating the inflatable bladders from one another. The device includes an overlying layer in generally opposing relationship to one of the first and second bladder layers. The overlying layer is discontinuous generally adjacent to the line of weakness to define terminal edge margins of the overlying layer extending generally along the line of weakness. Each of the terminal edge margins are connected to at least one of the first and second bladder layers on an opposite side of the line of weakness from the other terminal edge margin.
US08235915B2	Method and apparatus for penetrating tissue A body fluid sampling system for use on a tissue site includes a single drive force generator. A plurality of penetrating members are operatively coupled to the force generator. The force generator moves each of the members along a path out of a housing with a penetrating member exit, into the tissue site, stops in the tissue site, and withdraws out of the tissue site. A flexible support member couples the penetrating members to define a linear array. The support member is movable and configured to move each of the penetrating members to a launch position associated with the force generator.
US08235906B2	System and method for accelerated focused ultrasound imaging A system and method for performing accelerated ultrasound imaging provides significant increases in image acquisition speed using substantially simultaneous transmission of a plurality of ultrasound beams into an object being imaged. The resulting acquired echo signal contributions resulting from the reflection of the simultaneously transmitted beams off different features of the object being imaged are separated by employing a spatial decoding scheme. The spatial decoding scheme characterizes how received signals from features within the object being imaged are measured differently by each of the elements of an ultrasound transducer. The present invention may further include a temporal encoding and decoding scheme, which includes the modulation of a potion of the ultrasound beams transmitted during a portion of ultrasound data acquisition periods, to provide improved separation of the signal components from different features.

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