Document	Document Title
US08275289B2	Fixing unit and image forming apparatus therewith A fixing unit is provided with a heat roller having a plurality of heaters provided therein for applying heat to a toner image formed on a sheet of paper, an upper-side casing for holding the heat roller, a holding member detachably fitted to the upper-side casing, and a plurality of fitting portions that are provided in the holding member and to which first to third terminal portions of the plurality of heaters can be detachably fitted from a same direction.
US08275287B2	Developing device and image forming apparatus A developing device and image forming apparatus are provided. The developing device includes a chassis; a developer carrying member; a thickness regulating member; a supply member; and a conveying member. In a state in which the developing device is attached to a main body an opening of the chassis faces upward; the thickness regulating member pressure-contacts the developer carrying member from below the developer carrying member; the conveying member is disposed below the developer carrying member; the supply member overlaps a portion of the conveying member in a horizontal direction; and a portion of the conveying member is disposed within a vertical projection plane between a pressure-contact position of the thickness regulating member to the developer carrying member, and a contact position of the supply member to the developer carrying member. The image forming apparatus includes a main body; a plurality of photosensitive members; and a plurality of developing devices.
US08275283B2	Cartridge with developer layer thickness regulating member and image forming apparatus including the same A cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a developer carrying member for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member, and an electroconductive developer layer thickness regulating member for regulating a layer thickness of a developer deposited on the developer carrying member. A part of the developer layer thickness regulating member is directly contactable to the main assembly electrical contact.
US08275280B2	Print terminal unit and method of controlling print A print terminal unit includes a storage unit to store a lookup table on which information regarding an image forming apparatus corresponding to at least one type of a document is recorded, a user interface through which at least one type of at least one document to be printed is selected, and a controller to control an image forming apparatus that corresponds to the selected type of the document among the plurality of image forming apparatuses according to the lookup table to print the document. Accordingly, the user easily performs printing operation using an image forming apparatus separately depending on the type of the document.
US08275278B2	Fixing control device, fixing device, and image forming apparatus A fixing control device includes a power distribution controller that adjusts a power distribution time period when the power is distributed to plural heater elements per control cycle, a turn on time determining member that determines a time when each of the plural heater elements is turned on based on a duty ratio between the power distribution time period and the control cycle, and a soft operation controller that either gradually starts or stops heating each of the plural heater elements during a soft start or stop period, respectively. One of the soft start and stop periods for one of the plural heater elements is decreased not to overlap with another one of the plural heater elements.
US08275274B2	Image forming apparatus Example embodiments reduce the number of data input/output lines by carrying on a single signal line input signals to the image forming control means from a plurality of detection means and drive signals output to a plurality of drive means from the image forming control means, provide versatility for coping with cases where configuration of the image forming apparatus is changed without increasing the number of signal lines, and control the drive means that require a drive pulse and simultaneous drive of a plurality of drive means. Identification control means determines whether a drive signal is output to drive means of a plurality of input/output means, or whether a detection signal from detection means is input, identifies any one input/output means of the plurality of input/output means from an identification signal, and specifies the data to be transferred to a data line as data of the identified input/output means.
US08275266B2	Free-space optical interconnect with asymmetric light pipes An optical interconnect system includes components such as circuit boards, server blades, or a backplane with respective light pipes for an optical signal. The light pipe in a component transmitting the optical signal receives a collimated beam and directs the collimated beam for transmission. The light pipe in a receiving component is nominally aligned with the light pipe pf the transmitting component and separated from the first light pipe by free space. The light pipe on the receiving side is larger than the light pipe on the transmitting side and can therefore accommodate an expected alignment error.
US08275258B2	Optical communication base station, optical signal conversion apparatus, and optical signal conversion method An optical communication base station which receives an upstream optical signal having an upstream bit rate specific to each one of a plurality of lower order communication units from a corresponding one of the plurality of lower order communication units, and which transmits a downstream optical signal having a downstream bit rate specific to each one of the plurality of lower order communication units to a designated one of the plurality of lower order communication units, includes; a first optical signal conversion unit which changes the bit rate of the upstream optical signal and thereby converts the upstream optical signal into a fixed bit-rate inter-station optical signal; and a second optical signal conversion unit which converts the inter-station optical signal into the downstream optical signal by changing the bit rate of the inter-station optical signal according to the designated one of the plurality of lower order communication units.
US08275256B2	Power up of device via optical serial interface An optical communication serial interface is employed to power up a device from a powered down state to a powered on state. An optical receiver element receives serial optical signals transmitted by at least one optical fiber and converts the received serial optical signals to electrical signals. A low level reception converter detects and decodes the electrical signals to provide data and control words from detected and decoded normal electrical signals for a high level command processor. A power supply maintains low level power to at least the optical receiver element and the low level reception converter of the optical communication serial interface while the device is in the powered down state. The low level reception converter detects a particular abnormal sequence of electrical signals; and in response to detecting the particular abnormal sequence of electrical signals, asserts a control signal to power up the device controllable power supply.
US08275244B2	Recording apparatus A recording apparatus includes an input unit to which moving picture data is input, a memory, a management-information processing unit configured to generate management information related to a position of a predetermined picture in the moving picture data and to store the information in the memory, a recording unit configured to create a moving picture file and a clip information file on a recording medium, to record the moving picture data on the medium by storing the data in the moving picture file, and to record the management information on the medium by storing the information in the clip information file, and a control unit configured to control the recording unit so that, when a size of the stored information reaches a predetermined size during recording of the moving picture file, the recording unit stops recording and records the data by storing the data in a new moving picture file.
US08275238B2	Recording medium capable of interactive reproducing and reproduction system for the same On an optical disk, video object sets (VTST_VOBS) to be reproduced and video title set information (VTSI) serving as management information on the video object sets have been stored. In each video object set (VTST_VOBS), many data cells, each containing video, audio, and sub-picture data, are arranged. Management information on programs chains, which are combinations of programs to be reproduced one after another, has been written in a video title set PGC table (VTS_PGCIT). By referring to the program chain table (VTS_PGCIT) according to the user's input, the playback order of program chains can be changed, enabling the program chains to be reproduced one after another in various modes.
US08275234B2	Recording medium, playback apparatus, method and program A plurality of video streams and STN_table are recorded in the local storage 200. Each of the plurality of video streams is a secondary video stream to be played together with a primary video stream, and includes picture data representing a child image to be displayed in Picture in Picture that is composed of a parent image and the child image. In the STN_table, entries of secondary video streams that are permitted to be played are described in the order of priority.
US08275233B2	System and method for an early start of audio-video rendering The present invention relates to a method at a receiver for playing a stream comprising a set of video samples and a set of audio samples, said audio samples and said video samples being adapted to be rendered at a standard rendering speed in a synchronized manner, comprising at the receiver the steps of starting the reception of the stream, starting the rendering of the video samples at a speed slower than the standard rendering speed and accelerating the rendering speed up to the standard rendering speed. The invention also concerns methods for an early rendering of audio samples, when the stream comprises a set of audio samples, wherein the audio and video samples are adapted to be rendered at a standard rendering speed in a synchronized manner.
US08275227B2	Cable installation A method for use in connection with installing a fiber unit into a conduit having a first end and a second end, the method being suitable to detect when the fiber unit introduced into the first end arrives at the second end. The fiber unit is introduced into the conduit from the first end and installed towards the second end; introducing a light with a light source into the fiber unit at the first end; detecting reflected light in the fiber unit with a light detector at the first end, and detecting changes in the reflected light, whereby an operator may determine that the fiber unit has arrived at the second end.
US08275222B2	Handwriting detection sheet and handwriting system A handwriting detection sheet includes a handwriting layer, a code layer and an optical layer. The handwriting layer can display handwriting. The code layer is placed on a rear-face side of the handwriting layer. The code layer includes plural code images arranged in a matrix manner. In the code images, position codes are encoded with a light absorption material that absorbs infrared light. The optical layer is placed on a rear-face side of the code layer. The optical layer reflects infrared light and allows visible light to pass through.
US08275217B2	Apparatus and method for combining several sub-images for any imaging surface areas An apparatus provides an image on the basis of a plurality of input images. The apparatus includes a first stage having at least a first and a second combiner, each of the combiners including a first storer for storing image data of the input images, a first processor for processing the image data of the input images into an intermediate image, and a second storer for storing image data of the intermediate image. The apparatus further includes a second stage having at least one further combiner, the further combiner including a third storer for storing image data of those intermediate images which are stored in the second storer of the first stage, a second processor for processing the image data from the third storer, so as to combine the image data of the intermediate images into the image, and a fourth storer for storing image data of the image.
US08275214B2	Image texture characterization of medical images A method for texture characterization is provided. Multi-dimensional spectrum data are determined by transforming multi-dimensional image data into Fourier domain. The multi-dimensional spectrum data are partitioned into a plurality of partitions, wherein each partition is associated with a predetermined set of orthogonal voice frequencies. The partitioned multi-dimensional spectrum data are then transformed into Stockwell domain resulting in discrete orthonormal Stockwell transform data. The discrete orthonormal Stockwell transform data are then processed to determine data associated with image texture, which are indicative of a feature of the object.
US08275208B2	Method and apparatus for encoding and decoding image using image separation based on bit location Provided are method and apparatus for encoding and decoding an image by using a bit plane-based image encoding method and a block-based image encoding method respectively on bit planes based on the n-m most significant bits of an input image including n-bit pixel values and an image based on the m least significant bits of the input image.
US08275191B2	Image processing apparatus and method for generating coordination calibration points The invention provides an image processing apparatus for generating coordination calibration points. The image processing apparatus includes a subtracting module, an edge detection module and an intersection point generation module. The subtracting module subtracts a first image from a second image to generate a first subtracted image, and subtracts the first image from a third image to generate a second subtracted image. The edge detection module performs an edge detection process for the first subtracted image to generate a first edge image, and performs the edge detection process for the second subtracted image to generate a second edge image, wherein the first edge image includes a first edge and the second edge image includes a second edge. The intersection point generation module generates, according to the first and second edges, an intersection point pixel, serving as the coordination calibration point corresponding to the first edge and the second edge.
US08275190B2	Method and apparatus for inspecting pattern defects An apparatus for inspecting pattern defects, the apparatus including: an image acquisition unit which acquires an image of a specimen and stores the acquired image in an image memory; a defect candidate extraction unit which performs a defect candidate extraction process by using the acquired image, which is read from the image memory; and a defect detection unit which performs a defect detection process based on a partial image containing a defect candidate that is extracted by the defect candidate extraction unit, wherein the defect detection process performed by the defect detection unit is performed asynchronously with an image acquisition process that is performed by the image acquisition unit.
US08275186B2	Method and apparatus for setting a detection threshold in processing medical images An intuitive user interface is provided that allows for selection of an abnormality level in features in a medical image on the basis of graphical depictions of the abnormalities themselves. In one embodiment, the user interface displays realistic images of actual abnormalities in a series ranging from least severe to most severe and the medical practitioner selects the abnormality level by mouse-clicking on one of the images. The user interface then displays an annotated map of suspected abnormalities with annotations only on those suspected abnormalities that are at least as severe as the selected abnormality. In alternative embodiments, the user interface displays stylized images of the abnormalities plotted by the display using mathematical functions. In yet another alternative, the images are hand-drawn images.
US08275185B2	Discover biological features using composite images An image processing system extracts parts or characteristics of interest from prepared biological samples One suitable use of the image processing system is to find biomarkers. But many other suitable uses are possible. Some components of the system include image preprocessing (data interpolation, retention time alignment, image noise filtering, background estimation, and formation of a composite image); image feature extraction (peaks, isotope groups, and charge groups); and computation of feature characteristics and expression statistics, differential expression, and non-differential expression. Outputs of the system include a candidate list of parts or characteristic of interest for aiding further discovery.
US08275180B2	Mapping abnormal dental references Embodiments are provided for accurately characterizing a tooth's movement. One method embodiment includes associating an abnormal tooth shape with a model tooth shape from a reference library of model tooth shapes, mapping a predefined dental reference from the model tooth shape onto at least a portion of the abnormal tooth shape, and adding a location of the predefined dental reference to the abnormal tooth shape based on the mapped predefined dental reference from the model tooth shape.
US08275178B2	Software based method for finger spoof detection and related devices A finger sensor may include a finger sensing area and a controller cooperating with the finger sensing area for storing enrollment data including finger feature locations. The controller may be for generating authentication data including finger feature locations based upon positioning of an object adjacent the finger sensing area. The controller may also be for performing aligning the authentication data and the enrollment data, matching between the aligned enrollment and authentication data, and spoof attempt detecting based upon corresponding pairs of finger features and their spatial locations in the aligned enrollment and authentication data. The controller may further be for performing an authentication decision based upon the matching and spoof detecting.
US08275160B2	Delay time calculation apparatus, delay time calculation method, and storage medium storing program therefor A delay time calculation apparatus that enables all of speaker units constituting a speaker array to contribute to the formation of a combined wavefront directed to an area specified by a user. The delay time calculation apparatus includes a delay time calculation unit that calculates delay times of delayed audio signals supplied to the speaker units such that a ratio at which an evaluation object area is occupied by an area to which an acoustic wave output from each speaker unit reaches earlier than acoustic waves output from the other speaker units falls within a predetermined range. The evaluation object area is a target area to which a combined wavefront of acoustic waves output from the speaker units is directed, or is a perspective projection image of the target area onto a predetermined evaluation plane.
US08275155B2	Method for fabricating micro speaker and micro speaker fabricated by the same A method for fabricating a micro speaker is provided, including forming a package wafer and a device wafer by batch processing, bonding the package wafer and the device wafer to each other, and forming a diaphragm by isotropic-etching a back surface of the device wafer using a xenon difluoride (XeF2). As a result, a micro-electronic-mechanic system (MEMS) technology-based piezoelectric micro speaker having a wide frequency response range is realized, by batch processing, thereby providing simplified structure and processing and reducing fabricating cost.
US08275154B2	Apparatus for processing an audio signal and method thereof An apparatus for processing an audio signal and method thereof are disclosed, by which a local dynamic range of an audio signal can be adaptively normalized as well as a maximum dynamic range of the audio signal. The present invention includes receiving, by an audio processing apparatus, a signal, and feedback information estimated based on a normalizing gain; generating a noise estimation based on the signal; computing a gain filter for noise canceling, based on the noise estimation and the signal; and, obtaining a restricted gain filter by applying the feedback information to the gain filter.
US08275148B2	Audio processing apparatus and method An audio processing apparatus is provided, comprising: a main microphone for receiving sounds from a source and noises from non-source sources and generating a main input; a reference microphone for receiving the sounds and the noises and generating a reference input; a short-time Fourier transformation (STFT) unit for applying short time Fourier transformation to convert the main input of a time domain signals into a main signal of a frequency domain and convert the reference input of the time domain signals into a reference signal of the frequency domain; a sensitivity calibrating unit for performing sensitivity calibration on the main signal and the reference signal and generating a main calibrated signal and a reference calibrated signal; and a voice active detector (VAD) for generating a voice active signal according to the main calibrated signal, the reference calibrated signal and a direction of arrival (DOA) signal.
US08275146B2	Trim panel assembly for retaining an acoustical device A trim panel assembly for retaining an acoustical device, the trim panel assembly comprising a trim panel, and a voice coil, wherein at least a portion of the voice coil is partially embedded within a surface of the trim panel.
US08275132B2	System and method for dynamically allocating stream identifiers in a multi-encryption transport system The present invention is suitable for use in a multi-encrypted system that dynamically allocates stream identifiers in a second stream depending upon the identifiers in a first stream. The first stream is monitored and counters are incremented with the presence of an identifier. The count for each of the counters is then received. Using the count, a control processor then assigns or revises identifiers in the second stream.
US08275127B2	Cryptographic processing apparatus, cryptographic processing method, and computer program therefor The invention realizes a high-security cryptographic processing apparatus that increases difficulty in analyzing its key and a method therefor. In Feistel-type common-key-block cryptographic processing that repeatedly executes an SPN-type F-function having the nonlinear conversion section and the linear conversion section over a plurality of rounds, Linear conversion processing of an F-function corresponding to each of the plurality of rounds is carried out by linear conversion processing that applies square MDS (Maximum Distance Separable) matrices. The invention uses a setting that arbitrary m column vectors included in inverse matrices of square MDS matrices being set up at least in consecutive even-numbered rounds and in consecutive odd-numbered rounds, respectively, constitute a square MDS matrix. This structure realizes cryptographic processing whereby resistance to linear cryptanalysis attacks in the common-key-block cipher is improved.
US08275118B2	Method and system for controlling establishment of communication channels in a contact centre A method for controlling establishment of a communication channel between a service provider terminal of a contact center and a service request terminal is disclosed. The method comprises responding to receipt of a request to establish the communication channel by:a) determining whether a license for a media type associated with the communication channel is allocated to the service provider terminal;b) if a license is determined to be allocated to the service provider terminal, allowing establishment of the communication channel;c) if a license is determined not to be allocated to the service provider terminal, determining availability of a license from a pool of licenses;d) if a license is determined not to be available, refusing establishment of the communication channel; ande) if a license is determined to be available, allocating the license to the service provider terminal and allowing establishment of the communication channel.
US08275112B1	Systems and methods of providing multi-homed tandem access Systems and methods for providing multi-homed tandem access in a communication system are disclosed. The disclosure may include a private packet network backbone exchange (PPNBE) in connection with a set of access tandems and with a call destination such as an end-user or a communications service. A set of LRNs may be homed across the set of access tandems, with each of the set of LRNs mapped to one or more TNs corresponding to the call destination. An originating party may use any of the TNs to reach the call destination. A plurality of originating calls each including one of the TNs may be received at the PPNBE from any of the access tandems and routed to the call destination. Thus, the present disclosure provides greater call capacity than available access tandem architectures as well as optimizes a maximum number of call paths to a particular call destination.
US08275110B2	Active call filtering, screening and dispatching An examples of active call filtering, screening and dispatching is described, including receiving data representing a call from a first communication endpoint; presenting at a second communication endpoint, prior to connecting to the call, a subset of prompts that specify dispatching actions for the call, at least one of the dispatching actions including transmitting a response via a communications network, detecting selection of a prompt that specifies a dispatching action for the call, and transmitting an instruction from the second communication endpoint to a call messaging system to perform the dispatching action. In some embodiments, a determination is made as to whether a bypass condition exists, the bypass condition specifying that one or more customized screening rules are to be bypassed. If the bypass condition exists, then a call messaging system can bypass the use of a subset of prompts.
US08275107B2	Techniques for managing a multimedia conference call Techniques include managing a multimedia conference call. An apparatus may comprise a wireless device having at least one wireless transceiver and a conference call manager module. The conference call manager module may establish a voice connection and a data connection for a multimedia conference call using the wireless transceiver, the voice connection to communicate media information and the data connection to communicate conference call event information during the multimedia conference call.
US08275102B2	Call routing and prioritization based on location context Called parties in an enhanced communication system are provided location information associated with a calling party to help them determine whether they should accept the call. Alternatively, automatic call routing may be performed based on location context information associated with the calling party such as whether the caller is calling from a regular location association with him/her or an extra-ordinary location.
US08275096B2	System and method for security monitoring and response delivery A system and method of security monitoring and response delivery for a user having a user's device by a monitoring service whose services include monitoring the user upon request. The method includes maintaining a user profile for each user in a user database, maintaining response provider information in a response provider database in which response providers are predetermined and include providers of at least one of assistance and emergency services which are selected from among public, private, commercial and non-commercial providers; receiving a transmission of a request for monitoring from a user sent via the user's device over the communication system; and commencing monitoring of the user via the user's device using advanced decision making and analysis tools employing higher logic.
US08275087B2	Frequency synchronization using first and second frequency error estimators An endpoint or other communication device of a communication system includes a clock recovery module. The communication device is operative as a slave device relative to another communication device that is operative as a master device. The clock recovery module comprises a clock recovery loop configured to control a slave clock frequency of the slave device so as to synchronize the slave clock frequency with a master clock frequency of the master device. The clock recovery loop comprises a primary loop having a first frequency error estimator for generating a first estimate of error between the master and slave clock frequencies, a second frequency error estimator outside of the primary loop for generating a second estimate of error between the master and slave clock frequencies, and an accumulator coupled between the second frequency error estimator and the primary loop. The second estimate is controllably injected into the primary loop via the accumulator.
US08275085B2	Apparatus and method for recovering data An apparatus for recovering data and a method thereof are provided. The apparatus includes a reference clock generator which generates a reference clock, and a data recovering unit which detects an edge of received data and recovers the data using a time difference between a reference point of the reference clock and the detected edge.
US08275080B2	Self-supporting simplex packets Existing message fields and/or message parameters are configured to facilitate the packet and message synchronization and decoding tasks that conventionally rely upon a known bit sequence in each packet, thereby eliminating the need for a predefined message preamble in each packet. In example embodiments, the unique identifier of each transmitter is structured to facilitate determination of bit polarity and the start of each packet; packet sequence numbers use an unconventional counting sequence to assure synchronizing bit transitions; and so on. Other techniques, such as the use of run-length limited (RLL) message encoding, or 8b/10b encoding, to assure within-packet bit transitions, are also used to enhance clock synchronization and proper header location determination.
US08275075B2	Low complexity maximum likelihood sequence detection system and methods A system and method implement low complexity maximum likelihood sequence detection. A decision feedback algorithm computes x(M+D+L−1). Optimality examination is performed for x(M), and state values and values of Markov states along paths from states in x(M) to xl(M+L) are computed.
US08275071B2	Compact dual receiver architecture for point to point radio A radio frequency receiver comprising a receiver module, an intermediate frequency (“IF”) module, a synthesizer module and a controller module. The receiver module receives a radio frequency signal and provides a baseband in-phase signal and a baseband quadrature signal, eliminates a sideband of the in-phase and quadrature signals to create a first and a second signal, downconverts the first and second signal to a first and a second IF signal, and selects one of the first or second IF signals. The IF module receives the first or second IF signal, performs analog-to-digital conversion on the first or second IF signal, and demodulates the digitally converted IF signal. The synthesizer module receives a programmable reference signal, downconverts the reference signal to an IF feedback signal, downconverts the reference signal to a baseband feedback signal, provides the IF feedback signal to the IF module, and provides the baseband feedback signal to the receiver module. The controller module samples the digitally converted IF signal and provides the programmable reference signal to the synthesizer module to thereby provide a demodulated output signal.
US08275070B2	Apparatus and method of transmitting/receiving signals using signaling point rotation at mutual cooperation transmission An apparatus for and method of transmitting and/or receiving a signal by using signaling point rotation in mutually cooperative relaying are provided. The apparatus for transmitting a signal includes: a rotated I-channel generation unit rotating a symbol containing data of a first user, by a predetermined angle, and then, obtaining the I-channel (in-phase) component of the rotated symbol; a rotated Q-channel generation unit receiving a symbol rotated by a predetermined angle, of a previous time slot from a node of a second user performing mutually cooperative relaying with the node of the first user, detecting the I-channel component, and obtaining the Q-channel (quadrature-phase) component of a symbol containing data of the second user from the detected I-channel component; and a combining unit combining the I-channel component of the first user generated in the rotated I-channel generation unit and the Q-channel component of the second user generated in the rotated Q-channel generation unit, thereby generating one symbol.
US08275063B2	Method for transmitting and receiving precoded signal in MIMO communication system A method for transmitting and receiving a precoded signal in a Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) communication system is provided. In the method, a preceding matrix is selected from a codebook including one or more preceding matrices of each rank, each of the preceding matrices including a unitary matrix modified by an antenna selection element. A signal for transmission is then precoded by applying the selected preceding matrix to the signal for transmission and the precoded signal is transmitted through a selected antenna.
US08275060B2	Codebook searching apparatus and method thereof Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure propose multiple codebook searching methods for a receiver in a communication system, wherein the communication system uses a codebook having L pre-coding matrices. First, L matrices are calculated according to the L pre-coding matrices, and the L matrices are inversed mean square error matrices of the L pre-encoding matrices. Then, diagonal cofactors or determinants of at least S matrices of the L matrices are calculated, and a pre-coding matrix used by the receiver is found according to the maximum cofactors of the diagonal of the at least S matrices or ratios between the maximum cofactors of the diagonals and the determinants of the at least S matrices.
US08275052B2	FFT carrier frequency offset estimation for OFDM signal There is being disclosed an OFDM signal receiver for detecting carrier frequency offset. When FFT transform of the signal is processed in the receiver, an estimator applies the spectrum shape of the FFT transform for estimating the carrier frequency offset.
US08275048B2	Video encoding method and apparatus, video decoding method and apparatus, programs therefor, and storage media for storing the programs A video encoding method for assigning a plurality of images to a plurality of GOPs and encoding images belonging to the GOPs as a video image. The method includes determining whether each image belonging to each GOP is to be encoded; encoding GOP encoding/non-encoding data for indicating whether encoded data of the image belonging to the relevant GOP is output; and encoding the image belonging to the relevant GOP when the encoded data of the image is output. Typically, it is determined whether an image generated by using one or more other GOPs without decoding the encoded data of the relevant GOP is closer to an original image of the relevant image in comparison with an image obtained by decoding the encoded data, so as to determine whether the image belonging to the relevant GOP is to be encoded.
US08275044B2	Video frame encoding and decoding A video frame arithmetical context adaptive encoding and decoding scheme is presented which is based on the finding, that, for sake of a better definition of neighborhood between blocks of picture samples, i.e. the neighboring block which the syntax element to be coded or decoded relates to and the current block based on the attribute of which the assignment of a context model is conducted, and when the neighboring block lies beyond the borders or circumference of the current macroblock containing the current block, it is important to make the determination of the macroblock containing the neighboring block dependent upon as to whether the current macroblock pair region containing the current block is of a first or a second distribution type, i.e., frame or field coded.
US08275042B2	High-performance video transcoding method Disclosed is an apparatus (500) for generating a second compressed video stream (550) having a second resolution, from a first compressed video stream (540) having a first resolution. The apparatus comprises means (513) for extracting transform domain luma data and spatial domain chroma data from the first compressed video stream (540), means (514-516) for applying a transform domain operation to the luma data to form reconstructed transform domain luma data, means (518, 519, 560) for applying a spatial domain operation to the chroma data to form reconstructed spatial domain chroma data, and means for scaling the reconstructed transform domain luma data and reconstructed spatial domain chroma data to generate the second compressed video stream.
US08275039B2	Method of and apparatus for video encoding and decoding based on motion estimation Provided is a method of and apparatus for video encoding and decoding based on motion estimation. The method includes generating a motion vector by searching a reference picture using pixels of a current block, generating a prediction motion vector that is a prediction value of the motion vector by searching the reference picture using previously encoded pixels located adjacent to the current block, and encoding the current block based on the motion vector and the prediction motion vector. By accurately predicting the motion vector of the current block, the number of bits required for encoding the motion vector can be reduced, thereby improving the compression rate of video data.
US08275038B2	Motion detecting method and motion detector A motion detecting method and a motion detector are provided. The motion detecting method includes the following steps. When the type of the current macro block (MB) is intra-type (I-type) or predictively-coded type (P-type), a first procedure or a second procedure is performed. The first procedure includes setting the active flag of the currentMB according to the type of the previous MB. The second procedure includes setting the active flag of the current MB according to the motion vectors of the previous MB and the current MB. The present invention is capable of reducing the probability of erroneous motion judgments.
US08275037B2	Simplified inter-layer motion prediction for scalable video coding Methods for determining for high layer macroblocks that use inter-layer prediction, a partitioning of the macroblock. The methods include dividing the high layer macroblock in non-overlapping high layer blocks of a predefined size; determining a corresponding base layer pixel for one pixel, called reference pixel, of each high layer block; identifying, for each reference pixel, a base layer macroblock to which the corresponding base layer pixel belongs, a base layer partition to which the corresponding base layer pixel belongs in the identified base layer macroblock, a base layer sub-partition to which the corresponding base layer pixel belongs in the identified base layer partition if the sub-partition exists; deriving, for each of the high layer block, a single value, called Partlnfo value; and determining a partitioning of the high layer macroblock in macroblock partitions by comparing between them the Partlnfo values associated with each of the high layer blocks.
US08275035B2	Video coding apparatus One embodiment of the invention provides a video coding apparatus including an intraprediction section that generates prediction signals by plural intraprediction modes, an interprediction section that generates prediction signals by plural interprediction modes, and a first determination section that selects a first prediction mode to select a prediction signal by the first prediction mode from among the prediction signals by the plural intraprediction modes and the plural interprediction modes. The first determination section includes a second determination section that selects a second prediction mode from among the plural interprediction modes, a candidate limiting section that selects at least one of the plural intraprediction modes based on the second prediction mode, a third determination section that selects a third prediction mode from among the at least one of the plural intraprediction modes and a fourth determination section that selects the first prediction mode from among the second and third prediction modes.
US08275030B2	Signaling system with selectively-inhibited adaptive equalization An integrated circuit having a receiver that selectively inhibits incoming data from being used to update adaptively generated controls. Sampling circuitry generates a plurality of samples of an incoming signal. Control circuitry generates an inhibit signal in either a first state or a second state according to whether the plurality of samples meets a randomness criterion. Tap weight update circuitry receives the inhibit signal from the control circuitry and updates a plurality of equalizer tap weights based on the plurality of samples if the inhibit signal is in the first state. The tap weight update circuitry refrains from updating the plurality of equalizer tap weights based on the plurality of samples if the inhibit signal is in the second state.
US08275025B2	Methods and apparatus for pseudo asynchronous testing of receive path in serializer/deserializer devices Methods and apparatus are provided for pseudo asynchronous testing of receive paths in serializer/deserializer (SerDes) devices. A SerDes device is tested by applying a source of serial data to a receive path of the SerDes device during a test mode. The receive path substantially aligns to incoming data using a bit clock. A phase is adjusted during the test mode of the bit clock relative to the source of serial data to evaluate the SerDes device. The source of serial data may be, for example, a reference clock used by a phase locked loop to generate the bit clock. The phase of the bit clock can be directly controlled during the test mode, for example, by a test phase control signal, such as a plurality of interpolation codes that are applied to an interpolator that alters a phase of the bit clock.
US08275024B2	Cable modem A cable modem includes an amplifier, a power module, a switch circuit, a monitor signal, a duplexer and a RF matching circuit. The switch includes a PMOS transistor and a first electronic switch. The RF matching circuit included a second electronic switch and an electronic matching device. The monitoring signal source is configured for outputting a control signal. When the monitoring signal source stops outputting the control signal, both the first electronic switch and the PMOS transistor are turned off to cut off the power to the amplifier, the second electronic switch is turned on, and conducts the RF signal received by the signal receiving/transmitting circuit to the duplexer which further conducts the RF signal to the radio frequency matching circuit.
US08275022B2	CDMA receivers and CDMA communications systems A CDMA communications system includes a primary station and at least one secondary station. The secondary station includes a receiver for receiving CDMA signals transmitted on the downlink. The receiver includes a plurality of Rake finger receivers having inputs for receiving signals and outputs coupled to a combining stage for combining their output signals constructively, a finger assignment stage for assigning the finger receivers to respective received signals, a processing stage for estimating the speed of the CDMA receiver from the signals received and for varying the time required to make a finger replacement decision in response to the estimated speed so that the time required decreases as the speed of the receiver increases and vice versa.
US08275021B2	Radio communication device and response signal diffusion method Provided is a radio communication device which can suppress inter-code interference between an ACK/NACK signal and a CQI signal which are code-multiplexed. A diffusion unit (214) diffuses the ACK/NACK signal inputted from a judgment unit (208) by using a ZC sequence. A diffusion unit (219) diffuses the CQI signal by using a cyclic shift ZC sequence. By using a Walsh sequence, a diffusion unit (216) further diffuses the ACK/NACK signal which has been diffused by using the ZC sequence. A control unit (209) controls the diffusion unit (214), the diffusion unit (216), and the diffusion unit (219) so that the minimum value of the difference between the CQI signals from a plurality of mobile stations and a cyclic shift amount of the ACK/NACK signal is not smaller than the minimum value of the difference between the cyclic shift amounts of the ACK/NACK signals from the plurality of mobile stations.
US08275019B2	Transmitting and receiving schemes for multiuser single-carrier space time spreading with frequency domain equalization Examples are disclosed for transmitting and receiving schemes for multiuser single-carrier space time spreading (STS) with frequency domain equalization.
US08275012B2	Laser diode read driver A first transistor produces a first voltage in response to a first current signal. A first resistor is coupled between the first transistor and a low voltage supply. A transconductor has a first input receiving the first voltage and producing a second current signal in response to differences between signals received on the first input and a second input. A second transistor is coupled to the second input and produces a third current signal in response to the second current signal. A third transistor, coupled to the second transistor and the second input, produces an output current signal in response to the third current signal. The first transistor is scaled to the third transistor by the inverse of a gain factor. A second resistor is coupled between the third transistor and a low voltage supply. The first resistor is scaled to the second resistor by the gain factor.
US08275011B2	Optical transmission module, wavelength monitor, and wavelength drift detection method To detect a wavelength drift of laser light with no error, an optical transmission module (10) includes: a laser diode (20); a laser temperature calculation section (52) for detecting the temperature of the laser diode (20) that monotonously increases with respect to a wavelength of the laser light; a wavelength calculation section (44) for detecting a transmittance of the laser light incident on an etalon filter (36) whose transmittance periodically varies with respect to the wavelength of the incident light, and a laser wavelength corresponding to the transmittance; and a wavelength error obtaining section (54) for detecting a wavelength error (wavelength drift), from a target wavelength, of the laser light output from the laser diode (20), based on the temperature detected by the laser temperature calculation section (52) and the laser wavelength detected by the wavelength calculation section (44).
US08275007B2	Pulsed laser system with optimally configured saturable absorber A high power pulsed laser system is configured with at least two gain blocks and with at least one saturable absorber (SA) coupled to the output and input of the respective gain blocks. The SA is configured so that Qsat_sa
US08275003B2	Method and apparatus for generating multiplexed signals An aspect of the invention relates to a method and apparatus for multiplexing content. In one example, a first transport stream is received. The first transport stream includes a sequence of burst cycles, each of the burst cycles having a plurality of packet bursts respectively associated with a plurality of primary services. In one example, a primary service is a national service. A packet burst stream is received that is associated with a secondary service. In one example, a secondary service is a regional service. The first transport stream is multiplexed with the packet burst stream to produce a second transport stream. The second transport stream includes a deterministic relationship between the plurality of packet bursts in each of the burst cycles and packet bursts of the packet burst stream. Additional packet burst streams associated with additional secondary services may be received and multiplexed in a similar manner.
US08275000B2	Wireless communication system, base station, and wireless communication method A wireless communication system includes a base station and a terminal station. The base station extracts paths that have a power level that exceeds a predetermined threshold value from delay profiles of the terminal station as available paths, selects a path having a maximum power or a first path from the available paths as a reference path, calculates a time difference between an arrival time of the reference path and a predetermined maximum arrival time, and transmits a result to the terminal station as a transmission timing control signal. The terminal station adjusts the transmission timing to the base station according to the time difference. The base station transmits the transmission timing control signal only when the base station detects the reference path.
US08274988B2	Forwarding data through a three-stage Clos-network packet switch with memory at each stage Examples are disclosed for forwarding data partitioned into one or more cells through at least a portion of a three-stage memory-memory-memory (MMM) input-queued Clos-network (IQC) packet switch. In some examples, each module of the three-stage MMM IQC packet switch includes a virtual queue and a manager that are configured in cooperation with one another to forward cells through at least a portion of the switch. The cells may have been partitioned and stored at an input port for the switch and destined for an output port for the switch.
US08274985B2	Control of cellular data access The present invention provides methods and apparatus for controlling cellular access to data services from a mobile device such as a cellular telephone or PDA. The wireless network monitors IP traffic to and from the mobile device. Attempts to access an data service are checked to determine whether the requested access is authorized. Access to the data service is granted subject to the authorization. Access to the mobile device from external sources is also restricted.
US08274979B2	Method and system for secure communication between a public network and a local network A method for secure communication between a local area network and a wide area network includes integrating a NAT functionality in a firewall associated with the local area network, wherein the NAT functionality is suitable to translate the source port of outgoing data packets with a NAT port value obtained by adding to a NAT offset value the value of the session ED used in a session database. When reply data packets coming from the wide area network are received by the firewall, the session ID is extracted from the NAT port value and is used for directly pointing to the session database, thus reducing the time required to recognize the session.
US08274959B2	Method for transmitting location based service—reference signal in wireless communication system and apparatus therefor A method for allowing a mobile station to detect a Location Based Service-Reference Signal (LBS-RS) in a wireless communication system is disclosed. The method includes receiving LBS-RS setup information of at least one target cell participating in location measurement from a serving cell, acquiring a frequency offset value of the target cell using the LBS-RS setup information, and detecting the LBS-RS transmitted from the target cell using the LBS-RS setup information and the frequency offset value. In addition, the method further includes measuring a reception delay time of the detected LBS-RS, and transmitting a reception delay time to the serving cell.
US08274943B2	MIMO OFDMA with antenna selection and subband handoff An access node wirelessly coupled to a plurality of access terminals, having a subband scheduler, a plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplex elements, and a plurality of antennas. The subband scheduler receives precoded data, and schedules transmission of a preamble signal and a plurality of data streams. The plurality of orthogonal frequency division multiplex elements converts the preamble signal and the plurality of data streams into a corresponding preamble tone and a corresponding plurality of data tones. The preamble tone indicates a mapping of the plurality of data tones to one or more of the plurality of access terminals. The plurality of antennas transmits the corresponding preamble tone and the corresponding plurality of data tones in timely fashion for receipt by the plurality of access terminals. The corresponding preamble tone and the corresponding data tones are transmitted over subbands of a code division multiple access (CDMA)-based carrier frequency.
US08274940B2	Base station apparatus and communication control method A base station apparatus is disclosed that includes a selection unit selecting user equipment terminals to which radio resources are allocated based on priority levels indicating a priority order of allocating the radio resources for a shared channel and a resource determination unit determining a transmission power level of a control channel and resources for the control channel, the control channel indicating communications of the shared channel to the selected user equipment terminals. In the base station apparatus, when the sum of the transmission power of the control channel related to the selected user equipment terminals exceeds a predetermined first threshold value or when a sum of control resources for the control channel related to the selected user equipment terminals exceeds a predetermined second threshold value, the resource determination unit transmits the control channel to some user equipment terminals among the selected user equipment terminals.
US08274925B2	Retaining traffic channel assignments for satellite terminals to provide lower latency communication services A traffic channel is assigned for use by a terminal to transmit data traffic to a satellite for relay to a satellite base station. The traffic channel assignment is retained for use by the terminal while the terminal is idle between data traffic transmissions to the satellite in response to a type of service designation that is associated with the terminal.
US08274924B2	Intra-donor cell coordinated multi-point transmission with type 1 relay A method is provided for communication in a wireless telecommunications system. The method comprises an access node acting as a master control but not acting as a serving node in a coordinated multi-point (CoMP) transmission with a relay node toward a user equipment. The method further comprises the access node retaining a copy of data packets that the access node sends to the relay node for the CoMP transmission.
US08274923B2	Wireless access control method, relay station and base station The present invention provides a wireless access control method, relay station and base station. The wireless access control method according to the present invention is characterized in that under the control of said base station, information of said subscriber station and said base station is received and forwarded via a wireless channel by using the relay station. Said method further comprises the steps of: uplink bearer data and control information from said subscriber station being first received by said relay station and then forwarded to said base station; downlink bearer data from said base station being first received by said relay station and then forwarded to said subscriber station. Said base station sends control information directly to the subscriber station. The present invention further comprises a relay station for implementing the above method and an improved base station. In the method and devices provided by the present invention, with the introduction of relaying access technique, subscriber stations located with the long distance to the base station or in shadowing areas may be connected by relaying.
US08274917B1	Recognition of users by assigned source port blocks Recognition of users by assigned source port blocks identifies a specific network-attached device using date, time, WAN IP, and source port information associated with a user session. The method includes the steps of: receiving a date, time, WAN IP address, and source port associated with a user session; a computer searching a list of user sessions for one or more LAN IP addresses associated with the received WAN IP address that were in use at the received date and time; responsive to finding one or more matching IP addresses, a computer searching a list of assigned source ports for a match between a set of source ports assigned with the found LAN IP addresses and the received source port; and responsive to finding a matching source port, a computer identifying a source host device that is assigned the matching LAN IP address.
US08274916B2	Device and method for measuring location of terminal A terminal location measuring device includes a database for storing registration information of a plurality of access points (AP's) forming a first infrastructure system for wireless LAN-based indoor location determination. The terminal location measuring device sets a search range of a database by using location information of the terminal acquired through a second infrastructure system that is different from the first infrastructure system, an identifier of at least one of a plurality of AP's, and a signal measurement value. The terminal location measuring device extracts registration information of an AP having the same identifier as at least one AP within the search range of the database, and measures a location of the terminal by using registration information of the AP.
US08274914B2	Switch and/or router node advertising A first of a plurality of intermediate routing devices is operable to advertise to and/or receive status information from remaining one(s) of the intermediate routing devices. The intermediate routing devices may store and/or analyze the advertised and/or received status information and may make routing decisions based on it. The first routing device may advertise status information for itself and/or for one or more other intermediate routing devices. Data may be routed based on type of data, service level and/or priority associated with the data. The advertised and/or received status information comprises current status information, predicted status information and/or past status information which may be based on one or more of port status, CPU utilization, memory utilization, quality of service (QoS), bandwidth utilization, bandwidth availability, traffic load, congestion, number of connections handled and capability to provide a particular level of service.
US08274913B2	Method and system for configuring wireless communication of survey sensors and controllers A method and system for configuring wireless communication of survey sensors and controllers is recited. In one embodiment, a survey device controller is configured to receive a first wireless communication comprising a sequence indicating that a survey device is configured to participate in an automatic configuration process with the survey device controller. The system further comprises the survey device which is configured to generate a second wireless communication indicating the reception of a selection event to communicatively couple the survey device with the survey device controller. The survey device controller is further configured to automatically initiate a wireless communication connection comprising the survey device controller and the survey device in response to receiving the second wireless signal contemporaneous with receiving a signal which is generated by the survey device controller to communicatively couple the survey device controller with the survey device.
US08274908B2	Quality of service packet processing without explicit control negotiations Apparatuses, methods, systems, and computer program products to process QoS packets of wireless traffic without explicit control negotiations are disclosed. An embodiment may comprise a mobile computing device with wireless communications capabilities. The mobile computing device may be a client that associates or connects with an access point or communicates another client device, such as a peripheral device with wireless capabilities. The mobile computing device may monitor wireless packet traffic being transmitted from the mobile computing device. For example, the mobile computing device may monitor the packets being transmitted from a video streaming application to the peripheral device, which may comprise an LCD monitor that has wireless communications capabilities. The mobile computing device may mark the packets of the video stream as QoS packets even though the video streaming application may not do so, and place the marked packets in a QoS queue for priority processing.
US08274903B2	Methods and apparatus for switching between a base channel and a 60 GHz channel A method for switching between channels on different bands is described. Communication with a wireless device occurs on a base channel. A channel switch request is sent to the wireless device. An acknowledgment is received from the wireless device. Communication with the wireless device switches to a 60 GHz channel.
US08274901B1	System and method for assisting in troubleshooting a network handling voice over internet protocol traffic A system and method allocates dropped packets from a call detail record in a voice over Internet Protocol to links or nodes the call traversed, and to events that occurred during the call and prefixes corresponding to the phones used in the call, along with a report in decreasing order of the dropped packets for the nodes, links, events and prefixes, to allow a system administrator to help identify the source of the dropped packets.
US08274898B2	Communication route presumption technique A method includes: identifying a test source address (SA) in a second network and a test destination address (DA) in a third network, wherein a packet is presumed to be transmitted from the second network to the third network through plural communication routes in a first network; causing an output edge router connected to the third network to change settings of an ARP table in the output edge router so as not to transfer the packet addressed to the test DA to the third network; obtaining the first number of input packets from each counting router on each route; transmitting a test packet including the test SA and DA, plural times; obtaining the second number of input packets from each counting router; calculating a difference between the first and second numbers for each route; and identifying a route through which the test packets passed, based on the differences.
US08274897B1	Location based services in a situational network A method of providing location based service information in a situational network includes establishing the situational network linking a plurality of individuals in response to an indication of an occurrence of a situation. Information related to availability of a service at a plurality of service locations affected by the situation is received, where the service is provided by one or more of a plurality of service providers An individual location associated with each of the plurality of individuals is determined. The available service locations that are in closest proximity to the individual location of the respective individuals is transmitting to each of the individuals based on the availability of the service.
US08274893B2	Network interface selection using historical connection information A computer may be capable of communicating with devices via network through multiple interfaces. When a new connection is to be established, the computer may select an interface to use for the connection. In some embodiments, the interface may be selected based on historical connection information representing the performance of previous network connections that the computer has established through the interfaces.
US08274884B1	Prevention of bandwidth abuse of a communications system A user of a communications network is prevented from consuming an excessive amount of channel bandwidth by restricting use of the channel in accordance with the type of data being downloaded to the user. The user is provided an initial number of credits. As the user consumes the credits, the data being downloaded is checked to determine if is permissible or non-permissible. Non-permissible data includes file-sharing files and movie downloads if user subscription does not permit such activity. If the data is permissible, the user is provided another allotment of credits equal to the initial allotment. If the data is non-permissible, the user is provided an allotment of credits less than the initial allotment. Various restriction policies also can be applied, such as levying additional fees and/or terminating the user's access to the channel. Also, incentives can be provided to entice the user curb the misuse.
US08274881B2	Altering access to a fibre channel fabric A mechanism is provided for altering access to a network. A virtual I/O server controller in a virtual I/O server operating system receives an indication that an identified communications adapter requires attention. The virtual I/O server controller issues a set of calls to a set of N_port identification virtualization server adapters coupled to the identified communications adapter. Each of the set of calls indicates to each of the set of N_port identification virtualization server adapters a request to move a set of clients from their assigned port on the identified communications adapter to an available port on a failover communications adapter. The set of N_port identification virtualization server adapters moves the set of clients from the identified communications adapter to the failover communications adapter.
US08274875B2	Optical disc device and focus control method Disclosed is an optical disc device that is able to increase accuracy in reproducing information from an optical disc. The optical disc device 10 calculates a focus error signal SFE2 and a sum signal SS1 while reciprocating an objective lens 21 in a focus direction until a distance between a focal point FS and a focal point FM1 becomes close to the depth d of a target position PG at the time of a pull-in operation, and when a trigger signal ST1 generated on the basis of the sum signal SS1 is at low level, starts focus control on the basis of the focus error signal SFE2. Therefore, focus control can start in a state where the focus error signal SFE2 curves in an S shape with sufficient amplitude.
US08274868B2	Optical recording medium, recording/reproducing apparatus and method, initialization method, and reinitialization method A recording/reproducing apparatus includes a writing/reading unit writing data to or reading data from an information recording medium having an access control area in which access control data is recorded, the access control data having common information set to allow the recording/reproducing apparatus that cannot recognize a predetermined function adapted to the information recording medium to control access to the information recording medium; and a control unit controlling the writing/reading unit to record access control data regarding a function recognizable by the recording/reproducing apparatus in the access control area when the information recording medium is initialized or reinitialized.
US08274866B2	Optical recording head and optical recording apparatus An optical recording head includes: a light source; a slider comprising a wave guide which irradiates light from the light source to a recording medium, wherein a grating coupler is formed on an end portion at an opposite side of the waveguide relative to the light source; and an optical element which comprises a diffraction grating and introduces the light from the light source to the grating coupler through the diffraction grating. The optical element deflects the light from the light source so that the light is incident into the grating coupler with a deflection angle larger than 90 degrees with respect to a direction in which the light proceeds when the light is incident into the optical element.
US08274864B2	Slip gear structure and timepiece equipped with the same Disclosed is a slip gear structure which is easy to handle at the time of dismantling/assembly and which does not easily suffer breakage even if dismantling/assembly is repeated, and a timepiece equipped with the same. A slip gear structure for a timepiece includes: a gear main body portion in the form of an annular plate having in the outer periphery thereof tooth portions, there being provided spring portions extending across an inner opening; and a positioning member equipped with a small diameter plate-like portion having a central hole with which a shaft is rotatably fit-engaged and a pair of support wall portions arranged on both sides of the central hole and protruding from one surface. When the slip gear structure is in a non-fit-engaged state with respect to the shaft, the spring portions of the gear main body are elastically pressed against side edge portions of the support wall portions, with central spring portions thereof situated between the side edge portions protruding into the central hole; and when the slip gear structure is in a fit-engaged state with respect to the shaft at the central hole, the central spring portions of the spring portions of the gear main body portion are elastically pressed against the shaft for slip engagement with the shaft.
US08274863B2	Chronograph timepiece Disclosed is a chronograph timepiece in which it is possible to prevent the battery reliability service life time from being exceeded even when the period of time that the chronograph function is used is short, making it possible to prevent failure generation in the chronograph timepiece due to liquid leakage. A 24-hour counter down-counts a period of time that has elapsed starting from 24 hours, and a chronograph counter down-counts the period of time that chronograph measurement operation is performed from a predetermined time; when the count values of the 24-hour counter and the chronograph counter become equal to each other, a processing unit consumes a battery for the residual period of time of the two counters by a battery power consuming unit.
US08274862B2	System and method for determining a frequency sweep for seismic analysis A sweep generator is employed to generate a sweep to be used by a seismic vibrator device for generating a desired target output spectrum, wherein the frequency sweep is designed so as to comply with one or more constraints imposed by the seismic vibrator device and/or imposed by the environment in which the device is to be used. In one embodiment, a sweep generator determines a sweep for achieving a desired target output spectrum by a given seismic vibrator device in compliance with at least a pump flow constraint imposed by the seismic vibrator device. In another embodiment, a sweep generator determines a sweep for achieving a desired target output spectrum by a given seismic vibrator device in compliance with all of multiple operational constraints of the seismic vibrator device, such as both mass displacement and pump flow constraints. Environmental constraints may also be accounted for in certain embodiments.
US08274861B1	Underwater network having buoyancy compensation and anchoring systems An underwater wireless network can include plurality of nodes, each node having a cylindrical housing, a repeater, a transducer and a buoy. The housing defines a void and encloses the repeater. The transducer can be tethered to the housing and a buoy can be tethered to said transducer. Each node also includes at least two hemi-cylindrical flukes that can be pivotably attached to the housing. The housing can further be formed with at least two flood ports, and corresponding plugs are inserted into a respective fill port. Lanyards interconnect each flukes with a respective plug. During transport, the flukes can surround the transducer and the void is empty, which renders the node neutrally buoyant for ease of transport. For deployment, the flukes are pivoted away from each other to tighten the lanyards, which pull the plugs out of the flood ports, to further flood the void and deploy the node.
US08274860B2	Distance measurement apparatus and related methods A distance measurement apparatus arranged to measure the distance to an object (106) comprising a first sonic transmitter (100) arranged at a first distance (h1) from that object and a second sonic transmitter (102) arranged at a second distance (h2) from that object (100), wherein the first and second distances are different, the first (100) and second (102) transmitters being controlled by processing circuitry (108) and the first and second transmitters being arranged such that sonic pulses emitted, in use, thereby are incident upon that object (106) and the apparatus further comprising at least one sonic receiver (100) arranged to receive a plurality of reflected sonic pulses and generate an output therefrom and the processing circuitry (108) being arranged to receive the output, determine the times since the first and second pulses were emitted and generate a distance to that object from the determined times.
US08274858B2	Method for full-bandwidth deghosting of marine seismic streamer data Seismic data recorded in a marine streamer are obtained, with the seismic data being representative of characteristics of subsurface earth formations and acquired by deployment of a plurality of seismic receivers overlying an area of the subsurface earth formations to be evaluated, the seismic receivers generating at least one of an electrical and optical signal in response to seismic energy. A complex Laplace frequency parameter is used to transform the seismic data from a space-time domain to a spectral domain. An iterative conjugate gradient scheme, using a physically-based preconditioner, is applied to the transformed seismic data, to provide a least squares solution to a normal set of equations for a deghosting system of equations. The solution is inverse-transformed back to a space-time domain to provide deghosted seismic data, which is useful for imaging the earth's subsurface.
US08274849B2	Read circuitry for an integrated circuit having memory cells and/or a memory cell array, and method of operating same An integrated circuit device (e.g., a logic device or a memory device) having a memory cell array which includes (i) a plurality of memory cells, wherein each memory cell is programmable to store one of a plurality of data states, and (ii) a bit line, having a plurality of memory cells coupled thereto. Memory cell control circuitry applies one or more read control signals to perform a read operation wherein, in response to the read control signals, a selected memory cell conducts a current which is representative of the data state stored therein. Sense amplifier circuitry senses the data state stored in the selected memory cell using a signal which is responsive to the current conducted by the selected memory cell. Current regulation circuitry is responsively and electrically coupled to the bit line during a portion of the read operation to sink or source at least a portion of the current provided on the bit line. Sensing circuitry responsively couples the current regulation circuitry to the bit line during the portion of the read operation.
US08274847B2	Semiconductor system To provide a semiconductor system including a plurality of core chips and an interface chip that controls the core chips. Each of the core chips includes an internal voltage generating circuit. The interface chip includes an unused chip information holding circuit that stores therein unused chip information of the core chips. The core chips respectively receive the unused chip information from the unused chip information holding circuit. When the unused chip information indicates an unused state, the internal voltage generating circuits are inactivated, and when the unused chip information indicates a used state, the internal voltage generating circuits are activated. With this configuration, unnecessary power consumption by the unused chips is reduced.
US08274845B2	Nonvolatile semiconductor memory device A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device is provided, which includes an input buffer provided with a first inverter that can electrically adjust circuit threshold values, a circuit: threshold value monitor provided with a second inverter having the same circuit configuration as the first inverter to detect the circuit threshold values of the first inverter when the input and output of the second inverter are short-circuited, respectively, a memory storing parameter values that correspond to the circuit threshold values detected by the circuit threshold value monitor, and a data-reader circuit reading the parameter values given to the first inverter from the memory.
US08274843B2	Semiconductor device having nonvolatile memory element and data processing system including the same A semiconductor device includes a fuse element, a read-out circuit that reads out a memory content of the fuse element in response to a first internal reset signal that is activated in response to transition of an external reset signal, and a latch circuit that holds therein the memory content read out by the read-out circuit and is reset by a second internal reset signal that is activated based on an activation period of the external reset signal. With this configuration, even when the activation period of the external reset signal is long, the time for which a current flows through the fuse element can be shortened, thereby making it possible to reduce a current consumption at the time of a reset operation.
US08274835B2	Mitigation of runaway programming of a memory device Methods for mitigating runaway programming in a memory device, methods for program verifying a memory device, a memory device, and a memory system are provided. In one such method, a ramp voltage signal is generated by a digital count signal. A memory cell being program verified is turned on by a particular verify voltage of the ramp voltage signal in response to a digital count of the digital count signal. The memory cell turning on generates a bit line indication that causes the digital count to be compared to a representation of the target data to be programmed in the memory cell. The comparator circuit generates an indication when the digital count is greater than or equal to the target data.
US08274832B2	Dynamic polarization for reducing stress induced leakage current Subject matter disclosed herein relates to non-volatile flash memory, and more particularly to a method of reducing stress induced leakage current.
US08274831B2	Programming non-volatile storage with synchronized coupling A process for programming non-volatile storage is able to achieve faster programming speeds and/or more accurate programming through synchronized coupling of neighboring word lines. The process for programming includes raising voltages for a set of word lines connected a group of connected non-volatile storage elements. The set of word lines include a selected word line, unselected word lines that are adjacent to the selected word line and other unselected word lines. After raising voltages for the set of word lines, the process includes raising the selected word line to a program voltage and raising the unselected word lines that are adjacent to the selected word line to one or more voltage levels concurrently with the raising the selected word line to the program voltage. The program voltage causes at least one of the non-volatile storage elements to experience programming.
US08274820B2	Magnetic memory element, method of driving same, and nonvolatile storage device In order to obtain a memory cell of size 4 F2 to realize cross-point type memory, a magnetic memory element is used having a spin valve structure including a free layer 5, nonmagnetic layer 4, and layer 3. The layer or the free layer includes an N-type ferrimagnetic material, and the magnetic compensation point of the N-type ferrimagnetic material is lower than the temperature reached by the layer when a certain write pulse is applied to control the combination of magnetizations of the free layer and layer, and higher than the temperature reached by the layer when another write pulse is applied. These write pulses can have the same polarity.
US08274808B2	Semiconductor signal processing apparatus A pair of operator cells each having a series-coupled circuit of first and second transistors is used as a storage unit. To-be-retrieved data and retrieval data are respectively stored in the first and second transistors, and mutually complementary data items are stored in the operator cells of the storage unit. The operator cells supply currents according to the result of an AND operation between the stored data items to corresponding bit lines, and the read data from the storage unit corresponds to the result of an EXOR operation between the retrieval data and the to-be-retrieved data. The currents flowing in the corresponding bit lines are amplified with sense amplifier circuits to drive local match lines. In the individual sub-blocks of an operator cell array, data items having different pattern lengths can be stored. The potentials of the local match lines are selected according to the data pattern lengths, and match retrieval is performed for the data items having the different pattern lengths.
US08274806B1	High voltage generator with multiple inductive couplings The systems and methods presented herein provide for readily configurable high voltage electrical energy generation. For example, a high voltage electrical energy generation system may include an AC power supply configured with an inductor to transfer AC electrical energy. In this regard, the system may also include a first receptor stage that includes an inductor for inductively coupling to the inductor of the AC power supply to receive the AC electrical energy. Similarly, a second receptor stage may inductively couple to the inductor of the AC power supply as well as to the inductor of the first receptor stage to receive the AC electrical energy, with each receptor being configured as a stackable plate. Each receptor stage may include a rectifier that converts the AC electrical energy to DC electrical energy. The rectifiers may be coupled together via a DC to DC connection provide a DC bias.
US08274791B2	Resin-sealed electronic control device and method of fabricating the same Provided is a resin-sealed electronic control device reduced in size, which includes a double-sided mounting board as at least one of a plurality of electronic boards obtained by division so that a large mounting surface with a small plane area is ensured. Each of a first electronic board (30A) and a second electronic board (40A) bonded onto an upper surface and a lower surface of each of a pair of separate beam members (20A) includes two surfaces on which outer circuit components (31, 32, 41, 42) and an inner circuit component (33, 43) are respectively mounted. A height of each of the inner circuit components is equal to or less than a thickness of each of the separate beam members (20A). Heat-generating components (32, 42) in the outer circuit components are provided to be adjacent to and opposed to the separate beam members (20A).
US08274785B2	Electronic apparatus with drive bracket An electronic apparatus includes a first drive bracket and a second drive bracket. The first drive bracket includes a bottom plate. The bottom plate defines a receiving groove and an arc-shaped sliding groove. The second drive bracket includes a top wall. The top wall includes a knob and at least one sliding member formed thereon. The knob is received in the receiving groove to work as an axis. The at least one sliding member is received in the sliding groove, and capable of sliding in the sliding groove to a mounted position. In the mounted position, the top wall of the second drive bracket is aligned with the bottom plate of the first drive bracket.
US08274776B2	Disabling a target using electrical energy One system described herein provides electrical energy by means of a Tesla coil that generates a strong electric field in the vicinity of an electrical target. An energy booster provides additional electrical energy to increase the probability of disabling and/or disrupting the electrical target. For example, an electrode may be configured with the Tesla coil to from the electric field of the electrical target. The electric field may cause a breakdown in the air about the Tesla coil that allows electric current to conduct to the electrical target. The Tesla coil may repetitively burst the electric field such that pulses of electric current are conducted to the electrical target.
US08274769B2	Apparatus and method for cooling power transformers The cooling system for a power transformer is activated by sensing and processing the frequency characteristic including the harmonic contents, of the inrush current into the transformer, when the transformer is first energized. The cooling system may include motors operating devices such as oil circulating pumps and fans causing a coolant to flow about the power transformer. The cooling system is deactivated by sensing when the transformer is de-energized and when its temperature is below a predetermined level.
US08274768B2	Inverter device The inverter device includes an IGBT bridge circuit, a drive block which has an upper arm photocoupler and a lower arm photocoupler, and a control block including a CPU which generates gate signals and supplies them to the photocouplers. The control block includes an upper arm shutdown circuit and lower arm shutdown circuit which individually shutdown the gate signals of the upper arm and lower arm IGBTs in accordance with shutdown signals input from the exterior, and the shutdown circuits carry out a shutdown operation in accordance with the shutdown signals, which have mutually inverted logics.
US08274760B1	Suspension assembly including a flexure tail with staggered rows of apertures Disclosed herein are embodiments directed to a head gimbal assembly including a novel suspension assembly that includes a flexure tail with a first plurality of apertures in its structural layer. Each of the first plurality of apertures underlies a first trace but not a second trace. Each of a second plurality of apertures in the structural layer underlies a second trace but not the first trace. Each of the first plurality of apertures includes a corresponding region of maximum width, and each of the second plurality of apertures includes a corresponding region of maximum width, as measured in the width direction. None of the corresponding regions of maximum width of the first plurality of apertures is disposed in an overlapping position along the long axis as any of the corresponding regions of maximum width of the second plurality of apertures.
US08274736B2	Transmission-type screen, projection-type display device, and image displaying method A transmission-type screen includes an entering-side Fresnel lens that inflects image light from a light emitter toward a display side using a prism formed on a rear-surface side, which is a light-entering-surface side of the image light; a first light diffusing unit that is provided on the display side with respect to the entering-side Fresnel lens and diffuses the image light from the entering-side Fresnel lens; a second light diffusing unit provided on the display side with respect to the first light diffusing unit, diffuses the image light from the first light diffusing unit, causes the diffused image light to exit toward the display side, and configured to change a relative position thereof to the first light diffusing unit; and a second substrate that holds the second light diffusing unit while being provided on the display side with respect to the second light diffusing unit.
US08274735B2	Analytical laser ablation of solid samples for ICP, ICP-MS, and FAG-MS analysis The present invention facilitates improvements in laser ablation of solid samples to be analyzed by an external inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectrometer, ICP/mass-spectrometer (ICP-MS), or flowing afterglow (FAG) mass spectrometer (FAG-MS) for elemental analysis (ICP and ICP-MS) or molecular analysis (FAG-MS). A novel invention mirror-with-hole beam combiner eliminates chromatic aberration in the invention sample view and allows rad-hardening the laser ablation invention for use in a radiation hot cell for analysis of high activity nuclear waste. Many other novel invention rad-hardening attributes facilitate a comprehensive rad-hardened laser ablation system (the world's first). In other embodiments, invention novelties include unusually large homogeneous focused laser spot diameters, unusually long laser objective lens focal length, wide range operationally variable laser path length with built-in re-alignment, operationally variable demagnification ratio and diameter of the focused laser spot, the use of significantly higher powered SMR lasers in a large spot diameter to facilitate high sensitivity bulk analysis of solid samples, a demountable and gravitationally self-sealing stack assembly laser ablation cell, and the world's first auto-samplers (mechanized sample changers) for analytical laser ablation.
US08274733B2	Semiconductor optical amplification module, optical matrix switching device, and drive circuit A semiconductor optical amplification module that can suppress ringing without increasing power consumption or circuit size or inhibiting high-speed operation. A semiconductor optical amplifier outputs an optical signal inputted according to driving current outputted from a drive circuit. A diode is connected in parallel with the semiconductor optical amplifier. As a result, it becomes possible to suppress ringing without connecting a large resistor to the drive circuit.
US08274727B1	Programmable optical label The present invention is a programmable and latching retro-reflective construct suitable for use as an optical label in an optical labeling system. The invention contains retro-reflective structures such as lens beads, corner cubes or other retro-reflecting type structures. The retro-reflective construct further comprises a wavelength selective, programmable and latching reflecting structure located at the reflecting surfaces of the retro-reflective structures. The optical construct can optionally contain additional optical filtering structures. Methods for fabricating the invention are also described.
US08274726B2	Method for utilizing properties of the sinc(x) function for phase retrieval on nyquist-under-sampled data Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for simulating propagation of an electromagnetic field, performing phase retrieval, or sampling a band-limited function. A system practicing the method generates transformed data using a discrete Fourier transform which samples a band-limited function f(x) without interpolating or modifying received data associated with the function f(x), wherein an interval between repeated copies in a periodic extension of the function f(x) obtained from the discrete Fourier transform is associated with a sampling ratio Q, defined as a ratio of a sampling frequency to a band-limited frequency, and wherein Q is assigned a value between 1 and 2 such that substantially no aliasing occurs in the transformed data, and retrieves a phase in the received data based on the transformed data, wherein the phase is used as feedback to an optical system.
US08274723B2	Piezoelectric transducer element, actuator, sensor, optical scanning device, and optical scanning display device In a piezoelectric transducer element, on a base body having a fixing part and a movable part which are connected with each other, a piezoelectric body which is sandwiched between a lower electrode and an upper electrode is formed in a state where the piezoelectric body extends between and over the fixing part and the movable part of the base body. The piezoelectric body converts a change in potential between the lower electrode and the upper electrode into mechanical displacement of the movable part relative to the fixing part or the mechanical displacement into the change in potential. The upper electrode includes a pad electrode for connection which is formed above the fixing part, and the lower electrode is not formed in a region above the fixing part and below the pad electrode.
US08274715B2	Processing color and panchromatic pixels A method for forming a final digital color image includes capturing an image using an image sensor having panchromatic pixels and color pixels corresponding to at least two color photoresponses; providing from the captured image a digital panchromatic image and an intermediate digital color image; and using the digital panchromatic image and the intermediate digital color image to provide the final digital color image.
US08274701B2	High speed printing system for printing magnetic ink High speed printing system for printing magnetic ink systems and associated methods are disclosed. A color of the magnetic ink may be designed to resemble one of the non-magnetic inks so that instead of ejecting the one non-magnetic ink, the printing system ejects the magnetic ink. Nozzles in a printhead may also be arranged to be adjacent to each other and may be appropriately spaced without causing the inks to be mixed in the printhead. Additionally, a color transform system may be provided to transform a sheet image in accordance with ejecting at least the magnetic and the non-magnetic ink from the printhead.
US08274699B2	Apparatus and method for correcting registration errors and trailing phenomenon in a printed image A color image forming apparatus is provided that forms an image by correcting registration shifts during an image forming process by using image data and which prevents toner from being blown away and scattered during a fixing process by thinning pixels without making an erroneous decision. When multivalued color image is binarized, the threshold is corrected by using information on grayscale level correction. Further, when trailing phenomenon prevention operation is performed on the binarized image data, the patterns to be used for pattern matching are changed and selected according to whether the subscan direction line shifting point lies within the reference window.
US08274697B2	Multifunction system and multifunction apparatus A multifunction system is provided that is capable of preventing unauthorized copying and the like of an image printed on a print material against the will of a user who has created the print material. The multifunction system includes: a printing apparatus having a printing unit printing on a prescribed recording medium a combined image formed by combining an image based on image information with an output-restriction image relating to restriction on output of the print material; and a reading apparatus having an image reading unit reading, responsive to a reading instruction, the combined image printed on the prescribed recording medium, an image analyzer unit analyzing the output-restriction image included in the combined image read out by the image reading unit, and an output determination unit determining, on the basis of an analyzed result generated by the image analyzer unit, as to whether the image based on the image information can be output.
US08274695B2	Image processing apparatus and droplet ejection apparatus An image processing apparatus has a determining unit that determines based on a print job whether an image is to be recorded by ejecting a treatment liquid, a generating unit that based on image data generates print data by converting portions of each of the color data that are capable of being replaced by using black ink droplets into black data at a predetermined ratio, and a ratio setting unit that sets the ratio of the generating unit when the determining unit determines that the image is to be recorded by ejecting the treatment liquid so that the ratio is higher than that in other cases.
US08274694B2	Method for accessing hyperlinks and hyperlinked content via mobile phone A method for accessing content from a computer network, the method comprising the steps of: (a) capturing an image of a substrate with a mobile phone having an optical image sensor; (b) forming on the mobile phone, a request based on the captured image; (c) transmitting, from the mobile phone via an associated mobile phone network, the request to a server on the computer network, the computer network being interoperable with the mobile phone network; (d) identifying content associated with the first identifier; and (e) receiving the content in the mobile phone.
US08274690B2	Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating background processing of push content Apparatus, and an associated method, for a communication device operable pursuant to a push content communication scheme. An instruction detector detects a message containing a instruction by which to operate upon push content. The message is, for instance, generated by a mobile station at which an application associated with the content is resident. Once detected by the instruction detector, a content operator operates upon the content in a manner corresponding to the instruction contained in the detected message. Once operated upon, the content is stored at a storage element, available when an application of which the content is associated, becomes active.
US08274686B2	Print setting processing apparatus and print setting processing method A print setting processing apparatus includes a functional information acquisition unit configured to acquire functional information which is set for each of a plurality of printer drivers, a classification unit configured to classify the functional information into a common item applicable to the plurality of printer drivers and a specified item applicable to at least a part of the printer drivers and display the classified functional information, a generation unit configured to generate integrated functional information including the common item and the specified item, and a transfer unit configured to transfer the integrated functional information to the printer drivers.
US08274675B2	Printing apparatus and control method thereof, and printing system This invention has as its object to allow an authentication process that avoids unnecessary information from being stored in a digital camera irrespective of whether or not a digital camera connected to the printer has a direct print function. To this end, in this invention, in an early stage of connection between a digital camera DSC and PD printer, the PD printer side requests an object which contains a keyword as authentication information of those which are stored and held by the DSC (S29). As a result, after it is determined the returned information contains authentication information, the printer notifies the DSC of its own authentication information (S33).
US08274674B2	Apparatus and method for determining execution order of private print jobs in a variable print system A data processing apparatus allocates a page number in a record to each of a plurality of records of a variable data print job and performs a preflight check every page number. After that, the data processing apparatus extracts the records in which the same kind of (or same) problem has occurred in a page of the same page number from the records included in the variable data print job. The data processing apparatus calculates a ratio of the extracted records to all records having the page of the page number and presumes whether the problem relates to a master object or relates to a variable object according to the ratio. The data processing apparatus displays whether the problem in the page relates to the master object or relates to the variable object every page having the problem.
US08274672B2	Printing system and printer driver In a printing system, in response to a request for duplex printing of print object data, the control portion of an information processing apparatus executes a first printing process according to a first printer driver, to generate first printing data and print information based on the print object data. The first printing data is used by a first printing apparatus for printing on the first surface of a recording medium. The control portion further executes a second printing process according to a second printer driver, to generate second printing data based on the print information. The second printing data is used by a second printing apparatus for printing on the second surface of the recording medium.
US08274662B2	Optical triangulation sensor An optical, such as a laser, triangulation sensor is disclosed in which a configuration of an output light beam is controlled using a mask in front of a light source. The configuration may include a plurality of coplanar spatially separated planar light beams. The mask may be movable to provide different light beam configurations. Masking parts of the light beam enables unwanted features on the measurement surface to be omitted. Also disclosed is a guide element for an optical sensor for facilitating hole diameter measurement. The guide element has contact surfaces lying on a virtual conical surface which abut the hole edge to enable consistent placement of the light beam with respect to the hole centre. Also disclosed is a guide element for an optical sensor having an aperture for framing surface features, such as a rivert to permit accurate location of the light beam therewith.
US08274660B2	Optical tomographic imaging apparatus Provided is an optical tomographic imaging apparatus that is capable of shortening a period of time of focusing at multiple focus positions when images split in a depth direction are obtained by zone focusing. The optical tomographic imaging apparatus includes: a focus position setting device for splitting a zone within a predetermined imaging depth range into multiple focus zones so as to set multiple focus positions; a reference position setting device for setting at least two reference positions in an imaging depth direction within the predetermined imaging depth range; and a focus controlling device for performing focusing at the multiple focus positions sequentially based on focus position information generated by the focus position setting device and a focus condition of an in-focus state for the at least two reference positions set in advance by the reference position setting device.
US08274659B2	Resonator fiber optic gyroscopes with reduced rotation rate instability from back reflections A resonator fiber optic gyroscope (RFOG) is disclosed that reduces rotation rate error instability. In one embodiment, the RFOG comprises a resonator optical ring cavity, a first light source in optical communication with the ring cavity and configured to generate a clockwise optical signal, and a second light source in optical communication with the ring cavity and configured to generate a counter-clockwise optical signal. The RFOG also includes a first optical component in optical communication with the first light source and the ring cavity. The first optical component is configured to prevent the clockwise optical signal from being back-reflected to the first light source. A second optical component is in optical communication with the second light source and the ring cavity. The second optical component is configured to prevent the counter-clockwise optical signal from being back-reflected to the second light source. In addition, a first optical detector and a second optical detector are optically coupled to the ring cavity.
US08274656B2	Apparatus, system, and method for increasing measurement accuracy in a particle imaging device An apparatus, system, and method for increasing measurement accuracy in imaging cytometry. The system may include a light detector configured to measure light emitted by a first particle and light emitted by a second particle, where the measured light from the second particle at least partially overlaps the measured light from the first particle in an overlap region. Additionally, the system may include a processor coupled to the light detector, where the processor is configured to determine a contribution of light from the first particle in the overlap region and determine a contribution of light from the second particle in the overlap region. The processor may also be configured to subtract the contribution of light from the second particle from the contribution of light from the first particle and determine the intensity of light emitted by the first particle.
US08274649B2	Failure detection in lighting systems A method and apparatus for continuous monitoring of a light bulb or group of light bulbs. The light emission of a light bulb is compared with known emission failure values for similar types of light bulbs, and a determination of a near failure status for the bulb is made.
US08274648B2	Device and a method for checking an attitude of a vehicle A device and a method for checking an attitude of a vehicle (100), comprising at least a measuring instrument (3) for measuring at least one characteristic attitude parameter, in which the measuring instrument (3) is installed on board a self-propelled unit (2) which moves autonomously on the ground, in such a way as to follow variable trajectories.
US08274646B2	Measurement system and measurement processing method This invention is directed to extract the scattering characteristic of a measurement target together when measuring the surface shape in a measurement system, which measures the surface shape of a measurement target, by the pattern projection method. To accomplish this, the measurement system includes an illumination unit which irradiates a measurement target with dot pattern light, a reflected light measurement unit which receives the reflected light at a reflection angle almost equal to a incident angle, and a reflected light extraction unit which extracts the inclination of the surface of the measurement target, based on the shift amount between the light receiving position of the received reflected light and a predetermined reference position, and extracts the luminance value of the reflected light and the dot diameter of the dot pattern light as information about the scattering characteristic.
US08274643B2	Porous nanostructures and methods involving the same A method for simultaneously detecting and separating a target analyte such as a protein or other macromolecule that includes providing a porous silicon matrix on the silicon substrate, exposing the porous silicon matrix to an environment suspect of containing the target analyte, observing optical reflectivity of the porous silicon matrix; and correlating the changes in the silicon substrate to the target analyte.
US08274639B2	Stage device, pattern formation apparatus, exposure apparatus, stage drive method, exposure method, and device manufacturing method A stage device is equipped with: a wafer stage that has a coarse movement stage that moves along an XY plane and a table that is finely movable in at least a direction parallel to the XY plane; and an encoder system. A plurality of encoder heads are arranged on the coarse movement stage. Each of the heads irradiates a first grating section placed parallel to the XY plane and a second grating section arranged on the table with measurement beams, respectively, and receives diffracted lights from each of the first and second grating sections. The encoder system measures positional information of the table (wafer stage) within the XY plane based on an output of at least one encoder head that faces the first and second grating sections.
US08274638B2	Reflective, refractive and projecting optical system; reflective, refractive and projecting device; scanning exposure device; and method of manufacturing micro device A scanning exposure apparatus of the present invention is one for transferring a pattern of a first object onto a second object while projecting an image of the first object placed on a first plane, onto the second object placed on a second plane and changing a positional relation between the image of the first object and the second object in a scanning direction. The scanning exposure apparatus has a first projection optical system having a first field of view on the first plane and adapted to project an enlargement image of a portion of the first object in a first projection region on the second plane, based on light from the first field of view, and a second projection optical system having a second field of view on the first plane and adapted to project an enlargement image of a portion of the first object in a second projection region on the second plane, based on light from the second field of view. The scanning exposure apparatus satisfies the relation of Dp=β×Dm, where Dm is a first interval being an interval along the scanning direction on the first plane between the first field of view and the second field of view, Dp is a second interval being an interval along the scanning direction on the second plane between the first projection region and the second projection region, and β is a magnification of the first and second projection optical systems.
US08274636B2	Method for forming spacers on substrate A method of forming a spacer for a liquid crystal display (LCD) device is disclosed. To form the spacer, an ink jet injection nozzle is aligned over a substrate on which unit pixels are arranged in a matrix. After aligning the nozzle, first dispensing spacers are dispensed from the injection nozzle with a certain gap so that at least one unit pixels is interposed between the spacers. Subsequently, the nozzle is moved and second dispensing spacers are dispensed by the nozzle at each of the unit pixels formed between the first spacers. This is repeated until the spacer is formed at all unit pixels. The spacer contains a ball spacer and a volatile liquid, which is vaporized during dispensing. The ink jet injection method prevents adjacent spacers from interfering with each other during formation.
US08274635B2	Display device with sufficient adhesive strength for sealing material A display device which can ensure a sufficient adhesive strength on an adhering surface between each of a pair of substrates of a liquid crystal display panel and a sealing material is provided. A display device includes: a first substrate on which a predetermined integrated circuit is formed; a second substrate which is arranged on one surface of the first substrate in an overlapping manner; and an adhesive material which is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and has an annular planar shape as viewed from the surface of the first substrate, the adhesive material being provided for adhering the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein an outer periphery of the adhesive material as viewed from the surface of the first substrate includes a zone which is constituted of a plurality of first portions passing substantially the same position as an outer periphery of the surface of the first substrate and a plurality of second portions each of which is connected with the two neighboring first portions and has a center portion thereof in a peripheral direction retracted toward an inner peripheral side of the adhesive material as viewed from the surface of the first substrate.
US08274633B2	Display device comprising a protective fixing member disposed only about a periphery of a semiconductor chip wherein a top side and a bottom side are co-planar with a respective top side and a bottom side of the semiconductor chip Disclosed herein is a display device including: a first substrate with a pixel switch and drivers mounted thereon; a second substrate disposed in facing relation to the first substrate; a material layer held between the first substrate and the second substrate and having peripheral edges sealed by a seal member, the material layer having an electrooptical effect; and a semiconductor chip mounted as a COG component on the first substrate, the semiconductor chip having a control system configured to control the drivers; wherein the semiconductor chip having a thickness equal to the total thickness of the seal member and the second substrate or larger than the thickness of the seal member and smaller than the total thickness.
US08274629B2	Liquid crystal display device and method of fabricating the same A liquid crystal display device has first and second substrates. A first electrode on the first substrate is alignment-treated and a second electrode on the second substrate is alignment-treated. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. Alignment-treating includes forming an alignment direction. The alignment direction of the first and second substrates is formed by irradiating an ion beam onto the first and second electrodes using an ion beam irradiation apparatus.
US08274624B2	Liquid crystal panel and liquid crystal display The present invention provides a liquid crystal panel that can provide a neutral display that is free from coloring in every direction. The liquid crystal panel includes a first polarizer 14a, a second polarizer 14b, and a liquid crystal cell 13. The first polarizer 14a is arranged on the visible side of the liquid crystal cell 13 and the second polarizer 14b is arranged on the backlight side of the liquid crystal cell 13. The liquid crystal panel further includes a first retardation layer 11 and a second retardation layer 12. A refractive index ellipsoid of the first retardation layer 11 has a relationship of nx=ny>nz, and a refractive index ellipsoid of the second retardation layer 12 has a relationship of nx>ny≧nz. The first retardation layer 11 and the second retardation layer 12 are arranged between the liquid crystal cell 13 and the second polarizer 14b.
US08274613B2	Display masks for display and calibration in projector-based display systems Methods having corresponding apparatus and computer-readable media comprise: capturing an image of a shape projected upon a display surface; and determining a first rectangle that is the largest inscribed rectangle for the shape, comprising generating a rectangular bounding box containing the shape, dividing the rectangular bounding box vertically into first and second sections, determining a second rectangle that is the largest inscribed rectangle for the shape in the first section of the bounding box, determining a third rectangle that is the largest inscribed rectangle for the shape in the second section of the bounding box, dividing the rectangular bounding box horizontally into third and fourth sections, determining a fourth rectangle that is the largest inscribed rectangle for the shape in a third section of the bounding box, and determining a fifth rectangle that is the largest inscribed rectangle for the shape in the fourth section of the bounding box.
US08274605B2	System and method for adjacent field comparison in video processing Methods and systems for processing video information are disclosed herein and may comprise calculating a first two-field difference between a first plurality of pixels from a current field and a second plurality of corresponding pixels from an alternate field adjacent to the current field. At least one pixel from the current field may be deinterlaced based at least in part on the calculated first two-field difference. The first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels may be aligned by adjusting a phase of at least one of the first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels prior to the calculation of the first two-field difference. The first plurality of pixels may include a plurality of vertically adjacent pixels. The first plurality of pixels may comprise at least one luminance component. The alternate field may include a previous field and/or a next field. The first plurality of pixels and the second plurality of pixels may be filtered prior to the calculation of the first two-field difference.
US08274602B2	Image processing apparatus and image processing method with redundant frame detection According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a motion estimation module, a redundant frame determination module and an interpolation frame generation module. The motion estimation module calculates motion vectors for respective pixel blocks in each frame in moving image data by estimating motion between frames in the moving image data. The redundant frame determination module determines whether a target frame is a redundant frame based on the motion vectors corresponding to the target frame and the motion vectors corresponding to a frame preceding the target frame. The interpolation frame generation module discards the target frame if the target frame is a redundant frame, and generates an interpolation frame between the target frame and the preceding frame by motion compensation using the motion vectors corresponding to the target frame and outputs the interpolation frame and the target frame, if the target frame is a non-redundant frame.
US08274599B2	Miniature camera module Digital miniature cameras and methods to manufacture thereof have been achieved. Said miniature cameras having an adjustable focusing device are intended to be used as a built-in modules in hand-held consumer electronic devices, such as e.g. mobile phones and PDAs. The cameras invented have a very small size and produce high-quality pictures. Glue is used to hold different parts together and to seal the joints. The lens is glued in the final stage of the manufacturing line, thus providing the focus setting and the sealing of the cavity that covers the image sensor. A glob top is used to cover and seal the image processor. Said glob top serves two different purposes, first, to distribute the heat away from the sensor and, second, to lock the frame, together with the lens house, into a printed circuit board. In one embodiment a cavity PCB is used to “bury” the sensor of the camera, thus reducing the overall height required. In another embodiment the image processor is mounted on a flexistrip directly underneath the image sensor die, thus reducing the total height of the camera module.
US08274596B2	Method and apparatus for motion detection in auto-focus applications A method (300) and image capture device (100) are provided for determining whether an image incident upon an image sensor (101) is sufficiently stable prior to executing an auto-focus process. An image stability mechanism (104) compares attribute data—such as luminance or frequency spectrum—from successive images to determine whether a change between the attribute data from image to image is within a predetermined range (710). The image stability mechanism (104) can also be configured to determine whether a scene incident upon the image sensor (101) has changed. Where the image is sufficiently stable, an indicator module (107) provides an image stability indication to a control circuit (102). The control circuit (102) can then be configured to execute the auto-focus operation when the image is sufficiently stable, or when both the scene has changed and the image is sufficiently stable.
US08274591B2	Electromagnetic wave detection element The present invention provides an electromagnetic wave detection element that can raise the speed of image read-out. Scan lines are each disposed to plural pixel lines for each of the pixel lines in a row direction of plural pixels disposed in a matrix array, and switches each TFT switch provided to respective pixels in the plural pixel lines by the respective scan lines. Plural signal lines are each disposed to each of the pixel lines in the column direction of the matrix array. In each of the pixel lines in the column direction, the respective signal line is connected to a different TFT switch from the TFT switches that are connected to the same respective scan line, and the charge accumulated in storage capacitors is read out through each of the signal lines according to the state of the TFT switches.
US08274585B2	Imaging device with brightness correction An imaging device comprises: an imaging element that comprises (i) at least three types of color detection photoelectric conversion elements that detect different color components of light and (ii) brightness detection photoelectric conversion elements that detect brightness components of light; a level adjustment section that adjust levels of color signals acquired respectively from at least said three types of color detection photoelectric conversion elements and levels of brightness signals acquired from the brightness detection photoelectric conversion elements; a composite signal generation section that generates, from ones of the color signals undergone level adjustment, at least three different color signals in correspondence with each of the color detection photoelectric conversion elements and subjects at least said three color signals to weighting and addition, so as to generate composite signals respectively corresponding to the color detection photoelectric conversion elements; and a brightness signal correction section that corrects one of the brightness signals having undergone level adjustment, through use of corresponding one(s) of the composite signals.
US08274568B2	Method for image data print control, electronic camera and camera system An electronic camera includes a zoom changing unit that changes a focal length of a zoom lens, an image-capturing unit that executes photoelectric conversion for a subject image projected by the zoom lens onto an image-capturing area, a range finding unit that detects a distance to a subject, a photographic range setting unit that sets a size of a photographic range at a subject position, and a zoom control unit that controls the zoom changing unit based upon the photographic range that has been set and the subject distance so that the subject within the photographic range is projected almost over the entirety of the image-capturing area.
US08274560B2	Flame detector for monitoring a flame during a combustion process A flame detector is disclosed for monitoring a flame during a combustion process, comprising a camera and a carrier tube, wherein the camera is arranged at a front end of the carrier tube such that an optical access of the camera is directed toward the flame when the front end of the carrier tube is mounted in the vicinity of a burner nozzle aperture.
US08274558B2	Electronic endoscope signal-processing device and electronic endoscope system An electronic endoscope system is provided that includes an RGB transformer, an R-signal amplifier, and a GB-signal amplifier. The RGB transformer transforms image signals to RGB signals. The R-signal amplifier changes the amplitude of the R signals of the RGB signals to a predetermined gain value. The GB-signal amplifier nonlinearly changes the amplitude of the G signals and B signals of the RGB signals.
US08274557B2	Image-displaying device, method and system An image display device including: an image formation unit which forms images for the left and right eyes; a projecting section which emits light beams representing the images for the left and right eyes via optical filters having different properties to display an image in a superimposed manner; first and second converting sections respectively convert signals representing images for the left eye and for the right eye into image signals of different color spaces by using first and second color conversion coefficients determined so that the images for the left and right eyes displayed on the basis of the light beams passing through the optical filters may have desired properties; and a driving section which drives the image formation unit on the basis of the converted signals representing the images of the left and right eyes to form the images for the left and right eyes.
US08274549B2	Dual view display panel Provided is a dual view display panel including: a first vertical cell line, a second vertical cell line, a third vertical cell line, and a fourth vertical cell line. Each of the first and fourth vertical cell lines have a red cell, a blue cell and a green cell that are formed vertically in this order, and each of the second and third vertical cell lines have a green cell, a red cell and a blue cell that are formed vertically in this order. An upper edge of the green cell of the second vertical cell line is arranged around a vertical position of the center of the red cell of the first vertical cell line, and a lower edge of the green cell of the second vertical cell line is arranged around a vertical position of the center of the blue cell of the first vertical cell line. The cells of the first and fourth vertical cell lines are arranged in substantially identical positions, and the cells of the second and third vertical cell lines are arranged in substantially identical positions.
US08274547B2	System and procedure for call centre communications System that includes a web server (2) enabling the user to access, from a remote computer (5), several nodes (1) that include a primary node server (11), which is connected to: —a management database (12); —at least one PABX (13), —at least one video server (14); —and a number of representative rooms (15), where there is a telephone terminal (16) connected to one of the PABXs (13) and a webcam (17) or video camera connected to one of the video servers (14), enabling two-way voice transmission between the representative and the user, by means of telephone communication through the telephone terminal (16) and the telephone (4), and one-way transmission of video images from the webcam (17) to the user's remote computer (5).
US08274542B2	Exposure device and image forming apparatus The exposure device is provided with: an exposure unit that has one end and a different end, that includes plural light-emitting elements arranged in a first direction along a direction of a rotational axis of a rotating image carrier, and that exposes the image carrier; a one-end-side holding portion that holds a one end part, on the one end side, of the exposure unit; a first reference part that is formed in the one-end-side holding portion, and that serves as a reference for aligning the exposure unit in the first direction by bringing the one end part of the exposure unit into contact with the first reference part; and an application portion that applies, to the one end part of the exposure unit, force with which the one end part of the exposure unit is pressed against the first reference part.
US08274524B1	Map rendering using interpolation of style parameters across zoom levels A graphics or image rendering system, such as a map image rendering system, may receive map data associated with a set of zoom levels, where the map data includes style attribute data corresponding to various features of a map surface at corresponding zoom levels. The system may interpolate at least some of the style parameter values from the received map data to provide style parameter values over a range of zoom levels.
US08274523B2	Processing digital templates for image display A method for creating an artistically coordinated image display. A digital template is provided for said image display and it includes of openings for placing images each having at least one required attribute for an image. A programmed computer system automatically searches a database of images for images to be placed in the openings and each of the images satisfy the openings required image attributes. One or more vertical and horizontal lines are demarcated in the so that subjects in the image can be placed on the lines or their intersecting points by modifying and shifting the image appropriately. A subject of the image can also be measured and its size can be set as a reference measurement unit to assist in aesthetically placing subjects proportionally within the image.
US08274521B2	System available cache color map A method involving receiving an indication of a requirement to allocate at least one page for a process, where pages are associated with cache colors; generating a selection bitmap by performing a logical operation of a system available colors bitmap and a process bitmap, where the system available colors bitmap and the process bitmap each include one bit corresponding to each cache color, where each bit of the system available colors bitmap indicates whether a number of pages associated with a corresponding cache color that are available to be allocated is above a minimum threshold, and where each bit of the process bitmap indicates whether any pages associated with the corresponding cache color have been recently allocated for the process. The method also includes selecting, using the selection bitmap, a cache color; and allocating a page for the process, wherein the allocated page is associated with the selected cache color.
US08274514B1	Method and apparatus for searching, replacing and modifying explicit and implicit shape in sketch-style drawings of various styles A computer method and apparatus for selecting and manipulating curvilinear shapes entered by a user is shown. The curvilinear shapes are represented within the computer using parameterized equations. The representation is reduced to maximal elements. The maximal elements are extended. Registration points of the extended maximal elements are then identified. Once the registration points and maximal elements are known, curvilinear shapes can be matched using those maximal elements and registration points. Therefore a user can create a sketch that looks like part of a drawing and the computer can find the corresponding section for the user and transform it.
US08274511B2	Apparatus for displaying wiring The present invention provides an apparatus which displays a plan wiring diagram and three-dimensional layout diagram by associating them with each other so that they can be viewed easily. A apparatus for displaying wiring includes a first storage for storing an image of a plan wiring diagram which shows parts and wirings and a second storage for storing a three-dimensional layout of an apparatus which incorporates the parts and the wirings, and a third storage for storing intermediate images transitional between a starting image in the plan wiring diagram and an ending image of a shape of the corresponding wiring in the three-dimensional layout. A processor displays the plan wiring diagram on the display device by retrieving the plan wiring diagram from the first storage based on a user's selection, and retrieves the intermediate images of a wiring from the third storage when the wiring is selected from the plan wiring diagram and displays transitions to the shape shown in the three-dimensional layout.
US08274499B2	Method for driving pixel circuit, electro-optic device, and electronic apparatus There is provided a method for driving a pixel circuit including a light-emitting element that emits light whose amount corresponds to a driving current, a driver transistor that supplies the driving current to the light-emitting element, a first transistor provided between a gate of the driver transistor and a drain of the driver transistor, a second transistor provided between the drain of the driver transistor and a node used to supply an initialization potential, and a capacitive element one terminal of which is connected to the gate of the driver transistor. In an initialization period in which the first transistor is turned on, the method for driving a pixel circuit includes supplying a fixed potential to the other terminal of the capacitive element and supplying a predetermined potential allowing the second transistor to be operated in a saturation region thereof to a gate of the second transistor. In a writing period after the initialization period is finished, the method for driving a pixel circuit includes supplying a potential corresponding to a gradation to be displayed to the other terminal of the capacitive element.
US08274498B2	Display system with first controller providing analog image signal from size regulator to display device when the first controller determining that the display device is an analog display device working in a mode for displaying moving pictures and related display method An exemplary display system (2) includes a display device (23), an image sensor (20), and a microprocessor unit (21). The image sensor includes an image sensor unit (24) and a digital signal processor unit (22) integrated therein. The image sensor unit is configured for generating a current. The digital signal processor includes a size regulator (221) configured for receiving the current, generating an analog image signal according to the current, and providing the analog image signal to the display device. The microprocessor unit is configured for initializing the image sensor unit.
US08274496B2	Dual mode touch systems An apparatus for detecting a pointer includes a waveguide and a touch surface over the waveguide on which pointer contacts are to be made. At least one reflecting device extends along a first side of the waveguide and touch surface. The reflecting device defines an optical path between the interior of the waveguide and the region of interest above the touch surface. At least one imaging device looks across the touch surface and into the waveguide. The imaging device captures images of the region of interest and within the waveguide including reflections from the reflecting device.
US08274494B2	Touch screen sensor having varying sheet resistance A touch screen sensor includes a visible light transparent substrate and an electrically conductive micropattern disposed on or in the visible light transparent substrate. The micropattern includes a first region micropattern within a touch sensing area and a second region micropattern. The first region micropattern has a first sheet resistance value in a first direction, is visible light transparent, and has at least 90% open area. The second region micropattern has a second sheet resistance value in the first direction. The first sheet resistance value is different from the second sheet resistance value.
US08274492B2	Integrated in-plane switching This relates to adding multi-touch functionality to a display without the need of a separate multi-touch panel or layer overlaying the display. Instead, embodiments of the invention can advantageously utilize existing display circuitry to provide multi-touch functionality while adding relatively little circuitry that is specific to the multi-touch functionality. Thus, by sharing circuitry for the display and the multi-touch functionalities, embodiments of the invention can be implemented at a lower cost than the alternative of superimposing additional multi-touch related layers onto an existing display panel. Furthermore, since the display and multi-touch functionality can be implemented on the same circuit, they can be synchronized so that noise resulting from the display functionality does not detrimentally affect the multi-touch functionality and vice versa.
US08274490B2	Touch panel and electronic device using the same A touch panel includes a touch layer, a first Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) electrode layer, a second ITO layer, and a microcapsule layer. The first ITO electrode layer includes a plurality of first ITO electrode. The second ITO electrode layer includes a plurality of second ITO electrodes. Each of the first ITO electrodes and one corresponding second ITO electrode forms an electrode unit. The microcapsule layer includes a plurality of microcapsules. Each microcapsule is connected to the first ITO electrode and the corresponding second ITO electrode. Each microcapsule comprises a plurality of positively charged particles and negatively charged particles. When the touch panel is touched, the distribution of the positively and negatively charged particles in the microcapsule corresponding to the touch portion of the touch layer is placed in a polarization state. An electronic device using the touch panel is also provided.
US08274489B2	Readout apparatus and multi-channel readout apparatus for touch panel A readout apparatus and a multi-channel readout apparatus for a touch panel are provided to integrate different types of readout circuit. The readout apparatus set to a first mode reads the touch panel with a small amount of charges through an integrator. The readout apparatus set to a second mode reads a sensing current of a current type touch panel through a current to voltage converting unit and an inverting amplifier, so as to save a chip area. The multi-channel readout apparatus set to a third mode applies multiple channels to alternatively share an integrator to read the touch panel with a large amount of charges, so that an amount of feedback capacitors (integral capacitors) having a great area can be greatly reduced. Therefore, readout apparatus of the present invention can not only reduce a chip area, but can also be applied to various types of the touch panel.
US08274485B2	Touch position detection method for touch control device Disclosed is a touch position detection method for a touch control device, which employs a preset scan detection mode to carry out driving and scan detection on first and second conductive layers through a control circuit. When touch on a touch panel is detected, the type of the touch is determined, which may include a single-point touch, a continuous trace, and a multiple-point touch, and first and second operation modes are selectively used to perform driving and scan detection on the first and second conductive layers of the touch panel to thereby detect coordinates of the touch points or the continuous trace.
US08274484B2	Tracking input in a screen-reflective interface environment In an example embodiment, a method is adapted to tracking input with a device. The method includes an act of monitoring and acts of activating and displaying if a touch input is detected. The device has a first side and a second side, with the second side opposite the first side. The device has a display screen disposed on the first side, and a screen-reflective interface disposed on the second side. Respective positions on the screen-reflective interface correspond to respective locations of the display screen. The screen-reflective interface of the device is monitored. If a touch input is detected on the screen-reflective interface, the device performs acts of activating and displaying. Specifically, a tracking state is activated for the screen-reflective interface responsive to the detected touch input on the screen-reflective interface. The interface icon is displayed on the display screen to indicate that the tracking state has been activated.
US08274483B2	Remote control signal-using device, remote control signal-using method, car navigation apparatus, and display apparatus The present invention utilizes a remote control signal for transmitting commands respectively from a remote controller and a touch panel. A signal generator generates a second remote control signal from a two-dimensional coordinate value signal (touch panel output). The second remote control signal does not overlap a first remote control signal (remote controller output). The remote control signal includes first one-byte data and second one-byte data. The first remote control signal exists on first portion that is defined as a group of points. These points exist on a diagonal of two-dimensional coordinate. The second remote control signal is transmitted via a cable. Processor performs remote control processing upon being the first remote control signal and performs a touch panel processing upon being the second remote control signal.
US08274471B2	Liquid crystal display device and method for driving the same A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method for driving the same, which are capable of achieving an enhancement in display quality, are disclosed. The LCD device includes a display panel for displaying an image, a backlight unit comprising a plurality red light sources, a plurality of green light sources, and a plurality of blue light sources, a backlight driver for controlling a duty rate of a first drive signal to drive the red light sources, a duty rate of a second drive signal to drive the green light sources, and a duty rate of a third drive signal to drive the blue light sources, in accordance with a control signal including color coordinate information and luminance information, a luminance corrector for varying the luminance information of the control signal when the duty rate of one of the first to third drive signal is 100%, and a light sensor for sensing light beams from the light sources, generating light sensing signals based on the sensed light beams, and supplying the light sensing signals to the backlight driver and to the luminance corrector.
US08274456B2	Display device and driving method of the same, and electronic apparatus The brightness of a light emitting element varies when changes in ambient temperature or changes with time occur. In view of this, the invention provides a display device where the influence of variations in the current value of the light emitting element due to changes in ambient temperature and changes with time can be suppressed. The display device of the invention includes a monitoring element that is driven with a constant current, and a voltage applied to the monitoring element is detected and inputted to a light emitting element. In other words, the monitoring element is driven with a low current, and a voltage applied to the monitoring element is inputted to the light emitting element such that the light emitting element is driven with a constant current.
US08274449B2	Data access method for a timing controller of a flat panel display and related device A data access method for a timing controller of a flat panel display includes forming a line buffer including a plurality of memory cells in the timing controller, dividing the plurality of memory cells into a first section and a second section, wherein the number of memory cells in the first section is greater than the number of memory cells in the second section, writing a first number of pixel data into the first section, wherein the first number of pixel data is included in a plurality of pixel data corresponding to a row of a frame, writing a second number of pixel data into the second section, wherein the second number of pixel data is included in the plurality of pixel data, and the first number is equal to the second number, and reading the plurality of pixel data from the plurality of memory cells according to an order.
US08274448B1	Stereoscopic display system, method and computer program product A stereoscopic display system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, display content intended for a first eye is displayed utilizing a first portion of a display. Further, display content intended for a second eye is displayed utilizing a second portion of the display that is different from the first portion of the display.
US08274446B2	Lightweight antenna attachment structure The present invention relates to lightweight antenna arrays and more particularly to an attachment mechanism for attaching a lightweight antenna array to a structure. In one embodiment, an antenna structure includes a platform having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; an antenna panel having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient, and having first and second opposite ends; and a support structure mounting the panel to the platform. The support structure includes a first spacer element with a first height at the first end of the panel, and a second spacer element with a second height less than the first height between the first and second ends of the panel; a first adhesive layer adhering each spacer element to the platform; and a second adhesive layer adhering each spacer element to the antenna panel. A yield strength of the adhesive layers is less than a yield strength of the spacer elements.
US08274440B2	Antenna and splitter for receiving radio and remote keyless entry signals An antenna system may include a first antenna having a helical shaped portion, and configured to receive signals over a first frequency range. A second antenna may be positioned in proximate distance from the first antenna, and be configured to receive signals over a second frequency range. A splitter may be configured for separating signals received from radio and remote keyless entry antennas and may include a first branch including a first filter to filter AM band signals from communications signals received from an antenna, a second branch including a second filter to filter FM band signals from communications signals received from the antenna, a third branch including a third filter to filter remote keyless entry signals from communications signals received from the antenna, and an amplifier to amplify the remote keyless entry signals. The filters may be passive filters. The antenna maybe a whip antenna or roof antenna.
US08274436B2	Multi-band antenna A multi-band antenna is provided. The multi-band antenna includes a grounding element, a connecting element, a first radiating element and a second radiating element. The connecting element is connected to the grounding element and extends along a second direction. The first radiating element is connected to the connecting element and extends along the first direction, wherein the first radiating element, the grounding element and the connecting element are disposed on a first plane and have a resonating slot thereamong. The second radiating element is connected to the first radiating element and extends along a second plane to reach a specific distance, and then turns to be extended on a third plane parallel to the first plane, wherein the first plane and the third plane have a resonating region therebetween.
US08274429B2	Wireless communication systems and methods with source localization and self-calibration Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for source-localization and self-calibration for an array of antenna elements. In one implementation, a method is provided that includes estimating directions of arrival of a plurality of signals received by a plurality of antenna elements of the array of antenna elements and identifying a target signal from among the plurality of received signals. The method may also include estimating complex gain of each of the plurality of antenna elements in a direction of arrival of the identified target signal, wherein the estimation of the complex gain of each the plurality of antenna elements is performed after estimating the directions of arrival of signals received by the plurality of antenna elements.
US08274423B2	Sensitivity enhancement system Sensitivity is a critical aspect of weather radar systems. Such systems not only detect atmospheric patterns but often need to precisely measure weak precipitation echoes. Embodiments of the invention use pulse compression techniques to increase the sensitivity of weather radar systems. These techniques can include sending two waveforms into a region of interest, where the second waveform is designed based on knowledge about the first waveform. Such systems can enhance the sensitivity of weather radars about 10 dB.
US08274418B2	Analogue-to-digital converter An analogue to digital converter uses charge sampling in combination with a successive approximation conversion technique in order to combine anti-alias filtering and quadrature downconversion functions into the data converter. The conversion method is an energy-efficient realization for wide-band radio systems with moderate resolution specifications such as 4G or ultra-wideband radio (UWB). The converter uses two capacitor matrices, one to perform charge sampling, and one to be used simultaneously in the successive approximation technique, so that full use of an input signal is made and efficiency is maximized.
US08274412B1	Serializer with odd gearing ratio In certain embodiments of the invention, a serializer has (a) an initial, transfer stage that transfers incoming parallel data from a relatively slow timing domain to a relatively fast timing domain and (b) a final, serializing stage that converts the parallel data into serialized data. Between the transfer stage and the serializing stage is an update stage that (i) buffers data between the initial and final stages and (ii) can be used to toggle the serializer between an N−1 operating mode (that serializes (N−1) bits of parallel data) and an N+1 operating mode (that serializes (N+1) bits of parallel data) to achieve a net N:1 gearing ratio where N is an odd integer. The serializer can be configurable to support other gearing ratios as well.
US08274409B2	Light-emitting keyboard A light-emitting keyboard is disclosed, which comprises: a light guide plate, configured with a light entrance surface, a light emitting surface and a via hole; a light source, disposed next to the light entrance surface of the light guide plate; a frame, disposed on the light emitting surface of the light guide plate; an opaque material disposed on the via hole. With the aforesaid structure, light from the light source can be prevented from being emitting out from the via hole and thus can be evenly emitted out of the light guide plate.
US08274408B2	USB keyboard arrangement having N-keys rollover and the method thereof A USB keyboard arrangement having N-keys rollover and the method thereof mainly make use of rearranging a keycode of a firmware program of the USB keyboard through sets of bit maps to control each key thereon. After modifying a matrix, each key within a certain key-area can favorably avert from key ghosting existed in the matrix circuit. Therefore, when all keys in the key-area are concurrently pressed, isolated signals of the keys can be simultaneously sensed. While alternatively adjusting the firmware program through the above methods and adapting the methods to the prior art to split the keys in the key-area of the matrix from the crosspoints of key ghosting, the key-area of the USB keyboard can be provided with concomitantly sending isolated signals.
US08274403B2	Parking system employing remote asset management techniques The system described is an integrated parking management system which makes use of patented vehicle detectors to collect and transmit data, essentially in near real time, as to all events happening as to single or multiple parking spaces (e.g. current and historic use, length of time of occupancy of current occupant) to a central clearing device for which patent application has been made which serves as a logic core and repository, making use of proprietary software, analyzing, displaying and distributing the data so developed as to a parking plant and all of its components to allow all parties (including prospective users) who are concerned with the various aspects of a parking plant and its components (e.g. determination as to availability of spaces, maintenance and repair of meters, collection of revenues and enforcement of parking regulations) not only to access and make passive use of the information developed, in near real time, to permit them to identify what's happening to the plant and its components as to their own particular interest in such plant and so maximize the efficient use both of the resources of the plant and their own resources directed to the particular aspect of their interface with the plant and its components but also to access and make active use of such information for whatever purpose and in whatever fashion using whatever means of access they may wish. While others have made claim to certain of the individual functions described, e.g. vehicle detection, nobody has identified or patented.
US08274402B1	Data collection process for optical leak detection Method for collecting video files of one or more Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) components, including receiving information pertaining to the one or more LDAR components within a specified area, recording a video of the LDAR components for a predetermined amount of time using a camera, associating the video with the information, and storing the video along with the information to a memory located in a computer.
US08274397B2	Programmable light display Programmable light assemblies that may function in various operating modes, such as to function as marker lights and/or emergency lights, or have other functions, are disclosed. The protocol and architecture of the light assemblies enables the associated light fixtures to provide a constant current output despite the presence of substantially large voltage ranges, and even when submerged in water. Alternative embodiments of the programmable light assemblies of the invention provide many other features as described herein.
US08274384B2	Information device capable of performing wireless communication with reader/writer device, program, and method An information device capable of performing wireless communication with a reader/writer device, a method, and a computer-readable medium are provided. The device includes a reception section that detects an information request signal transmitted from a reader/writer device and a transmission section that transmits a signal to the reader/writer device in response to the detection of an information request signal. The device also includes a detection data acquisition section that acquires detection data corresponding to a physical quantity or state from a sensor and a detection data storage section that stores the detection data. The device includes a control section that activates the detection data acquisition section at time intervals and inputs the acquired detection data into the detection data storage section and another control section that activates the reception section at other time intervals.
US08274381B2	System and method for tracking a controller A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a gateway comprising a controller to transmit a first RF signal to a remote control device, wherein the first radio-frequency signal is received by a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag associated with the remote control device, receive at each of a plurality of receivers operably coupled to the gateway a second RF signal from the RFID tag of the remote control device in response to the first RF signal, determine an approximate location of the remote control device based on at least a portion of the second RF signals received by the plurality of receivers, and transmit a signal to a set-top-box, wherein the signal comprises the approximate location of the remote control device, and wherein the set-top-box displays the approximate location of the remote control device. Other embodiments are disclosed.
US08274379B2	Remote climate control device including electrical AC unit for an electric vehicle and associated methods A remote climate control system is for an electric vehicle without a combustion engine and having a rechargeable electrical power source and an electrical AC unit selectively powered thereby, a sensor associated with the rechargeable electrical power source, and a data communications bus extending throughout the hybrid vehicle. At least one of the electrical AC unit and the sensor is coupled to the data communications bus. The remote climate control system includes a remote transmitter and a receiver to be positioned at the hybrid vehicle for receiving signals from said remote transmitter. A vehicle remote climate controller cooperates with said receiver and to be coupled to the data communications bus extending within the hybrid vehicle for communication thereover to selectively operate the electrical AC unit responsive to the sensor and said remote transmitter.
US08274367B2	RFID system and RFID tag In an RFID system comprising a detection unit for detecting an RFID tag and a control unit for exercising the control concerning the RFID tag, a determination unit determines whether to access a second area of an RFID tag comprising storage area, comprising of a first area for storing ID information and the second area for storing command information. An extraction unit extracts command information from the second area when it is determined to access the second area. An execution unit performs a process corresponding to the command information extracted by the extraction unit.
US08274358B2	Multidirectional input member and electrical device having same A multidirectional input member according to the present invention includes a base plate on which a looped sensor that includes a plurality of groups of non-contacting electrodes configured in a loop is formed and an operation plate locating opposite to the base plate. The operation plate has a first loop-shaped protrusion that is located at a plane opposite to the base plate, that is protruded toward the base plate side, that is opposite to the looped sensor, and that is configured with a resistant rubber member. The first protrusion has a configuration in which its sectional area of a plane parallel to the base plate is tapered in the direction from the operation plate side toward the base plate side.
US08274354B2	Two- or multiphase transformer The disclosure relates to a transformer having a yoke which has a crosspiece and at least two limbs, over which limbs a coil is placed in each case, and having at least one carrier on which the crosspiece is fixed and which has bearing faces for the coils. At least two supporting blocks for each coil are mounted on each bearing surface. The supporting blocks are fitted with elastic compensation elements on the coil-side carrying face and have, on their longitudinal side faces, which run perpendicular to a carrying surface, at least one strip which extends the creepage path and runs in the longitudinal direction and parallel to the carrying surface of the supporting block.
US08274334B2	Detection circuit with improved anti-blooming circuit The detection circuit comprises a photodiode connected to an input of a capacitive transimpedance amplifier. The circuit comprises an anti-blooming circuit connected between the input and an output of the capacitive transimpedance amplifier. The anti-blooming circuit comprises a field effect transistor connected between the input and output of the capacitive transimpedance amplifier. The transistor is of pMOS type when the input of the capacitive transimpedance amplifier is connected to a cathode of the photodiode. The transistor is of nMOS type when the input of the capacitive transimpedance amplifier is connected to an anode of the photodiode.
US08274325B2	Phase-locked loop A loop filter for receiving an input signal indicative of a phase-difference between a reference signal and a signal output by a signal generator and forming a control signal for controlling the signal generator in dependence thereon, the loop filter comprising a plurality of filter components that determine the frequency response of the filter, said filter components being arranged so that a first set of said components determines one or more zeros of the filter's frequency response and a second set of said components determines one or more poles of the filter's frequency response, each of said first and second sets of filter components being independent of the other such that the zero(s) and pole(s) of the filter's frequency response may be selected independently.
US08274322B2	Charge pump with low noise and high output current and voltage The present invention discloses a charge pump system with low noise and high output current and voltage, comprising: a four phase clock generator used to generate a first signals group; a serial of delay circuits coupled to said four phase clock generator, wherein each of said delay circuits is coupled to a previous delay circuit relative to each of said delay circuits for delaying a signals group received from said previous delay circuit; a first charge pump circuit coupled to the four phase clock generator and the delay circuits; and an output terminal coupled to the first charge pump circuit; wherein high level of said first signal overlaps two sections of high level of said third signal to generate a first overlapping time and a second overlapping time, and said first overlapping time is not equal to said second overlapping time.
US08274309B2	Programmable structured arrays A programmable semiconductor device includes a user programmable switch comprising a configurable element is positioned above a transistor material layer deposited on a substrate layer.
US08274307B1	Impedance discontinuity compensator for electronic packages The present disclosure provides for a circuit package that can include a signal input port that receives an electronic signal that includes multiple frequency components and a signal output port that outputs the electronic signal. The circuit package can include a trace having multiple portions that have a portion-dependent impedance. The trace can transfer the electronic signal from the signal input port to the signal output port. The present disclosure provides an apparatus to compensate a package trace parasitics, such as parasitic capacitance, to improve signal fidelity over a predetermined frequency range. The apparatus can provide a broadband impedance matching structure that matches the impedance of an I/O cell to the impedance of a printed circuit board and can compensate for the parasitic effects of both the I/O cell, terminals, and other discontinuities that may be present within the package.
US08274303B2	Schmitt trigger with test circuit and method for testing A Schmitt trigger circuit having a test circuit and method for testing are provided. The Schmitt trigger test circuit includes switches for reconfiguring the Schmitt trigger for testing by shorting the input and output terminals of an inverter and by opening a feedback path to allow the application of test voltages to the gates of feedback transistors coupled to the inverter. The method includes: directly connecting an input terminal of the inverter to an output terminal of the inverter; providing a first power supply voltage to the feedback transistors coupled to the inverter; measuring a first voltage at the input terminal; removing the first power supply voltage from the feedback transistors; providing a second power supply voltage to the feedback transistors. The test circuit and method reduce the test time by eliminating the need to ramp an input voltage while monitoring the output.
US08274302B2	Wafer and test method thereof A wafer and a test method thereof are provided. The invention utilizes a first group of probes to perform a high voltage stress (HVS) test on a first chip, and utilizes a second group of probes to perform a function test on a second chip, where a period of the high voltage stress test overlaps a period of the function test, thereby greatly decreasing the test time of the wafer.
US08274298B2	Calibration structure for flex fuel sensor A calibration structure (10) for calibrating a flex fuel sensor (12) for a vehicle is provided. The flex fuel sensor has a first sensor electrode (14) and a second sensor electrode (16). The calibration structure includes a first electrode (30), a second electrode (36) spaced from and electrically insulated from the first electrode, and at least one capacitor (40), or at least one resistor (42), or at least one combination of a capacitor with a resistor, of a certain value electrically connected with the first and second electrodes. The first electrode (30) is constructed and arranged to contact the first sensor electrode (16) and the second electrode (36) is constructed and arranged to contact the second sensor electrode (14) to provide a known input value to the flex fuel sensor for calibration of the flex fuel sensor without the use of test liquids.
US08274289B2	Antenna coupling component measurement tool having rotating antenna configuration Disclosed herein are electromagnetic resistivity logging systems and methods that employ an antenna configuration having at most two transmitter or receiver antenna orientations that rotate relative to the borehole. The measurements made by this reduced-complexity antenna configuration enable the determination of at least seven components of a coupling matrix, which may be determined using a linear system of equations that express the azimuthal dependence of the measurements. For increased reliability, measurement averaging may be performed in azimuthally spaced bins. The coupling matrix components can then be used as the basis for determining logs of various formation parameters, including vertical resistivity and anisotropy.
US08274288B2	Multi-transient DC resistivity measurements A method for measuring resistivity variations in the earth comprising passing a transient current between two source electrodes; measuring the transient current at the source electrodes; measuring the resultant transient voltage between at least one pair of receiver electrodes; estimating one or more processing functions for applying to the measured input current to provide a step current profile, and applying the same one or more processing functions to the measured voltage to provide an estimate of the step response voltage between the receivers, using both the step current and the estimated step response voltage to determine the resulting apparent earth resistance, and using the apparent earth resistance to determine the resistivity of the earth.
US08274231B2	Current regulator drive circuit shunting current by voltage-dividing load The present invention is through the power control unit, which is connected with the voltage-dividing load in parallel, to perform shunt regulation for the current passing through the voltage-dividing load, the shunt regulation means of the power control unit is that the power control unit increases or decreases the current passing through the voltage-dividing load.
US08274225B2	Image display apparatus An image display apparatus according to the present invention comprises a plurality of electron emitting devices having an electron emitting portion provided between a cathode electrode and a gate electrode; a cathode wiring connected to the cathode electrode; and a gate wiring connected to the gate electrode and having a resistance higher than the resistance of the cathode wiring, wherein an impedance element having a resistance value of Ry and an electrostatic capacitance of Cy is connected to between the cathode wiring and the cathode electrode, a resistive element having a resistance value of Rx is connected to between the gate wiring and the gate electrode, and \|Ry/(1+jωRyCy)\|Rx are satisfied, where ω is 100 MHz.
US08274224B2	Metal halide lamp including ceramic sealing material A metal halide lamp includes a ceramic discharge vessel and two electrodes. The discharge vessel encloses a discharge volume containing an ionizable gas filling including at least a metal halide, two current lead-through conductors connected to the respective electrodes, and a seal of a sealing material through which at least one of the respective current lead-through conductors issues to the exterior of the discharge vessel. The sealing material of the seal includes a ceramic sealing material including cerium oxide, aluminum oxide and silicon dioxide as a mixture of oxides and/or one or more mixed oxides.
US08274220B2	LED source with hollow collection lens A light source, includes an LED emitter and a meniscus lens having a hollow cavity in which the LED emitter is disposed. The meniscus lens is in exemplary embodiments hyperhemispheric, and it produces a high quality optical image of the LED emitter. The cavity of the lens is filled with air, such as terrestrial atmosphere, inert gas, or vacuum.
US08274213B2	Electrochromic materials and electrochromic devices using the same Disclosed herein are novel electrochromic materials. The electrochromic materials produce various colors and have bistability to achieve red-green-blue full colors. Therefore, the electrochromic materials can be used in a variety of electrochromic devices. Also disclosed herein are electrochromic devices fabricated using the electrochromic materials.
US08274208B2	Light-emitting device, vehicular lighting fixture comprising the device, and head lamp A light-emitting device comprising a light source which emits excitation light and a fluorescent substance which absorbs the excitation light to emit light in combination, wherein a fluorescent substance comprising an α type SiAlON represented by the general formula: (Caα,Euβ)(Si,Al)12(O,N)16 (1.5<α+β<2.2, 0<β<0.2, O/N≦0.04) as a main component and having a specific surface area of 0.1 to 0.35 m2/g is used as the fluorescent substance. This light-emitting device shows little color change due to temperature change and efficiently emits light, even when it is used in a high temperature environment, and it is especially suitable for lighting apparatuses for vehicles such as headlamps.
US08274205B2	System and method for limiting arc effects in field emitter arrays The system and method provided herein for limiting the effects of arcing in field-type electron emitter arrays improves the robustness of such arrays. Field-type electron emitter arrays generally have a substrate, an insulator, and a gating electrode. By including a resistive substance in the gate of the emitter array, arcing events may be isolated to a single emitter such that the remaining emitters of an array can continue electron emission and/or the short circuit current of the arc can be limited.
US08274192B2	Segmented stator assembly An electric machine and a stator assembly include a segmented stator having stator portions. Each stator portion includes end plates arranged axially on opposing sides of the stator portion, support plates arranged interior to the end plates, stator laminations arranged between the support plates, and stabilizing elements coupling the end plates and the support plates together. Each of the stabilizing elements has a dovetail portion coupled to the end plates and to the support plates. Connectors are provided to connect the stator portions of the segmented stator together.
US08274184B2	Torus geometry motor system A torus motor system includes a hollow stator and a rotor which is driven along a rotor path formed within the hollow stator by a magnet system. The rotor operates as a piston within the rotor path to intake and discharge fluid therefrom. The forces on the rotor all tend to center the rotor within the rotor path. The rotor is accelerated away from the inlet port on the magnet system and decelerated as the rotor approaches the discharge port.
US08274183B2	Stator for a linear motor A stator for a linear motor is described. The stator has a stator member with a coil arrangement, a connecting member with external terminals, a sensor arrangement having at least one Hall sensor, and terminals for the sensor arrangement, as well as a holding member. The holding member is subdivided into a connecting member insertion portion and a stator member insertion portion and has holding devices for disposing the stator member and the connecting member stationarily, releasably and in an accurate position with regard to each other.
US08274181B2	Structure for transmission in power supply A structure for transmission in a power supply, particularly to a power structure for transmission for bearing large DC current, wherein the power supply includes a power input port for connecting to DC input power and a DC/DC conversion circuit for converting the DC input power into DC output power. The architecture including at least one power transmission board for disposing the power input port, wherein the power transmission board is electrically connected to the power process board with the DC/DC conversion circuit mounted thereon by at least one power conduction element. Therefore, through the power conduction elements replacing the conventional connecting wires with large diameter to connect the power input port and the power process board without disobeying the safety regulation, not only the space occupied by the bent connection wires can be reduced, but the collisions and damage to other components caused therefrom also can be avoided.
US08274178B2	System of transmission of wireless energy A resonant array for the transmission of multiple frequency wireless energy in multiple configurations at a useful distance for grid-coordinate power and information delivery on small aperture and mobile scales where alternatives such as battery, solar, infrared, microwave, or other power-independent means are inappropriate or inaccessible.
US08274176B2	Power supply apparatus In a provided power supply unit, a plurality of circuit elements are integrated into a chip, wherein the circuit elements generate one or more output voltages by using an input voltage. Thus, although the number of voltages, which can be generated by the power supply apparatus, is remarkably large, the power supply apparatus can be miniaturized. In addition, an apparatus, in which the power supply apparatus is installed, can be miniaturized.
US08274170B2	Wind power turbine including a cable bundle guide device A wind power turbine for producing electric energy has a pylon extending from a bottom end to a top end; a nacelle fitted to the top end of the pylon to rotate about a first axis; an electric generator fitted to the nacelle to produce electric energy; a blade assembly, which rotates with respect to the nacelle about a second axis; an electric cable bundle extending from the electric generator to a point inside the pylon, such as at the bottom end of the pylon; and a guide device for guiding the cable bundle, and configured to divert the cable bundle radially from a point close to the first axis, to a point substantially away from the first axis.
US08274162B2	Apparatus and method for reduced delamination of an integrated circuit module An apparatus and method for reducing delamination of an integrated circuit module is disclosed. The integrated circuit module includes a laminate substrate. The integrated circuit module further includes an integrated circuit die operably coupled with the laminate substrate and a plastic semiconductor package overmolded with the laminate substrate. The laminate substrate includes a die attach pad including a plurality of metal oxide regions and non-oxidized metal regions disposed on the die attach pads.
US08274160B2	Active area bonding compatible high current structures A method of forming a semiconductor structure is provided. One method comprises forming a device region between a substrate and a bond pad. Patterning a conductor between the bond pad and the device region with gaps. Filling the gaps with insulation material that is harder than the conductor to form pillars of relatively hard material that extend through the conductor and forming an insulation layer of the insulation material between the conductor and the bond pad.
US08274159B2	Group III nitride based flip-chip integrated circuit and method for fabricating A circuit substrate has one or more active components and a plurality of passive circuit elements on a first surface. An active semiconductor device has a substrate with layers of material and a plurality of terminals. The active semiconductor device is flip-chip mounted on the circuit substrate and at least one of the terminals of the device is electrically connected to an active component on the circuit substrate. The active components on the substrate and the flip-chip mounted active semiconductor device, in combination with passive circuit elements, form preamplifiers and an output amplifier respectively. In a power switching configuration, the circuit substrate has logic control circuits on a first surface. A semiconductor transistor flip-chip mounted on the circuit substrate is electrically connected to the control circuits on the first surface to thereby control the on and off switching of the flip-chip mounted device.
US08274154B2	Semiconductor device with interface peeling preventing rewiring layer A semiconductor device which is capable of preventing interface peeling and a crack from occurring in the vicinity of the edge part of a rewiring layer is provided. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate, an electrode pad formed on the semiconductor substrate, a first insulation film formed on the semiconductor substrate having a first aperture which exposes the electrode pad, a first conductor film formed on the electrode pad and the first insulation film, an external electrode electrically connected to the first conductor film, and a sealing resin which covers the first conductor film and the first insulation film. The first conductor film includes a plurality of copper layers which are stacked so that an outer edge portion of the first conductor film has a stepped portion.
US08274147B2	Method and system for intra-printed circuit board communication via waveguides Methods and systems for intra-printed circuit board communication via waveguides are disclosed and may include communicating one or more signals between or among a plurality of integrated circuits via one or more waveguides integrated on a printed circuit board. The integrated circuits may be bonded to the printed circuit board. The waveguides may be configured via switches integrated within each of the plurality of integrated circuits. The one or more signals may include microwave signals. The one or more waveguides may be configured for communicating microwave signals with a frequency of 60 GHz or greater. The communication of the one or more signals may be configured via a low frequency control signal, which may include a digital signal. The one or more waveguides may include metal and/or semiconductor layers deposited on and/or embedded within the printed circuit board.
US08274144B2	Helical springs electrical connecting a plurality of packages A first semiconductor package includes a first substrate, a first semiconductor chip attached to the first substrate, an encapsulant which covers the first semiconductor chip, and conductive elastic members which are embedded in the encapsulant but with parts thereof exposed. A package on package (POP) includes the first semiconductor package and a second semiconductor package stacked in the first semiconductor package. The second semiconductor package includes a second substrate and a second semiconductor chip attached to the second substrate. The exposed parts of the elastic members are electrically connected to the second substrate. The encapsulant of the first package is formed by a molding process while the conductive elastic members are compressed within their elastic limit by the mold.
US08274143B2	Semiconductor device, method of forming the same, and electronic device A semiconductor device includes a substrate, a stack of semiconductor chips, and a first sealing material. The substrate may include, but is not limited to, a chip mounting area and a higher-level portion. The higher level portion surrounds the chip mounting area. The higher-level portion is higher in level than the chip mounting area. The stack of semiconductor chips is disposed over the chip mounting area. A first sealing material seals the stack of semiconductor chips. The first sealing material is confined by the higher-level portion.
US08274141B2	Semiconductor memory card and semiconductor memory device A semiconductor memory card includes a wiring board having an outer shape where a cut-out portion is provided at a first long-edge. A second surface of the wiring board includes connection pads disposed along a portion except the cut-out portion of the first long-edge. A memory device is mounted on the second surface of the wiring board. The memory device includes electrode pads arranged along a long-edge positioning in a vicinity of the first long-edge of the wiring board, and one-sidedly disposed so as to correspond to disposed positions of the connection pads. A controller device is stacked on the memory device.
US08274137B2	Power semiconductor device A plurality of cell structures of a vertical power device are formed at a semiconductor substrate. One cell structure included in the plurality of cell structures and located in a central portion CR of the main surface has a lower current carrying ability than the other cell structure included in the plurality of cell structures and located in an outer peripheral portion PR of the main surface. This provides a power semiconductor device having a long power cycle life.
US08274133B2	Semiconductor package and method for making the same The present invention relates to a semiconductor package and a method for making the same. The semiconductor package comprises a substrate, a first metal layer, a first dielectric layer, a first upper electrode, a first protective layer, a second metal layer and a second protective layer. The substrate has at least one via structure. The first metal layer is disposed on a first surface of the substrate, and comprises a first lower electrode. The first dielectric layer is disposed on the first lower electrode. The first upper electrode is disposed on the first dielectric layer, and the first upper electrode, the first dielectric layer and the first lower electrode form a first capacitor. The first protective layer encapsulates the first capacitor. The second metal layer is disposed on the first protective layer, and comprises a first inductor. The second protective layer encapsulates the first inductor. Whereby, the first inductor, the first capacitor and the via structure are integrated into the semiconductor package, so that the size of the product is reduced.
US08274129B2	Power transistor with improved high-side operating characteristics and reduced resistance and related apparatus and method A method includes forming a transistor device on a first side of a semiconductor-on-insulator structure. The semiconductor-on-insulator structure includes a substrate, a dielectric layer, and a buried layer between the substrate and the dielectric layer. The method also includes forming a conductive plug through the semiconductor-on-insulator structure. The conductive plug is in electrical connection with the transistor device. The method further includes forming a field plate on a second side of the semiconductor-on-insulator structure, where the field plate is in electrical connection with the conductive plug. The transistor device could have a breakdown voltage of at least 600V, and the field plate could extend along at least 40% of a length of the transistor device.
US08274111B2	Method for fabricating a semiconductor memory device having a buried word line structure A method for fabricating a semiconductor apparatus including a buried gate removes factors deteriorating the operational reliability of the semiconductor device such as the electrical connection between a contact and a word line, and increases a processing margin when forming the contact disposed on a source/drain region. The method includes forming a recess in a semiconductor substrate, forming a gate in a lower portion of the recess, forming a first insulation layer over the gate, growing silicon over the first insulation layer in the recess, and depositing a second insulation layer over the semiconductor substrate and in the remaining portion of the recess.
US08274105B2	Image pickup device and camera An object is to provide a solid state image pickup device and a camera which do not worsen a sensor performance in terms of an optical property, a saturated charge amount and the like. A solid state image sensor including a pixel region having a plurality of pixels includes at least a photodiode and an amplifying portion amplifying photocharges outputted from the photodiode in the pixel region, and further includes a well electrode for taking well potential of a well region in which the amplifying portion is arranged. Between the well electrode and the photodiode, no element isolation regions by an insulation film are arranged. Moreover, on the surface of a first semiconductor region in which the photodiode stores the charges, a second semiconductor layer of a conductivity type reverse to that of the first semiconductor region is arranged.
US08274104B2	Repair structure and active device array substrate A repair structure including a substrate, at least one first conducting line, a first insulating layer, at least one second conducting line and a repair connecting layer is provided. The at least one first conducting line is disposed on the substrate. The first insulating layer is disposed over the substrate to cover the first conducting line. The second conducting line is disposed over the first insulating layer. The second insulating layer covers the second conducting line and the first insulating layer. The repair connecting layer is disposed on the second insulating layer. In particular, the repair connecting layer is electrically connected to the first conducting line. The repair connecting layer overlaps the second conducting line but is electrically insulated from the second conducting line.
US08274099B2	Integrated circuit including cross-coupled transistors having gate electrodes formed within gate level feature layout channels with gate contact position and offset specifications A semiconductor device includes conductive features that are each defined within any one gate level channel that is uniquely associated with and defined along one of a number of parallel gate electrode tracks. The conductive features form gate electrodes of first and second PMOS transistor devices, and first and second NMOS transistor devices. The gate electrodes of the first PMOS and first NMOS transistor devices extend along a first gate electrode track. The gate electrodes of the second PMOS and second NMOS transistor devices extend along a second gate electrode track. A first set of interconnected conductors electrically connect the gate electrodes of the first PMOS and second NMOS transistor devices. A second set of interconnected conductors electrically connect the gate electrodes of the second PMOS and first NMOS transistor devices. The first and second sets of interconnected conductors traverse across each other within different levels of the semiconductor device.
US08274094B2	GaN compound semiconductor light emitting element and method of manufacturing the same The present invention relates to a gallium nitride (GaN) compound semiconductor light emitting element (LED) and a method of manufacturing the same. The present invention provides a vertical GaN LED capable of improving the characteristics of a horizontal LED by means of a metallic protective film layer and a metallic support layer. According to the present invention, a metallic protective film layer with a thickness of at least 10 microns may be formed on the lateral and/or bottom sides of the vertical GaN LED. Further, a metallic substrate may be used instead of a sapphire substrate. A metallic support layer may be formed to protect the element from being distorted or damaged. Furthermore, a P-type electrode may be partially formed on a P—GaN layer in a mesh form.
US08274093B2	Semiconductor light emitting device and method of fabricating the same Provided are a semiconductor light emitting device and a method of fabricating the same. The semiconductor light emitting device comprises a multireflection layer comprising at least one of reflection layers of different refractive indices, a first conductive semiconductor layer on the multireflection layers, an active layer on the first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer on the active layer.
US08274092B2	Light-emitting device having a roughened surface with different topographies This invention provides an optoelectronic semiconductor device having a rough surface and the manufacturing method thereof. The optoelectronic semiconductor device comprises a semiconductor stack having a rough surface and an electrode layer overlaying the semiconductor stack. The rough surface comprises a first region having a first topography and a second region having a second topography. The method comprises the steps of forming a semiconductor stack on a substrate, forming an electrode layer on the semiconductor stack, thermal treating the semiconductor stack, and wet etching the surface of the semiconductor stack to form a rough surface.
US08274085B2	Pixel structure and fabrication method thereof The present invention discloses pixel structures and fabrication methods thereof. The pixel includes a thin film transistor forming at a thin film transistor region and a storage capacitor forming at a pixel electrode region. The method includes: forming a gate conduction layer on a substrate; forming a gate insulation layer on the gate conduction layer; forming a source conduction layer and a drain conduction layer on the gate insulation layer, in which the drain conduction layer has an extension section extending to the pixel electrode region; forming a channel layer on the source conduction layer and the drain conduction layer; and forming a protection layer on the channel layer. The extension section and an electrode layer serve as the upper and lower electrode of the storage capacitor, respectively. Wherein the gate conduction layer, the source conduction layer, the drain conduction layer, and the channel layer are made of metallic oxides.
US08274078B2	Metal oxynitride semiconductor containing zinc Provided is an oxynitride semiconductor comprising a metal oxynitride. The metal oxynitride contains Zn and In and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ga, Sn, Mg, Si, Ge, Y, Ti, Mo, W, and Al. The metal oxynitride has an atomic composition ratio of N, N/(N+O), of 7 atomic percent or more to 80 atomic percent or less.
US08274072B2	Ultrathin spacer formation for carbon-based FET A carbon-based field effect transistor (FET) includes a substrate; a carbon layer located on the substrate, the carbon layer comprising a channel region, and source and drain regions located on either side of the channel region; a gate electrode located on the channel region in the carbon layer, the gate electrode comprising a first dielectric layer, a gate metal layer located on the first dielectric layer, and a nitride layer located on the gate metal layer; and a spacer comprising a second dielectric layer located adjacent to the gate electrode, wherein the spacer is not located on the carbon layer.
US08274062B2	Integrative and real-time radiation measurement methods and systems A method of determining the radiation type and energy distribution of a radiation source that outputs radiation. The method including providing a plurality of detector materials and exposing the plurality of detector materials to the radiation. Each of the plurality of detector materials stores a signal in response to being exposed to the radiation. The signals are representative of the radiation. The plurality of detector materials is stimulated to output the signals as measured signals. These measured signals are used to determine the radiation type and energy distribution of the radiation.
US08274055B2	Radiation signal-processing unit and radiation detector provided with the same A radiation signal-processing unit including a position identifying device for identifying an incident radiation position in a radiation detector; a count data-memory device for storing positional information outputted from the position identifying device, a count ratio-calculation device for calculating a count ratio based on the positional information stored in the count data-memory device, a reference count ratio-memory device for memorizing a reference count ratio as the count ratio calculated under a state where fluorescence to be detected does not overlap each other temporally, and a correction instruction device for reading the reference count ratio from the reference count ratio-memory device and comparing the ratio with the count ratio, thereby instructing execution of correction of a radiation generating position to the position identifying device.
US08274047B2	Substrate surface inspection method and inspection apparatus A substrate surface inspection method inspects for a defect on a substrate including a plurality of materials on a surface thereof. The inspection method comprises: irradiating the surface of the substrate with an electron beam, a landing energy of the electron beam set such that a contrast between at least two types of materials of the plurality of materials is within a predetermined range; detecting electrons generated by the substrate to acquire a surface image of the substrate, with a pattern formed thereon from the at least two types of materials eliminated or weakened; and detecting the defect from the acquired surface image by detecting as the defect an object image having a contrast by which the object image can be distinguished from a background image in the surface image. Defects present on the substrate surface can be detected easily and precisely by using a cell inspection.
US08274043B2	Estimation of ion cyclotron resonance parameters in fourier transform mass spectrometry The present invention comprises a method and system for accurate estimation of the ion cyclotron resonance (ICR) parameters in Fourier-transform mass spectrometry (FTMS/FT-ICR MS). The parameters are essential to estimating the mass to charge ratio of an ion from FT-ICR MS data, the intended purpose of the instrument. Achieving greater accuracy in the parameters assists in greater accuracy of the mass to charge ratio of an ion, and obtaining an accurate estimation of the mass to charge ratio of an ion further aides in detecting mass with sub-ppm accuracy. Estimating mass in this manner enhances identification and characterization of large molecules. The inventive method and system thereby enhances the data obtained by conventional FTMS by accurately estimating ICR parameters. Ultimately, accurate estimates of the masses of molecules and detection and characterization of molecules from FT-ICR MS data are obtained.
US08274035B2	Photosensor circuit having a level shifting circuit for biasing a first node with an operation voltage signal and a phototransistor for modulating the level of the operation voltage signal A photosensor circuit including a first node, a level shifting circuit, a phototransistor and an inverter is provided. The first node has an operation voltage signal. The level shifting circuit is coupled to the first node for biasing the first node, so that the operation voltage signal is biased to an operation biasing level. The phototransistor is coupled to the first node for receiving an optical signal and accordingly generates a first electrical signal by means of controlling the level of the operation voltage signal. The inverter receives the first electrical signal and accordingly generates and outputs a second electrical signal, which indicates the intensity of the optical signal.
US08274021B2	Fully integrated temperature regulator for biochemical applications The invention is an integrated temperature regulator that can be fabricated using conventional semiconductor processing technology. The integrated temperature regulator can include a reaction chamber, for example fabricated from PDMS, in which chemical or biochemical reactions of interest can be carried out. The temperature regular can also be used to regulate the temperature of some circuits, e.g. an effective-inductance-change based magnetic particle sensor, to achieve a stable operation performance, such as an improved sensitivity. The integrated temperature regulator includes as subcomponents a temperature sensing circuit that receives a thermal signal from the vicinity of the reaction chamber, a temperature reference circuit, and a temperature control circuit that controls a heater based at least in part on the difference between the sensed temperature and the reference temperature. The various subcomponents can be programmable.
US08274015B2	Culinary heater rolling pin device A heater rolling pin having a roller body, stainless steel axles, hollow roller interior, roller outer surface, a handle mounted to each axle, electrical tactile switch secured to one end of the roller, a heater secured inside the roller interior, batteries and a battery holder at the opposite end of the roller. The internal heater makes the outer surface of the roller hot. The roller is manufactured from food grade aluminum alloy and is hard anodized and dyed to make the surface very hard and scratch resistant. The roller has two food quality, high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic handles with stainless steel axles.
US08274014B2	Filler metal with flux for brazing and soldering and method of making and using same A wire (10) for use in a brazing or soldering operation has an elongated body (12) of a metallic material. The elongated body (12) has an outer surface (18). A channel (14) is formed along a length of the body. The channel (14) has an opening (A1). A flux solution (22) is deposited within the channel (14) and along the length of the body. The flux solution (22) covers a portion of the outer surface (18). A portion of the flux solution (22) is exposed through the opening (A1) in the channel (14).
US08274008B2	EDM spindle assembly with fluid seal An EDM spindle assembly is provided comprising a pull stud, an electrode holder, a fluid seal, and a seal holder. A threaded outside diameter of the seal holder is threadedly engaged with a threaded inside diameter of a counter bore formed in the tail end of the electrode holder. A threaded outside diameter of the pull stud is threadedly engaged with the threaded inside diameter of the counter bore. The threaded inside diameter of the counter bore in the electrode holder comprises a longitudinal threading dimension that is sufficient to accommodate the entire longitudinal threaded outside diameter of the seal holder and a portion of the longitudinal threaded outside diameter of the pull stud sufficient to create threaded engagement, with the fluid seal positioned in the seal accommodating space.
US08274001B2	Weighing apparatus having opposed wheels Weighing apparatus for weighing and conveying items of various shape and size. The weighing apparatus apparatus includes at least two oppositely rotating wheels that engage an item to be weighed. A force measurement element, such as a load cell, is provided to weigh the item to be weighed while the item is conveyed by the wheels in a suspended position. More than one pair of wheels may be employed.
US08273997B2	Antireflective apparatus with anisotropic capacitive circuit analog sheets An apparatus having a reduced reflection from its surface includes a dielectric material and a capacitive circuit analog sheet buried within the dielectric material and configured to produce a reflection that adds out of phase with a reflection from an incident side of the dielectric material. The capacitive circuit analog sheet comprises conductive patches configured to have high impedance for transverse magnetic (TM) polarization.
US08273996B2	Z-directed connector components for printed circuit boards A Z-directed connector component for insertion into a printed circuit board and providing electrical connections to internal conductive planes contained with the PCB and/or to external conductive traces on the surface of the PCB. In one embodiment the Z-directed component is housed within the thickness of the PCB allowing other components to be mounted over it. The body of the Z-directed connector component may contain one or more conductors and may include one or more surface channels or wells extending along at least a portion of the length of the body. Methods for mounting Z-directed components are also provided.
US08273985B2	Junction box A junction box includes a base, a cover snap-fitted into the base and a ventilation valve on the cover. The ventilation valve includes a first hollow cylinder that has a first inner bore having a first thread and a bottom having an open area that includes an annular flange; a second hollow cylinder; and a waterproof air-permeable membrane. The second hollow cylinder has a second thread on an outer surface thereof, a first end, a second end and a second inner bore. The first end has an annular groove. The waterproof air-permeable membrane is disposed between the first end of the second hollow cylinder and the bottom of the first hollow cylinder. A specific distance, smaller than an axial feeding amount of the first thread when being threaded by one turn, is formed between the top of the annular flange and the top of the annular groove.
US08273980B2	Photovoltaic roof ridge cap and installation method A photovoltaic roofing system and a method of installing the photovoltaic ridge cap structure have been provided. The photovoltaic roofing system includes a ridge cap adapted to cover a ridge of a roof structure. The system also includes at least one photovoltaic cell disposed within the ridge cap. The method of installing a photovoltaic ridge cap structure includes mounting the ridge cap over multiple photovoltaic cells along a ridge of a roof structure. The method further includes routing electrical leads from each photovoltaic cell through one or more openings along the ridge of the roof structure.
US08273979B2	Time averaged modulated diode apparatus for photovoltaic application DC-DC converters are described that employ a time-averaged modulated bypass diode to facilitate the efficient harvest of power in photovoltaic systems.
US08273975B2	Flute A flute has a pipe. The pipe has a linear body tube and a linear mouthpiece tube. The body tube has multiple keys for changing the pitch of the flute. The mouthpiece tube is connected to the body tube and has a mouthpiece plate. A curved tube is mounted on one end of the mouthpiece tube facing the body tube. The curved tube, mouthpiece tube and body tube are aligned with one another.
US08273971B1	Maize variety hybrid X7R421 A novel maize variety designated X7R421 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 X7R421 with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into X7R421 through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. This invention relates to the maize variety X7R421, the seed, the plant produced from the seed, and variants, mutants, and minor modifications of maize variety X7R421. This invention further relates to methods for producing maize varieties derived from maize variety X7R421.
US08273968B2	Cotton variety 09R303B2R2 The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated 09R303B2R2. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety 09R303B2R2. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety 09R303B2R2 and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety 09R303B2R2 with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US08273956B2	Method for performing homologous recombination in plants The invention relates to modified restriction enzymes capable of being used for promoting homologous recombination in organisms, in particular plants, making it possible to either target gene integration or excise unwanted DNA sequences in the genome of said organisms.
US08273955B2	Spontaneous nodulation in plants Formation of nitrogen fixing root nodules in legumes is induced by perception of lipochitin-oligosaccharide signal molecules secreted by compatible Rhizobium bacteria, which triggers a common symbiotic pathway. The present invention provides a spontaneous nodule formation (snf1-5g) mutant, in which the formation of symbiotic nodules is deregulated, leading to nodule development in the absence as well as in the presence of Rhizobium bacteria and/or exogenous rhizobial signals. The invention further provides an isolated DNA sequence encoding a mutant chimeric Ca2+/calmodulin dependent protein kinase whose activity results in this `gain of function′ phenotype of spontaneous nodule formation. Furthermore the snf1-5g gene is shown to confer a spontaneous nodule formation phenotype to plants having a nodulation deficient genetic background. A gene of the invention, that confers a spontaneous nodulation phenotype, has utility for the transfer and establishment of nitrogen fixing capability in non-nodulating plants, and thereby reducing the nitrogen fertilizer dependence of non-nodulating crop plants.
US08273953B2	Antisense DNA of sweetpotato expansin cDNA and method for increasing storage root yield using the same Disclosed herein are antisense DNA of a sweetpotato expansin (IbExpansin) cDNA, a plant transformation vector carrying the same, and a method for increasing storage root production using the same. The transgenic sweetpotatoes prepared using the antisense DNA of IbExpansin cDNA have storage root production increased by up to one and half times. Thus, the gene is useful in the generation of highly productive transgenic storage roots for the increase of bioethanol production.
US08273952B2	Plants having improved growth characteristics and method for making the same The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics by modulating expression in a plant of a plant nucleic acid encoding a cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) and/or by modulating activity in a plant of a plant CDK protein, which CDK protein comprises different motifs or which CDK nucleic acid encodes such protein. The present invention also concerns plants having modulated expression of a plant CDK nucleic acid and/or modulated activity of a plant CDK protein, which CDK protein comprises different sequence motifs or which nucleic acid encodes such protein and which plants have improved growth characteristics relative to corresponding wild type plants. The invention additionally relates to specific nucleic acid sequences encoding for the aforementioned proteins having the aforementioned plant growth improving activity, nucleic acid constructs, vectors and plants containing said nucleic acid sequences.
US08273951B2	Down-regulation of gene expression using artificial micrornas Isolated nucleic acid fragments comprising precursor miRNA, and artificial miRNAs and their use in down-regulating gene expression are described.
US08273944B2	Methods and compositions for gray leaf spot resistance in corn The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding. More specifically, the present invention includes a method of using haploid plants for genetic mapping of traits of interest such as disease resistance. Further, the invention includes a method for breeding corn plants containing quantitative trait loci (QTL) that are associated with resistance to Gray Leaf Spot, a fungal disease associated with Cercospora spp.
US08273942B2	Disposable absorbent article having capacity to store low-viscosity fecal material A disposable absorbent article, such as a disposable diaper. The disposable absorbent article has a topsheet with apertures large enough for low-viscosity fecal material to pass through to a fecal material storage element. The fecal material storage element immobilizes the fecal material in position for dewatering, so that the solid components of the fecal material are separated from the liquid components of the fecal material and the liquid components can be absorbed by an absorbent core. This arrangement provides for easier cleaning of the wearer when the soiled disposable absorbent article is removed. The fecal material storage element may extend beyond one or more edges of the absorbent core.
US08273940B2	Wearable article having a temperature change element A wearable article useful for facilitating toilet training. The wearable article includes a temperature change element providing a cool/wet signal when wetted which causes discomfort to the wearer. The temperature change element comprises a temperature change substance disposed on an impermeable material in order to maximize the thermal signal provided to the skin of the wearer.
US08273938B2	Heavy olefin production process A process is presented for the selective separation and recovery of large normal paraffins from a heavy kerosene boiling point fraction. The process includes passing the heavy kerosene fraction through an adsorption separation system for separating the normal paraffins from the paraffin mixture. The recovered extract and raffinate streams are mixed with a diluent made up of a lighter hydrocarbon. The subsequent diluted extract and raffinate streams are passed through first fractionation columns to separate the desorbent from the diluent and the heavier paraffins. The mixture of the diluent and heavier paraffins is passed through a second set of fractionation columns to separate the diluent and the heavier paraffins.
US08273931B2	Zeolite catalyst with deposited germanium, aluminum and platinum for aromatization of alkanes, process of making and process of using thereof The present invention is for a catalyst, a process for making the catalyst and a process for using the catalyst in aromatization of alkanes having three to five carbon atoms per molecule, such as propane, to aromatics, such as benzene, toluene and xylene. The catalyst is an aluminum-silicon zeolite having a silicon to aluminum atomic ratio (Si:Al) greater than 15:1, such as MFI or ZSM-5, on which germanium, aluminum and a noble metal, such as platinum, have been deposited. The catalyst may be bound with magnesia, alumina, titania, zirconia, thoria, silica, boria or mixtures thereof. The aluminum and germanium may be deposited simultaneously on the zeolite.
US08273928B2	Processes for separation of fluoroolefins from hydrogen fluoride by azeotropic distillation The present disclosure relates to a process for separating a fluoroolefin from a mixture comprising hydrogen fluoride and fluoroolefin, comprising azeotropic distillation both with and without an entrainer. In particular are disclosed processes for separating any of HFC-1225ye, HFC-1234ze, HFC-1234yf or HFC-1243zf from HF.
US08273926B2	Method of converting a polyol to an olefin A method of preparing an olefin comprising: reacting a polyol in the presence of a carboxylic acid, such that an olefin is produced by the deoxygenation of the polyol. The reacting step can comprise (a) providing a composition comprising the polyol, (b) heating the composition, and (c) introducing the carboxylic acid to the composition wherein the introducing step occurs prior to, at the same time as, or subsequent to the heating step. In one embodiment, the polyol is glycerol, the carboxylic acid is formic acid, and the olefin is allyl alcohol, which is produced at a yield of about 80% or greater.
US08273923B2	Process for manufacturing a chlorohydrin A process for manufacturing a chlorohydrin by reacting a polyhydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, an ester of a polyhydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon, or a mixture thereof with a chlorinating agent in a reactor containing a liquid reaction medium wherein the chlorinating agent is used at least partially in the gaseous form, and wherein said reactor is stirred by means of a stirring system comprising at least one radial-flow impeller and at least one axial-flow impeller.
US08273913B2	Amidation process for the preparation of cathepsin K inhibitors This invention describes an amidation process whereby amino acids of the Formulae IIA or IIB can be activated and treated with an amine in the presence of a base to yield amides of the Formula (I), without loss of optical purity.
US08273909B2	Process for preparing complexes of palladium (hydrogen)carbonate with amine ligands The present invention relates to a process for preparing palladium complexes. In particular, the present invention relates to a process in which ammoniacal complexes of palladium (hydrogen)carbonate are converted into complexes with oligoamine ligands.
US08273908B2	Process for the preparation of estrone and/or estradiol-derivatives Process for the preparation of a compound of general formula (II) wherein R1 and R2 independently are hydrogen or a hydroxy- or hydrocarbyl group; or wherein R1 and R2 together are a double bonded oxygen; R3 is hydrogen; R′4 is a nitrobenzophenone group; and R5 and R6 independently are hydrogen or a hydroxy- or hydrocarbyl group; from a compound of general formula (I) wherein, R1, R2 R3, R5 and R6 are as defined above and R4 is hydrogen; wherein the compound of formula (I) is reacted under alkaline conditions with 2-chloro-5-nitrobenzophenone in the presence of an alkanolic solvent and the compound of formula (II) is directly crystallized from this alkanolic solvent. Complex of an alkanol and a compound of general formula (II) obtainable from the above process and processes wherein the above process or complex are used.
US08273907B2	Process for producing propylene oxide A process for more efficiently producing propylene oxide from propylene, oxygen, and hydrogen with catalysts which comprise a noble metal and a titanosilicate having pores not smaller than a 12-membered oxygen ring. The process for propylene oxide production is characterized by reacting propylene, oxygen, and hydrogen in a solution comprising water, a nitrite compound, and an ammonium salt in the presence of a noble metal catalyst and a titanosilicate catalyst having pores not smaller than a 12-membered oxygen ring.
US08273889B2	Method for producing 2-azaadamantane The invention provides a method for producing 2-azaadamantanes represented by formula (1) in good yields. The method includes cyclizing a compound represented by formula (2) in the presence of an acid.
US08273876B2	Medicaments containing vardenafil hydrochloride trihydrate The invention relates to a method for producing medicaments that contain vardenafil hydrochloride, essentially as trihydrate in solid form, and to medicaments that can be obtained according to this method.
US08273875B2	High performance luminescent compounds Embodiments relate to the field of chemistry and biochemistry, and, more specifically, to novel near-infrared dyes that are photostable and resistant to quenching. The dyes belong to a novel family of squaraine rotaxanes, and they are particularly well-suited for use in biological applications. Also disclosed are methods of synthesizing the dyes and methods of using the dyes.
US08273872B2	Cellulose esters and their production in halogenated ionic liquids Ionic liquids and cellulose ester compositions and processes for producing ionic liquids and cellulose esters. Cellulose esters can be produced by esterifying cellulose in a reaction medium comprising one or more halide ionic liquids and at least one binary component. Cellulose esters prepared via the methods of the present invention can have a degree of substitution (“DS”) of at least 1.5 and can comprise a plurality of ester substituents, where at least 50 percent of the ester substituents comprise alkyl esters having a carbon chain length of at least 6 carbons.
US08273870B2	Compositions and methods for inhibiting expression of a mutant gene The present invention relates to a double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) for inhibiting the expression of a mutant gene, comprising a first strand that has a complementary region that is complementary to at least a portion of an RNA transcript of at least part of the mutant target gene and a second strand of the dsRNA complementary or substantially complementary to the first strand. The invention further relates to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the dsRNA and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. The pharmaceutical compositions are useful for inhibiting the expression of a target mutant gene, as well as for treating diseases caused by expression of the target gene. The invention also relates to methods for inhibiting the expression of a target mutant gene, as well as methods for treating diseases caused by the expression of the target gene.
US08273869B2	Lipid formulated dsRNA targeting the PCSK9 gene This invention relates to composition and methods using lipid formulated siRNA targeted to a PCSK9 gene.
US08273855B2	Nogo, Caspr, F3 NB-3 useful in the treatment of injury and disease to the central nervous system The application provides materials and methods for promoting myelination of neuronal axons in the CNS. These derive from the findings first that the molecules Nogo and Caspr interact with one another during establishment and maintenance of the axoglial junction, and secondly that the molecules F3 and NB-3 are capable of promoting oligodendrocyte maturation via interaction with Notch. The materials and methods provided may be used in the treatment of CNS damage, in particular the treatment of spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and stroke.
US08273850B2	Polyester compositions from biologically-derived materials Polyester compositions based on 1,3-propanediol and aromatic and aliphatic diacids that can contain a large fraction of biologically derived content are disclosed. Transesterification between polyesters in blends of such compositions is greatly reduced using phosphorous-containing additives. The blends have properties similar to poly(ethylene terephthalate).
US08273845B2	Soft thermoplastic elastomer composition The present invention relates to a soft, semicrystalline, thermoplastic elastomer composition which is comprised of (I) a hydrophobic thermoplastic block copolymer which is comprised of (I) the reaction product of (1) a hydrophobic polyol or polyamine, (2) a polyisocyanate or an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and (3) a chain extender containing 2 to 20 carbon atoms, or the reaction product of (1) a hydrophobic polyol or polyamine, and (2) a carboxyl terminated telechelic polyamide sequence; wherein the hydrophobic polyol or polyamine has a number average molecular weight in the range of from 1,000 to 4,000 Daltons; wherein the hydrophobic thermoplastic block copolymer has a weight average molecular weight in the range of 50,000 to 1,000,000 Daltons; and (II) from 1 to 80 weight percent of a mineral oil, wherein the soft, semicrystalline, thermoplastic elastomer composition has a Shore A hardness which is within the range of 20 to 80.
US08273843B2	Organosilicon compound and thermosetting resin composition containing the same An organosilicon compound which is obtained by subjecting a compound (A), a compound (B) and a compound (C) to hydrosilylation reaction: (A) silicone and/or silsesquioxane that has two or more Si—H groups per one molecule and has a molecular weight of 100 to 500,000; (B) silicone and/or silsesquioxane that has two or more alkenyl groups per one molecule and has a molecular weight of 100 to 500,000; and (C) a compound that has one or more epoxy or oxetanyl group and an alkenyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms per one molecule.
US08273840B2	Silicone polyether elastomer gels Gel compositions are disclosed containing a silicone polyether elastomer from the reaction of an organohydrogensiloxane having at least two SiH containing cyclosiloxane rings in its molecule, a compound or mixture of compounds having at least two aliphatic unsaturated groups in its molecule, and a hydrosilylation catalyst. The silicone polyether elastomer reaction product may itself be a gelled composition, or optionally may be contained in a carrier fluid to form a gel. The gel compositions may further contain a personal or healthcare active.
US08273816B2	Alumina fiber aggregate, process for producing the same, and use thereof An object of the invention is to provide an alumina fiber aggregate which, when used as a filler in various materials such as, e.g., resins, coating materials, metals, and ceramics, enables the mixtures to have reduced viscosity and thereby heightens the productivity of products containing alumina fibers, and which enables cured thermosetting resins to have a sufficiently heightened thermal conductivity.This alumina fiber aggregate, when examined by the electron microscope method, gives a frequency distribution regarding number of fibers, wherein the number of fibers having a fiber length of 50-200 μm is 70% or more (including 100%), the number of fibers having a fiber length smaller than 50 μm is 30% or less (including 0), the number of fibers of 50-100 μm is 30-50%, the number of fibers longer than 100 μm but not longer than 200 μm is 30-50%, and the number of fibers longer than 200 μm is 20% or less (including 0). The fibrous mass comprises 70-100% by mass of Al2O3 and 0-30% by mass of SiO2.
US08273815B2	Curable silicone composition and electronic component A curable silicone composition comprising at least the following components: (A) an epoxy-containing organopolysiloxane; (B) a curing agent for an epoxy resin; (C) a thermally conductive metal powder; and (D) a thermally conductive nonmetal powder; exhibits low viscosity, excellent handleability and curability and, when cured, forms a cured body of flexibility, low specific gravity, and excellent thermal conductivity. An electronic component sealed or adhesively bonded with use of a cured body obtained by curing the aforementioned composition provides high reliability.
US08273814B2	Emulsifying polymers and their use The present invention relates to emulsifying polymers, in particular to the use of these polymers for the stable emulsification of hydrophobic additives in aqueous concrete plasticizers.
US08273804B2	Rubber composition for tire and studless tire An object of the present invention is to provide a rubber composition for a tire, which can achieve well-balanced improvement in fuel economy, abrasion resistance, and performance on ice and snow, and a studless tire for a passenger vehicle using the rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition for a tire, including a rubber component and silica, wherein the rubber component contains a modified natural rubber with a phosphorus content of 200 ppm or less, and butadiene rubber, and the silica has a CTAB specific surface area of 180 m2/g or more and a BET specific surface area of 185 m2/g or more.
US08273792B2	Anti-inflammatory actions of neuroprotectin D1/protectin D1 and it's natural stereoisomers (Neuro)protectin D1 (1OR,17S-dihydroxy-docosa-4Z,7Z,11E,13E,15Z,19Z-hexaenoic acid) and 15,16-dehydro-PD1 and their derivatives are useful in the treatment of airway inflammation, especially asthma.
US08273774B2	Phenoxypyridinylamide compounds The present invention provides a compound of a formula (I): wherein the variables are defined herein; to a process for preparing such a compound; and to the use of such a compound in the treatment of a PDE4 mediated disease state.
US08273771B2	Ischemic disorder or disease inhibitors The invention relates to the use of at least on inhibitor selected from the group consisting of raf-, protein kinase C (PKC)-, MEK1/2-, or ERK1/2-inhibitors, for the manufacturing of a medicament to be administrated from 1 up to 12 hours after initiation of an ischemic disease.
US08273770B2	5-pyridinone substituted indazoles 5-pyridinone substituted indazoles of the formula and methods of their use are presented.
US08273768B2	Iso CA-4 and analogues thereof as potent cytotoxic agents inhibiting tubuline polymerization The invention relates to a compound of the formula (I) in which: R1, R2 and R3 are independently a methoxy group optionally substituted by one or more fluorine atoms; R4 is a hydrogen atom; R5 and R6 are identical and each represent a hydrogen or fluorine atom; A is a cycle selected from the group including aryl and heteroaryl groups, wherein said groups can be substituted.
US08273766B2	Tetrahydroisoquinoline compound The present invention relates a specific tetrahydroisoquinoline compound which is useful as a chemokine receptor type 3 (CCR3) antagonist, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the same as an active ingredient. The tetrahydroisoquinoline compound of the present invention is useful for the treatment or prevention of a disease in which CCR3 participates.
US08273764B2	Fused heterocyclic compounds and use thereof A fused heterocyclic compound of formula (1): wherein, A1 and A2 represent a nitrogen atom or the like, R1, R2, R3 and R4 represent a halogen atom or the like, R2 and R3 represent a halogen atom or the like, R5 represents a C1-C6 chain hydrocarbon group optionally substituted with one or more halogen atoms, or the like, R6 and R7 represent a C1-C4 chain hydrocarbon group substituted with one or more halogen atoms, or the like, and n represents 0 or 1, has an excellent noxious arthropod controlling effect.
US08273756B2	Use of modified pyrimidine compounds to promote stem cell migration and proliferation This invention provides cells and methods for stimulating proliferation and migration of endogenous and exogenous mammalian stem cells in vivo and in vitro. The invention provides reagents and methods for efficiently proliferating mammalian stem cells in an animal in need thereof and producing stem cells that can be re-introduced into an animal in need thereof to alleviate neurological and corporal disorders.
US08273745B2	Polycyclic acid compounds useful as CRTH2 antagonists and antiallergic agents The present invention relates to a novel compound or a salt thereof, which is useful as a CRTH2 antagonist, especially as a medicament for disorder that participates eosinophil, for example, allergic disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, allergic dermatitis, conjunctival inflammation, hives, eosinophilic bronchitis, food allergy, inflammation of the nasal sinuses, multiple sclerosis, angiitis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the like.
US08273742B2	Disubstituted phthalazine hedgehog pathway antagonists The present invention provides novel 1,4-disubstituted phthalazine hedgehog pathway antagonists useful in the treatment of cancer.
US08273727B2	Lipid-analogous phosphoric triesters The present invention relates to novel phosphoric triesters which comprise apolar lipid structures.
US08273723B2	Compositions and methods for improved glycoprotein sialylation The present invention provides compositions and methods for the production of glycoproteins with enhanced sialylation. In particular, the invention provides cell lines comprising disrupted sialidase expression and methods of using the cell lines to produce glycoproteins with enhanced sialylation.
US08273715B2	Methods of treating fragile X syndrome Subjects having fragile X syndrome are treated with a composition that includes gamma-aminobutyric acid agonists. The gamma-aminobutyric acid agonist (GABA) can be a GABA(B) agonist, such as baclofen, including racemic and R-baclofen.
US08273714B2	ADAMTS13 genes and proteins and variants, and therapeutic compositions and methods of utilizing the same The present invention relates to a disintegrin and metalloproteinase containing thrombospondin 1-like domains (ADAMTS) and in particular to a novel ADAMTS13 protease and to nucleic acids encoding ADAMTS13 proteases. The present invention encompasses both native and recombinant wild-type forms of ADAMTS13, as well as mutant and variant forms including fragments, some of which posses altered characteristics relative to the wild-type ADAMTS13. The present invention also relates to methods of using ADAMTS13, including for treatment of TTP. The present invention also relates to methods for screening for the presence of TTP. The present invention further relates to methods for developing anticoagulant drugs based upon ADAMTS13.
US08273709B2	Triazole-containing macrocyclic HCV serine protease inhibitors The present invention discloses compounds of formula I, II and III or pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters, or prodrugs 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.
US08273708B2	Methods of treatment of ocular surface pathologies The invention concerns compositions and methods for treating and/or preventing ocular pathologies. The invention also concerns compositions and methods enabling the regulation of paracellular permeability of the ocular epithelium. The compositions and methods of the invention are based in particular on the use of agents or conditions modulating the opening of tight junctions of the ocular epithelium. The invention can be used for preventive or curative treatment of various pathologies, such as pathologies of the ocular surface in mammals, particularly in human beings.
US08273695B2	Lubricant and surface conditioner for formed metal surfaces Improved lubricant and surface conditioner forming composition containing oxa acids and their methyl esters corresponding to general formula (I): H3C—(CH2)n—CH═CH—(CH2)m—O—(CH2CH2O)x—CH2—C(═O)—OR (I) where each of m, n and x, which may be the same or different, is a positive integer and R represents H or CH3, when dissolved and/or dispersed in water is effective in reducing COF values on substrates that have been contacted with such a lubricant and surface conditioner forming composition and subsequently dried, even when the substrates have been conversion coated and rinsed before any contact with the lubricant and surface conditioner forming composition. Materials according to general formula (I) may be used together with other surfactants, including some constituents of previously known lubricant and surface conditioner forming compositions to provide improvements in COF, waterbreak performance, water drainage and resistance to dry-off of the conditioner.
US08273694B2	Synthetic compositions obtained from algae The application provides a base stock or a lubricant composition comprising the substances derived from algae by chemical modification of algal oil, including compositions comprising estomers. Methods for obtaining the same are also provided, including chemically modifying the algal oil with a saturated fatty acid under conditions favorable to the formation of a poly-estomer.
US08273688B2	Collection of HCDR3 regions and uses therefor The present invention is directed to the preparation and use of a collection of antibody heavy chain complementarity determining region 3 (HCDR3) members, where diversity of the collection is a function of the length of the HCDR3 members. The diversity of the collection of HCDR3 regions substantially represents the natural amino acid distribution of HCDR3 in the human repertoire. This natural amino acid distribution can be represented by biasing the complete random distribution of amino acids, accordingly, in the HCDR3 encoding DNA sequence by using trinucleotide mutagenesis (TRIM) technology. A collection of HCDR3 members of the invention each can be comprised within a variable region of an antibody (or fragment thereof) to form a library of synthetic antibodies or antibody fragments. The invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding such diverse collection and methods of making and using the same.
US08273679B2	Porous catalyst for a fuel cell and method for producing the catalyst thereof A porous catalyst includes at least one noble nano-metal particle, an oxide for forming porous structures, and a carrier material for supporting the oxide and the at least one noble nano-metal particle. The porous catalyst shows a large electrochemical surface area and a highly conductive ability. Further, the noble nano-metal particles are separated on the oxides uniformly, and the oxide of the catalyst forms a porous structure to provide a large electrochemical surface area. The porous catalyst provides excellent proton/electron transfer ability and increases the reaction rate.
US08273676B2	Puffed bentonite litter An animal litter such as a clay material is treated to reduce the bulk density thereof by contacting the clay material with an aqueous electrolyte solution and then heating at an elevated temperature. Substantial reductions in bulk density have been achieved without reducing the absorption capacity of the clay granule.
US08273671B2	Glass material for radio-frequency applications A glass material for producing insulation layers is provided. The glass material can improve the radio-frequency properties of radio-frequency substrates or radio-frequency conductor arrangements. In one embodiment, the glass material for producing insulation layers for radio-frequency substrates or radio-frequency conductor arrangements is an applied layer with a layer thickness in the range between 0.05 μm and 5″mm and has a loss factor tan δ of less than or equal to 70*10−4 in at least a frequency range above 1 GHz.
US08273668B2	Methods of forming a pattern and methods of fabricating a semiconductor device having a pattern Methods of forming a pattern and methods of fabricating a semiconductor device having a pattern are provided, the methods include forming a self-assembly induction layer including a first region and a second region on a semiconductor substrate. A block copolymer layer is coated on the self-assembly induction layer. A first pattern, a second pattern and a third pattern are formed by phase separating the block copolymer. At least one of the first, second and third patterns may be removed to form a preliminary pattern. An etching process may be performed using the preliminary pattern as an etching mask. The first pattern contains the same material as that of the second pattern, and the third pattern contains a material different from that of the first pattern.
US08273663B2	Process for anisotropic etching of semiconductors A method is provided for anisotropically etching semiconductor materials such as II-VI and III-V semiconductors. The method involves repeated cycles of plasma sputter etching of semiconductor material with a non-reactive gas through an etch mask, followed by passivation of the side walls by plasma polymerization using a polymer former. Using this procedure small pixels in down-converted light-emitting diode devices can be fabricated.
US08273644B2	Soldering method and method of manufacturing semiconductor device including soldering method A soldering method of soldering first and second members includes shooting a laser light to at least one part of an outer peripheral portion surrounding a soldering-target region of the first member thereby to form an oxide film, and bonding the second member with the soldering-target region through a solder. According to the method, the solder resist is never exfoliated even after cleaning with chemicals for removing flux residues contained in solder.
US08273642B2	Method of fabricating an NMOS transistor A SiC region and a source/drain region are formed such that the SiC region includes a first portion overlapping the source/drain region and a second portion protruding from the source/drain region to a position beneath the LDD region. The concentration of crystalline SiC in the second portion is higher than the concentration of crystalline SiC in the first portion. The SiC region may be formed through a normal implantation before the second spacer is formed, or the SiC region may be formed through a tilt implantation or deposition epitaxially in a recess having a sigma-shape like sidewall after the second spacer is formed.
US08273641B2	Plasma deposition of amorphous semiconductors at microwave frequencies Apparatus and method for plasma deposition of thin film photovoltaic materials at microwave frequencies. The apparatus avoids unintended deposition on windows or other microwave transmission elements that couple microwave energy to deposition species. The apparatus includes a microwave applicator with one or more conduits passing therethrough that carry deposition species. The applicator transfers microwave energy to the deposition species to activate or energize them to a reactive state. The conduits physically isolate deposition species that would react or otherwise combine to form a thin film material at the point of microwave power transfer and deliver the microwave-excited species to a deposition chamber. One or more supplemental material streams may be delivered directly to the deposition chamber without passing through the microwave applicator and may combine with deposition species exiting the one or more conduits to form a thin film material. Precursors for the microwave-excited deposition species include fluorinated forms of silicon. Precursors delivered as supplemental material streams include hydrogenated forms of silicon. The invention allows for the ultrafast formation of silicon-containing amorphous semiconductors that exhibit high mobility, low porosity, little or no Staebler-Wronski degradation, and low defect concentration.
US08273635B2	Semiconductor fabrication method and system A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes attaching a carrier to a substrate including a via to form a pressurized sealed cavity between the carrier and the substrate. The method may also include thinning the substrate attached to the carrier and forming a redistribution layer on the thinned substrate in electrical communication with the via, the redistribution layer including a conductive layer formed through atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition. Additional methods, devices, and systems are devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.
US08273622B2	Semiconductor with a dynamic gate-drain capacitance A semiconductor device with a dynamic gate drain capacitance. One embodiment provides a semiconductor device. The device includes a semiconductor substrate, a field effect transistor structure including a source region, a first body region, a drain region, a gate electrode structure and a gate insulating layer. The gate insulating layer is arranged between the gate electrode structure and the body region. The gate electrode structure and the drain region partially form a capacitor structure including a gate-drain capacitance configured to dynamically change with varying reverse voltages applied between the source and drain regions. The gate-drain capacitance includes at least one local maximum at a given threshold or a plateau-like course at given reverse voltage.
US08273610B2	Method of constructing a semiconductor device and structure A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method including, providing a first monocrystalline layer including semiconductor regions, overlaying the first monocrystalline layer with an isolation layer, transferring a second monocrystalline layer comprising semiconductor regions to overlay the isolation layer, wherein the first monocrystalline layer and the second monocrystalline layer are formed from substantially different crystal materials; and subsequently etching the second monocrystalline layer as part of forming at least one transistor in the second monocrystalline layer.
US08273605B2	Manufacturing method for electronic device having IC chip and antenna electrically connected by bridging plate There is provided an electronic device manufacturing method capable of manufacturing a device having a preferable communication characteristic at a low cost with a high productivity. The manufacturing method is for manufacturing an electronic device including a plurality of IC chips 100, each having external electrodes formed on a pair of opposing surfaces. One 102 of the electrodes is arranged on an antenna circuit 201 in a transmission/reception antenna having a slit. Furthermore, a bridging plate 300 is arranged for separately and electrically connecting the other external electrode 103 to a predetermined position of the corresponding antenna circuit 301. The method is characterized in that by positioning at least one of the IC chips 100 with the predetermined position on the corresponding antenna circuit 201 to be mounted, it is possible to arrange the retraining IC chips 100 at the predetermined positions on the antenna circuit 201 all at once.
US08273587B2	Underfill process for flip-chip LEDs An underfill technique for LEDs uses compression molding to simultaneously encapsulate an array of flip-chip LED dies mounted on a submount wafer. The molding process causes liquid underfill material (or a softened underfill material) to fill the gap between the LED dies and the submount wafer. The underfill material is then hardened, such as by curing. The cured underfill material over the top and sides of the LED dies is removed using microbead blasting. The exposed growth substrate is then removed from all the LED dies by laser lift-off, and the underfill supports the brittle epitaxial layers of each LED die during the lift-off process. The submount wafer is then singulated. This wafer-level processing of many LEDs simultaneously greatly reduces fabrication time, and a wide variety of materials may be used for the underfill since a wide range of viscosities is tolerable.
US08273578B2	Capacitive morpholino diagnostics for analysis of nucleic acids Use of Morpholinos, a class of uncharged DNA analogues, for surface-hybridization applications. Monolayers of Morpholino probes on gold supports are fabricated with methods similar to those employed with DNA, and are used to hybridize efficiently and sequence-specifically with target strands. Hybridization-induced changes in the interfacial charge organization are analyzed with electrochemical methods and compared for Morpholino and DNA probe monolayers. Molecular mechanisms connecting surface hybridization state to the interfacial capacitance are identified and interpreted through comparison to numerical Poisson-Boltzmann calculations. Positive as well as negative capacitive responses (contrast inversion) to hybridization are possible, depending on surface populations of mobile ions as controlled by the applied potential. Quantitative comparison of surface capacitance with target coverage (targets/area) reveals a near-linear relationship, and demonstrates sensitivities (limits of quantification) in the pg mm−2 range.
US08273574B2	Apparatus and methods for conducting assays and high throughput screening The present invention provides microfluidic devices and methods for using the same. In particular, microfluidic devices of the present invention are useful in conducting a variety of assays and high throughput screening. Microfluidic devices of the present invention include elastomeric components and comprise a main flow channel; a plurality of branch flow channels; a plurality of control channels; and a plurality of valves. Preferably, each of the valves comprises one of the control channels and an elastomeric segment that is deflectable into or retractable from the main or branch flow channel upon which the valve operates in response to an actuation force applied to the control channel.
US08273572B2	Methods of using multilayered cell culture apparatus A multilayered cell culture apparatus for the culturing of cells is disclosed. The cell culture apparatus is defined as an integral structure having a plurality of cell culture chambers in combination with tracheal space(s). The body of the apparatus has imparted therein gas permeable membranes in combination with tracheal spaces that will allow the free flow of gases between the cell culture chambers and the external environment. The flask body also includes an aperture that will allow access to the cell growth chambers by means of a needle or cannula. The size of the apparatus, and location of an optional neck and cap section, allows for its manipulation by standard automated assay equipment, further making the apparatus ideal for high throughput applications.
US08273569B2	Preparation of human embryonic stem cells A purified preparation of primate embryonic stem cells is disclosed. This preparation is characterized by the following cell surface markers: SSEA-1 (−); SSEA-4 (+); TRA-1-60 (+); TRA-1-81 (+); and alkaline phosphatase (+). In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the cells of the preparation are human embryonic stem cells, have normal karyotypes, and continue to proliferate in an undifferentiated state after continuous culture for eleven months. The embryonic stem cell lines also retain the ability, throughout the culture, to form trophoblast and to differentiate into all tissues derived from all three embryonic germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm). A method for isolating a primate embryonic stem cell line is also disclosed.
US08273567B2	Portable measurement system having biophotonic sensor There is provided a portable measuring system having a biophotonic sensor. The portable measuring system also includes a tunable light source, an output intensity detector and an output wavelength detector, which are mounted therein. The portable measuring system can precisely measure a variation in the reflectivity spectrum and/or the transmittance spectrum of the biophotonic sensor before and after an antigen-antibody reaction by varying the wavelength of the tunable light source. Thus, the concentration of the antigen is precisely measured.
US08273566B2	Methods and apparatuses for conducting assays Disclosed are methods for conducting assays of samples, such as whole blood, that may contain cells or other particulate matter. Also disclosed are systems, devices, equipment, kits and reagents for use in such methods. One advantage of certain disclosed methods and systems is the ability to rapidly measure the concentration of an analyte of interest in blood plasma from a whole blood sample without blood separation and hematocrit correction.
US08273565B2	Methods of increasing dihydroxy acid dehydratase activity to improve production of fuels, chemicals, and amino acids The present invention is directed to recombinant microorganisms comprising one or more dihydroxyacid dehydratase (DHAD)-requiring biosynthetic pathways and methods of using said recombinant microorganisms to produce beneficial metabolites derived from said DHAD-requiring biosynthetic pathways. In various aspects of the invention, the recombinant microorganisms may be engineered to overexpress one or more polynucleotides encoding one or more Aft proteins or homologs thereof. In some embodiments, the recombinant microorganisms may comprise a cytosolically localized DHAD enzyme. In additional embodiments, the recombinant microorganisms may comprise a mitochondrially localized DHAD enzyme. In various embodiments described herein, the recombinant microorganisms may be microorganisms of the Saccharomyces clade, Crabtree-negative yeast microorganisms, Crabtree-positive yeast microorganisms, post-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, pre-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, and non-fermenting yeast microorganisms.
US08273554B2	Ketoreductase polypeptides for the stereoselective production of (4S)-3-[(5S)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxypentanoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme including the capability of reducing 5-((4S)-2-oxo-4-phenyl(1,3-oxazolidin-3-yl))-1-(4-fluorophenyl)pentane-1,5-dione to (4S)-3-[(5S)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxypentanoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize the intermediate (4S)-3-[(5S)-5-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-hydroxypentanoyl]-4-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one in a process for making Ezetimibe.
US08273545B2	SIVA ubiquitination and/or degradation-related activity and modulators thereof The present invention relates to the ubiquitination and/or degradation-related activity of a SIVA polypeptide and to agents capable of modulating said activity.
US08273542B2	Human T2R receptors for acetaminophen, ranitidine, strychnine and denatonium and related assays for identifying human bitter taste modulators The present invention relates to the discovery that specific human taste receptors in the T2R taste receptor family respond to particular bitter ligands, i.e., acetaminophen, ranitidine, strychnine and denatonium. The present invention further relates to the use of these receptors in assays for identifying ligands that modulate the activation of these taste receptors and which may be used as additives in foods, beverages and medicinals for modifying (blocking) T2R-associated bitter taste.
US08273537B2	Gene expression markers for colorectal cancer prognosis A method of predicting clinical outcome in a subject diagnosed with colorectal cancer comprising determining evidence of the expression of one or more predictive RNA transcripts or their expression products in a biological sample of cancer cells obtained from the subject.
US08273530B2	Method for simultaneous analysis of multiple biological reactions or changes in in vivo conditions It is an object of the preset invention to provide an activity measurement molecule necessary for measuring biological reactions or changes in in vivo conditions, and a method for measuring activity using the above activity measurement molecule. It is intended to provide an activity measurement molecule used for simultaneously analyzing multiple biological reactions and/or changes in in vivo conditions, which is characterized in that one or more fluorescent molecule-labeled and/or —unlabeled biomolecules used as targets of the biological reactions or changes in in vivo conditions bind onto a quantum dot, and a method for simultaneously analyzing multiple biological reactions and/or changes in in vivo conditions using the above activity measurement molecule.
US08273515B2	Toner and method of manufacturing the same, two-component developer, developing device and image forming apparatus A toner containing a lignin resin, a carbon-neutral biomass polymer having a low environmental load and taking global environmental protection into account, as a constitutional component of a binder resin, and having a wide fixing non-offset range and an excellent fixing property, is provided. The toner contains at least a binder resin, a colorant, and a release agent. Furthermore, in the toner, the binder resin includes a resin A that is a lignin resin and a resin B that is another resin component, and the resin B has a peak top molecular weight of 103 to 104 and an acid number of 20 or less.
US08273512B2	Photoreceptor interfacial layer The presently disclosed embodiments relate generally to layers that are useful in imaging apparatus members and components, for use in electrostatographic, including digital, apparatuses. Embodiments pertain to an improved electrostatographic imaging member comprising an interfacial layer further comprising an opaque semi-crystalline polyester resin that is also a hot-melt adhesive to prevent light transmission to the substrate and thus significantly reduce “plywood effect,” a print quality defect.
US08273507B2	Pellicle for lithography and a method for making the same There is provided a pellicle in which the frame is chamfered along all of its horizontal edges (as viewed when the pellicle frame is laid flat), and in particular those edges of the frame where the membrane-bonding frame face meets the external side walls of the frame are chamfered to the extent of C:0.01 mm-C:0.12 mm; in relation to this chamfer, a method is also provided wherein, after attaching a preformed pellicle membrane to the membrane-bonding frame face, the excessive part of the preformed membrane which extends beyond outer edges of the frame face is cut off in a manner wherein a blade of a knife is caused to scour the chamfer over the membrane in a manner such that the knife blade is kept in such an angle that the blade gets in a face-to-face contact with the chamfer face or that the blade touches only that edge of the frame where the chamfer face meets the first frame face while the knife blade is moved along the chamfered edge of the frame.
US08273505B2	Mask blank and method of manufacturing an imprint mold Provided is a method of manufacturing an imprint mold formed with a highly accurate fine pattern by the use of a mask blank.In a mask blank having a thin film for forming a pattern on a transparent substrate, the thin film comprises an upper layer formed of a material containing Cr and nitrogen and a lower layer formed of a material containing a compound mainly composed of Ta and capable of being etched by dry etching using a chlorine-based gas. The upper layer and the lower layer of the thin film are etched by dry etching using a chlorine-based gas substantially free of oxygen and then the substrate is etched by dry etching using a fluorine-based gas, thereby obtaining an imprint mold.
US08273495B2	Electrochemical cell structure and method of making the same An electrochemical cell structure is provided which includes an anode, a cathode spaced apart from said anode, an electrolyte in ionic communication with each of said anode and said cathode and a nonconductive frame. The nonconductive frame includes at least two components that support each of said anode, said cathode and said electrolyte and define at least one flowpath for working fluids and for products of electrochemical reaction.
US08273483B2	Lithium cell A primary cell having an anode comprising lithium or lithium alloy and a cathode comprising iron disulfide (FeS2) and carbon particles. The electrolyte comprises a lithium salt preferably lithium iodide (LiI) dissolved in an organic solvent mixture. The solvent mixture preferably comprises dioxolane, dimethoxyethane and sulfolane. The electrolyte typically contains between about 100 and 2000 parts by weight water per million parts by weight (ppm) electrolyte therein. A cathode slurry is prepared comprising iron disulfide powder, carbon, binder, and a liquid solvent. The mixture is coated onto a conductive substrate and solvent evaporated leaving a dry cathode coating on the substrate. The anode and cathode can be spirally wound with separator therebetween and inserted into the cell casing with electrolyte then added.
US08273482B2	Electrode An electrode having a current collector with a plurality of through holes, and active material layers provided on both sides of the current collector. The current collector has projections extending on the top side or on the back side of the current collector from edges of the through holes, and an angle between each of the projections and a surface direction of the current collector is in the range of 30 to 80°.
US08273471B2	Interchangeable battery pack apparatus and method An interchangeable battery pack apparatus and method are disclosed which includes a top housing having a printed circuit board and a connector for electrically connecting a pair of batteries in order to provide an electrical power with respect to an external device. A bottom housing having a number of battery components for connecting the batteries can be coupled to the top housing via a fastener to form a battery pack in order to secure the batteries from a humid and corrosive environment. The battery pack can be interchangeably utilized as a replaceable battery pack and/or a ruggedized potted battery pack.
US08273470B2	Environmental barrier coatings providing CMAS mitigation capability for ceramic substrate components Environmental barrier coatings having CMAS mitigation capability for silicon-containing components. In one embodiment, the barrier coating includes a bond coat layer comprising aluminide-alumina TGO; and an outer layer selected from the group consisting of AeAl2O19, AeHfO3, AeZrO3, ZnAl2O4, MgAl2O4, Ln4Al2O9, Lna4Ga2O9, Ln3Al5O12, Ln3Ga5O12, Ga2O3, HfO2, and LnPO4.
US08273463B2	Multilayer film for plating, method of manufacturing metal film-coated material and metal film-coated material Disclosed is a multilayer film for plating comprising, on a surface of a first substrate, a plating receptive layer which contains a polymer having a polymerizable group and a functional group, wherein the plating receptive layer satisfies at least one of the following (1)-(4): (1) the saturated water absorption ratio is from 0.01 to 10% by mass in an environment of a temperature of 25° C. and relative humidity of 50%; (2) the saturated water absorption ratio is from 0.05 to 20% by mass in an environment of a temperature of 25° C. and relative humidity of 95%; (3) the water absorption ratio is from 0.1 to 30% by mass after immersion in boiling water at 100° C. for one hour; and (4) the surface contact angle of distilled water is from 50° to 150° after 5 μl of the distilled water is dropped onto the plating receptive layer and allowed to stand for 15 seconds in an environment of a temperature of 25° C. and relative humidity of 50%.
US08273462B2	Process for producing metal film The process of the present invention for producing a metal film includes: forming an organic film using a primer composition containing an addition polymerizable compound including three or more reactive groups, an acid group-including addition polymerizable compound, and a hydrophilic functional group-including addition polymerizable compound; forming a metal (M1) salt from the acid group; substituting the metal (M1) salt of the acid group with a metal (M2) salt by processing the organic film with a metal (M2) ion aqueous solution containing a metal (M2) ion having less ionization tendency than the metal (M1) ion; reducing the metal (M2) ion so that a metal film is formed on a surface of the organic film; and oxidizing the metal film. This provides (i) a process for producing a metal film and a metal pattern, at low cost, on an arbitrary substrate, (ii) a metal film, and (iii) use of the meta film.
US08273459B2	Transparent composite conductors having high work function There is provided a transparent composite conductor. The composite conductor has a first layer that includes a transparent conductive material and a second layer that includes a fluorinated acid polymer.
US08273452B2	Polymeric films A melt processed film comprising a polymer having several acrylic components.
US08273449B2	Polyethylene films and method of making the same The instant invention is a polyethylene film, and method of making the same. The polyethylene film according to instant invention includes at least one heterogeneously branched ethylene/α-olefin copolymer having a density in the range of about 0.910 to about 0.930 g/cm3, a molecular weight distribution in the range of about 2.8 to 3.8, a melt index (I2) in the range of about 0.3 to about 4 g/10 min, and an I10/I2 ratio in the range of 6.5 to about 7.8. The film has a normalized dart impact strength of equal or greater than (6666-7012density) g/mil, a normalized tear strength of equal or greater than (440e−(density−0.915)2/2(0.00949)2) g/mil, and a haze in the range of 3 to 10 percent. The method of making the polyethylene film according to instant invention includes the following steps: (1) providing at least one heterogeneously branched ethylene/α-olefin copolymer having a density in the range of about 0.910 to about 0.930 g/cm3, a molecular weight distribution in the range of about 2.8 to 3.8, a melt index (I2) in the range of about 0.3 to about 4 g/10 min, and an I10/I2 ratio in the range of 6.5 to about 7.8; (2) processing the heterogeneously branched ethylene/α-olefin copolymer via blown film extrusion process or cast film extrusion process; and (3) thereby forming a film having a normalized dart impact strength of equal or greater than (6666-7012density) g/mil, a normalized tear strength of equal or greater than (440e−(density−0.915)2/2(0.00949)2) g/mil, and a haze in the range of 3 to 10 percent.
US08273447B2	Multilayer oriented film A multilayer oriented film comprising at least one layer (a) comprising one or more polyesters and/or copolyesters characterized by a % of crystallinity higher than 15, an adjacent layer (b) comprising one or more polyolefin-based adhesive resins, and a layer (c) comprising one or more co-polyesters characterized by a % of crystallinity lower than 15, is positioned between said two layers (a) and (b) in such a way that one of the two principal surfaces of layer (c) is directly adhered to layer (a) and the other is directly adhered to layer (b). The presence of a co-polyester layer (c) of relatively low % crystallinity positioned between (co)polyester layer (a) and adhesive layer (b) remarkably increases the bond between the two layers (a) and (b) and prevents delamination problems in the oriented structure.
US08273444B2	Lamp design surface member and method of manufacturing lamp design surface member A lamp design surface member is provided. The lamp design surface member includes a design surface having a decorative surface. Concave-convex portions and planar portions are formed together on the decorative surface. The concave-convex portions have a peak cross-sectional height Rt of 1 μm or more and the planar portions have a peak cross-sectional height Rt smaller than 1 μm. The planar portions are formed so that an area ratio of the planar portions to the decorative surface is in a range of 30% to 80%.
US08273428B2	Biodegradable molded article and container using the molded article A biodegradable molded article and a container using the molded article, exhibiting heat resistant properties. The molded article is obtained by injection molding a polylactic acid resin, wherein the polylactic acid resin of the molded article contains less than 4 mol % of D-lactic acid. The molded article has a crystallized portion having a ratio of the crystallizing heat quantity to the melting heat quantity (\|ΔHC\|/\|Hm), which ratio is not more than 0.7 in a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curve.
US08273427B1	Composite material and support structure The present invention is a readily collapsible lightweight, support structure utilizing one or more three dimensional shapes formed from a material exhibiting compressive strength in a high longitudinal to transverse ratio. The composite anisotropic materials preferably comprise a reinforced polymer with continuous, high modulus unidirectional fibers.
US08273426B1	Encapsulated compositions A capsule having a reactive chemical enclosed in the hollow interior thereof, and at least one coating in direct contact with and surrounding the reactive chemical, wherein the coating is a heat-cured thermosetting synthetic resin. The capsule can also include a second coating which is in direct contact with and surrounds the heat-cured thermosetting synthetic resin. The reactive chemical is not reactive with, soluble in or a solvent for the coating, or coatings, which surround the reactive chemical in the hollow interior of the capsule. The coating material is not soluble in water, but is permeable to water.
US08273423B2	Color filter substrate, liquid crystal display device, production method of color filter substrate, production method of liquid crystal display device To provide: a color filter substrate with high display quality in which defective portions of a bank member (black matrix), such as a pin hole, a portion having an insufficient film thickness, a portion having an insufficient width, and a disconnection portion, or color mixing defects of a colored layer are corrected by the simple and inexpensive method; a liquid crystal display device including such a color filter; and production methods thereof. The color filter substrate of the present invention is a color filter substrate comprising a bank member and a colored layer on a substrate, wherein the color filter substrate has a structure in which a color mixing member formed of colored layer materials of two or more colors is formed in a defective portion of the bank member or along the bank member.
US08273417B2	Spray coating system and method The present invention is directed to a robotic spray coating assembly and method for spraying a coating. The assembly may include a robotic arm having a remote end region and a coating head mounted on the remote end region. The coating head emits a coating material within a defined coating delivery region via at least one first orifice located in the coating delivery region, the at least one first orifice connected to a coating supply. One or more second orifices are positioned in a pattern beyond the periphery of the coating delivery region, and a fluid supply is connected to the one or more second orifices. Fluid emitted from the one or more second orifices forms a fluid curtain that at least partially encircles the coating delivery region, thereby minimizing overspray emerging therefrom. The present invention also discloses a vehicle spray painting system and a method of spray painting a vehicle.
US08273415B2	Method of forming a reinforcement sheet to reinforce a cementitious board A method of making a reinforcement sheet for a cementitious board includes applying a hydrophilic coating material on binder coated glass fibers, the hydrophilic coating material being mobile in slurry water at a surface of a slurry of a cementitious compound to dilute and disperse, and to wet and spread the slurry on the binder coated glass fibers, and the hydrophilic coating material in the slurry water being volatile to dissipate by evaporation at an elevated temperature at which the cementitious compound is dried for the binder coated glass fibers to be essentially free of the hydrophilic coating material.
US08273405B2	Water-absorbent adhesive compositions and associated methods of manufacture and use An adhesive composition is provided that is water-insoluble yet water-absorbent, i.e., capable of absorbing up to 15 wt. % water or more. The composition in composed of a film-forming hydrophilic polymer with at least one linear segment having a plurality of recurring polar groups along the polymer backbone, a complementary multifunctional polymer with a plurality of recurring functional groups that noncovalently bind to the polar groups on the film-forming polymer, and plasticizer. A method for manufacturing the adhesive composition is provided as well.
US08273403B2	Generation of surface coating diversity This invention relates to a surface discovery system and high-throughput combinatorial synthesis methods for generating large numbers of diverse surface coatings on solid substrates. The system is built upon a synthon which comprises at least three elements: a chemical backbone coating on the solid substrate that comprises a copolymer (B) of at least one passive constituent (P) and at least one active constituent (A); a spacer unit (S) separating the backbone from a functional group; and a functional group (F). The methods comprise the following steps: 1) selecting a plurality of synthons so that each synthon has at least two points of diversity selected from P, A, S and F; 2) applying copolymer B onto a substrate; and 3) attaching a combination of S and F to constituent A of copolymer B. Steps 2) and 3) are performed such that different synthons are generated on localized regions of the substrate.
US08273394B2	Dried egg white, production method therefor, and food containing improved dried egg white A method for producing an improved dried egg white includes preparing a dried egg white by drying a liquid egg white so that the dried egg white after drying has a pH of 9 or more, and dissipating carbon dioxide contained in the dried egg white, wherein, by dissipating carbon dioxide contained in the dried egg white, the pH of the dried egg white is increased to 0.01 to 1 to obtain a pH of 9.5 or more and carbon dioxide concentration in a sealed 250 ml vial is decreased to 1% or less, when 25 g of the improved dried egg white is stored in the vial at 75° C. for 24 hours.
US08273386B2	Use of hop acids in fruit juices, fruit juice concentrates and other beverages to inhibit Alicyclobacillus bacteria An antimicrobial agent including hop acids is disclosed that inhibits the growth of acid-resistant and heat-resistant bacteria such as Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris and Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius in a medium such as fruit juice.
US08273382B2	Suppressing microbial growth in pulp and paper A composition for anti-microbial effect in a water system such as a pulp and paper processing line with an aqueous slurry. The composition comprises a free chlorine-generating biocide comprising a chlorine source, urea, and an alkali in a concentration sufficient to provide a pH greater than 10, and typically at least pH 11.
US08273379B2	Process for producing arsenic trioxide formulations and methods for treating cancer using arsenic trioxide or melarsoprol The invention relates to the use of arsenic compounds to treat a variety of leukemia, lymphoma and solid tumors. Further, the arsenic compounds may be used in combination with other therapeutic agents, such as a retinoid. The invention also provides a process for producing arsenic trioxide formulations.
US08273376B2	Colonic delivery of metallo-dependent enzymes Drug delivery systems for reducing the quantity of residual antibiotics reaching the colon following oral or parenteral antibiotic therapy, and for delivering metallo-dependent enzymes, and methods of use thereof, are disclosed. The drug delivery systems include pectin beads that encapsulate the active agent (which can be a metallo-dependent enzyme). The pectin is crosslinked with zinc or other divalent cations, and the pectin beads are coated with Eudragit®-type polymers. The delivery of the active agent can be modulated to occur at various pre-selected sites of delivery within the intestinal tract. A stable metallo-dependent enzyme formulation can be delivered to the lower intestine or colon. The use of zinc cations to crosslink the pectin is particularly preferred when the metallo-dependent enzymes are zinc dependent, where other cationic used to gel the pectin beads might adversely affect the activity of such metallo-dependent enzymes.
US08273353B2	Inhibitors of vascular endothelial growth factor activity The present invention is directed to novel chimeric VEGF receptor proteins comprising amino acid sequences derived from the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors flt-1 and KDR, including the murine homologue to the human KDR receptor FLK-1, wherein said chimeric VEGF receptor proteins bind to VEGF and antagonize the endothelial cell proliferative and angiogenic activity thereof. The present invention is also directed to nucleic acids and expression vectors encoding these chimeric VEGF receptor proteins, host cells harboring such expression vectors, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions comprising such proteins, methods of preparing such proteins and to methods utilizing such proteins for the treatment of conditions associated with undesired vascularization.
US08273352B2	Humanized anti-factor D antibodies and uses thereof The invention relates to anti-Factor D antibodies, their nucleic acid and amino acid sequences, the cells and vectors that harbor these antibodies and their production and their use in the preparation of compositions and medicaments for treatment of diseases and disorders associated with excessive or uncontrolled complement activation. These antibodies are useful for diagnostics, prophylaxis and treatment of disease.
US08273351B2	Fc receptor binding proteins This disclosure provides, inter alia, proteins that bind to FcRn, e.g., immunoglobulins that inhibit FcRn with high affinity and selectivity. The FcRn-binding proteins can be used to treat a variety of disorders including autoimmune disorders.
US08273348B2	Lipase variants for pharmaceutical use The pharmaceutical use of lipases related to the Thermomyces lanuginosus (Humicola lanuginosa) lipase comprising amino acids 1-269 of SEQ ID NO: 2, optionally in combination with a protease and/or an amylase. Examples of medical indications are: Treatment of digestive disorders, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI), pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, diabetes type I, and/or diabetes type II. The lipases of the invention have, e.g., an improved digestion performance in vitro, an improved activity at a pH in the neutral range, an improved stability at low pH, an are stable against protease-degradation, and/or are stable in the presence of pepsin and bile salts. The invention also relates to methods of determining digestion performance in vitro of lipases, as well as to certain novel variants of the lipase of T. lanuginosus.
US08273347B2	Autologous treatment of degenerated disc with cells The present invention relates to administering autologous uncultured cells into a diseased intervertebral disc.
US08273346B2	Method for increasing fructose digestion with strains of Bacillus coagulans and fructase The invention relates generally to digestive disorders, and in particular to methods for treating irritable bowel syndrome by increasing carbohydrate absorption by administering a composition containing a Bacillus coagulans bacterium.
US08273338B2	Treatment and composition for achieving skin anti-aging benefits by corneum protease activation Novel methods and compositions for treating aged and environmentally damaged skin are disclosed which provide improvements in the skin's visual appearance, function and clinical/biophysical properties by activating at least one proteolytic enzyme in the skin's stratum corneum. The disclosed treatment methods involve topical application of a novel cosmetic composition containing a combination of a cationic surfactant such as N,N-dimethyldodecyl amine oxide (DMDAO), an anionic surfactant such as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), or monoalkyl phosphate (MAP) and a chelating agent such as ethylene diamine tetraacetate (EDTA) to stimulate a chronic increase in the replacement rate of the skin's stratum corneum by means of corneum protease activation. This chronic, low level stimulation is effective to induce repair and replacement of the stratum corneum, epidermis, and dermis of the skin and improvements in the appearance, function, and anti-aging properties of the skin.
US08273332B2	Hair care product containing acetylpyridinium salts Cosmetic hair treatment agent comprising, in a cosmetically acceptable carrier, at least one surface-active agent chosen from cationic and/or zwitterionic surfactants, and at least one acetylpyridinium derivative of formula (I) for improving the general condition of the hair, for reducing hair damage in the interior of the hair, and for increasing the elasticity of hair.
US08273325B2	Contrast agents The present invention provides novel compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing such compounds, wherein the compounds have affinity for proteoglycans. The compounds comprise an amino acid based core unit linked to positively charged moieties. The compounds further comprise at least one imaging moiety detectable in in vivo imaging making the compounds useful as diagnostic contrast agents for imaging of proteoglycans, such as heparan sulphate proteoglycans.
US08273324B2	Embolization A particle includes a ferromagnetic material, a radiopaque material, and/or an MRI-visible material.
US08273314B2	Internal combustion exchanger-reactor for fixed bed endothermic reaction The invention concerns an exchanger-reactor (1) comprising: a vessel (2); means for distributing a feed through a fixed bed catalytic zone (10); means (6) for collecting effluent from the catalytic zone (10); means for heating the catalytic zone (10); in which said collection means (6) comprise conduits passing right through the catalytic zone (10), said conduits being distributed in the catalytic zone and interposed between the heating means, and in which the heating means of the catalytic zone are contained in sheaths (8) which are partially immersed in the catalytic zone (10), the sheaths (8) being open at one of their ends and closed at the other, the open end being fixed to an upper tube plate (21) defining the collection chamber (19) which is located above the catalytic zone (10), said heating means comprising at least one combustion zone (13) located close to the catalytic zone, means for supplying said combustion zone (13) with an oxidizing gas mixture (15) and with a gaseous fuel (17), and means for evacuating the gaseous effluent deriving from the combustion (14).
US08273313B2	System for producing methacrylic acid A system and process for separating methacrolein (MA) from methacrylic acid (MAA) and acetic acid in the gas phase product from partial oxidation of isobutylene (IB) in two oxidation steps is disclosed. The process and system maximize recovery of all three components at minimum capital and energy cost, under conditions that minimize polymerization conditions and plugging by solids deposition in compressors, columns, etc.
US08273312B2	Liquid testing assembly A liquid testing assembly for testing a liquid, the assembly comprising a test vessel and a stopper adapted to fit into a free end of the vessel. The stopper substantially hermetically seals the test vessel from the ambient. Further, the assembly includes a support coated with one or more identifying materials for identifying one or more constituents of the liquid. The support is fixed in the stopper and/or the vessel and extends into its interior for a predetermined distance. The liquid testing assembly when assembled is pre-evacuated to a predetermined vacuum sufficient to draw a predetermined volume of liquid to be sampled into the test vessel. The predetermined volume is of such an amount that it wets the one or more identifying materials ensuring identification of one or more constituents present in the liquid. A kit employing the liquid testing assembly is also discussed.
US08273290B2	Composite metal material and method for producing the same A method for producing a composite metal material includes preparing a solution containing a surfactant having both hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity, dispersing a nanosized to micro-sized fine carbonaceous substance into a state of being monodispersed in the solution, bringing the solution having the dispersed fine carbonaceous substance into contact with surface of a metal powder particle, drying the metal powder particle to make the fine carbonaceous substance in the monodispersed state adhere to the surface of the metal powder particle via a component of the solution, and thermally decomposing and removing the solution component adhering to the surface of the metal powder particle by heat-treating the metal powder particle either in a hydrogen-containing reducing atmosphere or in a vacuum atmosphere to partially expose the surface of the metal powder particle out of the adhering fine carbonaceous substance, and thus progress diffusion and sintering among the metal powder particles through exposed parts.
US08273289B2	Refractory coating for silica mesh fabric Coated silica mesh fabrics for use in metal casting operations are disclosed. The refractory coating comprises a mixture of colloidal silica binder and refractory particles such as zirconia flour. A slurry comprising the colloidal silica and refractory particles is applied to the silica mesh fabric and allowed to dry. The coated silica mesh fabric may be used in metal casting operations at relatively high molten metal temperatures above 3,000° F.
US08273287B2	System for the production of ore with green agglomerates containing a proportion of fines A plant for the production of ore comprising a proportion of fines, additives and green agglomerates optionally containing a binder, provided with an outer coating consisting of a combustible containing fine-grained carbon, such as coke. In the plant, the ore is mixed with the additives and the optionally available binder. The mixture is pelletized and the green agglomerates thus formed are coated with the combustible, whereby the combustible is introduced into an agglomeration drum. In order to enable continual production of homogeneous-quality green agglomerates, the mixture is pelletized in the agglomeration drum and the combustible is added in an area of the longitudinal extension of the agglomeration drum where the size of the green agglomerates formed in the agglomeration drum is sufficient for further processing.
US08273281B2	Golf ball mold, golf ball and golf ball manufacturing method A golf ball mold that is provided that has of a plurality of mold parts which removably mate to form a cavity having an inner wall with a plurality of dimple-forming protrusions thereon, wherein a non-circular resin injection port for injecting into the cavity a resin material is formed between a plurality of mutually adjoining dimple-forming protrusions which include a plurality of dimple-forming protrusions that lie across a parting line of the mold. By using the golf ball mold of the invention, even when manufacturing golf balls with a high dimple surface coverage on which the dimples are tightly arranged, particularly up to the vicinity of the resin injection port, imbalances in the resin injection pressure and flow rate during injection molding are suppressed, enabling golf balls to be manufactured without giving rise to production problems such as molding defects, scorching, or deformation and eccentricity of the core.
US08273278B2	Process of making water-insoluble polyglutamic acid fibers A water-insoluble polyglutamic acid (PGA) fiber and a preparation method thereof are provided. In the preparation method, the PGA is cross-linked by a cross-linking agent and then passes through a spinning nozzle to form PGA fibers. Therefore, the highly water-absorbing PGA, which cannot be spun by conventional methods, can be spun to form PGA fibers and maintain the high water-absorption ability.
US08273275B2	Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for hollow structure of image display element A disclosed method of manufacturing an image display element structure includes a coating step of coating a substrate surface including a plurality of recessed portions arranged at predetermined intervals, with a coating material that is plastic-deformable, in such a manner as to maintain spaces in the recessed portions; and an expanding step of forming gaps in the coating material coating the substrate surface by expanding gas in the spaces, wherein the gaps correspond to the recessed portions; and a peeling step of peeling off the coating material in which the gaps have been formed, from the substrate surface.
US08273265B2	Phosphors and light emitting device using the same There are provided phosphors having high luminous efficiency at desired wavelengths and good light output stability and a light emitting device using the same. A phosphor according to an aspect of the invention includes a sulfide crystallographic phase and an oxide crystallographic phase. Here, the phosphor is a multiphase compound in which the sulfide crystallographic phase and the oxide crystallographic phase exist together.
US08273262B2	Method for etching glass substrate The invention provides a method for etching which is intended for reducing the thickness of a glass substrate, and which attains a high etching rate and is capable of inhibiting haze generation on the glass substrate surface. The invention relates to a method for etching a glass substrate surface, comprising etching the glass substrate surface in an amount of 1-690 μm in terms of etching amount, in which the etching is conducted with an etchant having an HF concentration of 1-5 wt % and an HCl concentration of 1 wt % or higher.
US08273260B2	Etching method and etching apparatus of semiconductor wafer A method of etching a semiconductor wafer is provided. The method comprises the steps of: jetting a mixed gas including hydrogen fluoride and ozone onto a surface of a semiconductor wafer; monitoring the surface of the semiconductor wafer; analyzing the surface of the semiconductor wafer; and adjusting at least one of the hydrogen fluoride concentration and the ozone concentration in the mixed gas based on a result of the analysis.
US08273256B2	Method for manufacturing wiring structure of wiring board A method for manufacturing a wiring structure of a wiring board is provided. In the method, a substrate including an insulation layer and a film disposed on the insulation layer is provided. Next, a barrier layer completely covering the film is formed. Next, an intaglio pattern partially exposing the insulation layer is formed on an outer surface of the barrier layer. Next, an activated layer is formed on the outer surface and in the intaglio pattern. Then, the activated layer on the outer surface is removed, and the activated layer in the intaglio pattern is remained. After the activated layer on the outer surface is removed, a conductive material is formed in the intaglio pattern by using a chemical deposition method. After forming the conductive material, the barrier layer and the film are removed.
US08273252B2	Solution reactor and method for solution reaction A solution reactor allows the solution L to contact with the reactant gas G, and the component contained in the solution L is chemically changed by means of the reactant gas G. The reactor includes a nozzle 41 for spraying the solution L into a state of mists M, and a pressure feed unit 42 for feeding the reactant gas G, which is pressurized, into the nozzle 41. Further, in the reactor, the pressure feed unit 42 feeds such pressurized reactant gas G to the nozzle 41 to be flown fast, so that the nozzle 41 allows the fast flowing reactant gas G to contact with the solution and the solution L is broken into the state of mists M to be jetted out, and thus the component contained in the solution L is chemically changed by means of the reactant gas G.
US08273246B2	System and method for treating ammonia-based wastewater A system for treating ammonia-based wastewater is provided. The system includes a first reactor, including: denitrification bacteria for denitrification; a second reactor disposed on the back of the first reactor, wherein the second reactor includes an aerator and aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, and has an HRT of less than 6 hours; a third reactor disposed on the back of the first reactor, wherein the third reactor contains nitrification bacteria carried on the carriers for improving nitrification; and a solid-liquid-separating reactor disposed on the back of the third for separating the solids and liquids in the effluent of the third reactor.
US08273242B2	Nanofabricated structures for electric field-assisted nucleic acid extraction Embodiments of the invention provide devices and methods for extracting nucleic acid molecules from solution using electric fields. The structures and methods of embodiments of the invention are suited to incorporation into micro and nano fluidic devices, such as lab-on-a-chip devices and micro total analysis systems.
US08273239B2	Corrosion protection of steel in concrete An electric field modifier for boosting a current output of a sacrificial anode to enhance its protective effect and direct the current output to improve current distribution in galvanic protection of steel in a concrete element exposed to air is disclosed. A cavity is formed in a concrete element and a combination comprising a sacrificial anode, an electric field modifier and an ionically conductive filler are embedded therein. The sacrificial anode is connected to the steel. The modifier comprises an element with an anode side, supporting an oxidation reaction, in electrical contact with a cathode side, supporting a reduction reaction. The cathode of the modifier faces the sacrificial anode and is separated therefrom by a filler which contains an electrolyte that connects the sacrificial anode to the cathode of the modifier. The anode of the modifier faces away from the sacrificial anode. Preferably, the reduction reaction, on the cathode of the modifier, comprises reduction of oxygen from the air.
US08273233B2	Method to reduce void formation during trapezoidal write pole plating in perpendicular recording A method of forming a write pole in a PMR head is disclosed that involves forming an opening in a mold forming layer. A conformal Ru seed layer is formed within the opening and on a top surface. An auxiliary layer made of CoFeNi or alloys thereof is formed as a conformal layer on the seed layer. All or part of the auxiliary layer is removed in an electroplating solution by applying a (−) current or voltage during an activation step that is controlled by activation time. Thereafter, a magnetic material is electroplated with a (+) current to fill the opening and preferably has the same CoFeNi composition as the auxiliary layer. The method avoids Ru oxidation that causes poor adhesion to CoFeNi, and elevated surfactant levels that lead to write pole impurities. Voids in the plated material are significantly reduced by forming a seed layer surface with improved wettability.
US08273232B2	Copper filling-up method A method of filling copper in a non-through hole on a substrate that has been treated to render it conductive, which comprises plating said substrate in an acidic copper plating bath comprising a water-soluble copper salt, sulfuric acid and a filling additive that is a polymer having the activities of both of a brightener and a leveler.
US08273231B2	Methods of depositing coatings with γ-Ni + γ′-Ni3A1 phase constitution A method including depositing a powder on a substrate to form a first layer thereon, wherein the layer includes a Pt group metal, Si and reactive element selected from the group consisting of Hf, Y, La, Ce, Zr, and combinations thereof. Deposited on the first layer is a second layer including Al to form a coating with a γ-Ni+−γ′Ni3Al phase constitution. In preferred embodiments, the second layer is deposited with an organo halocarbon activator.
US08273219B2	Heat pump distillation A distillation column is disclosed. The column includes a plurality of rectification zones and corresponding stripping zones. Each rectification zone is linked to a heat pump or a stage of a heat pump. Overhead material from the top rectification zone is compressed and used to heat bottoms liquid from the bottom stripping zone. Similarly, overhead material from a lower rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid taken from the uppermost or top stripping zone. Optionally, overhead material from a middle rectification zone is compressed and used to heat liquid from a middle stripping zone. A single multiple stage heat pump compressor may be utilized as opposed to a plurality of heat pumps. Because the heat exchanger from each rectification-stripping zone pair has a lower duty, economical stab-in heat exchangers may be utilized.
US08273205B2	Manufacture of pivoting resilient skin contacting members A molding process for forming a wet shaving razor including the step of placing one or more of the blades into a first mold cavity. A first generally rigid polymer is injected into the first mold cavity to form a housing and to secure the blades. A second generally rigid polymer is injected into a second mold cavity to form a handle that is adjacent to and spaced apart from the housing of the first mold cavity. A generally flexible polymer is injected into a third mold cavity to interconnect the housing and the handle, wherein the generally flexible polymer forms a gripping portion on the handle and a resilient skin contacting element between the housing and the handle.
US08273204B2	Method for joining cellular acoustic panels The invention relates to a method for joining a first acoustic panel (2), having a cellular structure of the honeycomb type, with a second acoustic panel (2), wherein said method comprises the steps of: inserting at least one mandrel, (5, 8) having a shape adapted to the cells (3), into at least one cell (3) located in the vicinity of a junction edge (6) of the acoustic panel; passing a roller (12) on said junction edge of the acoustic panel; joining the junction edge of the acoustic panel together with a junction edge (6′) of the second panel and connecting the same by applying a linking means.
US08273198B1	Gas generant with auto-ignition function Gas generating compositions include a primary fuel selected from aminotetrazoles and heterocyclic amines; a carbonyl donor selected from formaldehyde, formamide, or an ammonium formate; and a basic constituent selected from alkali and alkaline earth metal aminotetrazoles, hydantoin and basic derivatives thereof, and mixtures thereof. Gas generators and vehicle occupant protection systems incorporating the present compositions are also described.
US08273196B2	Aluminum alloy sheet for cold press forming, method of manufacturing the same, and cold press forming method for aluminum alloy sheet An Al—Mg—Si based aluminum alloy sheet having undergone normal-temperature aging (or being in a underaged state) after a solution treatment thereof is, before press forming, subjected to a heating treatment (partial reversion heating treatment) in which the alloy sheet is partially heated to a temperature in the range of 150 to 350° C. for a time of not more than 5 minutes so that the difference in strength (difference in 0.2% proof stress) between the heated part and the non-heated part will be not less than 10 MPa. The alloy sheet thus treated is subjected to cold press forming in the condition where the heated part with low strength is put in contact with a wrinkle holding-down appliance of the press and the non-heated part with high strength is put in contact with the shoulder part (radius) of the punch. In the partial reversion heating treatment, the temperature rise rate and the cooling rate in cooling down to 100° C. or below are set to be not less than 30° C./min. Further, the period for which the alloy sheet is left to stand at normal temperature after the partial reversion heating treatment until the cold press forming is set to be within 30 days.
US08273189B2	Method for treating metal surfaces by carboxylation, use of the method for temporary protection against corrosion, and method for manufacturing a shaped metal sheet thus carboxylated The invention relates to a method for the carboxylation conversion of a metal surface under oxidizing conditions in relation to the metal, consisting in bringing the metal into contact with a hydro-organic or aqueous bath containing a mixture of organic acids. The invention is characterized in that; the organic acids comprise saturated linear carboxylic acids having between 10 and 18 carbon atoms; the mixture comprises a binary or ternary mixture of such acids; the respective proportions of said acids are such that (i) for a binary mixture x±5%−y±5%, wherein x and y represent the respective proportions, in molar percentages, of the two acids in a mixture with the composition of the eutectic and (ii) for a ternary mixture x±3%−y±3%−z±3%, wherein x, y and z represent the respective proportions, in molar percentages, of the three acids in a mixture with the composition of the eutectic; and the concentration of the mixture in the bath is greater than or equal to 20 g/l.
US08273183B2	Automated swimming pool cleaner having an angled jet drive propulsion system A self-propelled cleaning apparatus for cleaning a submerged surface of a pool or tank includes a housing having a front portion as defined by the direction of movement of the apparatus when propelled by a water jet, an opposing rear portion and adjoining side portions defining the periphery of the apparatus, and a baseplate with at least one water inlet. Rotationally-mounted supports are coupled proximate the front and rear portions of the housing to enable movement of the apparatus over the submerged surface. A water pump is configured to draw water and debris from the pool through the inlet for filtering. A stationary directional discharge conduit is in fluid communication with the pump and has at least one discharge opening through which a pressurized stream of water forming the water jet is directionally discharged at an acute angle with respect to the surface over which the apparatus is moving.
US08273182B2	Devices and methods for cleaning and drying ice skate blades A handheld device for removing moisture from a skate blade, the device including a body and multiple wiper blades. The body includes a front end and a rear end and defines a skate blade pathway substantially parallel to an axis extending from the front end to the rear end. The multiple wiper blades are located within the body along an axis extending from the front end to the rear end, and are adapted to contact a surface of a skate blade traversing the skate blade pathway.
US08273158B2	Mist eliminator, moisture removal system, and method of removing water particles from inlet air A mist eliminator including a substrate and a plurality of frusto-conical shaped protrusions disposed on the substrate is provided. The plurality of frusto-conical shaped protrusions have a geometry and are positioned at intervals that provide coalescence and retention of water particles from moisture containing air contacting the substrate and frusto-conical shaped protrusions. A moisture removal system and a method for removing water particles from inlet air with the mist eliminator are also disclosed.
US08273156B2	Method and apparatus for water distillation and recovery Contaminated water stored in an equalization basin is distributed to one or more flash vessels and a desired vacuum is pulled in a filled flash vessel, reducing the boiling point of the contained contaminated water. The suction force is preferably created by passing the contaminated water under pressure through a differential pressure injector. The contaminated water in the flash vessel completes an electrical circuit between conductive plates and a heating element that are submerged therein. An alternating electrical current is applied, some of which is conducted by the contaminated water to a heating element that heats the water, and the rest of which dissipates as thermal energy, heating the contaminated water. The alternating current is preferably generated by passing the contaminated water under pressure through a hydroelectric power generator. Little thermal energy is needed to evaporate the contaminated water, which condenses at the top of the flash vessel and is collected from a collection trough. Slurry created by distillation is delivered to the equalization basin to increase the conductivity and temperature of the stored contaminated water.
US08273153B2	Dry natural gas liquefaction method The method allows liquefaction of a dry natural gas comprising water and heavy hydrocarbons containing more than five carbon atoms. The following stages are carried out: a) passing the dry natural gas through a water-adsorbent solid so as to obtain a water-depleted natural gas and a water-laden adsorbent solid, b) passing the water-depleted natural gas through a solid adsorbing heavy hydrocarbons comprising at least five carbon atoms so as to obtain a heavy hydrocarbon-depleted natural gas and a heavy hydrocarbon-laden adsorbent solid, c) liquefying the heavy hydrocarbon-depleted natural gas at a pressure above 40 bar abs so as to obtain a liquid natural gas under pressure, d) expanding the liquid natural gas under pressure obtained in stage c) to atmospheric pressure so as to obtain a liquid natural gas and a gas fraction.
US08273148B2	Nickel braze alloy composition An alloy composition includes a blend of a first alloy and a second alloy, the first alloy having a first composition including about 17 wt %-25 wt % of chromium, about 6 wt %-12.5 wt % of aluminum, about 18 wt %-22 wt % of cobalt, up to 4 wt % of tantalum, up to about 8 wt % of tungsten, up to about 0.4 wt % of silicon, about 0.25 wt %-1 wt % of hafnium, about 0.1 wt %-1 wt % of yttrium, and a balance of nickel, and the second alloy having a second composition including about 21.25 wt %-22.75 wt % of chromium, about 5.7 wt %-6.3 wt % of aluminum, about 11.5 wt %-12.5 wt % of cobalt, about 5.7 wt %-6.3 wt % of silicon, boron in an amount no greater than 1.0 wt %, and a balance of nickel.
US08273142B2	Silicon polishing compositions with high rate and low defectivity The invention relates to a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising silica, one or more organic carboxylic acids or salts thereof, one or more polysaccharides, one or more bases, optionally one or more surfactants and/or polymers, optionally one or more reducing agents, optionally one or more biocides, and water, wherein the polishing composition has an alkaline pH. The polishing composition exhibits a high removal rate and low particle defects and low haze. The invention further relates to a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate using the polishing composition described herein.
US08273138B2	Liquid fuel compositions Liquid fuel compositions comprising one or more C4+ compounds derived from a water-soluble oxygenated hydrocarbon.
US08273132B2	Multiple-cam, posterior-stabilized knee prosthesis A distal femoral knee-replacement component provides additional points of cam action by either distinct bars or interconnected structural elements such as cam extensions to prevent early translation of the knee or dislocation of the femoral component over the tibial post which can occur in cruciate-substituting designs.
US08273130B2	Magnetically mounted artificial joint The invention relates to a prosthesis for replacing a joint connection, wherein like magnetic fields from the condyle 10, socket 12 and joint collar 14 overlap in such a way that the repulsive forces generate a suspended state of the condyle 10 in the bearing and the damping effect is maximized. The invention is also directed to a method for replacing a bone junction in a mammal, wherein the prosthesis is fastened to the articular bone and repulsive forces generate a levitated state of the condyle 10 under load.
US08273128B2	Sliding intervertebral implant method A method includes a first member that connects to an intervertebral space between two adjacent vertebrae. The first member includes a pair of curved side walls connected to each of a front wall, an upper curved wall, and a lower curved wall, wherein a length of a first curved side wall is less than a length of each of a second curved side wall, the upper curved wall, and the lower curved wall, and wherein an edge of the second curved side wall is offset from an edge of the front wall. A second member is slidably attached to the first member, and includes a top and bottom curved wall each connected to an inclined side wall and a guide wall, wherein the guide wall includes grooves, wherein the second curved side wall of the first member slides in the grooves of the guide wall.
US08273125B2	Intervertebral disk prosthesis provided with anchor means An intervertebral disk prosthesis is provided. The prosthesis comprises: a first plate for engaging a first vertebral body, said first plate comprising a first slot formed through the first plate; a second plate for engaging a second vertebral body, said second plate comprising a second slot formed through the second plate; a first anchor member, said first anchor member positioned and slidable through the first slot and having a sharp edge for penetrating into the first vertebral body; and a second anchor member, said second anchor member positioned and slidable through the second slot and having a sharp edge for penetrating into the second vertebral body. The first plate and the second plate engage with one another by way of complimentary concave and convex spherical cap portions to provide relative movement between the first plate and the second plate.
US08273124B2	Self-distracting cage Various spinal implants and methods for stabilizing the spine are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a spinal implant is provided having an expandable container with an interior volume that is selectively expandable between a compressed condition and an expanded condition. The expandable container is coupled to a superior endplate member having a bone-contacting surface and an engagement surface effective to mate with a superior surface of the expandable container, and an inferior endplate member having a bone-contacting surface and an engagement surface effective to mate with an inferior surface of the expandable container. In addition, at least one inlet port is formed in the expandable container and is effective to communicate a fluid to at least one cavity disposed within the interior volume of the expandable container.
US08273122B2	Pre-loaded IOL insertion system A system for easily transferring an intraocular lens (IOL) from an inserter into a patient's eye. The system includes an inserter handpiece with a holding station for receiving or storing an IOL. The IOL may be pre-loaded within the holding station during manufacture, and the inserter handpiece coupled to a delivery tube so that the entire system is ready for use by a surgeon to implant an IOL. The IOL may have an optic and leading and trailing haptics coupled to the optic, and the holding station may be capable of manipulating the haptics as desired to facilitate transfer of the IOL through the delivery tube into the eye. For instance, the holding station may fold one or both of the haptics over the optic. Preferably, the holding station maintains the haptics in their folded positions during transfer of the IOL into the delivery tube. The holding station desirably maintains the IOL in a relaxed configuration during storage. A small opening on one side may be provided to introduce a narrow tool for folding one of the haptics over the optic.
US08273117B2	Low texture, quasi-isotropic metallic stent Metallic stents which have a randomly oriented microstructure, and possess quasi-isotropic mechanical and physical properties are disclosed. The novel stents can be “tailor-made” to mimic the geometry of the blood vessel(s) at the deployment site and can be designed to treat coronary artery disease at the point where blood vessels branch. The metallic materials of choice are ductile, corrosion resistant and exhibit little crystallographic texture. The novel stents can be produced from a metallic precursor which is quasi-isotropic and exhibits little texture by processing means, such as machining, which do not reintroduce texture. Alternatively, quasi-isotropic and low texture stents are achieved by suitable post-processing of conventionally fabricated stent materials.
US08273114B2	Grounded pressure cooling A chiller is coupled to a plurality of cuffs suitable for application to extremities of a human subject, each cuff having an outer support belt with an adjustable diameter and an inner bladder having an inlet port and an outlet port. The bladder has one surface constrained by the support belt and an opposite surface for application of pressure and cooling to an enclosed human extremity. The plurality of cuffs are connected to the cooler with a series of outlet ports and inlet ports such that the chiller causes the cuffs to be pressurized with a coolant which provides vascular restriction and cooling to increase the formation of human growth hormone.
US08273104B2	Antimicrobial sutures and methods of making them Multifilament sutures are prepared by permeating the suture with an antimicrobial solution and applying an antimicrobial coating to the suture.
US08273097B2	Powered surgical tissue cutting instrument having an irrigation system A surgical tissue cutting instrument having an irrigation system comprises an elongate tubular outer member having a proximal end, a distal end and an opening at the distal end, an elongate inner member rotatably disposed within the outer member and having a proximal end, a distal end and a cutting element at the distal end exposed from the opening, a handpiece mounted to the proximal ends of the outer and inner members, and an irrigation system comprising an irrigation channel composed of a first irrigation passage within the handpiece and a second irrigation passage within the thickness of the annular wall of the outer member, and a sleeve having a rearward end disposed over a front end of the handpiece and a forward end disposed over the outer member adjacent an outlet opening of the second irrigation passage near the distal end of the outer member. The sleeve is disposed over the outer member with a snug fit while allowing communication through the outlet opening of the second irrigation passage, whereby the irrigation channel is enclosed and sealed between an inlet port of the first irrigation passage and the outlet opening of the second passage. The inlet port is connectible with a source of irrigation fluid for flow through the irrigation channel to be discharged from the outlet opening near the distal end of the outer member.
US08273095B2	Device and method for establishing an artificial arterio-venous fistula A shunt rivet for implantation in the aorta and inferior vena cava to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and a method of treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
US08273091B2	Alignment device for locking nail An alignment device for an intramedullary locking nail insertable in an intramedullary canal of a long bone. The alignment device includes a locating member having a handle portion connected to an elongated insertion member, and a targeting member movably coupled to the locating member. The insertion member can be inserted in a proximal portion of the intramedullary canal. The targeting member includes a plurality of guiding portions. Each guiding portion is configured to receive one of a plurality of blocking fasteners along an implantation trajectory and into the bone and around the intramedullary canal when the insertion member is inserted into the intramedullary canal. The implantation trajectory of each blocking fastener does not intersect the insertion member.
US08273090B2	Tibial plateau and/or femoral condyle resection system for prosthesis implantation According to the invention, the system enables a preoperative study to be carried out wherein the tibia and/or femur is modelled on a computer (6) in 3D, the ideal cutting plane is defined and the position of the resection instruments (1, 2, 3) used to cut the bone is modelled. Additionally, according to the invention, the system enables redefinition of the ideal cutting plane and the positioning and orientation of the resection instruments (1, 2, 3) on the tibia and/or femur, in such a manner that the plane of the slot (4) of the cutting guide (3) through which the cutting tool is introduced coincides with the ideal cutting plane.
US08273089B2	Spinal fixation tool set and method A tool set for implanting a rod in a human spine in conjunction with bone screws includes a pair of end guide tools that receive opposite ends of the rod in channels and under manipulation by a surgeon facilitate transport of the rod toward the bone screws attached to the guide tools. Each end guide tool includes a laterally extending, rigid, rod holding structure located near a bottom surface thereof. Intermediate guide tools having pass-through slots are utilized to guide the rod to the bone screws at intermediate locations.
US08273077B2	System and method for treating vision refractive errors Disclosed is a computer-implemented method for correcting refractive errors in a living eye using a laser vision correction system that involves first calculating an amount of sphere based on preoperative manifest refraction and higher order aberrations data associated with the eye, and then correcting for the calculated amount of sphere by ablating at least a portion of the eye. The preoperative manifest refraction may include preoperative manifest sphere, preoperative spherical equivalent, regular astigmatism, and oblique astigmatism, and the preoperative higher-order aberrations may include 4th-order spherical and 3rd root mean square. Other factors may also be used to adjust the calculated amount of sphere. A device readable medium for storing the calculation and instructions for operating a laser vision correction system for practicing the method is also disclosed, as is a method of treating refractive errors.
US08273062B2	Injection needle The invention relates to an injection needle for injecting a pharmaceutical product into a human or animal body. The needle comprises a tubular body with an end for penetrating into a human or animal body, and having a main bevel and a secondary bevel forming a tip of the needle. The secondary bevel is positioned opposite the main bevel and forms, with the main bevel, a single cutting edge oblique to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body. The cutting edge extends on both sides of a middle plane of the main bevel that passes through the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.
US08273052B2	Fully automated control system for type 1 diabetes An augmented, adaptive algorithm utilizing model predictive control (MPC) is developed for closed-loop glucose control in type 1 diabetes. A linear empirical input-output subject model is used with an MPC algorithm to regulate blood glucose online, where the subject model is recursively adapted, and the control signal for delivery of insulin and a counter-regulatory agent such as glucagon is based solely on online glucose concentration measurements. The MPC signal is synthesized by optimizing an augmented objective function that minimizes local insulin accumulation in the subcutaneous depot and control signal aggressiveness, while simultaneously regulating glucose concentration to a preset reference set point. The mathematical formulation governing the subcutaneous accumulation of administered insulin is derived based on nominal temporal values pertaining to the pharmacokinetics (time-course of activity) of insulin in human, in terms of its absorption rate, peak absorption time, and overall time of action. The MPC algorithm is also formulated to provide control action with an integral effect, and in essence minimizes overall drug consumption. When employed as a modulator in an automated integrated glucose-control system for type 1 diabetes, the control algorithm provides the system with self-learning capability that enables it to operate under unrestricted activity of the subject.
US08273039B1	Apparatus for clearing mucus from the pulmonary system An apparatus for clearing mucus from the pulmonary system, utilizing two different types of external excitation applied concurrently to the thorax, the first type of excitation consisting of vibrational stimulations, and the second type of excitation consisting of compressive stimulations, with control means provided to regulate the excitations.
US08273036B2	Wearable portable device for increasing user awareness of a paretic limb and recording the user awareness A wearable portable device (10) for increasing user awareness of a paretic limb and recording the user awareness, the device (10) comprising: a sensory signal generator (52, 20) to emit a continuous sensory signal to remind the user to move the paretic limb according to a predetermined schedule; a switch (13) to be actuated by the user for stopping the emission of the sensory signal; and an accelerometer (61) to detect movement of the paretic limb in 3-axis; wherein after the switch (13) is actuated by the user, the user is instructed to move the paretic limb in accordance with predetermined instructions and the movement of the paretic limb detected by the accelerometer (61) and response time of when the switch (13) is actuated after the sensory signal is emitted are recorded for analysis by data analysis software.
US08273034B2	Method and device for tinnitus masking A method for generating optimized tinnitus masks includes, for example, presenting stimuli in succession to a user, receiving the user's rating of the effectiveness of each presented stimulus in reducing tinnitus, selecting a subset of the stimuli to maintain as tinnitus masks, and, generating variant stimuli from the subset of the stimuli that is maintained as tinnitus masks.
US08273030B2	Method of estimating pulse wave velocity A method of estimating blood pressure Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) in the aorta from a recording of a pressure waveform at a single site. The method comprises the following steps: 1. measuring the patient's arterial pressure relative to time in order to estimate a central pressure waveform (CPW); 2. estimating the patient's aortic pressure pulse transit time (PPTT) from the CPW; 3. estimating the patient's carotid to femoral arterial distance from the patient's physical characteristics; and 4. dividing the patient's estimated carotid to femoral arterial distance by the patient's estimated PPTT to estimate the patient's PWV.
US08273029B2	Pressure recovery index to assess cardiac function Determining an index for assessing cardiac function. In an embodiment, a method includes receiving ventricular pressure data during an invasive cardiac procedure, wherein the received pressure data includes a diastatic ventricular pressure value, a minimum ventricular pressure value, and a predefined fiducial marker pressure value. An index value is calculated by comparing a first pressure difference to a second pressure difference. The first pressure difference represents the difference between the received diastatic ventricular pressure value and the received minimum ventricular pressure value. The second pressure difference represents the difference between the received fiducial marker pressure value and the received minimum ventricular pressure value. The index value is provided to a health care provider to assess early diastolic cardiac function.
US08273026B2	Ultrasonic imaging method and probe for 3D gynaecologic inspection An ultrasonic imaging method particularly for 3D gynaecologic inspections provides an ultrasound probe having a number of transducers forming a linear array. An imaging scanning unit connected to the transducers alternatively generates electric driving signals for each transducer. The probe is oscillated in a direction transversal to the longitudinal extension of the linear array of transducers and around an axis coinciding or parallel to the longitudinal extensions of the linear array of transducers to modify the orientation of the direction of propagation of the ultrasound signals. The ultrasound beams are steered so that the linear array of transducers generates a trapezoidal scanning slice or plane diverging in the direction of propagation of the beams.
US08273023B2	Introducer sheathe with electrodes An apparatus comprises a sheathe for introducing a catheter into a blood vessel, a first electrode provided on the sheathe, a second electrode; and a measuring device to which the first and second electrodes are coupled. The measuring device measures the impedance or conduction velocity between the first electrode on the sheathe and the second electrode.
US08273020B2	Method and system for providing rule based cognitive stimulation to a user A method and system for providing evolving, highly variable, long-term ongoing cognitive stimulation over a broad spectrum of cognitive domains. The user is presented with a series of entertaining audio/visual activities customized for the user, based on the user's life experience and cognitive level, each activity providing stimulation in one or more cognitive domains. The activities themselves and their level of challenge may change, in real time, over both the short- and the long term, varying in relation to current and historical user response patterns, creating an experience that remains engaging, with on-going use, over a period of months or years.
US08273013B2	Endoscope insertion assistant probe and applicable endoscope apparatus therefor An endoscope insertion assistant probe is inserted into a body cavity prior to insertion of an insertion portion of an endoscope into the body cavity, to assist the insertion of the endoscope, and includes a flexible, elongated probe; and a distal end guiding element that is arranged at a distal end portion of the probe. The distal end guiding element is made of a thin-film resin member and expandable by fluid.
US08272998B2	Multi-functional treadmill system The present invention includes a treadmill system including a support platform, a liquid tank, and a lift support structure connected to a treadmill assembly by a lifting mechanism. In general, the liquid tank and the lift, support structure including the treadmill assembly move horizontally relative to and independent of one another along the support platform to position the lift support structure away from or about the liquid tank. In addition, the treadmill assembly moves vertically relative to and independent of the lift support structure using the lifting mechanism to lower or raise the treadmill assembly within an interior of the liquid tank or exterior of the liquid tank. More importantly, the combination of the horizontal movement and the vertical movement of the treadmill assembly permits a mammal to step onto the treadmill assembly before the treadmill assembly is raised and then lowered into an interior of the liquid tank.
US08272996B2	Device and method for limiting travel in an exercise device, and an exercise device including such a limiting device A method and/or a device may limit a distance traveled by a treadle assembly in an exercise device. For example, the distance traveled by the treadle assembly may be limited by limiting a distance that a resistance element operably coupled to the treadle assembly may travel. An exercise apparatus may include a travel-limiting device or capability.
US08272992B2	Method for operating a drive train A process of operating a motor vehicle drive train that comprises at least one hybrid drive having a combustion engine and an electric motor with a clutch connected between the combustion engine and the electric motor, and an automatic transmission is arranged between the hybrid drive and an output. The process including the step of disengaging the clutch to carry out a shift, after a reduction of load at the internal combustion engine and after a reduction of the torque that is transmitted between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor. Subsequently carrying out a gear shift by the automatic transmission and, thereafter, increasing the torque that is transmitted by the clutch. Increasing the load from the combustion engine, and optionally engaging the clutch. A load transfer by the electric motor occurs before and/or after the gear shift in the transmission is carried out.
US08272989B2	Variable ratio transmission for distributing a drive torque to at least two output shafts A variable-ratio transmission for distributing a drive torque to at least two drive output shafts (8, 9), comprising a conventional differential (1) is proposed, which comprises an electric motor (5) for distributing the drive torque directly between the drive output shafts (8, 9) and a plus planetary gearset (2) that serves as a variable-ratio unit, such that the plus planetary gearset (2) is arranged coaxially with a drive input shaft (8), the outer sun gear (3) of the plus planetary gearset (2) is connected to the output (8), on the side of the differential (1) facing toward the planetary gearset (2), and the web (4) of the planetary gearset (2) is connected to the electric motor (5), and such that the inner sun gear (6) of the planetary gearset (2) is connected by a countershaft (7) to the other drive output shaft (9).
US08272988B2	Retrograde torque limit bicycle with bidirectional input and one-way output The present invention is applied to pedal vehicles, or mixture of electric and pedal vehicles, or combination of electric and pedal auxiliary vehicles, especially to a bicycle capable of being pedaled bidirectionally and driven to move in unidirectional, and through the torque limit transmission being transferred into overload sliding or disengaging status, the retrograde torque limit bicycle with bidirectional input and one-way output is prevented from being locked.
US08272985B2	Power transmission mechanism A power transmission mechanism for transmitting power between a driving engine and an output drive, including: an input and an output; a hydrodynamic component with a pump wheel and a turbine wheel; an apparatus for at least partially bridging over the hydrodynamic component, the apparatus including a control device with a piston element that is chargeable with pressurizing agent; an influencing element for influencing a difference in speeds of rotation of moving fluids on both sides of the piston element, the influencing element rotatable in rotational synchronicity with the piston element, which extends outward in the radial direction free of any direct connection with the piston element, and which is situated in the radial direction at least in the range of the outside diameter, forming at least part of an axial space with the piston element.
US08272984B2	Endless metal belt An endless metal belt including a ring formed by laminating endless metal plates; and multiple elements continuously attached to the ring. Each of the elements has a body, a head connected to the body by a pillar, and slots formed between the body and the head on left and right sides of the pillar, respectively, for receiving the ring. The elements satisfy the equations (h/t)<1 and (S/h)>40, where h is a width of the slots, t is a plate thickness of the elements, and S is an area of the head.
US08272983B2	Pulley tensioner for a belt drive for use in contact with oil A tensioner for a belt drive comprises a pivot defining an axis, a support hinged to the axis and defining a guiding surface preferably having a circular profile, an elastic element for actuating the support and a crown pulley eccentric with respect to the axis and surrounding the guiding surface. The tensioner further comprises a journal bearing to support the pulley on the guiding surface.
US08272978B2	Batting training aid A training aid to teach batters a better swing, particularly the proper hand path of such a swing. The training aid has a head portion with at least one planar or flat surface to strike a practice ball, a neck portion having a first shorter run and a second longer run, the first and second runs being at an angle to one another, and a handle portion. The shorter run of the neck portion is connected to the handle portion while the longer run of the neck portion is connected to the head portion.
US08272976B2	Golf club with pick and place feature A golf club that picks up a golf ball, sets the golf ball on a tee and may be used to hit the golf ball by providing an opening in the golf club head for entrance of the golf ball which through a series of inclining and declining planes and bumpers the ball rolls into the back of the golf club via a push down motion, thence the golf club can be picked up, held above the tee, and with a turn of the wrist the golf ball can be set upon the tee for driving by the same golf club.
US08272974B2	Hybrid golf club head A hybrid type golf club head is disclosed herein. The hybrid golf club head preferably has an increased heel/toe camber to minimize drag through rough when a golfer swings the hybrid golf club. A sole of the hybrid golf club head is relieved to allow for the face angle to open without the leading edge lifting too high.
US08272973B2	Golf club grip A lightweight, oversized grip assembly for a golf club or other sporting equipment includes a first grip element defining an open channel for receiving a gripping end of the golf club or other sporting equipment, and a second grip element dimensioned to match a cross-sectional dimension and a longitudinal dimension of the first grip element. The assembled first grip element and second grip element define a grip having a maximum diameter of up to about 500 mm. The first grip element defines an open channel axially along a longitudinal dimension thereof, having a width and a depth dimensioned to receive substantially an entirety of a thickness of the gripping end. The second grip element defines a substantially planar cover for capturing the base element and the gripping end between the first grip element and the second grip element.
US08272970B2	Device for shot tracking A device for tracking a golfer's shot during a round of golf wherein the device comprises a housing, a battery having no more than 225 milliamp hours of power, a microprocessor and an accelerometer. The accelerometer is preferably a multiple axis accelerometer. The circuit is preferably utilized with a device for shot tracking.
US08272969B2	Flagpole and ferrule assembly A golf flagpole and ferrule assembly for mounting in a golf cup hole is disclosed. The flagpole and ferrule both include cooperating coupling parts to form an attachment therebetween. A cap is applied over portions of the flagpole and the ferrule to couple to the retaining members and secure the flagpole to the ferrule.
US08272963B2	Reconfigurable gaming machine A gaming machine has at least one video screen, but preferably three. One screen displays a primary game and the other two screens preferably display pay tables, a secondary game, or artwork related to the primary and/or secondary game. The content of the video screens is reconfigurable. The content may be downloaded over a network connecting a plurality of gaming machines to a central computer, or the content of several different games may be stored locally within the gaming machine.
US08272962B2	Sourcing of electronic wagering games accessed through unaffiliated hosts The play of a wagering game by a user on the user's computing device is supported while a web page from a host server is displayed on the user's screen. The game is contained in a window on the web page, but the game is under the control of a server. The user's computing device downloads a module of an application that supports play of the wagering game. Requests from the user's computing device for critical game information is routed via the host server to the source server. A reply to this request is transmitted from the source server via the host server to the user's computing device thereby permitting play of the game within web page window as displayed on the user's screen. The host server controls the subject matter displayed on the web page outside the window containing the wagering game.
US08272946B2	Gaming device having a multi-function free game bonus An apparatus and method for a free spins game including a plurality of reels, an outcome and a plurality of sections associated with the outcome. The gaming device or player activates the reels to indicate a designated symbol combination including at least two section indicator symbols. When a designated symbol combination including the section indicator symbols is indicated on the reels, the gaming device obtains the corresponding section. The gaming device or player continues to activate the reels until there are no free spins remaining in the game or until all of the sections are obtained. The gaming device then provides the outcome to the player.
US08272944B2	Wagering game with rule set altered prior to completion of reel spin A gaming machine for playing a wagering game includes a display and a controller. The display displays a plurality of spinning reels that stop to indicate a randomly selected outcome of a plurality of outcomes in response to accepting a wager input from a player. The controller is in communication with the display and is operative to conduct the wagering game in accordance with a basic set of gaming rules. The controller is further operative to cause a modification to a gaming rule of the basic set of gaming rules and to indicate the modification to the player.
US08272941B2	Bonus with proximity of occurrence related to base game outcomes or payback percentage Each play of a base game increases the likelihood of winning a bonus award. A display provides a graphical indication of the change in likelihood of winning the bonus award. In one aspect, the bonus award comprises the opportunity to play a secondary game. In another aspect, winning the bonus award may be based on payback percentage or outcomes of the base game. In yet another aspect, the timing of the next bonus award can be configured, or otherwise based on one or more conditions.
US08272939B2	Video wagering machine including a bonus round termination enhancement A method and system are provided for providing a bonus round responsive to a bonus trigger in a wagering game. The method includes providing at least one bonus spin. The method includes awarding a prize associated with a bonus spin result. The method includes, responsive to a termination trigger occurring, awarding a termination bonus and terminating the bonus round.
US08272938B2	Gaming machine with win multiplier feature A method and apparatus for conducting a wagering game are disclosed. After a player makes a wager, a display depicts a combination of symbols. If the displayed combination yields a predetermined award and meets a predetermined criterion, a win multiplier feature is invoked. In the win multiplier feature the symbols of the combination are associated with respective multipliers, and then the player is prompted to select one of the symbols of the combination. The display reveals the multiplier associated with the selected symbol. The predetermined award is multiplied by the revealed multiplier.
US08272933B2	System and method of increasing poker tournament pools and number of payout positions A second optional poker tournament fee allows participating players a chance to receive a payout when finishing the poker tournament in one of one or more extra bubble spots. So, if the player finishes close to the conventional bubble position the player may receive a payout if he or she paid the second optional fee. The number of extra spots is based on the number of second optional fees paid. In one version, if no players finish in the extra bubble spots the house collects the second optional fees as profits. In another version, the second optional fees, or a portion thereof, are used to increase the payouts associated with the conventional payout scheme independent of the second optional fees.
US08272923B2	Methods and apparatuses for anvil reconditioning A rotary cutting apparatus comprises a frame and a die roll defining a first longitudinal axis and comprising a cutting member. The die roll is rotatably connected with the frame and configured to rotate about the first longitudinal axis. The rotary cutting apparatus further comprises a bearer ring connected with the die roll and an anvil roll defining a second longitudinal axis and comprising an outer radial surface. The anvil roll is rotatably connected with the frame and is configured to rotate about the second longitudinal axis. The bearer ring of the die roll is in contact with the outer radial surface. The rotary cutting apparatus further comprises a reconditioning member comprising an abrasive surface engaged with the outer radial surface of the anvil roll. The outer radial surface of the anvil roll moves relative to the abrasive surface.
US08272920B2	Children's ride-on vehicles having mechanical assemblies Children's ride-on vehicles are disclosed. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include first and second mechanical members, with the second mechanical member configured to move between a concealing position, in which the second mechanical member conceals a portion of the first mechanical member, and a revealing position, in which the second mechanical member does not conceal the portion of the first mechanical member. In some embodiments, a biasing member urges the second mechanical member toward the concealing position. In some embodiments, a user input device permits a child to lock the first mechanical member in one of a retracted position and an extended position.
US08272919B2	Interactive intelligent toy The present invention is directed to an interactive intelligent toy that provides the appearance and experience of a toy hamster moving in, and interacting with, its environment and habitat. In an exemplary embodiment, the interactive intelligent toy comprises an intelligent motive and control component enclosed by a cover resembling a hamster, with fur coat, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and whiskers. The motive component includes a drive mechanism and circuitry operable to control the drive mechanism, monitor and detect user and event inputs, and detect and decode embedded codes from a pathway and perform predetermined actions or generate predetermined sounds in response. The motive component moves along and through a pathway component having one or more embedded codes detectable by the motive component, the embedded codes providing information to the motive component to direct desired action of the motive component.
US08272912B2	Organic electroluminescence device and method for producing the same It is an object of the present invention to provide an organic EL device having a structure to enhance a barrier property against gases such as water vapor and oxygen which penetrate into an organic EL element formed on a substrate.That is, the present invention provides the organic EL device including a substrate 10, an organic EL element 20 holding an organic EL layer including a light emitting layer between one pair of electrodes of which at least one is transparent or translucent, a sealing layer 30 which seals the organic EL element 20 and in which multiple layers are formed by stacking an inorganic film and an organic film alternately and a sealing glass substrate 40 disposed by tightly adhering onto an uppermost organic film 33-n in the sealing layer 30, on the substrate 10.
US08272908B2	Swim ring and swimming aid A swim ring, including: at least one ring stabilizing a swim position of the swim ring; wings protruding upward from a base component or from the ring and configured with disengageable wing connectors; and suspenders configured to be attached on one side at the base component or at the ring and on the other side at the wings, wherein the ends of the suspenders are configured to be connected to the wings through disengageable suspender connectors, wherein a wing side suspender connector and a wing connector of a first wing are integrally combined to form a combined one piece wing side connector, wherein the combined one piece wing side connector, a suspender side suspender connector and a wing connector of a second wing are configured, so that establishing disengageable connections of the connectors with one another is only possible in a single connection configuration.
US08272897B1	Electrical connector The present invention discloses an electrical connector that is soldered on a circuit board. The circuit board has an opening recess having a hooking recess extending forward and outward and formed at each of two side edges of the opening recess. Two side walls of shell of the electrical connector are punched to form flexible fixing pieces, which extend forward and outward, respectively. A track groove is formed in front or rear of the flexible fixing piece in each of the two side walls of the shell. The circuit board can be inserted into the track grooves, and the flexible fixing pieces can be flexibly held in the hooking recesses. The present invention can economize spaces at both sides as well as reduce volume of the electrical connector by engaging the flexible fixing pieces and the hooking recesses, and engaging the track grooves and the circuit board.
US08272891B2	Connector A connector includes a first terminal housing for housing a first inner housing that houses a plurality of first connecting terminals vertically aligned at predetermined intervals, a second terminal housing for housing a second inner housing that houses a plurality of second connecting terminals vertically aligned at predetermined intervals, a plurality of insulating members that are aligned and housed in the first terminal housing and are fixed to the lower surfaces of the plurality of first connecting terminals, and a connecting member for collectively fixing and electrically connecting the plurality of first connecting terminals to the plurality of second connecting terminals at each contact point by pressing an upper surface of one of the second connecting terminals at an uppermost part of the laminated structure. The plurality of insulating members each have a same shape and size.
US08272884B2	Signal transmission device A signal transmission device is provided. The signal transmission device comprises a linked unit, a data connector, a sliding block, a link and a lock block. The linked unit includes a first shaft, a second shaft, a third shaft, a first elastomer and a second elastomer. The data connector rotates and expands according to the first shaft and the first elastomer. During the retraction of the data connector, the data connector pushes the sliding block. Then the sliding block moves against the lock block so that the lock block rotates according to the second shaft. The lock block rotates to lock and secure the data connector by the lock piece, while a cam of the link moves to a secure location along an incline plane of a track of the sliding block.
US08272882B2	Semiconductor device socket A contact terminal (26ai) comprises: a pair of movable side contact pieces (26M) and (26F) which pinch or release a ball-like electrode portion (DVa) of a semiconductor device (DV); a fixed side terminal (26T) having on one end a contact point (26te) coming into contact with an electrode group (PBE) of a printed wiring board (PB); and a fixing portion (26C) which connects proximal end portions of the pair of elastic movable side contact pieces (26M) and (26F) to the other end of the fixed side terminal (26T). The fixed side terminal (26T) formed into a curved shape is elastic and has the one end thereof joined to the fixing portion (26C). The fixed side terminal (26T) is formed of a plurality of curved portions (26ta, 26tb, 26tc, and 26td) and the contact point (26te) provided continuous with one another.
US08272880B2	Socket and semiconductor device including socket and semiconductor package A socket includes: a circuit board; a plurality of connection terminals disposed on the circuit board; a plurality of contacts each fixed to a corresponding one of the connection terminals, wherein each of the contacts is formed of a conductive elastic member, each of the contacts comprising: a tail portion fixed to the corresponding connection terminal; an extending portion connected to the tail portion and extending in a direction substantially parallel with a surface of the circuit board; a rise portion connected to the extending portion and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the circuit board; and a tip portion connected to the rise portion.
US08272879B2	Planar connector The present invention provides a planar connector having excellent performances including flatness, warp-deformation resistance, and heat resistance, being capable of responding to shape changes in recent planar connectors. Specifically, the planar connector is composed of a composite resin composition comprises (A) a liquid crystalline polymer containing 55% by mole or less of p-hydroxy benzoic acid residue and having a melting point of 330° C. or higher, (B) a plate-like inorganic filler, and (C) a fibrous filler having a weight average fiber length within a range of 250 to 600 μm, the amount of (B) component being 25 to 35% by weight to the total composition, the amount of (C) component being 10 to 25% by weight to the total composition, the sum in total of (B) component and (C) component being 40 to 50% by weight to the total composition, wherein the connector has a lattice structure inside an outer frame, and has an opening inside the lattice area, and wherein the pitch interval of the lattice area is 1.5 mm or less, and the ratio of the thickness of the thickness of the lattice area to the outer frame area is 0.8 or less.
US08272878B2	Distributor connection module for telecommunication and data technology The invention relates to a distribution board connection module (1) for telecommunications and data technology, comprising a trough (2) which is in the form of a U in cross section, the trough (2) being made from metal or metalized plastic and having a base plate (3) and two limbs (4), the base plate (3) having openings, into which first printed circuit board plug-type connectors (5) are inserted, the modules (10) each having a plastic housing, which has a cavity, in which at least one printed circuit board (21) is arranged, the plastic housing having, on its front end side (13, 14), an opening in which at least one printed circuit board plug-type connector (22) is arranged and having, on its rear end side (15, 16), an opening, the modules (10) being plugged onto the limbs (4) of the trough (2) and a printed circuit board plug-type connector (5), which is inserted into the base plate (3) of the trough (2), engaging in the opening of the rear end side (15, 16) of a plugged-on module and making contact with the printed circuit board of the module (10), and to a grounding clip (30) for a module.
US08272872B2	System and method for calculating optimal performance and weight classification A website providing a weight, activity and nutritional program over a network. The website allows users to input an assessment of a subject, which can be used to generate a condition overview and a weight plan for the subject. The weight plan can include minimum weights for the subject, each of the minimum weights being associated with a time. The website can also be used to generate a nutrition plan based on the subject data entered, and to enter and monitor activity data.
US08272871B2	Transfer coping for dental implants A dental implant component includes a distal end that includes a top surface and a proximal end that defines an opening. An inner surface of the component defines an internal cavity. At least one resiliently deflectable prong is disposed in the internal cavity. The prong is configured to releasingly engage a groove formed in a bore of a prosthetic abutment. The component further comprising elongated protrusions positioned within the inner surface configured to engage grooves formed in an inner bore of the abutment.
US08272866B2	Removable orthodontic appliance A removable orthodontic appliance and methods of use and manufacturing of the removable orthodontic appliance for repositioning teeth of an upper jaw or lower jaw are provided. The removable orthodontic appliance comprises a trough shaped arch tray that defines an interstitial space between the sides of the arch tray for accommodating the teeth. The arch tray form fits over the contours of the teeth of the upper jaw or lower jaw from a first molar region through a second molar region. The arch tray extends down the teeth on a labial surface and a lingual surface of the teeth to the gingival areas. One or more arch wires are infused and rigidly anchored within the lingual side of the arch tray. Each of the arch wires comprises a surface pre-infused with a polymeric material for rigidly bonding to the lingual side of the arch tray.
US08272863B2	Bottom of a mould for a mould for producing thermoplastic containers, and moulding device comprising at least one mould provided with such a bottom The invention relates to a bottom of a mold (13) for a mold for producing containers, especially bottles, by blow molding or blow drawing, said containers having a body and a bottom (14) of a container, comprising a peripheral base (15) in the shape of a crown, which is connected on the inside to a central area (16) forming an arch consisting of a plurality of radiating impressions (17) alternating with a plurality of radiating projections which are distributed in an angular and equidistant manner about a central axis (Y) of the bottom (14) of the container. For the molding of the central area (16) of the bottom (14) of the container, the bottom (13) of the mold comprises: a plurality of radiating projecting branches (19) distributed in an angular and equidistant manner, and extending approximatively radially to the axis (X) of the bottom of the mold; a central core (20) comprising a lateral wall (21) to which the branches (19) are connected; and in-between sections (22) forming cores of angular sectors regularly separating said branches from each other. The bottom (13) of the mold is characterized in that each radiating projecting branch (19) has an upper part (23) in the form of an inclined platform which descends from the center towards the periphery with at least two points (24, 25) of inflection of the curve.
US08272860B2	Elliptical tire mold A tire mold having a substantially elliptical base surface and a method for making a tire mold are provided. In one embodiment, a user selects a major axis length for the tire mold, then selects a ratio of the major axis length to a minor axis length. The tire mold is then formed with a substantially elliptical base surface defined by the first major axis and the selected ratio.
US08272855B2	Valve and infusion device having the same Operability and lifespan of a drain valve of an operated infusion device are improved when changing the composition of a transported solution or releasing the pressure. A sealing portion and a shaft portion of the valve are constructed to be separated from each other. The shaft portion is disposed with a through hole having a step. A screw passes through the through hole, such that a screw portion of the screw is screwed to the sealing portion, and on the other hand, a screw head is fastened to the step portion of the through hole of the shaft portion. The sealing portion and the shaft portion can ensure a degree of freedom of rotation while maintaining a fixed position relationship there-between, thereby preventing the sealing portion from falling off and prolonging the lifespan of a valve body.
US08272847B2	Reciprocating compressor The present invention relates to a reciprocating compressor. The reciprocating compressor includes a latching unit by which a piston is reciprocated by two times a total eccentric amount obtained by adding an eccentric amount of an eccentric portion to an eccentric amount of an eccentric sleeve in a power mode, while the piston is reciprocated by two times the eccentric amount of the eccentric portion in a saving mode, accordingly the piston can have an upper dead point same in the power mode and the saving mode, thereby reducing a dead volume between the piston and a discharge valve and increasing a variable ratio of a cooling capacity of the compressor in the saving mode.
US08272839B2	Oscillating energy capture mechanism Multiple pivots are mounted vertically or horizontally within a rotary or stationary support structure or platform. The pivots are interconnected via members, and between these pivots, a flexible sheet of material is suspended. The mechanism operates via oscillation of a flexible sheet that captures the energy in a fluid flow, and converts it into mechanical motion. The interconnected pivots act in synchronization to vary the angle of attack of the flexible sheet, creating low pressure (lift) areas that impart force into the pivots which then move in an oscillating manner, outputting the energy captured to an energy conversion device. An alternate embodiment makes use of anchors and suspension structures that suspend the entire embodiment in the middle of a fluid flow, and enable remote connection to surfaces not immediately near the location of the device.
US08272828B2	Object moving apparatus An object moving apparatus is provided which is different from coordinated conveyance through real-time information exchange between carriages only by wireless communication and which can move an object reliably and in a more stable manner by coordinated control of carriages without the object falling off. Arranged is a leader carriage A with a carriage body 2 travelable in all directions by travel drivers 1 and a lifter 5 attached to the carriage body via a link mechanism 3 for lifting up a vehicle 4 as object. The leader carriage is movable along a given target track. Further arranged is a follower carriage B with a carriage body 2 travelable in all directions and a lifter 5 attached to the carriage body via a link mechanism 3 for lifting up the vehicle 4. The follower carriage estimates and follows movement of the leader carriage so as to move the vehicle 4 in coordination with the leader carriage.
US08272824B1	Apparatus for installing poles for pole buildings An apparatus is provided for facilitating quick and accurate placement of a pole in a post hole for building pole buildings and for holding the post in such position during backfilling, tamping and/or concrete placement in the post hole. A post clamping device holds the post during a time when other adjusting aspects of the present invention can be used to move a post up or down, from side to side in at least two directions, tipping in any direction and rotation about a vertical axis of the post.
US08272811B2	Process for grouting a curtain with polymer A process for grouting a super-thin curtain with polymer, includes: forming a series of V-shaped injecting holes by direct pushing method using a special drilling tool along a dam or dike axis spacedly at a predetermined distance; and injecting a two-component polymer composition into each of the holes, wherein the mixed polymer material expends and coagulates under chemical reaction to form a series of super-thin curtain segments, and the curtain segments connect with each other end to end to form a continuous and impermeable polymer curtain.
US08272805B1	Portable wedge clamp device A portable wedge clamp having both a drive wedge member and a mating base wedge member each formed with generally wedge shaped bodies that are oppositely inclined along a mutually slidable wedge interface. The body of the base wedge member is formed with an external load application surface opposite from the mutual wedge interface, and the body of the drive wedge member is formed with a load reaction surface opposite from the mutual wedge interface. The external load application surface of the base wedge member and the external load reaction surface of the drive wedge member are spaced apart on opposite sides of the mutual wedge interface. Accordingly, the external load application and load reaction surfaces of the respective base wedge and drive wedge member bodies are arranged in a substantially parallel opposing relationship when the base and drive wedge members are slidably juxtaposed along the inclined wedge interface therebetween.
US08272788B2	Optical-path turning device An optical-path turning device is interposed between paired first and second optical components of pin-fitting alignment system that have their optical paths mutually different in direction, for an optic coupling between the optical components, and has a device body 16 of a block shape. The device body 16 includes a first connector portion 11 that has a set of fitting pinholes 11a oriented in correspondence to a set of fitting pinholes of the first optical component, and a connection end face 11b butt-connected with a connection end face of the first optical component, and a second connector portion 12 that has a set of fitting pinholes 12a oriented in correspondence to a set of fitting pinholes of the second optical component, and a connection end face 12b butt-connected with a connection end face of the second optical component, and further includes a set of optical fibers (as optical waveguides) 14 extending from the connection end face 11b of the first connector portion 11 through a flexural portion 14b to the connection end face 12b of the second connector portion 12.
US08272780B1	Multiple-unit thermal test apparatus for electrical devices A system for testing electrical devices under varying thermal conditions is disclosed. The system includes a fixture that comprises two vertically arranged rails, into which horizontally arranged electrical devices are inserted. The rails are in contact with two thermal plates whose temperatures are controlled by controller or controllers. Target temperatures for the two thermal plates are communicated to the controller or controllers, and the electrical output of the electrical devices under test are monitored under varying thermal conditions.
US08272776B2	Method and apparatus for forming an homogeneous mixture of chromatography media in a vessel The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for forming an homogeneous mixture of chromatography media in a vessel. The invention also relates to methods and apparatus for transferring the homogeneous media from the vessel into a second vessel in preparation for packing a chromatography column. The invention can also be used directly to pack the column with homogeneous media.
US08272772B2	Surface illuminating light source device and surface illuminating device Uniform illuminating light is obtained on a surface at a prescribed distance from a radiation surface without increasing the thickness in a light radiation direction by using the light from the light source highly efficiently. A surface illuminating light source device is provided with a light source for radiating light; a light guide body propagating light from the light source and having a radiation surface at a prescribed position in the radiation direction; a casing closing the light guide body except the radiation surface and having the light source arranged substantially at the center; an inner reflection section arranged between the casing and the light guide body and having a reflection surface which reflects light propagating inside the light guide body; and a radiation side reflection section having an outer reflection section which is arranged on the radiation surface and has a reflection surface that reflects light propagating inside the light guide body at a prescribed rate and an opening section which is formed on the outer reflection section and through which reflection light reflected at least once on one of the reflection surfaces among the light from the light source passes.
US08272770B2	TIR switched flat panel display A flat panel display uses pixels that are turned on or off by the enabling or disabling total internal reflection, TIR, of a light guide. A reflective surface directs the switched light towards the viewer. An optional mask can be employed to provide extremely high contrast ratios in low and in high ambient lighting conditions. The elements that enable TIR can be enabled quickly because of their small size and weight, resulting in a very fast switching speed. The fast switching speed allows colors to be generated and displayed in a sequential manner.
US08272750B2	Projection-type image display apparatus A projection-type image display apparatus that projects an image onto a screen and includes a laser light source, an optical engine, a projection lens, and a control unit. The laser light source includes a plurality of light source units that respectively emit laser beams of different wavelengths. The optical engine combines the laser beams received from the light source and forms an image. An optical sensor is arranged in the optical engine to detect a physical property of a uniformly-scattered laser beam and outputs a physical property signal indicative of the detected physical property to the control unit. The control unit controls output powers of the light source units based on the physical property signal.
US08272744B2	LED package having improved light coupling efficiency for an optical system and method of manufacture thereof One aspect of an LED package, which is covered by this disclosure, includes at least two LED emitters located on a substrate wherein each of the at least two LED emitters forms an emitting area. The emitting area is substantially equal to a reflective area of the LED package, and the LED package has an optical axis that is substantially non-parallel to an optical axis of each of the at least two LED emitters.
US08272741B2	Cataract detection eye chart An eye chart uses a series of sinusoidal lines spaced at intervals selected to discriminate between normal vision and vision impaired by the presence of a cataract. Groups of sinusoidal lines have progressively different distances between the series with one series representing normal vision with the space between the lines growing progressively further apart to indicate the advancement of the cataract. A user counts the number of lines of the group that is clearly distinct. A user with normal vision will be able to count the number of lines, while a person with cataracts will require the space between the lines to be further apart in order to count depending on the stage of cataract development. A light source may be used to indicate night vision problems. A user can record the progression of the cataracts by tracking any changes over time. Different shapes and letters may be used.
US08272740B2	Device and method for calibrating retinoscopes A device for calibrating retinoscopes for diverging and/or converging streak and spot retinoscopy and a method for calibrating retinoscopes to produce a given convergence or divergence of light emitted from the retinoscope from a fixed retinoscopic working distance to produce a predetermined pupillary reflex endpoint at neutralization of a refractive error, thereby resulting in a more accurate corrective eye prescriptions and evaluation of the visual system.
US08272722B2	Ink cartridges, ink supply systems, and image recording apparatus An ink cartridge includes a case defining an ink chamber therein, in which the ink chamber is configured to store ink therein, and the case comprises a particular wall having an opening formed therethough. The ink cartridge also includes an ink supply portion configured to dispense ink from an interior of the ink chamber to an exterior of the ink chamber, and a sealing portion positioned at the particular wall. A predetermined portion of the sealing portion is configured to selectively cover a first portion of the opening. Moreover, the ink cartridge includes a protrusion positioned at the particular wall, in which the protrusion is configured to selectively cover a second portion of the opening, and a predetermined portion of the protrusion is configured to be selectively connected to the predetermined portion of the sealing portion. When a predetermined amount of force is applied to the protrusion in a predetermined direction the protrusion is configured to move from a first position in which the predetermined portion of the protrusion is connected to the predetermined portion of the sealing portion to a second position in which the predetermined portion of the protrusion is separated from the predetermined portion of the sealing portion to uncover at least a portion of the second portion of the opening.
US08272720B2	Storage device for storing liquid container and liquid container for use with the same A storage device includes a case configured to mount a liquid container. The storage device includes: a lever configured to move among a first position, a second position, and a third position between the first position and the second position; a first member movable between a protruding position to restrict an insertion of the liquid container at a particular position, and a retracted position that allows the liquid container to be inserted to a mounted position; a link member configured to change the position of the first member from the protruding position to the retracted position when the lever moves from the first position to the third position; and a second member. When a liquid container which is pre-assigned to the case is inserted into the case, the second member allows a positional change of the lever from the first position to the third position.
US08272718B2	Image forming apparatus having recording head An image forming apparatus includes a recording head having nozzles for ejecting droplets, a liquid tank that stores liquid to be supplied to the recording head, a first channel member connected to the recording head, a second channel member connected to the liquid tank, a pressure regulation valve including an internal channel that connects the first channel member to the second channel member, a third channel member connecting the pressure regulation valve to one of the second channel member and the liquid tank, and a liquid feed unit disposed on the third channel member to feed the liquid. The pressure regulation valve changes a fluid resistance of the internal channel of the pressure regulation valve in response to a flow amount of the liquid passing through the first channel member and, as liquid droplets are ejected from the nozzles, the liquid feed unit feeds the liquid from the liquid tank to the recording head with the recording head in communication with the liquid tank via the pressure regulation valve.
US08272714B2	Printing spittoon A print spittoon is removably mounted in a slot of a print support to periodically receive drops of liquid spit from a printhead. Among other features, the spittoon includes a portion of an absorbent sheet provided a location recessed from a surface of the print support.
US08272709B2	Reducing vertical banding A method for reducing vertical banding of a printed image, the method performed by a control system associated with a printer, the method includes, with the control system, adjusting the spacing between which ink droplets are fired from ink nozzles of the printer as the ink nozzles move in relation to a substrate. A printing apparatus includes a platen and a carriage including a number of ink nozzles, the carriage being configured to move across a substrate placed on top of the platen; and a control system configured to adjust the spacing between which ink droplets are fired from ink nozzles of the printer as the ink nozzles move in relation to a substrate.
US08272703B2	Home-bar door and the manufacturing method Provided is a home-bar door and a method of manufacturing the home-bar door. The home-bar door includes a first case, an insulating plate, and a second case. The first case forms a portion of an exterior of the home-bar door, and the insulating plate is disposed in the first case as a separate component. The second case is configured to be coupled to the first case to cover the insulating plate and form the exterior of the home-bar door. Therefore, since the first and second cases can be coupled to each other after disposing the insulating plate between the first and second cases, the home-bar door can be efficiently manufactured and have good quality.
US08272697B2	Inward hanging method and vehicle seat A trim cover is inwardly hung into inward hanging grooves of a vehicle seat. The vehicle seat includes a cushion pad having right and left bank faces. A number of workpieces are cut out. Portions of the cut out workpieces are gathered. There portions correspond to lateral inward hanging ends located at lateral end portions of inward hanging margins of the cut out workpieces. The gathered portions are sewn so as to curve, into inward hanging directions, the inward hanging margin portions of the workpieces thereby contracting obverse surface materials of the workpieces. Inward hanging members are mounted to the trim cover. the inward hanging members are inserted into longitudinal inward hanging grooves. Fasteners engage the inward hanging members and engagement members of the cushion pad.
US08272695B2	Hinge assembly There is disclosed herein a hinge assembly comprising a mandrel having a longitudinal axis. A first arm is rotationally fixed relative to the mandrel and extends from one end of the mandrel generally transverse to the longitudinal axis. A second arm is rotatably connected relative to the mandrel about the longitudinal axis and extends from the opposite end of the mandrel generally transverse to the longitudinal axis. A coil spring is sleeved over and snugly surrounds the mandrel. Relative rotation of the first arm and the second arm in an opposite direction tightens the spring around the mandrel. Tightening of the spring generates resistance to relative rotation of the first arm and the second arm.
US08272693B2	Tension mechanism for a weight-responsive chair A weight-responsive chair is provided which has a weight-activated mechanism that resists rearward tilting of a chair back upright while also effecting lifting of a rear portion of the seat to counteract the rearward tilt forces. The weight-activated mechanism includes a spring package connected between the chair frame and back upright which provides for ready mounting of same to the chair frame. Further, the rear seat portion is connected in lifting engagement with the upright but also includes independent suspension for the center of the rear seat portion to allow for independent movement and flexing thereof to improve comfort for the chair occupant.
US08272692B1	Office chair having tiltable seat and back A chair that includes a support module, a seat carrier, an initially forwardly declined seat member articulated to the seat carrier such as by being pivotal along a front, and an initially rearwardly angled backrest carrier having a backrest member, the carrier articulated to the seat carrier such as by being pivotal along a lower end. The angular positions of the seat and backrest member are largely controlled via an actuator arm and adjustable spring arrangement, wherein the actuator arm directly links the seat member to the backrest carrier and the spring arrangement returns the backrest carrier and seat member to initial positions when a weighted load is lessened or removed from the rear of the seat member. A pneumatic cylinder to provide resistance to the seat member, a limiter to limit a maximum and minimum angular position of the seat member, adjustable arm rests, and casters may be included.
US08272684B2	Folding swivel chair A swiveling folding chair is provided. The chair includes a fabric seat; a plurality of legs; a primary control tree having a first control shaft and having first, second, third, and fourth collars mounted on the control shaft. The legs are each attached to the first control collar, and, support arms are each attached to the second control collar and to the fabric seat. Elongate support members are each attached at one end to one of the legs and at the other end to the fourth control collar. Elongate brace members are each attached at one end to one of the arms and at the other end to the third control collar. The second control collar rotates about the first control collar so the seat rotates independently of the legs. The seat and legs fold into a stowed orientation.
US08272683B2	Vehicle roof assembly A vehicle roof assembly includes a vehicle roof structure, an accessory frame and a moveable member. The vehicle roof structure includes a first roof section with a mounting slot and a second roof section with a mounting structure. The accessory frame includes a first frame end that includes a mounting flange, and a second frame end that includes a complementary mounting structure. The mounting flange engages the mounting slot to couple the accessory frame to the vehicle roof structure and to enable the accessory frame to pivot relative to the vehicle roof structure between a pre-installation position and an installed position where the complementary mounting structure engages the mounting structure. The movable member is coupled to the accessory frame and moves between a first position proximate to one of the first and second frame ends, and a second position proximate to the other of the first and second frame ends.
US08272681B2	Process for producing a locally hardened profile component, locally hardened profile component and use of a locally hardened profile component A process for producing a profile component from a semi-finished sheet metal part, which at least in certain sections has a structurally increased strength. The semi-finished sheet metal part is formed in an at least a single-stage bending process. The bending process and also subsequent parting and cutting operations on the semi-finished sheet metal part are combined with a thermal treatment of at least one geometrically delineated region of the semi-finished sheet metal part. The thermal treatment comprises at least one heating step and is combined with a subsequent cooling step, in such a way that the at least one geometrically delineated region has a structurally increased strength after cooling. Bending can be effected by using roller profiling wherein rollers are preferably cooled or swage bending.
US08272680B2	Aerodynamic drag reducing apparatus An aerodynamic drag reducing apparatus for use with vehicles having downstream surfaces that are not streamlined. The apparatus includes folding panels that extend rearward for use in a drag reducing configuration and collapse for use in a space saving configuration.

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