US07822026B2
A transit device and system that include a first link configured to receive a plurality of packets, and a second link communicatively coupled to the first link via a slow protocol filter. The plurality of packets include a first type of packet (e.g., data packets) and a second type of packet (e.g., slow protocol control packets). The transit device also includes a slow protocol filter that couples the first link to the second link, with the slow protocol filter being coupled to a local slow protocol client (e.g., local host CPU). Moreover, the slow protocol filter is configured to receive the plurality of packets from the first link, and to determine whether each of the plurality of packets is of the first type or the second type. The slow protocol filter also is configured to transmit each of the plurality of packets that are of the first type to the second link, and to transmit each of the plurality of packets that are the second type to the local slow protocol client. The slow protocol filter is also configured to transmit packets of second type sourced by the local slow protocol client (local host CPU) to either the first or the second link based on the destination address. Thus slow protocol filter offers data path between two remote peers and the local host for exchange of commands and responses.
US07822019B2
A communications session directed at a group of contact centers is held outside the contact centers at an IVR server, while the requirements of the session are determined. A request is formulated specifying the requirements, and this request is sent to a web services provider agent exposed by the group of contact centers. The request is forwarded to the contact centers which collectively respond with an identification of an address associated with a specific endpoint to which the communications session should be sent in order that it will receive the specified handling. The IVR server holding the call can thereby direct the session to a suitable endpoint without having any need to remain aware of the state of the contact centers or the agents within those centers.
US07822018B2
Included are embodiments of a method for recording in an Internet Protocol (IP) environment. At least one embodiment includes receiving data related to a communication, generating a copied version of at least a portion of the received data, and modifying the copied version of the received data. Other embodiments include sending at least a portion of the modified copied version of the received data to a recording device.
US07822011B2
Synchronization of downlink streaming data is performed by estimating the likelihood of an underflow or an overflow in an output buffer upon receipt of each encoded data frame to determine if synchronization will be needed. After each encoded data frame is decoded it is then synchronized if the estimate indicated synchronization would be needed. Synchronization of uplink steaming data is performed by estimating the likelihood of an underflow or an overflow in an input buffer upon sending of each encoded data frame to an output modem for transmission to determine if synchronization will be needed. If needed, synchronization will be performed later on a portion of data samples taken from the input buffer that are used to form a frame of un-encoded data samples.
US07822007B2
The present invention relates to a transmitter in a frequency division multiple access communication system. The transmitter generates a plurality of pilot symbols, and groups the plurality of pilot symbols into a plurality of groups according to a location of a subcarrier. In addition, the transmitter inverse fast Fourier transforms the pilot symbol in each group, and sequentially outputs a first pilot symbol sequence corresponding to each group. The transmitter generates a plurality of pilot blocks respectively corresponding to the plurality of groups, and converts the first pilot symbol sequence of each group into a second pilot symbol sequence of a corresponding pilot block among the plurality of pilot blocks.
US07822001B2
The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for forwarding and/or addressing a packet in a wireless network, wherein an address information of a protocol layer lower than a network layer is added to the packet, which address information indicates the geographical location of a destination node and which can be changed during forwarding of the packet through said wireless network. The packet is then forwarded within the wireless network based on a difference between the geographical location of a present node and the destination node. This location based addressing makes packet forwarding easier in dynamic mesh networks, because each node (10) can decide into which direction to forward incoming packets based only on the information in the packet header and its own location.
US07822000B2
A method for allowing time multiplexing in a wireless network comprising two or more access port and a wireless switch includes receiving a time ordered sequence comprising a plurality of time slots from the wireless switch. Next, the signals are transmitted according to the time ordered sequence. In another embodiment, an access port used in a wireless network that includes a wireless switch comprises a transceiver operable to receive a time ordered sequence comprising a plurality of time slots calculated by the wireless switch. Further the access port comprises a plurality of antennas coupled to an antenna selector; the antenna selector configured to couple selectively the transceiver with at least one of the plurality of antennas based at least in part on the time ordered sequence.
US07821995B2
An active session mobility solution for radio link protocol (RLP) in accordance with the present invention defines two RLP migrations states. A first state is defined as a forward-link RLP state and depicts the communication of data from a home agent to an access terminal in an IP network. A second state is defined as a reverse-link RLP state and depicts the communication of data from the access terminal to the home agent in the IP network. In one embodiment of the seamless active session mobility solution for RLP in accordance with the present invention, a two-stage RLP transfer process for the migration of the two defined states from a source to a target is implemented. In a first stage, the forward-link RLP state is transferred from a source to a target. In a second stage, frame selection and the reverse-link RLP are transferred from the source to the target.
US07821994B2
Member nodes of a wireless point-to-multipoint (PMP) network may participate in mobile ad hoc (MANET) or mesh communications with other nodes on the same channels used by the network for PMP communications. A PMP network base station node transmits a downlink signal defining a downlink map for scheduling first time periods for transmitting messages to subscriber station nodes, and an uplink map for scheduling second time periods allowing a subscriber station node to transmit messages to the base station node in a scheduled second time period. A MANET/mesh zone is allocated in either or both the downlink and the uplink maps, each zone operating to reserve one or more time slots and channels in which the base station and other nodes may communicate using a MANET/mesh protocol, thus avoiding interference with communications that are being conducted between the base and the subscriber station nodes under the PMP protocol.
US07821992B2
Improvements to the High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) scheme have been made. Among the three main aspects, providing Optimized Rate Request Reporting, providing Signaling for Lower Delay Delivery, and providing a MAC-e PDU Format for Control Information, the Signaling for Lower Delay Delivery may be considered as the main improvement, while the other two aspects can be supplementary improvements.
US07821987B2
A wireless wide area network (WWAN) mobile gateway is configured to execute a selected communication protocol from a plurality of communication protocols to communicate with a connected WWAN modem card connected through a WWAN device interface. The connected WWAN modem card is one of a plurality of WWAN modem cards where each of the WWAN modem cards is configured to communicate using one of the plurality of communication protocols and includes a WWAN transceiver for exchanging WWAN signals with a WWAN communication system.
US07821983B2
The present invention discloses a comprehensive dynamic management scheme of HS-DSCH channel codes, which comprises the steps of: determining a remainder HS-DSCH channel resource of a system when a new HS-DSCH bearer service request is received; calculating a required HS-DSCH channel resource for the new service request; comparing the current system remainder HS-DSCH channel resource with the required HS-DSCH channel resource for the new service request; determining whether there is a need to add new HS-DSCH channel codes based on comparison results, assigning new codes or switching the service request into DCH channel for data transmission in accordance with the actual usage of the current code tree; when the existing HS-DSCH bearer service is completed, calculating a current system HS-DSCH channel resource usage ratio and hysteresis then comparing it with a predefined threshold, and determining whether there is a need to withdraw channel codes based on the results of comparison. The dynamic resource management scheme according to the present invention is well suited for application to future HSDPA technology as the technology is broadly spreading by radio resource management algorithms of radio network controller.
US07821978B2
A mechanism and method for initiating a packet-based service session in a public mobile communication system, especially a service session for a group of users are disclosed. In order to accomplish a service initiation even if the terminals of the users are in a disconnected state with respect to the packet-switched domain of the mobile communication system, a triggering message is sent from one user terminal to the other terminals of the group. The triggering message includes information about a packet-based service session to be started, and it may be a message that can be sent via the mobile communication system to a mobile terminal that is in a disconnected state with respect to the packet-switched domain. In response to the reception of the triggering message, the other terminals are brought to a state allowing reception of packets belonging to the packet-based service session. When necessary, this feature involves establishing a connection from the other terminals to the packet-switched domain.
US07821973B2
A system comprises a first host bus adapter (HBA) that uses a first context to facilitate the transmission of packets through a logical connection through the first HBA. The system also comprises a second HBA and memory in which the first context is stored. The memory is accessible by both of the first and second HBAs. Upon receiving a packet associated with the logical connection, the second HBA accesses the memory to use the first context to process the packet in accordance with the first context.
US07821971B2
The present invention provides a protection providing method in a network configuration having a customer edge apparatus redundantly connected to a first provider edge apparatus and a second provider edge apparatus for setting a primary provider edge apparatus and a secondary provider edge apparatus with the customer edge apparatus. The first provider edge apparatus transmits a first signaling message received when establishing a pseudowire to the customer edge apparatus. The second provider edge apparatus also transmits a second signaling message received when establishing a pseudowire to the customer edge apparatus. The customer edge apparatus compares the first and second signaling messages and sets the primary provider edge apparatus and the secondary provider edge apparatus.
US07821969B2
An apparatus and method for preventing the disruption of Fibre Channel Fabrics caused by ReConfigure Fabric (RCF) messages is disclosed. The apparatus includes a storage area network and a plurality of Fibre Channel Switches arranged in a Fabric. Each of the plurality of Switches includes logic to selectively configure their Ports to either reject or accept RCF messages. When configured to reject RCF messages, the Switch Port that receives an RCF message will generate a reject message along with a reason code explanation “E_Port Isolated”, and then transition into an Isolated state. When the Switch that generated the RCF message receives the reject message, its Port also transition into the Isolated state. In accordance with the method of the present invention, either a Storage Service Provider or a client can access the Switches of the Fabric through either a command line interpreter or a management application. Once access to the Fabric is established, the logic of the Ports of the Switches can be selectively configured to reject or accept RCF messages as described above.
US07821948B2
A method for monitoring a point-to-multipoint unidirectional multicast connection via exchange of OAM messages is presented. The method includes retrieving the connection record of the multicast connection from a network management system repository and determining common parent path points between the root and a selected path branch endpoint. In turning on content conveyance monitoring for a termination other than the root, the termination specific uncommon portion of the transport path is segmented if necessary, OAM compliant managed path segments are identified, and OAM configuration commands to turn on OAM functionality are issued only to uncommon path segment endpoints. In turning off content conveyance monitoring for a termination other than the root, a single OAM configuration command to turn off OAM functionality is issued only for the path branch endpoint, or if the uncommon portion of the transport path associated with the no longer participating termination is segmented, OAM configuration commands to turn off OAM functionality are issued only to uncommon path segment endpoints. Advantages are derived from a centralized multicast connection that is configurable in real-time, and reduced signaling overhead as OAM configuration commands are sent only to relevant uncommon managed path segment endpoints as needed.
US07821946B2
Each node of a telecommunications network determines a connection type attributes available for each signal type supported by the node. Each signal type represents a different connection routing layer within the telecommunications network. Adaptation costs involved in traversing from one connection routing layer to another connection routing layer in the node are calculated. The connection type attributes and adaptation costs are included in a link state advertisement broadcasted by each node in the telecommunications network. A route calculation is performed for a desired signal to determine a route through the telecommunications network for the signal. The route calculation takes into account the various connection type attributes, availability, and adaptation costs in determining the shortest route for the signal through the telecommunications network.
US07821944B2
A method for managing packet traffic in a data processing network includes collecting data indicative of the amount of packet traffic traversing each of the links in the network's interconnect. The collected data includes source and destination information indicative of the source and destination of corresponding packets. A heavily used links are then identified from the collected data. Packet data associated with the heavily used link is then analyzed to identify a packet source and packet destination combination that is a significant contributor to the packet traffic on the heavily used link. In response, a process associated with the identified packet source and packet destination combination is migrated, such as to another node of the network, to reduce the traffic on the heavily used link. In one embodiment, an agent installed on each interconnect switch collects the packet data for interconnect links connected to the switch.
US07821937B1
Various embodiments of a network protocol that utilizes a congestion control algorithm that distinguishes between congestion loss and damage loss are described. In response to a packet loss on a network, a delay-based detection algorithm may be performed based on RTT (Round-Trip Time) information to determine whether the network is congested. If the delay-based detection algorithm does not determine that the network is congested then a consistency-based detection algorithm may be performed based on packet loss rate information. If either the delay-based detection algorithm or the consistency-based detection algorithm determine that the network is congested then the rate of data transmission may be reduced, e.g., by reducing a congestion window size.
US07821929B2
A system and method are provided for providing access communications between customer locations and a core network service edge. Access flows are handled as carrier-tagged flows through a packet switched network comprising network elements that interpret and manipulate carrier tag values associated with traffic-bearing data frames. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a discard eligibility indication may be provided with the data frames.
US07821920B2
A flushing processing unit and method of a switching device in a network using Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). The method includes determining, by a switching device, whether there is a failure link; when there is the failure link, determining, by the switching device, which one of a root port and a designated port connects to the failure link; when it is determined that the root port connects to the failure link, changing, by the switching device, a filtering database and changing port information of a host address registered to the root port into preset alternate port information; and sending, by the switching device, a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) message through an alternate port.
US07821912B2
A recording medium includes a substrate having a microscopic pattern, which includes a shape of continuous substance of approximately parallel grooves formed with a convex shaped section and a concave shaped section alternating on a surface of the substrate. A recording layer is formed on the microscopic pattern and a light transmitting layer has a thickness of 0.05 mm to 0.12 mm formed on the recording layer. The microscopic pattern satisfies a relation of P≦λ/NA, wherein P is a pitch of the convex shaped section, λ is a wavelength of a reproducing light beam and NA is a numerical aperture of an objective lens. The microscopic pattern also includes modulated address information formed on both side walls of the convex shaped section viewed from the light transmitting layer as a wobble, both the side walls being parallel to each other, and furthermore wherein the address information is modulated by the phase-shift keying modulation system. A reproducing apparatus is particularly suited for the recording medium.
US07821905B2
An optical pickup device is disclosed. The device includes: a light source that emits a light beam of a predetermined wavelength of about 405 nm; an objective lens being a plastic lens provided with, on at least one surface, diffraction means of a zone diffractive structure suppressing generation of aberration to be caused by a temperature change, and has a numerical aperture of 0.82 or larger for gathering the light beam emitted from the light source with respect to an optical disk; and a collimator lens disposed between the light source and the objective lens, and derives a substantially-collimated light by converting an angle of divergence of the light beam emitted from the light source.
US07821903B2
An optical pickup device has a first light source and a second light source each adapted for outputting a laser beam of a predetermined wavelength, a photodetector for detecting an intensity of the laser beam outputted from the first light source or the second light source to control the power of the laser beam to be outputted from the first light source or the second light source, a wideband quarter wavelength plate for converting the laser beam outputted from the first light source or the second light source into a circularly polarized laser beam, and a first rise-up mirror and a second rise-up mirror for guiding a P-polarized component in the laser beam converted by the wideband quarter wavelength plate to the photodetector, and guiding an S-polarized component in the laser beam different from the P-polarized component to an optical recording medium. With this arrangement, provided are an optical pickup device and an optical recording medium driving device capable of accurately controlling the power of the light source.
US07821898B2
Techniques are described that can be used to store information onto a holographic storage medium. Techniques are described that can be used to access information from a holographic storage medium. Multiple beam sources and multiple detectors can be used to store and/or read information. At least one detector can be available to read information available from a beam reflected from the medium. Multiple read and/or write operations may take place at substantially the same time.
US07821893B2
The present invention relates to a method for analyzing abnormal regions on an optical recording medium. The method includes the steps of: detecting the abnormal region; determining the type of the abnormal region; and measuring the length of the abnormal region. Before playback or recording of an optical recording medium inserted in an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media the apparatus determines the positions, lengths and types of abnormal regions on the optical recording medium. The obtained information can then be used, for example, to avoid that during playback or recording a pickup for reading and/or recording unexpectedly encounters an abnormal region. This makes the operation of the apparatus more reliable.
US07821891B2
An optical disc apparatus may write information to an optical disc by forming a mark and a space on the optical disc. The optical disc apparatus may include a write stopping unit, a deviation calculating unit, and a write strategy correction unit. The write stopping unit may temporarily stop writing of information to the optical disc at a predetermined time. The deviation calculating unit may obtain a deviation value of written information just before writing of information is stopped by the write stopping unit. The write strategy correcting unit may correct a write strategy based on the deviation and the previously-stored inherent variation. Writing of information to the optical disc may be restarted using the corrected write strategy.
US07821884B2
Provided is a recording and retrieval apparatus for a multi-layer optical disk. A multi-layer optical disk in which a plurality of recording layers and a single servo layer are combined to form a set is used. A spot for the servo layer and a spot for the recording layers are turned on in a time-sharing manner. Servo signal detection areas are formed discretely in the servo layer. The servo signal detection areas and data recording areas are provided so as not to overlap each other when viewed from the spot incident side. Thus, separation of data from each of the layers can be done by even a single photodetector without interference.
US07821872B2
A method for transmitting an ultrasonic wave is disclosed. The method includes: selecting a first combination of transmission elements from among multiple transmission elements, wherein the first combination of transmission elements includes at least two transmission elements adjacent to each other; and vibrating the transmission surfaces of the first combination of transmission elements in a substantially same phase to transmit the ultrasonic wave with a first directivity. The first directivity is different from a second directivity of the ultrasonic wave transmitted from single transmission element.
US07821869B2
Improved methods of processing seismic data which comprise amplitude data assembled in the offset-time domain in which primary reflection signals and noise overlap are provided for. The methods include the step of enhancing the separation between primary reflection signals and coherent noise by transforming the assembled data from the offset-time domain to the time-slowness domain. More specifically, the assembled amplitude data are transformed from the offset-time domain to the time-slowness domain using a Radon transformation according to an index j of the slowness set and a sampling variable Δp; wherein j = p max - p min + 1 µ sec / m Δ p , Δp is from about 0.5 to about 4.0 μsec/m, pmax is a predetermined maximum slowness, and pmin is a predetermined minimum slowness. Alternately, an offset weighting factor xn is applied to the assembled amplitude data, wherein 0
US07821867B2
A semiconductor memory device includes a plurality of address pads, a plurality of data pads, a mode entry controlling unit configured to control the entry to a data masking mode in response to a write command signal and signals inputted through predetermined pads among the plurality of address pads, a signal classifying unit configured to classify signals inputted sequentially and in parallel through the plurality of address pads into column address signals and data masking signals in response to an output signal of the mode entry controlling unit and a write latency signal, and a pad masking signal generating unit configured to generate pad masking signals to control the masking of data inputted through the plurality of data pads, where the pad masking signals are generated by converting the data masking signals in response to the output signal of the mode entry controlling unit.
US07821866B1
The invention has a bootstrapped high voltage pass gate transistor that couples the low voltage sense amplifier to the bitlines. Since the pass gate transistor is bootstrapped its gate floats to the high voltage of the power supply (VCC) plus a delta voltage. This overdrives the pass gate transistor and allows it to pass signals between the sense amplifier and the bitlines with low impedance. This results in good sense differential margins and fast read speeds. The circuit has a pass gate control circuit that places a negative high voltage signal on the gate of the pass gate during non-volatile write operations. This causes the pass gate to isolate the low voltage circuit from the high voltage circuits during this operation. Finally, the circuit is smaller than earlier column multiplexer circuits.
US07821859B1
A current sense amplifier can include an active load circuit having a first load device and second load device coupled in parallel to a first power supply node. A first load device and second load device can provide an impedance that varies according to a potential at a load control node. A reference current circuit can be coupled between the first load device and a second power supply node that includes a current reference section that provides an impedance according to a bias voltage. A data current circuit can be coupled between the second load device and a plurality of memory cells. An adaptive bias circuit can be coupled between the first power supply and the second power supply node and can include a bias section coupled to the load control node that provides an impedance according to the bias voltage.
US07821848B2
A flash memory including a first latch having at least one external input to receive at least one command, at least one memory address, and a plurality of data bits, a command decoder coupled to the first latch output; a command latch including a first command latch input, a second command latch input, and a command latch output, the first command latch input to couple to the command decoder output, and the second command latch input to couple to a write command output of an internal clock control generator; and a command register including a first command register input and a second command register input, the first command register input to couple to the command latch output, and the second command register input to couple to an internal latch command output of the internal clock control generator. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.
US07821829B2
A transistor is arranged for electrically isolating a sense amplifier formed of a thin film transistor from a data line electrically coupled to the sense amplifier. When a write driver drives the data line, a control signal is applied to isolate the data line from the sense amplifier.
US07821825B2
A method of programming a flash memory includes applying a shielding voltage to at least one shielding line, which is interposed between a plurality of wordlines and a selection line and operable to reduce capacitance-coupling between the wordline and the selection line during the programming operation, and applying a program voltage to memory cells through one of the wordlines.
US07821824B2
A semiconductor integrated circuit has a central processing unit and a rewritable nonvolatile memory area disposed in an address space of the central processing unit. The nonvolatile memory area has a first nonvolatile memory area and a second nonvolatile memory area, which memorize information depending on the difference of threshold voltages. The first nonvolatile memory area has the maximum variation width of a threshold voltage for memorizing information set larger than that of the second nonvolatile memory area. When the maximum variation width of the threshold voltage for memorizing information is larger, since stress to a memory cell owing to a rewrite operation of memory information becomes larger, it is inferior in a point of guaranteeing the number of times of rewrite operation; however, since a read current becomes larger, a read speed of memory information can be expedited. The first nonvolatile memory area can be prioritized to expedite a read speed of the memory information and the second nonvolatile memory area can be prioritized to guarantee the number of times of rewrite operation of memory information.
US07821817B2
In a semiconductor storage device including a transistor for reading port, undesired voltage decrease may occur in a bit line in a reading operation due to a leak current from the transistor for reading port of a memory cell, which may cause a reading error. A semiconductor storage device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a third transistor having one of a source and a drain connected to a first bit line and switching supply of a ground voltage performed on the first bit line in accordance with a value held in a memory cell according to selection and non-selection of the memory cell, and a fixed voltage keeping circuit keeping a potential of the other of the source and the drain of the third transistor to a fixed potential in a memory cell non-selected state in a six-transistor SRAM.
US07821809B2
A nonvolatile memory device including one resistor and one transistor. The resistor may correspond to a resistance layer electrically connected to a first impurity region and a second impurity region of the transistor.
US07821804B2
In a large scale integrated DRAM in pursuit of micro fabrication, data line-word line coupling capacitances are unbalanced between paired data lines. An imbalance in data line-word line means generation of large noise when the data lines are subjected to amplification, which is highly likely invite deterioration of very small signals on the data lines and erroneous amplification of data. One or a few each of a plurality of word lines connected to a plurality of memory cells connected to one data line are alternately connected to subword driver arrays arranged on the opposing sides of a memory array. Positive and negative word line noise components cancel each other in the subword drivers when the data lines are subjected to amplification, so that the word line noise can be reduced. Therefore, signals read out by sense amplifiers can be prevented from deterioration thereby to increase the reliability of memory operation.
US07821802B2
A power converter directly converting an AC voltage into an AC voltage of any desired magnitude and frequency by turning bidirectional switches ON and OFF without employing any energy buffer, where the peak values of output phase voltage command values are limited, to bring the amplitude of an output line voltage to, at most, 0.866 times the amplitude of the supply line voltages. By way of example, the peak-value limit of the output phase voltage command values is set so that the maximum value of the output phase voltage command values becomes, at most, 0.75 times the maximum value of supply phase voltages, while the minimum value thereof becomes, at least, 0.75 times the minimum value of the supply phase voltages. This control method for the direct power converter dispenses with an expensive dedicated motor, and permits a reduction in cost of the control apparatus as a whole.
US07821788B2
A heat dissipation device for dissipating heat from a plug-in electronic component, such as a memory is provided. The heat dissipation device includes a base frame, a moving frame, and a retaining cover. The base frame is disposed at one side of the electronic component. The moving frame is movably mounted on the base frame. A heat dissipation fan is mounted on the retaining cover, and the retaining cover is also movably mounted on the moving frame. In this manner, the heat dissipation fan has at least a retraction position where the heat dissipation fan is not overlaid above the electronic components so as to plug or remove the electronic component, and a heat dissipation position where the heat dissipation fan dissipates heat from the corresponding electronic component. Furthermore, the heat dissipation position changes in accordance with actual heat dissipation requirements, thereby providing an optimal heat dissipation mode.
US07821787B2
A system (50) for cooling a target element (56) includes a structure (52) having an opening (62) extending through the layer (52), a pumping device (32) positioned behind the structure (52), and a target element (56) positioned in front of the structure (52). Transducers (58, 60) are positioned at opposing ends (74, 76) of the opening (62) between the structure (52) and the target element (56). The pumping device (32) drives a jet (70) of coolant through the opening (62) toward the target element (56). The transducers (58, 60) produce output signals (84, 86) that perturb the jet (70) to control oscillation of the jet (70) in order to stabilize the jet (70) for impingement with a predetermined location (96) on the target element (56). The jet (70) uniformly spreads from the location (96) to provide cooling over a surface (100) of the target element (56).
US07821784B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic apparatus includes a housing, a battery pack, an ODD unit having a thickness smaller than the battery pack, and an additional device contained in the housing. The battery pack is arranged in a back section of the housing. The ODD unit is arranged to be one-sidedly shifted to a front section in the housing, and includes a front end portion opposed to the front section, and a back end portion opposed to the battery pack. The additional device is away from the front end portion of the ODD unit, and overlaps the back end portion of the ODD unit in the vertical direction.
US07821780B2
A dual screen presentation notebook having components that are integrally connected together to allow easy viewing of presentation materials without the users having to sit side by side craning their necks close together facing the same direction but instead can face opposite one another. When the dual screen presentation notebook is switched on, users can either (i) view identical or mirror images of the presentation materials or (ii) different images on the two monitor screens. The dual screen presentation notebook can be easily converted into a tablet computer and can also be used for other applications such as viewing electronic book, electronic photograph and images, videos, movies, etc.
US07821776B2
An electrical meter is provided that includes a cover configured for securement onto a base. The meter includes features that resist meter tampering, and features that provide evidence of meter tampering.
US07821762B2
With a piezoelectric transformer formed of a ferroelectric element which generates a high voltage in a secondary section upon application of an AC voltage to a primary section, ground electrodes are attached to upper and lower surfaces of the secondary section of the piezoelectric transformer via a dielectric sheet for insulation in tight contact therewith such that a dielectric barrier discharge occurs around the ground electrodes to generate positive and negative ions, and an air flow is injected from an air nozzle to flow toward a neutralized subject across the ground electrodes.
US07821760B2
A counter electromotive force prevention unit for batteries is provided that can prevent occurrence of noise due to the counter electromotive force generated by loads of a battery and turning on and off of the charging generator, that can suppress noise emanating from the car audio speakers which are electrical equipment and malfunctioning of electronic equipment, and that can be easily attached to an existing battery. A blocking diode (104) and a fuse (105) that fuses with overcurrent are serially connected between the positive lead wire (102) and negative lead wire (103) that are respectively connected to the positive terminal and negative terminal of the battery which is the direct-current supply source, and a capacitor (106) is connected in parallel to the blocking diode (104).
US07821750B2
A voltage converter includes an electronic induction device, a switch device, a protection circuit, and a control circuit. The switch device, electrically connected to the electronic induction device, is utilized for selectively establishing an electrical connection between the electronic induction device and a predetermined voltage level according to a control signal. The protection circuit, coupled to the electronic induction device, is utilized for selectively establishing an electrical connection between the electronic induction device and the predetermined voltage level, wherein the protection circuit is enabled to establish the electrical connection when a current passing through the switch device exceeds a predetermined current limit. The control circuit, coupled to the switch device, is utilized for generating the control signal.
US07821746B2
A magnetic head device includes a TMR sensor or a CPP GMR sensor. Shield layers are disposed in contact with the top and bottom of a sensor body. A sensing current is supplied to the sensor body through the shield layers. Lead layers are connected to the shield layers and extend to below conductive pads. Ends of the lead layers are electrically connected to the conductive pads via lifting layers. Heat-conducting layers are disposed below the ends of the lead layers. An insulating layer is formed between the heat-conducting layers and an end surface of a slider body to such a thickness that it does not obstruct heat transfer. Heat applied from a molten solder to the lead layers is released to the slider body through the heat-conducting layers. This prevents the shield layers from being heated to high temperature.
US07821741B2
One embodiment in accordance with the invention is an apparatus comprising a movement guide that can be utilized with a data storage device. The movement guide can be for preventing a magnetic head of the data storage device from contacting a disk of the data storage device during operation.
US07821734B2
A head IC adjusts an amplitude level of a read signal of a head to adjust dispersion of the output characteristic of the head and to adjust the read signal within the input dynamic range of the AGC of a read channel. An AGC amplifier is installed in a head IC connected to a read channel and a feedback response speed of an AGC circuit of the head IC is set to be sufficiently slower than a feedback response speed of an AGC circuit of the read channel. Also a peak hold circuit and an amplitude limiting circuit are installed in the head IC, and gain is adjusted with a holding value of the peak hold circuit. An initial gain can therefore be stably adjusted at high-speed without being influenced by signals having a small amplitude on the medium.
US07821731B2
A storage channel, e.g., for a disk drive system, may asynchronously sample and buffer an entire sector, and then process the buffered sector to recover timing information. The storage channel may operate in an open-loop and utilize an exhaustive search to determine timing parameters. Alternatively, the storage channel may operative in a closed-loop, processing the sector once, and feeding back information obtained during decoding to the timing loop.
US07821729B2
According to an aspect of an embodiment, a storage apparatus has a storage for storing a plurality of compensation values in association with a plurality of bit sequence patterns, a head for writing data into a medium and a controller for controlling the apparatus and driving the head, the controller determining whether to use one of the compensation values to drive the head to write an instantaneous data bit in dependence upon the immediate preceding data bits in reference to the bit sequence patterns.
US07821726B2
An optical element is moved in six-degrees-of-freedom. Three first displacement sensors are disposed on a base plate and measure respective displacement amounts of three mutually different points on the optical element in a first direction. A second displacement sensor measures a displacement amount of one point on the optical element in a second direction. Two third displacement sensors measure respective displacement amounts of two mutually different points on the optical element in a third direction. A transformation processor transforms the six measured displacement amounts. A calibration processor calibrates the transformed displacement amounts with a calibration matrix of which coefficients are previously obtained to calibrate the displacement amounts in the six-degrees-of-freedom, which have errors due to measurement errors of the displacement sensors. A controller outputs command values based on differences between the calibrated displacement amounts and target displacement amounts.
US07821725B2
An image pickup lens includes a first lens block with a positive power and a second lens block with a positive or negative power. The first lens block includes a first lens substrate, and lens portions 1a and 1b arranged on opposing surfaces of the first lens substrate. The lens portions 1a and 1b are different from the first lens substrate in at least one of a refractive index and an Abbe number. The second lens block includes a second lens substrate, and lens portions 2a and 2b arranged on opposing surfaces of the second lens substrate. The lens portions 2a and 2b are different from the second lens substrate in at least one of a refractive index and an Abbe number. The image pickup lens satisfies a condition relating to focal lengths of the lens portions 1a and 2b.
US07821708B2
An apparatus has structure with a reticle oriented approximately parallel to and adjacent an imaginary plane. The structure includes on one side of the plane a portion transmissive to visible radiation, the portion having a surface that is spaced from and angled with respect to the plane, and that faces away from the reticle. A reticle illumination section emits radiation adjacent the surface. According to a different aspect, a method involves: providing a reticle oriented approximately parallel to an imaginary plane and disposed immediately adjacent the plane; providing on one side of the plane a structural portion that is transmissive to visible radiation; forming on the portion a surface spaced from the plane, oriented at an angle to the plane, and oriented to face away from the reticle; and emitting radiation adjacent the surface.
US07821703B2
A method of laser drawing includes steps of causing laser light from a light source to be incident to an acousto-optical diffraction element, and deflecting the light incident to the element by changing a frequency of a high frequency signal to be inputted to the element to diffract the light, thereby changing a diffraction angle of the diffracted light, and condensing the diffracted light emerging from the element on an object to be processed as an optical spot, thereby scanning the object with the optical spot. A diffracted light intensity control table for controlling a light intensity of the diffracted light so as to be constant independent of the diffraction angle of the diffracted light is prepared in advance, and in the deflecting step, the light intensity of the diffracted light is controlled based on the diffracted light intensity control table.
US07821694B2
The present invention properly adjusts a resonance frequency of an optical scanner. A resonance-type optical scanner includes a reflection mirror which reflects incident light, a first beam portion which is connected to one side of the reflection mirror, a second beam portion which is connected to the other side of the reflection mirror, and first piezoelectric element portions for elastically deforming the first beam portion. By applying a DC voltage component to the first piezoelectric element portions of the resonance-type optical scanner, tension of the first beam portion and tension of the second beam portion are changed. In response to the changes of tensions of the first beam portion and the second beam portion, the resonance frequency of the optical scanner is changed. In a state that a DC voltage component is applied to the first piezoelectric element portions, an AC voltage is applied to the first piezoelectric element portions so as to oscillate the reflection mirror of the optical scanner at a predetermined frequency.
US07821690B2
An information processing apparatus includes: a display unit displaying an image; an input unit inputting a command in accordance with an external operation; an image data acquiring unit acquiring print image data from an application; a preview display processing unit displaying on the display unit a first print preview image of the print image data acquired by the image data acquiring unit; a selection region display processing unit capable of selecting a predetermined region of the first print preview image displayed on the display unit by the preview display processing unit and displaying the selected region so as to be identified on the display unit, on the basis of the command in accordance with the input external operation; an image data processing unit processing the print preview image in a unit of an image in the selected region displayed on the display unit by the selection region display processing unit; and a print instructing unit instructing a print unit to print the print preview image.
US07821683B2
A document transport device includes a transport unit that transports documents one by one to a position where an image is read by an image reading unit and transports the document at a speed at which the image reading unit can read the image at the image reading position, and a controller that determines, based on an instruction from an image forming apparatus to which the document transport device is mounted, the number of sheets transported per unit time when plural documents are transported by the transport unit, and controls the transport unit to transport the documents at the determined number of sheets transported per unit time.
US07821682B2
Example embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a buffer circuit capable of suppressing the adverse influence of excessive voltage or current output from a photoelectric converting element on an analog signal processing circuit coupled to the photoelectric converting element, and an image reading apparatus or image forming apparatus incorporating the photoelectric converting element, the buffer circuit, and the analog signal processing circuit.
US07821673B2
A method and apparatus are provided for removing regularly occurring visible artifacts in decompressed video images. Firstly a decompressed video signal is received. This is filtered frame-by-frame to extract data related to the artifacts. The thus extracted data is then processed in a neural network processor which has been trained to identify the artifacts in order to produce data identifying their locations. The video signal is then corrected to reduce the effect of the thus identified artifacts.
US07821672B2
In a printer, threshold matrixes are prepared so that, in a color halftone image generated with the threshold matrixes, cell centers are arranged randomly, a direction where intervals of cell centers for cyan are maximum and a direction where intervals of cell centers for magenta are maximum are different, and the both directions are tilted relatively to a column direction corresponding to a scan direction of a head. A check pattern is recorded with the threshold matrix for each color component by the head, print densities in positions in a width direction of the check pattern, which corresponds to an arrangement direction of outlets in the head, are measured to acquire modification coefficients and then pixel values of an original image are modified by using the modification coefficients. This makes it possible to print a color halftone image with less graininess, without causing a beat pattern and streak unevenness.
US07821660B2
A method and system for providing back-up server functionality in an image processing system. Upon detecting that a primary server is unavailable an image processing device switches processing operations to a back-up server configured to receive information from the image processing device. The back-up server is configured to have substantially similar configuration and operate similarly to the primary server.
US07821659B2
When there is an object of a color plate which is different than a process color, it is confirmed whether or not Color (n), which corresponds to that color name Spot (n), is a spot color. If Color (n) is a spot color, CMYK value conversion is carried out from a LUT of that spot color, and CMYK values are composed in a region for output. If Color (n) is a process color, CMYK values thereof are stored in a region for CMYK color correction. After color correction is carried out on the CMYK values of the region for CMYK color correction, they are composed with CMYK values of the region for CMYK output. Color information when a color plate different than a process color is included, is generated.
US07821650B2
In a device manufacturing method and a metrology apparatus, metrology measurements are executed using radiation having a first wavelength. Subsequently a grid of conducting material is applied on the substrate, the grid having grid openings which in a first direction in the plane of the grid are smaller than the first wavelength. The space in the scribe lane where the measurement target was, is now shielded and may be used again in further layers or processing steps of the substrate.
US07821649B2
A probe includes an insertion tube and a plurality of light emitters disposed on the distal end of the insertion tube. The probe further includes at least one intensity modulating element through which light from the plurality of light emitters is passed to project a plurality of fringe sets onto a surface. Each of the plurality of fringe sets intern have a structured-light pattern that is projected when one emitter group of at least one of the plurality of light emitters is emitting. The probe further includes an imager for obtaining at least one image of the surface and a processing unit that is configured to perform phase-shift analysis on the at least one image. A method for projecting a plurality of fringe sets suitable for phase-shift analysis on a surface using a probe is also presented.
US07821641B2
A three-dimensional flow cell for aligning non-isometric particles in a liquid sample in two axes, a method of aligning non-isometric particles in a liquid sample, the use of the three-dimensional flow cell, a reflectance sensor which has the three-dimensional flow cell according to the invention, a method of measuring the reflectance of a liquid sample containing non-isometric particles and the use of the reflectance sensor according to the invention.
US07821639B2
A scanner device includes a color measuring, a support surface for a measured object and a drive unit for moving the measuring head across the support surface and for adjusting the height of the measuring head in a direction perpendicular to the support surface. The measuring head is equipped with an illuminating channel and a collection channel. The illuminating channel has a light source and optical means for illuminating the measured object at a measurement site at a mean angle of incidence of 45°. The collection channel has optical means for capturing light emanating from the measured object at the measurement site at a mean collection angle of 0° and coupling it into a light guide, which directs the captured light to a wavelength-selective photoelectric transformer, which resolves it into a number of wavelength ranges and generates an electric measurement signal corresponding to each wavelength range.
US07821633B2
An apparatus and method for measuring Raman-type spectra using optical dispersion to convert an optical spectrum into a waveform which can be detected directly in the time domain without the use of a conventional spectrometer. In the example of stimulated Raman spectroscopy, the apparatus and method exposes a sample to a chirped, pulsed probe beam and a Raman pump beam and the resulting Raman spectra is detected by an optical detector in the time domain, and analyzed. Alternatively, the Raman spectra from the probe and pump beams is chirped with a dispersive element prior to detection and analysis. Each probe pulse provides a snapshot of the Raman spectrum that is sampled in time so that neither repetitive waveforms nor static samples are required. Therefore, high speed acquisitions and high throughput assays can be conducted. To facilitate detection, these spectral signals can also be amplified using distributed Raman amplification directly in the dispersive element.
US07821620B2
An optical coagulation monitor and the method of monitoring blood coagulation status are disclosed. The method includes positioning a sample probe containing an optical fiber within a circulating blood; transmitting a low-coherence light through the optical fiber into the blood; detecting dynamic light scatter signals generated by the blood within a coherence volume and received through the optical fiber; analyzing the dynamic light scatter signals in comparison to a predetermined coagulation criterion; and reporting the coagulation status of the blood. The method can be used for monitoring blood coagulation status in vivo or in vitro in real time. Further disclosed is a method of determining blood clotting time in vitro using the optical coagulation monitor.
US07821614B2
Apparatus for processing substrates according to a predetermined photolithography process includes a loading station in which the substrates are loaded, a coating station in which the substrates are coated with a photoresist material, an exposing station in which the photoresist coating is exposed to light through a mask having a predetermined pattern to produce a latent image of the mask on the photoresist coating, a developing station in which the latent image is developed, an unloading station in which the substrates are unloaded and a monitoring station for monitoring the substrates with respect to predetermined parameters of said photolithography process before reaching the unloading station.
US07821613B2
In a semi-transmission liquid crystal display device, two resist masks are required to form a reflective electrode and a transparent electrode; therefore, cost is high. A transparent electrode and a reflective electrode which function as a pixel electrode are stacked. A resist pattern which includes a region having a thick film thickness and a region having a thinner film thickness than the aforementioned region is formed over the reflective electrode by using a light exposure mask which includes a semi-transmission portion. The reflective electrode and the transparent electrode are formed by using the resist pattern. Therefore, the reflective electrode and the transparent electrode can be formed by using one resist mask.
US07821611B2
A display device is provided with a light source, an light-guide plate, a prism sheet, a transparent/scattering state switching element, and a transmissive liquid crystal display panel. In the transparent/scattering state switching element, two transparent substrates are provided parallel to and separated from each other, and an electrode is provided to the surface of each transparent substrate. A scattering seal member is also provided between external peripheral portions of the transparent substrates, and a PDLC layer is enclosed in a space sealed by the scattering seal member between the transparent substrates. The scattering seal member is endowed with scattering properties whereby incident light is transmitted in a scattered state, and the degree of scattering thereof is equal to the degree of scattering of the PDLC layer during the scattering state.
US07821607B2
A liquid crystal display device is provided which includes first and second substrates with liquid crystal therebetween. Gate lines and drain lines are formed on the first substrate with pixel regions defined by the gate signal lines and drain signal lines. Each pixel region includes a pixel electrode and a counter electrode formed in different layers from one another, with the counter layer being formed in a layer closer to the liquid crystal layer than the pixel electrode.
US07821605B2
An electro-optical device includes a contact hole with a channel-region adjacent portion next to the channel region of the semiconductor film and a first extending portion that extends from the channel-region adjacent portion along the first partial region of the semiconductor film when viewed in plan.
US07821604B2
The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device using a thin-film transistor, and the invention also provides a method for manufacturing the liquid crystal display device. In openings of a first light transmission type photosensitive resin formed on an insulating substrate, a gate electrode, a source line, and a pixel contact layer are prepared. On these components, a gate insulator, a semiconductor layer, an ohmic contact layer (n+ semiconductor layer) and a protective film are prepared. Further, in openings of a second light transmission type photosensitive resin, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a pixel electrode are prepared. Also, the crossing portion connecting line formed at the opening of the second light transmission type photosensitive resin is, similarly to the source line or the gate line, made of baked silver produced by baking an ink containing silver fine particles plotted by ink jet process.
US07821601B2
A display device includes a first panel and a second panel facing each other, a liquid crystal layer and a member for determining a tilt direction of liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer. The display device has a reflective area and a transmissive area. The liquid crystal layer is interposed between the first panel and the second panel. The member is disposed at a portion of the second panel corresponding to the reflective area. The display device realizes a multi-domain structure and prominent reflective efficiency is obtained by utilizing a projection area as a reflective area.
US07821595B2
A backlight module includes a frame, an optical element, a bottom plate, a holder, and a light source. The optical elements are located on the frame and a space between the sidewall of the frame and the optical elements. The bottom plate located under the optical elements. The light source is on the holder inserted into the space, The holder is inserted into the space along the direction toward the bottom surface of the bottom plate, and is removed from the space along the opposing direction.
US07821585B2
A liquid crystal display including the first and second substrates facing each other and a liquid crystal layer interposed between the first and second substrates is provided. A storage electrode, a transparent insulating layer pattern, and a pixel electrode are formed on the first substrate. A common electrode having a domain divider is formed on the second substrate. The transparent insulating layer pattern includes an opening having a first area having a first width and a second area having a second width narrower than the first width. The domain divider partially overlaps the storage electrode in the second area of the opening of the transparent insulating layer pattern.
US07821584B2
Even when gate lines are pulled around at both left and right picture frame regions, it is possible to prevent a gate wiring pattern which is constituted of the gate lines and gate-line pull-around lines and a storage wiring pattern which is constituted of storage lines and a common line which connects storage lines each other from getting over each other. The gate lines GL1, GL2 are pulled around by the gate-line pull-around lines GLL1, GLL2 in both left and right picture frame regions. The common lines B2, B3 which connect the storage lines STL each other are formed at both left and right picture frame regions. Further, the gate wiring pattern which is constituted of the gate lines GL1, GL2 and the gate-line pull-around lines GLL1, GLL2 and the storage wiring pattern which is constituted of the storage lines STL and the common lines B2, B3 do not cross each other.
US07821583B2
A three-dimension display suitable for a viewer wearing a pair of eyeglasses is disclosed. The eyeglasses have two circular polarized eyeglass lenses with different polarizations. The three-dimension display includes a flat display panel, a quarter-wave plate and a patterned half-wave plate. The flat display panel has a plurality of pixels arranged in an array, wherein the flat display panel is suitable to display a linear polarized image. The quarter-wave plate is disposed between the flat display panel and the eyeglasses. The patterned half-wave plate is disposed between the flat display panel and the eyeglasses, wherein the patterned half-wave plate corresponds to a part of the pixels. The present invention also provides a fabrication method of a three-dimension display.
US07821577B2
A display device and a method of driving the same are disclosed, wherein a single original image is converted into a picture-enhanced image and a non-enhanced image, which are then displayed. The display device includes a controller (140) dividing a screen into a first display window and a second display window, and outputting control signals based on display options corresponding to the first display window and the second display window, and a video processing unit (160) separating an original image into a first image part and a second image part, and modifying picture qualities of each of the first image part and the second image part that are to be displayed on each of the first display window and the second display window, depending upon the control signals.
US07821575B2
According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a receiver, a display device, and a transmission module. The receiver includes a video receiver, a video processor, a graphics processor, and a multiprocessor. The video processor converts the video signal received by the video receiver to a moving image with a first resolution. The graphics processor outputs a still image with a second resolution higher than the first resolution according to an instruction. The multiprocessor divides the still image into divisional still images with the first resolution. The display device includes a display module, a scaling processor, a restoration processor, and a blend processor. The scaling processor scales the moving image with the first resolution. The restoration processor restores the divisional still images to the original still image. The blend processor displays the moving image and the still image with the second resolution on the display module.
US07821569B2
A converter lens attachment with a built-in light source for macrophotography by a compact camera is disclosed. The converter lens attachment includes a mounting seat, a printed circuit board (PCB) with light emitting diodes (LEDs) parallelly mounted on the mounting seat, an adapter ring accommodating the mounting seat and the PCB, a light diffuser connecting with the PCB, a sleeve being passed through by the light diffuser and leaning against the adapter ring, and a barrel connecting with the sleeve and accommodating the light diffuser. The adapter ring is removably connected to a base body mounted on the camera. There is a battery in the base body for supplying power to the LEDs.
US07821568B2
An imaging device that can shorten focus searching search times and enable correct focusing in accordance with shooting conditions. An autofocus function operates when a shutter button of a digital camera is half-pressed. At this time, a current shooting mode, which was selected in advance by a photographer operating a variety of buttons, is acquired. In accordance with the acquired shooting mode, a focusing lens moves to a search start position. Also, a direction in which the focusing lens will move is decided in accordance with the shooting mode. The focusing lens is moved and an in-focus position is thereby found. Then the focusing lens is adjusted to the in-focus position.
US07821565B2
An exemplary imaging module package includes a lens module and an imaging sensor module. The lens module includes a housing having a hollow top portion and a hollow bottom portion coaxially aligned with the hollow top portion. The imaging sensor module is received in the hollow bottom portion. The imaging sensor module includes an imaging sensor connected to the substrate and secured to the bottom portion, a substrate spaced from the bottom portion and defining at least one recess therein, and a plurality of passive components received in the at least one recess and wholly disposed below the imaging sensor.
US07821561B2
It discloses a display apparatus with a camera capable of taking an almost full-face image of a person seeing a display. The display apparatus with the camera includes a display element in which display pixels are arranged, and an image-taking module which forms a plurality of object images through a plurality of aperture areas formed among the display pixels of the display element and photoelectrically converts the plurality of object images. Furthermore, the display apparatus includes an image combining section which combines image information on the plurality of object images obtained by using the image-taking module.
US07821553B2
A pixel array in an image sensor, the image sensor and a digital camera including the image sensor. The image sensor includes a pixel array with colored pixels and unfiltered (color filter-free) pixels. Each unfiltered pixel occupies one or more array locations. The colored pixels may be arranged in uninterrupted rows and columns with unfiltered pixels disposed between the uninterrupted rows and columns. The image sensor may in CMOS with the unfiltered pixels reducing low-light noise and improving low-light sensitivity.
US07821552B2
An imaging apparatus includes: a first pixel which receives both visible light and infrared light, and a second pixel which receives infrared light, both pixels being formed on an imaging device; an infrared light component estimation unit which estimates, based on spectral characteristics of light received by the first pixel and spectral characteristics of light received by the second pixel, a magnitude of an infrared light component contained in a signal outputted from the first pixel from a signal outputted from the second pixel; and a subtraction unit which subtracts the estimated infrared light component from the signal outputted from the first pixel.
US07821550B2
A remote image-pickup system includes a camera device including an image-pickup unit for capturing an image of a subject and generating picture signals and a card slot; and a plurality of types of card substrates which are selectively inserted into the card slot and which convert the format of the picture signals so as to output the converted signals to an external device. By inserting different card substrates into the card slot, a plurality of formats of picture signals can be output from the camera device. Accordingly, the format of the picture signals output from the camera device can be flexibly expanded. Further, since many circuits for converting the picture signals need not be incorporated into the camera device, an increase in the size and price of the camera device can be prevented.
US07821549B2
An image processing apparatus captures an image in a shooting operation and records an image file in a folder of a recording medium. A user interface enables a user to set the units of date/time for automatically creating a new folder that can store image files. A first storage unit stores the units of date/time being set by the user through the user interface. A folder creation unit creates a new folder in the recording medium by the units of date/time stored in the first storage unit. And, a recording unit records the image file obtained by the shooting operation in the new folder created by the folder creation unit.
US07821538B2
A method of operating a handheld camera comprises sensing an image via an image sensor, controlling the sensing of the image via a camera manager, manipulating the image via an image processing manager, and controlling printing of the manipulated image via a print manager. The step of controlling printing of the manipulated image includes causing the print manager to activate a guillotine, which guillotine is adapted to cut a print media, upon receipt of a signal indicative of an attempt to pull the print media from the camera.
US07821537B2
A signal processing apparatus includes: a write controller for writing an input moving image signal into a first memory in accordance with a first timing signal and writing an input audio signal into a second memory in accordance with the first timing signal; a communication unit for reading out the moving image signal from the first memory in accordance with the first timing signal, reading out the audio signal from the second memory in accordance with a second timing signal having a frequency different from that of the first timing signal, and transmitting the read-out moving image signal and the read-out audio signal to an external device; and a read-out controller for changing a read-out position of the audio signal to a predetermined read-out position to be determined according to a write position of the audio signal, in case that a difference between the write position and the read-out position of the audio signal is a predetermined value.
US07821532B2
An image generating apparatus for a vehicle which includes: a camera; a brightness adjusting device which adjusts brightness of pixel data obtained by encoding a video signal from the camera; a rearranging device that rearranges the pixel data; and a control device that controls the brightness adjusting device, wherein the brightness adjusting device is controlled to adjust the brightness of the pixel data based on brightness of the pixel data which have been or to be rearranged by the rearranging device.
US07821530B2
A video imaging system that minimizes the effect of EMI on the image data, provides a small, lightweight easy to use camera head, permitting interchangeable use of a variety of intelligent camera heads with a single camera control unit, and allows the utilization of new camera heads with new functions as they become available without having to replace the existing CCU.
US07821526B2
An image forming apparatus is configured, in performing changing of a rotation speed of a scanner motor and forming of an image density adjustment patch in the same page interval, to change the rotation speed of the scanner motor before forming the image density adjustment patch.
US07821514B2
An image processing apparatus includes, a first data generation unit configured to generate triangular data by analyzing straight line contours and curved contours with respect to vector format graphic data and making the straight line contours and the curved contours triangles, a second data generation unit configured to generate stencil data from the triangular data on the basis of a drawing order of vertices of the triangular data generated from straight line contours and curved contours, and a third data generation unit configured to generate raster format graphic data with reference to the stencil data.
US07821513B2
An automated mechanism for measuring the amount of accuracy loss attributable to reverse engineering processes that use 3D scan data is discussed. The embodiments provide a mechanism that displays to a user the effect scan data editing and CAD remodeling operations have on scan data accuracy. Additionally, the user can choose the way the graphical display illustrates the error distribution on the model such as by color mapping and whisker mapping. The accuracy loss may be displayed to the user after finishing an editing/modeling command or during the previewing of the command thereby allowing a user to take appropriate action. Parameters may also be adjusted programmatically based on the amount of accuracy loss determined to be attributable to scan data editing or CAD remodeling operations.
US07821511B2
A supply voltage conversion circuit allowing fabrication of a charge pump circuit having a large current capability with a small area is provided. In a charge pump DC-DC converter (10) for converting a supply voltage VDD1 to a supply voltage VDD2, a level shifter (12) implements amplitude conversion to convert from a control pulse with amplitude of VSS-VDD1 to a control pulse with amplitude of VSS-VDD2. By using the control pulse having the converted amplitude as a pumping pulse, a flying capacitor (C11) is charged/discharged by MOS transistors (Qp11), and (Qn11) of a charge pump circuit (11), and switching of MOS transistors (Qn12), and (Qp12) coupled to the output of the flying capacitor (C11) is controlled.
US07821509B2
A shift register capable of reducing power consumption is provided. The shift register includes: a clock signal supply line for supplying a clock signal; a plurality of selectors coupled to the clock signal supply line to generate driving signals in response to sampling signals; and a plurality of stages respectively coupled to the selectors to generate the sampling signals in response to the driving signals, wherein at least one of the selectors is adapted to generate at least one of the driving signals in response to a previous one of the sampling signals supplied from a previous one of the stages and a next one of the sampling signals supplied from a next one of the stages.
US07821504B2
A processing device of a universal controlling device is programmed to distinguish between a first input type provided to a touch-sensitive surface and a second input type provided to the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the first input type which is indicative of a static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface the processing device causes a transmitter to transmit first data representative of the static touch made upon the touch-sensitive surface. In response to the touch-sensitive surface being provided the second input type which is indicative of a moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface, the processing device causes the transmitter to transmit second data being representative of the moving touch made across the touch-sensitive surface.
US07821500B2
A portable electronic device includes communication circuitry operative to establish a communication over a communication network, an input device for entering at least one user input into the electronic device, and at least one contactless sensor. The contactless sensor is operative to detect at least one of motion or position of the input device relative to the electronic device.
US07821498B2
An interface device for interfacing a user with a computer, the computer running an application program and generating a graphical image and a graphical object, comprises a user manipuatable object in, communication with the computer, a sensor to detect a manipulation of the object, the sensor providing a signal to the computer to control the graphical image, and an actuator adapted to provide a haptic sensation to the palm of the user in relation to an interaction between the graphical image, and the graphical object, the actuator comprising a member that is deformable to provide the haptic sensation. In another version, a mouse for interfacing a user with a computer generating a graphical environment comprising a graphical hand comprises a housing, a position detector to detect a position of the mouse, the position detector capable of providing a first position signal to the computer to control the position of the graphical hand in the graphical environment, and a finger position detector to detect a position of a finger of the user, the finger position detector capable of providing a second position signal to the computer to control a graphical finger on the graphical hand in relation to the position of the finger of the user.
US07821491B2
A backlight device that is not affected by offset voltage. Driving transistor (41) operates such that current flows in LED circuit (11), and the detection voltage generated by current detector (42) and the reference voltage are input alternately to first input transistor (30a) and second input transistor (30b) of amplifier (20). Brightness adjusting switch (43) operates such that when driving transistor (41) is turned OFF during the OFF period of LED circuit (11), for example, during the horizontal blanking interval or vertical blanking interval, the detection voltage and the reference voltage are swapped, so that the average voltage generated in current detector (42) is equal to the reference voltage, and the effect of the offset voltage can be eliminated.
US07821490B2
The invention provides a system and method for calculating a backlight level for an image being displayed on an electronic device. The system comprises: a backlight adjustment module to calculate an intensity value of an image for display on the electronic device; a display for displaying the image; and a backlight system to provide a backlight for the display. The backlight system is responsive to control signals generated by the backlight adjustment module. In the system, the intensity value represents an average intensity of the image.
US07821489B2
A data processing apparatus has a first processing unit for processing an input data, a second processing unit responsive to the data processed by the first processing unit for executing a processing dependent on the data and producing a display data, and a display unit having a display drive unit and a display device for displaying the display data. The second processing unit is selectively inactivated and activated under control of the first processing unit to reduce power consumption in the second processing unit. The display drive unit is also selectively inactivated and activated under control of the first processing unit to reduce power consumption in the display unit. The display device has a memory function that maintains its display image even when supply of a display drive signal from the display drive unit is stopped, so that a latest image before inactivation of the second processing unit and/or the display drive unit for power consumption reduction is visible by an operator during the inactivated and low power consumption state of the apparatus.
US07821488B2
A circuit for overdriving an LCD panel according to an image data and a temperature, and the corresponding are disclosed. The circuit includes: a memory for storing a previous image data; a plurality of LUTs, each coupled to receive the previous image data from the memory and a present image data, for storing overdrive values; a first temperature sensor, for sensing the temperature of a first area of the LCD panel to generate a first temperature data; a control circuit, for generating a selection signal and a temperature correction coefficient according to the first temperature data; a selection circuit, coupled to the plurality of LUTs, for selecting one LUT from the plurality of LUTs according to the selection signal and outputting the overdrive value of the selected LUT; and an overdrive processor, for generating adjusted image data according to the overdrive value and the temperature correction coefficient.
US07821485B2
A source driver output circuit of a thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal display (LCD) includes first through n-th voltage generators, first through n-th switching portions, first through n-th sub switching portions, and a switching circuit. The voltage generators receive first through n-th corresponding input voltages and generate first through n-th sub input voltages. The switching portions generate the sub input voltages as first through n-th corresponding output voltages when activated, or cut off the sub input voltages when deactivated. The sub switching portions connect predetermined share lines to the output voltages when activated, or cut off the predetermined share lines when deactivated. The switching circuit maintains each of the share line voltages equally at an intermediate voltage level that is between the share line voltages. Therefore, the slew rate of a signal input to the panel from the source driver can be improved, and current consumption in the source driver can be reduced.
US07821481B2
An image display apparatus includes a display unit including a liquid crystal panel; a video signal processor configured to perform signal processing on the basis of an image display form in the display unit; and an AC drive controller configured to control video display by receiving a result of the signal processing performed in the video signal processor and controlling a voltage applied to the liquid crystal panel included in the display unit. The AC drive controller performs, for each pixel of the liquid crystal panel, AC drive control of alternately switching a polarity between + and − in units of pairs of the same signal processing, each pair being two pixels on time series on which signal processing of the same category is performed in the video signal processor.
US07821479B2
A rolling light emitting diode screen device includes a plurality of equilong rigid supporting stripes, a plurality of pixel units which are disposed with a equal interval in a straight line on the rigid supporting stripes, electric signal lines and power lines connected to respective pixel units, and a control device. It is characterized that it further includes a flexible frame, and the plurality of rigid supporting stripes are aligned at both ends, and are disposed parallel with an equal interval on the flexible frame, so that a pixel matrix plane is formed on the rigid supporting stripes. The flexible frame engages the rigid supporting strips and the pixel units thereon to roll around an axis parallel to the axis of the rigid supporting stripes to form a reel. The rolling LED screen device of the invention is easy to be stored, transported and mounted, wirings thereof are easy to be disposed, not easy to be damaged, and easy to repair.
US07821477B2
The present invention relates to a plasma display apparatus and a driving method thereof in which an erroneous discharge, a misdischarge and an abnormal discharge are prevented, a darkroom contrast is increased, an operation margin is widen, and an influence of a lower substrate wall charge is reduced in a sustain discharge. The plasma display apparatus and its driving method is characterized in that when the plasma display panel has a second temperature higher than a first temperature, a period between the last sustain pulse generated during a sustain period of (n−1)th sub-field (“n” is a positive integer) and an initialization signal generated during a reset period of nth sub-field is more lengthened than when it has the first temperature. The plasma display apparatus and its driving method is characterized in that a pre sustain pulse (PRESUSP) rising from a sustain bias voltage (Vzb) is applied to the second electrode in the sustain period.
US07821476B2
The color display device includes a colored light generation unit for repetitively generating a plurality of colored lights in a time sequence with a predetermined frequency, and an image generation unit for processing said plurality of colored lights, so as to generate an image corresponding to each of the plurality of colored lights generated in a time sequence. The said predetermined frequency is 180 Hz or more.
US07821470B2
An antenna for a wireless communication may include a ground plane provided on a carrying structure, a feed element, and a radiating element coupled to the feed element, the radiating element being substantially parallel to and vertically displaced from the ground plane by the feed element and a shortening element. The antenna may also include a parasitic element provided directly on the carrying structure as part of the carrying structure ground layer.
US07821468B2
The linear conductor 2 penetrates the magnetic base 1 along with the longitudinal direction of the magnetic base 1. The linear conductor 2 has a straight shape. The straight shape conductor 2 is installed so that it is surrounded by outside planes of the magnetic base 1, such as the side of a rectangular parallelepiped or a cylindrical peripheral face, and it penetrates both end sides of the magnetic base 1 in the longitudinal direction.
US07821461B2
An antenna includes a base plate, a grounding component, a feed-in conductor, a first controlling unit and a second controlling unit. The base plate includes a first surface and a second surface. The grounding component is provided on the first surface and includes a first part, a second part and a notch formed between the first part and the second part. The feed-in conductor is provided on the second surface and includes a first conducting part. The first conducting part extends across the notch, and is coupled to the first part. The first controlling unit is provided on the second surface and includes a first wire. The first wire extends across the notch, and is coupled to the first part. The second controlling unit is provided on the second surface and includes a second wire. The second wire extends across the notch, and is coupled to the first part.
US07821459B2
A multi-band antenna includes a radiating element having at least two frequency bands and comprising a gap on one side edge thereof, a grounding element coupling and being perpendicular to said radiating element, and a reactance assembled to said radiating element and received in said gap.
US07821453B2
A computer implemented method for fusing position and range measurements to determine the position of at least one node of a plurality of distributed nodes is disclosed. The method includes (a) measuring the position of at least one node; (b) computing an estimate of the position of the at least one node based on the measured position using a filter that takes account of past estimates of position; (c) receiving an estimate of position of at least a second node; (d) measuring inter-node range to the at least a second node; (e) combining the measured inter-node range with the estimate of position of at least a second node using a second filter that takes account of past estimates of position to generate a refined estimate of the position of the at least one node; and (f) when a change in the position of the at least one node is above a predetermined threshold value, setting the refined estimate of the position of the at least one node to the estimate of the position of the at least one node and repeating (c), (e), and (f).
US07821448B2
A system and a method to receive radar data from a plurality of radars and to reduce the data from the plurality of radars to a common universal latitude-longitude coordinate frame. The plurality of radars may be positioned at separate geographical locations and may have one or more overlapping regions. The data may be combined in the one or more overlapping regions.
US07821447B2
Disclosed is a method of bias adjustment for a millimeter wave radar apparatus that can efficiently and highly accurately adjust the bias of an MMIC used in a radio frequency circuit in the millimeter wave radar apparatus. The method comprises: providing a DA converter in a bias circuit in the millimeter wave radar apparatus comprising an antenna, a radio frequency unit, and a processing unit for performing transmission and reception processing of the radio frequency unit; connecting a signal generator in place of the antenna; and connecting a test processing unit and a control apparatus to the radio frequency unit, wherein the control apparatus applies an initial bias value in the form of a digital value to the MMIC, calculates the target value for the digital bias value based on the result of the measurement of the received signal, and takes the target value as the digital bias value for the production processing unit when the radio frequency characteristic of the received signal obtained by applying the target value to the MMIC lies within specified limits.
US07821442B2
The present invention provides a method and system of analyzing radar information of a radar system. According to certain embodiments of the invention, the method comprises: providing radar information including at least a portion modified in response to an EWE (electronic-warfare) action; obtaining position data corresponding to at least a position of a target associated with the EW action with respect to the radar system; and analyzing the radar information for comparing it with the position data, thereby allowing to determine at least one effect of the EW action on the radar information.
US07821441B2
A successive approximation analog-to-digital converter includes a capacitor array having a plurality of switch capacitors therein with varying weights, each having a common plate connected to a common node and a switched plate. A SAR controller samples an input voltage on said capacitor array in a sampling phase and redistributes the charge stored therein in a conversion phase by selectively increasing the voltage on select capacitors of the capacitor array in accordance with a SAR conversion algorithm. Circuitry controls the sampling of the input voltage by the capacitor array and is responsive to at least one applied bias current. The at least one applied bias current operates at a first level responsive to a first mode of operation of the SAR ADC and operates at a second level responsive to a second mode of operation of the SAR ADC.
US07821434B2
For digitizing analog measurement signals, an analog-to-digital converter is used, wherein the offset to be subtracted from an analog measurement value is taken to account within a locked loop by means of which an analog-to-digital converter operating according to the modulation principle is fed back.
US07821431B2
A multiphase hybrid digital pulse width modulator can comprise a counter that is selectable between at least two different numbers of states to indicate a first portion of a switching period. Unclocked logic can indicate a second portion of the switching period. The unclocked logic can include a delay line.
US07821421B2
A method of evaluating the driving behavior in a vehicle. The method includes determining values of a plurality of parameters of the operation of a first vehicle in a first road segment, determining values of the plurality of parameters for one or more second vehicles in a second road segment having similar properties to those of the first road segment, comparing the determined values of the first vehicle and the one or more second vehicles and providing an evaluation of the driving behavior of the first vehicle, responsive to the comparison.
US07821420B2
A transmission system for a measurement device on a coordinate positioning apparatus comprises a station (18) mounted on the measuring device (10) and a station (20) mounted on the coordinate positioning apparatus (22), wherein the stations communicate with each other using a spread spectrum radio link, for example frequency hopping. The station on the probe sends a regular signal and on receiving the signal the station on the coordinate positioning apparatus synchronises its clock and sends an acknowledgement signal. Measurement data is either sent in the regular signal or in a measurement event driven signal.
US07821411B1
A noninvasive security device for detection of blocked fluid flow within a conduit includes clamping body that may be affixed to the conduit and a safety overflow circuit mounted to the clamping body. The safety overflow circuit includes first and second sensor pads that act as the metal plates of a capacitor. The sensor pads are connected to the clamping body and positioned proximate the conduit to measure the capacitance within the conduit. The capacitance will be low when water is freely flowing through the conduit, since the dielectric constant will be similar to that of air. However, when the water level increases in the conduit, the dielectric constant will increase as will the capacitance, such that a pulse signal is generated to notify the user of the occlusion and to further disable the source of the water to the conduit.
US07821409B2
A drowsiness alarm apparatus and a program for decreasing the possibility of incorrectly issuing an alarm due to an expressed emotion is provided. A wakefulness degree calculation apparatus performs a wakeful face feature collection process to collect a wakefulness degree criterion and an average representative feature distance. A doze alarm process collects a characteristic opening degree value and a characteristic feature distance. The wakefulness degree criterion is compared with the characteristic opening degree value to estimate a wakefulness degree. The average representative feature distance is compared with the characteristic feature distance to determine whether the face of the driver expresses a specific emotion. If the face expresses the emotion, alarm output is inhibited. When the face does not express the emotion, an alarm is output in accordance with the degree of decreased wakefulness so as to provide an increased alarm degree for the driver if necessary.
US07821407B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods are provided for measuring and analyzing movements of a body and for communicating information related to such body movements over a network. In certain embodiments, a system gathers biometric and biomechanical data relating to positions, orientations, and movements of various body parts of a user performed during sports activities, physical rehabilitation, or military or law enforcement activities. The biometric and biomechanical data can be communicated to a local and/or remote interface, which uses digital performance assessment tools to provide a performance evaluation to the user. The performance evaluation may include a graphical representation (e.g., a video), statistical information, and/or a comparison to another user and/or instructor. In some embodiments, the biometric and biomechanical data is communicated wirelessly to one or more devices including a processor, display, and/or data storage medium for further analysis, archiving, and data mining. In some embodiments, the device includes a cellular telephone.
US07821398B2
An RFID tag includes: a tag main body having a communication antenna, a circuit chip electrically connected to the antenna to perform wireless communication via the antenna, and a tabular sealing member in which the antenna and the circuit chip are enclosed; a print layer formed on a first surface of the tag main body by printing; and a protective film that covers the print layer. The print layer is formed only in a central area of the first surface surrounded by a marginal area of the first surface extending along the outer edge of the first surface. The protective film includes a covering portion that covers the print layer and an adhering portion that lies off the print layer while surrounding the outer edge of the print layer and adheres to the first surface.
US07821386B1
A location-based reminder system includes a controller 112 that determines when a person is in and/or leaving a defined area 104; when a person is determined to be in and/or leaving the defined area 104, identify a reminder to be provided to the person, the reminder including information about at least one object associated with the person; and provide the reminder to the person before the person leaves the defined area 104.
US07821384B2
A device for fatigue warning in motor vehicles includes a driver sensor system for detecting driver fatigue conditions and a run-up alarm system which has an environment sensor system. The alarm system is designed to output a warning signal and/or perform a control action in the drive and/or brake system of the vehicle when the distance to a preceding vehicle drops below a warning distance. The run-up alarm system has a setting device which is configured to modify the warning distance as a function of the detected fatigue condition.
US07821376B2
A method for adjusting a trip sensitivity in a thermal overload protection apparatus, including setting an adjusting reference point; measuring a normal position of bimetals; measuring a moving distance at a time of trip operation of a trip latch mechanism; deciding an assembling position of a shifter mechanism based on the measured moving distance at the time of trip operation of the trip latch mechanism, information on a trip distance between a pre-determined shifter mechanism and the trip latch mechanism and information on a size of the shifter mechanism; conducting a predetermined overcurrent to the thermal overload protection apparatus; measuring a conducting time of the overcurrent until a trip event; calculating a difference between the conducting time measured in the measuring step and a predetermined trip time by converting a rotation angle; and marking a graduation of a set trip operation current by the rotation angle calculated in the calculating step.
US07821374B2
A method of arranging and fabricating parallel primary and secondary coils of a wideband planar transformer is provided. The spacing and width of the coils are disposed to extend the bandwidth from DC to GHz and allow for high frequency coupling when the core permeability dramatically drops and achieves low reflected energy and low loss over a wide bandwidth. A bottom mold having a pattern of hole-pairs with conductive elements inserted vertically couples to a top mold such that a middle portion of the conductive elements spans between the top and bottom molds. Dielectric material envelopes the middle portion and a displacement feature of the mold creates a vacancy. A ferrite element is deposited to the vacancy. A second top mold spans the bottom mold and dielectric material is deposited to create a molded assembly. A deposited patterned conductive coating connects the element ends to define the transformer coils.
US07821369B2
To provide a magnetic element the ends of the coil of which can be drawn out from the core easily, is compact, and further, is one in which magnetic saturation does not arise easily. A magnetic element has a core unit provided with a wound coil, a center core 105 inserted into the interior of the inner periphery of the coil, planar cores disposed at both ends of the center core, and a side core disposed between the planar cores and on the outside periphery of the coil. The side core is disposed so as to form an open portion between the two planar cores around the coil, with a recessed portion formed in a surface of the side core facing the coil in which the coil is partially contained.
US07821367B2
A harness is described herein that uses correlated magnets to enable objects to be secured thereto and removed therefrom. Some examples of such a harness include a construction work harness, a soldier harness, an astronaut harness, and a scuba harness (e.g., buoyancy compensator). For instance, the scuba harness can have different types of objects secured thereto and removed therefrom such as a weight pouch, a utility pocket, a dive light (flash light), a camera, a scuba lanyard, a navigation board, a depth gauge, a spear gun, or any type of military equipment.
US07821363B2
An electronic circuit is formed by closely spacing metallic gate and drain interconnects to a flexible portion of a source interconnect. A gate voltage results in electrostatic attraction and lateral mechanical movement of the flexible source interconnect portion and causes an electrical short between source and drain. VanderWaals attraction between contacting source and drain can be used to provide volatile switching (springy thicker source portion) and non-volatile switching (limp thinner source portion). In accordance with the invention, an easily fabricated, high speed, low power, radiation hard, temperature independent, integrated reconfigurable electronic circuit with embedded logic and non-volatile memory can be realized. The switch uses patterned interconnect material for its structure and can be incorporated to a 3D layered structure consisting of three dimensional interconnect in which different layers and portions of the circuits are linked through volatile and non-volatile switches.
US07821361B2
A second-order band-pass filter for generating at least two transmission zeros includes a first signal terminal, a second signal terminal, a first transmission line resonator, a second transmission line resonator and an impedance inverter. The first transmission line resonator and the second transmission line resonator are symmetric to each other and coupled to the first signal terminal and the second signal terminal, which are formed by bending two quarter-wavelength open stubs and have an open circuit gap between the two terminals. The impedance inverter includes an inductor, a first micro strip line and a second micro strip line. The first micro strip line and the second micro strip line are symmetric to each other, and are coupled to the first signal terminal and the second signal terminal and coupled to a ground through the inductor, respectively.
US07821354B2
A directional coupler (500), which comprises a dielectric substrate (501) on top of a metal plate (510), is functioning as a ground plane. The transmission path is a suspended stripling so that there is a recess on the ground plane below the transmission conductor (520) being on the surface of the substrate. The sensing conductor (530) is a very small-sized conductive strip on the surface of the substrate. It has been connected from its head end to the measurement port (P3) and from its tail end via a termination resistor (550) to a small ground strip (515). The ground strip is next to the sensing conductor on the side of the output port (P2) of the directional coupler. With such an asymmetric structure, some directivity is obtained despite the small size of the sensing conductor. Also below the sensing conductor (530) there is a recess (506) on the ground plane, which joins the recess below the transmission conductor (520). By dimensioning the recess below the sensing conductor suitably, the velocities of the even and odd waveform occurring in the line constituted by it and the ground plane are obtained the same and thus directivity can be improved. The directional coupler is very space saving on the circuit board. As the substrate, an ordinary circuit board material can be used, whereby the board can have in addition to the directional coupler also other parts of radio-frequency circuits. The directional coupler does not require tuning in production.
US07821351B2
An irreversible circuit element is configured by including a magnetic substance, a plurality of central conductors L1 to L3, one ends of which are connected to different input/output ports, arranged on the magnetic substance so as to intersect each other while being insulated from each other, a first conductor P1 connected to the other ends of all the central conductors L1 to L3, a second conductor, a plurality of matching capacitors (each configured by C1 to C3) connecting the one end of the central conductors L1 to L3 and the second conductor and a variable matching mechanism V1, one end of which is connected or integrated with the second conductor, capable of changing reactance between the one end and the other end thereof.
US07821342B2
Devices (1,2) comprising feedback-less amplifiers (16,19,26,29) that are gain controlled introduce linear relationships between output signals and input signals of the feedback-less amplifiers (16,19,26,29) by providing the feedback-less amplifiers (16,19,26,29) sub-circuits in the form of first transistors (33) operated in their triode regions for receiving input signals and second sub-circuits in the form of second transistors (34) for receiving control signals and third sub-circuits in the form of resistors (35) for generating output signals, whereby the respective first and second and third sub-circuits form a serial path. Second circuits (4) receive gain signals and convert the gain signals into the control signals. The control signals are copies of the gain signals. The second circuits (4) comprise current sources (6) and third and fourth transistors (41,42). The current sources (6) comprise fifth and sixth transistors (61,62). The second circuits (4) further comprise voltage sources (9) further current sources. Third circuits (8) compensate common mode currents.
US07821341B2
Provided are a gain control device and an amplifier using the gain control device. The gain control device includes a first input resistance unit having a first variable resistor whose resistance is linearly variable and a first fixed resistor respectively receiving a first input signal and a second input signal having a sign different from the first input signal and outputting current through a first output terminal, and a second input resistance unit having a second fixed resistor and a second variable resistor whose resistance is linearly variable respectively receiving the first input signal and the second input signal and outputting current through a second output terminal.Since the gain control device can separately perform dB-linear gain control, it is easily combined with a circuit, such as a continuous-time sigma-delta modulator (SDM), a continuous-time filter, and a continuous-time analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and enables miniaturization and low power consumption.
US07821339B1
A composite differential Radio Frequency (RF) power amplifier includes a plurality of differential RF cascode power amplifiers coupled in parallel. Each differential RF cascode power amplifier includes a positive transconductance stage and a positive cascode stage coupled in series with the positive transconductance stage between a voltage node and ground. Each also includes a negative transconductance stage and a negative cascode stage coupled in series with the negative transconductance stage between the voltage node and ground. The plurality of parallel differential RF cascode power amplifiers resides adjacent one another in a single semiconductor substrate such that the positive transconductance stage of a first differential RF cascode power amplifier resides adjacent a negative transconductance stage of a second differential RF cascode power amplifier and the positive cascode stage of the first differential RF cascode power amplifier resides adjacent a negative cascode stage of a second differential RF cascode power amplifier.
US07821333B2
A differential amplifier (1D) includes circuitry (5,R1,R2,52) coupling a common mode component of an input voltage (Vin+−Vin−) to a maximum voltage selector circuit (53) that produces an internal voltage (VRAIL-TOP) equal to the larger of a first supply voltage (VREG) and the common mode component. An input amplifier circuit (46) of the differential amplifier is powered by the internal voltage. The input voltage (Vin+−Vin−) is coupled to inputs (41A,B) of the input amplifier circuit (46). Outputs (64A,B) of the input amplifier circuit (46) are amplified by an output amplifier (50).
US07821326B2
The present invention relates to a charge pump, which uses a chopper circuit or a clamp circuit coupled between a pump capacitor and an output capacitor for preventing a parasitic transistor produced by a switching mechanism from turning on. Thereby, the performance of the charge pump is improved effectively.
US07821323B2
A bias circuit for a switching power supply includes a rectifier that is connected to an AC power source and outputs a full wave rectified voltage Vs; a voltage divider, a diode, a first transistor, and a second transistor connected in parallel between Vs and ground; a capacitor connected between a first terminal of the second transistor and ground; and a node between the capacitor and the first terminal of the second transistor providing an output bias voltage Vcc from the bias circuit. A voltage from the voltage divider is provided to a gate of the first transistor, and the diode and a first terminal of the first transistor are connected to a gate of the second transistor.
US07821316B2
A multi-phase clock generator circuit receives an input clock signal and produces multiple output clock signal, each from a respective delay stage of a multi-stage voltage-controlled delay line (VCDL). The rising edges of the multiple output clock signals produced by the circuit are substantially equidistant in time from one another and have substantially equal phase spacing.
US07821309B2
A delay locked loop (DLL) circuit has a first delay line that delays a received external clock signal for a fine delay time and then outputs a first internal clock signal; a duty cycle correction unit that corrects a duty cycle of the first internal clock signal and then outputs a second clock signal; a second delay line that delays the second clock signal for a coarse delay time and then outputs a second internal clock signal; and a phase detection and control unit that detects the difference between the phases of the external clock signal and the fed back second internal clock signal, and controls the fine delay time and the coarse delay time. The DLL circuit performs coarse locking and fine locking by using different type delay cells, and thus consumes a small amount of power and robustly withstands jitter and variation in PVT variables.
US07821303B2
A comparator used in a parallel-type A/D converter, wherein a comparator 100 includes reset transistors mra and mrb. When the comparator 100 is in the Reset state, the inverted signal /CLK of the clock signal is given to the PMOS reset transistors mra and mrb so as to forcibly reset both of the voltages at two internal nodes Va and Vb being a differential pair to a predetermined reset voltage by the reset transistors mra and mrb. The inverted signal /CLK of the clock signal is produced with a predetermined delay. Thus, when the comparator 100 is in the Reset state, the point in time at which to cancel the reset of the internal nodes Va and Vb is delayed from that at which the comparator performs a comparison operation. Therefore, even if the frequency of the clock signal and the frequency of the analog input signal are high, the voltages at the internal nodes forming a differential pair are well-balanced when the comparator is in the Reset state, thus improving the voltage comparison precision.
US07821299B2
A matrix decoder is provided, which includes a plurality of first level shifters, a plurality of second level shifters, and a demultiplexer. The first level shifters and the second level shifters boost the voltages of inputted signals to the voltages required by high voltage components and output the boosted signals. One of the first level shifters receives a first logic state and outputs a fifth logic state. Each of the other first level shifters receives a second logic state and outputs a sixth logic state. One of the second level shifters receives a third logic state and outputs a seventh logic state. Each of the other second level shifters receives a fourth logic state and outputs an eighth logic state. The demultiplexer outputs a ninth logic state and a plurality of tenth logic states according to the logic states outputted by the first level shifters and the second level shifters.
US07821292B2
An impedance calibration period setting circuit includes a command decoder and an impedance calibration activation signal generator. The command decoder combines external signals to generate a refresh signal. The impedance calibration activation signal generator is configured to generate an impedance calibration activation signal in response to the refresh signal and an address signal. The impedance calibration period setting circuit prevents abnormal changes in an impedance calibration code and reduces current consumption.
US07821267B2
In an imaging according to the step moving method, a slice imaging condition with respect to each station is optimized, thereby enabling an efficient imaging. A controller of an MRI apparatus displays positioning frames 601 to 606, and operation handles 607 and 608 thereof, in order to set a slice imaging condition at every various positions (stations) of a table on which a test object is mounted. By manipulating the positioning frames and the operation handles via I/O unit, the slice imaging condition is set. According to this slice imaging condition, imaging at each station position of the table is executed.
US07821260B2
NMR spin echo signals are acquired downhole. An independent component analysis is used to determine parameters of a parametric model of the T2 distribution whose output matches the measurements. The model parameters are telemetered to the surface where the properties of the formation are reconstructed. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).
US07821249B2
A phase difference measuring device according to this invention has an object of shortening the measuring time, and includes a plurality of phase difference measuring circuits (104, 105, 106) formed in a row, and phase difference conversion circuits (101, 102, 103) each connected between adjacent phase difference measuring circuits. The phase difference measuring circuit receives first and second signals, respectively gives the first and second signals first and second delay amounts cumulatively a plurality of number of times, and, whenever giving the delay amounts, compares the phases of the first and second signals given the delay amounts, thereby determining which one of the phases leads the other. The phase difference conversion circuit receives the first and second signals input to the phase difference measuring circuit in the preceding stage, respectively gives the first and second signals a first total delay amount (Tr1) as a total of the first delay amounts and a second total delay amount (Ts1) as a total of the second delay amounts given by the phase difference measuring circuit in the preceding stage, and outputs the first and second signals to the phase difference measuring circuit in the succeeding stage.
US07821248B2
The invention relates to a device and a method for counting elementary particles emitted by a fluid, the device comprising a line for transferring the fluid and, outside the line, detection means (6a) for detecting the particles that are attenuated by a wall of the line and/or by this fluid.A counting device according to the invention includes at least one counting portion (4a) of oblong cross section which joins together two adjacent portions of the line having a larger flow section and which has an [internal height (h)/internal width (l)] ratio of 20% or less, in which the internal height and the internal width represent the smallest and largest transverse dimensions respectively of the portion, these being measured along two approximately perpendicular directions, said detection means extending transversely to this portion, facing its entire internal width and on either side thereof.
US07821246B2
A voltage regulator is provided that includes a power cell to provide a calibrated output voltage based on a voltage identification (VID) offset, and a master controller to provide a VID code to the power cell. The power cell to calibrate the output voltage based on the VID code received from the master controller and based on the VID offset.
US07821244B1
A circuit for voltage regulation is provided. The circuit includes a variable output voltage regulator and an output capacitor circuit. The output capacitor circuit includes at least two output capacitors and at least one switch. The variable output voltage regulator is capable of providing a regulated DC output voltage at two or more different voltage levels. When the output voltage is changed to a lower output voltage level, one of the output capacitors in the output capacitor circuit is switched out of the circuit to conserve the charge stored on it. When the output voltage returns to the higher output voltage level, the output capacitor that was switched out is switched back in.
US07821223B2
In a system in which current is detected in an inexpensive manner or in a system in which a position detector is omitted, the present invention provides a high-efficiency vector controller for a permanent magnet motor that can minimize current at the same torque even when there is setting error (R−R*) in resistance. Even when a current value commanded for the d-axis is set to zero, a virtual inductance value calculated from a detected q-axis current value is used for output voltage value calculation and phase error estimation calculation; so even if there is setting error (R−R*) in resistance, current can be minimized at the same torque and thereby the present invention can provide a high-efficiency vector controller for a permanent magnet motor.
US07821222B2
A submersible motor is provided for a submersible pump, the motor being configured as a single-phase asynchronous motor, which includes a main winding (6), an auxiliary winding (8), and a starting device (10, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22) for controlling the starting procedure of the submersible motor. The starting device (10, 14, 16, 20, 22) for the control of the current feed of the auxiliary winding (8) includes at least one electronic switch (20) in the circuit of the auxiliary winding (8).
US07821219B2
Size and weight reduction of a motor-driven vehicle, robot or the like is achieved. A current command Iref from a speed feedback gain is supplied to each of circuits with coefficients of sin(θm), sin(θm+2π/3) and sin(θm−2π/3) to generate three-phase signals. The three-phase signals are respectively supplied to current control gains through adder-subtracters. Further, signals from motor constants are added together by an adder to produce motor torque. Furthermore, coil voltages output from adders pass through diodes and are then added together by an adder, and the signal is supplied to a regenerative voltage determiner. When a regenerative voltage becomes excessive, in-phase current Idc is supplied through a regeneration control gain to adder-subtracters.
US07821217B2
A power tool may include an electronically commutated motor such as, for example, a brushless DC permanent magnet motor with a rotor having internally mounted magnets and/or cavities filled with air or other non-magnetic materials. A control system may be used to control the motor in a manner that implements field weakening when the speed of the motor increases beyond its rated motor speed, or when the torque demands on the motor continue to increase after the maximum power output of the motor is reached. The field weakening may offset the growing back EMF and may enable a constant power and constant efficiency to be achieved by the motor over a wide speed range, rather than at just a single predetermined operating speed. Pulse width modulation control of the motor may be used up until the motor reaches its maximum power output.
US07821216B2
When motor drive is initiated, firstly a PWM value at time of driving initiation is set to an initial setting value start_pwm1, and gradually increased by a specified amount in specified period. When an encoder edge is detected, the PWM value is reset to the initial setting value, and increased again in the same manner. From second edge detection, next PWM initial value is set corresponding to a PWM value at the time of edge detection. If the PWM value at the time of edge detection is larger than det_pwm_max owing to load on the motor becoming large and thereby driving velocity becoming slower, a PWM value which is larger than previous PWM initial value is set as a new PWM initial value. The driving target can be driven stably irrelevant to fluctuation of the load on the motor.
US07821209B2
A light source unit for use in, for example, a backlight for illuminating a display panel of a liquid crystal display apparatus, includes a cold-cathode tube having discharge electrodes provided one in each end portion of a glass tube whose interior is filled with a discharge gas. A coil as an inductance element is connected to at least one of the discharge electrodes of the cold-cathode tube so as to eliminate the difficulty in handling a cold-cathode tube caused by its having a negative characteristic such that, as the current flowing therethrough increases, the resistance across it decreases, causing the cold cathode-tube to succumb to current runaway.
US07821200B2
An EL display device capable of performing clear multi-gradation color display and electronic equipment provided with the EL display device are provided, wherein gradation display is performed according to a time-division driving method in which the luminescence and non-luminescence of an EL element (109) disposed in a pixel (104) are controlled by time, and the influence by the characteristic variability of a current controlling TFT (108) is prevented. When this method is used, a data signal side driving circuit (102) and a gate signal side driving circuit (103) are formed with TFTs that use a silicon film having a peculiar crystal structure and exhibit an extremely high operation speed.
US07821181B2
The piezoelectric vibrator includes the piezoelectric bar having a plurality of piezoelectric plates alternately stacked and a plurality of vibration sectors divided vertically and horizontally with respect to the direction in which the piezoelectric plates are stacked. Electrode terminals are formed on each of surface regions of the piezoelectric plate, divided in a longitudinal direction thereof, and jump terminals corresponding to electrode terminals are formed on a surface of an adjacent one of the piezoelectric plates. On side surfaces of the piezoelectric plates, a plurality of side electrodes are formed, connecting the electrode terminals and the corresponding jump terminals to power the vibration sectors, by which a pair of the vibration sectors diagonally disposed from each other are simultaneously powered. The piezoelectric vibrator is small and easily manufactured and mass-produced with a simple structure.
US07821179B2
In an acoustic wave resonator, an IDT electrode is provided on a piezoelectric substrate. The IDT electrode is apodization-weighted such that a plurality of maximum values of cross widths are provided in acoustic wave propagation directions. Alternatively, in apodization weighting, weighting is applied such that at least one of a pair of envelopes located at outer side portions of the IDT electrode in directions substantially perpendicular to acoustic wave propagation directions includes a plurality of angled envelope portions angled from a central portion of the IDT electrode toward an outer side portion of the IDT electrode in a direction substantially perpendicular to the acoustic wave propagation directions.
US07821167B2
An apparatus and method for increasing the buffer volume in a fluid dynamic bearing is disclosed. One embodiment provides a thrust washer coupled with a shaft of a fluid dynamic bearing. In addition, at least one groove is provided on an outward facing side of the thrust washer. In so doing, the at least one groove increases a fluid capacity of the capillary buffer of the fluid dynamic bearing without requiring a change in the size or shape of a capillary buffer of the fluid dynamic bearing.
US07821163B2
A panel is provided on a front side of an electronic device. A driving unit opens and closes the panel. A position detecting unit detects whether the panel is open. An object detecting unit detects whether there is an object on the panel when the panel is open. A control unit controls the driving unit not to close the panel when there is an object on the panel.
US07821159B2
A power supply system includes an energy generator and an energy storage system, each electrically connected to a power bus. The power bus provides electrical power to a load. The energy generator includes a wind turbine and a solar panel. The energy storage system includes a storage device and a regulator. The regulator is configured to transfer energy from the power bus to the storage device when the power bus exceeds a maximum voltage and to transfer energy from the storage device to the power bus when the power bus drops below a minimum voltage.
US07821158B2
Systems and methods for storing and releasing energy comprising directing inlet air into a vertical cold flue assembly, a portion of moisture being removed from the air within the cold flue assembly. The air is directed out of the cold flue assembly and compressed. The remaining moisture is substantially removed and the carbon dioxide is removed from the air by adsorption. The air is cooled in a main heat exchanger such that it is substantially liquefied using refrigerant loop air, The substantially liquefied air is directed to a storage apparatus. The refrigerant loop air is cooled by a mechanical chiller and by a plurality of refrigerant loop air expanders. In energy release mode, working loop air warms the released liquid air such that the released liquid air is substantially vaporized, and the released liquid air cools the working loop air such that the working loop air is substantially liquefied. A portion of the released liquid air is directed to the at least one generator and used as bearing air for the at least one generator. The substantially vaporized air is directed to a combustion chamber and combusted with a fuel stream. Combustion gas may be directed from the combustion chamber to at least one expander, the expanded combustion gas split into two portions. The first portion may be directed to a first heat exchanger, and the second portion may be directed to a second heat exchanger such that the second portion heats and substantially vaporizes the released liquid air.
US07821152B1
A system for heating air in an enclosed air duct or wind tunnel which comprises a series of wind producing devices which are powered by conventional electrical power sources and a series of wind collecting devices which collect the previously generated wind to generate electricity which electricity is transmitted to a series of heat exchangers. Additionally, wind collecting apparatuses, e.g., a windmill, are provided outside of the air duct to collect wind on the outside of the air duct to drive a generator which provides additional electricity which is also transmitted to the heat exchanger. The heat producing elements could include fans and/or squirrel cage devices which are driven by electrical power sources. The wind collecting devices could include squirrel cage devices and/or fan devices which are each connected to generators for producing electricity which is then transmitted to the heat exchangers. A system may be comprised of multiple units of each of these devices. Furthermore, the air duct could be straight or it could be curved. While the wind producing devices are driven by conventional electrical power sources, the heat exchangers collect electricity from the wind producing elements which may be unconventional in that the frequency or hertz of the electricity may vary and not be conventional in the sense that it could be different from the common voltage levels and/or frequency, i.e., sixty cycles per second or hertz, which is commonly used in the United States.
US07821149B2
Airborne system for producing electricity from wind includes at least one shaft, one or more wind turbines rotatably mounted to each shaft, and generators that convert rotation of the turbine(s) into electricity. A lifting section is connected to the shaft(s) and generates a lifting force that causes the system to be airborne. A center of gravity of the system is lower than its center of lift. When the turbines are exposed to wind and rotate (at least one in one direction and another in an opposite direction), torques induced on the shaft(s) of the system balance each other and remaining deferential torque is balanced by returning torque that is generated by the angular deviation of the center of gravity from its lowest position. A magnitude of this returning torque increases as the angular deviation increases until the system reach angular stability. Electricity is generated and conducted for storage or usage.
US07821147B2
A portable, tow-able, buoyant hybrid renewable energy platform for producing and storing electrical energy using wind, water, and solar power, or a combination of these methods. Included on this platform is a wind turbine that semi-detaches to become a water turbine, if necessary. A small fuel backup generator is provided for, as is a system for air-portage and stabilizing the device.
US07821142B2
An alignment mark mask element protects an underlying alignment mark during subsequent processing of a fabrication substrate. The alignment mark mask element is formed concurrent with formation of a photomask from a dual-tone photoresist that exhibits a pattern reversal upon exposure to an energy level. A portion of the dual-tone photoresist above the alignment mark is exposed to an energy sufficient to reverse a positive tone resist to a negative tone, which remains above the alignment mark after developing. The remainder of the dual-tone photoresist is exposed through a reticle at a lesser energy level and patterned to define aperture locations of a photomask for formation of semiconductor device features. In addition, a photomask for use on a fabrication substrate and an intermediate semiconductor device are disclosed. Methods of forming a photomask and an intermediate semiconductor device structure are also disclosed.
US07821140B2
A semiconductor device has a first layer pressing portion that is formed by crushing a ball neck formed by bonding an initial ball onto a first layer pad of a first layer semiconductor die and pressing the side of a wire folded onto the crushed ball neck, a first wire extended in the direction of a lead from the first layer pressing portion, and a second wire that is looped from a second layer pad of a second layer semiconductor die toward the first layer pressing portion and joined onto the second layer pad side of the first layer pressing portion. Thereby, the connection of wires is performed at a small number of times of bonding, while reducing damages caused on the semiconductor dies.
US07821138B2
The semiconductor comprises an n-channel transistor forming region and a p-channel transistor forming region, which are disposed while being sectioned by an element isolation region. The stress caused by contact plugs in the n-channel transistor forming region and the stress caused by contact plugs in the p-channel transistor forming region are made different from each other. With this, it enables to increase the drive current of both the n-channel transistor and p-channel transistor without changing the dimensions of the active region and the element isolation region.
US07821131B2
A microelectronic substrate and a microelectronic package including the substrate and a die bonded thereto. The substrate includes a substrate panel having a die-side surface including a die-attach region; a system of interconnects extending through the substrate panel and adapted to allow a connection of the substrate to external circuitry; and a plurality of solder bumps including: die-attach solder bumps electrically coupled to the system of interconnects and disposed in the die-attach region; and barrier solder bumps isolated from the system of interconnects, the barrier solder bumps being disposed outside of the die-attach region and being adapted to substantially limit a flow of underfill away from the die-attach region.
US07821129B2
Hermeticity of microcircuit packages is achieved in one embodiment by recognition that water can penetrate the ceramic structure and thus the ceramic structure is sealed and the edges of the ceramic package are metallically bonded to the electronic package. In one embodiment, a clear ceramic dielectric compound is sprayed on the ceramic and then the package is glazed.
US07821120B2
A vertical wafer-to-wafer interconnect structure is provided in which a first wafer and a second wafer are mated by way of metal studs that extend from a surface of the first wafer. The metal studs extend from the surface of the first wafer into a corresponding through via of the second wafer. A polyimide coating is present in the through via on mated surfaces of the first and second wafers and on another surface of the second wafer not mated to the first wafer, thus the metal studs provide a continuous metal path from the first wafer through the second wafer. Since only metal studs for the vertical connection are used, no alpha radiation is generated by the metal studs.
US07821118B1
A reduced inductance power distribution pattern for an integrated circuit (IC) package is disclosed. The IC package can include a die in which the electronic circuitry is formed, a ball grid array (BGA) substrate, and a plurality of conductive balls coupled to the BGA substrate. The IC package can further include a plurality of conductive trace rings routed in parallel, and a plurality of bond wires for coupling the die to the conductive balls via the conductive trace rings.
US07821107B2
A die stack including a die having an annular via with a recessed conductive socket and methods of forming the die stack provide a structure for use in a variety of electronic systems. In an embodiment, a die stack includes a conductive pillar on the top of a die inserted into the recessed conductive socket of another die.
US07821105B2
A silicon substrate has a protective film formed on each side. A semiconductor surface opening not smaller than a given region is formed by removing the protective film. A through-hole having an inner size smaller than the given region is formed in the opening by laser machining. Thereafter, the inner size of the through-hole is increased by anisotropic etching, and the etching is ended when the inner size of the through-hole reaches the given size. In this way, a through-hole of a given size can be formed without allowing reversely tapered crystal planes to appear from a surface of the substrate toward the inside of the through-hole.
US07821103B2
An improved varactor diode (40) is obtained by providing a substrate (41) having a first surface (43), in which are formed a P+ region (53, 46) proximate the first surface (43), a first N region (54, 45) located beneath the P+ region (53, 46), an N well region (56, 44) located beneath the first N region (54, 45) and a first P counter-doped region (55) located between the first N region (54, 45) and the N well region (56, 44), thereby forming an P+NPN structure for the varactor diode. In some embodiments, a second P-type counter-doped region (59) is provided within the N-well region (56, 44) so as to reduce the N doping concentration within the N well region (56, 44) but without creating a further PN junction therein. The net doping profile (52) provides varactor diodes (40) having a larger tuning ratio than varactors (20) without such counter-doped regions. By interchanging N and P regions an N+PNP varactor is obtained.
US07821100B2
A semiconductor device includes a protection target element formed on a semiconductor substrate and includes a protection target element electrode, a substrate connecting part including a substrate connecting electrode electrically connected to the semiconductor substrate and a fuse structure provided between the protection target element electrode and the substrate connecting electrode and includes a fuse film configured to be torn by applying a predetermined current thereto. The protection target element electrode, the substrate connecting electrode and the fuse film are formed of an integral conductive film as long as the fuse film is not torn.
US07821097B2
A lateral passive device is disclosed including a dual annular electrode. The annular electrodes form an anode and a cathode. The annular electrodes allow anode and cathode series resistances to be optimized to the lowest values at a fixed device area. In addition, the parasitic capacitance to a bottom plate (substrate) is greatly reduced. In one embodiment, a device includes a first annular electrode surrounding a second annular electrode formed on a substrate, and the second annular electrode surrounds an insulator region. A related method is also disclosed.
US07821095B2
In one embodiment, a Schottky diode is formed on a doped region having a thickness less than about eighteen microns.
US07821091B2
A photo detector comprising a grating (PC). The grating (PC) is arranged on top of a surface of an active semiconductor layer. The grating (PC) is patterned in uninterrupted first strips (ST1), that are arranged in a first direction (x) in a first predetermined interval (a), and second strips (ST2), that are arranged in a second direction (y) in a second predetermined interval (b). The second strips (ST2) each comprise at least one interruption in a region between each two neighboring first strips (ST1) in form of a predetermined gap (d). Positively doped regions (P) and negatively doped regions (N) each are arranged as strips in parallel with the first strips (ST1) such that in a region between each two neighboring first strips (ST1) alternately either one of the positively doped regions (P) or one of the negatively doped regions (N) is arranged.
US07821082B1
Method for increasing breaking down voltage of lateral diffused metal oxide semiconductor transistor
A lateral diffused metal oxide semiconductor transistor is disclosed. A p-type bulk is disposed on a substrate. An n-type well region is disposed in the p-type bulk. A plurality of field oxide layers are disposed on the p-type bulk and the n-type well region. A gate structure is disposed on a portion of the p-type bulk and one of the plurality of field oxide layers. At least one deep trench isolation structure is disposed in the p-type bulk and adjacent to the n-type well region.
US07821074B2
The present invention provides a semiconductor device includes: an element isolation region configured to be formed in a semiconductor substrate; a P-type field effect transistor configured to be formed in a first element formation region of the semiconductor substrate for which isolation by the element isolation region is carried out; an N-type substrate region configured to be formed in the semiconductor substrate for which isolation by the element isolation region is carried out, arsenic being ion-implanted into the N-type substrate region; a nickel silicide layer configured to be formed on the N-type substrate region; a first insulating film configured to cover the P-type field effect transistor and have compressive stress; and a second insulating film configured to cover the N-type substrate region and have tensile stress or compressive stress lower than the compressive stress of the first insulating film.
US07821072B2
In a semiconductor device, a transistor in an N-type logic region NL is covered with a tensile stress applying film and a transistor in a P-type logic region PL is covered with a compressive stress applying film. Transistors in a P-type SRAM region PS and an N-type SRAM region NS are covered with a layered film including a tensile stress applying film and a compressive stress applying film.
US07821070B2
Trig modulation electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection devices are presented. An ESD protection device includes a semiconductor substrate. A high voltage N-well (HVNW) region is formed in the semiconductor substrate. An NDD region, a first P-body region and a second P-body region are formed in the HVNW region, wherein the first P-body region is separated from the second P-body region with a predetermined distance, and wherein the NDD region is isolated from the first P-body region with an isolation region. An N+ doped source region is disposed in the NDD region. An N+ doped region is disposed in the first P-body region. A P+ doped region is disposed in the second P-body region. A first gate is disposed between the N+ doped region and the isolation region, and a second gate is disposed between the N+ doped region and the P+ doped region.
US07821068B2
An electronic device fabrication method including: (a) providing a dielectric region and a lower electrically conductive region, wherein the dielectric region includes a plurality of pinholes each with an entry and an exit; and (b) depositing an etchant for the lower electrically conductive region into the pinholes that undercuts the pinholes to create for a number of the pinholes an overhanging surface of the dielectric region around the exit facing an undercut area of the lower electrically conductive region wider than the exit.
US07821067B2
An electronic device can include a first semiconductor portion and a second semiconductor portion, wherein the compositions of the first and second semiconductor portions are different from each other. In one embodiment, the first and second semiconductor portions can have different stresses compared to each other. In one embodiment, the electronic device may be formed by forming an oxidation mask over the first semiconductor portion. A second semiconductor layer can be formed over the second semiconductor portion of the first semiconductor layer and have a different composition compared to the first semiconductor layer. An oxidation can be performed, and a concentration of a semiconductor element (e.g., germanium) within the second portion of the first semiconductor layer can be increased. In another embodiment, a selective condensation may be performed, and a field isolation region can be formed between the first and second portions of the first semiconductor layer.
US07821060B2
A semiconductor device includes an active region having a groove, a gate insulating film, and a gate electrode. The gate electrode may include first and second layers. The first layer extends along the gate insulating film. The first layer is electrically conductive. The second layer extends along the first layer. The second layer is separate from the gate insulating film by the first layer.
US07821056B2
A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes an array of nonvolatile memory cell transistors, each of which is configured such that a tunnel insulation film, a floating gate electrode, a floating gate insulation film and a control gate electrode are stacked on a surface of a semiconductor substrate. A mean roughness of an interface between a polysilicon, of which the floating gate electrode is formed, and the floating gate insulation film is 1.5 nm or less.
US07821048B2
The semiconductor industry seeks to replace traditional volatile memory devices with improved non-volatile memory devices. The increased demand for a significantly advanced, efficient, and non-volatile data retention technique has driven the development of integrated magnetic memory structures. In one aspect, the present teachings relate to magnetic memory structure fabrication techniques in a high density configuration that includes an efficient means for programming high density magnetic memory structures.
US07821047B2
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor apparatus including: a semiconductor substrate; an element isolation region formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to extend in a first direction; a gate electrode formed in the semiconductor substrate so as to extend in a second direction crossing the first direction and to penetrate through the element isolation region; a gate insulating film interposed between the gate electrode and the semiconductor substrate; an interlayer dielectric film formed on the gate electrode; a ferroelectric capacitor including: first and second electrodes disposed on the interlayer dielectric film and a ferroelectric between the first and second electrodes; and first and second semiconductor pillars being in contact respectively with the first and second electrodes.
US07821034B2
A III-nitride heterojunction semiconductor device that includes a power electrode that is electrically connected to a conductive substrate through a trench in the heterojunction thereof.
US07821033B2
A semiconductor component is disclosed herein comprising a drift zone and a drift control zone. The drift control zone is arranged adjacent to the drift zone and is dielectrically insulated from the drift zone by a dielectric layer. The drift control zone includes at least one first semiconductor layer and one second semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer has a higher charge carrier mobility than the second semiconductor layer.
US07821019B2
A heterostructure semiconductor device capable of emitting electromagnetic radiation and having a junction with opposite conductivity type materials on either side thereof supported on a substrate with an active layer therebetween comprising zinc oxide and having a band gap energy that is less than that of either of the opposite conductivity type materials.
US07821015B2
A method of making a semi-insulating epitaxial layer includes implanting a substrate or a first epitaxial layer formed on the substrate with boron ions to form a boron implanted region on a surface of the substrate or on a surface of the first epitaxial layer, and growing a second epitaxial layer on the boron implanted region of the substrate or on the boron implanted region of the first epitaxial layer to form a semi-insulating epitaxial layer.
US07821009B2
A thin film transistor array panel includes an insulating substrate, a gate line formed on the insulating substrate, a gate insulating layer formed on the gate line, a drain electrode and a data line having a source electrode formed on the gate insulating layer wherein the drain electrode faces the source electrode with a gap therebetween, and a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode. At least one of the gate line, the data line, and the drain electrode includes a first conductive layer made of a conductive oxide and a second conductive layer of Ag that is deposited adjacent to the first conductive layer.
US07821007B2
A thin film transistor, a method of fabricating the same, and a flat panel display device including the same, are provided. According to the method, low resistance regions and high resistance regions can be manufactured through one doping process. The thin film transistor includes: a substrate; a semiconductor layer disposed on the substrate and including source and drain regions, high resistance regions smaller than the source and drain regions, a channel region, and connection regions disposed between the high resistance regions and the channel region; a gate insulating layer disposed on the semiconductor layer; a gate electrode disposed on the gate insulating layer above the channel region; an interlayer insulating layer disposed on the gate electrode; and source and drain electrodes disposed on the interlayer insulating layer and electrically connected to the source and drain regions, respectively.
US07821003B2
Provided are a thin-film transistor (TFT) substrate and a display device having the same. In the TFT substrate and the display device having the same, first and second drain electrodes of first and second TFTs connected to first and second pixel electrodes, respectively, are vertically bent a plurality of times. The distance between each of the first and second source electrodes and the first or second drain electrode is maintained at a minimum interline gap to increase the distance between a data line and each of the first and second drain electrodes and minimize the length of a region of each of the first and second drain electrodes adjacent to the data line. Consequently, a coupling capacitance between the data line and each of the first and second drain electrodes can be reduced, and each unit pixel region can have a uniform parasite capacitance within a predetermined range. In addition, the luminance deviation of a display device, which performs inversion driving, can be reduced.
US07820999B2
The device of the invention comprises a thin film transistor of an organic semiconductor material. This semiconductor material is patterned by applying first a protective layer and thereafter a photoresist. As a result hereof, the transistor of the invention (A) shows a very low leakage current and a low threshold voltage in comparison with prior art transistors (B,C).
US07820995B2
The present invention relates to a component for a household appliance, in particular for a dishwasher, and to a sump for a household appliance, in particular for a dishwasher, using it. Both the component and the sump are adapted to detect and/or control the level of a liquid in a tub. The component and/or the sump comprise a light transmitter adapted to generate a light beam, a light receiver adapted to receive the said light beam, and at least one optical element, in particular made of transparent material, adapted to affect the said beam depending on the content of the tub.
US07820988B2
An apparatus and method for ion implantation that include destabilizing the ion beam as it passes through magnetic field, preferably a dipole magnetic field is disclosed. By introducing a bias voltage at certain points within the magnetic field, electrons from the plasma are drawn toward the magnet, thereby causing the ion beam to expand due to space charge effects. The bias voltage can be introduced into the magnet in a region where the magnetic field has only one component. Alternatively, the bias voltage can be in a region wherein the magnetic field has two components.
US07820968B2
An image acquisition apparatus acquires an image indicating an intensity distribution of infrared light. The image acquisition apparatus includes a conductive thin film, a dielectric layer placed on the thin film, a base to support the thin film and the dielectric layer in this order on a principal surface, a light source to emit light to an interface between the thin film and the base, and an image pickup device to receive light reflected on the interface between the thin film and the base.
US07820965B2
An apparatus for detecting chemical substances which is high in sensitivity and selectivity is provided.An organic acid or an organic acid salt is used to generate an organic acid gas from an organic acid gas generator 3 to be mixed with a sample gas for introduction into an ion source 4 for ionization, thereby obtaining a mass spectrum by a mass analysis region 5. A data processor 6 determines the detection or non-detection of a specific m/z of an organic acid adduct ion obtained by adding a molecule generated from the organic acid to a molecule with specific m/z generated from a target chemical substance to be detected based on the obtained mass spectrum. When there is an ion peak with the m/z of the organic acid adduct ion, the presence of the target chemical substance to be detected is determined, and an alarm is sounded.False detection can be prevented.
US07820958B2
An improved laser scanning microscope and method of use are disclosed that enable polarization anisotropy measurements to be made with greater sensitivity and accuracy. A controllable optical element is provided in a light path between a laser source and a sample, and is controlled so that the sample is alternately irradiated with light beams that are orthogonally polarized. This enables the signal strength to be higher than with previous laser scanning microscopes. Moreover, because the orthogonally polarized light beams that are alternately incident onto a sample may be switched at a high rate, a reduction may be achieved in the influence of molecular motion within a sample in which high speed biological reactions are observed.
US07820951B2
An instrument for carrying out controlled microwave assisted chemical processes, and that is particularly useful for handling relatively small samples. The instrument includes a microwave-transparent reaction vessel with an open mouth, a pressure-resistant seal on the mouth of the vessel, and a needle, portions of which penetrate the seal with a first end of the needle and provide fluid communication into the vessel. A pressure transducer is at the opposite end of the needle and in fluid communication with the interior of the vessel through the needle. The instrument defines a pressure control flow path from a portion of the needle outside of the vessel to a fluid port, the flow path being in communication with the needle, the interior of the vessel and the transducer. A controllable pressure release valve for the flow path is associated with the port.
US07820944B2
Provided are procedures and arrangements for determining composition of cored welding wire electrodes. A portion of a length of a cored welding wire electrode is detached, to serve as a sample portion. The sample portion is provided to a digestion vessel, where it is digested into a sample solution. The sample solution is provided to an analytical device which analyzes the sample solution to determine the elements and concentrations of elements which comprise the sample solution.
US07820941B2
The present invention relates to a process for laser scoring of flat glass sheets. The process comprises manipulating a laser beam having a substantially Gaussian intensity profile to produce an elongated heating zone on the glass sheet to be scored, the elongated heating zone having a central portion with a lower temperature than a temperature of an outer portion of the heating zone. An initial crack is made in the glass sheet, the elongated heating zone is traversed across the glass sheet coincident with the initial crack, and the heated glass is thermally shocked by directing a cooled liquid against the heated glass, thus propagating the crack. The scored glass sheet may thereafter be broken by applying bending techniques as are known in the art.
US07820935B2
A burner design used for thermal treatment of a surface of materials is presented. The burner includes a tubular electrode, a nozzle, a removable rod-shaped electrode which are arranged to form a discharge chamber, a means for vapor generation in the form of a reservoir provided with a flange and filled with a liquid-absorbing material, an electric arc vortex stabilization element, an element for cooling the nozzle and the electrode, and current leads. The reservoir flange is made in the form of a connection fitting and is provided with a partition having a central opening in which the tubular electrode is positioned to enable the formation of a heating element including an evaporator and a vapor superheater, both separated by the partition, the evaporator is provided with grooves for discharging vapor into a collector out of an annular recess on a surface of the vapor superheater arranged outside the reservoir.
US07820927B2
The present invention provides a protector, especially a radiotherapeutic protector. The protector comprises a conductive baseplate with one side covered with an insulation layer and another side is mounted with a plentiful of antennae, and an electric connector is coupled on one end of the conductive baseplate. In one embodiment, the conductive baseplate is enveloped by the insulation layer, and the antennae penetrate through the insulation layer and connect to one side of the conductive baseplate. The protector of the present invention has the advantages of simplify in structure and low in price, and can effectively avoid the physical contact or collision between the radioactive source and the patient during treatment.
US07820926B2
A circuit interrupting device is manufacturable in a number of different configurations providing current path options, conductor connectivity options and sensing options. The device may include a configurable solid insulation housing into which various operable components are installed. The device may include a core element including a sensor assembly and conductor members, from which the various configurations may be established including a plurality of different current path configurations. A plurality of circuit interrupting devices (302) may be configured together in an assembly with corresponding disconnect assemblies (306). An interlock is provided to prevent operation of the disconnect assemblies (306) unless the circuit interrupting devices (302) are in an open state.
US07820925B2
A multi-directional switch includes a switch module, including a generally rectangular base, and an actuator vertically installed into a central receiving chamber defined in the base, the actuator can tilt away from a vertical axis to close one of four corners of the base, and a manual handle mated with the switch module, defining a central hollow being open toward the actuator for fittingly receiving the actuator therein, so as to permit synchronously swinging movement of the manual handle and the actuator. For preventing the manual handle, together with the actuator, synchronously swinging toward one of four corners, after the actuator is fittingly received in the central hollow of the manual handle, at least a rib is formed at a top surface of the base for abutting against a bottom surface of the manual handle, or formed at a bottom surface of the manual handle for abutting against a top surface of the base.
US07820914B2
An insulated wire possessing preferable flame retardancy, water resistance and wear resistance. The insulated wire including an insulator layer made from a composition including 96 to 44 parts by weight of (A) a polyester type resin, 4 to 56 parts by weight of (B) a polyphenylene ether type resin, 1 to 70 parts by weight of (C) one or more than one sort of polymer selected from the group consisting of a styrene type polymer, an olefin type polymer including a functional group, and a polymer including an ester group with respect to 100 parts by weight of (A) the polyester type resin and (B) the polyphenylene ether type resin, and 1 to 50 parts by weight of (D) a phosphoester compound with respect to 100 parts by weight of (A) the polyester type resin and (B) the polyphenylene ether type resin.
US07820912B1
An electrical outlet cover assembly includes an electrical outlet mounting box having a front edge that does not extend beyond a front surface of a wall. An extendable base is coupled with the electrical outlet mounting box and is slideable between collapsed and extended positions. When collapsed, a leading edge of the extendable base does not extend beyond the front surface of the wall. One or more guides resist decoupling of the extendable base and the electrical outlet mounting box. A lid is pivotably coupled with the extendable base, and one of the lid and the extendable base has a cord port along their respective edges. The lid has a front surface and is positionable between open and closed positions. The lid's front surface is substantially flush with the front surface of the wall when the base is collapsed and the lid is closed with respect to the extendable cover.
US07820908B2
Disclosed is a solid state dye-sensitized solar cell employing a composite polymer electrolyte, which includes a photoelectrode, a counter electrode, and an electrolyte interposed between the photoelectrode and counter electrode. The electrolyte includes at least one of a middle molecular substance, a polymer mixture, and inorganic nanoparticles, and a redox derivative. The dye-sensitized solar cell reduces crystallinity of the polymer electrolyte to significantly increase ionic conductivity, and enables the polymer electrolyte to smoothly permeate into a titanium oxide layer to improve mechanical properties, thereby significantly increasing energy conversion efficiency. Accordingly, the dye-sensitized solar cell assures high energy conversion efficiency without an electrolyte leak, and thus, it can be stably and practically used for a long time.
US07820898B2
A bolt on tremolo unit. The tremolo arm is depressed which rotates a shaft within a frame. The rotating shaft engages a conrod against a folded steel sheet. This forces it to tip thus lowering the the pitch of the strings. When the tremolo arm is released, the expansion springs pull against a shaft spring connecting hinge and return the tremolo to its original position. When the tremolo arm is pulled across the frame causing the adjustable tail piece to clear the frame, the shaft is free to rotate in the opposite direction. This raises the pitch. When the adjustable tail piece is returned to the stop block or plate the guitar returns to standard pitch.
US07820896B2
A violin can have a longitudinal bass bar located to the right of the middle line in the front and two transverse bass bars located to both left side and right-side of the longitudinal bass bar respectively. The transverse bass bars can be in the upper half of the lower semicircle of the front plate. A lower longitudinal bass bar can be located to the left of the middle line in the back and two other transverse bass bars can be located to both left-side and right-side of the lower longitudinal bass bar respectively and the transverse bass bars can be in the upper half of the lower semicircle of the back plate. An upper longitudinal bass bar can be located to the left of the middle line in the upper half of back plate. Twelve harmonious overtones in octave may be generated in the violin.
US07820894B1
A novel maize variety designated PHH8E and seed, plants and plant parts thereof. Methods for producing a maize plant that comprise crossing maize variety PHH8E with another maize plant. Methods for producing a maize plant containing in its genetic material one or more traits introgressed into PHH8E through backcross conversion and/or transformation, and to the maize seed, plant and plant part produced thereby. Hybrid maize seed, plant or plant part produced by crossing the variety PHH8E or a trait conversion of PHH8E with another maize variety. Inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHH8E, methods for producing other inbred maize varieties derived from maize variety PHH8E and the inbred maize varieties and their parts derived by the use of those methods.
US07820889B1
An inbred corn line, designated LLD19BM, the plants and seeds of the inbred corn line LLD19BM, methods for producing a corn plant, either inbred or hybrid, produced by crossing the inbred corn line LLD19BM with itself or with another corn plant, and hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line LLD19BM with another corn line or plant and to methods for producing a corn plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic corn plants produced by that method. This invention also relates to inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line LLD19BM, to methods for producing other inbred corn lines derived from inbred corn line LLD19BM and to the inbred corn lines derived by the use of those methods.
US07820888B2
The invention relates to the novel cotton variety designated MCS0701B2RF. Provided by the invention are the seeds, plants, plant parts and derivatives of the cotton variety MCS0701B2RF. Also provided by the invention are tissue cultures of the cotton variety MCS0701B2RF and the plants regenerated therefrom. Still further provided by the invention are methods for producing cotton plants by crossing the cotton variety MCS0701B2RF with itself or another cotton variety and plants produced by such methods.
US07820886B1
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated RJS22001. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety RJS22001, to the plants of soybean RJS22001 to plant parts of soybean variety RJS22001 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety RJS22001 with another soybean plant, using RJS22001 as either the male or the female parent.
US07820885B1
According to the invention, there is provided a novel soybean variety designated XB25U08. This invention thus relates to the seeds of soybean variety XB25U08, to the plants of soybean XB25U08 to plant parts of soybean variety XB25U08 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing plants of the soybean variety XB25U08 with another soybean plant, using XB25U08 as either the male or the female parent.
US07820878B2
The present invention relates to a method of producing an ungulate having both copies of the IgM heavy chain (mu) rag-1 and/or rag-2 gene eliminated from its genome. Animals which have IgM, rag-1 and/or rag-2 eliminated from their genome are unable to conduct the gene rearrangements that are necessary to generate the antigen receptors of B- or T-lymphocytes, and therefore will not develop native B- or T-cells. Because they are unable to produce B- and T-lymphocytes, these IgM, rag-1, or rag-2 ungulates cannot reject human hematopoietic stem cell preparations, and B- and T-lymphocytes which develop therefrom. Therefore, the present invention also involves injecting into IgM, rag-1, and/or rag-2 deficient ungulates, in utero or shortly after birth, human B- and T-lymphocytes whose immune systems produce human immunoglobulin that can be processed for therapeutic uses in humans.
US07820873B2
Absorbent structures that form superabsorbent polymers in situ. The structures include an absorbent material and a fibrous material containing an activating agent. The fibrous material releases the activating agent upon stimulation with an activator, which causes the polymer to become a superabsorbent polymer. The absorbent component is desirably a water-swellable, water-insoluble polymer. The absorbent structures form a superabsorbent composition in situ. Methods of making the activating agent containing fibrous material are provided.
US07820872B2
A chitosan biomaterial is frozen in aqueous solution to form a frozen chitosan structure from which water is removed by a prescribed freeze-drying process to form a sponge-like chitosan structure having a thickness and a density. The sponge-like chitosan structure is compressed by application of heat and pressure to reduce the thickness and increase the density of the sponge-like chitosan structure to form a densified chitosan structure. The densified chitosan structure is further preconditioned by heating the densified chitosan structure according to prescribed conditions to form a wound dressing. The wound dressing possesses an adhesion strength and resistance to dissolution in high blood flow bleeding situations.
US07820867B2
Process for converting oxygenate compounds to hydrocarbons comprising the steps: (a) introducing a feed stream of synthesis gas to a synthesis section for the production of easily convertible oxygenates, (b) passing the effluent stream from said synthesis section containing easily convertible oxygenates to a gasoline synthesis section, (c) passing the effluent of said gasoline synthesis section to a separator and withdrawing from said separator hydrocarbons boiling in the gasoline boiling range, (d) admixing a recycle stream from the separator containing unconverted synthesis gas volatile hydrocarbons with the feed stream of synthesis gas of step (a), (e) introducing a feed containing difficulty convertible oxygenates to the synthesis section of step (a).
US07820865B2
The instant invention relates to new photolatent compounds of the formula I wherein R1 and R2 are each independently of the other C1-C10alkyl or C3-C8cycloalkyl, R3 is hydrogen or C1-C4alkyl, and wherein the photochemically cleaved group R4OH is selected from the group consisting of fragrances, UV absorbers, anti-microbials, anti-fogging agents and clarifiers; with the proviso that, when R1 and R2 are tert-butyl and R3 is hydrogen, R4 is not methyl or phenyl.
US07820858B2
The present invention provides a method for the synthesis of β2-amino acids. The method also provides methods yielding α-substituted β-amino aldehydes and β-substituted γ-amino alcohols. The present method according to this invention allows for increased yield and easier purification using minimal chromatography or crystallization. The methods described herein are based on an aldehyde aminomethylation which involves a Mannich reaction between an aldehyde and a formaldehyde-derived N,O-acetal (iminium precursor) and a catalyst, such as, for example, L-proline or a pyrrolidine. The invention allows for large scale, commercial preparation of β2-amino acids.
US07820852B2
A process for the selective production of ethyl acetate by vapor phase reaction of acetic acid over a hydrogenating catalyst composition to form ethyl acetate is disclosed and claimed. In an embodiment of this invention reaction of acetic acid and hydrogen over platinum and copper supported on silica selectively produces ethyl acetate in a vapor phase at a temperature of about 250° C.
US07820851B2
A polyfluorinated compound is provided inclusive of at least one 18F atom having a formula: CF3(CF2)nR1 (I) where R1 is —C(O)OR2, —C(O)N(R3)2, C—N(R3)2, —C(NR3)R2, C-QR3, -QR3, —N+(R3)3, X, C1-C30 alkyl, C1-C30 haloalkyl, C1-C30 alkoxyl, or C1-C30 perhaloalkyl; R2 is MZ+, H, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 perhalo alkyl, C6-C30 aryl, C6-C30 perhaloaryl, and a substituted form thereof where one or more protons or halogens is replaced with a plasma solubility enhancing moiety of —N+(R3)3, —SO3H, —SO2N(R3)2, or -QR3; R3 is independently in each occurrence MZ+, —SO3H, —SO2N(R3)2, or -QR3; Q is O or S; MZ+ is a cation that forms a net neutral compound with an anionic (CF3(CF2)nC(O)O−)Z and is an alkali metal cation, an alkali earth cation, a transition metal cation, ammonium, and aluminum cations; Z is an integer value of between 1 and 3 inclusive; X is a fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine atom; halo denotes a replacement of at least one and not all protons with X; perhalo denotes a replacement of all protons with X; and n is an integer value of between 1 and 30 inclusive.
US07820841B2
The present disclosure provides low trans-fatty acid fat compositions, methods of hydrogenating unsaturated feed-stocks (e.g., oils), and hydrogenation catalyst compositions. One exemplary method involves producing a catalyst composition by heating a nickel-based catalyst to a first temperature of at least about 85° C. in the presence of hydrogen and a fat component. An unsaturated feedstock may be contacted with the catalyst composition and hydrogenated by sustaining a hydrogenation reaction at a second temperature of no greater than about 70° C. Some specific implementations of the invention permit the production of partially hydrogenated seed oils with low trans-fatty acid contents.
US07820839B2
The invention relates to a second-generation-fatty acid conjugate and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. The second-generation-fatty acid conjugate are useful in the treatment of cancer in a human in need thereof.
US07820838B2
An intermediate compound for total synthesis of ecteinascidins comprising, a compound represented by general formula 2 having thioether group at C4 site, and the substituent R2 of N12 site is trichloroethoxycarbonyl (Troc) to which various substituents can be introduced by mild condition, further having 10 members ring structure which can be converted to a ring of other numbered members.
US07820836B2
A process for the preparation of hydroxylated isoflavones by reacting in a Hoesch reaction using an alkanoic acid alkyl ester as solvent a phenol with a phenylacetonitrile to yield a 1,2-diphenyl-ethanone and transforming the ethanone into an isoflavone by well-known methods.
US07820835B2
The present invention provides a method for producing flavan derivatives having various substituent groups with controlling the stereochemistry. The method of the present invention includes the steps of: hydratively condensing a phenol compound expressed by formula (I) and an alcohol compound expressed by formula (II) to from an epoxide compound of formula (III); opening the epoxy ring of the epoxide compound of formula (III) to form an iodine-containing compound of formula (IV); and cyclizing the iodine-containing compound to form the flavan derivative of formula (V).
US07820832B2
The present invention discloses an oxidized mixed cyclic phenol sulfide which is a mixture of the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is 8 and the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide wherein m is an integer other than 8, the oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide being represented by the following formula (1): wherein R is a straight or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, m is an integer from 4 to 9, and n is 1 or 2; or an oxidized cyclic phenol sulfide of formula (1) wherein m is 8. The present invention also discloses a charge control agent which comprises the above sulfide(s) as the active ingredient; and a toner which comprises the charge control agent, a coloring agent and a binder resin. This charge control agent is particularly useful for color toners, and it speeds up charging risetime, and has a high charge amount and charging characteristics excellent in environmental stability. Further, the charge control agent is safe since it does not have any problem with the waste regulations.
US07820831B2
The invention relates to compounds having the general formula (I), the method of preparation thereof and the use thereof in organic radical synthesis. The invention also relates to compounds having the formula (II), the method of preparation thereof and a method for preparing compounds having the formula (VIII).
US07820823B2
The present invention relates to compounds of the Formula (I) that are useful antimicrobial agents and effective against a variety of multi-drug resistant bacteria.
US07820821B2
The present invention relates to compounds and methods from the treatment of cancer. The invention provides compounds that inhibit Aurora kinase, pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds that inhibit Aurora kinase, and methods for the treatment of cancer using the compounds of the presentation invention or pharmaceutical compositions comprising compounds of the present invention.
US07820818B2
The invention provides compounds of formula I or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or ester thereof wherein the symbols have meaning as defined, which are inhibitors of cathepsin K and find use pharmaceutically for treatment of diseases and medical conditions in which cathepsin K is implicated, e.g. various disorders including inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and tumors.
US07820815B2
The invention relates to an improved process for preparing enantiomerically pure 8-(3-aminopiperidin-1-yl)-xanthines. The process involves reacting a compound of the formula (III) with 3-(phthalimido)piperidine or an enantiomer thereof where X is a leaving group selected from halogens and sulphonic ester acid residues, and R1 to R3 are as defined herein, to obtain a compound of the formula (II) and deprotecting the obtained compound of the formula (II) to obtain the product xanthines.
US07820812B2
A process for preparing a crystalline rapamycin analog includes: combining the rapamycin analog with an organic medium to form a mixture; incubating the mixture until the rapamycin analog crystallizes; and recovering the crystalline rapamycin analog. The organic medium can be a solvent, and the process can include causing the rapamycin analog to dissolve into the solvent, and incubating the solvent until the rapamycin analog crystallizes. The following can also be performed: forming a slurry of crystalline rapamycin analog; stirring the rapamycin analog mixture until the rapamycin analog crystallizes; saturating the rapamycin analog solution; forming a supersaturated rapamycin analog solution; combining an antisolvent with the rapamycin analog and the solvent to form a biphasic mixture, and incubating the biphasic mixture to cause a liquid-liquid phase split.
US07820811B2
The invention relates to a method of improving oral drug absorption of adenosine analogues by the use of 2′-methoxy adenosine pro-drugs and to the use of these pro-drugs as medicaments. The invention further relates to compounds that are pro-drugs of adenosine receptor agonists, and to their use as therapeutic compounds, in particular as analgesic or anti-inflammatory compounds, or as disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and to methods of preventing, treating or ameliorating pain or inflammation using these compounds.
US07820807B2
Disclosed are agonist anti-CD40 molecules, including monoclonal antibodies, which can bind to and stimulate professional and non-professional human antigen-presenting cells (“APCs”), enhance the stimulatory effect of CD40L on CD40 positive cells and/or induce phenotypical maturation of monocyte derived dendritic cells. Several such monoclonal antibodies are provided, and cell lines producing them have been deposited at the American Type Culture Collection.
US07820802B2
Provided is an industrially safe and useful azodicarboxylic acid bis(2-alkoxyethyl) ester compound that is useful for the Mitsunobu reaction in which it is used in combination with a phosphorus compound to carry out a dehydration condensation reaction, and also useful as an oxidizing agent, and a starting material for various synthetic processes. Also provided are a production intermediate of the above-described compound, and methods for producing these compounds. An azodicarboxylic acid bis(2-alkoxyethyl) ester compound represented by formula (1); wherein A represents an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.
US07820800B2
The invention relates to a process for the purification of IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) from a fluid comprising hydrophobic charge-induction chromatography.
US07820798B2
Human TNF-gamma-alpha and TNF-gamma-beta polypeptides and DNA (RNA) encoding such polypeptides and a procedure for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for utilizing such polypeptides to inhibit cellular growth, for example in a tumor or cancer, for facilitating wound-healing, to provide resistance against infection, induce inflammatory activities, and stimulating the growth of certain cell types to treat diseases, for example restenosis. Also disclosed are diagnostic methods for detecting a mutation in the TNF-gamma-alpha and TNF-gamma-beta nucleic acid sequences or overexpression of the TNF-gamma-alpha and/or TNF-gamma-beta polypeptides. Antagonists against such polypeptides and their use as a therapeutic to treat cachexia, septic shock, cerebral malaria, inflammation, arthritis and graft-rejection are also disclosed.
US07820797B2
A glycolipopeptide comprising a carbohydrate component, a peptide component and a lipid component, for use as a therapeutic or prophylactic vaccine. Also provided are monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies that recognize the glycolipopeptide of the invention, as well as uses thereof.
US07820796B2
Methods are provided for purification of Factor VIII polypeptides by affinity chromatography and ion exchange chromatography, in which the eluate from the affinity column is diluted with a solution comprising higher salt concentration, or lower non-polar agent concentration than that of the elution solution, prior to passing the diluted solution through the ion exchange column. The affinity matrix may comprise a monoclonal antibody or a peptide ligand. The methods result in improved purification without significant yield loss.
US07820784B2
This invention provides novel peptides that ameliorate one or more symptoms of atherosclerosis. The peptides comprise class A amphiphathic helices, are highly stable and readily administered via an oral route. The peptides are effective to stimulate the formation and cycling of pre-beta high density lipoprotein-like particles and/or to promote lipid transport and detoxification.
US07820783B2
Chemically reactive carbocyanine dyes that are intramolecularly crosslinked between the 1-position and 3′-position, their bioconjugates and their uses are described. 1,3′-crosslinked carbocyanines are superior to those of conjugates of spectrally similar 1,1′-crosslinked or non-crosslinked dyes. The invention includes derivative compounds having one or more benzo nitrogens.
US07820782B2
A polymer of the formula/structure wherein R, R′, and R″ are, for example, a suitable hydrocarbon, a halogen (halide) a hetero-containing group, or mixtures thereof; and n represents the number of repeating groups.
US07820778B2
Disclosed is a light guide member which includes a polycarbonate copolymer having a repeating unit represented by the formula (I) and a repeating unit represented by the formula (II), which is thin, and which is free from thermal degradation (yellowing) or deterioration in properties caused by the generation of a gas, such as a light guide plate formed of a polycarbonate material. Also disclosed is an illumination unit using the light guide member.
US07820776B2
The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a copolymer of ethylene and a monomer copolymerizable therewith.The polymerization takes place in a tubular reactor at a peak temperature between 290° C. and 350° C., the co monomer is a di- or higher functional (meth)acrylate and the co monomer is applied in an amount between 0.008 mol % and 0.200 mol % relative to the amount of ethylene copolymer.
US07820736B2
An intumescing, multi-component epoxide resin coating composition for fire protection with a component (A), which contains at least one epoxide resin and at least one vinyl ester, a curing agent component (B), which contains at least one curing agent for the epoxide resin, and an intumesing component (C), which contains at least one acid constituent, at least one source of carbon and at least one gas-forming agent, components (A) and (B) being kept separate from one another to prevent reaction and reacting with one another with polymerization only while being mixed, as well as the use of this coating composition for providing steel construction elements with a fire protection coating.
US07820734B2
The present disclosure provides lubricious antimicrobial coating vehicles for medical devices capable of reducing the coefficient of friction of such devices upon exposure thereof to moisture and imparting antimicrobial properties to said devices. The coating vehicle allows the introduction of a pharmacological additive having a release rate that is within acceptable pharmacokinetic criteria.
US07820731B2
A radiation curable ink includes a curable monomer or oligomer, a curable wax, a colorant, and at least one initiator.
US07820726B2
A process for the production of normally gaseous, normally liquid and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons from a light hydrocarbonaceous feed gas stream, which feed gas stream includes sulphur compounds and carbon dioxide, the process comprising the steps of: (i) removing at least most of the sulphur compounds from the feed gas stream by an aqueous amine process in one or more reactors, optionally followed by on or more further treatment processes; (ii) controlling where necessary the amount of carbon dioxide in the feed gas stream in step (i) so as to be in the range 0.25-2.0 v/v&, preferably 0.5-1.5 v/v %, of the processed feed stream; (iii) using the feed gas stream of step (ii) to provide synthesis gas; and (iv) catalytic converting the synthesis gas of step (iii) at an elevated temperature and pressure to obtain the normally gaseous, normally liquid and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons.
US07820723B2
A method of preparing a sol of lead zirconium titanate, known as PZT, of formula PbZrxTi(1−x)O3 with 0.45≦x≦0.7, comprises the steps of: (a) preparing a concentrated sol in a diol, the sol comprising a titanium-based precursor, a zirconium-based precursor, and a lead-based precursor; (b) placing the concentrated sol at ambient temperature without agitation, until a sol is obtained having a constant viscosity as a function of time; (c) diluting the sol obtained in (b) with a solvent compatible with the diol used in step (a). The sol is useful for preparing PZT-based films for use in the electronics field.
US07820720B2
The present invention relates to topical antifungal formulations terbinafine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, a lipid, and a surfactant, and uses thereof for the treatment of skin and nail fungal infections.
US07820719B2
A drug composition containing as a drug substance a polymeric guanidine derivative based on a diamine containing oxyalkylene chains between two amino groups, with the guanidine derivative representing a product of polycondensation between a guanidine acid addition salt and a diamine containing polyalkylene chains between two amino groups, as well as the pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
US07820718B1
This invention provides a method for increasing apoptosis in tumor cells and a method of decreasing a size of a tumor, said methods comprising contacting the tumor cells with: a) an effective amount of at least one antitumor chemotherapeutic agent and b) an effective amount of a ceramide, sequentially or concomitantly, wherein the apoptosis induced by the combination of the antitumor chemotherapeutic agent and the ceramide is greater than the apoptosis induced by contact of the tumor cells with either the antitumor chemotherapeutic agent alone or the ceramide alone. This invention also provides a method of treating cancer in a subject which comprises a method according to either of the above-described methods. This invention provides a method for treating cancer in a subject comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of at least one antitumor chemotherapeutic agent and an effective amount of at least one ceramide, sequentially or concomitantly. This invention provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one antitumor chemotherapeutic agent in an amount effective to induce apoptosis of tumor cells and at least one ceramide in an amount effective to induce apoptosis of tumor cells and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
US07820717B2
The invention relates to compounds represented by Structural Formula I, which can bind to CCR9 receptors and block the binding of a ligand (e.g., TECK) to the receptors. The invention also relates to a method of inhibiting a function of CCR9, and to the use compounds represented by Structural Formula I in research, therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic methods.
US07820698B2
Compounds of formula (I): wherein n, A, R1, and R2 are defined in the specification, are useful as inhibitors of the phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) enzyme and for treating certain conditions.
US07820696B2
The present invention includes compounds of pyridinium salts and methods of their use for industrial uses. The present invention also relates to methods of controlling fungi and/or bacteria. The present invention may also be used to control insects.
US07820690B2
A method of treating or inhibiting non-digestive tract derived abdominal disorders associated with pain, in particular interstitial cystitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome and/or abdominal pain associated with endometriosis, in a patient in need thereof, by administering to the patient a pharmaceutically effective amount of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, in particular cilansetron, or a pharmacologically compatible derivative thereof, such as a salt and/or a solvates.
US07820679B2
The use of N-(3-methoxy-5-methylpyrazin-2-yl)-2-(4-[1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]phenyl)pyridine-3-sulphonamide, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, in the treatment of cancer and/or pain in a warm blooded animal such as man is described.
US07820670B2
Methods for using 6-aminoimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine analogs are disclosed herein to treat rho kinase-mediated diseases or rho kinase-mediated conditions, including controlling intraocular pressure and treating glaucoma, are disclosed. Ophthalmic pharmaceutical compositions useful in the treatment of eye diseases such as glaucoma, and additionally useful for controlling intraocular pressure, the compositions comprising an effective amount of 6-aminoimidazo[1,2-b]pyridazine analogs, are disclosed herein.
US07820663B2
The present invention is related substituted enaminones represented by a compound of Formula I that are novel allosteric modulators of α7 nAChRs. The invention also discloses the treatment of disorders that are responsive to enhancement of acetylcholine action on α7 nAChRs in a mammal by administering an effective amount of a compound of Formula I.
US07820661B2
Therapeutic compounds, compositions, medicaments, and methods are disclosed herein.
US07820660B2
N-substituted 5-hydroxypyrimidin-6-one-4-carboxamides of formula: are described as inhibitors of HIV integrase and inhibitors of HIV replication, wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 are defined herein. These compounds are useful in the prevention and treatment of infection by HIV and in the prevention, delay in the onset, and treatment of AIDS. The compounds are employed against HIV infection and AIDS as compounds per se or in the form of pharmaceutically acceptable salts. The compounds and their salts can be employed as ingredients in pharmaceutical compositions, optionally in combination with other antivirals, immunomodulators, antibiotics or vaccines. Methods of preventing, treating or delaying the onset of AIDS and methods of preventing or treating infection by HIV are also described.
US07820652B2
The invention features an ascending dose regimen for the administration of rifamycin-class antibiotics. The dosing regimen can be used to treat bacterial infections and diseases related to infection.
US07820635B2
RNAi sequences that are useful as therapeutics in the treatment of cancers of various types, including prostate cancer, sarcomas such as osteosarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, anaplastic large cell lymphoma and melanoma; and Alzheimer's disease. These sequences target clusterin, IGFBP-5, IGFBP-2, both IGFBP-2 and -5 simultaneously, Mitf, and B-raf. The invention further provides for the use of these RNAi sequences in the treatment of cancers of various types, including prostate cancer, sarcomas such as osteosarcoma, renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, bladder cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, ovarian cancer, anaplastic large cell lymphoma and melanoma; and Alzheimer's disease, and a method of treating such conditions through the administration of the RNA molecules with RNAi activity to an individual, including a human individual in need of such treatment.
US07820626B2
This invention relates to compositions and methods for treatment of vascular conditions. The invention provides arginine polymers and arginine homopolymers for the treatment and/or prevention of glaucoma, pulmonary hypertension, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, erectile dysfunction, Raynaud's syndrome, heparin overdose, vulvodynia, and wound healing. The invention also provides arginine polymers and arginine homopolymers for use in organ perfusate and preservation solutions.
US07820615B2
Method of providing delayed release of a volatile solvent from hydro-alcoholic cosmetic compositions
According to the present invention there is provided a use of a cyclic oligosaccharide for delaying the release of a volatile solvent from a composition, preferably a cosmetic composition, which comprises at least 50% volatile solvent.There is also provided a use of a cyclic oligosaccharide for reducing the initial harsh solvent odor impact, for example ethanolic/alcoholic odor impact of alcoholic or hydro-alcoholic compositions.
US07820611B2
The present invention relates to a composition based on 1,1,1,3,3-pentafluorobutane (HFC-365 mfc), that can be used in deposition, cleaning, degreasing and drying applications. Its object is also a fluid for cleaning internal heat-transfer systems. The object of the present invention is also a method for dissolving oil and for cleaning.
US07820601B2
A system and method for improving lubrication in a fluid dynamic bearing are disclosed. A fluid dynamic bearing comprising a rotor portion and a stator portion is formed. In addition, a lubricating fluid comprising a high pressure lubricant is provided between the rotor portion and the stator portion of the fluid dynamic bearing, wherein the high pressure lubricant provides extreme pressure protection of the rotor portion and the stator portion of the fluid dynamic bearing.
US07820599B2
A lubricating oil composition includes lubricating oil base oil, an organic molybdenum compound (A), zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate (B), at least one compound (C) selected from calcium sulfonate, calcium phenate, and magnesium sulfonate and having a base number of 230 mgKOH/g or more, and an ashless dispersant containing boron or a mixture of an ashless dispersant containing boron and an ashless dispersant containing no boron (D) in predetermined ratios, in which: a mass ratio (P/Mo) of the P content to the Mo content in the composition is 1.5 or more; a mass ratio (CaMg/Mo) of a total content of the Ca and Mg derived from the component (C) to the Mo content in the composition is 3 or more; and a mass ratio (B/N) between B and N derived from the component (D) in the composition is 0.5 or more. The lubricating oil composition of the present invention has a high static friction coefficient of wet clutch, has excellent frictional property in a power transmission mechanism, has excellent fuel saving property, and is suitably used for power transmission lubricating oil and engine lubricating oil.
US07820589B2
The invention relates to photocatalysis.It concerns a composite system, comprising a photocatalytic component (10) in an amorphous state and an active medium (12) designed to neutralize the free charge carriers of a first type, electrons or positive holes, in order to protect the charge carriers of a second type from recombination.
US07820582B2
This invention relates to catalyst compounds, catalysts systems and methods to oligomerize or polymerize monomers where the catalyst compound and the catalyst system comprise compounds of formula: LMX2 or (LMX2)2 wherein: M is a Group 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 transition metal; L is a tridentate or tetradentate neutrally charged ligand that is bonded to M by at least three nitrogen atoms; at least one of the nitrogen atoms is a central non-pyridinal nitrogen atom and is not bonded to its adjacent atoms by a multibond; at least two of the nitrogen atoms are terminal nitrogen atoms; at least one terminal nitrogen atom is part of a pyridinyl ring; at least one other terminal nitrogen atom is substituted with at least one C3-C50 hydrocarbyl or halobydrocarbyl; the central nitrogen atom is bonded to at least two different carbon atoms; and each X is an anionic monodentate ligand.
US07820557B2
In a substrate nitriding method for nitriding a target substrate by allowing a nitrogen-containing plasma to act on silicon on a surface of the substrate in a processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, the nitridation by the nitrogen-containing plasma is performed by controlling a sheath voltage Vdc around the substrate to be less than or equal to about 3.5 eV. The sheath voltage Vdc is a potential difference Vp−Vf between a plasma potential Vp in a plasma generating region and a floating potential Vf of the substrate.
US07820552B2
An advanced method of patterning a gate stack including a high-k gate dielectric that is capped with a high-k gate dielectric capping layer such as, for example, a rare earth metal (or rare earth like)-containing layer is provided. In particular, the present invention provides a method in which a combination of wet and dry etching is used in patterning such gate stacks which substantially reduces the amount of remnant high-k gate dielectric capping material remaining on the surface of a semiconductor substrate to a value that is less than 1010 atoms/cm2, preferably less than about 109 atoms/cm2.
US07820540B2
Metallization contact structures and methods for forming a multiple-layer electrode structure on solar cells include depositing a conductive contact layer on a semiconductor substrate and depositing a metal bearing ink onto a portion of the conductive contact layer, wherein exposed portions of the conductive contact layer are adjacent to the metal bearing ink. The conductive contact layer is patterned by removing exposed portions of the conductive contact layer from the semiconductor substrate. The metal bearing ink is aligned with openings in a dielectric layer of the semiconductor substrate and with unexposed portions of the conductive contact layer. The unexposed portions of the conductive contact layer are interposed between the metal bearing ink and the dielectric layer such that the conductive contact layer pattern is aligned with metal bearing ink. The semiconductor substrate is thermally processed to form a current carrying metal gridline by sintering the metal bearing ink.
US07820534B2
A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor device includes ion-implanting an impurity in a surface of a silicon carbide wafer, and forming a carbon protection film of a predetermined thickness over all surfaces of the silicon carbide wafer, which has been ion-implanted with the impurity, by a chemical vapor deposition method that deposits a film by pyrolyzing a hydrocarbon gas. The method also includes annealing the silicon carbide wafer after the forming the carbon protection film.
US07820533B2
A method of multi-step plasma doping a substrate includes igniting a plasma from a process gas. A first plasma condition is established for performing a first plasma doping step. The substrate is biased so that ions in the plasma having the first plasma condition impact a surface of the substrate thereby exposing the substrate to a first dose. The first plasma condition transitions to a second plasma condition. The substrate is biased so that ions in the plasma having the second plasma condition impact the surface of the substrate thereby exposing the substrate to a second dose. The first and second plasma conditions are chosen so that the first and second doses combine to achieve a predetermined distribution of dose across at least a portion of the substrate.
US07820532B2
Method for simultaneously forming doped regions having different conductivity-determining type elements profiles are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a method comprises the steps of diffusing first conductivity-determining type elements into a first region of a semiconductor material from a first dopant to form a doped first region. Second conductivity-determining type elements are simultaneously diffused into a second region of the semiconductor material from a second dopant to form a doped second region. The first conductivity-determining type elements are of the same conductivity-determining type as the second conductivity-determining type elements. The doped first region has a dopant profile that is different from a dopant profile of the doped second region.
US07820524B2
A manufacturing method of an SOI substrate which possesses a base substrate having low heat resistance and a very thin semiconductor layer having high planarity is demonstrated. The method includes: implanting hydrogen ions into a semiconductor substrate to form an ion implantation layer; bonding the semiconductor substrate and a base substrate such as a glass substrate, placing a bonding layer therebetween; heating the substrates bonded to each other to separate the semiconductor substrate from the base substrate, leaving a thin semiconductor layer over the base substrate; irradiating the surface of the thin semiconductor layer with laser light to improve the planarity and recover the crystallinity of the thin semiconductor layer; and thinning the thin semiconductor layer. This method allows the formation of an SOI substrate which has a single-crystalline semiconductor layer with a thickness of 100 nm or less over a base substrate.
US07820519B2
A process of forming an electronic device can include providing a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate including a substrate, a first semiconductor layer, and a buried insulating layer lying between the first semiconductor layer and the substrate. The process can also include forming a field isolation region within the semiconductor layer, and forming an opening extending through the semiconductor layer and the buried insulating layer to expose the substrate. The process can further include forming a conductive structure within the opening, wherein the conductive structure abuts the substrate.
US07820517B2
In a metal-oxide semiconductor device including first and second source/drain regions of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type proximate an upper surface of the semiconductor layer, a drift region formed in the semiconductor layer proximate the upper surface of the semiconductor layer and at least partially between the first and second source/drain regions, an insulating layer formed on at least a portion of the upper surface of the semiconductor layer, and a gate formed on the insulating layer and at least partially between the first and second source/drain regions, a method for controlling an amount of hot carrier injection degradation in the device includes the steps of: forming a shielding structure on the insulating layer above at least a portion of the drift region and substantially between the gate and the second source/drain region; and adjusting an amount of coverage of the shielding structure over an upper surface of the drift region so as to minimize the amount of hot-carrier injection degradation while maintaining a breakdown voltage in the device which is greater than or equal to a prescribed value.
US07820516B2
Disclosed are pairs of semiconductor flash memory cells including first and second source lines formed in a semiconductor substrate, semiconductor pillars extending from the substrate between the source lines, first and second charge storage structures formed on opposite side surfaces of the semiconductor pillar and separated by trench isolation structures. The x and y pitch separating adjacent semiconductor pillars in the memory cell array are selected whereby forming the trench isolation structures serves to separate both charge storage structures and conductive structures provided on opposite sides of a semiconductor pillars. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating such structures whereby the density of flash memory devices, particularly NOR flash memory devices, can be improved.
US07820514B2
A method of forming a flash memory device can include forming a tunneling oxide film on a semiconductor substrate, forming a charge storing layer on the tunneling oxide film, forming a first blocking oxide film on the charge storing layer at a first temperature, forming a second blocking oxide film on the first blocking oxide film at a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and forming a gate electrode on the second blocking oxide film.
US07820509B2
The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including a first region where a transistor including a gate electrode of a stacked structure is formed, a second region where a transistor including a gate electrode of a single-layer structure is formed, and a third region positioned in a boundary part between the first region and the second region, includes: depositing a first conductive film, patterning the first conductive film in the first region and the third region so that the outer edge is positioned in the third region, depositing the second conductive film, patterning the second conductive film to form a control gate in the first region while leaving the second conductive film, covering the second region and having the inner edge positioned inner of the outer edge of the first conductive film, and patterning the second conductive film in the second region to form the gate electrode.
US07820506B2
Some embodiments include dielectric structures. The structures include first and second portions that are directly against one another. The first portion may contain a homogeneous mixture of a first phase and a second phase. The first phase may have a dielectric constant of greater than or equal to 25, and the second phase may have a dielectric constant of less than or equal to 20. The second portion may be entirely a single composition having a dielectric constant of greater than or equal to 25. Some embodiments include electrical components, such as capacitors and transistors, containing dielectric structures of the type described above. Some embodiments include methods of forming dielectric structures, and some embodiments include methods of forming electrical components.
US07820503B2
An object of the present invention is to simplify manufacturing process of an n channel MIS transistor and a p channel MIS transistor with gate electrodes formed of a metal material. For its achievement, gate electrodes of each of the n channel MIS transistor and the p channel MIS transistor are simultaneously formed by patterning ruthenium film deposited on a gate insulator. Next, by introducing oxygen into each of the gate electrodes, the gate electrodes are transformed into those having high work function. Thereafter, by selectively reducing the gate electrode of the n channel MIS transistor, it is transformed into a gate electrode having low work function.
US07820492B2
An electrical fuse (eFuse) has a gate prepared from a conductive or partially conductive material such as polysilicon, a semiconductor substrate having a pipe region in proximity to the gate, and first and second electrode regions adjacent the pipe region. A metal silicide layer is provided on the semiconductor substrate adjacent the pipe region. When a programming voltage is applied, the metal silicide undergoes a thermally induced phase transition in the pipe region. The eFuse has improved reliability and can be programmed with relatively low voltages.
US07820490B2
An LTCC (low temperature cofired ceramic) structure which has conductors to which leads are to be bonded for connection to external circuitry. The conductors include additives to promote adhesion to the ceramic layer. The presence of these additives degrade bonding performance. For better bondability of the leads, a pure conductor metal layer, devoid of the additives is placed on the conductors in areas where leads are to be bonded. This pure conductor metal layer may be cofired with the stack of ceramic layers or may be post fired after stack firing.
US07820476B2
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a first region and a second region at a main surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a gate insulating film containing Hf or Zr and oxygen on the first region and the second region; forming a first metallic film on the gate insulating film; forming a second metallic film on the first metallic film; removing a portion of the second metallic film; forming a third metallic film on the second metallic film and a portion of the first metallic film exposed by removing the portion of the second metallic film; and thermally treating so that constituent elements of the second metallic film is diffused into the gate insulating film via the first metallic film.
US07820467B2
A solid-state imaging device, a line sensor and an optical sensor for enhancing a wide dynamic range while keeping high sensitivity with a high S/N ratio, and a method of operating a solid-state imaging device for enhancing a wide dynamic range while keeping high sensitivity with a high S/N ratio are provided. The solid-state imaging device comprises an integrated array of a plurality of pixels, each of which comprises a photodiode PD for receiving light and generating photoelectric charges, a transfer transistor Tr1 for transferring the photoelectric charges, and a storage capacitor element C connected to the photodiode PD at least through the transfer transistor Tr1 for accumulating, at least through the transfer transistor Tr1, the photoelectric charge overflowing from the photodiode PD during accumulating operation.
US07820457B2
A method includes measuring a gate leakage current of a plurality of transistors. A single stress bias voltage is applied to the plurality of transistors. The stress bias voltage causes a 10% degradation in a drive current of each transistor within a respective stress period t. One or more relationships are determined, between the measured gate leakage current and one or more of the group consisting of gate voltage, gate length, gate temperature, and gate width of the plurality of transistors, respectively. A negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) lifetime τ of the plurality of transistors is estimated, based on the measured gate leakage current and the one or more relationships.
US07820447B2
The present invention relates to novel sequences for use in diagnosis and treatment of carcinomas, especially lymphoma carcinomas. In addition, the present invention describes the use of novel compositions for use in screening methods.
US07820439B2
The present disclosure is directed to improved methods for efficiently producing neuroprogenitor cells and differentiated neural cells such as GABAergic neurons from pluripotent stem cells, for example embryonic stem cells. Using the disclosed methods, cell populations containing a high proportion of GABAergic neurons have been isolated. The neuroprogenitor cells and terminally differentiated cells of the present disclosure can be generated in large quantities, and therefore may serve as an excellent source for cell replacement therapy in neurodegenerative disorders and neuronal diseases such as stroke, ischemia, epilepsy, and Huntington's disease.
US07820436B2
A recombinant herpesvirus, a method for producing the recombinant herpesvirus, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the recombinant herpesvirus, are provided with a method for producing a recombinant herpesvirus using a BAC vector sequence. In addition, a vector comprising a herpesvirus genomic gene and a BAC vector sequence, a cell comprising the vector, and a nucleic acid cassette comprising a fragment, which is capable of homologous recombination with a herpesvirus genome, and a BAC vector sequence, are provided.
US07820430B2
A micro device for cell culture is disclosed, which cooperates with a fluid and includes: a top plate having an inlet port; a orifice plate having a plurality of orifices; a culture plate having a plurality of culture wells and a plurality of injection ports; and a bottom plate having at least one collecting well and at least one collecting flow channel, wherein, the culture plate is placed between the orifice plate and the bottom plate. The collecting flow channel connects to all regulating orifices in the culture wells and guides the fluid from the culture wells, then receives the fluid in the collecting well. The fluid flows into the orifice plate from the inlet port of the top plate, and then diversifies into the culture plate, then arrives at each culture well by way of the injection ports, and finally collects in the collecting well of the bottom plate.
US07820420B2
A method of enhancing health through the generation in close proximity of a surface of a subject, nitric oxide and nitric oxide precursors using bacteria adapted to oxidize ammonia and urea derived from perspiration is described. Local and systemic effects are described including reduction in vascular disease, enhancement of sexual function, improved skin health, and reduced transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
US07820418B2
An improved method for processing corn into ethanol and other valuable co-products. The invention generally involves a multi-step process which produces germ (or oil), protein, and feed yeast as its co-products while maintaining or enhancing the provision of fermentable sugar to ethanol fermentation. This is accomplished by fundamentally altering the way the corn is fractionated, disrupting the cell walls rather than the protein matrix as is done in conventional wet milling.
US07820411B2
A method of producing botulinum toxin C-terminal receptor binding domain (HCR) is disclosed. The one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of (a) preparing E. coli transformed with an expression vector comprising DNA encoding HCR protein, (b) inducing expression of the HCR protein at a reduced temperature in a culture media, and (c) purifying the HCR protein via extraction, wherein the extraction comprises a clarification by centrifugation and a filtration, wherein the purified HCR protein is at least 10 mg/L of culture medium.
US07820396B2
It is an object of the present invention to find substances that can be used as disease markers for atopic dermatitis and the present invention provides a method for determining atopic dermatitis, including measurement of the expression of specific proteins and/or their genes in skin cells and/or skin tissues, wherein the specific proteins change their expression with inflammation caused by atopic dermatitis or change their expression according to the degree of predisposition to atopic dermatitis. The present invention also provides a kit for determining the degree of inflammation of atopic dermatitis or risk of developing atopic dermatitis, as well as a method for determining substances effective in the treatment and/or prevention of atopic dermatitis.
US07820394B2
The invention relates to ultrasensitive bioanalytical assays based on the use of high-gain catalytic chemical amplification methods. The ultrasensitive bioanalytical assays of the invention utilize high gain catalytic chemical amplification methods to detect the presence and to quantify the concentrations of target analytes labeled with specific binding reagents or biomarkers comprising a catalyst or a catalyst precursor.
US07820393B2
The present invention relates to novel methods and compositions useful for detecting whole parathyroid hormone at a physiological level and parathyroid fragments in a mammalian sample. Such detections may be useful to different parathyroid diseases or disorders in a subject, such as hyperparathyroidism and related bone diseases, from normal or non-disease states. One detects whole or non-fragmented (1 to 84) parathyroid hormone in a biological sample and optionally one or more of a selection of non-whole parathyroid hormone peptide fragments that may or may not function as a parathyroid hormone antagonists. By either comparing values or using independently the value of either the one or more of a selection of non-whole parathyroid hormone peptide fragments, the whole parathyroid hormone, or the combination of these values one is able to differentiate parathyroid and bone related disease states, as well as differentiate such states from normal states.
US07820390B2
In vitro methods of determining whether or not an individual has metastasized colorectal cancer cells are disclosed. In vitro methods of determining whether or not tumor cells are colorectal in origin are disclosed. In vitro kits for practicing the methods of the invention and to reagents and compositions useful to practice the methods, for example as components in such in vitro kits of the invention are provided. Methods of and kits and compositions for analyzing tissue samples from the colon tissue to evaluate the extent of metastasis of colorectal tumor cells are disclosed.
US07820387B2
The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the detection and characterization of nucleic acid sequences and variations in nucleic acid sequences. The present invention relates to methods for forming a nucleic acid cleavage structure on a solid support and cleaving the nucleic acid cleavage structure in a site-specific manner. For example, in some embodiments, a 5′ nuclease activity from any of a variety of enzymes is used to cleave the target-dependent cleavage structure, thereby indicating the presence of specific nucleic acid sequences or specific variations thereof.
US07820384B2
Methods for enhancing expression levels and secretion of heterologous fusion proteins in a host cell are disclosed.
US07820380B2
The present invention is based on the discovery of genetic polymorphisms that are associated with liver fibrosis and related pathologies. In particular, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules containing the polymorphisms, variant proteins encoded by such nucleic acid molecules, reagents for detecting the polymorphic nucleic acid molecules and proteins, and methods of using the nucleic acid and proteins as well as methods of using reagents for their detection.
US07820374B2
A method is provided for determining whether an agent is capable of inducing a DNA lesion in a eukaryotic cell, including exposing the eukaryotic cell to the agent and determining whether an HR23 protein-binding molecule accumulates in the cell, where the HR23 protein-binding molecule is preferably xeroderma pigmentosum group C (XPC), 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase (MAG), CREB, p53, or a functional part, derivative, and/or analogue thereof. Preferably the cell overexpresses HR23A and/or HR23B protein. A rapid and sensitive test is provided with significant advantages over the Ames test. A method is provided for determining whether an agent is capable of inhibiting a cellular process, the process resulting in accumulation of HR23 protein-binding molecule within a cell. A method for determining whether a cell has an impaired DNA repair system is provided. An impaired DNA repair system is indicative for diseases such as xeroderma pigmentosum, cockayne syndrome, and/or trichothiodystrophy.
US07820372B2
The present invention relates to a dual-band micro-planar inverted F antenna (MPIFA), which is made based on a new type of printed circuit board (PCB), and its identification method to all different biomolecular concentration. This device works under 3 GHz and 7 GHz microwave frequency bands, and can predict the relationship for different absorbed biomolecular concentrations versus frequencies with the impedance value, dB(S(1,1)) parameter, and the variance of phase versus the frequency obtained from the measurement.
US07820369B2
Polymers containing an acetal or ketal linkage and their use in lithographic photoresist compositions, particularly in chemical amplification photoresists, are provided. The polymer is prepared from at least one first olefinic monomer containing an acetal or ketal linkage, the acid-catalyzed cleavage of which renders the polymer soluble in aqueous base; and at least one second olefinic monomer selected from (i) an olefinic monomer containing a pendant fluorinated hydroxyalkyl group RH, (ii) an olefinic monomer containing a pendant fluorinated alkylsulfonamide group RS, and (iii) combinations thereof. The acetal or ketal linkage may be contained within an acid-cleavable substituent RCL in the first olefinic monomer. A method for using the photoresist compositions containing these polymers in preparing a patterned substrate is also provided in which the polymer is rendered soluble in aqueous base at a temperature of less than about 100° C. by acid-catalyzed deprotection of pendent acetal- or ketal-protected carboxylic acid groups.
US07820368B2
A photoresist stripper composition, a method for forming wire structures thereby, and a method of fabricating a thin film transistor substrate using the composition. The photoresist stripper composition includes about 50 WT % to about 70 WT % of butyldiglycol, about 20 to about 40 WT % of an alkylpyrrolidone, about 1 WT % to about 10 WT % of an organic amine compound, about 1 to about 5 WT % of aminopropylmorpholine, and about 0.01 to about 0.5 WT % of a mercapto compound.
US07820364B2
In order to form a transfer pattern of desired size with high accuracy, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a process of forming the transfer pattern including a line whose width and angle varies, by performing multiple exposure using a plurality of masks having different patterns over different mask substrates.
US07820358B2
An apparatus includes a substrate and a photoresist material structure arranged adjacent to the substrate so that a cavity is formed between the substrate and the photoresist material structure. The cavity has an opening. The photoresist material structure includes a frame portion disposed on a main side of the substrate and a cap portion spanning over a part of the main side of the substrate at a distance to the main side. The cap portion is formed in the first photoresist layer and the frame portion is formed in the second photoresist layer.
US07820337B2
An electrochemical device has an armor; a structure housed in the armor and having a separator disposed between first and second electrodes; and external terminals with respective leads connected to the first and second electrodes of the structure, respectively, and extending from the interior of the armor across a sealed portion of the armor to the outside; at least a surface of an intersection in each of the leads crossing the sealed portion is provided with at least one of depressed portion and projected portion. This electrochemical device is realized in compact size and with high reliability.
US07820332B2
An electrolyte sheet comprising two major surfaces, the electrolyte sheet including regions of differing compositions, so that (i) at least one of these regions has at least 1.5 times higher ionic conductivity than at least one other region; (ii) wherein the at least one other region has 20% more tetragonal phase zirconia per volume than the least one region with higher ionic conductivity; and (iii) when viewed in cross-section taken through said major surfaces at least one of the regions exhibits a non-uniform thickness.
US07820311B2
A ferroelectric recording medium and a writing method for the same are provided. The ferroelectric recording medium includes a ferroelectric layer which reverses its polarization when receiving a predetermined coercive voltage. A nonvolatile anisotrophic conduction layer is formed on the ferroelectric layer. A resistance of the anisotrophic conduction layer decreases when receiving a first voltage lower than the coercive voltage, and the resistance of the anisotrophic conduction layer increases when receiving a second voltage higher than the coercive voltage. Multi-bit information is stored by a combination of polarization states of the ferroelectric layer and the resistance of the anisotrophic conduction layer. Accordingly, multiple bits can be expressed on one domain of the ferroelectric recording medium.
US07820308B2
The present invention provides a thin film coated on a cutting tool surface made of cemented carbides, cermets or ceramics. According to the present invention, an α-Al2O3thin film is deposited on a TiAlvBwCxNyOz (v+w+x+y+z=1, v, w, x, y, z≧0) thin film in a thickness of 2-15 μm, so that the ratio of TC (104) (denoting the texture coefficient of the (104) crystal plane of the polycrystalline α-Al2O3 thin film) to TC (012) (denoting the texture coefficient of the (012) crystal) is more than 1.3. Cutting tools coated with such a thin film have improved wear resistance and adhesion.
US07820287B2
A thin abrasion resistant decorative thermosetting laminate of postforming quality is glued to a longitudinal carrier. The carrier preferably consists of a fiber board or a particle board with a rectangular cross section and at least two opposite rounded-off edges. One or more floor strips with the same or different cross section is machined from the laminate clad carrier.
US07820279B2
A resin-metal composite layer is formed by modifying a surface of a resin substrate to a modified layer, contacting the modified layer with a metal compound solution, and adsorbing at least either metal colloids or ions are adsorbed to the polar group, so that metal particles are dispersed into the modified layer. Because of the fineness of the metal particles in the resin-metal composite layer, high transparent can be achieved. The resin-metal composite layer functions as a transparent conductive layer and the like.
US07820267B2
A percussion drilled shaped through hole formed between a first surface and a second surface of a component and a method of forming the through hole. The through hole is defined by a primary crater, a secondary crater, and a metering hole. The primary crater is formed using laser percussion drilling in the first surface of the component. The secondary crater is formed using laser percussion drilling within the primary crater and substantially offset from a centerline of the primary crater. The metering hole is formed using laser percussion drilling within the secondary crater and extending through the component to the second surface. The primary crater, the secondary crater, and the metering hole define a Coand{hacek over (a)} ramp and provide for the flow of fluid through the percussion drilled shaped through hole according to the Coand{hacek over (a)} effect.
US07820258B2
A container comprising a polyester composition with enhanced carbon dioxide and oxygen barrier properties is provided. The polyester composition comprises a polyester and a purine derivative. In a particular embodiment, the purine derivative comprises a purine dione, such as caffeine.
US07820251B2
The disclosed is a liquid crystal compound and method for manufacturing the same. The liquid crystal compound can be used alone or mixed with commercially available liquid crystal compounds. Because low rotational viscosity of the liquid crystal compound of the invention, it can be used as positive or negative dielectric anisotropic liquid crystal composition.
US07820240B2
One object of the present invention is to produce a weakly acidic cation exchanger under mild conditions. Another object of the present invention is to produce a more firm weakly acidic cation exchange film. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a weakly acidic cation exchanger capable of realizing high-level separation of monovalent cation and simultaneously analyzing monovalent cation and divalent cation and also provide a chromatography column using the ion exchanger. In the production method of a weakly acidic cation exchanger of the invention, a solvent incapable of dissolving a polymer having a double bond within the molecule is used and the weakly acidic cation exchanger is produced by polymerization at temperature of 100? ° C. or less. When an α,β-unsaturated dibasic acid derivative is dissolved in the solvent, the α,β-unsaturated dibasic acid derivative reacts with the polymer and a more firm film can be formed. Furthermore, when the weakly acidic cation exchanger obtained by this process is packed in a column, monovalent cation can be separated in high level.
US07820234B2
A method of manufacturing an optical information recording medium to/from which signals can optically be recorded and reproduced. The recording medium includes a signal substrate (100), a signal recording layer (110), and a transparent cover layer (125) having a first transparent layer (115) and a second transparent layer (120), which is harder than the first transparent layer (115). Signals can be recorded and reproduced to and from the recording medium by a light transmitted to the signal recording layer through the transparent cover layer (125). The first transparent layer is formed so as to have a first predetermined distribution of thickness. The second transparent layer is formed so as to have a second predetermined distribution of thickness to make the total thickness of the transparent cover layer (125) uniform. The first transparent layer (115) may be made of a plurality of thin laminated transparent layers.
US07820232B2
The present invention provides a process for forming a copper fine particle sintered product type of a fine-shaped electric conductor showing superior electroconductivity, which comprises steps of drawing a fine pattern with the use of a dispersion containing the copper fine particles having a surface oxide film layer, conducting a treatment for reducing the copper fine particles with the surface oxide film layer or copper oxide fine particles included in the pattern at a comparatively low temperature, and baking the resultant copper fine particles. Specifically, the process carries out the processes of; applying a dispersion containing the copper fine particles having the surface oxide film layer thereon or the copper oxide fine particles with an average particle diameter of 10 μm or smaller onto a substrate; and then performing a series of the heat treatment steps of heating the particles in the coated layer at temperature of 350° C. or lower under an atmosphere containing a vapor and a gas of a compound having reducibility to reduce the oxide film by a reduction reaction which used the compound having reducibility as a reducing agent, subsequently repeating a heat treatment combining an oxidizing treatment of a short time with a re-reducing treatment, and sintering the resultant copper fine particles with each other to form a layer of the sintered product.
US07820231B2
The present invention provides an evaporation apparatus, which is one type of film formation apparatus and provides superior uniformity in EL layer film thickness, superior throughput, and improved utilization efficiency of EL materials and an evaporation method. The present invention is characterized in that an evaporation source holder, in which a container that encloses an evaporation material is disposed, is moved at a certain pitch with respect to a substrate during evaporation. Further, a film thickness monitor is integrated with the evaporation source holder for the movement. Furthermore, film thickness can be made uniform by adjusting the moving speed of the evaporation source holder in accordance with values measured by the film thickness monitor.
US07820226B2
Flax and linola oil seed protein isolated are provided. Such isolates are made by extracting flax and linola oil seed protein from the oil seed meal, concentrating the aqueous protein solution, diluting the concentrated protein solution to form protein micelles, collecting mass. Further flax protein isolate may be recovered from the supernatant from the protein micellar formation. The protein isolated have a protein content of at least about 90 wt % (N ×6.25), preferably at least about 100 wt %, on a dry weight basis.
US07820223B2
The present invention discloses formulations for sheeted, baked sweet potato chips that have a light, crispy texture similar to a white potato chip. The ingredients are combined with water and oil to make a dough, which is then sheeted and cut into pieces. The pieces are baked to produce sweet potato snack chips.
US07820221B2
This invention provides edible compositions comprising pharmaceutically or nutraceutically active agents in particulate form homogeneously dispersed in a fat matrix, such as chocolate or chocolate compound coating.
US07820219B2
A novel toasted flavor additive for enhancing the toasted flavor and appearance of food products. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, toasted corn flavor additive (“TCF”) is made by the steps of cooking whole corn kernels in a solution of lime and water; steeping the corn; draining and washing the corn; grinding, sheeting and cutting the corn into pieces; toasting the pieces until significant browning has occurred beyond the level normally associated with consumed masa products; and grinding the toasted pieces into a powder that can be administered as toasted corn flavor additive.
US07820213B2
The invention provide a gum base composition which has an excellent chewing texture and is disintegratable and biodegradable comprising biodegradable ingredients, including a lactic acid polymer comprising a poly-L-lactic acid polymer and/or other lactic acid polymers having a glass transition temperature higher than 50° C. in an amount of from 5% by weight to 60% by weight, and an emulsifying plasticizer in an amount of from 1% by weight to 20% by weight. The weight average molecular weight of the lactic acid polymer to be used is preferably 50,000 to 200,000.
US07820205B2
The present invention provides a composition comprising precious metal particles for treating or preventing a psychiatric symptom. The composition of the invention is able to improve various psychiatric symptoms and useful for treating or preventing psychiatric disorders.
US07820196B2
The invention relates to the food and medical industries, medical cosmetics, dermatology, agriculture and the mixed feed industry. According to the invention vicinal dithioglycole (common formula RCH(SH)CH(SH)R−1 (I)) is used as a food additive, a food product, physiologically-active substances and active ingredients of forage additives and of forage, in cosmetic and/or dermatological and skin-therapeutic remedies. The invention comprises methods for producing such additives, products and remedies. The substance of formula (I) stimulates physiological processes, increases human and animal immunity, inhibits undesirable process in organisms and food products, produces curative and preventive action of skin, hair and nails and after vicinal dithioglycole is administered the intoxication effect of alcohol consumption known as hang-over is completely removed.
US07820191B2
Methods are provide for producing flowable compositions, e.g. pastes, that set into calcium phosphate products. In the subject methods, dry reactants that include a calcium source and a phosphate source are combined with a solution of a soluble silicate, e.g. sodium silicate, and the combined liquids and solids are mixed to produce the flowable composition. Also provided are the compositions themselves as well as kits for preparing the same. The subject methods and compositions produced thereby find use in a variety of applications, including the repair of hard tissue defects, e.g. bone defects.
US07820186B2
Dermatological/cosmetic gel compositions suited for preventing or treating cell differentiation and/or proliferation and/or keratinization disorders, including preventing or treating common acne, comprise (i) at least one retinoid, (ii) dispersed benzoyl peroxide and (iii) at least one pH-independent gelling agent, formulated into (iv) a physiologically acceptable medium therefor.
US07820183B2
Botulinum toxin, or other neuromuscular inhibitors, injected into the lower leg muscle of infants, less than a year old, with idiopathic clubfoot is shown to be an effective therapy in correcting this physical deformity. Following a protocol of manipulations, castings, and injections, clubfoot is effectively treated, and surgical treatment procedures can be avoided.
US07820179B2
Pharmaceutical compositions and methods are provided for the treatment and prevention of bone loss diseases including osteoporosis in a mammal.
US07820175B2
The present invention provides herbal formulas, and compositions thereof, that can treat or reduce the severity, intensity, or duration of food allergy and food allergy related symptoms. The compositions may optionally include one or more adjuvants, cytokines, encapsulating materials, or pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or excipients, and may be administered prior to, during, or after the development of food allergy-related symptoms in a patient in need thereof.
US07820169B2
The present invention relates to inhibiting TNF in patients having rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or ankylosing spondilitis, by administering anti-TNF antibodies comprising the heavy chain variable region of SEQ ID NO: 7 and the light chain variable region of SEQ ID NO:8, specific for at least one human tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) protein or fragment thereof.
US07820168B2
The instant specification provides methods of treatment for inflammatory and autoimmune disorders of the metabolic system. The instant specification also provides methods of diagnosis.
US07820164B2
The present invention provides humanized, chimeric and human anti-CSAp antibodies and anti-CSAp antibody fusion proteins that are useful for the treatment and diagnosis of various cancers, including colon cancer.
US07820152B2
Disclosed is a shaving composition in the form of a post-foaming gel that contains a glyceryl acrylate/acrylic acid copolymer. In particular the shaving composition comprises, in percent by weight, about 60% to about 93%, preferably about 70% to about 85%, water, about 2% to about 25%, preferably about 5% to about 20%, water dispersible (or soluble) surface active agent, about 1% to about 6%, preferably about 2% to about 5%, volatile post-foaming agent, and about 0.0005% to about 1%, preferably about 0.001% to about 0.1%, glyceryl acrylate/acrylic acid copolymer.
US07820149B2
The present disclosure generally relates to personal care compositions and wipes. More particularly, the disclosure relates to compositions and wipes for imparting a perceivable aesthetic feel to the skin of a user. To achieve the perceivable aesthetic feel, a modified sorbitan siloxane is incorporated into the compositions and wipes.
US07820143B2
A tetrapyrollic photosensitizer compound having at least one pendant —CH2CH2CON(CH2CON(CH2COOH)2)2 or —N(CH2COOH)2 group or esters thereof said tetrapyrollic compound being a chlorin, bacteriochlorin, porphyrin, pyropheophorbide, purpurinimide, or bacteriopurpurinimide. Desirably the compound has the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof, wherein R1-R8 and R10 are various substituents and R9 is substituted or unsubstituted —CH2CH2CON(CH2CON(CH2COOH)2)2; or —N(CH2COOH)2. The invention also includes a method of treatment by photodynamic therapy by treatment with light after injecting the compound and a method of imaging by fluorescence after injection of the compound.
US07820140B2
A method for the thermo-neutral reforming of liquid hydrocarbon fuels which employs a Ni—Ce2O—Pt—Rh catalyst having dual functionalities to achieve both combustion and steam reforming.
US07820139B2
The invention concerns a method for energy conversion of solid fuels in particular containing carbon comprising a first step which consists in reacting said fuels in a first energy conversion reactor (2, 20). The invention is characterized in that it comprises a second step which consists in injecting oxygen brought to the output of said reactor (2, 20), the reaction of the first step being carried out in at least a circulating fluidized bed (30, 31, 40) and in that the metal oxides circulate between two interconnected circulating fluidized beds (30, 31, 40) converting the fuel and oxidizing the oxides.
US07820137B2
A lithium titanate is formed by mixing lithium carbonate powder or lithium hydroxide powder with titanium oxide followed by preparing a mixed slurry of titanium compound powder and a solution containing lithium, followed by depositing a lithium compound by spray-drying.
US07820121B2
A Bayer process is disclosed. The Bayer process includes a step of treating any one or more of: (a) Bayer liquor or liquors produced in the process, (b) precipitated aluminium trihydrate particles produced in the process, and (c) other solids added to or produced in the process, with ultrasonic energy and destroying organics in the liquor or liquors, on the precipitated aluminium trihydrate particles, and on the other solids.
US07820115B2
A laboratory rack assembly for supporting columns and receptacle tubes and other paraphernalia during laboratory procedures such as such as filtration, chromatography, plasma preparation, affinity purification, and so on, includes upper and lower support portions that are connected together for relative sliding movement. An upper rack module is connected to the upper support portion and is configured to receive at least one column. A lower rack module is connected to the lower support portion and is configured to receive at least one receptacle tube. At least one of the rack modules is removably connected to at least one of the support portions. An adjustment mechanism is operably associated with the upper and lower support portions for adjusting a position of one support portion with respect to the other support portion to thereby vary the distance between the upper and lower rack modules.
US07820091B1
A method for providing embedded vinyl products comprises applying design material to a bottom or a top surface of a liquid vinyl substrate. When applying to the bottom surface liquid vinyl substrate, the design materials are applied to a conveyor and the vinyl substrate layer is applied over the design material. When applying to an exposed top layer of the vinyl substrate, the design material is applied so that at least a portion of it remains visible from the top surface of the exposed layers so that it creates a design therein.
US07820073B2
A white light emitting device capable of expanding the wavelength range of a blue LED used for realizing white light. The white light emitting device according to the present invention includes a blue LED and a mixture of orange phosphor and green phosphor disposed above the blue LED.
US07820071B2
A light modulating material comprising at least one kind of dichroic dye having a substituent represented by the following Formula (1) and at least one kind of host liquid crystal between a pair of electrodes, and changing the transmittance of incident light. In the formula (1), Het is oxygen atom or sulfur atom; B1 and B2 each independently represent an arylene group, a heteroarylene group or a bivalent cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbon group; Q1 represents a bivalent linking group; C1 represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an acyl group, or an acyloxy group; j represents 0 or 1; p, q and r each independently represent an integer from 0 to 5; n represents an integer from 1 to 3; (p+r)×n is an integer from 3 to 10. -(Het)j-{(B1)p-(Q1)q-(B2)r}n—C1 Formula (1):
US07820069B2
A combination of a styrene reduction agent and a catalyst that effectively and economically reduces styrene emissions in Cured-In-Place Pipe, closed molding processes. The reduction agent generally comprises a calibrated mixture of salts including sodium chloride plus three persulfate salts: ammonium (APS), potassium (KPS), and sodium (NPS). These ingredients are combined in powder form and are compressed into soluble capsules containing calibrated amounts of the mixture. The capsule(s) may be prescribed through the use of software. The catalyst is hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). A calibrated amount of the styrene reduction agent capsule(s) are added to the cure water prior to starting the boiler equipment for the Cured-In-Place Pipe process, and this is followed by a calibrated amount of the H2O2 catalyst in order to reduce the residual monomer content in either process or waste streams.
US07820064B2
Devices based on spinodally decomposed periodic structures and their fabrication techniques.
US07820063B2
A reflective and deformable micromirror device comprises a reflective micromirror plate attached to a deformable hinge that is formed on and held by a hinge post on a substrate. The substrate has an addressing electrode formed thereon. A selected dielectric material is disposed between the deformable hinge and the addressing electrode.
US07820061B2
The invention relates to Group 1 metal/porous metal oxide compositions comprising porous metal oxide selected from porous titanium oxide and porous alumina and an alkali metal or an alkali metal alloy. The compositions of the inventions are described as Stage 0 and I materials. These materials differ in their preparation and chemical reactivity. Each successive stage may be prepared directly using the methods described below or from an earlier stage material. Stage 0 materials may, for example, be prepared using liquid alloys of Na and K which are rapidly absorbed by porous metal oxide under isothermal conditions, preferably at or just above room temperature, to form loose black powders that retain much of the reducing ability of the parent metals. When the low melting Group 1 metals are absorbed into the porous metal oxide at about 150° C., an exothermic reaction produces Stage I material, loose black powders that are stable in dry air. Further heating forms higher stage materials of unknown composition. It is believed that Stage I higher materials represent reductions of the porous metal oxide after absorption of the Group 1 metal. Preferred Group 1 metal/porous metal oxide compositions of the invention are those containing sodium, potassium, or sodium-potassium alloys with sodium and sodium-potassium alloys being most preferred. Each stage of the Group 1 metal/porous metal oxide composition of the invention may be used as a reducing agent reacting with a number of reducible organic materials in the same manner known for alkali metals and their alloys.
US07820053B2
A process for removing fine particles and particulates from water. The process includes mixing a magnetic ballast, flocculant and water to form magnetic floc, and agitating the magnetic floc in a flocculation zone. A portion of the magnetic floc is collected on a magnetic collector in the flocculation zone. Another portion of the magnetic floc is directed downstream to a setting zone where the magnetic floc is settled. The settled magnetic floc is returned upstream of the settling zone where the returned magnetic floc is recombined with other magnetic floc in the flocculation zone. Ultimately, all, or substantially all, of the magnetic floc is removed by one or more magnetic collectors disposed upstream of the settling zone.
US07820050B2
An aeration system for a submerged membrane module has a set of aerators connected to an air blower, valves and a controller adapted to alternately provide a higher rate or air flow and a lower rate of air flow in repeated cycles. In an embodiment, the air blower, valves and controller, simultaneously provide the alternating air flow to two or more sets of aerators such that the total air flow is constant, allowing the blower to be operated at a constant speed. In another embodiment, the repeated cycles are of short duration. Transient flow conditions result in the tank water which helps avoid dead spaces and assists in agitating the membranes.
US07820045B2
A sludge filter is comprised of a mesh filter media secured to a support net. The support net includes a front surface adjacent the filter media and a rear surface opposite the filter media, the rear surface having a plurality of outwardly extending nodes to define flow channels for horizontal and vertical fluid flow intermediate the net and a container surface. The sludge filter is attached directly to the walls or floor of a container. In a preferred embodiment a border of the sludge filter comprises one part of a two-part fastener system with a second part of the two-part fastener system attached to a container along the perimeter of the filter coverage area, so that the filter medium may be removably attached to the container.
US07820044B2
A fluid filter includes a case in which an inflow path, an outflow path, and a drainage path are formed, a cap which is engaged with the case through axial rotation, a biasing device (a coil spring) which biases a filter element housed inside a casing constituted by the case and the cap toward the case side, a rotation restricting device (an abutting portion and a projecting portion) which restricts rotation of the filter element in a fastening direction when the cap is rotated relative to the case in the fastening direction, and a sealing member provided on an axial end surface side of the filter element, which seals the drainage path when the filter element is biased by the biasing device and rotation thereof is restricted by the rotation restricting device.
US07820037B2
A desulfurizing agent is produced by mixing a copper compound, a zinc compound and an ammonium compound with an aqueous solution of an alkali substance to prepare or precipitate followed by calcitrating the resulting precipitate to form a calcined precipitate into a shape form of a copper oxide-zinc oxide-aluminum oxide mixture. The shaped form is impregnated with iron or nickel and calcined to produce a calcined oxide and reduced with hydrogen to form a sulfur-absorption desulfurizing agent.
US07820034B2
An apparatus and process for partially upgraded heavy oil diluent production. A crude heavy oil and/or bitumen feed is supplied to an FCC unit having a low activity catalyst and low conversion number. A distillate fraction is supplied for use as diluent to end users. The distillate fraction and FCC unit gas oil products can be supplied to a hydrotreater for upgrading and collected as a synthetic crude product stream. An asphaltene fraction can be supplied to a gasifier for the recovery of power, steam and hydrogen, which can be supplied to the hydrotreater or otherwise within the process or exported.
US07820028B2
Apparatus and methods for measuring NOx concentrations are disclosed. One method includes the steps of providing a gas stream having a NO concentration and a NO2 concentration, wherein a sum of the NO concentration and the NO2 concentration is a total NOx concentration; contacting the gas stream with a first zirconium oxide based oxygen sensor at a first temperature to achieve a first NO:NO2 equilibrium at the first temperature; contacting the gas stream with a second zirconium oxide based oxygen sensor at a second temperature to achieve a second NO:NO2 equilibrium at the second temperature; and determining the total NOx concentration by measuring a response of the first zirconium oxide based oxygen sensor to achieve the first NO:NO2 equilibrium and a response of the second zirconium oxide based oxygen sensor to achieve the second NO:NO2 equilibrium. The second temperature is different than the first temperature.
US07820025B2
Novel devices for synthesizing ferrate and uses thereof are described. One aspect of the invention relates to devices and systems for synthesizing ferrate at a site proximal to the site of use.
US07820024B2
The disclosed techniques involve electrical separation systems that allow recovery of species from feedstreams, typically aqueous solutions. The disclosed techniques can also provide electrical separation systems having reduced tendency to form scale especially when water is being purified to reduce the concentration of hardness-causing species.
US07820019B2
A coated article is provided that may be used as a vehicle windshield, insulating glass (IG) window unit, or the like. An ion beam is used to treat an infrared (IR) reflecting layer(s) of such a coated article. Advantageously, this has been found to improve sheet resistance (Rs) properties, emittance, solar control properties, and/or durability of the coated article.
US07820017B2
The invention relates to a substrate (1), especially a glass substrate, coated with at least one dielectric thin-film layer deposited by sputtering, especially magnetically enhanced sputtering and preferably reactive sputtering in the presence of oxygen and/or nitrogen, with exposure to at least one ion beam (3) coming from an ion source (4), characterized in that said dielectric layer exposed to the ion beam has a refractive index that can be adjusted according to the parameters of the ion source, said ion source being a linear source.
US07820009B2
Polymer composite films were prepared by solvent casting suspensions of quantum dots (QDs) in cellulose triacetate (CTA) solution. The films were robust and possessed the optical properties characteristic of QDs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the films revealed that the QDs were well dispersed within the CTA film matrix. The selective alkaline hydrolysis of QD/CTA films in 0.1N NaOH over 24 hours resulted in the surface conversion of CTA to regenerated cellulose. Optical properties of the films were probed both before and after the hydrolysis reaction using fluorescence spectroscopy, and were found generally unaltered. The cellulose surfaces of the alkaline treated films allow for facile incorporation of the films into paper sheets.
US07820005B2
A method for making a multilayer chemical mechanical polishing pad comprising: providing a polishing layer, providing a subpad layer, optionally providing additional layers, providing an unset reactive hot melt adhesive, applying the unset reactive hot melt adhesive in a pattern on a surface of at least one of the layers, applying one of the other layers over the pattern of unset reactive hot melt adhesive, pressing the two layers together with the unset reactive hot melt adhesive interposed therebetween, allowing the unset reactive hot melt adhesive to set forming a reactive hot melt adhesive bond between the two layers.
US07820002B2
A methodology 10 which produces a reception assembly 101 which is biodegradable and which is adapted to selectively receive and support an item, such as a vehicular hood.
US07819999B2
A method and a device for directly molding a glazing gasket by extruding a molding material from a molding die to a peripheral edge part of a double-glazing panel in which a space layer is formed between two adjacent glass sheets with a spacer interposed in between. The molding die is configured of a front die and a rear die, which are independent of each other. The front die is allowed to adhere closely to at least the front surface of the double-glazing panel, and the rear die is allowed to adhere closely to at least the rear surface of the double-glazing panel, thereby molding the glazing gasket.
US07819988B2
A method for processing CoPt alloys with improved magnetic properties. The method includes sealing a sample of a CoPt alloy in an evacuated quartz tube, and heating the alloy to a temperature of approximately 1000 degrees C. to homogenize the alloy for approximately 3 hours. The sample is then cooled at a controlled cooling rate of 120-150 degrees C. per minute to 600 degrees C. The sample is then held at 600 degrees C. for 10 hours to promote isothermal ordering. Finally, the sample is quenched in mineral oil.
US07819980B2
A system for semiconductor wafer manufacturing, comprises a chamber process path for processing the wafer, and a device operable to remove particles from the wafer by electrostatic and electromagnetic methodologies wherein the device is installed in the chamber process path.
US07819979B1
A method and system for providing a magnetic structure that includes at least one magnetic material is disclosed. The method and system include defining the magnetic structure. The magnetic structure also includes a top layer that is insensitive to an istroropic carbonyl reactive ion etch. The defining of the magnetic structure results in at least one artifact. The method and system further includes cleaning the at least one artifact using at least one isotropic carbonyl reactive ion etch.
US07819974B2
A synthesis route to grow textured thin film of gallium nitride on amorphous quartz substrates and on single crystalline substrates such as c-sapphire and polycrystalline substrates such as pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN), alumina and quartz using the dissolution of atomic nitrogen rather than molecular nitrogen to allow for growth at subatmospheric pressure.
US07819972B2
In a method for growing a silicon single crystal, a silicon single crystal is grown by the Czochralski method to have an oxygen concentration of 12×1017 to 18×1017 atoms/cm3 on ASTM-F121 1979. A mixed gas of an inert gas and a gaseous substance containing hydrogen atoms is used as an atmospheric gas for growing the single crystal. A temperature of the silicon single crystal is controlled during the growth of the crystal such that the ratio Gc/Ge of an axial thermal gradient Gc at the central portion of the crystal between its melting point and its temperature of 1350° C. to an axial thermal gradient Ge at the periphery of the crystal between its melting point and its temperature of 1350° C. is 1.1 to 1.4. The axial thermal gradient Gc at the central portion of the crystal is 3.0 to 3.5° C./mm.
US07819969B2
A Naphthol AS colorant according to Formula (I): wherein R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 are each independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, halogen, methoxy, ethoxy, —CONH-phenyl and —NO2, wherein the group Q is a group including two carboxyl groups or salts thereof. The Naphthol AS colorant may also be used for making colored layers and non-aqueous pigment dispersions.
US07819966B2
The invention relates to surface-modified pearlescent pigments, the pearlescent pigments being provided on the surface with at least one organic phosphorus compound of the general formula (I) R1R2P(O)(OR3) (I) and/or of the general formula (II) R1P(O)(OR3)(OR4) (II) where R1 and R2 independently of one another are hydrogen or an organic radical having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, with the proviso that R1 and R2 are not simultaneously hydrogen, R3 and R4 independently of one another are H or alkyl having 1-10 carbon atoms. The invention further relates to a process for preparing these pearlescent pigments and also to their use.
US07819962B2
The present invention relates to a modified pigment comprising a pigment having attached at least one geminal bisphosphonic acid group, partial esters thereof, or salts thereof. The modified pigments have a low phosphate release value. Dispersions and inkjet ink compositions comprising these modified pigments are also disclosed.
US07819959B2
A gas desulfurization scrubbing system for removing sulfur oxides from gases, such as those of fossil fuel burning operations or other manufacturing process emitting sulfur oxides, and for collecting reaction products of the desulfurization chemical reactions. A quenching section is disposed in a gas duct upstream of a gas desulfurization scrubbing tower and a scrubbing slurry is provided at that section for quenching and chemically reacting with the gas. A quench reaction product is collected, at a location between the quenching section and the scrubbing tower, for use in making commercial by-products, such as gypsum.
US07819950B2
A subsea compression system and method wherein a wellstream fluid is flowed through a flow line (12) from a reservoir (10) and into a separation vessel (16) for subsequent compression in a compressor (18; 18′, 18″) prior to export of gas. A recycle line (24; 24′, 24″) is fluidly connected at a first end to the compressed wellstream at the outlet side of the compressor (18; 18′, 18″) and at a second end to the wellstream at a location between the separation vessel (16) and the inlet side of the compressor (18; 18′, 18″), the recycle line being capable of controllably (32) feeding fluid due to surge back to the compressor inlet side and avoiding the need to feed the fluid into the separation vessel, because the re-circulated gas is dry both due to having been separated at seawater temperature, and then being heated during recirculation.
US07819944B2
A dehydration method by which water is selectively separated from a water-containing mixture 31 with a separation membrane. The separation membrane is a DDR type zeolite membrane 2. The dehydration method includes bringing the mixture 31 into contact with one side of the DDR type zeolite membrane 2 and causing a pressure difference between that side of the DDR type zeolite membrane 2 which is in contact with the mixture and the other side of the DDR type zeolite membrane 2 to thereby cause the water to selectively permeate and separate out. By the dehydration method, water can be selectively separated from a water-containing mixture without the need of a high energy cost. The separation membrane has excellent acid resistance.
US07819937B2
An agglomerate comprising alumina, carbon, and a binder for use in a vapor recovery reactor of a carbothermic alumina reduction furnace is disclosed. A method for using alumina-carbon agglomerates to capture aluminum vapor species and utilize waste heat from off-gases in a vapor recovery reactor to form a recyclable material is also disclosed.
US07819934B2
Environmental containment systems, and in certain embodiments, systems and methods involving vessels and unit operations or components of cell culture, cell containment, bioreactor, chemical manufacturing, or pharmaceutical manufacturing systems provided with environmental containment are provided. Certain vessels, unit operations, devices, and components may be used to perform all or part of biological, chemical, and/or pharmaceutical manufacturing processes therein. In some embodiments, an environmental containment system includes a multi-level containment apparatus. For instance, a first substantially closed environmental containment enclosure may be contained within a second substantially closed environmental containment enclosure; the first and second enclosures may be contained in a third substantially closed environmental containment enclosure, etc. Each of the environments within the substantially closed environmental containment enclosures may be controlled independently, and leakage of any materials from an inner system may be contained by an outer system.
US07819931B2
An apparatus is disclosed for converting sludges, wastes or a combination thereof to biosolids, including a) at least one heated air system, b) at least one trough arrangement, c) at least one auger system, wherein the at least one auger system is situated in the at least one trough arrangement to form a conveyor system, and d) at least one heat box enclosing at least part of the conveyor system. These apparatus can a) efficiently convert organic wastes and sludges into soil mediums or alternative fuel mediums; b) ensure that the soil mediums and alternative fuel mediums are non-odoriferous, non-pathogenic and/or virus-free; c) mass reduce large quantities of organic sludges and wastes; d) mass reduce organic wastes and sludges by a 5 to 1 ratio; e) produce soil mediums or alternative fuel mediums that are or approach Class A or “exceptional quality” rating making them safe to recycle, f) convert both solids and liquids to soil mediums or alternative fuel mediums, where the treated solids can be safely recycled to agriculture markets and liquids can be recycled as wash-down water, beneficially recycled for reuse in the manufacturing of the original product or recycled for irrigation, and/or g) reduce or significantly reduce the “footprint” of other conventional waste recycling apparatus by reducing the space/area these devices occupy.
US07819927B2
A synthetic-rich fabric (e.g., polyester, polypropylene, nylon, acrylic and elastane fibers—including lycra, spandex, etc.) useful in the manufacture of commercially launderable items is described. The fabric has many of the properties that make cotton fabrics desirable including hand feel, and wicking, but retains the best properties of synthetic fabrics, m addition, the soil release properties, pilling resistance and UV protection offered by the present items makes the fabric ideal in manufacturing apparel and non-apparel (e.g., pillow cases, bed sheets, aprons, tablecloths, napkins, etc.) items.
US07819916B2
A blood pump system for an artificial heart including: a control unit for controlling a blood pump, the control unit including a first alarm generating part for generating a first alarm signal according to the state of the blood pump, and a speaker for outputting an audible sound upon receiving the first alarm signal when the blood pump is in an abnormal state; a supervisory section configured to supervise the state of the control unit; a determining section configured to determine whether the control unit is in an abnormal state or not, based on output signal from the supervisory section; and a second alarm generating part for generating a second alarm signal according to the state of the control unit, based on the result of determination by the determining section.
US07819914B2
An expandable medical device includes a plurality of elongated struts, forming a substantially cylindrical device which is expandable from a first diameter to a second diameter. A plurality of different beneficial agents may be loaded into different openings within the struts for delivery to the tissue. For treatment of conditions such as restenosis, different agents are loaded into different openings in the device to address different biological processes involved in restenosis and are delivered at different release kinetics matched to the biological process treated. The different agents may also be used to address different diseases from the same drug delivery device. In addition, anti-thrombotic agents may be affixed to at least a portion of the surfaces of the medical device for the prevention of sub-acute thrombosis. To ensure that the different agents remain affixed to the device as well as to each other, primer layers may be utilized.
US07819912B2
An expandable tissue supporting device of the present invention employs ductile hinges at selected points in the expandable device. When expansion forces are applied to the device as a whole, the ductile hinges concentrate expansion stresses and strains in small well defined areas. The expandable medical device including ductile hinges provides the advantages of low expansion force requirements, relatively thick walls which are radio-opaque, improved crimping properties, high crush strength, reduced elastic recoil after implantation, and control of strain to a desired level. The expandable tissue supporting device includes a plurality of elongated beams arranged in a cylindrical device and connected together by a plurality of ductile hinges. Although many ductile hinge configurations are possible, the ductile hinges preferably have a substantially constant hinge cross sectional area which is smaller than a beam cross sectional area such that as the device is expanded from a first diameter to a second diameter, the ductile hinges experience plastic deformation while the beams are not plastically deformed.
US07819908B2
The invention includes a method for performing non-surgical lung volume reduction in a patient by applying an amount of energy with a catheter to a diseased alveolar region of the lung of a patient having emphysema, wherein the amount of energy is sufficient to damage the epithelial cells and the epithelial barrier within the diseased alveolar region of the lung and collapse at least a portion of said region thereby reducing the lung volume, and wherein the energy comprises thermal energy, electrical energy, and ultrasonic energy.
US07819905B2
A self-drilling bone screw includes a screw body centered on a longitudinal axis and having an external thread winding. The bone screw has a head portion at one end of the screw body and a drill point at the other end. The drill point has two blades, each having a cutting lip and a primary relief surface trailing from the cutting lip. The two blades defining a flute between them. The flute has an opening to the side of the screw body, which opening spans an obtuse angle, such as about 120°, about the longitudinal axis. The primary relief surfaces have a lip relief angle of about 30°. The drill point has a point angle of about 100°.
US07819904B2
A method for performing minimally invasive surgery to reduce lumbar scoliosis in a patient is disclosed. The method involves performing an orthopedic exercise or maneuver on a patient to reduce scoliosis, and anchoring the ilioposoas muscles to a region of the femur to permanently reduce the scoliosis. During the exercise or maneuver, a lumbar x-ray is taken on both sides of the patient to determine which side the scoliosis reduction is greatest. The side with the greatest reduction is the side where the surgery takes place.
US07819896B2
A surgical stapling device including an independently rotatable tool assembly is disclosed. The tool assembly includes an anvil and a cartridge assembly which are movable in relation to each other between spaced and approximated positions. The tool assembly also includes a clamp member, dynamic clamping member and a drive member operably connected to the clamp member and the dynamic clamping member. The drive member is formed from a coaxial cable and is movable to move the clamp member and the dynamic clamping member between first and second positions.
US07819880B2
A surgical instrument has an elongate guide member and a reciprocable member. The elongate guide member provides a protected path of travel for an implant from outside the body to a position near a damaged tissue site. The reciprocable member is movable along the elongate guide member to push the implant along its path of travel. The reciprocable member can include an implant carrier. The implant can be an orthopaedic implant for repair or regeneration of soft tissue at a damaged joint site. The implant can be larger than the transverse dimension of the elongate guide member and folded or rolled to fit within the elongate guide member. Use of this instrument protects the implant from damage as it is delivered to the damaged joint site. The invention also includes a surgical method for delivering an implant to a damaged tissue site.
US07819863B2
An electrosurgical probe (10) comprises a shaft (13) having an electrode array (58) at its distal end and a connector (19) at its proximal end for coupling the electrode array to a high frequency power supply (28). The shaft includes a return electrode (56) recessed from its distal end and enclosed within an insulating jacket (18). The return electrode defines an inner passage (83) electrically connected to both the return electrode and the electrode array for passage of an electrically conducting liquid (50). By applying high frequency voltage to the electrode array and the return electrode, the electrically conducting liquid generates a current flow path between the return electrode and the electrode array so that target tissue may be cut or ablated. The probe is particularly useful in dry environments, such as the mouth or abdominal cavity, because the electrically conducting liquid provides the necessary return current path between the active and return electrodes.
US07819861B2
Methods for electrosurgical electrolysis for treating tissue within a body, including methods that operate in an electrolyzable medium, including an aqueous electrolyzable medium, by means of electrolysis, and optionally by means of oxy-hydrogen combustion for use in treatment, including therapeutic methods of electrolysis to effect advantageous tissue changes.
US07819859B2
A robotic control system is placed in clutch mode so that a slave manipulator holding a surgical instrument is temporarily disengaged from control by a master manipulator in order to allow manual positioning of the surgical instrument at a surgical site within a patient. Control systems implemented in a processor compensate for internally generated frictional and inertial resistance experienced during the positioning, thereby making movement more comfortable to the mover, and stabler from a control standpoint. Each control system drives a joint motor in the slave manipulator with a saturated torque command signal which has been generated to compensate for non-linear viscous forces, coulomb friction, cogging effects, and inertia forces subjected to the joint, using estimated joint angular velocities, accelerations and externally applied torques generated by an observer in the control system from sampled displacement measurements received from a sensor associated with the joint.
US07819858B2
Embodiments of a system including a remotely controlled reaction device and associated controller are described. Methods of use and control of the device are also disclosed. According to various embodiments, a reaction device is placed in an environment in order to perform a chemical reaction in an environment. Exemplary environments include a body of an organism, a body of water, or an enclosed volume of a fluid. In selected embodiments, a magnetic field, an electric field, or electromagnetic control signal may be used.
US07819846B2
A syringe piston used in fat transplantation is structured such that free oil is easily separated from suctioned fat by a syringe piston having a filter and naturally discharged through the rear side thereof. The syringe piston without a shaft, used in fat transplantation, disposed in a syringe-shaped cylindrical vessel, includes a piston body without the shaft, a packing coupled with an outer surface of the piston body to seal between the piston body and the syringe-shaped cylindrical vessel, a free oil discharging hole communicated with the front side and the rear side of the piston body, an opening and closing device for opening and closing the free oil discharging hole, and a filtering device disposed in a passage through which free oil is discharged to filter fat and pass the free oil.
US07819844B2
A guidewire stop is disclosed which can be positioned and frictionally locked to a bare guidewire at a user-defined location. The guidewire stop can be used to stop and/or lock a medical device, such as an embolic filter, at a treatment site inside a body lumen. The medical device may be attached to the guidewire stop.
US07819842B2
A therapy delivery system for the intermittent delivery of biologics, chemicals, or pharmaceuticals into tissues involves a chronically implantable guide tube having a guide cannula with a proximal and a distal end, an access port mounted on the proximal end of the guide cannula and adapted for chronic implantation into a patient, a first stop mounted near the distal end of the guide cannula and a delivery cannula insertable into the lumen of the guide cannula through the access port. The delivery cannula mechanically interacts with the first stop and is designed to prevent the delivery cannula from extending beyond a predetermined distance from the distal end of the guide cannula. A tissue-piercing tip may be attached to the distal end of the delivery cannula. A stylet may be used to occupy the lumen of the guide cannula when the delivery cannula is not in use.
US07819833B2
In one embodiment, there is disclosed a device adapted to be used for percutaneous minimally invasive heart surgery including a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end adapted to be fed through a blood vessel, a pump associated with the distal end of the catheter, and a tool associated with the distal end of the catheter. The tool is adapted to be used for percutaneous minimally invasive heart surgery. Examples of the tools include a tool for excising natural tissue, a tool for excising a natural valve, and anthretomy device, a prosthetic valve delivery system, a balloon catheter, a knife, a stapler, and a screwdriver. The pump is used for maintaining blood flow around the site of the heart surgery while the surgery is taking place without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass.
US07819832B2
An ankle-foot orthotic is provide for assisting persons having lower extremity weakness including weak dorsiflexor and plantar flexor muscle groups. A combination of flexible and stiff polypropylene and polyethylene materials are used to assist in the transfer of energy along the components of the ankle-foot orthotic to mimic normal gait.
US07819831B2
A device for relieving back strain for a user who is supporting a substantial weight which is off the user's vertical body axis at his or her front side. The device alleviates the aforementioned difficulties by utilizing the otherwise detrimental forces generated by the off-axis weight to press a rigid plate behind and adjacent to the spine of the device user against the user's spine. This rigid plate is preferably contoured to mirror the shape of the human spine. The device in one embodiment is used as a baby carrier. In another it is used with an abdominal support during pregnancy. In a third embodiment it provides support for the breasts of large breasted women.
US07819829B1
An apparatus and methods for the prevention or minimization of lower extremity venous thrombosis comprising an impedance component disposed at the proximal end of the lower extremity and a compression component disposed at the distal end of the lower extremity. The proximal impedance component is activated to impede return venous blood flow, preferably on the femoral vein, until blood volume in the lower extremity is maximized. In response to deactivation of the proximal compression component, the distal compression component is activated to assist return venous blood flow. The apparatus and methods enhance blood circulation in the lower extremity by increasing washout of stagnant blood from the lower extremity, particularly from the venous sinuses and valve cusps where thrombosis tends to form.
US07819825B2
A cervical dilation monitor for measuring the dilation of a cervix and for providing cervical data to an external wireless unit. The cervical dilation monitor comprises a housing, a sensor, a controller, and a power source. The housing is constructed of a biocompatible material and is adapted to be connected to portions of a cervical lip. The sensor is supported by the housing so as to generate signals related to cervical dilation. The controller includes a transceiver and a processor. The transceiver receives and transmits the cervical dilation data to the external wireless unit. The processor receives the signals generated by the sensor related to the cervical dilation and enables the transceiver to wirelessly transmit the cervical dilation data. The power source provides power to the controller.
US07819818B2
A system for testing a subject for cognitive impairment includes a display, one or more video cameras and a computer. The display presents to the subject multiple stimuli, including a predictable, smoothly moving object, repeatedly moving over a same path. The video cameras sense eye movements of the subject, while the subject visually follows the object on the display. The computer analyzes the subject's eye movements to determine, for example, accuracy and variability of the subject's visual pursuit of the display of the smoothly moving object, and determines, based on the analysis, if the subject has a cognitive impairment. The analysis may provide one or more metrics, such as a metric of attention, a metric of fatigability and a metric of distractibility. The system may also be configured to provide feedback signals to the user, in which case the system also functions as cognition timing and motor training system.
US07819815B2
Automatic ongoing adjustment of the cycling-off time of ventilator inflation phase during assisted ventilation in accordance with true respiratory rate of a patient. Electrical signals are generated corresponding to the gas flow exchanged between patient and ventilator (flow) and/or to airway pressure (Paw) and the true respiratory rate of the patient (patient RR) is determined on an ongoing basis from the flow and/or Paw. The current average cycle duration of patient respiratory efforts (current patient TTOT) is estimated from patient RR. A current desirable duration of the inhalation phase (desirable TI) is calculated from the product of current patient TTOT a TI/TTOT ratio chosen to be in the physiological range, usually 0.25 to 0.50. The ventilator phase is caused to terminate in accordance with the desirable TI.
US07819813B2
A graph display processing device and method that facilitates easy viewing of data with periodicity. With each recognition of a cardiac cycle, a CPU of an electrocardiogram display device (100) finds a point between an R-wave and an S-wave in the cardiac cycle and at two-thirds from the lowest point, as a central point of the cardiocyclic waveform. The CPU determines whether or not the central point is displayed in a central region defined as one-third of the center of a display. When the central point is not in the central region, the CPU performs a scroll process on the electrocardiogram.
US07819805B2
Systems and methods are disclosed for improving the resolution and quality of an image formed by signals from an array of receivers. Multiple receivers introduce variations in arrival times that can be less than the period of an operating signal, and also less than the period associated with a sampling operation. Thus, multiple receivers allow sampling of fine features of reflected signals that would be considered beyond the resolution associated with the operating signal. Use of multiple receivers also provides an effective sampling rate that is greater than the sampling rate of an individual receiver. Similar advantages can be obtained using multiple transmitters. Such advantageous features can be used to obtain high resolution images of objects in a medium in applications such as ultrasound imaging. Sub-Nyquist sampling is discussed.
US07819802B2
A catheter tip of a catheter including at least a power conductor and a data conductor for obtaining data of a subject of interest. The catheter tip may comprise a support member defining an actuator sleeve, a sensor compartment, and a seal pocket. An actuator may be disposed in the actuator sleeve and coupled to the power conductor. A sensor may be disposed in the sensor compartment and coupled to the data conductor. A bearing/seal may be installed in the support member and coupled to the actuator and the sensor. A cover may be coupled to the support member and may define a transparent window exposing the sensor to the subject of interest, wherein the catheter tip may be coupled to the catheter in the seal pocket.
US07819796B2
The present invention relates to constructs and methods used to enhance the attachment and implantation of an embryo. It is shown that modified glycolipids and glycolipid-attachment molecule constructs can be used to modify embryos, or localised to target tissues, to enhance interaction between the embryo and the target tissue, (typically the endometrium). The invention may advantageously be used to enhance implantation of embryos in the uterus, for example, in IVF treatments.
US07819794B2
A method and apparatus for generating electromagnetic fields for healing. A device preferably includes a microcontroller and associated memory, a wire coil in electrical communication with a driving circuit that is controlled by the microcontroller in accordance with a program stored in the associated memory, wherein the driving circuit is effective to produce a pulsed DC output having a frequency in the range of about 0-45 Hz, more preferably in the range of 0.5-14.1 Hz and most preferably around 9.6 Hz. A user interface is provided for selecting one of a plurality of modes of operation and a port (e.g., a USB port) is provided to allow the program stored in the associated memory to be modified by way of a computer, memory card or the Internet. In another embodiment, the apparatus takes the form of a medallion that can be worn around a user's neck or strategically placed on a user's body or embedded in other user hardware such as a combat or racing helmet.
US07819793B2
An apparatus for separating blood into blood components using a separation vessel satellite bags mounted on a centrifuge rotor and a balancing assembly for the centrifuge to compensate for changes to the center of gravity.
US07819791B1
The cartoner has been designed to form cartons from blanks, whereby the formed cartons have tapered concave sides. A unique series of elements, including capture lugs which hold and “bow” the carton blank, together with plow rods and oscillators which have curved metal plates are used to “pre-break” the score lines of the blank. Travelling pressure blocks having convex outer surfaces are used to press the concave sides of the carton while hot glue dries, whereby the unique, tapered cartons are properly formed.
US07819779B2
A combination of treadmill and stair climbing machine includes a single roller supported on a shaft between two lugs on two sides of the frame of the combination and two rear ends of two pedals are respectively connected to the roller and supported on the two lugs. Two front ends of the two pedals are respectively connected to two hydraulic cylinders. A switch member is pivotably connected to a front end of the frame and can be set in a horizontal position when the combination is used as stair climbing machine, and an inclined position when the combination is used as treadmill. An L-shaped plate is connected to the frame and each pedal has a connection plate which has two elongate holes in which two protrusions on each side of the L-shaped plate are movably engaged, such that the pedals are pivotably supported on the L-shaped plate when used as stair climbing machine.
US07819765B2
An arm (3) supporting a tension pulley (2) around which an endless torque transmitting member (B) is looped is supported by a fixed member (E) via a base member (7). A torsion coil spring (8) is interposed between the base member (7) and the arm (3). The base member (7) is brought into pressure-contact with the fixed member (E) by a tightening force of a bolt (6). A pivot shaft (5) is fitted onto the outer circumference of the bolt (6) so as not to cause a tip to contact the fixed member (E). By transmitting an axial force generated by tightening the bolt (6) to the base member (7) via a flange (5A) formed on the outer circumference of the pivot shaft (5), the distribution of a contact pressure between the fixed member (E) and the base member (7) is optimized.
US07819763B2
A system and a method is provided for improving a baseball player's batting swing. Preferably, the system can be utilized to teach a player to swing with power and with a slight upstroke to increase the chances of getting a powerful line drive hit. The system includes a post upwardly extending from a support base. Preferably, the post is adjustable to increase or decreased in height to match the size of the player utilizing the system. A channel is attached at upper portion of the post and includes a means for providing resistance, such as bristles, that protrude generally upwardly from the channel base. A second similar channel with a resistance means is mounted above and facing the first channel such that there is a gap between the two resistance means. Preferably, the channels are rotatably mounted to the post such that the angle of the path between the resistance means can be adjusted to provide a slight increase in elevation that will result in a slight upswing by the player utilizing the training system. A channel support is utilized to fix the position of the two channels relative to each other. Preferably, the channel support is shaped to guide and direct a player's swing down and through the resistance means of the channels. Preferably the channel support includes a resistance adjustment that can increase or decrease the resistance on a bat passing through the channels.
US07819759B2
The present invention provides a golf club head capable of increasing carry on average even if being used by an amateur golfer who is prone to hit a ball by varied hit points of clubface. A golf club head 1 has a face part 2, a crown part 3, a sole part 4, a side part 5, and a hosel part 6, which are formed of titanium or a titanium alloy. A thick part 10 is provided near the central portion in the toe-heel direction of the rear portion of the crown part 3. The distance a between a foremost portion 10f the thick part 10 and the foremost portion of the crown part 3 is 20 to 80% of the total length L of the crown part 3.
US07819752B2
A constant velocity joint for a drive system having a first rotating shaft and a second rotating shaft, wherein the constant velocity joint comprises: a hollow housing fixed to an end of the first rotating shaft, an inner face of the housing including a plurality of guide grooves extending in an axial direction of the housing, each groove having a pair of opposing side faces; and a tripod disposed at an end of the second rotating shaft, having a plurality of trunnions each positioned in a corresponding one of the guide grooves; and, an inner roller mounted to an outer end portion of each of the trunnions, an outer roller mounted on an outer face of each inner roller with needle rollers engaged between the inner and outer rollers for transmitting a load between the first and second rotating shafts to drive the driving system. Each trunnion includes an at least partially spherical surface in a circumferential area subjecting to the load, and a cylindrical protrusion disposed at the at least partially spherical surface and protruded to a distance from the at least partially spherical surface in a direction normal to the axis of the respective trunnion for surface-to-surface contact with an at least partially spherical inner face of the respective inner roller while defining a gap around the cylindrical protrusion and between the at least partially spherical surface of the respective trunnion and the at least partially spherical inner face of the respective inner roller.
US07819746B2
A method for awarding a bonus to a player of an electronic gaming device at one of a plurality of casino properties is implemented with a slave server networked with gaming devices at each property. The slave servers are networked with a master server that accumulates a pool comprising a percentage of play on the gaming devices. The pool is initiated with a starting value, which defines the lower end of a range having a predetermined maximum number at the upper end. A number is randomly selected from within the range. As play progresses, the pool increases until it hits the random number. As a result, a slave server is randomly selected. The randomly selected slave server then awards the bonus to a randomly selected one of its associated gaming devices.
US07819744B2
A gaming device with a bonus scheme which includes at least one input value; a plurality of selections and at least one modifier associated with a selection. The gaming device enables a player to apply input values to desired selections and depending upon which modifiers are associated with the selections, the player can gain a relatively high or low output value. This type of bonus scheme adds excitement to bonus rounds and increases player entertainment.
US07819736B2
A game and in particular an electronic game that simulates trading securities on an exchange. The game is preferably played as a video gaming machine for gambling purposes. A computing device is provided having, among other things, a video screen display on which a line chart is displayed. The computing device also includes a selection device, which provides a means by which the player interacts with the computing device to “buy” or “sell”. The line chart includes a vertical axis that corresponds to the value or price of one or more securities, and a horizontal axis that corresponds to time. A segmented line is plotted on the line chart during a round of play. A random number generator randomly determines the vertical axis value for each point plotted along the segmented line.
US07819725B2
A motor is disposed in a main body and has a rotary shaft. A base is disposed below the main body. The base is coupled to the rotary shaft and adapted to make eccentric motions in accordance with rotations of the rotary shaft. A first receptacle is disposed in the main body. A second receptacle is disposed in the base. A foot is disposed between the first receptacle and the second receptacle. The foot includes a foot body made of metal, and elastic members provided on both ends of the foot body and respectively fitted into the first receptacle and the second receptacle, so that the foot body is pivotably supported between the first receptacle and the second receptacle. An elastic sleeve is fitted onto a part of an outer periphery of the foot body while being compressed by the first receptacle and the second receptacle.
US07819715B2
A cushion-type personal flotation device saver includes: (a) a generally rectangular shaped main portion comprising two closed, opposite sides, a closed end, and an open end opposite the closed end; (b) at least one main strap attached to the main portion, the main strap comprising at least one grab strap; (c) a releasable closure mechanism attached along at least one edge of the open end of the main portion; (d) a central chamber within the main portion, the chamber being accessible at the open end of the main portion; and (e) a removable collared insert that fits closely within the main portion chamber, the collared insert being slidable into and out of the main portion chamber. A combination personal flotation device saver and personal flotation device is also included. This simplified abstract is not intended to limit, and should not be interpreted as limiting, the scope of the claims.
US07819711B1
A thrust bucket for use on a boat propeller including a plenum and a positioning system. The plenum includes a plenum wall with at least one water flow valve located on the plenum wall. The positioning system moves the plenum between inoperative and operative positions. The thrust bucket may include an annulus positioned in close proximity to a swept radius of the propeller when the plenum is in the operative position. The at least one operable water flow valve may be controlled to control a direction of water departing the plenum, or to control a quantity of water flow out of the plenum. The thrust bucket may further include a propeller guard mounted to the plenum and positioned at an inlet side of the propeller.
US07819705B2
A contact member includes a body part formed by providing a belt-shaped part in a substantially ring shape; an internal circumferential side contact part provided at one end of the body part and situated at an internal circumferential side of the contact member; and an external circumferential side contact part provided at another end of the body part and situated at an external circumferential side of the contact member.
US07819696B2
A shielded connector (1) for electrically connecting a camera module to a printed circuit board at least comprises a metal housing (10) configured by a base and four sidewalls and a spring (20) against with the base of the housing. And one of the sidewall includes a fixed portion and a flexible portion. Said flexible portion defines a latchable portion against with the camera module, which extends from an adjacent sidewall to said sidewall towards the opposite sidewall to said adjacent sidewall. Therefore, the elastic of the flexible portion is improved and a better electrical connection is provided between the camera module and a circuit board.
US07819682B2
The proposed plug-and-socket connector assembly comprises a male plug with contact pins and a female receptacle with contact sockets. The receptacle comprises a slider, opening the sockets to pass the pins and closing them by tight clamping, an arm displacing the slider, a lock holding the slider so that the pins freely penetrate into the sockets, and a lock releasing button. Optionally, the arm can be substituted by a knob, shifting the slider on guides. The slider is designed as a frame with a grid of plates passing through rows of the sockets shaped as clamps having embracing portions for tightly gripping the pins. The first sockets' ends are fixed in the receptacle, the second ends thereof are movable, varying the embracing portions. The proposed assembly improves contact, simplifies the design of such devices, and reduces their size.
US07819665B1
A rotating electric connection socket assembly includes a rotatable housing assembly having a plurality of non-conductive cylindrical housings nested about a longitudinal axis. Separate rotatable electrical contacts housed within the rotatable housing assembly provide electrical connectivity between a three prong plug on one rotatable housing assembly end and a three prong receptacle on the other rotatable housing assembly end.
US07819662B2
Dental appliances including multiple components and a system and method for constructing the same are disclosed herein. The dental components are designed to fit together to form the dental appliance. The components of the dental appliance are electronically modeled, printed, and pressed sequentially, separately, or as a unitary piece. Forming the dental appliance from multiple components enables each component of the dental appliance to be formed from a different material, each material having different features associated with it. In various embodiments, different materials have different colors, textures, opacities, and transformation factors associated with them. Furthermore, each component can be formed from multiple components. In some other embodiments, a support structure is designed and constructed in order to minimize deformation of a dental component during fabrication of the component.
US07819657B2
A burner has a pot provided with an inlet for a gas mixture to be burned and a cap that sits on top of the pot. The pot and the cap define both a central zone for combustion of the gas mixture, and a peripheral chamber that extends around the central zone and communicates with the gas inlet. A plurality of passageways allow the gas mixture to flow from the peripheral chamber into the central zone. A deflector separates, in a non-leaktight manner, the chamber into a lower subchamber, located substantially in the extension of the inlet, and an upper subchamber adjacent said passageways.
US07819654B2
Disclosed is a valve-gated hot-runner system, having: (i) a back-up sealing arrangement, including: (i) a plurality of radial gaps associated with a valve stem of a valve actuator, and (ii) a cooling system being positioned relative to the plurality of radial gaps, the cooling system being configured to freeze a drool being made to enter, under pressure, into the plurality of radial gaps, so that the drool that becomes frozen substantially reduces flow of the drool along the valve stem and toward the valve actuator.
US07819652B2
A nano-imprint mold and a method of manufacturing the same are provided, which can be used for replicating a nano-scaled structure to a polymer layer. The nano-imprint mold comprises: a substrate; a pattern portion having a prominence and depression pattern formed on the substrate; a hard layer formed of a material with a hardness higher than the pattern portion on a surface of the pattern portion; and a separation layer formed on a surface of the hard layer. In the nano-imprint mold of the present invention, an original pattern can be uniformly replicated even on a substrate with an irregular surface. Further, the pattern can be prevented from being damaged by pressure and being contaminated by synthetic resin, resulting in better accuracy and durability of the pattern.
US07819639B2
The invention relates to a cooling device for a compressor 100 which is provided with an intermediate heat exchanger 112 and an output heat exchanger 102 for cooling of compressed gas. The cooling device is enclosed by a jacket 200. The jacket has an air intake opening 202, connected to a radial fan 105 which provides an overpressure inside the jacket 200. The heat exchangers 102, 112 are mounted in air outlet openings 204, 206 in the jacket, with the result that the overpressure in the jacket 200 leads to cooling of the heat exchangers 102, 112. The jacket further comprises an additional outlet opening 208 for discharge of air used for cooling other elements of the compressor, such as cylinder walls, covers/tops and crankcases. The relationship between the different cooling processes can be influenced by the design of the openings 204, 206, 208 in the jacket 200.
US07819634B2
Provided is a method including routing a compressed gas from a centrifugal gas compressor through at least one of a plurality of air coolers, and directing air flow through the plurality of air coolers, wherein the plurality of air coolers are arranged adjacent to one another in a single plane that is transverse to the air flow. Further provided is a method including removing tube cores from a cooler chamber of a liquid cooler of a centrifugal gas compressor, coupling a chamber port of the cooler chamber to a first port of an air cooler, and coupling a second port of the air cooler to a compressor port of a stage of the centrifugal gas compressor.
US07819630B2
A steam turbine blade in which the turbine blade has a blade root of the axially-inserted fir tree type and a larger number of turbine blades can be attached in a restricted outer peripheral region of a turbine rotor by arranging the blade root to be oriented in a direction forming a predetermined angle α larger than 0° relative to the axial direction of the turbine rotor. The steam turbine blade can suppress peak stresses generated at the bottoms of notches formed in the blade root and a blade groove and also suppress fretting fatigue from being induced by contact between peak stress generating areas and areas opposed to the peak stress generating areas at the notch bottoms. The steam turbine blade includes an airfoil, and a blade root attached to a turbine rotor and having plural stages of hooks in the radial direction of the turbine rotor.
US07819627B2
An aerofoil made from a sheet metal blank which is bent in the shape of an aerofoil such that it has a leading edge, a trailing edge, a pressure side and a suction side, and the blank is joined at the trailing edge. The regions of the sheet metal blank that form the leading edge, trailing edge and pressure side of the aerofoil comprise a plurality of perforations. The suction side region of the sheet metal blank is imperforate.
US07819619B2
A retractable ramp system mounts a slideable ramp between lateral rail members which extend the length of a truck chassis and a container mounted thereon. The ramp is slideably suspended from a guide rail running parallel to the lateral rail members by means of a carriage component, itself slideably mounted within the guide rail. It is readily and easily extended and retracted by one person. When positioned directly on a truck chassis, the rail system is located above the hydraulic, electrical, and other mechanical systems positioned within the well of the truck chassis, such that the ramp is slideably moveable over these system components without interfering with them or any other part of the truck chassis. The ramp system is conveniently used for loading and off-loading containers which rest on the truck chassis or which are elevated above the chassis.
US07819607B2
A paving block that closely resembles a used mined cobblestone. The blocks are manufactured by a bi-layer concept that is subjected to processes that cause the layers to structurally integrate. The process and composition permit the mass production of blocks having independent top topographies that emulate the surfaces of original cobblestones and with a comparable strength.
US07819593B2
A lens module includes a lens, a lens module and a base. The lens barrel receives the lens therein. The lens barrel includes a hollow cylindrical body, a beveled distal end and a flange. The hollow cylindrical body includes a smooth peripheral side surface free of thread formed thereon. The flange extends outwardly from the cylindrical body. The flange defines an annular groove in a peripheral surface thereof. The base includes a hollow cylindrical holding body coaxially receiving the cylindrical body therein. The holding body has a first distal end, a second distal end and an inner smooth surface. The beveled distal end is configured for facilitating insertion of the cylindrical body in the cylindrical holding body. The flange is configured for being clamped by a tool and being moved toward or away from the base using the tool.
US07819584B2
A guide apparatus including a track rail and a moving block is free from the possibility of foreign matter entering the moving block through the gaps between the side surfaces of the track rail and the inner side surfaces of the moving block even in an environment where many fine dust particles are flying.A guide apparatus has a track rail and a moving block 20 relatively movably attached to the track rail with rolling elements interposed therebetween. The rolling elements recirculate through rolling element recirculation passages. Foreign matter entry preventing plates 34 are provided so that their respective distal ends longitudinally contact the opposite side surfaces of the track rail to close the gaps between the side surfaces of the track rail and at least the inner side surfaces of skirt portions on both sides of a moving block body 21 and the inner side surfaces of end plates of the moving block 20.
US07819583B2
A bag structure includes a bag body including side walls having inner and outer surfaces, and the bag body further includes a top end and a bottom end. A closure member is coupled to the top end for opening and closing the bag body, and an adhesive member is secured to the bag body. The adhesive member includes a reinforced section and an adhesive section. The adhesive member is configured to retain the top end of the bag body in a folded over relationship until the adhesive member is severed along the reinforced section.
US07819576B2
A pneumatic bioreactor includes a vessel containing a fluid to be mixed and at least one mixing device driven by gas pressure. A first embodiment includes a floating impeller that rises and falls in the fluid as gas bubbles carry it upward to the surface where the gas is then vented, permitting the impeller to sink in the fluid. The floating impeller may be tethered to a second impeller with a flexible member and pulley. The mixing speed is controlled with electromagnets in the vessel acting upon magnetic material in the impeller or its guides. In another embodiment, floating pistons mix the fluid, pushing it through a mixing plate with one or more apertures. In a third embodiment, the mixing device is a rotating drum with bubble-catching blades and rotating mixing plates with apertures. The top of the vessel for these mixers may include a closed top and sterile filters.
US07819567B2
A lighting device comprising a transparent acrylic or glass rod (10) with a series of bores (11) drilled in parallel through a part of the rod and spaced apart along its length, each bore (11) containing a pair of LEDs (12) such that the light emitted therefrom is diffused along the length of the rod, and a reflective strip (17) disposed along the rod to reflect a beam of light outwardly from the rod (10) in a direction parallel to the axes of the bores (11) to provide illumination for display purposes or ambient light.
US07819565B2
A mounting foot for mounting a light bar on a roof of a vehicle includes at least one platform. The platform includes a recess for slidably receiving a base of a light assembly to mount the light assembly on the platform. The light assembly has a base fixedly secured to the platform and a light enclosure rotatably connected to the base of the light assembly.
US07819560B2
Provided are an illumination device and a lens employed in the device for controlling light travelling direction, the device being capable of illuminating brightly and uniformly a certain limited region (region-to-be-illuminated) corresponding to an object such as subject for photography. The illumination device emits light H coming from a light emitting element (point-like light source) employing a LED as a light emitting source via the lens. A light control emission face of the lens emits light (rays), which is included in light H introduced into the lens through an incidence face thereof and travelling within the lens to the light control emission face without undergoing inner-reflection at any surface of the light control emission face, as illumination light. The light control emission face is configured so that no set of rays included in the illumination light make any crossover at least before reaching a region-to-be-illuminated and rays within a direction range near to a direction of optical axis L have lower light flux density as compared with that in the outside of the direction range.
US07819547B1
A switch apparatus for a flashlight includes a housing adapted to attach to a flashlight and defining an interior cavity. A processor is coupled to a first switch and a second switch. The first switch is user actuable and coupled to an input of said processor. The second switch is housed within said interior cavity and coupled to an output of the processor and is an electronically-controlled switch operable to selectively actuate the flashlight in response to actuation of said first switch. In a further aspect, a flashlight apparatus includes the switch apparatus and a flashlight.
US07819534B2
A projector includes: a light source that emits an illumination flux; a first lens array having plural first small lenses that split the illumination flux from the light source into plural partial luminous fluxes; a second lens array having plural second small lenses corresponding to the plural first small lenses; a superimposing lens that superimposes each partial luminous flux from the second lens array onto an illuminated area; an electro-optic modulator that modulates the light superimposed by the superimposing lens in accordance with image information; and a projection system that projects the light modulated by the electro-optic modulator; wherein the projector further has an optical lens arranged in an optical path between the superimposing lens and the electro-optic modulator, and the optical lens, together with the superimposing lens, forms a superimposing system that has a different focal length from the focal length of the superimposing lens and that has substantially the same focal position as the focal position of the superimposing lens.
US07819529B2
A projecting system includes a light source for emitting light, a color temperature detecting device for detecting a color temperature value of the light emitted from the light source, a control device for storing a plurality of selectable pre-determined color temperature values therein for a user to select a pre-determined color temperature value, an adjusting device, and a light-modulating device. The adjusting device is disposed in a light path associated with the light source. The control device is configured for controlling the adjusting device to adjust transmittance of the light transmitted therethrough so as to adjust the color temperature value of the light to the selected pre-determined color temperature value. The light-modulating device modulates the light to create an image.
US07819524B2
An optotype presenting apparatus for presenting an optotype to be used for testing a visual function of an eye of an examinee, the apparatus comprises: a display unit including a memory in which a plurality of optotypes is stored and a display on which at least one of the stored optotypes is displayed; an operation unit by which at lest one of the stored optotypes to be displayed on the display is selected; a pilot lamp placed to be visible by the examinee who is in front of the display; and a control unit which turns on the pilot lamp when the display unit is powered on and the display is in an off-state, and turns off the pilot lamp when the display unit is powered on and the display is in an on-state.
US07819512B2
A packaging arrangement includes an ink cartridge and a packaging member enclosing the ink cartridge. The ink cartridge includes a body, a movable member, and at least one resilient member disposed between the body and the movable member. The movable member is configured to move between a first position and a second position relative to the body when the at least one resilient member expands and contracts, and a distance between the second position and the body is less than a distance between the first position and the body. A pressure inside the packaging member is less than a pressure outside the packaging member, and the movable member is retained in the second position when the ink cartridge is enclosed within the packaging member.
US07819507B2
A printhead for an inkjet printer that has a printhead integrated circuit (IC) with an array of nozzles for ejecting ink, and a support structure for mounting the printhead IC within the printer. The support structure has ink conduits for supplying the array of nozzles with ink, the ink conduits have a meniscus anchor for pinning part of an advancing meniscus of ink to divert the advancing meniscus from a path the advancing meniscus would otherwise take. If a printhead consistently fails to prime correctly because a meniscus pins at one or more points, then the advancing meniscus can be directed so that the advancing meniscus does not contact these critical points. Deliberately incorporating a discontinuity into an ink conduit immediately upstream of the problem area can temporarily pin to the meniscus and skew the meniscus to one side of the conduit and away from the undesirable pinning point. Once flow has been initiated into the side branch or downstream of the undesirable pinning point, it is not necessary for the anchor to hold the ink meniscus any longer and priming can continue.
US07819502B2
The liquid ejection head includes: a plurality of pressure chambers into which liquid is filled; a plurality of nozzles which are connected to the pressure chambers; a common flow channel which supplies the liquid to the pressure chambers; a plurality of liquid ejection devices which cause the liquid inside the pressure chambers to be ejected through the nozzles; a selector circuit which selects one of the liquid ejection devices to be a destination of a drive signal; a first wiring substrate which transmits the drive signal outputted from the selector circuit to be applied to the one of the liquid ejection devices; and a second wiring substrate which transmits the drive signal to be inputted to the selector circuit, wherein the first wiring substrate is connected to a first face of a member constituting the selector circuit, and the second wiring substrate is connected to a second face of the member constituting the selector circuit, the first and second faces being different to each other.
US07819501B2
A mechanism for aligning the jetting module in a continuous inkjet printhead and for making fluid and electrical connections to the jetting module without compromising the alignment is disclosed. A mechanism to aid in installing the jetting module is also disclosed.
US07819500B2
A printhead maintenance facility for an inkjet printer having a pagewidth printhead and a media path for feeding sheets of media substrate in a media feed direction wherein the pagewidth printhead has a nozzle face defining an elongate array of nozzles extending the printing width of the media substrate. The printhead maintenance facility has a wiper member for wiping the nozzle face, a chassis for supporting the wiper member and a maintenance drive for selectively moving the wiper member across the nozzle face in a first direction or a second direction.
US07819497B2
Printing can be properly performed on a print medium other than print media preset in accordance with print modes of a printer. Specifically, when the print medium other than the print media preset in accordance with the print modes is used, patches are printed on the print medium in each combination of the ink ejection amount and the number of passes, and information regarding each evaluation of granularity and banding based on colorimetry of the patches is obtained for each combination of the ink ejection amount and the number of passes. Next, a combination of the maximum ink ejection amount and the maximum number of passes is selected from the combinations that each evaluation of the granularity and the banding satisfies a certain level. Then, a print mode having a combination nearest the combination is selected from the plurality of print modes.
US07819493B2
In a printhead element board including a plurality of printing elements which align in a predetermined direction, driving circuits which drive the printing elements, and an element selection circuit which selects printing elements within each group for each group having a predetermined number of adjacent printing elements, a plurality of element selection circuits are laid out adjacent to the driving circuits of the respective groups. With this layout, even if the number of printing elements increases, only the length in the printing element array direction increases without increasing the length in a direction perpendicular to the printing element array direction.
US07819491B2
An ink jet head driver including a control section that calculates a first head passing time required for the paper sheet from the leading edge to the tailing edge to pass the ink jet head, drives the piezoelectric element of the ink jet head for a predetermined time to perform precursor microvibration immediately before a leading edge of the paper sheet reaches right under the ink jet head and then drives the piezoelectric element according to the normal pixel data to form the image on the paper sheet when the first head passing time is under the deterioration time of the ink, and drives the piezoelectric element of the ink jet head for a predetermined time to perform precursor microvibration immediately before the leading edge of the paper sheet reaches right under the ink jet head.
US07819485B2
An attachment system is formed into the seating structure of a juvenile product to allow the installation and removal of a harness belt having an occluding structure, such as a buckle or an orthogonal flap sewn at the end of the belt, without requiring access to the back side of the seating structure to manipulate the end portion of the belt. The attachment system includes a retainer slot having a height sufficient to permit the passage of the webbing material, and an access opening having a height that allows the passage of the occluding structure without forcing the occluding structure against the webbing material. The access opening is connected to the retainer slot by a narrow passageway that is located intermediate the ends of the retainer slot, but adjacent one end, to enable the manipulation an edge of the webbing material from the retainer slot into the narrow passageway.
US07819484B2
An improved seat pad and integrated gripping member is provided, which prevents the pad from slipping when placed between a seating surface and individual. The gripping member is permanently attached to the seat pad along its edge and covers a portion of either side of the seating surface. The gripping member is reversible therefore either side of the seat pad may be selectively exposed during use. This allows both seat pad sides to be constructed of different materials, colors, or patterns and be interchangeable when desired by the user.
US07819483B2
A leaning post seat assembly includes a D-ring having a D-shape and a cross tube disposed in the D-ring for defining a rectangular boundary having long sides and short sides. Two side frames are removably attached at opposite ends of the D-ring and a crossbar is removably attached between the side frames. A seat cushion is pivotably attached to the crossbar and a soft-sided storage compartment is removably attached to the rectangular boundary.
US07819482B2
An armrest/backrest support bracket characterised by comprising: a support (4) provided in its lateral surface with a slot (14) and in its end surface with a hole which communicates with said slot, a blade (6) one end of which is insertable into said slot, locking means inserted into said hole and interacting with said support and with that blade part (6) housed in the slot.
US07819479B2
A vehicle seat assembly having a sliding seat bottom, a slide lock mechanism, a seat back pivotally mounted to the seat bottom, a pivot lock mechanism, a walk-in pivot release actuator, a fold-flat pivot release actuator and a blocking member. The blocking member moves between first, second and neutral positions. The blocking member is connected to the slide lock mechanism and the fold-flat pivot release actuator. The seat back moves the blocking member from the neutral position to the first position when the walk-in pivot release actuator is actuated and the seat back pivots forward. The blocking member unlocks the slide lock release mechanism when the blocking member is in the first position. The fold-flat release actuator, when actuated, moves the blocking member from the neutral position to the second position. The blocking member does not obstruct the seat back from pivoting forward when in the second position.
US07819477B2
Reduces backlash and clearance in a thrust direction of a worm when engaging a seat back to more securely prevent the generation of abnormal noise that before. A movable bearing 12 is pressed by cams 21, 22 that are pressing members, when the seat back is stopped at a predetermined angle, to approach a worm wheel 5. A ball 14 disposed in a recess 12a of the movable bearing 12 moves slightly along an inner surface of the recess 12a so a worm 4 is pressed to the worm wheel 5 side and pressed to the fixed bearing 11 side, and a latch member 23 that is a engaging member engages the worm 4 to inhibit rotation of the worm wheel 5 thereby securely holding that state. Since the movable bearing 12 moves to the worm wheel 5 side, the substantial movement range of the ball is wider compared to a structure that supports a ball only at a fixed bearing, and the range of displacement of the worm 4 by being pressed by the ball is substantially larger.
US07819476B2
A support frame for use in a lift chair. In one embodiment, the support frame includes a base frame having longitudinally spaced transversely extending front and rear frame base rails; a first longitudinally extending side frame base rail connected to the front and rear frame base rails and a second longitudinally extending side frame base rail connected to the front and rear frame base rails, respectively, the first and second side frame base rails and the front and rear frame base rails being co-planar for supporting the lift chair on a surface; and a force balance member mounted to the rear frame base rail. The force balance member has a transversely extending base portion, a first arm portion extending from the base portion at a first angle αa, and an opposite, second arm portion extending from the base portion at a second angle αb.
US07819475B2
A system for latching a seat to a guide track (102) is disclosed. The system generally includes a latch plate (122) being coupled to the seat, a first release member (124) coupled to the latch plate (122), and a second release member coupled to the latch plate. The first release member (124) is configured to releasably engage the guide track (102) and is selectively movable between a first position for fixedly coupling the seat to the guide track (102), a second position for movably coupling the seat to the guide track, and a third position for detachably coupling the seat to the guide track (102). A second release member (160) is configured to prevent the first release member (124) for moving to the third position unless the second release member has been selectively actuated.
US07819474B2
The present invention generally relates to an adjustable seat for a motor vehicle and related methods. Some embodiments relate to a seat having a thigh support insert that can be adjusted relative to a laterally-disposed bolster cushion of the seat to accommodate a variety of occupants having different heights. Some embodiments relate to methods for making a vehicle seat having an adjustable thigh support.
US07819472B2
A latching mechanism for a car seat that is mountable on a separable base member provides a positive locking of the car seat to the base member. The latch mechanism has a member that is positioned in the seat portion of the car seat to pivot upwardly when the latch mechanism is disengaged. The seating of a child on the seat portion requires the latch mechanism to be retracted into the seat portion, which corresponds to the locking of the latch mechanism. The latch mechanism includes four helical spools rotated by the pivotal movement of the latch lever to cause linear movement of the locking pins into engagement with the base member. A latch indicator has a pre-latch sensor that indicates proper positioning of the seat member and a latch sensor that indicates an engagement of the locking pins. An indicator light illuminates when the seat member is properly latched.
US07819471B2
A reclining device capable of eliminating mechanical play in a front-rear direction of a seat back is provided. Particularly, a reclining device reliably capable of locking and releasing is provided at an inexpensive cost. Movable guides are slidably disposed respectively between lock gears and a fixed guide. Each of the movable guides is formed in a shape that the width thereof gradually decreases from the outer end toward the inner end. In the sliding faces of the respective movable guides, a sliding face on the lock gear side is arranged to be parallel to a movement direction of the lock gear and the sliding face at the fixed guide side is inclined with respect to the sliding face at the side of the lock gear. Each of the movable guides engages with a spring and the spring imparts a force to the movable guides in an inner direction of a base plate.
US07819470B2
A vehicle seat having a seat back including an actuatable back panel. The back panel of the seat back may be moved between a normal, or flush position, and an actuated, or spaced position, relative to the seat back assembly. The back panel may be provided with connectors that may be used to connect the back panel to the seat assembly. The back panel is actuated in the event of a rear end collision to provide added clearance for penetration of an occupant's torso into the seat back without interference by seat accessories, such as an adjustable lumbar system, a bolster assembly, massage assembly, or a heating/cooling system. The seat accessories may be secured to the back panel as a sub-assembly to facilitate manufacture. A resilient member biases a linkage or torsion bar to automatically reset the back panel.
US07819468B2
This seat for a vehicle is provided a seat cushion which is rotatable toward a seat back in an upright condition around an axis provided on the seat back side, the seat for a vehicle comprising: a storage recessed portion which is provided in a bottom face of the seat cushion; and a lid which opens and closes the storage recessed portion, the lid being rotatably attached with a rear end portion of the storage recessed portion as a supporting axis.
US07819450B2
A console (10) for a vehicle includes a body (12) having a back panel (14), the body defining at least one storage compartment (22). A support assembly (40) is secured to a back panel (14) of the body (12) and is configured for attaching the body to a seat back (38). A hinge assembly (58) is secured to the support assembly (40) and configured for enabling rotation of the body (12) from a first position against the seat back (38) to a second position aligned with a seat armrest (70).
US07819448B2
A plate lifting clamp may include a body with a slot sized to receive the plate. A contact member may be positioned at a first side of the slot, and a cam may be attached to the body and positioned at the slot across from the contact member. The cam may include a contact section that extends along a first peripheral edge that faces towards the contact member and contacts against the plate when the cam is in a first rotational position. The cam may also include a second peripheral edge that includes teeth that each includes a first face and a second face. A pawl may be pivotally attached to the body to contact the teeth on the cam. The teeth and the pawl may be configured to control rotation of the cam.
US07819442B2
There is provided an apparatus for opening and closing a vehicle door that is exceptionally durable and performs indications so that a person can reliably recognize a locked or unlocked state of a vehicle door.The apparatus for opening and closing a vehicle door comprises control means for recognizing the intention of a person to lock or unlock a vehicle door 6 and controlling the locking or unlocking of the vehicle door 6. The apparatus is characterized in comprising a door handle 2 with which the vehicle door 6 is opened or closed; an operation detector 3 provided to the door handle 2 in order to detect a state of the door handle 2 as operated by the person; an ornamental light part 40 that is provided so as to enclose a periphery of the operation detector 3, and is visible from the exterior of the door handle 2 during actuation of the operation sensor 3 by the person; and a light-emitting part 4 for illuminating the ornamental light part 40. The light-emitting part 4 is energized by the control means according to a controlled state in which the vehicle door 6 is locked or unlocked.
US07819429B2
A mounting structure of a seatbelt retractor is provided. In the mounting structure, the seatbelt retractor for winding up a seatbelt is mounted one end of a roof end member on the lateral side of a vehicle, on which a hinge reinforcement for reinforcing a hinge mounting portion for a backdoor is superimposed. The hinge reinforcement and the one end of the roof end member are formed with an opening. The seatbelt retractor is accommodated in the opening. The seatbelt retractor has a pair of mounting portions. The mounting portions of the seatbelt retractor are fastened on both sides of the opening by first fastening members, respectively, such that the seatbelt retractor is fixed to the roof end member and the hinge reinforcement.
US07819424B2
An apparatus includes an airbag having first and second portions formed by seaming silicon coated cloths where the second portion has a vent. The airbag is folded in a seatback, deploys to a side of an occupant by a gas supply, and receives an occupant lumbar at the first portion and a chest at the second portion. An inflator extends across the first and second portions towards a rear of the vehicle and includes a gas injector in the first portion. A gas distributing member has a discharge port opening into the first portion and a passage opening into the second portion between the distributing member and a surface of the inflator. The distributing member is fitted to the surface and distributes gas from the inflator to the airbag so the flow rate is higher in the first portion. A communicating portion transfers gas between the first and second portions.
US07819421B2
A side airbag apparatus has an airbag assembly that protects a passenger seated on a seat in a passenger compartment by being inflated and deployed at a side wall portion of the passenger compartment corresponding to the seat in a collision of a vehicle. The airbag assembly includes a main airbag and an auxiliary airbag that inflate and deployed in a state arranged along a lateral direction of the vehicle. If the body size of the passenger is greater than or equal to a predetermined size, the main airbag is inflated and deployed and the auxiliary airbag is not inflated or deployed. If the body size of the passenger is smaller than the predetermined size, the main airbag and the auxiliary airbag are both inflated and deployed. Thus, in the latter case, the airbag assembly in the inflated and deployed state has a great thickness in the lateral direction of the vehicle compared to the case in which the body size of the passenger is greater than or equal to the predetermined size.
US07819420B2
The knee-protecting airbag apparatus is mounted on a lower region of a column cover covering a steering column of vehicle projecting rearward from an instrument panel. The airbag (47) folded and housed in a housing emerges and spreads in four directions from the housing for deployment in front of knees of a driver when fed with inflation gas from an inflator (41) that is stored inside the airbag (47) and disposed to the rear side of the housing. Folding of the airbag (47) before being stored in the housing is such that left and right areas of a region (50) attached to the housing is folded on the side of the column side wall (49) to reduce the lateral width L2 of the airbag (47) without superimposing the left and right areas of the mounting region (50) on the inflator (41) in the vertical direction and a folded region (63) on the front side of the mounting region (50) is located in parallel with and in front of the inflator (41).
US07819415B2
Provided is an apparatus for use with a rear-wheel driven motorized wheelchair. The apparatus enables a motorized wheelchair to be used in areas that would not otherwise be possible. A motorized wheelchair, though very useful and necessary, has several mobility drawbacks. Lateral movement poses a problem to the motorized wheelchair. This apparatus provides a modification to existing rear-wheel driven motorized wheelchairs that allows the user to maneuver in tight spaces by providing a for sideways movement that would not be possible in conventional wheelchair designs.
US07819394B2
A sheet feeding device having a first sheet feeding path and a second sheet feeding path through which a sheet is configured to be fed. A first sheet-guiding member is disposed between the first sheet feeding path and the second sheet feeding path. The first sheet-guiding member is configured to move between a first position and a second position. A second sheet-guiding member is disposed opposite the first sheet feeding path. The second sheet-guiding member is configured to move between a third position and a fourth position. A connecting member is configured to selectively couple the first sheet-guiding member to the second sheet-guiding member.
US07819393B2
A mail inserter has a first web driver to move a web from a web supply and a second web driver to feed the web to a cutter for cutting the web into sheets, wherein the first and second web drivers have different velocity profiles to allow a web loop to form between the web drivers. The loop is variable between a maximum size and a minimum size. When the loop reaches the minimum size, the first web driver is running at its maximum speed. At this point the first web driver is decelerated at a rate such that when the first web driver stops, the web loop is at its maximum size. The acceleration of the first web driver is at a constant rate which is inversely proportional to the difference between the maximum loop size and the minimum loop size.
US07819388B2
An apparatus for gripping smooth and/or deformed cylindrical or multiple stranded tendons (rods) commonly used in the Art of Construction, the apparatus comprising a housing (barrel), a plurality of jaws (wedges) within the housing, a tightening device to align the jaws (wedges) and to cause engagement of the jaws (wedges) to the tendon (rod), a tensioning device to properly position the apparatus. The tendon (rod) gripping apparatus includes a first aperture and a second aperture that facilitate passage of a tendon (rod) through the apparatus. The jaw (wedge) cluster comprises a plurality of elongated members, that surround the tendon (rod), are generally wedge shaped and complementary to an inner tapered wall of the housing (barrel).
US07819379B2
The armature (16) of a solenoid operated fuel injector control valve (10) is attached to the valve needle (14) by a swaging process where the valve body (12) functions as the guide and the anvil for the swaging press.
US07819370B2
A quick-release hanging device includes a base and a detachable part. This base includes a first through hole and a second through hole. The first through hole has a first regular polygonal shape. The second through hole has a substantially round shape. The detachable part includes a movable portion, a hanger and a locking portion. The locking portion has a second regular polygonal shape that is relative smaller than and corresponding to the first regular polygonal shape. The locking portion is rotatable within the second through hole. It is easy to manufacture with low cost. The connected structure is quite solid. Moreover, its application scope is wide.
US07819364B2
A preformed hanger rod stiffening clip that improves the strength and stability of hanger rods to withstand compression forces. Precisely positioned screw holes enable the clamping legs of the clip to close completely when the fastening assembly is tightened. Washers on each side of the respective clamping legs deform the legs tightly around the stiffening member and the hanger rod which is disposed between the stiffening member and fastening assembly. It has been found that hole placement for a screw that is used to tighten the apparatus onto the hanger rod and stiffening member is critical. Misalignment of position of the screw openings greater than or equal to 0.001 inches results in a clip that will fail standard AISC compression tests.
US07819359B2
The present invention relates to an aircraft firewall (12) separating first and second compartments (1 and 2) of the aircraft, the first compartment (1) containing a plurality of elements. The firewall (12) is provided with a first wall (3) inserted in the structure (5) of the aircraft and having a first surface (3′) facing the first compartment (1), and the firewall (12) is provided with regulator elements (4, 13) for maintaining the maximum temperature of the first surface (3′) of the first wall (3) at a predetermined temperature value lower than the self-combustion temperature of the elements.
