US07894998B2

Methods of identifying regions of a nucleic acid sequence suitable for use as probes in nucleic acid arrays, as well as compositions of matter for practicing such methods, are provided. The subject methods include: (a) providing a set of known, undesirable probe sequences; (b) comparing a nucleic acid sequence to each member of the set; and (c) identifying regions of the nucleic acid sequence that substantially match a sequence of a member of the probe set as undesirable regions. The subject methods also include marking the undesirable regions of the nucleic acid sequence to identify regions of the nucleic acid sequence that are suitable for use as probes in a nucleic acid array. The subject invention also includes an algorithm and kits for carrying out the subject methods. Also provided are nucleic acid arrays produced with the identified suitable probes, and methods for using the same.
US07894987B1

A method for location-based zone triggering is disclosed. The method generally includes the step of (A) generating a position signal conveying a location of a device in at least two spatial dimensions in response to a plurality of navigation signals received from external the device and (B) generating a trigger signal at an interface based on the position signal, (i) a first aspect of the trigger signal indicating that the location is crossing a boundary of a zone, (ii) a second aspect of the trigger signal indicating that the device is one of entering the zone and leaving the zone and (iii) the interface adapting a zone module to communicate the trigger signal to an application module.
US07894984B2

Various methods, systems, and apparatus for implementing aspects of a digital mapping system are disclosed. One such method includes sending a location request from a client-side computing device to a map tile server, receiving a set of map tiles in response to the location request, assembling said received map tiles into a tile grid, aligning the tile grid relative to a clipping shape, and displaying the result as a map image. One apparatus according to aspects of the present invention includes means for sending a location request from a client-side computing device to a map tile server, means for receiving a set of map tiles in response to the location request, means for assembling said received map tiles into a tile grid, means for aligning the tile grid relative to a clipping shape, and means for displaying the result as a map image. Such an apparatus may further include direction control or zoom control objects as interactive overlays on the displayed map image, and may also include route or location overlays on the map image.
US07894968B2

A method and system for regulating a drive torque provided to a driveline of a vehicle includes monitoring an accelerator pedal position and a brake pedal position. An adjusted accelerator pedal position is determined based on the accelerator pedal position and the brake pedal position and a drive torque request is determined based on the adjusted accelerator pedal position. Drive torque is generated based on the drive torque request.
US07894963B2

A machine is provided. The machine includes an engine, an engine speed sensor, a transmission, a transmission status sensor, a pump, and a controller. The engine speed sensor is configured to sense the speed of the engine. The transmission is coupled to the engine. The transmission status sensor is configured to sense the status of the transmission. The pump is coupled to the engine and has a first torque mode and a second torque mode. The controller is in communication with the engine speed sensor and the transmission status sensor and is operable to automatically switch the pump from the first torque mode to the second torque mode based on the engine speed and the transmission status.
US07894959B2

In a method for actuating a vehicle occupant protection system, a sensor senses driving state data, and a reversible vehicle occupant protection device can be triggered to move into an effective position, prior to an imminent collision. A setpoint braking deceleration, which triggers the vehicle occupant protection device when a threshold value is exceeded, is determined by a predictive surroundings sensing unit in advance of an imminent collision. A check is made to determine whether the setpoint braking deceleration exceeds a threshold value, by referring to a deceleration characteristic curve that is dependent on the vehicle speed.
US07894950B2

Methods and devices for estimating and controlling the orientation of a drogue relative to air mass motion where method and apparatus embodiments incorporate estimation of angle of attack and sideslip and function to correct the direction of a drogue so as to maintain a desired angle of attack and sideslip. Some of the exemplary estimation techniques apply methods of sensor output fusion.
US07894940B2

Disparate robotic devices can be automatically recharged and reprogrammed by self-scheduling individual time slots for the available recharging area(s) of a charging station. These charging stations provide a nest to which each robot must return periodically for power. These nests can also provide new tasking or patches for the robotic devices. The charging station and the robotic devices are both provided with communications capabilities and a protocol by which they can negotiate to find a time slot in which the device can be recharged, as well as determining a correct connector and a battery type.
US07894935B1

Implementations of a public use tag marking kiosk. Aspects associated with particular implementations of a tag marking kiosk comprise, among others, automatically marking two sides of a tag within the kiosk, receiving the tag to be marked from the customer, providing a closeable door between the marking implement and the customer while the tag is being marked, ejecting the tag from a tag holder after the tag is marked, and aligning the tag so that a desired tag side is required to be initially facing up on the tag holder. Housing for the kiosk may surround all of the system parts or may be split into a housing shell and a marking unit that fits inside the shell. Marking implements may be laser, mechanical stylus, paint, or others. Tags may be suspended in a cantilevered manner during marking.
US07894934B2

A remote conveyor belt monitoring system for monitoring an operation of a conveyor belt at a first geographic location. A local HMI is operable to acquire and store data representing conveyor belt conditions and operating characteristics. First and second computers at different geographic locations acquire the data via an internet. Thus, data relating to the operating conditions of the conveyor belt can be remotely consolidated and monitored by computers at different global locations.
US07894931B2

The method of predicting the amount of deformation due to shrinkage of a molded article of the present invention finds a support point P of the bending moment M from a distribution of shrinkage rates of a molding material forming a molded article 10 and uses the support point P to predict the amount of deformation. At that time, it is preferable to use the support point P to find the bending moment M and to use the bending moment M to predict the amount of deformation.
US07894923B2

In some aspects, a method is provided for mapping contents of a substrate carrier. The method includes (1) moving a carrier to a sensor; and (2) determining, with the sensor, a presence or an absence of a substrate in the carrier based upon a position of a substrate clamp in the carrier. Numerous other aspects are provided.
US07894922B2

Computer-implemented methods, and associated computer program products and systems, are disclosed for generating electronic data for use in planning the execution of a manufacturing process. The methods, generally, are used in the structural transformation of execution-level routings for manufacturing processes into planning-level routings. The methods applies various transformation techniques when a planning-level routing includes alternative paths, and different transformation techniques when a planning-level routing includes parallel paths. Planning modes are created in the case of alternative paths, and parallel paths generally do not cause multiple modes to be created. Parallel and alternative paths in a planning-level operation also has impacts on how the a planned duration formula is determined.
US07894917B2

System(s) and procedure(s) facilitate monitoring of devices and automatic adjustment of fault timing parameters. A fault tuning component is embedded within a control module involved in a batch operation. The component executes a configurable tuning method that allows one or more devices to automatically tune fault timers. The fault tuning component can probe a number of events/operations to create a rolling average of device response, where the operational response for normal operation can be automatically adjusted as a result.
US07894904B2

Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate brain tissue to treat medical conditions such as movement disorders, pain and epilepsy. The disclosed invention uses electrical stimulation of the brain tissue, where vibrational energy from a source is received by an implanted device and converted to electrical energy and the converted electrical energy is used by implanted electrodes to stimulate the pre-determined brain site. The vibrational energy is generated by a controller-transmitter, which could be either implanted or located externally. The vibrational energy is received by a receiver-stimulator, which could be located under the skull, within the brain, on the dura, or in the cranial space close to the brain. As a therapeutic treatment, the implantable receiver-stimulator stimulates the brain sites that are effective in altering brain activity.
US07894898B2

An implantable medical device includes cardiac pacing functions. In order to reduce ventricular pacing, various modes are employed that tolerate missed ventricular beats, provide backup pacing and maintain overall AV synchrony. Upon the occurrence of a PVC, A-A timing is modified so that resultant V-V intervals are appropriate and ventricular pacing is avoided.
US07894895B2

Various system embodiments comprise a neural stimulator, a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) event detector, a heart rate detector, an analyzer, and a controller. The neural stimulator is adapted to generate a stimulation signal adapted to stimulate an autonomic neural target. The analyzer is adapted to, in response to a PVC event signal from the PVC event detector, generate an autonomic balance indicator (ABI) as a function of pre-PVC heart rate data and post-PVC heart rate data. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.
US07894893B2

Different types of cardiac arrhythmia are classified based on the morphology of the arrhythmic beats. Cardiac beats associated with an arrhythmic episode are compared to a plurality of representative beat morphologies, each representative beat morphology characterizing a type of arrhythmia of the heart. An arrhythmic episode may be classified as a particular type of arrhythmia if the morphology of the arrhythmic cardiac beats matches a representative beat morphology characterizing the particular type of arrhythmia. An appropriate therapy for the particular type of arrhythmia may be selected based on the arrhythmia classification. A particular type of arrhythmia may be associated with one or more therapies used to treat the arrhythmia. The therapy used to treat the arrhythmia may comprise a therapy identified as a previously successful therapy.
US07894888B2

A wristwatch worn by a user for measuring a three-lead ECG includes three electrodes placed separately on the front, either side, and back or strap thereof. The wristwatch further includes an electrode panel having the electrode on the front or either side of the watch, sensing elements, pressure, infrared or impedance detectors, and circuits. The electrode panel is capable of sensing the contact or press of fingers to trigger the ECG measuring. While the electrode in the back-side of the watch contacts the hand wearing the watch, the electrode and electrode panel on the front or either side of the watch are pressed by fingers from the other hand, and the electrode in the strap contacts the abdomen or left leg simultaneously. Thus, a three-lead ECG can be measured. ECG data can be transmitted to a personal or hospital computer by wireless networks or flash memory.
US07894874B2

An ultrasonic pulse echo apparatus detects an object that is moving with respect to stationary objects. An ultrasonic transducer transmits a series of ultrasound pulses in a direction that intersects a path of the moving object. An ultrasound receiver receives a series of lines of echoes from objects in the field of view of the ultrasonic signal. Each echo line corresponds to one of the ultrasonic pulses. A signal processor processes the echo lines from the moving object. The echo lines are time shifted by different amounts and combined at different time shifts to produce different composite lines. The composite line having an optimal signal-to-noise ratio is selected. Other signal processing enhancements are performed.
US07894871B2

A system for mapping a tissue surface includes a probe for mapping a tissue surface, a localization system to measure a location data point indicative of the probe's location, a memory in which to store the location data point, a servo mechanism to move the probe along at least a portion of the tissue surface, a controller to move the probe to a plurality of locations and to record in the memory a plurality of location data points, and a contact-sensing processor to analyze the plurality of location data points and to identify a subset thereof on the tissue surface. A modeling processor generates a model of the tissue surface using the subset of location data points. The contact-sensing processor utilizes probe velocity, or a rate of change in the distance moved by the probe, to determine contact between the probe and the tissue surface.
US07894862B2

A data transceiver and a data reception method for reducing power consumption in a mobile communication system are provided. The data transceiver includes a transmitter which transmits a plurality of data frames during a predetermined transmission period; and a receiver which receives data frames in the predetermined transmission period, if the transmission period is allowed and monitors with minimal operation power whether data transmission is in progress or completed in the transmission period, if the transmission period is not allowed.
US07894858B2

An apparatus and method for selecting at least two users to be serviced in SDMA in an SDMA wireless communication system are provided. All users are ordered according to a predetermined rule and all possible user combinations each having at least two users are created from the ordered users. An investigation limit number is set using the capacity of a jth user combination. Or a total investigation number is reduced by comparing the interference-reflected SNR decrements of users with an investigation threshold. Therefore, the computation volume for selecting SDMA users is decreased.
US07894855B2

A mobile telecommunications device having a printer module and sensor module in a media feed path is disclosed. A drive means transports a print medium through the media feed path. The sensor module senses data encoded on a surface of the print medium in the media feed path. The data encodes a print media identifier which uniquely identifies the print medium and at least part of the digital signature of the print media identifier. The print media identifier and at least part of the digital signature are determined from the data, and it is determined whether the digital signature is authentic. The printer module prints content on the print medium in the media feed path if the digital signature is authentic.
US07894854B2

Disclosed is an image/audio playback technology in a mobile communication terminal. According to the present invention, a single image is divided into two halves, i.e., left-half and right-half images, which are displayed on two mobile communication terminals, respectively. In addition, two mobile communication terminals can play left-side and right-side audio data, respectively, which compose stereo audio data, according to the relative locations of the two mobile communication terminals.
US07894853B2

A wireless communication system of the invention comprises a plurality of communication stations decentralized-autonomously construct a network without having a relation between a control station and a station to be controlled under a communication circumstance where a plurality of channels are prepared. In this case, each of the communication stations prepares a plurality of operation modes for activating transmitting and receiving operations, informs the own operation mode, and receives information regarding operation modes of peripheral stations to manage its operation mode of each of the peripheral stations.
US07894834B1

Methods and systems are disclosed for integrating a plurality of providers of media content such as call tones, games, ringers, etc. with a wireless service provider network. The wireless service provider network includes a media service platform, a profile database and a media database. The media content providers provide an interactive facility, e.g., Web interface, allowing a user to purchase content. A notification message is sent to the user which is triggered in response to purchase of content. The notification message includes a network address (e.g., URL) of the media service platform. The media service platform checks to see if the purchased content is stored in the media database, and if not, it pulls it over from the content provider. The profile database is updated regarding the purchased content in response to information from the user.
US07894831B2

A method of controlling idle mode comprises requesting to enter idle mode by a mobile subscriber station by transmitting an idle mode request to a serving base station having a serving paging group identifier with which the serving base station is associated. The method also comprises entering the idle mode by receiving an idle mode grant command from the serving base station. The method also comprises initiating a ranging request between the mobile subscriber station and the target base station associated with the target paging group, wherein the ranging request comprises the serving base station identifier and the serving paging group identifier. The method also comprises connecting with the target base station, wherein the serving base station is informed, by using the serving base station identifier, that the mobile subscriber station is not in the idle mode with the serving base station.
US07894827B2

A method of identifying a device based on GPS coordinates is provided. In one embodiment a device is identified by determining earth coordinates for the device. Once the earth coordinates are determined a unique device identifier is created based at least in part on the earth coordinates of the device. After the unique device identifier has been created, the unique device identifier is communicated to at least one other device.
US07894824B2

Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating performance of location services for a mobile station that roams beyond its home network. A cache is provided at the mobile station. The cache is populated with a value identifying the address of the serving position server. When a location service is requested, the cache is accessed, and a message is sent to the address identified in the cache. The cache is updatable, such as through the generation and forwarding of a message to the mobile station by the home position server responsive to registration of the mobile station.
US07894814B2

A system and method are disclosed for routing telephone calls directed to a wireless unit located in the wireless network to a landline device located in the landline network. The system utilizes a location register in the form of a service control point (SCP) located in the landline network to store certain information pertaining to landline numbers and respective routing numbers associated with landline devices. The SCP is functionally coupled to a Visitors' Location Register (VLR) as well as to a landline network element that facilitates the routing of communications to both landline devices and over to the MTSO and its associated Home Location Register (HLR) in the wireless network. The system provides for the registering of the wireless unit with the landline network by the dialing of an administrative number from a landline device and causes the VLR in the landline network to directly communicate with the HLR in the wireless network to keep both the landline and the wireless networks up to date as to the registration status and specific routing for the various subscribers. The system is thereby able to route calls efficiently and to alleviate the tromboning effect that often occurs when calls are redirected from a wireless unit to a landline device.
US07894812B1

Methods and systems are provided for automatic over-the-air updating of a preferred roaming list (PRL) in a multi-mode device, based on an account association between the device and a wireless local area network (WLAN) access point. For each of a plurality of subscriber accounts, a set of subscriber account data is maintained in data storage, indicating an association between the subscriber account and one or more telecommunication devices. A determination is made that a given subscriber account is associated with both (i) a multi-mode device and (ii) a WLAN access point. In response to the determination, a PRL for the multi-mode device is automatically updated to include access data for the WLAN access point.
US07894807B1

Systems and methods for establishing and/or routing wireless data and/or voice connections across a hybrid network based upon a user's selection or preference. Routing a wireless connection across a hybrid network includes allowing a user to select a routing preference, routing the wireless connection via a short-haul communications network if the routing preference indicates a short-haul communications network choice, and routing the wireless connection via a cellular network if the routing preference indicates a cellular network choice. In addition, a system and method for learning the user's data, cellular, and/or VoIP access habits in order, to optimize the user's experience and one that allows carriers to comply with CALEA and E911 rules by identifying the location of hybrid devices within the hybrid network are disclosed.
US07894802B2

In a radio communications system having network devices and the at least one subscriber station, each subscriber station has specific capabilities determined by parameter values. Parameters are at least partially combined to form at least one parameter class. A class value is respectively assigned to different combinations of parameter values concerning different parameters within the parameter class. The class value of the parameter class, as well as at least one parameter value, are signaled to at least one network device of the communications system. This reduce the signaling complexity and ensures a high degree of flexibility with regard to the capabilities of the subscriber station(s).
US07894794B2

A method and system for triggering a local emergency system using wireless means. Existing local emergency systems are exploited through an ordinary mobile user device implementing the present invention. Disadvantages of current local emergency system are overcome by facilitating a user to remotely report emergency service request with more accurate location information automatically conveyed by the present invention. A mobile user device is configured to activate an emergency service station of a local emergency system without knowing the location of the emergency service station and without physically accessing and operating the emergency service station.
US07894790B2

A dual conversion receiver selects and down-converts one channel from a plurality of channels in a received RF signal. The dual conversion receiver includes first and second mixer stages that are driven by first and second local oscillator signals. Channel selection is performed by tuning the first local oscillator signal so that a desired channel is up-converted to a first IF frequency, which defines the center of the passband of a first bandpass filter connected between the first and second mixer stages. The second mixer stage down-converts the output of the first bandpass filter to a second IF frequency, which is further filtered by a second bandpass filter. The first and second local oscillators can produce harmonics that mix in the second mixer stage, causing unwanted spurious signals that can fall in band with the second IF frequency. In order to avoid interference from these unwanted spurious signals, the frequency step size of the first local oscillator is tuned so that the spurious signals fall out-of-band of the second IF frequency.
US07894786B2

Provided is a receiver capable of automatically controlling a gain of the receiver and receiving three or more band signals. A gain controlled receiver includes a low noise amplifier, a first variable gain control amplifier, a frequency mixer, a filter, a second variable gain control amplifier, and a gain control block. The gain controlled receiver automatically controls gains of the low noise amplifier, the first variable gain control amplifier, the frequency mixer, the filter, the second variable gain control amplifier by detecting strength of the signals processed in the receiver. Therefore, without an additional manual tuning operation, the gain of the receiver can be automatically maintained in an optimal state. A multi-band processing receiver includes a first receiving unit, a second receiving unit, and a switch. The multi-band processing receiver can process three or more RF signals in multi-band by using a single receiver.
US07894785B2

An amplifier assembly and also a receiver including such an amplifier assembly is disclosed, wherein the amplifier includes a programming input for setting the gain thereof. The signal level at the output of the amplifier is compared with a reference level and a counter is incremented in a step-by-step fashion such that the gain in the amplifier is reduced for as long as the output level lies above the reference level. The amplifier assembly enables frequency-dependent received field strength fluctuations that occur in frequency hopping methods to be corrected in a manner dependent on the conditions in the current time slot. The assembly is also suitable for modulation methods that use a modulation with phase and amplitude variation.
US07894784B2

A wireless receiver that includes a reception unit which, in the case in which the frequency bandwidth of the chunk is Fc, receives a) data to which phase rotation for controlling the maximum delay time between the plurality of transmission antennas is added so that the maximum delay time is set to either a predetermined first value which is smaller than 1/Fc or a predetermined second value which is larger than 1/Fc depending on whether transmission is performed using frequency diversity or transmission is performed using multi-user diversity and b) pilot channels corresponding to the plurality of transmission antennas which are orthogonal to each other; and a demodulating unit which demodulates the data based on transfer functions calculated using the pilot channels.
US07894781B1

Multiple-input/multiple-output (MIMO) antenna technology is used in a point-to-point radio link to provide higher data rates than would otherwise be achievable in a similar system that did not use MIMO antenna technology. Particular embodiments of the invention implement channel coding, dual polarization, adaptive receiver combining and adaptive power control.
US07894769B2

A wireless microphone communication system 1 comprises one or more controllers 21 to 24 having LAN interfaces, one or more receivers 11 to 18 having the LAN interfaces and being configured to receive a radio wave from a transmitter of a wireless microphone. The one or more receivers 11 to 18 are coupled to the one or more controllers 21 to 24 on LAN. Each controller 21 to 24 is coupled to a corresponding display device. Each controller 21 to 24 receives, from the one or more receivers 11 to 18, information of the receiver through the LAN. Each controller 21 to 24 causes the received information of the receiver to be displayed on the corresponding display device.
US07894749B2

An image forming apparatus including: a plurality of photosensitive members on which electrostatic latent images are formed; a plurality of charge units to charge the respective photosensitive members with an electric potential; at least one exposure unit which irradiates light to the respective photosensitive members; a plurality of developer supply devices, which adhere a developer to the respective photosensitive members, to form visible images on a surface of the respective photosensitive members; a transfer unit, which transfers the visible images formed on the respective photosensitive members to a transfer medium; and a plurality of exposure lamps which are mounted between the plurality of photosensitive members. Each of the exposure lamps radiates light to the surface of one of two adjacent photosensitive members, after completion of the transfer, to reset a surface potential thereof, and irradiates light to the surface of the other photosensitive member, on which the visible image is formed, to decrease a surface potential thereof.
US07894740B2

Methods of transferring powder toner and filling a toner container or a development mechanism of an electronographic image forming apparatus with powder toner include the steps of providing a toner fluidization mechanism on a surface of deposit of the powder toner stored in a toner storage container, burying the toner fluidization mechanism into the deposit, supplying gas to the powder toner, and removing fluidized toner to transfer to a different location. An apparatus for filling with powder toner includes a toner container, and an apparatus for transferring powder toner including a toner storage container, a toner fluidization mechanism buried into the powder toner, an air supply mechanism for supplying air to the toner fluidization mechanism, an air suction mechanism for removing fluidized powder toner, a transfer mechanism for transferring the removed powder toner to a different location, and a vibration application mechanism for applying vibration to the toner fluidization mechanism.
US07894736B2

An image forming apparatus which causes a long recording medium carrying a toner image thereon to pass between a fixing roller and a pressure roller to fix the toner image onto the long recording medium by means of the action of heat and pressure. The temperature of the fixing roller is prevented from being significantly reduced during operation of fixing the toner image, and thereby the occurrence of a toner image fixation failure is prevented. When the temperature of the fixing roller is reduced, in addition to a main heating member of heating means, electric power is also supplied from an auxiliary power source to an auxiliary heating member to cause the auxiliary heating member to generate heat. Furthermore, before print operation is started, it is determined, from the temperature of the fixing roller and the pressure roller and the remaining amount of electric power supplied from the auxiliary power source, whether the toner image can be fixed or not over the entire length of the long recording medium, and the print operation is started only when the toner image can be fixed.
US07894735B2

The fixing device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is provided with a heat transfer probe which contacts the heat roller and a surface temperature of the heat roller is transferred thereto. The erroneous detection of the surface temperature of the heat roller caused from materials adhered to the heat roller is prevented, induction heating coils is regulated at a high level of accuracy using the highly precious detection result obtained from the heat transfer probe, the temperature control of the heat roller is promoted and a fixed image of high quality is obtained.
US07894730B2

An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit; a containing unit; two detecting units; a counting unit; and a determining unit. The image forming unit is configured to form a toner image. The containing unit is configured to contain waste that is generated when the image forming unit forms a toner image. The two detecting units that are configured to detect the waste accumulated in the containing unit. The counting unit starts, when at least one of the two detecting units detects waste, counting up a count value based on the toner image forming operation executed by the image forming unit. The determining unit determines that waste accumulated in the containing unit has reached a maximum amount if the count value of the counting unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value and both of the two detecting units detects waste.
US07894729B2

A microchip for making a cartridge to be compatible with an imaging device is disclosed. The microchip can be used for various cartridges such as toner cartridges, ink cartridges, and so on, and includes a pair of electrodes which receive electronic signal from an imaging device, wherein the electronic signal includes clock signal and data signal; and a microprocessor which detects (a) a clock generation time and (b) a clock frequency from the electronic signal received by the electrodes, determines the type of cartridge which is compatible with the imaging device, operates a communication program according to the determined type of cartridge, and communicates with the imaging device with the communication program.
US07894727B2

An operational amplifier circuit includes a transconductance amplifier circuit which converts a differential input voltage into a differential output current; a common-mode feedback circuit which outputs a control signal to the transconductance amplifier circuit 1 so as to make a D.C. voltage level of a differential output voltage of the transconductance amplifier circuit equal to a reference voltage; a voltage supply circuit which supplies a reference voltage to the common-mode feedback circuit; and an output load to which the differential output voltage of transconductance amplifier circuit is applied, and which constitutes an output terminal of the operational amplifier circuit 5. A power source voltage is supplied to each of the circuits. The operational amplifier circuit has an improved power-source noise canceling characteristic while maintaining its dynamic range.
US07894721B2

An optical network system having a global controller capable of controlling all the elements of the network. The controller receives performance data from each optical network element and calculates a performance value for each channel transmitting through the system. The controller then isolates the channel with the minimum performance value and tests possible changes in network element parameters to find a change which would increase this performance value. Once such a change is found, it is implemented and the system is reoptimized.
US07894716B2

An optical apparatus includes a detector detecting information used for focus control in each of a plurality of detection areas set in an image-pickup area, a selecting member being operated to change a selected area selected from the plurality of the detection areas, and a controller performing the focus control based on the information detected by the detector in the selected area. The controller determines a selectable detection area among the plurality of the detection areas based on the information used for the focus control detected in each of the detection areas and changes the selected area among the selectable detection areas in response to the operation of the selecting member. The optical apparatus reduces burdens in a selecting operation of the detection area for information used for the focus control and allows selection of an intended detection area quickly.
US07894706B2

When data of image information is compressed and is recorded on a recording medium, additional information about the image information is recorded in a conveniently usable state. There is provided read/write unit information as a unit of reading and writing the compressed image information to the recording medium. The read/write unit information contains a plurality of units of decoding and reproducing unit information that comprises one frame (or one field) of the image information. At least one piece of decoding and reproducing unit information is subject to compression encoding through the use of only image information in the decoding and reproducing unit. In the read/write unit information, there is multiplexed and recorded additional information about the decoding and reproducing unit information for a plurality of units within the read/write unit in an extractable manner separately from the compressed image information.
US07894699B2

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to photonic-based interconnects for transmitting data encoded in electromagnetic signals between electronic mosaics. In one embodiment of the present invention, a photonic-based interconnect comprises a first photonic node coupled to a second photonic node via a waveguide. The first photonic node is coupled to a first electronic mosaic and is configured to transmit electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the first electronic mosaic to a second electronic mosaic and receive electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the second electronic mosaic. The second photonic node is coupled to the second electronic mosaic and is configured to transmit electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the second electronic mosaic to the first electronic mosaic and receive electromagnetic signals encoding data generated by the first electronic mosaic. The bus waveguide is configured to transmit electromagnetic signals between the first photonic node and the second photonic node.
US07894693B2

An optical semiconductor device includes a waveguide having one or more first segments having a region that includes a diffractive grating and another region combined to the region, one or more second segments having a region that includes a diffractive grating and another region combined to the region and a plurality of third segments having a region the includes a diffractive grating and another region combined to the region, a length of the second segment being different from that of the first segment, a length of the third segment being shown as L3=L1+(L2−L1)×K1 in which 0.3≦K1≦0.7, L1 is a length of the first segment, L2 is a length of the second segment and L3 is a length of the third segment; and a refractive index control portion controlling refractive index of the first segment through the third segments.
US07894675B2

A method and apparatus are provided for identifying linear objects in an image. Terrain types in the image are identified, and a gradient vector image, which identifies a gradient magnitude value and a gradient direction value for each pixel of the image, is generated from the image. Lines in the gradient vector image are identified using the identified terrain types in each portion of the image. It is determined whether the identified lines are perpendicular, collinear, or parallel to another line among the identified lines in the gradient vector image. Lines among the identified line are eliminated which are determined to not be perpendicular, collinear, or parallel to another line among the identified lines in the gradient vector image. Linear objects are identified using the remaining identified lines which have not been eliminated.
US07894674B2

An image processing method, comprising the steps of: extracting an area of head hair from a digital image obtained by shooting a human face; extracting an area of a head-top portion based on the shape of the extracted area of head hair; and applying image processing, which enhances illumination effect on the head hair, to the digital image, by use of information on the extracted area of a head-top portion.
US07894659B2

Methods for identifying an edge of a care area for an array area formed on a wafer and/or for binning defects detected in the array area are provided. One method for identifying an edge of a care area for an array area formed on a wafer includes determining a value for a difference image as a function of position from a position known to be inside the array area to a position known to be outside of the array area. The method also includes identifying the position that is located closest to the inside of the array area and that has the value greater than a threshold as a position of the edge of the care area.
US07894653B2

A method and apparatus of visually depicting an organ, having the steps of choosing a predefined set features for analysis, the predefined set of features having distinguishing weak learners for an algorithm, wherein the predefined set of features and the weak learners chosen distinguish features of the organ desired to be represented, developing a strong classifier for the algorithm for the organ desired to be represented based upon the weak learners for the organ, one of conducing a body scan to produce a body scan data set and obtaining a body scan data set of information for a patient, applying the strong classifier and the algorithm to the body scan data set to develop a result of a representation of the organ and outputting the result of the step of applying of the strong classifier and the algorithm to the body scan data set to represent the organ.
US07894634B2

A method for conducting a transaction over an electronic network may comprise receiving transaction data, receiving biometric data including a relational check code representative of the biometric data, a date time stamp, an identifier of the hardware that recorded the biometric data, or a combination thereof, comparing the biometric data with biometric data previously stored, or with a predetermined threshold value, or with a combination thereof, for authenticating the biometric data for approving or disapproving the transaction. If approved, the transaction data is processed for conducting the transaction. Biometric data may include a locus-based digitized signature, a biometric digital signature, a fingerprint, a palm print, hand geometry, facial geometry, an iris scan, an iris print, a retinal scan, a retinal print, an eye scan, an eye print, or any combination thereof.
US07894631B2

There is provided an obstacle detection apparatus for detecting an obstacle based on an image of periphery of a vehicle and a distance to an obstacle present in the vehicle's periphery.The apparatus includes distance determining means 3 for determining, in association with traveling of the vehicle along a direction, a distance to the obstacle present in a direction perpendicular to the vehicle traveling direction, image inputting means 2 for obtaining a peripheral image having a view angle including the obstacle, subject-vehicle position specifying means 4 for sequentially specifying a present position of the vehicle which changes in association the traveling of the vehicle, first-plane setting means 5 for setting, as a first plane, a face of the obstacle which extends perpendicular to the horizontal plane and extends, at the same time, along the traveling direction of the vehicle, plane-edge estimating means 6 for estimating an edge of the first plane relative to the vehicle moving direction, based on the distance and the position of the vehicle, image recognition area setting means 7 for setting, as an image recognition area, an area included in the peripheral image and including the plane edge, image recognizing means 8 for image-recognizing a shape characteristics of the obstacle in the image recognition area from the peripheral image, and three-dimensional shape recognizing means 9 for recognizing the obstacle three-dimensionally, based on the first plane and result of the image recognition made by the image recognizing means 8.
US07894627B2

Methods and apparatus are provided for incremental approximate nearest neighbor searching. An approximate nearest neighbor is incrementally retrieved from a data set having a plurality of objects and cells of objects in a hierarchical organization based on a query object. The present invention maintains an object priority queue to organize the objects based on a distance to the query object and a cell priority queue to organize the cells of objects based on a distance to the query object. The next approximate nearest neighbor is incrementally retrieved based on a state of one or more of the object priority queue and the cell priority queue.
US07894622B2

A microphone includes a case, a circuit board, a plate, a cover/button element and an elastic element. The circuit board is disposed in the case and includes a transducer for receiving and converting sound waves into electric signals and a switch operable for turning on and off the circuit board. The plate is disposed in the case and defines two slots and an aperture through which the switch is exposed. A cover/button element includes at least two hooks inserted through the slots defined in the plate so that the cover/button element is movable between a normal position away from the switch of the circuit board and a pushed position in contact with the switch while always covering the case. The elastic element is sandwiched between the plate and the cover/button element for returning the cover/button element to the normal position from the pushed position.
US07894621B2

An audio device includes a microphone, a sound canal allowing sound to pass from the surroundings to the microphone, a signal path from the microphone to a receiver, and a current source, such that sounds received at the microphone may be enhanced and presented at the ear level of the user. A protection screen is provided at the sound canal, and includes a first surface which faces the surroundings and a second surface which faces the sound canal, and defines a slit-formed opening between the first surface and the second surface. The curvature between the first surface and the slit-formed opening is smooth and gradual, and a sharp edge is located at the transition between the second surface and the slit-formed opening.
US07894620B2

A mobile phone and an acoustic box structure thereof are provided. The mobile phone includes a shell containing a printed circuit board (PCB) and a hidden antenna therein. The acoustic box structure is disposed between the PCB and the hidden antenna. The acoustic box structure includes a main body, a loudspeaker accommodated in the main body and a frame located between the PCB and the main body. Due to the design of the frame, a hermetic space is framed between the PCB and the main body, thereby preventing sound waves generated by the loudspeaker from leaking out via a gap between the main body and the PCB. Furthermore, the frame made of shockproof materials decreases the resonant transfer between the PCB and the loudspeaker. Consequently, the quality of the sound made by the mobile phone is improved.
US07894617B2

A stealth mode technique records information onto the sound track of a camcorder without the knowledge of the user. Infrasound is continuously generated by an array of audio sources placed in a geographical position that potentially encompasses the location of the recording device. A database stores the known characteristics of all audio sources. Once the recorded media is released to the public, a post analysis using a processing unit can decompose the recording back into a set of reconstructed audio sounds. An analysis can be performed to determine which audio sounds match the reconstructed audio sounds so that an estimate of the set of parameters associated with the sound track can be obtained. The set of parameters includes the geographical location and local time of the recording. The geographic location provides the opportunity to capture the terrorists and free the hostages.
US07894611B2

Two-channel input audio signals are processed to construct output audio signals by decomposing the two-channel input audio signals into a plurality of two-channel subband audio signals. Separately, in each of a plurality of subbands, at least three generated subband audio signals are generated by steering the two-channel subband audio signals into at least three generated signal locations. The output audio signals are synthesized from the generated subband audio signals. The steering applies differing construction rules in at least two of the plurality of subbands.
US07894609B2

Disclosed is a stereo signal processing apparatus, in particular for a digital BTSC television decoder, comprising a sub-channel signal processing section which comprises an input for inputting an input sub-channel signal, a DBX expanding means and an output for outputting an output sub-channel signal. The particularity of the present invention is that said sub-channel signal processing section further comprises a phase error compensating means for correcting a phase error of said DBX expanding means so that at said output of said sub-channel signal processing section the phase of the output sub-channel signal is essentially constant or zero over a predetermined frequency range.
US07894585B2

A system may receive a telephone call request for a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) user. The telephone call request omits a name of a calling party. The system may further determine if the VoIP user has a calling party name feature enabled and obtaining, when the VoIP user has a calling party name feature enabled, the name of the calling party from a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) based repository of calling party names.
US07894564B2

Spread spectrum clock generation (SSCG) using phase modulation. A first clock signal having a first frequency spectrum may be modulated using phase modulation to produce a second clock signal. The phase modulation may include providing a phase modulation profile corresponding to the integrated frequency modulation profile, to adjust a scaling factor used in obtaining the second clock signal. The phase modulation profile may be provided in the form of a pulse or pulses, which may be injected through pulse density modulation or pulse width modulation at the output of a phase frequency detector comprised in a phase locked loop circuit used in generating the second clock signal. This modified phase modulation technique removes the down spread limitation present in traditional PM implementations, and also provides better jitter performance and lower cost than traditional PM implementations.
US07894558B2

A receiver circuit controls a power source of a front-end circuit and a demodulator using a first power source control signal. Upon receiving data of a plurality of receiving slots having a guard bit provided between receiving slots adjacent to each other, the first power source control signal becomes a power source ON signal before starting receiving of the data, then becomes a power source OFF signal within the guard bit, and becomes a power source OFF signal after completing the receiving of the data. The receiver circuit controls a power source of an active filter circuit using a second power source control signal, which becomes a power source OFF signal after completing the receiving of the data after becoming a power source ON signal before starting the receiving of the data.
US07894552B1

The present invention is directed to a quick, low-distortion and efficient reduction in sample rate requiring minimal logic. An IF signal is passed into an analog-to-digital converter. The converted signal is mixed with the combination of an in-phase and a quadrature component. The mixed signal is then split into an in-phase signal and a quadrature signal. The quadrature signal is interpolated to form a new signal aligned in time to the in-phase signal. Alternatively, the in-phase signal is interpolated to form a new signal aligned in time to the quadrature signal. The interpolation may comprise linear interpolation or parabolic interpolation. The simplified signal processing reduces the sample rate of the signal and the interpolation reduces aliasing introduced by the simplification. One advantage of this approach is that only half of the signal needs to be processed.
US07894539B2

The method disclosed in the invention comprises setting a plurality of subcarrier position hypotheses for a received preamble according to a plurality of ideal subcarrier positions and the maximum amount of integer carrier frequency offset (ICFO), generating a plurality of preamble pattern hypotheses by retrieving the received preamble according to the subcarrier position hypotheses, calculating the correlation between the preamble pattern hypotheses and a plurality of specified preamble patterns, determining to which sector the received preamble belongs according to a correct preamble pattern, the specified preamble pattern having the highest correlation with the preamble pattern hypotheses, obtaining a correct subcarrier position according to the sector to which the received preamble belongs; and estimating the ICFO by calculating the offset between the correct subcarrier position and the subcarrier position hypothesis of the preamble pattern hypothesis having the highest correlation with the correct preamble pattern.
US07894527B2

A method of filtering an image includes receiving target image data and applying a multiple stage filter to the target image data. Each stage of the filtering includes generating a motion vector sampling pattern, using the target image data and the motion vector sampling pattern to generate a temporal prediction of the target image data, and using the temporal prediction of the target image data to generate a spatial-temporal transformation of the target image data.
US07894523B2

A method for context-modeling coding information of a video signal for compressing or decompressing the coding information is provided. An initial value of a function for probability coding of coding information of a video signal of an enhanced layer is determined based on coding information of a video signal of a base layer.
US07894519B2

A wireless data acquisition and recording (DAR) system includes acquisition circuitry including a video camera and/or a microphone carried by an operator for capturing video and audio events viewed and/or heard by the operator. A wireless transmitter wirelessly transmits digital signals containing the video events captured by the video camera and the audio events detected by the microphone. A data display and report submission (DD) device receives the wirelessly transmitted digital data captured by the acquisition circuitry and stores the data as media files.
US07894518B2

A motion estimation circuit and a motion estimation processing element are provided. The latch module in the motion estimation circuit has n pieces of m-stage shift registers. Each shift register receives a current block data and transmits the received current block data to next stage according to a timing. The processing module has a plurality of processing elements (PEs), which are divided into (m+1) groups. The PEs of the i-th group receive the left search window data and the right search window data and are coupled to the input ends and the output ends of the i-th stage of latches, wherein 0
US07894517B2

A self-calibrating, adaptive equalization system for generating an ideal digital signal is disclosed. The adaptive equalization system includes an equalizer and a high-gain buffer. The equalizer includes a first equalizer loop that feeds-back a control voltage to the equalizer and the high-gain buffer that includes a second equalizer loop that feeds-back a high-pass-to-low-pass filter ratio signal. Each of the first and second equalizer loops has a high-pass and a low-pass filter, rectifying circuits for each of the filters, and an integrating circuit that compares signal energy output from the rectifiers. The adaptive equalization system generates an ideal digital signal.
US07894516B2

A method for equalizing a digital signal received via at least one communication channel is described, wherein a block of received signal values is processed by a block-iterative equalizer (200). The equalizer comprises a feedback unit (202) and a feed-forward unit (201) each corresponding to the multiplication by a respective matrix. The matrices are updated in the iterative process.
US07894508B2

A baseband processing module includes TX processing components, a processor, memory, an RX interface, and a cell searcher module. The TX processing components receive outbound data, process the outbound data to produce a baseband TX signal, and output the baseband TX signal to a RF front end of the RF transceiver. The RX interface receives a baseband RX signal from the RF front end carrying a WCDMA signal. The cell searcher module receives the baseband RX signal, scans for WCDMA energy within the baseband RX signal, acquires slot synchronization to the WCDMA signal based upon correlation with a Primary Synchronization Channel (PSCH) of the WCDMA signal, acquires frame synchronization to, and identify a code group of, the WCDMA signal based upon correlation with a Secondary Synchronization Channel (SSCH) of the WCDMA signal, and identifies the scrambling code of the WCDMA signal based upon correlation with a Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) of the WCDMA signal.
US07894506B2

Aspects of a method and system for a delta quantizer for MIMO pre-coders with finite rate channel state information feedback may include quantizing a change in channel state information in a MIMO pre-coding system onto a codebook, which comprises one or more unitary matrices, using a cost function. The codebook may be generated based on at least the channel state information. The channel state information may comprise a matrix V and the cost function f(A) may be defined by the following relationship: f ⁡ ( A ) = ( 1 N ⁢ ∑ j = 1 N ⁢  a jj  2 ) where A is a matrix of size N by N and aij is element (i,j) of matrix A. One or more unitary matrices may be generated from at least a first set of matrices and a second set of matrices, where the first set of matrices may comprise one or more Givens matrices. A dynamic range and a resolution of the codebook may be modified.
US07894499B2

A semiconductor laser device having a smooth cleavage plane is provided. The provided laser device includes a current injection ridge and force distribution ridges formed adjacent to the current injection ridge, which protrudes from an upper surface of a mesa structure. The mesa structure is formed of multi-semiconductor material layers including a laser resonance layer and cladding layers disposed above and below the resonance layer. The current injection ridge and the force distribution ridges distribute a scribing force when cleaving the laser device so that the smooth cleavage planes are obtained. Defects are prevented in the current injection ridge due to the distribution of force when bonding flip chips.
US07894494B2

An apparatus and method which may comprise a seed laser defining an optical cavity producing an output. An amplifier may amplify the seed laser output. A bandwidth error signal generator may provide a bandwidth error signal from measured bandwidth and a target. A bandwidth selection element, which may comprise an adjustable sized aperture external to the cavity of the seed laser may selectively alter the bandwidth of the seed laser output. A bandwidth control system may control the bandwidth control element and also selectively adjust a differential firing time between the seed laser and amplifier or another bandwidth selection actuator to cooperated (coarsely or finely) with the bandwidth selection element to control bandwidth of the laser system.
US07894493B2

An ultrafast laser for delivering ultra-short duration seed-pulses for further amplification has a resonator including negative group delay dispersion (NGDD) mirrors for minimizing increases in the duration of the pulses due to positive group delay dispersion effects inherent in the resonator. The NGDD mirrors could be configured such that the pulses had a Gaussian spectrum. Instead, however, the NGDD mirrors are configured and arranged such the pulses have a non-Gaussian spectrum. The non-Gaussian spectrum has a FWHM bandwidth significantly greater than that of the Gaussian spectrum.
US07894482B1

A method and a device for mapping and demapping a client signal are provided. The method for mapping a client signal includes: dividing a part or all of a payload area of an Optical Channel Payload Unit (OPU) or Optical channel Data Tributary Unit (ODTU) into several sub-blocks, in which the sub-blocks have a size of N bytes, and N is greater than or equal to 1; and mapping a client signal to be transported to the sub-blocks of the payload area with an N-byte granularity. In the technical solutions, when the client signal is mapped, block mapping of the client signal is performed by using a mapping granularity of a block, so that the complexity of the mapping process of the client signal can be reduced, thereby meeting requirements of multi-rate services.
US07894478B2

A method, system, apparatus, and computer program product is presented for management of a distributed data processing system. The network management framework is able to monitor multiple sources of network packets on various subnets within the distributed data processing system; distributed packet snoopers are deployed from a packet usage manager to monitor the multiple sources of network packets. The system administrator can request packet filtering based upon selected active users or active applications. A bandwidth history database is compiled from bandwidth usage data associated with multiple entities within the data processing system, including users, applications, and/or endpoints within the data processing system. In response to a requested action within the data processing system, bandwidth usage for the requested action can be predicted with reference to the bandwidth history database. The actual and predicted bandwidth usage of requested actions can be displayed to the system administrator in real time.
US07894474B1

A wireless communication system includes a number of controllable electronic devices and a mobile station for communication with one of the controllable electronic devices through a short-range wireless communication link, when in-range with the one controllable electronic device. The mobile station includes a display screen and a browser. The mobile station and the one controllable electronic device form a client-server pair. Through the short-range wireless communication link, the client requests the server to download a control interface stored at the server. Upon downloading, a browser is used to navigate through control menu pages included in the control interface, and to post control parameter settings to the server. In the server, a program runs to interpret received control parameter settings, to invoke a control action in accordance with the received control parameter settings, and to instruct the client what to do next.
US07894473B2

A process control system includes at least one controller and at least one wireless valve element capable of being controlled by the at least one controller. The process control system also includes a first transceiver configured to communicate with the at least one wireless valve element and a second transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with the first transceiver. The second transceiver is further configured to communicate with the at least one controller.
US07894470B2

Systems, methods and computer products for pooling of wireless collection bandwidth. Exemplary embodiments include a bandwidth management method, in a wireless device, the method, including querying for additional wireless devices within a communication range of the wireless device, the wireless device and additional wireless devices being in communication with a network having downloadable content, initiating communication between the wireless device and the additional wireless devices, establishing an ad-hoc network among the combination of the wireless device and the additional devices, establishing communication between the combined wireless device and additional devices as the ad-hoc network, and the network having the downloadable content and requesting the downloadable content from the network to the wireless device, wherein the downloadable content is transferred over a bandwidth collectively pooled among individual bandwidths of the wireless device and the additional wireless devices.
US07894469B2

A method, computer software program, and system provides automatic selection of time slots in time-division multiplexed connections. A network is mapped, and source and destination nodes are selected, as well as a route between them. Appropriate time slots are selected in a time-division multiplexed signal between the selected nodes, and a connection between the two nodes is automatically created, based at least in part on information related to the selected routes and time slots.
US07894453B2

A method for processing packets that includes receiving a first packet for a first target on a host, prior to sending the packet to a Network Layer in the host, determining the first target of the first packet, obtaining a first target ID associated with the first target, obtaining a first virtual network stack (VNS) instance ID using the first target ID, and obtaining a first VNS Instance parameter using the first VNS instance ID, sending the first packet to the Network Layer, and processing the first packet in the Network Layer using the first VNS Instance parameter to obtain a first network processed packet.
US07894448B1

Methods and systems for targeted data delivery are described. A user profile that includes information about a user is accessed. A root hash of a hash-based directed acyclic graph (HDAG) is computed. The HDAG includes hashed values of items of information in the user profile. The root hash is used in proving that the user profile satisfies selection criteria associated with an offer to deliver data. The user is eligible to be presented with the offer of data provided the user profile satisfies the selection criteria. The data is targeted to the user based on the user profile without requiring a release of any of the information in the user profile.
US07894443B2

A system and method is provided for inserting, in a radio link control entity, at least one service data unit to a protocol data unit of an appropriate size. The method also includes providing at least one indicator including a length indicator for indicating that a first data octet of the protocol data unit is a first octet of a first service data unit and at least one other octet of the protocol data unit is the last octet of another service data unit, the first service data unit being either the same or different from the other service data unit.
US07894440B2

Techniques have been developed to facilitate concurrent evaluation of hash rule entries in ways that allow an implementation to maintain a deterministic resultant hash irrespective of variations in the allocation of particular rules to particular storage banks or evaluation logic, such as may occur with rule set revisions. Similarly, uniform deterministic hash results can be assured even across a range of implementations that support greater or lesser levels of concurrent rule evaluations.
US07894431B2

Described herein are a system, method, and computer readable medium for correlating asynchronous communication messages between a mobile communication device and a data source over a network. The mobile communication device executes an application to provide interaction with the data source based on the content of the communication messages. The system includes a message set and a message manager. The message set is configured to correlate an asynchronous request message of the communication messages with a corresponding asynchronous response message of the communication messages. The asynchronous request message has a first correlation identifier when transmitted and the asynchronous response message has a second correlation identifier when received; the first and second correlation identifiers form part of the message set and specify a mapping that correlates a data element of the asynchronous request message and a data element of the asynchronous response message, respectively, with a data instance. The first correlation identifier is different from the second correlation identifier. The message manager is configured to map the data element of the asynchronous response message to the element of the data instance by resolving the data instance using the second correlation identifier, and by updating the element of the data instance with the data element of the asynchronous response message according to the mapping specified in the message set.
US07894428B2

Provided is a packet relay device for efficiently transferring a communication packet transmitted from a plurality of terminals connected with a network. The packet relay device is positioned in the network, in which a plurality of local networks are connected with each other through a global network, and at the boundary between the local network and the global network. The packet relay device comprises an acquisition unit for specifying the terminal of a transmission source from a broadcast packet transmitted by the terminal in the local network thereby to acquire group information on the group, to which the specified terminal belongs, a conversion unit for converting the broadcast packet into a virtual multicast packet corresponding to the group information acquired beforehand, a transfer unit for transferring the virtual multicast packet to another corresponding relay device, and a packet conversion unit for converting the virtual multicast packet into a corresponding real broadcast packet.
US07894427B2

A technique is disclosed for synchronizing NAT information stored on different network devices that have been configured to implement a network address translation protocol. Each of the network devices includes a respective NAT data structure configured to store NAT information. The NAT information includes at least one NAT entry relating to a network node engaged in a communication session with at least one other network node. At least one NAT entry in a first NAT data structure is modified. The first NAT data structure is associated with a first NAT network device. A first NAT transaction message is generated which includes information relating to the modifications performed on the first NAT data structure. The first NAT transaction message is transmitted to at least one other NAT network device to thereby cause that device to modify its respective NAT data structure using information from the first NAT transaction message. In this way, synchronization of NAT information stored on each of the network devices may be achieved.
US07894416B2

A system and method for communicating includes a plurality of wireless nodes forming a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) mesh network. Each wireless node includes a transmitter and receiver and is operative for transmitting data packets across the TDMA mesh network from a source node through intermediate nodes to a destination node using a TDMA epoch such that a slot of channel time is allocated in both time and TDMA epoch prior to a wireless node transmitting the data packet.
US07894414B2

Methods and apparatus for implementing a home network including a wireless module. In one implementation, a home network includes: two or more host devices, where at least one host device includes a wireless module port, and where the host devices are connected in a local network; and a wireless module connected to the wireless module port of a host device, where the wireless module provides a wireless connection to an external network; where at least one host device is a consumer appliance.
US07894404B2

A wireless terminal is operable to receive a Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) signal from a base station and includes clock circuitry, a wireless interface, and a Primary Synchronization (PSYNC) module. The clock circuitry generates a wireless terminal clock using a wireless terminal oscillator. The wireless interface receives the WCDMA signal, which is produced by the base station using a base station clock that is produced using a base station oscillator that is more accurate than the wireless terminal oscillator. The PSYNC module includes a plurality of PSYNC correlation branches. Each PSYNC correlation branch phase rotates the WCDMA signal based upon a respective frequency offset, correlates the phase rotated WCDMA signal with a Primary Synchronization Channel (PSCH) code over a plurality of sampling positions, and produces PSYNC correlation energies based upon the correlations for each of the plurality of sampling positions.
US07894398B2

In a mobile communication system using both a discontinuous transmission scheme and a compressed mode transmission scheme, if a preamble and/or a postamble of a channel including control information for transmitting a specific channel overlaps a compressed mode (CM) gap, an overall transmission unit is not transmitted or remaining signals of the transmission unit excluding the preamble and/or the postamble overlapping the CM gap are transmitted.
US07894393B2

A method for determining slotted mode operation timing in a hybrid access terminal comprises acquiring a first network, determining a first access interval for the first network, acquiring a second network, determining a second access interval for the second network, determining if the first and second access intervals overlap, and re-determining the second access interval when it is determined that the first and second access intervals overlap.
US07894389B2

A system and method for transmitting resource allocation information in a wireless communication system is provided. A transmitter transmits resource allocation information mapped to a current time interval in a first region to a receiver, and transmits resource allocation information mapped to a next time interval in a second region. When receiving the resource allocation information of the second region, the receiver notifies the transmitter whether the resource allocation information has been received. The transmitter receives notification that the resource allocation information of the second region has been received and transmits resource allocation information mapped to a subsequent time interval in the second region.
US07894371B2

A system and method of resource allocation within a communication system is provided. A communication system comprises a plurality of nodes operating in a first architecture network mode, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of nodes are reconfigured to operate in a second architecture network mode in response to a change in one or more network performance requirements. When the plurality of nodes are operating in a distributed architecture network mode, at least a portion of the plurality of nodes are reconfigured to operate in a clustered architecture network mode in response to an increase in one or more network performance requirements. When the plurality of nodes are operating in a clustered architecture network mode, at least a portion of the plurality of nodes are reconfigured to operate in a distributed architecture network mode in response to a decrease in one or more network performance requirements.
US07894370B2

A system and method for transfer of digital content, including providing a listing of sources and content destinations, receiving a user selection of a content source and a destination from the source and destination listing, providing a listing of available paths for the exchange of digital content, receiving a user selection of a routing path from the routing path listing, and permitting transmission of the content from the selected source to the destination via the selected routing path.
US07894368B2

An OVPN user register an L1 signal type information which is used in the user's device in an OVPN terminating device in advance together with an IP address and a VPNID which are allocated to the user's device. Registered contents are notified to other OVPN terminating devices which control the same VPNID as that of the user's device. Otherwise, when a calling connection request arrives from the user's device, the registered contents are notified other OVPN terminating devices which control the devices which receive the notification. By doing this, it is possible to handle a request by the user for changing the setting for the signal format which is employed in the user's device quickly. Also, it is possible to realize an OVPN which can perform a process for a calling connection request from the user efficiently and improve an operability for the user.
US07894360B2

A trouble-factor detecting device retrieves data packets on a transaction, determines whether the retrieved data is abnormal, and counts an access count and an abnormality count of the data in associated with each of resources that is accessed in the transaction. Moreover, the trouble-factor detecting device calculates an abnormality ratio of each of the resources based on the access count and the abnormality count, and selects a trouble factor that could cause a trouble in the system to be managed based on the abnormality ratio.
US07894356B2

A system and method for measuring network performance include a first element in a network, the first element operable to receive a data packet and to create a clone packet based on the data packet, the clone packet having a destination the same as a destination of the data packet and having information identifying the clone packet as a clone, the first element operable to insert the clone packet into a data stream with the data packet.
US07894348B2

A method and system for routing fiber channel frames using a fiber channel switch element is provided. The switch element includes logic for comparing a credit counter value with a first threshold value to enable a credit limiting feature; and a first counter that receives a signal after a frame has departed from a transmit segment and maintains a maximum value for a certain duration that is based on the first threshold value. The method includes enabling a credit limiting feature, wherein frame transmission from a certain source is delayed when the credit limiting feature is enabled. The first counter is incremented every time a frame departs and holds its maximum value based on the threshold value. When the first counter is at the maximum value, a credit-limiting signal is used to enable the credit limiting feature by setting a control bit in a control register.
US07894346B2

A method for transmitting messages to alter the operating status between a mobile station and a base station in a wireless access system comprises, at the mobile station, transmitting a first message to the base station, setting a first count to a first predetermined value and enabling a first, the first message requesting a alteration in operating status between the mobile station and the base station, whereupon expiration of the first timer before receiving a second message from the base station, the count is decremented and, if the count is above a second predetermined value, the first timer is reset and the first message is retransmitted to the base station. The method also comprises, at a base station, receiving the first message, transmitting a second message to the mobile station and enabling a second timer, whereupon expiration of the second timer, the alteration in operating status is effected.
US07894335B2

Graceful/hitless restart features from a routing/signaling protocol may be utilized along with synchronization between cluster members in order to provide routing capabilities in a clustering environment. During normal operation, the active cluster member may operate the routing protocol(s) and communicate with the neighboring components using the cluster's address. As the active member learns the routes to the destinations, the routing data may be propagated to the stand-by cluster members across an internal communication mechanism. Configuration information for the routing component may also be propagated to the stand-by cluster members. Upon failure of the active routing component, the standby routing component may be started up such that neighboring routing components located outside of said cluster do not recalculate network topology based on said failure. This allows for failover to occur without affecting neighboring components and unduly burdening the system.
US07894332B2

A method, information processing system, and base station for reshaping power profiles in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) symbols. The method includes monitoring a scheduler (116) at a base station (110) for a modulation and coding scheme selection. Determining that the scheduler (116) selected a modulation and coding scheme. Identifying at least one information element (220) within the symbol. Determining, in response to the identifying, a channel connection (210) associated with the at least one information element (220). Determining a channel condition associated with the channel connection (210). Reshaping a power profile associated with the one information element (220). The reshaping decreases power made available to the channel connection (210). Reshaping, in response to the channel condition being less than the channel condition threshold, the power profile associated with the at least one information element (220) so that power made available to the channel connection (210) is increased.
US07894328B2

The present invention is directed to a method, apparatus and system for detecting the mode and the guard interval of a received orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol, which includes a guard interval with length Ng, and a useful part with length Nu. Mode is detected by searching for the maximum correlation or statistics value based on one (for example, the shortest one) guard interval length. Further, guard interval is detected by searching for the maximum correlation value based on all guard interval lengths.
US07894325B2

The invention relates to a novel methodology and apparatus for clock-offset compensation and common-phase offset correction in Frequency Division Multiplexing based wireless local area network (WLAN) environment, such as an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) environment. A curve fit, such as a threshold-based, least mean squares (LMS) fit of phase of the pilot sub-carriers in each OFDM symbol is used to estimate and counteract the rotation of the data sub-carriers due to residual frequency offset, low frequency phase noise, and clock offset. The invention is particularly well suited to wireless channels with multipath where pilots typically undergo frequency-selective fading. The thresholding LMS is implemented in a hardware-efficient manner, offering cost advantages over a weighted-LMS alternative. Additionally, the invention uses a unique phase-feedback architecture to eliminate the effects of phase wrapping, and avoid the need to refine channel estimates during packet reception.
US07894323B2

A Home Phoneline system operating within a Multiple Dwelling Unit includes a Home Phoneline Access Multiplexer (HPAN) that services a plurality of Home Phoneline networks, each including at least one Home Phoneline station. The HPAN synchronizes upstream and downstream transmissions to eliminate Near-Far cross-talk. According to a second operation of the present invention, the HPAN manages the transmission power of the HomePNA stations of the HomePNA networks to reduce Near-Near and Far-Far cross-talk. To optimize throughput across the whole building, station power levels are adjusted based on their location in terms of amounts of attenuation. A third method of operation according to the present invention includes adjusting the receiver sensitivity of the Home Phoneline stations according to detected or characterized levels of cross-talk within the MDU.
US07894319B2

The present invention is intended to provide optical recording media of hologram type capable of high-density recording and capable of preventing noise even when the informing light and the reference light leak from filter layers formed of wavelength-selective reflection films. Accordingly, the present invention relates to optical recording media has a first substrate, a recording layer, a filter layer, an optical absorption layer and a second substrate in this order, wherein the recording layer records information by use of holography; methods of producing the same, as well as optical recording methods for the recording media and optical reproducing methods. Preferably, the optical absorption layer absorbs a light having a wavelength within 350 nm to 600 nm and transmits a light having a wavelength within 600 nm to 900 nm.
US07894316B2

A drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section. The drive control section performs a process including: determining whether or not replacement management information including a replacement physical address is found in the replacement management information list, the replacement physical address matching the physical address corresponding to the logical address included in the recording instruction, when the replacement management information is not found, as a first time pseudo-overwrite recording for a location indicated by the physical address corresponding to the logical address included in the recording instruction, performing a process; and when the replacement management information is found, as a second time or more pseudo-overwrite recording for a location indicated by the physical address corresponding to the logical address included in the recording instruction, performing a process.
US07894311B2

A focus servo apparatus for an optical disc apparatus including an objective lens to converge laser beam on an information recording surface of an optical disc, and an actuator to move the objective lens in a focusing direction crossing the information recording surface, the focus servo apparatus comprising: a retaining unit configured to retain control data for driving the actuator; and a setting unit configured to set the control data retained by the retaining unit as initial data for driving the actuator, in the case of driving the actuator, to detect a position of the objective lens where the laser beam is focused on the information recording surface, as a target position when performing focus servo.
US07894309B2

The present invention provides a magnetooptic device, a magnetooptic head, and a magnetic disk drive each capable of performing optically assisted magnetic recording and each having a small size, improved recording density, and a higher transfer rate. In a magnetooptic device, a magnetic circuit including a magnetic gap and a thin film magnetic transducer having a coil portion are stacked on the surface of a semiconductor laser. By the arrangement, optically assisted magnetic recording can be performed, small size and light weight are achieved, and higher transfer rate can be implemented.
US07894307B2

An acoustic projector which includes an outer shell formed of a reinforced epoxy resin having a longitudinal slot has an inner reinforcing liner formed of metal to reduce mechanical stress. The liner extends throughout the length of the outer shell and has a longitudinal slot aligned with the slot formed in the shell. An arcuate shaped driver is mounted along a portion of the I.D. of the metal liner and separated therefrom by insulation. In an alternate embodiment, the outer shell is formed of a plurality of overlapping layers of epoxy/graphite strips extending at various angles to increase the Z-axis stiffness.
US07894306B2

An apparatus and method are provided for transferring data through a submarine hull or other solid boundary using high frequency acoustic signals, so avoiding penetration of the hull or boundary. First and second transducers are mounted on opposed surfaces of the hull and aligned to communicate acoustic signals through the hull. The first transducer is driven by a continuous wave carrier signal modulated with data. A demodulator detects that data in the modulated acoustic signals received by the second transducer. Critically, the dimensions of the first and second transducers and the frequency of the carrier signal are selected so as to reduce the interference by triple transit signals through the hull to a level sufficiently low to enable continuous communication of data through the hull at a bit rate of at least 1 MHz. Carrier signals of the order of 40 MHz may be used to achieve data bit rates of the order of 15-18 MHz through the hull.
US07894305B2

A method of detecting a human, that includes (a) measuring the ultrasonic signal emitted from human footsteps; (b) measuring the human body motion Doppler signature; reviewing the measurements of steps (a) and (b); and (d) determining the presence of a human.
US07894302B2

A drilling system utilizing a plurality of independent telemetry systems. The drilling system uses a drill collar as a pressure housing for downhole components of the system. One or more sensors are disposed within the pressure housing. These sensors can be MWD sensors, LWD sensors, or both MWD and LWD sensors. A plurality of independent borehole telemetry systems is used to telemeter sensor response data to the surface of the earth. Each sensor cooperates with a downhole component of at least one of the independent telemetry systems. The plurality of telemetry systems can be of the same type, such as a mud pulse systems. Alternately, the telemetry systems can be of different types including a mud pulse system and an electromagnetic system.
US07894300B2

A method and system for fluid characterization in an underground formation surrounding a borehole are provided. Acoustic signals are transmitted and received in the borehole. The received acoustic signals are processed to obtain at least one attribute of formation mobility. Formation fluid is characterized based on a change of the at least one attribute. A decision is made based on the characterization output.
US07894298B2

There is described a method of moveout or velocity analysis of seismic signals using the steps of obtaining such signals 5 from a plurality of receivers, identifying receiver functions within the acoustic signals, analyzing said receiver functions for velocity or moveout characteristics, using the result of said analyzing step to determine, properties of multiple layers of earth located below said 10 receivers. The analyses can involve the use of representation of the traveltime differences as approximated power series of slowness or horizontal distances. The method is the first to comprehensively deal with a multi-layered earth or velocity model.
US07894293B2

In a three-dimensional stacked memory having through electrodes, no optimal layer arrangement, bank arrangement, control methods have been established, and thus optimal methods are desired to be established. A stacked memory includes memory core layers, an interposer, and an IF chip. By stacking memory core layers having the same arrangement, it is possible to cope with both of no-parity operation and parity operation. Further, bank designation irrespective of the number of stacks of the memory core layers can be achieved by assignment of a row address and a bank address. Further, the IF chip has refresh counters for performing a refresh control of the stacked memory. This arrangement provides a stacked memory including stacked memory core layers having through electrodes.
US07894291B2

A memory is provided which can be operated at an active rate of power consumption in an active operational mode and at a predetermined reduced rate of power consumption in a standby operational mode. The memory includes a current generating circuit which is operable to supply a predetermined magnitude of current to a sample power supply input terminal of a sample memory cell representative of memory cells of the memory, the predetermined magnitude of current corresponding to the predetermined reduced rate of power consumption. A voltage follower circuit is operable to output a standby voltage level equal to a voltage level at the sample power supply input terminal when the predetermined magnitude of current is supplied thereto. A memory cell array of the memory is operable to store data. In the standby operational mode, a switching circuit is operable to supply power at the standby voltage level to a power supply input terminal of the memory cell array. This permits data to remain stored in the memory during the standby mode. During an active operational mode, the switching circuit is operable to connect the power supply input terminal at the power supply to supply power at the active voltage level to the memory cell array. During the active operational mode, data can be stored into the memory cell array and retrieved from the memory cell array.
US07894290B2

A method of operating a system including a memory device. The method includes, upon receiving a request for an internal hidden refresh for the memory device, latching external command, address, and data information for the memory device. The method further includes placing the memory device in a standby state and during the standby state, performing the internal hidden refresh. The method further includes, after performing the internal hidden refresh, placing the memory device in a state corresponding to the latched external command, address, and data information for the memory device.
US07894287B2

The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device, and more precisely to a semiconductor memory device which controls the voltage supplied to a dummy bit line and a biasing method. The semiconductor memory device includes a dummy bit line disposed in a cell array and a switching unit which switches the supply of a bias voltage to the dummy bit line by a control signal related to an operation of the cell array.
US07894284B2

A method (300) of identifying failing bits in a ferroelectric memory device including at least one ferroelectric capacitor includes (302) writing same state data to the first capacitor, and (304) baking the first capacitor for a first specified period of time at a first selected temperature. A same state read (306) is performed on the first capacitor after the baking. Based on the results from the same state read, it is determined whether an error occurred. The first specified period of time can be from 10 minutes to 2 hours and the first selected temperature can be in a range from 85° C. to 150° C. A repair can be performed (310) to corrected detected errors. A related method (500) can detect imprinted bits using a same state write (502), followed by a relatively high temperature bake (504), then a same state read (506). An opposite state date write (508) is performed followed by a relatively low temperature bake (510), and then an opposite state data read (512) to identify opposite state error or imprint.
US07894277B2

At least one embodiment includes a non-volatile memory cell array, a write buffer configured to store data being written into the non-volatile memory cell array, and a write unit configured to write data into the non-volatile memory cell array. The write unit is configured to perform writing of data such that each data will have reached a stable storage state in the non-volatile memory prior to being over-written in the write buffer.
US07894270B2

A method and apparatus for selectively restoring data in a non-volatile memory array based on failure type. Weakened data and erroneous data are identified by performing two readings of a specific memory section. Alternatively, an error correction code is used after a first reading of data to identify erroneous data. The manner in which data is restored will depend on whether the data changed because of an erase failure or a program failure. If only a program failure occurred then the data will be reprogrammed without an intervening erase step. If the data experienced an erase failure, then the data will be erased prior to being programmed with correct data.
US07894268B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a memory cell array of NAND cell units. The NAND cell unit includes a plurality of electrically erasable programmable nonvolatile memory cells connected serially, and a first and a second selection transistor provided to connect both ends of the memory cells to a bit line and a source line, respectively. The semiconductor memory device also includes dummy cells inserted in the NAND cell unit adjacent to the first and second selection transistors, respectively. The dummy cells in the NAND cell unit are erased simultaneously with the memory cells under a weaker erase potential condition than that for the memory cells and set in a higher threshold distribution than an erased state of the memory cells.
US07894263B2

Non-volatile memory is programmed using source side hot electron injection. To generate a high voltage bit line for programming, the bit line corresponding to a selected memory cell is charged to a first level using a first low voltage. A second low voltage is applied to unselected bit lines adjacent to the selected bit line after charging. Because of capacitive coupling between the adjacent bit lines and the selected bit line, the selected bit line is boosted above the first voltage level by application of the second low voltage to the unselected bit lines. The column control circuitry for such a memory array does not directly apply the high voltage and thus, can be designed to withstand lower operating voltages, permitting low operating voltage circuitry to be used.
US07894253B2

An integrated circuit is described, including a memory element including a first carbon layer rich in a first carbon material and a second carbon layer rich in a second carbon material. The memory element stores information by reversibly forming a conductive channel in the second carbon layer, wherein the conductive channel includes the first carbon material.
US07894251B2

The present invention provides a semiconductor memory device capable of preventing erroneous writing of a data signal. In DL drivers of an MRAM, transistors corresponding to a selected digit line group are made conductive to charge 16 digit lines to power supply voltage and charge a node to a predetermined voltage VP1=VDD−VTH1. After that, a transistor corresponding to the selected digit line is made conductive to make magnetization current flow. Therefore, occurrence of overshooting of magnetization current when the transistor is made conductive can be prevented.
US07894245B2

A spin-current switchable magnetic memory element (and method of fabricating the memory element) includes a plurality of magnetic layers having a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy component, at least one of the plurality of magnetic layers including an alloy of a rare-earth metal and a transition metal, and at least one barrier layer formed adjacent to at least one of the plurality of magnetic layers.
US07894242B2

Device for storing a binary state defined by a first binary value and a second binary value complementary thereto, the device capable of being queried by a query signal so as to output, in dependence on a binary masking state, the first binary value at a first output and the second binary value at a second output or vice versa.
US07894238B2

A semiconductor device including: a first memory cell including a non-volatile first variable resistance element that stores data by varying a resistance value and a selection transistor that selects the first variable resistance element; a first memory layer provided with more than one such first memory cell arranged in a plane; a second memory cell including a non-volatile second variable resistance element that stores data by varying a resistance value and a selection diode that selects the second variable resistance element; and a second memory layer provided with more than one such second memory cell arranged in a plane; wherein more than one such second memory layer is stacked over the first memory layer.
US07894236B2

An integrated circuit memory device includes an array of nonvolatile memory cells (e.g., variable resistance cells) having a first plurality of lines electrically coupled to memory cells therein. A read/write control circuit is provided. The read/write control circuit includes a read/write merge circuit and a column selection circuit. The read/write control circuit, which is configured to drive a selected one of the first plurality of lines with unequal write and read voltages during respective write and read operations, includes a compensating unit. This compensating unit is configured to provide a read compensation current to the selected one of the first plurality of lines circuit during the read operation.
US07894234B2

A process of polarizing a programmable data storage component of an integrated circuit by polarizing the ferroelectric capacitors in the same orientation and then removing power from the integrated circuit. A process polarizing a programmable data storage component of an integrated circuit by polarizing the ferroelectric capacitors in the same orientation, then removing power from the integrated circuit. A process of polarizing a programmable data storage component of an integrated circuit by polarizing corresponding ferroelectric capacitors in same orientations, then removing power from the integrated circuit. An integrated circuit containing a programmable data storage component and a ferroelectric capacitor polarization circuit that is configured to polarize a first data ferroelectric capacitor and a second data ferroelectric capacitor in desired polarization configurations by applying biases to a first state node, a second state node, a first plate node, and a second plate node.
US07894232B2

A highly reliable large capacity phase change memory module is realized. A semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a memory array having a structure in which a storage layer using a chalcogenide material and a memory cell constituted of a diode are stacked, and an initialization condition and a rewriting condition are changed in accordance with the layer where a selected memory cell is located. A current mirror circuit is selected in accordance with an operation, and at the same time, the initialization condition and the rewriting condition (here, reset condition) are changed in accordance with the operation by a control mechanism of the reset current in a voltage selection circuit and a current mirror circuit.
US07894228B2

A content-addressable random access memory having magnetic tunnel junction-based memory cells and methods for making and using same. The magnetic tunnel junction has first and second magnetic layers and can act as a data store and a data sense. Within each cell, registered data is written by setting a magnetic orientation of the first magnetic layer in the magnetic tunnel junction via current pulses in one or more current lines. Input data for comparison with the registered data can be similarly set through the magnetic orientation of the second magnetic layer via the current lines. The data sense is performed by measuring cell resistance, which depends upon the relative magnetic orientation of the magnetic layers. Since data storage, data input, and data sense are integrated into one cell, the memory combines higher densities with non-volatility. The memory can support high speed, reduced power consumption, and data masking.
US07894224B2

A voltage drive system is provided having a plurality of modulators and a plurality of cascaded switching circuits which collectively generate a single-phase output signal to a load. Each modulator receives a phase current error and has an adder which generates a modulated phase current error based on the phase current error and based on a signal having a phase. For each respective modulator, the phase of the respective signal is different. Each respective modulator changes a respective gate input when the respective modulated phase current error changes from being within a predetermined current range to being outside of the predetermined current range. Each respective switching circuit receives the respective gate input and generates a respective output terminal voltage based on the respective gate input. The change in the respective gate input effectively causes a switching event of the respective switching circuit.
US07894210B1

Apparatus for retaining a plurality of circuit boards includes a chassis that defines an array of mounting surfaces. Each mounting surface is configured to receive a bracket attached to one of the plural circuit boards. A retention bar is hingingly attached to the chassis at a first axis oriented transversely to the array. A lever is configured to rotate the bar about the first axis from an open position in which the brackets may be engaged with the mounting surfaces, to a closed position in which the bar retains the brackets against the mounting surfaces. An arm is configured to hinge at a second axis and to actuate the lever as the arm is rotated about the second axis.
US07894208B1

A server module includes a tray, a motherboard installed in the tray, and at least one storage device. The tray includes a port erected from a rear end of the tray, a roomage inwardly and concavely disposed on an edge of the motherboard and proximate to the port, and a socket disposed at an edge of the roomage and opposite to the port for connecting the insert roomage of the storage device, such that the storage device is disposed onto the roomage of the motherboard, and the motherboard can be used for expanding the storage device directly.
US07894203B2

A multi-layer printed wiring board including a first substrate having an opening and having external terminals positioned to be connected to a package substrate, a second substrate laminated to the first substrate and having external terminals positioned to be connected to a mother board, the second substrate having a metallic layer portion in the opening of the first substrate and non-through holes filled with conductive material and connected to the metallic layer portion, and an IC component having terminals and loaded in the opening of the first substrate such that the terminals of the IC component face an opposite side of the metallic layer portion of the second substrate. The IC chip is accommodated in the opening such that the metallic layer portion and non-through holes of the second substrate irradiate heat generated by the IC chip.
US07894202B2

A multilayer capacitor includes a laminate of ceramic layers, and a capacitor unit provided in the laminate. In the multilayer capacitor, the relationships P≧Ra and P≧W are established, wherein P represents the average projection height of first and second via conductors from the upper surface, Ra represents the surface roughness of the upper surface, and W represents an amount of curvature of the laminate. Further, the projecting portions of the first and second via conductors projecting from the upper surface are buried in first and second external electrodes, respectively.
US07894196B2

A connection module that mounts to a frame includes a housing and electrical contacts positioned on different ends of the housing. A first fixing member defines a channel sized to receive at least a portion of a frame. A second fixing member is moveable relative to the first fixing member to extend at least partially across the channel of the first fixing member.
US07894190B2

An electronic equipment enclosure system with a side-to-side airflow control system includes an enclosure, having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom and two sides, and a side-to-side airflow control system. The airflow control system includes a side wall disposed adjacent one side of the enclosure, and a manifold disposed adjacent the other side of the enclosure. Electronic equipment having a front, a rear, a top, a bottom and two sides is disposed between the side wall and the manifold. Cooling air is routed into a first of the two sides of the electronic equipment, and heated exhaust air is routed out of a second side of the two sides of the electronic equipment and into the manifold. The side wall prevents the heated exhaust air from mixing with the cooling air at the first side of the electronic equipment.
US07894180B2

An external expanding apparatus or “docking station” operable with a portable computer device of a type having a display unit having a display screen on an inner surface thereof and a hard shell backing surface opposite thereof and pivotally mounted on a substantially rigid casing having a pair of locating holes adjacent to opposite corners of a substantially planar bottom surface thereof, and an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back plane thereof with a pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof.
US07894179B2

Disclosed is a panel-like display meant for pivotally mounting near the top front corner of a matching bag by one edge so it can be pivoted into the line of sight of the bag wearer. It may electrically connect to the bags interior or may include its own computing unit. The display panel may be attached to the bag with a display edge clamp meant to match a short flap near the top front corner of a matching bag. The display panel may include an input device, such as a touch pad, and this may be on the back side of the panel opposite the display. The panel may be split in two parts with separate display and touch pad components on the separate part. The display back side may also have fixtures to match a bag front display prop which holds the display at various angles.
US07894174B2

A fault detection circuit and a short-circuit detection circuit for a Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (CCFL) driver integrated circuit having a power bridge and a CCFL load are disclosed that includes a reference circuit operable to generate a reference current in response to an external component, a replica component having a dimension substantially less than the components of the power bridge, a multiplexer circuit, and a comparator circuit. The replica component and the multiplexer circuit pass the reference current and the replica current to the comparator circuit respectively.
US07894162B2

A slider mounted read/write head is protected from thermal asperities due to head-disk interactions by a ridge formed along an interfacial plane that extends above the ABS plane of the slider. The ridge is formed as part of a lapping process that is directed from the read/write head towards the slider substrate and uses an abrasive slurry to which may be added a strong base such as KOH. The height of the ridge is less than approximately 2 nm.
US07894159B2

A magnetic write head having independent trailing and side magnetic shields. The side shields and trailing shields are independently of one another so that they can have throat heights that are different from one another. This advantageously allows the magnetic potential between the write pole and side shields to be controlled independently of one another without relying on the side gap and trailing gap thicknesses. Furthermore, magnetic performance of the write head can be improved because the side shields can be constructed with varying tapered throat heights, while the throat height of the trailing shield can remain constant.
US07894158B2

An embodiment of a magnetic disk apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a magnetic recording medium, a magnetic head assembly having a magnetic head which reads and writes data on the magnetic recording medium, and a motor coil assembly rotationally driving a spindle motor rotation body, in which plural motor coils are arranged on a circumference around the rotation center of the spindle motor rotation body so that intervals in the circumferential direction are equal, in a stator base surrounding a periphery of the spindle motor rotation body and having a shape in which a prescribed moving locus portion of at least the magnetic head assembly is cut out.
US07894156B2

In a disk drive, a wedge-based scheme is used to determine wedge offset correction values for a track of the disk drive. Correction values for the offset of each servo wedge are calculated wedge-by-wedge, based on the position error signal (PES) of the most recently measured servo wedge in combination with the measured PES of other servo wedges. To minimize transport delay of the servo, the majority of servo-control calculations may be pre-calculated prior to measuring the PES at the current wedge. Wedge offset correction values for a given servo wedge are corrected iteratively with each revolution of the storage disk.
US07894155B2

According to one embodiment, there is provided a magnetic recording medium having a data region in which a plurality of recording tracks, each including magnetic dots arrayed in a down-track direction with a pitch p, are formed in a cross-track direction, and a servo region including a preamble in which a plurality of lines of magnetic dots, which are arrayed in a cross-track direction with a pitch p, are formed at equal intervals in the down-track direction.
US07894146B2

A liquid lens is mounted in a lens opening provided in a photographic instrument by making use of a mounting member made of a material which transmits light of predetermined wavelength and includes an inner wall shaped and dimensioned to receive the periphery of the lens in spaced, opposed relationship. The mounting member includes a portion mounted or to be mounted to the optical instrument. A bonding material is provided between the lens periphery and the mounting member wall, and the bonding material is activated by exposure to light of the predetermined wavelength, which is injected from outside, through the mounting member. Preferably, the light is injected with a guide member having an opening with an interior wall shaped and dimensioned to conform to an exterior wall of the guide member. The light may be injected from an edge of the guide member remote from the opening, through the guide member, and into the mounting member.
US07894139B2

An imaging device (3) including a plurality of pixels (3a) having a photoelectric conversion function, and a microlens array (1) including a plurality of microlenses (1a) that form subject images on these plurality of pixels (3a) and are arranged in a matrix are disposed so as to face each other. The microlens array (1) includes grooves (20) in a lattice form between the microlenses (1a) that are adjacent to each other. The depth of the grooves (20) is larger than a half of the thickness of the microlens array (1). Accordingly, it is possible to achieve an imaging apparatus that is easy to manufacture, has a simplified configuration and can capture a clear image and in which an influence of stray light and cross talk are reduced sufficiently.
US07894127B2

At an optical transmission system that uses plural light sources for Raman amplification, even when a failure occurred in a pumping light source in one of the light sources for Raman amplification, the signal light output level and its wavelength characteristic are not deteriorated at the final stage, and the number of components in the system is not made to be large and the cost of the system is not made to be high. This optical transmission system is provided. At an optical transmission system using “n” light sources for Raman amplification, a first to “n−1”th light sources for Raman amplification do not provide spare pumping light sources, and an “n”th light source for Raman amplification provides the spare pumping light sources. When a pumping light source in one of the “n” light sources for Raman amplification had a failure, the spare pumping light source in the “n”th light source for Raman amplification corresponding to the failure occurred pumping light source is worked. With this, the signal light output level and its wavelength characteristic are recovered to a normal state before the failure occurred.
US07894123B2

A multilayer light modulator includes, a light modulating stack operable to transform an electrical control signal into a modulated optical signal. The light modulating stack comprises one or more optically reflecting layers, optically transmitting layers, and optically variable layers. The optically variable layer comprises a plurality of electrophoretic particles supported in a fluid. The multilayer light modulator also includes a bias generator coupled to the optically variable layers. The bias generator is responsive to the electrical control signal, wherein the bias generator creates a bias that changes the reflectance of the light modulating stack by causing the electrophoretic particles to move within the fluid.
US07894121B2

A light valve assembly comprises a holographic optical element and a light valve that comprises an array of individually addressable pixels. The light valve assemblies can be fabricated on the die level or on a wafer-level.
US07894120B2

An electrically controllable/electrochemical device, having variable optical and/or energy properties, including at least one carrier substrate including a first electronically conductive layer, a first electrochemically active layer capable of reversibly inserting ions such as cations, H+, or Li+, or anions, OH−, or anions made of an anodic (or respectively cathodic) electrochromic material, an electrolyte layer, a second electrochemically active layer capable of reversibly inserting the ions, or made of a cathodic (or respectively anodic) electrochromic material, and a second electronically conductive layer. At least one of the electrochemically active layers capable of reversibly inserting the ions, or made of an anodic or cathodic electrochromic material, has a sufficient thickness to allow all the ions to be inserted without electrochemically disfunctioning the active layers.
US07894117B2

A transparent window switchable rear vision mirror adapted to be secured to a motor vehicle for improved road safety, said switchable window/mirror including, a film suitable for use as a light modulating unit of suspended particle device (spd) light valve, said film comprising a matrix polymer material having droplets of a liquid light valve suspension comprising a plurality of particles dispersed in a liquid suspending medium distributed within a matrix, said film characterized in that presence or lack thereof of an electric field results in the particles being aligned such that a beam of light may be reflected, transmitted or absorbed depending on the status of the electrical field applied thereto such a film; a switchable mirror device comprising a substrate and a mono layer film capable of undergoing a reversible change in light transmission or reflectance, said substrate including a film comprising a transmission metal composition; and a power supply device to provide an electrical charge to said film for use as a light modulating unit of spd and the substrate and the mono layer film, such that the application of the electric field provides for light absorbing or light reflecting functionality of a darkened characterization, and a mirror like state for the switching device.
US07894114B2

An optical deflector is disclosed which is capable of preventing unnecessary reflection by a member disposed behind a reflecting portion. The optical deflector includes a substrate portion, a reflecting portion can swing about a swinging motion axis with respect to the substrate portion, and an aperture stop portion which includes an aperture and blocks at least part of a light beam other than a light beam entering the aperture among an incident luminous flux to the optical deflector. The aperture allows passage of the incident luminous flux toward the reflecting portion and that of an emergent luminous flux reflected by the reflecting portion. At least part of an aperture rim of the aperture stop portion has a shape that makes the width of the aperture narrower from a light-beam-incoming side toward a reflecting portion side.
US07894103B2

A variable data pantograph is formed by receiving a variable data string and retrieving at least one character representation from a vocabulary of character representations stored in memory. The retrieved at least one character representation corresponds to the variable data string. Each of the character representations in the vocabulary include a foreground region including a character shape and a background region suitably sized and arranged for encompassing the foreground region. The background region incorporates a first pattern of elements and the foreground region incorporates a second pattern of elements. The retrieved at least one character representation is assembled to form a variable data pantograph, whereby when the variable data pantograph is rendered in an original document, the foreground and background regions are similar in tone, the foreground and background regions being substantially less similar in tone in a copy of the original document to render the character visible.
US07894100B2

A modular pen-like device is provided having a camera module for capturing images, an effects module for applying visual effects to the captured images, and a printer module for printing the captured and visually effected images. The modules have respective, generally cylindrical bodies configured to be assembled together so that the assembled body of the modular pen-like device is generally cylindrical.
US07894099B2

A computer object such as text, graphics, mathematical formulas, images, audio, and other data and information handled inside a computer or through a computer in industry or daily life etc. is expressed, recorded, reproduced, and transmitted using color or a color numerical value. Color is used as a medium for expressing data or information taking note of the characteristics of color. This helps counter the ballooning amount of recording. Color can also be used to prepare codes.
US07894098B1

Systems and computer program products for performing color separation operations. In one aspect, a system creates a high-level representation of a graphical container as a separated element the first time a graphical container is used. The high-level representation being a non-bitmapped representation. The system stores the high-level representation of the graphical container in memory and refers to the separated element in memory when the graphical container is invoked a second time. In another aspect, a system creates a high-level representation of a form XObject as a separated element in a cache. The system uses the separated element in the cache when the form XObject is invoked a second time. In another aspect, a system creates a high-level representation of a pattern container as a separated element in the cache and uses the separated element in the cache when the pattern container is invoked a second time.
US07894089B2

A system for processing print jobs in a network containing a plurality of client stations adapted to submit print jobs, and at least one printing device containing a control unit and a printer, the control unit including storage means for storing print jobs submitted to the printing device. In the system a print account job containing account information of a print job is generated and submitted, wherein the print account job is linked to the corresponding print job by a linking identifier. A stored print job is validated for printing when a corresponding valid account job has been received.
US07894083B2

Display control is made so as to obtain an optimum setting picture plane in accordance with a change in designation of an outputting method of a distribution printing, a multiple-address printing, an automatic substitute printing, or the like without allowing the user to be conscious thereof.
US07894082B2

A printing and display device comprises a housing having an ejection slot in a base wall thereof; a flat panel display disposed within the housing; a printer disposed within the housing, the printer including a printhead and a print engine assembly; and a chute provided behind the flat panel display for guiding print media behind the flat panel display to the printhead. The print engine assembly includes feed means for supporting and feeding paper along a feed path passing between the flat panel display and the printhead to the ejection slot.
US07894081B2

The present invention relates to a component mounted to a device and provides a configuration recognizing system, etc. of a device to enable configuration information of the component to be comprehended regardless of electric connection between the component and the device. A configuration recognizing system of a device (electronic device 6, server apparatus 60) with one or a plurality of components (units 41, 42, 43 . . . 4N) mounted includes a displaying unit (tag 101, 102, 103 . . . 10N) that displays configuration information on the component and a recognizing unit (non-contact recognizing unit 12) that recognize the configuration information from the displaying unit of the component mounted to the inside of the case without contact.
US07894078B2

A device and method for three-dimensional (3-D) imaging using a defocusing technique is disclosed. The device comprises a lens, at least one polarization-coded aperture obstructing the lens, a polarization-sensitive sensor operable for capturing electromagnetic radiation transmitted from an object through the lens and the at least one polarization-coded aperture, and a processor communicatively connected with the sensor for processing the sensor information and producing a 3-D image of the object.
US07894065B2

A method for the correction of measurement errors caused by surface effects induced by ink splitting during the color measurement of a printed sheet on a running printing device, includes scanning the printed sheet photoelectrically point by point and forming color and/or density measured values from scanning signals from the scanned points. Those scanned points which have a brightness exceeding a limiting value are identified, and the measured values are corrected by using the identified scanned points. In particular, during the formation of the color and/or density measured values, the scanning signals from the identified scanned points are not taken into account.
US07894063B2

A method includes determining relative positional relationships between applied fields on a substrate, one of the applied fields including a first field; in a lithographic apparatus, using an alignment apparatus to obtain at least one absolute positional relationship between the position of at least the first field of the substrate and a part of the lithographic apparatus; and determining an absolute positional relationship between at least one field, other than the first field, and a part of the lithographic apparatus using the relative positional relationships and the at least one obtained absolute relationship.
US07894053B2

An inspection apparatus includes a stage allowing an inspection subject to be mounted thereonto, an illumination unit for emitting diffused light to the inspection subject, an imaging unit disposed to face the illumination unit with the inspection subject interposed therebetween, for taking the diffused light that is emitted from the illumination unit and is transmitted through the inspection subject, a first prism sheet disposed between the inspection subject and the illumination unit and having a first prism surface with a plurality of prisms aligned in a stripe pattern to face the illumination unit, a second prism sheet disposed between the illumination unit and the first prism sheet and having a second prism surface with a plurality of prisms aligned in a stripe pattern to face the first prism surface.
US07894050B2

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for determining intensities and peak wavelengths of light. The apparatus comprises one or more pairs of sensing units for sensing the light, a first sensing unit of a pair configured to sense a first intensity of the light in a first predetermined wavelength range with a first predetermined spectral responsivity and a second sensing unit of a pair configured to sense a second intensity of the light in the first predetermined wavelength range with a second predetermined spectral responsivity. The apparatus further comprises a processing system operatively connected to the one or more pairs of sensing units; the processing system configured to determine the intensity and peak wavelength for each of the one or more predetermined wavelength ranges of the light according to one or more predetermined functional relationships between each of the first intensity and second intensity.
US07894047B2

A sample analyzer is provided that is capable of eliciting sufficient performance of an avalanche photodiode, and performing high-precision analysis of the sample. The sample analyzer is provided with a WBC detection section that uses the avalanche photodiode as a photoreceptor element. The WBC detection section is provided with a flow cell, semiconductor light source, side collective lens, dichroic mirror, and avalanche photodiode. The side collective lens is a lens with a high NA (numeric aperture), and an aspheric lens with a small aberration. The sample analyzer prepares a scattergram using side fluorescent light signals and side scattered light signals to classify white blood cells into five categories.
US07894046B2

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a high-resolution, non-invasive technique to image subsurface tissue and tissue functions. A broadband light source illuminates an object and the reflected photons are processed using an interferometer, demodulated into inphase and quadrature components and then digitized. The captured data contains information about the velocity of the moving scatterers but current Doppler estimation algorithms have a limited velocity detection range. Using a two dimensional velocity estimation, Doppler OCT (DOCT) can be used for the detection of in vivo aortic blood flow rates of over 1 m/s peak velocity through an esophageal DOCT probe. Previous methods have used a transverse Kasai (TK) autocorrelation estimation to estimate the velocity which is good for slow velocities, such as in the microvasculature. By calculating the Kasai autocorrelation with a lag in the depth or axial direction, backscattered frequency information is obtained which yields high velocity rate information. Through subtraction with stationary backscattered information, the Doppler shift is obtained by the axial Kasai (AK) technique. Through utilizing information from two dimensions, velocities can be resolved which spans rates from the microcirculation to cardiac blood flow velocities.
US07894039B2

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to light. A substrate stage holds the substrate and is to be moved. A measuring device measures a positional deviation amount of a mark on the substrate held by the substrate stage. A computing device determines a coefficient of a linear expression that approximates the measured positional deviation amount of each mark and is linear with respect to a term including at least one of an X coordinate to the Nth power and a Y coordinate to the Nth power, where N is an integer not less than zero, and a control device controls a position of the substrate stage in accordance with a target position determined based on the linear expression to expose a shot to the light. The computing device determines the coefficient in accordance with an integer programming method so as to minimize a number of marks, each of which satisfies a condition that a difference between the measured positional deviation amount and the approximated positional deviation amount is out of a predetermined allowable range.
US07894034B2

A thin film transistor (TFT) array panel with improved contact between the display signal lines and test lines is presented. The TFT array panel includes: gate lines and data lines intersecting each other, switching elements connected to the gate lines and the data lines, and at least one test line disposed near end portions of the gate lines or the data lines. An insulating layer covers the gate lines, the data lines and the switching elements and has first contact holes exposing the end portions of the gate lines or the data lines and second contact holes exposing the test lines. Auxiliary test lines are formed on the insulating layer and commonly connected to conductive layers, wherein the conductive layers connect at least one test line to the gate lines or the data lines via the first and the second contact holes.
US07894029B2

Work is irradiated with polarized light generated by configuring in such a manner as to have a polarizer using a grating that separates polarized light from non-polarized light, a lamp and a condenser mirror that allow light to fall on the polarizer, a collimator lens that converts the incoming light into parallel beams, an integrator lens that uniformizes intensity distribution of light radiated from the polarizer, and a diffusion lens with functions to enlarge or contract the irradiated range to the work size, and by forming protrusions and recesses of the shape, material, and size that fit to the desired wavelength on a substrate such as quartz, etc. that transmit ultraviolet light, and by providing the light-polarizing performance by appropriately providing an incident angle. By carrying out this processing, the alignment film in the liquid crystal display element can be photo-aligned at high accuracy and uniformly.
US07894025B2

An LCD including a color filter substrate, an array substrate, and a liquid crystal layer therebetween is provided. This color filter substrate has a plurality of color filters with overlap regions acting as a black matrix. Subsequently, patterned regions are defined in part of the overlap regions. After formation of a planarization layer and a conductive layer, spacers are formed in the patterned regions. The spacers may not shield the transparent region of the color filters, thereby enhancing the aperture ratio of the color filter substrate. Additionally, the thickness of the planarization layer in the patterned regions is not influenced by the overlap of the color filters, such that the spacers thereon have a uniform height. Furthermore, the at least one spacer of the color filter substrate and at least one data line of the array substrate are overlapped.
US07894021B2

LCD device includes two substrates, a first and second color filters, two liquid crystal layers. The first color filters are formed on portions of the second substrate corresponding to border area. The second color filters are formed on portions of the second substrate corresponding to the display area except the border area. A first liquid crystal layer between the first and the second substrate is comprised in border area, and a zero electric field is formed on the first liquid crystal layer so as to completely transmit light incident into the first liquid crystal layer therethrough. A borderline having various colors can be displayed by forming various patterns of color filters having various colors on portions of the second substrate corresponding to the border area under normally white mode, thereby producing picture frame effect while images are displayed on the screen.
US07894016B2

In a liquid crystal display, an opening is formed in a lateral surface of a bezel of an LCD unit, and the opening serves as an LED module insert slot. An LED of an LED module is arranged on a substrate so as to emit light toward a light guide plate provided on the backside of a liquid crystal panel. The LED module is inserted into the LED module insert slot and fixed to a back plate arranged on the backside of the LED unit by using a fixing member such as a screw.
US07894011B2

A liquid crystal display panel includes a repair line for substituting open-circuited signal lines. Signal lines are disposed over a first side of a first substrate of the liquid crystal display panel for data transmission. Repair lines are disposed over a first side of a second substrate of the liquid crystal display panel for substituting open-circuited signal lines. The first side of the first substrate faces the first side of the second substrate. A liquid crystal layer is disposed between the first and second substrates of the liquid crystal panel.
US07894010B2

The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display panel and a method for fabricating the same which can improve aperture and prevent a brightness deviation between lots. The liquid crystal display panel includes a thin film transistor formed on a lower substrate and connected to a gate line and a data line, a pixel electrode connected to a drain electrode of the thin film transistor, a common electrode forming a horizontal electric field with the pixel electrode, a connection electrode overlapped with and connected to the data line, and a black matrix on an upper substrate opposite to the lower substrate for forming a vertical electric field with the connection electrode.
US07894009B2

In the conventional manufacture method that has reduced the number of manufacture processes by forming semiconductor layers and source-drain wires for a channel-etch type insulating gate transistor in a single photo etching process using halftone exposure technology, the channel length increases when the photosensitive resin pattern used at above formation process of source-drain patterning is reduced. Hence the manufacture tolerance (margin) is small, and the yield decreases when the distance between the source wire and drain wire is shortened. This invention suggests the 4-mask process and, 3-mask process of the TN type liquid crystal display devices and IPS-type liquid crystal display devices by combining the following: streamline technology to form the already known pixel electrodes and scanning lines simultaneously; new technology to streamline the opening formation process in gate insulating layers and island formation process of semiconductor layer, using halftone exposure technology; and new technology to streamline the protective layer formation process for electrode terminals by adding halftone exposure technology to the already known anode oxidization technology for source-drain wires.
US07894008B2

A display apparatus including a plurality of gate lines, a data line intersecting the plurality of gate lines; a first pixel unit connected with a n-th gate line of the plurality of gate lines and the data line. A second pixel unit connected with a (n+1)-th gate line of the plurality of gate lines; and a coupling capacitor disposed between the first pixel unit and the second pixel unit, wherein the first pixel unit comprises a first liquid crystal capacitor and a first thin film transistor (TFT), the second pixel unit comprises a second liquid crystal capacitor and a second thin film transistor (TFT), and a source electrode and a drain electrode of the second TFT are connected with both electrodes of the coupling capacitor, respectively.
US07893997B2

A method for generating a video clock and an associated target image frame is disclosed. The method generates an output clock signal for outputting a target image frame to a panel according to a frame pixel number and a vertical synchronization signal (Vsync). The target image frame corresponds to a source image frame. The frame pixel number is the number of total pixels included in a predetermined frame format, and the Vsync signal is an input Vsync signal or an output Vsync signal. The period of the output clock signal is the result of the period of the Vsync divided by the frame pixel number. In this manner, the format of the target image frame can remain substantially fixed, and is substantially equal to the predetermined frame format.
US07893991B2

An original is inclined with respect to an optical axis of a camera until the camera is positioned outside a reflected-image taking range by inclining a mounting surface of an original glass on which the original is placed. This makes it possible, when the original is taken by the camera, to prevent the camera from being reflected on the original and being taken in with the original. An imaging case formed of a diffusing member that is made of a high light-diffusing material or a high light-absorbing material is arranged in the reflected-image taking range. This makes it possible to prevent an object positioned in the reflected-image taking range from being reflected on the original and being taken by the camera. Consequently, clear image information can be more reliably obtained.
US07893980B2

Disclosed herein is a Complementary Metal-Oxide-Silicon (CMOS) image sensor. The image sensor includes a two-dimensional pixel array composed of unit pixels, each unit pixel having a photo diode and transistors, a row decoder located at an end of the pixel array to assign row addresses, and a column decoder located at another end of the pixel array, which is erpendicular to the row decoder, to assign column addresses to corresponding pixels in rows selected by the row decoder. The row decoder allows the integration time points of the unit pixels, which are included in the pixel array, to be identical. Accordingly, the distortion of images can be prevented.
US07893956B2

The invention relates to an image pick-up module, in particular for an endoscope, comprising an electronic image sensor having a plurality of contact fingers that are arranged in two rows on opposite sides and each have a length, and a circuit board, to which the contact fingers are electrically contact-connected, the circuit board having at least three sections which are connected to one another in one piece and of which a first and a second section extend in a manner spaced apart from one another essentially transversely with respect to the image sensor and a third section extends essentially parallel to the image sensor, the image sensor being arranged at the end of the first and second sections which is remote from the third section, and at least one row of the contact fingers of the image sensor running along an outer side of the first or second section. The first section, the second section and the third section are connected to one another in an unarticulated manner, the length of the first section and/or of the second section is less than or equal to the length of the contact fingers and a space is present between the first, second and third sections of the circuit board, at least one electronic component for the control electronics of the image sensor being present in the said space.
US07893955B2

An apparatus and method for displaying image data direction of a terminal displays direction information in case of displaying an object photographed through a camera installed in a terminal thus to maximize efficiency value of image information and utilize a multiplexing format including direction in an image as a basis data format. To achieve the purpose of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for displaying image data direction of a terminal in accordance with the present invention comprising a direction sensor for detecting direction of a photographing object in a conventional terminal and a direction displaying apparatus for encoding and packetizing the converted digital direction signal. There is also provided a method for displaying image data direction of a terminal in accordance with the present invention comprising the steps of receiving an image frame from a base station, demultiplexing the received image frame in a multiplexing processing unit and separating the frame into voice, image and direction data and displaying the separated direction and image data on an LCD according to control of the direction displaying processing unit.
US07893954B2

A mobile communication terminal and method of video communications thereof are disclosed, by which a broadcast program currently received by the mobile communication terminal can be transmitted to a correspondent terminal by real time using the video communications. The present invention includes a transceiver unit connecting a video call, a broadcast receiving unit receiving a broadcast program, a codec decoding the received broadcast program, and a control unit controlling the decoded broadcast program to be transmitted using the video call.
US07893952B2

An improved print head assembly is disclosed that provides even pressure over the width of a print face across a platen roller. Accordingly, the print head assembly can perform edge-justified printing operations without portions of the print being faint or skewing due to uneven pressure across the print head.
US07893940B2

The present invention relates to a method and system for processing a volumetric dataset for providing close-up visualization of a subset therefrom. A volumetric dataset is processed based on a dual access gradient quantization data structure. The data structure is generated in a fast pre-processing stage and provides substantially immediate access to a quantized gradient using either an index or an arbitrary normalized vector. The method provides a clear, enlarged high-resolution image of a user selected region of interest at interactive rates and allows the user to freely move and visualize the region of interest within the volumetric dataset and with any orientation.
US07893935B1

The present invention relates to a system, method, and computer program product for immersive navigation in a virtual environment (VE) suitable for allowing a user to change a view orientation in the VE independently of physical orientation of a user input, such as orientation of the user's head. Specifically, the present invention combines three distinct virtual reality navigation metaphors (trackball navigation, grab navigation, and immersive navigation) into a hybrid navigation approach generating a final virtual-viewpoint that correlates to the characteristics of an intermediate virtual-viewpoint defined by radius, pitch, and heading of a virtual reference sphere (as in trackball navigation), while the final virtual-viewpoint also adjusts the location and gaze direction of the intermediate virtual-viewpoint based on pitch, heading, and roll of the user's head (as in immersive navigation), thus allowing the user to view a point of interest in the VE while simultaneously facing comfortably forward in the physical world.
US07893932B2

An electronic circuit, which has transistors disposed on a substrate, each transistor including an active layer made of thin-film polysilicon, includes a sensor that converts a measured quantity into a current value, a current-voltage conversion circuit that converts the current value into a voltage, and a voltage detection circuit that detects the voltage converted by the current-voltage conversion circuit and outputs a predetermined signal. The current-voltage conversion circuit includes a range-switching circuit that switches a current-voltage conversion range.
US07893931B2

A shift register array includes a plurality of first shift registers, a second shift register, a first connection line, a second connection line, and a third connection line. A signal output terminal of each first shift register overlaps the first connection line and the third connection line without electric connection. The first connection line is connected to a signal input terminal of the second shift register. The second connection line is connected to a signal output terminal of the second shift register, and establishes a plurality of electric connection paths. When one of the first shift registers malfunctions, the corresponding connection points and overlapping points are cut or connected so that the malfunctioned first shift register can be replaced by the second shift register.
US07893930B2

A system for enabling user interaction with computer software which includes a printer for receiving print data, printing a form, using the print data, by printing information related to at least one text field coincident with coded data indicative of the text field, receiving indicating data from a sensing device and transferring the indicating data to a computer system to allow the interaction to be interpreted. The sensing device when moved relative to the text field senses the coded data and generates the indicating data using the sensed coded data to be indicative of the relative movement of the sensing device. The indicating data is indicative of a stroke defining a sequence of sensing device positions determined from the sensed coded data.
US07893929B2

To be able to smoothly instruct a command from a command input region, in this game program, a plurality of commands is assigned to a command icon. Then, when a touch pen touched a contact input type of monitor, the coordinate data of the contact start position SS is recognized. Then, in the case that the coordinate data of the contact start position SS matched a coordinate data inside the command icon, the coordinate data of a subsequent contact position is recognized. Then, in the case that the coordinate data of the subsequent contact position did not match the coordinate data of the contact start position SS, based on the coordinate data of the contact start position SS and the coordinate data of the subsequent contact position, based on the track that is specified by the contact start position SS and the subsequent contact position of the touch pen 40, one command out of any of the plurality of commands is executed.
US07893922B2

An input organ, being provided with means for detecting the touch of a fingertip, where said organ is provided with means for providing a tactile feedback to said fingertip to acknowledge an activation of said input organ, and where said means for providing a tactile feedback comprises an elongate object of shape memory metal.
US07893921B2

An input device contains a plurality of push switch elements that are connected to a single switch signal line. When a switch signal is detected from the switch signal line, it is determined which push switch element is enabled based on coordinate data obtained from a primary input sensor. By using the coordinate data, only a single switch signal line is used to determine which push switch element is enabled.
US07893906B2

A display device having improved aperture ratio includes a switching element, a liquid crystal capacitor and a storage capacitor. The switching element is electrically connected to a gate line and a source line crossing each other. The liquid crystal capacitor has a pixel electrode electrically connected to the switching element through a first contact to define a pixel area. The storage capacitor has a storage line partially overlapping the source line. The storage line is electrically connected to the pixel electrode through a second contact hole.
US07893904B2

In a displaying method for use in an image display, an original gray scale is divided into a higher gray scale and a lower gray scale. Further, the color subpixels are divided into two groups corresponding to the higher and lower gray scales, respectively. The gray scale to be expressed by each subpixel is calibrated by weighing the original higher or lower gray scale for the pixel and the adjacent pixels and summing up the results. The color shift problem due to different visual angles can therefore be solved.
US07893902B2

An exemplary LCD (2) includes a glass substrate (29) having a display area (21); driving integrated circuits (ICs) (210) disposed at two adjacent sides of the glass substrate for providing image signals to the display area; first and second voltage change circuits (216, 217); and a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) connected to the glass substrate at a corner for providing operating voltages to the driving ICs. The driving IC includes first reference voltage pins, second reference voltage pins, first voltage following pins, second voltage following pins, and an operating voltage input pin. The first voltage change circuits are respectively connected between the first reference voltage pins and the corresponding first voltage following pins. The second voltage change circuits are respectively connected between the second reference voltage pins and the corresponding second voltage following pins.
US07893901B2

An apparatus and method for driving a hold-type display panel, for example an LCD (liquid crystal display) panel, includes gate lines and data lines intersecting to form a matrix of pixels. An image is displayed corresponding to data signals applied to the data lines according to gate pulses applied to the gate lines. A signal controlling unit generates a gate control signal for selecting the gate lines and image data to be displayed. The signal controlling unit also generates predetermined dummy data during a dummy data display interval set within a blank interval of a vertical synchronization signal. A gate driving unit applies the gate pulses to the gate lines selected according to the gate control signal. A data driving unit generating the data signal corresponding to the image data and applies the data signals to corresponding data lines.
US07893900B2

A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal panel, including multiple pixels, and a driving circuit. The pixels are driven according to a first driving pattern. The driving circuit monitors the liquid crystal panel for a cross-talk condition. The driving circuit generates a signal and changes the driving pattern to an alternate driving pattern when a cross-talk condition is detected in the liquid crystal panel.
US07893891B2

An integrated circuit (IC) device for controlling a plurality of electrodes in a plasma display device, and a plasma display device including one or more IC devices, are provided. The IC device includes a plurality of output parts coupled to the plurality of electrodes, first and second terminals coupled to end portions of the IC device, and at least one third terminal between the first and second terminals and to supply a predetermined voltage to the IC device.
US07893887B2

An antenna for use with an RFID device reader includes a metallic plate and multiple antenna elements attached to the metallic plate. The antenna elements may consist of two prongs each, with the prongs of each element arrayed in a diagonal configuration, and with the two prongs forming an X-shape. Each of the prongs may include a pair of L-shape prong parts that are coupled together by an electrical element connecting the corners of the L-shape prong parts. The distal ends of all of the prong parts of the antenna elements may together form a substantially square shape. Each of the antenna elements may be coupled to a single conductor, for connection to an RFID reader. The connection may be through a suitable standard coupling, such as a coaxial cable with a suitable connector.
US07893883B2

Handheld electronic devices are provided that contain wireless communications circuitry having at least first and second antennas. An antenna isolation element reduces signal interference between the antennas, so that the antennas may be used in close proximity to each other. A planar ground element may be used as a ground by the first and second antennas. The first antenna may be formed using a hybrid planar-inverted-F and slot arrangement in which a planar resonating element is located above a rectangular slot in the planar ground element. The second antenna may be formed from an L-shaped strip. The planar resonating element of the first antenna may have first and second arms. The first arm may resonate at a common frequency with the second antenna and may serve as the isolation element. The second arm may resonate at approximately the same frequency as the slot portion of the hybrid antenna.
US07893881B2

An antenna device for a portable radio communication device operable in at least a first and a second frequency band, includes first and second electrically conductive planar radiating elements. The first radiating element has a feeding portion connectable to a feed device of the portable radio communication device. The second radiating element includes a grounding portion connectable to ground. A controllable switch is arranged between the first and second radiating elements for selectively interconnecting and disconnecting the radiating elements. The state of the switch is controlled by means of a control voltage input. A first filter is arranged between the feeding portion and the control voltage input, to block radio frequency signals. By providing a high pass filter between the first and second radiating elements above a ground plane, quad-band operation is provided with high efficiency in a physically small antenna device.
US07893875B1

A device and method of geolocating a transmitter. First and second receivers, in motion, receive a signal from the transmitter. Digitizers in the receivers digitize the signal. Converters in the receivers for converting the digitized signals to complex-valued signals. Transmitters on the receivers transmit their digitized signals, locations, and velocities at the time the signal was received to a processor. A central processing unit on the processor determines a difference in radial velocities of the receivers relative to the transmitter. The difference in radial velocities and delay time between the signals received at the receivers are used to geolocate the transmitter.
US07893864B2

A radar apparatus is provided. An antenna is configured to transmit a frequency-modulated transmission wave toward an object and receive a reception wave from the object. A mixer is configured to mix the transmission wave with the reception wave to generate a beat signal having a first beat interval and a second beat interval. A detecting section is configured to detect a plurality of first peak signals contained in the first beat interval of the beat signal and a plurality of second peak signals contained in the second beat interval. A grouping section is configured to group the second peak signals. A searching section is configured to search a part of the first peak signals corresponding to the grouped second peak signals. A separating section is configured to separate the part of the first peak signals from the other part of the first peak signals.
US07893859B2

A charge corresponding to an analog signal Vi is accumulated in first and second capacitors 25, 27, respectively. A digital signal VDIGN having a digital value (D1, D0, for example) corresponding to the analog signal Vi is generated. By connecting the second capacitor 27 between an output 21c and an inversion input 21a of an operational amplifier circuit 21 and supplying a first capacitor end 25a with an analog signal VD/A corresponding to the digital signal VDIGN, a first conversion value VOUT1 is generated in the output 21c of the operational amplifier circuit 21. By connecting the first and third capacitors 25, 33 between the output 21c and inversion input 21a of the operational amplifier circuit 21 and supplying a second capacitor end 27a with the analog signal VD/A, a second conversion value VOUT2 is generated in the output 21c of the operational amplifier circuit 21.
US07893858B2

A method and apparatus for performing pipelined capacitive folding and interpolation analog-to-digital conversion. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a multistage pipelined analog-to-digital converter having: a distributed sample/hold and preamp, folding and interpolation unit which combines a plurality of preamplified signals using a capacitive folding and capacitive interpolation; and a decoding unit coupled to decode the output signals from the folding and interpolation unit. The distributed sample/hold and preamp drastically improves the input dynamic range and hence increases ADC over all linearity. This technique offers an inherent dynamic offset cancellation in every sample and can be implemented in submicron CMOS, using the core digital supply.
US07893855B2

An exemplary continuous-time delta-sigma analog-to-digital converter includes a loop filter, a quantizer, a dynamic element matching circuit, a latch, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The loop filter contains a plurality of integrators coupled in series, including a first integrator and a second integrator; a first positive feedback resistive element, placed in a first positive feedback path between a first output node of the second integrator and a first input node of the first integrator; and a first negative feedback resistive element, placed in a first negative feedback path between a second output node of the second integrator and a second input node of the first integrator. The quantizer is implemented using a domino quantizer. The DAC contains a plurality of DAC units each having a capacitive device, a resistive device, and a switch device coupled between the capacitive device and the resistive device.
US07893843B2

Methods, devices, and systems for monitoring a number of recurrent activities of an individual are disclosed. One method for monitoring a recurrent activity of an individual using activity windowing includes recording a number of sensor activations of at least one sensor, determining a number of peaks in the number of sensor activations, defining one or more time frames based upon the location of at least one of the number of peaks in the time period, and applying a rule associated with a threshold number of activations, where the rule is applied to at least one particular time frame in order to determine whether to initiate an action.
US07893820B2

Method of transmitting an electromagnetic identification request signal, generated by an antenna (11-14) connected to a central unit (15) mounted on a vehicle (1), to an electronic housing (6-9) mounted on a wheel (2-5) of the vehicle. This transmission method includes successively transmitting, after starting of the vehicle (1), a plurality of identical identification request signals (S1 . . . , Si, Si+1, . . . ), and wherein, after each transmission at an instant Ti of a signal Si, the speed of travel V of the vehicle (1) is measured, the time Tr of a complete rotation of the wheel (2-5) is calculated for the speed V, and the following signal Si+1 is triggered at an instant Ti+1 such that: Ti+1=Ti+nTr+Tθ with n integer ≧1 and 0
US07893813B2

A radio frequency identification system comprises a radio-frequency identification substrate and an interrogator. In one embodiment, the radio-frequency identification substrate comprises a plurality of radio-frequency identification devices. In one embodiment, a controller on the substrate controls a first one of the plurality of radio-frequency identification devices based on a state of a second one of the plurality of radio-frequency identification devices. In one embodiment, an antenna system includes an S-shaped portion electrically coupled to an integrated circuit along a central portion of the S-shaped portion. Adjusting the parameters of the segments making up the S-shaped portion controls performance characteristics of a radio-frequency identification device.
US07893810B2

A strain measuring device according to the present invention includes a bridged circuit comprising a p-type impurity diffused resistor as a strain detective portion and a bridged circuit comprising an n-type impurity diffused resistor as a strain detective portion in a semiconductor single crystalline substrate, and sheet resistance of the p-type impurity diffused resistor is 1.67 to 5 times higher than that of the n-type impurity diffused resistor. Furthermore, it is preferable that the impurity diffused resistor be configured to be a meander shape comprising strip lines and connecting portions. Moreover, it is preferable that the number of strip lines in the p-type impurity diffused resistor be smaller than that in the n-type impurity diffused resistor.
US07893808B2

A conductor assembly of the type which, when conducting current, generates a magnetic field or in which, in the presence of a changing magnetic field, a voltage is induced. In one series of embodiments a plurality of coil rows comprise conductor in a helical wiring pattern formed about an axis. One of the coil rows is positioned a radial distance R from the axis. For each of the coil rows the helical pattern comprises conductor loops each exhibiting a tilt in the same direction with respect to a plane transverse to the axis, the assembly capable of generating an axial field component and a transverse field component.
US07893804B2

Provided is an electrical apparatus comprising a magnetic core, a conductive coil wound around at least a part of the core, a cooling element configured to receive a cooling fluid to cool the core and the coil during operation, and at least one biasing element operatively associated with the core to urge the core and the coil into engagement with the cooling element despite differential expansion or contraction of the core and the coil and manufacturing tolerances. Further provided is a method for making an electrical apparatus comprising disposing a conductive coil wound around at least a part of a magnetic core, disposing a cooling element between the core and the coil, the cooling element configured to receive a cooling fluid to cool the core and the coil during operation, and urging the core and the coil into engagement with the cooling element despite differential expansion or contraction of the core and the coil and manufacturing tolerances.
US07893802B2

A position switch is disclosed with a device to generate a magnetic force, with at least a first coil and at least one armature, it being possible to magnetize and move the armature via the first coil. How the magnetic force, particularly at the start of movement of the movable components of the device, can be increased to reduce the necessary power consumption of the first coil, is a focus of at least one embodiment. For this purpose, at least one embodiment of the device to generate a magnetic force includes at least one device to premagnetize the armature. The result includes a series of advantages, e.g. a smaller design, lower power consumption and possible use with multiple different switching units with different counterforces.
US07893799B1

A microelectromechanical (MEMS) switch includes a substrate, a force-activated latching mechanism, and a spring-loaded shuttle. The latching mechanism has a proximal end and a distal end. In an embodiment, the latching mechanism includes two flexible latch arms each fixed at or about a proximal end and having a free distal end, and a connector connecting the latch arms. The spring-loaded shuttle includes a shuttle portion including a portion configured for engaging portions of the latch arms. The shuttle portion further being configured to translate about the substrate. The latching mechanism and the shuttle may be configured to include an electrical contact layer such that when the latch arms are engaged with the shuttle portion, a closed electrical circuit can be formed.
US07893797B2

In line circuit breakers with a combined overcurrent/short-circuit current tripping device, tripping should take place in a well defined manner in the case of an overcurrent and in the case of a short-circuit current. For this purpose, gaps (A, B) need to be set precisely. If the housing is made from a cost-effective housing material such as thermosetting plastic it is subject to shrinkage. As a result, the mentioned gaps may change. An armature (24) is mounted in such a way that it changes its rest rotary position in the event of shrinkage of the housing. A magnet yoke (28) as part of the overcurrent/short-circuit current tripping device is mounted and shaped in such a way that the rotation is compensated for precisely, so that the mentioned gaps do not change despite the shrinkage.
US07893795B2

A circuit device having an inductor and a capacitor in parallel connection includes a planar inductor embedded in an insulating material layer, wherein the planar inductor has a winding wire portion, a first connection terminal and a second connection terminal. The first connection terminal and the second connection terminal are located at different elevations and have an overlapping region. A capacitor dielectric layer is located within the overlapping region between the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal, and the capacitor dielectric layer and the first connection terminal and the second connection terminal together form a capacitor.
US07893788B2

A charge pump-based frequency modulator is provided. The charge pump-based frequency modulator comprises an analog phase correction path comprising a varactor and a charge pump. The varactor is coupled to an output of the charge pump-based frequency modulator. The charge pump is coupled to a node between the varactor and the output and receives a signal containing the modulated data.
US07893786B2

An inductor circuit includes a pair of inductors connected in parallel with each other and a switch for turning on and off electric power to one of the pair of inductors. The inductance of the inductor circuit can be varied and the quality factor Q can be improved. Further, RF circuits employing the inductor circuit can generate an intended operating frequency.
US07893773B2

A method for calibrating a phase locked loop begins by determining a gain offset of a voltage controlled oscillator of the phase locked loop. The processing then continues by adjusting current of a charge pump of the phase locked loop based on the gain offset.
US07893770B2

Provided is a power amplification device including: a DC power supply that outputs a drain voltage; a Doherty amplifier including a carrier amplifier and a peak amplifier, which are connected in parallel, and amplifies an RF signal; a voltage control circuit that outputs a first instruction to output a low voltage when an output power is equal to or lower than a given value, and outputs a second instruction to output a high voltage when the output power is larger than the given value; and a voltage converter circuit that converts the drain voltage to a voltage lower than the drain voltage and applies the converted voltage to drain terminals of the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier according to the first instruction, and applies the drain voltage directly to the drain terminals of the carrier amplifier and the peak amplifier according to the second instruction.
US07893768B2

A method and system for providing automatic gain control for a differential amplifier are provided. An impedance network is set to have a first impedance that corresponds to a first gain for a differential amplifier, which amplifies an input signal by the first gain. Once the amplified input signal is greater than a first threshold voltage, the impedance network is set to have a second impedance that corresponds to a second gain for the differential amplifier, which amplifies the input signal. Once amplified input signal is greater than a second threshold voltage and a predetermined period has lapsed, the impedance network is reset to have the first impedance that corresponds to a first gain for the differential amplifier.
US07893767B2

An operational amplifier in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a differential amplifier circuit to perform differential amplification of an input signal with respect to a reference potential Vbias, an output circuit to output a signal amplified by the differential amplifier circuit, a phase compensation capacitance connected between the output of the differential amplifier circuit and the output of the output circuit to compensate the phase of the signal output from the output circuit, and a diode connected in parallel with the phase compensation capacitance.
US07893760B2

An amplifier circuit including: a multistage amplifier unit including an input-stage transistor and an output-stage transistor and configured to amplify an input signal and to output an amplified signal; and a feedback unit including a first feedback transistor, a second feedback transistor, and a feedback resistor, and configured to feed back the amplified signal to an input of the output-stage transistor in the multistage amplifier unit via the first feedback transistor, the second feedback transistor, and the feedback resistor.
US07893754B1

A temperature independent reference circuit includes first and second bipolar transistors with commonly coupled bases. First and second resistors are coupled in series between the emitter of the second bipolar transistor and ground. The first and second resistors have first and second resistance values, R1 and R2, and third and second temperature coefficients, TC3 and TC2, respectively. The resistance values being such that a temperature coefficient of a difference between the base-emitter voltages of the first and second bipolar transistors, TC1, is substantially equal to TC2×(R2/(R1+R2))+TC3×(R1/(R1+R2)), resulting in a reference current flowing through each of the first and second bipolar transistors that is substantially constant over temperature. A third resistor coupled between a node and the collector of the second bipolar transistor has a value such that a reference voltage generated at the node is substantially constant over temperature.
US07893748B1

Clock multiplexing techniques generate an output clock signal by detecting edges of a selected input clock signal and toggling the output clock signal based on detected edges of the selected input clock signal. Toggle signals are generated based on detected edges of the selected input clock signal. Toggle signals are used to control when the output clock signal is to toggle high or low. A latch holds the state of the output clock signal in its current state until changed by receipt of a toggle signal. Switching from use of a first clock signal to use of a second clock signal occurs regardless of whether the first input clock is operating. A delay is introduced that prevents glitches in the output clock signal that are less than one half clock period of the next selected input clock signal in duration.
US07893736B2

A multi-branch frequency translation system converts a plurality of independent input clocks to a common frequency. One of the converted clock signals is selected as a dominant clock. The remaining converted clock signals are edge-synchronized with the dominant clock. When the system selects another converted clock signal for use as the dominant clock, the newly selected signal already is edge-synchronized with the dominant clock and, therefore, switchover losses can be avoided. The dominant clock can be subject of further frequency translation processes and output from the system.
US07893733B1

A voltage driver circuit includes a first transistor. The first transistor includes a control terminal, a first terminal, and a second terminal. The second transistor includes a control terminal, a first terminal, and a second terminal. A first current source configured to provide a first bias current to the control terminal of the first transistor. A second current source configured to provide a second bias current to the control terminal of the second transistor. The first resistance includes a first terminal connected to the control terminal of the first transistor. The second resistance includes a first terminal connected to the control terminal of the second transistor. A capacitance connects the second terminal of the first transistor with the control terminal of the second transistor. A ratio of the first bias current to the second bias current is approximately equal to a ratio of the second resistance to the first resistance.
US07893728B2

An exemplary aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is a voltage-current converter converting an input voltage input to an input terminal to a current to output the current, the voltage-current converter including a first current generating circuit including an input transistor having a gate connected to the input terminal and generating an output current according to a current flowing in the input transistor, and a second current generating circuit including a transistor having a gate having a potential different from potential of a source and a drain, the second current generating circuit generating a superimposed current according to the current flowing in the transistor to supply the superimposed current to the input transistor.
US07893725B2

The disclosure relates to phase detectors. Charge up and charge down signals that are generated by a phase detector cause i) following detection of a first edge of a reference clock signal, switching on of a switching transistor of sink current; ii) following detection of an edge of a feedback clock signal falling within less than 180 degrees from the first edge, switching on of a switching transistor of source current and switching off of the switching transistor of sink current; and iii) following detection of an edge of another reference signal at a point in time about midway between the first edge and a next similar edge of the reference clock signal has past, switching off of the switching transistor of source current while maintaining the switching transistor of sink current switched off.
US07893716B1

Hotsocket detection circuitry is provided for detecting hotsocket conditions in integrated circuits such as programmable logic device integrated circuits. Power-on-reset circuitry may provide a power-on-reset signal that is indicative of when power supply voltages are ready to power circuitry on the integrated circuit for normal operation. A delay circuit that is powered by a power supply voltage may receive the power-on-reset signal and may generate a corresponding delayed version of the power-on-reset signal. The delayed version of the power-on-reset signal may be provided to the hotsocket detection circuitry to ensure that the hotsocket detection circuitry produces a hotsocket signal that transitions after a transition in the power-on-reset signal. The delay circuit may include one or more inverter stages.
US07893707B2

There is provided a physical property measuring method for a TFT liquid crystal panel, includes an impedance setting step of setting the impedance between the source and drain of a TFT of the TFT liquid crystal panel to be less than or equal to a predetermined value, a voltage application step of applying a voltage that cyclically varies to a liquid crystal layer of the TFT liquid crystal panel. And the method further includes a physical property measuring step of measuring a transient current flowing through the liquid crystal layer to which the voltage that cyclically varies is applied in the voltage application step to measure physical properties of the liquid crystal layer.
US07893693B2

An apparatus comprises a radio frequency magnetic field unit to generate a desired magnetic field. In one embodiment, the radio frequency magnetic field unit includes a first aperture that is substantially unobstructed and a second aperture contiguous to the first aperture. In an alternative embodiment, the radio frequency magnetic field unit includes a first side aperture, a second side aperture and one or more end apertures. In one embodiment of a method, a current element is removed from a radio frequency magnetic field unit to form a magnetic field unit having an aperture. In an alternative embodiment, two current elements located opposite from one another in a radio frequency magnetic field unit are removed to form a magnetic filed unit having a first side aperture and a second side aperture.
US07893689B2

A displacement measuring device includes a stationary magnetic member for providing an accommodation space and a first and second magnetic circuits, a movable magnetic member disposed in the accommodation space to move in its longitudinal direction, a magnetic sensor for sensing magnetic flux flowing in the first and second magnetic circuits. The stationary member includes a sensor supporting member disposed in line with an axis of symmetry, a pair of yoke members axisymmetrically disposed at opposite sides of the sensor supporting member, a pair of permanent magnets each of which is disposed between one of the yoke members and the sensor supporting member. The permanent magnets are polarized so that magnetic flux flows in one of the magnetic circuits opposite in direction to magnetic flux flowing in the other magnetic circuit. The magnetic sensor is disposed on the sensor supporting member to confront the moving magnetic member at a first air gap. Each of the yoke members has a projection extending in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the movable magnetic member at a second air gap. Therefore, magnetic permeance of the first and second magnetic circuits changes when the moving magnetic member moves in the longitudinal direction thereof.
US07893685B2

The invention provides a handheld RF meter with an improved isolation from EMI. The meter incorporates an interference barrier comprising a connecting cable and one or more ferrite cores possibly having different impedance characteristics.
US07893675B2

An apparatus having an input voltage and an output voltage is provided. The apparatus comprises a switch that receives the input voltage and that is adapted to be coupled to a load, a modulator having a timing signal, a compensator that is coupled to the modulator and that includes an amplifier, an overcurrent circuit, and a sampler. The modulator is coupled to the switch and the modulator actuates the switch at a first frequency. The amplifier amplifies the difference between at least a portion of the output voltage with a predetermined reference voltage and outputs an amplified voltage. The overcurrent circuit receives the amplified voltage and outputs an overcurrent signal to the modulator. The sampler is interposed between the amplifier and the overcurrent circuit and is coupled to the modulator, where the sampler samples the amplified voltage prior to each actuation of the switch based on the timing signal and where the sampler outputs the compared voltage that was sampled to the overcurrent circuit through the duration of each actuation of the switch.
US07893670B2

A voltage regulator may comprise a regulator output configured to provide a regulated voltage, which may be controlled by an error amplifier based on the regulated voltage and a reference voltage. The error amplifier may control a source-follower stage to mirror a multiple of the current flowing in the source-follower stage into an internal pass device. A voltage developed by the mirror current may control an external pass device configured to deliver the load current into the regulator output. A first resistor may be configured to decouple a load capacitor coupled between the regulator output and reference ground, when the load current is below a specified value. A second resistor may be configured to create a bias current in the internal pass device even when the external pass device is close to cut-off region. A third resistor may be configured to counter the effects of negative impedance at the control terminal of the external pass device caused by the current-gain of the external pass device. A compensation capacitor and resistor may be coupled in series between the output of the error amplifier and the output of the voltage regulator to provide frequency compensation for the Miller-Effect.
US07893663B2

A power factor correction apparatus which uses Pulse Frequency Modulation (PFM) to control an AC/DC converter is disclosed. Only a current signal from the converter is used to determine the switching frequency. Sensing of the input line voltage is not needed. The switching frequency varies with the line voltage such that the converter emulates a resistive load. By using PFM control, EMI is spread over a range rather than concentrated at a few frequencies. Thus a smaller EMI filter can be used. Since the switching frequency decreases with the loading of the converter, the switching loss decreases with the loading as well. Thus, the need of meeting efficiency standards, e.g. the 80 PLUS and Energy Star, can be fulfill without extra circuitry.
US07893662B2

A device, such as a pump capacitor or an energy storing inductor, is charged by coupling it to a voltage source. Thereafter, the device is connected in parallel to one of the capacitors or capacitance cells to be charged, and the charging of the device and successive connections of it in parallel to a selected capacitor of the series of capacitors for charging it are replicated for all the capacitors of the series. The sequence of different connections of the device to the charge voltage source and to the selected one of the capacitors of the series is actuated through a plurality of coordinately controlled switches that establish distinct current circulation paths, according to a switched-capacitor or switched inductor techniques driven by respective periodic control signals that may be generated from a master clock signal.
US07893658B2

Methods and systems for battery charging are provided. A system includes a battery charger electrically coupled to at least one battery and a plurality of sensors configured to measure a voltage of the battery, a charging current supplied to the battery, and a temperature of the battery wherein the battery charger is configured to determine a state of charge of the battery using at least one of the plurality of sensors to control gassing of the battery during charging.
US07893651B2

There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a portable fuel cell power and management system (for example, hydrogen and/or methanol based systems), components and/or elements thereof, as well as techniques for controlling and/or operating such systems. The fuel cell power management system (and method of controlling and/or operating same) actively monitors, manages and/or controls one or more operating parameter(s) of the fuel cell system. For example, the system monitors, manages and/or controls the consumption and/or the rate of consumption of fuel by the system, and in response thereto, may provide and/or alert the user to amount of fuel remaining, consumed, the rate of consumption and/or the time (or estimation thereof) remaining until all of the fuel is spent. In this way, the user may schedule or plan accordingly.
US07893644B2

Featured is a controller for a motor that is ultra-compact, with a power density of at least about 20 watts per cubic cm (W/cm3). The controller utilizes a common ground for power circuitry, which energizes the windings of the motor, and the signal circuitry, which controls this energization responsive to signals from one or more sensors. Also, the ground is held at a stable potential without galvanic isolation. The circuits, their components and connectors are sized and located to minimize their inductance and heat is dissipated by conduction to the controller's exterior such as by a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material (e.g., potable epoxy). The controller uses a single current sensor for plural windings and preferably a single heat sensor within the controller. The body of the controller can also function as the sole plug connector.
US07893643B2

Disk drive spindle jitter is comprised of electrical noise, error due to pair pole asymmetry, and random disk speed variances. Error caused by pair pole asymmetry can be identified and compensated for by detecting over a single rotation of a rotor a plurality of zero cross signals. These signals can be statistically analyzed over a period of a plurality of revolutions of the rotor so as to identify the systematic error caused by pair poles. Once identified, this pair pole error can be used to modify zero cross signals and/or modify commutation signal driving the disk so as to arrive at a more accurate determination of disk speed and to precisely control the speed of the disk.
US07893638B2

A motor driving apparatus has a loss-of-synchronism monitoring circuit that monitors the rotation of a rotary machine such as a brushless DC motor to detect a sign of transition to a state of loss of synchronism. When the sign is detected, an energization control circuit temporarily stops driving of the rotary machine to bring it into a free running state, and thereafter carries out control so as to resume driving of the rotary machine. Further, the motor driving apparatus has an inverter and a drive control circuit that controls switching operation of the inverter based on rotation of the rotary machine.
US07893634B2

The invention relates to a wireless manual pulse generator that includes a central processing unit, a magnification selector, a pulse generator, an axis selector, and a wireless transmission module. The magnification selector is electronically connected to the central processing unit. The pulse generator is electronically connected to the magnification selector. The axis selector is electronically connected to the central processing unit. The wireless transmission module is electronically connected to the central processing unit. The central processing unit is configured to process a signal generated from the magnification selector or the axis selector. The wireless transmission module is configured to deliver the signal processed by the central processing unit to a CNC machine via wireless communication.
US07893624B2

An exemplary backlight control circuit includes an inverter, a pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit, and a frequency setting circuit. The inverter is configured to provide an alternating current voltage to a lamp. The PWM circuit is configured to provide a pulse control signal to the inverter. The frequency setting circuit configured to regulate a frequency of the pulse control signal provided by the PWM circuit according to an environment temperature.
US07893620B2

An apparatus that includes a traveling-wave tube having an electron gun having a cathode. The apparatus also includes a first power supply for establishing a first electric potential between the cathode and an anode and for providing an operational current to the cathode to generate a beam of electrons. The apparatus also includes a slow-wave structure having a passage through which the beam of electrons passes. The apparatus also includes a second power supply for providing a voltage to a beam focusing electrode to establish an electric potential between the cathode and the beam focusing electrode. The apparatus also includes a switching module coupled to the first power supply and the second power supply, the switching module providing a current path between the cathode and the beam focusing electrode, wherein the current path is disabled when a biasing current is below a predetermined level.
US07893614B2

Disclosed is an organic light emitting display device (OLED). The OLED includes a substrate, an array of pixels, each pixel including a first electrode, an organic layer having an emission layer and a second electrode, an encapsulation substrate, a moisture absorbent layer and a spacer. The moisture absorbent layer is disposed in a predetermined region of the encapsulation substrate, and the spacer is disposed on the moisture absorbent layer. The spacer is formed on the encapsulation substrate or the moisture absorbent layer using a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) process.
US07893613B2

Disclosed is an organic light-emitting display device capable of blocking the infiltration of oxygen and moisture, etc. by encapsulating a first and a second substrate with a frit, simplifying the process and effectively preventing light leakage. In one embodiment, the organic light-emitting display device is a bottom emission type organic light-emitting display device including a first substrate with a pixel region including a plurality of organic light-emitting diodes and a non-pixel region around the pixel-region, a second substrate disposed on the upper part of the first substrate to be overlapped with the pixel region and at least part of the non-pixel region, and a frit formed in the entire inner side of the second substrate, wherein the frit corresponding to at least the non-pixel region is formed to be thicker than the frit overlapped with the pixel region, and the first and the second substrates are bonded to each other by the frit in the non-pixel region.
US07893611B2

There is provided a novel luminescent metal complex. A metal complex having a composition of [(PtII)2(MI)2(X)2(L)4(LH)2], where MI denotes AgI, AuI or CuI, X denotes Cl, Br or I, L denotes a structure represented by the formula (1), and LH denotes a structure represented by the formula (2).
US07893608B2

An organic electroluminescent element includes a light emitting unit provided between an anode and a cathode. The light emitting unit has a light emitting layer containing a phosphorescent material as a luminescent material and a photosensitizing layer formed adjacent to the light emitting layer. The photosensitizing layer contains a fluorescent light emitting material as a guest material.
US07893603B2

An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a process variable of a medium. The apparatus includes: An oscillatable unit secured on a membrane; a sending/receiving unit, which excites the membrane and the oscillatable unit to oscillate and which receives oscillations of the oscillatable unit. The sending/receiving unit is a disk-shaped, piezoelectric element. The apparatus further includes a control/evaluation unit, which, on the basis of oscillations of the oscillatable unit, monitors and/or determines the process variable. The disk-shaped, piezoelectric element has segments, which are essentially polarized oppositely to one another, and at least two electrodes of opposite polarity are applied to the side of the disk-shaped, piezoelectric element facing away from the membrane.
US07893600B2

A capacitor-built-in type piezoelectric resonator which is thin and small in size, and has high reliability is formed by forming a pair of vibrating electrodes on both principal surfaces of a piezoelectric substrate, and joining a sealing substrate made of a ceramic material to form a capacitance via a frame onto one vibrating electrode, and joining a sealing substrate made of a resin material via a frame onto the other vibrating electrode.
US07893598B2

A driving apparatus including a transducer, a fixing member, and a mobile body is provided. The transducer generates elliptical vibration in a driving part when voltage of a predetermined frequency is applied. The fixing member includes a retaining part which retains the transducer. The mobile body, which is driven by the elliptical vibration of the transducer to move with respect to the fixing member, includes a first mobile body part formed in a desired size; and a second mobile body part which has a sliding part to which the driving part is pressed and contacted, and a guide-receiving part which is provided opposite the sliding part and whose moving direction is guided in engagement with a guiding part of the fixing member, the second mobile body part being of higher rigidity, formed in a smaller size than the first mobile body part, and fixed to the first mobile body part.
US07893594B2

An alternating-current dynamoelectric machine according to the present invention includes: a stator including: a stator core in which slots that extend in an axial direction are formed on an inner side; and a stator winding that is mounted to the stator core by winding conducting wires into the slots; and a rotatable rotor including: a field winding that is disposed inside the stator; a rotor core constituted by a first pole core and a second pole core that each have claw-shaped magnetic poles that are disposed so as to cover the field winding and that alternately intermesh with each other; and first and second permanent magnets that are respectively disposed on two facing side surfaces of adjacent claw-shaped magnetic poles and that have magnetic fields that are oriented so as to reduce leakage of magnetic flux between the claw-shaped magnetic poles, and a magnetic body is disposed between a pair of the first and second permanent magnets.
US07893589B2

An AC-induction-motor rotor lamination has a longitudinal axis and circumferentially spaced apart and closed rotor slots. Each rotor slot includes first through fifth corners, a straight slot base, straight first and second slot sides, and first and second curved sides. The slot base extends from the first corner to the second corner, the first slot side extends substantially radially inward from the second corner to the third corner, and the second slot side extends substantially radially inward from the first corner to the fourth corner. The first and second curved sides extend from a corresponding one of the third and fourth corners to the fifth corner. A rotor lamination having slot sides extending substantially radially outwardly from the second and first corners, and rotor laminations having open rotor slots (with slot sides extending substantially radially inward or outward) are also described.
US07893582B2

A hollow motor drive device includes a screw shaft provided with a spiral screw groove formed in an outer peripheral surface thereof, a nut member screw-engaged with the screw groove, a hollow drive shaft having an inner peripheral side on which the nut member is fixed and an outer peripheral side on which a permanent magnet is disposed, and a housing provided with a bearing portion rotatably supporting the hollow drive shaft and a coil portion. In the hollow drive shaft, the nut member and the permanent magnet are disposed so as not to be overlapped with each other in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the hollow drive shaft, and in the housing, the bearing portion is disposed to a position corresponding to the nut member, and the coil portion is disposed to a position corresponding to the permanent magnet.
US07893581B2

First and second connection mechanisms electrically connect power cables extending in the same direction to first and second electric motor neighboring to each other in the extending direction of the power cables, respectively. The first connection mechanism of the first electric motor is arranged in a radially outer portion, and the second connection mechanism of the second electric motor is arranged in a space between the electric motors. Since both the connection mechanisms are located on the opposite sides of a joint surface between the first and second casings accommodating the first and second motors, respectively, the first and second connection mechanisms can be components on the first and second casing sides, respectively. This structure can prevent increase in size in a rotation axis direction, and can improve assembly workability for the motors.
US07893574B2

In a rotor of a rotary-electric machine, in order to improve a cooling performance of a rotor winding on an end portion of the rotor in an axial direction, the rotor winding being held by a retaining ring of the rotor winding formed by laminating conductors in slots of a rotor iron core extending in an axial direction and having slots formed at predetermined intervals in a peripheral direction, ventilation channels through which cooling air flows are formed in the surfaces of the conductors along a longitudinal direction. The ventilation channels have air inlet holes which guide the cooling air and exhaust holes which exhaust the cooling air, the conductors are laminated to constitute the rotor winding, and the conductors include openings of the air inlet holes in bottoms of the conductors on a side opposite to a side on which the ventilation channels are formed.
US07893571B2

A stepping motor includes a bracket, a housing having a first end coupled to the bracket and a second end having a reduced width compared with the first end, a stator disposed in the housing to form electric field, a first supporting unit formed on a first end of the bracket, a magnet fixed corresponding to the stator to provide the electric field, a second supporting unit supported on the second end of the housing, a rotor supported by the first and second supporting units, and a stopper fitted on an opened end of the second end of the housing to support the second supporting unit.
US07893570B2

A clean engine for transportation, generators, and other applications. It comprises a series of alternating support wheel assemblies and magnet wheel assemblies that are propelled in a consistent pattern by battery powered electromagnets. The engine comprises at least one support wheel assembly and at least one magnet wheel assembly. The support wheel assemblies and magnet wheel assemblies are aligned in a specific pattern along a main shaft that is supported on each end by sealed bearings mounted in a nonmagnetic housing.
US07893567B1

A modular office wiring system comprising a power distribution module, at least one data hub, at least one ten-conductor high-voltage cable, a cable carrier, connectors, at least one power core, at least one high-voltage power module, and at least one low-voltage data module. The system may additionally include one or more splitters that provide branch power lines, with additional power cores positioned on the branch lines and additional high-voltage power modules and low-voltage data modules connected to the additional power cores. In addition, a method is provided for installing and uninstalling the modules to each other.
US07893566B2

A circuit that automatically, seamlessly connects the higher (or the lower) of two power supplies to an output is described. The circuit does not incur a one diode drop when the two power supplies are at about the same voltage levels, and the unused power supply draws no stand-by current. Cross coupled transistor and cross coupled inverters are employed.
US07893564B2

A resonant power transmission system for wirelessly delivering electric power to a target device. A transmitter resonant phased array includes a power source operable to source alternating current power at a target frequency. A plurality of transmitting elements, each operable to produce a non-radiated magnetic field, produces a composite non-radiated magnetic field. A plurality of transmitter tuned circuit elements couple the alternating current power to the plurality of transmitting elements. Control circuitry controls the plurality of transmitter tuned circuit elements to direct the composite non-radiated magnetic field toward the target device. Communication circuitry communicates with the target device. The plurality of transmitting elements may be a plurality of coils with the control circuitry individually controlling phase of the non-radiated magnetic fields produced by the plurality of transmitting elements by control of the plurality of transmitter tuned circuit elements. The plurality of coils may be directed mechanically in other embodiments.
US07893553B1

A wind energy system comprising a queue of turbines housed in a horizontal air conduit. The inlet end of the conduit opens into a wind collector assembly, which preferably comprises in part downwardly extending earthen slope, such as a hillside or embankment. The wind collector assembly may include a pair of lateral collectors, such as sails, that flank the inlet end of the conduit. An upper collector, similar to a spinnaker, may be included above the shaft and between the flanking sails. The flanking sails preferably are retractable and may be hydraulically controlled. Thus, the wind collector assembly formed by the spinnaker above, the earthen slope below and the lateral sails flanking the inlet, serves to collect wind and channel it into the conduit. Generators coupled to the turbines are electrically connected to a power plant or to an alternate electrical facility on or off the grid.
US07893551B2

A hand squeeze generator includes a carrying body, a lever, an elastic member to return the crank to its original position, a gear transmission unit, and a generation motor driven by the gear transmission unit. The lever drives the gear transmission unit and the gear transmission unit drives the generation motor through a clutch gear. The hand squeeze generator may be installed on an electric appliance or connected to an electric appliance, alternatively, be used to charge a rechargeable battery. The generator is driven to generate electricity or to recharge a battery. Therefore, no external power source is required when there is no sufficient electric power supply or the battery runs down.
US07893547B2

A semiconductor package with a support structure and a fabrication method thereof are provided. With a chip being electrically connected to electrical contacts formed on a carrier, a molding process is performed. A plurality of recessed portions formed on the carrier are filled with an encapsulant for encapsulating the chip during the molding process. After the carrier is removed, the part of the encapsulant filling the recessed portions forms outwardly protruded portions on a surface of the encapsulant, such that the semiconductor package can be attached to an external device via the protruded portions.
US07893536B2

A multilayer interconnect configuration is formed on a semiconductor substrate where a semiconductor integrated circuit is provided. Each layer of the multilayer interconnect configuration has a plurality of pads. Except for the pads of the top layer, the area of the pads is reduced relative to the pads of the top layer. The pad area is reduced by forming a plurality of openings in the pads, or by forming a plurality of notches in the pads whereby the pads have a comb configuration. The capacitance can be significantly reduced by decreasing the area. The reduction of capacitance allows for significantly reducing the effect of a low-pass filter produced from the interconnect metal resistance and the pad capacitance, which slows down the circuit operation. Therefore the high-speed operation can avoid degradation.
US07893534B2

A thermally insulating bonding pad for solder reflow is described. The bonding pad includes a structure. The structure forms the bonding pad. The bonding pad further includes an insulator formed on the structure. The insulator is configured to be interposed between the structure and a substrate of a component onto which said bonding pad is to be disposed. The bonding pad provides thermal insulation for said substrate when said bonding pad is subject to a solder reflow process being performed thereon.
US07893531B2

Embodiments of a multi-chip module (MCM) are described. This MCM includes a first semiconductor die and a second semiconductor die, where a given semiconductor die, which can be the first semiconductor die or the second semiconductor die, includes proximity connectors proximate to a surface of the given semiconductor die. Moreover, the given semiconductor die is configured to communicate signals with the other semiconductor die via proximity communication through one or more of the proximity connectors. Furthermore, the MCM includes an alignment plate and a top plate coupled to the alignment plate. This alignment plate includes a first negative feature configured to accommodate the first semiconductor die and a second negative feature configured to accommodate the second semiconductor die, and the top plate includes a positive feature. Note that the positive feature is coupled to the first semiconductor die, and the positive feature facilitates mechanical positioning of the first semiconductor die.
US07893530B2

The present invention relates to a circuit substrate comprising an upper surface, a first layout area, a second layout area, and a third layout area. The first layout area is on the upper surface, and has a plurality of first electrical contacts. The second layout area is on the upper surface, and has a plurality of second electrical contacts. The third layout area is on the upper surface, and has a plurality of third electrical contacts. The second and the third electrical contacts that have the same electrical property are electrically connected to each other. Thus, the circuit substrate can be applied to memory chips with different size.
US07893527B2

A semiconductor plastic package and a method of fabricating the semiconductor plastic package are disclosed. A method of fabricating a semiconductor plastic package can include: providing a core board, which includes at least one pad, and which has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 9 ppm/° C. or lower; stacking a build-up insulation layer over the core board; forming an opening by removing a portion of the build-up insulation layer such that the pad is exposed to the exterior; and placing a semiconductor chip in the opening and electrically connecting the semiconductor chip with the pad. This method can be utilized to provide higher reliability in the connection between the semiconductor chip and the circuit board.
US07893519B2

An integrated circuit includes an array of transistors and a number of wordlines, where individual ones of the wordlines are coupled to a number of the transistors in the array. Conductive structures that are insulated from the wordlines are disposed in a layer beneath the wordlines and are arranged between the transistors.
US07893517B2

A semiconductor memory device includes a well layer having a first conductivity type and formed in a semiconductor substrate, a block layer formed in a trench and formed of an insulating layer, a gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate apart from the block layer, a first diffusion layer having a second conductivity type, formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and having a high impurity concentration region to a first depth from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, a second diffusion layer having the second conductivity type, formed on the surface of the semiconductor substrate on a side of the block layer away from the gate electrode, having a high impurity concentration region to a second depth greater than the first depth from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and electrically connected to the first diffusion layer, and a contact connected to the second diffusion layer.
US07893514B2

An image sensor package, a method of manufacturing the same, and an image sensor module including the image sensor package are provided. In the image sensor package, an image sensor chip is installed onto a depression of a transmissive substrate. An adhesive bonds the image sensor chip to the transmissive substrate and seals an Active Pixel Sensor (APS) on the image sensor chip, protecting it from fine particle contamination. An IR cutting film is disposed on the transmissive substrate to minimize the height of the image sensor package. The image sensor package is electrically connected to external connection pads in the depression. Consequently, the image sensor package has a minimum height, is not susceptible to particle contamination, and does not require expensive alignment processes during manufacturing.
US07893512B2

An optoelectronic device that includes a material having enhanced electronic transitions. The electronic transitions are enhanced by mixing electronic states at an interface. The interface may be formed by a nano-well, a nano-dot, or a nano-wire.
US07893508B2

A semiconductor device capable of suppressing a threshold shift and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device. On a high dielectric constant insulating film, a diffusion barrier film for preventing the diffusion of metal elements from the high dielectric constant insulating film to an upper layer is formed. Therefore, the diffusion of the metal elements from the high dielectric constant insulating film to the upper layer can be prevented. As a result, a reaction and bonding between the metal elements and a Si element in a gate electrode can be suppressed near a boundary between an insulating film and the gate electrode.
US07893496B2

Stress enhanced MOS transistors are provided. A semiconductor device is provided that comprises a semiconductor-on-insulator structure, a gate insulator layer, a source region, a drain region and a conductive gate overlying the gate insulator layer. The semiconductor-on-insulator structure comprises: a substrate, a semiconductor layer, and an insulating layer disposed between the substrate and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer has a first surface, a second surface and a first region. The gate insulator layer overlies the first region, the conductive gate overlies the gate insulator layer, and the source region and the drain region overlie the first surface and comprise a strain-inducing epitaxial layer
US07893494B2

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a semiconductor device that includes a substrate including a semiconducting layer positioned overlying an insulating layer the semiconducting layer including a semiconducting body and isolation regions present about a perimeter of the semiconducting body; a gate structure overlying the semiconducting layer of the substrate, the gate structure present on a first portion on an upper surface of the semiconducting body; and a silicide body contact that is in direct physical contact with a second portion of the semiconducting body that is separated from the first portion of the semiconducting body by a non-silicide semiconducting region.
US07893492B2

A semiconductor structure is provided that includes a plurality of vertically stacked and vertically spaced apart semiconductor nanowires (e.g., a semiconductor nanowire mesh) located on a surface of a substrate. One end segment of each vertically stacked and vertically spaced apart semiconductor nanowires is connected to a source region and another end segment of each vertically stacked and vertically spaced apart semiconductor nanowires is connected to a drain region. A gate region including a gate dielectric and a gate conductor abuts the plurality of vertically stacked and vertically spaced apart semiconductor nanowires, and the source regions and the drain regions are self-aligned with the gate region.
US07893491B2

Embodiments of semiconductor structures are provided for a semiconductor device employing a superjunction structure. The device includes interleaved regions of first and second semiconductor materials of, respectively, first and second conductivity types and first and second mobilities. The second conductivity type is opposite the first conductivity type and the second mobility exceeds the first mobility for a first carrier type. The first and second semiconductor materials are separated by substantially parallel PN junctions and form a superjunction structure. The device also includes electrical contacts coupled to the first and second materials so that, in response to applied signals, a principal current of the first carrier type flows through the second material.
US07893488B2

This invention discloses a semiconductor power device disposed on a semiconductor substrate includes a plurality of deep trenches with an epitaxial layer filling said deep trenches and a simultaneously grown top epitaxial layer covering areas above a top surface of said deep trenches over the semiconductor substrate. A plurality of trench MOSFET cells disposed in said top epitaxial layer with the top epitaxial layer functioning as the body region and the semiconductor substrate acting as the drain region whereby a super-junction effect is achieved through charge balance between the epitaxial layer in the deep trenches and regions in the semiconductor substrate laterally adjacent to the deep trenches. Each of the trench MOSFET cells further includes a trench gate and a gate-shielding dopant region disposed below and substantially aligned with each of the trench gates for each of the trench MOSFET cells for shielding the trench gate during a voltage breakdown.
US07893484B2

A semiconductor device (e.g., a non-volatile memory device) with improved data retention characteristics includes active regions that protrude above a top surface of a device isolation region. A tunneling insulating layer is formed on the active regions. Charge storage patterns (e.g., charge trap patterns) are formed so as to be spaced apart from each other. A blocking insulating layer and a gate are formed on the charge storage patterns.
US07893482B2

A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a surface, buried isolation regions protruding from the surface of the semiconductor substrate, and a first insulating layer on the surface of the semiconductor substrate between the isolation regions and including a fluorine, nitrogen, and/or heavy hydrogen impurity. A floating electrode is on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer is on the floating electrode and the isolation regions, and a control gate electrode is on the second insulating layer. Related methods of forming semiconductor devices are also disclosed.
US07893470B2

Techniques for exchange coupling of magnetic layers in semiconductor devices are provided. In one aspect, a semiconductor device is provided. The device comprises at least two magnetic layers, and a spacer layer formed between the magnetic layers, the spacer layer being configured to provide ferromagnetic exchange coupling between the layers, the magnetic layers experiencing anti-ferromagnetic dipole coupling, such that a net coupling of the magnetic layers is anti-ferromagnetic in a zero applied magnetic field. The semiconductor device may comprise magnetic random access memory (MRAM). In another aspect, a method for coupling magnetic layers in a semiconductor device comprising at least two magnetic layers and a spacer layer therebetween, the method comprises the following step. Ferromagnetic exchange coupling is provided of the magnetic layers, the magnetic layers experiencing anti-ferromagnetic dipole coupling, such that a net coupling of the magnetic layers is anti-ferromagnetic in a zero applied magnetic field.
US07893468B2

A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor comprises a first photosensitive diode comprising a first semiconductor material is formed in a first semiconductor substrate. A second photosensitive diode comprising a second semiconductor material, which has a different light detection wavelength range than the first semiconductor material, is formed in a second semiconductor substrate. Semiconductor devices for holding and detecting charges comprising a sensing circuit of the CMOS image sensor may also be formed in the second semiconductor substrate. The first semiconductor substrate and the second semiconductor substrate are bonded so that the first photosensitive diode is located underneath the second photosensitive diode. The vertical stack of the first and second photosensitive diodes detects light in the combined detection wavelength range of the first and second semiconductor materials. Sensing devices may be shared between the first and second photosensitive diodes.
US07893467B2

A silicon carbide semiconductor device includes a substrate; a drift layer having a first conductivity type; an insulating layer; a Schottky electrode; an ohmic electrode; a resurf layer; and second conductivity type layers. The drift layer and the second conductivity type layers provide multiple PN diodes. Each second conductivity type layer has a radial width with respect to a center of a contact region between the Schottky electrode and the drift layer. A radial width of one of the second conductivity type layers is smaller than that of another one of the second conductivity type layers, which is disposed closer to the center of the contact region than the one of the second conductivity type layers.
US07893463B2

An integrated pair of HBT and FET transistors shares a common compound semiconductor III-V epitaxial layer. The integrated pair of transistors includes a semi-insulating substrate of a compound semiconductor III-V material, a first epitaxial structure disposed on top of the substrate, a second epitaxial structure on top of the first epitaxial structure, and a third epitaxial structure disposed on top of the second epitaxial structure. The first epitaxial structure forms a portion of the HBT transistor. A concentration profile of a first contaminant, which contributes electrical charge, decreases substantially smoothly across an interface between the semi-insulating substrate and the first epitaxial structure. In some cases, the interface is free of a second contaminant that was present, during formation of the epitaxial structures, in a chamber in which the epitaxial structures were formed.
US07893462B2

Provided are a transistor of a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the same. The transistor of a semiconductor device includes an epitaxial substrate having a buffer layer, a first silicon (Si) planar doped layer, a first conductive layer, a second Si planar doped layer having a different dopant concentration from the first Si planar doped layer, and a second conductive layer, which are sequentially formed on a semi-insulating substrate; a source electrode and a drain electrode formed on both sides of the second conductive layer to penetrate the first Si planar doped layer to a predetermined depth to form an ohmic contact; and a gate electrode formed on the second conductive layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode to form a contact with the second conductive layer, wherein the gate electrode, the source electrode and the drain electrode are electrically insulated by an insulating layer, and a predetermined part of an upper part of the gate electrode is formed to overlap at least one of the source electrode and the drain electrode. Therefore, a maximum voltage that can be applied to the switching device is increased due to increases of a gate turn-on voltage and a breakdown voltage, and decrease of a parallel conduction component. As a result of this improved power handling capability, high-power and low-distortion characteristics and high isolation can be expected from the switching device.
US07893456B1

A thyristor-based memory may comprise a thyristor accessible via an access transistor. A temperature dependent bias may be applied to at least one of a supporting substrate and an electrode capacitively-coupled to a base region of the thyristor. The voltage level of the adaptive bias may change with respect to temperature and may influence and/or compensate an inherent bipolar gain of the thyristor in accordance with the change in bias and may enhance its performance and/or reliability over a range of operating temperature. In a particular embodiment, the thyristor may be formed in a layer of silicon of an SOI substrate and the adaptive bias coupled to a supporting substrate of the SOI structure.
US07893453B2

A semiconductor light-emitting device and a method for manufacturing the same can include a soft silicon resin encapsulating an LED chip with a thin overcoat of microparticles located on the silicon resin to prevent dirt and dust from attaching to the silicon resin. The semiconductor light-emitting device can include a base board having at least one LED chip, a reflector fixed on the base board so as to enclose the LED chip, a soft silicon resin having a tacky surface disposed in the reflector, and an overcoat of microparticles on the silicon resin. Thus, manufacturing lead time can be reduced because the microparticles can attach to the silicon resin in a thin and single layer and a solidifying process for an extra layer on top of the silicon resin is not necessary. The overcoat of microparticles can prevent dirt and dust from attaching to the silicon resin, and can decrease optical variability in an inclined direction from an optical axis of the device.
US07893450B2

An aspect of the present invention inheres in a semiconductor light-emitting element includes a light-emitting functional stacked body including a light-emitting region having a light-emitting function, and including a light extraction surface for extracting light emitted from the light-emitting region, and an upward convex lens disposed on the light extraction surface.
US07893443B2

Disclosed herein is a nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device. The nitride-based semiconductor light-emitting device comprises an n-type clad layer made of n-type Alx1Iny1Ga(1-x1-y1)N (where 0≦x1≦1, 0≦y1≦1, and 0≦x1+y1≦1), a multiple quantum well-structured active layer made of undoped InAGa1-AN (where 0
US07893441B2

A flat panel display is disclosed. The flat panel display includes a display panel having a display area on which a plurality of pixels are formed, an inspection pad formed in a non-display area outside the display area of the display panel, an inspection switch formed in the non-display area, and an electrostatic protection circuit including a plurality of dummy thin film transistors (TFTs) whose gate electrodes are commonly connected to a signal line connecting the inspection pad to the inspection switch. The inspection pad contacts an external inspection device. The inspection switch applies an inspection signal received from the inspection pad to the pixels.
US07893437B2

A semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. An example semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first well, a first source electrode, a drain electrode, and a first gate insulation layer formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a gate electrode formed on the first gate insulation layer. The example device also includes a second gate insulation layer formed on the gate electrode, a first source region formed on the semiconductor substrate between the first source electrode and the first gate insulation layer, a first drain region formed on the semiconductor substrate between the drain electrode and the first gate insulation layer, an insulating layer formed on the first source electrode, on the first source region, and on the first drain region, and a second source electrode formed on the insulating layer over the first source electrode. Additionally, a second source region is formed between the second source electrode and the second gate insulation layer, a second drain region formed between the drain electrode and the second gate insulation layer, and a second well formed on the second source region, on the second drain region, on the second source electrode, on the second gate insulation layer, and on the drain electrode.
US07893430B2

An OLED device having an emission layer formed of an ambipolar phosphine oxide host material and a dopant, a hole transport layer in electrical communication with an anode, an electron transport layer in communication with a cathode, wherein the HOMO energy of the hole transport layer is substantially the same as the HOMO energy of the ambipolar host in the emission layer, and the LUMO energy of the electron transport layer is substantially the same as the LUMO energy of the ambipolar host in the emission layer.
US07893428B2

The present invention relates to a photosensitive organic semiconductor composition comprising an organic p-type semiconductor pigment with a p-type conducting polymer, wherein the ionization potentials of the organic p-type semiconductor pigment and the p-type conducting polymer are nominally equivalent and a photosensitive organic semiconductor composition comprising an organic n-type semiconductor pigment with an n-type conducting polymer, wherein the electron affinities of the organic semiconductor pigment and the conducting polymer are nominally equivalent. The present invention also relates to a p/n heterojunction utilizing the photosensitive organic semiconductor compositions.
US07893426B2

A single-electron transistor (1) has an elongate conductive channel (2) and a side gate (3) formed in a 5 nm-thick layer (4) of Ga0.98Mn0.02As. The single-electron transistor (1) is operable, in a first mode, as a transistor and, in a second mode, as non-volatile memory.
US07893425B2

A quantum well structure according to the invention includes a quantum well layer (107) arranged between two barrier layers (109, 112). It is distinguished in that at least one of the barrier layers (109) includes nanostructures (110) which compensate or modulate a lateral homogeneity of the barrier layer (109), that exists without the nanostructures (110), that is to say a homogeneity in the directions extending perpendicularly to the stacking direction of the layers in the quantum well structure.
US07893415B2

A transient voltage occurring between output terminals during ON/OFF operation is reduced. There are provided a pair of input terminals IN1 and IN2, a pair of output terminals OUT1 and OUT2, MOSFETs N1 and N2 connected between the output terminals, and a drive circuit 10 connected between the input terminals IN1 and IN2 and the MOSFETs N1 and N2. A light-emitting diode D1 is connected between the input terminals IN1 and IN2. The MOSFETs N1 and N2 have their source electrodes electrically connected to each other and their drains connected to the output terminals OUT1 and OUT2 respectively. The drive circuit 10 includes a photodiode array FD1 that supplies a drive voltage to the gates of the MOSFETs N1 and N2, and a discharge circuit 11, connected between the gate electrodes and the source electrodes of the MOSFETs N1 and N2, that discharges electric charges accumulated on each gate electrode.
US07893414B2

Gamma radiation (22) is shielded by producing a region of heavy electrons (4) and receiving incident gamma radiation in such region. The heavy electrons absorb energy from the gamma radiation and re-radiate it as photons (38, 40) at a lower energy and frequency. The heavy electrons may be produced in surface plasmon polaritons. Multiple regions (6) of collectively oscillating protons or deuterons with associated heavy electrons may be provided. Nanoparticles of a target material on a metallic surface capable of supporting surface plasmons may be provided. The region of heavy electrons is associated with that metallic surface. The method induces a breakdown in a Born-Oppenheimer approximation Apparatus and method are described.
US07893412B2

An attenuator system for attenuating a radiation beam, including a first attenuating element placed in a path of a radiation beam for attenuation thereof, a second attenuating element placed distal to the first attenuating element for further attenuation of the radiation beam, a first positioner operatively connected to the first attenuating element, which moves the first attenuating element along a first direction, a first processor operatively connected to the first positioner for controlling motion of the first attenuating element, a second positioner operatively connected to the second attenuating element, which moves the second attenuating element along a second direction, and a second processor operatively connected to the second positioner for controlling motion of the second attenuating element, wherein a two-dimensional attenuation distribution of the first attenuating element varies linearly with respect to at least one coordinate.
US07893393B2

A method and system for calibrating and operating projection systems where one or more projectors are utilized to project an image. One or more projectors are oriented to project an image on a projection screen and one or more image sensors are oriented to acquire the projected image. Three-dimensional position coordinates of the respective image fiducials as projected on the screen are identified by applying three-dimensional mapping functions to represent the manner in which two-dimensional points in a projector frame map to three-dimensional points on the projection screen. Parametric functions are fit to a neighborhood of points representing the three-dimensional image fiducial position coordinates and corresponding parametric models are generated. The projectors are then operated in accordance with geometric calibration data generated from validation and correction of the fiducial coordinates.
US07893390B2

A guided missile has a sensor unit, a propulsion unit, and a payload unit. A missile casing forms the outer contour, extends along a longitudinal direction, and accommodates the sensor unit, the propulsion unit, and the payload unit. At least two of the units can be fitted alongside one another in the longitudinal direction. In comparison to conventional guided missiles, the guided missile is distinguished by increased modularity and thus by increased flexibility with regard to different operational scenarios.
US07893388B2

A microwave grill for converting microwave energy to heat and applying the heat to a grillable food or other grillable substance. The microwave grill a cover and a base that each have a grill element and an enclosure. The grill element includes a microwave absorbent material and a grilling surface that are in thermal communication with each other. The enclosure is attached to the grill element. The enclosure is fabricated from a microwave transparent material possessing a low heat transfer rate. The first enclosure substantially extends over the first microwave absorbent material. A hinge mechanism operably attaches the cover and the base. An offset bump extends from at least one of the enclosures to maintain the cover and the base in a first spaced-apart configuration when the cover and the base are in a closed configuration.
US07893384B2

A laser material manipulation system is provided for material processing, such as laser ablation, laser deposition and laser machining. The system includes a laser for emitting laser pulses and a laser imaging device having an array of controllable imaging elements. The laser imaging device receives the laser pulses emitted from the laser, forms a laser image through the controllable imaging elements, and projects the laser image onto a target material which is to be processed. The projected laser image processes the material according to a desired pattern. The laser can be a femtosecond laser. The laser imaging device can be a liquid crystal display (LCD) or a digital micromirror device (DMD). An SEM can be used for monitoring the material distribution and dynamically adjust the laser image according to the monitor result.
US07893383B2

A wire bonding apparatus for manufacturing, for instance, semiconductor devices, including a cleaning case in which a microplasma generating section comprised of a plasma torch, which has a plasma nozzle 38 at the end, and capacitive coupling electrodes composed of an outer electrode and an inner electrode is fixed to the bottom of the cleaning case. The plasma nozzle is provided such that its center line is in alignment with the longitudinal center line of the capillary. Microplasma is ejected from below the capillary to clean its tip within the cleaning case. A shutter is provided on the top of the cleaning case and the wasted gas produced as a result of cleaning is exhausted out of the cleaning case through an exhaustion port of the cleaning case.
US07893377B2

A method of concentrating the stable oxygen isotopes of 17O and 18O by irradiating ozone with light, selectively dissociating an isotopologue of ozone containing an oxygen isotope in its molecule into oxygen, followed by dissociating the ozone and separating the formed oxygen from the non-dissociated ozone.In the ozone photodissociation step, light is radiated onto a rare gas-ozone mixed gas containing ozone and at least one rare gas selected from krypton, xenon and radon is used to selectively dissociate ozone containing a specific oxygen isotope in its molecule into oxygen then the oxygen isotope is separated from non-dissociated ozone and rare gas to concentrate the oxygen isotope present in the separated oxygen.
US07893376B2

A key structure includes a scissors-type connecting member. The scissors-type connecting member includes a first frame and a second frame. The first frame includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion. The second frame includes a first receiving recess for accommodating the first protrusion, a second receiving recess for accommodating the second protrusion, and a partition wall between the first receiving recess and the second receiving recess. When the first frame is swung with respect to the second frame, the first protrusion is sustained against a first side of the partition wall and moved on the first side of the partition wall, and the second protrusion is sustained against a second side of the partition wall and moved on the second side of the partition wall. Consequently, the first protrusion and the second protrusion are permitted to be partially detached from first receiving recess and the second receiving recess, respectively.
US07893371B2

In a pressure switch, a joint coupling holder is installed in a case of a housing through an opening, and a joint coupling, to which piping is connected, is connected to the joint coupling holder. The joint coupling holder includes a protective wall therein, which is arranged on a straight line with a detector that is accommodated inside the housing at a central portion of a through hole. In addition, a pressure fluid, which is introduced to the detector through a conduit of the joint coupling, flows in a bypassing manner through a pair of communication openings while averting the protective wall.
US07893370B2

The invention relates to a module front for a switchgear module, particularly a slide-in module, comprising a control device, the control device being integrated in the module front, and the module front forms an integral component of the switchgear module. The invention relates to a switchgear module, particularly a slide-in module provided with an inventive module front, and to a switchgear equipped with at least one switchgear module of this type.
US07893365B2

A weather resistant variable enclosure frame configured to enclose at least one electronic component is provided. The weather resistant variable enclosure frame includes a top and bottom endplate each having a channel on at least one side surface, and at least one cut-to-length supporting structure attached to the top endplate and the bottom endplate to offset the top endplate from the bottom endplate. The supporting structure has at least one channel that extends the length of the supporting structure. At least one opening is formed by the endplates and the supporting structure, so that the channels in the endplates and the at least one supporting structure combine to form at least one continuous channel configured to hold at least one respective continuous seal. When panels are attached to cover the at least one opening, a weather resistant enclosure is formed.
US07893357B2

A conductive filler comprising a conductive felt and a non-conductive resin for use in a Roebel bar or winding and the manufacture of the conductive filler and Roebel bar or winding.
US07893350B2

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a high transmission low iron glass, which is highly oxidized and made using the float process, for use in photovoltaic devices such as solar cells or the like. In certain example embodiments, the glass composition used for the glass is made via the float process using an extremely high and positive batch redox in order to reduce % FeO to a low level and permit the glass to consistently realize a combination of high visible transmission (Lta or Tvis), high infrared (IR) transmission, and high total solar (TS) transmission. The glass substrate may be patterned or not patterned in different example embodiments of this invention.
US07893349B2

Systems and methods are disclosed for current loss compensation in multi-junction photovoltaic cells. The use of direct electrical contact with the interconnect layers in a multi-junction PV cell can improve cell efficiency over variable lighting conditions. Electrical contact with some or all of the interconnect layers can advantageously permit disconnection of subcells operating at low current or voltage. The result is multi-junction PV cells that can adapt to variable lighting conditions and compensate for a decrease in current in certain subcells, thereby advantageously improving a multi-junction PV cell's total output current.
US07893347B2

A photovoltaic solar cell (SZ) of improved light-to-current conversion properties is provided with nano emitters (NE) of acicular or rib-like form and are separated from each other at a uniform distance D≦√{square root over (2)}L and penetrating to a penetration depth T ≥ d HL - L 2 + w into the semiconductor layer (HL).
US07893344B2

There is provided a touch detecting device of a keyboard instrument, which makes it possible not only to enhance the mounting density of a plurality of optical sensors, but also to detect touch information of a key with high accuracy without being affected by light from the other optical sensors. The touch detecting device comprises a shutter 6 that moves in accordance with pivotal motion of a key 4, a plurality of optical sensors 7 and 8 that are provided close to a pivotal path of the shutter 6 and have respective light emitting parts 7a and 8a and respective light receiving parts 7b and 8b for receiving light emitted from the light emitting parts, on respective opposite sides of the pivotal path, and touch information detecting means 23 for detecting, as the key 4 pivotally moves, the touch information based on presence or absence of light received by the light receiving parts of the optical sensors 7 and 8 in accordance with opening or closing of optical paths of light from the light emitting parts of the optical sensors 7 and 8, by the shutter 6. Adjacent two of the optical sensors 7 and 8 are arranged such that the light emitting part of one of the two and the light receiving part of the other of the two disposed adjacent to each other on the same side of the pivotal path of the shutter 6.
US07893342B2

An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing terminal that specifies emotions from a voice and audio outputs music suitable for the specified emotions to enable the emotions of a loudspeaker who uttered the voice to be recognized readily.In an information processing terminal according to the present invention, an emotion inferring unit 23 detects, from sound information, at least two emotions of an utterer who uttered a voice included in the sound information, and a music data generating unit 24 synthesizes music data, stored in a music parts database 242 and corresponding to the emotions detected by the emotion inferring unit 23, and a controller 22 reproduces the music data generated by the music data generating unit 24.
US07893338B2

A musical sequence is formed on the keypad of a handheld electronic device. The numbered keys on the keypad of the handheld device are mapped directly to corresponding notes in an octave. The sequence of musical notes is entered by depressing at least one numbered key on the keypad and displaying a numerical representation of the sequence on the display screen of the handheld device.
US07893337B2

A system comprising means for receiving a first input from an electronic device, said first input pertaining to performance of music by a user, means for receiving a second input, said second input pertaining at least to music intended to be performed by the user; and a comparison module software executing on a computer and adapted to receive said first input and to receive said second input, wherein the comparison module compares the first input from a user to the second input to produce at least one indicia of the user's success in performing the intended music correctly, the comparison module sends to a display module associated with the user information including at least the music intended to be performed by the user and the indicia of the user's success in performing the intended music correctly, and the comparison module further sends to the display module associated with the user a timing signal suitable for indicating the speed at which the music should be shown on the display and played by the user, said timing signal computed according to one or more tempo modes selectable by the user, is disclosed.
US07893334B2

A lever 40 is supported by a lever supporting portion 41. The lever 40 is urged by a spring 45. A friction producing member 47 is in contact with a pivot restricting member 46 which is interlocked with the lever 40 to produce a frictional force in a direction opposite to the direction in which the lever 40 pivots. Such a configuration allows a pedal apparatus to exhibit hysteresis in characteristics of the amount of depression of the lever 40 and reaction force.
US07893331B2

A music string (1), in particular for bowing and/or plucking instruments, wherein the music string (1) has at least one core (2) including at least a first core element (3), and wherein the music string (1) has at least one wrap (4), which is arranged around the first core (2), in particular in a helicoid manner. In order to adapt the characteristics of a stringed musical instrument to changed circumstances and/or in order to avoid problems of a stringed musical instrument without having to keep a great number of different music strings in stock, it is proposed that the music string (1) has first means (5) to change its vibration and/or sound and/or handling characteristics in a predefined manner.
US07893329B2

A chin-rest of a violin is attached to an edge of the resonating box of a violin. An opening is provided in the chin-rest through which an elastic knot for stretching the strings can pass through. This is attached at one place to the string holder and is drawn in a stretched state through the opening of the chin-rest. The opposite end is attached to a fixed end pin so that it comprises a portion of the chin-rest attachment. The chin-rest does not rest on the upper panel of the resonating box of the violin, instead, it is above it by a specified distance “d” and above the string holder.
US07893316B1

The invention concerns the reconstruction in vitro of non-human mammal embryos by a method which consists in treating the nucleus of a somatic donor cell prior to its transfer into a receiver cytoplasm, said treatment comprising controlled proteolysis of non-histone proteins, and inducing an isomorphic swelling of said nucleus.
US07893313B2

Disclosed is a reusable incontinence products treated with a polyethylene glycol formulation in the form of a pad that is worn by a user for the control and collection of bodily fluids. The pad may include two or more layers, wherein one layer absorbs the bodily fluid and the other layer acts as a barrier layer to prevent the fluid from soiling a user's garments. Further embodiments are disclosed including a folder for conveniently carrying a supply of fresh pads and a waterproof pocket to contain soiled pads, and a pant for holding the pads in place next to the skin.
US07893304B2

The present invention provides compounds that are useful for preventing or treating brain dysfunctions, motor dysfunctions, or urinary dysfunctions caused by the degeneration and/or loss of the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system cells.
US07893302B2

The present invention relates to novel cationic lipids, transfection agents, microparticles, nanoparticles, and short interfering nucleic acid (siNA) molecules. The invention also features compositions, and methods of use for the study, diagnosis, and treatment of traits, diseases and conditions that respond to the modulation of gene expression and/or activity in a subject or organism. Specifically, the invention relates to novel cationic lipids, microparticles, nanoparticles and transfection agents that effectively transfect or deliver biologically active molecules.
US07893298B2

The invention relates to a method for concentrating an aqueous ammonium carbamate stream, which has been formed in a process for the preparation of urea, has a pressure between 0.20 MPa and 0.9 MPa, a temperature between 35° C. and 95° C., and contains at least 25 wt. % H2O, comprising: a pressure increase step, in which the aqueous ammonium carbamate stream is increased in pressure to a pressure between 1.0 MPa and 7 MPa; a condensation step, in which the aqueous ammonium carbamate stream is contacted with a gas stream, which has been formed in a process for the preparation of melamine and which consists essentially of NH3, CO2 and optionally H2O and has a lower H2O content than the aqueous ammonium carbamate stream, the gas stream being absorbed in the aqueous ammonium carbamate stream in such a way that a concentrated ammonium carbamate stream is formed that contains between 15 and 35 wt. % H2O; a discharge step, in which the concentrated ammonium carbamate stream is separated and discharged.
US07893297B2

The present invention relates to amorphous and polymorphic forms of sodium 4-[(4-chloro-2-hydroxybenzoyl)amino]butanoate and their use for facilitating the delivery of active agents, such as insulin, to a target.
US07893294B2

A process for production of a trans-2,2-dimethyl-3-formylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid ester comprising: (A) a step of obtaining a mixture containing a trans-2,2-dimethyl-3-(hydroxymethyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid ester, (B) a step of conducting an oxidation treatment of the mixture obtained in the step (A) to obtain a mixture containing a crude trans-2,2-dimethyl-3-formylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid ester, (C) a step of contacting the mixture obtained in the step (B) with an aqueous alkali metal hydrogen sulfite solution to obtain an alkali metal salt of a trans-2,2-dimethyl-3-[(hydroxy)(sulfo)methyl]cyclopropanecarboxylic acid ester, and (D) a step of contacting the alkali metal salt obtained in the above-mentioned step (C) with a base or the like to obtain a trans-2,2-dimethyl-3-formylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid ester.
US07893283B2

A process is provided for the semi-synthesis of taxane intermediates useful in the preparation of paclitaxel and docetaxel, in particular, the semi-synthesis of protected taxane intermediates.
US07893277B2

The present invention provides bifunctional polymers, methods of preparing the same, and intermediates thereto. These compounds are useful in a variety of applications including the PEGylation of biologically active molecules. The invention also provides methods of using said compounds and compositions thereof.
US07893276B2

The present process provides a improved method for the preparation of alkylsulfanyl substituted triazoles 2 which are useful intermediates in a new process for the preparation of triazolones 20.
US07893268B2

Epothilone analogues include a molecular scaffold which holds at least one segment of epothilone in a predetermined orientation and which rigidities a region between the macrolactone ring and the aromatic side-chain.
US07893262B2

The invention concerns a novel process for the preparation of 2H-chromenes of formula I and formula 5 and valuable intermediates of formulae 3 and 4 of this process.
US07893260B2

The present application relates to compounds and methods for treating pain and other conditions related to TRPV3. Suitable compounds include but are not limited to, for example, substituted quinazolin-4-ones of formula I.
US07893254B2

A process for preparing 7-amino-3-[(E/Z)-2-(4-methylthiazol-5-yl)vinyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid of the formula (1) and an alkali metal salt thereof, said acid and said salt being improved in the content of 7-amino-3-[(Z)-2-(4-methylthiazol-5-yl)vinyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid of the formula (2) or an alkali metal salt thereof, the process being characterized in that an aqueous solution of an alkali metal salt of 7-amino-3-[(E/Z)-2-(4-methylthiazol-5-yl)vinyl]-3-cephem-4-carboxylic acid of the formula (1) is treated with a high porous polymer and/or active carbon as added thereto.
US07893253B2

The invention relates to methods of manipulating immobilised carbohydrates by derivatisation. Depending on the nature of the derivatisation, the carbohydrate may thereby be more easily detected and/or identified or handled. In particular, the invention relates to methods of preparing a reactive sugar comprising the steps of: i) providing a sample comprising a reducing sugar; ii) providing a solid support covalently attached to a linker comprising a capture group comprising an —NH2 group, wherein said linker optionally is attached to said solid support via a spacer; iii) reacting said reducing sugar with said —NH2 group, thereby obtaining an immobilised sugar; iv) reacting free —NH2 groups with a capping agent, wherein the capping agent comprises a reactive group capable of reacting with an —NH2 group; and v) reducing C═N bonds with a reducing agent, thereby obtaining an reactive sugar of the structure SugarCHn-NH— linked to a solid support via a linker and optionally a spacer, wherein n is 1 or 2.
US07893243B2

Compositions and methods are provided for treatment of diseases involving unwanted neovascularization (NV). The invention provides treatments that control NV through selective inhibition of pro-angiogenic biochemical pathways, including inhibition of the VEGF pathway gene expression and inhibition localized at pathological NV tissues. Tissue targeted nanoparticle compositions comprising polymer conjugates and nucleic acid molecules that induce RNA interference (RNAi) are provided. The nanoparticle compositions of the invention can be used alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents such as VEGF pathway antagonists. The compositions and methods can be used for the treatment of NV diseases such as cancer, ocular disease, arthritis, and inflammatory diseases.
US07893238B2

The invention provides isolated polypeptide and nucleic acid sequences derived from Streptococcus pneumoniae that are useful in diagnosis and therapy of pathological conditions; antibodies against the polypeptides; and methods for the production of the polypeptides. The invention also provides methods for the detection, prevention and treatment of pathological conditions resulting from bacterial infection.
US07893233B2

The present invention describes a method for identifying one or more of a plurality of sequences differing by one or more single base changes, insertions, deletions, or translocations in a plurality of target nucleotide sequences. The method includes a ligation phase, a capture phase, and a detection phase. The ligation phase utilizes a ligation detection reaction between one oligonucleotide probe, which has a target sequence-specific portion and an addressable array-specific portion, and a second oligonucleotide probe, having a target sequence-specific portion and a detectable label. After the ligation phase, the capture phase is carried out by hybridizing the ligated oligonucleotide probes to a solid support with an array of immobilized capture oligonucleotides at least some of which are complementary to the addressable array-specific portion. Following completion of the capture phase, a detection phase is carried out to detect the labels of ligated oligonucleotide probes hybridized to the solid support.
US07893222B2

The method is used for separating nucleic acids and other similar constructs. It involves selective introduction, enhancement, or stabilization of affinity handles such as single-strandedness in the undesired (or desired) nucleic acids as compared to the usual structure (e.g., double-strandedness) of the desired (or undesired) nucleic acids. The undesired (or desired) nucleic acids are separated from the desired (or undesired) nucleic acids due to capture by methods including but not limited to immobilized metal affinity chromatography, immobilized single-stranded DNA binding (SSB) protein, and immobilized oligonucleotides. The invention is useful to: remove contaminating genomic DNA from plasmid DNA; remove genomic DNA from plasmids, BACs, and similar constructs; selectively separate oligonucleotides and similar DNA fragments from their partner strands; purification of aptamers, (deoxy)-ribozymes and other highly structured nucleic acids; Separation of restriction fragments without using agarose gels; manufacture recombinant Taq polymerase or similar products that are sensitive to host genomic DNA contamination; and other applications.
US07893210B2

A method for renaturation of proteins comprising adding to a solution of denatured, chemically modified or reduced proteins a refolding buffer containing a primary, secondary or tertiary amine. Said method has been applied, for example, to interleukin-4 and bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), which were previously (i) solubilized in the presence of guanidinium hydrochloride as chaotronic agent, and (ii) subjected to sulfitolysis.
US07893208B2

The present invention relates to novel muteins derived from tear lipocalin or a homologue thereof. In particular, the invention relates to a mutein of human tear lipocalin. The invention also refers to a corresponding nucleic acid molecule encoding such a mutein and to a method for its generation. The invention further refers to a method for producing such a mutein. Finally, the invention is directed to a pharmaceutical composition comprising such a lipocalin mutein as well as to various use of the mutein.
US07893206B2

Isolated fragments of the HFE2A protein able to bind and modulate HFE2A and other proteins, such as hepcidin, involved in the iron metabolism pathway are disclosed, such fragments being of molecular weight of approximately 7 kDa to 43 kDa. Also disclosed are corresponding isolated polynucleotides encoding the fragments of the HFE2A protein. The invention includes derivatives and analogs of the polypeptide fragments of HFE2A, along with compositions of these, that are functionally active, i.e., capable of interacting with the HFE2A, as well as methods of production of the HFE2A cleavage products, derivatives and analogs, e.g., by recombinant means. Methods for identifying modulators of HFE2A are provided. Also taught are methods of diagnosing an animal afflicted with or at risk of developing a disease of iron metabolism. Methods for treating and/or preventing a disorder in animals comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of an HFE2A modulator are provided.
US07893202B1

The present invention discloses modified neurotoxins with altered biological persistence. In one embodiment, the modified neurotoxins are derived from Clostridial botulinum toxins. Such modified neurotoxins may be employed in treating various conditions, including but not limited to muscular disorders, hyperhidrosis, and pain.
US07893200B2

The present invention provides for the use of soluble forms of CD83 and nucleic acids encoding them for the treatment of diseases caused by the dysfunction or undesired function of a cellular immune response involving dendritic cells, T cells and/or B cells. The invention moreover provides soluble CD83 molecules specifically suited for said purpose, antibodies against said specific soluble CD83 proteins and assay methods and kits comprising said antibodies.
US07893193B2

Process for preparing a chlorohydrin, comprising the following steps: (a) a polyhydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon, an ester of a polyhydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon or a mixture thereof is reacted with a chlorinating agent and an organic acid so as to give a mixture containing the chlorohydrin and esters of the chlorohydrin (b) at least part of the mixture obtained in step (a) is subjected to one or more treatments in steps subsequent to step (a) (c) polyhydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon is added to at least one of the steps subsequent to step (a), so as to react, at a temperature greater than or equal to 20° C., with the esters of the chlorohydrin, so as to form, at least partly, esters of the polyhydroxylated aliphatic hydrocarbon.
US07893192B2

Provided are pi-conjugated polymer materials that are useful for photoelectric transducer elements having high hole transportability and excellent durability, that are useful for light-emitting elements having superior emitting properties and excellent durability, and that are useful for active layers of thin film transistors. The pi-conjugated polymers comprise a constitutional unit expressed by the General Formula (I) or (II): in which, Ar represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group that may have a substituent; R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group that may have a substituent; Ar1 represents a divalent group of an aromatic hydrocarbon or a heterocycle that may have a substituent; in which, Ar represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group or a heterocyclic group that may have a substituent; R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group that may have a substituent.
US07893180B2

A novel process for the polymerization of olefins is provided. The process involves contacting at least one olefin with a Ziegler-Natta type catalyst in the presence of a specified compound that results in the production of polymeric products having a narrower molecular weight distribution. Also provide is a process for narrowing the molecular weight distribution of a polyolefin comprising contacting an olefin, a Ziegler-Natta catalyst and a compound specified herein. Further provided are novel polyethylenes, and films and articles produced therefrom.
US07893174B2

Embodiments of the polymerization process of the present invention are directed to polymerizing free radically polymerizable monomers in the presence of a polymerization medium initially comprising at least one transition metal catalyst and an atom transfer radical polymerization initiator. The polymerization medium may additionally comprise a reducing agent. The reducing agent may be added initially or during the polymerization process in a continuous or intermittent manner. The polymerization process may further comprise reacting the reducing agent with at least one of the transition metal catalyst in an oxidized state and a compound comprising a radically transferable atom or group to form a compound that does not participate significantly in control of the polymerization process. Embodiments of the present invention comprise reacting a reducing agent with at least one of catalyst in an oxidized state and a compound comprising a radically transferable atom or group to initiate and/or maintain catalytic activity throughout the polymerization process.
US07893171B2

A polymeric composition comprising a polymer and a nucleation agent, and having isotropic shrinkage of less than about 20% and a differential shrinkage of less than about 20%.
US07893166B2

Embodiments of the invention provide a class of ethylene/α-olefin block interpolymers. The ethylene/α-olefin interpolymers are characterized by an average block index, ABI, which is greater than zero and up to about 1.0 and a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, greater than about 1.3. Preferably, the block index is from about 0.2 to about 1. In addition or alternatively, the block ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer is characterized by having at least one fraction obtained by Temperature Rising Elution Fractionation (“TREF”), wherein the fraction has a block index greater than about 0.3 and up to about 1.0 and the ethylene/α-olefin interpolymer has a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, greater than about 1.3.
US07893161B2

The present invention includes a polyolefin elastomeric composition comprising a propylene-based elastomer having at least seventy five weight percent units derived from propylene, the propylene-based elastomer exhibiting a heat of fusion of from 1 to 35 Joules/gram, a weight average molecular weight of from 5400 to 875000 g/mol, and a permanent set of less than 40%; and a homogeneous ethylene-alpha olefin interpolymer having a molecular weight distribution of less than 3.5, a density from 0.885 to 0.915 g/ml, and a heat of fusion of from 65 to 125 Joules/gram, wherein the ratio of the propylene-based elastomer to the homogeneous ethylene-alpha olefin interpolymer is from 97:3 to 80:20, and wherein the composition exhibits a heat of fusion from 2 to 55 Joules/gram, and a 2% secant flexural modulus of less than 69 MPa.
US07893156B2

The present invention provides a block copolymer or a hydrogenated product thereof excellent in low-temperature shrinkability, natural shrinkability, rigidity and the like, excellent in a balance of physical properties such as blocking resistance, resistance to fusion bonding in hot water, impact resistance and the like, and having a few fish eyes (FE's) caused by gels. Further, the invention provides a heat shrinkable film and a heat shrinkable multilayer film suitable for drink container packaging, cap seals and the like, using such a block copolymer or the hydrogenated product thereof. The invention provides a block copolymer having a weight ratio of a vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon and a conjugated diene of 60/40 to 90/10 and a number average molecular weight measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) of 30,000 to 500,000, wherein the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon constituting the block copolymer has a block rate of from 10 to 90% by weight, the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer blocks constituting the block copolymer have a peak molecular weight within the molecular weight range of 5,000 to 30,000, and 40 to 80% by weight of the vinyl aromatic hydrocarbon polymer blocks have a molecular weight of 35,000 or less.
US07893148B2

The present invention provides polymer nanocomposites with dispersed nanotubes and methods of making same. The polymer may be a polyether. For example, the present invention provides an effective method to successfully disperse single walled nanotubes (SWNTs) into both Polyethylenoxide (PEO) and its low molecular weight analog polyethylene glycol (PEG) with hydrodynamic percolation at about 0.09 wt % and an electrical percolation at about 0.03 wt % SWNTs at room temperature, and the resulting nanocomposites. The method may include providing a surfactant. Most notably the present inventors achieved a decrease in the melting point of the polymer and a retardation of polymer crystallization due to the presence of the nanotubes.
US07893113B2

The subject invention provides materials and methods for modulating a variety of biological factors to treat biological conditions associated with the factors. In one embodiment of the invention, a cysteamine compound is administered to a patient to treat hypercholesterolemia and/or complications associated with hypercholesterolemia. In another embodiment, a cysteamine compound is administered to a patient to prevent the onset of diabetes in an at-risk patient and/or treat or prevent the onset of diabetes-associated complications.
US07893111B2

The invention relates to a method for preparing a sulphoxide compound of formula (I) either as a single enantiomer or in an enantiomerically enriched form, comprising the steps of: a) contacting a pro-chiral sulphide of formula (II) with a metal chiral complex, a base and an oxidizing agent in an organic solvent; and optionally b) isolating the obtained sulphoxide of formula (I). wherein Ar, Y, R1 are as defined in claim 1.
US07893100B2

The present invention relates to carvedilol phosphate salts, which include novel crystalline forms of carvedilol dihydrogen phosphate (i.e., dihydrogen phosphate salt of 1-(carbazol-4-yloxy-3-[[2-(o-methoxyphenoxy) ethyl]amino]-2-propanol) and/or carvedilol hydrogen phosphate, etc.), and/or solvates thereof, compositions containing the aforementioned salts and/or solvates, and methods of using the aforementioned salts and/or solvates to treat hypertension, congestive heart failure and angina, etc.
US07893087B2

A compound of formula (I) is provided, wherein B, A, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 are as defined herein and X− represents a pharmaceutically acceptable anion of a mono or polyvalent acid. Processes for the preparation of such compounds and pharmaceutical compositions containing them are also provided.
US07893081B2

This invention relates to salt forms of the compound N-[(2R)-1,4-dioxan-2-ylmethyl]-N-methyl-N′-[3-(1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-5-oxo-5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-7-yl]sulfamide, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, in particular the receptor tyrosine kinase MET, that are useful in the treatment of cellular proliferative diseases, for example cancer, hyperplasias, restenosis, cardiac hypertrophy, immune disorders and inflammation. In particular, the invention relates to the sodium salt of N-[(2R)-1,4-dioxan-2-ylmethyl]-N-methyl-N′-[3-(1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)-5-oxo-5H-benzo[4,5]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-7-yl]sulfamide.
US07893079B2

Compounds of formula I: (wherein variables A1, A2, A3, A4, m, n, J, Q, R4, Ea, Eb, Ec, R6, R7, Re, Rf, RPG and Y are as described herein) which are antagonists of CGRP receptors and which are useful in the treatment or prevention of diseases in which the CGRP is involved, such as migraine. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising these compounds and the use of these compounds and compositions in the prevention or treatment of such diseases in which CGRP is involved.
US07893076B2

The invention relates to the F-crystal form, G-crystal form, H-crystal form, I-crystal form and K-crystal form of the methanesulfonic acid addition salt of 4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-ylmethyl)-N-[4-methyl-3-(4-(pyridin-3-yl)pyrimidin-2-ylamino)phenyl]-benzamide, certain processes for their preparation, pharmaceutical compositions containing these crystal forms, their use in diagnostic methods or for the therapeutic treatment of warm-blooded animals, and their use as an intermediate or for the preparation of pharmaceutical preparations for use in diagnostic methods or for the therapeutic treatment of warm-blooded animals, especially humans.
US07893073B2

The invention relates to novel 3,4-dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives having the formula processes for their preparation, and their use in compositions, and in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, acute coronary syndrome, acute myocardial infarction and heart failure development.
US07893070B2

The present invention relates to a method of facilitating the birth process of placental mammals, especially to a method of reducing delays in the birth process and, thereby, complications resulting there from that may negatively affect the health and wellbeing of the mother and increase the incidence of stillbirths and/or neonatal mortality. According to the present invention delays in parturition that result from maternal and/or uterine exhaustion may be prevented or reduced by the administration of an effective amount of one or more psychomotor stimulants to the parturient mammal prior to and/or during parturition. Said psychomotor stimulant is selected from the group comprising xanthines and amphetamines.
US07893066B2

The present invention discloses pyrido[2,3-B]pyrazinones having the structure of Formula I for use as inhibitors of stearoyl-CoA desaturase. The compounds are useful in treating and/or preventing various human diseases, mediated by stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) enzymes, especially diseases related to abnormal lipid levels, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, oily skin conditions, metabolic syndrome, and the like.
US07893059B2

Compounds of Formulas Ia and Ib, and including stereoisomers, geometric isomers, tautomers, solvates, metabolites and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, are useful for inhibiting lipid kinases including PI3K, and for treating disorders such as cancer mediated by lipid kinases. Methods of using compounds of Formula Ia and Ib for in vitro, in situ, and in vivo diagnosis, prevention or treatment of such disorders in mammalian cells, or associated pathological conditions, are disclosed.
US07893045B2

Methods for predicting a response of a patient having a lymphoma to a therapy regimen of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidine-2,6-dione using prognostic factors of a patient's disease burden, absolute lymphocyte count or time since last rituximab therapy are disclosed. Specific methods of treating a lymphoma encompass the administration of 3-(4-amino-1-oxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl)-piperidine-2,6-dione to a patient who has one or more of the favorable profiles, alone or in combination with immunosuppressive agents such as rituximab.
US07893041B2

Oligosaccharides and oligosaccharides linked to backbones such as proteins, methods for making such oligosaccharides and methods for using them to treat and/or prevent various disorders are described.
US07893031B2

Disclosed is a neuronal differentiation inhibitor which comprises at least one peptide capable of inhibiting or controlling the neuronal differentiation of at least one cell capable of being differentiated into a neuronal cell. The peptide is an artificially synthesized peptide which comprises a BC-box derived amino acid sequence comprising at least 10 contiguous amino acid residues selected from an amino acid sequence constituting the BC-box of at least one protein belonging to the elongin A family or comprises an amino acid sequence having a partial modification in the BC-box derived amino acid sequence.
US07893030B2

The present invention relates to a chromogenic test reagent which comprises a chromogenic peptide substrate and an inhibitor of fibrin polymerization, which is particularly suitable for being used in coagulation-diagnostic tests and which is distinguished by the fact that it exhibits a nigh degree of stability and/or a long shelf life in the liquid state.
US07893020B2

This invention relates to the field of antimicrobial agents and more specifically it relates to Efflux Pump Inhibitor (EPI) compounds to be co-administered with antimicrobial agents for the treatment of infections caused by drug resistant pathogens. The EPI compounds are soft drugs which exhibit a reduced propensity for tissue accumulation. The invention includes novel compounds useful as efflux pump inhibitors, compositions and devices comprising such efflux pump inhibitors, and therapeutic use of such compounds.
US07893014B2

A fabric treatment composition that includes at least one zeta potential modifier and a hydrophobic agent with a melting point or glass transition temperature below 100° C. that imparts fabric protection benefits, including improved stain and soil resistance, oil repellency, water repellency, softness, wrinkle and damage resistance, and better handfeel to treated fabrics. Treatment compositions can be used as a pretreatment prior to washing, through soaking, or added to the treatment liquor, that is either the wash or rinse cycle of an automatic washing machine, to first provide and then maintain and restore the beneficial fabric protection benefits imparted to the fabrics during a first treatment operation. The fabric treatment is complete when the fabric is cured by drying and/or heating. Following use of a first treatment composition, protective benefits are maintained and restored by means of a second treatment operation employing a second treatment composition with lower active levels of the protective agents to provide for economical and continual maintenance of the imparted fabric protection benefits through a delivered second fabric treatment benefit with each subsequent treatment operation employing the fabric treatment compositions.
US07893013B2

Article for use in a dishwashing machine, which comprises a water-soluble glass or ceramic composition effective to reduce corrosion of glassware and at least one surfactant containing composition, wherein the amount of the glass or ceramic composition is within the range of 5 to 95 wt. % and the amount of the surfactant is in the range of 5 to 95 wt. %, both percentages based on the weight of the article.
US07893008B2

The present invention relates to an instrument, a method and a kit for detecting a microorganism contaminating a subject test sample, which enables one to quickly and accurately identify the microorganism with an easy operation. The instrument for detecting a microorganism according to the present invention relates to a microarray type instrument in which oligonucleotides prepared based on nucleotide sequences specific to the species and genus to which the subject microorganism belongs have been immobilized onto a surface of a substrate. Based on the presence or absence of hybridization of the probes prepared from the test sample with the oligonucleotides immobilized onto the surface of the substrate, the present invention makes it possible to detect and/or identify the microorganism in the test sample easily, quickly and accurately.
US07893001B2

The invention intends to provide, in BaTiO3 semiconductor porcelain composition, a semiconductor porcelain composition that, without using Pb, can shift the Curie temperature to a positive direction and can significantly reduce the resistivity at room temperature. According to the invention, when Ba is partially substituted by an A1 element (at least one kind of Na, K and Li) and an A2 element (Bi) and Ba is further substituted by a specific amount of a Q element, or when Ba is partially substituted by an A1 element (at least one kind of Na, K and Li) and an A2 element (Bi) and Ti is partially substituted by a specific amount of an M element, the optimal valence control can be applied and whereby the resistivity at room temperature can be significantly reduced. Accordingly, it is optimal for applications in a PTC thermistor, a PTC heater, a PTC switch, a temperature detector and the like, and particularly preferably in an automobile heater.
US07892999B2

A float glass for a display substrate, characterized in that its composition consists essentially of, as represented by mass % based on oxide, from 52 to 62% of SiO2, from 5 to 15% of Al2O3, from more than 0% to 9% of MgO, from 3 to 12% of CaO, from 9 to 18% of SrO, from 0 to 13% of BaO, from 25 to 30% of MgO+CaO+SrO+BaO, from 6 to 14% of Na2O+K2O+Li2O, from 0 to 6% of ZrO2 and from 0 to 1% of SO3, the temperature of glass melt corresponding to the viscosity of 102 dPa·s is at most 1,520° C., the temperature of glass melt corresponding to the viscosity of 104 dPa·s is at most 1,120° C., the glass transition temperature is at least 610° C., and the specific gravity is at most 2.9.
US07892997B2

This invention relates to boron-containing compositions for use in glaze compositions. There is provided a boron-containing composition for use in glaze production, which composition is obtainable by a process which comprises heating to a temperature sufficiently high that calcination occurs but insufficient for the formation of a homogeneous melt a mixture comprising components capable, under the conditions of heating, of forming the oxides B2O3, SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O and optionally CaO in proportions such that the relative percentages by weight of the said oxides, based on the total weight of the said oxides, are as follows: 10 to 18% B2O3, 40 to 65% SiO2, 17 to 32% Al2O3, 4 to 9% Na2O, and 0 to 10% CaO. The boron-containing compositions according to the present invention may be used in glaze compositions, suitably frit-free or boron-free frit-containing glaze compositions.
US07892988B2

Membrane materials for fabric structures consisting of a woven fabric which is coated on one or both sides with an elastomeric compound comprising finely divided phase change materials such as crystalline alkyl hydrocarbons or salt hydrates. The membrane materials facilitate thermo-regulation due to latent heat absorption and latent heat release in the phase transition range of the phase change material, which enhances the thermal comfort of the enclosed structure, they are applied to and leads to energy savings.
US07892973B2

A falling off of a through electrode is inhibited without decreasing a reliability of a semiconductor device including a through electrode. A semiconductor device 100 includes: a silicon substrate 101; a through electrode 129 extending through the silicon substrate 101; and a first insulating ring 130 provided in a circumference of a side surface of the through electrode 129 and extending through the semiconductor substrate 101. In addition, the semiconductor device 100 also includes a protruding portion 146, being provided at least in the vicinity of a back surface of a device-forming surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 so as to contact with the through electrode 129, and protruding in a direction along the surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 toward an interior of the through electrode 129.
US07892965B2

A new method is provided for the creation of interconnect lines. Fine line interconnects are provided in a first layer of dielectric overlying semiconductor circuits that have been created in or on the surface of a substrate. A layer of passivation is deposited over the layer of dielectric, a thick second layer of dielectric is created over the surface of the layer of passivation. Thick and wide interconnect lines are created in the thick second layer of dielectric. The first layer of dielectric may also be eliminated, creating the wide thick interconnect network on the surface of the layer of passivation that has been deposited over the surface of a substrate.
US07892953B2

A method is disclosed to make a multi-crystalline silicon film of a solar cell. The method includes the step of providing a ceramic substrate, the step of providing a titanium-based film on the ceramic substrate, the step of providing a p+-type back surface field layer on the titanium-based film, the step of providing a p−-type light-soaking layer on the p+-type back surface field layer and the step of conducting n+-type diffusive deposition of phosphine on the p−-type light-soaking layer based on atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition, thus forming an n+-type emitter on the p−-type light-soaking layer.
US07892948B2

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an SOI wafer in which a thickness of an SOI layer is increased by growing an epitaxial layer on the SOI layer of the SOI wafer having an oxide film and the SOI layer formed on a base wafer, wherein the epitaxial growth is performed in such a manner that a reflectivity of a surface of the SOI wafer on which the epitaxial layer is grown in a wavelength region of a heating light at the start of the epitaxial growth falls within the range of 30% to 80%. As a result, in the method for manufacturing the SOI wafer in which a thickness of the SOI layer is increased by growing the epitaxial layer on the SOI layer of the SOI wafer having the oxide film and the SOI layer formed on the base wafer, a method for manufacturing a high-quality SOI wafer with less slip dislocation and others is provided.
US07892932B2

A semiconductor device having a tensile and/or compressive strain applied thereto and methods of manufacturing the semiconductor devices and design structure to enhance channel strain. The method includes forming a gate structure for an NFET and a PFET and forming sidewalls on the gate structure for the NFET and the PFET using a same deposition and etching process. The method also includes providing stress materials in the source and drain regions of the NFET and the PFET.
US07892930B2

A method of forming a transistor device is provided wherein a gate structure is formed over a semiconductor body of a first conductivity type. The gate structure is formed comprising a protective cap thereover and defining source/drain regions laterally adjacent thereto. A first implant is performed of a second conductivity type into both the gate structure and the source/drain regions. The semiconductor body is etched to form recesses substantially aligned to the gate structure wherein the first implant is removed from the source/drain regions. Source/drain regions are implanted or grown by a selective epitaxial growth.
US07892927B2

A transistor including a germanium-rich channel. The germanium-rich channel is produced by oxidation of the silicon contained in the silicon-germanium intermediate layer starting from the lower surface of the said intermediate layer. The germanium atoms are therefore caused to migrate towards the upper surface of the silicon-germanium intermediate layer, and are stopped by the gate insulating layer. The migration of the atoms during the oxidation step is thus less prejudicial to the performance of the transistor, since the gate insulator of the transistor has already been produced and is not modified during this step. The migration of the germanium atoms towards the gate insulator, which is immobile, leads to a limitation of the surface defects between the channel and the insulator.
US07892918B2

A wiring structure in a semiconductor device includes a first insulation layer formed on a substrate having first and second contact regions, and first and second pads extending through the first insulation layer and contacting the first and the second contact regions. The first and the second pads are higher than the first insulation layer. A blocking layer pattern is formed on the first insulation layer between the first and the second pads, the blocking layer pattern being higher than the first and the second pads. A second insulation layer is formed on the blocking layer pattern and the first and the second pads. A bit line structure is formed on the second insulation layer, the bit line structure electrically contacting the second pad. A third insulation layer is formed on the second insulation layer and the bit line structure. A plug extends through the second and the third insulation layers and contacts the first pad.
US07892916B2

An upper electrode layer is processed into plural electrode shapes with lithography and subsequent dry etching to pattern plural upper electrodes, followed by conducting an RTA treatment at a treatment temperature of a value in a range from 400° C. to 1000° C. and at an oxygen flow volume of a value in a range from 0.1 L/min to 100 L/min and, subsequently, by conducting an annealing treatment at a treatment temperature of 650° C. in an oxygen atmosphere for 60 minutes.
US07892912B2

A method for forming a vertical channel transistor of a semiconductor device includes forming a plurality of pillar patterns over a substrate, forming a gate insulation layer encapsulating the resultant pillar pattern structure, forming a surrounding gate electrode conduction layer surrounding the sidewalls of the pillar pattern including the gate insulation layer, filling a sacrificial layer to a predetermined height of a surrounding gate electrode in a gap region between neighboring pillar patterns having the surrounding gate electrode conduction layer, and forming the surrounding gate electrode by removing a portion of the surrounding gate electrode conduction layer exposed by the sacrificial layer.
US07892903B2

A method of producing a T-gate in a single stage exposure process using electromagnetic radiation is disclosed.
US07892895B2

System and method for providing an electrical fuse having a p-n junction diode. A preferred embodiment comprises a cathode, an anode, and one or more links formed between the cathode and the anode. The cathode and the portion of the cathode adjoining the link are doped with a first impurity, preferably a p-type impurity. The anode and the portion of the link adjoining the anode are doped with a second impurity, preferably an n-type impurity. The junction of the first impurity and the second impurity in the link forms a p-n junction diode. A conductive layer, such as a silicide layer, is formed over the p-n junction diodes. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of p-n junction diodes may be formed in each link. One or more contacts may be formed to provide electrical contact to the cathode and the anode.
US07892891B2

Techniques for dicing wafer assemblies containing multiple metal device dies, such as vertical light-emitting diode (VLED), power device, laser diode, and vertical cavity surface emitting laser device dies, are provided. Devices produced accordingly may benefit from greater yields and enhanced performance over conventional metal devices, such as higher brightness of the light-emitting diode and increased thermal conductivity. Moreover, such techniques are applicable to GaN-based electronic devices in cases where there is a high heat dissipation rate of the metal devices that have an original non- (or low) thermally conductive and/or non- (or low) electrically conductive carrier substrate that has been removed.
US07892888B2

An efficient chip stacking structure is described that includes a leadframe having two surfaces to each of which can be attached stacks of chips. A chip stack can be formed by placing a chip active surface on a back surface of another chip. Electrical connections between chips and leads on the leadframe are facilitated by bonding pads on chip active surfaces and by via that extend from the bonding pads through the chips to the back surfaces.
US07892886B2

At least a part of an outer edge of a surface where a circuit forming region, for example, of a semiconductor substrate that forms a semiconductor chip is arranged (a region surrounded by a scribe line around the circuit forming region) is cut or polished, so as to form a smooth slope is chamfered non-parallel and non-vertical to the circuit forming region. Then, a code indicating management information is assigned to the slope. Further, a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked to manufacture a semiconductor device.
US07892885B2

Techniques for modular chip fabrication are provided. In one aspect, a modular chip structure is provided. The modular chip structure comprises a substrate; a carrier platform attached to the substrate, the carrier platform comprising a plurality of conductive vias extending through the carrier platform; and a wiring layer on the carrier platform in contact with one or more of the conductive vias, wherein the wiring layer comprises one or more wiring levels and is configured to divide the carrier platform into a plurality of voltage islands; and chips, chip macros or at least one chip in combination with at least one chip macro assembled on the carrier platform.
US07892872B2

Highly uniform silica nanoparticles can be formed into stable dispersions with a desirable small secondary particle size. The silican particles can be surface modified to form the dispersions. The silica nanoparticles can be doped to change the particle properties and/or to provide dopant for subsequent transfer to other materials. The dispersions can be printed as an ink for appropriate applications. The dispersions can be used to selectively dope semiconductor materials such as for the formation of photovoltaic cells or for the formation of printed electronic circuits.
US07892867B2

A carrier applicable to a laser releasing process and for carrying at least a flexible display panel is provided. The flexible display panel is formed on a transparent substrate and includes a display main body and a driving circuit module connected to an edge of the display main body. The carrier includes a carrying plate having at least a carrying area for carrying the flexible display panel and a protecting cover disposed on the carrying plate and located at an edge of the carrying area. A receiving space is formed between the protecting cover and the carrying plate for receiving the driving circuit module. The protecting cover is for shielding the driving circuit module to prevent the driving circuit module from being irradiated by a laser beam in the laser releasing process. A method for manufacturing flexible display panel also is provided.
US07892863B2

Measuring apparatus for monitoring the position of the center of mass of a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. The apparatus includes a wafer support (14) with a ledge for supporting an edge of a wafer (2) when it is lifted at a detection point by a probe (16). The probe (16) is connected to a force sensor (18) which senses a force due to a moment of the wafer about a fulcrum (4) on the wafer support (14). Moment measurements are taken at a plurality of detection points and a processing unit calculates the position of the center of mass from the moment measurements. Changes in wafer mass distribution (e.g. due to faulty treatment steps) which cause movement of the center of mass can be detected.
US07892857B2

The invention relates to an assay method and a fluid microsystem for carrying out said assay method, in particular, for carrying out miniaturized affinity tests in a micro-array format. According to said invention, a liquid phase comprising at least one type of detectable high-molecular weight soluble substance, for example a labeled reaction partner or product of an affinity reaction is displaced by the hydraulic effect of a high-molecular weight osmotic agent on an ultrafiltration membrane towards a miniaturized measuring chamber defined thereby. The fraction of the detectable high-molecular weight substance(s) is concentrated in the measuring chamber, while the dissolved low-molecular weight components are removed with the solvent through the membrane pores, thereby making it possible to attain a high detection sensitivity.
US07892853B2

A homogeneous immunoassay method and system for quantitative determination of total immunoglobulin E and specific antibody levels to a plurality of allergens, in which a relatively small sampling of blood is required. The method utilizes relatively small microparticles in aqueous suspension. The immunoassay procedure is an immunometric sandwich procedure preferably utilizing biotin-streptavidin signal amplification techniques and R-phycoerytherin fluorescent labels.
US07892848B2

The present invention pertains to a method of ion chromatography wherein a specialized electrodeionization (EDI) apparatus is used for (1) the preparation of a pure acid or pure base for use as an eluent in a chromatographic separation column and/or (2) for ion suppression (or neutralization) of the acid or base after it has been used to elute ions from a chromatographic separation column. Methods for trace ion removal, acid and base neutralization, and ion suppression using a specialized EDI apparatus are also described. The methods described herein allow for the ion suppression of samples containing chloride, nitrate, and other electrochemically active anions, without causing damage to the suppressor.
US07892847B2

A countercurrent chromatography apparatus includes a plurality of plates, at least one plate (16) having first and second interleaved spiral flow channels (52, 54, 56, 58) therein. Each spiral flow channels (52, 54, 56, 58) has a first end (I1, I2, I3, I4) near the central axis and a second ends (O1, O2, O3, O4) near the periphery. The outlet of the first channel (O1) is connected to the inlet of the second channel (I2) by a connecting channel (72). Septa may be provided between the plates to connect the spiral channels of one plate to the spiral channels of the next plate.
US07892841B2

A measuring method and a measuring apparatus which can classify and count myeloblast more precisely without influence of other component in a sample including platelet aggregation in measurement of a blood sample with a flowcytometry, wherein damage is given to a cell membrane of erythrocyte and mature leukocyte contained in a hematological sample, a hemocyte in which a cell membrane is damaged is constricted, and this is dyeing-treated with a fluorescent dye which can stain a nucleic acid to obtain a sample, the sample is measured with a flowcytometer, and a cell contained in a first cell group containing myeloblast, which is specified based on forward scattered light information and side scattered light information, and contained in a second cell group containing myeloblast, which is specified based on forward scattered light information and fluorescent information, is counted as myeloblast.
US07892818B2

A method for obtaining an activation profile of a biological sample by disposing onto a solid support in a pre-determined spatial arrangement a subset of capture molecules able to interact with one or more activated transcription factor(s) present in the biological sample, contacting the biological sample upon the solid support under conditions allowing their interaction, monitoring signals resulting from their interaction, and providing a cellular activation profile from the detected signals.
US07892813B2

The invention provides an isolated culture of a Neotyphodium endophyte of an Elymus canadensis host plant, wherein the endophyte reproduces asexually and enhances the agronomic characteristics of the host plant. Methods for inoculating the host plant with the endophyte, for propagating the host-endophyte combination, and for detecting the presence of the endophyte and of its metabolites within a host plant are also described.
US07892810B2

The present invention provides a system for site-specific directed gene insertion of desired genes or foreign DNA into cellular genomes. The system includes novel vectors for integrating DNA into the genome of different hosts. Methods of using the vectors and transformed hosts are described.
US07892806B2

The inventors have developed a method of altering the amino acid sequence of a fungal alpha-amylase to obtain variants, and they have used the method to construct such variants. The variants may be useful for anti-staling in baked products. Accordingly, the invention provides a method of constructing fungal alpha-amylase variants based on a comparison of three-dimensional (3D) structures of the fungal alpha-amylase and a maltogenic alpha-amylase. One or both models includes a substrate. The invention also provides novel fungal alpha-amylase variants.
US07892805B2

A method of enhancing the intrinsic activity of an enzyme in a raw enzyme solution, the method comprising treating the raw enzyme solution with an effective amount of a purifying agent, most preferably, activated carbon, to effect the enhancement and provide an enzyme solution of enhanced activity. Preferred enzymes are amylase, glucoamylase, cellulase, xylanase, and all other group 3 hydrolases.
US07892803B2

The invention relates generally to isolated leucoanthocyanidin reductase LAR polypeptides of the Reductase-Epimerase-Dehydrogenase (RED) protein family, and nucleic acid molecules encoding same and their use in regulating the biosynthesis and accumulation of proanthocyanidins in plants. The invention is further directed to isolated nucleic acid molecules of plants which encode leucoanthocyanidin reductases of the RED protein family. The isolated polypeptides and nucleic acid molecules of the present invention are useful for modifying the pasture quality of legumes, and, in particular, for producing bloat-safe forage crops. or crops having enhanced nutritional value, enhanced disease resistance or pest resistance, or enhanced malting qualities.
US07892801B2

Effective activation of a biological material such as an enzyme has been demanded. The present invention provides a process for activating a biological material which includes providing a porous material having mesopores; immobilizing a biological material on the pore wall which forms the mesopores; and enhancing the relative activity of the biological material by heating the porous material on which the biological material is immobilized at the optimal temperature and above of the biological material and an apparatus therefor.
US07892787B2

A method of producing somatotropin encompassing the microbiological expression of a recombinant protein containing somatotropin and hybrid polypeptide containing the amino-acid sequence of ubiquitin and the amino-acid sequence of somatotropin.
US07892784B2

An enzyme capable of reducing the antibiotic activity (i.e., toxicity) of streptothricin with respect to eukaryotic cells without sacrificing antibiotic activity with respect to prokaryotic cells is provided along with a streptothricin derivative having reduced toxicity with respect to eukaryotic cells while retaining antibiotic activity with respect to prokaryotic cells, and a manufacturing method thereof. By opening the lactam ring of streptothricin, a protein having the amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16 of the invention can reduce the antibiotic activity of streptothricin D with respect to eukaryotic cells without sacrificing antibiotic activity with respect to prokaryotic cells.
US07892775B2

The present invention provides a sensor and methods for determining kinase activity.
US07892774B2

The invention relates to a diagnostic method for detecting susceptibility to delivery, and to a test kit for this purpose. A low, but higher than baseline level concentration of Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 (IGFBP-1), which is due to leakage from decidual cells, is detected by an immunological assay in a vaginal secretion sample.
US07892771B2

A crystalline structure of glutaminyl cyclase (QC) is described. Also described are the methods of preparing the crystalline structure of QC and the methods for identifying candidate inhibitors of QC. In addition, a structural basis for the rational design or identification of new inhibitors that may be used to treat QC-associated disorders is also described.
US07892744B2

The invention relates to polynucleotide sequences comprising genetic variations of the PAR1 gene at positions 3090 and/or 3329. The occurrence of these variants in humans correlates with increased occurrence of particular cardiovascular disorders. The invention furthermore relates to methods for detecting said genetic variations for the purpose of patient diagnosis.
US07892740B2

Disclosed is a set of genes differentially expressed in chemotherapy and radiation resistant tumors useful in predicting response to therapy and assessing risk of local-regional failure, survival and metastasis in cancer patients. Also disclosed are methods for characterizing tumors according to gene expression and kits for use in the methods of the invention.
US07892738B2

The present invention provides methods an compositions for diagnosis and treatment of carcinomas with aberrant expression patterns of POT 1. The invention also provides methods of identifying compounds that may modulate the cellular expression of POT 1. The invention further provides methods for treating subjects suffering from or at risk of developing a colorectal carcinoma.
US07892737B2

This invention is related to methods, kits and compositions pertaining to stability modulation of PNA oligomer/nucleic acid complexes.
US07892728B2

The present invention provides a lipid membrane that contains a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, or 22. Use of the present invention enables screening for a chemical which regulates excretion of a chemical and/or a waste. Furthermore, use of the present invention enables an arbitrary chemical to be tested for nephrotoxicity and/or hepatotoxicity.
US07892727B2

Described herein are chemokine-binding domains of THAP-family polypeptides and pharmaceutical compositions which include a polypeptide comprising a chemokine-binding domain of a THAP-family polypeptide. Also disclosed are methods of binding chemokines, inhibiting the activity of chemokines, detecting chemokines, and reducing the symptoms associated with a chemokine mediated or influenced condition by contacting the chemokine with an agent that includes a polypeptide comprising a chemokine binding domain of a THAP-family polypeptide.
US07892712B2

An exposure method suitable for a photolithography process is described. First, a wafer with a group of alignment marks formed thereon is provided. A first alignment step is conducted by using the group of the alignment marks on the wafer to obtain a first calibration data. Next, a second alignment step is conducted by using a portion of the group of alignment marks on the wafer to obtain a second calibration data. The first calibration data is then compared with the second calibration data to obtain a comparison result. Next, a photoresist exposure step is conducted on the wafer according to the comparison result.
US07892710B2

A method and article of manufacture for three-dimensional structures having micron dimensions includes coating a substrate with layers of photo resist. Each layer of photo resist is exposed with its own two-dimensional mask defining one slice of an object. Subsequent layers of photo resist are exposed with different patterns. Once all layers have been fabricated and exposed to identify two-dimensional features for the layer, the multiple layers are developed to removed photo resist which has not been exposed. The layered structure represents a three-dimensional object where the depth dimension is defined by the photo resist layer thickness. By decreasing the wavelength of the light exposure, it is possible to confine exposure to a single layer of photo resist.
US07892705B2

The disclosure is related to photomasks used in photolithography and methods of making photomasks. The method involves providing a transparent substrate with one or more reflective films disposed over a surface of the substrate, applying a photoresist to the solution-contacted reflective film and forming a pattern in the photoresist that is transferred to the substrate, and developing the pattern on the substrate by removing the remaining portions of the photoresist. The substrate carrying the patterned reflective film is then contacted with a solution comprising oxyanions. The disclosure is also related to photomasks made using the disclosed method.
US07892696B2

By providing a coloring agent, which is brought in contact with the liquid fuel leaked from an outer peripheral portion of the liquid fuel holding section that is configured to hold the liquid fuel and by which the contact portion is changed in color, in at least part of the outer peripheral portion, the leakage of the liquid fuel from the liquid fuel holding section can be visually detected swiftly and easily without providing any special detection device.
US07892688B2

Disclosed is a fuel cell system which includes a fuel cell, a high-pressure tank for containing a fuel, a supply device for delivering the fuel of the high-pressure tank to the fuel cell, a fuel consumption control mechanism for controlling an amount of the fuel consumed in the fuel cell, and a fuel temperature sensing device for sensing a temperature of the fuel discharged from the high-pressure tank. In this system, the amount of the consumed fuel is controlled based on the temperature sensed by the fuel temperature sensing device.
US07892683B2

There is provided a fuel cell for generating a electric power by a reaction of a reaction gas, a reaction gas flow path through which the reaction gas passes, purge section for purging the reaction gas flow path with a purging gas, a purge judging section for judging as to whether or not a purging operation by the purge section is required, and a failure detecting section for detecting a failure of a judgment support device. When the failure of the judgment support device is detected by the failure detecting section, the reaction gas flow path is purged by the purge section when stopping the power generation of the fuel cell.
US07892681B2

An electrochemical cell includes an anode half-cell and a cathode half-cell. A separator, such as a membrane, is formed between the two half-cells, and a gate electrode may be configured to influence the properties of the separator. Electricity is generated by flowing a liquid fuel through conduits, while applying an electric field to the gated membrane such that the membrane conducts protons. Complementary half cell reactions take place at an anode and a cathode.
US07892679B2

The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery of the present invention uses, as the positive electrode active material, a mixture of a lithium-containing transition metal oxide LiaNixMnyO2 (wherein a, x, and y respectively satisfy the following relations: 1
US07892675B1

An electrochemical device has one or more electrodes in electrical communication with a tab assembly. The tab assembly includes an ultrasonic weld bonding one or more weld materials to a tab extending from the one or more electrodes.
US07892674B2

A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery, having an internal resistance of 10 mΩ or less as an alternating-current impedance value of 1 kHz, comprises a metal outer container, a nonaqueous electrolyte contained in the container, a positive electrode contained in the container, a negative electrode contained in the container, a separator interposed between the negative electrode and the positive electrode, a negative electrode lead having one end connected to the negative electrode, and a negative electrode terminal attached to the outer container so as to be connected electrically to the other end of the negative electrode lead, at least the surface of the negative electrode terminal which is connected to the negative electrode lead being formed of aluminum alloy with an aluminum purity of less than 99 wt. % containing at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Cu, Si, Fe and Ni.
US07892669B2

Disclosed herein is a middle- or large-sized battery module comprising: a battery cell stack including a plurality of battery cells or unit modules electrically connected with each other, a first module case constructed in a structure to entirely surround one side end of the battery cell stack and to partially surround the upper and lower ends of the battery cell stack, a second module case coupled with the first module case, the second module case being constructed in a structure to entirely surround the other side end of the battery cell stack and to partially surround the upper and lower ends of the battery cell stack, a sensing member mounted to the first module case or the second module case, and a battery management system (BMS) mounted to the first module case or the second module case.
US07892666B2

The cell case (10) of the present invention includes first cooling channel wall surfaces (13c) and second cooling channel wall surfaces (13d) that form a cooling channel (13A) through which cooling air flows for cooling a film-covered battery (1); wherein the area of the opening of a portion that is the outlet (13b) of cooling channel (13A) is greater than the area of the opening of the portion that is the inlet (13a) of the cooling channel (13A).
US07892647B2

The present invention is in the field of polymer sheets and multiple layer glazing panels comprising infrared absorbing agents, and, more specifically, the present invention is in the field of polymer sheets and multiple layer glazing panels comprising infrared absorbing agents that selectively absorb infrared radiation. In various embodiments of the present invention, an interlayer includes lanthanum hexaboride, which effectively absorbs infrared radiation at about 1,000 nanometers, and an epoxy, which stabilizes the lanthanum hexaboride agent.
US07892646B1

A pressure gradient CVI/CVD process includes providing a furnace defining an outer volume. Porous structures and ring-like spacers are assembled in a stack with a ring-like spacer between each adjacent pair of porous structures. The stack of porous structures is disposed between a bottom plate and a top plate in the furnace, wherein the bottom plate, the stack of porous structures, and the ring-like spacers define an enclosed cavity. A channel provides fluid communication between the enclosed cavity and the outer volume. A gas composition is introduced into the enclosed cavity. A portion of the gas composition flows through the channel. A pressure gradient is maintained between the enclosed cavity and the outer volume. The gas composition in the outer volume is provided at a pressure of at least about 15 torr. The porous structures are densified.
US07892640B2

The present invention provides novel conjugate fibers being excellent in productivity and having good water absorption, antistatic property and cool feeling by contact. The conjugate fibers include a fiber-forming resin such as polyamide, polyester and the like in the sheath portion and a polyether block amide copolymer in the core portion, in which the area ratio of the core portion to the sheath portion is 5/95 to 95/5, and the exposure angle of the core portion to the surface is 5° to 90°. Specifically it is preferable that the area ratio of the core portion to the sheath portion is 10/90 to 90/10, the exposure angle of the core portion to the surface is 5° to 80°, and the crimp ratio is 2 to 30%.
US07892638B2

A durable optical film or element includes a polymerized structure having a microstructured surface and a plurality of surface modified colloidal nanoparticles of silica, zirconia, or mixtures thereof. Display devices including the durable microstructured film are also described.
US07892636B2

A carbon foam composite including a carbon foam skeleton having a supplemental material therein, the composite useful for, inter alia, a variety of applications including applications requiring durability and water resistance. Also included is a method for making such carbon foam composite materials.
US07892621B2

A modified trapezoid material is provided to form a scarf configured to wrap around a neck of a container and to rest on a shoulder of a container. More specifically, the material is in the form of a trapezoid, with at least one opening in one of the parallel surfaces. The opening is sized to receive an opposite triangular portion of the material. As the triangular portion is pulled through the opening, the material forms a scarf. The size of the scarf may be adjusted based upon the desired size.
US07892619B2

A coating composition for optical recording includes a uniform dispersion of polymer particles in a liquid, a quantity of dye particles uniformly dispersed in the liquid, the dye particles being soluble in the polymer but substantially insoluble in the liquid, and a quantity of radiation absorber material adapted to absorb radiation at a wavelength of a laser for optical recording of an image.
US07892614B2

The invention relates to a process for producing polyethylene aseptic squeezable pouches. The invention also covers said pouches and their use for medical packaging applications.
US07892612B1

A molten resin is prevented from entering between a surface of a sheet-shaped insert such as a label including a printed film or the like and a surface of an outer mold unit and the insert is prevented from being downwardly pushed, when a synthetic article in which the insert is bonded to the outer peripheral surface of the thin cylindrical molded body is injection molded by the insertion molding.The insert such as a label is fitted, closely attached and held along an inner peripheral surface of the outer molding unit in a cavity 7 defined between the outer mold unit 11 and the core 6, a molten resin is injected, through plural injection gate openings 9a provided in the core, toward an inner peripheral surface of the molded body at a position inwardly apart from an end of the insert in an axial direction and corresponding to an inner portion as viewed in width directions from opposite sides of the insert, the cavity is filled with the molten resin while the insert is being pushed to the surface of the outer mold unit with the molten resin, and the molten resin is integrated with the insert, thereby molding the label-attached cylindrical article 10.
US07892591B2

This invention relates to a protein containing composition, comprising; a protein composition, wherein at least about 75 weight % of the protein composition contains at least about 15 weight % of large pieces including protein fibers at least about 4 centimeters long, protein strands at least about 3 centimeters long, and protein chunks at least about 2 centimeters long and wherein at least about 75 weight % of the protein composition has a shear strength of at least about 1400 grams. The invention also relates to a process for preparing the protein composition. The invention further relates to a restructured meat product, or a vegetable product, or a fruit product having; a vegetable protein composition; a comminuted meat, or a comminuted vegetable, or a comminuted fruit, respectively; and water; wherein at least about 75 weight % of the protein composition contains at least about 15 weight % of large pieces including protein fibers at least about 4 centimeters long, protein strands at least about 3 centimeters long, and protein chunks at least about 2 centimeters long and wherein at least about 75 weight % of the protein composition has a shear strength of at least about 1400 grams. In another embodiment, the invention has a process for preparing the restructured meat product, or the vegetable product, or the fruit product, respectively.
US07892578B2

The inventors have discovered that hematologic disorders, e.g., both neoplastic (hematologic cancers) and non-neoplastic conditions, can be treated by the induction of mixed chimerism using myeloreductive, but not myeloablative, conditioning. Methods of the invention reduce GVHD, especially GVHD associated with mismatched allogeneic or xenogeneic donor tissue, yet provide, for example, significant graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect and the like.
US07892571B2

An effective controlled release pest control composition can use activated carbon as the sole release agent. Liquid pesticide is adsorbed into the interior mesopore and macropore space of the activated carbon. Upon contact with water, the pesticide is slowly displaced from the carbon into the environment for appropriate control. The particulate can be used as is or can be combined with liquid or solid diluents. The particle can be formed into larger composites comprising a granule, a pellet, and an agglomerated particle, etc. A variety of pesticides can be used including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, growth regulators, etc.
US07892570B2

A cosmetic composition is provided comprising: (a) metal oxide particles; and (b) cross-linked, non-emulsifying organopolysiloxane elastomer, wherein organo-functionalised silicone fibrils are bonded to and extend away from the surface of the metal oxide particles.
US07892566B2

The present invention relates to molecules, which can be used to induce a therapeutic or prophylactic immune response against MAP. In particular, the present invention relates to polypeptides comprising an alipC polypeptide sequence, a gsd polypeptide sequence, a pl2 polypeptide sequence and an mpa polypeptide sequence, wherein said ahpC polypeptide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, a variant thereof having more than 70% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2 across the full length of SEQ ID NO: 2, or a fragment of at least 8 amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 2 which comprises an epitope; said gsd polypeptide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, a variant thereof having more than 70% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 6 across the full length of SEQ ID NO: 6, or a fragment of at least 8 amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 6 which comprises an epitope; said pi 2 polypeptide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10, a variant thereof having more than 70% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 10 across the full length of SEQ ID NO: 10, or a fragment of at least 8 amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 10 which comprises an epitope; and said mpa polypeptide comprises the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 14, a variant thereof having more than 70% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 14 across the full length of SEQ ID NO: 14, or a fragment of at least 8 amino acids of SEQ ID NO: 14 which comprises an epitope. Preferably such a variant maintains the ability to generate an immune response against the unmodified polypeptide.
US07892564B2

The present invention provides a recombinant, attenuated infectious laryngotracheitis virus comprising the infectious laryngotracheitis viral genome which contains a deletion in the glycoprotein gG gene. This attenuated virus is useful as a vaccine against infectious laryngotracheitis virus.The present invention also provides a recombinant, attenuated infectious laryngotracheitis virus comprising the infectious laryngotracheitis viral genome which contains a deletion in the US2 gene, UL47-like gene, ORF4 gene or glycoprotein g60 gene.The present invention also provides a method for distinguishing chickens or other poultry vaccinated with a recombinant infectious laryngotracheitis virus which produces no glycoprotein gG from those infected with a naturally-occurring infectious laryngotracheitis virus.
US07892562B2

Administration protocols for a fusion protein, matrix protein and psoralen inactivated HIV based immunogenic composition that induces an immune response to HIV. The immunogenic compositions are based on HIV biologically active fusion peptide, matrix peptide, or psoralen inactivated HIV. The number of doses is 3X. The starting dose for an adult is 1x109-1x1010. The starting dose for an adolescent is ½(1x109-1x1010). The starting dose for a pediatric patient is ¼(1x109-1x1010). The second dose will consist of 1/10th of starting concentrations. The third dose will consist of 1/100th of starting concentrations. This will facilitate a Th-1 response. The days of administration are days 1; 30; and 180. Alternatively the days of administration are days 1; 20-40; and 160-200. The site of administration is one that targets lymphatic tissue. Adjuvant is administered before, simultaneous with or after each dose of the immunogenic compositions. Adjuvants are used to promote a Th-1 immune response and include a leukotriene receptor antagonist such as Montelukast, a mast cell and basophil stabilizer such as Cromolyn, and a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor such as Indomethacin. Th-1 immune responses to the immunogenic compositions are monitored. The 3X cycle will repeat on until a Th-1 immune response is observed. At that point, the immunogenic composition administered could then decline by a factor of 10 for two more vaccination procedures.
US07892559B2

MHC Class I-restricted peptides derived from the tumor associated antigen, survivin, which peptides are capable of binding to Class I HLA molecules at a high affinity, capable of eliciting INF-γ-producing cells in a PBL population of a cancer patient and capable of in situ detection of cytotoxic T cells in a tumor tissue, therapeutic and diagnostic composition comprising the peptide and uses hereof.
US07892556B2

Specific amino acid sequences and peptides and/or peptide mimetics deducted therefrom influencing apoptosis, and the use thereof for the production of pharmaceuticals as diagnostic tools are shown.
US07892554B2

This invention provides novel erbB2-binding internalizing antibodies. The antibodies, designated F5 and C1, specifically bind to c-erbB2 antigen and, upon binding, are readily internalized into the cell bearing the c-erbB2 marker. Chimeric molecules comprising the F5 and/or C1 antibodies attached to one or more effector molecules are also provided.
US07892551B2

The invention provides a method of enumerating the number of cells of a cell type in a cell sample by (a) counting the white blood cells in the cell sample to obtain the white blood cell population of the sample; (b) determining the proportion or percentage of the cells of the cell type in the white blood cell population in the sample; and (c) calculating the number of cells of the cell type in the sample. The cell type may be a lymphocyte sub-set selected from the group comprising CD4+ lymphocytes, CD 45 cells, CD19 cells, CD16 and CD56 positive cells, CD8 cells, CD3 cells or any combination thereof. The method is particularly useful in monitoring the immune status of a patient infected with HIV or other immune deficiency state or disease or condition where CD4+ lymphocytes or CD4+ T cells are monitored or counted. The invention also provides a kit comprising antibodies necessary for carrying out said cell enumeration.
US07892539B2

Methods and composition are provided for modulating innate immunity by modulating activation of the TRAIL receptor. Signaling through the TRAIL-R inhibits the responsiveness of cells including dendritic cells, macrophages, and the like. The activity of these cells is increased or decreased by the administration of agents that inhibit or activate TRAIL-R signaling. Innate immunity includes the production of cytokines that act on the immune system.
US07892538B2

The invention relates to the use of a monovalent antibody fragment directed against the EC2 domain of the FcαRI receptor for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
US07892535B2

This invention is directed toward a process for reducing transfusion related complications in a recipient of an allogeneic blood transfusion by adding to the blood to be transfused a photosensitizer comprising riboflavin, irradiating the blood and riboflavin with light, transfusing the irradiated blood into a recipient, and reducing a transfusion related complication by the recipient to cells in the donor blood.The invention is also directed towards a process for preventing rejection of a donor organ by a recipient comprising the steps of transfusing the recipient of the donor organ with treated platelets; and transplanting the donor organ into the recipient.
US07892534B2

Existence of human trophoblast stem (hTS) cells has been suspected but unproved. The isolation of hTS cells is reported in the early stage of chorionic villi by expressions of FGF4, FGFR-2, Oct4, Thy-1, and stage-specific embryonic antigens distributed in different compartments of the cell. hTS cells are able to derive into specific cell phenotypes of the three primitive embryonic layers, produce chimeric reactions in mice, and retain a normal karyotype and telomere length. In hTS cells, Oct4 and fgfr-2 expressions can be knockdown by bFGF. These facts suggest that differentiation of the hTS cells play an important role in implantation and placentation. hTS cells could be apply to human cell differentiation and for gene and cell-based therapies.
US07892526B2

Provided is a hair cosmetic composition containing (A) an amphipathic amide lipid, (B) a cationic surfactant or a tertiary amine type compound represented by the following formula (N): wherein, A represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated amide, (N-hydrocarbon)carbamoyl, acyloxy or hydrocarbonoxy group each having 12 to 24 carbon atoms in total, B represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C1-22 hydrocarbon group, and Z1 and Z2 each represents a C1-4 alkyl group; or a salt of the compound, and (C) a silicone; and having a pH at 25° C. of from 1 to 4.5 when diluted with water to 20 times the weight of the composition.
US07892520B2

The present disclosure includes a method for preparing an aqueous dispersion of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The method includes grinding an iron (II) hydrated salt, an iron (III) hydrated salt, an inorganic salt, and alkali hydroxide in a grinding or milling machine. The inorganic salt may be a salt matrix that prevents growth and aggregation of the synthesized nanoparticles. The aqueous dispersion of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles may optionally be hydrothermally treated to become an aqueous dispersion of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Also disclosed is a method for preparing an mixture of α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles and γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles, in which at least an iron (III) hydrated salt, an inorganic salt, and alkali hydroxide are ground in a grinding or milling machine. Uses for the nanoparticles include: a magnetic resonance image contrast agent, a color print ink, an artificial tanning pigment, a photocatalyst for degradation of organic dye, a red pigment, an adsorbent for waste water treatment, a catalyst support, and a catalyst.
US07892515B2

Carbon with mesopores (about two to fifteen nanometers in average pore size) is made using sucrose as a source of carbon, and silica and phosphoric acid as templates for the mesopore structure in the carbon. A silica sol is prepared in a water/ethanol medium and sucrose is dispersed in the sol. Phosphoric acid may be added to the sol to control pore size in the mesopore size range. The sol is dried, carbonized, and the silica and phosphate materials removed by leaching. The residue is a mesoporous carbon mass having utility as a catalyst support, gas absorbent, and the like.
US07892510B2

Stable, aqueous dispersion containing silicon dioxide powder having a hydroxyl group density of 2.5 to 4.7 OH/nm2, which is obtained from a silicon dioxide powder produced by a flame hydrolysis process under acid conditions. The dispersion is produced by incorporating the silicon dioxide powder into an aqueous solution by means of a dispersing device. The dispersion can be used to produce glass articles.
US07892509B2

A CO2 recovery system includes an absorption tower that receives CO2-containing gas and CO2-absorbing solution, and causes the CO2-containing gas to come in contact with the CO2-absorbing solution to produce CO2 rich solution, and a regeneration tower that receives the rich solution and produces lean solution from the rich solution by removing CO2 from the rich solution. A heating member is provided in the regeneration tower. The heating member heats the rich solution in the regeneration tower with steam generated when regenerating the rich solution in the regeneration tower.
US07892504B2

A pharmaceutical sample storage system in which the accommodation volume of a case is increased is disclosed and claimed. The molding of the storage rack is easy. The cases in the storage rack are locked in place and will not fall out even if the storage rack is turned upside down. Placing and removing cases from the storage rack is highly accurate. The sample storage system is sealed and the storage rack vertically accommodates a plurality of cases in a matrix. The cases are rectangular in cross-section and are hollow. The cases are tapered toward the bottom portion of the case and the outer surfaces of the cases are chamfered. The storage rack has a lower grate-shaped bottom portion which is partitioned by cross members. The bottom portion of the case being fitted into one partitioned portion of the grate-shaped bottom portion and has case supporting pins vertically provided upward from each intersection of gratings or cross members of the grated bottom portion.
US07892490B2

Provided is an apparatus for performing a chemical reaction using a microchip having at least one micro-channel. The device, which is a semiautomatic operating device for a microchip on which at least one micro-channel with a reagent inlet is formed, includes: a base which accommodates the microchip; a slider with injection inlets corresponding to the reagent inlets that reciprocally move parallel to the base; and a slider moving unit which selectively moves the slider to a first location at which the microchip is opened, after the injection inlet of the slider and the reagent inlet are aligned, and to a second location where the microchip is sealed by a bottom surface of the slider covering the reagent inlet.
US07892480B2

Dental prostheses are fabricated as a metallic alloy body by a technique that produces scrap alloy. Suitable gold base alloys have only base metal alloying additions which are more readily oxidized than gold and when combined with the gold can be age hardened. Exemplary metals include titanium, zirconium, yttrium and chromium. Scrap from fabricating a dental prosthesis is melted in air so that the base metals are all oxidized and substantially pure gold is reclaimed for reuse in new alloys.
US07892476B2

A blow moulding device configured to provide and exhaust compressed air at a plurality of points of use, the device comprising a compressed air source for providing compressed air at the points of use, a compressed air manifold to allow a transporting of the compressed air to the points of use, a plurality of exhaust valves positioned at the points of use for exhausting the compressed air, and a plurality of valves to effect the providing and exhausting of the compressed air at the points of use.
US07892474B2

The invention describes a process and a device for producing at least one three-dimensional object, a photo-polymerizable material is solidified by means of simultaneous or almost simultaneous exposure of a build area or partial build area in a building plane via electromagnetic radiation, wherein a distance between a support plate, at which the object to be generated is built, and the building plane is changed during at least one exposure phase.It is possible according to the invention to solidify the three-dimensional object in a main direction during a radiation phase exceeding a current prescribed hardening depth, without interrupting supply of electromagnetic energy during the irradiation phase. Further, it is possible to control a current hardening depth of the photopolymerizable material during a building phase. Embodiments of suitable devices are also described.
US07892467B2

The invention relates to a method of producing a shell member of fiber composite material by means of vacuum infusion, where the fiber material is impregnated with liquid polymer, and applying a mould (18) with a mould cavity. In the mould cavity a lower distribution layer (11) is placed. A fiber insertion (1) including a plurality of fiber layers is placed above the lower distribution layer (11). A first upper distribution layer (9) and a second upper distribution layer (10) are placed at a transverse distance of each other above the fiber insertion, so that at least a part of the first distribution layer overlaps a first zone (2) of the fiber insertion (1), and at least a part of the second distribution layer overlaps a second zone (3) of the fiber insertion (1), the first zone (2) and the second zone (3) being separated by an intermediate zone (6) neither overlapping the first nor the second distribution layer (9, 10). A first inlet channel (7) is placed above the first distribution layer (9), and a second inlet channel (8) is placed on top of the second distribution layer (10). Above the intermediate zone (6) of the fiber insertion (1) a semi-permeable membrane (5) is placed, which may expand overlappingly over the first distribution layer (9) and/or the second distribution layer (10), and which is permeable to gasses and substantially impermeable to liquid polymer, said semi-permeable membrane (5) communicating with a vacuum source. Finally, in a manner known per se, a vacuum bag (19) is placed on top of the mould (18), which is evacuated of air by means of the vacuum source, and polymer is directed into the mould via the first and the second inlet channels (7, 8). The invention also relates to an apparatus for providing polymer for use with the method.
US07892447B2

Nanoplatelet forms of metal hydroxide and metal oxide are provided, as well as methods for preparing same. The nanoplatelets are suitable for use as fire retardants and as agents for chemical or biological decontamination.
US07892445B1

A method of dechucking a wafer, with a low-k dielectric layer, held onto an electrostatic chuck by an electrostatic charge in a plasma chamber is provided. The electrostatic clamping voltage is removed. An essentially argon free dechucking gas is provided into the plasma chamber. A dechucking plasma is formed from the dechucking gas in the plasma chamber. The dechucking plasma is stopped.
US07892443B2

A method of manufacturing a member with concave portions includes preparing a base material, forming a mask formation film on the base material, forming a number of openings in the mask formation film by laser irradiation treatments using a branching filter, and etching the base material to form the concave portions in the base material. The branching filter branches laser light into first laser beams and second laser beams. Each of irradiation regions of the mask formation film sequentially is subjected to the laser irradiation treatment, so that first openings are formed by the first laser beams and second openings are formed by the second laser beams. Each of the irradiation regions has portions where no opening is formed by the first beams of the laser irradiation treatment for the irradiation region while openings will be formed by the second laser beams in one or more of the subsequent laser irradiation treatments. In the base material, concave portions for examination use are formed using some of the openings formed by the second laser beams used in the laser irradiation treatments for the specified irradiation regions.
US07892439B2

The invention relates to a method for chemically treating a liquid medium loaded with nitrates, primarily comprising a step in which zinc is brought into contact with said liquid medium whose pH is preferably less than 4. When this contacting step leads to the presence of residual zinc in the liquid medium, the liquid medium is circulated through at least one electrolytic cell. The invention also relates to a device for treating a liquid medium loaded with nitrates, to applications of this method, and to a device for reducing the proportion of nitrates in ground water.
US07892437B2

A method of managing water is provided, in which the water is discharged from an aggregate plant, and therefore contains a large number of fines. The water is first passed through a mesh screen to remove large particles and then collected in a sump. From the sump the water is pumped to a centrifugal cyclone, where some of the fines are separated from the water. Flocculent is then applied to the water, before the water is collected in a pond.
US07892432B2

A method to prepare an organic composition for a digestor minimizes injury to and enhance the decomposition function of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria in the organic composition. The method is utilizes at an animal processing facility. Manure produced at the facility is periodically collected at least seven day intervals and at a temperature greater than thirty-two degrees F. Large pieces of inorganic material are removed from the manure while preserving a significant proportion of the living anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria in the manure. The decomposition activity of anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria is facilitated by, at a temperature in the range of fifty degrees F to one hundred and five degrees F, adding water to produce a slurry including seventy-five to ninety-five percent by weight water and twenty-five to five percent by weight of organic material. Organic material in the slurry is separated into particles having a length in the range of one micron to one-eighth of an inch. Inorganic material is removed from the slurry at a temperature in the range of fifty degrees F to ninety degrees F and while preserving the living anaerobic and facultative bacteria in the slurry to produce a slurry product comprised of less than twenty-five percent by weight of said organic material. The slurry product is transported to a digestor. The anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria in the slurry product to decompose in the digestor organic material in the slurry product.
US07892428B2

A transducer protector (TP) and a method for forming the transducer protector are disclosed. The transducer protector is operable in cooperation with a hemodialysis system, and may be mounted between a drip chamber and a pressure transducer. The transducer protector is mounted in an integrally-assembled housing which includes an inlet from the hemodialysis system or drip chamber, and an outlet to the pressure transducer. The transducer includes at least one hydrophobic membrane that is attached permanently to either a first connector, a second connector or a peripheral ring, the connectors integrally attached to each other to form the TP housing.
US07892427B2

Apparatus and method for manipulating particles on a micro- or nano-scale. An embodiment of the present invention includes a magnetic micro-manipulation technique that utilizes micro-coils and soft magnetic microscopic wires for localized manipulation of particles. Another embodiment of the present invention uses magneto-static interaction between two magnetic microscopic wires to mechanically manipulate particles. Yet another embodiment of the present invention combines a magnetic particle with a magnetic manipulator or other device for generating magnetic fields to operate as a micro-fluidic micro-motor. Other embodiments of the present invention employ a magnetic separation system employing porous membranes partially filled with magnetic wires.
US07892420B2

A system for collecting, treating and disposing of waste fluid includes a station that features transfer, flushing and mixing pumps as well as a bowl that holds the waste fluid. The waste fluid is collected in a container mounted on a cart. The cart container connects to the station so that the waste fluid is transferred from the cart to the station bowl by the transfer pump. The flushing pump has an inlet that communicates with a source of water and a disinfectant dispenser. The flushing pump is used to flush both the cart container and the station bowl, the latter of which communicates with a drain system. The flushing pump also delivers disinfectant to the waste fluid in the station bowl. The inlet and outlet of the mixing pump communicate with the bowl so that it mixes the bowl contents. Buffer is provided to the circulating waste fluid until the pH level drops to a predetermined level.
US07892415B2

The present invention relates to a mesoporous platinum electrode for detecting biochemical substrate, comprising an electrode and a mesoporous platinum layer covering the surface thereof, and a method for detecting a biochemical substrate using the mesoporous platinum electrode. Using the present invention, glucose concentration can be selectively determined while excluding interference of interfering agents.
US07892411B2

Disclosed herein is an electrolytic copper plating process for electroplating copper on workpieces in a copper sulfate plating bath filled in a plating tank and containing an organic additive while using a soluble anode or insoluble anode as an anode and the workpieces as cathodes, including the steps of, setting a bath current density at not higher than 5 A/L, immersing metal copper in a region of the copper sulfate plating bath, the region being apart from a region between the anode and the cathode and also from regions adjacent the anode and cathode, respectively, such that a neighborhood of the thus-immersed metal copper can be used as an oxidative decomposition region, setting an immersed area of the metal copper at not smaller than 0.001 dm2/L based on the plating bath, and applying air bubbling to the oxidative decomposition region at not lower than 0.01 L/dm2·min based on the immersed area.
US07892409B2

A gel and buffer system for gel electrophoresis wherein separation occurs at neutral pH.
US07892406B2

An iPVD system is programmed to deposit uniform material, such as barrier material, into high aspect ratio nano-size features on semiconductor substrates using a process which enhances the sidewall coverage compared to the field and bottom coverage(s) while minimizing or eliminating overhang within a vacuum chamber. The iPVD system is operated at low target power and high pressure >50 mT to sputter material from the target. RF energy is coupled into the chamber to form a high density plasma. A small RF bias (less than a few volts) can be applied to aid in enhancing the coverage, especially at the bottom.
US07892405B1

In one embodiment, a magnetron sputtering apparatus forms a closed plasma loop and an open plasma loop within the closed plasma loop. The open plasma loop allows for relatively uniform erosion on the face of a target by broadening the sputtered area of the target. The open plasma loop may be formed and swirled using a rotating magnetic array to average the target erosion.
US07892404B2

The present invention provides a method of oxidizing a substance in a liquid containing nitrous oxide (N2O) and an oxidation apparatus therefor. In this method, oxidation of a substance is conducted by allowing a substance to be present in a solution containing nitrous oxide (N2O) and irradiating the solution with light including a wavelength of at least 240 nm or less.
US07892396B2

An activatable material and articles incorporating the same is disclosed. The activatable material includes at least three of epoxy resin; impact modifier; blowing agent; curing agent; and filler. The activatable material is preferably used for sealing, baffling, adhering or reinforcing an article of manufacture such as an automotive vehicle.
US07892391B2

Disclosed are compositions comprising ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers, tackifying resins and optionally polyolefins (for example, polyethylene and polypropylene) that provide strong, tight hermetic heat seals with an easily peelable opening feature to fluoropolymers such as polychlorotrifluoroethylene. Also disclosed are multilayer structures and packages comprising these compositions.
US07892382B2

An electroluminescent device, and a method of making an electroluminescent device that includes one or more color conversion elements is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes forming an electroluminescent element on a substrate, where the electroluminescent element is capable of emitting light in a narrow band. The method further includes selectively thermally transferring a plurality of color conversion elements to the electroluminescent element. In another embodiment, the method includes forming an electroluminescent element on a substrate, where the electroluminescent element is capable of emitting UV light. The method further includes selectively thermally transferring a plurality of color conversion elements to the electroluminescent element.
US07892380B2

A process of constructing a large diameter tank is provided. The process includes the step of providing a tank wall mandrel that has at least one drive wheel and at least one curved panel. Glass fibers are applied from a vertical winder to the curved panel in order to form a segment of a tank wall shell. Additional glass fibers are also applied to the curved panel at a location above the segment of the tank wall shell in order to form a unitary tank shell.
US07892379B2

The invention relates to an impact resistant component comprising at least two composite sheets fused together, each composite sheet comprising an adhesive layer fused between two unidirectional sheets, wherein each unidirectional sheet comprises a plurality of monoaxially drawn fibers arranged substantially parallel to one another along a common fiber direction, the fibers comprising a base layer of a strain oriented polymer disposed between surface layer(s) of a heat fusible polymer, wherein the surface layer(s) are characterized by a melting temperature below that of the base layer to permit fusion bonding upon application of heat, and wherein the adhesive layer has a melting temperature below that of the base layer of the unidirectional sheet.
US07892376B2

A tire molding apparatus folds the periphery of bead portions at a low speed with an increased pressing force. The tire molding apparatus has folding mechanisms including fingers to fold the tire component to the periphery of bead cores. Folding fingers (101) are integrally provided with cams (120), which rotate in accordance with the swing of the fingers. The fingers (101) receive a driving force of a driver (130) through cam followers (122) energized by springs and the cams (120), and open. The cams (120) are rotated in accordance with the opening of the finger, compressing the springs energizing the cam followers (122). The compression of the springs reduces the opening speed of the fingers (101), and increases the pressing force of finger rolls (104) applied to the tire component (K).
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