US08873572B2
An association update message for mesh networks according to the IEEE 802.11s standard provides the ability to include a plurality of associations in an association update message and thus ensure simultaneous updating of a plurality of associations of representative nodes with respect to the proxy nodes (proxy mesh stations) thereof. A threatened inconsistency in an association update in conventional systems, which provides for only one transmission of an association update message per association update, is thereby eliminated. The proxy information field has an identification field with a plurality of identification fields. The identification fields advantageously allow variable structuring of the proxy information fields, that is, dependent on the information transmitted, which also provides the ability to prevent redundant information in the proxy information fields.
US08873570B2
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for bridging session initiation protocol and universal plug and play devices. One embodiment of the invention specifies a method that enables legacy session initiation protocol and universal plug and play devices to communicate with each other (i.e., to access services), where the term “legacy” is defined to mean IETF RFC 3261-compliant for session initiation protocol devices, and DLNA 1.0-compliant for universal plug and play devices. The method enables inter-working between the session initiation protocol and universal plug and play devices without requiring changes to the legacy devices. One embodiment of the invention is a transparent software bridge that enables these features.
US08873567B1
Techniques for providing routing information of a first router device supporting multi-path routing from a second router device to a destination node. In an embodiment, multiple egress ports of the first router device are coupled to a second router device, where port groups of the second router device correspond to multiple network paths to the destination node. A routing engine of the first router device may forward packets to the destination node based on a set of entries in a routing table. In another embodiment, the set of entries defines for each of the multiple egress ports of the first router device a correspondence to only a respective one of the port groups of the second router device.
US08873556B1
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, featuring receiving at a network device a plurality of packets associated with a flow, one or more of the plurality of packets having associated header data and content. Based on the content of one or more first packets in the plurality of packets, the network device identifies an application associated with the flow, where none of the first packets is addressed to the network device. For one or more second packets associated with the flow, the network device determines a forwarding destination for the second packets based on the application associated with the flow and forwards the packet according to the determined forwarding destination.
US08873553B2
A representative line card in a switch system that is configured of a layer 2 switching processor and a plurality of line cards connected to the layer 2 switching processor, the plurality of line cards including at least one representative line card, comprising: an FDB table having FDB information entried therein, and; a learning unit that receives a learning notification including the FDB information from the other line cards excluding its own line card via the layer 2 switching processor, determines whether the FDB information of the learning notification has been entried into the FDB table of its own line card, updates the FDB table of its own line card when the FDB information has not been entried, and transmits the learning notification including the FDB information to the other line cards via the layer 2 switching processor with a multicast.
US08873551B2
Techniques are described which facilitate multi-destination forwarding in a Layer 2 Multipath (L2MP) network which includes an emulated switch. The emulated switch may correspond to two or more underlying peer link switches in the L2MP network, in which each of the peer link switches is linked to a Classical Ethernet (CE) switch over a virtual port channel (vPC). Traffic received by one of the peer link switches over the vPC is automatically forwarded to the other peer link switch (or switches). Multi-destination frames originating from the L2MP network addressed to hosts within the CE network are sent over only one of the peer link switches.
US08873543B2
A method is provided for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) devices to communicate over an Internet Protocol (IP) network. The method includes synchronizing the VoIP devices using one or more dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) codes over a telephone network, retransmissions of voice packets in bursts, retransmissions of voice packets following a time lag, adjusting the number of retransmissions based on quality of service, retransmission of a missing voice packet identified in a list received from a peer device, discarding low energy voice frames in a jitter buffer to prevent overflow, stopping playout at a low energy voice frame when the jitter buffer is below a minimum buffer size, and selective transmission and retransmission of voice packets based on their energy levels.
US08873537B2
A synchronization method and system of control sequence numbers is provide to achieve radio link control sequence number synchronization between different network elements. This method includes the following steps: allocating a preset radio link control sequence number to a first radio link control protocol data unit corresponding to a first packet in a data burst and successively allocating a radio link control sequence number to subsequent radio link control protocol data units corresponding to packets of this data burst, when each designated network element in a plurality of designated network elements performing radio link control protocol process on the packets in the data burst received by said each designated network element.
US08873533B2
The object of the present invention is to achieve a solution for handling the increased PAPR that is introduced by the FD and/or TD multi-antenna processing. This is achieved by isolating the PAPR increase to one, or a few antennas, that are matched with more powerful PAs, whereas the remaining antennas may use simpler/smaller PAs amplifying signals with smaller PAPRs.
US08873531B2
Device, system and method of indicating station-specific information within a wireless communication
Some demonstrative embodiments include devices, systems and/or methods of indicating station-specific information within a wireless communication. For example, a device may include a wireless communication unit to transmit a wireless communication frame to a plurality of stations using a respective plurality of beamforming configurations, wherein the wireless communication unit is to transmit to the stations beamforming configuration information including station-specific information corresponding to the plurality of beamforming configurations, respectively.
US08873527B2
An apparatus and method are described for managing router and communication interfaces. For example, one embodiment of a method implemented on a computing device having a plurality of communication interfaces comprises: receiving a plurality of router advertisement packets indicating a preference level of each of a plurality of routers, each of the plurality of routers reachable through one of the communication interfaces on the computing device; designating one of the communication interfaces as a primary interface and the remainder of the communication interfaces as scoped interfaces; specifying a primary router for the primary interface based on a preference level associated with the primary router, the primary router selected from a group of all of the routers reachable through the primary interface; and specifying a default router for each of the scoped interfaces based on a preference level of each default router, each default router selected from a group of all of the routers reachable through its scoped interface.
US08873526B2
In one embodiment, a particular node in a wireless network may receive a wireless signal, and may determine whether the wireless signal is intended for itself In response to determining that the wireless signal is intended for the particular node, the particular node may transmit a non-colliding wireless carrier sense detected alert (CSDA) signal during the received wireless signal to request that other nodes within communication distance of the particular node refrain from transmitting for a duration of the received wireless signal. In another embodiment, a node listens on a first frequency for a wireless CSDA signal regarding a second (colliding) frequency, and in response to receiving a CSDA signal, may refrain from transmitting a wireless signal on the second frequency for the particular duration, or else (if not receiving a CSDA signal), may allow transmission of a wireless signal on the second frequency, accordingly.
US08873524B2
A method and an apparatus for providing channel sharing are disclosed. For example, the method receives a request for a white space channel assignment, and identifies one or more white space channels in accordance with the request. The method sends a response to the request comprising a white space channel assignment, wherein the white space channel assignment assigns one of the identified one or more white space channels.
US08873515B2
Dynamically control of receive diversity switching in a user equipment (UE) is disclosed. By dynamically controlling the switching between enabling and disabling the receive diversity, power consumption in UEs, such as smart phones and other mobile devices may be reduced. Control is based, at least in part, on measurements for data activity performed by the UE. When the UE finds measurements that would suggest data activity, the UE will switch to enable a receive diversity state when conditions are available for the switch. Similarly, when the UE finds measurements that would suggest data inactivity, the UE will switch to disable the receive diversity state when conditions are available for the switch.
US08873512B2
A method for configuring a network is described, the method comprising: receiving, from a first radio node in the network, network information associated with one or more second radio nodes in the network; generating a network relation table, the network relation table comprising network information associated with the first radio node and the one or more second radio nodes; and performing a handoff to a third radio node in the network using the network relation table.
US08873506B2
A technique for transferring data between an application and at least two Radio Access Technology (RAT) modules selectively connectable to a network is described. A device embodiment of this technique comprises a storage adapted to hold data from the application, the data being intended to be transmitted via at least one of the RAT modules. Furthermore, the device comprises a first control mechanism adapted to initiate holding of the data in the storage when the RAT modules assume the same connection state. The connection state is selected from a connected state in which data transmission via the respective RAT is enabled and a disconnected state in which data transmission via the respective RAT is disabled. The device also comprises a second control mechanism adapted to initiate sending of the data held in the storage to the RAT module assuming the connected state when the RAT modules assumed different connection states again.
US08873501B2
A base station used in a mobile communication system employing a single carrier scheme for uplink transmission is disclosed. The base station includes a scheduler configured to allocate one or more uplink resource blocks to a user device according to uplink channel conditions of the user device; and a reporting unit configured to report scheduling information indicating the allocation result to the user device. An uplink control channel of the user device is mapped to a resource block in a transmission frame including multiple resource blocks according to a hopping pattern based on the scheduling information; and the uplink control channel is mapped to a resource block according to the same hopping pattern regardless of whether the uplink control channel is associated with a user data channel.
US08873499B2
A user apparatus generates an uplink control channel including at least one of acknowledgement information and channel condition information on an downlink, and transmits the uplink control channel in a predefined dedicated band if no resource is assigned to transmit an uplink data channel. The uplink control channel includes multiple unit block sequences resulting from multiplication of the same factor with all chips of a CAZAC code sequence for the user apparatus.
US08873495B2
Push based services are supported on a breakout system in a mobile data network. The breakout system may not breakout some push based services and simply pass through these services to user equipment. In a PDP context with a dynamic IP address, the communication with the user equipment may be broken out and then be placed in a preserved state. In this situation, a breakout system which is not an active entity in the signaling over the mobile data network can not establish communication with the user equipment to send down the push data. To establish a new communication connection with the user equipment with a PDP context in a preserved state, a paging request from the mobile network is initiated to trigger a service request from the user equipment. The breakout system can then use the newly established connection to push the data to the user equipment.
US08873488B2
Provided is a method and apparatus for transmitting a synchronization signal for cell search in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) communications system. The method includes acquiring Primary Synchronization CHannel (P-SCH) sequence and Secondary Synchronization CHannel (S-SCH) sequence; mapping the P-SCH sequence and the S-SCH sequence onto subcarriers; generating OFDM symbols including the P-SCH sequence and the S-SCH sequence mapped onto subcarriers; and transmitting the OFDM symbols, wherein a frame comprising a plurality of OFDM symbols, a part of the plurality of OFDM symbols in the frame is used for transmitting Synchronization CHannel (SCH) comprising P-SCH and S-SCH, and wherein the P-SCH and the S-SCH are mapped to adjacent OFDM symbols and the S-SCH is mapped to subcarriers with a predetermined interval in a frequency domain within an OFDM symbol.
US08873480B2
Techniques for managing detection, dynamic allocation, and sharing of available spectrum via cognitive radio systems and dynamic spectrum sharing. In some cases, RF carriers (e.g., secondary carriers or secondary cells) are not permanently assigned to base stations, user terminals, or the network. A base station can request allocation of secondary carriers using a reservation request. The assigned secondary carriers can be released and made available for assignment to another base station or radio access network.
US08873477B2
A system and method for cooperative heterogeneous communications systems are provided. A communications system includes a plurality of cooperation sets, such as closed-space sets. Each closed-space set includes at least two information sources configured to operate cooperatively to transmit to a plurality of communications devices operating within a coverage area of the cooperation set. There is limited cooperation between closed-spaced sets. In addition, there may be limited or no overlap between the coverage areas of the adjacent closed-spaced sets.
US08873462B2
Methods, apparatus and computer program products are disclosed. A method includes receiving signals from a number of antennas, the signals from a number of user equipments and comprising a number of sub-bands allocated to the number of user equipments; selecting, based on one or more criteria and for each of number of selected sub-bands allocated to a selected one of the number of user equipments, one or more antennas of the number of antennas to be used for signal detection and interference suppression on the received signals for the selected user equipment; and performing, for the selected user equipment, the signal detection and interference suppression on the received signals for each of the number of selected sub-bands based on the corresponding selected one or more antennas for each of the number of selected sub-bands to create an output signal.
US08873461B2
A method for simultaneously transmitting packets having different lengths to two or more users in a wireless communication system includes: generating the packets which are to be transmitted to the respective users; and simultaneously transmitting the generated packets to the respective users. Each of the packets contains information on the position of a symbol to which a tail field of the packet belongs, and the information on the position of the symbol to which the tail field belongs includes at least one of the maximum symbol number of the packet, the symbol number of transmission data of the packet, positional information of a last aggregated MAC protocol data unit (A-MPDU) subframe, and positional information of a null delimiter.
US08873458B2
Disclosed is a receiver in a cooperative diversity system including one or a plurality of relays. The receiver includes: a detection unit configured to detect each of signals transmitted from the one or more relays, the one or more signals being generated by the one or more relays and by interleaving a signal from a transmitter; a deinterleaver configured to deinterleave each of the detected signals; a decoder configured to decode and each of the deinterleaved signals thereby to output one or more decoded signals; and an interleaver configured to interleave each of the one or more decoded signals thereby to output one or more interleaved signals, wherein the detection unit receives the one or more interleaved signals and compares them with the respective detected signals to discriminate the original signal transmitted by the transmitter.
US08873455B2
A relay device for supporting uplink communication between a terminal device and a base station is described. The relay device comprises at least one receiver arranged to receive a downlink message from the base station; a control processor, operably coupled to the at least one receiver and arranged to determine from the downlink message information identifying an uplink control resource to be used by the terminal device; and a transmitter, operably coupled to the control processor and arranged to relay received periodic uplink control channel messages on the identified uplink control resource from the terminal device to the base station.
US08873450B2
A synchronization processing method for multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), an upper layer network element, and a lower layer network element thereof. The method includes: an upper layer network element sends a synchronization protocol control frame to a lower layer network element, wherein, the synchronization protocol control frame carries the data packet length information of the pre-determined data frame in the synchronization sequence corresponding to the synchronization protocol control frame, and the pre-determined data frame includes at least one of: each data frame, part of a data frame.
US08873442B2
The described method and system provide for notification to network applications by a telematics unit in standby mode of when the telematics unit is switching away from standby mode and will be come unavailable for communication with the network applications. The network application may include mobile applications for mobile devices (such as smartphones) and web applications accessible through web pages. The telematics unit may communicate with the back office(s) of the network applications. If the vehicle is a plug-type vehicle, the telematics unit or network application may further extend the standby period of the telematics unit or vehicle when the vehicle is plugged in.
US08873436B2
A method for routing streams of traffic in IP networks, particularly in mobile IP networks. A plurality of streams of traffic to be transmitted are routed such that they are transmitted in one carrier/context. The streams of traffic having different destination networks are merged and are transmitted from a terminal via one carrier/context to a network access node in the IP network. They are routed from there to respective destination networks and devices.
US08873432B2
Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a system for distributing data (e.g., content data) over a computer network and a method of arranging receiver nodes in a computer network such that the capacity of a server is effectively increased (e.g., the capacity of a server may be effectively multiplied many times over; the capacity of the server may be effectively increased exponentially). In one embodiment the present invention may take advantage of the excess capacity many receiver nodes possess, and may use such receiver nodes as repeaters. The distribution system may include node(s) having database(s) which indicate ancestor(s) and/or descendant(s) of the node so that reconfiguration of the distribution network may be accomplished without burdening the system's primary server. An embodiment of the present invention may include a process for configuring a computer information distribution network having a primary server node and user nodes docked in a cascaded relationship, and reconfiguring the network in the event that a user node departs from the network. In one example (which example is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive), the process may include the steps of providing a new user node (or connection requesting user node) with a connection address list of nodes within the network, having the new user node (or connection requesting user node) go to (or attempt to go to) the node at the top of the connection address list, determine whether that node is still part of the distribution network, and connect thereto if it is, and if it is not, to go to (or attempt to go to) the next node on the connection address list. In another example (which example is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive), when a user node departs from the distribution network, a propagation signal may be transmitted to the nodes below it in the network, causing them to move up in the network in a predetermined order.
US08873423B2
A method of controlling connection between nodes in a digital interface whereby a first node that is a master node determines a second node to be the master and controls a point-to-point connection or a broadcast connection to another node. The first node having the display device determines the second node to be the master in accordance with a user selection, and transmits a connection command of a predetermined format for transmitting a data stream to the second node. The second node determined as the master in accordance with the transmitted connection command of the predetermined format is allocated with a channel and a bandwidth from an isochronous resource manager (IRM), and performs a point-to-point connection between the second node and the first node to transit the data stream. Thus, the transmission/reception, reproduction, and control of the data stream of the program can be smoothly performed.
US08873419B2
When providing wireless communication capability for patient monitoring devices (PMDs) (12) in a hospital environment, the quality of a newly established wireless link is evaluated to ascertain that it is meeting quality thresholds before dropping a previous wireless link. A plurality of new links iteratively can be established and their quality assessed, if previous new network link quality does not meet required quality thresholds, until a new link is established that has a quality equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold level. Optionally, two or more links may be maintained that have signal qualities above the predetermined threshold in order to provide link redundancy for highly sensitive patient monitoring applications, such as a link between a critical patient's PMD and a nurses station, to ensure communication there between. In this manner, autonomous generation of link quality assessment reports for use by the other communicating entity or entities is facilitated.
US08873410B2
A method of monitoring data on a first communication line. Data is received from the first communication line (402) and a plurality of packets (406) are extracted (416) from the data. Statistics are then recursively generated (408), the statistics corresponding to the plurality of packets.
US08873405B2
A device includes a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) phone, an audio interface for receiving or transmitting audio information with the SIP phone to test a SIP-based network, and a controller for controlling the SIP phone and the audio interface.
US08873402B2
User equipment uses traces of service primitives of one or multiple service sessions to automatically discover a service sequence. Service sequences are refined by analyzing sequences captured during multiple sessions of the same service. A daemon receives from a plurality of user equipment the observed service sequences. The sequences from different user equipment are aggregated. The daemon sends back the refined service sequences to user equipment. User equipment sends a problem report to the daemon and/or a service monitor in the case of a service failure. The daemon or the service monitor aggregates such problem reports and discovers the causes of service degradations.
US08873393B2
In order to allow an efficient use of data or frame aggregation techniques with real-time communications a method for operating a wireless network, especially a Wi-Fi technology based network, is described, wherein the network includes at least one wireless device for transmission of data and wherein the device may use a data or frame aggregation technique to provide an adjustable amount of aggregation. The method is characterized in that the amount of aggregation provided by the aggregation technique will be adjusted depending on a level of congestion in the network. Further, an according wireless network is described, preferably for carrying out the above mentioned method.
US08873390B2
Under the present invention, the performance of a set of system resources is monitored in response to incoming request traffic. When a system resource is approaching an overload condition, a corrective action is identified and implemented. Overload thresholds for each system resource and appropriate corrective actions are contained within a management policy. Based on a performance history of the corrective actions, the management policy can be changed/revised.
US08873389B1
Efficient congestion control in a packet switched network is facilitated between at least one source and at least one destination. The source organizes known destinations, at above the link layer, into groups, each group containing one or more destinations. The group for each source packet may be identifiable by data natively present in the packet header. In some example, the source assigns an arbitrary identification to each group, and the source labels packets destined to a group with the identification for that group. A network node sends “PAUSE” packets containing at least one pause information indication back to a traffic source. The pause indication is associated with at least one group identification used by the source. The source reacts to the pause request by stopping or resuming packet transmission to the at least one group identification. Transmission to other destination groups is not affected.
US08873370B2
In one embodiment, a connection is maintained between a pair of ethernet ports that have circuitry connected in series with the ports and receiving power-over-ethernet (PoE) from one of the ports, by providing a controllable bypass circuit coupled to the pair of ethernet ports in parallel with the circuitry receiving power-over-ethernet, sensing a preselected condition, and opening and closing the bypass circuit in response to the presence or absence of the preselected condition. Power sourcing equipment (PSE) may supply the one of the ports with power over ethernet, and the circuitry may transports data between the pair of ethernet ports. The circuitry may also supply the switch with a control signal in response to the detection of the preselected condition.
US08873367B2
Embodiments contemplate one or more techniques for packet filtering. One or more embodiments may apply specific routing and/or forwarding rules on some or each packet when a device has one or more, or multiple, interfaces. Contemplated filtering techniques may be implemented in a module and/or without modifying an IP stack. The contemplated packet filtering techniques may apply to a terminal in uplink and/or downlink as well as to any network node. An incoming packet table may be created using 5-tuple, 6-tuple, and/or tags, among other mechanisms, to support incoming and/or outgoing packet filtering.
US08873364B2
An Ordered Reduced Set Successive Detector (RSSD) for the V-BLAST spatial multiplexing scheme that uses a general two-dimensional non-uniform set partitioning for different symbols. The detector provides improved diversity and SNR gains at reduced complexity compared to a uniform set partitioning based detector. The detector can be used to reduce the complexity, with a small tradeoff in performance. Further, it is possible to obtain a quasi-ML performance using the disclosed detector at a reduced, yet fixed, complexity.
US08873362B2
Methods and apparatuses for configuring and transmitting Reference Signals (RS) accompanying data signals from User Equipments (UEs), such that Sounding Reference Signals (SRS) are transmitted from some UEs over a part of a possible transmission bandwidth, with or without the use of SRS bandwidth hopping.
US08873355B2
A servo processor for an optical disk drive is provided that includes: an analog-to-digital converter for converting versions of photodetector output signals into digital signals; and a digital signal processor configured to receive the digital signals, the digital signal processor being further configured to determine a focus error signal (FES) and a tracking error signal (TES) from the digital signals, the digital signal processor being further configured to process TES and FES through servo algorithms to produce tracking and focus control signals.
US08873352B1
An apparatus has a near-field transducer located proximate a media-facing surface of a slider magnetic recording heat. A waveguide is configured to couple light to the near-field transducer and includes a top cladding layer facing the near-field transducer, a bottom cladding layer, and a core layer between the top and bottom cladding layers. The apparatus includes a write pole with a flat portion substantially parallel to the core layer and a sloped portion extending from the flat portion of the write pole towards the media-facing surface at an angle to the core layer and to the media-facing surface. A light mitigation layer is located between the top cladding layer and the write pole.
US08873347B2
A timepiece includes a movement, a main striking mechanism, a secondary strike release mechanism, and a mode selecting mechanism. The main striking mechanism is controlled by a main strike control mechanism, arranged to release strikes, at times programmed by the movement, or on demand, and a sequence of each strike is determined by information gathered by feeler spindles on snails or time references driven by the movement. A coupling mechanism of the secondary strike release mechanism actuates a control rod linkage of an isolating mechanism arranged to isolate various different release mechanisms for different strikes using the main striking mechanism to play strikes. The isolating mechanism includes at least a first isolator which, in a first winding position, takes a stop position preventing the spindles from gathering information from the snails, and, in a second let down position, allows the spindles to pass to come into contact with the snails.
US08873344B2
A power consumption control device includes a power consumption control unit that receives the output potential of a photovoltaic cell generating an electromotive force, receives the output potential of a secondary battery charged by the electromotive force of the photovoltaic cell, causes a timepiece device to transition to a power saving state where a clock operation of measuring time is stopped when the output potential difference of the secondary battery is not greater than a predetermined threshold value, and the secondary battery is in a non-charging state indicating a state where the output potential difference of the photovoltaic cell is not greater than the output potential difference of the secondary battery.
US08873320B2
A 2.5D or 3D repair architecture includes a logic die, and a memory die. In the 2.5D architecture, the logic die and memory die are mounted on an interposer. In the 3D architecture, the memory die is mounted on the logic die. The logic has a control logic wrapped with a processor wrapper. The processor wrapper enables testing components of the control logic. The control logic further comprises a wide input/output controller, a built-in-repair analyzer (BIRA), and a repair controller. A method utilizing the repair architecture provides for repairing failed columns and rows of a memory device.
US08873310B2
A method of operating an embedded dynamic random access memory (eDRAM). The method includes sending requests for sampling and correction between accesses of the eDRAM using an oscillator. The method further includes sending a pulse defining a time interval during which sampling and correction occurs using a control block and providing a reference level using a reference generator and comparing the reference level with a sampling of a reference voltage using a comparator. The method further includes sending a correction request using the comparator if the reference voltage requires correction and generating a correction pulse according to the correction request from the comparator and the pulse defining the time interval from the control block using a pulse generator. The method further includes adjusting the reference voltage during the correction pulse using a driver determining a logic value stored in the eDRAM based on the adjusted reference voltage.
US08873307B2
A semiconductor device includes a sense amplifier, transistors selectively establishing electrical connection between the sense amplifier and a data bus, depending on address; a write amplifier connected to the data bus, an external terminal outputting data from a memory cell to outside via the sense amplifier, the transistors, and the data bus in a first operation mode and supplying data from outside to the sense amplifier via the write amplifier, the data bus, and the transistors in a second operation mode, and a control circuit supplying an electric potential to gate electrodes of first transistors that establish the electrical connection depending on the address.
US08873303B2
A non-volatile memory device capable of reading and writing a large number of memory cells with multiple read/write circuits in parallel has an architecture that reduces redundancy in the multiple read/write circuits to a minimum. The multiple read/write circuits are organized into a bank of similar stacks of components. Redundant circuits such as a processor for processing data among stacks each associated with multiple memory cells are factored out. The processor is implemented with an input logic, a latch and an output logic. The input logic can transform the data received from either the sense amplifier or the data latches. The output logic further processes the transformed data to send to either the sense amplifier or the data latches or to a controller. This provides an infrastructure with maximum versatility and a minimum of components for sophisticated processing of the data sensed and the data to be input or output.
US08873288B2
Techniques for a post-write read are presented. In an exemplary embodiment, a combined simultaneous sensing of multiple word lines is used in order to identify a problem in one or more of these word lines. That is, sensing voltages are concurrently applied to the control gates of more than one memory cell whose resultant conductance is measured on the same bit line. The combined sensing result is use for measuring certain statistics of the cell voltage distribution (CVD) of multiple word lines and comparing it to the expected value. In case the measured statistics are different than expected, this may indicate that one or more of the sensed word lines may exhibit a failure and more thorough examination of the group of word lines can be performed.
US08873279B2
An integrated circuit with SRAM cells containing dual passgate transistors and a read buffer, all connected to one word line is disclosed. The read buffer and one passgate transistor may be variously configured to a separate read data line and write data line, or a combined data line, in different embodiments. The read buffer in addressed SRAM cells may be biased during read operations. The read buffer in half-addressed SRAM cells may be biased or floated, depending on the configuration of the read data line and the write data line. The read buffer in addressed and half-addressed SRAM cells may be biased or floated, depending on the configuration of the read data line and the write data line.
US08873272B2
Disclosed is a semiconductor memory apparatus, including: a memory cell array configured to include a plurality of memory cells; a switching unit configured to be coupled to data input and output pads and control a data transfer path of data applied to the data input and output pads in response to a test mode signal; a write driver configured to drive data transferred from the switching unit and write the data in the memory cell array at a normal mode; and a controller configured to transfer the data from the switching unit to the memory cell at a test mode.
US08873270B2
A pulse generator circuit with ferroelectric memory element is disclosed that is optimized for printed, solution-processed thin film transistor processing. In certain embodiments, the circuit comprises dual thin film transistors that operate as a diode and resistor, respectively. Optionally, a third thin film transistor may be provided to operate as a pass transistor in response to an enable signal. The elements of the circuit are configured such that a rising pulse on an input node triggers an output pulse on an output node in the manner of a monostable multivibrator. The ferroelectric memory element is coupled to the output node such that a pulse on the output node may change a state of the ferroelectric memory element.
US08873267B2
A semiconductor apparatus includes a controller, a memory, a normal line, a test line, and a path setting unit. The normal line is provided for communication between the controller and the memory. The test line is provided for a test operation of the memory. The path setting unit connects either the normal line or the test line to the memory according to a type of access mode.
US08873264B1
A memory device can include a memory array section; a write first-in-first-out circuit (FIFO) configured to transfer write data to the memory array portion; at least one store circuit configured to store a copy of at least a portion of the write data stored in the write FIFO; and an address compare section configured to store write addresses corresponding to the write data of the forwarding circuit.
US08873263B2
A dual-input 18-pulse autotransformer rectifier unit for more electric aircraft AC-DC converter uses an autotransformer with a nine-phase output to condition AC power prior to DC rectifying the AC power.
US08873257B2
A control circuit performs at least one of detecting whether the resonance current detected by the current detection unit is beyond a first detection level over a predetermined time period, and detecting, when detecting that the resonance current is beyond the first detection level over the predetermined time period, that the resonance current falls below a second detection level, and detecting whether the resonance current detected by the current detection unit is below a first detection level over a predetermined time period, and detecting, when detecting that the resonance current is below the first detection level over the predetermined time period, that the resonance current exceeds a second detection level, and inverts, when detecting that the resonance current falls below or exceeds the second detection level, the levels of the drive control signal at which the first switching element and the second switching element are turned on or off.
US08873254B2
A flyback converter uses primary side sensing to sense the output voltage for regulation feedback. A comparator on the primary side detects whether the output voltage has exceeded a predetermined regulated voltage by a first threshold to detect an over-voltage condition, resulting from a current generated by the converter exceeding the load current. Triggering of the comparator causes the converter to enter a non-switching sleep mode, whereby the output voltage droops over a period of time. When the output voltage has drooped below the predetermined regulated voltage by a second threshold, a synchronous rectifier is controlled to turn on, then off, to generate a pulse in the primary winding. Upon detection of the pulse, the sleep mode is terminated, and normal operation resumes until a regulated voltage is achieved or until the first threshold is again exceeded by the output voltage.
US08873245B2
An embedded chip-on-chip package includes a printed circuit board having a recessed semiconductor chip mounting unit constituted by a recess in the printed circuit board and a circuit pattern at the bottom of the recess, a first semiconductor chip embedded in the recessed semiconductor chip mounting unit and electrically connected to the circuit pattern at the bottom of the recess, and a second semiconductor chip mounted to the recessed semiconductor chip mounting unit and electrically connected to the first semiconductor chip and the printed circuit board independently of each other.
US08873243B2
In an electronic device, a circuit substrate is provided with at least one electronic circuit, and a case accommodates the circuit substrate. The case has a pair of groove portions and a side opening portion. The groove portions are provided, such that edge portions of the circuit substrate are slidable and inserted into the groove portions from the side opening portion. A box-shaped cover is disposed to close a bottom opening portion of the case. The cover includes a pair of side walls having top end portions, and a plurality of protrusion portions projecting from the top end portions of the side walls. The protrusion portions are inserted into a space between the edge portions of the circuit substrate and the groove portions, at a bottom side of the circuit substrate, to fix the circuit substrate.
US08873232B2
A supporting frame is used to mount a hard disk drive to a storage rack. The storage rack forms two protrusions protruding inwards from opposite sides of the storage rack. The supporting frame includes a handle and two side brackets resiliently connected to the handle. The side brackets are fixedly attached to opposite sides of the hard disk drive. The handle defines two locking holes. The protrusions of the storage rack are respectively engaged in the locking holes. When the handle is moved away from the hard disk drive, the handle is deformed to disengage the protrusions of the storage rack from the locking holes of the handle.
US08873222B2
An electric protective switching device is configured as a modular system and includes a switching device base module including first mechanical guide elements and an installation space with electric contacts. A control module including control electronics, first mechanical elements and electric counter-contact elements is installable into the installation space. A communication module including second mechanical elements is configured as an interface between the control electronics and an electronic bus system. The control module and the communication module are connectable mechanically and electrically to the switching device base module. The first mechanical guide elements of the switching device base module are configured to slidably receive the first mechanical elements of the control module and the second mechanical elements of the communication module in a plugging sequence wherein an electric contacting between the communication module and the control module is only established when, in the plugging sequence, the second mechanical elements of the communication module are connected to the first mechanical guide elements of the switching device base module before the first mechanical elements of the control module are connected to the first mechanical guide elements of the switching device base module.
US08873219B2
A method of forming a stacked electronic component, and an electronic component formed by the method wherein the method includes: providing a multiplicity of electronic components wherein each electronic component comprises a first external termination and a second external termination; providing a first lead frame plate and a second lead frame plate wherein the first lead frame plate and the second lead frame plate comprises barbs and leads; providing a molded case comprising a cavity and a bottom; and forming a sandwich of electronic components in an array between the first lead frame plate and the second lead frame plate with the barbs protruding towards the electronic components and the leads extending through the bottom.
US08873217B2
The invention relates to an arrangement for igniting spark gaps with a trigger electrode T which is located on or in one of the main electrodes H2 and is insulated with respect to this main electrode H2, wherein the trigger electrode T is electrically connected to one of the other main electrodes H1 by means of at least one voltage-switching or voltage-monitoring element and there is an air gap between the trigger electrode T and the other main electrode H1. According to the invention, the trigger electrode T forms a sandwich structure with an insulation section I and a layer which is composed of a material M with a lower conductivity than the material of one of the main electrodes, wherein this sandwich structure represents a layered dielectric with the order of a first partial capacitor CI with the dielectric of the insulation section I and a second partial capacitor CM with the material M as dielectric.
US08873210B2
Disclosed is an ESD protection circuit comprising a plurality of bipolar transistors, namely a plurality of ESD current conducting transistors (Q1, Q2, Q4) in a main ESD current conducting path between a first and a second terminal (T1, T2), and further comprises at least one driving transistor (Q3) connected in parallel to at least one of the ESD current conducting transistors (Q1) and provided for conducting a driving current (Ib2) to one or more of the ESD current conducting transistors (Q3) on occurrence of an ESD event.
US08873207B2
A conventional ground fault interrupter in an arrangement with a frequency converter and electrical machines may be accidentally tripped due to operation-related leakage currents. This can be prevented by operating a ground fault interrupter for a frequency converter receiving a mains current in the following manner: receiving switching information about switching operations in the frequency converter, measuring a signal associated with a common mode current in a power line device which conducts the mains current to the frequency converter, determining, based on the switching information, an expected signal expected for the common mode current produced by the switching operations, identifying, based on the measured signal and the expected signal, a fault current, and interrupting the mains power depending on the identified fault current. A ground fault interrupter is hereby provided with an evaluation unit configured to carry out the method.
US08873206B2
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a switch control circuit, a switch control method, and a power supply device using the same.Embodiments generate a reference signal according to a full-wave rectification voltage and control a switching operation of a power switch according to a comparing result of a sense voltage corresponding to a current flowing to the power switch and the reference voltage. Embodiments determine whether a line is opened between a first output terminal and a second output terminal of the power supply device using the sense voltage. When the line is opened, Embodiments turn off the protection switch.
US08873205B2
This invention relates to a current limiter comprising a first circuit portion arranged in parallel with a second circuit portion, the first circuit portion comprising a superconductor element arranged in series with a switching arrangement, the second circuit portion comprising a load element, the superconductor element being disposed within a cooling chamber, and the cooling chamber and the switch being disposed within a vacuum chamber, wherein the switching arrangement comprises: a mechanical actuator which is operable between a closed condition in which current is conducted through the first circuit portion and an open condition in which current is diverted from the first circuit portion through the second circuit portion and a controller for monitoring and operating the switch.
US08873201B2
An apparatus includes a write pole magnetically coupled to write coils that generate a first magnetic field during a switching event. The apparatus includes a shield at a media-facing surface and proximate the write pole. A conductive element is disposed proximate the shield and configured to generate a second magnetic field opposite to the first magnetic field during the switching event. A selected one of the write coils is located adjacent the shield separate from others of the write coils.
US08873200B2
There is disclosed a spinstand for testing a head gimbal assembly. The spinstand includes a gripper operable to grip the head gimbal assembly and a load pick device operable to hold a head gimbal assembly and to move the head gimbal assembly into an exchange position where it can be gripped by the gripper. In the exchange position part of the load pick device registers with the gripper and another part of the load pick device is spaced from the gripper so as to form a space between, in which space at least part of the head gimbal assembly is located in use.
US08873197B1
A motor includes a rotating portion and a stationary portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft component which includes an inner shaft portion and an outer shaft portion, an upper plate portion, and a lower plate portion. The upper plate portion is disposed in one side of the shaft component and extends radially outward from the one side of the shaft component. The lower plate portion is disposed on the other side of the shaft component and extends radially outward from the other side of the shaft component. The rotating portion includes a sleeve portion. The inner shaft portion and the outer shaft portion are fixed by an adhesive. An adhesive retaining portion is provided between an outer peripheral portion of the inner shaft portion and an inner peripheral portion of the outer shaft portion.
US08873193B2
A control circuit of a voice coil motor is configured to move at least one read/write head of an hard disk into a parking position. The control circuit compares a received supply signal with a reference signal having a minimum value and a maximum value and a frequency. When the value of the supply signal is between the minimum value and the maximum value of the reference signal, the controller causes alternation of a working condition of the voice coil motor, when the value of said supply signal is higher than the value of the reference signal, and of a stop condition of the voice coil motor, when the value of said supply signal is lower than the value of the reference signal, with a frequency equal to the frequency of said reference signal.
US08873184B2
A tape drive device for storing data in a tape cartridge includes a comparison unit that compares a transfer speed of the data transmitted from a host machine to the tape drive device with a speed threshold, a speed determination unit that determines a writing speed to a tape cartridge using the speed threshold, and a data write unit that writes data to the tape cartridge, the data write unit writing data to the magnetic tape provided for the tape cartridge when the determined writing speed is higher than the speed threshold, and the data write unit writing subsequent data following data written to the magnetic tape to the non-volatile semiconductor memory provided for the tape cartridge when the determined writing speed is lower than the speed threshold.
US08873175B2
A reflective material of the present invention is made of an optical medium which transmits light, and has (i) a first plane which is a surface on which inclined planes are aligned with no gap therebetween and (ii) a second plane which is opposite to the first plane and is a flat surface, and has the first plane having a shape and a refractive index such that at any time, light having entered the first plane or the second plane enters, at an entrance angle equal to or larger than a critical angle of total internal reflection, a corresponding opposite one of the first plane and the second plane directly from an inside of the reflective material.
US08873173B2
In the object lens drive unit including a lens holder with an object lens attached to, a plurality of driving coils attached to the lens holder, connection substrates attached to both sides of the lens holder, and a plurality of suspension wires with end parts thereof connected to the connection substrates for operatively supporting the lens holder, a plurality of sets of wire connection electrodes for connecting the suspension wires and coil connection electrodes electrically connected to the wire connection electrodes for connecting terminal wires of the coils are arranged in line in an optic axis direction of the object lens and the wire connection electrodes and the coil connection electrodes are formed in a symmetric shape to a central axis parallel to the optic axis direction on the connection substrates.
US08873171B2
A lens barrel and a lens unit each include a lens drive operation member that drives a lens holding member holding a movable lens group, in an axial direction by a rotation operation of a rotating member. This lens drive operation member has a body disposed so as to be rotatable about an axis of a fixed barrel and so as not to be movable in the axial direction and connected to the rotating member by a connecting portion, and the connecting portion includes at least two connecting members, that is, a first connecting member formed integrally with the body, and a second connecting member formed separately from the body.
US08873168B2
A system for concentrating solar radiation onto a space debris object to vaporize includes a focusing system, an object tracking system and a positioning system. The focusing system has a total focal length fT, and includes a first focusing device and a second focusing device. The first focusing devices change from a compact state to a deployed state, and the compact surface area is less than the deployed surface area. The object tracking system determines the location of the object. The positioning system orients the focusing system such that solar radiation focuses on the space debris object.
US08873166B2
An objective lens for an optical pickup device is characterized in that compatibility of three types of optical discs, which are a BD, a DVD, and a CD, may be realized by a common objective lens, and a flare can be created by providing an over-spherical aberration when a third optical disc is used from a size relationship between a pitch on a central region side and a pitch on an intermediate region side across a boundary and a relationship of a direction of a step in the base structures superimposed in a central region and an intermediate region of the objective lens.
US08873160B2
A taking lens system comprises a frontmost lens unit, a rearmost lens unit, and a plurality of lens units arranged between the frontmost lens unit and the rearmost lens unit. One of the plurality of lens units is a first focusing lens unit. During focusing from an infinite object distance to a close object distance, only the first focusing lens unit moves toward the image side in a first shooting mode, and at least two lens units in the taking lens system move in a second shooting mode. In the state in which the taking lens system is focused on an object at infinity, the positions of the first focusing lens unit and at least one lens unit in the taking lens system in the first shooting mode are different from those in the second shooting mode. The taking lens system satisfies the condition Mn1>Mn2.
US08873156B2
A zoom lens and optical apparatus includes, in order from a magnification conjugate side, a first lens unit that has a positive refractive power and is fixed during magnification variations, and a magnification-variable unit configured to move for magnification variations. The first lens unit includes, in order from the magnification conjugate side, a first lens sub-unit that has a positive refractive power and is configured to move during focusing, and a second lens sub-unit that has a positive refractive power and moves during focusing. The first lens sub-unit and the second lens sub-unit move and reduce an interval between the first lens sub-unit and the second lens sub-unit for focusing from infinity to a close end. A surface of the second lens sub-unit closest to the magnification conjugate side has a concave shape on the magnification conjugate side.
US08873154B2
A tele-side converter lens including a first unit having a positive refractive power and a second unit having a negative refractive power, in which: the first unit includes one or two positive lenses; the second unit includes one negative lens and one or two positive lenses; and average Abbe constant and partial dispersion ratio of materials of positive lenses constituting the first unit, average Abbe constant and partial dispersion ratio of materials of positive lenses constituting the second unit, an Abbe constant and a partial dispersion ratio of materials of the negative lenses constituting the second unit, combined Abbe constants of materials of the lenses constituting the respective first and second units, focal lengths of the first and second units, a refractive index of a material of a positive lens disposed closest to the object side, and a magnification of the tele-side converter lens are appropriately set, respectively.
US08873151B2
An illumination system of a microlithographic exposure apparatus comprises a condenser for transforming a pupil plane into a field plane. The condenser has a lens group that contains a plurality of consecutive lenses. These lenses are arranged such that a light bundle focused by the condenser on an on-axis field point converges within each lens of the lens group. At least one lens of the lens group has a concave surface. The illumination system may further comprise a field stop objective that at least partly corrects a residual pupil aberration of the condenser.
US08873148B1
An eyepiece for a head mounted display includes a light relay body, a total internal reflection (“TIR”) interface, and a focusing lens. The light relay body has a first end coupled to receive CGI light from an image source and a second end including a viewing region from which the CGI light is emitted. The TIR interface is disposed in the viewing region at an oblique angle relative to an eye-ward side of the light relay body through which the CGI light is emitted from the eyepiece. The TIR interface is oriented to redirect the light towards the eye-ward side of the light relay body. The focusing lens is disposed along the eye-ward side of the light relay body in alignment with the TIR interface to bring the CGI light into focus for a near-to-eye arrangement.
US08873147B1
Exemplary methods and systems involve chord-based authentication on a touch-based interface. An exemplary method may involve: (a) providing a user-interface on a touch-based interface of a computing device, wherein the user-interface comprises a plurality of input regions; (b) receiving input data corresponding to a plurality of touch interactions on the touch-based interface; (c) determining a sequence of chords from the input data, wherein each chord is defined by touch interaction with a certain combination of one or more of the input regions; (d) determining that the sequence of chords substantially matches a predetermined chord authentication sequence; and (e) responsive to the match, causing a computing device to make at least one function accessible.
US08873145B2
A zoom lens system, in order from an object side to an image side, comprising a first lens unit having negative optical power, a second lens unit having positive optical power, a third lens unit having negative optical power, and a fourth lens unit having positive optical power, wherein the second lens unit is, in order from the object side to the image side, composed of an object-side second lens unit and an image-side second lens unit, the image-side second lens unit moves in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis to optically compensate image blur, and the condition: 1<|f2I/fW|<10 (f2I: a composite focal length of the image-side second lens unit, fW: a focal length of the entire system at a wide-angle limit) is satisfied.
US08873137B2
Catadioptric projection objective (1) for microlithography for imaging an object field (3) in an object plane (5) onto an image field (7) in an image plane (9). The objective includes a first partial objective (11) imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image (13), a second partial objective (15) imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image (17), and a third partial objective (19) imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field. The second partial objective is a catadioptric objective having exactly one concave mirror and having at least one lens (L21, L22). A first folding mirror (23) deflects the radiation from the object plane toward the concave mirror and a second folding mirror (25) deflects the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane. At least one surface of a lens (L21, L22) of the second partial objective has an antireflection coating having a reflectivity of less than 0.1% for an operating wavelength of between 150 nm and 250 nm and for an angle-of-incidence range of between 0° and 30°. As an alternative or in addition, all the surfaces of the lenses of the second partial objective are configured such that the deviation from the marginal ray concentricity is greater than or equal to 20°.
US08873125B2
A Micro Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) interferometer system utilizes a capacitive sensing circuit to determine the position of a moveable mirror. An electrostatic MEMS actuator is coupled to the moveable mirror to cause a displacement thereof. The capacitive sensing circuit senses the current capacitance of the MEMS actuator and determines the position of the moveable mirror based on the current capacitance of the MEMS actuator.
US08873124B2
A plastic optical element for focusing light to a target includes a first lens and a second lens. The first lens includes an incident surface, a projection surface opposite the incident surface, and a non-optical surface through which light does not pass and that includes a non-transfer portion. At least one light beam passes from the incident surface to the projection surface. The second lens includes an incident surface, a projection surface opposite the incident surface, and a non-optical surface through which light does not pass and that includes a non-transfer portion disposed opposite the non-optical surface of the first lens. At least one light beam passes from the incident surface to the projection surface. The non-transfer portions of the first lens and the second lens are portions on which no surface is transferred from a surface of a mold used to form the plastic optical element.
US08873122B2
An imaging optical system includes a plurality of mirrors configured to image an object field in an object plane of the imaging optical system into an image field in an image plane of the imaging optical system. An illumination system includes such an imaging optical system. The transmission losses of the illumination system are relatively low.
US08873108B2
An image processing apparatus and an image processing method are provided, which are useful for faithfully reproducing luster even if a luminance reproduction range of an output apparatus is brighter than the luminance reproduction range of an input apparatus. The image processing apparatus includes a luster region determination unit configured to determine a luster region included in an input image based on a luminance value of the input image, a luminance correction value calculation unit configured to calculate a luminance correction value of the luster region, and a corrected image generation unit configured to generate an output image by adding the luminance correction value to the luminance value of the input image.
US08873098B2
An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a detection unit configured to detect approach or contact of a printing apparatus relative to a display apparatus, a first acquisition unit configured to acquire information about a print attribute of the printing apparatus detected by the detection unit, a second acquisition unit configured to acquire attribute information about content data to be displayed on the display apparatus, and a determination unit configured to determine suitability of printing the content data in the printing apparatus, based on the information about the print attribute of the printing apparatus and the attribute information about the content data.
US08873095B2
Approaches are provided for processing scan data based on a scan process definition (SPD) that defines a set of instructions for acquiring image data based on one or more printed documents. An SPD may include extension data that is used to store additional data in association with the scan data. An SPD may include rights management data that is used to provide security to the scan data that is generated based on the SPD. An SPD may be used as a print process definition for dictating how print operations are to be performed. An SPD may be associated with data that identifies one or more scan devices that are prohibited from using the SPD. An SPD may be associated with access delegation data that indicates one or more users who have been delegated access to the SPD.
US08873093B2
An image processing apparatus includes a communication unit capable of transmitting and receiving a mail through a network; a data storage unit for storing the mail; a print unit for printing image data of the mail; a mail generation unit for generating a mail and an open mail notification instruction; a mail analysis unit capable of analyzing an open mail notification response; a processing control unit for deleting the mail when the mail analysis unit determines that an external device opens the mail including the open notification instruction. The processing control unit is also provided for notifying a user to open the mail stored when the mail analysis unit determines that the external device does not open the mail.
US08873088B2
A printing control device includes a web page data acquiring portion configured to acquire web page data of a prescribed web page from the web server and a display configured to display the prescribed web page. The printing control device further includes an extraction portion configured to extract data for constituting a duplication object. The printing control device still further includes a print data creation portion configured to create print data for forming at least two duplicated images of the duplication object based on the extracted data. Moreover, the printing control device includes a printing instruction portion configured to instruct the printing unit to form an image on the recording medium based on the created print data.
US08873084B2
A copier that includes a reading unit to read a document to obtain an image and a printing unit configured to print the obtained image to obtain a copied document. The copier further includes a setting unit to set a setting for adding an image indicating that copying the copied document is inhibited and a controlling unit to control the printing unit so in a case where a document having an image indicating that copying the document is permitted subject to an input of authentication information is read to obtain an image and the setting is not set, the obtained image is printed subject to an input of the authentication information, and in a case where a document having an image indicating that copying the document is permitted subject to an input of authentication information is read to obtain an image and the setting is set, not printed the image.
US08873082B2
A printing apparatus that is configured to, in order to efficiently execute printing by suitably skipping a page that is not to be printed, receive information about an attribute of paper to be skipped without printing, and based on information about the received attribute, print a page that does not use paper having the attribute and skip printing of a page that uses paper having the attribute.
US08873079B2
An image reader device reads images from pages of a document based on a read parameter for a current page, and outputs first image data. The first image data is processed based on an image processing parameter for the current page, to output second image data. A storage unit stores the second image data, the read parameter for a subsequent page, and the image processing parameter for the subsequent page. The stored read parameter for the subsequent page is provided directly to an image reading unit upon completion of the image read processing of the current page. The stored image processing parameter for the subsequent page is provided directly to an image processing unit upon completion of the image processing of the current page.
US08873067B2
Provided herein is a TSV measuring interferometer that uses a variable field stop that adjusts such that a light is focused at an inlet and at a bottom surface of a TSV when measuring a diameter and depth of the TSV, thereby reducing a measurement time and result data, the interferometer also using a telecentric lens that adjusts the light injected into the TSV to be a straight line, so as to obtain a sufficient amount of light reaching the bottom surface to improve the accuracy of measurement even in a TSV having a large aspect ratio.
US08873066B2
A system and method for measuring an interferometric signal from a swept-wavelength interferometer by scanning a tunable laser source over two wavelength ranges, whose centers are separated substantially more than the length of wavelength ranges. The spatial resolution of the measurement is determined by the inverse of the wavelength separation between a first and second wavelength region, as well as by the wavelength range of the first and second regions. An electronically tunable laser may be utilized to produce two wavelength ranges that are widely separated in wavelength. Such a system and method has wide applications to the fields of optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) and swept-wavelength optical coherence tomography (OCT), for example.
US08873056B2
A spectroscopic sensor 1 comprises a plurality of interference filter units 20A, 20B, 20C, having a cavity layer 21 and first and second mirror layers 22, 23 opposing each other through the layer 21, for selectively transmitting therethrough light in a predetermined wavelength range according to an incident position thereof; a light-transmitting substrate 3, arranged on the first mirror layer 22 side, for transmitting therethrough the light incident on the units 20A, 20B, 20C; and a light detection substrate 4, arranged on the second mirror layer 23 side, for detecting the light transmitted through the units 20A, 20B, 20C. The second mirror layers 23 are separated for the respective units 20A, 20B, 20C. The cavity layer 21 is formed integrally over the units 20A, 20B, 20C, while a part of the layer 21 enters a region between the second mirror layers 23, 23 adjacent to each other.
US08873043B2
An emission can be obtained from a sample in response to excitation using a specified range of excitation frequencies. Such excitation can include generating a specified chirped waveform and a specified downconversion local oscillator (LO) frequency using a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), upconverting the chirped waveform via mixing the chirped waveform with a specified upconversion LO frequency, frequency multiplying the upconverted chirped waveform to provide a chirped excitation signal for exciting the sample, receiving an emission from sample, the emission elicited at least in part by the chirped excitation signal, and downconverting the received emission via mixing the received emission with a signal based on the specified downconversion LO signal to provide a downconverted emission signal within the bandwidth of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The specified chirped waveform can include a first chirped waveform during a first duration, and a second chirped waveform during a second duration.
US08873035B2
We disclose measurement systems and methods for measuring analytes in target regions of samples that also include features overlying the target regions. The systems include: (a) a light source; (b) a detection system; (c) a set of at least first, second, and third light ports which transmit light from the light source to a sample and receive and direct light reflected from the sample to the detection system, generating a first set of data including information corresponding to both an internal target within the sample and features overlying the internal target, and a second set of data including information corresponding to features overlying the internal target; and (d) a processor configured to remove information characteristic of the overlying features from the first set of data using the first and second sets of data to produce corrected information representing the internal target.
US08873025B2
A collector system for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation includes a collector mirror and a radiation-collection enhancement device (RCED) arranged adjacent an aperture member of an illuminator. The collector mirror directs EUV radiation from an EUV radiation source towards the aperture member. The RCED redirects a portion of the EUV radiation that would not otherwise pass through the aperture of the aperture member or that would not have an optimum angular distribution, to pass through the aperture and to have an improved angular distribution better suited to input specifications of an illuminator. This provides the illuminator with greater amount of useable EUV radiation than would otherwise be available from the collector mirror alone, thereby enhancing the performing of an EUV lithography system that uses such a collector system with a RCED.
US08873019B2
The present disclosure provides a detecting device of a birefringent lens grating. The detecting device includes a projection pattern disposed adjacent to the birefringent lens grating; an illuminating light source for projecting light onto the projection pattern and the birefringent lens grating; an image capturing device for capturing the light out from the birefringent lens grating and obtaining a projection pattern image of the projection pattern; and a controller for comparing the projection pattern image with a reference to determine a refractive index matching degree of the birefringent lens grating. The present disclosure further provides a detecting method, a manufacture method and a manufacture device of the birefringent lens grating.
US08873018B2
A display substrate includes a substrate on which a first pixel area including a first light-blocking region, and a second pixel area adjacent to the first pixel area and including a second light-blocking region are defined, an insulating layer in the first and second light-blocking regions, a black matrix pattern layer on the insulating layer, a first column spacer in the first light-blocking region and protruding from the black matrix pattern layer, and a second column spacer in the second light-blocking region and protruding from the black matrix pattern layer. A height of a top surface of the first column spacer is different from a height of a top surface of the second column spacer, where the heights are taken with respect to the substrate.
US08873017B2
A liquid crystal display device includes: first and second glass substrates; a seal pattern placed between the first and second glass substrates to bond the first and second glass substrates together, the seal pattern sealing a liquid crystal material in between the first and second glass substrates and holding the liquid crystal material in a liquid crystal layer; a plurality of columnar spacers placed between the first and second glass substrates in a display region surrounded by the seal pattern and corresponding to a display surface appearing when the liquid crystal display device is in operation, the columnar spacers holding a distance between the first and second glass substrates; and a plurality of gap holding members. The area share of the gap holding members indicating the ratio of a sectional area per unit area is larger than the area share of the columnar spacers.
US08873014B2
The present invention relates to a display device including a substrate, a display signal line disposed on the substrate, a contact assistant disposed on the pad region of the substrate as a draw-out terminal of the display signal line, a driver IC chip disposed on the substrate and connected to the display signal line through the contact assistant, and a testing thin film transistor disposed between the substrate and the driver IC chip. The testing thin film transistor and the display signal line are connected to each other.
US08873012B2
A liquid crystal display panel includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a liquid crystal layer and an electrode structure. The second substrate is parallel to the first substrate. The liquid crystal layer is located between the first substrate and the second substrate. The electrode structure is disposed on the first substrate. The electrode structure includes a first branch portion and a second branch portion. The first branch portion includes first branch electrodes. The two adjacent first branch electrodes are parallel to each other and separated apart by a first interval. The second branch portion includes second branch electrodes. The two adjacent second branch electrodes are parallel to each other and separated apart by a second interval. Any first branch electrode corresponds to at least part of one of the second intervals. Any second branch electrode corresponds to at least part of one of the first intervals.
US08873009B2
A liquid crystal display device includes first and second substrates. The first substrate includes a pixel electrode covered by a first alignment film and having a belt-shaped main pixel electrode. The first alignment film is alignment processed in a first alignment treatment direction substantially in parallel with an extending direction of the main pixel electrode. The second substrate includes a common electrode arranged on both sides sandwiching the pixel electrode and extending substantially in parallel with the extending direction of the main pixel electrode. A sub-common electrode extends in a direction crossing the extending direction of the main pixel electrode on one end side of the main pixel electrode located on a starting side of the first alignment treatment direction. A second alignment film is processed in a second alignment treatment direction substantially in the same direction as the first alignment treatment direction.
US08872987B2
A stereoscopic image display includes a liquid crystal display panel, a patterned retarder attached to the liquid crystal display panel, polarizing glasses including a left eye filter passing through only a first polarized light passing through a first pattern of the patterned retarder and a right eye filter passing through only a second polarized light passing through a second pattern of the patterned retarder, and a backlight unit including an upper light source disposed under the upper side of the liquid crystal display panel, a lower light source disposed under the lower side of the liquid crystal display panel, a light guide plate between the upper light source and the lower light source, and a vertical viewing angle improvement sheet having prism patterns opposite to the light guide plate.
US08872983B2
According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes a receiver configured to receive content, an acquiring unit configured to acquire a time required for reproducing the content, a counter configured to count a first time including at least the required time, and a display controller configured to display the content on the display unit and terminate display of a video on the display unit after expiration of the first time.
US08872976B2
In one embodiment, a 3D display has an image processor including an overlay detector connected to a display controller. The image processor receives a 3D-compatible image stream from a 2D legacy device that may superimpose overlays, e.g., a 2D captions, over 3D-compatible images. The overlay detector automatically determines whether a received image comprises a caption overlay and, if so, provides the location and dimensions of the overlay to the display controller. The display controller processes the overlaid 3D-compatible image to isolate the caption characters of the caption overlay and generates, for a viewer of the 3D display, different left-eye and right-eye images, each including overlaid caption characters that substantially match the characters of the caption overlay. The result is the appearance, to the viewer, of a substantially flat and coherent caption overlay over a 3D image.
US08872975B2
The present invention relates to a receiving device, a display controlling method, and a program that can make effective use of captions included in programs.In a TV receiver 1, tuners 11A to 11C are each a tuner for receiving a program. A display section 16 displays caption related information related to caption data included in an object program received by the digital tuner 11B together with an image of a main program received by the digital tuner 11A. The present invention is, for example, applicable to TV receivers having a plurality of tuners for receiving a broadcast program, and the like.
US08872974B2
In one embodiment, a method for avoiding discomfort and/or relieving motion sickness when using a display device in a moving environment includes detecting at least one movement component of the moving environment, generating data for intermediate images indicating the movement component or at least one of the movement components, and modifying a series of images showing content to be displayed by inserting the intermediate images into the series. The modified series is divided into sequences of these images by the intermediate images. The method further includes displaying the modified series of images on an image display of the display device. The modified series includes the intermediate images.
US08872972B2
A router module is arranged in a housing of a smart television. The router module is externally connected to a modem for surfing the Internet. The router module is electrically connected to a micro processing unit of the smart television. Therefore, the smart television is connected to the Internet through the router module. A wireless transmission chip of the router module is configured to process Internet signals. An antenna module is configured to wirelessly transmit the Internet signals, so that wireless network is shared to outside.
US08872970B2
A method and receiving device are provided that determine a synchronization byte in a plurality of transport stream packets, wherein the synchronization byte has a predetermined synchronization value. The method/receiving device receives, via a receiver, a portion of a first transport stream packet of the plurality of transport stream packets; detects, starting from the beginning of the portion of a first transport stream packet, a continuous four byte pattern that does not include the predetermined synchronization value; detects a first occurrence of a byte having the predetermined synchronization value; detects a subsequent byte separated from the first occurrence by a predetermined byte length; determines a byte value of the subsequent byte; and validates that the first occurrence is the synchronization byte based on a comparison of the byte value and the predetermined synchronization value.
US08872967B1
An imaging unit includes an imaging device that transmits an image data to an external display device; and an installation portion that is attachable to and detachable from the display device. The imaging device includes a communication part that transmits an image data to the display device, an outer barrel, and an imaging element. The installation portion includes a slider that is slidable with respect to the outer barrel, a first attached body that is connected to the slider, a second attached body that can change its gap with the first attached body, and a biasing member that biases the first attached body and the second attached body in a direction in which a gap therebetween becomes narrowed, in which the display device is grasped by the first attached body and the second attached body.
US08872954B2
An image processing apparatus for retrieving and displaying image data related to an object included in image data, and a method of controlling the apparatus, whereby the image processing apparatus obtains image data, extracts feature data of an object in the image data, retrieves, from image data stored in a storage medium, image data having feature data similar to the extracted feature data, selects image data to be displayed from a plurality of items of retrieved image data, based on additional data of each of the plurality of retrieved image data, and displays the selected image data together with the obtained image data.
US08872948B2
According to one embodiment, a solid-state imaging device includes an effective pixel portion in which effective pixels are provided, a light-shielded pixel portion in which light-shielded pixels are provided, an ADC circuit that performs an AD conversion operation for signal components read from the effective pixel and the light-shielded pixel, on the basis of a result of a comparison with a reference voltage on which a clamping voltage is superimposed, and an AD clamping circuit that calculates a clamping voltage for a target value of a black level read from the light-shielded pixel by extrapolating a relation between the clamping voltage and an AD-converted value of the black level read from the light-shielded pixel at the time when the clamping voltage is applied.
US08872946B2
Systems and methods for processing raw image data are provided. One example of such a system may include memory to store image data in raw format from a digital imaging device and an image signal processor to process the image data. The image signal processor may include data conversion logic and a raw image processing pipeline. The data conversion logic may convert the image data into a signed format to preserve negative noise from the digital imaging device. The raw image processing pipeline may at least partly process the image data in the signed format. The raw image processing pipeline may also include, among other things, black level compensation logic, fixed pattern noise reduction logic, temporal filtering logic, defective pixel correction logic, spatial noise filtering logic, lens shading correction logic, and highlight recovery logic.
US08872944B2
The methods and systems described herein are directed to image processing. More specifically, the image processing described herein may include centering an object in the field of view during zooming. The image processing methods and systems may further include setting a magnification factor, positioning the camera in a first field of view, capturing a first image, setting a second magnification factor, and capturing a second image. Additionally, the described techniques may include altering the first image to determine an offset and adjusting the camera based on the offset.
US08872943B2
In an imaging apparatus having framing assist control, a controller controls a change speed of the display angle of view changed by a second or a third instruction member faster than the change speed of the display angle of view changed by a first instruction member. The first instruction member is configured to issue an instruction regarding a change of a display angle of view and a change direction of the display angle of view. The second instruction member is configured to issue an instruction to change the display angle of view displayed on the monitor to a wide-angle side by a predetermined amount. The third instruction member is configured to issue an instruction to change the display angle of view displayed on the monitor to the display angle of view before the display angle of view is changed by the second instruction member.
US08872938B2
A sense amplifier having a negative capacitance circuit receives differential input signals via a pair of data lines, and senses and amplifies a voltage difference between differential output signals corresponding to the differential input signals as loaded by the negative capacitance circuit using a differential-to-single-ended amplifier to generate a corresponding data output signal.
US08872931B2
A camera module includes an image sensor configured to convert an optical signal received through a lens into an electrical signal and generate full-size image data, an image signal processing unit configured to calibrate and output the full-size image data, a first memory unit configured to periodically receive and store the full-size image data from the image signal processing unit, a scaling unit configured to scale down the full-size image data received from the first memory unit and periodically output scaled-down image data to a display device, and an encoder configured to receive the full-size image data stored in the first memory unit, convert it into a compressed file in a predetermined format, and output the compressed file upon opening of a shutter.
US08872930B1
An apparatus generally comprising a first encoder, a decoder and a second encoder is disclosed. The first encoder may be configured to generate a plurality of first compressed samples from a plurality of data samples of a picture. The data samples generally include a plurality of luminance samples and chrominance samples created internal to a digital video camera. The decoder may be configured to generate a plurality of reconstructed samples from the first compressed samples. The second encoder may be configured to generate a plurality of second compressed samples based on the reconstructed samples.
US08872926B2
A flashless image acquisition system that includes a tandem imaging device having a tandem field of view and comprising a velocity vector estimate imaging device coupled to an object imaging device; and a peripheral imaging device having a peripheral field of view wider than the tandem field of view and configured to acquire real-time information related to positions of a moving object, wherein the real-time information is provided to the tandem imaging device, further wherein the velocity vector estimate imaging device is configured to provide in-exposure velocity vector estimates to control the object imaging device is described.
US08872916B2
A media collection system (102) uses media collection devices (107) to record media in the vicinity of a mobile device (104). A method (300) for collecting media associated with a user of a mobile device (104) includes the mobile device detecting (304) a broadcast signal from a communication node of the media collection system (102) at a radio interface of the mobile device. Then the mobile device requests (308) a media collection service of the media collection system. In response, the mobile device receives (314) an access identifier from the media collection system. The access identifier can be used to access media collected by the media collection system. The mobile device can then cease a self-collection activity while in the vicinity of the media collection system.
US08872915B1
Methods can include using a doorbell to wirelessly communicate with a remotely located computing device. Doorbells can include a speaker, a microphone, a camera, and a button to sound a chime. A doorbell shipping mode can detect whether the doorbell is electrically coupled to an external power source. Methods can include entering a setup mode or a standby mode in response to detecting electricity from the external power source.
US08872914B2
A one camera system that measures golf club and golf ball kinematics is disclosed. Preferably, a plurality of retroreflective or fluorescent markers are placed on the surface of a golf ball. Using a single strobe lamps, images of a golf ball at two points in motion are acquired. The output of each of the strobe lamps is preferably filtered to pass predetermined colors of light. The input to each of the cameras is also preferably filtered. The output from the strobe lamp passes through at least one of a beam splitting mirror and reflective front surface mirror. Based on the filtered light outputs generated by the strobe lamp and the filtered camera input, at least two images of the golf ball, taken from two different angles, may be acquired. The acquired images may be used to analyze the kinematics of the golf ball.
US08872912B2
An electronics assembly line includes a first electronics assembly machine and a second electronics assembly machine. The first electronics assembly machine has a first electronics assembly machine outlet. The second electronics assembly machine has a second electronics assembly machine inlet and outlet. The inlet of the second electronics assembly machine is coupled to the outlet of the first electronics assembly machine by a conveyor. A first optical inspection sensor is disposed over the conveyor before the inlet of the second electronics assembly and is configured to provide first sensor inspection image data relative to a substrate that passes beneath the first optical inspection sensor in a non-stop fashion. A second optical inspection sensor is disposed over the conveyor after the outlet of the second electronics assembly machine and is configured to provide second sensor inspection image data relative to a substrate that passes beneath the second optical inspection sensor in a non-stop fashion. A computer is operably coupled to the first and second optical inspection sensors and is configured to provide an inspection result based upon at least one of the first and second inspection image data.
US08872885B2
Systems and methods for conducting a multi-endpoint video signal conference are provided. Conferencing endpoints are linked by pairs of a reliable and a less reliable communication channel. Conference video signals are scaleable coded in base layer and enhancement layers format. Video signal base layers, which correspond to a minimum picture quality, are communicated over reliable channels. The video signal enhancements layers may be communicated over the less reliable channels. A conference server mediates the switching of video layer information from transmitting endpoints to receiving endpoints without any intermediate coding or re-coding operations. The video conference can be integrated with an audio conference using either scalable coded audio signals or non-scaleable coded audio signals.
US08872882B2
A federated media server system. The federated media server system may include a plurality of media servers. A first media server may be coupled to a second media server over a network. The first media server may also be coupled to a third media server over the network. Additionally, the second and third media servers may be coupled to a plurality of respective clients. The first media server may be configured to record video, e.g., videoconferences, and stream recordings to clients and/or the second and third media servers. The second and third media servers may assist in performing video recording, transcoding, storage of recordings, multicasting, etc.
US08872880B1
A system may include a device that receives requests to initiate a videoconference call. The requests may include an indication of a service priority tier that should be applied to the call and first and second client devices for the call. The system may determining bandwidth availability in a network and determine, based on the bandwidth availability and based on the indication of the service priority tier of the call, whether to admit the videoconference call to the network. The device may provision, when it is determined to admit the call to the network, traffic policies corresponding to one or more network devices, where the policies are determined based on the service priority tier of the videoconference call.
US08872875B2
An single-pass imaging system utilizes a light source, a spatial light modulator and an anamorphic optical system to form a substantially one-dimensional high intensity line image on an imaging surface (e.g., the surface of a drum cylinder). The light source and the spatial light modulator are used to generate a relatively low intensity two-dimensional modulated light field in accordance with an image data line such that each pixel image of the line is elongated in the process (Y-axis) direction. The anamorphic optical system utilizes a cylindrical/acylindrical optical element to anamorphically image and concentrate the modulated light field in the process direction to form the substantially one-dimensional high intensity line image. The line image is generated with sufficient energy to evaporate fountain solution from the imaging surface. The imaging system simultaneously generates all component pixel images of the line image, thus facilitating a printing apparatus capable of 1200 dpi or greater.
US08872870B2
In a method and apparatus for marking glass or a glass-like material a writing laser beam and the glass or the material are moved relative to each other in order to form an array of marks on the glass surface or material surface consisting of a plurality of discrete marks which are formed in discrete marking steps and are distributed along at least one direction. Marks directly adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction are formed in two marking steps, which are not carried out directly in succession one after the other. Thus, at least two series of marks are produced in the predetermined direction, wherein said marks are spaced at regular intervals from each other and are interleaved in the predetermined direction. As a result, and because of the temperature regime according to the invention during encoding, a particularly low-stress, crack-free marking of glass can be accomplished.
US08872868B2
If a potential of a gate electrode of a driving transistor varies after a gray scale signal is inputted into each pixel, a current value of a current supplied to a light emitting element varies so that accurate gray scale display cannot be obtained. In particular, in the case of performing black display, current may flow, which makes clear black display difficult. Accordingly, the invention provides a light emitting device capable of performing accurate gray scale display, and a driving method thereof. According to the invention, a signal for display is inputted plural times within a predetermined timing period, or a writing operation period is lengthened. Consequently, the gate voltage of the transistor is determined after the anode potential of the light emitting element is stabilized, and therefore accurate gray scale display can be performed.
US08872867B2
A signal processing device measures an actual luminance of a light-emitting device by setting levels of gradation values indicating the degree of light emission to a pixel circuit having the light-emitting device to generate measurement information. The device also calculates gradation deterioration characteristics based on the measurement information and the relationship between a gradation value and a luminance value when the pixel circuit is in a correction reference state. A deterioration value calculation calculates a conversion efficiency deterioration value of conversion efficiency for the light-emitting device to convert a driving current supplied for a gradation value into a luminance to generate conversion efficiency deterioration characteristic information. Finally, the device calculates current amount deterioration value that calculates a current amount deterioration value regarding deterioration of a driving current of the pixel circuit based on the gradation deterioration characteristic to generate current amount deterioration characteristic information of the prescribed pixel circuit.
US08872865B2
A pixel driving circuit includes a first pixel, a second pixel, and a data driving circuit. Each pixel includes a main region and a sub region. The main region stores a gray level voltage and the sub region stores a gray level voltage corresponding to the gray level voltage stored in the main region when the main region and the sub region display image. In the data driving circuit, first, second, third, and fourth gray level voltages are generated by means of a first selecting circuit outputting first digital data corresponding to the first pixel and second digital data corresponding to the second pixel to the corresponding digital-to-analog converters. The first, second, third, and fourth gray level voltages are distributed to the main and sub regions of the first and second pixels by a second selecting circuit, thereby reducing the number of digital-to-analog converters.
US08872856B1
A method and/or system of scaling images by providing a horizontal macroblock scaler with pixels of the images in units of macroblocks and a vertical macroblock scaler where the pixels of the output image are in units of macroblocks. For the horizontal macroblock scaler macroblocks decoded or vertically scaled are read into the horizontal scaler to generate horizontally scaled macroblocks of pixels. The horizontal scaler need not access data stored in a memory, which reduces the memory bandwidth need for scaling the image. For the vertical macroblock scaler macroblocks decoded or horizontally scaled are read into the vertical scaler from memory to generate vertical scaled macroblocks of pixel. The output of the vertical scaler can be sent directly to an encoder without going through memory first, which reduces the memory bandwidth need for scaling the image. A transcoder parameter may also be provided to scale transcoder parameters such as quantization step sizes and motion vectors that are received from the decoder. The scaled transcoder parameters may be fed to an encoder or a transcoder to encode or transcode the scaled images without motion estimation that is computationally expensive.
US08872854B1
A portable display device is operative to modulate the appearance of a real or virtual image in response to the motion of the display device with respect to its relative movement with respect the object's virtual position. The display in effect becomes a portable window into a virtual world. The virtual object can be created from a real object by image capture and can be 2 or 3 dimensional. Specific modes of display movement can be used to infer a relative movement of the display window with respect to the one or more objects in the virtual world.
US08872847B2
The present invention pertains to geographical image processing of time-dependent imagery. Various assets acquired at different times are stored and processing according to acquisition date in order to generate one or more image tiles for a geographical region of interest. The different image tiles are sorted based on asset acquisition date. Multiple image tiles for the same region of interest may be available. In response to a user request for imagery as of a certain date, one or more image tiles associated with assets from prior to that date are used to generate a time-based geographical image for the user.
US08872844B2
Technique for deriving a graphical representation of domain-specific display-objects on an external display (13) within a patient-monitoring system (1), in which only a small amount of data has to be transmitted to the external display device (3) and at the same time the user of the external display (13) gets the same “look and feel” as he is used to from the built-in display (12) of a patient monitor (2).
US08872839B2
Performing real-time atlasing of graphics data and creation and maintenance of texture atlases for applications having dynamic graphics content. Embodiments include allocating a texture atlas configured to store textural elements for use in rendering graphical elements, and providing a graphics processing unit (GPU) access to the texture atlas. During subsequent execution of an application, when a graphical element of the application is to be rendered by the GPU, a block of space can be allocated within the texture atlas and a textural element corresponding to the graphical element can be stored within the allocated block. The GPU therefore has access to the textural element when rendering the graphical element.
US08872832B2
A method and system for removing head motion from facial motion capture data. The method includes receiving a set of measured points of a target model, wherein each point is associated with coordinates in a 3D space. The method includes computing an optimal affine transformation function. The computing includes selecting an unprocessed point from the set of measured points. The computing includes selecting two nearby neighboring points of the unprocessed point. The computing includes computing an affine transformation function that minimizes an L2-norm error. The computing includes identifying the optimal affine transformation function from a set of computed affine transformation functions. The method includes displaying an aligned target model and reference model utilizing the optimal affine transformation function. The method includes outputting the optimal affine function to a computer-readable storage medium.
US08872830B2
A document recognition system and method, where images are represented as a collection of primitive features whose spatial relations are represented as a graph. Useful subsets of all the possible subgraphs representing different portions of images are represented over a corpus of many images. The data structure is a lattice of subgraphs, and algorithms are provided means to build and use the graph lattice efficiently and effectively.
US08872801B2
A touch-sensitive apparatus for determining a location of at least one object on a touch surface. The touch-sensitive apparatus extends in a direction of depth and comprises a light transmissive panel, a display arranged behind the light transmissive panel, and a first compartment and second compartment arranged behind the display. Light from a light emitter arrangement in the first compartment is introduced into the light transmissive panel for propagation by internal reflection. The light is thereafter coupled out to be received by a light detection arrangement in the second compartment. The first and second compartments are separated, such that light from the light emitter arrangement is prevented from reaching the light detection arrangement without first having propagated in the light transmissive panel.
US08872800B2
Optical user input technology comprises three-dimensional (3D) input sensors and 3D location emitters to enable high-precision input in a 3D space, and the 3D location emitter may be a stylus or other writing or pointing device. Certain implementations may comprise an orientation assembly for transmitting orientation of the 3D location emitter in addition to location within a 3D space, and some implementations may also use selectively identifiable signaling from the 3D location emitters to the 3D input sensors to distinguish one 3D location emitter from another, to transmit data other data from a 3D location emitter to a 3D location sensor, or as a means of providing orientation information for the 3D location emitter with respect to the 3D location sensor. Also disclosed are position fixing, indoor navigation, and other complementary applications using 3D input sensors and/or 3D location emitters.
US08872798B2
Methods and apparatus for processing user events are provided. In particular, one or more sensor modules and processor modules are provided that can be operated to detect user events, such as the pressing of an otherwise mechanical switch. In many electronic devices, touch display screens are provided to the user for interfacing with the device. These displays often must also include one or more mechanical switches to provide necessary functionality. The functionality, however, comes at the cost of reduced aesthetics, and potentially increased manufacturing costs related to fabricating one or more holes in the display substrate. The sensor module disclosed herein can be configured such that collected pressure data can be focused, such as linear expansion data or deflection data. By collecting two different types of focused data, the apparatus can more accurately determine whether a user event has occurred. Additional types of sensors may also be utilized to provide even more reliable results.
US08872795B2
A resistive sensing touch panel may include row receiver tracks and column drive tracks. A controller may send and receive control signals and sense signals, respectively, to and from the resistive touch panel. The resistive touch panel may provide sense signals when a touch of the panel is detected. The sense signals may be sampled on a number of rows. When sampling a given row, the controller may change the termination of that row by coupling the end of the sampled row to a resistor having a higher value then terminating resistors coupled to the end of non-sampled rows that are adjacent to the sampled row. The controller may further pull the terminating resistors coupled to the end of the non-sampled adjacent rows to a supply rail voltage while the sampled row is being sampled.
US08872789B2
A method of calibrating a touch sensing system includes connecting an impedance load to a touch sensing signal path in a gain adjustment mode, adjusting a gain of an amplifier that amplifies a signal input to the touch sensing signal path in the gain adjustment mode by evaluating an output signal of the amplifier, and disconnecting the impedance load from the touch sensing signal path after adjusting the amplifier gain.
US08872788B2
Surface-capacitance-based multi-touch touch panel apparatus including a multiplicity of electrically conductive shapes e.g. diamonds arranged along at least one of rows and columns whose capacitance is measured by capacitive sensors; wherein the rows and columns include a set of linear arrays including at least one individual linear array which includes a plurality of first sets of shapes, each first set including n>=1 shapes all shorted to a single set-specific capacitive sensor such that no two first sets are both shorted to a common capacitive sensor.
US08872783B2
A display device; a method for driving the display device; and electronic equipment, each enabling a detection device to perform detection with a frequency higher than a refresh frequency of the display device and with improved accuracy are provided. The display device has a screen including pixels and repeatedly alternates between a scanning frame during which the pixels are scanned to be sequentially brought into a selected state and a pause frame during which the pixels are not scanned, and includes a detection instructing circuit configured to output detection operation control signals corresponding to touch panel detection periods to the detection device in at least one pause frame. The detection instruction signal instructs the detection device to detect at least one of detection targets which are input by touching or approaching the screen and a radio wave coming from outside the display device.
US08872776B2
A two-dimension (2D) sensing information is analyzed for determining touch related sensing information. The touch related sensing information may include touch related sensing information with inner low values within outer high values and with inner higher values within outer low values.
US08872771B2
A touch sensing device having conductive nodes is disclosed. The device can include a first structure having one or more conductive electrodes disposed on a surface opposite the structure's touchable surface and a second structure having one or more conductive nodes disposed on a surface. The two surfaces can be placed with the conductive electrodes and conductive nodes facing each other in close proximity so that the electrodes and the nodes can form capacitive elements for sensing a touch on the touchable surface. Separately disposing the conductive nodes from the touchable surface structure can make the touch sensing device thin. An example touch sensing device can be a click wheel.
US08872770B2
A terminal emulator 2 includes a memory 206, main controlling unit 202, data forming unit 203, and video data outputting unit 204. The memory 206 stores real-time data received from computer 1 as log data. The main controlling unit 202 sets real-time data display area and plural log data display areas arranged in display screen of monitor 4. The data forming unit 203 fits the real-time data and plural pieces of log data into the real-time data display area and the plural data display areas, and rearranges both of the real-time data and the plural pieces of log data in the form of a two-dimensional array. The video data outputting unit 204 converts the real-time data and the plural pieces of log data into the plural pieces of video data, and outputs the plural pieces of converted video data to the monitor 4.
US08872769B2
A distance vector from the original cursor position where the cursor exists before the manipulation to the cursor movement destination position is set to a movement direction distance vector, distance vectors from the original cursor position to each button position of a plurality of buttons are set to button distance vectors, and the button having the shortest movement time is determined as a target button intended by a user by computing the movement time to a plurality of buttons using the movement direction distance vector and a plurality of button distance vectors, so that the display control of the display unit is performed such that the cursor is dragged into the target button.
US08872765B2
According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes]: a connected device information management module; a connected device information sending module; an operation state sending module; and a connected device operation module. The connected device information management module is configured to manage function information of an external device connected to the electronic device. The connected device information sending module is configured to send the function information of the external device to a portable terminal in response to a transmission request from the portable terminal. The operation state sending module is configured to send an operation state of the electronic device with respect to the external device in response to the transmission request from the portable terminal. The connected device operation module is configured to perform a functional operation of the external device specified by a request sent from the portable terminal.
US08872759B2
A writing apparatus for performing a writing operation on an electronic paper includes a writing controller and a pixel array writing unit. The writing controller includes a data driving unit for providing a plurality of data signals, and a scan driving unit for providing a plurality of scan signals. The pixel array writing unit is coupled electrically to the data driving unit and the scan driving unit, and is adapted to be disposed to confront a first planar side of the electronic paper for performing the writing operation on the electronic paper as controlled by the writing controller, where the data signals are written into the electronic paper with reference to the scan signals so as to enable the electronic paper to display a corresponding image.
US08872754B2
A system, method, and computer program product are provided for controlling stereo glasses shutters. In use, a right eye shutter of stereo glasses is controlled to switch between a closed orientation and an open orientation. Further, a left eye shutter of the stereo glasses is controlled to switch between the closed orientation and the open orientation. To this end, the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter of the stereo glasses may be controlled such that the right eye shutter and the left eye shutter simultaneously remain in the closed orientation for a predetermined amount of time.
US08872751B2
A driver circuit includes a circuit 200, a transistor 101—1, and a transistor 101—2. A signal is selectively input from the circuit 200 to a gate of the transistor 101—1 and the transistor 101—2, so that the transistor 101—1 and the transistor 101—2 are controlled to be on or off. The transistor 101—1 and the transistor 101—2 are turned on or off; thus, the wiring 112 and the wiring 111 become conducting or non-conducting.
US08872747B2
A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel is provided. The LCD panel includes a plurality of pixel units each having a storage capacitor, a plurality of scan lines coupled to the pixel units, and a plurality of storage capacitor charge transistors each respectively coupled to the storage capacitors of the corresponding pixel units and further coupled to two of the scan lines. The storage capacitor charge transistors are used for charging the storage capacitors of the pixel units.
US08872744B2
In at least one embodiment a ripple, generated in an electric potential of data signal lines even in long-term reversal driving, is reduced and display quality is improved. In at least one example embodiment, the liquid crystal display apparatus of the present invention includes scanning signal lines and data signal lines, in which one scanning pulse is outputted to select one scanning signal line, each of the data signal lines receives data signals whose polarities are reversed per one vertical scanning period while in one horizontal scanning period, one of two data signal lines receives a data signal having a polarity and the other of the two data signal lines receives another data signal having another polarity, the two data signal lines being arranged adjacent to each other, scanning pulses are successively outputted in sets of two, and at a timing in which two scanning pulses fall, two scanning pulses rise.
US08872742B2
This invention relates to a liquid crystal display device and its driving method for improving a visual picture quality. A liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment includes a liquid crystal display panel where plural pixels composed of sub-pixels arranged in a fixed pattern are arranged by the unit of one horizontal line; a timing controller for controlling the gray level realization of digital data inputted from a system; and a data drive circuit that differently realigns a data pattern of the digital data by the unit of one horizontal line for each k horizontal period, that converts the digital data of the realigned data pattern into analog data voltages, and that makes the analog data voltages, which are buffered in accord with the realigned data pattern, in accord with an arrangement pattern of the sub-pixels constituting each pixel to supply the analog data voltages to each pixel.
US08872741B2
An organic light emitting display includes a first pixel region including pixels coupled to odd scan lines and odd data lines, a second pixel region including pixels coupled to even scan lines and the odd data lines, a third pixel region including pixels coupled to the odd scan lines and even data lines, a fourth pixel region including pixels coupled to the even scan lines and the even data lines, a data analyzing unit for dividing input screen data of one frame into the pixel regions, a scan driver for sequentially supplying scan signals to the odd scan lines twice and for sequentially supplying scan signals to the even scan lines twice in one frame, and a data driver for supplying data signals corresponding to the screen data divided by the data analyzing unit to the pixel regions through the data lines.
US08872738B2
According to one embodiment, a display device includes an insulating layer, a display unit, and an organic EL layer. The display unit is provided on a major surface of the insulating layer and includes a plurality of gate lines, a plurality of signal lines, a plurality of power source lines and a plurality of pixel units arranged in a matrix configuration. The EL layer is provided on the display unit. Each pixel unit includes a drive transistor and a resistor. The drive transistor includes a drive gate electrode, a drive source electrode, and a drive drain electrode. The drive source electrode or the drive drain electrode is connected to one of the power source lines. An end of the resistor is connected to the drive gate electrode. An other end of the resistor is connected to one of the gate line, the signal line, and the power source line.
US08872733B2
The liquid crystal display device 30, included in the multi-display device 1, includes (i) a receiving section 21 for receiving display image data indicative of a display image to be displayed on a display panel 11 of the liquid crystal display device 30 and (ii) a light intensity determining section 22 for determining light intensity for each of segments of a backlight device 12 of the liquid crystal display device 30. When the receiving section 21 receives peripheral display image data, which is indicative of a peripheral image contiguous to the display image, the light intensity determining section 22 determines the light intensities of the respective segments based on the display image data and the peripheral display image data.
US08872718B2
The invention concerns a radio antenna for a space satellite, including a reflector and means of support of this reflector. The reflector includes a front skin able to reflect radio waves, a rigid rear structure supported by the means of support, and a layer of elastic material interposed between said front skin and said rigid rear structure, able to dampen the vibrations of the front skin.
US08872711B2
An electronic device may include a substrate and a stacked arrangement of layers thereon. The stacked arrangement of layers may include a photovoltaic layer above the substrate, and an antenna ground plane above the photovoltaic layer. The antenna ground plane may include a first electrically conductive mesh layer being optically transmissive. The stacked arrangement of layers may further include a patch antenna above the photovoltaic layer and may include a second electrically conductive mesh layer being optically transmissive.
US08872698B2
An apparatus and method for measuring spatial movements of plant structures, such as pipes, due for example to movement of the ground in presence of landslide phenomena, subsidence, collapse, or differential settling. The measuring apparatus includes at least one ground station that communicates with at least one corresponding signal-sending satellite station, the ground station being connected in a movable manner to a support constrainable in a fixed manner to the plant structure, the ground structure having an initial azimuthal orientation and an initial azimuthal height. The ground station is moved with respect to the support via a mechanism for adjusting the orientation and height of the same to compensate for an instantaneous orientation and height that are different from the initial orientation and height.
US08872690B1
Superconductor analog-to-digital converters (ADC) offer high sensitivity and large dynamic range. One approach to increasing the dynamic range further is with a subranging architecture, whereby the output of a coarse ADC is converted back to analog and subtracted from the input signal, and the residue signal fed to a fine ADC for generation of additional significant bits. This also requires a high-gain broadband linear amplifier, which is not generally available within superconductor technology. In a preferred embodiment, a distributed digital fluxon amplifier is presented, which also integrates the functions of integration, filtering, and flux subtraction. A subranging ADC design provides two ADCs connected with the fluxon amplifier and subtractor circuitry that would provide a dynamic range extension by about 30-35 dB.
US08872688B2
Disclosed herein are example methods, systems, and devices for compressed sensing analog to digital conversion. In an example embodiment, a multiplication circuit is configured to multiply an input signal with a measurement signal to produce a multiplied signal, where the measurement signal includes data from a column of a measurement matrix. The measurement matrix may be generated by a linear feedback shift register (LFSR)-based measurement-matrix generator. An integration circuit may be coupled to the multiplication circuit and configured to integrate the multiplied signal for a predefined amount of time to produce an integrated signal. An analog to digital converter (ADC) circuit may be coupled to the integration circuit and configured to (i) sample the integrated signal and (ii) produce an output signal comprising at least one sample of the integrated signal. A column-wise multiplication of the input signal with the measurement signal enables an efficient compressed-sensing analog-to-digital conversion architecture.
US08872681B2
An optical intensity-to-phase converter according to the present invention includes first and second waveguides to which a first input light is input, a third waveguide to which a second input light is input, and an interaction region that is provided in common on the second and third waveguides in which the first and second input lights are multiplexed and interact. The optical intensity-to-phase converter provides delay to output lights output from the first and second waveguides based on intensity of the first or second input light. Then, it is possible to provide an optical intensity-to-phase converter that enables simple configuration of an optical A/D converter.
US08872679B1
A system and method for compressing and decompressing multiple types of character data. The system and method employ multiple encoding tables, each designed for encoding a subset of character data, such as numeric data, uppercase letters, lowercase letters, Latin, or UNICODE data, to perform compressions and decompression of character data, and. The compression solution also provides for the creation of new encoding tables on the fly, and accommodates the compression of lengthy character streams using multiple different general compression algorithms, automatically choosing a suitable general compression algorithm for specific input data.
US08872673B2
An automatic identification apparatus includes a control module configured as an integrated component of a vehicle and an electrical power interface receptive to a power signal from the vehicle. The electrical power interface provides electrical power to the control module. The automatic identification apparatus also includes an antenna electrically connected to the control module. The antenna transmits a radio wave indicative of a unique identification. The antenna is configured as an integrated component of the vehicle and is located to communicate the radio wave external of the vehicle. The automatic identification apparatus further includes a memory interface assembly configured as an integrated component of the vehicle. The memory interface assembly is receptive to a memory device encoded with the unique identification. The memory interface assembly communicates the unique identification to the control module when the memory device is received in the memory interface assembly.
US08872672B2
A traffic signal system with dual light sources includes a signal displaying module, an ambient light module and a supplementary light module. The ambient light from environment is assembled by the ambient light module for generating a first light beam. A second light beam is provided by the supplementary light module disposed near the ground for easy maintaining and avoiding danger. The supplementary light module includes a sensor and a control circuit. The sensor senses the brightness of the first light beam passing through the signal displaying module and generates a photosensitive signal. The brightness of the second light beam is regulated by the control circuit according to the photosensitive signal. The brightness of the first light beam is supplied by regulating the brightness of the second light beam, so the signal displaying module has high-brightness light source and achieves the energy conservation.
US08872663B2
A system for monitoring compliance with a medication regimen comprises a patch. The patch includes an RFID apparatus and a sensor. The patch is configured to be removably securable to a body of a biological organism. The sensor is in electrical communication with the RFID apparatus and is configured to inspect a biological material of a biological organism for the presence of a detectable agent. The RFID apparatus is configured to communicate a result of the inspection to an RFID transceiver and/or a communication device. Methods are also provided.
US08872659B2
A merchandise display security device for an article of merchandise having an audio cord includes an electrical control circuit for producing a sense loop in the audio cord, monitoring a non-alarming state and an alarming state of the sense loop, and activating an alarm in the event that the sense loop changes from the non-alarming state to the alarming state. In one embodiment, the device includes a security sensor adapted for being attached to a media player. The security sensor has an audio jack for receiving an audio plug on the audio cord and includes an audio connector cord having an audio plug for engaging an audio jack on the media player. The security sensor may be electrically connected to an alarming base by a sense cord and include a power adapter cord for providing power to the media player through the sense cord and the power adapter cord.
US08872657B2
A system for sharing recommended information is presented including a plurality of electronic devices, each having a fingerprint collecting module for collecting fingerprint information and a chemical analysis module for performing a chemical analysis of the fingerprint information to create a chemical profile for identifying at least a select number of molecules and/or organic compounds for deriving distinguishing characteristics from the fingerprint information.
US08872648B2
A fire detector having a fire sensor device for detecting a fire and for outputting a fire signal. The fire detector also has an environmental sensor device for detecting bodies in the environment of the fire detector and for outputting an environmental signal. A control device sets a normal state and an alarm state of the fire detector on the basis of the fire signal, the fire detector additionally being in the form of a man-machine interface, and the control device checking whether the environmental signal can be deemed to be a user input.
US08872647B2
In a first illustrative embodiment, a computer implemented method includes detecting a plurality of context providing devices accessible to a vehicle computing system. The illustrative method further includes evaluating context relevant information from each of the detected devices to compile a display. The illustrative method also includes outputting a compiled display to a vehicle display, including at least one portion of the display initially dedicated to vehicle-based service content and at least one portion of the display dedicated to content from a context providing device.
US08872645B2
A method is provided of estimating a road grade of a current driven road. A nominal value of a vehicle operating parameter is measured during a nominal vehicle operating condition. The vehicle operating parameter is related to a vehicle thrust power. The nominal value of the vehicle operating condition is comprised of a nominal acceleration corresponding to the nominal value when the vehicle is driven on a substantially non-inclined road. The nominal value and nominal acceleration is stored in a memory. An actual value of the vehicle operating parameter is determined during a current vehicle operating condition. A vehicle acceleration corresponding to the actual value of the vehicle operating parameter is measured. The road grade of the current driven road is estimated as a function of a comparison between the measured acceleration value and the nominal acceleration that would be expected for the actual value of the vehicle operating parameter.
US08872624B2
A programmable communicator device is disclosed having a wireless communications circuit, including an antenna, configured to receive a transmission, and an identity module having a unique identifier. The programmable communicator further includes a processing module including program code configured to determine if the transmission is from an authenticated caller by determining whether a received transmission contains the unique identifier, and memory configured to store telephone numbers or IP addresses received in transmissions from an authenticated caller.
US08872622B2
A unique identifier and Authentication System is created to Authenticate to interested parties the BRAND “SOURCE” of: articles (such as clothing, accessories, jewels, fragrances, manufactures, etc.); of authorized dealers for such articles (wholesalers, retailers, etc.); of authorized service entities for such articles: and for the like; of the BRAND “SOURCE” which the provider of the article desires to authenticate its Brand source to the party acquiring the article(s) to substantiate to that acquiring party that they are receiving a genuine article and/or dealing with a “SOURCE” authorized entity. The Authentication System accommodates not only camera enabled imagers and hard wiring but also camera enabled smart phones and internet communications. In addition to responding, in real time, to Authentication Inquiries the system establishes a communication link between the “SOURCE” and the inquirer for marketing and other APP like matters.
US08872615B2
A method for preparing magnetic materials is disclosed. The magnetic materials are prepared by implanting low energy magnetic ions into a substrate and annealing with a charged particle beam. Magnetic materials comprising magnetic nanoclusters in the near-surface region of a substrate are also disclosed. The magnetic materials are useful in, for example, magneto-electronic devices such as magnetic sensors.
US08872601B2
A circuit module includes a duplexer and a circuit substrate. A first signal path connects a first external electrode to a second external electrode. A second signal path connects a third external electrode to a fourth external electrode. A third signal path connects a fifth external electrode to a sixth external electrode. A first ground path connects a seventh external electrode to an eighth external electrode. A second ground path is connected to a ninth external electrode and is capacitively coupled to the second signal path.
US08872600B2
The high frequency circuit module includes an RFIC configured to transmit and receive a high frequency signal, a power amplifier IC configured to amplify a transmission signal outputted from the RFIC, and a duplexers configured to separate the transmission signal outputted from the power amplifier IC and inputted to an antenna and a reception signal from the antenna and inputted to the RFIC from each other, in which at least one of the RFIC and power amplifier IC is embedded in the circuit substrate, and the duplexers are disposed between the RFIC and the power amplifier IC.
US08872590B2
A signal amplifying circuit includes: a first transistor having a first connecting terminal coupled to an input signal, and a controlling terminal coupled to a first reference voltage; an adjustable resistive circuit having a first terminal coupled to a second connecting terminal of the first transistor; and a second transistor having a first connecting terminal coupled to a second terminal of the adjustable resistive circuit, a controlling terminal coupled to a second reference voltage, and a second connecting terminal for outputting an output signal corresponding to the input signal; wherein a resistance of the adjustable resistive circuit is adjusted to make an input impedance looking into the first transistor from the first connecting terminal equal a predetermined impedance.
US08872589B2
In accordance with an embodiment, a system includes a programmable gain amplifier having a switchable feedback capacitor coupled in parallel with a first capacitor and a controller. The controller is configured to couple the feedback capacitor between an input node of the programmable gain amplifier and an output node of the programmable gain amplifier in a first gain setting, and switch a first terminal of the feedback capacitor from the output of the programmable gain amplifier to a reference node while a second terminal of the feedback capacitor remains coupled to the input node of the programmable gain amplifier for a first time period when transitioning from the first gain setting to a second gain setting.
US08872582B2
An amplifier circuit includes: a first filter that receives input of amplitude information of an input signal, and performs filtering so that a gain of a frequency component higher than a first cutoff frequency becomes greater than a gain of a frequency component lower than the first cutoff frequency; a power supply circuit that has a low-pass filter characteristic that a gain of a frequency component lower than a second cutoff frequency is greater than a gain of a frequency component higher than the second cutoff frequency, and receives input of amplitude information outputted from the first filter and generates a power supply voltage corresponding to the amplitude information outputted from the first filter; and an amplifier that receives supply of the power supply voltage generated by the power supply circuit, and amplifies a signal based on the input signal.
US08872569B2
An automatic quadrature network with amplitude and phase detection produces quadrature signals for an input oscillator signal, the quadrature signals being equal in amplitude and having ideal quadrature phase between them. An RC circuit provides one quadrature path, and a CR circuit provides another quadrature path. The outputs from the RC/CR circuits are amplitude detected to produce an amplitude control signal. The outputs also are amplitude limited, and the phase between the limiter outputs is detected to produce a phase control signal. The amplitude and phase control signals are combined to generate respective control signals for the RC/CR circuits to automatically align them so that the quadrature signals are of equal amplitude and ideal quadrature phase.
US08872567B2
A circuit adapted to generate a high speed shaped pulse comprising an input adapted to receive a data signal and a control signal. A plurality of logic elements are configures to receive the data signal and the control signal and generate a plurality of output signals representative of the shaped pulse. A digital to analog converter is adapted to receive the plurality of output signals and generate a shaped pulse.
US08872564B2
The disclosed invention provides a semiconductor device capable of suitably controlling the level of an enable signal to resolve NBTI in a PMOS transistor. An input node receives an input signal alternating between high and low levels during normal operation and fixed to a high level during standby. A detection unit receives a signal through the input node and outputs an enable signal. The detection unit sets the enable signal to a low level upon detecting that the input node remains at a high level for a predetermined period. A signal transmission unit includes a P-channel MOS transistor and transmits a signal input to the input node according to control by the enable signal.
US08872563B2
A vehicle communication system for communicating with a person who is within a vehicle includes a device for hearing audible noises that emanate within the vehicle at locations external to the vehicle without making physical contact with the vehicle. Communication from the person in the vehicle to a person external to the vehicle is performed by aiming a light beam from the vehicle and receiving reflections of the light beam. The light beam is modulated by vibration of the vehicle caused the audible noises from within the vehicle. The received light beam is then processed to reproduce the audible noises so that the audible noises can be heard from a location outside of the vehicle, even when the vehicle is sealed (windows closed, etc.).
US08872556B1
A phase-locked loop circuit using a multi-curve voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) having a set of operating curves, each operating curve corresponding to a different frequency range over a control voltage range. The phase-locked loop circuit includes a phase and frequency detector driving a charge pump and a digital control circuit configured to generate a curve select signal using a closed loop curve search operation to select one of the operating curves in the multi-curve VCO, the selected operating curve being used by the VCO to generate an output signal with an output frequency being equal or close to a target frequency of the phase-locked loop. In one embodiment, the digital control circuit increases the charge pump current above a nominal current value during the closed loop curve search operation and set the charge pump current to the nominal current value after an operating curve is selected.
US08872550B2
An apparatus and a method for processing a signal, and for estimating a point corresponding to a maximum slope from an envelope of an input signal, are provided. A signal processing apparatus includes an envelope detecting unit configured to detect an envelope of an input signal. The signal processing apparatus further includes a correcting unit configured to correct slopes, each of the slopes being between respective points of the envelope, based on information on a clipping interval of the envelope. The signal processing apparatus further includes an estimating unit configured to estimate a point, of the envelope, in which a corrected slope, among the corrected slopes, includes a maximum value.
US08872548B2
A method and an apparatus for calibrating a low frequency clock are disclosed. The method includes: calculating a frequency of a low frequency clock in a current low frequency clock calibration; and calculating an average value of low frequency clock frequencies in n clock calibrations before the current calibration, where n is greater than 1 and is an integer; judging whether a difference between the frequency of the low frequency clock in the current low frequency clock calibration and the average value is smaller than a preset threshold for the difference; and if the difference between the frequency of the low frequency clock in the current low frequency clock calibration and the average value is smaller than the preset threshold for the difference, calculating the number of sleep cycles according to the calculated and obtained frequency of the low frequency clock in the current low frequency clock calibration.
US08872547B2
A nanomagnetic logic gate arranged on a substrate according to an embodiment includes at least one nanomagnetic first structure, at least one nanomagnetic second structure and at least two layers including a first layer and a second layer, wherein at least one first structure is arranged in the first layer on or parallel to a main surface of the substrate, wherein at least one second structure is arranged in the second layer parallel to the first layer, and wherein at least one second structure includes an artificial nucleation center arranged such that a magnetic field component essentially perpendicular to the main surface provided by at least one first structure couples to the artificial nucleation center such that a magnetization of the second structure is changeable in response to the magnetic field component coupled into the artificial nucleation center, when a predetermined condition is fulfilled.
US08872546B2
In one embodiment, a test apparatus includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA) including a first transmitter to communicate first signals according to current mode logic (CML) signaling and a first receiver to receive second signals according to the CML signaling, and an interface circuit to couple the FPGA to a device that is to communicate according to voltage mode signaling. The interface circuit may adapt the first signals communicated by the first transmitter according to the CML signaling to voltage mode signaling signals for receipt by the device. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
US08872537B2
This invention has an object of providing a semiconductor integrated circuit enabling further reduction of the number of test terminals without depending on a compression/expansion technique alone. The semiconductor integrated circuit of the invention is connected to a terminal group used to exchange test information of a circuit to be tested, and comprises a utilization device which utilizes, when reading a test result, a terminal subgroup of the terminal group, which is not used to transmit information required to read the test result, to receive the test result from the circuit to be tested.
US08872534B2
Methods and apparatus for testing devices using serially controlled intelligent switches have been described. In some embodiments, a probe card assembly can be provided that includes a plurality of integrated circuits (ICs) serially coupled to form a chain, the chain coupled to at least one serial control line, the plurality of ICs including switches coupled to test probes, each of the switches being programmable responsive to a control signal on the at least one serial control line.
US08872533B2
A wafer testing system and associated methods of use an manufacture are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the wafer testing system includes an assembly for releaseably attaching a wafer to a wafer translator and the wafer translator to an interposer by means of separately operable vacuums, or pressure differentials. The assembly includes a wafer translator support ring coupled to the wafer translator, wherein a first flexible material extends from the wafer translator support ring so as to enclose the space between the wafer translator and the interposer so that the space may be evacuated by a first vacuum through one or more first evacuation paths. The assembly can further include a wafer support ring coupled to the wafer and the chuck, wherein a second flexible material extends from wafer support ring so as to enclose the space between the wafer and the wafer translator so that the space may be evacuated by a second vacuum through one or more second evacuation pathways.
US08872531B2
A semiconductor device and a test apparatus including the same, the semiconductor device including a command distributor receiving a serial command that is synchronized with a first clock signal and converting the serial command into a parallel command, a command decoder receiving the parallel command and generating a pattern sequence based on the parallel command, and a signal generator receiving the pattern sequence and generating operating signals synchronized with a second clock signal, wherein a frequency of the first clock signal is less than a frequency of the second clock signal.
US08872527B2
A method, circuit and apparatus for detecting capacitance on a droplet actuator, inter alia, for determining the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at an electrode on a droplet actuator by: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged on the substrate for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; (ii) a capacitance detection circuit for detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; (b) detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; and (c) determining from the capacitance the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at the droplet operations surface at the electrode.
US08872520B2
The present invention relates to a sensor comprising a substrate (10) carrying a field effect transistor (30) having a gate electrode (32), the sensor further comprising a measurement electrode (36) spatially separated from the gate electrode; and a reference electrode (40), said measurement electrode being in configurable conductive contact with said gate electrode, the sensor further comprising a charge storage element (60) comprising a first electrode connected to a node (38) between the measurement electrode and the gate electrode; and a second electrode configurably connected to a known potential source (80). The present invention further relates to a method of performing a measurement with such a sensor.
US08872513B2
Disclosed are a medium discrimination apparatus and a discrimination method thereof. The medium discrimination apparatus comprises first and second magnetic sensor, a differential analog/digital converter and a controller. The first magnetic sensor senses a magnetic component printed at a specific position of an introduced medium and having a form of an analog signal containing a first noise generated from an internal circuit and a second noise generated from an operation of an actuator. The second magnetic sensor senses the first and second noises which are caused when the medium is transferred and has a form of an analog signal. The differential analog/digital converter performs a subtraction operation for the first and second noises sensed by the first and second magnetic sensors and convert result signals into one digital signal. The controller determines if the introduced medium is genuine or counterfeit according to the digital signal.
US08872509B2
An electric motor assembly includes a motor shaft rotatable about a longitudinal axis, an angular position sensor rotor, and a deformable pin. The motor shaft has an axial keyway formed therein, and the axial keyway has a nominal keyway dimension. The angular position sensor rotor is coupled to the motor shaft to rotate with the motor shaft. The angular position sensor rotor has an axial key to fit within the axial keyway of the motor shaft, and the axial key has a nominal key dimension that is less than the nominal keyway dimension. The deformable pin is located in the axial keyway under compression between the axial key and the motor shaft to inhibit rotational shifting of the angular position sensor rotor relative to the motor shaft.
US08872508B2
A half-bridge variable differential transformer position sensing system that includes a transducer having a stator with an inductive coil having a center tap configured to provide an output signal. The transducer also has an armature with a magnetically permeable core configured to move within the inductive coil, such that movement of the magnetically permeable core causes a change in the output signal. The position sensing system includes a first circuit configured to provide an excitation signal at one terminal of the inductive coil. The system includes no more than three electrical interface wires, and a microcontroller configured to calculate the degree of change in the position of the magnetically permeable core, and is configured to correct for variations in the voltage of the output signal due to the temperature of the transducer and due to non-linear effects on the output signal caused by movement of the magnetically permeable core.
US08872506B2
An electricity meter is provided. The electricity meter includes a body and a cover including at least one mount for coupling the cover to the body. The at least one mount includes a receiving portion on an exterior surface of the cover and having an aperture extending therethrough, the receiving portion including a top, a bottom, and at least one cutout extending from the top towards the bottom.
US08872502B2
A voltage regulator including first and second regulator elements connected between an output node and a supply rail for supplying load current to a load connected to the output node. The voltage regulator includes first and second control modules for controlling the first and second regulator elements respectively to maintain the output node at a regulated voltage in the presence of a variable impedance presented by the load to the output node, the second regulator element and the second control module having a smaller load current capacity and smaller leakage current than the first regulator element and the first control module. The voltage regulator includes a mode selector for de-activating the first regulator element and the first control module in a first operational mode, for activating the first regulator element and the first control module in a second operational mode.
US08872491B2
A regulator and a DC/DC converter are provided in which a soft start is carried out even when an output is short-circuited by abnormality. Regulator includes soft start circuit that gradually starts up a reference voltage that is input into error amplifier from 0 V to the reference voltage and soft start reset circuit that monitors an input of error amplifier and performs soft start of soft start circuit again when an output of output terminal Vo is short-circuited. Soft start reset circuit includes comparator that is disposed in parallel with an input of error amplifier, offset voltage that gives an offset to the input of comparator, and NPN transistor that is turned on or off in accordance with a result of comparison of comparator and discharges capacitor C by being turned on when the output is short-circuited.
US08872484B2
Aspects relate to utilizing power factor correction to compensate for a leading power factor produced mainly due to electromagnetic interference (EMI) capacitors in front of a power factor correction stage. Provided is a power supply that includes a power factor correction circuit that includes a second harmonic generator component. The harmonic generator component includes a filter component and an integrator component. The filter component is configured to receive a rectified voltage and a power factor correction current and block a direct current component. The integrator component is configured to receive an alternating current component from the filter component and produce a harmonic that causes an angle of the power factor correction current to change from a leading power factor to a unity power factor or to a lagging power factor.
US08872470B2
An electric drive vehicle is equipped with a battery usable for traveling and chargeable by an external power supply and a vehicle-side ECU that permits the battery to be charged by a power generating unit capable of charging the battery in a case where power supplied from the external power supply is smaller than a predetermined threshold value α that is defined with regard to an acceptable power of the battery. More specifically, the vehicle-side ECU permits the battery to be charged by the power generating unit in a case where power supplied from the external power supply is smaller than the predetermined threshold value α and a parallel charging request switch is operated so as to execute parallel charging.
US08872469B2
Provided are an apparatus and method thereof for providing standby power to a visual display, the apparatus including: a light collection unit which is operable to receive light and output a charging current; a battery which is operable to receive the charging current and providing the standby power to the visual display; and a controller which determines whether the battery has a voltage below a predetermined value, wherein if the voltage is below the predetermined value, the controller controls the battery to receive the charging current from the light collection unit, and wherein if the voltage is not below the predetermined value, the controller controls the battery to provide the standby power to the visual display.
US08872462B2
A motor control device includes a vibration-damping-control setting unit to designate one of a plurality of candidate frequencies of a vibration-damping frequency, a signal-for-estimation computing unit to output, based on an operation signal related to a controlled object, a signal for estimation in which signal components of the other candidate frequencies excluding the designated one candidate frequency are reduced from a vibration component of a control system, and a resonance-characteristic estimating unit to estimate one resonance frequency from the output signal for estimation. The vibration-damping-control setting unit designates each of the candidate frequencies individually as one candidate frequency and sets, in a feedforward control unit, each of resonance frequencies estimated by the resonance-characteristic estimating unit related to the individually designated each one candidate frequency.
US08872447B2
A system and method for controlling an operation of a power door of a vehicle are presented. An activation of a user interface device associated with the power door is detected. A cue is provided using a notification device after detecting the activation of the user interface device. In one implementation, the notification device includes an audible alarm. When the user interface device is activated for greater than a predetermined time period, the power door is caused to be in a power mode of operation, and the notification device is used to indicate a current operational mode of the power door. In one implementation, when the user interface device is deactivated within the predetermined time period, the power door is caused to be in a manual mode of operation.
US08872445B2
The invention is directed to the provision of an LED driving circuit that switches the connection of LED blocks in accordance with the supply voltage and the Vf's specific to individual LEDs contained in each LED block. The LED driving circuit includes a rectifier; a first circuit, a first current detection unit for detecting current flowing from the first LED array to the negative output of the rectifier, and a first current limiting unit for limiting the current flowing from the first LED array to the negative output of the rectifier in accordance with the current detected by the first current detection unit, and a second circuit which includes a second LED array and a current path passing through the second LED array and leading to the negative output of the rectifier, and wherein a current path in which only the first LED array is connected to the rectifier and a current path are formed in accordance with an output voltage of the rectifier, and the first current detection unit, upon detecting current flowing through the first and second LED arrays, operates the first current limiting unit to perform current path switching.
US08872444B2
A lighting device for a solid-state light source includes a DC power source circuit section which flows a current in a solid-state light source by using a charging/discharging current or either one of charging and discharging currents of a inductor connected in series to a switching element, and a current control section having a first switching control unit for changing an ON width of the switching element depending on a dimming level and a second switching control unit for controlling an ON timing of the switching element. The second switching control unit changes a time until the switching element is turned on from a zero-crossing of the discharging current of the inductor such that the time becomes substantially the same when the dimming level is equal to or greater than a predetermined level, and the time becomes longer when the dimming level is less than the predetermined level.
US08872440B2
The embodiments of the present circuit and method disclose a circuit to bypass a target circuit when an open status is detected. The present circuit may comprise a sample circuit, a monitoring circuit and a bypass circuit. The sample circuit may comprise a capacitor coupled to the target circuit. The monitoring circuit may be coupled to the capacitor and may have an output configured to generate an output signal selectively indicating the open status. The bypass circuit may comprise a switch, wherein the switch has a control terminal coupled to the output of the monitoring circuit and wherein the switch may be configured to be selectively turned ON to bypass the target circuit in accordance with the output of the monitoring circuit.
US08872437B2
The lighting apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes: a switching regulator including a switching element; and a control circuit configured to adjust a switching frequency and on-duration of the switching element in accordance with a dimming ratio. The control circuit is configured to, when the dimming ratio falls within a first dimming range, adjust the switching frequency to a frequency associated with the first dimming range and adjust the on-duration to duration corresponding to the dimming ratio. The control circuit is configured to, when the dimming ratio falls within a second dimming range, adjust the on-duration to duration associated with the second dimming range and adjust the switching frequency to a frequency corresponding to the dimming ratio.
US08872436B2
A power supply device includes; first/second boost circuits that boost voltages applied to a first/second boost nodes in response to a first/second main signals, and respectively operated first/second transmission unit that control provision of boosted voltages to an output node. The power supply device also includes a bulk voltage controller connected between the boosted nodes and controlling a connection between the output node and a bulk node in response to a bulk control signal. Voltages respectively applied to the first and second transmission units are determined in response to an output node voltage, as well as the first/second main signals.
US08872429B2
A pulsed electrostatic/electric field generator apparatus providing a source of large quantity, free slow-speed high energy free electrons, or high energy positive ions, contained in an electrostatic/electric field capacity exceeding 1 Joule. The pulsed electrostatic/electric field generator apparatus encapsulates an enclosed non-equilibrium, non-thermal pulsed power plasma. A key subcomponent of this apparatus incorporates an innovative unipolar piezoelectric capacitor creating high voltage nanosecond rise time pulses in a multistage high energy step-up pulsed plasma generation sequence of steps. The resulting multi-Joule electrostatic/electric field is then tapped to provide a source of current and/or potential for use by external loads.
US08872422B2
The present invention relates to a dinaphthyl ethylene derivative of formula (I), a process for preparing it, a film prepared from it useful in the manufacture of an organic light emitting device (OLED), an OLED including the film, and the use of the dinaphthyl ethylene derivative in the manufacture of an OLED. Wherein R1 to R16 are defined as in the specification.
US08872418B2
A field emission display is also provided. The field emission display includes a plurality of pixel units. Each of the plurality of pixel units includes a first electrode located on the insulating substrate; a plurality of first electron emitters located on and electrically connected to the first electrode; a first phosphor layer located on the first electrode; a second electrode located on the insulating substrate and spaced from the first electrode, wherein the second electrode extends at least partly around the first electrode; a plurality of second electron emitters located on and electrically connected to the second electrode; and a second phosphor layer located on the second electrode.
US08872409B2
A piezoelectric device is manufactured in which the material of a supporting substrate can be selected from various alternative materials. Ions are implanted into a piezoelectric substrate to form an ion-implanted portion. A temporary supporting substrate is formed on the ion-implanted surface of the piezoelectric substrate. The temporary supporting substrate includes a layer to be etched and a temporary substrate. The piezoelectric substrate is then heated to be divided at the ion-implanted portion to form a piezoelectric thin film. A supporting substrate is then formed on the piezoelectric thin film. The supporting substrate includes a dielectric film and a base substrate. The temporary supporting substrate is made of a material that produces a thermal stress at the interface between the temporary supporting substrate and the piezoelectric thin film less than the thermal stress at the interface between the supporting substrate and the piezoelectric thin film.
US08872407B2
An electric motor arrangement, comprising a brush holder housing which has a plurality of brush elements which are coupled with a respective spring element, the spring element being configured to press the respectively associated brush element against a commutator of the electric motor arrangement, and the spring element having a first portion with a barbed hook for hooking or catching into a recess in the brush holder housing.
US08872403B2
An electrical power system capable of sustaining an electrical load, the system including at least one rechargeable battery, a charger configured to recharge the at least one rechargeable battery, an electric motor configured to receive electrical power from the at least one rechargeable battery to operate the electric motor, a generator configured to provide power for use by an external load and to the charger, the generator further including a dual core generation system with a first magnet core operating in an opposite direction of a second magnet core to increase output generated by the generator and a torque conversion system configured to connect the electric motor and the generator for rotating a magnet rotor in the generator at a rate in agreement with a rotation of the motor.
US08872396B2
A rotor of an electric motor is provided in which a permanent magnet holding member can be assuredly fixed to a rotor main body and the rotor main body can be easily worked and inexpensively manufactured. In the rotor, a plurality of permanent magnets 21 are held in a permanent magnet holding member 29 made of a synthetic resin and fixed to an outer peripheral part of a cylindrical rotor main body 28. An outer peripheral surface of the rotor main body 28 is a cylindrical surface. Rotation prevention recessed parts 30 are formed at a plurality of parts in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral part in both end parts of the rotor main body 28. The permanent magnet holding member 29 includes annular parts 31 which come into close contact with the outer peripheral parts of both end faces of the rotor main body 28 and connecting parts 32 which connect both the annular parts 31 on the outer peripheral surface of the rotor main body 28 and hold the permanent magnets 21. A plurality of rotation prevention protruding parts 33 fitted to the rotation prevention recessed parts 30 of the rotor main body 28 are formed integrally with the permanent magnet holding member 29.
US08872390B2
A device and method including: an energy consumption sensor; a wireless communications component adapted for wireless communication; a processing unit, adapted to receive energy consumption data from the energy consumption sensor and transmit the energy consumption data via the wireless communications component; and a switch having: a closed state coupling the input end of the device to the output end of the device, and an open state, disconnecting the input end of the device from the output end of the device.
US08872374B2
Presented is an underwater power plant including a support structure, a nacelle, the support structure and the nacelle being detachably connectable to one another via a coupling device, a water turbine, the water turbine at least indirectly drives an electrical generator that is received in the nacelle, and an inductive transmission device, where inductive transmission device transmits power generated by the electrical generator from the nacelle in a contactless manner to the support structure, and where the inductive transmission device includes a transformer with a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side is assigned to the nacelle and the secondary side is assigned to the support structure.
US08872373B2
A switching device has an electromagnetic switching element and a controller, the switching element including two coils on one core which act on a shared armature. In order to implement an operation of the armature to be activatable as rapidly and simply as possible with low power consumption, the controller is designed to have a switch in the current path of the coil in each case to activate each coil.
US08872362B2
A sole for footwear including a body having a length, a body portion of the body that is capable of expansion and contraction, and a drive generator located in the body for generating drive to drive a driven device in the body. The drive generator has an elongate drive member arranged to slide relative to the body portion in a direction along the length of the body, upon expansion and contraction of the body portion, for driving the driven device as the sole bends and unbends during use.
US08872360B2
A device includes a housing, at least two qubits disposed in the housing and a resonator disposed in the housing and coupled to the at least two qubits, wherein the at least two qubits are maintained at a fixed frequency and are statically coupled to one another via the resonator, wherein energy levels |03> and |12> are closely aligned, wherein a tuned microwave signal applied to the qubit activates a two-qubit phase interaction.
US08872356B2
Methods of forming a Ni material on a bond pad are disclosed. The methods include forming a dielectric material over an at least one bond pad, forming an opening within the dielectric material to expose the at least one bond pad, curing the dielectric material to form a surface of the dielectric material having a steep curvilinear profile, and forming a nickel material over the at least one bond pad. The dielectric material having a steep curvilinear profile may be formed by altering at least one of a curing process of the dielectric material and a thickness of the dielectric material. The dielectric material may be used to form a relatively thick Ni material on bond pads smaller than about 50 μm. Semiconductor structures formed by such methods are also disclosed.
US08872353B2
The semiconductor device has insulating films 40, 42 formed over a substrate 10; an interconnection 58 buried in at least a surface side of the insulating films 40, 42; insulating films 60, 62 formed on the insulating film 42 and including a hole-shaped via-hole 60 and a groove-shaped via-hole 66a having a pattern bent at a right angle; and buried conductors 70, 72a buried in the hole-shaped via-hole 60 and the groove-shaped via-hole 66a. A groove-shaped via-hole 66a is formed to have a width which is smaller than a width of the hole-shaped via-hole 66. Defective filling of the buried conductor and the cracking of the inter-layer insulating film can be prevented. Steps on the conductor plug can be reduced. Accordingly, defective contact with the upper interconnection layer and the problems taking place in forming films can be prevented.
US08872340B2
A substrate for a semiconductor package includes: a first dielectric having a first surface and a second surface which faces away from the first surface and possesses waveform shaped portions, and formed with first holes penetrating the first and second surfaces; and circuit traces formed over the second surface of the first dielectric and having waveform shaped portions disposed over the waveform shaped portions of the second surface of the first dielectric. The waveform shaped portions of the second surface of the first dielectric and the waveform shaped portions of the circuit traces form a stress-resistant structure.
US08872339B2
A structure includes a substrate, a first supporting member over the substrate, a second supporting member over the substrate, and a layer of material over the substrate and covering the first supporting member and the second supporting member. The first supporting member has a first width, and the second supporting member has a second width. The first supporting member and the second supporting member are separated by a gap region. The first width is at least 10 times the second width, and a gap width of the gap region ranges from 5 to 30 times the second width.
US08872337B2
A semiconductor package includes a flexible base film having a first surface opposing a second surface, a semiconductor chip mounted on the first surface of the base film, and a touch sensing structure including at least one conductive pattern adjacent to the semiconductor chip. The at least one conductive pattern is disposed through the base film and has a surface exposed at the second surface of the base film. A contact condition of the semiconductor package is determined based on detection of a conductive path between the at least one conductive pattern and a conductive frame or support surface of the semiconductor package. The contact condition provides an indication of heat dissipation that may be expected to occur for the chip during operation.
US08872333B2
A millimeter wave integrated waveguide interface package device may comprise: (1) a package comprising a printed wiring board (PWB) and a monolithic microwave integrate circuit (MMIC), wherein the MMIC is in communication with the PWB; and (2) a waveguide interface integrated with the package. The package may be adapted to operate at high frequency and high power, where high frequency includes frequencies greater than about 5 GHz, and high power includes power greater than about 0.5 W.
US08872328B2
An integrated power module includes a substantially planar insulated metal substrate having at least one cut-out region; at least one substantially planar ceramic substrate disposed within the cut-out region, wherein the ceramic substrate is framed on at least two sides by the insulated metal substrate, the ceramic substrate including a first metal layer on a first side and a second metal layer on a second side; at least one power semiconductor device coupled to the first side of the ceramic substrate; at least one control device coupled to a first surface of the insulated metal substrate; a power overlay electrically connecting the at least one semiconductor power device and the at least one control device; and a cooling fluid reservoir operatively connected to the second metal layer of the at least one ceramic substrate, wherein a plurality of cooling fluid passages are provided in the cooling fluid reservoir.
US08872326B2
The mechanisms of forming a semiconductor device package described above provide a low-cost manufacturing process due to the relative simple process flow. By forming an interconnecting structure with a redistribution layer(s) to enable bonding of one or more dies underneath a package structure, the warpage of the overall package is greatly reduced. In addition, interconnecting structure is formed without using a molding compound, which reduces particle contamination. The reduction of warpage and particle contamination improves yield. Further, the semiconductor device package formed has low form factor with one or more dies fit underneath a space between a package structure and an interconnecting structure.
US08872318B2
A microelectronic package includes a subassembly, a second substrate, and a monolithic encapsulant. The subassembly includes a first substrate that has at least one aperture, a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of eight parts per million per degree Celsius or less, and first and second contacts arranged so as to have a pitch of 200 microns or less. First and second microelectronic elements are respectively electrically connected to the first and second contacts. Wire bonds may be used to connect the second element contacts with the second contacts. A second substrate may underlie either the first or the second microelectronic elements and be electrically interconnected with the first substrate. The second substrate may have terminals configured for electrical connection to a component external to the microelectronic package. A monolithic encapsulant may contact the first and second microelectronic elements and the first and second substrates.
US08872315B2
A semiconductor device includes an electrically conducting carrier and a semiconductor chip disposed over the carrier. The semiconductor device also includes a porous diffusion solder layer provided between the carrier and the semiconductor chip.
US08872313B2
A package apparatus is for packaging a power semiconductor device that includes a substrate formed, a mold part molded on the substrate, and electrode terminals extended from the mold part to a side opposite from the substrate by a predetermined length; includes: a holding unit that has insertion slots and is to holding the power semiconductor device, the insertion slots each being an opening into which the power semiconductor device is insertable in a direction perpendicular to extending direction of the electrode, edges of the opening being formed to make contact with the mold part and the substrate; and a container box that contains the holding unit. The insertion slots are provided to the holding unit so that an interval between the insertion slots in an extending direction of the electrode terminals of the power semiconductor device inserted is greater than the extending length of the electrode terminals.
US08872303B2
A chip pad structure of an integrated circuit (IC) and the method of forming are disclosed. The chip pad comprises a main pad portion and a ring pad portion. During a charging process involved in forming the chip pad structure, electrical connections from the gate electrodes of MOS transistors in the IC substrate generally are made only to the ring pad portion that has an antenna-to-gate area ratio substantially below a predetermined antenna design rule ratio, and thus is resistant or immune to antenna effect. The main pad portion and the ring pad portion are coupled together through metal bridges formed in an upper interconnect metal layer or in the top conductive pad layer. The chip pad may be used as probe pads on a parametric testline or bonding pads on an IC.
US08872302B2
Disclosed is an electronic apparatus in which a thermoelectric conversion element and at least one of a photoelectric conversion element and a transistor or a diode are monolithically integrated, or which prevents interference between a p-type thermoelectric conversion unit and an n-type thermoelectric conversion unit. This electronic apparatus includes a thermoelectric conversion element (100) including a semiconductor layer of stacked heterostructure (38) which performs thermoelectric conversion using Seebeck effect and at least one of a photoelectric conversion element (102) in which at least a portion of the semiconductor layer of stacked heterostructure (38) performs photoelectric conversion and a transistor (104) or a diode having at least a portion of the semiconductor layer of stacked heterostructure (38) as an operating layer.
US08872299B2
A semiconductor device capable of high-speed operation. The semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, and a capacitor. One of a source and a drain of the first transistor is supplied with a first signal. One of a source and a drain of the second transistor is supplied with a first potential. A gate of the second transistor is supplied with a second signal. A first electrode of the capacitor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the first transistor. A second electrode of the capacitor is electrically connected to the other of the source and the drain of the second transistor. In a first period, the first signal is low and the second signal is high. In a second period, the first signal is high and the second signal is either low or high.
US08872295B2
A thin film photovoltaic device comprising a relief textured transparent cover plate, a layer of transparent conductive oxide having a layer thickness of less than 700 nm, a light absorbing active layer and a reflective back electrode, where the layer of transparent conductive oxide is a non-textured layer.
US08872293B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: an optical filter in which a filter layer is formed on a transparent substrate; a solid-state imaging component that is arranged to be opposed to the optical filter and in which plural pixels that receive light made incident via the filter layer are arrayed in a pixel area of a semiconductor substrate; and a bonding layer that is provided between the optical filter and the solid-state imaging component and sticks the optical filter and the solid-state imaging component together.
US08872292B2
A multi-chip push-pull magnetoresistive bridge sensor utilizing magnetic tunnel junctions is disclosed. The magnetoresistive bridge sensor is composed of a two or more magnetic tunnel junction sensor chips placed in a semiconductor package. For each sensing axis parallel to the surface of the semiconductor package, the sensor chips are aligned with their reference directions in opposition to each other. The sensor chips are then interconnected as a push-pull half-bridge or Wheatstone bridge using wire bonding. The chips are wire-bonded to any of various standard semiconductor lead frames and packaged in inexpensive standard semiconductor packages.
US08872290B2
A sensor is provided for sensing a value of a physical parameter characteristic of the sensor's environment. The sensor is implemented in semiconductor technology. A behavior of the sensor's electronic circuitry is affected by stress. The stress is induced by a film covering the circuitry or only part thereof. The stress is caused by the film's material, whose dimensions depend on a value of the parameter. This dependence is different from the 5 dependence of the circuitry's substrate on the same parameter.
US08872289B2
Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) structures, methods of manufacture and design structures are disclosed. The method includes layering metal and insulator materials on a sacrificial material formed on a substrate. The method further includes masking the layered metal and insulator materials. The method further includes forming an opening in the masking which overlaps with the sacrificial material. The method further includes etching the layered metal and insulator materials in a single etching process to form the beam structure, such that edges of the layered metal and insulator material are aligned. The method further includes forming a cavity about the beam structure through a venting.
US08872288B2
A system and a method for forming a packaged MEMS device are disclosed. In one embodiment a packaged MEMS device includes a MEMS device having a first main surface with a first area along a first direction and a second direction, a membrane disposed on the first main surface of the MEMS device and a backplate adjacent to the membrane. The packaged MEMS device further includes an encapsulation material that encapsulates the MEMS device and that defines a back volume, the back volume having a second area along the first direction and the second direction, wherein the first area is smaller than the second area.
US08872286B2
A metal gate structure located on a substrate includes a gate dielectric layer, a metal layer and a titanium aluminum nitride metal layer. The gate dielectric layer is located on the substrate. The metal layer is located on the gate dielectric layer. The titanium aluminum nitride metal layer is located on the metal layer.
US08872263B2
The semiconductor device according to the present invention includes: a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type made of SiC having an Si surface; a gate trench dug down from the surface of the semiconductor layer; a gate insulating film formed on a bottom surface and a side surface of the gate trench so that the ratio of the thickness of a portion located on the bottom surface to the thickness of a portion located on the side surface is 0.3 to 1.0; and a gate electrode embedded in the gate trench through the gate insulating film.
US08872260B2
An apparatus of and method for making a semiconductor structure having a shallow trench isolation (STI) trench with a substantially v-shaped profile, that is the distance between top portions is greater than the distance between bottom portions of shallow trench isolation (STI) structure sidewalls adjacent to the trench, provides for substantially seamless and substantially void-free gate structures. The semiconductor structures are formed by implanting an implantation species into the sidewalls, which allows for the top portions of the sidewalls to be etched away at a greater rate than that of the bottom portions, resulting in the substantially v-shaped profile. And the substantially v-shaped profile allows for subsequent device layers to more easily and smoothly fill in the v-shaped trenches, due to a wider opening toward the tops of the trenches.
US08872247B2
Memory arrays having folded architectures and methods of making the same. Specifically, memory arrays having a portion of the transistors in a row that are reciprocated and shifted with respect to other transistors in the same row. Trenches formed between the rows may form a weave pattern throughout the array, in a direction of the row. Trenches formed between legs of the transistors may also form a weave pattern throughout the array in a direction of the row.
US08872212B2
A light emitting device including a light emitting structure including a first conductive semiconductor layer, an active layer and a second conductive semiconductor layer, a first electrode disposed on the first conductive semiconductor layer, a conductive layer disposed on the second conductive semiconductor layer, a second electrode disposed on the conductive layer, a channel layer directly contacts with the light emitting structure and disposed at an adjacent region of the second electrode, a support substrate disposed on the channel layer, and wherein the conductive layer is separated into at least two unit conductive layers.
US08872209B2
A light emitting diode chip includes a semiconductor layer sequence, the semiconductor layer sequence having an active layer that generates electromagnetic radiation, wherein the light emitting diode chip has a radiation exit area at a front side. At a rear side lying opposite the radiation exit area, the light emitting diode chip has, at least in regions, a mirror layer containing silver. A functional layer that reduces corrosion and/or improves adhesion of the mirror layer is arranged on the mirror layer, wherein a material from which the functional layer is formed is also distributed in the entire mirror layer. The material of the functional layer has a concentration gradient in the mirror layer, wherein the concentration of the material of the functional layer in the mirror layer decreases proceeding from the functional layer in the direction toward the semiconductor layer sequence.
US08872205B2
A semiconductor light-emitting device, and a method of manufacturing the same. The semiconductor light-emitting device includes a first electrode layer, an insulating layer, a second electrode layer, a second semiconductor layer, an active layer, and a first semiconductor layer that are sequentially stacked on a substrate, a first contact that passes through the substrate to be electrically connected to the first electrode layer, and a second contact that passes through the substrate, the first electrode layer, and the insulating layer to communicate with the second electrode layer. The first electrode layer is electrically connected to the first semiconductor layer by filling a contact hole that passes through the second electrode layer, the second semiconductor layer, and the active layer, and the insulating layer surrounds an inner circumferential surface of the contact hole to insulate the first electrode layer from the second electrode layer.
US08872203B2
In a semiconductor light-emitting device, light from a laser diode is output to the outside after the luminance of the light being enhanced. It includes a support body provided with lead terminals, one or more laser diodes mounted on the support body, a cylindrical reflector fixed to the support body to surround the laser diode(s) and provided with a light reflection surface formed on an inner surface thereof, and a cap placed to cover an opening distal end face of the reflector and held at an opening distal end part of the reflector, the cap being provided at a central part thereof with a solid fluorescent member including a fluorescent substance that is excited by the light from the laser diode and emits light different in colors from light emitted by the laser diode.
US08872201B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display is disclosed. In one embodiment, the OLED display includes i) a substrate having first and second surfaces opposing each other and ii) an organic light emitting diode (OLED) formed over the substrate, wherein the OLED is closer to the first surface than the second surface of the substrate. The display may also include i) a light scattering layer formed between the first surface of the substrate and the organic light emitting diode and ii) a light absorbing layer formed between the first surface of the substrate and the light scattering layer or on the second surface of the substrate.
US08872197B2
An organic light emitting diode (OLED) display comprises a first substrate and a second substrate configured to comprise a pixel area and a non-pixel area other than the pixel area, a sealing member configured to adhere the first substrate and the second substrate together, reinforcing materials filled into the non-pixel area of the first substrate and the second substrate, and an accommodation unit configured to accommodate some of the reinforcing materials within at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate corresponding to the non-pixel area. A method of manufacturing the OLED display comprises: preparing a mother substrate, including a plurality of display panels and cutting lines between two adjacent display panels; cutting the mother substrate into separated display panel units; forming grooves on a side of each display panel unit; and filling reinforcing materials in a non-pixel area of the display panel units, some of the reinforcing materials flowing into the grooves.
US08872189B2
A substrate capable of achieving a lowered probability of defects produced in a step of forming an epitaxial film or a semiconductor element, a semiconductor device including the substrate, and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device are provided. A substrate is a substrate having a front surface and a back surface, in which at least a part of the front surface is composed of single crystal silicon carbide, the substrate having an average value of surface roughness Ra at the front surface not greater than 0.5 nm, a standard deviation σ of that surface roughness Ra not greater than 0.2 nm, an average value of surface roughness Ra at the back surface not smaller than 0.3 nm and not greater than 10 nm, standard deviation σ of that surface roughness Ra not greater than 3 nm, and a diameter D of the front surface not smaller than 110 mm.
US08872181B2
A substrate includes an active layer, a gate electrode, source and drain electrodes, first and second insulating layers, a first line and a second line on a same layer as the gate electrode, the first line and the second line include a same material as the gate electrode and are aligned in a first direction, a third line crosses the first line, the third line is on a same layer as the source and drain electrodes, includes a same material as the source and drain electrodes, and is aligned in a second direction, a repair line on a same layer as the active layer, the repair line includes a same material as the active layer, a pixel electrode in the pixel region, and the pixel electrode is on a same layer as a lower electrode of the gate electrode and includes a same material as the lower electrode.
US08872176B2
Contacts of an electrical device can be made of carbon nanotube columns. Contact tips can be disposed at ends of the columns. The contact tips can be made of an electrically conductive paste applied to the ends of the columns and cured (e.g., hardened). The paste can be applied, cured, and/or otherwise treated to make the contact tips in desired shapes. The carbon nanotube columns can be encapsulated in an elastic material that can impart the dominant mechanical characteristics, such as spring characteristics, to the contacts. The contacts can be electrically conductive and can be utilized to make pressure-based electrical connections with electrical terminals or other contact structures of another device.
US08872174B2
To provide a novel light-emitting device that can be manufactured with high productivity. In a light-emitting device in which a light-emitting diode (LED) layer is provided over a substrate, a metal oxide semiconductor (c-axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor (CAAC-OS)) substrate including a crystal part having a c-axis which is substantially perpendicular to a surface of the substrate is used as the substrate. The substrate may have either a single-layer structure of a CAAC-OS substrate or a structure in which a thin CAAC-OS substrate is stacked over a base substrate.
US08872171B2
Homogeneity and stability of electric characteristics of a thin film transistor included in a circuit are critical for the performance of a display device including said circuit. An object of the invention is to provide an oxide semiconductor film with low hydrogen content and which is used in an inverted staggered thin film transistor having well defined electric characteristics. In order to achieve the object, a gate insulating film, an oxide semiconductor layer, and a channel protective film are successively formed with a sputtering method without being exposed to air. The oxide semiconductor layer is formed so as to limit hydrogen contamination, in an atmosphere including a proportion of oxygen. In addition, layers provided over and under a channel formation region of the oxide semiconductor layer are formed using compounds of silicon, oxygen and/or nitrogen.
US08872167B2
An object of the present invention is to provide an organic light-emitting device, wherein light trapped in a substrate due to total reflection at the interface between air and a substrate is efficiently extracted to the air side.The organic light-emitting device includes: a transparent electrode; a counter electrode; a light-emitting layer interposed between the transparent electrode and the counter electrode; a front substrate which allows light from the light-emitting layer to exit to the outside from a surface of the front substrate on the opposite side to the light-emitting layer side; and a diffuse reflector which reflects light from the light-emitting layer, wherein the diffuse reflector is provided on a side surface of the front substrate and at a given position on a surface thereof.
US08872166B2
An organic EL device (10) includes: a substrate (11); a planarizing film (12) comprised of an organic resin and provided over the substrate (11) so as to cover a light-emitting region (P) and a non-light-emitting region (N); a first electrode (13) provided on the planarizing film (12) so as to cover at least the light-emitting region (P); an organic layer (14) provided on the first electrode (13) so as to cover at least the light-emitting region (P); and a second electrode (15) provided on the organic layer (14) so as to cover the light-emitting region (P) and the non-light-emitting region (N). A hole (17) is formed in the non-light-emitting region (N) so as to extend from the second electrode (15) to the planarizing film (12), and at least the planarizing film (12) is exposed by an inner wall surface of the hole (17).
US08872154B2
Methods and apparatus for an electronic device such as a field effect transistor. One embodiment includes fabrication of an FET utilizing single walled carbon nanotubes as the semiconducting material. In one embodiment, the FETs are vertical arrangements of SWCNTs, and in some embodiments prepared within porous anodic alumina (PAA). Various embodiments pertain to different methods for fabricating the drains, sources, and gates.
US08872151B2
This disclosure provides a method of fabricating a semiconductor device layer and associated memory cell structures. By performing a surface treatment process (such as ion bombardment) of a semiconductor device layer to create defects having a deliberate depth profile, one may create multistable memory cells having more consistent electrical parameters. For example, in a resistive-switching memory cell, one may obtain a tighter distribution of set and reset voltages and lower forming voltage, leading to improved device yield and reliability. In at least one embodiment, the depth profile is selected to modulate the type of defects and their influence on electrical properties of a bombarded metal oxide layer and to enhance uniform defect distribution.
US08872143B2
Techniques for generating EUV light include directing a first pulse of radiation toward a target material droplet to form a modified droplet, the first pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to alter a shape of the target material droplet; directing a second pulse of radiation toward the modified droplet to form an absorption material, the second pulse of radiation having an energy sufficient to change a property of the modified droplet, the property being related to absorption of radiation; and directing an amplified light beam toward the absorption material, the amplified light beam having an energy sufficient to convert at least a portion of the absorption material into extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light.
US08872138B2
A UV curing system includes an enclosure defining an interior, a UV radiation source disposed within the interior of the enclosure, and a first window disposed within the interior of the enclosure. The first window creates a barrier that separates the UV radiation source and a processing chamber. A second window is disposed within the interior of the enclosure at a distance from the first window to define a gas channel. The second window defines a plurality of openings such that the gas channel is in fluid communication with the processing chamber. A gas inlet conduit is in fluid communication with the gas channel and is configured to introduce a cooling gas into the gas channel. A gas outlet is in fluid communication with the processing chamber and is configured to remove gas from the processing chamber.
US08872136B1
Non soil-invasive four-parameter rapid unnatural dual component selective illumination protocol (UDCIP) for plant eradication using a process time under one minute. Application of a relatively low level of non-mutating UV-A optical energy to root crowns and/or soil grades allows below-ground UV-A penetration into soil to illuminate root crowns, and when preceded by or coincident with an above ground near-IR defoliation and root crown illumination step, results in an unexpected rise in lethality. Very high lethality, including 100 percent, is obtained using low deposited energy. UV-A optical energy can be delivered to root crowns and adjacent soil via a UV-transmissive knive blade.
US08872135B2
Systems and methods for lithography include actuating an electroactive polymer member to position mask and/or substrate.
US08872134B2
Described is a self-indicating instant radiation dosimeter (1001) for monitoring high energy radiations, such as X-ray. The dosimeter contains a radiation sensitive, color changing, indicating composition (10), e.g., a diacetylene (R—C≡C—C≡C—R′, where R and R′ are substituents groups) or a radiochromic dye, a polymeric binder (20) and optionally a shelf life extender (50) or an activator (40). The radiation sensitive composition (10) changes color instantly when exposed to high energy radiation. The dose is estimated by comparing the color with a color reference chart or more accurately with a spectrophotometer or an optical densitometer. The radiation sensitive composition (10) is protected from low energy radiation such as UV light, by a layer of low energy absorbing materials, such as UV absorbers.
US08872132B2
A system of analysis with the naked eye and by fluorescence of a field in an illuminated area comprising a periodically-excited first low-remanence white light illumination source; a second light source for exciting fluorescent elements located in said field, active at least during part of the time periods when the first source is off; and a fluorescence analysis device active during time periods when the first source is off and the second source is on.
US08872131B2
Some aspects of the invention may be related to an ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection system and a method of assembling such system. The system may be designed to treat, inactivate, disintegrate and/or remove at least two predetermined different types of contaminations. The system may include a chamber to carry the water containing the predetermined types of contaminations. The system may further include one or more first-type UV lamps having a first UV emission spectrum and one or more second-type UV lamps having a second UV emission spectrum different than the first spectrum. A location of the one or more first-type UV lamps and the one or more second-type UV lamps may be determined such that a combined UV impact function matches with a combined sensitivity response function of the two or more predetermined different types of contaminations in the water each having a different response function.
US08872127B2
The present invention relates to the design and use of an ion source with a rapid beam current controller for experimental and medicinal purposes. More particularly, the present invention relates to the design and use of a laser ion source with a magnetic field applied to confine a plasma flux caused by laser ablation.
US08872121B2
A radiation imaging apparatus includes: a first cooling fan configured to cool a first heat generation portion of a radiation detection unit housed in the radiation imaging apparatus, by blowing a cooling medium to the first heat generation portion; a second cooling fan configured to cool a second heat generation portion of the radiation detection unit housed in the radiation imaging apparatus, which is larger in amount of generated heat than the first heat generation portion, by blowing the cooling medium to the second heat generation portion; and a discharge port formed in a position nearer to the second heat generation portion than to the first heat generation portion and configured to discharge the cooling medium which received heat from the first heat generation portion and the cooling medium which received heat from the second heat generation portion.
US08872119B2
A scintillation device includes a free-standing ceramic scintillator body that includes a polycrystalline ceramic scintillating material comprising a rare earth element, wherein the polycrystalline ceramic scintillating material is characterized substantially by a cation-deficient perovskite structure. A method of producing a free-standing ceramic scintillator body includes preparing a precursor solution including a rare earth element precursor, a hafnium precursor and an activator (Ac) precursor, obtaining a precipitate from the solution, and calcining the precipitate to obtain a polycrystalline ceramic scintillating material including a rare earth hafnate doped with the activator and having a cation-deficient perovskite structure.
US08872116B2
According to some aspects, a device comprising a plurality of cameras arranged in an array, each of the plurality of cameras producing a signal indicative of radiation impinging on the respective camera, the plurality of cameras arranged such that the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras at least partially overlaps the field of view of at least one adjacent camera of the plurality of cameras, to form a respective plurality of overlap regions, an energy conversion component for converting first radiation impinging on a surface of the energy conversion component to second radiation at a lower energy that is detectable by the plurality of cameras, and at least one computer for processing the signals from each of the plurality cameras to generate at least one image, the at least one processor configured to combine signals in the plurality of overlap regions to form the at least one image is provided.
US08872115B2
A radiological image conversion panel 2 provided with a support 11 and a phosphor 18 which is formed on the support and contains a fluorescent material that emits fluorescence by radiation exposure. The phosphor includes a columnar section 34 formed by a group of columnar crystals which are obtained through columnar growth of crystals of the fluorescent material, and a non-columnar section 36. The columnar section and the non-columnar section are integrally formed to overlap in a crystal growth direction of the columnar crystals, and a porosity at the columnar section side of the non-columnar section is higher than a porosity at the support side of the non-columnar section.
US08872112B2
A THz radiation detector comprising a vertical antenna separated from a suspended platform by an isolating thermal air gap for concentrating THz radiation energy into a smaller suspended MEMS platform upon which a thermal sensor element is located. THz photon energy is converted into electrical energy via a thermally isolated air gap between plates of a coupling capacitor that couples energy from the antenna to the thermal sensor. The capacitor plates used for capacitive coupling of the received signal realize an electro-static actuator whereby the application of a DC bias varies the coupling capacitor gap. The DC bias causes the actuator to pull the suspended platform close to the antenna to reduce the capacitive gap, increasing the coupling capacitance, to touch the antenna array thus quickly discharging the heat induced in the sensor platform or to perform advanced readout operations, such as amplitude modulation and correlated double sampling.
US08872111B2
Embodiments of an infrared spectral modulator for scene-based non-uniformity image correction are generally disclosed herein. The spectral modulator may be suitable for use in a system for navigating an object having a flight path comprising an infrared sensor having an optical path; an infrared modulator in the optical path of the infrared sensor, wherein the infrared modulator is configured to allow the infrared sensor to perform in situ, real-time, scene-based non-uniformity correction; and a guidance system within the object, wherein the guidance system can adjust the flight path of the object based on the non-uniformity correction.
US08872106B2
An object of the present invention is to provide a pattern measuring apparatus which performs high-accuracy concavity/convexity determination (e.g., distinguishing between a line segment and space) while simultaneously reducing the dose of a beam falling onto a pattern to be measured. To attain the object, this invention proposes a pattern measuring apparatus which specifies a pattern in a measurement object area by scanning a tilted bean with respect to another area different from the measurement object area and then performs measurement based on the pattern-specifying result. With such arrangement, it becomes possible to perform measurement without the risk of wrong pattern designation while lowering the dose of a beam hitting the measurement object area.
US08872105B2
Vapor is provided locally at a sample surface to allow fluorescence of the fluorescent markers in a vacuum chamber. For example, a nanocapillary can dispense a liquid near a region of interest, the liquid evaporating to increase the vapor pressure near the fluorescent markers. The increase in vapor pressure at the fluorescent marker is preferably sufficiently great to prevent deactivation or to reactivate the fluorescent marker, while the overall pressure in the vacuum chamber is preferably sufficiently low to permit charged particle beam operation with little or no additional evacuation pumping.
US08872100B1
Disclosed are systems and methods for actively controlling the temperature of an integrated computational element used in an optical computing device in order to affect its performance. One method includes providing an integrated computational element configured detect a characteristic of a substance and provide a transmission profile via a detector corresponding to the characteristic, and controlling a temperature of the integrated computational element in order to maintain the transmission profile within an optimal operating range.
US08872097B2
The detection circuit of the Source Follower per Detector type comprises a photodiode connected to an integration node. A biasing circuit makes it possible to bias the photodiode between a first reverse-bias state and a second floating state. A readout circuit is connected to the integration node for generating a signal representative of the scene observed by the photodiode. A metal shielding is arranged around the integration node. The metal shielding is connected to an output of the readout circuit configured to have a potential varying in the same direction as the potential at the integration node.
US08872090B2
A solid-state imaging device includes: a plurality of photoelectric conversion units arranged in rows and columns in a pixel region; a plurality of vertical transfer units arranged for corresponding columns of the photoelectric conversion units, and transfer, in a column direction, the signal charges read from the corresponding columns of the photoelectric conversion units; a first and a second horizontal transfer units arranged in parallel, and transfer, in a row direction, the signal charges transferred by the vertical transfer units; and a first and a second output units which (i) include floating diffusion units each formed in a region adjacent to an output end of a corresponding one of the first and the second horizontal transfer units and (ii) output, as electric signals, the transferred signal charges, wherein the floating diffusion units are disposed at greater intervals than adjacent ones of the horizontal transfer units.
US08872084B1
A system, method, and apparatus for a solar cell based sun sensor are disclosed. The system involves at least three solar panel elements and at least one processor. Each of the solar panel elements measures solar power, and generates currents according to the amount of solar power that the solar power element measures. At least one processor utilizes the currents to determine the three-dimensional sun vector. The solar cell based sun sensor system automatically adjusts for effects of any solar panel element degradation by computing a new maximum current reference value for each solar power measurement. The solar cell based sun sensor system is employed by a spacecraft and/or a terrestrial system. The solar cell based sun sensor system is utilized for guidance, for navigation, for tracking the sun's motion relative to a given reference, to keep instruments pointed to the sun, and/or to keep instruments isolated from the sun.
US08872076B2
A heating device capable of accurately determining a change in the state of a to-be-heated member, caused in a narrow area. An induction heating coil generates magnetic flux by flow of electric current therethrough. The fixing belt generates heat by the action of the magnetic flux generated by the induction heating coil. A first antenna is disposed at a location where the magnetic flux generated by the induction heating coil can be detected assuming that there is no fixing belt. A second antenna is disposed such that at least some area of the second antenna overlaps the first antenna. A control circuit determines whether or not a state of the fixing belt has changed, based on a result of detection by the first antenna and a result of detection by the second antenna.
US08872074B2
Systems and methods for bypassing a centrifugal switch are disclosed. The systems may include a bypass relay operatively connected to the heating element and configured to bypass the centrifugal switch prior to the drum reversing rotational direction, and allow the heating element to remain energized during the drum reversing rotational direction. The centrifugal switch bypass circuit further includes a relay hold circuit operatively connected to the bypass relay and configured to cause the bypass relay to continue bypassing the centrifugal switch during the drum reversing rotational direction. The method may include, once the drum begins reversing the rotational direction, utilizing a bypass relay to bypassing the centrifugal switch. Finally, the method may include utilizing a relay hold circuit to cause the bypass relay to continue bypassing the centrifugal switch during reversal of the rotational direction.
US08872065B2
A method and an apparatus for the manufacture of a tool from a blank, such as, a rotational tool which rotates about a longitudinal axis (L) which includes at least one cutting edge and a chip groove. Preferably, the rotational tool is in its operating area in a cross-section thereof radially symmetrical with respect to it's longitudinal axis (L) and manufactured from a cylindrical blank by laser ablation using a laser machining apparatus with a laser scanner with a predetermined pulse area. The laser beam impulses are directed via a positioning arrangement within the pulse area onto a plurality of impact locations disposed along a predetermined pulse path (B). This pulse area is moved, like a tool, along the surface of the blank to form the chip groove and the cutting edge by sublimation of the material.
US08872059B2
Provided is an etching system and a method of controlling etching process condition. The etching system includes a light source that irradiates incident light into a target wafer, a light intensity measuring unit that measures light intensity according to the wavelength of interference light generated by interference between reflected light beams from the target wafer, a signal processor that detects a time point at which an extreme value in the intensity is generated when the intensity of interference light varies according to the wavelength, and a controller that compares the extreme value generating time point detected from the signal processor with a reference time point corresponding to the extreme value generating time point and controls a process condition according to the comparison result.
US08872054B2
In order to improve cooling performance of a switch unit or switchgear equipped with the switch unit, the switch unit includes a switch having a movable electrode and a fixed electrode and is casted as one body with a resin, the resin is provided with resin fins, and the thickness of the resin fin is changed so that the resin fin has a thickness sloped in the longitudinal direction of the resin fin.
US08872051B2
A control device for switches with silicone domes comprising actuator means (10) which act on silicone domes (13) associated with metallic means adapted to close and selectively open electric contacts of a printed circuit activators characterized in that between each actuator means (10) and the respective silicone dome (13) a metallic plate (11) is positioned which rests one side on the dome (13) and the other on the printed circuit (15) and upon which said actuator means act.
US08872041B2
A multilayer laminate package and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The multilayer laminate package includes a cavity layer, a non-cavity layer, an electronic component, and a metalized blind via. The cavity layer includes a first adhesive layer and two first circuit layers, which are stacked with the first adhesive layer between, and an opening. The non-cavity layer includes a second adhesive layer and a second circuit layer. The non-cavity layer is bonded to the cavity layer with the second adhesive layer so as to close one side of the opening. The electronic component is mounted in the opening and is electrically connected to the non-cavity layer exposed through the opening. The metalized blind via electrically connects the non-cavity layer to one of the circuit layers of the cavity layer.
US08872036B2
A suspension board with circuit includes a metal supporting board, an insulating base layer formed on the metal supporting board, a conductive pattern formed on the insulating base layer, an insulating cover layer formed on the insulating base layer so as to cover the conductive pattern, and an insertion portion to be inserted into an E-block. A thickness of the insulating cover layer in the insertion portion is larger than a thickness of the insulating cover layer in a portion other than the insertion portion.
US08872034B2
Flame retardant thermoplastic composition comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer, preferably a thermoplastic polyurethane polymer, at least one conventional flame retardant and optionally at least one mineral filler together with modified polysiloxane in an amount of less than 1% by weight based on the total composition, preferably between 0.1 and 0.9% and most preferably between 0.25 and 0.75% by weight. The thermoplastic compositions are useful in applications where low flame properties are desirable, such as wire and cable applications.
US08872011B2
System of translation between written or performed music and visual, tactile and motion sensation experiences. Specific metaphors for most aspects of music among these non-audio media are described. Examples include rules for color assignment to pitches in a scale; positioning visual representations of notes; visualizing notes between pitches; arranging tactile stimuli to represent pitches; and rendering stages of cadence with motion sensing experiences such as movement within space, or changes in one's tilt, pitch, etc. The system includes documentation of theoretical/interpretive elements such as key signature, current chord, association of notes with melody, as they occur in a piece, along with metaphors for their translation in these non-audible media. The metaphors are strictly prescribed, yet accommodating large variations and freedoms in visual, tactile and motion renderings by producers/artists, allowing for visual, tactile or motor metaphors for non-musical instrument sounds such as finger sliding across windings of a guitar string.
US08872003B2
The invention relates to a cucumber (Cucumis sativus) plant, which has the improved shelf life as found in plants and fruits grown from seeds of cucumber EX5001 representative seeds of which were deposited under NCIMB accession number 41670. The plant may be obtainable by crossing a cucumber plant with a plant grown from seeds of cucumber EX5001 representative seeds of which were deposited under NCIMB accession number 41670 and selecting in the F2 progeny of the cross that may be obtained after selfing the F1 for plants showing an improved shelf life.
US08871999B2
The present invention relates to genes, proteins and methods comprising molecules that alter amino acid levels. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to altering guanidino substrate hydrolysis activities in plants, arthropods and microorganisms using molecules within the arginase family and other molecules that alter an amino acid levels. In ones embodiment, the present invention relates to altering threonine substrate deamination and dehydration activities in plants, arthropods and microorganisms using molecules within the threonine deaminase family and other molecules that alter amino acid levels. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to using genes, proteins and methods comprising arginase or threonine deaminase for altering the pathophysiology of plants, arthropods and microorganisms. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention relates to altering guanidino substrate hydrolysis activity in plants, arthropods, and microorganisms using arginase. In another preferred embodiment, the invention relates to altering threonine substrated deamination and dehydration activity in plants, arthropods, and microorganisms using threonine deaminase. In some embodiments, the invention related to overexpression and increased activity of arginase, threonine deaminase and a proteinase inhibitor.
US08871996B2
Genetically modified non-human animals and methods and compositions for making and using them are provided, wherein the genetic modification comprises a humanization of an extracellular loop of an endogenous NaV channel gene, in particular a humanization of the one or more extracellular pore loops of a NaV1.7 channel protein. Genetically modified non-human animals are also provided, wherein the genetic modification comprises replacement of an endogenous NaV channel gene, in particular a replacement of the endogenous NaV1.7 gene with a human NaV1.7 gene, and wherein the genetically modified non-human animals are capable of generating action potentials and communicating through the excitable cells of the genetically modified non-human animals via the expressed human or humanized NaV1.7 protein the surface of the excitable cells. Genetically modified mice are described, including mice that express the human or humanized NaV1.7 gene from the endogenous NaV1.7 locus, and wherein the mice comprise functional β-subunits.
US08871992B2
The invention provides a layered composition comprising: a first layer comprising a first material, wherein the first material comprises a gel material; a second layer comprising a second material, wherein the second material is harder is than the first material; and a third layer comprising a third material, wherein the third material has a lower tensile modulus than the second material, wherein the second layer is disposed between the first and third layers. The composition may be used in a wound dressing, in which preferably the first layer is in fluid flow communication with the wound.
US08871988B2
Controlling the formation of crystalline hydrates in various fluid systems, most notably, gas and oil transmission pipeline systems by contacting the systems with certain polymers or polymers associated with solid particles. The polymers useful are chelating polymers capable of interacting with charged gaseous molecules such as carbon dioxide, by removing the carbon dioxide, or more practically by scavenging for the carbon dioxide, to prevent the methane or ethane hydrate structures from forming since they require carbon dioxide to stabilize their structures.
US08871975B2
Process for the industrial synthesis of the compound of formula (I)
US08871970B2
Process for producing organolithium compound and process for producing substituted aromatic compound
A method for producing an organolithium compound includes the step of reacting an aromatic compound or a halogenated unsaturated aliphatic compound and a lithiating agent in the presence of a coordinating compound containing three or more elements having a coordinating ability in a molecule, at least one thereof being a nitrogen element, or a coordinating compound containing three or more oxygen elements having a coordinating ability in a molecule, at least one of the groups containing the oxygen elements having a coordinating ability being a tertiary alkoxy group, at a temperature of −40° C. to 40° C.
US08871966B2
A method for preparing 1,4-biscarboxylic acid esters of benzene is provided.
US08871960B2
Methods to convert unsaturated fatty acids derived from biobased oils to highly functionalized esters, ester polyols, amides, and amide polyols. The products can be used to make polyurethane and polyester films and foams.
US08871959B2
The present invention relates to a continuous process for producing an alkylene oxide by direct oxidation of an alkene with oxygen by reacting a mixture comprising alkene and oxygen in the presence of a silver-comprising catalyst for a run time Δt(i), wherein during the oxidation, the catalyst is additionally contacted at least once with a further mixture comprising ethanol for a run time Δt(ii), wherein the run time Δt(i)>Δt(ii).
US08871955B2
The present invention is concerned with a process in connection with the purification of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of escitalopram or citalopram.
US08871951B2
Hydrocarbon feedstocks are desulfurized by conversion of organosulfur compounds in a mixture of hydrocarbons into sulfoxides and/or sulfones. The oxidant used to promote oxidation of organosulfur-compounds is electrosynthesized in-situ.
US08871947B2
The present disclosure provides a novel and economically advantageous process for preparation of compounds of Formula I, such as alkyl 3-difluoromethyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid ester. The process includes acidification of the sodium enolate of alkyl difluoroacetoacetate by carbonic acid generated in situ by reacting carbon dioxide with water. The disclosure also includes promoting the ring closure reaction in which alkyl 2-alkomethylene-4,4-difluoro-3-oxobutyrate is reacted with methylhydrazine in two phase system with a weak base such as Na2CO3 or K2CO3.
US08871941B2
Disclosed are compounds of Formula 1, including all geometric and stereoisomers, N-oxides, and salts thereof, wherein A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6 are independently selected from the group consisting of CR3 and N; provided that at most 3 of A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 and A6 is N; B1, B2 and B3 are independently selected from the group consisting of CR2 and N; each R3 is independently H, halogen, C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 haloalkyl, C3-C6 cycloalkyl, C3-C6 halocycloalkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 haloalkoxy, C1-C6 alkylthio, C1-C6 haloalkylthio, C1-C6 alkyl sulfinyl, C1-C6 haloalkylsulfinyl, C1-C6 alkylsulfonyl, C1-C6 haloalkylsulfonyl, C1-C6 alkylamino, C2-C6 dialkylamino, —CN or —NO2; and R1, R2, R4, R5, W and n are as defined in the disclosure. Also disclosed are compositions containing the compounds of Formula 1 and methods for controlling an invertebrate pest comprising contacting the invertebrate pest or its environment with a biologically effective amount of a compound or a composition of the invention.
US08871938B2
The present invention relates to the field of synthesizing anti-infective compounds. More particularly, the invention relates to synthesizing a family of quinolone compounds useful as anti-infective agents. The invention includes a process for preparing a quinolone compound wherein less than about 0.40% of dimeric impurity of the quinolone is produced.
US08871925B2
Aspects of the invention provide compositions for use in the treatment galectin-dependent diseases. In particular, compositions comprising a selectively depolymerized, branched galactoarabino-rhamnogalacturonate whose backbone is predominantly comprised of 1,4-linked galacturonic acid (GalA) moieties, with a lesser backbone composition of alternating 1,4-linked GalA and 1,2-linked rhamnose (Rha), which in-turn is linked to any number of side chains, including predominantly 1,4-b-D-galactose (Gal) and 1,5-a-L-arabinose (Ara) residues.
US08871902B2
POTE has recently been identified as a tumor antigen expressed in a variety of human cancers, including colon, ovarian, breast, prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer. Described herein are immunogenic POTE polypeptides, including modified POTE polypeptides, that bind MHC class I molecules. The immunogenic POTE polypeptides are capable of inducing an immune response against POTE-expressing tumor cells. Thus, provided herein is a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject, such as a subject having a type of cancer that expresses POTE.
US08871901B2
Disclosed are methods, compositions, zona pellucida binding peptides and polypeptides, and expression vectors for use in species-specific immunocontraception of animals, which include landscape bacteriophage. The disclosed compositions may include immunogenic compositions or vaccines.
US08871895B2
A process for manufacturing polycarbonate includes:—a step (1) of introducing into a reactor a particular composition (A) of at least one dianhydrohexitol carbonate bearing two alkyl carbonate functions; a step (2) of introducing a diol or a mixture of diols (B); a subsequent step (3) of polycondensation by transesterification of the mixture of monomers including (A) and (B); a step (4) of recovering the polycarbonate formed during step (3).
US08871894B2
There is provided a simple production method of a polyhydroxyimide. A production method of a polyhydroxyimide, characterized by comprising adding to a polyhydroxyimide precursor containing a repeating structure of Formula (1): in which X is a tetravalent aliphatic group or aromatic group, Y is an organic group containing an aromatic group substituted with at least one OH group, and n is an integer of 1 or more, at least a compound of Formula (2) or Formula (3): in which R1 to R4 or R5 to R8 are independently a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group, and m is a natural number, and heating the resultant reaction mixture at a temperature of 50° C. or more to obtain a polyimide having a weight average molecular weight measured by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) in terms of polystyrene of 5,000 to 100,000.
US08871892B2
An epoxy oxazolidone including the reaction product of (a) a divinylarene dioxide, and (b) an excess of a polyisocyanate to provide an epoxy oxazolidone composition; wherein the composition has an oxazolidone selectivity of greater than 40% relative to the total of the carbonyl compounds; a process for making the epoxy oxazolidone; and a curable epoxy resin composition including (i) the epoxy oxazolidone derived from a divinylarene dioxide such as divinylbenzene dioxide (DVBDO) and a polyisocyanate, (ii) at least one curing agent; and/or (iii) a catalyst. The cured product made from the above epoxy resin composition is thermally stable and offers improved properties such as a lower viscosity and a high heat resistance compared to known cured products prepared from known epoxy resins.
US08871886B1
A process for making a low density polymer in a polymerization reactor system, the process comprising polymerizing an olefin monomer, and optionally an olefin comonomer, in the presence of a diluent in a polymerization reactor to make a polymerization product slurry consisting of a liquid phase and a solid phase, wherein the solid phase comprises an olefin polymer having a density of between about 0.905 g/cm3 to about 0.945 g/cm3; and discharging the polymerization product slurry from the polymerization reactor through a continuous take-off valve to make a mixture further comprising a vapor phase. The mixture comprises a pressure less than a bubble point pressure of a component in the polymerization product slurry.
US08871878B2
The present invention generally relates to a new method of polymerizing ethylene. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to compounds utilized in the polymerization of ethylene and to a synthesis/polymerization method that uses same. In another embodiment, branched polyethylene is synthesized from an ethylene monomer using, in this embodiment, at least one nickel iminophosphonamide (PN2) complex. In still another embodiment, the reaction of (phenyl)(triphenylphosphine)(diphenyl-bis(trimethylsilylimino)phosphorato)-nickel, with Rh(acac) (C2H4)2 and ethylene yield a branched polyethylene. In an alternative of this embodiment, the reaction of (phenyl)(triphenylphosphine)(methyl-cis(trimethylsilyl)amino-bis(trimethylsilylimino)phosphorato)-nickel and ethylene, with or without Ni(COD)2, yields a branched polyethylene.
US08871876B2
Ethylene-based interpolymers, e.g., ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers, are made by a process comprising the steps of: A. Injecting a first feed comprising a chain transfer agent system (CTA system) and ethylene into a first autoclave reactor zone to produce a first zone reaction product, the CTA system of the first reactor zone having a transfer activity Z1; and B. (1) Transferring at least part of the first zone reaction product to a second reactor zone selected from a second autoclave reactor zone or a tubular reactor zone, and (2) at least one of transferring or freshly injecting a feed comprising a CTA system into the second reactor zone to produce a second zone reaction product, the CTA system of the second reactor zone having a transfer activity of Z2; and with the proviso that the ratio of Z1:Z2 is greater than 1. The comonomer comprises at least one carboxylic acid group or an anhydride group.
US08871872B2
Provided is a method for a poly(GAP-co-THF)diol prepolymer in which THF monomer units are copolymerized to GAP, having high difunctionality, a reduced amount of cyclic oligomer side products having a small molecular weight, a wide copolymer composition and controlled molecular weight. The resulted poly(GAP-co-THF)diol prepolymer according to the present invention is used as a binder for a high-energy PBX or composite propellant, specifically used as a binder in the preparation of polyurethane having excellent mechanical properties.
US08871871B2
Vulcanizates with desirable properties can be obtained from compounds incorporating polymers that include hydroxyl group-containing aryl functionalities. The functionalities can be incorporated by using any or all of appropriate initiators, monomers and optional terminating compounds. Such polymers exhibit excellent interactivity with both conventional and non-conventional fillers.
US08871869B2
The invention relates to a hydrophilic coating formulation which when cured results in a hydrophilic coating, wherein the hydrophilic coating formulation comprises a polyelectrolyte and a non-ionic hydrophilic polymer. The invention further relates to a coating system, a hydrophilic coating, a lubricious coating, use of a polyelectrolyte and a non-ionic hydrophilic polymer in a lubricious coating, an article, a medical device or component and a method of forming on a substrate a hydrophilic coating.
US08871863B2
A method for producing a thermoplastic polymeric matrix includes adding a suspension containing a silicate compound and/or barium sulfate either before or during the polymerization of the polymerizable polymeric matrix; various articles are obtained by forming this polymeric matrix, such as yarns, fibers, filaments, films and molded articles.
US08871859B2
The present disclosure provides an aqueous dispersion comprising a solid particle and a structured vinyl polymeric dispersant, wherein said structured vinyl polymer dispersant comprises at least one hydrophilic segment and at least one hydrophobic segment, the hydrophilic segment comprising at least one crosslinkable moiety, wherein the crosslinkable moiety is cross-linked with a crosslinking agent that is substantially insoluble in the aqueous ink vehicle.These dispersions when used in ink jet inks provide images with the requisite optical density and chroma needed for emerging ink jet applications.
US08871856B2
The invention relates to compositions comprising two structured linear copolymers selected from the group consisting of block copolymers and gradient copolymers, these copolymers being prepared by different controlled polymerization techniques and the difference in the polydispersities of these copolymers, Δ(Mw/Mn), being ≧0.25. The invention further relates to the production of such blends and to their use as wetting agents and dispersants.
US08871851B2
Strengthened thermoplastic materials use fly ash or cinders as extenders. The extended materials use fly ash or cinders that preferably contain no more than about 2% by weight of moisture. The thermoplastic materials are preferably foamed and extruded to form extruded closed cell foam articles, for example a window blind slat, shutter louver, shutter stile, or shutter frame. Thermoplastic materials formed with the fly ash or cinders can also be formed into non-foamed products or into pellets for use in later extruding to form products.
US08871843B2
The disclosure describes halogen free flame retardant resin compositions comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer; an inorganic filler; and a flame retardant additive, wherein the flame retardant additive is an alkali metal nitrite; an alkaline earth metal nitrite; an alkali metal nitride; an alkaline earth metal nitride; an alkali metal borate; an alkaline earth metal borate; an alkali metal silicide; an alkaline earth metal silicide; an alkali metal silicate; or an alkaline earth metal silicate. Also described are computing systems having components formed of such a halogen free, flame retardant resin.
US08871842B2
The invention relates to a method for producing at least one compound having at least one at least monosubstituted amino group. According to the invention, a starting substance having at least one amino group is reacted with an alcohol in a reaction mixture in the presence of ammonia.
US08871823B2
A first polymer (preferably in granular form) is exposed to a gas at a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure to introduce the gas into the polymer. This occurs at a temperature from the glass transition temperature to the melting temperature when the first polymer is crystalline or semi-crystalline in nature, or at a temperature below the glass transition temperature when the first polymer is amorphous in nature. Optionally, the gas-laden polymer may then be mixed with a second polymer. The polymer is then melted to produce a foamed article.
US08871820B2
Alumina particles and compositions containing alumina particles are disclosed. Methods of making alumina particles and methods of using alumina particles are also disclosed.
US08871816B2
An improved method for the manufacture of an oil-in-water emulsion involves three procedures: (i) preparation of a preliminary emulsion; (ii) microfluidization of the preliminary emulsion to reduce its droplet size; and (iii) filtration of the microfluidized emulsion through a hydrophilic membrane.
US08871815B2
A (−)-stereoisomer of formula (I): wherein X is H or F; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt or prodrug thereof, useful as an anesthetic.
US08871812B2
The present invention relates to antiviral therapies and compositions for treating or preventing Hepatitis C infections in patients and relates to other methods disclosed herein. The invention also relates to kits and pharmaceutical packs comprising compositions and dosage forms.
US08871799B2
Disclosed herein are compounds and related compositions for the treatment of viral infection, including RNA viral infection, and compounds that can modulate the RIG-I pathway in vertebrate cells, including compounds that can activate the RIG-I pathway.
US08871796B2
The invention encompasses a novel class of diaryl ether derivatives which inhibit the processing of APP by the putative γ-secretase while sparing Notch signaling pathway, and thus are useful in the treatment or prevention of Alzheimer's disease without the development of Notch inhibition mediated gastrointestinal issues. Pharmaceutical compositions and methods of use are also included.
US08871794B2
Methods and compositions for agonizing a type-2 orexin receptor (OX2R) in a cell determined to be in need thereof, including the general method of (a) administering to a subject a cyclic guanidinyl OX2R agonist and (b) detecting a resultant enhanced wakefulness or increased resistance to diet-induced accumulation of body fat, or abbreviated recovery from general anesthesia or jet lag.
US08871782B2
Imidazoquinoline compounds with an alkoxy substituent at the 6, 7, 8, or 9-position, pharmaceutical compositions containing the compounds, intermediates, methods of making, and methods of use of these compounds as immunomodulators, for inducing or inhibiting cytokine biosynthesis in animals and in the treatment of diseases including viral, and neoplastic, are disclosed.
US08871778B2
Compounds of Formula (I) and methods for inhibiting kinases, including spleen tyrosine kinases, are disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for treating a kinase-mediated disease or condition by administering to a subject a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of Formula (I).
US08871776B2
The present invention provides tricyclic compounds having cytostatic and cytotoxic activity in a single molecule having receptor tyrosine kinase(s), dihydrofolate reductase, thymidylate synthase and/or dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitory activity, which are useful as anti-angiogenic and anti-tumor agents. Also provided are methods of utilizing these inhibitors to treat tumor cells and other proliferative diseases and disorders.
US08871760B2
Compounds of the formula I: or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein X, Y, R1, R2, and R3 are as defined herein. Also disclosed are methods of making the compounds and using the compounds for treatment of diseases associated with the P2X7 purinergic receptor.
US08871759B2
The present invention relates to compounds of formula (I) that are useful as hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5A inhibitors, the synthesis of such compounds, and the use of such compounds for inhibiting HCV NS5A activity, for treating or preventing HCV infections and for inhibiting HCV viral replication and/or viral production in a cell-based system.
US08871757B2
6- and 7-amino isoquinoline compounds are provided that influence, inhibit or reduce the action of a kinase. Pharmaceutical compositions including therapeutically effective amounts of the 6- and 7-aminoisoquinoline compounds and pharmaceutically acceptable carriers are also provided. Various methods using the compounds and/or compositions to affect disease states or conditions such as cancer, obesity and glaucoma are also provided.
US08871746B2
Methods, compounds, and pharmaceutical compositions for treating arenavirus infections are disclosed. Methods for preparing the compounds and pharmaceutical compositions are also disclosed. The novel compounds and compositions are used for treatment of arenavirus infections, which include but are not limited to the following viruses: Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, Lassa, Tacaribe, Pichinde, and LCMV.
US08871738B2
Compounds having the structure of Formula I, including pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds, are CETP inhibitors and are useful for raising HDL-cholesterol, reducing LDL-cholesterol, and for treating or preventing atherosclerosis.
US08871731B2
The present invention relates to treating or preventing age-related cardiomyopathy by modulating the expression or activity of a miR-34 family member and/or PNUTS. Methods of treating or preventing age-related cardiomyopathy include administering an inhibitor of miR-34 expression or activity or an agonist of PNUTS expression or activity. Also provided herein are methods of treating or preventing cardiac fibrosis and myocardial infarction by administering an inhibitor of miR-34 expression or activity or an agonist of PNUTS expression or activity.
US08871718B2
Transglutaminase inhibitors and methods of use thereof are provided.
US08871703B2
The invention relates to an aqueous polyester concentrate having a proportion by weight of polyesters of 12 to 60%, wherein the polyesters are obtainable by means of polymerization of the components selected from a) one or more sulfo group-free aromatic dicarboxylic acids and/or salts thereof and/or anhydrides thereof and/or esters thereof, b) optionally one or more sulfo group-containing dicarboxylic acids, salts thereof and/or anhydrides thereof and/or esters thereof, c) 1,2-propylene glycol, d) ethylene glycol, e) one or more compounds of the formula (1) R1O(CHR2CHR3O)nH (1), where R1 is a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl group having from 1 to 22 C atoms, R2 and R3, independently of one another, are hydrogen or an alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and n is an integer of from 1 to 50, f) optionally one or more compounds of the formula (2) H—(OCH2CH2)m—SO3X (2), where m is an integer of from 1 to 10 and X is hydrogen or an alkali metal ion, and g) optionally one or more cross-linking polyfunctional compounds, provided that at least one of the components b) or f) is present, and provided further that the molar ratio of the components c) 1,2-propylene glycol to d) ethylene glycol is greater than or equal to 1.60.
US08871701B2
The invention relates to an aqueous cleansing emulsion comprising a hydrophobic component H1 selected from the group consisting of the following categories: (i) aliphatic C10- or C15-terpene hydrocarbons; (ii) aliphatic C10- or C15-terpenoids; (iii) aliphatic C15-C40-hydrocarbons; and (iv) C6-C30-carboxylic acid C1-C30-alkyl esters. A hydrophobic component H2 selected from the group consisting of the following categories: (iii) aliphatic C15-C40-hydrocarbons; (iv) C6-C30-carboxylic acid C1-C30-alkyl esters; (v) aliphatic C6-C19-hydrocarbons; (vi) aromatic C10- or C15-terpenoids; (vii) aliphatic or aromatic C20-, C25-, C30- or C35-terpenoids; (viii) essential, animal or vegetable oils; and (ix) silicon oils. Furthermore, the emulsion contains an emulsifier E1 having a HLB value of 4±2; an emulsifier E2 having a HLB value of 9±2; and optionally, an emulsifier E3 having an HLB value of 16±4.
US08871700B2
The present invention relates to cleaning and disinfecting liquid detergent compositions and, in one embodiment, liquid hand dishwashing compositions, comprising a metal salt, preferably a divalent metal salt, preferably Zn2+-salt and linear alkyl nucleophilic surfactant, preferably a linear alkyl chain amine oxide.The present invention further relates to methods of disinfecting dishware and/or dishwashing implements and/or skin using such a liquid detergent compositions.
US08871689B2
A method of drilling is disclosed and includes pumping a wellbore fluid into a wellbore through an earth formation, wherein the wellbore fluid comprises a base fluid and a surface active agent capable of altering wettability of fines located in the earth formation, and allowing filtration of at least a portion of the wellbore fluid into the earth formation.
US08871688B2
The present invention relates to a method for absolute quantification of polypeptides.
US08871676B2
Porous composites of mullite and cordierite are formed by firing an acicular mullite body in the presence of a magnesium source and a silicon source. In some variations of the process, the magnesium and silicon sources are present when the acicular mullite body is formed. In other variations, the magnesium source and the silicon source are applied to a previously-formed acicular mullite body. Surprisingly, the composites have coefficients of linear thermal expansion that are intermediate to those of mullite and cordierite alone, and have higher fracture strengths than cordierite at a similar porosity. Some of the cordierite forms at grain boundaries and/or points of intersection between mullite needles, rather than merely coating the needles. The presence of magnesium and silicon sources during acicular mullite formation does not significantly affect the ability to produce a highly porous network of mullite needles.
US08871675B2
A method of forming an agent for removing or separating a species from a diluent or process stream, e.g. a desulphurization agent. The method comprises mixing at least one compound of manganese and pore forming articles.
US08871669B2
A catalyst composition is provided comprising a homogeneous solid mixture having ordered directionally aligned tubular meso-channel pores having an average diameter in a range of about 1 nanometer to about 15 nanometers, wherein the homogeneous solid mixture is prepared from a gel formed in the presence of a solvent, modifier, an inorganic salt precursor of a catalytic metal, an inorganic precursor of a metal inorganic network, and a templating agent. The templating agent comprises an octylphenol ethoxylate having a structure [I]: wherein “n” is an integer having a value of about 8 to 20.
US08871657B2
A method of manufacturing a composite concrete article comprising forming a textile structure, removing material from regions of the textile structure to create voids in the textile structure and incorporating the textile structure into a body of wet uncured concrete such that the concrete flows into the voids created in the textile structure, embedding the textile structure into the concrete, whereby the textile structure defines at least a portion of a surface of the cured concrete article.
US08871650B2
Post etch treatments (PETs) of low-k dielectric films are described. For example, a method of patterning a low-k dielectric film includes etching a low-k dielectric layer disposed above a substrate with a first plasma process. The etching involves forming a fluorocarbon polymer on the low-k dielectric layer. The low-k dielectric layer is surface-conditioned with a second plasma process. The surface-conditioning removes the fluorocarbon polymer and forms an Si—O-containing protecting layer on the low-k dielectric layer. The Si—O-containing protecting layer is removed with a third plasma process.
US08871644B2
According to one embodiment, a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device comprises forming a to-be-processed film includes a convex potion and concave potion on its surface on a semiconductor substrate via layers having a relative dielectric constant smaller than that of SiO2, planarizing the surface of the to-be-processed film, and etching the planarized surface of the to-be-processed film.
US08871637B2
Techniques described herein generally relate to laminated semiconductor structures. In some examples, method of forming a polyimide film are described. An example method may include forming a through hole in a laminated semiconductor structure that includes multiple stacked semiconductor layers. An inner wall of the laminated semiconductor structure can define the through hole. The inner wall can be exposed to a solution including a salt of polyamic acid and/or a polyamic acid that can be precipitated on the inner wall. The precipitated polyamic acid on the inner wall can be transformed into a polyimide film substantially coating the inner wall.
US08871628B2
An electrode structure comprises a semiconductor junction comprising an n-type semiconductor layer and a p-type semiconductor layer; a hole exnihilation layer on the p-type semiconductor layer; and a transparent electrode layer on the hole exnihilation layer. The electrode structure further comprises a conductive layer between the hole exnihilation layer and the transparent electrode layer. In the electrode structure, one or more of the hole exnihilation layer, the conductive layer and the transparent electrode layer may be formed by an atomic layer deposition. In the electrode structure, a transparent electrode formed of a degenerated n-type oxide semiconductor does not come in direct contact with a p-type semiconductor, and thus, annihilation or recombination of holes generated in the p-type semiconductor can be reduced, which increases the carrier generation efficiency. Further, the electric conductivity of the transparent electrode is increased by the conductive layer, which improves electrical characteristics of a device.
US08871627B2
A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate on which a structure portion is provided except a peripheral portion thereof, and has a laminated structure including low dielectric films and wiring lines, the low dielectric films having a relative dielectric constant of 3.0 or lower and a glass transition temperature of 400° C. or higher. An insulating film is formed on the structure portion. A connection pad portion is arranged on the insulating film and connected to an uppermost wiring line of the laminated structure portion. A bump electrode is provided on the connection pad portion. A sealing film made of an organic resin is provided on a part of the insulating film which surrounds the bump electrode. Side surfaces of the laminated structure portion are covered with the insulating film and/or the sealing film.
US08871624B2
A method for forming a sealed air gap for a semiconductor chip including forming a gate over a substrate; forming a sacrificial spacer adjacent to the gate; forming a first dielectric layer about the gate and the sacrificial spacer; forming a contact to the gate; substantially removing the sacrificial spacer, wherein a space is formed between the gate and the first dielectric layer; and forming a sealed air gap in the space by depositing a second dielectric layer over the first dielectric layer.
US08871619B2
Solar cells and other semiconductor devices are fabricated more efficiently and for less cost using an implanted doping fabrication system. A system for implanting a semiconductor substrate includes an ion source (such as a single-species delivery module), an accelerator to generate from the ion source an ion beam having an energy of no more than 150 kV, and a beam director to expose the substrate to the beam. In one embodiment, the ion source is single-species delivery module that includes a single-gas delivery element and a single-ion source. Alternatively, the ion source is a plasma source used to generate a plasma beam. The system is used to fabricate solar cells having lightly doped photo-receptive regions and more highly doped grid lines. This structure reduces the formation of “dead layers” and improves the contact resistance, thereby increasing the efficiency of a solar cell.
US08871581B2
A III-nitride switch includes a recessed gate contact to produce a nominally off, or an enhancement mode, device. By providing a recessed gate contact, a conduction channel formed at the interface of two III-nitride materials is interrupted when the gate electrode is inactive to prevent current flow in the device. The gate electrode can be a schottky contact or an insulated metal contact. Two gate electrodes can be provided to form a bi-directional switch with nominally off characteristics. The recesses formed with the gate electrode can have sloped sides. The gate electrodes can be formed in a number of geometries in conjunction with current carrying electrodes of the device.
US08871578B2
A method for manufacturing a thin film transistor includes forming a semiconductor layer, a wiring layer and a patterned mask layer in sequence on a substrate on which a gate electrode and a gate insulating layer are formed; patterning the wiring layer and the semiconductor layer based on the patterned mask layer while irradiating external light; removing at least a part of the mask layer; forming a channel portion by etching the wiring layer while controlling irradiation of the external light. Further, the method for manufacturing the thin film transistor can obtain an improved structure by forming the semiconductor layer made of an oxide which reacts to external light irradiated thereto, thus capable of adjusting a selectivity between the semiconductor layer and the wiring layer.
US08871560B2
Embodiments relate to a method for annealing a solar cell structure including forming an absorber layer on a molybdenum (Mo) layer of a solar cell base structure. The solar cell base structure includes a substrate and the Mo layer is located on the substrate. The absorber layer includes a semiconductor chalcogenide material. Annealing the solar cell base structure is performed by exposing an outer layer of the solar cell base structure to a plasma.
US08871551B2
There are many inventions described and illustrated herein. In one aspect, the present inventions relate to devices, systems and/or methods of encapsulating and fabricating electromechanical structures or elements, for example, accelerometer, gyroscope or other transducer (for example, pressure sensor, strain sensor, tactile sensor, magnetic sensor and/or temperature sensor), filter or resonator. The fabricating or manufacturing microelectromechanical systems of the present invention, and the systems manufactured thereby, employ wafer bonding encapsulation techniques.
US08871537B2
Provided is a method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence display device which enables production of a high-resolution organic electroluminescence display device in which display failure is suppressed. The method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescence display device includes multiple organic electroluminescence elements each including an organic compound layer that includes at least an emission layer, the method including: forming the organic compound layer on a substrate; sequentially forming an intermediate layer and a resist layer on the organic compound layer; removing a part of the resist layer by a photolithography method; and selectively removing, by dry etching, the intermediate layer and the organic compound layer in a region in which the part of the resist layer is removed, the light shielding layer having a function of blocking light having a wavelength of 190 nm or more and 360 nm or less.
US08871532B2
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which solves a problem with a burn-in process where current and voltage are applied to finished semiconductor devices at high-temperature. The method uses an organic multilayer wiring substrate for a burn-in board in which power supply/grounding wiring is formed with microscopic openings formed at least almost all over the areas around sockets over the front or back surface of the substrate. For increasing the supply voltage and reference voltage for the burn-in board and other purposes, whenever possible, signal wires are disposed in inner wiring layers of the board. The related-art burn-in board which has a solid or blanket-type conductor pattern in an outermost layer as wiring for supply or reference voltage may cause an insulating protective film over the metal wiring to peel due to weak adhesion between the wiring and film when thermal cycles are repeated. The method solves the problem.
US08871517B2
A method of distinguishing a control solution from a sample in an electrochemical test sensor is performed. The method includes adding a control marker to the control solution. The control solution includes the control marker and analyte. The test sensor includes working and counter electrodes, and a reagent. A potential is applied to the test sensor to oxidize the control marker and the analyte. The resulting electrical current is measured. A potential is applied to the test sensor lower than the other potential in which the potential is sufficient to oxidize the analyte and not the control marker. The resulting electrical current is measured. Determining whether a control solution or a sample is present based on the measured electrical currents. To increase the measured current, a salt may be added to the control solution in an amount sufficient to increase the electrical current by at least 5% as compared to a control solution in the absence of a salt.
US08871507B2
This invention offers an effective method of inhibiting the expression of apolipoprotein E by mammalian cells. Apolipoprotein E is a protein that plays a significant role in the development of Alzheimer's Disease in humans. The method comprises administering an effective amount of a triarylmethyl amine compound having the general formula: wherein the R1 group may comprise acyclic amines and aliphatic amines. The R2 group may comprise one of three aryl varieties: aryl, substituted aryl, or heterocycle. Triarylamine compounds inhibit apolipoprotein E expression in mammalian cells. In one aspect of the invention the mammalian cells may be human cells, and more specifically may be human brain cells.
US08871505B2
The present invention relates to a method for producing artificial skin, comprising: adding a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor and a heparanase inhibitor to an artificial skin formation culture medium comprising human epidermal keratinocytes and human dermal fibroblasts, culturing the cells in the artificial skin formation culture medium, and forming artificial skin.
US08871487B2
Embodiments herein report methods, compositions and uses for inducing and/or accelerating viral growth. In certain embodiments, methods, compositions and uses generally related to copolymer compositions for inducing viral growth, reducing lag time and/or increasing viral plaque size. In other embodiments, methods, compositions and uses of copolymer compositions can be for inducing flaviviral growth, reducing lag in growth and/or increasing plaque size.
US08871475B2
A method is provided for improving enzymatic hydrolysis in saccharification of a lignocellulosic material. The method is comprising pretreating the lignocellulosic material to obtain a slurry of pretreated lignocellulosic material; adding at least one reducing agent to the slurry of pretreated lignocellulosic material or the liquid fraction thereof to decrease the enzymatic hydrolysis inhibitory properties of slurry of the pretreated lignocellulosic material or the liquid fraction thereof; and subjecting the slurry of pretreated lignocellulosic material or the liquid fraction thereof to enzymatic hydrolysis in the presence of the at least one reducing agent.
US08871473B2
The present invention provides a method for the production of γ-CD, comprising making a starch slurry, incubating with γ-CGTase and isoamylase simultaneously for γ-CD production, forming a complex of γ-CD and an organic complexant, and purifying γ-CD from the complexant. The present invention provides a simple and cost-effective method for producing high purity γ-CD, which has a short production cycle, a high conversion rate, and is adaptable to large-scale industrial production.
US08871467B2
The present invention relates to blocking, inhibiting, reducing, antagonizing or neutralizing the activity of IL-17A and IL-17F. IL-17A and IL-17F are cytokines that are involved in inflammatory processes and human disease. The present invention includes antibodies that bind both IL-17A and IL-17F, hybridomas that produce the antibodies, and methods of using the same in inflammation.
US08871464B2
An apparatus and method are provided for visually monitoring, detecting, and/or determining the presence, absence, and/or growth of harmful or potentially harmful bacterial microorganisms beneath a wound dressing, in one example used to cover an indwelling central venous catheter or other catheter. A bacteria detection apparatus includes a barrier membrane, a permeable membrane for placement proximate a wound or a catheter insertion site, and an indicator between the barrier membrane and the permeable membrane for indicating the presence of bacteria proximate the permeable membrane. A method of using a bacterial growth detection apparatus is also provided.
US08871463B2
The present invention investigate the two modes of glutamate release and the releasing rate of glutamate, and thus can provide a useful technique for neuron protection and acceleration of neurotransmission by controlling the glutamate release in astroctye. Thus, the present invention provides an inhibitor of the fast-mode release and/or the slow-mode release of astrocytic glutamate, a screening method of the inhibitor and a pharmaceutical composition or method of ameliorating, preventing and/or treating the disease associated with the over-release of glutamate via the Ca2+-activated anion channel, with the inhibition of fast-mode glutamate release.
US08871459B2
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis, and determination of treatment regimens in subjects suffering from or suspected of having a renal injury. In particular, the invention relates to using assays that detect Beta-2-glycoprotein 1 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in renal injuries.
US08871457B2
Provided are a method for increasing an amount of glucose oxidase to be immobilized on the self-assembled monolayer and a sensor which comprises glucose oxidase immobilized with the method. The method of the disclosed technology is characterized by that one molecule of an amino acid is interposed between the self-assembled monolayer and the molecule of the glucose oxidase.
US08871454B2
Diets high in saturated fat and fructose have been implicated in the development of obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in humans. Provided herein are biomarkers, methods, and animal models useful for the investigation and non-invasive detection of NASH, including a non-invasive biomarker that could be used to establish disease severity, follow progression, and evaluate response to treatment in clinical trials for this increasingly prevalent disease.
US08871449B2
The invention relates to methods and products for the identification of a clinically significant immune response in subjects treated with a therapeutic protein. Aspects of the invention relate to methods and compositions for identifying a clinically significant immune response in patients treated with therapeutic amounts of a VLA4 binding antibody (e.g., natalizumab). A second aspect of the invention concerns the chronological details of sample collection for determining the titre of antibodies against the therapeutic protein, e.g. the collection of at least two samples at two different time points. A third aspect of the invention relates to the selection of the critical threshold level, which corresponds to the antibody titre of untreated patients increased by the double of the standard deviation of this control antibody titre.
US08871448B2
The present invention provides methods and compositions related to the detection and/or monitoring of the levels of angiogenic factors, specifically VEGF, PlGF and sFlt-1, in urine samples obtained from pregnant women and the effects of such levels on the risk of developing complications of pregnancy, including hypertensive disorders such as preeclampsia, in the first, second, and/or third trimester of pregnancy. The present invention also provides kits for identifying and screening patients at risk of developing a complication of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia.
US08871444B2
The invention describes a method for isolating one or more genetic elements encoding a gene product having a desired activity, comprising the steps of: (a) compartmentalizing genetic elements into microcapsules; and (b) sorting the genetic elements which express the gene product having the desired activity; wherein at least one step is under microfluidic control. The invention enables the in vitro evolution of nucleic acids and proteins by repeated mutagenesis and iterative applications of the method of the invention.
US08871440B2
The present invention provides a method for evaluating preservative effect of a tissue preservation solution, comprising immersing a mammalian tissue introduced with a luminescence or fluorescence labeling gene in the tissue preservation solution, measuring a luminescence or fluorescence level by the labeling gene in the tissue after immersion, and evaluating the preservative effect of the tissue preservation solution based on the luminescence or fluorescence level.
US08871436B2
Oligonucleotides containing the non-palindromic sequence motif: X1X2X3X4X5X6X7X8, wherein X1 is C, T, G or A (preferably T or C); X2 is C, T, G or A; X7 is C, T, G or A (preferably G); at least three, and preferably all, of X3, X4, X5, X6 and X8 are T; with the proviso that, in the motif, a C does not precede a G (in other terms, the nucleic acid motif does not consist of a CpG oligonucleotide), that modulate the immune response of animals of the order Primate, including humans are disclosed. This immune modulation is characterized by stimulation of proliferation, differentiation, cytokine production and antibody production on B-cells and cell differentiation, cytokine production and antibody production on B-cells and cell differentiation on plasmacytoid dendritic cells.
US08871435B2
Methods and compositions for identifying agents that inhibit a neoplastic cellular phenotype mediated by the NS4B protein nucleotide binding motif (NBM) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are provided. In general, the methods involve contacting a candidate agent with a mammalian cell expressing an NS4B NBM polypeptide of an HCV virus, wherein expression of the NS4B NBM polypeptide in the absence of candidate agent promotes a neoplastic cellular phenotype, and detecting the presence or absence of an effect of the candidate agent on NS4B-mediated promotion of a neoplastic cellular phenotype. The provided methods and compositions find use in a variety of therapeutic and screening applications.
US08871429B2
The present invention relates to a fluorine-free photoacid generator (PAG) and a photoresist composition containing the same. The PAG is characterized by the presence of an onium cationic component and a fluorine-free fused ring heteroaromatic sulfonate anionic component containing one or more electron withdrawing substituents. The onium cationic component of the PAG is preferably a sulfonium or an iodonium cation. The photoresist composition further contains an acid sensitive imaging polymer. The photoresist composition is especially useful for forming material patterns on a semiconductor substrate using 193 nm (ArF) lithography.
US08871426B2
A photoresist composition for a color filter is provided which includes a) a coloring agent, b) a binder resin, c) a photopolymerization initiator, d) a photopolymerizable monomer, and e) a solvent, wherein a siloxane-based material is bonded to the binder resin.
US08871419B2
The toner for electrostatic image development has excellent charge properties, by which excellent toner particle size-controlling ability is achieved, and moreover the sharpening of a particle size distribution is achieved. The toner is composed of toner particles containing a binder resin. The process has an aggregating step of adding an aggregating agent containing a transition element into an aqueous medium of dispersed fine binder resin particles to aggregate the fine binder resin particles, and an aggregation-stopping step of adding an aggregation stopper composed on a sulfur atom-containing compound exhibiting a reducing action on the aggregating agent. The aggregating agent is a salt of a bivalent or higher metal selected from Sr, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu.
US08871401B2
A fuel cell system suppresses the deterioration of an electrolyte membrane of a fuel cell. The fuel cell system comprises: a temperature rise speed calculation unit for calculating a target temperature rise speed of the fuel cell using a temperature of the fuel cell and a water content of the fuel cell; and a drive control unit for controlling a drive of the cooling water pump using the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell and the target temperature rise speed calculated by the temperature rise speed calculation unit. The drive control unit controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that a circulation amount of the cooling water is decreased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is below the target temperature rise speed and controls the drive of the cooling water pump such that the circulation amount of the cooling water is increased when the temperature rise speed of the fuel cell is equal to or greater than the target temperature rise speed.
US08871399B2
The invention relates to a method for extending the lifetime of a PEMFC fuel cell that includes the step of supplying, at anode 3, a chemical compound capable of reacting with oxygen, but not originating from the fuel.
US08871391B2
Method of forming lithium-containing electrolytes are provided using wet chemical synthesis. In some examples, the lithium containing electrolytes are composed of β-Li3PS4 or Li4P2S7. The solid electrolyte may be a core shell material. In one embodiment, the core shell material includes a core of lithium sulfide (Li2S), a first shell of β-Li3PS4 or Li4P2S7, and a second shell including one of β-Li3PS4 or Li4P2S7 and carbon. The lithium containing electrolytes may be incorporated into wet cell batteries or solid state batteries.
US08871372B2
A device for supplying power to a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle, truck or motorcycle, includes one or more storage cell modules, each of which includes one or more electrochemical storage cells and/or double layer capacitors that are arranged next to and/or on top of one another. The device has a cooler block that includes a holder for the storage cell modules and a structure for dissipating the heat emitted by the storage cell modules. The cooler block has a force absorbing device with at least one—in particular, plate-shaped—force absorbing element, by which in the case of a crash a force acting on the device is absorbed and is deflected around the storage cell modules.
US08871360B2
Organometallic compounds and organic electroluminescence devices employing the same are provided. The organometallic compound has a chemical structure represented below: wherein, X is C—H or N, Y is CH2 or NH; R1 is H, or C1-8 alkyl; and A1 is acetylacetone ligand, acetylacetone with phenyl group ligand, or derivatives thereof.
US08871353B2
Films including at least one layer of a blend of a cyclic olefin copolymer and a hydrocarbon wax are described. Particularly, films including 75.0 wt % to 99.9 wt % of a copolymer of a cyclic olefin monomer and an acyclic olefin and 0.1 wt % to 25.0 wt % of a hydrocarbon wax are described. Methods of making such films are also disclosed.
US08871350B2
A gas barrier film in which a gas barrier layer deposited by catalyst CVD in contact with each of both main surfaces of a plastic film is an SiCNFH layer satisfying conditions of 0.01
US08871349B2
Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to articles including anticondensation and/or low-E coatings that are exposed to an external environment, and/or methods of making the same. In certain example embodiments, the anticondensation and/or low-E coatings may be survivable in an outside environment. The coatings also may have a sufficiently low sheet resistance and hemispherical emissivity such that the glass surface is more likely to retain heat from the interior area, thereby reducing (and sometimes completely eliminating) the presence condensation thereon. The articles of certain example embodiments may be, for example, skylights, vehicle windows or windshields, IG units, VIG units, refrigerator/freezer doors, and/or the like.
US08871348B2
A glass substrate with a conductive film, which ensures that variation of power generation is less likely to occur when used in a thin solar cell, and is excellent in the sealability with a sealant, is provided.A glass substrate with a conductive film for a solar cell which comprises a glass substrate having a thickness of 2 mm or less and a conductive film formed on the glass substrate, wherein the warp deformation amount W of the glass substrate represented by the following formula is 0.5 μm/cm2 or less. W=D/L2 (D: the maximum warpage (μm) of the glass substrate, and L: the diagonal length (cm) of the glass substrate).
US08871345B2
Disclosed are composite pellets for extrusion molding wherein fusion does not occur between the pellets, and there is no variation in size and density. A molten material obtained by an extruder for a raw material containing a thermoplastic resin and wood powder is extruded into a strand shape through a die nozzle of the extruder, and cut into a predetermined length to form a pellet. At this time, the extrusion amount, the diameter of each nozzle hole, and the number of nozzle holes are adjusted so that the linear velocity (νd) of the molten material in each nozzle hole of the die nozzle is in the range of 12 to 50 cm/sec. Further, regardless of the variations in particle diameter, etc., a stable amount of the composite pellets are supplied to the extruder, and smoothly introduced to a screw of the extruder. The composite pellets and 12-hydroxystearic acid containing a metal of Ca, Mg, or Zn are agitated together, and 0.03 to 0.4 mass % of the 12-hydroxystearic acid is attached to the periphery of 100 mass % of the composite pellet, and the pellets are used for extrusion molding.
US08871344B2
The invention provides silica particles including primary particles, the primary particles having a volume average particle diameter of from about 80 nm to about 300 nm, a particle size distribution index of from about 1.10 to about 1.40, an average circularity of from about 0.70 to about 0.92, and a circularity distribution index of from about 1.05 to about 1.50, the silica particles including primary particles having a circularity of about 0.95 or greater at a proportion of about 10% or less by number of particles.
US08871340B2
There is provided a surface-coated sintered body formed of a sintered body of cubic boron nitride with a sufficiently adhesive surface coating layer thereon. The present surface-coated sintered body includes a sintered body of cubic boron nitride and a surface coating layer formed on a surface thereof, the sintered body of cubic boron nitride including 20-99.5% by volume of cubic boron nitride and a binder, the surface coating layer including an adhesion layer and at least one hard coating layer, the adhesion layer being a metal layer including at least W, and being formed to cover a surface of the sintered body of cubic boron nitride, the hard coating layer being formed to coat the adhesion layer, the adhesion layer being configured of an amorphous state and/or ultrafine particles having an average particle size equal to or smaller than 5 nm.
US08871333B2
A process for the production of a polymeric article comprises: (a) forming a ply having successive layers, namely, (i) a first layer made up of strands of an oriented polymer material; (ii) a second layer of a polymeric material; (iii) a third layer made up of strands of an oriented polymeric material, wherein the second layer has a lower peak melting temperature that of the first and third layers; (b) subjecting the ply to conditions of time, temperature, and pressure sufficient to melt a proportion of the fits layer, to melt the second layer entirely, and to melt a proportion of the third layer, and to compact the ply; and (c) cooling the compacted ply. The resultant articles have good mechanical properties yet may be made at a lower compaction temperature than articles not employing the second layer, leading to a more controllable manufacturing process.
US08871332B2
Disclosed is a fluorine-containing polymer obtained by polymerizing a 1,6-diene-type ether compound represented by formula [1] and, for example, a (meth)acrylic acid compound represented by formula [2]. The fluorine-containing polymer shows high transparency, has a high glass transition point, and is soluble in a solvent and therefore has moldability. In the case where a (meth)acrylic unit has a reactive substituent, by utilizing the crosslinking reaction thereof, a thin film having high solvent resistance can be produced. In formulae [1] and [2], R1 and R2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may be substituted, R3 represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or a methyl group, and R4 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may be substituted, or an aromatic group having 5 to 10 ring members, which may be substituted.
US08871307B2
The present invention has an object to provide a method for manufacturing a plurality of high quality cylindrical members. The method includes: vertically holding a mandrel so as to be coaxial with a central axis of an annular slit; and discharging a liquid coating through the slit to form a film of the coating on a surface of the mandrel while vertically moving up the mandrel. A circular cleaning blade is rotatably mounted around a lower holding shaft. The step includes the steps of: (1) forming a film of the coating up to a lower end of a coating region of the mandrel, and then stopping the discharge; and (2) moving up the lower holding shaft so that the cleaning blade passes through the annular slit to clean it, in this order. Then the cleaning blade is rotated to clean the cleaning blade.
US08871306B2
A method to improve corrosion, abrasion, and fire resistant properties of structural components for use in oil, gas, exploration, refining and petrochemical applications is provided. The structural component is suitable for as refinery and/or petrochemical process equipment and piping, include but are not limited to process vessels, transfer lines and process pipes, heat exchangers, cyclones, and distillation columns. The method comprises providing the structural component with a plurality of layers, a corrosion resistant layer in contact with the corrosive petroleum products comprising a material selected from amorphous metals, ceramic materials, or combinations thereof; a structural layer; and an outer layer comprising a fire resistive material. In one embodiment, the structural component is further provided with at least another layer selected from a metal sheeting layer, an adhesive layer, and a containment layer. The structural component is characterized as having excellent corrosion/abrasion/erosion properties and fire-resistant properties.
US08871303B2
Disclosed is a method for producing titanium metal, which comprises: (a) a step in which a mixed gas is formed by supplying titanium tetrachloride and magnesium into a mixing space that is held at an absolute pressure of 50-500 kPa and at a temperature not less than 1700° C.; (b) a step in which the mixed gas is introduced into a deposition space; (c) a step in which titanium metal is deposited and grown on a substrate for deposition; and (d) a step in which the mixed gas after the step (c) is discharged. In this connection, the deposition space has an absolute pressure of 50-500 kPa, the substrate for deposition is arranged in the deposition space, and at least a part of the substrate for deposition is held within the temperature range of 715-1500° C.
US08871301B2
A coating treatment apparatus includes: a rotating and holding part; a nozzle supplying a coating solution; a moving mechanism moving the nozzle; and a control unit that controls the rotating and holding part, the nozzle, and the moving mechanism to supply the coating solution onto a central portion of the substrate and rotate the substrate at a first rotation speed, then move a supply position of the coating solution from a central position toward an eccentric position of the substrate with the substrate being rotated at a second rotation speed lower than the first rotation speed while continuing supply of the coating solution, then stop the supply of the coating solution with the rotation speed of the substrate decreased to a third rotation speed lower than the second rotation speed, and then increase the rotation speed of the substrate to be higher than the third rotation speed.
US08871296B2
A method of producing a transparent and conductive film, comprising (a) forming aerosol droplets of a first dispersion comprising a first conducting nano filaments in a first liquid; (b) forming aerosol droplets of a second dispersion comprising a graphene material in a second liquid; (c) depositing the aerosol droplets of a first dispersion and the aerosol droplets of a second dispersion onto a supporting substrate; and (d) removing the first liquid and the second liquid from the droplets to form the film, which is composed of the first conducting nano filaments and the graphene material having a nano filament-to-graphene weight ratio of from 1/99 to 99/1, wherein the film exhibits an optical transparence no less than 80% and sheet resistance no higher than 300 ohm/square.
US08871289B2
It is intended to provide an acidic milk drink with a favorable flavor which has an excellent quality stability and a light texture required for low calorie drinks even at a low milk solid non-fat content in the acidic milk drink. Namely, an acidic milk drink characterized by containing polydextrose and sucrose at a solid non-fat milk content of 1.0 to 4.0% by mass.
US08871288B2
The present invention relates to the use of a compound or a mixture consisting of two or more compounds or containing one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of compounds of Formulae (I) and (ent-I) wherein in Formulae (I) and (ent-I) the following applies: the aromatic radical Ar is selected from the group consisting of: wherein in the aromatic radicals A and B the following applies: R1 and R2 are selected independently of one another from the group consisting of H, OH, OCH3, OCH2CH3, OCH(CH3)2, COOCH3, COOCH2CH3, COOCH(CH3)2, or R1 and R2 are adjacent and jointly form an OCH2O group, and wherein in the aromatic radical C the following applies: X is O or S as a flavoring substance or flavoring substance mixture.
US08871285B2
A method is provided for forming a two component beverage using a container having two compartments, an upper compartment and a lower compartment, each containing a beverage ingredient. The upper compartment contains a first beverage ingredient, such as powdered milk, and the lower compartment 8 contains a second beverage ingredient, such as instant coffee. The upper compartment can be stacked above the lower compartment such that access to the lower compartment is through the upper compartment.
US08871279B2
This invention provides herbal compositions useful for increasing the therapeutic index of chemotherapeutic compounds. This invention also provides methods useful for improving the quality of life of an individual undergoing chemotherapy. Furthermore, this invention improves the treatment of cancer by administering the herbal composition PHY906 in combination with one or more chemotherapeutic compounds to a mammal undergoing such chemotherapy.
US08871278B2
The present invention provides a stabilized hypohalous acid solution (or formulation thereof), which may be conveniently packaged for sale, or stored for later use on demand. The invention further provides methods of making the stabilized hypohalous acid solution, as well as methods of use for disinfecting mammalian tissue, including wounds and burns, disinfecting or cleansing surfaces, or treating and/or preserving food products and cut flowers, among other uses.
US08871277B2
A wood preservative includes injectable particles comprising one or more sparingly soluble copper salts. The copper-based particles are sufficiently insoluble so as to not be easily removed by leaching but are sufficiently soluble to exhibit toxicity to primary organisms primarily responsible for the decay of the wood. Exemplary particles contain for example copper hydroxide, basic copper carbonate, copper carbonate, basic copper sulfates including particularly tribasic copper sulfate, basic copper nitrates, copper oxychlorides, copper borates, basic copper borates, and mixtures thereof. The particles typically have a size distribution in which at least 50% of particles have a diameter smaller than 0.25 μm, 0.2 μm, or 0.15 μm. At least about 20% and even more than 75% of the weight of the particles may be composed of the substantially crystalline copper salt. Wood or a wood product may be impregnated with copper based particles of the invention.
US08871275B2
The present invention deals with extended release pharmaceutical compositions comprising tolterodine, wherein the composition comprises: a) a drug layer comprising tolterodine tartrate, monosaccharide and/or disaccharide on an inert core; or a drug core comprising tolterodine tartrate, monosaccharide and/or disaccharide; and b) a polymer layer comprising extended release polymer(s). The invention also provides a process for the preparation of the above mentioned composition.
US08871268B2
Methods of manufacturing a three-dimensional, biodegradable, thermoset polymeric network composition having desirable degradation and mechanical properties, comprising a macromer component cross-linked with a monofunctional acrylate-containing component. The macromer component can comprise a diacrylate-containing component polymerized with an amine-containing component, wherein the molar ratio of the diacrylate-containing component to the amine-containing component is greater than or equal to 1.
US08871264B2
The present invention provides an immediate release pharmaceutical formulation which includes a tablet or capsule formulation comprising metformin and the sodium dependent glucose transporter (SGLT2) inhibitor dapagliflozin or its propylene glycol hydrate. The present invention also provides methods of preparing the formulations and methods of treating diseases or disorders associated with SGLT2 activity employing these formulations.
US08871250B2
The present invention provides a method for treating an individual who is afflicted with a cancer, such as non-small cell lung cancer or prostate cancer, by administering to that individual a MUC-1-based formulation. The formulation may be a MUC-1 based liposomal vaccine formulation.
US08871243B2
A water soluble film that is disintegrable in the oral cavity to deliver an active agent is provided. The disintegrable film includes at least one water soluble polymer and an active agent. Also provided are methods for preparing the disintegrable oral film and for using the disintegrable film to administer an effective dosage of an active agent into the oral cavity for absorption through the oral mucosa. According to certain embodiments, the disintegrable film includes at least one water soluble polymer and a nicotine active.
US08871236B2
A composition comprising a structural component comprising linear acrylic homopolymers or linear acrylic copolymers and a biobeneficial component comprising copolymers having an acrylate moiety and a biobeneficial moiety is disclosed. A medical article comprising the composition in the coating thereof and a method of fabricating the medical article are also disclosed.
US08871234B2
Disclosed herein are UV-resistant gelatin/silica coated viral particles, methods for producing the same, and methods for controlling agricultural insect pests using the UV-resistant gelatin/silica coated viral particles.
US08871229B2
Disclosed are cosmetic compositions comprising (1) at least one MQTPr siloxane resin; (2) at least one film former chosen from a silicone acrylate copolymer; (3) at least one film former chosen from a hydrogenated hydrocarbon copolymer; (4) at least one fatty phase; and (5) optionally at least one wax and/or colorant. Also disclosed are methods for improving at least one property of a cosmetic composition, and methods for making up and/or enhancing the appearance of keratinous substrates using compositions according to the invention.
US08871220B2
The present invention encompasses engineered Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) vaccines or compositions. The vaccine or composition may be a recombinant vaccine. The invention also encompasses recombinant vectors encoding and expressing avian pathogen antigens, more specifically avian influenza proteins, epitopes or immunogens. Such vaccines or compositions can be used to protect animals, in particular avian, against disease.
US08871217B2
The present invention provides a method for producing fucoxanthin extract, said method comprising: performing absorption of the fucoxanthin extract by using absorbent and then performing elution to remove heavy metals and arsenic salt contained in the fucoxanthin extract, wherein the absorbent is selected from a group having macroporous resin, polyamide, activated carbon, alumina and a combination thereof. The method for producing fucoxanthin extract according to the present invention, the content of heave metal in the fucoxanthin extract can be reduced, while the content of fucoxanthin in the fucoxanthin extract can increase. In addition, the present invention also provides a fucoxanthin extract obtained by the above method, as well as fucoxanthin products containing the fucoxanthin extract.
US08871212B2
Disclosed are novel methods and compositions for combating diseases characterized by deposition of amyloid. The methods generally rely on immunization against amyloid precursor protein (APP) or beta amyloid (Aβ). Immunization is preferably effected by administration of analogs of autologous APP or Aβ, said analogs being capable of inducing antibody production against the autologous amyloidogenic polypeptides. Especially preferred as an immunogen is autologous Aβ which has been modified by introduction of one single or a few foreign, immunodominant and promiscuous T-cell epitopes. Such methods and means include methods for the preparation of analogs and pharmaceutical formulations, as well as nucleic acid fragments, vectors, transformed cells, polypeptides and pharmaceutical formulations.
US08871208B2
A method for treating a patient suffering from inflammation, chronic inflammation, pain, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis and osteoporosis, comprising administering an effective amount of a selective inhibitor of the 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase Type 1 enzyme.
US08871207B2
The invention relates to antibodies, and antigen binding fragments thereof, that specifically bind to an epitope in the stem region of an influenza A hemagglutinin trimer and neutralize a group 1 subtype and a group 2 subtype of influenza A virus. The invention also relates to nucleic acids that encode, immortalized B cells and cultured single plasma cells that produce, and to epitopes that bind to such antibodies and antibody fragments. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the antibodies, antibody fragments, and epitopes in screening methods as well as in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of influenza A virus infection.
US08871204B2
The present invention relates to modified Fc-containing molecules including modified antibodies characterized by increased resistance to host and pathogen-derived proteases, ability to interact with FcγR receptors except with FcγRI, and lack of induction of IL-10 secretion by macrophages, and methods of using and making them.
US08871203B2
A method of treating a pathological syndrome includes administration of an activated form of ultra-low doses of antibodies to an antigen, wherein said activated form is obtained by repeated consecutive dilution combined with external impact, and the antigen is a substance or a pharmaceutical agent exerting influence upon the mechanisms of formation of this particular pathological syndrome.Pharmaceutical agent for treating a pathological syndrome contains activated form of ultra-low doses of monoclonal, polyclonal or natural antibodies to an antigen, wherein said activated form is prepared by means of repeated consecutive dilution and external treatment, predominantly based on homeopathic technology, and said antigen is a substance or a drug acting as a direct cause of the pathological syndrome or involved in regulation of mechanisms of its formation. At that, activated forms of ultra-low doses of antibodies are raised against antigens of exogenous or endogenous origin, against autologous antigens, fetal antigens; anti-idiotypic antibodies are used too.
US08871200B2
The invention relates to medicine. The invention provides inventive method for treating human diseases associated with an increased deoxyribonucleic acid content in extracellular spaces of tissues and organs, which method comprises enterally administering DNAse enzyme in a quantity of 20 000-500 000 Kunz units in a day per 1 kg of the body mass. The single dose of the inventive medicinal preparation for treating human diseases associated with an increased deoxyribonucleic acid content in extracellular spaces of tissues and organs comprises 20 000-500 000 Kunz units of the DNAse enzyme. The oral administration of the above-mentioned important doses of the preparation allows the catalytically significant amount of DNAse to be absorbed into the systemic circulation in such a way that the dose-dependent treating effect thereof is exhibited.
US08871198B2
The invention is directed to methods for the treatment of wounds. Such methods utilize novel compositions, including but not limited to amnion-derived multipotent cells (herein referred to as AMP cells), conditioned media derived therefrom (herein referred to as amnion-derived cellular cytokine suspension or ACCS), cell lysates derived therefrom, cell products derived therefrom, each alone or in combination.
US08871187B2
Compounds derived from oxoazetidine corresponding to general formula (I) compositions containing same, processes for their preparation and their use in pharmaceutical or cosmetic compositions are described.
US08871184B2
A topical therapeutic hydrophobic breakable composition includes a carrier comprising (a) about 60% to about 99% by weight of at least one hydrophobic oil; (b) at least one viscosity-modifying agents selected from the group consisting of a fatty alcohol, a fatty acid and a wax; and (c) a tetracycline antibiotic, characterized in that at least part of the tetracycline antibiotic is suspended in the composition; the viscosity of the composition is at least about 30% higher than the viscosity of the carrier without the tetracycline antibiotic; and is higher than the viscosity of the hydrophobic oil and the tetracycline antibiotic without the viscosity modifying agents; and the amount of viscosity modifying agents can optionally be reduced by at least an amount by weight that would have increased the viscosity of the carrier without the tetracycline antibiotic by at least 30%; wherein the tetracycline is chemically stable in the composition for at least six months; wherein more than about 90% of the tetracycline has not broken down; wherein when packaged in an aerosol container to which is added a liquefied or compressed gas propellant the composition affords upon release from the container a breakable foam of at least good quality that breaks easily upon application of shear force.
US08871177B2
A new family of crystalline microporous metallophosphates designated AlPO-59 has been synthesized. These metallophosphates are represented by the empirical formula R+rMm2+EPxSiyOz where R is an organoammonium cation such as the ETMA+, M is a framework metal alkaline earth or transition metal of valence 2+, and E is a trivalent framework element such as aluminum or gallium. The AlPO-59 compositions are characterized by a new unique ABC-6 net structure and compositions and have catalytic properties for carrying out various hydrocarbon conversion processes and separation properties for separating at least one component.
US08871176B2
The present invention provides a process for reducing sulfur emission of a sulfur plant, wherein the sulfur plant includes a thermal reaction unit, a catalytic reaction unit and a tail-gas purification unit, the process is characterized in that the waste-gas from the degassing of the liquid sulfur in the liquid sulfur tank is introduced into the catalytic reaction unit, and/or the waste-gas from the degassing of the liquid sulfur in the liquid sulfur tank is introduced into the tail-gas purification unit. In present invention, the H2S in purified tail-gas can be reduced to no more than 10 ppm(v) and the SO2 emission concentration of the sulfur plant can be reduced to no more than 100 mg/m3.
US08871168B2
A process for continuously producing monosilane by means of an apparatus comprising a reaction column, at least two upper condensers each with a reflux feed pipe, a bottom reboiler and an evaporation tank connected to a bottom portion of the reaction column; the process comprising: a) supplying dichlorosilane or a mixture of chlorosilanes to an upper stage of the reaction column via an upper feed injection point b) supplying a catalyst to said upper stage of the reaction column via a lower injection point c) introducing the resultant mixture from the top portion of the reaction column to the plurality of upper condensers d) separating monosilane from condensates in the upper condensers e) recycling the condensates through the reflux feed pipes to the upper stage of the reaction column f) bringing the condensates into contact with the catalyst in the reaction column.
US08871159B1
This invention provides compositions and methods useful for the processing of a tissue sample and the preparation of cells, cell aggregates and/or tissue fragments. The invention provides two-stage filer devices and two-membrane devices. Cell aggregates and/or tissue fragments prepared using such devices and according to methods of the present invention can be used in a variety of assay systems, including, but not limited to, drug validation assays, drug screening assays, proliferation assays, metabolic assays, metastasis assays, angiogenesis assays, binding assays, biochemical assays, cellular assays, genetic assays, and the like.
US08871158B2
A protective sheath for prolonged storage of pathology paraffin blocks. The sheath protects the paraffin block against gouging, scratching, denting, rodents, and insects. A pathology slide slides into a slot in the protective sheath and is held into place by retainers running on the interior face of the protective sheath. A paraffin block cassette accepts a paraffin block and slides into a sample block sleeve holder disposed on one edge of the sheath.
US08871157B2
A handheld electronic pipette including several features aimed at improving ease of use, including a color dot matrix display, an intuitive thumb-operated two-axis controller, and multifunction soft buttons adjacent to the display. A simple and consistent user interface facilitates easy access to various modes of operation, including a manual pipetting mode and a remote mode.
US08871153B2
Mechanically fluidized systems and processes allow for efficient, cost-effective production of silicon. Particulate may be provided to a heated tray or pan, which is oscillated or vibrated to provide a reaction surface. The particulate migrates downward in the tray or pan and the reactant product migrates upward in the tray or pan as the reactant product reaches a desired state. Exhausted gases may be recycled.
US08871150B2
Provided are an apparatus for supplying amine, including: transfer pipe through which amine is transferred; a heat wire which heats the amine that flows through the transfer pipe; a temperature control sensor which controls the temperature in the transfer pipe; and a product recovery valve which recovers product resulting from thermal decomposition of the amine, and a method for supplying amine using the same. The apparatus and method for supplying amine are capable of economically and effectively supplying amine utilizing the thermal decomposition properties of the amine, and may be used to supply amine, for example, to circulating water for power plants.
US08871148B2
Herein are disclosed methods and devices for detecting the presence of an analyte. Such methods and devices may comprise at least one sensing element that comprises at least one optically responsive layer that comprises at least a highly analyte-responsive sublayer and a minimally analyte-responsive sublayer. Methods of making and using such sensing elements are also disclosed.
US08871147B2
A sample analyzer comprising: a measurement unit holds a reagent to be used in a sample measurement and measures a sample by using the reagent; a memory storing a usage amount of the reagent used by the measurement unit; a controller calculates an estimated usage amount of the reagent for a specific day, based on the usage amount of the reagent stored in the memory; and a display, wherein the controller controls the display to show a screen including graphic information illustrating a remaining amount of the reagent held by the measurement unit and the estimated usage amount of the reagent for the specific day, first numerical information indicating, by means of a numerical value, the remaining amount of the reagent, and second numerical information indicating an excess or shortage amount of the remaining amount of the reagent relative to the estimated usage amount of the reagent.
US08871140B2
Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing inorganic hollow yarns, such as cermets, oxide-non oxide composites, poorly sinterable non-oxides, and the like, at low costs. The method includes preparing a composition comprising a self-propagating high temperature reactant, a polymer and a dispersant, wet-spinning the composition through a spinneret to form wet-spun yarns, washing and drying the wet-spun yarns to form polymer-self propagating high temperature reactant hollow yarns, and heat-treating the polymer-self propagating high temperature reactant hollow yarns to remove a polymeric component from the polymer-self propagating high temperature reactant hollow yarns while inducing self-propagating high temperature reaction of the self-propagating high temperature reactant to form inorganic hollow yarns. The composition comprises 45˜60 wt % of the self-propagating high temperature reactant, 6˜17 wt % of the polymer, 0.1˜4 wt % of the dispersant, and the balance of an organic solvent.
US08871133B2
Waste reduction, including hazardous waste reduction in photoimaging processes can be accomplished by improving diffusional resolution of cationic curable compositions. The addition of fluorinated polymers including fluorinated surfactants provides improved diffusional resolution in cationic and/or radical based photoimaging formulations allowing for image accuracy improvements, and reduced product and process waste quantity and disposal cost. These fluorinated surfactants also allow for increased cure speed, and non-hazardous constituent formulations that result in less wasted material and time.
US08871121B2
Devices and components that can interact with or modify propagation of electromagnetic waves are provided. The design, fabrication and structures of the devices exploit the properties of reactive composite materials (RCM) and reaction products thereof.
US08871107B2
A method of forming at least one metal or metal alloy feature in an integrated circuit is provided. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a material stack including at least an etch mask located on a blanker layer of metal or metal alloy. Exposed portions of the blanket layer of metal or metal alloy that are not protected by the etch mask are removed utilizing an etch comprising a plasma that forms a polymeric compound and/or complex which protects a portion of the blanket layer of metal or metal alloy located directly beneath the etch mask during the etch.
US08871106B2
This present invention provides a masking method for locally treating surface of a workpiece by masking the workpiece. The workpiece has a targeting treatment area and a non-targeting treatment area. The masking method includes: covering a fixture on the non-targeting treatment area of the workpiece to expose the targeting treatment area of the workpiece; by using an adsorbing force existing between the fixture and the workpiece, getting the fixture to closely contact with the non-targeting treatment area of the workpiece and to make an end edge of the fixture correspond to the edge of the targeting treatment area of the workpiece, wherein the adsorbing force is a vacuum adsorbing force or a static electric adsorbing force. Thereby the surface treatment only effects in an area within the range of the targeting treatment area of the workpiece so as to reduce the treatment defect.
US08871104B2
A method of forming a pattern includes forming a plurality of target patterns, forming a plurality of pitch violating patterns that make contact with the plurality of target patterns and are disposed between the plurality of target patterns, classifying the plurality of pitch violating patterns into a first region and a second region adjacent to the first region, and forming an initial pattern corresponding to one of the first region and the second region.
US08871103B2
A blanket stop layer is conformally formed on a layer with a large step height. A first chemical mechanical polishing process is performed to remove the blanket stop layer atop the layer in the raised region. A second chemical mechanical polishing process is performed to planarize the wafer using the blanket stop layer as a stop layer when the layer is lower than or at a same level as the blanket stop layer or using the layer as a stop layer when the blanket stop layer is lower than or at a same level as the layer, or a selective dry etch is performed to remove the layer in the raised region. Thus, the layer in the raised region can be easily removed without occurrence of dishing in the non-raised region which is protected by the blanket stop layer.
US08871098B2
The invention discloses an apparatus and method to uniformly disperse ozone gas bubbles into liquid phase water for the treatment thereof. The apparatus consists of a water inlet section connected with a section with structured packing or monolith having parallel flow channels. A portion of the influent water is withdrawn from the main water stream as a side stream, pressurized by a pump, mixed with ozone-containing gas, and then injected back into the main water flow. The side stream may be divided into multiple streams either before or after mixing with the ozone-containing gas, and then injected into the main flow section upstream of the packed section. In alternate embodiments, the ozone-containing gas can be injected directly through the gas diffusers just upstream of the packed section in order to achieve uniform concentration of gas and liquid in the fluid entering the monolith.
US08871092B2
A collapsible container consists of three parts: a rigid top rim, a flexible center band, and a rigid base. This combination of sections allows the container to easily collapse to about one-third of its original height. The container is also quite stable when expanded and is self-supporting. In various embodiments of the invention, for example, the upper rim may be expandable, the base may include holes or mesh to serve as a colander or strainer, or the base may be configured as a tube to function as a funnel.
US08871091B2
A filtration assembly is provided for a liquid flowing in an engine or hydraulic equipment, of the type including a body with a head on top thereof, and a cylindrical member for holding a filtration cartridge containing a filtration medium defined by an upper flange and a lower flange. The upper flange is coupled to the head by a first longitudinal retainer. The cartridge includes a second longitudinal retainer interacting with the body. The first retainer having a longitudinal tensile strength lower than the longitudinal tensile strength of the second retainer.
US08871090B2
Methods and systems for processing of liquids using compressed gases or compressed air are disclosed. In addition, methods and systems for mixing of liquids are disclosed.
US08871084B2
The invention relates to a fluid filter (1) comprising a collecting chamber (10) for a liquid which is separated from the fluid, in addition to a filter insert (4) which comprises a filter medium which is permeable to the fluid. The collecting chamber is arranged below the filter medium (5), and a liquid sensor (19) is arranged above the deepest point of the collecting chamber (10) and the liquid sensor (19) is protected from the liquid, at least sectionally, by means of a protective wall (18, 20). Said protective wall (18, 20) extends laterally and/or below the liquid sensor (19) and a liquid permeable connection is provided from the collecting chamber (10) to the fluid sensor (19). The invention is characterized in that the permeable connection extends in a labyrinth like manner such that the fluid flowing through said connection changes direction a plurality of times, the liquid permeable connection allows the fluid to flow in a radial manner from the collecting chamber (10), which surrounds the protective wall, to the liquid sensor. Said liquid sensor is separated from the collecting chamber in the radial direction by at least two protective walls (18, 20), wherein in the radially internal protective wall, the closest to the liquid sensor, a through opening (25) which is as high as or higher than the liquid sensor (19) is provided, and a through opening (25) having the same height or higher than the liquid sensor is provided in at least one protective wall (18) which is arranged in a radial manner further to the outside.
US08871080B2
Electrolyte analyzers are used in a variety of ways, and problems vary from reagent deterioration due to reagent replenishment, mixing of foreign substances during reagent replenishment, electrode deterioration due to the passage of the validity date, to the operator's inputting errors. It is thus necessary to judge abnormalities of measured values resulting from such inappropriate usage, based on the fluctuation patterns of the results of daily electrolyte calibration. The fluctuation patterns of each measured item are extracted from the results of daily electrolyte calibration. The electromotive force balance ratio between the internal standard solution and high/low-concentration standard solutions is calculated as well as its fluctuation pattern. The obtained fluctuation patterns are compared against atypical fluctuation patterns stored in the electrolyte analyzer. When any of the extracted patterns matches any of the atypical patterns, the analyzer activates an alarm.
US08871076B2
Solar cells are produced using a method for producing solar cells, wherein silicon containing vitreous substrates is provided, wherein each substrate is provided with an electrically conductive material on at least one side thereof. In the method, at least a portion of each substrate is successively transported through an electrolytic solution that is present in an electrolytic bath, and the electrically conductive material as the cathode is connected during the transport of the substrates through the electrolytic bath for the purpose of electrodepositing material from the electrolytic solution onto the electrically conductive material during said transport, wherein the substrates are suspended from a conveyor element during transport and extend in the transport direction.
US08871062B2
An apparatus and method are disclosed for controlling the thickness of a flowing, laminar fluid film. The film flow may be gravity-induced or the result of an alternative force. The fluid is deposited on an upper end of a flow surface where a relatively thick layer of the film forms. The film flows over a fluid dispersal region where the surface area is rapidly expanding, which results in rapid thinning of the film thickness. The fluid then flows over an active region where the surface area is designed to control the fluid film thickness. For example, in some applications, it may be desirable to maintain an approximately constant film thickness as the fluid flows over the active region of the surface. The geometry of the flow surface is used to obtain the desired control over the fluid film thickness. The flow surface is the outer surface of a solid with a closed upper end and a lower end that may be open or closed. An open lower end allows for injection of a heated material, which may be used to heat the solid surface. This process may be used to heat the fluid flow surface so that evaporation of the flowing fluid results. A falling film evaporator is one application of the disclosed invention. A carbon capture system using a thin, flowing algae film is another application. Other potential uses of the invention are disclosed as well.
US08871055B2
Disclosed is a sizing composition comprising a hydrophobic paper sizing agent and a hydrophobically modified poly(aminoamide). Also disclosed is a method of making the sizing composition and a method of using the sizing composition.
US08871052B2
A process for separating a first mother liquor stream is provided. The process comprises: separating a first mother liquor stream in a second solid liquid separation zone to produce a secondary wet cake stream and a second mother liquor stream; wherein the first mother liquor stream comprises water non-dispersible microfiber, water, and water dispersible sulfopolyester; wherein the second mother liquor stream comprises water and water dispersible sulfopolyester; and wherein the secondary wet cake stream comprises water non-dispersible polymer microfiber.
US08871050B2
The invention relates to an automated device for implementing a drape-forming step to form a laminated fibrous preform, which is then impregnated with resin to produce a part made of composite material. The invention relates more particularly to the production of preforms for manufacturing parts such as panels, in particular very thick panels, that extend basically in two dimensions. The device of the invention comprises a manipulator able to move and orient in space a tape laying head, said tape laying head comprising: a drum comprising a suction orifice leading to its surface and able to individually grasp a length of fabric on a mounting outside the tool and the tape laying head; means designed to subsequently place this length of fabric on the preform comprising means of compacting; and means of heating the length of fabric.
US08871048B2
The present invention provides a flexible nanoimprint mold which can fabricate sub-15 nm ultra fine structures on either planar or curved substrates. The mold comprises a top ultra-thin rigid layer of imprint patterning features and a bottom thick flexible layer of polymer elastomer. The two distinct layers are preferably integrated via chemically bonding. The top layer of the mold enables a sub-15 nm resolution of pattern fabrication and the bottom layer affords a conformal contact to planar or curved surface of substrates. The methods for fabricating the same are disclosed.
US08871043B2
A masking jig holding unit (31) holds a masking jig, a robot moves the masking jig to place on a temporary placement table, an object holding unit (21) holds an object, the robot moves and positions the object to face an application unit (35b) in a predetermined position and posture, the application unit applies an adhesive to a masking part of the object, the robot directs the masking part of the object downward, and moves the object to the temporary placement table, and the robot brings the object down to the masking jig that is placed on the temporary placement table, and pastes the masking jig to the masking part of the object.
US08871042B2
A heat treatment apparatus 10 for heat treating metals or metallic components includes a fluidized bed furnace 20 and a removable insert 30 which is accommodated within the fluidized bed 50 of the furnace 20. The removable insert 30 enables the geometry of the fluidized bed 50 to be optimized with respect to the size and shape of a component 70 which is to be heated.
US08871034B2
A master verification assembly includes a plurality of plunger devices. Each of the plunger devices includes a piston that is axially moveable between a raised position and a depressed position. When placed in a washing assembly, each of the plunger devices is aligned with a nozzle. The nozzles dispense a cleaning fluid under pressure. An axial force applied by the dispensed cleaning fluid depresses the pistons into the depressed position, whereupon the pistons disposed in the depressed position are axially secured in an indicator position. Upon removal of the master verification assembly from the washing assembly, depressed pistons in the indicator position indicate proper function of the nozzles, whereas pistons disposed in the raised position indicate improperly functioning nozzles.
US08871033B2
An apparatus for insertion in an enclosed space, including: a tube with: first and second substantially straight portions including first and second ends of the tube, respectively; and a curved portion connecting the first and second portions. The apparatus includes: a plurality of nested segments at least partially disposed within the first substantially straight portion of the tube and connected to the first substantially straight portion; and a first actuator engageable with the tube to displace the first and second substantially straight portions of the tube into and out of the enclosed space through an opening into the enclosed space. The tube is arranged to accept a hose passing through the tube, and a distal segment from the plurality of nested segments is connectable to the hose.
US08871023B2
A silicon single crystal pull-up apparatus is provided with a chamber into which an inert gas is introduced; a crucible that supports a silicon melt within the chamber; a heater that heats the silicon melt in the crucible; a lifting device for lifting and lowering the crucible; a thermal radiation shield disposed above the crucible; a cylindrical purging tube that is provided inside the thermal radiation shield so as to straighten the inert gas; a CCD camera that photographs the mirror image of the thermal radiation shield reflected on the liquid surface of the silicon melt through the purging tube; a liquid surface level calculator that calculates the liquid surface level of the silicon melt from the position of the mirror image photographed by the camera; and a conversion table creator that creates a conversion table representing a relationship between the liquid surface level of the silicon melt and the mirror image position obtained. The liquid surface level calculator calculates the liquid surface level based on the conversion table.
US08871013B2
The invention provides an ink containing a first coloring material and a second coloring material, wherein the first coloring material is a compound represented by a general formula (1), and the second coloring material is a compound represented by a general formula (2).
US08871010B2
A plasma spray method for the manufacture of an ion conductive membrane is provided which ion conductive membrane has an ion conductivity, in which method the membrane is deposited as a layer (11) onto a substrate (10) in a process chamber, wherein a starting material (P) is sprayed onto a surface of the substrate (10) in the form of a process beam (2) by means of a process gas (G), wherein the starting material is injected into a plasma at a low process pressure, which is at most 10,000 Pa, and is partially or completely molten there. Oxygen (O2; 22) is supplied to the process chamber (12) during the spraying at a flow rate which amounts to at least 1%, preferably at least 2%, of the overall flow rate of the process gas.
US08871008B2
Capturing a target gas includes contacting a gas mixture including a target species with an aqueous solution including a buffer species, and transferring some of the target species from the gas mixture to the aqueous solution. The target species forms a dissolved target species in the aqueous solution, and the aqueous solution is processed to yield a first aqueous stream and a second aqueous stream, where the equilibrium partial pressure of the target species over the second aqueous stream exceeds the equilibrium partial pressure of the target species over the first aqueous stream. At least some of the dissolved target species in the second aqueous stream is converted to the target species, and the target species is liberated from the second aqueous stream. The target species can be collected and/or compressed for subsequent processing or use.
US08871007B2
This invention provides a method for reducing mercury emissions from a cement plant comprising at least a particulate collection device and a preheater tower comprised of one or more preheater cyclones. The method comprises injecting pulverized coal into at least one preheater cyclone of said cement plant.
US08871004B2
A method for making an agglomerate of an ore is disclosed. The method comprises contacting the ore with an acid solution and a stucco binder. The stucco binder may include calcium sulfate hemihydrate. The ore agglomerate may include ore, acid solution, and stucco-derived gypsum.
US08871002B2
The invention provides a technological method for preparing sponge titanium from sodium fluotitanate raw material, comprising the following steps: step A: placing aluminum in an airtight resistance furnace, evacuating, introducing inert gas into the resistance furnace, and heating the aluminum to obtain molten aluminum; step B: opening a reactor cover, adding a proper amount of sodium fluotitanate into the reactor, closing the reactor cover, detecting leakage, slowly heating the reactor to 150° C., evacuating and continuously heating the reactor to 250° C.; step C: introducing inert gas into the reactor, continuously heating the reactor to 900° C., and stirring uniformly; step D: opening a valve, adjusting the stirring speed, dripping the molten aluminum, and controlling the temperature of reaction in a range from 900 to 1000° C.; and step E: opening the reactor cover, removing a stirring device out of the reactor, and eliminating NaAlF4 at upper layer to obtain sponge titanium.
US08870995B1
The air filter system includes a cover that is configured to secure itself adjacent to an HVAC register. The cover includes hanger members on distal ends, which hook onto screw holes of the HVAC register. The cover includes a plurality of openings forming a vent through which air is able to pass. The cover is configured to be loosely hung underneath the HVAC register such that air-conditioned air is able to blow through the cover as well as along a peripheral opening formed between the cover and the HVAC register. The cover includes a filter member that is selectively removed, and positioned in between the cover and the HVAC register. The filter has a rectangular shape that corresponds to the cover. The filter also has lipped peripheral portion that has a thickness greater than a center portion.
US08870986B2
An abrasive article including a bonded abrasive body having abrasive particles contained within a bond material, the bond material including a vitreous material formed from a mixture having aluminum oxide (Al2O3), bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and boron oxide (B2O3), and wherein the mixture includes an amount (wt %) of aluminum oxide less than an amount (wt %) of bismuth oxide and the amount (wt %) of aluminum oxide is less than an amount (wt %) of boron oxide.
US08870982B2
The invention describes a method of converting biomass to products that can be incorporated into the diesel fuel pool, comprising a first stage of fermentation of renewable raw materials of vegetable origin at the end of which a least one alcohol and at least one compound containing a carbonyl group are obtained, and a second stage corresponding to an acetalization reaction involving said alcohol and said compound containing a carbonyl group.
US08870946B1
A bifurcated intravascular stent graft comprises primary stent segments and a primary graft sleeve, forming a main fluid channel and having a side opening therethrough. An external graft channel formed on the primary graft sleeve has a first end communicating with the side opening and an open second end outside the primary graft sleeve, thereby providing a branch flow channel from the main channel out through the side opening and external graft channel. The primary stent segments and graft sleeve engage an endoluminal surface of a main vessel and form substantially fluid-tight seals. The stent graft further comprises a secondary stent graft, which may be positioned partially within the external graft channel, through the open second end thereof, and partially within a branch vessel. The secondary stent graft engages the inner surface of the external graft channel and the endoluminal surface of the branch vessel, thereby forming substantially fluid-tight seals.
US08870939B2
The present disclosure relates to an endoluminal prosthesis, such as a stent graft that includes one or more fenestrations to accommodate endovascular disease, such as an aneurysm in cases where one or more side branches is involved. In one aspect, the prosthesis includes fenestrations that are pivotable to accommodate the dynamic geometry of the aortic branches. In another aspect, the pivotable fenestrations include a first perimeter, a band of flexible material attached and surrounding the first perimeter, and a second perimeter attached to and surrounding the band of flexible material. The first perimeter, band of flexible material, and second perimeter have a geometric shape. In one aspect, the prosthesis includes at least three pivotable fenestrations.
US08870933B2
An implant suitable for being anchored with the aid of mechanical vibration in an opening provided in bone tissue. The implant is compressible in the direction of a compression axis under local enlargement of a distance between a peripheral implant surface and the compression axis. The implant includes a coupling-in face which serves for coupling a compressing force and the mechanical vibrations into the implant, which coupling-in face is not parallel to the compression axis. The implant also includes a thermoplastic material which, in areas of the local distance enlargement, forms at least a part of the peripheral surface of the implant.
US08870925B2
A Spinal column implant for elastic stabilization of vertebrae includes an elastic rod that is anchored in a non-positive fit fashion in the receptacle of a pedicle screws by means of a mobile filling piece and a clamping element. The non-positive fit is supported additionally by a dynamic form-fit contribution upon exposure to load.
US08870919B2
The disclosure relates generally to embodiments of systems and methods of spinal stabilization. Embodiments include methods that use a dilator to displace tissue proximate to a sleeve. An embodiment of a surgical system can comprise a dilator that may define a working channel from a first opening to a second opening. The dilator can be positioned to displace tissue proximate to the sleeve. The dilator may be shaped to allow a first end of an elongated member to enter the working channel through the first opening and exit the dilator through the second opening to be percutaneously moved to another assembly.
US08870918B2
A spinal fixation device is provided having first and second elongate members that are angularly adjustable relative to one another. Each elongate member can include a connecting feature formed on a terminal end thereof, and each connecting feature can be coupled to one another to allow angular movement of the first and second elongate members. The device can also include a locking mechanism that is adapted to couple to the connecting feature on each of the first and second elongate members to lock the elongate members in a fixed position relative to one another.
US08870915B2
Disclosed is a joining element (10), especially a suture material for surgical use. The joining element (10) is composed of a first material (12) that is essentially rigid during impingement by a relatively short-lasting tensile load on opposite sides as well as a second material (11) which is connected to the first material. The second material is substantially rigid during impingement by said tensile load on opposite sides while contracting slowly during a second period of time that is longer than the first period of time.
US08870913B2
Devices, delivery systems and delivery techniques for an occlusion device for the closure of physical anomalies, such as an atrial septal defect, a patent foramen ovale (PFO), and other septal and vascular defects are described. The devices, delivery systems and delivery techniques relate particularly to, but are not limited to, a patent foramen ovale (PFO) occluder made from a polymer tube. In certain embodiments, the occluder includes a catch system that holds the occluder in the deployed, expanded profile. The catch system includes a locking funnel cap. In some embodiments, the locking funnel cap forces the proximal ends of the occluder in a radially inward position to lock the catch member in place and prevent the occluder from moving from its deployed configuration.
US08870911B2
The present invention relates to a forceps comprising an elongate body, a grip region at end of the elongate body, the grip region comprising a lever, a grasping assembly at the opposite end of the elongate body, the grasping assembly comprising a movable grasper and a trocar, and an actuating mechanism coupling the lever to the grasping assembly for effecting movement of the grasper relative to the elongate body. The present invention also relates to a kit of parts comprising a forceps of the invention and additional components. The invention further relates to a method of forming an anastomosis between two surfaces and a method of forming a stoma trephine in a subject using the kit of parts of the invention. The present invention also relates to the use of the forceps and the kit or parts of the invention in such methods.
US08870908B2
A flexible metal wire coil is formed with a twisted coil pattern, by forming a primary coil on a special mandrel formed from two or more strands of material twisted helically about a longitudinal axis to have a helical shape. The primary coil wire is wound around the mandrel to give the primary coil a twisted shape corresponding to the helical shape of the mandrel.
US08870897B2
A method for manipulating a suture is provided. The method includes providing support to tissue using a snare of a suture manipulation device and ensnaring, using the snare and without moving the snare, a portion of the suture when the portion of the suture passes through the tissue and is released by a needle. The method further includes securing, while removing the support to the tissue, the portion of the suture with the snare. The method further still includes removing the snare with the portion of the suture from the tissue.
US08870896B2
The present invention discloses a hybrid epilator device that comprises a razor blade having a sharp edge for cutting hairs, an epilation cylinder comprising at least a pair of clamping elements that during operation are actuated by an actuation system between an open position and a closed position so that hairs can feed into the gap between the pair of clamping elements in the open position and are gripped and plucked out from the skin surface when the pair of clamping elements is in the closed position, and a manually operable adjustment mechanism that has a least a first adjustment and a second adjustment such that in the first adjustment and the second adjustment the skin surface can be simultaneously contacted by the sharp edge of the razor blade and an circumferential area of the epilation cylinder. This allows switching between two different epilation efficiencies of the epilation cylinder.
US08870891B2
A depth gauge and method provide for accurate measurement of a socket portion of a bone tunnel in an ACL reconstruction.
US08870882B2
An apparatus and method of performing a minimally invasive posterior spine fusion. More specifically an apparatus with a handle and a forked head on the distal end of the handle is used to grasp implant material and introduce the material to an implant site. The shaft of the apparatus is shaped so as to allow the affixation of a drill guide and drill while simultaneously holding the implant material in the implant site. After removal of the boring tools and assembly of the fusing element, the apparatus can be selectively removed from the implant site. A method of achieving facet joint fusion with near simultaneous fixation is also disclosed.
US08870880B2
The present invention relates to a method of inserting an implant comprising providing an expandable vertebral implant. The method further may comprise providing an angling inserter tool. The angling inserter tool comprises a handle portion, a base portion, and a tip assembly, the base portion being disposed between the handle portion and the tip assembly. The method further may comprise distally advancing a central shaft of the tip assembly with rotation into an opening in the expandable vertebral implant to secure the angling inserter tool to the expandable vertebral implant. The method further may comprise positioning the expandable vertebral implant in a patient's spine. The method further may comprise for causing the tip assembly to angulate with respect to a longitudinal axis of the angling inserter tool, wherein the internal shaft is coaxial with an outer cylinder of the base portion.
US08870878B2
A device, system and method for orthopedic spine surgery using a novel screw-based retractor, disclosed herein, that allows for access to the spine through a minimally or less invasive approach. The retractor device is designed as a co-molded part of the tulip of a pedicle screw assembly with opposed arms of the retractor spread apart to open the wound proximally. The arms are removed by separating the arms from the tulip and removing them from the incision. The retractor device is intended to be made of a relatively stiff material, sterile packaged and disposable after one use. A system and method for using the retractor and performing a minimally invasive spine surgical procedure are also disclosed.
US08870875B2
Rasps for preparing bones of various patients to receive a prosthetic implant and a method for using the same. Multiple rasps may be provided as a set. Within the set, the rasps generally correspond to the size and shape of a single prosthetic implant, such as a prosthetic femoral hip stem, and have a range of bone removal and bone compression capabilities to account for unique bone characteristics of the various patients. A surgeon may select a desired rasp from the set provided depending on the patient's unique bone characteristics.
